St. Paul to start removing more ash trees next month
St. Paul will start cutting down more ash trees in the western part of the city next month, as part of its effort to stop the emerald ash borer infestation that was first noticed in 2009.Two public...
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Walking Loring Greenway, a safe, attractive example of urban renewal
Andy Sturdevant is taking a little time off, but have no fear: He has once again left The Stroll in very capable hands. This week your guide is urbanist and streets.mn contributor Alex Bauman. Andy...
View ArticleRevamped sales tax designed to reflect today’s service-oriented economy
When Gov. Mark Dayton outlined his sweeping budget plan on Tuesday, he probably realized proposing significant changes in the sales tax would generate the most blowback of any potential revenue hike —...
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Gov. Dayton answers budget proposal questions
After unveiling his 2014–15 budget proposal Tuesday morning, Gov. Mark Dayton met with reporters to answer their questions about his tax and spending policies. The UpTake posted this 40 minute video of...
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Mayo Cinic enlists 'Long Day's Journey Into Night' as a teaching tool about...
Few plays depict addiction and its destructive effects on families with as much brutal honesty as Eugene O’Neill’s masterpiece “Long Day’s Journey Into Night.” O’Neill wrote the semi-autobiographical...
View ArticleEvaluating the economic assumptions of Dayton’s budget
It’s easy to get lost in the weeds of the proposal and neglect the economic assumptions on which it is built. It’s important that policymakers and citizens understand the economics before they get down...
View ArticleEnthusiasm for Dayton’s ed budget reduces DFL pressure for speedy schools...
Gov. Mark Dayton’s budget — which would pump an additional $340 million into Minnesota’s education system — appears to have shifted the House DFL’s early priorities away from paying back money borrowed...
View ArticleMinneapolis considers conflict-of interest rule changes for city boards
In Minneapolis, builders and developers serve on the city’s Planning Commission. Architects and real estate professionals serve on the Heritage Preservation Commission, and citizens involved in zoning...
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Minnesota delegation divided as House votes to lift debt limit and delay fight
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House voted Wednesday to defer a debate over the federal debt limit, defusing one potentially explosive fight over government finances while taking on a couple of more.The House...
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Poll: Dayton in good shape for re-election
Like Al Franken, Gov. Dayton appears to be starting his re-election cycle in good shape.Rachel Stassen-Berger of the Strib looks at the latest Public Poliy Polling and says: “The year before he will...
View ArticleSheriffs want better gun screening of the mentally unstable
Covering the sheriffs arguing for better background checks for the mentally unstable and basic safety improvements in gun ownership, Megan Boldt of the PiPress writes: “Hennepin County Sheriff Rich...
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Dayton's budget undermines both job growth and economic growth
On Wednesday, Gov. Mark Dayton offered "the first word" on the budget and released his FY 2014-2015 budget proposal. In short, he proposed to increase revenues by $2.976 billion (8.5 percent) as...
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Exploring 'Doubt'— a play, a film, and now an opera
The abuse of thousands of children at the hands of priests has made disturbing headlines in recent years, and not surprisingly, the subject has become the material for compelling drama, the most...
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Former GOP Senate staffer Michael Brodkorb critically injured in car crash
Michael BrodkorbMichael Brodkorb, the former Minnesota state Senate staffer who is embroiled in a lawsuit over his firing, was reported in critical condition after a car crash on I-35E in Mendota...
View ArticleCatalonia declares intent to hold independence referendum
Catalonia’s parliament Wednesday overwhelmingly passed a bill unilaterally claiming the region’s right to decide whether it seeks an independent state within the European Union, setting a 2014...
View ArticleBig losers in Israeli election: American political strategists
Two of the big losers in Israel’s parliamentary vote Tuesday were Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party and the Labor Party of Shelly Yachimovich, with both underperforming initial polling expectations.But...
View ArticleMystery of the fake Matisse masterpiece leads to jail time
Nearly a decade after being lifted from a Venezuelan museum, a painting by French master Henri Matisse is heading home while the two individuals who tried to sell the $2 million art work on the black...
View ArticleMali's Ansar Dine rebels split, call for ceasefire
Mali's Ansar Dine rebel group has split – and the new faction wants to begin peace talks.In a statement to Radio France Internationale, the splinter group announced that it was called the Islamic...
View ArticleShould we stay or go? Cameron pledges British referendum on EU
Britain's prime minister used a long-awaited speech Wednesday to declare himself in favor for the first time of an up-or-down referendum on whether the UK should remain a member of the European Union...
View ArticleLooks like a weak deal is coming on changing filibuster rules
In case you've lost track of the effort to change (I decline to use the word "reform") the filibuster rule, a compromise deal will likely be announced soon, perhaps as soon as today.The New York Times...
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