Norm Coleman's lawyer admits his client will lose the election contest, Minnesota Independent's Chris Steller and MinnPost's Jay Weiner report. For good measure, Joe Friedberg says Al Franken's margin will grow when the three-judge panel is done. On KFAN, Friedberg shocked no one by saying Coleman will appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court, claiming ballots were not treated equally. Friedberg didn't mention going to the U.S. Supreme Court should Coleman lose again.

The House DFL's budget holds education harmless, cuts other functions 3 to 7 percent and raises $1.5 billion in taxes, the PiPress' Dennis Lien writes. Republicans pronounce it DOA, given the guv's veto power. However, House Speaker Margaret Kelliher notes property taxes, cig taxes and "fees" have risen $4.4 billion on Pawlenty's watch, MPR's Tim Pugmire says. Still, Dems are vague about their hikes; the Strib's Pat Lopez quotes Pawlenty's revenue commissioner saying a plus-$250,000 income tax tier would only raise $140 million.

More budget: The House DFL would also shift $1.8 billion in school payments, more than Pawlenty. But they don't borrow $1 billion like he does. Lopez notes the guv would also shift $917 million from a health access fund to general spending. The House DFL would raise $500 million less than the Senate, which cuts education and everything else 7 percent. And the House DFL's ed shifts make their 2012-13 budget unbalanced like the guv's, right?

Minnesota's unemployment hit 8.1 percent, the highest in 25 years, the Strib's Dee DePass writes. That matches the nation's rate. Still, 5,000 fewer Minnesotans lost their jobs in February versus January. Politics in Minnesota's Steve Perry says the state optimistically foresees a 9 percent jobless crest; reality would trigger a supplemental budget forecast. Perry notes Minnesota lost 13,000 jobs in February, but losses would have to slow to 3,000 in March to stay on-target.

More unemployment: The state's record is 9 percent, set in 1982; Perry quotes state economist Tom Stinson saying the rate could plausibly hit 9.4 percent and double-digits are not out of reach.

Vice President Biden touted the stimulus in St. Cloud Thursday, promising a North Star rail extension to St. Cloud, the Strib's Bob von Sternberg writes. You know how Joe can go off; Von Sternberg calls the event "an old-fashioned pork barrel festival." That's a frame Michele Bachmann would love. According to MPR's Tom Scheck, the area's congresswoman stayed away to show her stimulus opposition. She complained that the spending would lead to a "jobs bubble."

The Strib's DePass wryly notes "good news" for Denny Hecker: Chrysler Financial claims he only owes $477 million, down from $530 million. Hecker has liquidated some holdings, but nowhere near enough to settle the massive car, real estate and personal loans and vehicle debt. Chrysler court filings say Hecker's troubles began last October when he defaulted on $8 million in vehicle loans. He still has seven dealerships.

Twin Cities United Way raised $500,000 more in 2008 than in 2007, the Strib's Warren Wolfe notes. Not bad given the deepcession. The organization, which just cuts its staff budget, says 2009's donations can't keep up with rising needs. Job losses sap workplace campaigns that undergird the group's $94.5 million '08 haul.

The PiPress' Christopher Snowbeck says Minnesota has fallen out of the Top Ten for mortgage fraud; we're now the 14th-worst state. The rankings are based on expected chicanery given the amount of loans. More attentive regulation is credited.

Two RNC protesters were acquitted of disorderly conduct and other charges, the PiPress' Emily Gurnon notes. Ilana Radovsky and Gracia Logue-Sargeant are not part of the RNC8 but were swept up in protests. Lawyer's quote: "The trial was not about some jackasses who broke some windows; it's also not about some jackass cops who just wanted to Tase someone. This was just plain civil disobedience and civil participation, and it was lovely that the jury could see that."

Sara Jane Olson won't make public statements because her family believes it's a condition of her parole, the PiPress' Mara Gottfried writes. According to her husband, "It's an excellent idea not to give interviews, as it's never helped our condition, nor the public." He also cites certain belligerence: "Giving (sic) the police union's and Gov. Pawlenty's statements, of course allowed by the 1st amendment, our interpretation of parole conditions is that Sara should not make public comments, for our family's safety." The Strib says Olson can't drink for a year.

The Business Journal's John Vomhof Jr. says Wal-Mart is creating a smaller SuperCenter in Bloomington as part of a grocery-selling push in urban markets. That's a head-on assault against Target and other metro-focused food sellers.

The PiPress' Julie Forster says Fairview Hospitals is trying a "work when you want" plan popularized by Best Buy. It's for their IT people, not their nurses, and focuses on results, not office hours. It's motivated by cuts, in the hopes that flexibility is more sustainable than long hours. Best Buy has claimed a 35 percent productivity increase but is more recently mum about how it's going.

Nort spews: The Gopher men hoopsters were outclassed by Texas, but Tom Powers has praise for the squad and its future. As for rumors that coach Tubby Smith will leave for Virginia, the Strib's Myron Medcalf quotes Smith saying, "We have no reason to be looking at anything else, and I'm very happy where we are." Hmmm. A source tells Medcalf it's "highly, highly, highly unlikely" Smith would coach the Cavaliers.