How US military plans to carry out Obama's 'pivot to Asia'
The Pentagon's No. 2 official, Ashton Carter, picked a telling time to discuss the US military's plans for its new strategic focus on the Asia-Pacific.At Europe's premier security conference in...
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Let’s acknowledge legitimate motivations on both sides of the gun issue
Many Americans, including me, feel very strongly about guns. When people feel very strongly about something, there is always a psychological component. People on both the left and the right have...
View ArticleMcCollum, Ellison on Africa trips
WASHINGTON — Reps. Betty McCollum and Keith Ellison are spending parts of this week-long congressional work week in Africa.McCollum is in South Sudan and Tanzania with Obama administration officials in...
View ArticleDid GOP gerrymander its way to controlling U.S. House?
Here’s a case where three true things seem to point to a fourth thing, which is much less true, even though I find that many politically active liberals believe it to be true (and sort of want it to be...
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Sami Rahamim speaks about gun violence on CNN
Sami Rahamim, son of Reuven Rahamim — the owner of Accent Signage who was killed in a shooting last year — was the guest of Rep. Keith Ellison at the State of the Union address last week. He was...
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Minnesota gay-marriage opponents weighing new 'counter' strategy
A national momentum toward the acceptance of gay marriage is changing the tactics of Minnesota opponents.With the imminent introduction of bills legalizing gay marriage, some Republicans are saying...
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Cities or suburbs: Searching for the new land of opportunity
So you've got a kid, a newly formed adult, who is ready to launch. Where should you advise him or her to set up housekeeping?Some 150 years ago, you might have said, "Go west." That's where the...
View ArticleClimatologists' new normal for winter: Fewer light snows, more big dumps
I shouldn't assume that my preferences in winter weather are universal, but after three decades of living between Richfield and New Richmond, Wis., I feel confident saying that most of us along this...
View ArticleState Rep. Mary Franson wants to repost legal ban on employers' demand for...
State Rep. Mary Franson tried last year to pass legislation that would keep employers from demanding that their workers turn over their passwords to social media like Facebook and Twitter.Franson is...
View ArticleU.S. Steel, union form Iron Ore Alliance to promote mining in Minnesota
A group that will combine management and labor to promote mining in Minnesota will kick off Wednesday with a press conference in St. Paul.The Iron Ore Alliance is a joint initiative of United States...
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Kim Heikkila tells the story of Minnesota's Vietnam War nurses
Kim HeikkilaTo the thousands of women who have worked in Afghanistan and Iraq, the recent Pentagon decision to lift the ban on women serving in combat isn’t life changing; ban or no ban, thousands of...
View ArticleSt Paul finalizes design contract with Ryan Cos. for Lowertown ballpark
St. Paul officials say they finalized a $1.72 million contract with Ryan Cos. Tuesday to design the Lowertown ballpark that will be the new home of the St. Paul Saints minor-league baseball team.Ryan...
View ArticleKandiyohi County homeless to get help from new group
Family Promise of Kandiyohi County, a new group modeled after the national program Family Promise, is organizing churches in Willmar and Kandiyohi County to help the homeless find temporary food and...
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Twin Cities chefs really cookin' as 'foodie' award nominees
Not being much of a “foodie,” I simply concede the prestige of the James Beard awards.Rick Nelson of the Strib reports this year’s nominees: “[T]he James Beard Foundation announced restaurant and chef...
View ArticleFrac-sand-mining debate draws a crowd to the Capitol
And there may be a bill within a week …Doug Belden’s PiPress story on the building fight over frac sand mining says: “Industry representatives said they're open to monitoring in order to generate...
View ArticleOne attempt at a Plan C: Brick City Budget
Brick City Blog During his State of the State address a couple of weeks ago, Governor Mark Dayton asked for critics of his budget plan to come up with their own “Plan C” (Plan A being the Governor’s...
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How Midwestern farmers are adapting to climate change
The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy pays a visit to the farm of Martin and Loretta Jaus, located in Gibbon, MN. The Jauses explain the challenges they have faced as a result of the changing...
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Quick, fly away, snowbird!
Like most Minnesotans, we cherish a special snowbird (in our case, Nana) who visits us each summer. She retired to Florida to take advantage of the sunny days — and declared herself a Florida resident...
View ArticleFive years on, Kosovo still faces giant hurdles
PRISTINA, Kosovo — Saturday night seemed to capture something of the mood here on the eve of official celebrations to mark this fledgling country’s fifth independence day.Despite nearly universal...
View ArticleEnd of the Castro Era
HAVANA, Cuba — During his 47-year rule, Fidel Castro developed a leadership model few management schools would endorse as a healthy approach to institutional robustness.Government ministers, state...
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