Minnesota

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2009 - At a Middle Class Task Force meeting in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today said: "Improving the lives of people in Main Street America is a major priority of the Obama Administration. The New Flyer plant in St. Cloud is a great example of how continued investment in research and production of alternative fuels will not only help improve the environment, but create much needed jobs in rural America."    » read more »

March 18, 2009 -- Saint Paul – Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced that the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Saint Paul will be partially activated in response to increasing flood preparedness activities being undertaken by state emergency management officials, officials in counties adjacent to the Red River, the Army Corps of Engineers and others.

The Governor also directed Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Dan McElroy to organize “Minnesota Prepares,” an effort that will include state agencies officials who work together as the Minnesota Recovers Task Force in response to a natural disaster.    » read more »

Changes to January budget recommendations balance budget for FY 2010-11 & FY 2012-13

March 17, 2009 -- Saint Paul – Minnesota Governor Pawlenty today sent a letter to the legislature, transmitting revisions to the budget proposal he outlined in January. The budget revisions take into account the February Budget Forecast, the availability of federal stimulus funding and other updates.

Under the Governor’s revised budget, the total amount of state general fund expenditures in FY 2010-11 would be $32.6 billion, a reduction of approximately 4 percent from the $33.9 billion in general fund expenditures in the current FY 2008-09 budget.    » read more »

March 11th, 2009 -- The news on the economic front is still grim, but already the recovery package is saving and creating those jobs in towns across the country, stemming losses and spurring growth in ways that affect real families and communities. Here are just a few stories plucked from the local news over the past few days.

California [U.S. News and World Report, 3/9/09]:    » read more »

February 25, 2009 -- Saint Paul – With transportation funding from the federal stimulus package now available, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced 60 state highway projects that are slated to begin construction in Greater Minnesota as early as this spring. Stimulus funds targeted for the Greater Minnesota highway construction, paving, bridge and safety projects totals $180 million.

“These projects will mean jobs in Greater Minnesota and lasting improvements in our state’s transportation infrastructure,” Governor Pawlenty said. “These road and highway projects are exactly the kind of bread and butter projects that we should have seen more of in the federal stimulus package. Unfortunately, only $27.5 billion of the $787 billion bill funds highway improvements.”    » read more »

February 23rd, 2009 -- The first dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are going out in just two days -- Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009 -- in the form of federal support for state medicaid payments.

But the impact is already being felt well beyond that. Just today, Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak announced that he was prepared to swallow hard and make significant cuts to public works and public safety. Thanks to the ARRA, he won't have to:    » read more »

February 20, 2009 -- Saint Paul – Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty today reminded Minnesotans who were victims of the alleged Ponzi scheme perpetrated by Bernard Madoff that they must file a formal claim with the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) by Wednesday, March 4.

Last month, Governor Pawlenty wrote a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman about the Madoff case and recently received a response from SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro.    » read more »

January 27, 2009 -- Saint Paul – Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty today unveiled a balanced budget that “sets priorities for a better future.” The Governor’s plan focuses on strategic investments to spur job growth and improve K-12 education.

The Governor’s budget proposal for FY 2010-11 would spend $33.61 billion, a 2.2% reduction from current FY 2008-09 general fund expenditures of $34.36 billion.

The budget proposal erases a projected budget shortfall of $4.8 billion. Spending reductions and other savings total $2.5 billion while the use of federal stimulus funding and other resources provides $3.2 billion. New spending initiatives, tax cuts, and placing $250 million in the budget reserve totals $860 million.    » read more »

August 26, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Brian E. Studer, 28, of Ramsey, Minnesota, died Aug. 22 in Ghazni, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when the improvised explosive device he was attempting to deactivate detonated.

He was assigned to the 720th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 28th Transportation Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, Mannheim, Germany.

Source: DoD

Case serves as reminder of importance of vaccination to protect against measles

August 6, 2008 -- A case of measles has been confirmed in a 10-month-old child in Hennepin County, state health officials said today. Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department and the Minnesota Department of Health are collaborating in the investigation.

While the Minnesota Department of Health has had cases of measles reported to it as recently as 2007, they have been cases acquired in countries where measles is still common. This case was acquired in Minnesota, the first such case since 2001, said Ruth Lynfield, state epidemiologist at the Minnesota Department of Health. Public health professionals are investigating the source of the exposure for the case.    » read more »

Health department releases annual report of drinking water in Minnesota; Few problems detected in state’s community water supply systems

May 29, 2008 -- The vast majority of Minnesota’s 965 community water supply systems provided safe drinking water to their users each day throughout 2007 with few problems of contamination, according to a report by the Minnesota Department of Health.

Water droplet: Photo by gehat (CC)    » read more »

May 27, 2008 -- President Bush signs a Major Declaration for the state of Iowa (Butler County) for Individual Assistance, emergency protective measures, limited to Direct Federal Assistance, and Hazard Mitigation statewide within hours after receiving the Governor’s request for an expedited declaration. FEMA continues to monitor the severe storms and tornadoes across the nation and work with federal, state and local partners to identify needs and resources needed to respond to respond to them.

Region 7/Iowa:

* FEMA Liaison deployed to State EOC.
* Mobile Disaster Recovery Center (MDRC) deploying to Parkersburg, IA from Joplin, MO to provide a command and control platform for FEMA responders.    » read more »

Annual notice will provide information about flood insurance eligibility

May 12, 2008 -- Saint Paul – Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty signed legislation (S.F. 2980) today that requires insurance companies and agents to annually notify homeowners if their insurance policy does not include flood coverage.

Minnesota flooding: Photo by cjohnson7 (CC)

The required notice will also remind homeowners that they have the right to purchase flood insurance if they so choose.    » read more »

Offenders to work an estimated 35,000 hours this year

April 21, 2008 -- Saint Paul – Spring cleaning of Minnesota roadways gets underway today with the help of offender work crews and Adopt-a-Highway volunteers. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the fourth annual “Operation Clean-Up” to pick up litter along the state’s highways from now through September.

Adopt-a-highway sign, Highway 63 south of Zumbro Falls, Minnesota: Photo by Alexei & Verne Stakhanov (CC)    » read more »

Biggest increase seen in young males

April 15, 2008 -- Reported new cases of HIV infection in Minnesota reached 325 in 2007 compared to 318 new cases in 2006 and 304 cases in 2005, according to a new report from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), “HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report – 2007.”

Since MDH began tracking AIDS in 1982 and HIV in 1985, a total of 8,504 cases have been reported, including 2,912 people that have died. There are an estimated 5,950 people aware of their HIV status currently living in Minnesota. On average, MDH received a new reported HIV case every 27 hours in 2007 and averaged about 300 new annual HIV infections over the past five years.    » read more »