MN News

BACHMANN-AD        GOP’s Bachmann goes after Dem rival in 1st TV ad        ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Republican Representative Michele Bachmann paints Democratic challenger Jim Graves as a big spender in her first TV ad of the year in Minnesota’s 6th District.        The ad from the former presidential candidate started running Thursday, dubbing Graves “Big Spendin’ Jim.”        It ties Graves to Democratic-backed policies enacted more than two years ago – the Wall Street bailout of 2008, the economic stimulus of 2009 and the federal health care overhaul of 2010. The ad concludes by saying, “We can’t afford Big Spendin’ Jim in Congress.”        Graves is turning the spending attack back on Bachmann, saying her claims about him are “falsehoods” and she has a record of “reckless spending” in Congress.        Bachmann is seeking a fourth term representing the northern Twin Cities suburbs and St. Cloud area in the House. She had a failed bid for the GOP presidential nomination last year.        Political files from the four major Twin Cities networks showed her spending more than $270,000 to air the ad for nearly two weeks.

MINNESOTA-MCDONALD HOSPITALIZED        Minnesota WR McDonald hospitalized for tests        MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minnesota freshman wide receiver Andre McDonald has been hospitalized.        Gophers’ spokesman Paul Rovnak said McDonald was undergoing tests Thursday afternoon but had no further information on the nature or severity of McDonald’s condition. But McDonald told the Minnesota Daily student newspaper in a phone interview he “had a little problem” with his heart.        McDonald was one of the team’s top recruits this year, from Hopkins High School in the Minneapolis suburbs. He played in the season opener at UNLV and caught one pass, but he scraped his leg on the turf and developed an infection. McDonald didn’t play in either of Minnesota’s last two games.        The Gophers play Syracuse at home on Saturday night.

RAW MILK-REAX        Ag officials: Verdict doesn’t mean raw milk safe        MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minnesota agriculture officials say the acquittal of a man accused of unlawfully distributing raw milk doesn’t mean that raw milk is safe.        The state agriculture department released a statement after Alvin Schlangen was cleared Thursday of three misdemeanor charges in Hennepin County.        Department officials say the verdict doesn’t wipe away other legal rulings that have upheld their enforcement actions. And they say it doesn’t erase the fact that many children and adults have gotten sick from raw milk.

FIREFIGHTER-DRUGS        Ex-Mpls. firefighter sentenced on drug charge        MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A former Minneapolis firefighter has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison on a federal drug charge.        U.S. District Judge John Tunheim (TOON’-hyme) on Thursday sentenced 35-year-old Brandon Granger for conspiring to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine.        In addition to his prison time, Granger will be on supervised release for five years.        In his plea agreement, Granger admitted that he conspired with others to distribute and possess to distribute cocaine over a two-year period beginning in October 2009. The U.S. Attorney’s office says Granger specifically admitted trafficking between 15 and 50 kilograms of cocaine.

SISTERS KILLED        Dad’s defense to get copies of sensitive evidence        (Information in the following story is from: St. Paul Pioneer Press, http://www.twincities.com)        HUDSON, Wis. (AP) – A judge has ruled attorneys for a man accused of killing his three young daughters in Wisconsin will get copies of sensitive evidence.        Judge Howard Cameron ruled Thursday at a motion hearing for North Dakota construction worker Aaron Schaffhausen in St. Croix (kroy) County. Prosecutors did not want to provide Schaffhausen’s attorneys with copies of the materials – including crime scene photos – for fear the evidence would be made public.        Prosecutor Gary Freyberg says some of the evidence is “extremely graphic.”        The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports the judge ruled the defense would get copies of the evidence, but the materials cannot be disseminated or given to Schaffhausen.        Schaffhausen is accused of killing 11-year-old Amara, 8-year-old Sophia and 5-year-old Cecilia Schaffhausen at their River Falls, Wisconsin home in July.        GREAT LAKES        Senators introduce Great Lakes cleanup legislation

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) – U.S. Senators from both parties are proposing legislation to continue Great Lakes cleanup efforts that include removing toxins from polluted harbors and fighting invasive species.        A measure introduced Thursday calls for carrying out a recently updated agreement with Canada to deal with some of the lakes’ most pressing ecological problems. Some have been around for decades, such as excessive algae blooms. Among newer concerns are the effects of climate change.        The bill also would extend programs already under way, including the Obama administration’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which has pumped more than $1 billion into projects across the region. Funding would need to be appropriated separately.        Sponsoring the measure are Democrats Dick Durbin of Illinois, Carl Levin of Michigan and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, plus Republican Mark Kirk of Illinois.

Admin Log In