The Fergus Falls Daily Journal

ST. PAUL— One of the three major credit rating agencies took a gloomier outlook on Minnesota’s financial future on Monday, citing “political intractability” and the lack of a permanent fix to persistent deficits after a 20-day government shutdown. Moody’s Investors Service lowered its outlook for state debt to “negative” from “stable,” without lowering the state’s [...]communities

Visitors from near and far are again entering Maplewood and Glendalough state parks following the end of the state shutdown. And while some facilities are up and running, it will take park employees a few days to have everything in operation. “Our campground will be partially open for people this evening (Thursday),” said Maplewood State [...]

It was a long night, but they got it done. Governor Mark Dayton signed the budget bills passed by the Legislature at 9 a.m. today, effectively ending Minnesota’s government shutdown. “We didn’t wrap things up here until around 4:30 this morning,” said District 10A Rep. Bud Nornes (the special session adjourned at 3:45 a.m.). But [...]

ST. PAUL — An end to Minnesota’s nearly three-week-long state government shutdown came into view on Tuesday, when Gov. Mark Dayton called the Legislature into a special session to vote on a budget deal. Local representatives have heard that the budget bills may be passed as early as tonight. The 19-day government stoppage has sullied [...]

ST. PAUL — Minnesota may soon have an end to its government shutdown, but re-starting the machinery of the state will probably take a few days. Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders fell short Sunday of their goal of being ready for a special session Monday to finalize a deal struck late last [...]

Now that Republican leaders and Governor Mark Dayton have hashed out a final budget deal, Rep. Bud Nornes is breathing a sigh of relief. Though he said not all lawmakers will come away happy, he believes Dayton and the GOP’s compromise to end the shutdown seemed like the right thing to do. “It appeared to [...]

ST. PAUL — Minnesota’s leaders made a deal that will probably end the nation’s longest state government shutdown in a decade, but they didn’t really solve their budget problem. Instead, they just shuffled it down the road to be faced another day. An agreement between Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and GOP leaders will delay schools [...]

Many resort owners in Otter Tail County and nearby counties contacted guests to purchase Minnesota fishing licenses prior to the start of the state shutdown. They’re glad they made this effort. “We know that many of our guests want to come here to fish, so we contacted them and urged them to get their fishing [...]

ST. PAUL — Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton offered major concessions Thursday in a bid to end a government shutdown, dropping his pursuit of tax hikes to say he was willing to accept — with conditions— a Republican proposal made before the state closed for business two weeks ago. Dayton said Republicans must drop a [...]

ST. PAUL — The judge overseeing appeals from the Minnesota government shutdown has restored funding for a child-care program that serves nearly 16,000 children in more than 9,000 low-income families. Ramsey County Chief Judge Kathleen Gearin on Wednesday accepted a recommendation from special master Kathleen Blatz to reinstate child care funded through the state Basic [...]