MN News

RYAN VISIT        GOP’s Paul Ryan to rally in Minneapolis on Sunday        MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan is making time to rally supporters in Minnesota this weekend.        The campaign announced late Thursday that Ryan, running mate of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, will be hosting a “victory rally” on Sunday afternoon at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.        The event, coming two days before Election Day, underscores recent efforts by the Romney-Ryan campaign to bolster support in areas beyond the traditional battleground states of Ohio, Virginia and Florida.        National polls show Romney and Ryan are locked in a tight race President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, though many swing state polls have shown a slight edge for the president.        The Wisconsin Congressman passed through the St. Paul area on Tuesday but did not hold campaign events.        Sunday’s event begins at 3:30 p.m.

VOTER ID-RITCHIE        Complaint dismissed over Minn. voter ID remarks        (Information in the following story is from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com)        ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – A judge has dismissed a complaint against Minnesota’s top election official by Republican lawmakers who accused him of misleading voters over a proposed voter ID requirement.        GOP Senators Scott Newman of Hutchinson and Mike Parry of Waseca accused Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie of making false statements about the costs and effects of the proposal.        Parry and Newman sponsored the photo ID constitutional amendment that appears on Tuesday’s ballot. Ritchie, a Democrat, opposes photo ID.        The Republican lawmakers argued that Ritchie’s actions violated state laws governing the truthfulness of campaign statements. Ritchie responded that he bel ieved his statements about the costs and effects of the amendment are true.        The Star Tribune reports Administrative Law Judge Bruce Johnson ruled for Ritchie on all counts and dismissed the complaint Thursday.

SPCO-LOCKOUT        SPCO cancels concerts through end of year        (Information in the following story is from: St. Paul Pioneer Press, http://www.twincities.com)        ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra has canceled all performances through the end of the year after musicians unanimously rejected management’s latest contract offer.        SPCO President Dobson West said in a statement Thursday the musicians’ demands are threatening the organization’s future.        Management has asked for salary cuts and a reduction in the number of performers after suffering a nearly $1 million deficit last year. The musicians have said the reduced wages and loss of musicians will damage the orchestra’s artistic standing.        SPCO management locked out the musicians on October 21st.        The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports the two sides plan to meet for negotiations on November 8th.        Meanwhile, musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra rallied in Minneapolis Thursday to mark one month since they were locked out.

PRAIRIE ISLAND UPGRADE        Minn. OKs Xcel plan to drop Prairie Island upgrade        (Information in the following story is from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com)        ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota regulators have agreed with Xcel Energy’s request to drop a power-boosting upgrade at its Prairie Island nuclear plant near Red Wing.        The Minneapolis-based utility says the project to increase power output by 12 percent no longer is a good deal for customers, and should be scrapped.        The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission gave anyone who objects to dropping the project 15 days to say so. If that happens, further regulatory review would be needed.        The Star Tribune reports the commission approved the request 5-0 Thursday.        Xcel had installed bigger fuel rods to Prairie Island’s twin reactors in expectation of increasing their output. But the rods offered an unexpected savings,  in the form of longer times between refueling. Xcel says that benefits customers almost as much as the power upgrade.

SUPERSTORM-KAYAKERS        Minn. kayakers narrowly escape Superstorm Sandy        (Information in the following story is from: Duluth News Tribune, http://www.duluthsuperior.com)        DULUTH, Minn. (AP) – A pair of sea-kayakers from northern Minnesota has narrowly escaped the brunt of Superstorm Sandy.        Dave and Amy Freeman were scheduled to give a presentation Saturday night about their expedition at a kayak shop in Waretown, New Jersey. With Sandy approaching the East Coast, a state of emergency was declared, but the Freemans’ presentation went on as scheduled.        Soon after, the Grand Marais (muh-RAY’) couple was evacuated to higher ground along with their hosts, the

kayak shop’s owners. The Freemans had to leave their kayaks behind, lashed to the porch. But luckily the kayaks were not swept away.        The Duluth News Tribune reports the Freemans are deciding when to resume paddling. The couple is on the final leg of their 11,700

-mile North American Odyssey expedition that began in April 2010.        WELLSTONE MEMORIAL        Memorial to honor Minn.’s Well

stone set in DC        MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Organizers have announced the date of a memorial in Washington, D.C., to honor Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone and others killed in a plane crash 10 years ago.        Wellstone Action and Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken will host the event November 28th at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill.        Wellstone, his wife Sheila, their daughter, Marcia Wellstone Markuson, three campaign staffers and two pilots were killed October 25th, 2002, when their plane crashed in northern Minnesota.        Event organizers plan to remember the victims and hear how Wellstone’s legacy continues today. They also will present the annual Sheila Wellstone Institute Awards to those who continue her work to end domestic and sexual violence.        A ceremony to remember Wellstone and the other victims was held last week at the crash site near Eveleth.

GAS STATION KILLING        Man convicted in fatal Mpls. gas station shooting        MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A jury has convicted a man of first-degree murder for a fatal shooting at a Minneapolis gas station in 2010.        Jurors Monday also convicted 23-year-old Ryedelle Loving of two counts of attempted first-degree murder.        Loving was found guilty in a July 25th, 2010, shooting at the Old Colony gas station that killed Gilbert Jordan and injured two others.        According to the complaint, the three victims were at the gas station when a car drove up and parked at the pumps. The car drove away but returned, and the driver fired at the three men.        The trial was postponed by Loving as he changed lawyers and then when he decided to argue he shot the men in self-defense.        Loving faces an automatic life sentence without parole when he’s sentenced November 7th.

MINNESOTA-EPILEPSY AWARENESS        Gophers to help raise epilepsy awareness Saturday        MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Gophers football team will recognize national epilepsy month by adding some purple to their maroon and gold.        The university announced Thursday that Minnesota players will wear purple towels, wristbands and helmet stickers to bring awareness to the condition during their game on Saturday against Michigan. Gophers coach Jerry Kill is one of the 2.2 million people in the United States who suffers from epileptic seizures.        Cheerleaders will use purple pompons, and coaches will also wear purple ribbons made by Kill’s wife. The color purple has been adopted internationally for epilepsy awareness and support. According to the university, this will be the first college football game used to raise epilepsy awareness.

 

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