Roseville, MN — Elementary schools, driver’s education classes and other groups can now schedule a presentation to learn more about highway work zone safety from employees of the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

The Mn/DOT Speakers Bureau program is being offered to help promote safe driving in winter and summer highway work zones. The 30- to 45-minute presentation includes driving and safety tips that will help motorists safely maneuver through construction zones and around snow plows.

Read more: Mn/DOT employees available to discuss highway work zone safety

Specialist Tristan Hanson, a Ramsey native who now resides in Isanti, just finished up an 11-month tour in Iraq with his B/209th Aviation Support Battalion, a U.S. Army  company which services flight equipment.

“My unit was one of the last units in Iraq, so we kind of got the honor of closing it out. There’s one more unit in there right now, but after that, that’s about it,” said SPC Hanson. See more in Isanti County News story by Greg Hunt.

His, wife, Shanda, and her sister Chassidy pulled together a nice “Welcome Home!” party at Bluebird Park in Isanti on Sunday, Aug. 22. It was hot at the park but probably chilly by Iraq summer standards. (Isanti County News photo)

St. Paul, MN — National Preparedness Month (NPM) is an annual event to focus attention on the need to minimize risks by preparing for emergencies. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) encourages everyone to take responsibility for the preparations that save lives when disaster strikes.

Kris Eide, HSEM director, points out a great source of ideas to help people plan for safety in their homes, workplaces, schools and communities during this FEMA sponsored, month-long event.

Read more: National Preparedness Month a time to prepare for emergencies

Don Heinzman editorial -- As students go back to school, parents in 81 school districts, voters and particularly parents, should pay close attention to property tax levy referendums planned for November.

There are two kinds of levy referendums. One is the election to renew and/or expand existing operating levies.  The other is the election to authorize new property tax levies for school capital improvement purposes.

Read more: Voters, parents should pay close attention to tax levy referendums planned for November

Clicking on the Web by Howard Lestrud, ECM Online Managing Editor -- QUESTION: Who was the first governor of Minnesota? ANSWER: Henry H. Sibley assumed office on May 24, 1858.

QUESTION: Who will be the next governor of Minnesota? ANSWER: It will either be Mark Dayton, Tom Emmer or Tom Horner.

Read more: Governor's race narrows to two months of campaigning

by T.W. Budig
ECM Capitol reporter

Gov.Tim Pawlenty’s executive order directing state agencies not to submit applications for recently enacted federal health care programs unless required by law has some Democrats charging that the potential Republican presidential candidate is staging political theatrics while others express concern over potential loss of federal health care dollars.

Pawlenty used the political red meat name for the federal health care legislation — Obamacare — in a statement.

Democrats expressed amazement  over Gov. Tim Pawlenty's controversial executive order on pertaining to recently passed federal health care legislation, Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, saying Pawlenty's disregard for federal health care dollars is unique. (Photo by T.W. Budig, ECM Capitol Reporter)

Read more: Some Democrats say Pawlenty order represents political theatrics

A six-year-old Coon Rapids girl was sexually assaulted after a stranger entered her Coon Rapids home Tuesday morning. “We have a number of leads on which we are following up,” said Lt. Paul Sommer, Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, this morning (Wednesday, Sept. 1).

A call of the sexual assault sent Coon Rapids Police to a townhouse on the 11600 block of Unity Street about 10:30 a.m. Aug. 31. See more in Editor Peter Bodley's ABC Newspapers story.

A man was struck and killed by a Northstar Commuter Rail train at the Egret Boulevard railroad crossing in Coon Rapids this morning (Wednesday, Sept. 1).

The victim was identified as a Burlington-Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railroad worker. He was a 54-year-old Fridley resident. The accident, which occurred about 6:50 a.m., shut down train traffic on the double-line tracks for several hours. See more in Editor Peter Bodley's ABC Newspapers story.