Year in Review: Top 10 stories that captivated online readers in 2018


via The West Australian http://bit.ly/2CHBSwM

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In Hennepin County board race, longtime incumbent McLaughlin faces newcomer Conley. And a changing DFL.

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Jessica Lee While campaigning for a spot on Hennepin County’s board of commissioners, Angela Conley hears the same thing again and again: Few people even know the role of the board — much less who represents them. But her pitch for a seat representing the board’s District 4, she says, makes them care about the race for the first time. Meanwhile, Conley’s opponent, incumbent Peter McLaughlin , says people are rushing to fill out ballots and elect him for another term because they’re so fired up by Donald Trump. Whatever the motivation, more people in Hennepin County are choosing to vote now than in recent primary elections, early tallies show. Roughly 15,300 people countywide have already filled out ballots ahead of the Aug. 14 deadline — almost double the total absentee count in 2016. Minneapolis voters cover about half of that total. (Election officials are keeping track of who’s voting by ward , too.) The surge in voter participation — which extends statewide — comes as a n...
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A bird is not just a bird

“Are you seeing fewer birds in your neighborhood this year?” The sad question came from our dinner guest. “Wrens used to nest in our yard, and ducklings used to waddle to a nearby pond.  This year we’ve got nothing.” As others considered their responses, I thought about similar questions I’ve seen online. While it may be too early to say for sure, a disturbing number of correspondents think we’ve now got fewer birds than in previous years. Certainly there is reason to pay attention. On one hand, some notable species are in a remarkable rebound from just a few decades ago. Bald Eagles soar over our lakes and waterways and Ospreys once again nest near metropolitan lakes, due to concerted recovery efforts for state and federal wildlife agencies. Trumpeter swans declare their presence in marshes and lakes, and Sandhill Cranes trumpet their resurgence, again due to the diligent attention of wildlife officials. But Red-headed Woodpeckers have declined by as much as 80 percent in the la...
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