The Star Tribune’s Janet Moore reports, “Some people applying for a new driver’s license in Minnesota are experiencing months-long delays. Department of Public Safety spokesman Bruce Gordon said fall is one of the busiest times of the year for new drivers to take their road tests as they apply for their first license. Gordon said new applications must undergo an additional review by the department — one not required for renewals or duplicates if a license is lost or destroyed. ‘This can take between several weeks to several months,’ he said.”
A Washington Post story by Julie Zauzmer says, “The politics of the movement based on men’s misdeeds, alleged and proved, are inescapable for the two women running for the Minnesota seat. That’s not just because Franken stepped down — a decision with which some state Democrats still disagree. It’s also because the state attorney general’s race has been upended by an abuse accusation from an ex-girlfriend of the Democratic nominee, Rep. Keith Ellison. … Ellison, Kavanaugh and President Trump have all denied allegations against them. Smith and Housley are both trying to avoid being dragged down by the alleged misdeeds of men in their own party — and are accusing each other of being women who don’t sufficiently support women.”
At MPR, Dan Gunderson says, “Wet conditions across much of the state are making it difficult for farmers to comply with a Thursday deadline to plant buffer strips along their fields’ drainage ditches. The November deadline is the second phase of implementing the buffer law, which requires strips of perennial vegetation to help filter fertilizer and other contaminants from water that runs from farm fields into ditches. Buffers along public waters, rivers and lakes were set to be completed by last November, but farmers could apply for a one-year waiver.”
Says Jackie Crosby in the Strib, “Target Corp. will close its store and CVS Pharmacy in Brooklyn Center on Feb. 2 as a result of an annual assessment of store performance. The store’s 120 full- and part-time employees learned of the decision Monday and will be offered jobs at other stores or a severance package based on years of service, a Target spokeswoman said.”
From the AP: “Anglers on Mille Lacs Lake will be allowed to keep one walleye a day in the upcoming ice fishing season. The Department of Natural Resources on Tuesday said the popular destination lake’s walleye population has increased enough to sustain a one-walleye harvest for a third straight winter. Anglers may keep one walleye between 21 and 23 inches, or one over 28 inches. Walleye angling on Mille Lacs was limited to catch-and-release this summer for the third consecutive season.”
Christopher Snowbeck of the Strib says, “Employer-sponsored health plans in Minnesota are reporting a 5 percent increase in benefit costs for active employees, according to survey results released Tuesday, as small employers nationally say they are feeling more cost pressures. The survey from the consulting firm Mercer found that the average health benefit cost per active employee in Minnesota is now $13,228, with workers covering one-fourth of the total premium cost.”
Bill Catlin of MPR says, “Minnesota’s mental health system is largely ineffective at treating depression and hasn’t improved, according to a new report from Minnesota Community Measurement. … After 6 months of treatment only 8 percent of Minnesota patients have no symptoms — or at least fewer symptoms — of depression. The remission rate has been stuck at 8 percent for years.”
The Star Tribune’s Josephine Marcotty reports: “The full power of Minnesota’s agricultural industry will line up against state pollution regulators in a Ramsey County court on Wednesday, in an unexpectedly heated conflict over how much time the public will have to comment on a major expansion of a dairy megafarm in Winona County. Eight of the state’s leading agricultural groups filed suit against the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), arguing that the agency lacks authority to add two weeks to a 30-day public comment period outlined in state law.”
This is just parochial whining about the closing of my local store, but Target shot themselves in the foot in Brooklyn Center. Smaller than most Target locations to begin with, the store lost about 20% of its retail floor space to an abbreviated grocery section a few years ago that seemed pretty unsuccessful, based on what I saw in the carts of other shoppers. Food typically carries a pretty low profit margin to begin with, and Target’s policy of not using unit pricing for food meant that I (and many of my neighbors) rarely bought food items there.
Having to drive to Fridley or Crystal means a “Target run” will now be 15-20 minutes each way instead of 5 minutes, and my sole remaining reason for going to Target for anything will be to pick up a prescription. Since those are typically good for 90 days, and I can find better deals online for many other items, I’ll be a Target shopped much less often in the future.