Somehow, some way, electronic pull tabs will help build the Vikings’ new football palace. At least that’s the line from pull-tab supporters. For the Forum papers, Don Davis writes: “Genny Hinnenkamp travels the Duluth area, picking up proceeds from pulltab games, with profits destined for the charity she represents and the new Minnesota Vikings stadium. At the same time she dreams about getting more money as electronic pulltab games spread, and statewide electronic bingo is added. But she is realistic about how fast the money will come. ‘Everybody’s got to be patient,’ Hinnenkamp said, counseling customers and legislators alike. … Most charities that sponsor games expect e-pulltab revenues to jump, but the real money may come from linked bingo games that can be played around the state and give winners big payouts. A state board has yet to authorize bingo to begin.”
Anti-abortion groups rallied today … in the cold. Says the AP: “Anti-abortion advocates will rally on the steps of the Capitol to call for stronger abortion laws in Minnesota. Minnesotans Citizens Concerned for Life is hosting the rally Tuesday, Jan. 22, rally which draws thousands to St. Paul each year. The group will announce its agenda for this legislative session. … Minnesota physicians have performed more than 560,000 abortions since 1975, according to state records. Yearly procedures have been on the decline over the past three decades, down to 11,000 in 2011.”
Give 'em a piece of your mind …Joseph Lindstrom of the PiPress says: “A pair of February public hearings are scheduled for the Interstate 35E overhaul project that would replace six bridges and add a transit lane to one of the area's most vital traffic arteries. Those interested in learning more about the project are invited to hearings at 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 7 at the Hiway Federal Credit Union in St. Paul or 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 at St. Jerome's Catholic Church in Maplewood. Both public hearings are open to questions and comments — no formal presentations are planned. Each hearing will be open until 6:30 p.m. The proposed project will rehab existing pavement and add a High Occupancy Toll lane in each direction between Maryland Avenue and Little Canada Road in an effort to improve safety and traffic congestion. The project's projected cost is between $80 and $105 million, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.”
Beloved hometown airline Delta,had a tougher-than-expected fourth quarter.Says Joshua Freed of the AP: “Delta Air Lines said Tuesday that its fourth-quarter profit was nearly wiped out by Superstorm Sandy and special charges. The storm forced airlines to cancel more than 20,000 flights. The impact was bigger at Delta because Sandy also slowed its operations at its new oil refinery near Philadelphia. Delta's goal in restarting the refinery was to maximize jet fuel production and reduce the airline's fuel bill. But Sandy slowed the refinery's restart, and the refinery lost $63 million for the quarter and added 7 cents per gallon to the price of Delta's jet fuel. Delta said it expects the refinery to be profitable in the current quarter. Delta said Sandy cut $100 million from its fourth-quarter profit. It recorded another $231 million in special items.”
Minnesota’s graduation rate is improving.At MPR, Tim Post says: “A national report out Tuesday shows improvement in Minnesota's high school graduation rate. According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, 88.2 percent of Minnesota students graduated after four years in high school. That's up a point over the year before, and up nearly four points over seven years. Only Wisconsin, Vermont and North Dakota have higher rates. The study also says that across the U.S., the dropout rate for male students was 3.8 percent. For females, it was 2.9 percent. The dropout rate was higher among males in every state.”
On the website corrections.com, we learn that “Minnesota has the second lowest incarceration rate in the country, according to state correctional officials, and they say that’s because only the most high-risk offenders spend time behind bars. There are roughly 9,500 inmates in state prisons, representatives of the Minnesota Department of Corrections told members of the House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee. Maine has the lowest incarceration rate in the country.” Of course we shipped Denny Hecker out of state.
In the Marshall Independent, Per Peterson says: “The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce has outlined its legislative agenda for 2013 and says it is looking forward to working with the Legislature on a number of different fronts, including creating more private-sector jobs in Minnesota — a top priority of a number of legislators, regardless of party affiliation. The Minnesota Chamber says changing demographics and globalization require forward-looking policies from the Legislature. Part of the solution to creating jobs in the state, the Chamber said, is to address the achievement gap in schools. Another is addressing work-readiness among prospective employees. ‘We have a shortage of workers, we know that,’ said Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Cal Brink. ‘One of the concerns is, does Minnesota have a workforce that's prepared and ready to go to work?'" And … how can that work force be leveraged for a new round of tax cuts?
Apparently we should be more concerned about the dearth of hip-hop in Minnesota. Commenting on last weekend’s "Saturday Night Live" skit about a forlorn hip-hop station, B-108, in cutting-edge Shakopee, Reed Fischer of City Pages says:“Saturday Night Live still thinks the state of hip hop radio in the Twin Cities is laughable. Over the weekend, we returned to the fictional studios of B-108 in Shakopee, ‘Minnesota's home for blazing hip hop,’ for another early morning joke at our scene's expense. … Surely, we all have versions of the ideal hip hop station of the Twin Cities in our heads. Gimme Noise envisions something meshing the street sensibility of KMOJ's Tite @ Nite, the finesse of Rhymesayers Radio, and that mad expensive signal strength to broadcast it all the way down to Shakopee. The talent exists within our local ranks — even if SNL isn't seeing it.” So let’s get somebody on this … ASAP.
These are some scary dudes …Amy Forliti of the AP says: “Three members of a violent American Indian gang known for terrorizing people from the Twin Cities to reservations in greater Minnesota, Wisconsin and beyond will go on trial Tuesday in what authorities call one of the largest gang cases to come out of Indian Country. Wakinyon Wakan McArthur, 34 — an alleged leader of the Native Mob — and two alleged Native Mob "soldiers," Anthony Francis Cree, 26, and William Earl Morris, 25, are accused of being part of a criminal enterprise that used intimidation and violence to keep the gang in power. They face multiple charges, including conspiracy to participate in racketeering and attempted murder in the aid of racketeering. Prosecutors said the case is important partly because of its size — 25 people were charged in a 57-count indictment — and because the racketeering charge is a tool rarely used against gangs, indicating this is an attempt to take down the entire enterprise.”