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Budget turnaround: Projected $1.6B surplus shoves aside deficit

Budget turnaround: Projected $1.6B surplus shoves aside deficit

Minnesota finance officials say higher revenue and lower spending have turned what had been a budget deficit into a projected $1.6 billion surplus. Policymakers will use the latest figures to set a new two-year state budget, with taxes at the center of the discussion. 
by Brian Bakst and Tim Pugmire

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Mr. Potato Head drops the mister, sort of

Mr. Potato Head drops the mister, sort of

Hasbro created confusion on Thursday when it removed the gender from its Mr. Potato Head brand, but not from the actual toy.
by The Associated Press

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North Dakota officials block wind power in effort to save coal

North Dakota officials block wind power in effort to save coal

Across the country, coal plants are shutting down. Wind turbines are going up. But the transition can be rocky. In North Dakota, some officials are trying to defend coal by blocking new wind turbines.
by Dan Charles

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GOP rallies solidly against Democrats' virus relief package

GOP rallies solidly against Democrats' virus relief package

Republicans rallied solidly against Democrats' proposed $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill as lawmakers awaited a decision by the Senate's parliamentarian that could bolster or potentially kill a pivotal provision hiking the federal minimum wage.
by The Associated Press

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Businesses that tapped pandemic loan program now find it may cost them

Businesses that tapped pandemic loan program now find it may cost them

Unless the Legislature steps in, thousands of Minnesota businesses might owe taxes on the federal loans they used to keep employees on the payroll during the pandemic.
by Brian Bakst

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New evidence shows fertile soil gone from Midwestern farms

New evidence shows fertile soil gone from Midwestern farms

One-third of the cropland in the upper Midwest has entirely lost its fertile topsoil, according to a new study. Other scientists doubt that figure, but agree that soil loss is a big problem.
by Dan Charles

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Can we solve the payday loan debt trap?

Can we solve the payday loan debt trap?

High interest rates on short-term consumer loans can spiral into crushing debt. MPR News guest host and senior economics contributor Chris Farrell talks to a lawyer and a nonprofit advocate about the latest efforts to curb payday loans.
by Chris Farrell and Maja Beckstrom

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