Here’s the press release from Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s office, announcing the appointment of Tom Sorel as the new state transportation commissioner:

Saint Paul – Governor Tim Pawlenty today appointed Tom Sorel as Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT).

Mr. Sorel currently heads the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) division office in Minnesota. The FHWA is a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and provides financial and technical support to state and local governments for constructing and preserving America’s highway system. He starts at Mn/DOT on Monday, April 28.

Mr. Sorel, 51, has held various positions with the FHWA since 1978 including Major Project Team Leader at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. and Director of Planning and Program Development and Chief of Technology Services in Albany, New York. During the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Mr. Sorel was the USDOT liaison for federal transportation issues and led the effort to build the infrastructure for the event.

“With 30 years of transportation experience and a civil engineering background, Tom Sorel is the right person to lead Mn/DOT,” Governor Pawlenty said. “Minnesota has invested more in roads over the last five years than ever before. Tom Sorel will provide the leadership as we continue to build a modern and efficient transportation system for Minnesota.”

Mr. Sorel received his degree in civil engineering from State University of New York in Buffalo and his Master of Business Administration from Thomas College in Maine. He has also received a Certificate of Conflict Management from Cornell School of Industrial/Labor Relations and an Associate Certificate Project Management from George Washington University.

In addition to many FHWA performance awards, he received the Presidential Honor for leading the federal transportation response, recovery, and rebuilding efforts in Minnesota in the aftermath of the I-35W Bridge Collapse. He currently serves on the boards of the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota, Minnesota Guide Star, and the Transportation Engineering and Road Research Alliance.

Mn/DOT, with approximately 4,400 employees, develops and implements policies, plans and programs for highways, railroads, commercial waterways, aeronautics, public transit and motor carriers in the state. Minnesota has the fifth largest highway system in the United States.

Earlier this month, Mn/DOT announced the state’s 2008 construction season that included135 new highway and bridge projects valued at $441 million. Highlights include the completion of major projects originally advanced by the Pawlenty bonding program in 2003. These include the Highway 10 realignment in Detroit Lakes, the Highway 34 reconstruction in Park Rapids, the I-694/I-35E Unweave the Weave reconstruction north of St. Paul and the new Highway 212 project in the southwest Metro. There are also some 20 additional carryover projects begun in previous years like the I-35W/Highway 62 Crosstown reconstruction in the Twin Cities.

Idaho Sen. Larry Craig: When he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, he included a hand-written note to the prosecutor, thanking him for his “cooperation.” The prosecutor cites that in a memo he filed Monday opposing Craig’s attempt to

withdraw his guilty plea after his bathroom arrest at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The prosecutor says that in his pre-plea phone dealings with Craig, the Idaho Republican was “calm and collected” and his “questions intelligent and methodical.” In short, Craig knew what he was doing when he entered his guilty plea, the prosecutor argues. Here’s the Star Tribune story and here’s the Idaho Statesman’s story.

By the way, if you’re to run into Craig at the Lindbergh Terminal — for whatever reason — you’re going to have to make different travel plans. The Washington Post’s Sleuth Mary Ann Akers, who refers to Craig’s party ID as “R-Not Gay,” says Craig is now changing planes in Denver. Here’s her item.

That wacky Wakota Bridge: If you had doubts about the under-construction Wakota Bridge before the I-35W bridge collapsed, then maybe this item is actually good news: The state is considering delaying work on this troubled bridge project to free up funds for the rebuilding of the I-35 bridge. Here’s the latest development on the continuing bridge fallout.

Presidential race: The Washington Post has had a couple of blog items on The Trail about President Bush’s off-the-record and on-the-record comments about the candidates — especially Hillary Rodham Clinton

and Rudy Giuliani — hoping to succeed him. Here’s the first item and here’s the most recent item.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is under scrutiny on a couple of bridge-related fronts. The agency suspended its incomplete inspection of the I-35W bridge, months before it collapsed. And MnDOT hired but then didn’t use a consulting firm to inspect the bridge for flaws. Here’s the story by Pat Doyle and Mike Kaszuba.

Meanwhile, the state Legislative Auditor now has MnDOT in his sights. The agency failed to notify James Nobles about questionable travel expenses by its official in charge of emergency responses. Nobles learned about the situation after the Star Tribune reported that the official was on an East Coast business trip when the bridge collapsed — and that she took 10 days to return to Minnesota. Here’s the original story and here’s today’s news.

An investigation on a completely different front involves allegations against the U.S. attorney for Minnesota, Rachel Paulose. As part of the continuing staff upheaval in her office, a federal office is looking into reports that she carelessly handled classified documents and retaliated against employees in her office. Here’s the story, and here’s the initial report on the probe on former colleague Eric Black’s blog.

Jim Ramstad, just a day after he announced his retirement plans, scored a big victory in the U.S. Senate last night. The Senate passed the mental health parity bill, which Ramstad, R-Minn., and the late Sen. Paul Wellstone had long championed. The bill is awaiting action in the House. Here’s the news report and here’s more information about the legislation on the Wellstone Action! website.

There’s a big vote beginning at 11:30 a.m. today. Ok, it’s not really a political development, but still… The designs for next year’s Winter Carnival button will be unveiled today, and the public will have a chance to vote for their favorites. Here’s more information.