[image_credit]MinnPost photo by Jessica Lee[/image_credit][image_caption]Minneapolis City Council[/image_caption]
Nothing to see here. The Rochester Post Bulletin’s Matthew Stolle writes: “Remarkably, it wasn’t until near the end of Rep. Jim Hagedorn’s town hall event in Austin that the impeachment inquiry into President Trump came up, and it was brought up by Hagedorn himself. … ‘I’ll be flat out: I oppose the impeachment process,’ Hagedorn said, a proclamation that drew applause from roughly half of the 60-member audience at the Hormel Historic Home. ‘I don’t think that they’ve done this right from the beginning.’ … Hagedorn said he doesn’t believe the inquiry is going to ‘amount to anything,’ because there was ‘no underlying crime.’ Even though Trump asked the Ukrainian president to look into the Bidens, the military aid was eventually released to the Ukrainian government and an investigation by Ukraine was never conducted.”
Good job. In the Duluth News Tribune, Matthew Guerry writes: “Minnesota’s work-related injury and illness rate dipped slightly to an estimated 3.2 per every 100 full-time workers in 2018, according to figures released Friday, Nov. 8 by the state Department of Labor and Industry. … That is down somewhat from the rate of 3.3 cases recorded by the agency in 2017. Case rates reported in both years are among the lowest recorded in Minnesota since the department began to track them in 1973.”
In time for Veterans Day Monday. The Brainerd Dispatch reports: “Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., introduced legislation Thursday, Nov. 7, to reduce the red tape many veterans face when trying to get care for hearing loss as a result of their service — something many veterans say is an enormous burden despite being the most common service-connected ailment. … According to a news release, Smith learned about this problem through her office’s veterans’ health care tour last year, which visited some 10 communities throughout Minnesota to hear what health challenges veterans face.”
Strike averted. The Star Tribune’s Evan Ramstad reports: “General Mills and the union representing 520 workers at its plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, said Friday they reached a tentative deal on a new contract. … The agreement came after workers on Wednesday voted to reject the company’s previous offer. Union leaders cited inadequate protections on scheduling the use of third-party contractors for the rejection.”
In other news…
Firearm deer opener this weekend: “Deer season busy time for Northland game wardens” [Duluth News Tribune]
What a crock: “Timberwolves’ chefs tried making scrambled eggs without… butter?” [City Pages]
What about parking?? “The Case for an Ayd Mill Bike and Pedestrian Trail” [streets.mn]
Big game Saturday: “Walz declares ‘Maroon and Gold Friday’ ahead of game against Penn State” [KSTP]
Went really deep on this one: “Remembering the MN-themed ‘King of the Hill’ episode ‘Revenge of the Lutefisk,’ 20 years later” [City Pages]
Rep. Hagedorn’s belief in “no harm, no foul” is misplaced. We have laws regarding attempts to commit crimes for good reason, as well as prohibitions against the use of government resources for one’s own benefit and abuse of power, to name but a few.
It’s unfortunate that so many on both sides have reached conclusions before all the evidence is in.
The change in zoning will not do anything to alleviate the shortage of affordable housing but it will increase congestion and parking difficulties. I was a contractor for a very long time and knew many developers. I almost never worked for them. They will do what they always do which is maximize their profit. This is a giant gift to developers! I will also bet that many of the future duplexes, triplexes and quads will be owned by private equity investment groups which will just syphon wealth out of the community.
I don’t think it will be the downfall of the city, but agree its not going to solve much. Those who can develop in the wealthier areas, are going to charge fairly high rent/prices. Most of the suburbs already have a fairly high ratio of mixed housing–lots of apartments and condos next to single home neighborhoods–the exception as usual is the wealthy areas and most of those structures are placed in working/middle class areas. I also think this will push more of the middle class out with not being able to afford starter homes. I remember when living in the city was not desirable, so prices for many of us were then affordable. St. Paul and some areas have had duplexes 4plexes for a long time, but the appeal is usually to the young and retired. Mpls is notorious for giving into developers, which shows in its architecture(or lack of).
It never ceases to amaze me, how ignorant some of our House of Representatives members are about our laws, and especially about the Constitution.
Rep. Hagedorn has a lot of learning to do about impeachment and our laws. For one, just the simple Trump request for a “favor” from the president of Ukraine–i.e., I want you to investigate a possible political opponent of mine–is enough to have broken our laws. You don’t need any quo.” It’s impeachable, even without the clear “then I’ll give you a White House visit and the military defense funds I’m illegally withholding from what Congress appropriated for you.” Trump went against stated and long-standing U/S. policy toward Ukraines for his own political advancement! NOT permitted!
I wonder if Hagedorn’s even “read the [summary]t” of Trump’s July 25 phone call that even Trump himself doesn’t understand. Or, any of the sworn deposition transcripts now released for all in the public to read.
Anyone who actually reads all the evidence now out there knows that Trump is impeachable, and will be impeached. Despite Republican heads in the sand.
When, oh when, will people be allowed to make their own choice.
Like, on vaccinations?