Statewide Blog

Coyotes, casino on the rocks, Cravaack’s first year in office

County places bounty on coyotes; breaks 45-year hiatus

Starting today, Chippewa County will pay $10 for every coyote killed in the county. It's the first time in 45 years a bounty will be offered on the animals in Minnesota. But county officials say it's necessary to curb a population that's grown out of control (MPR News).

Table set for budget battle round two

Thursday the state's economic forecast will be released. It's expected to show Minnesota is facing a nearly $1 billion deficit. That's lower than last session's $5 billion deficit, but either way, many agree it's still bad news as the economy is slowly recovering (KAAL).

Op-Ed: It's no-win for cities in Minnesota

No matter how they try to spin it, Republican lawmakers in the Minnesota Legislature are responsible for coming tax increases and/or deep cuts in the budgets of Minnesota cities (Forum of Fargo Moorhead).

More on the state budget all day on The Big Story Blog.

Ramsey County explores new stadium funding, including local tax on liquor, entertainment, others

As Minneapolis makes a move on a new Minnesota Vikings stadium, Ramsey County officials are quietly looking at new funding options - such as taxes on booze and hotels - to keep their Arden Hills location competitive (Pioneer Press).

Duluth casino on the rocks

"Last week's ruling from a Federal judge, that stopped payments to the city from the Fond du Luth Casino, could have serious consequences for the future of gambling in downtown Duluth. Lawyers are going over the contract with a fine tooth comb and the result could be the closure of the Fond du Luth casino," reports the Northland News Center.

Congressman Chip Cravaack: a look back at his first year in office

"As Congress struggles to overcome gridlock after gridlock, the freshman Republican's stance remains the same: jobs are best created by the private sector, not the government," reports Northland News.

Stick a fork in Cravaack?

National Journal casts a gloomy forecast for Rep. Chip Cravaack re-election prospects. "His largely party-line voting record is at odds with the prairie populism of Minnesota's Iron Range, a region that has traditionally seen a role for an active government. Cravaack already is facing a field of credible Democratic challengers, and if his district isn't dramatically altered, he would be running in one of the most Democratic seats held by a Republican."

Frank Moe backs Fanning in MN-08

Former state Rep. Frank Moe, DFL-Bemidji, is backing Daniel Fanning's campaign for Congress in Minnesota's 8th District. Moe, who served in the house between 2003 and 2009. He is currently an outdoor guide in Grand Marais (Capitol View).

Tarryl Clark no-shows scheduled Ely appearance; aide fills in and touts her candidacy for Cravaack's seat in Congress.Tue Nov 29 20:10:33 via txtNick Wognum
elyecho

Five DFLers on ballot in free-for-all SD 59 primary (Politics in Minnesota)

Perfect Duluth Day posted Trampled by Turtles' video covering the Pixies. They do the song justice, but the striking part of the video is how they incorporated fan photos of the lyrics.