DFL Raises White Flag on Statewide Ranked Choice Voting Push this Session

A well-funded push to make Minnesota a ranked choice voting state appears to have run out of steam — at least this session at the Minnesota Legislature.

On Monday, State Sen. Jim Carlson, DFL-Eagan, told his colleagues in the Senate Elections Committee that a bill introduced last month that would implement ranked choice voting for statewide and legislative races by 2026 “is much more complicated than we originally thought.”

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Minneapolis-Area Suburb Officials Ponder Replacing the Term ‘Manhole’ over Gender Neutrality Concerns

The St. Louis Park city government acknowledged in a recent newsletter that the term “manhole” could be offensive because it’s not “gender-neutral.”

“The city acknowledges that ‘manhole’ is not a gender-neutral term. It’s used in this publication as a commonly understood term and as the current industry standard to describe these structures,” says a footnote in a December newsletter on city infrastructure.

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St. Louis Park City Council Reinstates Pledge of Allegiance After Public Outcry

by Whitney Tipton   A city council in Minnesota voted Monday to reinstate the Pledge of Allegiance after its ban sparked a national outcry, including criticism from President Donald Trump. The St. Louis Park City Council voted 7-0 to again recite the pledge before its bi-monthly meetings after voting on June 17 to abolish the practice, a move which drew local protests and the attention of national media outlets, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported. Council members made it clear that their vote was intended to quell controversy as much as anything. “I’m genuinely concerned about the safety and the productivity of our city staff and our residents, and that is why I am making this motion,” said council member Thom Miller. “To be clear, I fully agree with the change that we made in June to eliminate the Pledge of Allegiance from our standard meeting agendas.” The Pledge of Allegiance to our great Country, in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, is under siege. That is why I am going to win the Great State of Minnesota in the 2020 Election. People are sick and tired of this stupidity and disloyalty to our wonderful USA! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July…

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Trump Weighs in on Minnesota Pledge Controversy: ‘I Will Be Fighting With You’

  President Donald Trump has weighed in on the ongoing controversy in St. Louis Park, where the City Council voted unanimously to stop reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before meetings. “Outrage is growing in the Great State of Minnesota where our Patriots are now having to fight for the right to say the Pledge of Allegiance. I will be fighting with you!” Trump wrote on Twitter Tuesday. Outrage is growing in the Great State of Minnesota where our Patriots are now having to fight for the right to say the Pledge of Allegiance. I will be fighting with you! @foxandfriends — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2019 The issue was brought to the president’s attention after Fox & Friends ran a number of segments highlighting the topic. On Tuesday, the morning news show played clips of Monday night’s City Council meeting, which attracted nearly 100 protesters in support of the pledge. “Well, the folks came out because they said it only takes 15 seconds and it means a lot to us. This is America,” host Pete Hegseth, a Minnesota native, said on Tuesday’s show. Imagine getting this worked up over the Pledge of Allegiance pic.twitter.com/wvPrMSQN60 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar)…

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