Good morning and welcome to another Monday.
You might remember a few weeks back during the State Fair, MPR’s Mark Zdechlik had a story about DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar not yet having a major Republican opponent in her reelection race next year. Well, here it is two weeks after Labor Day, and the Star Tribune has a story saying the GOP has still not found a candidate to run against Klobuchar: Republicans are trying to take back the U.S. Senate from Democrats next year, but Klobuchar appears on track to maintain her record of easily overcoming challengers. Nationally, Klobuchar's seat isn't viewed as a prime GOP target. Montana Sen. Steve Daines, who chairs the Senate GOP's campaign arm, said, "we'll continue to look at Minnesota," when asked recently about the race on Capitol Hill. But less than 14 months out from Election Day, only longshot Republicans have filed to run against her in next year's race.
Klobuchar met with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre Sunday to talk about relations between their countries, climate change and the war in Ukraine. MPR’s Ellie Roth reports the discussion took place at the Norway House in downtown Minneapolis and is part of the prime minister’s extended visit to Minnesota. It’s Minnesota’s first visit from a sitting Norwegian prime minister in 15 years. Minnesota is home to 840,000 Norwegian Americans, and represents the second largest population of Norwegians outside of Norway. “We just want [the prime minister] to know that if he starts to feel homesick, there are plenty of Hansons and Olsons, Larsons, Andersons and Petersens and Jensens in our home state that will take you in,” Klobuchar said. Much of the conversation centered around the need for democracies to continue supporting Ukraine in the war against Russia. “Authoritarian regimes are coming up in small and big countries alike, and when they start to unite in what may resemble an alliance, we have to have a strong alliance of democracies,” Støre said.
Another story that hasn’t changed much is that Minneapolis is still having trouble attracting new police officers. The Star Tribune ran down the numbers: With 585 sworn officers, the department hovers just above that of the St. Paul police department, an agency that serves roughly 120,000 fewer residents. That decline means Minneapolis holds among the lowest ratio of police officers to population served out of 22 sampled American cities, according to a Star Tribune analysis. Only Portland had a lower officer-to-resident ratio by the end of 2022 with 1.3 officers per 1,000 residents, compared to 1.4 in Minneapolis. That's significantly lower than the national average of 2.4.
Gov. Tim Walz could name a director for the Office of Cannabis Management this week. Adult use marijuana has been legal in Minnesota since Aug. 1, but as KSTP’s Tom Hauser reports , legal sales are still several months off: “I think it is fair to say it’s going to take us about a year and a half” for licensed sales to begin, says Charlene Briner, a consultant who’s been working since June on implementing a legalized cannabis framework in Minnesota until a director is named. “This is a comprehensive and wide-ranging bill and there is a lot of work to be done to create administrative rules.” Your eyes might glaze over at the sound of “administrative rules,” but they are key to getting legal sales up and running. We’re talking about everything from product quality and dosages to pesticide regulations,” Briner said in an interview. “What can be used in growing to cultivating to manufacturing standards to product packaging and labeling. So there is a wide range of rules we have to put in place.”
Another state lawmaker is retiring. Rep. Brian Daniels, R-Faribault, said Friday he will not seek re-election next year. Daniels was first elected in 2014 and represents Minnesota House District 19A, which includes the cities of Faribault, Kenyon, Wanamingo, Nerstrand, Janesville, Morristown, and portions of Rice, Goodhue, and Waseca Counties. "It has been the honor of a lifetime to represent you, your family, and our communities in St. Paul," Daniels said in a statement. "My work in St. Paul has always been about making Minnesota the best place to work, live, and raise a family and for standing up for our shared values. I look forward to spending more time with my family and friends as I enter private life but plan to remain engaged on the issues that I care so deeply about.”
The Northstar commuter train, which took a big ridership hit during the height of the pandemic, is going to start running more often in an effort to attract riders. MPR’s Kirsti Marohn reports: Beginning Oct. 2, the rail service between Big Lake and Minneapolis will make three southbound trips each weekday morning, and three northbound trips each weekday afternoon. There will also be a train heading in the opposite direction every morning and afternoon. Currently, just two trains run in each direction every weekday. Current and prospective riders said they’d be more likely to ride more frequently if the service provided additional trips, Metro Transit spokesperson Drew Kerr said. As more workers return to the office in downtown Minneapolis, Metro Transit has seen increased ridership on buses and trains, said Brian Funk, deputy general manager and chief operating officer. “We want to give this a shot to really say we’re going to put out some more service, see how our customers like it, and then we'll be willing to make adjustments down the road,” he said. | 