Possible setback for setbacks law. The AP’s Kyle Potter reports (via the Pioneer Press): “House Republicans are targeting the state’s new law meant to boost water quality, putting Gov. Mark Dayton on defense over one of his marquee initiatives. … The so-called buffer law has been a source of contention among many Minnesota farmers since Dayton first proposed it in 2015, the same year it eventually passed. It requires 50-foot setbacks around public waterways starting in November, while extra protections around other water sources aren’t required until 2018.”
Franken’s a “no” on Trump’s AG nominee. MPR’s Riham Feshir reports: “Minnesota Sen. Al Franken says he will oppose Alabama GOP Sen. Jeff Sessions’ nomination to be attorney general in the Donald Trump administration. … ‘I’m going to vote against Sen. Sessions. I just don’t feel comfortable that he would protect all Americans’ rights,’ Franken told MSNBC Friday morning.”
Helps soothe the pain of being a Republican in Minneapolis. The Star Tribune’s Paul Walsh reports: “A Republican Party officer in Minneapolis for a state Senate district has been charged with growing nearly two dozen marijuana plants in his Northeast home. … Mark S. Fox, 50, was charged this week in Hennepin County District Court with two felony drug counts in connection with police seizing 23 marijuana plants, nearly a pound of marijuana and several guns from his home in the 2700 block of NE. Pierce Street.”
As good a place for a brewery as any. The Pioneer Press’s Jess Fleming report: “It’s official: Beer will once again be brewed on the site of the historic Schmidt brewery in St. Paul. … As construction ramps up on the Keg and Case development, new tenants have signed on, including a start-up craft brewery, an all-organic, artisan scoop shop and a high-end chocolatier.”
In other news…
Mine news: “Essar Global responds to fraud allegations in lawsuit” [Duluth News Tribune]
More competition: “Mpls. Council Member Warsame pledges to build new Somali mall” [Star Tribune]
Come for the boats, stay for the waterskiing squirrel: “2017 Minnesota Sportsmen’s Show Opens In St. Paul” [WCCO]
R.I.P.: “Veteran Guthrie actor Richard Iglewski dies” [MPR]
Franken has it right.
I too am uncomfortable with Jeff Sessions. He was the first senator to endorse Trump which for me says a lot about Session’s judgement. I’m uncomfortable with Trump as well.
Sessions and Trump are climate change deniers. A high majority of scientist agree that climate change is manmade. Climate change denial is just another wedge issue for Republicans without any basis.
Racism accusations have dogged Session’s entire career. This says to me he is a racist or is his beliefs are close enough to the ragged edge of racism that I’m uncomfortable with his beliefs.
The AG needs to be someone who will work for all the people, not just the select few.
To those who never learned TEAMWORK
Politicians today just don’t get it today. Today one side or the other does something, gets it passed and moves on. The other party comes along, repeals what the other party did, works to a new solution, gets it passed, and moves on. If they could just work together, not assume it is their way or the highway, come to common ground that will work for everyone, get it passed and then move on. It cuts the work in half by having to do it once. It is called TEAMWORK. It is not a dirty word. It is the way politics used to work. It is a very simple concept that all politicians should learn to use to benefit of all the people, not just half of the population. Corruption would be eliminated when you work for all the people and not just the those with deep pockets. They wouldn’t have to work so hard to convince voters to vote for them either as we will know they are working for all of us.
There isn’t a swimable lake in
Southwestern Minnesota. There is no creek that a child can wade in. Think about that, in the land of lakes you can’t swim in ANY lakes in a large part of our state. Small towns are having to invest huge amounts in their town wells to make water safe to drink and to bath in. What is the Republican response? Remove the modest regulations meant to correct these things. Foolish foolish people, Republicans and the people who vote for them.