Governor Tim Walz rolls out his two-year state budget plan tomorrow (Tues). The governor has already floated proposals that would have significant impacts in major areas of the budget. For more equity between school districts, he wants the state to pick up a greater share of the cost of E-12 education, meaning less reliance on […]

Republican Senator Scott Newman from Hutchinson expects Governor Tim Walz in his budget plan tomorrow will ask lawmakers for 50 to 100 million dollars to finish development on the state’s troubled vehicle licensing and registration system, MN-LARS. Newman also expects a request for additional processing fees, plus money to reimburse deputy registrars for losses due […]

Enbridge executives say despite court challenges they expect the controversial Line 3 pipeline upgrade across northern Minnesota to be operational by the end of the year. It’s expected the company would begin work on the pipeline even though the case is still in court, because it would be difficult for opponents to get a court […]

Officials confirm three people are dead and a deputy sheriff was shot but has been released from the hospital –that after an apparent fatal shooting Thursday night at an in-home daycare near Nevis in north-central Minnesota. Authorities pursued a suspect who left the daycare in a vehicle. That person and another were reportedly found later […]

Top state lawmakers are trying to decide how to proceed after Thursday’s report detailing multiple causes of problems with the state’s troubled vehicle licensing and registration system, MN-LARS. Republican Scott Newman from Hutchinson, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee says, “At this point, I will honestly tell you I don’t know what the best course […]

An Isanti County man charged with second-degree murder in a 1993 Minneapolis cold case has a first court appearance today (Fri) after unknowingly giving authorities a D-N-A sample by throwing away a napkin at a hockey game. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman says 52-year-old Jerry Westrom at some point sent a D-N-A sample to an […]

State lawmakers are considering next steps after today’s legislative auditor’s report detailing multiple causes for problems with the state’s troubled vehicle licensing and registration system, MN-LARS. Republican Representative Paul Torkelson from Hanska says about prospects for fully fixing the system in a reasonable amount of time, “My confidence level is not very high. We’ve had […]

A bill that would require “net neutrality” in Minnesota had a hearing in the DFL-controlled House on Wednesday but nothing is scheduled in the Republican-controlled Minnesota Senate. Saint Louis Park Democratic Senator Ron Latz says it’s a consumer protection issue. “Everyone who’s an Internet consumer ought to have free and unfettered access to the Internet: […]

Governor Tim Walz told a meeting of county officials Wednesday that his budget proposal will increase state aid to counties 30 million dollars — the same amount he promised earlier to cities. We asked Anoka County Commissioner Scott Schulte, president of the Association of Minnesota Counties, does that mean property taxes would go down? “We […]

The Republican leader of the Minnesota Senate does *not* support a bill in the Democrat-controlled House that would allow school districts to renew property tax levies for operating expenses without voter approval. Senator Paul Gazelka prefers the current system, saying, “I like the fact that the local communities can decide ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on whether […]