The event falls on Harvey Milk’s birthday and will recognize these individuals for their commitment to equality and public service.

Minnesota State Rep. Karen Clark, DFL-Minneapolis, is surrounded by friends recently after the Minnesota House of Representatives approved same-sex marriage in Minnesota. Rep. Clark was the main author of the bill. (Photo by Howard Lestrud, ECM Publishers)

“When President Obama posthumously awarded Harvey Milk the Medal of Freedom in 2009, he praised his leadership and courage in running for office.  Today, we honor Harvey Milk’s legacy in these 10 outstanding public servants, who will surely inspire the next generation of public servants,” said Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President.

The Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity for the White house to feature groups of Americans – individuals, businesses and organizations – who are doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities.

To watch this event live, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/live at 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 22nd.  To learn more about the White House Champions of Change program and nominate a Champion, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/champions.

Karen Clark
Minnesota State Representative
South Minneapolis, MN

Rep. Karen Clark was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1980, making her the longest serving openly gay or lesbian state legislator in the country.

She represents three inner city neighborhoods in South Minneapolis, the lowest income district in the state.  Rep. Clark is an advocate for low income, Indigenous American Indian and community of color constituents, including many new Americans.

A former public health nurse, current college instructor and co-founder of the Women’s Environmental Institute, some of Rep. Clark’s major legislative accomplishments include chief authoring and passing worker and consumer right-to-know toxic exposure laws, affordable housing and homelessness initiatives, youth and dislocated worker job training strategies and numerous  human rights, environmental justice  and anti-discrimination protections.

Recently, Rep. Clark authored and helped pass the 2013 Minnesota Freedom to Marry bill with bipartisan support.

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Klobuchar’s amendment would classify “elder abuse” as a crime for which a victim could seek a visa through law enforcement to prevent being forced to remain silent about abuse.

“No one should be forced to remain silent about abuse because of their immigration status,” Klobuchar said. “This amendment will help protect victims of elder abuse and ensure that seniors can seek assistance from authorities.”

Klobuchar has been a leader in helping to protect seniors from abuse and financial exploitation. She is a lead sponsor of the bipartisan Guardian Accountability and Senior Protection Act, legislation that would crack down on elder abuse by court-appointed guardians by providing support to states to implement programs to increase oversight and accountability of guardians and conservators.

Earlier this year, Klobuchar’s outreach staff  held a “Senior Fraud Prevention Tour,” meeting with officials and organizations in communities across Minnesota to highlight efforts to protect seniors from fraud and financial scams.

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While a new fawn may appear helpless, it’s important not to interfere with the doe’s natural instinct for raising its young, DNR officials said.

A doe’s method of rearing offspring is different from a human’s, especially for the first few weeks.

Wildlife officials explained it this way: Within hours of birth, the fawn is led to a secluded spot and the doe lets it nurse. Then the doe leaves to feed and rest herself, out of sight but within earshot. In four or five hours, she will return to feed her young and take them to a new hiding place. Only when the fawns are strong enough to outrun predators, do the young travel much with their mother.

For the first week of life, frightened fawns instinctively freeze, making full use of their white spotted coats, a protective coloration. Newborn fawns are not fast enough to outdistance predators, so they must depend on their ability to hide for protection.

A fawn’s curiosity may entice it to approach a person who comes upon on it. The DNR urges people not to try to catch a fawn if they encounter one. Walk away. Never feed or collar a fawn.

Feeding deer can concentrate animals in feeding areas which makes them more susceptible to predation, vehicle collisions, or other unwanted human interactions. What begins as a good intention to help the animal ultimately lessens the animal’s ability to survive independently.

For questions about an interaction with a wild animal, contact a DNR area wildlife office for suggestions. In most cases, letting nature take its course is the best advice.

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“This is a great opportunity to discover fishing,” said Mike Kurre, the DNR’s mentoring program coordinator. “Minnesotans 16 or older who take a child 15 or younger fishing don’t need a license that weekend. Opportunities for beginning anglers abound throughout Minnesota.”

Getting started is easy. A boat isn’t needed and there’s even loaner poles and tackle in some areas.

Start by going to www.mndnr.gov/takeakidfishing to learn some terms, basic techniques and shore-fishing locations. DNR fisheries offices throughout Minnesota also offer some good, old-fashioned angling advice about fishing spots that will keep young anglers happy and safe.

