am.mn logoThe last time Republican candidates for governor were all (or mostly all) in one place, someone had to go and start a straw poll. Party leaders halted that plebiscite halfway through to preserve suspense for an official straw poll Oct. 3. So leave your straw at home before you head to today’s GOP picnic at Central Park in Roseville (home turf of state Sen. John Marty, himself a DFL gubernatorial straw-poll champion).

Elsewhere in Minnesota headlines this morning …

RED WING: Steve Sviggum could be six months from guv run. So says the former state House Speaker, despite a fresh federal ruling that the Hatch Act won’t let him be a candidate for governor (not even in a rogue Roseville straw poll?) while he’s a state commissioner. [Red Wing Republican Eagle]

EDEN PRAIRIE: Favre hire doesn’t favor stadium bid — yet. Gov. Pawlenty pooh-poohed talk that by signing Brett Favre, the Minnesota Vikings had gained enough momentum to push through a public stadium subsidy. [Associated Press; Minnesota Public Radio]

BOUNDARY WATERS: Half the haze has local source. Nearby coal-burning and taconite plants are clouding the air in Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. [Minnesota Public Radio]

VIRGINIA: Tension over missing millions. Some city officials say $3.4 million is missing, but the auditor says it’s there somewhere. [Duluth News Tribune]

BLAINE: Council might allow gas stations next to schools. A fire official says there’s little danger: “In terms of gas stations exploding, that’s all Hollywood. That just doesn’t happen.” [Star Tribune]

SYLVAN LAKE: UFO landing investigated by Mutual of Omaha. Not the old Wild Kingdom sponsor, but a “Star Team” member from the Mutual UFO Network did travel from Omaha, Neb., to document what seemed to be a big thing splashing into the lake late last month. [Forest Lake Times via HometownSource.com]