Post in TC Daily Planet HEADLINES: Ethiopian bombs, MN cell phones; St. Paul jilts Ford; Waiting for a home; Hmong movie auditions

Jul 02 02:35 UTC

WEDNESDAY, July 2

HEADLINES

Ethiopian bombs land by cell phone in Minnesota

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/12467

by Douglas McGill, TC Daily Planet

The four men sitting at a downtown coffee shop here recently told me a
story that sounded too far-fetched to be true.

Could a humanitarian crisis potentially the size of Darfur, Sudan
actually be unfolding while capturing hardly a second of the worlds
collective attention, or Minnesota's?

Even worse, could it actually be true, as these four Minnesotans
insist, that this unimaginable massacre is being paid for partly with
U.S. tax dollars?

St. Paul jilts Ford for Toyota's 10-vehicle deal

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/12456

by Chris Steller, Minnesota Independent

 From the nation's capitol to the state capitol, pols are crossing
their fingers in the hope that Ford Motor Company will keep producing
Ranger pickup trucks at its St. Paul factory through 2011, as
suggested in news reports last week. U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, Gov. Tim
Pawlenty and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman all expressed cautious hope
that Ford execs will put off the plant's closing, now planned for
2009, by two years. But while Ford workers await official word on
their fates from Detroit, they may be surprised by what they see
cruising past the plant on Mississippi River Boulevard: Toyota pickup
trucks emblazoned with a logo celebrating a partnership between the
City of Saint Paul and Ford rival Toyota.

Waiting in line to get in line: the need for quality housing

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/12412

by Michael Arnst, Minnesota 2020

Last week, the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) opened its
waiting list for Section 8 rent assistance vouchers for the first time
in five years. The Bloomington Housing and Redevelopment Authority
(BHRA) will re-open its waiting list at the end of June. The expected
number of applications in Minneapolis alone is expected to exceed
15,000, an increase of 60% over the number of applications received in
2003.

<a href=" Local Hmong auditions for Eastwood film

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/12440">

by Wameng Moua, Hmong Today

With sparkles glimmering in their eyes, hundreds of Hollywood hopefuls
crammed into Hmong American Partnership in St. Paul for an opportunity
to gain instant stardom.

INSIDE THE DAILY PLANET

Capitol hearing reveals specifics of allegations against Swanson and
Hatch in AG's office controversy

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/12458

by Britt Robson, Minnesota Independent

Workers in the Minnesota Attorney General's office have alleged under
oath that current AG Lori Swanson and her predecessor, Mike Hatch, may
have illegally diverted federal monies meant to investigate Medicaid
fraud, and that a legal settlement negotiated by Swanson and Hatch
financially benefited a nonprofit organization that later endorsed
Hatch's campaign for governor.

The new Pratt

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/12462

by Linda Lincoln, The Bridge

A year ago, many in Southeast Minneapolis were reeling from the
Minneapolis Public School Board's decision to close Tuttle School in
the Como neighborhood and combine it with its sister school, Pratt, in
Prospect Park.

  Bicycling: an emerging subculture in Minnesota

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/12299

by volunteers, MTN

South High students Emily Townswick, Rose Spieler-Sandberg, Lora
Pedersen, Claire Richards, Betsy Barta, Brent Hutchinson and Hoan Ngo
produced this fun and informative look at bike culture in Minneapolis,
interviewing bicyclists and exploring issues like the popular Citical
Mass rides. They made the video with help from the Minneapolis
Television Network (MTN) through the Voices program.

NEW IN VOICES

One year later: identified needs still go unmet as state economy worsens

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/12460

by Lee Egerstrom, Minnesota 2020

Minnesota 2020 announced its arrival last year by issuing its first
research report, "Chasing Smokestacks, Stranding Small Business," that
identified shortcomings and chronic problems facing rural Minnesota
and small businesses with economic development.

NEW IN BLOGS

Smoothly surreal art at the Spyhouse

http://tcdailyplanet.net/node/12443

by Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet

Im sitting at the corner of 25th and Nicollet, watching people bump
into my car as they try to parallel parkmust be Monday! Fortunately
the Spyhouse coffee shop here offers aesthetic and comestible
pleasures to warm the heart and cool the lips.

Why huge gaps between reading and math achievement in Minnesota?

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/12437

by Joe Nathan, School Talk

Something strange is going on: When state figures show only 34% of
11th graders statewide are passing the states math test, we have a
large problem. Meanwhile 71% of Minnesota 10th graders passed
Minnesota reading test, which they must do before graduating from
high school.

Into the wild

http://tcdailyplanet.net/node/12463

by Kate Hoff, TC Daily Planet

Im writing this first blog post from the field; or, rather, mountain.
I spent this morning hiking on Matanuska Glacier in Alaska. Certainly
an excellent way to spend the day, but it has nothing to do with the
Fringe.

The Watson Twins release new album, slate Turf Club gig

http://tcdailyplanet.net/node/12454

by Greg Swan, Perfect Porridge

Today Los Angeles band The Watson Twins release <i>Fire</i>, their
Vanguard Records full length debut. They will play St. Paul's Turf
Club on July 18, and two tracks from the album are available for free
download.

Returning favoritesLive Action Set (Part 3)

http://tcdailyplanet.net/node/12446

by Matthew A. Everett, TC Daily Planet

So, theres the Deviants, the Land of the Dead, and the Fools for
Love. And then theres also something created in part by director Jon
Ferguson (the guy who teamed up with Live Action Set to bring us
<i>Please Dont Blow Up Mr. Boban</i>still one of my favorite Fringe
shows of recent memory).