Minnesota edition: News on the flooding from the Red River Valley, Franken-Coleman recount updates, Coleman donor investigation news, immigrants (and a Minnesota-born citizen) held illegally, RNC8 informant convicted, exploring the state’s alternative energy options.
New snow, winds complicate fight against surging Red River
A hard, sloppy and urgent fight to restrain the surging Red River of the North became harder, sloppier, colder and more urgent today, as a slow-moving winter storm threw as much as 8 inches of new snow and winds above 30 mph at weary sandbaggers in Fargo-Moorhead and other threatened cities along the North Dakota-Minnesota border.
Fargo Red River Flooding: Level Tops Historic Marker, Undermines Dike
The agonizing decision to stay or go came as the final hours ticked down before an expected crest Sunday, when the ice-laden river could climb as high as 43 feet, nearly 3 feet higher than the record set 112 years ago. The city got a one-day reprieve Friday night when the National Weather Service pushed its crest projection back from Saturday to Sunday afternoon, saying frigid temperatures had slowed the river’s rise. While the weather service targeted the crest near 42 feet, it said feet 43 is still a possibility.
Dike break fixed, but Oak Grove school flooded
The Red River breached a dike today and sent water flowing into buildings at a school campus in Fargo in an episode the mayor called a “wakeup call” for a city that needs to be vigilant for weaknesses in levees that could give way at any time.
“The campus is basically devastated. They fought the good fight. They lost and there’s nothing wrong with that,” Mayor Dennis Walaker said. “Those things will continue to happen. I guarantee it.”
Coleman-Franken recount trial: The wait continues … What’s it mean? Why is it taking so long?
Two weeks and counting.
That’s where we stand as Judges Elizabeth Hayden, Kurt Marben and Denise Reilly have kept lawyers for Al Franken and Norm Coleman — and all the others who still care — waiting for rulings in the election contest trial that lasted seven weeks but ended on March 13.
Both sides expected some decisions this week, but none came.
Coleman won’t rule out federal appeal
Speaking to reporters at the Capitol before a weekly Republican lunch meeting, Coleman said Tuesday he’s not anticipating the case going to the U.S. Supreme Court, but he signaled that the recount trial may be far from over. A three-judge state court could rule any day on the Coleman-Franken case, but the panel has been deliberating for more than a week.
“I’m not anticipating, you know, at this point being across the street,” he said, referring to the Supreme Court. “For certain, I want to make sure that equal justice under law is applied. We’ll see how that plays out in Minnesota.”
Exec says Coleman donor ordered $100K payments
Thomas’ deposition, taken under oath on March 19 and obtained by the Star Tribune, is the first corroboration from an official at Deep Marine of allegations made by company founder Paul McKim in a lawsuit filed last year against the company.
In the two weeks before the November U.S. Senate election, two lawsuits were filed against Deep Marine — one by McKim and one by a group of minority shareholders. In them, Kazeminy was accused of funneling payments to Hays to benefit the Colemans, as well as other alleged financial wrongdoing.
Thousands of immigrants held in violation of international law
A comprehensive report issued by Amnesty International USA Wednesday finds that tens of thousands of immigrants — and, in one case, a Minnesota-born citizen — have been held in detention in the United States, many in violation of international law.
RNC Eight FBI informant found guilty on three criminal charges
Andrew Clark Darst, a key informant in the conspiracy case pending against the RNC Eight, has been found guilty of three criminal counts stemming from a January altercation in Minnetrista.
Hennepin County District Court Judge Daniel Mabley ruled today that Darst is guilty of a gross misdemeanor charge of damage to property, as well as two counts of misdemeanor assault. The 30-year-old Minnetrista resident was acquitted on two burglary counts.
Turbines will soon churn in 11 Minnesota cities
Recycled turbines that turn renewable wind energy into electricity are expected to begin appearing this summer in Anoka, Buffalo, North St. Paul and eight other Minnesota cities that are part of a power agency.
House energy panel votes to continue nuclear power moratorium
A state law prevents new nuclear power plants from being built in Minnesota, and some say that means nuclear can’t even be part of a discussion about the state’s future energy needs.
An effort to change that suffered a setback Thursday, when members of a House energy committee voted down a bill that would lift the ban.
Xcel Energy Eagle Cam
Two of the three eggs have hatched!