Statewide Blog

Gov. Walker pushes mining in Superior, silver carp moves north, Ron Paul’s North Dakota

Gov. Walker visits Superior to tout mining proposal

Superior Telegram: "'We're not the badger state because we have all these animals around,' said Gov. Scott Walker. 'We're the badger state because our heritage involves mining' and if any state can streamline the process, to return to mining, it should be Wisconsin."

Dreaded carp netted in Mississippi near Winona

Rochester Post Bulletin: "An 8-pound silver carp, an invasive species known for its wild leaps out of the water when startled, was netted by a commercial fisherman Thursday on the Mississippi River near Winona, making it the furthest north one has been found."

Bill aims to slash price of county property site by $120,000

Duluth News Tribune: "Though the city had agreed to a purchase price of $150,00 and did not request the new legislation, the bill was introduced by state Reps. Tom Rukavina and Carly Melin.

Dayton vetos gun bill

Capitol View: "In his veto letter to the Legislature, Governor Dayton said he vetoed the bill because most major law enforcement agencies raised issues about the bill. Dayton said he appreciated the efforts to craft the bill to ease worries by law enforcement but said their concerns 'must be honored.'"

On Super Tuesday, Ron Paul zeros in on North Dakota

AP: "In a state that typically receives more in federal spending than it pays in taxes, unabashed small-government cheerleader Ron Paul has done the most campaigning, drawn the largest crowds and attracted the biggest share of political donations among Republican presidential candidates."

Super Tuesday: Four things to watch for

NPR: "Super Tuesday 2012 is finally here, with Republican presidential preference contests -- a mix of primaries and caucuses -- occurring in ten states from sea to shining sea."

Strong Super Tuesday turnout expected in Oil Patch

Dickinson Press: "Caucus sites in the Oil Patch are expecting strong turnouts for Super Tuesday today following visits by two Republican candidates and an emphasis on energy policy from all four."

Editorial: Surprises in store at caucuses?

Forum of Fargo Moorhead: "Active Republicans and those identifying themselves as Republicans, even though they are not Republicans, are cranked up for what promises to be a very interesting day at caucus sites across the state."

Amateurs are new fear in creating mutant virus

New York Times: "Over the past decade, more amateur biologists have started to do genetic experiments of their own. One hub of this so-called D.I.Y. biology movement, the Web site DIYbio.org, now has more than 2,000 members. 'I worry about the garage scientist, about the do-your-own scientist, about the person who just wants to try and see if they can do it,' Michael T. Osterholm of the University of Minnesota said last week at a meeting of biosecurity experts in Washington."

Strengthening rural Latino start-ups

MPR News: "More than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States, Latinos are entrepreneurs, and that tendency has been increasing. Nearly a quarter of all new entrepreneurs in 2010 were Latino, according to the Kauffman Foundation, which has been studying the topic for many years."

Senate to choose an insider trading bill

New York Times: "Senate leaders, eager to avoid a freewheeling, unpredictable debate on Congressional ethics, are considering simply accepting a House-passed bill to ban insider trading by lawmakers. This approach would kill two provisions previously passed by the Senate and would, in the eyes of some, weaken the measure promoted as a way to restore trust in Congress. One Senate provision at risk would regulate a booming industry that collects "political intelligence" from political insiders for the use of hedge funds, mutual funds and other investors. The second would give prosecutors powerful new tools to pursue public corruption cases."

Stillwater bridge: MnDOT tweaks new bridge cost estimate

Pioneer Press: "The estimated cost of the St. Croix River Crossing Project has dropped by several million dollars in revised figures from the Minnesota Transportation Department."

Op-Ed: Gaffing his way to victory

Weekly Standard: "Mitt Romney is leading the league in gaffes. We know this because the media are counting. The Week lists his '9 worst clueless-rich-man gaffes.' The Wall Street Journal trumps that with 'Romney's Top 10 Wealth Gaffes.' The Christian Science Monitor refers to the 'Mitt Romney gaffe monster.'"

Op-Ed: Poorly told political fortunes

New York Times: "This presidential race has been all about upended expectations. At the mile marker of Super Tuesday, it's worth pausing to look at how frequently we've erred and how much we've learned."