2/4/10: This week's Minnesota news from other media

Winona City Council members voted unanimously on Monday in favor of a social host ordinance, which "makes people criminally responsible for hosting gatherings where underage drinking occurs, regardless of whether they supplied the alcohol," Dustin Kass reports in the Winona Daily News.

"After a cost-saving winter hibernation, the Elks Nature Center will reopen Friday," reports Tanner Kent in the Mankato Free Press. The article says the reopening "comes as a partnership between the city and Minnesota State University, which will provide students from its parks and recreation department to staff the center and create programming."

"Thundering applause and standing ovations greeted 6th Congressional District Rep. Michele Bachmann during a visit to Rochester on Monday where she blasted the Democrats' health-care proposals," writes Heather J. Carlson in the Rochester Post-Bulletin. Bachmann was there for an event sponsored by fellow Republican Allen Quist, who is running for the 1st Congressional District seat held by Democrat Tim Walz.

The New London-Spicer School Board reviewed a list Monday of almost $560,000 in potential budget cuts, reports Gretchen Schlosser in the West Central Tribune in Willmar. The article says Superintendent Paul Carlson stressed the district is "very early" in the budget process: "Officials will have a greater idea of what will be cut following a Feb. 22 board meeting, when budget revisions for the current school year are approved."