Meetings In St. Paul Yield Good Results For Duluth

A marathon negotiating session with a mediator in St. Paul resulted in a tentative agreement between AFSCME Local 66 and the city of Duluth early this morning.  Pending a ratification vote, the deal will avoid a threatened strike against the city by the union.  Details of the agreement will be released after union members are notified.  Hundreds of citizens and government officials from Duluth and St. Louis County are returning home today after the annual lobbying effort at the state capitol.  Andy Peterson from the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event, says it appears to have been a very productive two days.  The true test will come when a final bonding bill, that includes Duluth and northeastern Minnesota projects, is passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor.  State Representative Roger Reinert is scheduled to be a guest on the Friday Dave and Dave Show with a progress report on this year's Minnesota legislative session.