Just in from the Minnesota Secretary of State's office, news of a rulemaking change that will help the state's veterans with registering on Election Day. Here's the release:
Today, Secretary of State Steve Simon announced that he has added the Veteran Identification Card to the list of acceptable photo identification documents Minnesotans can now use for same-day voter registration, which like all other photo identification documents that do not contain an address must be combined with an authorized proof of residence.
The addition of the Veteran ID Card is expected to benefit over 115,000 Minnesotans and was enacted via an administrative rulemaking process.
“We should be doing everything we can to make it as easy as possible for the men and women who have served our country to vote, and that’s what we’re doing today,” said Secretary Simon. “In many cases, a Veteran Identification Card may be the only form of current identification veterans may have in their possession, and now they will be allowed to use it when registering to vote on Election Day.”
Currently, 32 states (including Minnesota) and the District of Columbia accept the Veteran ID Card as a form of either primary or secondary identification for voting.
Veteran ID Cards are issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system. The cards contain a photo of the individual and the individual’s fullname. They are used to access health benefits through the VA.
For a complete list of approved photo identification and proof of residence documents Minnesotans can use for same day registration, click here.
Sample Family Values
We believe that the easier it is for all eligible voters to register and cast their ballots, the better. Voting is a right, not a privilege. It's great that Gayle Sample's grandniece Jane can use her Veterans ID Card along with a proof of residence to register to vote on Election Day
We also hope Gayle renewed her license.
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Bluestem Prairie will be conducting an early summer fundraiser during June so that we can continue to coverage Greater Minnesota politics and policy. If you enjoy our take on the news as well as our investigative blogging, please consider an early contribution.
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Today is Memorial Day--which was Decoration Day until 1971, when it became a federal holiday. Decoration Day grew from dozens of local ceremonies immediately following the Civil War, including the moving story of African Americans in Charleston who worked to give fallen Union soldiers a proper burial and remembrance.
Seventy-two years after he gave his all off the coast of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, U.S. Navy Motor Machinist Mate 1st Class John Emanuel Anderson was laid to rest Saturday in his hometown of Willmar, surrounded by family, veterans, dignitaries and members of the community. Under a rainy sky they came together, not only to say goodbye, but to say thank you. It was a somber occasion but one that was also a celebration. . . .
Anderson’s remains were identified by DNA testing in 2015 and disinterred for reburial next to his parents in Willmar’s Fairview Cemetery.
The memorial service took place at Willmar’s War Memorial Auditorium, followed by the burial at Fairview Cemetery. The Willmar Brass Quintet provided the music and the playing of Taps, while the Minneapolis Navy Operational Support Center and Army Reserve/National Guard Honor Guard were on hand to perform the military honors, including acting as the pallbearers, folding the American flag and providing a gun salute.
Retired Brigadier General Dean Johnson of the United States Army National Guard gave the open and closing remarks and prayers at the service.
“You waited, wondered and questioned. Now he is finally home,” Johnson said.
After his death on D-Day Anderson had been buried as an unknown in the Normandy American Military Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. His family was told he was missing in action, lost at sea after his LCT-30 tank landing craft was hit by enemy fire. His parents and three sisters died never knowing what had happened to Anderson. It took years of research, letters, phone calls and hope for Anderson to be positively identified, a moment his family thought might never have come.
“The journey was long and arduous,” Franklin said, one of nine nieces and nephews of Anderson.
Helping along the way was Jon Lindstrand, curator of the U.S. Military Historical Collection, who worked tirelessly for four years on Anderson’s case.
“It means those who were lost will not be forgotten. John’s story offers hope. Hope that they will all come home,” Lindstrand said during the memorial service. . . .
About 1,000 people lined the street to honor the missing sailor during the procession home. A public memorial Saturday brought out hundreds to honor his life.
“After all this time, to know exactly where he’s at and to have him back here at home is just huge,” Lindstrand said.
John Emanuel Anderson was born in Willmar, Minnesota, on September 25, 1919, to Oscar and Anna Anderson. He was raised in Willmar and graduated from high school in 1937, after which he worked for his father as a painter and decorator,planning eventually to take over his father's business. Following the outbreak of W.W. II in 1941, John enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He trained throughout the U.S. as a Motor Machinist. After serving in North Africa, Sicily and Italy, John was sent to England to prepare for the Invasion of the European Mainland in January of 1944.
John was the couple's only son, the youngest of four children.
His return--and the generous public support by the regional center that's home to just under 20,000 people, none of whom now are related to the fallen sailor--is a reminder that many Americans still honor those who sacrificed for this nation. Rest in peace, John Anderson.
Photo: Citizens lined the streets to honor Anderson. Photo via WCCO news.
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When House Speaker Kurt Daudt visited Morris this week, he urged Minnesotans to ignore the "ugly" process for coming to an agreement on a bill, and instead look at the product of the bonding and transportation proposal that had been put together.
I have to disagree. While the outcome is certainly important, the way government comes to agreement is important too. We shouldn't be willing to ignore bad process in the long-term, even if in the short-term we're content with what has been developed.
As Minnesotans, we shouldn't accept the idea that last-minute maneuvering and votes with just minutes before a deadline represent good government. We should demand that agreements negotiated in private be given time for public scrutiny before they're voted on, and we should expect that the legislators who represent us will take the time to understand bills before they vote on them.
Once the dust settles on this session, I hope our elected leaders will do the work to make sure that government in Minnesota works well and continues to serve the citizens of the state.
Photo: It's the classic Kurt Daudt pout. Photo AP via St. Cloud Times.
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Considering all the evidence, and drawing all reasonable inferences in favor of Mr. Klayman, we hold that a reasonable jury could not find the existence of actual malice on the part of the defendants by clear and convincing evidence.
The district court did not err in granting summary judgment in favor of the defendants. As a result, Mr. Klayman’ s claim that the district court erred in denying his motion to per fect a prayer for punitive damages is rendered moot.
IV For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the district court’ s grant of summary judgment on all counts, the denial of Mr. Klayman ’s motion to disqualify, and the denial of his motion to perfect a prayer for punitive damages.
Conservative lawyer and Judicial Watch founder Larry Klayman sued local artist and former blogger Ken Avidor, former City Pages Blotter shepherd Aaron Rupar, City Pages and the et als for defamation in 2013. As the Pioneer Press first reported in Florida-based lawyer sues City Pages for defamation:
A Florida lawyer has hit City Pages with a $1.4 million defamation lawsuit for a story last fall that said the lawyer inappropriately touched his children.
Larry Klayman's lawsuit, announced Monday, March 25, said City Pages sought to hurt the attorney in retaliation for Klayman's representation of Bradlee Dean, the controversial anti-gay preacher and founder of an Annandale-based group You Can Run But You Cannot Hide.
The City Pages story, which ran Sept. 28 last year, said an appeals court in Ohio had ordered Klayman to pay his ex-wife $325,000 in attorney's fees, and that the order noted a lower court magistrate had heard evidence of sexual abuse from his children's pediatrician, who reported it to children's services, and from a social worker at that agency.
The story said the social worker's findings were changed to "unsubstantiated," but the magistrate found that Klayman acted in a "grossly inappropriate manner" with one of his children, although his conduct may not have been sexual....
