Archdiocese abuse settlement reached. The Pioneer Press’ David Knutson reports: “After years of wrangling over what the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis should pay hundreds of sexual abuse survivors, the two sides have reached what is being described as a historic settlement. … Attorneys representing the roughly 400 survivors involved in the archdiocese’s bankruptcy case were holding a news conference Thursday to discuss what they are calling the ‘largest settlement ever reached in a Catholic bankruptcy case.’ … Attorney Jeff Anderson said the settlement was about $210 million.”
Can Fischbach tip the scales? The Forum’s Don Davis in the Brainerd Dispatch: “[Tim Pawlenty] named Lt. Gov. Michelle Fischbach to that role Thursday, May 31. … Fischbach has been No. 2 in the executive branch since early this year, while still holding onto her Senate seat. She resigned from the Senate last week, after Pawlenty asked her to join his ticket. … The ex-governor, a Republican, said Fiscbach’s role will be close to co-governor, although he will make final decisions.”
Are Mille Lacs’ fish back? The Brainerd Dispatch reports: “In early May, more than 20,000 walleye were tagged in Mille Lacs Lake. … The effort, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, will provide a better estimate of the lake’s population of walleye 14 inches or longer and help guide how many fish can safely be harvested in future seasons. … A decline in the walleye population has led to restrictive regulations aimed at protecting existing adult fish and a particularly abundant year class of walleye that hatched in 2013. Fish from that 2013 year class are now large enough to be counted in the population estimate.”
Interesting story in The Believer. Zaina Arafat writes: “In the 1963–’64 Windom High School yearbook, there is an entire page dedicated to my Palestinian father. During his one year as an exchange student in Windom, Minnesota, he played on the tennis team, ran track (he hated running, but the other option, wrestling, terrified him), joined the photography club, was elected to student council—‘They entrusted me to make decisions for the entire school,’ he says, ‘though I’d only just arrived’—and got voted onto the homecoming court. We joke that he was the Forrest Gump of Windom, able to be everywhere at once, and all in just a year.”
In other news…
In Iowa: “Billboards seek new clues to TV anchor’s 1995 disappearance” [Rochester Post Bulletin]
Good effort: “Steger ends Canadian journey short of destination” [Duluth News Tribune]
Don’t have a cow — have four: “An exceptional birth: Rare quadruplet calves born on central Minnesota farm” [Fargo Forum]
Fischbach can’t overcome Pawlwenty’s deficits
Who could ever forget Tim Pawlenty running lock step with George W. Bush, and we all know what Bush did for the country. Pawlenty became the $6,000,000,000, that’s 6 Billion-dollar, deficit governor of Minnesota. He spent his time in office trying to look Republican presidential. He took from the education budget to make the budget look balanced. Then he ran for President and couldn’t get past those pesky Iowa voters. Not even Republicans wanted him. They saw right through his transparent facade. It was up to Governor Dayton to clean up Pawlenty’s mess, and he did. After his failed governorship Pawlenty left the state to become a lobbyist in Washington DC. Now, hoping the voters of Minnesota have short memories, Pawlenty has moved back to Minnesota thinking he wants to be Governor again. Minnesota is back on sound fiscal footing, thanks to Governor Dayton, I guess Pawlenty sees there is more he can do again to try out his Republican principles to see if they have the same effect this time. I believe the voters of Minnesota have had Paw-Lenty of Pawlenty. With the Trump mess firmly in and on the Republican’s hands I would guess the Republicans might be more particular about who they want to run to be the Governor. I don’t believe a record like Pawlenty’s is what they would be looking for. But then again, they are Republicans and I could be wrong about them using their better judgement.
What scares me . . . . .
What scares me is the very distinct possibility that the voters of Minnesota might, indeed, have short memories.