A Bluestem Prairie

Walz Campaign: How You Can Help Flood Victims

This message was emailed yesterday to people on the Walz campaign email list and we've just gotten permssion to post it:

Dear Supporter,

Minnesota was struck by three disasters during the month of August. Tragedy struck in Minneapolis on August 1st when the I-35W bridge collapsed into the Mississippi river. Then, just three weeks later, flood waters wrecked havoc in southeastern Minnesota, resulting in the tragic loss of seven lives. The flood waters destroyed countless homes and businesses resulting in millions of dollars in damage to public and private property. These tragedies, combined with the disastrous droughts in rural Minnesota, present a significant challenge to Minnesota citizens, government agencies, and nonprofit disaster recovery organizations alike. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted by these three disasters and those working tirelessly to assist in the recovery efforts.

Since the flooding began in southeast Minnesota, our office has received many inquiries from citizens who seek to help their neighbors in need. This desire to help does not come as a surprise because that's what we do as Minnesotans - we help our neighbors when they are in need!

Congressman Walz has spent the last two weeks in southeastern Minnesota and, now that recovery efforts are in full swing, he has asked us to distribute information on how each of us can chip in. Relief agencies like the United Way, Salvation Army and Red Cross are in place, ready and eager for help. To ensure a coordinated and effective volunteer response, the local United Way has established a website at www.uwolmsted.org. We hope you will consider taking some time in the coming weeks to volunteer in southeastern Minnesota.

Sincerely,


Richard Carlbom, Political Director
Leah Solo, Outreach Director
Colin Laughlin, Database Manager
Tim Walz for U.S. Congress

Walz responds to attack ads from special interest groups

Earlier in the week, we posted information about attacks ads running in the Mankato Free Press. Several senior citizens had contacted us via email, so we dug into the story. Firedog Lake also looked at similar ads in another district in the post Targeting Democratic Freshmen By Frightening Senior Citizens.

In today's Free Press, Congressman Walz responds to the ads in In response — Special interest ad misleads:

Last Friday and again on Tuesday, Free Press readers had an opportunity to observe how special interest groups attempt to influence decisions made in Washington.

The so-called Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care and the American Health Care Association ran a full page color ad costing anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000 in Friday's and Tuesday’s editions of The Free Press. These special interests urged constituents to call my office in opposition to a bill that most Americans support, the CHAMP Act.

This legislation provides 11 million children from low-income families with health insurance, corrects overpayments by Medicare to private insurers, expands preventative care coverage and mental health services under Medicare, ensures patient access to physicians, and safeguards high-quality care in rural areas.

Hundreds of non-profit groups and professional organizations supported my vote, including the AARP, Children’s Defense Fund, American Nurses Association, the AFL-CIO, and the American Medical Association. These grassroots and non-profit associations stand in stark contrast to the big businesses that bought the ad.

The Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care is an umbrella group of the American Health Care Association, which is made up of companies like the pharmaceutical giant Merck, Credit Suisse, and several of the largest for-profit nursing homes, all of whom make millions of dollars from the Medicare system.

A major contributor to AQNHC is HCR Manor Care whose CEO, Paul Ormond, received an $18 million dollar pay package last year, and holds stock options valued up to $186 million, according to the Toledo Blade. I surmise that for Mr. Ormond, The Free Pass ad was a good buy, considering that defeating this legislation would mean millions of additional taxpayer dollars to his company.

Instead of heeding the advice of biased organizations such as the Alliance, my colleagues in Congress and I listened to the recommendations of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPac), a non-partisan, independent group, which found that skilled nursing facilities were making substantial profits from Medicare and judged that there would be ample access to nursing care for beneficiaries even without these taxpayer-funded windfalls.

The CHAMP Act froze, but did not cut, funding to skilled nursing facilities in order to allow fair competition with inpatient rehabilitation facilities. Mr. Ormond’s profits will not increase this year as a result of more taxpayer subsidies, but for seniors the availability of high-quality, competitive care will improve.

The best part of this lesson is that our democracy is alive and well. Congress did not fold to pressure from multi-million dollar conglomerates that falsely claim that the CHAMP Act is taking away from Medicare and from seniors. For too long, these private insurance companies and big nursing home chains have reaped the benefits of Medicare overpayments, and when I voted for the CHAMP Act, I voted for legislation that will help the most vulnerable of our community: our low-income children and seniors.

The people of the First District don’t have to buy expensive and deceptive ads. They don’t have to hire expensive lobbyists. People in southern Minnesota can be confident that I have and will continue to cast votes that are in the interest of our children and seniors, no matter how many full page, color ads costing thousands of dollars the special interest groups can buy.

Rep. Tim Walz is a Democrat who represents the First Congressional District.

Update: Welcome Firedog Lake visitors. For a new round-up post about this issue, click here.

 

Friday morning news digest: get on the CSPAN bus edition

The Mankato Free Press reports the CSPAN bus is coming to Gustavus to promote political awareness and a GAC official fires back that the kids are alright on their own:

From 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., anyone who wants to can take a tour of the bus. Between now and Election Day, it will make stops at major political events. Its aim is to inform voters and raise campaign awareness, something of which Gustavus already has a healthy supply, one college official said.

“The College Democrats and College Republicans I think are becoming a little more visible on campus than they were earlier in the decade (each has about 40 members),” said Matt Thomas, Gustavus’ media relations director. “People are getting involved in politics at a much younger age.”

The bus will be located on the street adjacent to the C. Charles  Jackson Campus Center between the three flags and Lund Center.

After leaving Gustavus, it reportedly will make stops at schools in Janesville and Waseca. This tour of America is called the “Road to the White House” tour.

The Winona Daily News reports pesky wasps have added to woes in Excited by trash, yellow jackets add misery to flood cleanup.

The Center for Rural Affairs blog includes Tim Walz in praising legislators who worked to get Beginning Farmer provisions in the new Farm Bill:

On the other hand, we worked closely with her to insert some beginning farmer and rancher programs in the House version of the 2007 farm bill. She was successful (with the help of MN Rep. Tim Walz, in particular) so we really, really appreciate that.

The Rochester Post Bulletin reports on FEMA aid handed out so far:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has so far awarded $2.4 million in disaster-relief grants to residents in southeastern Minnesota.

The money reflects approval of 515 applications for aid, said Brad Craine, a FEMA spokesman.

The amount will continue to grow as officials process more claims and assess damage sites.

The Worthington Globe has more on Ken Burns' WWII documentary's southwest Minnesota debut in Luverne prepares for premiere.

KEYC-TV reports that the St. Peter grocery Cooperative Help Farmers who were victims of the Southeastern Minnesota flooding.  KAAL-TV reports New Website Offers Help After Flooding and Efforts To Prevent Looting in Floodzone.

 

PiPress: Tough sledding for Rushford-Peterson champs

Having graduated from St. Peter High, we know all about that home town pride for the local teams, so Tough Sledding, a story about the Rushford-Peterson football squad rang true.  Former Mankato West coach Walz is quoted:

Having won three state championships in the past five years, the Trojans are to Rushford what the Yankees are to New York, never mind the former has 2,300 residents to the latter's 8 million.

