MORNING EDITION

Big Minnesota banks probably are not or should not be among those braying indignantly about federal bail-outs. Chris Serres amd Glen Howatt of the Strib write: “U.S. Bancorp of Minneapolis, TCF Financial Corp. of Wayzata, Home Federal Savings Bank of Rochester, Stearns Bank of St. Cloud and Highland Bank of St. Michael are among more than a dozen banks in the state that borrowed directly from the Fed's emergency-lending tool in 2008 and early 2009, as other sources of credit dried up or became more expensive. The extent of the borrowing, disclosed in a huge data release by the Fed, illustrates the critical role the central bank played in preventing a financial meltdown after the collapse of real estate prices in 2008, analysts say. ... There has long been a stigma associated with borrowing from the Fed's discount window. Traditionally, it was viewed as an emergency source of cash for banks so distressed they couldn't borrow from other banks. The Fed tried to alleviate this stigma in early 2008 by making the terms on these loans more attractive to a broader swath of banks. However, the public has never known which banks borrowed from the Fed and why.” Neither CEO Bill Cooper or anyone else at TCF had a comment for Serres and Howatt.

KSTP-TV’s Tom Hauser has good sources. He got his paws on the financing plan for the proposed Vikings stadium — a bill that is expected next week. He reports: “The state would cap its contribution at between $250 [million] and $300 million. No ‘general fund’ money would be used. But the initial bill will call for using a number of sources to pay a $30 million annual debt service for the state's portion. Those sources include a sports memorabilia tax, a Vikings lottery game, a luxury box sales tax and a surcharge on pro football player incomes. The bill also allows counties and cities to "bid" on becoming the site for the stadium. It would allow them to increase their local sales tax by a 1/2 cent and give them the option of imposing taxes on tickets, liquor, entertainment  and food. As for the Vikings, they would be required to pay at least one-third and for any cost overruns.” Uh, excuse me, “one-third” with or without a roof?

Damned pothead kids! Amy Pearson of the Winona Daily News reports: “An elaborate marijuana growing operation discovered at the home of an 81-year-old Army veteran has netted the man two years probation and a $200 fine. Donald John Everding pleaded guilty in February to fifth-degree possession of the drug, but didn’t give specifics. He was sentenced Wednesday. Deputies raided Everding’s home ... on Aug. 24 and found an outdoor greenhouse, plant-cloning lab and multiple marijuana plants more than 8 feet tall. Investigators were acting on a tip from a confidential informant. Deputies also seized plants from inside the residence and found more drugs in a freezer.”

Yes, The Lex has been sold, but no, not to aliens or philistines … like anyone not from St. Paul. Kathie Jenkins of the PiPress reports: “But those who worry about whether they'll be able to get the shrimp cocktail, potpie and walleye almandine when the restaurant reopens can rest easy. ‘We plan to introduce new dishes but still keep some favorites,’ said John Hickey, Michelle Hickey's husband and another one of the new owners. ‘We're still going to have the same mix of seafood and meat but add a few more steaks.’ The other owners are Tim and Maria O'Phelan and Ed and Jenni Ryan. All three men have been friends since high school and are third-generation St. Paul residents who grew up in the neighborhood.”

King Corn is in no danger of losing its crown. Mark Steil of MPR files a story saying: “Corn prices surged 5 percent Thursday after the U.S. Agriculture Department said the nation's corn supply is shrinking. A short harvest last year left the nation with unusually small stockpiles of the grain — 15 percent less than last year. Northstar Commodity market advisor Christian Mayer says the corn market is poised to move even higher. He says demand for corn is strong from the livestock and ethanol industries.”

That Supreme Court race in Wisconsin next Tuesday isn’t the only  one rich with  portent. Chis Cillizza of The Washington Post blogs: “At stake is the post of Milwaukee County executive, which Walker held for eight years prior to being elected governor last fall. The special election to fill his vacancy is set for Tuesday. The favorite in the race is state Rep. Jeff Stone, a Republican who took 43 percent of the vote in an open primary in mid February. Standing in his way is wealthy philanthropist Chris Abele, who finished 18 points behind Stone in the initial primary vote. Abele’s silver bullet? Scott Walker. Abele, who loaned his campaign $300,000 in the last seven weeks alone and has self-funded $1 million in the race to date, launched an ad today trying to link the two men. ‘If you like what Scott Walker’s done then you’ll love Jeff Stone,’ says the ad’s narrator. The commercial then cuts to a clip of Stone praising Walker as a ‘great governor’ and adding that ‘we need someone running Milwaukee County who is going to reinforce that effort and that’s the job I intend to do.’ ”

Meanwhile  unions are  getting tough with businesses in southeast Wisconsin.  Don Walker of the Milwaukee Sentinel-Journal writes: “Members of the Wisconsin State Employees Union, AFSCME Council 24, have begun circulating letters to businesses in southeast Wisconsin, warning that they will face a boycott if they don't support collective bargaining for public employee unions. The letters ask businesses to express that support by displaying union signs in their windows. ‘Failure to do so will leave us no choice but (to) do a public boycott of your business,’ the letter says. ‘And sorry, neutral means 'no' to those who work for the largest employer in the area and are union members.' " Well ... so much for the pleasantries.

Five Minnesota kids are road-tripping to Detroit with a plan to save Motown. Christine MacDonald of The Detroit News writes: “It's a plan they've crafted this semester in their city politics class, studying Bing's Detroit Works Project to reshape the city by enticing residents to concentrate in viable neighborhoods. "We said, 'Why are we talking about this and why aren't we taking action?' " said Marcus Page, 20, of St. Paul, Minn., a student at Normandale Community College who contacted The Detroit News this week seeking help reaching local leaders. ... The nontraditional road trip illustrates how Detroit has become a laboratory for urban reformers, with national groups pitching ideas to rescue the city whose population plunged 25 percent to about 714,000 since the 2000 census. ... Page and his peers think they have the answer: Rebuild from the core. One key element of their plan is dramatically boosting the size of Wayne State University, making Detroit known as an education epicenter and turning Midtown into ‘the beating heart of the city,’ Page said. It would be modeled after Dinkytown, a funky Minneapolis neighborhood of bars and streetcars near the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus.” Really, “streetcars”? How quaint.

The Stillwater lift bridge will stay open after the St. Croix was predicted to crest beneath the road deck. Eric Sandin of the Stillwater Gazette writes: “The St. Croix River is expected to crest slightly below flood stage Friday morning, despite a forecast calling for a rain-snow mix today and tonight and another system poised to bring more moisture to the region Sunday. The National Weather Service projects the St. Croix to crest at 686.5 feet above sea level about 6 a.m. Friday and remain at that level until 6 p.m. Friday, Washington County spokeswoman Yvonne Klinnert said.”