Good morning. It's Ash Wednesday, and it looks like we may be giving up baseball for Lent.
President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union speech last night and as you might expect Democrats liked it and Republicans didn't. Here's a sampling of some reaction from the Minnesota delegation: DFL Sen. Tina Smith: "Tonight, President Biden met the moment by bringing the country together, unified in support of Ukraine against an autocratic leader. And President Biden reminded us that here at home, our economy is dramatically stronger than when he entered office one year ago. Thanks to his leadership and the hard work and resilience of American workers and businesses, more than six million Americans have gone back to work, real incomes for families have gone up, and our economy is seeing the fastest economic growth since 1984." GOP Rep. Tom Emmer: "Tonight, President Biden reaffirmed that not only are his policies responsible for the numerous crises our nation is facing, but he has no real plan to fix them. His commitment to destroying domestic energy production keeps Americans dependent on foreign sources of fuel. His careless spending has created the worst inflation crisis in forty years. His weakness at our southern border has allowed fentanyl to steal American lives. Instead of paying lip service to meet quotas defined by D.C. pollsters, President Biden and Speaker Pelosi should focus on listening to real Americans on Main Street and supporting real solutions that empower businesses, strengthen our economy, and get the federal government out of the way of families working to achieve their own version of the American dream." DFL Rep. Angie Craig: "I was pleased to hear the President outline an intense focus on lowering costs for working families, strengthening our supply chains and continuing to grow our economy . We are working our way back to normal, and that was evident in the House chamber tonight. I was grateful to hear the President reaffirm America's steadfast support for the people of Ukraine – while pledging to continue to rally our allies around the globe in support of democracy against Russian aggression. And I was happy to hear that the President shares my commitment to lowering the cost of prescription drugs – especially by capping the cost of insulin at $35 per month, as I introduced legislation to do just last week." GOP Rep. Pete Stauber: "The state of our union is one of crises: an energy crisis, an inflation crisis, a border crisis, a drug overdose crisis, and a crime crisis, to name a few. "President Biden claims to want to build a better and stronger America. If he were serious, he would unleash our great American workforce to develop our abundant natural resources and restore American energy independence. Instead, he has attacked our miners and slowed our domestic energy output, making us more reliant on foreign sources such as Russia and China. Restoring American energy independence would lower burdensome energy prices for everyday Americans." Biden will be in Superior, Wisconsin today talking about the infrastructure law he championed. He's expected to talk about Duluth-Superior bridges that need upgrades. Gov. Tim Walz said he will be on hand for the president's visit.
In Minnesota, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says sheriff's departments around the state issued more permits to carry handguns last year than ever before, reports MPR's Mark Zdechlik. There were more than 110,000 permit to carry applications filed in 2021 and more than 106,000 were granted, according to the BCA. That's almost 10,000 more than the previous year. A breakdown of the numbers shows Twin Cities metro area counties had the largest number of permits issued, with Hennepin County leading the pack followed by Ramsey, Anoka, Dakota and Washington counties. Right now 387,013 Minnesotans have permits to carry. Minnesota does not track permits to purchase firearms, only to carry them. According to the BCA, individuals with permits to carry handguns committed more than 3,800 crimes last year, most of them DWIs and other traffic offenses.
An advocacy group is raising questions about CenterPoint Energy's financial interest in a Texas-based energy company that it says made billions of dollars from natural gas price spikes following a February 2021 winter storm.MPR's Kirsti Marohn reports the Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota, which advocates for utility customers, released the report on Tuesday. It questions whether CenterPoint, Minnesota's largest natural gas utility, should be allowed to recover more than $400 million in costs associated with Winter Storm Uri from its Minnesota customers. The report says it appears that CenterPoint received $1.3 billion in proceeds from a merger involving a CenterPoint affiliate and Dallas-based Energy Transfer. CenterPoint and other natural gas utilities are seeking permission from Minnesota regulators to recover the costs they incurred due to the higher prices. The state Public Utilities Commission is considering that request, which the Citizens Utility Board is challenging. Hearings are scheduled for later this week. Meanwhile, most of CenterPoint's Minnesota customers are paying a monthly surcharge on their natural gas bills that will continue for 63 months, said Brian Edstrom, senior regulatory advocate with the Citizens Utility Board.