Even President Bush, during his visit to the Twin Cities last week to address the flood damage and Interstate 35W bridge collapse, referenced Rushford football after a private meeting with U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, the first-term Democrat whose district became Ground Zero.

Walz said his constituents did not want to be forgotten simply because they were from bluff country in southeastern Minnesota.

"In smaller towns, you see a great deal of pride in the local high school teams. They represent a sense of where they were and where they're going to get again," Walz said. "They've lost many houses and businesses. But they've also got a state title to go out and defend."

Good luck to the Trojans tonight in their game against Lewiston.  In Rushford-Peterson volleyball team sweeps Cotter,  the Winona Daily News reports floods didn't stop the school's female athletes, either.

 

The bridges of Mn-01; or, the remains of the Day

We go attend to some responsibilities, only to return to a mailbox stuffed with goodies related to the 4-pak seeking GOP endorsement in the First. From Minnesota2020, an analysis of a report on the state's bad bridges, appropriately titled Bad Bridges, Bad Votes. MN2020 fellow Conrad deFiebre writes:

Day’s constituents around Owatonna have to put up with five highway bridges rated structurally deficient and eight more listed as functionally obsolete. Demmer’s House district around Hayfield and Rochester has three structurally deficient bridges.

Both voted no on bipartisan transportation funding bills in 2005 and 2007, and their opposition helped sustain Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s vetoes of the measures after they passed the Legislature. For good measure, Demmer voted against a state bonding bill this year – also vetoed by Pawlenty – that would have appropriated $30 million for deficient local bridges.

Demmer and Day were the among the standouts in a new analysis of public bridge data by legislative districts and their elected officials’ votes, released Wednesday by the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy.

Who knew? And yet Day and Demmer will both try to barter their legislative records for the Republican endorsement in the First.

Another Republican candidate  is taking a different approach to closing the deal with the First's GOP base.  Brian Davis is touting his superior morals and lack of political experience. Over at Minnesota Monitor and Minnesota Campaign Report, Joe Bodell interviewed Brian Davis:

I am a father, husband and physician.  My experience as a father has reaffirmed my belief in the need of setting a positive, moral example. I'm disturbed by the lack of character and moral fiber of many of our elected officials in Congress.  I believe they need to be held to a higher standard.

George Lakoff could not have framed it better.  We're not entirely sure why Davis doesn't challenge Norm Coleman or move to Idaho.   After all, he's not afraid to criticize his Republican competition for the GOP endorsement:

In addition, I've grown frustrated by the professional political class.  A fundamental problem in Washington is that being a politician has become a career, rather a means of public service. Instead of re-electing professional politicians, we need to return to a system of electing citizen legislators as our Founding Fathers envisioned.

Given that Walz never held office until he was sworn in this January, that's a dig at Day and Demmer--and possibly even Lake Crystal school board member Mark Meyer. Shame on them for seeking higher office.  His line of attack on Walz is conservative boilerplate: a failure to rein in spending.  Oh, and he's against jihadists.

We look forward to more of the same from all of the 4-pak.

Thursday morning news digest: water edition

From one end of the district to the other, water issues shape today's news digest.  The Worthington Globe reports Worthington church cleans up its water act.  Indian Lake Baptist Church has a water problem--but not for long:

A bright yellow sign above an ordinary drinking fountain in the hall of Indian Lake Baptist Church proclaims “WARNING! DO NOT DRINK THIS WATER!”

Just in case anyone doesn’t take the sign seriously, a portable drinking water dispenser blocks access to the fountain, offering the thirsty a safe, bacteria-free alternative water source.

Thanks to an $8.5 million low-interest loan and a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Agency, the church, located just a few miles away from Worthington, will get safe, fresh-tasting water by 2009 via the Red Rock Rural Water System.

“These issues of rural water are incredibly critical,” said U.S. Rep. Tim Walz at an Indian Lake open house Wednesday.

Walz recognized and thanked the individuals and agencies who had worked to improve the rural water supply for years before he became involved with the project.

“This is the way government should function,” Walz said, describing how people had determined their needs and the best way to deliver the service before putting the plan in action. “The bottom line is improved quality of life.”

With the grant, eight townships in Jackson and Nobles counties will receive water piped in mostly from Osceola County, Iowa. The city of Trimont in Jackson County will also provide some water for the project.

Some would call the appropriations for the Red Rock Rural Water System "pork."  The Globe reports a different framing of the issue:

“Bringing rural water out here is kind of like bringing electricity to rural areas in the old days,” said Adam Czech, public information coordinator with Rural Development. “How do you expect to attract businesses and retain the population with bad water?”

Czech emphasized the development of rural water sources in connection with economic development.

The article explains the two sources of water shortages in southwestern Minnesota:  contaminated shallow wells and deep wells (1000 feet or more) that retrieve very old water that tastes and smells like rotten eggs and stains everything it touches a rusty orange.

Minnesotans tout their 10,000 lakes, but sometimes those bodies of water are honored in the breach. The Mankato Free Press picks up on the Corn Plus story--three days after the weekly Faribault County Register reported the news on Monday.   The Free Press does report a possible motive for the ethanol plant dumping untreated wastewater into a county ditch that feeds into a nearby lake:

The warrant application said that between October of last year and June of this year, the MPCA received numerous complaints of a visible milky and odorous discharge of wastewater in the ditch that leads to the lake.

Corn Plus is required under its permits with the state to discharge its wastewater only to the city’s wastewater plant for treatment.

The sheriff said in the warrant request that he believed Corn Plus has intentionally dumped wastewater into the ditch, “At least in part to avoid the cost of discharging wastewater to the city’s wastewater treatment plant.”

The warrant said the company is also required to notify the state if it does discharge water anywhere other than the treatment plant — something Corn Plus didn’t do.

This fits with what we've been hearing about the plant from friends in the vicinity for a while now.  People were getting pretty frustrated because they felt that their complaints were being brushed off. No longer.

KEYC-TV reports that Rain Delays Rapidan Dam Repairs. Area businesses are frustrated by the closed campground and subsequent loss of customers.

The Rock County Star Herald reports Prairie town represents small-town USA in documentary.  Ken Burns' new PBS series about World War II includes Luverne as one hometown. Tom Hanks is the voice of a local newspaper editor.

People in Luverne are also thinking about this century's wars, and the Fifth Remember Rally set for Sept. 8.  The Remember Rally is intended to pay tribute to recovery workers in the September 11 WTC attacks.  Money raised by the rally will be donated to rescue worker recovery funds. An organizer concerned about workers exposed to toxins during clean up told the paper:

Sherwood said, "Thousands and thousands of people are sick and there's more every year who are getting sick. They have a variety of cancers, especially."

All proceeds from the Remember Rally go to rescue worker recovery funds.

Registration for the rally ($10) starts at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Luverne Eagles Club.

