A Bluestem Prairie

Monday digest: free ranging community-supported edition

Along with Stephanie Herseth Sandlin of South Dakota, Congressman Walz pushed for beginning farmer and rancher programs in the latest Farm Bill. A wide-range of farm organizations--from the Land Stewardship Project to the Farm Bureau--supported the legislation.

The Owatonna People's Press reports about one operation working with the Land Stewardship's Farm Beginnings program in Local organic farms partner to offer eggs:

Last year around this time Katie Felland didn’t know much about community supported farming.

But then she got to know John Ostgarden and Lowell Gordon, owners of Clinton Falls Farm, a certified organic farm located in Clinton Falls.

As a Community Supported Agriculture farm, Clinton Falls Farm sells crop shares to clients who share in the risks and benefits of farming in exchange for a locally-grown variety of fresh produce and flowers.

“People are really receptive to local sustainable farming,” Ostgarden said, “and I believe mentoring a beginning farmer is really important for our community. I think there’s a real growing interest for beginning farmers in organic.”

Felland bought into the shares and volunteered on the farm to learn more. She also enrolled in the Farm Beginnings Class, sponsored through the Land Stewardship Project which is led by farmers for those who are starting their own farm for the first time or returning to farming after leaving the business.

This year, her farm, “O-Wata-Farm!, will share its organic fresh eggs with shareholders of Clinton Falls Farm. She will also grow fresh sweet corn, strawberries and raspberries on her 10-acre farm north of Owatonna.

The paper also revisits the Clinton Falls CSA farm in Community supported farm gains in popularity:

— When staff at the Gainey Conference Center heard about a chance to partner with a local organic farm for fresh produce and flowers, they jumped at the opportunity.

Executive chef Jason Hudock changes the center’s menus and entrees daily. When he heard he could get fresh produce locally from Clinton Falls Farm, a certified organic Community Supported Agriculture farm, he thought it was the perfect chance to bring organic foods to the center.

“The opportunity to use local, organically grown produce is a fantastic opportunity for us, and our chef has been wanting to build that level of partnership for many, many years,” said Marlene Levine, director of the Gainey Conference Center. “It’s certainly a treat for our guests who more and more appreciate the health benefits of organically grown foods.”

Last week, the Washington Post profiled Iowan Dave Murphy [who] Is Challenging the Corporate Farming Of America.  One paragraph stuck up for us:

Equally important, Murphy says, is to recast the debate about good food from a moral battle to an economic one. Take the school lunch program, which Congress will review this year. Food activists have long argued that more fruits and vegetables from local producers should be included to help improve childhood nutrition. But Murphy says the better way to sell the idea to legislators is as a new economic engine to sustain small farmers and rural America as a whole. Talk about nutrition and you get a legislator's attention, he said. "But you get his vote when you talk about economic development."

Indeed. Even Collin Peterson, thought by many foodies to be a foe of locally-grown food, has hosted conferences in his district since 2007, touting the economic sense of local food systems. His third annual meeting will be held in four different locations across the sprawling Seventh on April 17; video conferencing will tie together those gathered in Bemidji, Crookston, Marshall and Morris.

Farmers were part of the old progressive coalition in a 1930s Minnesota; another piece was labor. The president of the Mankato Area Labor Assembly writes in Employee Free Choice Act lets workers have say:

. . .Workers should be able to band together with their co-workers to fight for a livable wage, a respectful work environment, and health care benefits and a pension plan they can count on in the future. We need a process that allows workers to have a say in their workplace rather than the employer controlling the whole process.

That’s why the Employee Free Choice Act earned solid congressional support with 40 senators and 223 representatives co-sponsoring the bill.

I want to thank Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Tim Walz for being champions on working families issues by being a part of that coalition.

Snow is predicted for today, as good a day for finishing up our own garden plan as any.

Photo: A First District rooster. Photo by Rachael Spiegel.

Friday digest: Walz saw it coming edition

Winona Daily News political reporter and blogger Mark Sommerhauser notes in Walz can say he saw it coming:

Rep. Tim Walz, DFL-Minn., might have been privately crowing during the recent uproar over lavish bonuses for employees of U.S. banking behemoth AIG. . . .

. . . Here’s what I wrote back in October, when Walz was in the minority among Democrats by opposing the biggest of the bailouts, the $700 billion TARP plan:

"Walz told the Daily News on Monday afternoon that the bill must do more ... to limit compensation for executives of failing banks and lending companies."

I double-checked my notes from that interview just to be sure; Walz said the TARP provisions regulating executive compensation were "way too nebulous" and cited a "need to stop golden parachutes" for bank CEOs.

Looks like Walz can justly claim he foresaw this mess before it was made.

Read the whole post at the WDN blog.

Bicycle advocates met with Congressman Walz in Washington:

We were fortunate to actually get to meet with congressmen Eric Paulson and Tim Walz and Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann. Since he represents southeast Minnesota, members of the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota extended a personal invitation to Congressman Walz to speak at the LAB National Rally/Twin Cities Bicycling Club Weekend on Wheels in Winona July 31 to August 2 in Winona. The added bonus is that he serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and will be on the front lines as the next version of the federal transportation bill is authorized.

We only ask that Congressman Walz leave the spandex bike pants to Jim Oberstar.

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota - Campus Notes thanks Congressman Walz, Senator Klobuchar and former Senator Coleman for an earmark:

With $418,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Education, Saint Mary’s University plans to assist and mentor K-12 educators in targeted Minnesota school districts.

The “Teachers Teaching Teachers” program received a $228,000 grant for professional development for teachers from the DOE’s Fund for the Improvement of Education Programs of National Significance, and a grant of $190,000 for technology upgrades from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education. Sponsors of the grants included Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.).

The “Teachers Teaching Teachers” project will enhance educators’ professional development through technology, and enable K-12 teachers from high-need Minnesota school districts to engage in meaningful collaboration with each other and with content specialists from Saint Mary’s University, especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). . . .

Congratulations to the Caledonia Girls Basketball Team. The Argus reports State champs! Warriors finish off perfect 31-0 season with 54-50 win.

A readers writes to the Mankato Free Press to say Prevailing wage law promotes safety. AFSCME leader Frank Hawthorne tells the Rochester Post Bulletin that the Employee Free Choice Act levels playing field.

The St. Peter Herald reports, Council approves Hwy 169 layout, for a project funded by the Recovery Act. In Waseca, the paper says Sheriff’s Office seeks stimulus funds for staffing costs.

Walz and Kind disagreed about the Farm Bill while it was being written, and nothing's changes. The WDN notes in Congressmen split on farm subsidy payments:

Kind, who represents western Wisconsin, doesn’t endorse all of Obama’s agriculture-reform proposals but says farm policy must be overhauled in a larger effort to control the federal deficit. U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, DFL-Minn., balks at an Obama proposal to eliminate direct payments to certain farms, and says cutting agricultural subsidies will do little to rein in the red ink. 

“This is the only program in the government that comes in under budget,” Walz said.

Walz -- along with leading U.S. House and Senate lawmakers -- appears reluctant to revisit debate on the 2008 Farm Bill, which eliminated some subsidies to megafarms but did little to shift its focus from subsidizing commodity crops.

In the 2010 federal budget, Obama has proposed a $250,000-a-year cap on U.S. Department of Agriculture payments to farmers, a move that Kind supports. Just one farm in Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District collected more than $250,000 in USDA subsidies in 2006, while none in Wisconsin’s 3rd District topped that threshold, according to the Environmental Working Group.

There are 22,163 farms in Minnesota’s 1st District and 29,905 in Wisconsin’s 3rd District, according to USDA statistics.

Walz has criticized an Obama proposal to eliminate direct payments to farms with annual sales of $500,000 or more. That approach doesn’t account for volatile input costs and could even hurt large dairy operations in Winona County, Walz suggested. Kind backs a different proposal by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., which would eliminate all subsidies to farms that top $250,000 a year in gross income; the current income threshold is $750,000 a year.

“If you’re an individual that makes $250,000 of profit in a given year, you really shouldn’t be receiving subsidies,” Kind said.

Walz and Kind’s ag-policy differences may derive from their districts-- southwest and south-central Minnesota farmers depend heavily on corn and soybean subsidies, while western Wisconsin leans more on dairy and conservation-reserve payments. Agricultural subsidies are big business in both areas: Walz’s district ranks 11th out of 435 U.S. House districts in the total amount of USDA payments from 1995 to 2006, while Kind’s district ranked 30th.

The Worthington Globe reports that polar explorer and environmentalist Will Steger scheduled to speak at conference on biosciences. The Globe also reports that Steven Burrill, the venture capitalist who will invest $1 billion in Pine Island's Elk Run biotech park, will be speaking at the conference.

Walz joins majority in voting to expand wilderness protection

The Star Tribune reports that Congress passes long-stalled bill to expand wilderness protection in 9 states:

Congress has voted to set aside more than 2 million acres in nine states as protected wilderness — from California's Sierra Nevada mountains to the Jefferson National Forest in Virginia.

The legislation, which opponents, mostly Republicans, called a "land grab" that would block energy development on vast swaths of federal land, is on its way to President Barack Obama for his likely signature.

The House passed the bill, 285-140, Wednesday, the final step in a long legislative road that began last year.

