The Walz campaign just sent out an email about the success of an online fundraising pitch:
Last week, I asked you to help us raise $10,000 in just ten days. As usual, you did not disappoint.
With your help, we raised more than $15,000 online before our crucial August 20 deadline.
Now, because of your support, our campaign can begin to share our positive message on the radio in southern Minnesota
The ad continues to get attention. The Hill's Aaron Blake writes that Democrat Walz Plays up Drilling in First Ad. Blake calls it a "tough" race. The Mankato Free Press's political reporter Mark Fischenich came up with another opinion in his Campaign Notebook after reviewing the race's rankings:
The experts are mostly in agreement. The 1st District congressional race is worth keeping an eye on, but it's Walz's race to lose, according to the political analysts.
We'll be curious to see the complete FEC reports from each of the three remaining candidates in the race; that $15,000 is likely just a small slice of the picture. Of course money isn't everything. The Walz campaign has already made over 100,000 phone calls and knocked on over 60,000 doors.
Doorknocks are underway in Mankato and Rochester today.
This week's formation of a regional railroad coalition to promote the Minnesota Prairie Line earns a thumbs up from the New Ulm Journal's editorial board today:
This week a group of government officials and business and industry leaders formed the Minnesota Valley Regional Rail Coalition to work on raising the money needed to upgrade the railroad. Their goal is a modest one, to bring the speed along the line to 25 miles an hour by 2011.
The job will cost about $30 million. We urge federal and state leaders to work to help fund the project. It will be an important investment in the economic well-being of the area communities served by the rail line.
We took note of Congressman Walz's involvement in the new coalition in Media coverage: shortline coalition forms.
Members from both sides of the aisle fought to secure funding for the National Child Protection Training Center at Winona State, given the high score given its DOJ grant application and the effective results it achieves. Thus, we not pleased to see this headline, Feds hold up funds for National Child Protection Training Center, in today's Winona Daily News.
The paper notes that federal elected officials know about the situation:
Vieth said Minnesota legislators U.S. Rep. Tim Walz and U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman’s offices are aware of the current funding holdup.
“Congressman Walz’ office has contacted the Department of Justice to try to get the funds released as quickly as possible and is hopeful that will happen in the next few weeks,” according to a statement from Walz’ public affairs office.
WSU publicly announced in a press conference Thursday its first ever capital campaign, which aims to raise $10 million by 2010. About $2.5 million of that will be dedicated to the center, in part to avoid situations like the one it is currently in. At the press conference, Vieth relayed memories he had of children who were abused when he was a prosecutor. A boy who had been hit with a belt buckle, a girl who was thrown across the room and had her collarbone broken. He said the goal of the center is to tell abused children “it’s safe to come out now.”
“All of those children are with us today,” Vieth said.
As long as it has the money to stay open.
The DOJ 's denial of the Center's grant in favor of lower scored projects that were run by Bush-administration cronies prompted an investigation and congressional hearing. The Post Bulletin reports on a university initiative to secure more stable funding in Winona State launches capital campaign; the WDN covered the launch in WSU unveils $10 million campaign.
The Austin edition of the Post Bulletin reports Walz plans visit to Austin on Monday to talk about mileage rates for veterans. The cost of traveling to the VA medical center was a point brought up at the April roundtable with Speaker Pelosi.
The paper's write-up mentions the Republicans vying in the September 9 primary, but the press advisory, which we received, came from the congressional office, rather than the Walz campaign. Here's the body of the press advisory:
On Monday, August 25th at 10:30am Congressman Tim Walz will discuss his efforts to make the reimbursement rate for veterans who have to travel long distances for VA care more fair. Walz will be joined by veteran Ken Delano and other local veterans at a press conference at the Veterans Memorial in front of the Mower County Courthouse in Austin.
To accomplish this goal, Walz has introduced the Veterans Travel Program Reform Act of 2008, which would increase the mileage reimbursement rate from 28.5 cents to 58.5 cents per mile. It would also improve how the VA reimburses veterans for their travel to and from VA facilities for health care and treatment, vocational rehabilitation or counseling by eliminating the deductible veterans are currently required to pay and by expanding eligibility for reimbursement. Before the August recess, Walz voted for the new Military Construction – Veteran Affairs Appropriations Bill which passed the House by a vote of 409-4 and would go some way toward addressing the problem by raising the reimbursement rate to 41 cents per mile.
The Owatonna People's Press notes state senator Dick Day will be speaking to the Owatonna Exchange Club on August 28. Day is challenging Brian Davis in the September 9 primary.
Ali Bernard, Olympic wrestler returns to hometown, the Mankato Free Press reports. The New Ulm Journal reports Ali's Back and Ali Cats show their support. From the latter article:
When Ali Bernard was growing up wrestling with the boys on the New Ulm wrestling team, the mothers of those boys had a vision.
"We always said that when Ali was younger if she made it to the Olympics we would be there," Cathy Koob said, who watched two boys go through the New Ulm wrestling program.
And for the past several years, those moms - Koob, Kathy Runck, Cheri LeBrun and Annette Haynes - who call themselves "Ali Cats" have been in the stands cheering her on every chance they could. . . .
. . .And the feeling wasn't lost on Bernard's mom Sue.
"It was absolutely awesome," Sue Bernard said. "Those women have been there from square one. To have them there with us was absolutely terrific. They were great. All through the years they have been Ali's No. 1 fans." . . .
. . ."This wrestling community has been behind us from square one," Sue Bernard said. "Before we left town we would drive down Broadway or Minnesota Street and see the signs that the businesses had put up. There was more than one time that I would just break down and cry. This is my child, she had so much support and it meant the world to us."
And obviously Sue Bernard is proud of Ali for realizing a dream she has had since she was a little girl
"I don't even know if it's completely sunk in," Sue Bernard said. "From the time she started wrestling, I knew she had the potential to do this. I know she has had the weight of the world on her shoulders. She carried all of us - all of our expectations on top of hers. I am so proud of her that I can't even begin to describe it.
While Bernard has gone far, it doesn't sound like she's let the experience go to her head. From the Free Press story:
When Ali Bernard qualified for the Olympics, there was a move afoot in New Ulm to have a parade in her honor. The low-key wrestler nixed that idea, opting instead for a down-low reception at City Hall.
Though Friday’s event also was low key, it still took Bernard out of her comfort zone.
“This is more than she can handle,” her father said. . . .
. . .New Ulm wrestling supporter Annette Haynes, one of the self-dubbed “Ali Cats” group who also made the trip to China, said Ali Bernard only reluctantly agreed to the public welcome.
“She said, ‘I didn’t want this, I didn’t want this.’ She doesn’t like the limelight. She’s very humble,” Haynes said.
A great story. Bernard missed getting a medal and took fifth.
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