It's not a standard leading economic indicator, but the strong turnout at Monday's job fair, as well as the mood — at least among potential employers — seemed more hopeful than dour. The event, hosted by 3rd District Congressman Erik Paulsen, drew an estimated 2,000 hopeful job seekers.

ALSO: Pawlenty proposed tougher sex offender sentencing; Rybak described as a "bundle of contradictions"; a bewildering political billboard.

Advocates for the disability community have complained to Minneapolis officials about the city's new access and outreach manager, questioning his experience. The city, however defends the hire, saying that he "brings not only the right skills to this job, but also a passion for connecting with communities."

WASHINGTON, D.C. — It might be easier for everyone concerned if Minnesota employed Sherlock Holmes to decipher the clues contained in the federal Race to the Top funding rubric. As is, the amateur detectives at the state level are left to guess as to how effective their solutions, designed to address those nebulous goals, will be perceived by the judges — with literally hundreds of millions of dollars to gain for those who guess correctly — and lost for those who don't.

"I no longer think that competition is appropriate for many reasons," he says. "The most compelling one is that education is not necessarily a market. A business must concentrate on its most profitable customers. Public education has to serve everybody."

Related: A new feature: MinnPost Asks

The brand-new Bipartisan Redesign Caucus introduced itself to the Minnesota public this noon. There was only one small problem: Republicans on the legislative committee couldn't attend because they were at a highly partisan caucus meeting. So, a bunch of DFLers were left to speak to the wonders of a bipartisan spirit.

ALSO: Haiti an ongoing concern for Minnesotans; a bizarre video ode to a weatherman; fake Twitter accounts and fighty bloggers.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — White House aims to double the number of U.S. exports in the next five years, and experts point to companies in Minnesota as models for achieving that goal. Minnesota exports grew by 50 percent over the past five years.

Foundations feel slightly more optimism for charitable giving in 2010, but the economy and state budget problems mean nonprofits must work smarter.

ALSO: The National Prayer Breakfast; Pawlenty seems fighty; Franken takes on Comcast.

Neither Rep. Lyndon Carlson, House author, nor his Senate partner, Dick Cohen, DFL-St. Paul, can predict whether their bill will be greeted as a partisan challenge to Republicans, or whether GOP legislators will see the measure as an honest effort to preserve legislative autonomy into the future.

Disputes over Taser use have not dampened the police department's conviction that the electronic "stun guns" are the best way to subdue violent suspects. Indeed, it still hopes to equip most of its officers with the devices, believing they sharply reduce the number of injuries to police and suspects alike.

They're all back again. DFLers are promising to pass, with great speed, a $1 billion bonding bill. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has threatened that he might veto the package, if, in his eyes, it's too big. So does this mean we're starting a new session in the same chaotic and angry place the last session ended? Not necessarily.

PLUS: A St. Paul stadium, too, the Strib's compelling Afghan series, and Krinkie's one cent's worth.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As Congress considers a dramatic overhaul of the nation's airport security system — including costly whole-body imaging scanners, almost certain to come to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport — a Minneapolis-based security analyst and a Minnesota congressman say some of these efforts are misguided. "I think we've gone way overboard," Rep. Collin Peterson said.