The guv gives PolyMet his blessing. Says Rachel Stassen-Berger in the PiPress, “Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has moved from being ‘genuinely undecided’ on the proposed PolyMet mine to being a genuine supporter. … Many along the economically stressed Iron Range have long-backed PolyMet’s plans for the open-pit mine’s promise of 360 permanent jobs and a revitalized mining industry. But environmental and conservation interests have said the project could lead to environmental disaster in an area that has long valued its outdoors recreation.”
A bad day for factory workers in Greater MN: The PiPress also reports: “More than 700 Minnesotans are losing factory jobs in Waseca, Luverne and Grand Rapids as plant owners shutter or scale back their operations. In Waseca, the largest employer in the southern Minnesota community is shutting down. Quad Graphics, formerly Brown Printing, will close at the end of the year. … In Luverne, Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. said Tuesday that it will close its local poultry processing facility, which employs about 200 people, at the end of the year. … In Grand Rapids, about 150 people will lose their jobs at the Blandin paper mill as owner UPM Paper closes one of its paper machines.”
Always a good idea, IMHO. Tom Hauser at KSTP-TV says, “Gov. Mark Dayton told those in attendance at Cyber Security Summit 2017 in Minneapolis that he plans to try to boost spending to protect the state from millions of daily cyber attacks.… Dayton says he proposed $125 million in new cybersecurity funding last year, but he says the legislature approved just a ‘fraction’ of that. He wanted $27 million for the Minnesota Information Technology Unit (MNIT) and $98 million for new security across state government.” I hear those Kaspersky folks offer really great rates.
Dirt may actually get moving again. Says Dave Kolpack for the AP, “The governors of Minnesota and North Dakota said Monday that they believe a task force can rescue a stalled flood control project meant to protect Fargo and Moorhead, Minn., from the Red River. … Construction on the $2.2 billion project started earlier this year southwest of Fargo, even after the Minnesota DNR denied a permit for a dam that would hold back water in times of serious flooding.”
Related: Paul Huttner of MPR writes: “The Red River Valley NWS office has posted a winter storm watch for Thursday and Friday.”
Today in Second Amendment/mayoral election news. The Pioneer Press’ Fred Melo writes: “For weeks, mayoral candidate Melvin Carter III has mostly ignored blistering criticisms from a longtime sparring partner, the St. Paul Police Federation, which is backing former city council member Pat Harris for mayor. On Tuesday, with a lengthy campaign salvo from the police union fresh in the inboxes of Twin Cities media, the Carter campaign publicly responded condemning ‘this racist attack.’”
Also for the PiPress, Andy Greder writes: “Former Gophers football recruit Jovanny Joel “JoJo” Garcia died in St. Paul on Monday, according to a St. Paul police report. He was 19 years old. ‘Sadly, it appears to be a suicide,’ said Steve Linders, a St. Paul police spokesman. … Garcia was the first player to commit to Minnesota in the 2016 recruiting class. A defensive tackle, he played for Cretin-Derham Hall in 2013 and East Ridge in Woodbury in 2014 when the Raptors made it to the Class 6A state quarterfinals. East Ridge eventually forfeited all of its 2014 victories due to Garcia’s ineligibility dealing with his residence.”
The carnival is coming to town. Mike Mullen at City Pages alerts us, “Must we, with Lauren Southern? Evidently, yes. The 22-year-old ‘commentator, author, journalist, and Youtube sensation’ is the featured guest at a public event on the University of Minnesota campus [Wednesday] night. A poster for the event says Southern will address ‘the Evils of Socialist Authoritarianism and Necessity of Free Speech.’”
This could be kind of cool. Says Emma Sapong for MPR, “The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board on Tuesday announced a $6.7 million construction project to restore Hall’s Island starting next month. The island on the Mississippi River in northeast Minneapolis disappeared in 1966 when a lumber business dredged it to accommodate an expansion. The park board bought the land in 2010 for $7.7 million. The restoration will include natural habitat on the island, said park board superintendent Jayne Miller. There also will be a 3,000-foot-long channel for kayaking and boating between the island and the river bank, she said.”
