Briefs
DFL Rep. Wolgamott pleads guilty to DWI charge
Rep. Dan Wolgamott, DFL-St. Cloud, earlier this week admitted he was driving drunk in July when a state patrol trooper pulled him over and arrested him near Mora, Minn. Wolgamott, who is in his third legislative term, submitted a guilty plea in Kanabec County District Court to a 4th degree charge of driving above the […]
Americans think Minneapolis is less safe than it used to be
Americans’ opinions of Minneapolis have taken a hit in recent years, driven by the protests and riots in response to the police murder of George Floyd and a subsequent right-wing campaign to paint the city as violent and crime-ridden, according to data released last week by Gallup. Fifty-eight percent of national respondents said they considered […]
Labor leader Shuler touts union support as possible auto strikes loom
Support for unions is growing amid shifting working conditions and labor disputes around the country, according to Liz Shuler, the president of the largest labor group in the country. In Shuler’s comments Tuesday at the AFL-CIO’s first State of the Unions event in Washington, she cited polling that showed support for unions cut across party […]
Dirty air is shortening lives in Minnesota, study finds
Air quality improvements mandated by the passage of the federal Clean Air Act have added about six months to the typical Minnesotan’s life since the 1970s, according to data released this week by the Air Quality Life Index at the University of Chicago. The data, which are updated annually, show that several more months could […]
Lead author of Uber and Lyft bill withdraws from governor’s task force
Uber and Lyft drivers had no greater champion at the state Capitol this year than Sen. Omar Fateh, DFL-Minneapolis. He was first to introduce a bill to raise wages and expand protections for Uber and Lyft drivers, and when the proposal foundered, he pressured legislative leaders to revive it in the final days of the […]
Americans are worried about democracy. You wouldn’t know it from the GOP debate.
There’s a growing feeling, among both experts and ordinary Americans, that our democracy isn’t functioning well — and even that it’s under threat. “American democracy is cracking,” the Washington Post reported August 18. “I’m terrified,” one democracy expert told the paper. “I think we are in bad shape, and I don’t know a way out.” […]
Less than half of Minnesota students meet or exceed grade level standards in reading, math
Less than half of Minnesota students met or exceeded grade level standards in reading and math — proof that students are still struggling from COVID-19 pandemic learning loss that caused scores to plummet, according to the state. The 2023 state testing scores released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Education show test scores are still […]
Former Senate minority leader to receive $250K salary in new U of M role
Former Senate Minority Leader Melisa López Franzen will earn $250,000 per year in her new position as the University of Minnesota’s chief lobbyist at the State Capitol — more than the governor and lieutenant governor combined. This is a considerable raise from her legislative salary. In 2022, she made up to $67,550 as the Senate minority […]
Next generation of COVID-19 vaccines and therapies gets a $1.4 billion boost
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Tuesday announced a $1.4 billion investment in developing the so-called next generation of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell made the announcement, saying the funding is part of the $5 billion program they hope will […]
Scott Jensen back on speaking circuit with anti-vaxx activists
Scott Jensen, the 2022 Republican candidate for governor in Minnesota, has apparently changed his mind again about whether to hang out with some infamous anti-vaxxers.
Where Minnesota’s worst state parks are
As the summer winds down, the Department of Natural Resources has released a survey of visitors to Minnesota’s state parks. Overall it paints a cheery portrait of the parks and their visitors, showing increasing diversity among park users, a significant and positive effect on the state economy and enthusiasm for new initiatives. This positivity has […]
Capitol briefs: New Blatnik Bridge, new paid leave director
Gov. Tim Walz and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced an effort Monday to get $1 billion in federal funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to rebuild the John A. Blatnik Bridge between Duluth and Superior, Wisconsin. In a statement, Walz called the bridge “a vital route for regional commerce, tourism, and emergency services.” […]