Almanac: At the Capitol

We traveled up to the Iron Range to cover the hearing on the Health Department's delay of releasing data on the spike in cancer deaths in miners. The atmosphere was charged. It was standing room only. Miners were mad. They testified for about 90 minutes. Then Commissioner Mandernach came to the table where people sit and face lawmakers to testify. Instead she stood up, turned her back to lawmakers and faced the crowd to apologize to them. It was a gutsy move. One man shouted back that her apology was not accepted. The big news (as in the new development that a lot of MSM missed) was the fact the University of Minnesota is going to take the lead on the study now because of the lack of trust of the Health Department. I questioned Mandernach afterwards and she said she was willing to let the U take the lead if that means they can get to the bottom of what's killing miners. Channel 9 was the only other metro media to show up — that's a disappointment to me; this is an issue that should matter to every Minnesotan. People are dying. Public information you pay for was kept private.