Image: Artist and former blogger Ken Avidor. Self portrait. Used with permission.
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Now it seems that Darlene’s past supporters are turning their backs as fast as they can: even Tea Party favorite Tom Emmer – who once touted Darlene as a model businesswoman before she ruined his 2010 press conference by lying about accepting stimulus money and then trying to physically hide behind him at the podium – has now whole-heartedly embraced the GOP-endorsed candidate, Jason Lewis.
Kern, who exhibits all the signs of a classic Tea Party darling, frequently blames Muslim immigrants for federal deficits as well as economic difficulties and crime in St. Cloud. According to the St. Cloud Times, Kern criticized the formerly fire-spitting, mud-slinging Emmer for chilling out on conservative values when he entered Congress.
Dear Facebook Friends and Frenemies: the Castro Brothers and their Junta are throw back thugs of the twentieth century and do not belong in the Caribbean/western hemisphere. Why does Congressman Tom Emmer want to prop up the communist regime in Cuba? Doing business with thugs is not why the good citizens Minnesota's 6th District sent Tom Emmer to congress.
Will Kern and Munro be able to get earned media before August? Stay tuned!
Photo: Patrick Munro. Photo via Facebook.
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What if the Office of the Legislative Auditor released a report and few members of the Legislative Audit Commission bothered to show up? What if the report was prompted by concerns about the state's deer herd?
This is the story of that report, the release of which seemed to make lawmakers on the committee as scarce and wary as trophy bucks on the day after the deer season opener.
Although it's become common for members of the Minnesota legislature to try to mobilize the Office of the Legislative Auditor to review the fruit of new legislation, the twelve member Legislative Audit Commission is tasked with select topics:
The Legislative Audit Commission (LAC) is a bi-partisan commission with 6 members from the House of Representatives and 6 from the Senate, equally divided between the majority and minority parties. Membership is governed by Minnesota Statutes, Section 3.97, subd. 2. The commission appoints the Legislative Auditor and selects topics for the Program Evaluation Division to review. It also periodically holds hearings to review audit and evaluation reports. The commission chair rotates every two years between the House and the Senate.
On Thursday, the Legislative Audit Commission - Evaluation Subcommittee meet to receive the OLA's report on the DNR's Deer Population Management. Lots of Minnesotans care about whitetails. The Associated Press (via WCCO) reported in Audit: DNR Should Develop Formal Deer Management Plan:
Deer hunting groups that have been critical of the department’s management of the herd called for the audit last year. The state’s harvest has plummeted from a high of about 290,000 deer in 2003 to around 139,000 in 2014. The number of deer killed by hunters bumped up slightly last year to nearly 160,000. The state has around 500,000 deer hunters and their frustration has grown in recent years as many have left the woods with no venison for their dinner tables.
But deer hunters--and landowners--aren't the only "stakeholders" in this game. Subcommittee Chair Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-S. St. Paul pointed out in a statement:
- Today, the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor released the program evaluation of DNR's deer population management. The Legislative Audit Commission Evaluation Subcommittee convened today to discuss the report. Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL- South Saint Paul), the lone legislator to participate for most of the meeting, received the report, asked several questions of the Auditor and the DNR and released the following statement:
“The issue of deer population management is not exclusively for hunters, nor landowners, but for all Minnesotans. According to the Public Trust Doctrine, ‘under federal law, states must manage wildlife for the common use and benefit of the public’. This thorough report should be the read and considered not just by the usual stakeholders, but the public for whom our wildlife is entrusted.”
Rep. Hansen also noted the presence of the DNR Commissioner Tom Landwher in responding to the report was important in taking the audit recommendations seriously. Hansen encouraged a public process in responding to the report recommendations.
The Office of the Legislative Auditor made deer management recommendations to the OLA Commission Evaluation Subcommittee: "We found that aspects of the Department of Natural Resources’ management of deer populations in recent years were commendable and reflected local stakeholders’ interests. However, the department does not have a formal plan that prioritizes DNR resources, goals, and objectives for managing deer statewide. We recommend that the department improve its information for monitoring deer populations and setting deer population goals.”
Yes--that's right. While there was popular interest in having the audit done, lawmakers seemed indifferent--a response far different from the politically charged release of the IRRRB audit two months ago.
Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire tweeted from the scene:
Rep. Rick Hansen is only panel member present for OLA report on DNR deer management. pic.twitter.com/815kja5WGE
Representative Hansen told Bluestem that Senator Kiffmeyer eventually showed up as well. We are happy that some of the commission want to do their work.
Bluestem looked for the audio or video of the commission meeting, but we have been unable to find it posted online. We'll be calling those in charge of keeping these archives to obtain the recording, whatever form it may be in. Most of the coverage of the report centers on reactions to the document, rather than the commission meeting itself.
Minnesota needs a “big picture” plan for whitetail deer.
That’s a central recommendation of the state auditor’s office, which on Thursday released a report that both praised the state’s deer population management efforts and pointed out ways the Department of Natural Resources needs to do a better job.
The report was eagerly awaited by many of the state’s roughly 500,000 deer hunters, who have found themselves increasingly less likely to take home a deer as deer populations fell for several years and hunting regulations tightened as a result. Several hunting groups, as well as a chorus of state lawmakers, have leveled criticisms against the DNR ranging from a lack of transparency to improperly estimating deer populations.
The auditor’s report substantiated some of that criticism, albeit in gentler terms, but also praised the agency for improvements to its deer population modeling system, a technical statistical model. . . .
Image: Bucks fighting it out, still from Disney's "Bambi."
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In a signed editorial published by the Crookston Times, editor Mike Christopherson doesn't pull any punches about the meltdown that ended Minnesota's 2016 legislative session--but his best spleen is reserved for House Speaker Kurt Daudt.
We knew the calls would be coming into the Times newsroom at any moment, and Tuesday morning they came. Actually, one was a phone call and the other was via email. DFL Minnesota House Minority Leader Paul Thissen was going to be calling newspapers across the state to tell the DFL’s side in the latest debacle that unfolded in the closing days, hours and minutes of the 2016 Minnesota Legislative session. Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt? He was going to be doing the same.
Both legislators wanted to conduct their phone interviews Tuesday afternoon, but a look at the big calendar on the newsroom wall showed a day packed full of things that had to be covered by the newspaper, so picking up the phone to listen to the same, tired blame game and partisan spin-doctoring just wasn’t going to be possible that day.
So the representatives of both Thissen and Daudt were told thanks, but no thanks. They were also told that the Times could probably publish a he said/he said story purportedly based on interviews with both Thissen and Daudt that in reality hadn’t taken place. After all, when the same embarrassing behavior is on display in session after session of our state legislature, this stuff eventually writes itself.
Seriously, running dictionary-thick bills back and forth between buildings in the dark of night as the clock ticks toward midnight...the contents of which are largely a mystery to most of the legislators who are expected to cast a rushed, last-minute vote? A House bonding bill counteroffer, released about an hour before midnight, full of errors? Is there enough shame to go around?
That said, the Republicans are more at fault this time. You just don’t submit your very first bonding bill proposal weeks after Senate DFLers release theirs, and only five days before the session is required to adjourn, with a straight face. These are real projects affecting real communities and real people, and – Hey, Republicans! – they create jobs.
