Dear friends and neighbors on the Iron Range, Another busy week at the Capitol has come and gone. I am thankful for all we have been able to accomplish this week and I look forward to spending the weekend at home with the beautiful weather we have forecasted. HF12 and a visit from Riley GainesNext Monday, we are coming together in support of HF12, the Preserving Girls’ Sports Act. The day will kick off with a rally at the Capitol, where 12-time NCAA All-American swimmer and passionate advocate for girls’ sports, Riley Gaines, will be joining us to speak in support of this important legislation. We are working to ensure fairness in women’s athletics by making this a permanent law in Minnesota, and I look forward to supporting it next week. IRRR Board First MeetingThe IRRRB held a meeting this week and welcomed me as the newest member. I am honored to be a member of this board to oversee the many great projects they take on. It was a great first meeting and I am looking forward to seeing where we can help make improvements to Range infrastructure and jobs. Pictured with me is Nathan Thompson, Executive Director of North St. Louis County Habitat for Humanity, Rep. Ben Davis, and Senator Rob Farnsworth.  MN Association of Wheat GrowersI met with Coreen Berdahl, Mark Jossund and Tate Petry of the Minnesota Wheat Growers and we discussed farming needs in greater Minnesota. I appreciate the time they took to meet with me as agriculture has a massive impact on Minnesota’s economy and the livelihood of our people.  City AdministratorI got to meet with Eveleth City Administrator Jackie Monahan-Junek, who shared with me about plans Eveleth has surrounding housing, some of which our board supported that evening in the IRRR meeting. It’s nice seeing the vision that Eveleth has and an opportunity to see it move forward.  MN NursesMinnesota nurses had a day at the Capitol, and I had a moment in the middle of a busy day to meet with members of the MN Nurses Association. I appreciated the chance to hear concerns from all of them and see constituent Janelle Carpenter among their group!  Freshman DinnerIn the spirit of bipartisanship, many of the freshman Representatives sat down for dinner last week. We find a lot of value in building these relationships, which is also key to knowing where we can find some needed support in this closely divided political climate we operate in.  Environment CommitteeI got to meet Tara Erickson after Tuesday’s Environment Committee meeting this week, at which time she informed me she is from the Range – once a Ranger, always a Ranger!  IBEW Day at the CapitolI enjoyed getting to talk with Dan Hendrickson of the IBEW Local 294 along with other members of the IBEW at the Capitol this week. My daughter, and some other friends on the Range are members of the Local 294, and I love the connections I have with this part of organized labor!  Northland Small BusinessI met with Vicki Hagberg and Jenny Eaton from the Northland Small Business Development Center, which does a lot of important work in our region. I appreciate them both for taking the time to come down to St. Paul.  TeamstersI had great meetings this week with Teamsters from the Local 320, including my friend Jake Glaser and his wife, Sarah. I so appreciate connecting with folks from back home – thank you for making the journey to St. Paul! |