Among the Minnesota delegation, Democrats Keith Ellison, Betty McCollum, James Oberstar and Tim Walz and Republican Erik Paulsen backed the bill. Republican Michele Bachmann and Democrat Collin Peterson voted against it. . . .

Read the whole thing in the Strib.

Photo: Scene from the Jefferson National Forest via Greenpeace.

Tuesday digest: a new Recovery Act tool edition

Once upon a time in some Midwestern states, the rooster was a symbol of the Democratic Party. The  photo of the watchful bird gracing this digest is drawn from a post by Rachael Spiegel Photography - Blog: Minnesota Congressman Campaign Photo .  Spiegel certainly captured that chicken's essential roosterhood. Click on the link above for some lovely shorts of a Southern Minnesota farm in summer, and a great picture of Tim and Gus Walz talking with the farmers. Photo used with the photographer's permission.

We're going to be doing some birding this afternoon along the Minnesota River Valley in Nicollet and Blue Earth Counties, and will let readers know if we see any birds with that much attitude.

Via I Love Bettyful, we learn of more praise for Congressman Walz from the National Geographic Society:

Last month I urged you to ask Congress for action on geography education. A huge "THANK YOU" to everyone who participated! Nearly 6,000 emails went out, and in late February the House introduced a bill called Teaching Geography is Fundamental (H.R. 1240). Not only does TGIF have the best acronym on the Hill, it has a strong, bipartisan set of lead sponsors: Chris Van Hollen (MD), Roy Blunt (MO), Vernon Ehlers (MI), and Tim Walz (MN). TGIF will provide funding for teacher training and research in geography, currently the ONLY core subject without a dedicated source of federal support. Thanks. You guys rock!

We received  Walz congressional office press release about a new tool for understanding the Recovery Act--and post the pdf of the guidebook below:

WALZ RELEASES ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT GUIDEBOOK

Document will help citizens understand funding available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Congressman Walz released a guidebook to help citizens understand the funding available under The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R.1). The guidebook, which will be posted on Walz’s website (walz.house.gov), explains which types of projects can receive funding under the Recovery Act and provides contact information for the various federal, state and local agencies responsible for distributing the funding.

“Many individuals and local governments are seeking access to important recovery funds during these tough economic times,” said Congressman Walz. “Some funding is being distributed by the State of Minnesota and other funds are available directly from federal government agencies. This guidebook will be a good starting point for folks seeking more information about recovery funds.”

Walz also encouraged individuals to call his Economic Recovery Coordinator, Meredith Salsbery, if they have questions after reviewing the guidebook. Salsbery can be reached in Walz’s Mankato Office at 507-388-2149 or 1-877-TIM-WALZ.

Download a copy of the Walz Recovery Guidebook by clicking on this link Walz ARRA Guide..

Saturday digest: roads, rest stops, recovery money and urban legends edition

 News is getting out about the projects MNDOT will be funding with Recovery Act dollars. The Jackson County Pilot reports in Stimulus upgrades local rest areas:

Federal stimulus money will pay for repaving of the parking lots at Interstate 90's Clear Lake and Des Moines rest areas in Jackson County, according to a list of state projects announced Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

The $320,000 parking lot overlay and rehabilitation of curb and walkway at both rest stops is expected to start in September.

Bridge work in Windom was the next closest state project.

MnDOT earlier announced federal stimulus package projects being undertaken by local governments, of which one was the replacement of the Highway 20 bridge over County Ditch 3 a mile and a half west of Okabena by the Jackson County Highway Department. That project has a price tag of $378,000 and construction is expected to start right away this spring.

Click here for a map and click here for a list of the state transportation projects funded by the federal stimulus program.

Click here for a list of the local transportation projects funded by stimulus money.

In We need solutions, not slogans, an LTE from DFL activist Phil Castrovinci published in the Rochester Post Bulletin, we read:

Just three months into his second term, right wing Republicans have begun their attacks on Rep. Tim Walz, as demonstrated by Mr. Klinger in your paper on March 4.

Shame on them.

Rather than come up with sound solutions for the devastating problems facing our country, they want to use funny names (like "Porkulus," coined by Rush Limbaugh) and associations with tired old rhetoric to describe Democrats (tax and spend).

Sadly, right wing ideologues have made it clear they are rooting for failure that seems to be their only hope.

Mr. Klinger, Rush Limbaugh and the other right wingers should take a deep breath and actually think about proposing solutions rather than partisan slogans.

Thank you to Rep. Tim Walz for standing up for Main Street rather than for the Wall Street banks. Walz voted to create jobs in southern Minnesota and he voted against spending billions on a Wall Street Bank bailout. Clearly, his priorities are to represent and fight for Southern Minnesota.

The comments that follow the letter are instructive, as the Republican line seems to be that none of the funding in the Recovery Act or Omnibus spending bill is destined for southern Minnesota. For ourselves, we can only hope that, whatever the passion that informs their denial, those Republicans slow down for the safety of the construction workers on Highway 14 (Omnibus funding) and I-90 (Recovery Act), as well as using the rest areas as needed when passing through Jackson County.

Kudos to the Pilot and sister paper, the Lakefield Standard, for posting a pdf of the local projects. The Winona Daily news reports that Low I-90 project bids announced in the eastern part of the First.  Local police hope for federal grants because they'll be losing state fudning, the WDN reports. The Money would come from the Recovery Act:

Winona and Goodview police will lose state funding in 2009 but hope to bolster or maintain their forces with grants from a federal program re-invigorated by the federal stimulus bill.

The departments are joining thousands of police forces nationwide vying for $1 billion in the stimulus bill to hire officers through the Community Oriented Policing, or COPS program. Winona police hope a COPS grant will pay to replace an officer position they expect to lose next month, while Goodview police say the grant could fill a longstanding need to expand patrols in that department.

The Rock County Star Herald reports in Luverne HRA gets $92,000 in stimulus money:

Luverne was among more than two dozen southern Minnesota communities to receive funds for the express purpose of modernizing and developing public housing.

In Luverne that translates to more money for maintenance and improvements at the Blue Mound Tower apartments.

Luverne HRA Director Marcia Linssen said the money will be a welcome addition to the capital improvement fund at the Blue Mound Tower.

"Every little bit helps," she said. "We're looking forward to finding good ways to utilize that money, either by upgrading apartments or by making improvements to the building itself."

She said Luverne's HRA has been receiving roughly $72,000 in federal funds for capital improvements, so the $92,287 will allow for extra or more thorough improvements.

HRA owns the Blue Mound Tower apartments, which were built in 1970.

"It's an old building, and there are always capital projects that need attention," Linssen said. "Whether it's air exchange issues, plumbing issues or structural issues."

The Mankato Free Press Dan Linehan reports in Politicians weigh in at Futures Summit:

An ambitious project to identify and seize economic opportunities in southern Minnesota sought advice Friday from hundreds of southern Minnesota leaders from the public and private sectors.

Using hand-held voting devices, 250 participants winnowed six key industries to three: bioscience, health care and renewable energy. It’s in these areas the region has the best resources and opportunity to create jobs, they agreed.

The wider process is called the Southern Minnesota Regional Competitiveness Project, led by the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation. . . .

. . .Next up was Margaret Anderson Kelliher, speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives and a Mankato native.

“This is not the southern Minnesota of the 1970s,” she said. No one here is looking back, Kelliher said.

After her address, she said the best economic strategy takes advantage of home-grown entrepreneurs, who are looking at a range of factors, not just tax breaks.

“Relocation is a bit of the Old World of economic development,” she said.

Both Klobuchar, currently the state’s only senator, and Rep. Tim Walz touted the recently passed $787 billion stimulus bill as promoting similar goals.

Walz acknowledged the bill essentially borrows from the future and said he doesn’t like deficit spending.

But doing nothing was a worse option, and the only way out of the recession is creating growth, Walz said.

Read the entire article about the Summit at the MFP.  A biobusiness in coming to Pine Island. The Post Bulletin has published more about the Elk Run project in Elk Run seems to have all the right stuff. along with companion articles, $1 billion in a 'pile' for Elk Run and Pine Island city administrator pleased with infusion of capital into Elk Run.  There's even more in Much to be found under biotech umbrella and Interchange is necessary, but unfunded, piece of the project.

URBAN LEGEND ALERT: Finally, loyal readers know we're always on the lokkout for false urban legends being circulated as if they are factual. The Worthington Globe has published an LTE attributing a prayer to the late Paul Harvey. The text instantly set our bull detector tingling; sure enough, it's an item at the Urban Legends Reference site. The praye, falsely attributed to both Harvey and Billy Graham, wasn't aired on radio, but rather delivered on the opening day of the Kansas State House in 1996.

Photo: A waggish friend sent us this lolcats, recommending it as an allegory of First District Republican efforts to unseat Congressman Walz. We have some really funny friends.

If you've stuck with us and read this whole post, you deserve a song. How about a little Anthony and the Johnsons:

Thursday digest: just another biotech day in the park edition

Minnesota Public Radio reports in Officials announce $1 billion Elk Run project:

Rochester, Minn. — A real estate developer and a venture capitalist said today they are joining together to launch a biobusiness park near Rochester, reportedly costing nearly $1 billion.

