>>Governor Walz to Discuss State’s Flood Response at News Conference
(St. Paul, MN) — Governor Tim Walz and state officials will talk about the ongoing response to extreme flooding in Minnesota at a morning news conference(Mon 9:45am). Walz declared a peacetime emergency Saturday night which authorizes the Minnesota National Guard to support emergency flood operations across the state. The governor will be joined by leaders of the departments of Public Safety, Homeland Security and Emergency Management, MnDOT, the D-N-R, the National Guard, and National Weather Service staff.
>>Klobuchar, Smith and Craig Visit Flood-Stricken Waterville
(Waterville, MN) — The City of Waterville in south central Minnesota is still underwater and could seek state and federal disaster assistance. U-S Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith and Congresswoman Angie Craig visited the flooded community along the Cannon River Sunday. Klobuchar said in a statement, “All public infrastructure damage is being documented so that if & when the threshold for FEMA disaster relief is reached, that relief will be delivered quickly.” More than 60 thousand sandbags have been filled in Waterville and many city streets are still closed. The lawmakers also visited Carver and Northfield.
>>St. Louis County Officials Continue Flood Battle and Recovery Efforts
(Duluth, MN) — Officials in St. Louis County report that the flood waters have receded in Cook and recovery efforts are moving forward. The water is still high in Biwabik and the community continues to deal with flooding. Emergency managers say the St. Louis River is rising and sandbagging is underway in Brookston west of Duluth. There are more than a thousand damage points in St. Louis County after the June 18th storms and heavy rainfall in northeastern Minnesota. Residents with flood damage are asked to complete an online form for the County Assessor’s Department and include photos if possible.
>>Verification Process Open for ‘Social Equity’ Cannabis License Applicants
(St. Paul, MN) — The verification process opens today (Mon) for Minnesota cannabis operators seeking “social equity” applicant status. The Office of Cannabis Management’s Charlene Briner says verified applicants will be the first to apply for pre-approval licenses next month. She says they include people who may have been harmed by the criminalization of cannabis or somebody who had been incarcerated due to a cannabis offense. Briner says military veterans and emerging farmers can also qualify as social equity applicants. Those awarded pre-approval licenses will be able to start growing cannabis later this year.
>>Treasury Secretary Yellen Visiting Minnesota for 2 Days
(Minneapolis, MN) — U-S Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is spending a couple of days in Minnesota. Yellen’s office says the secretary will announce new initiatives to increase housing supply and lower costs for working families. Secretary Yellen is having lunch today (Mon 11am) with C-E-Os from Minnesota, will host a housing roundtable with U-S Senator Tina Smith, plans to tour a Family Housing Expansion Project in Minneapolis, and speaks at an afternoon news conference. Secretary Yellen’s schedule Tuesday incudes a roundtable on Community Development Financial Institutions with U-S Senator Amy Klobuchar.
>>Motorcyclist Killed in Collision with US Postal Van in Becker County
(Wolf Lake, MN) — Authorities in northern Minnesota are investigating a crash near Wolf Lake that left a motorcyclist dead Saturday afternoon. The Becker County Sheriff’s Office says a cycle driven by 39-year-old Travis Hanks of Menahga collided with a U-S Postal Service van on County Road 40. First responders found Hanks dead at the scene. The woman driving the van wasn’t hurt. Deputies say the mail truck was crossing the eastbound lane and entering a driveway when they collided.
>>Man Dies after Crashing into Tree in Otter Tail County
(New York Mills, MN) — A man is dead after a one-vehicle crash in rural New York Mills in Otter Tail County. Sheriff’s deputies say the vehicle struck a tree on Saturday and the driver died at the scene. Investigators say drugs or alcohol are not believed to be a factor. The victim’s name hasn’t been released.
>>Gymnastics City USA Kickoff for Olympic Team Trials
(Minneapolis, MN) — The Gymnastics City U-S-A kicks off at Target Plaza today (Mon 11 am) to celebrate the U-S Olympic Team Trials in Minneapolis this week for the first time. Governor Tim Walz, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Mayor Jacob Frey, and U-S-A Gymnastics president Li Li Leung are scheduled to speak. Tokyo Olympics Gold medalist Suni Lee from St. Paul will participate in the trials Thursday through Sunday at Target Center. Minneapolis will also host the U-S-A Gymnastics Championships, the U-S-A-G National Congress and Trade Show, and the U-S-A Gymnastics for All Gymfest.
>>Emily Schumacher of Mankato Crowned Miss Minnesota
(Welch, MN) — An aspiring doctor from Mankato will represent Minnesota at the next Miss America pageant. Emily Schumacher was crowned Miss Minnesota on Friday and received a ten-thousand-dollar scholarship. The Northern State University graduate is currently a certified nursing assistant at Mayo Clinic Health Systems. She plans to promote heart health and heart disease prevention during her year-long reign as Miss Minnesota.
>>Minnesota State Fair Offering Scholarships for Ag Students
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota State Fair and Livestock Breeders’ Association are offering scholarships to rural youth enrolled in agriculture programs. The Minnesota State Fair Scholarship annually awards up to 22 scholarships of $1,000 each, totaling $600,000 since its 1994 inception. In addition, two $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to people of any age entering a skilled trade career or furthering their training. Applications must be submitted online by 4:30 pm on July 15th on the State Fair’s website.
