Here at WDN, we're determined to deliver you, the reader, something that other newspapers can't ... all Wilkie news, all the time! Coming next week: a new Wilkie-rubble webcam!

Er, in all seriousness, we do try to deliver your local news in a professional, fair and insightful fashion. My niche has traditionally included city and county politics, and state politics as it directly affects the Winona area.

To that end, I fear our readers that follow federal politics are feeling excluded. From our standpoint, the explanation is simple: we just don't have the time or resources to cover federal politics like the Washington Post. Heck, with four reporters on the WDN staff, we don't have as much combined manpower as metro papers might have in their DC bureau.

But enough excuses. From now on, I'll promise to do my best to keep you posted on Minnesota's First Congressional District race. The First District, by the way, covers all of southern Minnesota, from Wisconsin to South Dakota.

I'd followed the CD-1 race in the past but rarely wrote about it; I'll try to change that in the next couple months. Perhaps more importantly, the startup of this blog create a forum for Winonans to discuss First District news from the from bigger papers or political blogs that can dedicate more time to federal news.

With that in mind, GOP First District candidate Brian Davis is facing scrutiny from the Strib (http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/25852324.html) and MPR (http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/07/23/davistaxes/?refid=0). Both outlets are referencing a report at the Politico Web site (http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/07/23/US_House_candidates_dogged_by_tax_liens/UPI-52551216816392/)

It seems Davis rarely paid his property taxes on time since 2003. Politico says the news is part of a trend of late-tax charges being leveled in other races nationwide. DFL Senate candidate Al Franken, for example, said in April that he was paying about $70,000 in back incomes taxes in 17 states.

Back to the Davis news: how important is it that he was assessed $1,400 in late tax fees? Is this information useful to you as a voter? Is this the sort of revelation that journalists should use their investigative chops to unearth?

Here at WDN, we're determined to deliver you, the reader, something that other newspapers can't ... all Wilkie news, all the time! Coming next week: a new Wilkie-rubble webcam!

Er, in all seriousness, we do try to deliver your local news in a professional, fair and insightful fashion. My niche has traditionally included city and county politics, and state politics as it directly affects the Winona area.

To that end, I fear our readers that follow federal politics are feeling excluded. From our standpoint, the explanation is simple: we just don't have the time or resources to cover federal politics like the Washington Post. Heck, with four reporters on the WDN staff, we don't have as much combined manpower as metro papers might have in their DC bureau.

But enough excuses. From now on, I'll promise to do my best to keep you posted on Minnesota's First Congressional District race. The First District, by the way, covers all of southern Minnesota, from Wisconsin to South Dakota.

I'd followed the CD-1 race in the past but rarely wrote about it; I'll try to change that in the next couple months. Perhaps more importantly, the startup of this blog create a forum for Winonans to discuss First District news from the from bigger papers or political blogs that can dedicate more time to federal news.

With that in mind, GOP First District candidate Brian Davis is facing scrutiny from the Strib (http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/25852324.html) and MPR (http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/07/23/davistaxes/?refid=0). Both outlets are referencing a report at the Politico Web site (http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/07/23/US_House_candidates_dogged_by_tax_liens/UPI-52551216816392/)

It seems Davis rarely paid his property taxes on time since 2003. Politico says the news is part of a trend of late-tax charges being leveled in other races nationwide. DFL Senate candidate Al Franken, for example, said in April that he was paying about $70,000 in back incomes taxes in 17 states.

Back to the Davis news: how important is it that he was assessed $1,400 in late tax fees? Is this information useful to you as a voter? Is this the sort of revelation that journalists should use their investigative chops to unearth?

Here at WDN, we're determined to deliver you, the reader, something that other newspapers can't ... all Wilkie news, all the time! Coming next week: a new Wilkie-rubble webcam!

Er, in all seriousness, we do try to deliver your local news in a professional, fair and insightful fashion. My niche has traditionally included city and county politics, and state politics as it directly affects the Winona area.

To that end, I fear our readers that follow federal politics are feeling excluded. From our standpoint, the explanation is simple: we just don't have the time or resources to cover federal politics like the Washington Post. Heck, with four reporters on the WDN staff, we don't have as much combined manpower as metro papers might have in their DC bureau.

But enough excuses. From now on, I'll promise to do my best to keep you posted on Minnesota's First Congressional District race. The First District, by the way, covers all of southern Minnesota, from Wisconsin to South Dakota.

I'd followed the CD-1 race in the past but rarely wrote about it; I'll try to change that in the next couple months. Perhaps more importantly, the startup of this blog create a forum for Winonans to discuss First District news from the from bigger papers or political blogs that can dedicate more time to federal news.

With that in mind, GOP First District candidate Brian Davis is facing scrutiny from the Strib (http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/25852324.html) and MPR (http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/07/23/davistaxes/?refid=0). Both outlets are referencing a report at the Politico Web site (http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/07/23/US_House_candidates_dogged_by_tax_liens/UPI-52551216816392/)

It seems Davis rarely paid his property taxes on time since 2003. Politico says the news is part of a trend of late-tax charges being leveled in other races nationwide. DFL Senate candidate Al Franken, for example, said in April that he was paying about $70,000 in back incomes taxes in 17 states.

Back to the Davis news: how important is it that he was assessed $1,400 in late tax fees? Is this information useful to you as a voter? Is this the sort of revelation that journalists should use their investigative chops to unearth?