Emphasis added in the text above. We can tell that the copy isn't writing itself when the editor passes judgment on Speaker Daudt:
. . .The ink was barely dry on the news headlines announcing that our legislature had once again put off important legislation until the last second, and, predictably, not been able to approve it, when Daudt called on Gov. Mark Dayton to convene a special session so lawmakers could return to St. Paul and try to pass a transportation funding package and a bonding bill.
That’s like a college kid partying like a rock star all night long and, then, hung over as heck the next morning, calling on his professor to cancel his 8 a.m. class.
Daudt should learn to stop dithering and start legislating. Read the entire editorial at the Crookston Times.
Photo: Speaker Kurt Daudt's hands are dithering hands.
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A western Wisconsin woman said at least three members of a motorcycle club beat her and she believes prosecutors went easy on the men because they are intimidated by the bikers.
The attack happened in Buffalo County, just off the highway across the river from Winona, Minn.
In April 2015, Samantha had gone out drinking with Lucas Anderson, a member of the Road Dogs motorcycle club.
The party ended up at the Road Dogs remote clubhouse on an isolated hill top, a former strip club called the Gin Mill.
Samantha said she wanted to leave and went to the parking lot to search for her cell phone and house keys.
According to confidential witnesses, there was drama involved. Samantha got upset when Anderson started flirting with another woman. She then refused to leave and knocked over a motorcycle.
That's when at least three Road Dogs, maybe more, started punching Samantha. . . .
Where have we heard about the Road Dogs and the Gin Mill before?
A push to remove Ron Drazkowski as chairman of the Buffalo County Board was shot down by a tie vote Tuesday night.
A motion calling for a new county board chairman election lost on an 8-8 vote after Drazkowski apologized to county residents and board supervisors for a rave party on his land in Bluff Siding over the Labor Day weekend.
Drazkowski and the Road Dogs Motorcycle Club, which operates the Gin Mill Tavern in the town of Buffalo, said they were misled about the party and didn't know in advance that thousands of people would be there.
"No rave party will happen again on top of the hill there," Drazkowski said, referring to hay fields adjacent to the Gin Mill that he allowed the bar to use for a music festival run by Drop Bass Network of Milwaukee. . .
Several people, including three of Drazkowski's sons who are members of the Road Dogs, defended their father at Tuesday's meeting. . . .
But his brothers aren't just members of the motorcycle club. They were managing the Gin Mill, according to the 2001 story:
Chris Drazkowski said no one knew that promoters were planning a "big rave party" and there was no way his father would have allowed it had he known in advance what was going to happen.
Pat McKeeth and Lee Drazkowski, who manages the Gin Mill, said they signed a contract with DBN for what they thought was going to be an outdoor dance and music festival drawing up to 800 people.
Gin Mill co-owner Tom Drazkowski saw the smoke first.
Drazkowski, who lives a mile from the rural Buffalo City strip club and bar, stepped outside around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday and saw a column of black smoke rising into the morning sky. He ran to the bar, dialing 911 on the way.
Gin Mill co-owner Tom Drazkowski saw the smoke first.
Drazkowski, who lives a mile from the rural Buffalo City strip club and bar, stepped outside around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday and saw a column of black smoke rising into the morning sky. He ran to the bar, dialing 911 on the way.
Gin Mill Not A "Former Club"
A 2008 report in the Winona Daily News, "The Gin Mill tavern, owned by Gin Mill, Inc., was termed a total loss and torn down soon after the fire."
However the June 2015 minutes for Buffalo Township note that Gin Mill Inc./Tom Drazkowski holds a Class “B” Beer & Class “B” Liquor license.
The Gin Mill will remain open for the remainder of the winter! Just a reminder we still have 2 dollar been and 3 dollar drinks! Open 6 pm to close Friday and Saturday year round. New dancers are always in demand call 608 687 4466 for bookings.
Update: A source tells Bluestem that the property has changed hands, but we're unable to find a record of the address in the Buffalo County WI land records online. This does not mean that the transaction didn't happen--only that it is more searchable under a parcel number.
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The tax changes will cost the state $32 million in future taxes. Repealing the automatic cigarette tax hike will cost $26 million in taxes over next three years. Lawmakers also cut $6.2 million in taxes on e-cigarettes.
The tax breaks were passed on Sunday by Democrats and Republicans alike on the last day of the chaotic 2016 legislative session, buried in a tax bill containing hundreds of other items.
Even the Democratic Gov. Dayton says it was a surprise.
“I don’t know where it came from, I don’t know who was behind it, but it is just very, very distressing,” Dayton said.
Republican leaders who support the change say it is bad public policy to automatically raise anyone’s taxes, and they strongly deny the cigarette tax change is a tax break at all.
“We didn’t reduce the tax or give a tax cut or a tax break to anyone,” said Rep. Kurt Daudt, the GOP house speaker. “We simply removed the inflator that would automatically increase the tax over time. It’s horrible policy.”
Kessler reports that anti-smoking groups favor the inflator:
We know that keeping tobacco prices [high] is good public policy because it keeps kids from a lifetime of addiction and death and disease from smoking,” [ Anne Mason, public affairs manager for ClearWay Minnesota] said.
Higher taxes or more ailing and dying Minnesotans? Which is the horrible policy?
No surprise: the Drazkowski and Melin debate on HF700
Although many are acting as if the notion of repealing the automatic cigarette tax hike is something aliens might have dropped from a flying ashtray before jumping in hyperspace on their way to Planet Smokefilledroom, Bluestem recalls that Greg Davids' HF700 was heard in the House Tax Committee on February 18, 2015.
Drazkowski was one of Davids' coauthors, along with Moorhead Democrat Ben Lien. The Senate companion bill was authored by Lyle Koenen, DFL-Clara City, with David Senjem, R-Rochester, as his more or less conservative wingman.
Other than those peculiar coincidences, Bluestem has no idea where this idea came from, who brought it to the table, and who pushed for it in conference. These things are a mystery that passeth all understanding.
The C-Store Lobbyist
Steve Rush has never given to any candidate; rather, he's given $7,890.52 over the years to the HRCC (House Republican Campaign Committee which elects House Republicans), MN Retailers Impact, and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Leadership Committee.
From 2004 through December 31, 2015, the MN Retailers Impact has given $89,775.00 to other PACS, political party committees and candidates. For same period, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Leadership Committee gave $829,094.34.
The Tobacco Lobby
Tomorrow, we'll have more about lobbying by tobacco and other interests in Part 2
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It's faced undue resistance from those who don't wish Minnesota's tribal groups to receive Legacy funding despite the fact that Native Americans are citizens who pay sales taxes. The project was stripped from the Legacy bill last year, despite being approved by the Outdoor Heritage Council--and this year in a House committee, the project was yanked from native control and proposed to be place under the control of the DNR.
It was as if the land was going to be pilfered from the White Earth Nation twice.
Finally, the band is getting the fruits of all the work it put into this project via the conference report, which returned control of the project to White Earth nation. The conference report was approved by the Senate in a 45-10 and 100-29 in the House. Only Republicans voted against the final Legacy conference report.
