Tag Archive
Dayton leaves 2011 with a smile
In a tumultuous year, he brought humility to governor’s office T.W. Budig ECM Capitol Reporter A confident looking Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton plopped an M & M into his mouth and jokingly fielded a reporter’s question on whether the past year had been tough. “I signed up for tough,” said Dayton, smiling. “I expected tough.” The governor may have gotten it
Ban the Bug: Give the gift of protection from influenza during the holidays
Health officials say vaccination needs repeating every year It’s not too early to give yourself and the people around you a gift for the upcoming holidays: protection from influenza. By getting vaccinated for influenza now, you can greatly reduce your chances of getting influenza – or spreading it to someone else – during the busy holiday season, say state health officials. Minnesota’s annual Ban the Bug campaign, occurring Dec. 4-10, is a collaborative effort to provide Minnesotans with opportunities to get their annual influenza vaccination.
State success with competitive bidding should be a lesson for Feds
Minnesota’s two United States Senators, Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, both Democrats, have made it clear that they will not hesitate in carrying the state’s best practice measures to the halls of Congress. We hope they were listening and watching this fall as the state of Minnesota released what has to be considered good news. The news is in relation to a bold move by the Dayton Administration to embark on a competitive bidding process for insurers who want a share of the $4 billion annual business to pay for medical assistance costs for state residents.
Youth athletic program pioneer, columnist Bob Swenson, 81, dies
Former resident of Wyoming has been writing a Forest Lake Times column Cliff Buchan News Editor That a park in Wyoming is named after Bob Swenson is only fitting. For the 42 years that Swenson lived in Wyoming, he was a strong proponent of parks and a tireless worker in youth athletic programs. He was among the early activists for a high school hockey program that came about in the early 1970s. Swenson, who had lived in Rosemount the past 13 years, died on Thursday, Nov.
Pressure Congress to pass federal jobs bill
While the latest Presidential Jobs Bill is going nowhere, if it were passed, it could have provided 18,000 jobs in Minnesota. According to the White House estimates, the bill would have had enough funds to provide: •7,900 jobs in highway construction at a cost of $608 million. •6,900 in jobs for teachers and first responders at a cost of $504 million. •3,600 jobs for rebuilding schools at a cost of $274 million. Republicans in the Congress from Minnesota all voted no on this job bills, because they have vowed to make President Barack Obama a one-term president.
Gene L. Fairbanks
Gene L. Fairbanks, 78, Forest Lake, loving husband, father and grandfather, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Jerry and Kenny. He is survived by wife, Shirley; daughters, Shannon (Stu) Dunn, Lori (Bill) Jeans, Heidi (Lee) Falck, Angie (Randy) Karpik; grandchildren Michelle, Melissa, Shawn, McKenzie, Taylor, Josh, Jake, Jory, Jamie, Molly, Aimee, Mike and Katie; great- grandchildren Declan, Quinn, Malaika, Nolan, and Lydia; brothers, Melvin (Jeanine), Dale (Sharon), Delmer (Jean), Jim (Pat); sisters, Joyce (Orman) Beecher and Janice (Jerome) Nelson. Gene was born on April 2, 1933 in North Branch, the fourth in a family of nine
Rep. Cravaack reflects on time in the woods, politics in Washington
T.W. Budig ECM Capitol Reporter Congressman Chip Cravaack did not get a bear during a recent weekend hunt near Sandstone, but did anger a squirrel. Cravaack, the first-term Republican from North Branch who represents the Eighth District, went bear hunting with his district director Sheldon Anderson of Wyoming, and spent more than five hours in a tree stand to the chagrin of a local squirrel.
Legal appeal to block Dayton petition fails in court
Cambridge state senator 1 of 4 challengers T.W. Budig ECM Capitol Reporter ? Sen. Sean Nienow isn’t discouraged. Nienow on Thursday, June 23 witnessed Ramsey County District Court Judge Kathleen Gearin reject a petition he and three other Republican state senators filed requesting the court order Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton to call a special legislative session — something the governor thus far has refused to do — to deal with the state budget. In their petition, Nienow of Cambridge and the other senators argue the state constitution expressly states no money shall be paid out of the state treasury except by appropriation by law.
Bachmann tells CNN she’s running for president
News comes during Republican candidate debate T.W. Budig ECM Capitol Reporter Sixth District Congresswoman Michele Bachmann said on Monday she’s running for president. “I filed today my paperwork to run for president of the United States,” Bachmann said during the Republican presidential candidate debate in Manchester, NH.
Sen. Franken tells ECM he was elected to take action
Howard Lestrud ECM Publishers Sen. Al Franken, who two years ago about this time (June) took his U.S. Senate seat after a lengthy recount process, says he was elected to get things done. Sen. Al Franken shares a laugh with the ECM Publishers Editorial Board during a visit to the company’s Coon Rapids headquarters last Tuesday