Around MN: Iron Range mesothelioma deaths increase, what’s next for OccupyMN?, DFL wins special elections
More Iron Range mesothelioma deaths found
The number of Iron Rangers who died of mesothelioma has reached 82, up from 63 when last reported by state health officials in 2010. Health officials say they found the additional cases by checking death records in other states for former Iron Range residents who moved out of Minnesota (Duluth News Tribune).
DFLers win 2 Minn. Senate special elections
In Senate District 46, which includes portions of Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center, unofficial returns Tuesday show Democrat Chris Eaton defeated Republican Cory Jensen and Tom Reynolds of the Independence Party. The District 46 seat has been vacant since the death in June of Democratic Sen. Linda Scheid (AP).
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Occupy MN cost for Mpls police approaches $100,000
The cost of Occupy Minnesota protests is starting to add up for Minneapolis police. Tuesday afternoon, Sgt. William Palmer says the total cost to the Minneapolis Police Department is closing in $100,000 (KARE).
OccupyMN weekend: Tents up, tents down, what's next?
OccupyMN protesters say they may move off county property and onto city property -- or onto bank property. Either move would mean a switch from the jurisdiction of Hennepin County Sheriff, who ordered the tents taken down, to the jurisdiction of Minneapolis police (Daily Planet).
Organizers want more people to join Occupy Duluth
Jennifer Cummings was at the food table Monday afternoon keeping the vegan wild rice and potato-rice-bean soups warm. Three days into Occupy Duluth's encampment at the Civic Center, one of its early victories has been the availability of food for people protesting economic disparity in the community and country (Duluth News Tribune).
Report quantifies importance of Great Lakes shipping to economy
The Great Lakes shipping industry released a study Tuesday reporting that the industry supports 227,000 jobs in the U.S. and Canada, including about 2,500 direct jobs in Minnesota (MPR News).
Lawyers claim blatant discrimination rare in age, gender suits
Former TV anchor Robin Huebner's age and gender discrimination complaint against the station she'd been at since 1985 will be decided in a legal arena where blatant bias violations are increasingly rare, employment lawyers said Tuesday (Fargo Forum).
After cashing in, clothing firm admits Steve Jobs was no "fan" of its mock turtleneck
After aggressively claiming Steve Jobs as a prized customer who purchased his trademark mock turtleneck from them, a menswear manufacturer has backtracked on that disproven contention, scrubbing their web site of the assertion that the late Apple CEO was a "fan" of its garments (The Smoking Gun).
Survey: Minnesota fertile ground for cooperatives
Minnesota again leads the nation in cooperatives - businesses where the members are also the owners.A national survey Tuesday said Minnesota is home to four of the Top 10 cooperatives in the nation. Three others also made the Top 100 list released by NCB, a bank for cooperatives (Pioneer Press).
Pawlenty joins RedPrairie board
Former Minnesota Gov. and one-time presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty has been named to the board of directors of RedPrairie Corp., a software firm that was formerly based in Waukesha (BizJournal).
Property taxes poised to push up rents in Minn.
If you rent an apartment in the state of Minnesota, there's a good chance your rent will go up next year. High demand and the fewest vacancies in 10 years are two big reasons. But there's another factor pushing rents up: a state change in property taxes (MPR News).
Minnesota think-tank argues against local aid cuts
Those who live by the "no new taxes" pledge choose to ignore the impacts their actions have on local property taxes, said Matt Entenza, senior policy fellow with Minnesota 2020 (Bemidji Pioneer).
Vegas Debate: A game of Seven-Candidate Draw?
Bachmann deliberately avoided attacks on the other candidates and instead turning her attention to President Obama at every opportunity. Perhaps this is part of a two-stage strategy to repair her favorability ratings first, which have eroded some even with Republicans (538).
Bachmann says every American should contribute to the US tax base
Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann says when it comes to the tax code, "everyone should pay something" (Washington Post).
Battle beginning over campaign finance and the marriage amendment
The Minnesota for Marriage coalition, which is pushing a 2012 constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman, is mobilizing against state campaign finance rules that require disclosure of donors (Minnesota Independent).
South Dakotans prepare for Romney visit
South Dakotans will get their first chance to see a 2012 presidential candidate up close and personal Wednesday night. That's when Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will give a speech to the Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce during its annual meeting (KELO).
Rep. Paulsen goes to bat for state's medical device industry
The medical device industry is an important employer in Minnesota that has a lot riding on events in Washington, DC, both at the Food and Drug Administration and in the halls of Congress. A Minnesota congressman has emerged as one of the industry's strongest backers in the nation's capital (MPR News).
DNR officers report increase in complaints of trespassing hunters
Conservation officers with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are reporting an increase in complaints from landowners about hunters trespassing on their property (AP).
Inver Grove mulls ban on coal tar sealant
Elected officials have approved the first reading of an ordinance forbidding the use of coal tar sealant. Testing has found high concentrations of PAHs in the sediment beneath two city ponds and a low concentration of PAHs beneath a third pond (Patch).
System makes public data more accessible
The installation of new policing software will make available to the public more data that previously was more difficult to locate (Bemidji Pioneer).
Sonar-equipped robo-kayak patrols for Asian carp
Canadian scientists are launching a robotic kayak equipped with echo sounder sensors in the Welland Canal this week to see if invasive fish such as the Asian carp could travel between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie (Great Lakes Echo).
Fields to run against Ellison for 5th District Seat
Republican Chris Fields is looking to unseat incumbent Keith Ellison (Patch).
Voyageurs Park fire expected to burn rest of fall
Officials expect a forest fire burning in a remote area of Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota will continue burning the rest of this fall (Saint Cloud Times).
One man's passion for growing giant pumpkins
Chad Revier of New London, Minn. has been growing pumpkins competitively for four years. He is the current state record holder, and says he is motivated by the pursuit of breaking his personal best weight every year (MPR News).