People in Luverne are lending a helping hand to people in the NYC area. On the other end of the district, flooded out  vegetable farmers are getting a boost from metro consumers. The PiPress tells the story Twin Cities co-op groceries coming to the aid of Southeastern Minnesota organic growers.

The Winona Daily News reports about the damage farmers of all sorts suffered in ‘A big gamble’: Farmers face crop, equipment losses. The paper also posts a  Q & A about Flood insurance: Everything you’ve ever wanted to — or wish you didn’t — know.   State Senator Steve Murphy says flood victims should receive state money.  The WDN notes:

Murphy’s comments came after Rep. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona, announced plans for a legislative hearing next week in Winona to assess damage to public infrastructure.

Pelowski is a member of the House Capital Investment Committee, which determines bonding needs for state infrastructure.

That committee will meet at 5 p.m. Sept. 5 at Winona City Hall to assess bonding needs resulting from flood damage in southeast Minnesota. The hearing — which the public can attend — will feature testimony from leaders of local counties, cities and townships.

In other news, a  New Ulm Journal reader corrects the DM & E in Local rail replaced in mid-1940s. A DM & E spokesman had claimed the rails were 80 years old.

People in Southern Minnesota have long memories. Those looking to celebrate fighting historical crimes can go to Madelia on the 8th.  The St, James paper reports that Younger Brothers capture re-enactment will take place then.  After the James-Younger Gang robbed a bank in Northfield, the good people of Madelia brought the Younger boys in after a shoot-out in the Hanska Slough. 

Walz targeted on CHAMP Act vote; vote supported by AARP and AMA

According to their  web sites, the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care and the American Health Association have launched a new ad campaign targeting Congressman Walz and other Democrats in swing districts.  With the exception of Georgia's Jim Marshall and John Barrow, all targeted representatives are freshmen. UPDATE, 4:45: There's a good post about this campaign in operation in other districts over at Firedog Lake. We learned over there that Marshall and Baron Hill are actually being praised for their votes against the CHAMP Act. [end update]

Full-page, color ads are running in district newspapers, including the Mankato Free Press.

Both groups object to what they claim are cuts in Medicare funding contained within the CHAMP Act, which seeks to extend health care insurance for all American children and reform Medicare. According to the groups, $2.7 billion  over five years would be cut from nursing home care in order to pay for children's health insurance under SCHIP.   Those supporting the law as written point out that payment levels are frozen, rather than cut.

While the provider groups are targeting Walz and other Democrats, the reaction from groups representing seniors to the CHAMP Act hit a different note.  The nation's larest group, AARP Applauds Passage of CHAMP Act:

On August 1, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Children's Health And Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act by a 225-204 margin. This bill will improve Medicare for older Americans and strengthen the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for millions of children.

How did your Member of Congress vote?  Click here to find out a[nd] send him or her a message.

AARP applauds the Members of Congress who voted for the CHAMP Act. These lawmakers put the needs of older Americans and low-income children ahead of special interests, and took the necessary action to help improve our health care system. SCHIP and Medicare are critical for the health care of this country and the CHAMP Act makes necessary improvements to both programs.

We are disappointed by the representatives who voted against strengthening health care for children and improving Medicare. When SCHIP reauthorization and Medicare legislation return to the floor for final approval, we hope those members will re-think their vote against such a critical bill.

Find out how your member voted and send him or her a message about this critical vote.

If you are one of the thousands of AARP members who sent an e-mail or made a phone call to your Member of Congress, we thank you. Your actions do make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans on critical issues such as the CHAMP Act. Keep in touch with the campaign by going to www.aarp.org/getinvolved.

The American Medical Association also favored the passage of the CHAMP Act:

"The American Medical Association applauds the members of the U.S. House of Representatives who voted to pass legislation that preserves access to health care for children and seniors. The House rose to the challenge of making sure that two critical health care issues were addressed before the August recess, and while there is more work to be done, now millions of low-income children and seniors can know that the House is committed to ensuring that they continue to have access to health care.

The CHAMP Act will ensure that two of our most vulnerable populations can get in and see the doctor by renewing the federal health care coverage program for poor children and stopping steep Medicare cuts to physicians caring for seniors. A full 60 percent of physicians tell the AMA that next year's harsh 10 percent payment cut will force them to limit the number of new Medicare patients they can treat. By increasing the tobacco tax and eliminating overpayments to insurance companies offering private Medicare plans, Congress has found two appropriate ways to pay for these important national health care priorities.

"As soon as the Senate passes legislation to renew children's health care coverage, America's doctors urge Congress to expedite the conference process. Congress must finalize the legislation before SCHIP expires on September 30. Working together, we are confident that members of Congress, from both chambers and both sides of the aisle, can find common ground so that children and seniors will continue to have access to needed health care services."

Earlier in the year, the ACHA had praised Walz for signing a letter opposing the Bush Administration's proposed $10 billion cuts over five years to Medicare and Medicaid.

AQNHC enjoys a somewhat different history. In the past,  AQNHC has been associated with support for Republicans, according to Sourcewatch. Open Secrets has published its lobbying data.

Across the country, some writers and groups have responded directly to the ads. Joel Engelhardt at the Palm Beach Post took a scathing look Behind those hursing-home ads. An SEIU Vice President called for the group to come clean about its scare tactics:

SEIU Executive Vice President for Long Term Care Gerry Hudson said the following in an open letter to Alan Rosenbloom, AQNHC President, in response to the Alliance’s denial that recent ad campaign was meant to scare seniors through warrantless claims about threats to Medicare funding:

“The evidence contradicts your recent communications on the matter of quality of care for America’s seniors. To borrow a turn of phrase, it appears ‘the Alliance doth protest too much.’ The facts are simple:

• The Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care has published newspaper ads and taken out television ads that both target politicians who support SCHIP and seek to scare seniors into believing the current SCHIP bill, if enacted, threatens their care (“Behind those nursing-home ads,” Palm Beach Post, 8/7).

• While nursing homes are pleading poverty and the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care is paying for manipulative ads that endanger the funding of SCHIP, HCR Manor Care's  CEO Paul Ormond stands to make upwards of $186 million dollars in the Carlyle buyout deal.

If the industry were truly concerned about the quality of care for America’s seniors, they would invest their resources in improving care. Instead they plead poverty as they drain hundreds of millions of dollars out of the public coffers. Since two-thirds of HCR Manor Care’s revenues -- and indeed of the revenues of the industry as a whole -- are coming from public dollars, we are left to ask who is in fact is paying for the television ads? . . .

We understand that the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), an independent federal body established by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-33) to advise the U.S. Congress on issues affecting the Medicare program, recommended freezing payments to skilled nursing facilities, rather than cutting them.  See pages 224-225 of this report from the Ways and Means Committee:

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) makes annual recommendations regarding automatic payment updates in the law for Medicare providers. They recommended a zero percent update for skilled nursing facilities and the Committee followed their advice. The Committee notes that this market basket change is effective for only the last three quarters of FY2008.