Photo: A trumpeter swan on wetlands in the proposed legacy lands. Via the proposal.
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. . . But what caused the MCL for nitrates in Fairmont's water?
Rainforth talked with several industry professionals who concurred that the sustained wet weather pattern is likely the cause. Water flowed over the George Lake dam all last winter, the first time in anyone's recollection, he said. Couple days of rain and drizzle with spring fertilization, and problems can arise.
"The source of most nitrates in surface water is fertilizer," Rainforth said. "It's running off every yard in town that applies fertilizer."
Runoff from fertilized green spaces eventually ends up flowing into our lakes and creeks, which provide the source for the city's drinking water.
Rainforth said that the elevated nitrate level "has never happened before in Fairmont."
Because consuming water with the MCL of nitrate impacts the health of the youngest of infants, it raises concerns.
"It's easy to have this become an emotional issue," Rainforth said. "But the MCL is established at the lowest concentration that any health effect has ever been documented. To say that an infant will experience an adverse health effect is incorrect, but there is a slight possibility that they may."
He also cautioned against jumping on the hysteria bandwagon.
"I would urge people against listening to self-proclaimed experts who may sensationalize the facts," he said.
How much do lawns contribute to nitrate pollution in spring?
Second, as the Extension's post Turfgrass and Water Quality notes that there's very little stormwater run-off from a healthy lawn:
Research over the last twenty years has demonstrated that storm water runoff from a healthy, dense lawn growing on soils of even moderate compaction rarely occurs, even on modest slopes. In fact, in all but very intense rainfall occurrences, stormwater runoff from a healthy, dense lawn is at or near zero. However, some notable exceptions to this include very steep slopes, saturated soil conditions, severely compacted soils and frozen ground. . . .
The dense matrix of grass shoots, stems and leaves of an actively growing, healthy lawn significantly slows down any runoff that might occur, thereby increasing potential water infiltration. Slower moving runoff also has reduced capacity to carry sediment or other soil particulate matter, hence reducing the erosive effects of faster moving water. Not only does increased water infiltration help protect surface water quality; it also helps recharge groundwater supplies. The dense, fibrous network of roots help trap and remove nutrients and other pollutants from water moving down through the soil. This filtering effect can actually improve water quality as it moves through the turfgrassroot zone. . . .
We reached out to Sam Bauer, an Extension educator who is on the Turfgrass management team. Bauer extolled the ability of healthy lawns to retain nurtients, comparing to buffer strips.
This being the case, where might the fertilizer that entered Fairmont's Chain of Lakes have come from? Bauer suggested that a more likely source of the fertilizer entering the watershed would be from farm fields, since the young plants simply had not yet developed root systems robust enough to retain nutrients, either from manure or commercial fertilizer.
We looked at a map in the Beacon system that indeed showed that a drainage ditch enters Budd Lake (see screengrab above), and possibly creeks that are ditches upstream (our copy of the Delorme Atlas and Gazetteer of Minnesota Detailed Topographic Maps suggests that several streams enter Budd Lake from the west).
Drainage systems were a necessity in southwest Minnesota following heavy rain during the last week of April.
Cold, wet and windy conditions kept farmers out of the fields. . . .
We felt like we were in London because it rained almost every day,” said Dan Helvig on May 3.
The Helvig home farm received 2-2.75 inches of rain during April 19-30.
“You can see the creeks and culverts and all of these public waterways that have been built for years are being well-used,” he said.
Farmers in the Truman area began planting corn on April 11, he said. The Helvigs decided to wait until April 15 to start, and they had three to four good days of planting before it started to rain.
“Sometimes, that first rain – if it’s cold, it’s going to drop your soil temperature down fast, and that first drink of water that seed gets is cold,” said Dan, 27. “As a result, not every seed will come up at the same time, so you can have poor emergence and a little riskier planting right before a cold rain.
“It turned out that the rain was actually warm and beautiful. It was just what the corn needed. In the end, I wish I had more acres in at the time.” . . .
Truman is just up Highway 15 from Fairmont, so farmers closer to the Martin County seat were likely planting as well before the rain.
Does nitrogen leach from fields if spring rains are heavy? According to Nitrogen management in a wet spring, an article from the University of Nebraska that was published on May 13, 2016, in the Corn + Soybean Digest:
Planting may be in the front of everyone’s mind, but farmers should not lose sight of nitrogen management, particularly after the recent rains. With the extra moisture, water movement through the soil creates reason for concern. If nitrogen fertilizer was applied to corn fields either last fall or this spring before the recent rains, potential nitrogen loss is likely.
Most inorganic nitrogen is in the form of nitrate. Nitrate in soil is subject to leaching losses when excess water drains below the active rooting depth, which is about 3-4 feet for corn. In the last two months (March and April) most areas across Nebraska have seen significantly more rainfall than long-term averages for the same period, causing many producers to wonder if their fields are at risk for nitrate leaching. . . .
Because the soil in most fields has likely been fully recharged, further rainfall in the coming weeks will likely lead to more nitrate leaching. . . .
Nitrogen is a tricky nutrient and needs to be watched carefully to prevent losses to both your bottom line and the environment.
As the article's conclusion suggests, farmers would prefer that nutrients stay in their fields rather than ending up in their small town neighbors' drinking water supply. Bauer echoed this sentiment, noting that their goal is to feed people; he praised tools that producers could use to retain nitrogen for their crops, such as cover crops, buffer strips and the like.
Bluestem certainly hopes farmers will follow these practices, though the webpage for the 2013 Report on nitrogen in surface water from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency noted:
Nitrate fertilizer efficiency has improved during the past two decades. While further refinements in fertilizer rates and application timing can be expected to reduce nitrate loads by roughly 13% statewide, additional and more costly practices will also be needed to make further reductions and meet downstream needs. Statewide reductions of more than 30% are not realistic with current practices.
To see progress, nitrate leaching reductions are needed across large parts of southern Minnesota, particularly on tile-drained fields and row crops over thin or sandy soils. Only collective incremental changes by many over broad acreages will result in significant nitrogen reductions to downstream waters.
What Bauer didn't want to see is people neglecting yard care when fingers were being unjustly pointed at lawns as the culprit for nitrate pollution. Indeed.
Fairmont's "state of the art" facility completed in 2013
Nor can the city's water plant be figured as the culprit.
On Saturday, Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Dunbar tweeted:
We hope that Minnesota Public Radio's excellent news staff looks closely at this incident. Rainforth cautions against a "hysteria bandwagon." Good idea--instead, this is a wake-up call for prudence about our drinking water.
Screengrab: Budd Lake (the round lake in the middle of the image at the top of this post) is the primary source of Fairmont's drinking water.
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Rep. Paul Torkelson, R-Hanska, must be having one heckova day. First his long-promised, but hastily vetted bonding bill went down on the Minnesota House floor, as KEYC-TV's Shawn Loging reports in Day After House Releases Bonding Bill, Fails To Get Votes Needed.
But that's not the only bad news for the Hanska-area Republican pork producer. The station also reports in Kelsey Barchenger's Drinking Water Warning In Fairmont:
High nitrate levels have the city of Fairmont warning of possible health concerns caused by the drinking water.