Colleagues of a Minnesota senator battling ALS are rallying behind his bills to pump up state funding for research and support programs. MPR's Brian Bakst reports Iron Range Sen. David Tomassoni has lost much of his mobility and speech after the onset of the nervous system disorder. He's sponsoring two bills that would route a combined $45 million toward clinical research, patient services and caregiver assistance. Sen. Tom Bakk of Cook, who like Tomassoni is a Republican-aligned independent, said he's set on getting both passed. "It's his number one priority, so it's become mine," Bakk said, adding that the bills have received bipartisan and high-level backing because lawmakers are getting a firsthand look at the debilitating effects of ALS. "This disease now has affected one of our own," Bakk said. "And just like in your family, when something happens to someone in your family, people come out big time." The bills were highlighted ahead of a Tomassoni tribute event near the Capitol to raise money for an ALS nonprofit.
Former KARE-TV reporter and WCCO radio talk show host Cory Hepola has launched a third party bid for governor. In a press release Tuesday Hepola said he is seeking the endorsement of the Forward Party of Minnesota. "Exhausted by the toxic two-party divisiveness that has failed our state and nation for decades, Cory will be running a positive, transparent and accessible campaign that speaks to all Minnesotans who feel disillusioned with the status quo. By offering bold, innovative and thoughtful policy solutions around Education, Public Health, and Economic Opportunity, Cory desires, above all else, to help Minnesota be a leader in the 21st century and beyond," the release says. He didn't give specifics on any issues and might provide more details about where he stands at a news conference scheduled for later this morning.
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, who represents Minneapolis, has introduced a bill that would restrict no-knock warrants. MPR's Nina Moini reports the proposed federal law would be named after Amir Locke, who was shot and killed by a Minneapolis police office while a SWAT team was serving a no-knock search warrant at a downtown Minneapolis apartment building last month. The law would include a ban on quick-knock and nighttime warrants as well as use of flash-bangs and military-grade firearms, Omar said, adding that she is working with other Democrats to propose a companion bill in the Senate. "It is unthinkable that search warrants continue to be in effect, with little to no restrictions, regulations, and regard for the impact on lives," Omar said. Locke's parents say they support the proposed restrictions.
MPR's Tim Nelson reports:As pet ownership skyrocketed during the COVID pandemic, some animal welfare organizations say it's time for a new way to keep pets healthier and safer . But the state's largest veterinarian group contends a new companion animal board would only muddle the efforts to protect dogs, cats and other pets in the state. "We know that the [Minnesota] Board of Animal Health really does a good job with what they do," said state Sen. Carrie Ruud, R-Breezy Point. At a Tuesday press conference, complete with squeaking puppies, Ruud continued, "But we think these are not livestock. And [the Board of Animal Health's] focus is livestock, and their mission is keeping the food source in the state of Minnesota healthy." Ruud is sponsoring a bill that would create an additional animal welfare government arm aimed at curbing cruelty to animals and neglect, beyond just keeping them from getting sick or spreading disease.
Minnesota tourism officials say they're forecasting a further rebound in travel spending this year, but they don't expect a full return to pre-pandemic levels for at least a year or two. Explore Minnesota kicked off its annual tourism conference in Minnetonka Tuesday. Gov. Walz said a strong state financial outlook should mean more money for Minnesotans to get out and explore this summer as COVID-19 numbers continue to improve. "We're in as strong a position as we were last summer, and everything on the horizon points to what could be the closest to normal that we've seen in two years, right now -- getting into the spring, getting in a time when people want to get out there," Walz said. In addition to targeting people from within Minnesota and neighboring states, Explore Minnesota says it's expanding this year's summer tourism marketing campaign to reach travelers across a wider area, as far as Ohio to the east, and Utah and Montana to the west. |
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