The Committee would highlight that skilled nursing facilities directly benefit by the extension of the exceptions process for therapy services included in this act and by removing clinical social workers from the SNF consolidated billing requirement. Furthermore, the payment change for inpatient rehabilitation facilities for unilateral hip replacements, unilateral knee replacements, and hip fractures, will enable to nursing homes to compete on a more level playing field with IRFs.

We'll be doing more research to figure out why the provider groups disagree so sharply with Medpac,  AARP, the AMA, the American Nurses Association and dozens of other groups.

Education Week: NCLB news

Education Week reports House Education Leaders Issue Draft NCLB Renewal Plan:

The leaders of the House education committee today released a draft of a plan for reauthorizing the No Child Left Behind Act, outlining proposals that would revise how adequate yearly progress is calculated and overhaul the interventions for schools failing to meet achievement goals.

In releasing the long-awaited plan, Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., and Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon, R-Calif., said that they were inviting comments from educators so that they can incorporate their ideas into the bill they hope to introduce shortly after Labor Day.

“This draft is a work in progress, subject to change over the coming weeks as the committee moves a bill through the legislative process,” Reps. Miller and McKeon wrote in a letter to “education stakeholders.”

“The committee has not endorsed this staff discussion draft,” adds the Aug. 27 letter, which was also signed by the Rep. Dale E. Kildee, D-Mich., and Rep. Michael Castle, R-Del., the chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the Education and Labor Committee's key subcommittee on K-12 education. “However, we believe it represents a starting point from which to receive input.”

An 11-page summary of the draft bill details many of the ideas the Rep. Miller previously said would be included in his reauthorization proposal, such as using so-called growth models to calculate AYP, adding measures other than statewide tests to allow schools to reach their progress goals, and differentiating interventions based on schools’ achievement levels.

The Washington Post looks at the story briefly in Congressman Offers Revisions to 'No Child'.

Elsewhere in Edweek, polling discovers that more Americans know about NCLB and fewer of them like it.

 

The bridges of Houston County. . .

. . .( and the county roads, too) will require $ $8,900,000 in repair and replacement costs,  according to the Spring Grove Herald article, County faces major infrastructure costs for county bridges and roads.

The paper reports that residents of Spring Grove, which was spared from the ravages of flash flooding, raised $15,000 to help their neighbors in other town.  The money was donated to the Minnesota Flood Relief of the Red Cross.

In the opinion section, editor David Phillips notes the area's tradition of helping others; he and his staff helped get the Rushford paper out after floodwater destroyed its office and advertising base.  State Senator Sharon Erickson Ropes contributes a moving letter, as does State Representative Ken Tschumper.  Expect these two to be tigers in the upcoming special session.

The Houston County Fair was forced to shut down early, but the organizers seem to have demonstrated the area's native resilience in salvaging what they could.   Milk was given to victims of the flooding, and 64 cases of bottled water were contributed to volunteers helping with the cleanup.   Until the fair was closed, organizers improvised.  The Herald reports:

Troubleshooter didn't come Saturday night because of the rain, so fairgoers did their own DJ thing. Does anyone have a picture of the fair president on top of the bar? His sister would like a copy.

She's not the only one.

The Winona Daily News reports Feds offer loans, grants, but flood victims ask if it will be enough.  One source for additional relief is the state of Minnesota but the legislature must meet to work out the details.  The WDN has more in Pawlenty asks for special session.

Flood aid for farmers and small businesses

The Caledonia Argus reports that the USDA offers flood and the Southern Minnesota Initiative Fund has establisehd a grant program for small businesses.  For farmers:

Minnesota Farmers

With the emergency declaration, Minnesota’s farmers in the declared counties will have the opportunity to apply for emergency USDA loans for production crop loss, as well as physical livestock and real estate loss, though farmers will still need to meet USDA’s eligibility requirements (see links to USDA websites below for more information).

Senator Amy Klobuchar and Congressman Tim Walz encourage farmers to register their farm damages with their local FSA office and to contact their insurance provider as soon as possible. Additional information can be found at the following websites:

Emergency Farm Loans

For small business owners:

Former U.S. Congressman Tim Penny brought encouraging word to area business owners affected by the recent floods in Southeastern Minnesota. While addressing the Houston County Board at the August 28 meeting, Penny, who was recently named president and CEO of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), outlined a new recovery fund earmarked to help businesses that suffered losses to the floods.

“While there are low-interest loans available to business people, you still have to pay the principal and the interest back. With the devastating losses many in this portion of the state suffered, it would be very difficult for a business to start over and have all that debt service,” Penny explained.

“This would be a granting program, not a loan program,” Penny continued. “The grants would be available for equipment, supplies, things needed to get these businesses up and running.” . . .

. . .The Foundation expects to have eligibility and application information available on its website at

on August 31, 2007.

Tax-deductible contributions to the Business Recovery Fund can be mailed to SMIF, PO Box 695, Owatonna, MN 55060. For more information contact Suzy Meneguzzo at 507-455-3215 . . .

In Flood briefs, the Winona Daily News reports on more programs, from showers for flood victims without safe water supplies to help for veterans stricken by the disaster.

Early evening news digest: more flood recovery

The Strib lets readers know Flooding hasn't closed down Lanesboro area.   Now that the emergency is over, the way to help the area is to visit the coulee region.

The Rochester Post Bulletin reports that Flood victims begin process of seeking aid:

FEMA offers grants to cover uninsured losses, and the Small Business Administration offers low-interest loans to businesses and individuals. Grubman also said that FEMA will offer advice to individuals and cities on how to avoid flooding catastrophes in the future.

Grubman declined to disclose details about FEMA financial assistance. But according to Gov. Tim Pawlenty's office, the FEMA program is capped at $28,200 per household to cover costs related to items such as temporary housing, repair and rebuilding.

FEMA has been maligned for its response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, leading some in southeastern Minnesota to be wary about its response to recent flooding. U.S. Rep. Tim Walz addressed the issue when he visited Elba last week, expressing cautious optimism that the agency will do a better job this time.

MPR reports that Pawlenty lays out what he wants in a special session. A PB reader writes that Low-interest loans aren't enough.

When we traveled to Washington DC in June to do grassroots lobbying on behalf of the Audubon Society, our fellow Minnesota citizen advocate was Nancy Adams, who praised the many advantages of hazelnuts, including helping hold soil.  Looks like she was right on, according to the PB article The value of nuts: The rain came, and tree roots held the soil.

We're sure everybody wanted to know that Rushford residents can flush their toilets again.

Tuesday morning news digest: drying out edition

The PiPress looks at the hit Southeastern Minnesota's tourism industry is taking as a result of the flooding in Floods take deep toll on tourism:

Tourism is an $11.8 billion industry in Minnesota, according to a 2006 report by Explore Minnesota Tourism and the university's Tourism Center. More specifically, travelers in the southern region of the state spent about $1.9 billion, according to a 2006 report on economic impact.

The Root River State Trail, which connects Houston, Rushford, Peterson, Lanesboro and other communities, has been a boon for southeastern Minnesota as a tourism region.

Everyone in the area feels the consequences of the natural disaster.

"If it impacts our neighbors, it impacts our whole region," said Mark Bishop, owner of Niagara Cave in Harmony.

