New abortion regulations; Food stamp cuts; TSA mission creep

Minnesota commissioner to testify before U.S. House hearing over HMO payment

Pioneer Press: "Questions about the financing of Minnesota's Medicaid health insurance program will be a key part of an upcoming congressional hearing."

Dayton: Negotiations with GOP going south

MPR News: "DFL Gov. Mark Dayton says end-of session negotiations with Republican legislative leaders are headed in the wrong direction."

Abortion bills pass Minnesota House, Senate

Hot Dish Politics: "If a woman is going to take an abortion pill like RU-486, she should do it in the presence of a doctor, the House voted Wednesday. Representatives were less open, however, to an amendment that would have required a physician presence every time a man pops a Viagra."

A Vikings stadium 'Plan B' moves forward

Star Tribune: "There may not be an agreement this spring to build a new Minnesota Vikings stadium, but legislators may be preparing a Plan B. A proposal to authorize electronic bingo and pull tabs, along with sports-themed tip boards, will go before the House Taxes Committee on Thursday."

Jack Jablonski leaves rehab center for a new home

KARE11: "After three and a half months of physical therapy at the Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in Minneapolis, Jack Jablonski gets to go home."

Wolf hunt caught in Minnesota legislature

MPR News: "A spat between two influential state senators has put on hold a bill that would allow the hunt, proposed after the federal government removed the wolf from the list of endangered species in January."

Farm bill cuts would hit food stamps

Program aids 46.5 million with low incomes

Forum of Fargo-Moorhead: "Complying with GOP mandates to reduce spending, the House Agricultural Committee voted Wednesday to cut $33 billion over 10 years to the nation's cornerstone nutrition program." Grand Forks Herald: Minn., N.D., Reps on opposite sides of farm bill cuts

Conflicted Catholics: Consciences wrestle with church actions on marriage amendment

MinnPost: "Lisa Vanderlinden grew up a Roman Catholic. She went to a Catholic college, married in the church and taught at a Catholic high school. Six years ago, Jason, the youngest of Vanderlinden and husband Brent's four sons, came out as gay."

Twin Cities population to grow more diverse, elderly by 2040

MPR News: "The population of the Twin Cities metro area will grow, age and become more diverse by the year 2040, according to a new report released Wednesday by the Metropolitan Council."

Winona Daily News: 2 area cities challenge census data reporting less residents

61 acres to be added to Voyageurs National Park

Duluth News Tribune: "In its largest purchase ever, the Voyageurs National Park Association has bought a 61.55-acre property on behalf of Voyageurs National Park."

For elders with dementia, musical awakenings

NPR: "Henry, an elderly Alzheimer's patient in an American nursing home, recently became a viral star. In a short video that has been viewed millions of times online, he starts out slumped over and unresponsive -- but undergoes a remarkable transformation as he listens to music on a pair of headphones."

Op-Ed: The TSA's mission creep is making the US a police state

Guardian: "The out-of-control Transportation Security Administration is past patdowns at airports - now it's checkpoints and roadblocks."

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