Recent content from Dennis J. McGrath
Review: 'Turnout,' by Joan Anderson Growe, with Lori Sturdevant
New book examines Minnesota's history of getting out the vote.
REVIEW: 'Minnesota's Geologist,' by Sue Leaf
NONFICTION: A fine biography of the geologist who traveled Minnesota by canoe, wagon and horseback to determine what lay beneath.
With tall ships moving on, chess players descend on Twin Ports
Following on the heels of a blues festival and a parade of tall ships, chess players from around the region will arrive for the annual and popular Twin Ports Open.
Review: 'Working: Researching, Interviewing, Writing,' by Robert Caro
NONFICTION: Robert Caro set aside work on the final volume of his LBJ biography to publish a memoir about his decades of work on the late president and Robert Moses.
Burnsville chess team may get sectional win at nationals after ethics probe of Texas team
Metcalf Middle School finished in second place in a section at the K-9 National Chess Championship in April, runner-up to a Texas team that chess officials recently concluded violated numerous ethics rules.
Review: 'Say Nothing,' by Patrick Radden Keefe
NONFICTION: Former IRA members reveal details of bombings and killings — and blame a prominent politician for a widow's death.
Review: 'The Improbable Wendell Willkie,' by David Levering Lewis
NONFICTION: Wendell Willkie's political career was tragically short, but he had a huge impact at a critical moment in our nation's history.
Review: 'Autumn in Venice' by Andrea di Robilant
NONFICTION: Ernest Hemingway fell hard for a Venetian teenager, and she inspired him to write one of his greatest works.
Minnetonka chess grandmaster fails to repeat as U.S. champion
Wesley So didn't lose any games, but too many draws and too few wins left him in third place.
Complete Minnesota Poll results: State gun legislation
The Star Tribune Minnesota Poll interviewed 625 Minnesota registered voters between April 15 and April 18 about gun ownership, gun violence and gun control. Scroll…
Complete Minnesota Poll results: Gun laws
The Star Tribune Minnesota Poll interviewed 625 Minnesota registered voters between April 15 and April 18 about gun ownership, gun violence and gun control. Scroll…
Complete Minnesota Poll results: Taxes
The Star Tribune poll interviewed Minnesota registered voters between Jan. 8 and Jan. 10. Highlights from questions about the recent federal tax law signed by…
American chess grandmaster wins right to play for world championship
Minnetonka grandmaster Wesley So, the youngest competitor, finished in 7th place in the 8-player field.
Complete Minnesota Poll results: Governor's race
The Star Tribune poll interviewed Minnesota registered voters between Jan. 8 and Jan. 10. Highlights from questions about the upcoming race for governor in Minnesota…
Complete Minnesota Poll results: Sexual harassment
The Star Tribune poll interviewed Minnesota registered voters between Jan. 8 and Jan. 10. Highlights from questions about workplace sexual harassment and the fallout of…
Minnesota Poll results: What Minnesotans think about Al Franken's resignation
The Star Tribune poll interviewed Minnesota registered voters between Jan. 8 and Jan. 10. Highlights from questions about Al Franken's resignation from the Senate amid…
Minnesota Poll results: What Minnesotans think about possible collusion with Russia
The Star Tribune poll interviewed Minnesota registered voters between Jan. 8 and Jan. 10. Highlights from questions about possible collusion between the Trump campaign and…
Minnesota Poll results: Donald Trump's favorability ratings
To mark President Donald Trump's first year in office, the Star Tribune polled Minnesota registered voters between Jan. 8 and Jan. 10. Highlights from questions…
Wayzata student becomes one of nation's few chess grandmasters
A Wayzata High School student is the first homegrown Minnesota player to earn the game's top title.
DFL's mishandling of 1976 Senate appointment led to party's 'Minnesota Massacre'
Voters' ire over the appointment was a key factor in the DFL losing the top three statewide races; it took years to win back all three seats.
Minnetonka chess grandmaster qualifies for world championship cycle
Wesley So is one of eight who will be in the Candidates tourney in Berlin in 2018.
Review: 'Death in the Air,' by Kate Winkler Dawson, recounts deadly London fog and a serial killer
NONFICTION: A parallel look at the 1952 smog that killed 12,000 people and a serial killer who murdered eight.
