ST. PAUL Archives - Page 12 of 17

Regulators Approve Pipeline Replacement Across Northern Minnesota

The PUC approved Enbridge Energy's proposal to replace its aging Line 3 oil pipeline

June 28, 2018

TJ Nelson,

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota regulators have approved Enbridge Energy’s proposal to replace its aging Line 3 oil pipeline across northern Minnesota. The approved route would mostly avoid two American Indian reservations whose tribes strongly oppose the project, with a short crossing at one stretch of the Fond du Lac Band of Chippewa’s land to connect to existing pipeline. Commissioners…

Raccoon Climbing UBS Tower In St. Paul Stops Traffic And Goes Viral

A crowd gathered to watch it while others commented on Twitter

June 12, 2018

TJ Nelson,

ST. PAUL, Minn. — It’s the social media event that stopped people from working in the Twin Cities. A stranded raccoon was generating a lot of social media interest as it scaled an office building in downtown St. Paul. Minnesota Public Radio branded the errant raccoon with the hashtag #mprraccoon . A crowd gathered to watch it while others commented…

Teacher Loses State Licensing Board Position After Social Media Post Against President Donald Trump

Amy Hewett-Olatunde came under fire after using an expletive to criticize the president

May 23, 2018

TJ Nelson,

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A former Minnesota Teacher of the Year has lost her position on a state licensing board. St. Paul teacher Amy Hewett-Olatunde came under fire after using an expletive in a social media post criticizing President Donald Trump. She says the president’s use of an expletive to describe African counties earlier this year has had a painful…

Governor Dayton Keeps His Promise And Vetoes Tax Code Bill

Dayton wants the Legislature to address his request for emergency aid to schools

May 17, 2018

TJ Nelson,

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Gov. Mark Dayton has kept his promise and vetoed a bill that would have aligned Minnesota’s state tax code with federal changes passed last year. The Democratic governor rejected the bill passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature with about 20 grade-school students standing behind him at a St. Paul school. Dayton said the bill tilted toward the…

Hands-Free Cell Phone While Driving Bill Stalls

The bill also stalled in the Minnesota Senate

May 16, 2018

TJ Nelson,

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A move to require Minnesota drivers to use only hands-free cell phones looks like it’s finished for the current legislative session. The bill’s sponsor, Champlin Republican Rep. Mark Uglem, says leaders told him his bill won’t get a vote as the session heads toward a finish this weekend. Uglem says he’s disappointed and concerned for people…

Governor Dayton Threatens Fate of Tax Code Bill Over School Funding

Dayton requested $138 million for 59 school districts struggling with budget deficits

May 14, 2018

TJ Nelson,

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Gov. Mark Dayton says he won’t sign a bill squaring Minnesota’s tax code to sweeping federal changes if Republican lawmakers don’t include emergency funding for schools. Passing a so-called tax conformity bill to avoid confusion and some tax increases for people has been a major focus this year. But Dayton says schools need additional money as…

Minnesota Lawmakers Have One Week To Finish Up Session Work

Lawmakers could leave the Capitol without passing another bill

May 13, 2018

TJ Nelson,

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Just like they started the session, Minnesota’s Legislature is entering the homestretch with a long to-do list. But now they have just over a week to finish it. Republicans who control the Legislature and Gov. Mark Dayton are at odds on how to restructure Minnesota’s tax code, how to change health care programs and whether to…

Catholic Charities To Drop Its Refugee Resettlement Programs

Focus Is Shifting To Homelessness And At-Risk Children

May 3, 2018

TJ Nelson,

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis is dropping its refugee resettlement programs. The move comes as the state sees a significant slowdown in refugees arriving under President Donald Trump’s administration. The influential charity will shift its focus to programs aimed at homelessness and helping at-risk children. Fewer than 950 refugees arrived in Minnesota last year, compared…

Two Republican Lawmakers Introduce Gun Bills Before Session Ends

Rep. Sarah Anderson of Plymouth and Rep. Jenifer Loon of Eden Prairie are co-sponsoring the bills

May 2, 2018

TJ Nelson,

Rep. Sarah Anderson & Rep. Jenifer LoonST. PAUL, Minn. — Two Republican lawmakers from Minneapolis suburbs are trying to get gun legislation passed before the session ends later this month. One bill would give private sellers an incentive to verify a buyer has a legal right to own a gun before making a sale. The other involves several changes to…

Bill matching state & federal tax codes passes MN House

April 30, 2018

KVRR Staff,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Minnesota House has passed a bill matching the state’s tax code with new federal tax cuts. The GOP-backed proposal that cleared the House Monday includes modest income tax rate cuts for more than two million Minnesotans and a slight increase to the standard deduction. But it would also cause slight tax increases for some…