Winona Daily News editor Darrell Ehrlick's Book explores Minnesota’s interesting history. We're going to read that. Who knew Spam almost ended up being called "Brunch"?
The Winona Daily News reports Crowd warming up for Obama speech:
An excited crowd of thousands is jamming downtown La Crosse in anticipation of presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's 10 a.m. address.
Obama's podium is set up in front of the Ebenezer's restaurant entrance, in the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites on Second Street, facing northwest toward the Radisson Hotel. The crowd is packed from immediately in front of the stage to Second and Pearl streets.
MPR's Polinaut notes that, like Thursday's Chamber of Commerce debate, the KSTP/League of Women Voters debate on October 4 has been postponed since Congress is re-convening to address the country's financial situation. Both debates will be re-scheduled.
Recovering Republican Ron Amundson writes On the bailout plan… protect mainstreet on his Political Blog. It's a post that definitely worth a read.
Dale at Corner House Comments says to go tell the U.S. Senate to get 'er done on mental health parity in Wellstone Mental Health Legislation-Act Now!.
David Phillips, the publisher of the Spring Grove Herald writes that Congress needs to extend production credits for renewable fuels. His column mentions the Picken's Plan; Congressman Walz has signed the Picken's pledge.
Jon Grinnell of St. Peter writes to the Mankato Free Press to praise its coverage of the Blue-Green Alliance meeting in Let's support a fossil-free future. While we've yet to hear Walz say that we'll ever be completely weaned from fossil fuels, we agree with Grinnell in this:
I applaud those far-sighted enough to work for a new, prosperous, green economy, and the legislators like our congressman Tim Walz, who show up to their meetings and work with them.
The Free Press reports Feds give nod to DM&E, CP merger. The PB does the same in Federal board approves DM&E sale. We've received a press release on the approval from the Rochester Coalition and have placed it below the fold.
David Sirota has posted a STRATEGY MEMO: Turning a Wall Street Giveaway Into an Economic Rescue for All Americans which discusses various options for dealing with the financial situation. Personally, we're intrigued with the NO Bailout Act. Sirota describes some of its key features:
Seeking to strengthen the Left-Right coalition of Democrats and Republicans who defeated the Paulson bailout on Monday, progressives introduced a bailout alternative at a Capitol Hill press conference on Tuesday afternoon. They outlined the No BAILOUT Act, which would strengthen financial industry regulation of short selling and other speculative gamesmanship through the Securities and Exchange Commission, change accounting rules to let banks show more assets, and empower the FDIC to open up banks' books, restructure bank management, and provide short-term liquidity to the credit markets - with no automatic outlay of taxpayer cash.
Interesting stuff. We're not liking what we're reading in the Strib about the re-tweaked version of the Bush-Paulson bailout that the U.S. Senate and the House are cooking up, so it's good to see dissenting House members putting together an alternative.
We'd like to be able to post a video of Merle Haggard singing one of our favorites in his songbook, but the embedding code is disabled. Go over and have a look, though you can listen to the song itself below:
Rochester Coalition on STB approval of CP acquisition of DM & E railroad:
SAFETY THREAT TO ROCHESTER STILL REMAINS DESPITE APPROVAL OF CANADIAN PACIFIC’S RAILROAD ACQUISITION OF DM&E
STB green light does not include measures to protect city against becoming a high-speed rail corridor for coal and hazardous material shipments.
ROCHESTER, Minn. (Sept. 30, 2008) – Today’s ruling by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) granting Canadian Pacific Railway’s acquisition of the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (DM&E) fails as usual to address the significant safety concerns raised by the Rochester Coalition.
After the acquisition was announced in Sept. 2007, Rochester officials and Mayo Clinic made numerous factual submissions to the STB citing significant environmental and safety risks created by increased speed and frequency of rail traffic and the shipment of ethanol and other hazardous materials on unsafe tracks. However, STB officials have ignored the requests for more thorough review and have ruled that it will require future assessment and oversight only if the Canadian Pacific decides to proceed with DM&E’s controversial Powder River Basin (PRB) expansion.
“The Coalition has never opposed the Canadian Pacific’s acquisition of DM&E. While not surprised by the ruling, we are nonetheless disappointed that our reasonable safety concerns weren’t addressed. This failure to protect our community against increased rail traffic and speeds places us at significant risk,” said Chris Gade, spokesman for the Rochester Coalition.
Members of the Rochester Coalition have opposed any increase in rail traffic by DM&E and CP through Rochester. “Our ultimate concern is protecting the safety of our community. More frequent train traffic through downtown Rochester increases the odds of a train derailment and disrupts emergency response vehicles. The higher speeds that these trains will travel increases the potential for a more serious derailment and the likelihood that these trains will carry hazardous materials makes the possibility of a terrible human tragedy a reality. It is unacceptable,” said Dennis Hanson, Rochester City Council President.
In 2002, a Canadian Pacific Railway train derailed near Minot, N.D., causing violent rupture to five tankers and spilling 220,000 gallons of anhydrous ammonia. Roughly 11,600 people were evacuated or asked to stay in their homes. The plume of corrosive gas gradually expanded five miles downwind. More than 1,100 people were treated for chemical burns, mainly to their eyes, nasal passage, throat and lungs. The DM&E rail line runs through the city of Rochester within a few hundred yards of medical facilities, senior living centers and major businesses. Disaster preparedness officials in Rochester have said a similar accident to the one in Minot would be devastating, as hundreds or thousands of patients and vulnerable individuals would be unable to escape.
“Because of the STB’s refusal to address our community’s safety concerns, we will continue oppose any plan that would jeopardize our safety and vitality by increasing train traffic, speed, and shipments of hazardous materials,” said Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede.
The Rochester Coalition continues to engage in an ongoing dialogue with officials from Canadian Pacific Railway, eager to hear specifics of their plans to ensure public safety and ensure the long-term economic vitality of southeastern Minnesota.
The Rochester Coalition represents the city of Rochester, Olmsted County, the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce and Mayo Clinic. For more information, visit www.protectrochester.com
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