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.
In CD 2, new map spawns new hope for DFLers
It wasn’t until the redistricting maps were released that DFLers became noticeably interested in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District.
Obama campaign enlists DFL lawmakers, Rybak
The Obama campaign in Minnesota said Monday morning that it would unveil a list of participants in a so-called Truth Team.
Auditor weighs in on Legacy amendment problems
The Minnesota Legislative Auditor has released a much anticipated report about the problems lawmakers have encountered in their efforts to allocate the proceeds of a dedicated sales tax for environmental and cultural projects.
Asian carp: Will a plague of jumping fish end Minneapolis’ days as river port?
On Sept. 15, crews from scads of state and federal agencies launched a small fleet of research boats at Hidden Falls Regional Park in St. Paul, looking for an answer to a suddenly pressing question: Have two species of the dreaded Asian carp finally worked their way up the Mississippi River to the Twin Cities?
Fiscal notes, gov consolidation top auditor’s list
A year ago, the Legislative Audit Commission passed over a proposal to evaluate the way state agencies prepare the fiscal notes that have long served as the basis for doing state budgets. One year later, amid a session punctuated by public disputes about their accuracy, the commission made an investigation of fiscal notes one of the highest priorities for Legislative Auditor James Nobles and his s[...]
Capitol security and renovations remain thorny
Rep. Dean Urdahl wants to spend $550,000 in dedicated proceeds from the 2008 Legacy sales tax amendment to create a State Capitol Preservation Commission. The 16-member panel would be charged with selecting an architectural firm to draw up plans for a comprehensive, multiyear renovation of the century-old building.
Lessard-Sams critic Hansen dropped from council
Rep. Rick Hansen, a persistent critic of decisions made by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, has been removed from the 12-member body.
Arizona shootings rattle St. Paul
The shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 19 others on Saturday in Tucson, Ariz., has pushed the issue of security at the Capitol onto the front burner. But it is hardly a new subject:
PCR is sorely missed in lege races
Two weeks before Minnesota's political contribution refund (PCR) program expired, Rep. Julie Bunn, DFL-Lake Elmo, and about nine volunteers unleashed a full-tilt fundraising drive.
13 could be lucky number for Senate GOP
Around convention time in the spring, Senate Minority Leader Dave Senjem, R-Rochester, boasted that his caucus would retake the chamber’s majority in November. Considering Senate Republicans’ 38-year stranglehold on minority status, and the 13 seats that his troops will need to gain to make good on the pledge, it amounts to a tall order.
Capitol says farewell to much-loved figure
On Tuesday evening, hundreds of lawmakers, lobbyists and labor officials made their way to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office. The occasion was a memorial service for Mark McAfee, a beloved lobbyist and advocate for economic justice who stalked the Capitol corridors for three decades.
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