There was a particular news story that caught my eye on Monday, but when I went looking for details I discovered a number of other noteworthy stories. And I so note them here:
1) We in Minnesota have not escaped the drive for voter ID. Last year the republican legislature passed a bill requiring voter ID, but our Governor, Mark Dayton, mercifully vetoed it. Then the republicans came back and turned it into a state constitutional amendment, which bypasses the veto pen. Unfortunately, a lot of Minnesotans do not know what the big deal is. They do not get the benefit of the committee testimony or floor debate. They will have only big-money advertising to inform them. The ACLU is trying to build awareness:
ACLU Offers $1,000 Voter Fraud Bounty
The ACLU is putting money where its mouth is on the Voter ID issue. The organization is offering a $1,000 bounty to anyone who can prove there's been a successful prosecution in Minnesota of someone impersonating someone else to cast an illegal vote.
If anyone can show evidence of a successful prosecution, they can send it to the ACLU, 2300 Myrtle Avenue, Suite 180, St. Paul, MN 55114. If more than one person is successful, they will split the $1,000 "bounty."
2) There has been an ongoing battle over the anti-bullying policy in the Anoka-Hennepin school district. The policy has been 'see not evil, hear no evil, speak no good'. The last policy update offering included a 'conscience' exception to allow the 'true believers' to continue bullying gays. All in spite of the fact that several students have been driven to suicide by the bullying.
That seems to have changed on Monday:
Anoka-Hennepin School Board votes to replace neutrality policy
The 5-1 vote to change rules did not change any minds; deep divisions remain.
"How is a conservative student going to feel?" asked Tiffany Strabala, of Andover. "You saw what happened when we came out and voiced our concerns. We were considered closed-minded, bigoted, judgmental and hateful."
Others who opposed changing the policy reiterated their beliefs that homosexuality is a dangerous "lifestyle choice" and that sexuality education belongs in the home. They said scrapping the old policy would create an opening for "homosexual activists" to push an agenda in the classroom.
"Even the [former policy] didn't stop self-righteous, progressive teachers from bringing homosexual propaganda into the classrooms," said Laurie Thompson, president of the Parents Action League, drawing gasps from some in the room.
Although district officials have said removing the policy was not connected to the lawsuit filed last summer on behalf of students who said complaints of persistent bullying based on sexual orientation were not adequately addressed, removal of the policy is key to the plaintiffs' demands. The groups that filed the lawsuit, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, released a statement after the vote.
Calling the repeal an "important step," the organization went on to say, "Today is the first day in nearly 18 years that Minnesota's Anoka-Hennepin School District no longer has a harmful policy that singles out lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students."
Speakers on both sides reminded the board that the vote was being watched nationally.
3) Last year the legislature passed a law creating a path for individuals with real world experience but no training as a teacher to become teachers in the public school system. Now they are adding new hurdles for trained teachers.
Minn. House unanimously passes bill for tougher teacher skills test requirement
Republican bill sponsor Andrea Kieffer says the legislation would keep unqualified teachers out of the classroom. Current law allows teachers to hold a provisional license for three years while continuing to retake the test.
I watched some of the committee testimony and there were many issues that were not reported in the article. Some of them serious.
I am adding this link to the ABC affiliate coverage because there appears to be a blatant bit of plagiarism going on somewhere.
Minn. House Passes Bill Requiring Teacher Test
4) Last year, the Minnesota HMOs providing Medicare were investigated for fraud. Before that investigation went far, UCare decided to cough up $30M back to the state. Gov. Dayton encouraged HMOs to voluntarily return profits after UCare gave $30 million to the state last month. (Mar. 2011)
On monday, news broke about a federal investigation of those HMOs.
Feds Investigate Minnesota HMOs and State Agency Over Billions in Tax Money
The Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services confirmed the federal investigation is underway. Commissioner Lucinda Jesson tells 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS the federal government is looking into the state's 4-billion dollar Medicaid program.
Apparently, the HMOs allegedly conspired with someone in the Pawlenty administration to "cook the books" and defraud the Welfare program of a great deal of money.
5) On to hydrofracking vs the people:
Protesters block mining trucks in Winona
Monday afternoon, dozens of protesters blocked trucks carrying specialized sand into a processing plant. The sand is used in the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing.
...
"Our intention today was not to get arrested but hinder this industry as long as possible," said activist Dan Wilson.
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The specialized sand, called Silica, then helps keep the fractures open, allowing gas and oil to travel to the surface.
"It's a very, very specific kind of sand that is perfectly round," said Wilson.
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In fact, the Winona County Engineer issued a report recently that says if the amount of traffic continues, roads that were supposed to last 20 years would only last two.
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The property owner where one of the processing plants is located disputes those concerns.
"I'm just sick of it. They're trying to stop a legitimate business. There's no reason for it," said owner Rich Mikrut about the protesters.
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"The respiratory issues that have happened in my household since this thing has moved into my neighborhood is out of control. My daughter has asthma now, my son is constantly coughing," said Alison DeNio.
Usually these stories are about fracking chemicals poisoning the water supply, so this is an unusual pollution and damage story for hydrofracking.
note: Winona Ryder was named after the city of Winona, MN.
6) In the "Why am I not surprised" category:
The Minnesota republicans seem to have a fairly loose definition of what constitutes 'non-partisan' communications.
GOP Accused Of Using Taxpayer Money For Political Gain
If you attended a Republican precinct caucus last week, you might have been handed a pamphlet by your state legislator. What you might not have known, however, is that you paid for it.
The pamphlets were printed for 13 Republican Senators to pass out at their precinct caucuses last week — designed and copied at taxpayer expense by Senate staffers.
Republican leaders say there’s nothing wrong with it.
“These were handed out to our constituents. I don’t personally see any problem in it,” said Senate Majority leader David Senjem.
I should note that Senjem became majority leader just last month, after his predecessor resigned because of a scandal involving an improper relationship with a staffer.
Boink. That doesn't really leave the republicans with ethical credibility.
Senjem says Senate lawyers reviewed the material. It was approved even though it includes the political logo of the Senate Republicans, thanks voters for joining the Republicans and praises the Republican majority for its work on matters ranging from passing the gay marriage amendment to credit for the budget surplus.
“In my mind, that was a constituent piece and they are constituents handing them out wherever it might be,” said Senjem. “If it is constituents’ piece, generally speaking, non-partisan, as far as I know. I looked at mine, it was pretty bland.”
Of course, the Senate lawyers are republican partisans.
Read the whole article. it is actually substantive.
It was a big day.