30 years ago, Mickey's Diner awarded historic status
In the restaurant business, as in real estate, the three biggest factors to success are location, location, location. For restaurants, add good food and a good atmosphere. All of which have well served...
View ArticleSo, what will actually work to reduce gun violence?
Last week I wrote about the failure of zero tolerance policies in schools and the dangers of arming teachers in the classrooms. The response was overwhelming — I’ve received emails from friends,...
View ArticleThis is Minnesota’s moment to remain a leader in health care reform
Minnesota Budget Bites Change is coming. Starting October 1, 2013, more than one million Minnesotans will have the opportunity to enroll in health insurance through a new Exchange. The Exchange, a key...
View ArticleCan a Canadian save the Catholic Church?
MONTREAL, Quebec — Cardinal Marc Ouellet's rise in the Catholic Church comes with the most Canadian of plot twists: a hockey injury.Sidelined by a broken leg at age 17, he embarked on a search for...
View ArticleFarmer-labor collaborations before the DFL: Meet the Minnesota Farmers' Alliance
Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical SocietyPolitical poster depicting Sidney M. Owen, the Farmers' Alliance candidate for governor, 1890The Farmers' Alliance in Minnesota thrived from 1886 to 1892....
View ArticleAs Korean war rhetoric rises, separated families lose hope
PAJU, South Korea — Lee Eunsook’s artwork glows in the quiet border village of Imjingak as the sun sets over the DMZ, the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea. A line of neon-threaded...
View ArticleKwame Kilpatrick guilty: For destitute Detroit, downfall of ex-mayor complete
Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was found guilty Monday under federal corruption charges of scheming to enrich himself and his close confidants during his tenure in public office.The verdict,...
View ArticleRussian beauty queens offer opinions beyond world peace, making people mad
A contestant in a beauty pageant isn't supposed to have any political opinion more incendiary than "peace on earth," and that's probably been a hard-and-fast rule since the first modern one was staged,...
View ArticleCongress opens first budget debate in four years
When Senate Democrats and House Republicans unveil their budget proposals for the 2014 fiscal year this week, Washington’s next round of wide-ranging fiscal negotiations will start with a partisan...
View ArticleUS tells China to halt cyberattacks, and in a first, lays out demands
The Obama administration fired a warning shot Monday across the bow of the Chinese cyberespionage juggernaut, laying out specific expectations from China and reiterating its vow to take unspecified...
View ArticleSoda ban overturned, but the battle is far from over
A New York judge took the fizz out of New York City's attempt to ban large sugary beverages at restaurants, handing the soft drink and fast food industries a major victory and sending a pointed message...
View ArticleYour 2013 high school All Hockey Hair Team
In the third installment of his annual series, YouTube user Pulltabproductions11 presents the top ten manes of the Minnesota High School Hockey Tournament, along with some honorable mentions. Remember,...
View ArticleDisability parking spots at Capitol moved because of construction
The Minnesota State Council on Disability says that disability parking spots at the state Capitol, which used to be adjacent to the building, have been moved across the street because of ongoing...
View ArticleDFLers press revamp of school integration plan
You might know that one of the most hotly anticipated education bills of the current session is the so-called Achievement and Integration for Minnesota legislation, the long-awaited overhaul of the...
View ArticleMinnesota gets a 'C' in national study of open state government records
A study by the Sunlight Foundation rated the states for how easily legislative data can be gleaned from websites and gave Minnesota a "C" ranking.Minnesota fell in the middle of the 50 states and the...
View ArticleSecretary of State Ritchie supports some election law changes
Although there are no state-wide elections scheduled this year, Secretary of State Mark Ritchie is backing some election law changes at the state Capitol.Speaking to teachers in Brainerd this week,...
View ArticleForcing Ashley Judd-Al Franken comparisons ignores basic politics
WASHINGTON — Actress Ashley Judd is moving toward challenging U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell next fall, which means the comparisons to another entertainer-turned-lawmaker have already begun rolling...
View ArticleSauk Rapids City Council formally rebukes mayor for drunk driving arrest
The Sauk Rapids City Council passed a resolution Monday disapproving of the conduct of Mayor Brad Gunderson, following the mayor's arrest last month on drunk driving charges.The resolution, passed 4-0,...
View ArticleNuclear power's future still cloudy as Fukushima passes second anniversary
Monday marked the second anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and also, for the Japanese bereaved in those events, an observance the Buddhists among them call sankaiki.Years ago I learned...
View ArticleMany older Americans get unnecessary colonoscopies, study finds
Almost a quarter of Medicare recipients aged 70 and older may be undergoing colonoscopy screening for colon cancer unnecessarily, according to a new study from the University of Texas.The study also...
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