After the floods, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources closed the Root River trail from Lanesboro to Houston so crews could repair a bridge in Rushford and a 400-foot trail section that washed away near Lanesboro.

The Strib reports that damage estimates have been revised upward in Flood damage tops $67M.

The Austin Daily Herald asks that Congress Fix National Flood Insurance Program, as does the Mankato Free Press in Needed: A flood of reality.   Meanwhile residents in Adams supplied clean-up supplies, $400, and 14 volunteers, according to the ADH report, Adams sends relief to flood aftermath.

In the Marshall Independent, farmer and Land Stewardship Project member Paul Sobocinski asks for a competition title in his letter House farm bill falls short on market access:

The House farm bill (H.R. 2419) that passed July 27 took a step forward in support for rural communities by including $15 million a year in mandatory funding for community-based beginning farmer training programs. Congressman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, along with Congressman Tim Walz, D-Minn., successfully secured beginning farmer initiatives in the House bill which also improved access to credit and conservation provisions for new farmers. These initiatives are about creating new opportunities in agriculture for the next generation of farmers.

But one place the House bill falls short is providing assurances that farmers have access to free and competitive markets. As we pass initiatives to support beginning farmers, we also need to enact policies that mean farmers have access to fair and competitive markets. . . .

The rest of the letter spells out specific proposals that should be included in the Senate version of the Farm Bill.  Read it all at the Independent.

Gary Wallin of Mantorville isn't happy with Democrats voting for FISA, he writes in We've giving away our freedom, a letter to the editor in the Rochester Post Bulletin.  In the comments section, a reader recommends Ron Paul.

In news, the PB reports Record rainfall ripped open hillsides in Hokah.   Help is coming in, according to Volunteers roll in to help SE Minnesota flood victims.  Another county could be added to the disaster, if a request is honored: Pawlenty requests disaster declaration for Dodge County.

The Winona Daily News picks up th AP story on how Flooding hurts clients of community-supported agriculture.  It has much more flood-related  news, but the highlight today maybe the unsigned letter reprinted in the editorial Of scoundrels and saviors in time of need.

Finally, we had first read the New York Times' comparison of the 1995 and 2007 Congresses via the Wege:

JUST before Congress adjourned for its August recess, Democrats engaged in a flurry of legislative activity, while Republicans complained about a “do-nothing” Congress’s meager policy accomplishments. Deep partisan differences, narrow majorities and a Republican in the White House have frustrated Democratic ambitions and fueled a toxic atmosphere in both chambers of Congress. The public’s low approval ratings reflect broad discontent with the direction of the country but also displeasure with Congress for failing to reverse course on Iraq and for continuing the bitter partisan warfare.

But has this really been a do-nothing Congress? The circumstances are similar to those in 1995, when a new Republican majority in both houses took office under a Democratic president. So perhaps the best question to ask is, how is this 110th Congress doing compared with the 104th Congress, in 1995?

Both new majorities began by spending more time in session, holding more committee meetings and roll call votes, and passing more substantive measures than the Congress before them had. At the same time, in both cases, the number of bills signed into law by the president from January to August dropped.

Still, the Democratic Congress’s legislative harvest this year has been bountiful compared with that of its Republican counterpart in 1995. Back then, the Republicans’ Contract With America was stymied by opposition from the Senate and the president. The new Congress has enacted a far-reaching lobbying and ethics reform bill, an increase in the minimum wage, recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, foreign investment rules and a competitiveness package, and has embedded a number of major initiatives and new priorities in continuing and supplemental spending bills. Democrats also made headway on energy, children’s health insurance, college student loans, Head Start, drug safety and a farm bill — though much of this awaits action in the Senate or in conference and faces a possible veto.

During the first seven months of 1995, Congressional oversight of the executive branch increased modestly in the Senate but not at all in the House. But this year Congress, especially the House, has intensified its oversight, following years of inattention and deference by its Republican predecessor.

Democratic promises to restore civility and regular parliamentary procedure by allowing the minority party a larger role in deliberations have foundered. The number of restrictive rules for debate has increased, and the conference process has been short-circuited on various occasions.

In the Senate, Republicans have made the filibuster, or the threat of filibuster, routine, setting a 60-vote hurdle for all contested legislative matters. This has led Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, to file many more petitions for cloture than Bob Dole, his counterpart in 1995, did.

The Wege suggests that Congress will be more popular once it curbs the President's war  ( not his exact words, but this is a public school and library friendly blog, so you'll have to visit to read them).

 

Faribault County Register: Corn Plus ethanol and a dirty creek

An ethanol plant in Faribault County has been searched local law enforcement and MPCA officials seeking to get to the source of pollution in a county ditch and local lake, the Faribault County Register repors

Several weeks ago, the Faribault County Register published Is pollution a threat to Rice Lake area?

Grayish, murky-colored water being discharged into a county ditch near Winnebago, and making its way to a local lake, has caught the attention of Minnesota Pollution Control Agency officials.

Lee Ganske of the MPCA in Mankato says his office became involved after being contacted by county landowners.

“This is an issue that’s on the minds of a lot of people. They’re frustrated and they should be. They want this resolved,” Ganske says.

The problem, he adds, has been  occurring in a  “sporadic fashion” for more than a year.

“We have a general sense of what it is. The big mystery is where is it coming from?” asks Ganske. “We are ramping up our efforts to find the source. . . .

. . .Recently, a large number of dead fish were discovered at Rice Lake, located on a state wildlife management area. However, Ganske doesn’t know if the discolored water was the cause.

Corey Wiebusch, a DNR conservation officer, says he was told by state DNR fisheries officials the recent hot temperatures have lowered the lake’s water and oxygen levels, causing the fish kill.. . .

. . . Ganske says the source of the discharge has been narrowed to a few square miles, and, he says, the Corn Plus ethanol plant located is within that area.

“It’s fairly obvious here there’s a violation of state water quality standards,” he says of the discharge. “Fish kill or not, we know we have to remedy the situation.”

Today's article Authorities search Corn Plus describes the search and contents of the warrant:

State and local authorities recently executed a search warrant at the Corn Plus ethanol plant in Winnebago.

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency officials say the ethanol producer is the center of a probe involving water quality violations.

Faribault County Deputy Terry Campbell says four members of the sheriff’s department, two officers from the Winnebago Police Department and MPCA officials executed the warrant at the facility on Aug. 10.

“We served it on the highest ranking official there,” says Campbell. “We watched MPCA officials do what they had to do.”

The warrant was delivered in the early afternoon, says Campbell, and that it took MPCA officials about two hours to gather evidence. . . .

. . . MPCA officials and law enforcement officers were authorized to seize the following items;

• records of discharges of any kind;

• disposal records;

• records of agreements and contracts;

• written policies;

• billing records;

• operational, laboratory and telephone records;• diaries and day planners;

• employee records;

• organizational charts.

In the application, several facts listed explained why a search warrant should be issued.