The developer, Tower Investments, and the venture capitalist, Burrill & Co., hope to move forward with the Elk Run master planned development, which would feature what they call a BioBusiness Park to launch medical startup companies.. . .

. . .U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, who represents the area, says the project could revitalize the southern Minnesota corridor.

"They've chosen this because Minnesota had the vision to invest in things like the University of Minnesota, the Mayo Clinic, and the Rochester education system, and all the things that have brought growth to the area before," said Walz.

The development would also include office and warehouse space, retail and residential components.

Walz says to make the project work, more investment in infrastructure is needed. He says he hopes to find a way to help fund a new highway interchange at Elk Run.

The Post Bulletin also wrote up the announcement in It's a go for Pine Island and biotechnology. IN othe news, the paper reports in Appropriations bill funds projects in region:

First District Rep. Tim Walz requested the funding for the projects, including money for an extension of 55th Street and a new 60-bus garage facility in Rochester. Also receiving funding is the Hormel Institute in Austin and the National Child Protection Training Center in Winona.

Officials with Austin's Hormel Institute said they were thrilled with the $323,000 they received.

Previously, Dr. Zigang Dong, Hormel Institute executive director, has noted the importance of the funding.

"The growth we have achieved -- and the future growth we will continue to strive for -- depends on the important partnerships we share with our community and the support we receive from our leaders," he said. "Progress to improve the health of the world is not possible without research."

The story ran in the Austin version of the Post Bulletin under the heading, Federal bill sends funds to Hormel Institute.  Last night, KEYC-TV broadcast 16 Local Laws And Projects Included In Funding Bill,  The Gaylord Hub says Prairie Line won’t receive economic stimulus funds because MN DOT chose to use the money only for bridges and roads.  Other funding sources are being sought:

One Minnesota Department of Transportation report had called for the rail project to receive $10 million from the stimulus package. Proponents of the project state that it is “shovel ready” and a economic contributor to the entire region. The project of upgrading the track is estimated to cost $40 million. This would include allowing 255,000 pound rail cars that could travel 25 mph on the track.

Last month, Minnesota House File 660, authored by Morrow, appropriated $10 million in bond proceeds for a grant to the Minnesota Valley Regional Rail Authority to rehabilitate the track. The track is owned by Carver, Sibley, Renville, Redwood and Yellow Medicine Counties and operated by the Minnesota Prairie Line, a subsidiary of Twin Cities and Western Railroad.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and Congressman Tim Walz helped appropriate $950,000 in federal railroad improvement funding.

American Veteran Online: Live from Capitol Hill notes:

Rep. Buyer discussed a new bipartisan bill he plans to introduce with Rep. Tim Walz of Minnesota that would provide equity in DIC compensatio for surviving military widows. The landmark bill would finally provide equity for military widows, who currently receive 12 percent less in compensation compared to civilian federal employees.

FarmPolicy.com notes the call by the House Rural Caucus's call for a White House Office of Rural Ploicy. Walz is a leader in the caucus. 

Recovering Republican blogger Ron Amundson looks at both sides in Employee Free Choice Act egads, talk about spin and ends up supporting the legislation.

How about a tune from a Band of Horses?:

Sixteen Southern Minnesota projects funded with signing of appropriations bill

The Washington Post reports in Obama Signs Spending Bill, Calls for Earmark Guidelines:

President Obama today signed what he called an "imperfect" spending bill to keep the government running even though it contains thousands of lawmakers' pet projects, but he called for more rigorous review of future projects, known as earmarks, that are designated by individual legislators for their states or districts. .  .  .

. . .Obama called on Congress to enact a series of guidelines that he said would not eliminate earmarks but would force lawmakers to be more transparent about them and would crack down on those that benefit private companies. He said it "should go without saying that an earmark must never be traded for political favors." The guidelines are aimed at curbing the number of pet projects in appropriations bills, setting up a potential battle with lawmakers who have clung to the spending items.

So far as we can tell, Congressman Walz is already operating as if those rules are in place. He publicly releases free lists of the budget requests he is making, as the Sunlight Foundation notes here and the Mankato Free Press reported here.  None of the earmarks go to private companies.

A press release from the Walz congressional office:

SIXTEEN LOCAL PROJECTS SIGNED INTO LAW

Walz’s appropriations requests signed into law earlier today as part of the Omnibus Appropriations bill

(Washington, D.C.) – Earlier today, President Obama signed the federal funding of sixteen important local projects into law that will help create and save jobs across southern Minnesota. The funds, which were requested by Congressman Tim Walz are included in the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill. The bill passed the Senate yesterday.

“Projects like Highway 14 are critically important to southern Minnesota’s economic recovery,” said Walz. “These funds will not only create jobs as we expand the existing highway to four lanes, but it will also create economic opportunity for the majority of southern Minnesota’s businesses, who use Highway 14 to ship their goods.”

“These funds will do more than just create jobs,” continued Walz. “These investment dollars strengthen the fabric of our communities. Lewis and Clark Regional Water System, Bolder Options, the Sherriff’s Youth Program, and Winona State’s National Child Protection Training Center will ensure that our children drink clean water, receive invaluable support from caring adult mentors, and be less likely to fall pray to child predators. Investments like these in the future of our country are priceless.”

The FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill funding at the request of Congressman Walz for the following projects:

$200,000 for Bolder Options

To expand Bolder Options' youth mentorship program into the Rochester area

$713,625 for the Center for Renewable Energy at Minnesota State University, Mankato

This funding would support on-going research into cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel and other renewable forms of energy.

$290,000 for Crop Disease Research at the University of Minnesota

Research into crop diseases that threaten Minnesota's wheat, oat and barley industries.

$235,000 for the Competitive Farm Benchmarking Program at the University of Minnesota

Funding for a project that helps farmers compare their costs of production and maximize their efficiencies of operation.

$323,000 for Hormel Institute in Austin

Funds would help the Hormel Center develop an International Center of Research Technology to provide cutting edge technology to biomedical researchers from across the country and the world.

$2,375,000 Hwy 14 Waseca-Owatonna

Funds would support the four-lane expansion of Highway 14 from Waseca to I-35 at Owatonna.

$475,000 for 55th Street in Rochester

Funds would provide for final design, right-of-way acquisition and first stage construction of a 1.9 mile extension of 55th Street as a 4-lane expressway.

$27,000,000 for Lewis and Clark Regional Water System

Centered in twenty communities in western Minnesota, northern Iowa, and eastern South Dakota, this pipeline provides treated water from the Missouri River to more than 300,000 people in three states.

Several Members of Congress from three states requested this funding. This area is so desperately short of water that there are restrictions on constructing new small business and residences; the pipeline will be essential to the economic viability of these small towns. Many of the communities involved have pre-paid the local share of the project, in order to keep inflationary costs at a minimum, and are only awaiting the federal share.

$700,000 for the National Child Protection Training Center at Winona State University

The Center trains social workers, teachers, and health care professionals to recognize and report signs of child abuse.

$500,000 for the Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota and Iowa

This project will support land acquisition to add acreage to the refuge.

$181,000 for St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Fresh Start Disease Prevention Program

Funds would support the expansion of a chronic disease management program in Wabasha to help participants reduce their risk of heart disease.

$190,000 for St. Mary’s University’s Teacher Mentorship Program

Funds would help expand the university's educator professional development programs by using technology to allow greater outreach to teachers in MN with impact on thousands of students in critical STEM subjects.

$200,000 for Sheriffs Youth Program in Rochester.

Funding would support the expansion of SYP’s services for at-risk youth.

$712,000 for Transit Operations Center in Rochester

Would fund the construction of a new 60-bus garage facility; as well as a new park-and-ride facility in Rochester.

$8,604,000 for Upper Mississippi River Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program

This multi-state project was requested by several Members of Congress. It will provide for the first phases of construction of new 1,200 foot lock chambers at several locks and dams along the Mississippi, implement small-scale navigation aids; and begin ecosystem restoration projects along the Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway.

$951,000 for Veterans Re-Entry Education Program in St. Paul

Funds would help Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and three state agencies create programs to help returning veterans find employment and educational opportunities.

While most of the federal funding for FY2009 was delayed until now, some funding bills did become law before President Bush left office. In the FY2009 bills that became law last year, Walz also secured the following funding:

$2 million for the Minnesota National Guard Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Program

$704,000 for the National Guard's Minnesota Army National Guard Armory Emergency Response Generators

$1.3 million for the Minnesota Helicopter Civil Band Radio Communication

$2.224 million for Minnesota Satellite Multi-Modal Collaborative Crisis and Training Network

$400,000 for flood mitigation in Owatonna, Minnesota

Photo: Congressman Walz and a constituent in Luverne. Image courtesy of Cornerhouse Comments.

Sustainable farming groups meet with Walz (and two ag events for the city mice)

 Public Service News reports in Minnesota Farmers Find Welcome Mat Out in Washington:

Washington, D.C. – A dozen Midwest farmers say they got a warm reception from federal agriculture officials they met with during a two-day trip to Washington this week. Farmer Tom Nuessmeier of Le Sueur, Minnesota, says important policies are being shaped by the new administration, and producers need a seat at the table.

"What we're trying to do is push for pro-active farm policies that help conservation on working lands and with beginning farmer programs, and for certain things that help independent livestock producers get fair prices for their livestock."