Water samples tested today show nitrate levels of 12 mg/L. That’s above the maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/L.
The city says high nitrate rates can infants younger than six months to become seriously ill and could die if untreated.
Water, juice and formula for infants should not be prepared with tap water.
Adults and children over six months can drink the tap water, however pregnant women or those with specific health concerns are asked to consult with a doctor before drinking the water.
The city says the water entering the Water Treatment Plant meets standards, however it may be several days before the water reaches all areas of the distribution system.
In a May 3 discussion with Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Weber and Representative Rick Hansen, DFL-S. St.Paul, Representative Paul Torkelson, R-Hanska, dismissed concerns about nitrates and drinking water quality.
In the discussion (audio here) Torkelson claims that the problem of nitrates in drinking water is an isolated problem that's no threat. Around the 7:40 minute mark, Hansen calls nitrates in drinking water the iceberg beneath the surface in terms of infrastructure needs. With more detection of nitrates and more research into data that the legislature funded, the suburban Democrat says, there's more need to mitigate.
Around 9:52, Torkelson says, "The nitrate issue is a very complicated one. Nitrogen moves with water but it comes from a variety of sources and it can be in the ground for a long times before it shows up in any water system. And I'd like to remind folks that we do not have any systems that I know of --any municipal systems in Minnesota that have high nitrates. They're tested regularly and they meet the requirement. So they're safe. Minnesota's drinking water is safe. . . .
Weber reminds Torkelson that the only reason the water is safe in some communities is because "you've had to take that extra step of adding the infrastructure to treat the water.
At 10:55, Torkelson replies, "True, but it's a very small number of communities, it's quite isolated at this time and I don't anticipate that it's going to be a broad concern." . . .
We're not sure the citizens of Fairmont would agree right now.
Meme: Breaking news about nitrates, from our May 9, 2016 post. Photo via Torkelson's twitter avatar.
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In 2014 and 2015, Bluestem published several posts critical of the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI).
Thursday, the Office of the Legislative Auditor released its evaluation report for AURI, noting:
We found that AURI, a nonprofit organization created and funded largely by the state, does not adequately measure and report the impacts of its work. In addition, AURI does not require some of its clients to justify their need for the institute’s services through a formal application. We make recommendations to AURI to address several issues we identified. We also make recommendations to the Legislature to amend state law to address issues related to board composition and the Open Meeting Law.
AURI should more consistently and comprehensively measure the impact of its work. (p. 17)
AURI should set rates for its services and develop guidelines for circumstances under which it will provide services for free or reduced rates. (p. 24)
AURI should improve its annual report to the Legislature. (p. 25)
AURI staff should follow the institute’s project-approval process. (p. 35)
AURI should (1) develop guidelines that require explicit consideration of the value of staff time and more formal justification for projects that are expected to consume significant resources, and (2) consider using this information and other criteria to prioritize projects. (p. 38)
The Legislature should amend state law to expand AURI’s board of directors to include at-large members of the board’s choosing. (p. 41)
The Legislature should clarify what type of organization AURI’s board is for purposes of the Open Meeting Law. (p. 46)
AURI should review its internal documents to ensure they are consistent with relevant laws. (p. 47)
AURI should take steps to improve board knowledge of and compliance with relevant laws and guiding documents. (p. 47)
Map: Locations of AURI facilities.
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Minnesota hunters will have more fashion choices and still be able to use lead ammunition on many public lands if two bills approved Wednesday by the House become law.
Lawmakers backed blaze pink as an alternative to the blaze orange safety color hunters now wear. They also voted to stop the state Department of Natural Resources from banning the use of lead ammo in select wildlife management areas.
The GOP-controlled House already voted on both measures Monday night as part of broader legislation related to fish and game. But with the companion bill in the Democratic-led Senate possibly stalled, the House voted to pass the two measures as independent bills.
Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party members used the legislative redundancy to slam Republicans, with Minority Leader Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, calling it embarrassing.
“You can’t get anything done that actually means something to the people of Minnesota,” Thissen said before being cut off.
State Rep. Tom Hackbarth, R-Cedar, who is chief sponsor of both the hunting-related bills, said he may update his fish and game legislation that passed Monday, meaning lawmakers might see the two issues yet again before the session ends.
Allowing pink hunting garb could make it harder for deer to see hunters stalking them, Hackbarth explained before Monday’s vote. Blaze pink is now allowed as a safety color in Wisconsin, where it was also suggested it might attract more women to hunting, an argument that upset female hunters.
Some DFL lawmakers suggested blaze pink could be unsafe because some of the roughly 8 percent of the male population that is color-blind can’t see it. . . .
Magan mentions members' concerns about color blindness, but fails to report that Hackbarth's change is based on a set of un-peer reviewed and unpublished notes about blaze pink by a Wisconsin prof who didn't study any human subjects, as Representative Barb Yarusso, DFL-Yarusso, pointed out. Her observations were underscored by Rick Hansen, DFL-S. St. Paul, who concurred that the only available notes on the research are "bogus."
Here's the floor debate for the bill, which starts out with some light-hearted goading by Mike Sundin, DFL-Esko, and Danny Schoen, DFL-Cottage Grove, escalating until Clark Johnson, DFL-North Mankato, points out that the House hasn't addressed staffing and safety concerns at the St. Peter Regional Treatment Center, but has time for this.
Good questions. Here's the entire debate, such as it is:
The high point of the debate? The sudden appearance of Rep. Peggy Flanagan's daughter Siobhan on the footage. Flanagan, DFL-St. Louis Park, had tweeted about her daughter's visit to the chamber:
Perhaps the House could take up some other bills that offer real help to families like paid leave, child care, economic equity measures and the like. In the meantime, it's fashion over safety--and getting things done.
Screengrab: The Flanagan women video bomb Rep. Mike Freiberg, DFL-Golden Valley, a color-blind man who tried once again to explain how he can't distinguish blaze pink in the woods or anywhere else.
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While Life Site News and the Minnesota Child Protection League have the fantods about the "political correctness" of Minnesota's advertising industry, perhaps they should be worrying about just being correct with their own twitter social media campaing.
Bluestem dropped in to see what was up with the plan to have a truck wrapped with a fear-mongering, anti-transgender graphic visit every Target store in Minnesota when we captured the exchange above. We didn't recall the Steele County Target being a "SuperTarget" branded with the signage on the store above.
"Hannah West," an account that might have been created simply for this single tweet, was on to something. We contacted the Owatonna store and learned that indeed, it's just a regular Target and there's no "Super Target" signage on the building's exterior.
A simple slip-up? Logo fluidity? Media incompetence? All of the above?
The Child Protection League, a group that opposes LGBTQ rights, rented a truck with LifeSiteNews, a propaganda website for ultra-traditionalist Catholic theology, after Minnesota billboard companies refused to sell the duo an anti-transgender billboard for their Flush Target campaign.
Claire Chretien, national spokeswoman for LifeSiteNews’ #FlushTarget campaign, told the news outlet she works for — LifeSiteNews — that Minnesota ad agencies declined to do business with the two groups. “We had to resort to using a billboard truck to get our message out after every billboard company in Minnesota turned down our advertisement,” Chretien added. “It would seem ‘political correctness’ has now trumped ‘free speech’ even in the advertising industry.”
