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Associated Press
ST. PAUL — Lawyers for the Minnesota House spell out in a 34-page brief why they believe Gov. Tim Pawlenty misused a state law to enact budget cuts without legislative consent.
The brief filed Friday supports a lawsuit challenging some of the $2.7 billion in cuts made by Pawlenty. Specifically, six plaintiffs want a court to restore money for food assistance and property tax credits for the poor.
ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel Energy’s request today to expand its operation and storage of nuclear waste at the plant at Red Wing.
Environmental backers spoke against the measure at the lengthy hearing today in St. Paul. The city of Red Wing also opposed it, saying they need additional money from the utility, because they don’t have adequate resources to provide an emergency response in case of an accident at the plant. The PUC directed the Red Wing officials to make their request to the Minnesota Legislature for funding.
It looks like the famous motorized recliner that police in northern Minnesota seized after it was driven by drunken driver won’t be going to California after all. The Proctor Police Department had put the chair on eBay and thought it has sold for $10,999 to a California man last week, but that man backed out of the deal. On Monday, 24-year-old Clayton Adler of Cupertino, Calif., sent the city an e-mail saying there had been a mistake; he didn’t mean to bid so high, and he couldn’t afford to pay.
Voters in Washington state today approved an “everything but marriage” law for gay couples.
A final plan to expand Samaritan Bethany’s senior housing campus near downtown Rochester won unanimous city council approval on Monday. The plan calls for adding two additions — a three-story building and a five-story building — on the campus just west of the Super America store at Seventh Street and North Broadway. Construction may start as soon as December. The nursing home complex will also undergo a major renovation as part of the project.
The project is intended to consolidate the near-downtown campus with Samaritan Bethany’s facilities near Assisi Heights in northwest Rochester. The council approval included the final plan, and also a conditional use permit for Samaritan Bethany to add two parking lots, totaling 44 spaces, one block north of its campus.
President Barack Obama is making an overnight dash to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to greet the return of fallen soldiers. Obama’s unannounced move will give him a direct look at the ultimate cost of war during the deadliest month of the war in Afghanistan for U.S. forces. On a clear fall night, Obama was flying by his Marine One helicopter directly to Dover on a trip expected to last about four hours. He was expected to greet the flag-draped caskets of soldiers killed in Afghanistan, but was not likely to make any public comments on site.
The White House kept the trip off his schedule, informing a small group of traveling reporters in advance on condition of secrecy.
The Byron School Board voted 7-0 this afternoon to file an unfair campaign practices complaint against Phil Fuchs, a former school board member.
The board says that Fuchs twice published a flier in the Kasson-based Dodge County Independent newspaper that contains false information about the district’s Nov. 3 levy referendum. Byron schools officials say the second flier was included in the newspaper after the school district had sent a cease-and-desist letter to Fuchs.
Some board members also said they’d help pay legal costs to bring misdemeanor charges against Fuchs; the charges could result in a fine of $5,000.
Mayo Clinic’s push to change how the government pays for health care scored a major victory today on Capitol Hill. The final version of the House health reform bill that will head to the floor for a vote will include language that would change how providers are paid — with a goal of rewarding quality instead of quantity. Calling it “an incredibly proud day,” 1st District Rep. Tim Walz said this is the kind of health care reform that is needed.
A federal bankruptcy judge has denied former Twin Cities auto magnate Denny Hecker’s request to delay eight lawsuits against him for six months. Hecker filed for personal bankrtupcy in June after the collapse of his auto dealership empire. He asked the court to delay the lawsuits until a grand jury decides whether or not to indict him for possible criminal wrongdoing. Hecker’s attorney argued that Hecker could potentially harm his constitutional right to Fifth Amendment protection if he’s forced to testify in civil court. But U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Kressel denied all of Hecker’s motions. Kressel said there “may or may never” be an indictment, and that Hecker preserves his right to claim the Fifth Amendment at any time. Hecker has not been charged with a crime and denies any wrongdoing.
The central Minnesota community of Brainerd has a tried-and-true idea for saving money and energy — turn out the lights. The City Council figures shutting off 27 streetlights in Brainerd will save about $3,400 a year. The council has approved a conceptual plan with final action scheduled at its Nov. 2 meeting. The six-month pilot program will shut off streetlights in alleys in north Brainerd and use timers on lights in Gregory Park. Main thoroughfares would continue to be lit, as well as areas around schools, churches, the hospital and senior center.