Nuessmeier says he was encouraged by discussions he had with members of his state's Congressional delegation about efforts to preserve and protect land through initiatives such as the Conservation Stewardship Program.

"It'll take public dollars and direct the money towards those operations that are limiting soil loss, using more rotations on their farm – things that lead to water quality."

He says that's a much better use of taxpayer dollars than direct payments.

He says they also traded ideas on helping family farmers and supporting rural communities. Nuessmeier says he left with the impression that farmers have a sympathetic ear in Congress and at the White House.

Groups involved in the trip were the Land Stewardship Project, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and the Missouri Rural Crisis Center. Those taking part in the talks included Minnesota Congress members Collin Peterson and Tim Walz, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and various USDA officials.

The Land Stewardship Project has consolidated its Twin Cities offices into one, though the offices in Lewiston and Monticello remain unchanged.

The group will host an open house on Friday, March 6, 4-7:3- p.m. at 821 E 35th Street, Suite 200.  From the email invitation:

We hope you will join us in celebrating our move to a new office in South Minneapolis. After several years of maintaining two offices in the metro area, LSP has combined our offices into a central location. The move has helped improve our efficiency and communication while providing better workspace for staff, improved meeting space and more room for volunteers and interns. This move does not affect LSP’s rural offices in Montevideo and Lewiston.

Please stop by our office on Friday, March 6, between 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and enjoy appetizers, beverages, a brief program and good conversation with LSP staff and members. For a map and directions to our office click here. There will also be a small silent auction to help cover moving costs. Please note that our office is on the second floor of the old Powderhorn Park firehouse, and requires climbing a long flight of stairs. We are currently moving forward with retrofitting the office with an elevator.

Please let us know if you can attend by calling us at 612-722-6377 or replying to this e-mail.

Thanks for your support and we hope to see you there.

Later this month, another pro-sustainable farming group, the IATP, will hold a discussion about food. From the invite:

Minnesota Global - Reducing Minnesota's Foodprint: Cutting Global Warming Contributions from Food and Energy

Monday, March 23, 2009

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy invites you to join us for an important conversation about the intersection of food, energy and climate change. From the field to our grocery stores and homes, our food system is a significant source of global warming emissions. Learn how we can redesign our food system to meet food, climate and energy goals.

Speakers:

* Tom Braun, Co-Founder, Linden Hills Power and Light
* Susan Hubbard, CEO and Co-President, Eureka! Recycling
* Jim Kleinschmit, Director of Rural Communities, IATP
* Danny Schwartzman, Owner, Common Roots Cafe

5:30-7:00 p.m.

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, 2104 Stevens Avenue South, Minneapolis

RSVP by March 20 to: [email protected] or 612-870-3408. Refreshments will be served.

Image: "Ploughed Fields" by New Ulm native Wanda Gag.

Omnibus bill: Highway 14, renewable energy--and block on congressional pay raise

The House passed the omnibus funding bill yesterday; MinnPost's Cynthia Dizikes summarizes statements by Minnesota's delegation in Peterson joins Republicans and votes against 'omnibus' spending bill.

KEYC-TV reports in Area Projects Benefit From Stimulus Money:

An important vote in the U - S House means extra funding may be on the way for projects in our area...Representative Tim Walz announcing the House approved federal funding today for sixteen projects in southern Minnesota... Projects that will help keep and create jobs in our area.Rep. Tim Walz says, "What these things will do is create jobs in ,pthe short term... like what President Obama said last night... we need to focus on education, jobs, research and health care."Two major projects in our area include over 700 thousand dollars for the Center for Renewable Energy at MSU and nearly 2 point 5 million dollars to support the four - lane expansion of Highway 14 from Waseca to Owatonna.Mayor Gary Zellmer says, "If we can continue to get little bits at a time it's always encouraging... it's been a long struggle so just getting something is really key."The funding is in addition to dollars already set for these projects through the regular state budget and the Recovery Bill...The Senate is expected to take action on the bill this week.

The money for MSUM's project should give more of those young engineering students at last Friday Repower America Town Hall Forum an opportunity to learn more about green energy and jobs.  And more for improving Highway 14?  Simply a life saver.

The bill also ncludes a provision to block the COLA increase for members.  Walz was an original co-sponsor of a separate provision to do so, H.R. 156. Peterson and Kline signed on later. Insert our own snark about Paulsen and Bachmann being for pay raises for themselves buy voting against the omnibus bill and failing to co-sponsor the separate item (H.R. 156).

Walz's congressional office issued a press release about funding in the bill for Southern Minnesota. Other familiar items on the list include funding for the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System, Upper Mississippi River navigation and ecosystem projects, the Child Protection Training Center at Winona State University, flood mitigation in Owatonna and other requests from the lists of earmarks (2007 and 2008) that Walz has published earlier in order to help make the process more tranparent for his constituents.

While some political observers like to kvetch about earmarks in the abstract, Walz's specific requests have largely met with approval in the district press.  The Owatonna People's Press pointed out in An Earmark That Makes Sense, an editorial last year about the flood migitation project:

". . .there are times when the projects are worthwhile. The earmark that Mr. Walz has proposed for Owatonna is one such case. What makes it important is that it is not a bridge to nowhere, but funds which will help a community prevent flooding and help residents keep their homes from being damaged. Keeping people and their property safe from the ravages of Mother Nature seems a worthwhile goal for the government."

A day later, we made the case for funding the work of the Hormel Institute in a post Another common sense earmark: Austin's Hormel Institute. The biomedical at the Institute is largely directed at finding cures for cancer.

Yesterday's release:

WALZ ANNOUNCES FUNDS FOR KEY LOCAL PROJECTS, KEEPING JOBS IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

Appropriations requests clear major hurdle, likely to become law in March

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Congressman Tim Walz announced that Congress is likely to approve federal funding this week to sixteen important local projects that will help create and save jobs across southern Minnesota.

Walz said the funds are included in the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which is expected to pass the House of Representatives later today. The Senate is expected to take action on the bill in the coming days before sending it to President Obama for his signature.

“Projects like Highway 14 are critically important to southern Minnesota’s economic recovery,” said Walz. “These funds will not only create jobs as we expand the existing highway to four lanes, but it will also create economic opportunity for the majority of southern Minnesota’s businesses, who use Highway 14 to ship their goods.”

The funding in the FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill is in addition to dollars already targeted for these projects through the regular state budget and through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which was enacted earlier this month.

“These funds will do more than just create jobs,” continued Walz. “These dollars strengthen the fabric of our communities. Because of projects like the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System, Bolder Options, the Sherriff’s Youth Program, and Winona State’s National Child Protection Training Center, our children will drink clean water, receive invaluable support from caring adult mentors, and be less likely to fall pray to child predators. Investments like these in the future of our country are priceless.”

“Finally, these funds support the ongoing investment in renewable energy production, medical research, and education that President Obama called for last night in his address to Congress. The alignment between southern Minnesota’s priorities and the President’s goals could not be more apparent than in this list of projects I requested on behalf of the community leaders and citizens of southern Minnesota,” concluded Walz.

The FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill funding at the request of Congressman Walz for the following projects:

$200,000 for Bolder Options

To expand Bolder Options' youth mentorship program into the Rochester area

$713,625 for the Center for Renewable Energy at Minnesota State University, Mankato

This funding would support on-going research into cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel and other renewable forms of energy.

$290,000 for Crop Disease Research at the University of Minnesota

Research into crop diseases that threaten Minnesota's wheat, oat and barley industries.

$235,000 for the Competitive Farm Benchmarking Program at the University of Minnesota Funding for a project that helps farmers compare their costs of production and maximize their efficiencies of operation.

$323,000 for Hormel Institute in Austin Funds would help the Hormel Center develop an International Center of Research Technology to provide cutting edge technology to biomedical researchers from across the country and the world.

$2,375,000 Hwy 14 Waseca-Owatonna

Funds would support the four-lane expansion of Highway 14 from Waseca to I-35 at Owatonna.

$475,000 for 55th Street in Rochester

Funds would provide for final design, right-of-way acquisition and first stage construction of a 1.9 mile extension of 55th Street as a 4-lane expressway.

$27,000,000 for Lewis and Clark Regional Water System Centered in twenty communities in western Minnesota, northern Iowa, and eastern South Dakota, this pipeline provides treated water from the Missouri River to more than 300,000 people in three states.

Several Members of Congress from three states requested this funding. This area is so desperately short of water that there are restrictions on constructing new small business and residences; the pipeline will be essential to the economic viability of these small towns. Many of the communities involved have pre-paid the local share of the project, in order to keep inflationary costs at a minimum, and are only awaiting the federal share.

$700,000 for the National Child Protection Training Center at Winona State University

The Center trains social workers, teachers, and health care professionals to recognize and report signs of child abuse.

$500,000 for the Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota and Iowa

This project will support land acquisition to add acreage to the refuge.

$181,000 for St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Fresh Start Disease Prevention Program

Funds would support the expansion of a chronic disease management program in Wabasha to help participants reduce their risk of heart disease.

$190,000 for St. Mary’s University’s Teacher Mentorship Program

Funds would help expand the university's educator professional development programs by using technology to allow greater outreach to teachers in MN with impact on thousands of students in critical STEM subjects.

$200,000 for Sheriffs Youth Program in Rochester.

