ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) – Minnesota is facing a $188 million deficit, according to the latest projection from the state budget office. Last year at this time, Minnesota Management and Budget officials had a projected budget surplus of a $1.4 billion – a surplus that grew to $1.65 billion in the March projection. The deficit is expected to grow to $586 million in the next…
Sen. Dan SchoenST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) – State Senator Daniel Schoen submitted his official resignation to Governor Mark Dayton Monday afternoon after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. Accusations of misconduct were first reported by MinnPost last month. Rep. Erin Maye Quade also told Fox 9 she received a series of inappropriate text messages from Schoen. About two weeks ago, Schoen’s attorney confirmed he would resign from his…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is moving ahead with his plans to require able-bodied adults who receive food stamps to be screened for illegal drugs, even through questions remain over whether it’s allowed under federal law. The plan was approved by Republican-controlled Legislation more than two years ago, but it languished because it conflicts with federal rules….
Roy Moore (AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump endorsed embattled Republican Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate race on Monday, looking past sexual misconduct allegations against the GOP candidate to argue that his vote is needed in Congress. Trump tweeted early Monday that “Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans used a burst of eleventh-hour horse-trading Friday to edge to the brink of Senate passage of a $1.4 trillion tax bill, as a party starved all year for a major legislative triumph took a giant step toward giving President Donald Trump one of his top priorities by Christmas. “We have the votes,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Gov. Scott Walker has just made it harder to ask for an election recount in Wisconsin. Walker on Thursday signed into law a bill introduced in reaction to Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein’s 2016 recount request in Wisconsin after she finished a distant fourth. Under the new law, only candidates who trail the winner by…
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is discussing a plan to oust Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and replace him with CIA Director Mike Pompeo in a major shake-up of President Donald Trump’s national security team, administration officials said Thursday. The move would put Pompeo, a former congressman who has grown close to Trump…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Republican and Democratic leaders in the state Senate say sexual harassment complaints in their chamber should remain secret. The Assembly and Senate chief clerks refused to release complaints their offices have received over the last decade, saying releasing them would discourage reporting. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said Thursday that he and Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling…
WASHINGTON, D.C.-An Army veteran has accused Minnesota Sen. Al Franken of inappropriately touching her more than a decade ago while she was on a military deployment to Kuwait She’s identified in CNN’s Thursday report as Stephanie Kemplin, 41, of Maineville, Ohio. She is the fifth woman in the last two weeks to accuse the embattled Franken of sexual harassment allegations….
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluthians gave their input as to how the city should spend $2.8 million in federal funding to help low and moderate income people. The Community Development Committee got more than sixty written and verbal comments as to how the money should be spent. The suggestions ranged from increased funding to low income housing, to the Keen Creek…
(AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress’ top Democratic leaders abruptly pulled out of a planned meeting Tuesday with President Donald Trump after he attacked them on Twitter, casting doubt on the prospects for a quick agreement to avert a government shutdown at the end of next week. Trump tweeted early Tuesday that “I don’t see a deal!” with Senate Minority Leader…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Assembly leaders say complaints about sexual harassment or misconduct by legislators or their staffers shouldn’t be released to the public. Republican Speaker Robin Vos and Democratic Minority Leader Gordon Hintz said during a news conference Tuesday that there have been complaints filed in the past but they shouldn’t be released to protect people’s privacy. Vos added…
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans moved forward on legislation to expand gun owners’ rights, the first gun-related measure since mass shootings in Las Vegas and Texas killed more than 80 people. The Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a National Rifle Association-supported bill that would allow a gun owner with a state-issued concealed carry permit to carry a…
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans scramble Monday to make changes to a Republican tax bill in an effort to win over holdout GOP senators and pass a tax package by the end of the year. In a morning tweet, the president said, “With just a few changes, some mathematical, the middle class and…
WASHINGTON (AP) – Democratic Sen. Al Franken says he knows he “let a lot of people down” — the people of Minnesota, colleagues and staff — in the face of sexually inappropriate behavior. He’s vowing to regain their trust. Speaking outside his Senate office, Franken told reporters on Monday that many people counted on him to be a champion for…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minnesota Sen. Al Franken broke his silence Sunday after being swept into a nationwide tide of sexual harassment allegations, saying he feels “embarrassed and ashamed” but looks forward to returning to work on Monday and gradually regaining voters’ trust. The Democrat spoke to a handful of media outlets in Minnesota in the first interviews he’s granted after…
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) WASHINGTON (AP) – Overhauling welfare was one of the defining goals of Bill Clinton’s presidency, starting with a campaign promise to “end welfare as we know it,” continuing with a bitter policy fight and producing change that remains hotly debated 20 years later. Now, President Donald Trump wants to put his stamp on the welfare system, apparently…
