Dave Thune

The ongoing U.S. Senate contest may have produced an unlikely victim: instant-runoff voting. At Saturday’s DFL convention in St. Paul, delegates failed to back a measure to support the controversial balloting system. As St. Paul City Council member Dave Thune put it, “We’ve got a general population that has trouble filling out one oval in a Coleman-Franken race.”

Mike Costello, the owner of Costello’s Bar & Grill, has long been at odds with St. Paul City Council member Dave Thune. The Selby Ave. entrepreneur was a ringleader in opposing a smoking ban in bars and restaurants pushed by Thune. More recently he took issue with the Democrat’s participation in protests surrounding the Republican [...]

St. Paul City Council member Dave Thune has long provoked passionate responses from both his admirers and detractors. He drew the ire of bar owners by championing a smoking ban (despite his own long-standing nicotine jones) and initially opposed expanding liquor-license hours during the Republican National Convention for fear of puking GOP lobbyists. So it’s no surprise that some residents might be interested in booting the liberal Democrat from office.

Last night KSTP-TV (Channel 5) breathlessly reported that St. Paul City Council member Dave Thune sent a profane email to a constituent. Mike Costello, owner of Costello’s Bar & Grill, had fired off a note to Thune expressing disgust that the elected official had dared to participate in protests during last week’s Republican National Convention [...]

The St. Paul City Council rejected an appeal of a parade permit issued for the opening day of the Republican National Convention this afternoon. By a 6-1 vote, the council endorsed the route drafted by the St. Paul Police Department.

Representatives of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War argued that the [...]

St. Paul Sen. Sandy Pappas may have apologized for a comment made by fellow DFLer Dave Thune of the St. Paul City Council about “puking Republican lobbyists” who might take advantage of a proposed extension of bar hours during the Republican National Convention, but Thune himself sticks by his statement. The PiPress’ City Hall Scoop [...]

State Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul, apologized on the floor of the Minnesota Senate Thursday for remarks made Wednesday by St. Paul City Council Member Dave Thune on the proposal to extend bar hours during the Republican Party convention. Thune said: “Remember whose ward this is going to end up in — it’s mine. And [...]

The St. Paul City Council passed a resolution Wednesday that calls for transparency of the process for protesters and public input on the community involvement on the Republican National Convention.  The action came at a council meeting as several protesters sat in the audience holding signs that blared such sentiments as “Our Streets, Their War.

St. Paul City Council Member Dave Thune on Monday ended the Tri-Council planning process for the Bridges of St. Paul. This will send the $1 billion project back to the developer, who could try reapplying for rezoning or could ask the city to look at a new small area plan for the area. The next [...]

In a meeting called through an ad in the Pioneer Press, the TriCouncil Task Force gathered Thursday to discuss the Bridges of St. Paul project. The project has created significant contention since the idea was formed by Jerry Trooien, developer and owner of JLT Inc., a development firm, due to the project’s size and a [...]