Monday, November 12, 2012
The chambers promised to work with new and returning legislators to see the Southwest LRT project through.
- OPINION
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Monday, November 12, 2012
Editor’s Note: In the lead-up to the 2012 election, 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 talked with candidates and voters about the need for the Southwest Light Rail Transit project. The election brought in numerous legislators who support the project and transferred control to the DFL, which has historically been more supporting of light rail than their Republican opponents. TwinWest Chamber Director of Government Affairs Judy Johnson issued the following statement on behalf of the five chambers. “Discussions before the election were a great opportunity for us to educate voters and policymakers …
Sunday, November 11, 2012
This week's selection includes a new gallery/gift shop, a levy rejected, school boundaries issue, DFL wins and good news for Southwest Light Rail Transit.
Editor’s Note: Every week we will bring you a sampling of stories from Patch sites in the west metro: Eden Prairie, Edina, Fridley, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Lake Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Plymouth, Richfield, Southwest Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, and St. Michael. District 281 Bus Driver Asks Student to Pick Up Gun A Robbinsdale Area Schools spokesperson said a bus driver asked a seventh-grade boy to pick up a gun he spotted along the road. The district is shocked by the incident and has communicated with parents and students. Bus Driver Fired After Asking ISD 281 Student to Pick Up Gun The incident occurred on Nov. 8 around 8 a.m. The district immediately took action after the driver notified school employees about the weapon. A Hillary-…
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Erik Paulsen was re-elected to another term as U.S. Congressman on Election Day 2012.
- ELECTIONS
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Saturday, November 10, 2012
To the editor, My most heartfelt thanks goes out to all my neighbors for entrusting me with representing you in the United States House of Representatives. Serving as your voice in Washington is a responsibility, honor and privilege I take very seriously. There are significant challenges facing our country—challenges that we must address together as a community, state and nation. I will continue to work on rebuilding our economy, creating jobs, tackling our budget challenges and addressing the concerns of Minnesota families and small businesses. I will continue my outreach and listen to you. I value the advice and feedback I have received from the 350 small businesses I've toured and 115 classrooms I've visited and remain energized and …
Friday, November 9, 2012
‘Major opponents of transit lost their 2012 re-election bids, particularly in the areas representing the Southwest Light Rail Transit Corridor.’
- OPINION
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Friday, November 9, 2012
Editor’s Note: The Counties Transit Improvement Board, a five-county agency that invests in transit using a quarter-cent sales tax and $20 a motor vehicle sales tax, published this article Thursday. The election results make it clear the dialogue about transit in the State of Minnesota has changed. “Voters throughout the State of Minnesota expressed the desire to shift the state’s focus to fundamental questions about how we can best invest in our communities to achieve a prosperous and thriving future,” said Counties Transit Improvement Board Chair Peter McLaughlin. “Transit is part of the solution that will make our region competitive.” Major opponents of transit lost their 2012 re-election bids, particularly in the areas representing…
Voters in the mostly suburban cities Patch covers were more opposed to the proposed gay-marriage ban than Minnesota voters generally.
Here's how residents in a selection of Minnesota cities voted on the ballot measure that would have added a definition of marriage as only between one man and one woman to the state Constitution. Statewide, the ballot measure failed to exceed the 50 percent level of support it needed in the Nov. 6, 2012 general election. It got 47.53 percent, according to unofficial results from all but two of Minnesota's 4,102 precincts' results. Taken together, people in cities served by Patch—mostly in the Twin Cities suburbs—rejected the marriage amendment in greater proportion (61.21 percent) than Minnesotans taken as a whole (52.47 percent). Support for the amendment in places covered by Patch ranged from 14.51 percent in Southwest Minneapolis to 54.…
The most thoughtful, moving, controversial or just plain funny comments from around the west metro between Nov. 2 and Nov. 8.