(KMSP) – In a Thanksgiving Day statement, Senator Al Franken is apologizing to Minnesotans and making a commitment to regain their trust after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct have been brought to light. This latest statement comes a day after the Huffington Post published an article, in which two women described being groped on the buttocks by Franken during political…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton says he reached out to Sen. Al Franken “on a personal level” after a swirl of allegations of improper conduct. The Democratic governor said Wednesday he has no insight into how Franken will respond to pressure over questions about misconduct. Franken was accused last week of forcibly kissing a woman during…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – Property taxes are decreasing for superior residents in 2018. Mayor Jim Paine says the final budget numbers are in and that comes with 2.17% decrease in the overall property tax bill for residents. Paine tells us after several years of tax increases for the City of Superior, he’s pleased to see the budget heading in a different…
Rep. Tony CornishST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) – Following allegations of sexual harassment, Representative Tony Cornish announced he will be resigning from his position at the Capitol by December 1. His announcement comes about an hour after the lawyer for Sen. Dan Schoen announced Schoen’s plans to resign after sexual harassment allegations came to light. “As a proud former peace officer and longtime champion for…
Sen. Dan SchoenST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) – Minnesota Sen. Dan Schoen’s attorney confirmed to the Associated Press Tuesday that the embattled state politician will resign over sexual harassment allegations first reported in the MinnPost. Schoen, a Democrat who represents St. Paul Park and also works as a police officer there, denied “ever making inappropriate contact with anyone,” though the city’s police department put Schoen on…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – State officials have announced $26 million in grants to expand high-speed internet access in Greater Minnesota. Lt. Gov. Tina Smith and the Department of Employment and Economic Development announced the 2017 Border-to-Border Broadband Grant recipients Tuesday. The latest grants go to 39 broadband infrastructure projects across Minnesota aimed at providing access to reliable and affordable high-speed…
Wishbone, one of the two turkeys set to be pardoned by Trump is previewed by members of the press. (AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is using his pardon power to keep a pair of turkeys from the Thanksgiving roaster. Trump continued the annual presidential tradition during an event Tuesday in the White House Rose Garden. The act of…
MINNEAPOLIS-A group of women who worked alongside Al Franken on NBC’s”Saturday Night Live” have signed a statement of support for the Minnesota senator. Last week, broadcaster Leeann Tweeden accused Franken, a Democrat, of forcibly kissing her during a USO tour in 2006. Another woman says he placed his hand on her buttocks while posing for a photo at the Minnesota…
DULUTH, Minn- The Earned Sick and Safe Time Task Force recommended the Duluth City Council adopt an ordinance that would provide two alternatives for businesses to give paid time off to workers who don’t currently get any. In a survey conducted by the task force, data shows that 46% of workers within the Duluth currently aren’t getting any sick and…
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is renewing his call for the chamber’s ethics committee to investigate Sen. Al Franken after a second woman came forward to accuse him of sexual harassment. Lindsay Menz told CNN that the Minnesota Democrat grabbed her bottom as the pair posed for a photo at the Minnesota State Fair in 2010. Menz’s allegation comes…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Christmas tree that will adorn the Minnesota governor’s residence this year has officially been harvested. The state Department of Natural Resources says the 30 foot tall white spruce was cut down Friday in the General C.C. Andrews State Forest, near Willow River. DNR staff and the Conservation Corps of Minnesota cut down the governor’s…
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) WASHINGTON (AP) – A half-dozen Democrats on Wednesday introduced articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, accusing him of obstruction of justice and other offenses, in a long-shot effort that stands little chance in the Republican-led House. Indeed, the large majority of Democrats seem intent on having nothing to do with the effort either as lawmakers await…
DULUTH, Minn. – Students at Lake Superior College in Duluth want to bring politicians to a local level, so they hosted A Know Your Legislators forum today. It’s the first time LSC has done something like this on campus. Members of the Student Senate were behind the idea. “This was a really awesome opportunity and I think that some of…
DULUTH, Minn.-The governor’s race is heating up in Minnesota as candidates are beginning to make their way to the Northland. St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman stopped by the Lyric Restaurant in Duluth, to visit with supporters of his cause. The Democrat said he’s making the rounds this week as he’s trying to make sure his campaign speaks for all of…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Gov. Scott Walker thinks the push to replace “America’s Dairyland” on Wisconsin’s license plates is udderly ridiculous. So he’s putting the idea out to the pasture. Walker told a farm reporter in an interview Tuesday that there was “no way” Wisconsin would change the license plate. The head of the state chamber of commerce has floated…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Christmas tree that will be on display in the Wisconsin state Capitol this year is coming form the Town of Emery, about 220 miles north of Madison. Gov. Scott Walker announced Tuesday that the 40-foot balsam fir is being donated by Jim Ryf. The tree is due to arrive at the Capitol on Tuesday and…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Laborer (DFL) Party has announced that all campaigns seeking the party’s support must under go sexual harassment training. DFL Chairman Ken Martin today announced that all campaigns receiving official party support from the DFL will be required to attend sexual harassment and workplace conduct training. “Sexual harassment is a pervasive problem that needs to…