The MPCA claims that between Oct. 17, 2006, and June 4, 2007, they received numerous citizens’ complaints of visible milky discharges of wastewater to a ditch leading to Rice Lake, as well as odors related to the discharges.

State officials believe Corn Plus has “periodically and intentionally” discharged its wastewater into the county ditch.

“It appears that the company makes such illegal discharges at least in part to avoid the cost of discharging wastewater to the City’s wastewater treatment plant,” was another reason supporting issuance of a warrant. . . .

We'll have more as the story develops. 

Corn Plus was part of a EPA 2002 settlement over air quality violations that arose when standards were changed. Recently, it has sought to become energy self-sufficient, adding wind turbines and a fluid-bed reactor that burns biomass, generating steam needed to run the plant from corn by-products. Corn Plus is locally owned by 750 farmers.

Winona Daily News: 1300 volunteers needed in Rushford

According to the city's website, 2,350 people live in Rushford. The Winona Daily News reports that 1300 volunteers are needed to help Rushford out:

The city of Rushford is issuing a call for volunteers to assist with flood cleanup. People or groups interested in volunteering should call United Way of Olmsted County at (507) 287-2000 to register. About 1,300 volunteers are needed over the next week.

United Way officials ask people not to go to Rushford without first registering. For city of Rushford volunteer projects, the minimum age for volunteers is 16 with parental permission and adult supervision. There are current volunteer needs through Sept. 2, with more likely to be added, officials said.

To make donations to help Rushford residents, send checks to: Rushford Flood Relief Fund c/o Associated Bank, Rushford, P. O. Box 726, Rushford, Minn. 55971. Donations of hand sanitizing and cleaning supplies will be accepted. No used clothing is needed at this time.

The WDN also reprinted a condensed version of an AP story that looks at the national policy picture with regard to flood insurance, published here in the Washington Post, Efforts to overhaul flood insurance program stall in Congress.

A bill to make changes, H.R. 3121, has been passed out of the House Financial Services Committee but the House as a whole has yet to vote on the measure.The committee vote is here; Minnesota's two representatives on Financial Services split on the roll call vote on the commitee report; Ellison voted for the committee report and Bachmann, against.

Fairmont Sentinel: Soldiers receive warm welcome

The Fairmont Sentinel writes about two injured soldiers' homecoming in Blue Earth in Soldiers receive warm welcome:

Hans Paschke-Burtt of Blue Earth and Jason Ferris of Gouldsboro, Pa., returned home early last evening after a 21-hour drive from San Antonio. They deployed Sept. 22, 2006, from Ft. Riley and were both injured in Iraq.

Emotions were high and nerves tense for family and friends. When the soldiers turned off Interstate 90 into the AgStar parking lot, they were in for a surprise. Fierce hugs were exchanged and tears streamed down faces. A long-awaited moment was finally here.

“Wow. I didn’t expect this,” Ferris said.

Gertrude Johnson, Burtt’s mother, said it was because of Tom Warmka, a Vietnam veteran. Warmka spoke with U.S. Rep. Tim Walz and they managed to arrange for the soldiers’ homecoming.

Warmka knew the soldiers would need support from family, friends and the VA.  Indeed, they suffered the signature injury of the Iraq War, traumatic brain injury:

Ferris had been hit on 12 separate occasions and was hit with shrapnel. Because of it, he had a traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress syndrome and had to have his nose fixed. He was sent back to the United States four months earlier than Burtt.

Burtt’s vehicle was hit with a rocket June 10 and he suffered traumatic brain injury, a blown ear drum and had damage to his eyes. His eyesight has been deteriorating and when he goes back to San Antonio in three weeks, he will have surgery. Because of the brain injury, he has had trouble with short-term memory loss. Johnson said the memory loss is improving. Both soldiers received numerous commendations, including the Purple Heart.

The pair plan to spend the next three weeks relaxing, until they go back to San Antonio for more treatment. Ferris is excited to meet a lot Burtt’s family. He is engaged to Burtt’s sister, Adeline. Burtt plans on spending a lot of time with family and friends.

Walz's H.R. 2179, the Traumatic Brain Injury Centers Act, was incorporated into a larger legislative package (H.R. 2199) designed to address traumatic brain injuries (TBI), which passed the House by a vote of 421-0.

Update: STB reschedules Winona DM & E meeting for Sept. 5

The issues surrounding the DM & E loan and upgrade played an important part in the 2006 congressional contest between Walz and former Congressman Gutknecht. The $2.3 billion federal railroad loan was denied last winter, but the process for rehabbing the line continues.

A meeting about historic bridges, culverts, and other structures on the line was originally scheduled for Monday, August 20,  but it was postponed while flood damage was assessed.

As promised, we've tracked down the date for the rescheduled meeting for the "treatment" of historic bridges and culverts during the rehabing of the DM & E line.  It's now slated for Wednesday, September 5.

"Treatment" usually means replacement or modification.  The STB's media advisory (thanks to the kind friend who forwarded it):

Surface Transportation Board has Rescheduled a Public Information Session in Winona, Minnesota to Review DM&E Historic Structures

Washington, DC – The U.S. Surface Transportation Board’s Section of Environmental Analysis has rescheduled a public information session in Winona, Minnesota to review treatments for historic structures currently under review for the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern (DM&E) Railroad’s Powder River Basin expansion project. This session replaces an information session originally scheduled for August 20, 2007 which was canceled due to severe weather.

The session will provide information on the DM&E’s preservation and treatment efforts, including documentation of historic structures—consisting predominantly of bridges and culverts—that will be replaced or modified as a result of the rehabilitation work on the DM&E’s existing route in Minnesota and South Dakota. The session will be held in an open-house format with displays describing the process and techniques involved in this effort. Representatives of the STB, as well as DM&E technical experts, will be available to discuss the effort. Individuals or organizations may arrive anytime during the three-hour session. The STB will take comments specifically pertaining to the treatment of historic structures for consideration in preparing a Historic Structures Treatment Plan for the project.

Session Time and Location

Wednesday, September 5

Winona, Minnesota

5:00 pm – 8:00 pm CDT 

Winona County Historical Society, 160 Johnson Street

Background

In February 1998, the DM&E sought authority from STB under 49 U.S.C. 10901 to construct and operate an approximately 262-mile rail line extension of DM&E’s existing rail lines from near Wall, South Dakota to coal mines in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin which included rebuilding 600 miles of existing line. In a decision served on February 15, 2006, STB granted final approval authority for the project subject to 147 environmental conditions.

One of the environmental conditions attached to STB’s decision (Condition 106), stipulates that DM&E comply with a Programmatic Agreement (PA) and associated Identification Plan (ID Plan) that had been developed through the Section 106 consultation process pursuant to 36 CFR 800.14.  The PA was formally executed in May 2003 and includes measures to mitigate adverse effects to historic properties identified within the project’s Area of Potential Effects or APE. The Louis Berger Group Inc. (LBG) is acting as SEA’s independent third-party contractor and will assist SEA in overseeing the implementation of the PA.

