Last week, the county board voted 4-3 to lay over (and possibly kill) a request by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office for federal funding of a “Kingfish” cell phone tracking device.  It was the second time the board has postponed a vote on this request, likely making it difficult for the Sheriff’s Office to meet the deadlines for our local congressional representatives.

The Kingfish, as I understand it, is not capable of listening to cell phone conversations, but can track the location of a cell phone that is on but not being used.  This device has been used by other law enforcement agencies around the country to track missing or abducted children who are carrying a cell phone or who are with someone who is carrying a cell phone.  I am told that a court order is required before the Kingfish can be used to track a cell phone in any particular case.

Thanks again for everyone who attended the SD32 Convention on February 20. It was a great success!

 As a reminder to all of those delegates and alternates chosen at the Precinct caucus on February 2nd,  you are also called to the Hennepin County Convention on Tuesday, March 9 at 7 pm. The location and a link to a map is below.

What: The Hennepin County Convention

When: 7pm, with registration starting at 6:30 pm.

Where: South View Middle School, 4725 South View Lane, Edina, Minnesota, 55424

Link to map 

As I was paying bills the other night during the Olympics, I saw yet another of those annoying 2010 U.S. Census commercials and decided - as I was grumbling about government waste under my breath - that it was time to award another Golden Fire Hydrant.

The U.S. government is spending $340 million to market the 2010 Census. About $145 million of that is for the creation and airing of television commercials, which can be seen during the most expensive time slots in TV (including a $2.5 million 30-second spot during the Super Bowl).

For far too long, members of the Minnesota National Guard’s 34th Infantry division – known as the “Red Bulls” – have been caught in a bureaucratic nightmare that delayed bonus pay they’d earned during their deployments in Iraq.  After many months and continued pressure from members of Congress in both parties, it appears as though this long-overdue problem is finally headed toward a solution.   

The Pentagon is stating now that they’ve issued orders to begin paying these troops, while blaming the problem on a loophole that prevented the payments until now.