Bad news for payday lenders. MPR’s Bob Collins reports on the latest ruling from the Minnesota Supreme Court: “The Minnesota Supreme Court today upheld the state’s payday lending law that curbed high-interest, short-term loans to mostly low-income people who can’t stretch a paycheck. … The decision comes as some lawmakers and advocacy organizations try to restrict payday lending even further. … The Legislature tried to pass tougher legislation in the last days of the 2014 session under pressure from religious groups whose members were being decimated by triple-digit interest against future paychecks. But Republicans blocked the measure, arguing it removes options for low-income families.”
Congressional candidate news! First, a new Republican contender in CD2: “Former state Rep. Pam Myhra announced today that she’s a Republican candidate for Congress in Minnesota’s 2nd District,” writes MPR’s Tim Pugmire. “Myra served two terms in the Minnesota House, representing Burnsville and Savage, and was Marty Seifert’s running mate in the 2014 governor’s race. … During a campaign event in Savage, Myhra said she was running for Congress to make sure her children and grandchildren can live the American dream and enjoy the same opportunities she had.”
And we may be in for a rematch in CD8. According to the Pioneer Press’ David Montgomery, “Losing 2014 Republican House candidate Stewart Mills filed papers with the Federal Election Commission yesterday to organize a campaign committee for Minnesota’s Eighth Congressional District. … In 2014, Mills lost a close-fought race to incumbent Democratic Rep. Rick Nolan, 48.5 percent to 47.1 percent. He’s been moving towards a rematch for some time, while national Republicans have kept up pressure on Nolan in a stream of press releases and even a television ad.”
From Paul Walsh in the Star Tribune, two stories from the depths of human depravity. First: “A stranger followed a 10-year-old girl into a Minneapolis apartment building in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood and raped her over the weekend, then was caught less than 24 hours later thanks to surveillance video showing the two together in the complex, according to charges.” Second: “A 43-year-old man meeting for what he thought was a second sex-for-hire encounter with a 16-year-old Cottage Grove girl, instead was arrested by police, and a new tarp, an empty suitcase and rubber gloves were seized from the trunk of the suspect’s vehicle, according to charges.”
In other news…
PSA: “Light-rail trains out of service Thursday-Monday” [Pioneer Press]
Strib op-ed: “It’s our gun culture that’s mentally ill” We’re not going to look, but we’ll assume a well-reasoned and civil debate is going on in the comments section.
Macalester’s president, Brian C. Rosenberg, wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post about when it’s right for college presidents to speak up on political issues.
A Madison homeowner got a nice surprise: “Wright house aimed at wider audience rediscovered in Madison” [AP]
According to this really scientific looking map, we may be in for a winter full of “occasional mild days.” We’ll take it. [Accuweather]
It’s somewhat reassuring to know we have crews capable of pulling off a rescue like the one captured in this video taken over Split Rock State Park. [MPR]
When the Twins were good: “Mudcat relishes memories of ’65 Series frenzy” [St. Cloud Times]
Vikings likely to move from Eden Prairie to Eagan. Seems pretty lateral? [Star Tribune]
r.e. gun culture
“We’re not going to look, but we’ll assume a well-reasoned and civil debate is going on in the comments section.”
Okay, this made me laugh out loud.