Denny McNamara

Sep 7, 2012

Both parties covet Kriesel seat

The Republican takeover of a Minnesota House seat that’s home to cities like Cottage Grove and St. Paul Park was one of the more surprising turns among the many upheavals in the 2010 election.

Aug 3, 2012

Lessard-Sams hears the call of the prairie

The landscape is shifting for the 12-member citizen-legislator group that recommends conservation habitat land acquisitions to the state Legislature.

Jul 11, 2012

If at first you don’t succeed

Near-miss 2010 GOP challenger Karin Housley mounts primary bid for retiree Vandeveer’s seat

Jun 15, 2012

Boom in frac sand mining leaves Minnesota regulators scrambling

Silica sand mining has become a booming business in southeastern Minnesota, and as a result it’s also become a burgeoning issue at the Legislature.

Jun 15, 2012

Lawmakers eye state-federal cost sharing for Mississippi makeover

After piling on to an old-style, double-decker excursion boat at Rosemount on Wednesday morning, scores of citizens, politicians and government agency employees listened as officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers outlined an ambitious plan to revitalize the most degraded stretch of the Mississippi River in Minnesota.

May 11, 2012

So long, adios, auf wiedersehen

After adjourning in the wee hours of Thursday morning, the Minnesota House of Representatives plunged ahead with the bittersweet biennial ritual of retirement speeches from departing members.

Apr 13, 2012

GOP legislators split on plan to raise hunting and fishing fees

A state fund that helps pay for game warden salaries and other state natural resource operations is projected to run out of money as of July 2013.

Apr 5, 2012

MN House passes omnibus environment bill

The state House on Thursday passed an environment policy bill 74-52 that drew fire from environmental groups.

Mar 14, 2012

House, Senate environment bills target invasive species

Although legislative leaders appear to be hastening to finish the 2012 session early, environment chairs in both chambers still have a number of policy issues to wrestle with before their work is done.

Feb 10, 2012

Legacy outdoors bill moves ahead

The fourth round of constitutionally dedicated funding for outdoors projects is under way at the state Capitol.

Feb 1, 2012

Majorities press for more permitting changes

Republicans in the state Legislature are advancing a new set of initiatives to overhaul environmental regulation. The measures come after they reached accord last year with Gov. Mark Dayton on a sweeping bill that streamlined the environmental permitting process.

Dec 23, 2011

Basis for Thornton firing still murky

News that Susan Thornton, the chief staffer for the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), had been fired came as a shock last week to many state legislators and people who lobby on environmental funding issues.