Each week, Patch users contribute numerous insights, opinions and observations. The following is a collection of the most thoughtful, moving, controversial or just plain funny comments that appeared on Patch sites in Eden Prairie, Edina, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Minnetonka, Richfield, Shakopee, Plymouth, St. Louis Park and St. Michael. Click on the headline to read the full story and join in the conversation. (The comments below are not meant to reflect the opinions of Patch or its staff.) *** Minnesota Voter ID Amendment: This Is Why I'm Voting 'No' Readers weighed in on the issue before they voted on Nov. 6. Doug Lind planned to vote "no" for several reasons: The GOP attorney representing Mr Emmer in the voter recount said, "No fraud." …
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Election Day is bringing in a Legislature that should be more supportive of LRT.
For the past couple years, the road ahead for the Southwest Light Rail Transit was uncertain. It faced steeped opposition from leaders in the Republican-controlled Legislature who oversaw key transportation committees. Shakopee Rep. Michael Beard, the former Transportation Policy and Finance Committee chairman, once even said he wanted to stop the project "in its tracks." But all that changed Tuesday night when the DFL took control of both the House and Senate—sweeping in more light rail supporters and handing the reins to a party that’s historically been a bigger backer of public transit. “The bottom line is we didn’t get anywhere (before), so it’s pretty significant to us,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Gail Dorfman, chairwoman of …
Use this forum to discuss kid issues with other parents. This week, we tackle children and politics.
Election Day may be over, but that doesn't mean we will stop hearing about politics any time soon. This varies widely with age of course, but many kids want to know what is being talked about on TV, the radio and at family gatherings. So when political chatter arises, do you explain to your children what's being talked about or do you give a general answer? Do you feel like your kids should believe what you do or make up their own minds? "Of course, part of the cool thing about being a parent is creating 'mini-me's,' and in Washington that means creating a new generation of party members, regardless of what party you're affiliated with," wrote Tracy Grant in a Washington Post blog. And, what if your family is split on an issue/candidate …
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Most of the judicial races were uncontested in the Fourth District Court.
In two judicial races during the Nov. 6 general election, both Elizabeth V. Cutter and Lois Conroy emerged with top votes, according to unofficial results from the Minnesota Secretary of State website. Cutter received 68.45 percent of the vote. Challenger Steven Antolak received 30.78 percent of the vote for the Judge - Fourth District Court 22 position. Conroy received 58.31 percent of the vote with Marc Berris trailing with 40.90 percent of the vote for the Judge – Fourth District Court 44 position. Uncontested, winning races included: Judge Court 2 – Francis Magill Judge Court 6 – David Piper Judge Court 15 – Phil Carruthers Judge Court 17 – Denise D. Reilly Judge Court 29 – Nancy E. Brasel Judge Court 33 – M. Jacueline Regis Judge …
Barry Anderson and David R. Stras retain Minnesota Associate Justice seats.
Incumbent Lorie Skjerven Gildea will retain her role as Minnesota Supreme Court Justice in her win over Dan Griffith in the Nov. 6 general election, according to unofficial results posted on the Minnesota Secretary of State website. In the statewide race, Skjerven Gilda received 59.99 percent of the votes and Dan Griffith received 39.62 percent of the vote. Skjerven Gildea was appointed Chief Justice January 2006 and her term was set to expire January 2013. Other statewide judicial winners included incumbent Barry Anderson for Associate Justice - Supreme Court 1 (Seat 1) over Dean Barkley. Anderson received 58.93 percent of the votes to Barkley’s 40.68 percent of the vote. Incumbent David R. Stras for Associate Justice - Supreme Court 4…
Daryl Fryxell
1:08 pm on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
This cadre of unelected bureaucrats can claim that wasteful spending on LRT got a boost from the election. But their claim does not make it so. We have a metro bus system where the taxpayers already subsidize transportation for others. What we need to do is abolish the Met Council, abolish this Counties Transit Improvement Board, and put the savings in the general fund. End of story. more ›