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Ice and snow at the St. Paul Winter Carnival, proposals for freezing state revenues, and heating it up with the Best New Bands at First Ave. Skaters enjoy the ice, as St. Paul Winter Carnival begins The day was gray and dim, but Rice Park clattered with the whir of preparing for the Winter Carnival Ice Sculpture Contest. As workers tramped the snow and hauled the heavy blocks into place, a few steps away a bright and sparkling quiet called in the softer voice of Minnesota tradition: the Wells Fargo Washington Street Ice Rink, snug up against Landmark Center. Freezing revenues at a 20-year low Conservative legislators want to freeze per capital state general fund revenue. Here's the problem. After adjusting for inflation, per capita state revenue for the current biennium is at its lowest point since the FY 1990-91.MORE » GOP offers major overhaul to Minnesota's voting system, democrats criticize bill as expensive, a "partisan ploy" Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer of Big Lake and Sen. Warren Limmer of Maple Grove unveiled the Republican plan to overhaul the state's voting system at a press conference on Wednesday. Among the proposed changes are the elimination of vouching, implementation of a photo identification system, a ban on health care workers assisting voters in the booth, and massive changes to the recount process.MORE » MUSIC | Best New Bands at First Avenue: A bumper crop The Best New Bands showcase presented every winter by First Avenue and Radio K is a must-see for many local music fans: a one-stop shop for the latest and greatest in Twin Cities music, with seven bands for seven dollars. This year's lineup was typically strong, and diverse enough that just about everyone in attendance loved some acts and hated others.MORE » Lawmaking challenges excite new state rep By Charles Hallman When Rena Moran was elected last November to the Minnesota State House of Representatives, she became only the second Black woman to serve in the Minnesota Legislature. She joins second-term state lawmakers Jeff Hayden and Bobby Champion, along with first-term State Senator John Harrington, as one-fourth of an historical Minnesota "Black caucus."MORE » Inside the Daily Planet, 01/28/11State firearm background checks or not by Mike Cook, Session Weekly/Session Daily • Minnesotans currently wanting to buy a handgun or semiautomatic military-style assault weapon from a federally licensed dealer must first obtain a state permit through their local police after a seven-day waiting period. Not this bridge, not now by Riordan Frost, Minnesota 2020 • The St. Croix River Crossing is a complicated issue, but when the current proposal is considered overall, it is unwise. Building this new bridge would be economically imprudent, environmentally damaging, and short-sighted. State labor commissioner Ken Peterson takes charge (again) by Steve Share, Minneapolis Labor Review • Ken Peterson, newly-appointed by Governor Mark Dayton to lead the state's Department of Labor and Industry, is no stranger to the post: he served under Governor Rudy Perpich as commissioner of DLI from 1988-1991. NEW IN BLOGS GROWTH AND JUSTICE | Minnesota needs a sense of urgency on education, says secretary Duncan by Matt Kane • U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan wishes that Minnesota would take action on education reform. Duncan came to the Twin Cities Friday and told the large crowd at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon that Minnesota faces challenges, notably the gap in educational achievement between the state's students of color and its white students. TC JEWFOLK | "Disordered: thy name is teenager" at Not OUR Kids! conference by Sarah Malakoff • We've all heard the slew of acronyms used as diagnoses for teens: ADD, ADHD, ODD, OCD ... But what do these acronyms mean to the people they label? OPEN SECRETS MINNESOTA | The failed promise of the Legacy Amendment by Rich Neumeister • In 2008, the Legacy Constitutional Amendment was placed on the ballot by the Legislature to bring the voters of Minnesota closer to the democratic process by allowing them to vote on something that would affect their pocketbooks and their communities. The majority of Minnesotans said yes. HINDSIGHT | Homework "takes a village" by Valerie Ong • Many families and communities are realizing the need for student homework assistance after school hours. In some cases, parents are simply unable to provide the academic knowhow and explanations to their children even if they have the time and desire to help. As a result, parents have turned to other avenues which include private tutors, homework centers at public libraries and community centers, or online homework programs. MINNESOTA BUDGET BITES | Unemployment Insurance, tax credits for working families, boost economy much more than high-income tax cuts by Steve Francisco • The federal legislation that extends Unemployment Insurance for people looking for work, along with the extension of improvements to tax credits for low-income working families, are expected to produce far more "bang for the buck" in terms of economic growth than the extension of tax cuts for high-income households. These findings come from a recent analysis by Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's Analytics.
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27 Ocak 2011 Perşembe
Kicking off the St. Paul Winter Carnival / Freezing revenues / more
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