Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Minnesota's Congressional delegation has weighed in on the series of cuts that could hit the country March 1. The rollbacks would hit everything from education to senior care, the White House states.
If a deal isn’t struck by Friday between President Obama and Congress, a sequester will begin that will auto-start a series of mandated federal budget cuts that would quickly be felt across the Midwest. Here’s a sample of what’s at risk: Hundreds of teaching jobs. Thousands of children dropped from early childhood education. Elimination of work-study jobs that support thousands of low-income college students getting a degree. The loss of childcare for thousands of disadvantaged kids. Furloughs for thousands of civilian Defense Department employees. Congressman Erik Paulsen, a Republican representing Minnesota's Third District (including Minnetonka), released this statement via spokesperson to the Minneapolis Star Tribune earlier this month…
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
President Obama proposed it in his State of the Union. Would a minimum-wage hike help or hurt workers, government or businesses?
Do you agree with President Obama that Congress should raise the federal minimum wage to $9 an hour? Here is what the president said in his 2013 State of the Union (see YouTube): We know our economy is stronger when we reward an honest day’s work with honest wages. But today, a full-time worker making the minimum wage earns $14,500 a year. Even with the tax relief we put in place, a family with two kids that earns the minimum wage still lives below the poverty line. That’s wrong. That’s why, since the last time this Congress raised the minimum wage, 19 states have chosen to bump theirs even higher. Tonight, let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty, and raise the …
Monday, February 11, 2013
The family of Jake Beneke of Maple Grove says the company should have known shooter Andrew Engeldinger could turn violent.
In a lawsuit recently filed in Hennepin County court, the family of a man killed in last year's Accent Signage massacre is suing the company founded by the late St. Louis Park resident Reuven Rahamim. Rami Cooks, a Minnetonka resident who was second in command to Rahamim, was also shot and killed that day. The estate of shooter Andrew Engeldinger is also named as a defendant. Engledinger gunned down six co-workers in September 2012 after being fired, including Maple Grove resident Jake Beneke, whose family has filed the suit. The lawsuit alleges Accent Signage managers knew Engeldinger was an unstable and potentially violent person, and should have taken more precautions when firing him. In particular, the suit says Engeldinger should not …
Friday, February 1, 2013
The following is the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office January newsletter.
On January 28, Sheriff Stanek and law enforcement leaders met with President Barack Obama at the White House to discuss mental illness and gun violence. Sheriff Stanek was invited to attend the meeting because of his work as president of the Major County Sheriffs’ Association (MCSA). Also in attendance was a group of local police chiefs from cities that have been the scenes of recent mass shootings; Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau and the police chiefs from Newtown (CT) and Aurora (CO). Sheriff Stanek urged President Obama to improve the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Among the comments he made in the discussion with President Obama: “Gun control alone will not solve the complex problem of guns and …
Monday, January 28, 2013
Sheriff Rich Stanek and a handful of law enforcement leaders met with President Barack Obama at the White House to discuss mental illness and gun violence.
Editor's Note: The following is a Hennepin County Sheriff's Office press release. Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek and a handful of law enforcement leaders met with President Barack Obama at the White House Monday to discuss mental illness and gun violence. Sheriff Stanek began the meeting in by expressing concerns that he has raised in recent weeks in Minnesota. Among the comments he made in the discussion with President Obama: “Gun control alone will not solve the complex problem of guns and extreme violence,” said Sheriff Stanek. “We have an access problem. Individuals with severe mental illness should never have access to guns.” Sheriff Stanek was invited to attend the meeting because of his work as president of the Major County …
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Plans to expedite the permitting approval process for Southwest Light Rail were announced as part of President Obama's 'We Can't Wait' program.
The following comes from information released by TwinWest Chamber of Commerce: Local chambers of commerce were excited by some news out of the White House yesterday. The Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce, Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce, Edina Chamber of Commerce, Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, and TwinWest Chamber of Commerce have been working together to secure support for the Southwest Light Rail Transit (Southwest LRT) line that would serve Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Eden Prairie. Yesterday, the White House announced plans to expedite the permitting approval process for Southwest LRT, with a goal of completing all federal permitting and review of the project by November 2014. The announcement …
John Hein
9:07 am on Monday, February 18, 2013
Mr President, let em re-write your phrase "no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty" for you... If you don't have the skills or experience to get a job that pays $9/hr then it should be illegal for you to work. Note to the inexperienced, unskilled, unemployed youth without family connections to vouch for you the door of opportunity is being relocated to the Second floor. No … more ›