Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

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You know you're in Minnesota when waking up to -15 degrees is a relief because the forecast was for -21.  That's the kind of good news you'll find here in the Digest.

Gov. Mark Dayton laid out a plan to draw the 2018 Super Bowl to Minnesota. By attracting visitors from other states and countries, a Super Bowl likely would bring the Twin Cities nearly $500 million, said Dayton, who introduced Ecolab CEO Doug Baker and US Bank CEO Richard Davis as chairs of the event. Joining them will be former Carlson Cos. CEO Marilyn Carlson Nelson — who helped lead the state’s bid for the 1992 game.

Republican Stewart Mills raised more than $205,000 in the fourth quarter of 2013 for his race against DFL U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan.  

Gov. Dayton says he’s looking for help for Minnesotans who are finding the cost of propane to be too high. The ultimate solution requires a warm spell.

The governor is now apparently getting personal  requests to close schools. 

And even some kids are getting tired of all the forced time off. 

Metropolitan Council Chair Sue Haigh says disparities in housing between whites and non-whites are worse in Minnesota than in Atlanta, Dallas and Washington, D.C. 

The DNR holds a third and final public meeting today in St. Paul on the proposed PolyMet copper nickel mine on the Iron Range. A major bone of contention: Just how long might water in the area need to be treated to remove pollution? 

The chairs of the Minnesota Republican, DFL and Independence Parties will hold a rare joint press conference today to urge people to attend precinct caucuses next Tuesday. Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie put out a

 yesterday that includes a link for people to find the location of their caucuses.

The state DFL Party is taking a hammer to Sen. Sean Nienow over the lawsuit filed against him for allegedly not making payments on a Small Business Administration Loan. They made this 

Yesterday's reports of progress on the federal farm bill proved to be true.  The conference committee working on the bill signed off on a deal that preserves food stamp benefits for most Americans who receive them and continues generous subsidies for farmers. Can Republicans round up enough votes in the House to pass the bill? We should find out tomorrow. 

On the day President Obama gives the State of the Union Address he gets a smidgen of good news on his signature health care plan in the form of a new Associated Press-GfK poll.  From the story: “While the poll did not find a turnaround for "Obamacare," the trend offers some comfort for supporters of the health care law. In December, 76 percent of adults had said the opening of the new markets was not going well. Such negative perceptions have now fallen 10 points to 66 percent.” 

Democrats are hoping the president lays out a liberal agenda, including a higher minimum wage, extended benefits for people who have been unemployed over the long term and help more families afford college educations. 

And finally, Pete Seeger has died. The folk singer and activist who sang professionally with Woody Guthrie and once famously (and maybe not really) threatened to cut the power cord with an ax when Bob Dylan went electric was 94 years old. 

Politics and Government News

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Mike Mulcahy

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You know you’re in Minnesota when waking up to -15 degrees is a relief because the forecast was for -21.  That’s the kind of good news you’ll find here in the Digest. MINNESOTA: Gov. Mark Dayton laid out a plan to draw the 2018 Super Bowl to Minnesota. By attracting visitors from other states and countries,…

Daily Digest (Mills fundraising, racial disparities, farm bill moving)

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