How’s it going, gang? Hope this frigid Monday doesn’t have you down. Word has it we’re going to reach a balmy 14 degrees by tomorrow, so hang in there.
*The Star Tribune reported that former University of Minnesota and Minnesota Vikings standout Carl Eller was found guilty of a "drunken, profane brawl with police" last year. Eller, who is an NFL Hall of Famer, said he was dissatisfied with the result. "I’m not pleased with what we have yet," Eller said to reporters after a verdict was read. "We’ll continue this. This isn’t over. I’m not satisfied."
*Interesting story here from G.R. Anderson at MinnPost. Anderson takes a look at Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak’s relationship with President Barack Obama. According to some, including City Council member Ralph Remmington, Rybak is in fact pretty close with Obama’s team (Rybak was among the first public officials to support the Illinois Senator’s run), which could result in favorale treatment if or when an economic stimulus package goes forward. However, it remains to be seen just how much sway Rybak has and whether some stimulus funds would in fact go straight to the city, not the state. *Lastly, here’s an interesting proposal to solve the state budget crisis: have a yard sale. CNN reports that State Sen. Geoff Michel and state Rep. Laura Brod, both suburban Republicans, are asking that the state considers selling the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, along with other public entities, to private firms in order to bring much needed funds into the budget . Adeel Lari, a research fellow at the Center for Transportation Studies in the Hubert Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, is sourced in the story. He says privatization can work, but given the economy, now may not be the best time to consider selling anything, let alone an airport that could be worth billions of dollars. "Everything is in turmoil," Lari says. "Even if it was the right thing to do, there’s no market for it."
