Around MN: Signs of life near BWCA fire, Minnesota’s water problem

Signs of life return to Pagami Creek area as firefighters continue to battle Boundary Waters blaze. Paddlers report:

- "grass" already found in some places 2-3" long

- wolf tracks seen in burned areas

- deer seen in burned areas

- frogs seen in burned areas

- so many jackpine seeds have burst open that they are floating on top of the water (BWCA.com)

Thanks to MPR's Nate Minor for Tweeting the trip report.

Also on MN Today

State scientists have found evidence that pumping too much water from underground is damaging lakes, streams and wetlands, particularly during summer.

"We're a water rich state, and I think for the first time we're bumping up against limits to what we thought of as a limitless resource" -- Andrew Streitz, hydrologist, (MPR News).

St. Cloud's plan to restore the Mississippi River applauded by river group (Saint Cloud Times).

Top officials of the governor's administration have delayed for a second time the approval of 94 leases to explore for copper, nickel and other valuable minerals in northeastern Minnesota (MPR News).

Lynx lead W.N.B.A. Finals, 2-0

Map: Occupy Wall Street spreads nationwide, Minnespolis is next

Now in its third week, the loose-knit protest movement known as Occupy Wall Street has stirred action from New York City to Los Angeles and many cities in between.

Obama administration to fast-track CapX2020

A planned electric transmission line project passing near Rochester on a 150-mile route from Hampton to LaCrosse, Wis., has been picked by the Obama administration as one of seven such projects in the United States to receive expedited treatment by federal regulatory agencies (Rochester Post Bulletin).

Fairmont schools won't seek levy hike

Fairmont Area Schools has proposed a zero percent property tax increase for the 2012-2013 school year (Fairmont Sentinel).

Op-Ed

When I needed help, I got propaganda

Parading babies around as props is only a stunt. While Republicans have made their concern for the unborn clear, the fact that many of them proposed cutting nutrition programs for infants by about 10 percent earlier this year suggests that their concern for babies may end once they're born. And if they truly want to support women, they should focus on transparent, nonpartisan, fact-based education for those who are facing what is likely to be the most difficult decision of their lives. - Katie Stack is a graduate student in gender and women's studies at Minnesota State University, Mankato (New York Times).

Arts and Culutre

Duluth arts panel, Cascade Park muralists find unity at last

The final words on the "Unity in Community" mural in Cascade Park: It stays (Duluth News Tribune).

2012

Clark, labor leaders back Obama's jobs act

Congressional candidate Tarryl Clark joined labor and environmental leaders in St. Cloud on Wednesday to urge passage of President Obama's jobs act (Saint Cloud Times).

• Editor’s notebook: Covering the environment in 2014
• Best of Minnesota Scenes from 2014
• 50 years of memory making in the Boundary Waters
• ‘Fargo’ takes home two Emmys