Minnesota gets $1.5M in stimulus cash for broadband mapping: The federal government will spend $1.5 million in economic stimulus cash to map out access to broadband services in Minnesota, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The money, which will be spent by the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Connected Nation, is part of more than $27 million going to 14 states and Puerto Rico. Read full story

Home builders group say health bill hammers small construction firms: The Senate is about to put coal in the stocking of home builders and other small construction firms, according to the National Association of Home Builders. The amended version of the health care reform bill, which cleared another procedural hurdle Wednesday morning, includes a provision that penalizes small construction firms if they don’t offer insurance to their employees, the group says. Read full story

Minneapolis, Beijing groups to cooperate on trade: U.S. China Business Connections, a Minneapolis group that seeks to promote trade with China, has signed an agreement to cooperate more with a trade-promotion group in Beijing. The groups plan to keep in close contact, seek and identify opportunities and partners for trade and investment, organize exchanges and trade missions, and cooperate on seminars and conferences. Read full story

Kimberly to serve as St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce interim president: The St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce said that Susan Kimberly will serve as interim president while the group searches for a replacement for Kristofer Johnson, who is leaving at the end of January. Kimberly, for the past two years, has been the chamber’s vice president of economic development, spearheading efforts to revitalize downtown St. Paul. Read full story