The Morning Report 3/24/08 - Daily Minnesota Political Stories

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Top Story: Consulting firm's photos show 35W bridge was warped in 2003, MnDOT won't say when the state knew; NTSB won't comment on photos.

Agriculture:

Growing locally, legislating nationally: Rules hinder state's specialty farmers, Star Tribune
No grapes for Merlot, but potatoes for vodka, New York Times.
Fuel costs dim prospect of profit for agriculture in Mississippi, Dolan Media Newswires

Best of the Blogs and Think Tank Thoughts:

Is it possible for metro DFLers to represent St. Cloud?, SCSU Scholars
Norm Coleman: Truth in LMV, mnpACT!
Larry Pogemiller: Elitist, True North
Pawlenty going back on higher ed promise?, Blue man in a Red district
Minnesota DFL loves its pork, True North
Talking moderate, voting liberal: Melissa Hortman, Let Freedom Ring
Minnesota is blue, MN Blue
Michele Bachmann uses freedom of the (taxpayer-paid) press to promote herself, MN Monitor
Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Media?, True North

Business/Economy:

Merger plans grounded, Northwest focuses on survival, Star Tribune
Survey: Outstate MN especially glum about economy, AP
State budget deficit defies easy solution, Red Wing Republican Eagle
Two Minnesota banks to share Visa windfall, Star Tribune
City may hand off Portland project, Star Tribune
Coal gasification financing still elusive, despite help from carbon concerns, MPR
Landscaper helped execs trim taxes, Star Tribune
Ethanol: Power of the future? Or future disaster?, Rochester Post-Bulletin
Hoping to get healthy through HSAs, Star Tribune
For Ciresi, another departure, Star Tribune
Big Dollar stores closing in region, Examiner. Fridley-based company closing stores in MN and SD.
China may be new land of opportunity, AP. MN is one of the states where high schools are pursuing Mandarin Chinese most aggressively.
Bottlenecks along border harm Great Lakes economy, report says, AP. MN part of 'a single economic region linked by the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River system.'

Campaigns:

Endorsement is only first round in GOP struggle to knock off Walz, Star Tribune
The day you won my vote: Evy Engrav-Lano, MPR

Congress-Senate:

Klobuchar to discuss economic development on Tuesday visit, Red Wing Republican Eagle

Education:

Learning lines and life lessons, Pioneer Press
Minneapolis schools with low scores will get overhauls, Star Tribune
Teachers react to plans for a 'fresh start,' MPR
A new middle school will focus on girls, MPR
Petition could mean vote on different facilities plan, Duluth Budgeteer News

Elections:

Instant runoff election idea goes to St. Paul Charter Commission, Pioneer Press
GOP state parties are in dire straits, Politico. No mention of MN; Schwarzenegger says CA state GOP is 'dying at the box office.'

Health Care:

Family practice popular with UMD medical students, Duluth News Tribune

I-35W Bridge Collapse:

Legislature:

Legislature faces big dollar issues when it resumes, MPR
Legislative issues update, Red Wing Republican Eagle
A quick guide to Minnesota's open-government laws, Pioneer Press
Budget crunch may hit constitutional offices hard, MinnPost
Local residents to share issues with state lawmakers, Bemidji Pioneer

Media:

Newspapers' new owners turn grim, New York Times. 'The near term and medium term at the paper is more negative than what we expected,' said OhSang Kwon of Avista Capital Partners, which bought the Minneapolis Star Tribune in late 2006.
Media companies exchange content as they form online ad networks around their brands, AP
CBC to BitTorrent Canada's Next Great Prime Minister. CBC. Canada's CBC will be the 1st major broadcaster in North America to release a high quality, DRM-free copy of a primetime show using BitTorrent technology - and an iPod version too.