Bryce Reed, enigma of the Texas blast tragedy
Bryce Reed seemed to be everywhere in the hours and days after a fertilizer plant blew up inWest, Texas, on April 17, killing 14 people, 12 of them first responders.An EMT, he was one of the first...
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Minneapolis' Ward 13 politics blends old-school techniques and social media
CC/Flickr/Adam FagenIt’s easy to forget that nearly half of all Americans don’t use social media — some because they’re not on the Internet at all, others because they haven’t dived into the social...
View ArticleRobert Gates: Obama made right decisions night of Benghazi attack
The Obama administration got some backing Sunday for the way in which it responded as terrorists attacked the US diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya, last September – a night of violence and...
View ArticleNo bill is ‘dead’ until lawmakers go home
One quickly learns that in the Minnesota Legislature, no proposal is ever “dead” until the session ends and lawmakers go home. Bills that are voted down in committee have a way of reappearing as floor...
View ArticleIRS tea party scandal unlikely to fade as Congress plans investigations
Conspiracy theories aside, there’s no evidence that the Obama White House had anything to do with Internal Revenue Service bureaucrats targeting tea party-type organizations for special tax...
View ArticleOne-time 'psychological debriefing' after trauma is harmful, studies suggest
As reported in Monday’s Boston Globe, the Boston Marathon bombings have left many people in that city — those who were injured, of course, and their families, but also first responders and witnesses to...
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Same-sex marriage: On decision day, symbols and hope abound
Forget the usual tales of vote-trading, compromise brokering and backroom arm-twisting. All anybody really seems interested in since Thursday’s House of Representatives’ vote to legalize same-sex...
View ArticleWatch the gay-marriage Senate floor debate
The Minnesota Senate's floor speeches on the gay marriage have ended. The bill passed 37-30.
View ArticleMinneapolis political upheaval signals possible major change at City Hall
What we're seeing so far might signal only the beginning of a year of major change at Minneapolis City Hall, according to two political observers.There is plenty of room for new blood with incumbent...
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Sen. Minority Leader David Hann reacts to latest budget plans
After Gov. Mark Dayton and DFL legislative leaders announced Sunday their agreement on broad outlines of a final Minnesota budget, GOP Sen. Minority Leader David Hann sat down with Julie Bartkey of...
View ArticleSame-sex marriage: Celebration, anticipation fill Capitol in hours before...
The contrast couldn’t have been more stark in the hours before the historic vote in the Senate on same-sex marriage.By 9:30 Monday morning, the steps of the Capitol and the rotunda were jammed with...
View ArticleSt. Paul proclaims ‘Freedom to Marry Week’
On Monday, the day the Minnesota Senate votes on approving same-sex marriage, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman proclaimed May 13 to 17 “Freedom to Marry Week” in the city.“The State of Minnesota is about...
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Marriage supporters, opponents await Senate vote ...
The AP storyon today’s Senate vote on same sex marriage says: “A festive mood took hold among gay marriage supporters at the Capitol. Hundreds of proponents arrived hours before the vote. A choir sang...
View ArticlePaulsen won't run for Senate or governor, will seek re-election to U.S. House
WASHINGTON — Republican U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen will not challenge Minnesota Sen. Al Franken or Gov. Mark Dayton next year, opting instead to run for re-election to his House seat.Paulsen announced the...
View ArticleMinnesota Senate joins House in approving same-sex marriage
The Minnesota Senate, after four hours of floor discussion Monday, joined the state House of Representatives in approving same-sex marriage.The measure, which could be signed as early as Tuesday by...
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Joyful same-sex marriage supporters rally after Minnesota Senate approval
Joyful same-sex marriage supporters who packed into the state Capitol Monday afternoon roared and rallied as the measure all but became legal in Minnesota, following the Legislature’s final approval of...
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Vikings unveil stadium design: What do you think?
We got a peek Monday night at the design of the new Vikings stadium, a modern-looking, angular structure with huge doors and lots of natural lighting.The 1.6-million-square-foot stadium will seat...
View ArticleFarmers cannot replicate Monsanto seeds for second crop, Supreme Court rules
Farmers cannot by-pass the patent protection provided for genetically-altered seeds by producing a new generation of seeds with the same traits, the US Supreme Court ruled Monday.In a unanimous...
View ArticleJames Holmes insanity defense: Judge sees 'good cause' to allow plea change
James Holmes, accused of killing 12 people at an Aurora, Colo., movie theater, sought Monday to change his plea from not guilty to not guilty by reason of insanity. A judge said there was “good cause”...
View ArticleUS and Britain cling to diplomacy as way forward on Syria
The challenges the United States and its closest allies face in finding a way to end the violence inSyria were on full display Monday in Washington, with President Obama and British Prime Minister...
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