MOORHEAD, Minn. — Judge Galen Vaa of Moorhead has lost his legal challenge to a Minnesota law that forces judges to retire at the age of 70. Judge Vaa claims the mandatory retirement age for district court judges is discriminatory and unconstitutional. A Ramsey County district court judge ruled that the Minnesota Constitution gives the legislature authority to impose the…
MORTON COUNTY, N.D. — The company building the Dakota Access pipeline claims that there have been coordinated physical attacks along the line. The brief court filing late Monday from Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners didn’t detail the attacks, but said they “pose threats to life, physical safety and the environment.” Company officials say the project remains on track to start…
WAITE PARK, Minn. — Leaders of a new school that helps students struggling with alcohol abuse are asking lawmakers for funding. Seven students have been treated so far at the McKinley Recovery School, which is in its first year in Waite Park, Minnesota. It’s one of only six so-called sober schools in the state. School leaders say that despite…
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The Justice Department’s review is in on how Minneapolis handled the aftermath of the Jamar Clark shooting. Clark’s death in a confrontation with two officers sparked weeks of protests that were largely peaceful, though one on November included skirmishes between officers and demonstrators. The review found the city didn’t have a coordinated response to the 18…
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota House Republicans are looking at a roughly $45 billion two-year budget. Legislative leaders are considering cuts to some health care programs and state government agencies while drumming up nearly $1.4 billion in tax relief. House Speaker Kurt Daudt has suggested phasing out Social Security income taxes and reducing agricultural property taxes. They could have…
North Dakota’s Republican House majority leader is not giving up on his effort to establish more casinos in the state, even after members of his own party folded on the idea. Fargo Rep. Al Carlson says his proposal to allow up to six state-owned casinos will be reconsidered by the House Judiciary Committee this week. The North Dakota Senate also…
MOORHEAD, Minn. — U.S. Senator Al Franken visited Moorhead to tell senior citizens how Republican plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act could impact them. A nonpartisan analysis estimates the American Health Care Act would immediately leave 14 million people without health coverage. State officials say 1.2 million Minnesotans under the current plan could lose insurance or get…
NORTH DAKOTA — Lawmakers denied the possibility of retail stores opening before noon on Sundays, but a local business owner isn’t giving up. A Fargo man said he is hoping to put a similar measure on an upcoming ballot. “Now that the bill is dead, we hope to put this exact issue to the voters,” said Brandon Medenwald, with North…
BISMARCK, N.D. — A potentially losing hand has been dealt in a Fargo lawmaker’s attempt to allow state-owned casinos. The House Judiciary Committee gave Rep. Al Carlson’s proposal to allow up to six state-owned casinos a 13-2 “do not pass” recommendation on Wednesday. The full House is expected to vote Friday. Carlson’s resolution is a proposed constitutional amendment that…
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt is instructing staff to not issue the $14,000 salary increases recently approved by an independent body. Minnesota voters set the 45 percent raise in motion in November by overwhelmingly approving a constitutional amendment to create a Legislative Salary Council. Though lawmakers no longer have the power to set their own…
