am.mn logoTo paraphrase Billy Martin, who said it was a shame to name Hubert H. Humphrey after the Metrodome, it stinks that Christopher Columbus came to America on a snowy October day like this. A dome would be really nice over the whole University of Minnesota campus, where both of the state’s U.S. Senators are today: Al Franken at a news conference on college costs with U of M President Bob Bruininks, and Amy Klobuchar at a roundtable on reforming Wall Street.

Elsewhere in Minnesota news today …

WILLMAR: Community banks need special handling by feds. That’s what Klobuchar told women in Willmar. [West Central Tribune]

ST. PAUL: Nice stamp, if you like swans. The same two senators helped unveil a new postage stamp honoring Minnesota — and it’s a real ugly duckling. [Polinaut]

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA: If it walks like a duck … One innovative way the U of M keeps tuition down is by assessing every student a $1,200 annual fee without calling it what it is: tuition. [Minnesota Daily]

ST. PAUL: Nurses back Thissen. The gubernatorial aspirations of state Rep. Paul Thissen, a Minneapolis DFLer, got special care from the Minnesota Nurses Association. [Workday Minnesota]

BRECKENRIDGE: If we’d known you were coming … A school district wants three hours’ notice from any news media planning to cover its meetings. [St. Cloud Times]

MINNEAPOLIS: If it walks like a zombie … The flesh was weak but the turnout was strong for the annual Zombie Pub Crawl, during which some sang “zombieokie.” [Minnesota Daily]