WASHINGTON (AP) – The federal government began its new budget year with an October deficit of $63.3 billion, up sharply from a year ago. The Treasury Department reported Monday that the October deficit was 37.9 percent higher than the $45.8 billion deficit recorded in October 2016. Both government receipts and spending were up for the month, with receipts climbing 14.3…
CLOQUET, Minn.- Senator Amy Klobuchar listened to Northland’s rural veterans speak out on concerns. Senator Klobuchar said there are some serious problems with veterans’ health benefits. Ensuring the Guard and the Reserve recieve the same health benefits other branches are given, is the biggest issue currently being worked on. One of the main issues addressed today, the long drive rural…
Sheila Harsdorf MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Gov. Scott Walker has appointed Republican state Sen. Sheila Harsdorf as secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection. The appointment announced Friday makes Harsdorf the first woman to lead the agency. She will replace Ben Brancel, who retired in August. Harsdorf, of River Hills, is resigning her northwestern Wisconsin state Senate…
Rep. Tony CornishST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota’s House speaker has suspended the committee chairmanship of state Rep. Tony Cornish after two women accused the lawmaker of sexual harassment. Speaker Kurt Daudt issued a statement late Thursday in which he also asked the House’s nonpartisan human resources staff to look into the allegations against the Republican from Vernon Center. Cornish…
MINNESOTA – More than 20,000 of Minnesota’s 4-year-olds are heading to preschool this year because of state funding. This has been great news for some rural Northland areas. However, it is having an impact on area child care centers. As a result of the 2017 Legislative Session, Minnesota lawmakers are providing $50 million in new, one-time funding to 59 school…
Sen. Dan Schoen ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton says a state senator accused of sexual harassment should resign. State Sen. Dan Schoen is accused of behavior ranging from unwanted attention to women to physically grabbing a woman from behind. The online news outlet MinnPost first reported the allegations late Wednesday. Dayton says the reports are “totally…
SUPERIOR, Wis.- Governor Scott Walker and Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch laid out their campaign visions Wednesday in the Northland. The main goal is to keep Wisconsin moving forward. The Governor said he plans to focus on the opiod epidemic and support the choice of schools. Gov. Walker plans to run again, because he feels Wisconsin is the best its ever been….
DULUTH, Minn. – Sally Trnka spoke to FOX 21 live on air Tuesday night about her win over longtime Duluth school board member Harry Welty. Trnka got 30 percent of the vote (8,088) compared to Welty’s 22 percent (5,894) for the at-large race. Josh Gorham was the other winner for the second at-large school board member race with 27 percent…
DULUTH, Minn. — Mayor Emily Larson reacted live on FOX 21 Tuesday night to an overwhelming yes vote for a half-percent sales tax increase dedicated specifically for streets. 12,021 (76.5%) voted yes. 3,689 (23.5%) voted no. While Duluth residents approved, the Minnesota legislature will have the ultimate say on the tax increase. Categories: News, News – Latest News,…
DULUTH, Minn. – It’s the first Tuesday of November and it’s also Election Day. Polling stations in Duluth were open until 8 p.m. for voters to cast ballots. We stopped by one Duluth church where 103 people had already voted by the early afternoon. Election judges here tells us they’ve mostly seen mothers, the elderly and young voters. They also…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Election recounts would be more limited in Wisconsin under a bill that has cleared the Legislature. The measure comes in response to Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein’s 2016 recount request even though she finished fourth in Wisconsin. Under the Republican bill, only candidates who trail the winner by 1 percentage point or less in statewide…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Attorney General Brad Schimel says the state Group Insurance Board can offer self-insurance plans to municipal employers. Gov. Scott Walker asked Schimel in April for a legal opinion on whether state law authorizes the board to set up a self-insurance plan open to municipal employers. under such a plan, the state would pay medical claims directly….
HERMANTOWN, Minn.- Hermantown is receiving no local government aid for the 2018 budget. This is the fourth year the city has received a cut in LGA. Back in 2016 an unintentional error caused the city to receive less LGA than the state determined. The glitch was corrected, but it was too late to fix the city from getting funding in…
WASHINGTON (AP) – House Republicans on Thursday unveiled a tax cut plan that would slash the corporate rate and lower the personal taxes of most Americans but also limit a cherished deduction for homeowners, as President Donald Trump and the GOP seek to deliver on the first tax revamp in three decades. The proposal would add $1.5 trillion to the…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Republican Stewart Mills says he won’t challenge U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan for a third time. Mills announced his decision in a Facebook post Wednesday. Much of the post blamed national Republicans for what Mills called a failure to support him late in the 2016 election. Nolan, a Democrat, already has one potential primary challenge for the northeast…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers on Wednesday released a trove of Facebook ads linked to a Russian effort to disrupt the American political process and whip up tensions around sensitive social issues such as Islam, race and gun control. The ads were released as representatives from Facebook, Google and Twitter faced criticism on Capitol Hill about why they hadn’t done more…
