government shutdown

Anglers who still need fishing licenses for the holiday weekend are being advised to buy them by Thursday in case Minnesota state government shuts down over the ongoing budget impasse.

If the government shuts down Friday, many daycare providers and their low-income clients will suffer a serious financial blow. Marcia Reagan runs a daycare out of her St. Cloud home. She says some of her families won't be able to pay for daycare if the state isn't cutting assistance checks.

Governor Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders met briefly but did not reach a budget deal with a government shutdown now only four days away. Dayton, House Speaker Kurt Zellers and Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch met privately for less than an hour Monday. Afterward the three appeared before the press together and say they're still hopeful of a deal that could head off a July 1 shutdown.

You'll have to put your next trip to a state park on hold, if the state government shuts down on Friday. All 66 of the state parks and six recreation areas will have to close.

Minnesota's elected officials have just four days to prevent a government shutdown, but they don't have a budget deal yet. A meeting between subject-area experts in health and welfare programs is scheduled on Monday.

Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders have broken from a day's worth of budget negotiations as they try to head off a state government shutdown on July 1.

A government shutdown could disrupt the July Fourth holiday for those planning to use Minnesota's 66 state parks and six recreation areas. More than 3,000 campsites have been reserved in state parks for the holiday weekend.

A Ramsey County judge has denied Gov. Mark Dayton's request to order stalled budget talks into mediation. Chief Judge Kathleen Gearin ruled against the Democratic governor's request Thursday during a hearing expected to address the size and scope of a looming government shutdown.

Minnesota's highest court has dismissed a petition from four Republican state senators seeking to prevent the judicial branch from authorizing state spending in a government shutdown. The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the matter properly belongs before a lower court.

Minnesota's cities are pushing to keep their state aid checks coming even if state government shuts down on July 1. The League of Minnesota Cities filed paperwork Wednesday arguing that the state should be required to keep paying aid to local governments. Cities have already built this year's budgets around the checks expected in July and December.