Mid-day digest: broadband edition

Congressman Walz is part of a bi-partisan group of U.S. Representatives who are sticking up for rural telecommunications firms, according to Members of Congress Urge FCC to Postpone Election Day Vote on Telecom, a press release from the Coalition for Affordable Communications that's now posted at Marketwatch. The group:

is an association of rural phone and broadband providers concerned with ensuring that American consumers and businesses continue to enjoy affordable telephone and broadband service. The CAC includes CenturyTel, Consolidated Communications, Embarq, FairPoint Communications, Frontier Communications, Iowa Telecom and Windstream Communications, who collectively serve more than 17 million customers in 42 states.

Potentially higher costs to consumers and the lack of transparency in rule-making  are cited as reasons for delayed the decision and opening up the process for public comment.

The Post Bulletin's Regional news digest reports on federal funding for repairing flood-damaged road in SE Minnesota:

SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA: Federal money will help repair flood-damaged roads and highways

Seven southeastern Minnesota counties will get $7.4 million to repair federal roads and highways damaged in the August 2007 flood.

They are Fillmore, Houston, Olmsted, Steele, Wabasha, Winona and Dodge, according to the office of Rep. Tim Walz, D-Mankato.

A record 15.1 inches of rain fell in 24 hours during the event, and some places recorded substantially more. In addition to flooding thousands of homes and killing seven people, the floods damaged culverts, bridges and piers in many roads.

Walz's pro-active approach to the historic flooding was cited as a reason to support Tim Walz in this morning's endorsement by the Winona Daily News:

. . .And, when southern Minnesota flooded, he rushed to do what he could to help. . . .

The MinnPost notes in Rochester Post-Bulletin picks Walz:

Overshadowed by the Bachmann-Tinklenberg and Madia-Paulsen races, the Tim Walz vs. Brian Davis match in the First Congressional District has been a fascinating fight between lunchbucket DFLer and loyally conservative Republican.

The MSU Reporter says 1st District race pits teacher against physician. A anonoposter at the Mower County Republicans BPOU's new blog believes it's a smear for the Walz campaign to call their candidate "Doctor" Brian Davis. Okay then: glad to see the GOP in Austin has such deep discernment about subversive honorifics.

In the Austin Daily Herald, Tom Weir cuts to the chase in his LTE, Walz will work for veterans:

Tim Walz has been a champion for veterans since he went to Congress, working for an increase in the mileage reimbursement rates for veterans, making sure our soldiers going to Kosovo received combat pay for their service, and supporting the new GI Bill.  We need to make sure that our representative in Congress has actually taken the time to think about issues that are important to us.

In the same paper, Erin Hoban thinks Walz is right for the job. Jack Flinner's LTE, Walz opposed bailout bill, has been published by the Sioux Falls Argus-Leader, which reaches readers in Southwestern Minnesota.

For all those readers who follow the beat of a different drummer, we offer this Rita Moreno classic (brought to our attention by that troublemaker, Jussein):