The Flush Target campaign takes aim at Target’s recent announcement that it does not discriminate against transgender and gender non-conforming customers and employees. The MNCPL and LifeSiteNews appears to be attempting to capitalize off of the American Family Association’s boycott of Target.
The religious right duo have also enlisted the help of veteran culture warrior Andy Parrish. A former staffer for former Rep. Michele Bachmann, he also served as campaign manager for the unsuccessful attempt to ban marriage equality in Minnesota. Parrish ran press for the Flush Target truck unveiling at the Minnesota Capitol on Monday.
Is it any wonder why the Minnesota House Republicans have taken up bills with language allowing blaze pink to be worn by deer hunters (something for the ladies) and bathroom bans? Let us recommend a good road map/GPS and less gender identity panic.
Screengrab: Flush Target not at the Owatonna Target.
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One ongoing frustration in following Minnesota's legislative debates over the outdoors is the summoning of the way things are remembered, the way things were, as far as public spending on and policy about the outdoor goes.
The state is changing demographically. How people want to recreate with nature is changing. The outdoors itself is changing, what with climate change and invasive species in the water and land (some of which, like buckthorn, oat crown rust and soybean aphids, create a collective meltdown).
Unfortunately, these changes don't seem to change the discussion at the state legislature. Near the end of the discussion of the Game and Fish Bill, Representative Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul, raised these points:
The Game and Fish Bill always comes near the end of session, and I think we can all agree Minnesotans feel passionately about the outdoors. But one thing I’ve learned over the years here is that not all Minnesotans believe the same thing about the outdoors. When you look at this bill, you’re going to see a lot of things that are based on the way things were, or memory, or where people think people are.
Our state is changing. We’re in the midst of great change. And instead of looking at where we were, and what was, we could be looking at where we should be and where we could be and how we could move together toward that.
Spending time on blaze pink, spending time fighting old battles, spending those old discussions and those old debates, rather than looking at where we could go, even if it is near midnight, where we could go in the future.
At some point, the Legislature will have that discussion about game and fish, at some point Minnesota will engage in that discussion. It's not tonight.
I think we're going to have that discussion out on the campaign trail, we're going to have that conversation with our peers, we're going to have that conversation in our communities. Because nostalgia-based policy making isn’t going to cut it in the future. Looking at where we can go, and what we can do, is where we will need to be.
Here's the video of Hansen's remarks:
There was no further discussion, and the bill passed 84-42.
Here's the full debate:
Still: Rep. Hansen weighing judgment on nostalgia-based fish and game policy.
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The religious right successfully derailed a proposed gender-inclusive policy at New London-Spicer Schools last Monday. Aided by the anti-LGBTQ Minnesota Child Protection League, a group of conservative Christian parents organized opposition to a policy that was poised to pass. Through the use of newspaper ads, radio interviews, a seminar, and organizing through churches, conservative Christians and Republican lawmakers were successful in convincing the school board to table the policy.
Here’s a timeline of what happened over the last four months.
In early February, the school invited the Minnesota Department of Education, OutFront Minnesota, and Transforming Families in an effort to be proactive about including LGBTQ students in the district’s schools.
“We’re trying to make sure that all students, all adults — including the community — knows about this and what we can do better to make sure that all students are welcome here at New London-Spicer,” NLS High School Principal Kevin Acquard told the West Central Tribune at the time.
On March 14, the school board heard the policy for the first time. The West Central Tribune quoted Superintendent Paul Carlson:
But he said given the high rate of suicide among students struggling with transgender issues, schools must take action. “To say we shouldn’t have a policy like this is really not an option,” Carlson said. “Some people would feel that, but it’s really not an option.”
On March 19, Gary Swenson penned a letter to the editor of the Lakes Area Review, a newspaper in the district.
“Are we in this community ready for a policy that allows boys to use the girls’ locker rooms and girls’ bathrooms and to participate on the girls’ athletic teams?” Swenson wrote. “That will be the almost certain result if the school board’s proposed transgender policy is adopted.”
Swenson continued:
Don’t be misled by the superintendent’s statement that it may be that transgender students could use “gender neutral” bathrooms and showers. Other schools tried that approach only to find themselves sued by GLTB lawyers and then forced to open all girls’ facilities to the boys. “Maximizing the social integration” for transgender students does not allow for keeping the boys’ and girls’ bathrooms and showers separate. Notice also that the Board’s proposed policy says that “sex is assigned at birth.” What kind of fantasy is that? My own experience is hearing the doctor or nurse say, “It’s a boy!” or “It’s a girl!” I have yet to hear the doctor ask, “Which sex shall we assign this to baby?” Aren’t schools supposed to teach our kids about the real world? This new policy requires our schools and teachers, by word, example and policy, to substitute a fantasy world for the real world and force our kids to conform to a make-believe world where biology isn’t real. We need to provide safety to all children, and many see this policy, as written, as harmful to every child. Keep in mind that most gender-confused children lose their confusion by the time they reach their 20’s. We all want all children to feel loved and accepted. Are we really helping them by affirming their confusion, rather than helping them address the underlying issues causing it? Please contact the school board members to express your concerns about this policy. Ask them to please postpone their vote to allow the public adequate time to become more informed. The district office will forward you an electronic copy of the Transgender Policy if you call them at 354-2252. The New London-Spicer school website lists the School Board members and their contact information. They need to hear from you.
On March 22, the Minnesota Child Protection League sent an email blast to supporters alerting them to the proposed policy:
This month, the New London-Spicer (NL-S) School District proposed a transgender policy that defines sex, not as a biological fact, but as something “assigned” to the child at birth. It defines gender as ones’ feelings and identity. It proposes “social integration” of “gender nonconforming students,” and allows students to use the locker rooms and bathrooms of their “gender identity.” It commits to encouraging and accommodating a student’s gender confusion without informing the child’s parents. (“Gender nonconforming” means continually changing genders, being neither gender, being both genders, or being no gender at all.)
On March 23, Swenson spoke at a press conference at the Minnesota Capitol along with Barb Anderson and Julie Quist of the Minnesota Child Protection League and Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen, a Republican from Glencoe.
“We all found this a direct assault on the safety and privacy of the students, and on our mores and beliefs,” Swenson said at the press conference. “We strongly feel that this policy is an abuse of all children, while at the same time putting all of them in danger.”
On March 28, the NL-S School Board met for a planning session. The gender inclusion policy was not on the agenda, yet 50 people attended the meeting and thought the board would be voting on the policy, the West Central Tribune reported.
Swenson said: “I’d like to maybe change gears a little bit and talk about an explosive issue we’ve got going in our area and that’s this transgender policy that the school is trying to implement and you know many of us have read this policy and are just shocked by some of the provisions in there and we’ve been checking with all kinds of authorities and we’ve been told that the law requires that they have this but when we talk to constitutional attorneys about this and they say no, there is no law that says you have to allow transgenders into opposite sex bathrooms… I wouldn’t have known about this except the West Central Tribune had an article about LGBT issues brought up in the school that was the first alarm. And yeah we are shocked that we even have to talk about this.”