Funding would support the expansion of SYP’s services for at-risk youth.

$712,000 for Transit Operations Center in Rochester

Would fund the construction of a new 60-bus garage facility; as well as a new park-and-ride facility in Rochester.

$8,604,000 for Upper Mississippi River Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program

This multi-state project was requested by several Members of Congress. It will provide for the first phases of construction of new 1,200 foot lock chambers at several locks and dams along the Mississippi, implement small-scale navigation aids; and begin ecosystem restoration projects along the Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway.

$951,000 for Veterans Re-Entry Education Program in St. Paul

Funds would help Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and three state agencies create programs to help returning veterans find employment and educational opportunities.

While most of the federal funding for FY2009 was delayed until now, some funding bills did become law before President Bush left office. In the FY2009 bills that became law last year, Walz also secured the following funding:

$2 million for the Minnesota National Guard Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Program

$704,000 for the National Guard's Minnesota Army National Guard Armory Emergency Response Generators

$1.3 million for the Minnesota Helicopter Civil Band Radio Communication $2.224 million for Minnesota Satellite Multi-Modal Collaborative Crisis and Training Network $400,000 for flood mitigation in Owatonna, Minnesota

Sunday digest: lucky Bockfest yes-we-can edition

The Star Tribune reports on The Great Stimulus Scramble. Walz bit:

Members of Minnesota's congressional delegation have been traveling around the state to help constituents make sense of the 1,703-page bill, and in some cases to help tout local companies. Last week, Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., visited the Miller Felpax Corp. in Winona, a maker of railroad equipment, which could see a bump in business from the Obama administration's new emphasis on high-speed rail.

We've been looking at some online tools for learning about projects submitted for possible funding under the Recovery Act and will be posting about these web sites later this evening or tomorrow morning.

The Mankato Free Press reports about the Energy Town Hall in Ethanol a 'step' to next stage:

. . . The Democrat from Mankato said that cellulosic technology shouldn’t include giant refineries such as corn ethanol plants but instead include more small operations.

Creating a new clean energy economy was the topic of the forum Friday at Minnesota State University.

Walz and other panelists, including former congressman Tim Penny, said the financial crisis and the stimulus package offer an unprecedented opportunity to change the course of the nation’s economy. “We have to get it right,” Walz said.

Dan Juhl, a wind energy business owner, said it’s vital to keep the new energy dollars local. Because of current tax credit laws, some 80 percent of the tax credits aimed at promoting wind farms goes to overseas conglomerates.

“We can keep our energy dollars in our communities and create jobs,” Juhl said.

Walz, who represents the 1st District, said Congress is working on rewriting the tax credit to get it to local wind cooperatives and businesses.

J. Drake Hamilton, of the group Fresh Energy, said the stimulus package can do what few imagined. “We got a big, huge kick-start from the economic recovery bill.” . . .

KEYC-TV has video from the town hall in More Green Jobs Coming.  The Fillmore County Journal has the local slant on the story of  Superintendent Ehler invited to attend Obama address to Congress by Congressman Walz.

The Campaign Diaries blog notes:

After voting for George W. Bush in both 2000 and 2004, MN-01 swung to the Democratic column by 8% to give Barack Obama a 51% to 47% victory. That makes Democratic Rep. Tim Walz look less vulnerable than he did since his upset victory in the 2006 midterms.

The absence of any public discussion of a Republican seeking endorsement for 2010 might also be a factor.

The New Ulm Journal reports that Schell's brewery got into the spirit of the times in Bockfest 2009: ‘Yes, we can!’

Bockfest 2009 must have put Schell's President and Brewmaster Ted Marti in a presidential mood Saturday afternoon.

When the Bockfest Boys took a short break from their performance, Marti spoke briefly to the crowd. His remarks echoed one of President Obama's now-famous speeches.

"They said we couldn't have an outdoor beer-drinking festival. Well yes we can!," Marti proclaimed. "They said we could have  a band that plays 'Ring Of Fire' 13 times?...Well, yes we can!"

The paper says 6000 people attended; the Journal's office was invaded:

THUMBS UP: The Journal was invaded by suspicious looking masked characters Friday afternoon. The Narren had once again kidnapped Mayor Joel Albrecht and were parading him around town, declaring that everyone was to take the day off and start celebrating Fasching.

We ignored their directive. After all, if Congress can make no law abridging freedom of the press, neither can the Narren. Besides, who would put their picture in the paper if we all took the day off?

We hope the city will take a sterner stance with the Narren than in the past. The City Council should refuse to negotiate with kidnappers of public officials. Whatever ransom the Narren demand for the mayor should be denied. They've got him, and they can keep him.

In the mean time, happy Fasching and Bock Fest to all.

The Albert Lea Tribune reports People come out to make their voices heard by the state legislature. Doesn't sound like most of the 200 people were too happy with Governor Pawlenty's proposed cuts. Maybe they need a beer, or perhaps the Narren should kidnap Pawlenty.

The Owatonna People's Press reports that the actor who plays the head bad guy in "Gran Torino" attended the local high school before moving to St. Paul. He wasn't typecast.

This evening's hymn is from The National, and is dedicated to all those who ever thought they were being followed by a guy with a talking dog:

Friday digest: repowered catch-up edition

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:

Steve Blue is like other CEOs in America today — he’s not inclined to spend until he knows when the hard times will end.

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:

Representative Tim Walz is predicting the federal economic stimulus package signed into law by President Barack Obama this week will have a positive impact on his First District, including the Winona area.

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:

Wow — the "Truth Test" season for political ads has begun already? KSTP's Tom Hauser examines a couple of "thank you" ads from a pharmaceutical-labor-funded group aimed at Congressmen Erik Paulsen and Tim Walz, who voted for kids' health insurance. Turns out the valentines are true!

MPR reports in $1 billion bioscience center [is] planned for Rochester area:

A San Francisco-based venture capitalist who manages hundreds of millions of dollars in biotech investments has joined an effort to turn a little-known development in tiny Pine Island, Minn., into a biotech research powerhouse.

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:

Walz at Winona Rotary on Wednesday, February 18; Town Hall on Friday

Congress is in recess for President's Day week, making this a district work week for Representative Walz. We've just learned that Congressman Walz will be the guest of Winona's Rotary club tomorrow at 12:30 p.m.:

Winona Rotary
Winona Health Watkins Manor
175 East Wabasha
Winona, Minnesota

For more information, contact Winona Rotary. We posted earlier about the green recovery Repower America Town Hall meeting in our earlier post, Town hall meeting Friday, February 20 in Mankato.

What: Repower America Town Hall Forum

Environment Minnesota is joining with Congressman Tim Walz and other local environmental groups to host our Repower America Town Hall Forum at the Minnesota State University Mankato. We'll focus on green jobs, the federal economic recovery plan, and our local economy. We’ll discuss how we can fight global warming while creating a clean energy economy for Minnesota. This includes efforts to use the federal economic recovery package to fund “ready to go” clean energy and public transit projects, which will significantly reduce global warming pollution and create jobs. We will also discuss other local, state, and federal opportunities to boost clean energy and fight global warming.

Who: Congressman Tim Walz of Minnesota’s 1st District

Samantha Chadwick, Environment Minnesota, citizen-based advocacy organization

Gerry Parzino, United Steelworkers and the Blue Green Alliance

Dan Juhl, CEO of Juhl Wind

Tim Penny, former Congressman, President and CEO of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation

J Drake Hamilton, Science Policy Director with Fresh Energy

Dr. Vincent Winstead, professor at Minnesota State University Mankato

When: Friday February 20th, 11:00 AM

Where: Centennial Student Union Heritage Room, Minnesota State University Mankato

For more information: Samantha Chadwick, 612-379-1475, [email protected]

Photo: Tim Walz at a meeting in Luverne. Photo courtesy of Corner House Comments.

Green recovery: Town hall meeting Friday, February 20 in Mankato

Environment Minnesota sent notice of a Town Hall meeting next Friday in Mankato:

What: Repower America Town Hall Forum

Environment Minnesota is joining with Congressman Tim Walz and other local environmental groups to host our Repower America Town Hall Forum at the Minnesota State University Mankato. We'll focus on green jobs, the federal economic recovery plan, and our local economy. We’ll discuss how we can fight global warming while creating a clean energy economy for Minnesota. This includes efforts to use the federal economic recovery package to fund “ready to go” clean energy and public transit projects, which will significantly reduce global warming pollution and create jobs. We will also discuss other local, state, and federal opportunities to boost clean energy and fight global warming.

Who: Congressman Tim Walz of Minnesota’s 1st District Samantha Chadwick, Environment Minnesota, citizen-based advocacy organization Gerry Parzino, United Steelworkers and the Blue Green Alliance Dan Juhl, CEO of Juhl Wind Tim Penny, former Congressman, President and CEO of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation J Drake Hamilton, Science Policy Director with Fresh Energy Dr. Vincent Winstead, professor at Minnesota State University Mankato

When: Friday February 20th, 11:00 AM

Where: Centennial Student Union Heritage Room, Minnesota State University Mankato

For more information: Samantha Chadwick, 612-379-1475, [email protected]

The Star Tribune reports that Minnesota's take: About $9.1 billion in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Environment Minnesota sent us a press release that focuses on the green elements of the bill:

Green Recovery Bill Will Deliver Less Pollution, More Jobs through Clean Energy

Washington, DC - This afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an economic recovery package containing nearly $80 billion in clean energy, energy efficiency, public transit, rail and green transportation funding.