Minnesota Poll results: Distracted driving
The most recent Star Tribune poll, conducted between April 24 and 26, asked registered Minnesota voters about distracted driving. Here's what they said: table…
Minnesota Poll results: Dayton's approval ratings
The most recent Star Tribune poll, conducted between April 24 and 26, asked registered Minnesota voters if they approve or disapprove of Gov. Mark Dayton's…
Minnesota Poll results: How Minnesotans see the healthcare debate
The most recent Star Tribune Poll, conducted April 24 to April 26, asked registered Minnesota voters several questions about their healthcare and debates surrounding the…
Minnesota Poll results: Donald Trump, foreign policy and Russia
The most recent Star Tribune Poll, conducted April 24 to April 26, asked registered Minnesota voters several questions about President Trump's foreign policy proposals and…
Minnesota Poll results: Donald Trump's favorability ratings
To mark President Donald Trump's first 100 days in office, the Star Tribune polled registered Minnesota voters between April 24 and April 26. Highlights from…
Minnesota Poll results: Senatorial job approval ratings
The most recent Star Tribune poll, conducted between April 24 and 26, asked registered Minnesota voters if they approve or disapprove of the job performances…
Minnetonka chess grandmaster's 67-game unbeaten streak comes to an end
So, who became the U.S. Champion earlier this month, hadn't lost a game in elite play dating to last July.
Minnetonka chess player shares lead at U.S. Chess Championship
Grandmaster Wesley So, who has an unbeaten streak of 65 games, won a stunner on Friday.
Minnetonka chess star faces tiebreaking playoff for U.S. championship
Shockingly short game leaves grandmaster Wesley So in a two-way tie for first.
Minnetonka chess player one of three with chance to win U.S. championship
Wesley So is in a three-way tie entering the final round of the national championship.
Minnetonka chess player ranked No. 2 in world after latest super tournament win
Minnesotan has had a stunning six months.
Twin Cities chess grandmaster reaches lofty heights, hauls in big prizes
Wesley So has a chess rating that only 11 others in the history of the game have achieved.
Norwegian world chess champion in danger of losing title
World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway is in danger of losing his title to his Russian challenger, after he suffered his first lost in…
Chess story begins, but doesn't end, with son's memory of father
When Che Vora thinks of chess, he thinks of his dad, who taught him the game.
Chess fans flood world title match, but have trouble seeing players
Organizers were caught off guard by the unexpected turnout, which led to long lines, rare glimpses of the two World Chess Championship contenders and ticket refunds for some.
Golden Valley boy gets to see World Chess Championship in New York City
Golden Valley boy was a spectator at the World Chess Championship.
Pay-per-view model comes to World Chess Championship
The company that stages the World Chess Championship match, which begins Nov. 11 in New York, is making it pay-per-view in hopes of bringing new riches to the world's best players.
World Chess Championship in New York includes international intrigue
Norwegian champ takes on Russian challenger.
Minnetonka grandmaster helps USA strike blow against Russia in chess
The United States delivered a geopolitical blow to Russia right where it hurts — over the chessboard — thanks to a pivotal performance by a…
Twin Cities chess player wins one of world's premier events
One year after a disastrous last-place finish, the grandmaster from Minnetonka came out on top of a tournament that's the chess equivalent of winning Wimbledon.
Elite Minnetonka chess player starts U.S. championship with big win
The game was hailed by chess experts for the ease in which Wesley So took apart one of the nation's strongest players.
How the poll was conducted
Today’s Star Tribune Minnesota Poll findings are based on interviews conducted Jan. 18-20 with 800 Minnesota registered voters via land line (70 percent) and cellphone…
11-year-old Eagan boy wins $8,000 in Vegas, but wasn't gambling
An 11-year-old boy from Eagan won nearly $8,000 in Las Vegas over the holiday break, and luck had nothing to do with it. Samrug Narayanan…
Minnetonka grandmaster scores his biggest win on world chess stage
Wesley So won a Spanish tourney that included a former world champion.
Can chess find a new audience with game show payouts and reality TV?
Promoters hope that big payouts and game-show gimmicks will make the traditional game ready for prime time.
The United States is actively collecting nerds
Jon Stewart wasn't kidding when "The Daily Show" had some fun with reports that the U.S. was offering large sums to recruit chess nerds from abroad.
Family battle turns chess grandmaster into pawn
Surprise encounter with estranged mother began a series of contentious meetings over a handful of days — and as the family drama unfolded, Wesley So unraveled.
Twin Cities chess grandmaster has high finish in elite tournament
Twin Cities chess grandmaster Wesley So put his troubles behind him and turned in a very strong performance at an elite tournament in Azerbaijan, finishing…
Twin Cities grandmaster rebounds, in 1st place at elite chess tournament
Wesley So's three wins and a draw puts him ahead of the current world champion in the tournament in Azerbaijan.
Grandmaster's mother explains why she showed up at chess tournament
Eleanor So writes that she and her family are at the "end of our rope."
Minnetonka grandmaster finishes third amid memorable first U.S. Championship
Minnetonka grandmaster Wesley So finished just 1.5 points behind the champion.
After forfeit, grandmaster reveals ambush visit by estranged mom
The U.S. Chess Championship went from bad to horrible for Minnetonka's Grandmaster Wesley So as he forfeited his game Friday for a rules violation. Behind it is a tale of what has been called an ambush by his estranged mother on the eve of the tournament.
