A local energy group notes in Southeast CERTs News: Town Hall Clean Energy Forum in Mankato that the event at MSUM starts at 11 a.m. in the Student Union. The MSUM Reporter also noted the forum in Going green - Campus News.
Yesterday, the Winona Daily News looked at a visit to a local business in Walz says stimulus will create jobs in region:
Blue, CEO of Winona-based Miller Felpax, said Wednesday he had to lay off two employees in recent months as the company’s sales dropped 18 percent. . . .
. . .Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., toured Miller Felpax, which designs and makes locomotive parts, and said during a tour Wednesday it could benefit from tax credits in the new federal stimulus bill that encourage businesses to make capital investments. Walz touted his support for the stimulus bill but acknowledged Congress must do more to aid homeowners facing foreclosure and to address the causes of America’s economic collapse.
“We need a short-term fix to quit bleeding jobs,” Walz said.
President Barack Obama and Democratic supporters project the $787 billion stimulus package will create 3.5 million new jobs nationwide, and 7,800 jobs in the Minnesota First Congressional District that Walz represents. Opponents of the bill, primarily Congressional Republicans, have called it a pork-laden spending spree that doesn’t contain enough of the provisions — like tax cuts — that would have more effectively stimulated economic growth.
Walz acknowledges the bill isn’t perfect. He wanted more money to balance state budgets and more discussion of how to pay for one of the largest economic recovery packages since the New Deal. Reforms to entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security “need to be talked about” in the coming months to make the federal budget solvent, Walz said.
During Wednesday’s tour of Miller Felpax, Walz praised the company as a model of how small businesses can compete in today’s global economy. For example, Blue said the company recently sold parts to the Japanese firm Toshiba to install on locomotives in South Africa.
KTTC-TV also covered the visit. Walz spoke to Winona Radio:
Walz told Winona Radio News the package will create or protect over 7000 jobs in southern Minnesota. Walz also said there will be some direct benefits to families, education and infrastructure in his district.
While Walz forwarded a wish list of $625 million in projects to be funded by the stimulus package to Governor Tim Pawlenty, Walz said he is not sure how many will actually get the funding.
MnIndy's Capitol Catchall and Minnpost's Daily Glean picked up on the fact-checking of the thanks-for-SCHIP ads running in support of Walz and Paulsen. As the latter says:
MPR reports in $1 billion bioscience center [is] planned for Rochester area:
The site is known as Elk Run, and these days, it isn't much to look at. It's a fenced stretch of vacant land along Highway 52, about 10 minutes north of Rochester. . . .
. . .Several legislators say MnDOT is also weighing a $50 million project to improve highway access to the site.
U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, who represents the area, told MPR he met with developers this week to talk about the highway project, including the potential for using federal stimulus funds for highway access.
The Mankato Free Press reported Required levee certification could be costly and so local leaders vow they'll be taking their case against the FEMA regs to Congressman Walz and Senator Klobuchar. The Jackson County Pilot says that local leaders will be exploring federal funding with help from Walz's office in New avenues for resource center.
The Pipress's column by Ruben Rosario: Stalled suicide report could've saved lives mentioned the DOJ's cronyism in awarding youth program grants and the subsequent investigation that followed Tim Walz's inquiries.
The true valentine mentioned by the Daily Glean suggests an old jazz standard. Here's Chet Baker's take:
Comments