The PA was executed among: STB; DM&E; the State Historic Preservation Officers of Wyoming, South Dakota, and Minnesota (collectively referred to as SHPOs); five cooperating agencies (the Federal Railroad Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers [Omaha and St. Paul Districts], the Bureau of Land Management [Montana/Dakotas Office and Wyoming State Office], the U.S Forest Service [Region 2], the Bureau of Reclamation; and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP). All of the above acted as signatories to the PA. In preparing the PA, STB also consulted with 33 federally recognized Tribes and the five Tribal organizations.

Flood relief effort update: donations, donations, and a parade

KAAL-TV reports:

People across Minnesota are helping their neighbors in need.

And there are several ways for you to contribute to the ABC Six News flood relief drive.

With the help of the American Red Cross, we were stationed at area Hy-Vee's in Rochester, Austin and Albert Lea.

Hundreds of people stopped by to generously donate some money for flood relief and for every donation you received a free hot dog and a can of Pepsi.

And at last count we raised more than 23-thousand dollars in just two days.

$8,948 were donated in Rochester, in Albert Lea we raised 6- thousand 745 dollars and in Austin 7-thousand 500.

And if you were not able to donate today, it’s not to late, just visit your homepage for news at www.KAALTV.com and click on the flood relief banner to learn how you can donate.

And at KTTC:

For the past two days, the community of Southern Minnesota turned out to show their concern and caring for our neighbors devastated by last weekend's floods.
 
With generosity seldom seen anywhere in the world, our viewers helped fill five and a half tractor trailers with flood relief supplies ranging from generators to diapers.
 
As we continue to count checks and cash donations, we have raised more than 30-thousand dollars to go to the Red Cross Flood Disaster Fund. In all, supplies were sent to every county affected by the storm. Two tractor trailers full of donated food were sent to Channel One to be distributed in flood ravaged areas where some food banks were destroyed by the deadly waters.
 
One truck of emergency cleaning and personal hygiene supplies went to Winona, Houston and Fillmore Counties, the counties hit hardest by the floods. These are the same counties declared disaster areas earlier in the week by President Bush.
 
We thank everyone who donated, everyone of our hundreds of volunteers who donated their time to help unload cars while they loaded trucks at the same time and, finally, we thank our viewers who responded so positively.

And finally, the Post Bulletin reports on a little levity in a local parade: St. Charles festival brings healing after a week of daze.  Some of the parade units were flood related:

Jan Nessler was wondering what kind of vehicle to use in her float for Sunday's Gladiolus Days in St. Charles when an idea flashed into her head a week ago - a boat, a big boat.

It's funny how a flash flood can be an inspiration. . . .

. . .In St. Charles, boats were used to rescue people so she put her big powerboat in the parade. Inside were four girls, her granddaughter Taige Thoreson and three of her friends, Whitney and Adrian Abbott and Katie Dunlay, who squirted people with big squirt guns, and sometimes were, in turn, doused with hoses. . . .

. . .Seeing the boat and squirt guns worked, people seemed to like it, Dunlay said. "I hope it made them laugh," she said.

A float behind them had even more reason not to be there, but it was there. Lazy D Campground along the Whitewater River north of St. Charles was wiped out, all units smashed or flooded, some people rescued from chest deep water, but Rick Sherwood of Spring Valley, a longtime worker there, pulled a wagon with floating tubes, a canoe and four-wheeler.

There were rumors lazy D was closed forever, he said, so the float was the campground's way of letting people know it's down but not out. "We will get it back together," he said. "It will be ready next year." . . .

Being able to bounce back and laugh at one's state may be good for the soul, but it won't necessarily rebuild homes and businesses. In State flood aid may be a long time coming, MPR notes:

Positive attitudes and helpful neighbors will go only so far in Southeastern Minnesota. A preliminary American Red Cross survey last week identified about 4,200 homes in the area affected by the flood, including 256 complete losses, 338 with major damage and 475 that were still inaccessible.

Post-Bulletin: Flood damage to DM&E line apparent, but scope unknown

Jeff Pieters at the Post Bulletin reports Flood damage to DM&E line apparent, but scope unknown:

An Internet message board for "fans" of the DM&E collected members' eyewitness accounts and some photographs of damaged areas.

Damaged areas included:

• "Myriad washouts" between Stockton and Winona.

• A displaced bridge west of Stockton.

• A failure of the Whitewater River bridge west of Lewiston.

• A bridge two miles west of St. Charles knocked off its piers and looking "like a pretzel."

• Several more bridge washouts between Dover and Eyota.

Several writers to the message board speculate that the line will be restored to operation within eight weeks.

A friend in the Rochester area emailed us with news that a meeting in Winona about DM & E bridges has been rescheduled for Monday, August 27 Wednesday, September 5, 2007., and we are asking around for confirmation. Since it's the weekend, there's no calling a federal agency.  It's quite possible that the railroad is, like much of Southeastern Minnesota, still mired in flood clean up.

The meeting originally was to have held on the 20th, but was cancelled because of the flood emergency.  Original meeting notice from the Post Bulletin

The U.S. Surface Transportation Board's Section of Environmental Analysis will have public information sessions in South Dakota and Minnesota this month to review treatments for historic structures currently under review for the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad's Powder River Basin expansion project.

The session nearest to Rochester will be in Winona on Aug. 20. Aug. 27 (We're not sure).  Wednesday, September  5, 2007.That session runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Winona County Historical Society, 160 Johnson St.

The open house sessions will provide information on the DM&E's preservation and treatment efforts, including documentation of historic structures -- predominantly bridges and culverts -- that will be replaced or modified in the project.

Representatives of the STB and the DM&E will be present to discuss the effort. Individuals or organizations may arrive any time during the times indicated in the schedule for each location. The STB will take comments specifically pertaining to the treatment of historic structures for consideration in preparing a Historic Structures Treatment Plan for the project.

We are double-checking to see if this is just one of those flood-related rumors or a genuinely re-scheduled meeting.

Sunday morning recovery news digest: muddy teddy bear edition

A friend forwarded us some photos of destruction on farm in rural Winona County, along with a link to Jordan W. Ogren's photo blog, where the proprietor has posted some powerful shots taken the night of the flood. Ogren, a musician, web designer, programmer, photographer, and WSU student, says the pix document "what happens when you have flooding of record proportions (16 inches of rain in 24 hours!) and you live next to a flood plain…"

Today's Winona Daily News focuses on survival and clean-up stories, along with an explanation of why this particular storm was so brutal and intense: The perfect storm: Rare weather pattern was too much too handle.  One weather man reflects:

WCCO-TV meteorologist Paul Douglas said he began fretting about the prospect of a flood earlier in the week. On Friday night, he predicted that southern Minnesota might “go from drought to flood” over the weekend.

“They looked at me like I had three eyes,” Douglas said. “Nobody in their right mind predicts 15 or 16 inches of rain. But Friday, it looked like a number of elements were coming together.”

The trash generated by the flood is also mind boggling, the WDN reports in A flood of trash: Ruined possessions pile up:

In a Goodview parking lot, an excavator worked Saturday atop a 12-foot pile of ruined possessions: a kid’s plastic slide, crumpled bikes, clothes, pillows and mattresses.