Win keeps Minnetonka chess player's hopes alive
With a win in the seventh round Wednesday, an elite Twin Cities chess player has kept alive his hopes of winning the national championship. Grandmaster Wesley…
3rd loss crushes So's chances of winning chess title
Grandmaster Wesley So, the No. 8 player in the world, says that his first U.S. Chess Championship tournament is turning out to be one of his worst ever.
Top chess player makes his move – to Minnetonka
Wesley So is a fast-rising grandmaster who ranks No. 8 in the world and is being hailed as a possible world champion. A few months ago, the 21-year-old Filipino surprised chess experts by settling in Minnetonka, far from the world's premier chess centers.
Minnetonka grandmaster loses for second time at U.S. Chess Championship
With his second loss in his last four games, a Minnetonka grandmaster fell down in the standings as the U.S. Chess Championship tournament passed the…
Minnetonka grandmaster moves up a notch in chess championship standings
Wesley So, the Minnetonka 21-year-old, moved from third place into second place, but still trails the sole leader, Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, by a half point.
Twin Cities chess grandmaster bounces back with a draw
The result puts Wesley So alone in third place, only a half-point behind two co-leaders, and keeps him in the hunt after four rounds of the 11-round U.S. Chess Championship in St. Louis.
Minnetonka grandmaster wins in chess championship's opening round
A grandmaster from Minnetonka began his bid for the U.S. Chess Championship on Wednesday with a victory in the first round, converting what appeared to…
MINNESOTA POLL: Gov. Mark Dayton
GOV. MARK DAYTON: A majority of Minnesotans approve of the job Mark Dayton is doing as governor, but they are mixed on how he handled a public dispute with a fellow DFL leader.
21-year-old chess grandmaster makes his move – to Minnetonka
Wesley So is a young, fast-rising grandmaster who ranks No. 8 in the world and is being hailed as a possible world champion.
MINNESOTA POLL: State budget surplus
STATE BUDGET SURPLUS: Minnesotans are split on whether most of the $1.9 billion projected surplus should be refunded, spent or saved. But if it is refunded, a majority say it should be returned proportionally, based on how much income tax a person paid.
Interactive graphic: Minnesotans on transportation
TRANSPORTATION: Most Minnesotans rate the state's roads as being in only fair to poor condition, but only 45 percent support Gov. Mark Dayton's proposal to increase the gas tax to raise more money to pay for improvements.
MINNESOTA POLL: Teacher tenure
Teacher Tenure: A majority of Minnesotans believe that when public schools are forced to lay off teachers, administrators should consider performance, not just seniority.
MN Poll results: Child protection
The Star Tribune Minnesota Poll surveyed 800 Minnesota likely voters Oct. 20-22, 2014. The poll has a margin of sampling error of 3.5 percentage points, plus or minus.
Complete Minnesota Poll findings
The following Star Tribune Minnesota Poll findings are based on interviews conducted Sept. 8-10 with 800 Minnesota likely voters via land line (70%) and cellphone (30%). The poll was conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research Inc. Read more...
MN Poll results: Franken's lead dips below 10 percentage points
HOW POLL WAS CONDUCTED: The Star Tribune Minnesota Poll surveyed 800 Minnesota likely voters Oct. 20-22, 2014. Respondents were reached on both landlines (70 percent) and cell phones (30 percent). The poll has a margin of sampling error of 3.5 percentage points, plus or minus.
MN Poll results: Political allegiance shapes Ebola fears
HOW POLL WAS CONDUCTED: The Star Tribune Minnesota Poll surveyed 800 Minnesota likely voters Oct. 20-22, 2014. Respondents were reached on both landlines (70 percent) and cell phones (30 percent). The poll has a margin of sampling error of 3.5 percentage points, plus or minus.
MN Poll results: Dayton still leads, but Johnson gains ground
HOW POLL WAS CONDUCTED: The Star Tribune Minnesota Poll surveyed 800 Minnesota likely voters Oct. 20-22, 2014. Respondents were reached on both landlines (70 percent) and cell phones (30 percent). The poll has a margin of sampling error of 3.5 percentage points, plus or minus.
Corporate inversions unpopular in Minnesota
TAXES: According to a new Star Tribune Minnesota Poll, two-thirds of Minnesotans think the government should outlaw corporate inversions -- the much-discussed business tactic in which U.S.-based companies acquire foreign firms and then move their own headquarters to a country with lower tax rates Read full story
The majority of Minnesotans have given to political causes
money: More than half of Minnesotans have contributed to candidates or other political causes, according to a new Star Tribune Minnesota Poll Read full story
More than 40 percent of Minnesotans rate MNsure a failure
MNSURE: More than 40 percent of Minnesotans say the state's online health insurance exchange, MNsure, has been a failure in its first year, according to a Star Tribune Minnesota poll Read full story
Interactive: Complete results of Senate poll
The senate race: U.S. Sen. Al Franken leads his Republican challenger Mike McFadden by double digits, but that lead narrows dramatically outside the metro area and flips in northern Minnesota, according to a Star Tribune Minnesota Poll. Read full story
