The Department of Driver and Vehicle Services long ago became the symbol for what’s wrong with government delivery of services. DVS had probably already eclipsed the post office as the…
This op-ed originally appeared in the Mille Lacs Messenger on May 18, 2020. The statewide shutdown that Gov. Tim Walz imposed in response to the coronavirus has been an economic…
Binding, verifiable benchmarks offer us a path forward which eschews the false dichotomy of 'shut 'em all down' versus 'open 'em all up'
In this unprecedented time of economic mayhem, Minnesota's small businesses need some certainty from state government. Sadly, they aren't getting it.
Duluth faces a potential $38 million budget shortfall Mayor Emily Larson calls “absolutely catastrophic” in the wake of declining tax revenue projections due to the economic impact of the coronavirus.…
As State Attorney General Keith Ellison brings the full force of government to bear on the owner of Shady's Hometown Tavern in Albany, where is the grand plan behind all…
Today is my 32nd birthday. That means so far, I’ve lasted more than 1.5 times longer than the 20 years useful lifespan of most wind turbines. The short useful lifetime…
Anger and frustration are mounting among restaurant and bar owners throughout Minnesota. Many—especially those in Central Minnesota’s beautiful lakes vacation area—are watching their livelihoods slip away, due to Gov. Tim…
A round-up of the last week’s economic news stories in Minnesota.
There was an unmistakable urgency to Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm’s remarks at the May 5 Covid-19 task force briefing explaining the reasons behind Gov. Tim Walz’s executive order rescinding…
"We can say with 95 percent confidence that we are going to need a minimum of 3,000 beds starting in the middle of May." -Gov. Walz, April 8th. Yesterday, there…
Those in the know expect Gov. Tim Walz to extend his two months and counting stay-at-home order due to the threat of the coronavirus in a virtual address later today…
There seems to be little rhyme or reason to the Governor's knob twiddling and, as a result, small business in Minnesota have little idea where they stand. The shutdown has…
Jordan-based Jim's Apple Farm, also known as "Minnesota's Largest Candy Store," re-opened on Friday, May 8 after owner Robert Wagner met with Gov. Tim Walz's staff and received the go-ahead.
The state's much vaunted model shows that extending the stay-at-home order to the end of May will see a higher ICU peak and more deaths.
You can't turn a normative question into a positive one. The question 'What will be the consequences of choosing Scenario 3?' is a positive one for 'science' to answer. But…
Ninety percent of parents believe their child is performing at or above grade level, but only 39 percent of teachers say students start the school year prepared for grade-level work. Use…
Minnesota remains one of only ten states that still outright ban church services of any size under government restrictions imposed during the statewide shutdown ordered by Gov. Tim Walz. But…
By now many people have heard the story of King Milan’s Barbershop, the St. Paul barbershop that now faces up to $25,000 in fines after the police were dispatched to…
The April jobs report is terrible and when Minnesota's numbers come out they are unlikely to be any better. Indications are that poorer counties and lower paid occupations will have…
This opinion piece originally appeared in the Star Tribune. Minnesota has been in the grip of coronavirus hysteria for the last two months. We have submitted to unprecedented restrictions on…
At the state’s daily coronavirus briefing, the top official coordinating Minnesota’s response to Covid-19 today acknowledged the strategy that led to the nation’s highest percentage of deaths in long-term care…
Nearly 625,000 Minnesotans have filed for unemployment since mid-March, and every day seems to bring new headlines of small businesses that will not survive the Coronavirus shutdown. Minnesota now has…
Gov. Walz made himself look foolish a while back when he claimed he could control the weather. But controlling people is little easier.