It's quite literally heating up in Minnesota's Fighting First. We enjoyed an afternoon of birding in the Minnesota River Valley and the Swan Lake area yesterday. Thousands of red-winged blackbirds were flocking near the north public water access on the lake; a pair of bald eagles sat in the high cottonwoods above a massive, miles-long ice jam on the Minnesota River between Courtland and Judson.
A friendly farmer on a four-wheeler stopped to chat while we were surveying the eagles and ice jam. Apparently, that bend of the river hadn't had an ice jam for at least twenty years.
Later, we enjoyed a chat with a great horned owl as dusk fell across the flood plain.
Watching ice pile up and hooting it up: activities we find far more rewarding than being a conduit for Chuck Schumer's DSCC. Those who don't understand why Tim Walz wants to stay U. S. Representative for the First should consider coming out to Southern Minnesota for the spring warbler migration and an introduction to the politics of service and humility. Some damn fine birding.
Mankato Free Press: Mankato officials return from D.C. trip
The gravel roads lining the Minnesota River Valley were muddy going yesterday as the frost goes out. That's natural--but the district's major roads need attention. The Free Press reports on a trip to DC by city official to lobby for transportation needs:
City Manager Pat Hentges and four city councilmen met with Sens. Norm Coleman and Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Tim Walz as well as staff from Rep. Jim Oberstar’s office during the National League of Cities trip.
Highway 14 was front and center.
“The biggest need of the region right now is just a better maintained and operating transportation system,” Council President Mike Laven said. . . .
. . .Also at issue are needed upgrades to the city’s rail line, Hentges said. Namely, those are the rail crossings that interrupt traffic flow and the lack of crossing improvements. Those improvements would allow trains to go through town without blowing their whistles.
“Even if the project doesn’t go ahead,” Hentges said, referring to the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad’s expansion plans, “we still have a railroad problem.”
Walz is a political newcomer, but he sits on the transportation committee, which Oberstar chairs.
Rochester Post Bulletin: US Reps Walz, Kline explain views on upcoming Iraq vote.
The PB reports on the contrasting views of two area congressmen in
US Reps. Walz, Kline explain views on upcoming Iraq vote. It's a fair contrast:
Reps. Tim Walz and John Kline represent adjoining southern Minnesota Congressional districts, and both served in the military, but on the issue of troop withdrawals from Iraq, they are far apart as the House moves toward a vote next week. . . .
. . .Their differences offer a preview of the upcoming debate over the bill, which will be the Democrats' strongest push against the war since last month, when a nonbinding resolution opposing a surge in troops was passed.
Read the whole thing at the PB.
Bloomberg: Democrats' New Military Veterans Lead House Charge on Iraq War
Bloomberg News take a look at Walz's role in
Democrats' New Military Veterans Lead House Charge on Iraq War. Walz section:
`Very Comfortable'
Walz also backs the troop-withdrawal timeline. ``As a soldier I'm very comfortable with it,'' he said.
When House Democrats passed a nonbinding resolution expressing disapproval of Bush's plan to send more U.S. troops to Iraq, Walz and Murphy were invited to join Pelosi and other House leaders at a press conference after the vote.
Walz said that House members often come up to him and ask what he ``as a soldier'' thinks of war policy. He keeps a military e-mail account and gets about a half-dozen messages each week from soldiers with whom he served. His unit is currently deployed near Baghdad and this year has had its deployment extended until as late as September as part of Bush's plan to secure the city.
`End the War'
``Our goal needs to be an end to the war,'' Walz said. ``I've always thought this thing is going to be taken care of by Iraqis on the ground.''
Dodge County Independent: Local rural leaders attend leadership program in D.C.
More on the 2007 Minnesota Agricultural and Rural Leadership class trip to Washington in the Dodge County Independent. A large group of MARL members from Southern Minnesota meet with their representative, who merited his own paragraph:
Another member of Minnesota's Congressional delegation heavily involved in Farm Bill debate is freshman member Tim Walz of the 1st District. Walz also sits on the House Committee on Agriculture. A large delegation of participants from his district met with Walz.
The Winona Daily News reports on the trip, too, but fails to note the visit to Walz's office by members from the district.
Waseca County News: Deteriorating track may have led to derailment, DM&E says
The paper reports that a very minor derailment of a train hauling ethanol took place near Janesville, and Kevin Schieffer uses the incident to explain why he needs money to fix his track and that it's more than just about hauling coal. Coleman, Klobuchar and Walz have said that rail needs for ag in the First are important. Update: We just learned of another DM & E derailment in South Dakota via KELOLAND TV: Train Derails Near Pierre.
HyVee Saturday Store Stop in Owatonna
Phoenix Woman asks Does Tim Walz EVER Have An Off Day? in writing about his Saturday morning visit to Owatonna's Hyvee. Great day to visit Owatonna: there's also a big farm show on as well.
Not mentioned here is how the congressman from the first kindly asked the city government folks to wait a few seconds while he talked to some pesky student activists from southern Minnesota. Blog shortly following..
Ollie Ox note: Those pesky college students again!
Posted by: DJ Danielson | March 15, 2007 at 12:05 PM