The former Badger Construction parking lot is one of many temporary dumps for the remains of an estimated 1,500 damaged homes in Winona, Houston and Fillmore counties. Some bring in their own debris or leave it in truck-sized bins scattered around neighborhoods. Front end loaders prowl the streets collecting piles along the curb.

The Goodview site will have collected about 2,000 tons — or 100 semi loads — of waste by Sunday, said Anne Morse of Winona County Environmental Services. Morse said the site could have nearly 8,000 tons in all. That’s more than a quarter of what the entire county usually throws out in a year.

Morse shares a touching thought:

. . .she is trying to focus on her job at the Goodview site, but certain items in the mound caught her attention, including muddy teddy bears, quilts and a child’s wheelchair.

“When you have a moment, you wonder whose that was,” she said.

But the destroyed possessions aren’t the toughest part of the job.

“What’s really hard to watch is the people bringing it in; their faces tell the whole story,” Morse said. “You can tell some of them are really still in shock.”

Read survival stories in ‘A horrible night’: Flooded by calls for help, rescuers couldn’t save everyone and Witoka man recounts harrowing escape from a deadly chasm.  News from the Wisconsin side of the disaster predicts one new woe Mosquito onslaught expected in wake of rain, flooding.  The culprits:

Pellitteri said there are 54 species of mosquitoes in the state, but the top nuisance is Aedes vexans, a floodwater mosquito.

“What makes this thing such a stinker is that it utilizes temporary water, even flooded ditches on the sides of highways,” he said. “It lays its eggs on the edge of water, and if things dry out the eggs just sit there. They can sit there for two or three years. And so, the higher the water level goes in an area, the more eggs you’re hatching.”

One of things that popped out of an article about progress being made in repairing roads was this sentence:

But because federal highway funds are used to build and maintain state highways, Federal Emergency Management Agency funds can’t be applied to those projects, [MnDOT spokeswoman Kristine] Hernandez said.

Hence, one cause for talk of a special session, along with the fact that the legislature has to authorize special loan programs and other rebuilding aid.

In today's Star Tribune article about the proposed special session, Path to special session is a tricky one, we read:

The House Republican minority's position is that it is too early to know whether a special session is needed. But Senate Minority Leader Dave Senjem's district is in southern Minnesota and vocal Senate Republican Dick Day is running for Congress in the south, adding impetus to some legislators to give the impression that something is getting done. House DFLers have just won hard-fought seats in southern districts and want to keep them.

We'd noticed that Day has been front and center since the flooding, though not so much when the bridge collapsed.  In addition to entertaining congressional ambitions, Day does serve on two transportation-related committees.  Left behind in this equation is Southern Minnesota's other state legislattor seeking the GOP endorsement, Randy Demmer.

Back in Winona, the WDN editors are calling for a legislative session that addresses not only the most recent disasters, but in which legislators and the governor develop better means for the state to respond to future disasters:

. . .This year, it is southeast Minnesota left reeling, but in other years, in other seasons it has been Mankato, St. Peter, Moorhead and East Grand Forks that felt the devastation of Minnesota’s wild weather.

The only prediction that we can safely make is that our region, our communities will not be the last and, hard as it is to believe today, probably will not even be the hardest hit.

Minnesota deserves — Minnesota needs — more than a piecemeal approach to disaster relief. It is time for the Legislature to not only deal with the immediate crisis, but put in place the legislative mechanisms that provide fast, effective relief to be brought to disaster-stricken Minnesotans whenever, wherever lives are disrupted and homes and businesses are destroyed. These solutions should be discussed and developed with all due deliberation by elected representatives in open session — not predetermined behind closed doors to fit the political aims of the moment.

We need the governor to call the Legislature into session with no strings attached to deal not only with the immediate crisis precipitated by last weekend’s weather, but measures that anticipate the crisis to come, and to address the state’s ongoing infrastructure crisis, so tragically highlighted by the collapse of the I-35W bridge less than a month ago.

Minnesota needs real solutions. The time for the quick fix is far behind us. Let’s take the time that’s needed to get it done right this time.

The Mankato Free Press dead trees edition carried a feature story about Representative Walz's visits to flooded areas. We're working on getting a copy of the article.

Weekend news digest: loose ends edition

Flood coverage has dominated BSP this week, so we're spending the morning catching up with news that slipped through the cracks.  Over at Paul Kane's Capitol Briefing in the Washington Post, we read Dems Crushing GOP in Congressional Fundraising:

In a secure, undisclosed beach location for this entire week, Capitol Briefing was determined not to even glance at a computer screen. But after 96 or so straight hours of overcast, rainy skies on the Eastern seaboard, strange things happen and pretty soon you find yourself looking at the Federal Election Commission's Web site.

And one thing jumps out from the latest FEC filings: House Republicans are flat broke, and there's no sign of better cash days in the near term.

Less than 15 months from Election Day, the House Republican campaign arm -- the National Republican Congressional Committee -- continues to effectively run a negative balance. The committee has just $1.97 million in its accounts, as of July 31, according to FEC reports it filed this week. But the NRCC is also sitting on a debt of $4.1 million.

The committee, which has been a key financial arm for attack ads and get-out-the-vote ground troops in previous elections, continues to raise money at a respectable clip, collecting $32 million for the year so far. But it also continues to spend money at a rapid pace, with $31.5 million in disbursements in the first seven months of 2007. A chunk of that went to paying down the debt -- which stood at more than $14.3 million at the end of last year. But even setting aside those debt payments, the NRCC still doled out more than $20 million.

At the Minnesota Monitor, Joe Bodell looked at a recent USAToday analysis of campaign fundraising and reported Freshman Dems Dominate Money Race; Bachmann, Walz Doing Well. 

The Bush Dogs campaign catches the attention of conservative and moderate bloggers, who question Open Left for attacking what they term moderate Democrats. We can only imagine what the NRCC thinks  while watching its online base scuttle attempts to brand Democratic freshmen as ultra-liberals, especially when the committee has burned through its cash-on-hand.   Not all progressives go as far as some; Dave Mindemann at mnpACT!'s Progressive Political blog writes 2008: Flawed Democrats Must Win, calling out Walz and Klobuchar for their votes, but also calling for Dem wins in 2008. Update: Spot channels a visit to Amy and Tim from Paul.[/update]

At Eleventh Ave S, Andy Birkey noted GOP 4-pak member Brian Davis's anti-GLBT stance:

If you're living in Mankato, Rochester or anywhere else in the southern part of the state (First Congressional District), Brian Davis wants to be your representative. If you are an LGBT person, chances are he does not have your best interests in mind. Via Blue Stem Prairie: "Mayo Clinic cancer physician Brian Davis said he was committed to conservative values like protecting life, stem cell research, no same-sex marriages, securing our borders and remaining offensive in the Global War on Terror." Davis is running against Rep. Tim Walz, who has been an important ally to the LGBT community.

The sun is shining this weekend; we are going out to enjoy the day.