Don Davis
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Don Davis has been the Forum Communications Minnesota Capitol Bureau chief since 2001, covering state government and politics for two dozen newspapers in the state. Don also blogs at Capital Chatter on Areavoices.
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- 5 years 6 months
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ST. PAUL -- Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura was the king of deadpanning, a trait that got him in trouble more than once. He often would deliver lines, giving no indication he was joking. After some comments were taken wrong, he learned to end non-serious comments with his deep-throated: "Joke, joke, joke." In this world of social media, current Gov. Mark Dayton may have learned about the need to make sure jokes are taken the right way. Writing on Facebook, Dayton said he was improving from last month's back surgery, and planned to deliver his Tuesday budget proposal as planned.
ST. PAUL -- Genny Hinnenkamp travels the Duluth area, picking up proceeds from pulltab games, with profits destined for the charity she represents and the new Minnesota Vikings stadium. At the same time she dreams about getting more money as electronic pulltab games spread and statewide electronic bingo is added.
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View the latest edition of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference update with conference coordinator Justin Heckenlaible.
ST. PAUL -- The Minnesota House will not consider agriculture program funding by itself, but rural Republicans who wanted to divorce farm programs from natural resources and environmental spending got their message across Monday as the first week of the 2013 Legislature ended. The House rules committee voted 15-12 along party lines to back Democratic leaders' plan to consider the three types of funding in one committee, despite GOP rural lawmakers' complaints that such a structure threatens ag programs. House Majority Leader Eric Murphy, DFL-St.
ST. PAUL -- Rick Nolan sounds thrilled to sit on the U.S.
ST. PAUL -- One in five Minnesotans are expected to buy health insurance offered by a mostly online marketplace that a newly written bill would establish. The marketplace, known as a health care exchange, is required by federal law known as Obamacare and must be in place by Oct. 31. "A Minnesota-based exchange allows Minnesota the opportunity to modernize our public systems," state Sen. Tony Lourey, DFL-Kerrick, said. The bill Lourey and Rep.
ST. PAUL -- A debate about whether Democratic House leaders are plowing under agriculture interrupted an otherwise ceremonial first day of the 2013 Minnesota Legislature. Rep. Rod Hamilton, R-Mountain Lake, took his complaint about what he sees as a move to discredit agriculture to the full House.
ST. PAUL -- Money dominates conversation as Minnesota legislators prepare to begin their 2013 session at noon today. It is such a dominant part of the session that when caught rushing to a midday Monday appointment, Rep. Paul Marquart, DFL-Dilworth, could not think of an important non-budget issue. In fact, Marquart said he has told fellow state representatives the budget is so important that they should not consider issues such as gay marriage and gun control this year. Down the hall and around the corner in the State Office Building, Rep.-elect Dan Schoen, DFL-St.
ST. PAUL -- Maybe folks should not be surprised that the media often found a communications cliff separating them and many Washington politicians after the fiscal cliff vote. After all, no one liked the bill Congress passed on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Its main provision, preventing tax increases on most Americans, was controversial. And the measure missed its goal and would do little to get the $16 trillion federal debt under control. Most U.S. senators and representatives issued carefully crafted statements either blasting the bill or saying that it was better than nothing.