>>Qualls Urges GOP Rivals to Exit Governor’s Race
(Undated) — Minnesota Republican endorsed gubernatorial candidate Kendall Qualls is calling on his primary opponents to step aside and unite behind the party’s endorsed ticket. Qualls says Republicans should focus on defeating Democrats in November rather than continuing a divisive primary fight. Despite the appeal, MyPillow founder Mike Lindell says he will remain in the race through the August primary. House Speaker Lisa Demuth has not indicated whether she plans to continue her campaign. Qualls secured the GOP endorsement after a lengthy and sometimes contentious convention that went to a 10th ballot amid technical voting issues.
>>Education Leaders Hope Study can Solve Health Insurance issues Facing Educators
(Undated) – A new state-funded study could take a closer look at rising health insurance costs for Minnesota educators. Right now, school districts and charter schools negotiate their own coverage, creating smaller, more volatile insurance pools. Education Minnesota President Monica Byron says the lack of consistent data has made it hard to measure potential savings. The study could lead to a single, statewide insurance pool aimed at lowering costs and stabilizing coverage. Byron says many educators are already feeling the strain of rising premiums.
>>Wildfire Near Ely Burns 30 Acres
(Near Ely, MN) – Several fire departments were called to fight a wildfire on the north side of Birch Bay on Burntside Lake near Ely. The fire burned an estimated 30 acres of U.S. forestry land Monday afternoon. The fire started at the intersection of North Arm Road and Lindskog Road in Morse Township and then moved into a heavily wooded area. Evacuations were made in the area as a precaution. At last check, no structures have been lost. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
>>Scheduled Simulated Nuclear Incident Drill at Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant
(Red Wing, MN) — Residents living near the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant near Red Wing may notice increased emergency response activity in the coming days, but officials say there’s no cause for concern. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety, along with state, county, and local agencies from Minnesota and Wisconsin, will take part in a simulated nuclear incident exercise at the plant. The drill is designed to test emergency response plans and coordination among agencies in the event of a real incident. Officials emphasize the exercise is only a training scenario and poses no risk to the public.
>>Mn-DOT Updating Funding Formulas
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota cities, counties, and townships will soon pay less for state road construction projects under a new cost-sharing policy from MnDOT. Agency officials say the updated formula will save local governments about $20 million annually by basing their contribution on tax capacity rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. MnDOT Planning Director Philip Schaffner says some small communities were previously asked to contribute hundreds of thousands of dollars, sometimes more than half their annual budget. The new policy takes effect July 1st and has the support of both the League of Minnesota Cities and the Association of Minnesota Counties.
>>Minnesota’s Original Constitution On Display
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota’s original constitution is on display at the Minnesota Story Center in St. Paul. Each week through July fifth, sections of the 169-year-old constitution will rotate. Minnesota is the only state with two signed constitutions. This was a result of a deep political divide between Republicans and Democrats.
>>May Weather Recap
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota’s weather in May was a study in contrasts. Assistant State Climatologist Pete Boulay says the month began with temperatures about three degrees below normal before turning three degrees warmer than average during the second half. In the end, May finished close to normal statewide. Rainfall was another story, with many areas running well below average. The Twin Cities, St. Cloud, and Rochester all saw significant moisture deficits. Boulay says severe weather was relatively quiet during the month, with only a few brief tornadoes reported in southern Minnesota. June is typically the state’s busiest month for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms.