“With the clean energy and green transportation investments in this package, Congress can deliver a green economic recovery that will repower America and recharge our economy,” said Environment Minnesota Washington DC Director Anna Aurilio.

The final bill invests $32.80 billion for clean energy, $26.86 billion for energy efficiency, and $18.95 billion for green transportation. Environment Minnesota highlighted the following provisions:

* Extending and “recession proofing” the renewable energy incentives, which will prevent 55.8 million tons of global warming pollution per year by the end of the three year extension and create or protect 254,000 jobs in the near term;

* Creating a renewable energy manufacturing tax credit;

* Fully funding the Green Jobs Act at $500 million over 2 years which will train 70,000 workers in renewable energy and energy efficiency job;

* Invest $4.5 billion to upgrade our electricity transmission system to better take advantage of renewable energy and improve efficiency;

* Providing $5 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program, enough to prevent 9.7 million tons of global warming pollution and create 375,000 jobs;

* Providing $4.5 billion to improve energy efficiency of federal buildings, the nation’s biggest energy user;

* Funding the State Energy Program at $3.1 billion to help citizens and business save energy;

* Providing $3.2 billion in block grants for local government energy efficiency and renewable energy projects;

* Providing $8.4 billion in public transit, which will save 10.3 million barrels of oil and create or preserve 252,000 jobs, with $1.5 billion set aside for expanding capacity and upgrades to existing transit systems;

* Investing $8 billion for new high speed rail projects. In 2008, the wind energy industry installed enough new power capacity to avoid nearly 44 million tons of global warming pollution and increased U.S. wind industry jobs by 70 percent. Fixing the renewable energy tax incentives was a top priority to keep increasing the development of clean, renewable energy and reducing global warming pollution. Environment Minnesota also commended the House and Senate leaders who removed billions of dollars in loan guarantees from the final bill that could have been used for nuclear power and liquid coal. “The clean energy investments we need to protect our environment and start solving global warming will create more jobs and stimulate the economy more than the dirty technologies of the past. We urge the Senate to quickly deliver this final bill to President Obama so America can get on the path to a clean energy economy,” concluded Aurilio.

Will Goodview water project be flush with stimulus money?

Probably not. The Post Bulletin reports in Goodview pins hopes on stimulus bil:

As cities, counties and schools compete for federal stimulus dollars for new projects, Goodview city officials fear they may lose out.

The city is already halfway done with a $4.3 million water treatment project being required by the Minnesota Department of Health. The city has until July 1 to finish the two treatment plants to bring the city's levels of radium in its drinking water in line with federal standards.

With construction crews already at work, Goodview City Administrator Dan Matejka fears the city might get passed over for the federal dollars.

"If we could have delayed our project one year, I think this would be a perfect fit for the stimulus package. But we couldn't because of the deadline we had to meet," he said.

The city had to start construction under an agreement it made with the state of Minnesota; it has already raised its water rates 113 percent.

Congressman Walz isn't happy about the possible exclusion of the project from the stimulus pie:

First District Rep. Tim Walz said it is unfair that some cities might get money to build treatment plants while Goodview, which has already started the work and got federal approval, will be left out.

"This makes absolutely no sense and again the folks down in Goodview aren't building a Christmas tree museum or something. They are trying to adhere to the law to be able to flush their toilets and have clean drinking water," the Mankato Democrat said.

Some are questioning whether or not the level of radium in the city's water is really a danger to the residents' health. The PB explores the issue in Goodview mayor calls water treatment project a waste of money. The amount of radium in small town's water is just over current acceptable standards:

At issue is the amount of radium in the city's drinking water. Radium is a natural component of underground rock and soil that can work its way in to ground water. Long-term exposure to radium has been linked to an increased risk of cancer. But just how much radium is too much?

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), drinking water should contain no more than 5.4 picoCuries per liter of Radium 226 and Radium 228. But in 1991, the EPA considered changing those guidelines, nearly quadrupling the maximum contaminant level to 20 pCi/L. Anticipating the change, the Minnesota Department of Health stopped enforcing the lower levels, said Stew Thornley, health educator with the department's drinking water program.

But those changes never happened. Instead, the EPA decided to keep radium levels the same. In 2007, 10 municipal water systems were found to be in violation -- including Goodview. The city's radium levels were found to be between 7 to 9 piC/L.

"It's not the kind of thing that would cause any kind of immediate illness. It's just a long-term concern we want to make sure gets taken care of," Thornley said.

The small town is definitely placed between its rocks and hard place and it's understandable why the mayor is pissed..

Tuesday digest: Rosie, wind, credit and a good dive edition

Must see TV: We're listening to the Ag committee hearings on regulating credit swaps while putting together our daily digest. Now that the canned statements are given, the witnesses and committee members are conducting a lively debate over the issues. We'll be reviewing the transcripts' this is feisty stuff.

Elsewhere, in a letter to the editor of the Pipestone Star, her son-in-law tells of one real Rosie the Riveter's response to the inauguration of the 44th President. His Rosie wasn't the model for the icon, but she certainly embodies the spirit of the women who worked in the nation's defense industry in WWII.

The Strib and other venues are reporting Daschle withdraws as nominee for HHS secretary We're happy he came to his senses.

In the First, the Dodge County Independent proclaims America needs wind energy, Nature Energies responds! and Triple Creek Wind Farm coming to rural Kasson. Finance and Commerce reports Minnesota wind power development stalled due to a logjam of wind projects, "a power-transmission system in need of repairs and a shortage of adequately financed wind farms." North American Windpower says US, China Lead Global Wind Installation.

The Mankato Free Press editorial board writes against coal and for wind and other renewables in Big Stone II the wrong plan at the wrong time.

There's an update on B.J. Sprenger, the Sleepy Eye National Guard soldier who was badly burned in Iraq, in the New Ulm Journal. The article notes organizations that help service members and their families. We'd like to see members of congress donating their frequent flyer miles (earned on the taxpayers' dime) to the families of hospitalized military personnel, rather than taking the upgrades to fly first class. Private citizens should consider donating their miles, too.

Former Congressman Tim Penny, is crtical of the stimulus bill in his column in the Waseca County News, Community Perspective: Business as usual (again)?.

And now, an inspiring dive by America's top soldier, Fairmont-area native and WSU student Sgt. David Obray and the Golden Knights:

Christmas eve digest: time for giving

It's Christmas Eve, and we wish all of our readers a Merry Christmas. Reading around the papers today, we're moved by the story of the anonymous donor who gave $1 million to the families left homeless by a fire in a Burnsville apartment complex. This works out to each family getting $17,500; many of those displaced had little to begin with. We read:

A bleak holiday grew a bit brighter this morning for residents who returned to a fire-ravaged Burnsville apartment complex to receive their portions of a $1 million anonymous donation.

Each family from Building A, which was destroyed in Monday's blaze, will receive a check for $17,500, courtesy of the donor, whose only request was that the Burncliff Apartments residents would receive the gift in time for Christmas.

We are blessed to have this kind person living among us. There's a less dramatic story unfolding in Waseca, though the benefit to the community will persist for years. In A season of giving, the Waseca County News reports:

Paul and Sue Rosenau hope to touch as many people as possible with funds from their lottery winnings, but they didn’t expect the endowments to be Christmas gifts.

That’s just how it worked out, according to Sue Rosenau, because somebody had a better plan than they did.

Since the day in May when the couple won the largest Powerball jackpot in Minnesota history, that is how it has been, Paul Rosenau said. They took home nearly $60 million out of a $180.1 million jackpot and set out to fulfill the responsibility they believed came to them through those winnings. And all along the way, they felt someone was guiding them.

So, over the last two weeks, the Rosenaus were busy delivering news of local endowments.

The largest of their gifts was made to Grace Lutheran Church.

“It’s a substantial gift that will be utilized to meet people’s needs,” Associate Pastor Dan Doering said about the 11 different endowments made to the Rosenaus’ church home, the church that sustained them when they lost their granddaughter, Makayla, to Krabbes Disease five years ago.

The vast majority of the endowments will go to meet the needs of the community. That the endowments come at Christmas is to Doering so appropriate because it is the season in the church of God’s greatest gift.

Read the rest of the article for more of the story. A separate piece, Community groups benefit from Rosenau gifts, details the endowments:

Funds have been established at Grace Lutheran Church for Grace Garden, Habitat for Humanity, matching gifts, pastors’ discretionary endowment, staff development, worship endowment and youth endowment. Other funds in the planning stage include a fund to offset costs of medical crisis in Waseca and other communities; a scholarship fund for students pursuing a church vocation; and a disaster relief fund to offset recovery costs after a natural disaster. The church purchased the former Countryside Motors showroom building and parking lot and an additional lot with a gift of $270,000 from the Rosenaus. Future use of the building is still undecided.

Other local endowments have been made through the Waseca Area Foundation to Waseca area law enforcement, Waseca and Woodville Fire Departments, Waseca Parks and Trails, Waseca Public Schools, Waseca Medical Facility, Cally Jo Larson Fund, Barb Penny Fund and Farmamerica.

