Back in August, under a pavilion at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in 95-degree heat, supporters of increasing the minimum wage in Minnesota kicked off what would soon become a very public campaign. Before then, talk of raising the wage was mostly confined to the halls of the state Capitol, where differing House and Senate bills were considered last session but failed to yield any agreement.

Union leaders say they are moving full speed ahead with their legislative agenda this year, despite recent comments from Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk that many issues on their wish list will not pass this session.

On Tuesday hundreds of labor unions, business groups, lobbying shops and other independent political organizations submitted reports detailing how much money they’ve raised so far this year, what they’ve already spent and how much they have in the bank.

Like any expanded gambling proposal, the push for a high-end casino nestled on the troubled downtown Minneapolis Block E site faces a host of obstacles in passing through a historically reluctant Legislature.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., has been recognized by the National Narcotic Officers' Associations' Coalition (NNOAC) for her commitment to fighting drug trafficking.