Neighbors,
This week I presented two bills to the Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Division to help the Military Museum and the Fishing Museum in our area become statewide resources. HF 2025 allows the Adjutant General of the Department of Military Affairs to build a new Minnesota Military Museum outside the boundaries of Camp Ripley and to add space for the Minnesota Fishing Museum and Hall of Fame, and HF 2144 would allow Camp Ripley’s Military Museum to display the General John W. Vessey collection and to conduct a story sharing program to honor those who have served since 9/11.
This week in the Long Prairie Leader, there was a story about the Todd County Corn and Soybean Growers and their work supporting our troops. They have started donating soy-based lip balm to troops in Iraq, made from soybeans grown locally. Thanks, growers, for supporting our troops in such an original way!
I have introduced several bills supporting small businesses and startups in Minnesota. The first two bills have been grant programs. The first, HF 2381, would establish a grant that would match funds received through the federal Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs. The second, HF 2493, would provide a grant to the Minnesota High Tech Association to support SciTechsperience. SciTechsperience is a program that supports paid science, technology, engineering and math internship opportunities for college students. The internship program would match at least 825 college students with paid internships in the first two years.
Kickstarting the rural economy and attracting a workforce will bring more prosperity to our area. We need to cultivate the entrepreneurs and organically grow our communities.
On Monday, the House overwhelmingly passed HF 50, a bill to reduce distracted driving and texting while driving. Distracted driving is a huge problem, and I would encourage everyone to drive safely.
It’s Fish Fry Friday! I would encourage you all to find a fish fry in our area this weekend. A few that I’ve heard about coming up are the American Legion Riders Chapter #46 fish fry today from 5:30pm-7:30pm in Little Falls, and at the Royalton American Legion from 5pm-8pm.
Until next time,
Ron