Met Council committee adopts new code of conduct for riders
First administrative tickets for non-payment of fares will begin being issued Monday on trains and platforms.
State Government
Wastewater treatment plays large role in spread of Minnesota’s PFAS contamination, report finds
Researchers found PFAS in the Mississippi River, as well as the Sauk River, Clearwater River and Johnson Creek in central Minnesota.
Actuarial argument? Critics of new Minnesota paid family leave want cost savings, but lead sponsor says plan is sound
A report showing paid family leave will cost the state more than anticipated has galvanized Republicans while putting DFLers on the defense.
Minnesota Wild taps former state budget director as lobbyist. Is a public ask for Xcel Energy Center renovations next?
The team acknowledges that it wants to renovate the 23-year-old downtown arena but wouldn’t respond directly to questions about any state involvement.
Minnesota Supreme Court dismisses attempt to bar Trump from primary ballot
But the order signed by Chief Justice Natalie Hudson said the petitioners could try again if Trump wins the Republican nomination next summer.
Is two too many? Second company seeks state financial assistance to grow marijuana on Minnesota’s Iron Range
M.N. Technology of Cohasset has submitted a pre-application for financing from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation agency, weeks after the state pledged to help a Missouri-based company.
With new red flag law, Minnesotans will soon be able to disarm dangerous people. Will it save lives?
Lawmakers and advocates say the efficacy of the state’s new red flag law, set to take effect in 2024, will depend on implementation and enforcement.
Bar Trump from the ballot? A dramatic day at the Minnesota Supreme Court in 6 takeaways
Several justices seemed hesitant to rule on the merits of the case, and even if the court rules, it’s not the final word.
Proposed hubs hope to show hydrogen energy economy is more than just hype
Heartland Hub partnership among Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin is one of seven winners in national competition for $7 billion from federal infrastructure law.
Minnesota DNR gives Twin Metals green light for exploratory drilling near Boundary Waters
With its plan to explore for nickel, cobalt and other minerals on non-federal land, Twin Metals has made an end run of a 20-year federal moratorium that dashed its efforts to mine in the Superior National Forest, whose watershed feeds into the Boundary Waters.
As millions of former students restart loan payments, states size up sales tax revenue impacts
One former student having to shift a few hundred dollars from discretionary spending or savings to restarted loan repayments doesn’t have much effect on the broader economy. But when millions of debtors do it after not having to make payments since the pandemic began, the impact can add up quickly.
DEED and weed: Loan to Missouri cannabis company is not a done deal, says one of state agencies overseeing the plan
The Department of Employment and Economic Development, which administers a fund meant to promote job creation in the Iron Range, said it is not bound by an endorsement of the project by the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation board.
Minnesota legalized marijuana. Now it’s giving a Missouri-based company up to $15 million in forgivable loans to grow it on the Iron Range
Legalization advocates ask whether the state financing gives large, out-of-state cannabis businesses a taxpayer-funded advantage over local companies.
Should Metro Transit break away from the Met Council? Task force will explore making regional transit agency independent
A task force exploring whether the Metropolitan Council should be elected or appointed recently discussed separating the council’s transit planning from operation duties.
What keeps Minnesota energy officials up at night? Public ‘revolt’ over reliability for one
Four state energy officials spoke at a conference hosted by the Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade group for solar and energy storage developers.
A South St. Paul rendering plant inspired a new Minnesota odor law. Now comes the hard part
How, exactly, does one define when a smell is not just bad, but “interferes with the enjoyment of life?” Lawmakers and state regulators are trying — at least in the Twin Cities metro area — to take on odor that invades everyday life.
Can you drink both alcohol and THC at Minnesota bars? Despite confusion over marijuana law, ‘crossfading’ is legal for now
The law in fact tells retailers they cannot serve a THC beverage to a customer who appears intoxicated or has drunk alcohol within five hours, but it doesn’t take effect until 2025.
Nuclear at a Crossroads: Does nuclear power stand a chance in Minnesota amid a moratorium and carbon-free mandate?
By 2040, all of the state’s power must come from carbon-free sources. Solar, hydro, and wind generation are being deployed at break-neck speed, but there’s one black sheep in the carbon-free family: nuclear power.
New DEED commissioner on Greater Minnesota’s economy and implementing ‘massive’ new spending
MinnPost interviewed Matt Varilek on Monday about his views on the economy in Greater Minnesota, child care, broadband, South Dakota, fraud in grant programs and more.
Survey of Metro Transit riders shows they want ambassadors to focus on safety, fare enforcement
It was rising crime on platforms and vehicles that led the Legislature to change how Metro Transit deals with safety in part by shifting fare enforcement from cops to civilians.
