Daycare disaster; Paul delegates deliver; Solar eclipse

Overcrowded day cares 'a recipe for disaster'

Star Tribune: "When care providers take too many children, dangers multiply. Several sites of child-care deaths had been cited for capacity violations."

Ron Paul has Texas-size influence in Minnesota GOP

MPR News: "An overwhelming majority of the Minnesota delegation to this summer's Republican National Convention will be going to Tampa, Fla., as Ron Paul delegates. The Texas congressman had a huge influence on last weekend's Minnesota GOP convention in St. Cloud. Beyond nearly sweeping the national delegates, state Rep. Kurt Bills, Paul's endorsed candidate to take on Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar this fall, won the GOP endorsement over two other Republicans." Star Tribune: "The eclectic Texan's triumph at the state Republican convention was discouraging to longtime activists." Christian Science Monitor: Ron Paul 'bloodless coup' in Minnesota takes most delegates. Now what?

Bills to take to the road in school bus to campaign for U.S. Senate

Princeton Union Eagle: "He and his family, explained Bills, intend to 'rattle around' the state in the bus campaigning. Indeed, the back of the bus may get an upgrade from a church group to make it more comfortable for Bills, his wife Cindy, and the couple's four children, the candidate explained."

Ely firefighters catch a break from weather

Duluth News Tribune: "More than an inch of overnight rain helped firefighters make significant progress Sunday toward extinguishing a wildfire that earlier had threatened the city of Ely."

Klobuchar defends Democratic approach on budget

MPR News: "Sen. Amy Klobuchar's opponents accuse her of letting spending get out of control, but she points out that she has supported some big spending cuts."

Minnesota same-sex marriage fight re-energized -- on both sides

CNN: "Minneapolis is a conflicted city. It's home to one of the largest gay pride festivals in the Midwest and was once dubbed the 'gayest city in America' by The Advocate magazine. The metropolitan area is also home to the conservative power base of Rep. Michele Bachmann."

Farm prices continue to rise

Mankato Free Press: "Agricultural property values in Blue Earth and Nicollet counties continue to shoot up while homes and businesses stay the same or fall slightly in value."

Wine country comes to rural St. Peter

Mankato Free Press: "After watching the first grapevines planted three years ago, Kent Schwickert spent the weekend welcoming customers for the first time to Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery near St. Peter. "

Congress cranks up heat on Minnesota HMO/Medicaid Probe

KAAL: "Congress sends follow up questions and requests state documents. All of this is connected to a Congressional investigation into Minnesota's 4-billion dollar Medicaid program."

Hill of Three Waters

Minnesota Brown: "An unofficial understanding has long existed between the various mining companies and local Ojibwe people that allowed the three-way watershed to remain untouched. The location's mystical, spiritual power has been recognized by centuries of peoples, quite possibly an eon's worth. It shows a rare point where the watershed breaks three ways: north to Hudson Bay, south to the Mississippi River and East to the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway."

Beautiful solar eclipse!

Astro Bob: "It cleared just in time here in northern Minnesota for a great eclipse experience. My friend Jim joined me for a jaunt to Island Lake north of town, where we set up a couple small telescopes along a pleasant stretch of sandy beach."

• Editor’s notebook: Covering the environment in 2014
• Best of Minnesota Scenes from 2014
• 50 years of memory making in the Boundary Waters