On April 6, another letter to the editor from Swenson appeared in the Lakes Area Review. The letter attempts to lay out a legal case for opposing the gender inclusion policy with information supplied by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a religious right legal outfit that opposes LGBTQ equality.
Residents in the New London-Spicer School District are opposed to allowing students access to opposite-sex restrooms and locker rooms. Letters to the Editor, the West Central Tribune poll, and conversations in the community indicate this. Furthermore, as Attorneys Derrick R. Good and J. Mathew Sharp, have informed us, the school district has no legal obligation to allow students access to opposite-sex restrooms and locker rooms. The Gender Inclusion Policy being considered by the school board addresses many complex and controversial issues such as bathroom/locker room policies, student name and pronoun changes, gender diversity curriculum, requiring personnel to “support” lifestyle choices with which they might disagree, and unfamiliar definitions of unfamiliar terms; not to mention the possibility of severe restrictions of religious liberty and the privacy rights of the majority. Because the community has not had adequate time to learn about these issues, as well as the possibility of unintended consequences, and also because there is no legal deadline which must be met to have a transgender policy, the best course of action would be for the school board to postpone voting on any transgender policy until the community has had sufficient time to learn more about the issues and provide feedback in order to arrive at a policy which will be acceptable to all.
Also on April 6, The Harbor Church, a pentecostal congregation in Spicer teamed up with Swenson’s Citizens for Safe and Responsible Gender Policies for All to show a video of Autumn Leva of the Minnesota Family Council speaking at Nova Classical Academy, another school that attempted to pass a gender inclusion policy but was fought by the religious right. Leva’s presentation warns of potential legal action against schools that are inclusive of transgender students.
On April 10,Julie Quist of the Minnesota Child Protection League appeared on KDJS AM 1590 with News Director Bev Ahlquist to promote an upcoming seminar led by Barb Anderson called “Gender Fluidity and Other Fables: Understanding the Harm of the Transgender Movement.”
On April 11, the New London-Spicer school board held it’s second reading of the gender inclusion policy. Swenson’s Citizens for Safe and Responsible Gender Policies for All organizes opposition to the policy at the meeting. A counter event was also organized called Flush Transphobia at NL-S. School Superintendent Paul Carlson told Willmar Radio that the district was considering the policy to ensure a supportive environment for all students.
“Our ultimate goal obviously in something like this is to make sure that we are providing equal access to success for all of our students in a supportive environment. One of the statistics I shared at the board meeting on the 11th is the highest rate of suicide occurs with students who are struggling with this.”
On April 12, Swenson traveled to St. Paul to testify in support of an anti-transgender bill authored by Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen and several dozen Republicans.
My name is Gary Swenson. I’m from the New London-Spicer School District and I was uh — did not have time to prepare remarks. We had a meeting last night in in our — with the school board and that was packed with individuals around the state testifying. So anyway we were alerted to this about two months ago when the department of education, a gal of the name Amy Marsicano brought out two people from Minneapolis, one was from Families Transforming or Transforming Families and the other one was from… another girl, gay group I can’t remember what the name of it is. Outfront Minnesota. Represented by Rox Anderson and they come out and they um had a workshop for the teachers about LGBTQ students and how to address them and um after that was done then they come with this transgender policy that the whole community has been up in arms about. There’s been a poll in the Tribune that 80 percent of the people are against this and we found it alarming that the Department of Education would be promoting this kind of thing so, so anyway we’re trying to get a handle on this we’re .. you can tell the school board is under pressure. They feel they are under pressure to adopt a policy that the community is against so thank you for your testimony and time.
On April 26, Swenson’s “Citizens for Safe and Responsible Gender Policies for All” rebranded as “NL-S Safe.” The group sent out a press release:
A group of concerned citizens from the New London-Spicer School District met on Monday, April 25th, to organize NL-S Safe, an organization opposing the proposed Gender Inclusive Policy. NL-S Safe believes that the policy being proposed by Superintendent Paul Carlson and the NL-S School Board will be harmful to NL-S students. NL-S Safe also believes that many of the mandates in the policy constitute a violation of the values, the beliefs, the standards, and the mores of the vast majority of the members of this community. One goal of NL-S Safe is to educate the public about the dangers of this and other similar policies. Another goal is to encourage the public to replace those school board members who have betrayed the trust of their constituents whom they have been elected to represent, and to encourage candidates to step forward to oppose them. An NL-S Safe Facebook page has been created to communicate information and to promote NL-S Safe efforts. The page includes a link to an online petition in opposition to the Gender Inclusive Policy, and links to information about why the policy puts all our children at serious health, safety, and emotional risk. NL-S Safe welcomes people to join our efforts to keep our children safe and bring sanity back into our educational community. NL-S Safe, PO Box 800, New London, MN 56273
The petition reads: “We oppose any new policy that the New London-Spicer School District is proposing to deal with students who are struggling with transgender or gender nonconforming issues. We believe that the policies that the district has in place will take care of any problems that arise.”
Some comments on the petition:
Support the majority please. Political correctness is destroying our nation. – Deb Spichke United States, Willmar
I am against any policy that causes gender confusion by proclaiming males can become females and vice versa. God, nature, genitalia and genes all decisively determine what sex you are. – Robert Horyza United States, Willmar
It’s not fair for the women to have pedophiles to have no questions asked access – Jordan bjork United States, Willmar
On April 27, Swenson appeared on Willmar Radio to talk about his new group and the proposed policy.
Of course it’s obvious one: boys and girls being allowed to the same locker rooms and bathrooms and so on and so forth. This is just shocking to the whole community. That’s why this has to be and the other thing is the curriculum, this policy issues a whole new paradigm, sexual fluidity for instance. I mean these concepts are alien to our culture. We are opposed to that because it will have to be include into the curriculum if you have students start living by those rules.
When they have a policy they have a first reading and a second reading generally and they’ve had two and because of the large response they’ve had in opposition to this, they’ve decided to have a third. That’ll be May 9. So of course we’re are going to continue to express our concerns about this. Hopefully, they can change their mind on this, and find some other solutions, you now, we are the only school around here that is involved in this dispute at the moment. Why us?
On May 9, the school board tabled the proposed policy. Superintendent Paul Carlson told Willmar Radio, “A motion was made to approve the gender inclusion policy as presented and that was seconded and then another motion came to postpone adopting the gender inclusion policy until the Minnesota School Boards Association comes out with a model policy. The motion also included and directed administration to provide accommodations and alternatives for any gender non-conforming students.”
During public comments the board was warned several times that if the transgender policy was approved, there would be a lawsuit filed by parents who opposed it and there would be people ready to run for their seats on the board. There were quotes from the Bible, criticisms leveled at board members and administrators, as well as tears from a man who said there would be “hell to pay” if the policy passed and anything happened to his granddaughters. There were also comments from a woman who said transgender rights are the “civil rights battle of our time,” a student who said he was disgusted with the “lynch mob” atmosphere of adults he was supposed to respect and a local doctor who feared that the transgender youth in his exam room who didn’t want to be “brutalized again” would take the path of suicide, which statistics show many transgender youth often take.
