Wind Turbines Are Programmed to Shut Off During Extreme Cold in Minnesota

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission called the heads of the state’s energy and electric companies to a hearing Thursday to discuss their shortfalls during January’s polar vortex. Representatives from Xcel Energy, Centerpoint Energy, and Great Plains Gas were all in attendance. Of particular concern was Xcel’s request that its 460,000…

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Commentary: Trump Lost Nothing in Hanoi

by Brandon J. Weichert   When Donald J. Trump took office in January 2017, the outgoing Obama Administration national security team cautioned Trump’s transition team that North Korea was a significant nuclear threat. Obama White House officials explained how North Korea’s leaders had built up their nascent nuclear arsenal. Since…

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At 2.9 Percent, 2018 Was the Strongest Economy Since 2005 on Growth and Jobs

by Robert Romano   President Donald Trump’s second year in office marked the strongest economic growth since 2005 at 2.9 percent, according to data compiled by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, beating every one of President Barack Obama’s years in office — for now. It was by a nose, and…

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Democrats Worry Agenda Will ‘Die a Horrible Death’ in the Senate, Regardless of 2020 Outcome

by Chris White   Democrats are warning that some of the party’s biggest agenda pledges are destined to crash in the Senate, regardless of the 2020 election’s outcome. Medicare for All, a potential Green New Deal and a push for a $15 minimum wage would struggle to get past a…

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Jay Inslee, the ‘Climate Candidate,’ Announces 2020 Presidential Bid Friday

by Michael Bastasch   Washington Gov. Jay Inslee will seek the presidential nomination in 2020, adding to the growing field of Democrats seeking to challenge President Donald Trump. “We’re the first generation to feel the sting of climate change. And we’re the last who can do something about it. We…

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Trump’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ Policy Is Changing How Immigrants Try to Enter the US

by Jason Hopkins   The Trump administration’s asylum policy is prompting more migrants to try their luck at crossing illegally rather than seeking out legal ports of entry, Customs and Border Protection data suggest. The proportion of foreign nationals attempting to cross the border illegally rather than reporting to legal…

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Oregon OKs First Statewide Mandatory Rent Control Law in US

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown signed the nation’s first statewide mandatory rent control measure on Thursday, giving a victory to housing advocates who say spiraling rent costs in the economically booming state have fueled widespread homelessness and housing insecurity. Brown, a Democrat, said the legislation will provide “some immediate relief to…

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Red Flag Bill and Universal Background Checks One Step Closer to Becoming Law in Minnesota

DFL lawmakers are closer than ever before to passing multiple gun-control bills in Minnesota as a Republican-controlled Senate stands in the way. A universal background checks bill and a “red flag” law both advanced out of committee this week. The former was approved by the House Public Safety Committee late…

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