Good news for kids and Apple: Liala Helal of MPR reports, “St. Paul Public Schools approved plans to put an iPad in the hands of all students. The school board voted 5-2 Tuesday night in favor of the technology move. Students at more than half of the district’s schools will be issued iPads beginning fall 2014, and all students and teachers will have them in the 2015-2016 school year. The price tag for the move is $5.7 million for the 2014-2015 school year, with only some schools receiving the devices in the first year.”
No one would mistake this as good news for Fr. McDonough. In the Strib, Jean Hopfensperger writes, “A Ramsey County District judge Wednesday ordered that the former vicar general of the Twin Cities Archdiocese, the Rev. Kevin McDonough, submit to another round of questioning on the church’s handling of clergy sex abuse. However, Judge John Van de North rejected a move to require Archbishop John Nienstedt to return for further questioning.”
The latest episode in the state’s protracted grind over sex offender evaluation and incarceration has DHS attorneys in court to explain exactly why they’re hanging on to a specific inmate. The AP says, “Officials have already filed documents saying the man is a danger to the public and still needs treatment. That differs from experts who say there’s little evidence he’s a risk. The court-appointed experts are evaluating whether patients are receiving appropriate treatment at MSOP. The evaluations are part of a class-action lawsuit in which residents claim the program is unconstitutional because it keeps sex offenders locked up indefinitely.”
In a similar vein, (see first item), the AP reports, “Attorneys for victims of alleged sexual abuse by clergy are asking the church to turn over electronic files about accused priests — so they can verify who had information about these priests, and when they had it.”
It’s always worse when its on video … The AP says, “A police video shows Fox News anchor Gregg Jarrett becoming belligerent and struggling with an officer at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The video shows him in a holding cell May 21 after he appeared intoxicated at an airport restaurant. In the video, Jarrett becomes abusive with medics and a police officer intervenes … .”
Who wouldn’t switch if the option was a Tesla? In the Strib, Beena Raghavendran says, “Electric vehicles are becoming hot commodities nationwide. More than 190,000 electric vehicles have hit U.S. roads, and sales have spiked 500 percent in past two years, according to Environment Minnesota. According to the Electric Power Research Institute, the state had about 2,400 electric plug-in vehicles as of 2013. Per capita, Minnesota is among the top 10 states with the highest numbers of electric vehicles in the country.”
Sherco may have trouble with the EPA. Again, the AP says, “The Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to consider whether pollution controls at Xcel Energy’s Sherco power plant are adequate for preventing haze over Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.”
Somebody out there isn’t eating their Wheaties … MPR’s story on General Mills’ announcement of streamlining moves says, “General Mills announced a new push to cut costs as the maker of Cheerios and Yoplait reported a sales decline in its latest quarter. The Golden Valley-based food giant has been struggling to boost its cereal and yogurt sales amid stiff competition. On Wednesday, it acknowledged ‘disappointing’ sales and operating profits for all of fiscal 2014 … .”
There’ll be a sign at the city limits any day now … At City Pages Robbie Feinberg reports, “ … according to newly released data from the analytics firm Clarity Campaign Labs, Minnesota’s most conservative city is Prinsburg, a tiny city located about 90 miles due west of Minneapolis. … In the 2012 election, more than 90 percent of Prinsburg’s voters cast their presidential ballots for Mitt Romney, and in every other race that pitted a Republican against a Democrat, more than 75 percent leaned towards the GOP. “ The most liberal? Take a guess.
Prinsburg has a Bible verse on their town sign. Nonbelievers probably not welcome.
kay smith