Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/author/hindsight/page/12/)
From major flooding in Duluth to devastating droughts throughout the Midwest, Minnesota experienced plenty of extreme weather last summer. And we may need to get used to that. A new draft report indicates that climate change will cause extreme weather events to become increasingly frequent and severe in Minnesota. Continue Reading
Last Thursday, Minnesota legislature proposed to allocate funding for voluntary full-day kindergarten in Minnesota. As of right now, Minnesota is one of about a dozen states that allows schools to charge tuition for full-day kindergarten. Senate estimates this allocated funding would cost Minnesota about $170 million for the biennium. This funding would not take effect until 2014, which gives schools time to expand. Continue Reading
An average Minnesotan’s commute time is about 22 minutes, consistent with the 23.7-minute national average. These figures are for all forms of transportation, including transit and non-motorized travel. Roughly 75% of Minnesotans drive by themselves to work, which according to the Census Bureau, matches national numbers. Since the 1960 Census—the first that collected commuting data—private miles have steadily increased. We all know it is time for to reverse this trend. Continue Reading
During the height of the campaign, President Obama declared in an interview that, “I’ll get immigration reform done next year.” He astutely predicted that his election would partially be won on immigration reform. Now with Obama’s re-election and the New Year here, it is important to examine the inextricable link between legal immigration and health care insurance rates. Continue Reading
Our series on child welfare has called attention to a report by the state’s Office of the Legislative Auditor, which found that standards for child maltreatment vary widely across the state and that counties do not keep data about reports consistently. Continue Reading
In spite of a decrease in daily flights and passenger capacity (down steeply 2005-2007, and still below 2004 levels), there are even more flights at peak hours at MSP. Also, more runway incursions, more separation alarms, and more congestion around gates and taxiways. Continue Reading
On average, transportation makes up the second-highest expense for individuals and families, surpassed only by housing costs. Unfortunately, a study published earlier this year shows that combined housing and transportation costs in the Twin Cities have risen twice as fast as the metro area’s average income between 2000 and 2010. Additionally, a study conducted by the University of Minnesota estimates that transportation costs will continue to rise through 2020, further burdening Minnesota residents. Continue Reading
The Phalen Corridor Initiative, started in 1994, began as a collaborative effort between the City of Saint Paul and over 60 community organizations that included the community’s local district councils, job development organizations, schools, and even corporations such as 3M and Wells Fargo. Continue Reading
Every year Minnesota’s child protection staff screen in approximately 18,000 reports of child maltreatment for review. Nearly 70% of these are assigned to the state’s voluntary Family Assessment program. Though the purpose of the program is to promote family stability and child safety, recent data indicates that few families receive any services. Continue Reading
Minneapolis is embarking on an ambitious plan to become the nation’s most energy-efficient city, and will be unveiling a draft of its Climate Action Plan at a series of community meetings over the coming weeks. Continue Reading