On May 13, the Obama administration issued a directive telling schools they need to be inclusive of transgender and gender non-conforming students. Superintendent Paul Carlson told the West Central Tribune that the school’s proposed — yet tabled — policy would have followed Obama’s directive.
After reviewing an email he received from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights early Friday morning, NLS Superintendent Paul Carlson said the directive provides “a lot of support for what we were trying to do” with the local policy. He said many of the guidelines in the federal interpretation are addressed in the proposed NLS policy. Carlson said, however, the proposed NLS policy requires a doctor’s documentation for a transgender student, which is prohibited in the federal interpretation of the Title IX law. Given that provision, Carlson said it was perhaps a “good thing” the NLS policy was postponed until “everything gets fleshed out.”
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Since we haven't seen anything much of a House bonding bill, we can't speak to its contents compared to the narrowly defeated Senate bonding bill described in Vicki Gerdes' story, Bonding bill failure puts Northland Trail in limbo in the DL Online.
Support for the trail is bi-partisan, but Rep. Steve Green, R-Fosston, is against it, Gerdes reports:
The Heartland State Trail project and its supporters thought they were getting a boost from legislators early this past week, when the Minnesota Senate introduced a capital investment bill that includes $3.3 million for the planned trail extension between Detroit Lakes and Frazee.
However, the failure of the bill by a narrow margin on Thursday has put in doubt the fate of construction projects across the state this year – including the Heartland Trail.
The additional funding would have helped move forward a project that has been in development since as far back as 2004, said Detroit Lakes Alderman Bruce Imholte, who praised Ludtke and former DL Mayor Larry Buboltz for their efforts during the project’s early stages.
In 2014, the Minnesota Legislature invested $2.7 million in the Heartland Trail project connection. However, the project faced a major setback when unexpected costs arose that required additional funding before construction could be completed. . . .
Like Ludtke, Imholte also praised senators Eken, Skoe and Stumpf for their efforts, along with state representatives Paul Marquart (DFL-Dilworth) and Bud Nornes (R-Fergus Falls) for trying to get similar funding included in the House bonding bill (which had yet to be released as of this newspaper’s publication deadline).
“They’ve been fantastic – very helpful to us,” Imholte said. He wasn’t as complimentary of Rep. Steve Green (R-Fosston), whom he said has been less than supportive of the trail committee’s efforts to obtain bonding money for the project.
“He doesn’t support using (bonding) money for trails,” said Imholte, adding that he doesn’t understand why a legislator from this area wouldn’t support using tax dollars for local projects rather than spending the money in other areas of the state.
Governor Dayton’s bonding proposal was released in January and does not include funding for the Heartland Trail; however, the unexpected costs did not arise until it was too late to be included in his proposal. The Heartland Trail was one of the Governor’s top parks and trails priorities back in 2014.
The Detroit Lakes area is a prime international birding and vacation destination, so the trail would be a good investment for the area and the state. A Chamber of Commerce representative tells the paper:
“Trails are extremely popular with our visitors – we’re always fielding questions about what trails are available in our area,” said Cleone Stewart from the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau. “A multi-use, year-round trail like the Heartland Trail will play a huge role in drawing tourists, athletes, outdoors enthusiasts and other visitors to our community. Everyone is excited for the trail connection to come into fruition.”
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. . .For Broberg and others, the massive fish kill on the Whitewater was the latest sign of serious, widespread trouble in Minnesota's waters. Some 40 percent of the lakes and streams are polluted, with much of that centered in southern Minnesota's farm country. In six far southwestern Minnesota counties there are no lakes considered fishable and swimmable. . . .
At the Capitol, lawmakers are divided on how far to go to fix the problems. Gov. Mark Dayton has made water quality an issue central to his legacy. He's pushed to boost the number of buffer strips along Minnesota lakes and rivers to help trap farm runoff, although he stepped back from some of those efforts amid pressure from some lawmakers and farm groups.
Farming isn't the only pollution source, but there's no disputing the correlation between farming and water pollution, said Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Spokesperson Cathy Rofshus.
"Water quality is usually exceptionally high in the northeast part of the state and tends to degrade as you go to the south, [and] southwest," she said. . . .
The MPCA is examining all 80 major watersheds in Minnesota one-by-one to document water quality. Regulators used to study only water with known problems, said agency pollution control specialist Shaina Keseley. "We know more now than we've ever known about the conditions of our waterways."
Read the entire article, which focuses on the Whitewater River in Southeast Minnesota, which suffered a disturbing fish kill last summer.
Today, the MPCA released two studies of the Yellow Medicine River Watershed, the Yellow Medicine River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) report and the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) report, along with a request for public comment.
The Yellow Medicine River joins the Minnesota near the campground at Upper Sioux Agency State Park.
Here's the release:
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), the Yellow Medicine River Watershed District and local groups are recommending a number of actions to restore and protect water bodies in the Yellow Medicine River Watershed.
The watershed is located in southwestern Minnesota in major portions of three counties: Yellow Medicine, Lincoln, and Lyon, and smaller portions of Lac qui Parle and Redwood counties. The Yellow Medicine is a major tributary of the Minnesota River, entering about eight miles southeast of Granite Falls.
The Yellow Medicine River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) report and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) report are available for public comment through June 15.
Generally, most of the streams and lakes in the watershed do not safely or adequately support swimming or fishing. Stream bank erosion and stormwater runoff are having a negative effect on water quality. Agricultural activities in the watershed have resulted in runoff that carries excess phosphorus, sediment and bacteria into bodies of water.
These pollutants degrade water quality and are harmful to fish and other aquatic life. The TMDL report quantifies the pollutant levels, identifies the sources of the pollution, and proposes ways to bring water quality back to an acceptable level.
The WRAPS report identifies impaired water bodies and those in need of protection, and identifies the actions needed to achieve and maintain water quality. For example, installing plant buffers along shoreland, stabilizing stream banks, and implementing stormwater-control projects will help improve water quality in the watershed. Agricultural practices include greater use of cover crops, minimum or no tillage, temporary storage of water, and greater crop diversity.
Many groups are participating in restoration and protection efforts, including the Yellow Medicine River Watershed District, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, member cities and several state and local organizations. Individuals are always encouraged to get involved.
These reports are some of more than a dozen that have been completed under the state’s watershed approach, a holistic way of gauging the health of streams and lakes, and developing strategies to restore or protect their water quality.
The reports are available on the MPCA’s Yellow Medicine River Watershed webpage or at the MPCA’s St. Paul office, at 520 Lafayette Road N.
The MPCA encourages those interested in the Yellow Medicine River Watershed to review and provide feedback on the reports. Comments on the reports should be submitted in writing by June 15, 2016, to Michael Weckwerth, MPCA, 504 Fairgrounds Rd., Marshall, MN 56258, or sent by email to [email protected]. He is available to answer questions at 507-476-4267.
Written comments must specify which report you are commenting on, include a statement of your interest in the report, and the action you wish the MPCA to take, including specific references to sections of the draft report you believe should be changed. You must state the specific reasons for your position. More information is available on the MPCA’s Impaired waters and TMDLs webpage.
Photo: The Yellow Medicine River, Upper Sioux Agency State Park, April 2014. Photo by Sally Jo Sorensen.
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