Judge orders most services to go dark

Source: Star Tribune

Minnesota would face a massive government shutdown under a court ruling released Wednesday, with all but critical services stopping by Friday.

As budget talks continued into the night at the State Capitol, the full impact of a state shutdown became clearer than ever: Schools and many health care services would continue under Ramsey County District Chief Judge Kathleen Gearin's order, because closing them would violate basic constitutional rights or jeopardize lives. Prison guards would remain on the job, as would state troopers.

But services to the deaf, child care assistance to low-income parents, help lines for seniors, state parks at the height of summer, the Minnesota Zoo and a multitude of projects on state roads and highways would all grind to a halt, along with a host of other services. The state's number of unemployed would instantly rise, with tens of thousands of state employees joining those ranks Friday.

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/124752013.html

The closure of Canterbury Park racetrack at the height of the season has thrown horse racing into disarray, with jockeys, trainers and owners scrambling to make adjustments.

Jockey agent Jesse Lomeli, who has come to Canterbury since it opened in 1985, drives thousands of miles from his home in Guadalajara, Mexico, to represent riders at the track.

"The thing that makes me sad is the government is getting in the middle of our business,'' said Lomeli, who will return to Mexico if the track closes. "They're keeping us from working and making a living. We're just trying to make a go of it, and they're putting the brakes on us.''

hmmmm....

guess the government needs to fund gambling?

Secretariat. ;)

All joking aside, this is what happens when Republicans gain total control. You just know what the elections are going to do to them.

Is the idea of giving Republicans enough rope to hang themselves with making any sense yet?

I'm only half joking, there.

That's why there is the impasse. Total control is what they have in Wisconsin: both houses of the legislature, the governor, and a 4-3 majority in the Supreme Court. But you are right about future election prospects for Republicans--in both states.

I don't like the idea of handing control to, say, Bachmann. The woman is poison.

But if I've ever seen a situation in which 'enough rope to hang with' applies, this is it. These fanatics are completely out of control and would wake up the public in general in one hell of a hurry.

How do we apply the idea so the outcome isn't so drastically bad in the short term? If we can figure that out, it's game over.

the tracks are privately owned, but apparently must have a few state officials on site because of the gambling involved. i'm sure they could race horses without any gambling taking place, but who would come?

except for the Prairie Dogs that came close to escaping :P basically a wildlife refuge than a zoo.

the one in st paul with the old wax molds. those rocked. Publically funded. I don't think that'll close. Free zoo. It was way more packed than Minnesota Zoo was.