Morning Report 2/8/2010

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AGRICULTURE

• Survey shows Minnesota a leader in organic farming, AP

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BEST OF THE BLOGS

• Legislature to the rescue: Lobbyists savor reprieve from the big gubernatorial candidate squeeze, Politics in Minnesota
• Pawlenty vows to ‘aggressively’ protect unallotment power, Politics in Minnesota
• Legislators introduce early-primary bill, Politics in Minnesota
• Overheard at the Capitol (and elsewhere): Odds & ends from the week that was, Politics in Minnesota
• Business leaders split on which party will win the gov’s race, Politics in Minnesota
• Number of uninsured Minnesotans tops 9 percent, Politics in Minnesota
• Parry speaks up (indirectly) in favor of Dick Day’s new day job, Politics in Minnesota
• Just a darn minute, Margaret, The Cucking Stool
• Vikings talk, Capitol Chatter
• Pawlenty radio transcript: sometime in the near future, mnpACT!
• Franken shreds Comcast CEO, The Political Animal
• Rybak: I’m the only Dem who can win, The Political Animal
• Yes. No. Maybe. No., Capitol Chatter
• Matt Entenza’s ego on full display, Let Freedom Ring
• Taxpayer Victory: Cleaning in the light of day, Hennepin County Taxpayer Watchdog
• The two faces of Tim Pawlenty, Northwoods Politics
• Sen. Sparks not offended by T Paw joke, Hot Dish Politics
• The road to the DFL endorsement must pass through the Iron Range, MN Progressive Project

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BUSINESS / ECONOMY

• Spring start planned for $11M armory in Arden Hills, MSP Business Journal
• Economic Stress Index shows most and least stressed counties in December, AP. Clay County among least stressed.

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CAMPAIGNS

• Thao fined for campaign finance violations, St. Paul Legal Ledger Capitol Report
• Princeton Republican plans state House run, St. Cloud Times
• GOP still needs attorney general candidate, AP
• Rybak and Kelliher are treating it like a two person race, Polinaut - MPR

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CONGRESS - HOUSE

• Michele Bachmann does delicate political dance, Star Tribune
• U.S. Rep. Paulsen to host job fair Monday, MSP Business Journal

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CONGRESS - SENATE

• Klobuchar pushes to ease international adoptions, KSTP
• Aggressive Al Franken blasts administration for lack of leadership on health-care, other initiatives, Politico

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ELECTIONS

• Election calendar change could effect governor’s race, KSTP
• State lawmakers circle August for primary election, AP
• Late summer Minn. primary? Get ready for it, Star Tribune

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ENVIRONMENT

• Groups asking for review of outdoors amendment language, MPR
• DNR to fishermen: Clean up or pay up, Star Tribune
• Minnesota government E85 usage rises 25 percent, AP

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GOVERNMENT - LOCAL

• Stimulus funding: How one city avoided getting mired in bureaucratic delays, Finance and Commerce
• Met Council pursues East Bethel wastewater plant, Finance and Commerce
• Towns group opposes tax assessment changes, Winona Daily News
• Kandiyohi County sends message to state about child support program, West Central Tribune

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HEALTH CARE

• Number of Minnesotans uninsured jumps by 100,000, Star Tribune

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LEGISLATURE

• On day one, bonding bills hit the fast track, St. Paul Legal Ledger Capitol Report
• What do you call a gorilla at the State Capitol? Anything but, Star Tribune
• Rochester scores big in bonding bills, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• Bonding in rural MN, TC Daily Planet
• Minnesota lawmaker to unveil another job-creation bill, AP
• Minnesota House panel takes up Haiti donation tax break, AP
• Minnesota lawmaker who enrolled in Guard due back soon, AP

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OPINION-COMMENTARY

• Tom Ellenbecker: Wind power propels state job creation, St. Cloud Times
• Ray Schmitz: Redistricting shouldn’t be a political football, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• Nick Coleman: The gorilla in the room: The truth, Star Tribune
• Lori Sturdevant: From speaker to governor? It’s been done. Once., Star Tribune
• Lori Sturdevant: Time to bargain-shop, Star Tribune
• Joe Soucheray: You’d think MPR would know what irony is, Pioneer Press

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

• Editorial: Sunday sales make sense - and cents, Winona Daily News
• Editorial: Decentralization dulls metro’s edge, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Legislature lives in the shadow of next election, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• Editorial: Bachmann’s visit demonstrates why her star is rising, Rochester Post-Bulletin
• Editorial: Pawlenty bets on lottery for Vikes, Star Tribune
• Editorial: Pawlenty’s path to the Oval Office, Grand Forks Herald

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PAWLENTY

• Pawlenty has until Tuesday to explain budget cuts, AP
• Gov. Pawlenty speaks to GOP activists in Alabama, AP

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PUBLIC HEALTH / SAFETY

• The chemical revolt, Pioneer Press

• Farmington silo rescue: Out of the corn; deep in trouble, Star Tribune
• On streets of Duluth, helping the helpless, AP
• DPS orders Xcel to fix sewer line breaches, AP
• Somali children document a tattered history, AP
• Ceridian computer glitch may have helped hacker, Star Tribune
• Winona appeal draws ACLU attention, Winona Daily News
• 3M talks had short guest list, Star Tribune

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ST. PAUL / MINNEAPOLIS

• Mayors to announce new funding for CityLiving mortgage-assistance program, Finance and Commerce

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STADIUMS

• Vikings gear up for stadium lobby, St. Paul Legal Ledger Capitol Report

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TRANSPORTATION

• ‘Complete streets’ bill would encourage redesigned roadways, MPR
• Metro Transit ridership is dropping, WCCO

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Z-FILE: IRRESISTIBLE STORIES BEYOND THE PURVIEW OF PIM

• Finding Minnesota: A White Castle’s history, WCCO