Waseca School District Superintendent John Rokke said a $500,000 endowment was made to the schools: $200,000 for k-12 technology upgrades; $100,000 for scholarships for students pursuing the medical field; $100,000 for scholarships for talented and gifted students who don’t otherwise qualify for scholarships; and $100,000 for the marching band program. The funds are not for the school budget.

Grace Garden is a day care center; all of these gifts are a wonderful acknowledgment of the comfort the Rosenaus received when their grand-daughter's illness shattered their own world:

They felt alone when Makayla was diagnosed with a disease they knew nothing about, Paul said, but the community supported them and now they want to help others in a similar crisis.

The Cally Jo Larson Fund and the Barb Penny Fund are administered by the Waseca Foundation. A small town of about 8500, Waseca has had its share of woe in recent years, and Grace Lutheran has played a strong role in healing the town's heartaches. What an incredible story.

In other issues, Agri-News editorializes in Midwest is the place for ag policy power with Vilsack:

With President-elect Barack Obama's selection of former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack as the next agriculture secretary, the epicenter of agricultural policy is right here in the Midwest.

Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin leads the Senate ag committee and Minnesota Rep. Collin Peterson holds the same job in the U.S. House. The threesome have a special opportunity to shape future agricultural policy and establish new directions that are badly needed. . . .

. . .Vilsack, 58, has a big job ahead.

With Peterson's and Harkin's help, he might be able to push through meaningful and lower subsidy payment limitations.

Vilsack will become only the second Iowan to be ag secretary in modern times, which is somewhat surprising because Iowa is the No. 1 agricultural state. Henry Wallace served President Franklin Roosevelt well in the trying days of the Great Depression.

Reform, greater USDA efficiency and stronger oversight will be on his plate.

We wish him well.

President-elect Barack Obama promised change during his successful campaign. Vilsack is in a strong position in that regards. He should get plenty of help from Peterson and Harkin, who have consistently been at the forefront of congressional ag policy debate.

The Washington Post explores what some of those changes might be in Targeting Obesity Alongside Hunger: Obama Administration May Look to Tie Food Assistance to Improved Nutrition:

For decades, the government has treated hunger and obesity as unrelated phenomena. But at a news conference last week in Chicago, Tom Vilsack, President-elect Barack Obama's  choice for agriculture secretary, said he would put "nutrition at the center of all food assistance programs," a signal that he will get involved next year when Congress moves to reauthorize nutrition programs that support school breakfasts and lunches as well as summer food for children.

"For a long time, we've looked at hunger and obesity separately," said Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), chairman of the committee that will draft the legislation. "It's not a zero-sum game.". . .

. . .In the 2008 farm bill, Congress allocated $20 million for a pilot program to explore how to create incentives to purchase fruits, vegetables or other healthful foods in order to improve the diets of food stamp recipients and potentially reduce obesity. Several nonprofit groups and foundations are experimenting with similar incentives.. . .

Read the whole article at the Post. An article in the New York Times' Dining and Wine section takes a foodie approach to the issue in Is a New Food Policy on Obama’s List. It's the more pessimistic report of the two articles today in two of the nation's most important papers.

With the recount of Minnesota's U.S. Senate race still unsettled, it might seem too early to start thinking about candidates for Minnesota's state house and senate. A keen-eyed farmer friend spotted a GOP filing for the state senate seat now held by Sharon Ropes. Good luck to frequent LTE writer, WELS pastor and RPM official Paul Ibisch.

When we last heard from him, Ibisch was urging that people donate to area food shelves by participating in the CP's Holiday Train's stop in LaCrescent. We completely agree with him on that.

The Winona Daily News reports in  Food giveaway helps feed hungry:

Approximately 350 families were helped through Compassion Winona, a food giveaway of more than 32,000 pounds of food by Community Bible Church.

The food came courtesy of Feed the Hungry, a Christian relief organization based in South Bend, Ind.
The church received the food Dec. 4 and gave it away Sunday through Tuesday to anyone in need.

The Rev. Craig Hensel, a pastor at Community Bible Church, said they plan on following up with some families in the future to see how they’re doing.

Hensel said many of the recipients of the food were single moms or elderly.

“Most people really are really trying to make it,” Hensel said. . . .

WDN columnist Jerome Christenson writes in It’s not really about the children:

. . . It’s said the Lord leaves nothing to chance, so there’s good reason the angels were sent to a bunch of tired farmhands stuck working the night shift.

It was poor, tired shepherds who needed to hear the Christmas promise: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy.”

That’s a message for adults.

Adults who, unlike children, know too much and at the same time know too little. Disillusioned, weary, fearful of the encroaching darkness. Buffeted by depression, recession, unemployment; by life, death and loss.

“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy.”

The Christmas story is truly a story for adults, with meaning for any of us who have been turned away in time of need, faced the slammed door, found ourselves humbled. Alone. Afraid.

In every adult life, there is a time when the Christmas story is, painfully, our story. The story of those moments when we need, desperately, to hear glad tidings and remember what then happened next. For there, with the cobwebs and filth, amid the stink of manure and nighttime chill, was brought forth the glory of the ages with the eternal promise of “on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” . . .

Merry Christmas, everyone, from the Bluestem Prairie.

Land Stewardship Project: Statement on Vilsack nomination for USDA chief

We'd asked the Land Stewardship Project for its reaction to President-elect Obama's nomination of former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack to head the Department of Agriculture.  we just received this statement focused on several policy shifts:

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn---The Land Stewardship Project congratulates former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack on his selection by President-elect Barack Obama as his nominee for U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. We look forward to working with the Secretary once he is approved by the Senate and begins to implement the farm and rural platform of President-elect Obama.

Food and agriculture policy is in need of real reform and new direction. The 2,900 member households of the Land Stewardship Project call on nominee Vilsack to work with LSP and other farm and rural organizations to:

- Fully fund and effectively implement the nationwide Conservation Stewardship Program passed in the 2008 Farm Bill.
- Prevent anticompetitive behavior facing family farmers by banning packer ownership of livestock and ensuring family and independent farmers have fair access to markets, control over their productions decisions, and transparency is prices;
- Encourage sustainable agriculture and local and regional food systems as engines of community economic development and elements of improved public health; and
- Fundamentally reform the nation’s commodity policies, which are excessively expensive and counterproductive to the goals of the care of the land and vital family farms.
- Better target federal resources to support family farmers and small businesses instead of big agribusiness, absentee landlords, and factory farm livestock operations who have disproportionably reaped the benefits of many farm programs.

As President-elect Obama stated at yesterday’s press conference:

“It’s time for a new kind of leadership in Washington ….And it means ensuring that the policies being shaped at the Departments of Agriculture and Interior are designed to serve not big agribusiness or Washington influence-peddlers, but family farmers and the American people.”

For a link to Obama Biden “Real Leadership for Rural America” click on, http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/RuralPlanFactSheet.pdf

For more on the Land Stewardship Project go to www.landstewardshipproject.org

Land Stewardship maintains its Southeastern MN office in Lewiston, Minnesota. Local projects focus on LSP's Farm Beginnings program for young and new farmers, and the Community Based Food Systems Program. 

The organization worked with Congressman Walz to get some of its policy goals inserted into the last Farm Bill. Perhaps the highest profile success was language from a separate bill that Representative Walz and Herseth-Sandlin (D-SD) introduced, then wrote into the more comprehensive bill. The Chatfield News, the Winona Daily News, and the Fillmore County Journal all covered LSP's early work with Walz on the Farm Bill.

Photo: Walz meets in Lewiston with LSP members in Lewiston, 2007 (Chatfield News)

Wednesday digest: green jobs and glad tidings edition

In response to a Post Bulletin column by a local Republican that scolded Governor Pawlenty for touting green jobs, Environment Minnesota's Samantha Chadwick writes Now is the time to invest in clean energy:

In response to the Dec. 1 column by Phil Araoz in opposition to Gov. Tim Pawlenty's green jobs initiative proposal, there has never been a more important time to invest in our future.

As we face a severe economic crisis, solutions that will stimulate the economy and create jobs will also bring long-term sustainability to our environment and economy.

Leaders such as Congressman Tim Walz, who realize that Minnesota is blessed with renewable resources and are pushing for development, deserve our praise and support. . . .

Read the entire, well-documented rebuttal in the PB's op-ed section. We're betting that a significant sub-set of the 62.5% of voters who voted for Walz in the First agree with the 2006 Gustavus grad, since energy policy was a major discussion during the congressional campaign.

Araoz's column, Tax breaks for 'green' jobs are bad deal for Minnesota is still online for those who wish to examine the case that sparked Chadwick's response.

The PB's own Greg Sellnow reports that a representative of Congressman Walz's office was onhand when the CP Christmas choochoo rolled into town in Holiday Train is good sign for Rochester:

The townsfolk, all bundled up in scarves, blankets and down coats on a dark night when the temperature was about 15 degrees, were there to see a 13-car train, facing west. It was lit with the outlines of flashing, brightly colored Christmas trees, ornaments and snowflakes. There in the middle was an open freight car where a band played. Santa stopped by to say hello. Our mayor was there to welcome the train. So was someone from Rep. Tim Walz's office. And a representative from the Channel One Food bank accepted a giant check from the Canadian Pacific Railroad for $2,500.

