Good morning. The Timberwolves dropped a thriller of a game in the opener of the conference finals. They'll need to notch a win Friday or it's going to be a tough hole to climb out of. Couch coaching here: Better rebounding, fellas.
Gov. Tim Walz got into the fan frenzy yesterday with a “Wolves Back Day” proclamation. Whichever staffer put it together had fun with the assignment . It was all there: the tribute to Naz Reid, the nod to the Big Ticket (franchise legend Kevin Garnett’s nickname) and a playful poke at the round mound of rebound, former NBA star Chuck Barkley. Oh yeah, there was the coded message playing off Anthony Edwards remarks to Barkley on Sunday, urging him to make his way to Minnesota. You know, his BYA admonition. The proclamation had an acrostic reprise of that comment now appearing everywhere, including on tourism ads.
Among the flurry of bills the Legislature passed in the final hours of the session was one aimed at cutting red tape for energy projects. MPR’s Kirsti Marohn has details about the plan meant to streamline permitting for solar and wind farms and power lines, which Minnesota will lean heavily on as it shifts to clean energy. For a while, clean energy developers and utilities have complained that the state's permitting process is a big roadblock to getting new wind and solar projects and transmission lines built. Now, it can take years to get the needed permits. And they say that process is taking even longer now with more renewable energy projects applying. That’s too slow after passage of a law last year requiring utilities to get 100 percent of their electricity from carbon-free sources by 2040. Business groups say that permitting urgency should apply to more than just clean power.
Another bill to cross the finish line has to do with all that packaging material we encounter every day. Minnesota will become the fifth state to begin a program designed to pressure packaging companies to make their materials recyclable. The Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act is part of the larger Environment and Natural Resources budget bill signed into law by Walz. It requires all packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2032. Clay Masters reported on it back when it was working through the committee process. It requires all packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2032. The law sets up a Producer Responsibility Organization made up of the largest producers of packaging sold in Minnesota. Members will be required to pay fees based on the type of packaging they sell in the state. California, Oregon, Maine and Colorado have passed similar legislation but have fully implemented them yet.
The cannabis industry will also have to get bigger — and fast — if Minnesota is to make good on a robust retail market after marijuana was legalized. There were some changes made that are designed to get licenses approved faster for various parts of the marijuana pipeline (no pun intended). But at least one lawmaker who has been immersed in the issue and supportive of the legalization goal doesn’t think these changes will do the trick. Rep. Nolan West spoke yesterday to MPR’s Cathy Wurzer, and producer Gracie Stockton wrote up a story resulting from that chat.
The last GOP primary challenger to former President Donald Trump has come back into his fold. Nikki Haley, the former governor and U.N. ambassador, backed Trump yesterday. She had held out on supporting her former boss and bitter rival in this year’s race. It wasn’t an explicit endorsement next to him or touting him; rather she said she’d be personally voting for Trump . “Trump has not been perfect on these policies,” Haley said, describing several foreign policy and economic issues. “I’ve made that clear many, many times. But Biden has been a catastrophe. So I will be voting for Trump.”
We’re close enough to the election that it’s time to bring back Minnesota Poll Watch. It’s a dashboard maintained by the APM Research Lab here at MPR News. It’s a single spot to find information on candidates, polling, fundraising and handicapper ratings on key contests. Research lab director Craig Helmstetter and his team will strive to keep it fresh throughout the election season.
Want to know who’s got all the best tidbits at the Capitol? It’s the guy with the clippers. MPR’s Lukas Levin has a recurring feature he’s calling “Job Interview” where he talks to people with interesting occupations, like the Twins scoreboard operator or the Mall of America’s groundskeeper. This week, he brought us a fun look at the longtime Capitol barber Ken Kirkpatrick. He’s been the guy making politicians, lobbyists and even reporters (Brian, for one) looking good or at least kempt. The shop he’s worked in for decades is being relocated during the State Office Building renovation, but he’ll keep clipping —even though he’s technically retired.
Have a question for the Governor? Walz will be joining us on air for Politics Friday this week. Submit your questions here. | 