The Morning Report - 3/19/08 - Daily Minnesota Political Stories

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Top Story: Divided NTSB will not hold a public hearing on 35W bridge collapse; Oberstar critical of decision and will ask for reconsideration; Board's dissenting opinion in the blogs.
Agriculture:

Not from Sweden any more: A new generation of immigrant farmers in Minnesota, TC Daily Planet

Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

Righting the wrong integrity record, Politics in Minnesota
CD 6 update, MN Publius
Pawlenty on Veepstakes, Mary's Page - TPT
Bush's Transportation privateers will throw funding at toll lanes for 35W, MN Monitor
The spending frenzy in St. Paul, True North
NTSB dissent reveals multiple possible causes of 35W bridge collapse, The Uptake
A nasty little (potential) loophole in CD3, MN Campaign Report

Business/Economy:

St. Paul contract reforms would ensure more minorities, women win bids for city projects, Pioneer Press
Judge grants class-action in UnitedHealth backdating lawsuit, AP
Delta to offer voluntary severance payouts to 30,000 employees; further cut U.S. capacity, AP
Northwest pilots try to keep Delta merger deal alive, Star Tribune
Bill eliminates tax breaks for businesses, MPR
Dollar's fall gives a boost to state's exporters, Star Tribune
Insurance claims bill advances, AP
Housing slump won't mean tax break in Dakota County, Star Tribune
Cash crop: Nostalgia helps sell farm themes, Star Tribune
Minnesotans strike a 'reverse' gold rush, KSTP
Goodhue County home foreclosures jump 50%, Red Wing Republican Eagle

Campaigns:

Eyes are on Minnesota Senate race, Politico
Franken tells Letterman: 'It's helpful to be funny,' Star Tribune

Education:

Education secretary announces changes to No Child Left Behind, MPR
Govt. to give states leeway on school penalties, AP. Education Secretary makes announcement in St. Paul with Coleman.
Survey says 90 percent of parents want sex ed in schools, MPR
Thirteen Hennepin County libraries to get extended hours, Star Tribune
Cuts would hit teachers hardest, Red Wing Republican Eagle
As Osseo schools are closing, other parents feel their pain, Star Tribune
MnSCU's board holds off on setting tuition, Star Tribune
'Plan B' for Duluth schools advances, Duluth News Tribune
U.S. eases 'No Child' sanctions, Washington Post

Environment:

Big decisions ahead on ATV trails in Superior National Forest, MPR
MN school bus program helps clear the air, WCCO [video]

Health Care:

Hospitals reuse medical devices to lower costs, Wall Street Journal. Medtronic study found that while new devices showed little or no manufacturing debris, a majority of reprocessed devices had corroded parts and traces of human hair and protein, bringing into question the effectiveness of the reprocessing efforts.

I-35W Bridge Collapse: