In his comments on the House floor about energy and the economy, Representative Walz mentioned the beauty of wind turbines and the economic development potential of the wind energy industry.
The St. James Plaindealer has published a story about the power of that beauty.
In Lewisville man's photograph wins award for his college, we learn that:
Lewisville resident and Minnesota West Community and Technical College student Kevin Froslan recently earned his school an award for a picture he took, but that was furthest from his mind at the time.
Froslan, a student in the wind energy technology program, merely took advantage of a unique opportunity when he and a classmate were doing a “job shadow” for a day atop a wind turbine.
Froslan knew he would have a chance to take some interesting pictures, so he took along his camera. After taking several, officials used one picture to market its wind program.
For this, the college was awarded a Bronze Paragon Award for original photography by the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations during its national conference held March 8-12 in Georgia.
The community and technical college has posted more information on its web site:
“What makes this award so meaningful to the college is the photograph was taken by a student enrolled in the Wind Energy Technology program at our Canby campus,” said Gillin. Kevin Froslan and Jacob Knutson were perched upon a turbine overlooking the Buffalo Ridge on a cool, foggy morning as part of a lab experience. As the morning fog lifted, Kevin began shooting photos to share with family and friends so they could visualize what a wind technician’s work environment would be like. Utilizing a personal digital camera, Kevin took an amazing photograph. He captured a photograph the college has used extensively for marketing the Minnesota West wind energy technology program. The photograph currently appears on the cover of the 2008-2010 Minnesota West catalog. . . .
. . . The photographer, Kevin Froslan, a 2006 graduate of Truman High School in Truman, Minnesota and the subject Jacob Knutson, a 2005 graduate of Marshall High School in Marshall, Minnesota are second year students who are on track to graduate this spring from the wind energy technology program. Both Kevin and Jacob worked for Outland Renewable Energy last summer and have accepted employment with Outland upon completion of their education this spring. Outland Renewable Energy has an operations office in Canby, MN. As wind technicians for Outland Renewable Energy, they will work primarily on new turbine setup and installation. Some responsibilities include aligning blades, generator hookup, and completing the electrical requirements for getting the electricity the turbine produces on the power grid. . . .
Frosland will be based in Illinois, where he will travel for his job, he told the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.
The Rochester Post-Bulletin takes a look at another ambitious young person pursuing his vision in Mayo senior campaigns for seat at national DFL convention. Sam Hagedorn is working the phones:
As he walked his dog Wednesday night, Sam Hagedorn was working his cell phone, trying to land one of the hottest political tickets in the country.
The Mayo High School senior was campaigning to become a national delegate in August at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. . . .
Driven by a desire not only to witness history but perhaps to play a hand in making it, Hagedorn and other Minnesota Democrats are scrambling to fill these coveted national slots. With the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination between Sen. Hillary Clinton and Obama still unresolved, there is a remote possibility that the contest will be decided by delegates in a brokered convention. . . .
. . .Thus, the competition is expected to be particularly intense for the five delegate slots and one alternate slot up for grabs at the DFL 1st Congressional District Convention in Albert Lea on Saturday. They will eventually make up part of the 88-member delegation that will be sent to the Democratic convention from Aug. 25 through Aug. 28.
The district convention will also feature the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Tim Walz of Mankato for Congress.
Hagedorn was drawn to the political flame early. He can recall pedaling home from sports practice as a 10-year-old and skipping dinner in order to catch the Bush-Gore debates.
. . .At age 18, Hagedorn recognizes that his youth is a double-edged sword. But Hagedorn thinks he can make the case that a youthful perspective should be heard at the national convention. Which generation, after all, is going to have to deal with the fallout from the U.S. government's massive debt and its challenges across the world but his?
But even if he doesn't become a national delegate, Hagedorn said he's prepared to see the campaign as a positive experience.
"If I get one vote besides myself, I'm going to call that a win," he said.
We think the country is already the winner with Froslan and Hagedorn.
Photos: Atop the wind turbine, from the MN West site; Hagedorn from the Post Bulletin.
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