Comcast will send refunds to over 15 thousand Minnesota customers and wipe clean the debt of 16 thousand others, under a lawsuit settlement state Attorney General Keith Ellison announced today. It’s over improperly charged fees for early termination of service, gift card promises not kept, undisclosed fees, and charges for services that customers didn’t order. […]
Gov Walz unveils $857 million bonding plan to improve public safety
Governor Tim Walz today unveiled the final piece of his just-over $2 billion bonding request to the state legislature. Walz is asking for $857 million for public safety improvements statewide. Walz says “the plan funds critical needs like local police and fire departments, whether that’s a new police station in Crystal or a fire department […]
Walz to roll out final part of bonding request
Governor Tim Walz this morning rolls out the final parts of his bonding request to the legislature, for public safety and asset preservation, plus what he dubs his “Quality of Life” package. It’s expected those areas will take his total bonding proposal to right around two billion dollars — significantly more than Senate Republicans say […]
Democratic contenders clash over woman president, Middle East policy, impeachment during Des Moines debate
Democratic presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren got backup from Minnesota rival Amy Klobuchar during last night’s presidential debate in Des Moines — as Warren stood by her accusation that rival Bernie Sanders told her in 2018 that a woman couldn’t win the election. Sanders denies the allegation saying, “Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by three […]
Big differences between Repubs, Dems as Gov. Walz prepares to roll out rest of bonding proposal
Republicans and Democrats have sharp differences over state bonding for public works projects, even as Governor Tim Walz prepares to roll out his request for public safety infrastructure on Wednesday. The governor says his total bonding request across all areas will be right around two billion dollars — but Senate Republicans are talking about less […]
Possible plea agreement in Brooten pull tab swindle case
Discussion in court Monday on a possible plea agreement for the former C-E-O of the Commercial Club in Brooten in west-central Minnesota. Prosecutors allege 38-year-old Jana Zenner of Glenwood cheated the club out of more than 135 thousand dollars in pull tab revenues. Investigators say Zenner played new pull tab games, collected the winnings, then […]
GOP leader says Minnesota Senate will not pass recreational marijuana bill this session
Republican Majority Leader Paul Paul Gazelka says the state Senate is *not* going to pass a bill during the 2020 session to legalize recreational marijuana in Minnesota. Gazelka says, “We did a hearing on that last year. We brought in people from Colorado and all of the data was bad: Homelessness rates were up. Accident […]
Domestic assault suspect shot at and hit armored SWAT vehicle during Sauk Centre standoff
The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office says further investigation has determined a suspect in a domestic assault fired and hit an armored vehicle as a SWAT team was approaching a Sauk Centre residence during a several-hour-long standoff Sunday. No officers were injured, a nine-year-old child was released from the residence after initial negotiations, and a 27-year-old […]
Tax cuts high on MN Senate GOP agenda for upcoming legislative session
Lowering the tax burden on Minnesota farmers and completely eliminating state income tax on Social Security benefits — Senate Republicans say those are prominent agenda items for them in the 2020 legislative session which begins in about a month. Governor Tim Walz says about any possible tax cuts, “That’s probably best left for a budget […]
Appeals Court reverses 3 permits for PolyMet project, orders hearing
The Minnesota Court of Appeals has reversed three permits the D-N-R issued for the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine near Hoyt Lakes, saying the agency did not fully examine objections by environmental groups and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The court ordered the D-N-R to hold a hearing. The ruling doesn’t cancel […]