On a day that Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak and St. Paul mayor Chris Coleman declare the RNC a “great success” (”nothing burned!”), we look back at the best of the RNC, including real-life delegate quotes, police ineptitude, nonsensical signs, and bird porn. Oh, my! MORE »

As crews picked up after the RNC in downtown St. Paul Friday morning, a handful of local and national journalists went to City Hall and delivered 50,000 signatures pressuring St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and the city and county attorneys to immediately release journalists who were recently arrested in connection to convention protests and to drop all charges against them. MORE »

The atmosphere in Serlin’s Café on this Friday morning seems about the same as ever—lots of good food, coffee and conversation among the cramped and painted booths. But the big ‘For Sale’ sign in the window signals something different.

“We’re tired. Try working every day for years,” says co-owner Gary Halvorsen in Serlin’s prep kitchen, as he pours 2% milk over the macaroni and cheese in a well-used pan. Still, he says it with a wry grin and moves around the kitchen with the energy of a man half his fifty-nine years. “And Al [Halvorsen, Gary’s brother and co-owner] is ready to retire.” MORE »

Dollars transferred from state government down to local governments, commonly referred to as “state aid,” is a component of the state-local fiscal system in all fifty states. This is particularly true in Minnesota, where state aid comprises 38 percent of total local government revenue. Local government dependence on state revenue is greater in only four other states. MORE »

Sgt. Daniel Fanning, an Iraq war veteran, spoke passionately at the Minnesota Capitol recently, about the medical care veterans receive. Fanning served in the 1158th Transportation Company, driving trucks in Iraq. Because of the constant threat of IEDs, military transport jobs are highly stressful, and many people involved suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). MORE »