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Dear neighbors,
I hope summer has been treating you well and that you’re staying cool! Rep. Ginny Klevorn and I are holding our first virtual town hall of the summer on Wednesday, July 15 from 7 – 8 p.m. We’ll be using Zoom, a free video conferencing software you can download here. You can join the meeting by clicking here when the event begins. To access the meeting by phone, call 312-626-6799 and enter the meeting ID (963 4697 7053) and password (444702) when prompted.
Funding for Child Care and Food Security
Earlier this week, Governor Walz announced that he is allocating $56.6 million of federal funding to support Minnesota child care providers. Child care providers play an important role in our communities and the ongoing fight against COVID-19. They’ve continued caring for children during the pandemic, but many are struggling due to decreased revenue and increased costs. The Legislature delivered $30 million in emergency grants and increased rates for child care assistance, but more support is needed to preserve our state’s child care system. Governor Walz’s proposal will help child care providers keep their doors open so parents can work and children can keep receiving the high-quality care and learning that they deserve.
On Wednesday, the governor unveiled a plan to use $12 million of federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to combat hunger in Minnesota. Food shelves and food banks have seen a significant increase in demand since the pandemic began. This funding will help approximately 300 food shelves and Minnesota’s seven food banks meet that need. Information about food assistance resources is available here.
Minnetonka and Plymouth Farmers Markets Open
Our local farmers markets are in full swing! Residents can stop by the Minnetonka Civic Center on Tuesdays from 3 – 7 p.m. or the Parkers Lake Playfield on Wednesdays from 2:30 – 6:30 p.m. Both markets have a variety of vendors with fresh produce and more. The Minnetonka Farmers Market requires masks from 3 – 4 p.m. Masks are strongly encouraged, but not required, from 4 – 7 p.m. While the Plymouth Farmers Market doesn’t require masks, please consider wearing one to protect vendors and fellow customers.
Special Session
I’m busy preparing for another special session next week. We hope to reach bipartisan agreement on a number of items during this session, including police accountability and criminal justice reforms, a Jobs and Local Projects Bill to invest in public infrastructure across the state, and solutions to address the health and economic consequences of COVID-19. Minnesotans are asking us to get important work done, and I’m committed to getting results.
If you’d like to stay up-to-date during the special session, you can follow along on my Facebook page here. Please feel free to contact me at rep.patty.acomb@house.mn or 651-296-9934 if you have any questions or comments. It’s an honor to represent you, and I appreciate your input.
Sincerely,
Patty Acomb
State Representative
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