Sellner continues with a discussion of Rochester railroad politics. Interesting stuff. The train made several stops in Southern Minnesota as it traveled both countries to promote giving to food shelves. The train's blogger notes in Rochester residents embrace CP Holiday Train:

There were literally thousands of people braving the elements, all waiting to see what the CP Holiday Train was about and support the cause, when we pulled in!  Mayor Ardell Brede, Cynthia Schaffer from the Channel One Food Shelf and Rick Howden, representative for Congressman Tim Walz, were on hand to kick things off on a high note.. . .

We applaud all efforts to make sure no one goes hungry, but also hope that Congress will quickly pass President-elect Obama's plan for putting Americans to work rebuilding infrastructure, updating schools, and other public investments that will--we hope--reduce the need for food shelves.

And so all those waiting for the tide to turn, here's a song from Nova Scotia's own Melanie Doane, who was on the train that came to Rochester:

Early afternoon digest: prairie wind, batteries included edition

In Minnesotans concerned about bailout, the Worthington Globe reports:

U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., was hesitant to support anything yet.

“Until we see details about an assistance package for the auto industry, we’re just speculating about what might be included," Walz said. "But I would be very hesitant about any package that does not include strong protections for the taxpayers who are being asked to foot the bill.”

The Globe also reports on the first wind-to-battery test project in the United States. In Capturing wind:

Roughly the size of two semi trailers and weighing nearly 80 tons, groundbreaking wind-to-battery technology was unveiled in the middle of farm fields northwest of Beaver Creek Monday morning.

The battery, the first of its kind to be tested in the United States, will help partners Xcel Energy and Luverne-based Minwind Energy capture and store power produced by the 11.5-megawatt Minwind Energy wind farm. . . .

. . . Minwind Energy is comprised of 360 local investors who raised the capital to construct the wind farm. They each have a stake in the ownership of the turbines. Willers said the group is “very interested” in what’s going on in regard to energy production.

Minwind recently completed a two-year test project with Xcel Energy on a biodiesel peaking plant, in which a 99 percent blend of biofuels was used to power the wind turbines when Mother Nature didn’t provide enough wind for them to operate.

“We’re locally owned and we understand what energy is,” said Willers. “As Minnesotans, we want to have an understanding of where our energy dollars are going and coming from. Being an agricultural community, we’re always on the forefront of environmental issues.” . . .

KAAL-TV has more on this development in Xcel Tests Wind Power Battery.

The Ag Observatory at the IATP notes this December 3 event, Southern Minnesota Federal Grants Workshop:

Hosted by U.S. Congressman Tim Walz

December 3, 2008 -- 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Kahler Grand Hotel

Rochester, Minnesota

Cost: $20 for lunch

The 2008 Southern Minnesota Federal Grants Workshop connects local government and non profit leaders to federal grant opportunities with the goal of enhancing opportunity and prosperity. Come hear from experts from federal agencies and local foundations about how to research grant opportunities, review best practices in grant writing, and discover current trends in funding priority projects in southern Minnesota.

In Caledonia, the executive director of the Minnesota Early Learning Foundation notes Early childhood education is a very  important investment in our future, according to the Argus.

The Lakefield Standard reports dire need in Lakefield, Jackson and Heron Lake in Food shelf shortage: ‘Not nearly enough’.  Demoand is up and giving is down. How far down? The Jackson County Pilot reports contributions are off by 50 percent.

The Rochester Democrat has posted Tim Walz's letter asking Democrats to volunteer to help with the recount in the U.S. Senate race.

Salon analyzes the pathos of lolcats, while it's International Laugh at Lieberman Day. Personally, we're  fluffing up our Droopy Dog routine in Joe's honor. For now, here's the first Tex Avery cartoon in the Droopy series, since the Democratic leadership doesn't want to shake this guy:

Friday digest: Grand Meadow BBQ-ed Walz gubernatorial bid edition

Congressman Walz visited a class of meddling kids (his favorite kind) on Wednesday, according the Austin version of the Post Bulletin in Students grill their Congressman:

Congressman Tim Walz, who last week was re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for a second term, faced tough questions Wednesday from some of his biggest critics: students at Grand Meadow High School who wanted to know what he was going to do to secure their futures.

Walz, DFL-Mankato, spoke to students about his role in Congress, and about their own roles in the country's future. Students asked a range of questions, from where Walz lives when he spends his weeks in Washington, D.C., to what he plans to do about the national debt, failing economy and job losses. Many of Walz's responses emphasized the importance of education.

The version posted under a tamer headline, Students quiz Walz, includes an interesting Q & A session. Our friends who speculate about a potential gubernatorial bid may latch on to this item:

Walz also remained mum on whether he plans to run for governor in 2010.

"Right now I'm focusing on getting through this re-election, so no decision yet," said Walz.

Update: The Albert Lea Tribune reports in Rep. Walz speaks with high schoolers that the congressman also visited Albert Lea's high school. Walz won in school mock elections in his district, according to 75000 kids make choices in election.[end update]

Mostly, Minnesotans can't help but think about last week's election because of the Senate recount. The Mankato Free Press editorial board notes that the Acrimony over Senate race grows. Conclusion:

Voters and average citizens probably thought the political fighting and acrimony should have ended Nov. 4. Unfortunately, there appears to be a few more weeks or months of political nastiness they will have to endure.

Discourse simply isn't what it used to be in the Key City. The  Free Press has shut down its online forum, the paper reports in Forum shut down after users go too far.  Money quote:

“I don’t want to tell people they don’t have a right to swear — they do. Just not at my party.” — Free Press Publisher Jim Santori, explaining the reasons behind the decision to shut down the forum on this Web site.

We'll miss the insanity. 

Coleman supporters often imply that only Franken can benefit from the recount. Not all votes will go Al's way; some shifts occurred in the recent pre-recount audit. The Cottonwood County Citizen reports in Routine audit yields extra vote for Coleman in county:

After a few days of seeing vote corrections land on the Franken side, Republican Senate Candidate Norm Coleman received some good news from Cottonwood County--he gained one vote.

The error was found during a routine audit of county scanning equipment on Wednesday. Cottonwood County Auditor Jan Johnson said a voter used a pencil (instead of a pen) and didn't mark the ballot dark enough.

Consequently, the vote was not read by the scanner. Only two of the county's 28 precincts were tested on Wednesday.

However, Johnson says the public should not expect a major change, once next week's local recount is complete. . . .

The Worthington Globe talked to auditors in Nobles, Rock, and Murray Counties for the article Ballot keepers. The county officials have been busy as bees in Buddhist eaves:

Since election night, [Nobles County Auditor Sharon] Balster has had to meet special requests from both the Coleman and Franken campaigns — including making copies of all of the tapes from the counting machines, providing information on the number of absentee ballots mailed out, returned, accepted and rejected. Both political parties had representatives present at last Friday’s board of canvass meeting and Monday’s post-election review.

“My list of things to do is enormous,” Balster said.

Newly elected GOP state rep Greg Davids puts his narrow rematch victory over Ken Tschumper into perspective for the Rushford Tri-County Record:

"We feel very fortunate (to win) because the congressional candidate (Republican Brian Davis) got 33 percent in the district, the presidential candidate (Republican John McCain) got 42 percent, and I got 51 percent. So we're excited."

The 2006 margin was so close that it triggered an automatic recount in the state house district. A Republican friend in the First shared news that Davids has been mentioned as a potential candidate to run for the congressional seat in 2010, but we've heard no more about this rumor. Since Davids retains his seniority in the Minnesota House after sitting out a term, it is likely that he will garner his share of earned media.

The 2008 GOP congresssional candidate in the First questioned the emergency food shelf aid in the Farm Bill; this may not have been the cycle to challenge such programs. Federal aid to food pantries is not enough to meet the need and is intended to be a supplement to private support. The unfortunate need for emergency food assistance is clear as we read the district's papers.

The Owatonna Peoples Press notes that about ten percent of Steele County's population is getting helping from the food shelf in Boy Scout food drive kicks off this weekend.  Steele County residents should give what they can:

On Saturday, Boy Scout troops from all over Steele County will be out in the county collecting food donations from people’s door steps beginning at 9:30 a.m. All donated food will be sent to the Steele County Food Shelf.

Tom Barry, district executive for the Game Haven Council (which oversees Steele, Dodge and Goodhue counties), said they are looking for a variety of different foods, including canned fruits and vegetables, soup, pasta and flour, to name a few.

“We hope that people have their food out by about 9 a.m. this weekend,” Barry said. . . .

. . .If people miss putting out the food for Boy Scouts on Saturday, there will be two other drop-off sites. They include the Steele County Food Shelf or at the old Century 21 Building at 1836 Cedar Ave., located next to Godfather’s Pizza. Both drop-off sites will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Trom added they are looking for additional volunteers to help sort food donations at the old Century 21 building and then bring it to the Steele County Food Shelf.

If people don’t have food to donate, Trom also said monetary donations help. Because the food shelf is a non-profit, Trom said the organization is able to pay for more items at a store compared to the average dollar.

Food shelves across the district need donations.  The Waseca County News looks at local demand in Food shelf stocked, but empties fast.

Photo: Walz returning to his Mankato West classroom in his first term.  Washington's got nothing on the tough crowd in the public schools. Photo cribbed from the NYTimes.