The DNR’s Fishing in the Neighborhood (FiN) program provides urban shore-fishing opportunities across the metro with family-friendly settings, piers, loaner equipment at some locations and a real chance to catch quality fish. Learn more online at www.mndnr.gov/fin.

Four of Minnesota’s nine state parks that are offering this summer’s weekly I Can Fish! program have sessions scheduled during Take-A-Kid Fishing weekend. Sessions at each park explore the basics of fishing, fish identification and angling tips and tricks. For more information, go to http://www.mndnr.gov/state_parks/can_fish.html.

Even when it’s not Take-A-Kid Fishing weekend, Minnesota residents may fish in a state park without a fishing license if the body of water doesn’t require a trout stamp. Anglers must fish from shore or wade in water within the state park or from a boat or a float on a designated lake within a Minnesota state park. More information on fishing in state parks is available at www.mndnr.gov/state_parks/fishing.html.

“Fishing is one of the easiest and most-accessible outdoor activities in Minnesota,” Kurre said.  “Take a kid fishing and, come the end of the trip, you’re both likely to be hooked.”

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Boaters need to remove all aquatic plants, animals from their watercraft, drain all water and leave drain plugs and water draining devices open during transport.

This year, the DNR will have up to 150 authorized inspectors stationed at high-use public waters infested with zebra mussels – and 23 hot water decontamination units available to clean infested equipment.

All DNR conservation officers will focus on enforcing AIS laws this season. They will write citations for people who do not follow AIS laws. Roadside checks will be conducted.

For the first time this summer, three zebra-mussel detector dogs, which can find a mussel much faster than a human inspector, will assist conservation officers at check stations and water accesses.

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Officials are urging motorists to buckle up as a statewide Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement campaign starts today, leading into the historically deadly summer driving season.

The 2013 preliminary count of 102 is slightly above the 96 deaths reported at this time in 2012. At this rate, DPS projects around 400 deaths for 2013. In 2012, the 100-death mark was reached near the end of May. The final 2012 count will be announced in June.

“The key to stopping these preventable deaths begins with every motorist buckling up,” says Donna Berger, DPS Office of Traffic Safety director. “A seat belt is your number-one defense against the spike of drunk, distracted and speeding drivers that we see in the summer.”

Of the 102 2013, there have been 85 motorists killed and at least 30 were not belted.

Crash Victims Memorial Website Adds Perspective to the Numbers
The DPS MinnesotaCrashVictims.org memorial website provides a dramatic representation of the lives lost on state roads and “goes beyond the stats,” according to state traffic safety officials. DPS is reminding Minnesotans about the site to stress safe driving behaviors prior to the deadly summer driving season.

“Stats and numbers can’t compare to the heartbreaking realities of crash victims,” says Berger. “These stories connect people to the real life-and-death consequences of unsafe driving.”

The site allows crash victims’ families to present an intimate and meaningful remembrance of a loved one, while educating visitors of the site about traffic safety. The site requires families to enter victim crash details, such as seat belt or helmet use, and impaired or distracted driving, to enhance the education component.

The site allows families to connect with others who have entered a memorial, and gives visitors an opportunity to post photos and offer remembrances in a victim’s guestbook.

About the Minnesota Department Public Safety
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) comprises 11 divisions where 2,100 employees operate programs in the areas of law enforcement, crime victim assistance, traffic safety, alcohol and gambling, emergency communications, fire safety, pipeline safety, driver licensing, vehicle registration and emergency management. DPS activity is anchored by three core principles: education, enforcement and prevention.
 
About the Office of Traffic Safety
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) designs, implements and coordinates federally funded traffic safety enforcement and education programs to improve driver behaviors and reduce the deaths and serious injuries that occur on Minnesota roads. OTS also administers state funds for the motorcycle safety program and for the child seats for needy families program.

OTS is an anchoring partner of the state’s Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) traffic safety initiative. A primary vision of the TZD program is to create a safe driving culture in Minnesota in which motorists support a goal of zero road fatalities by practicing and promoting safe and smart driving behavior. TZD focuses on the application of four strategic areas to reduce crashes — education, enforcement, engineering and emergency trauma response.

Office of Traffic Safety Highlights
• A statewide and nationwide Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement effort is on roads now: http://rockthebelt.org/clickit/
• Voting ended May 19 for the 2013 Buckle Up and Pay Attention, Teens TV Commercial Challenge; the winner will be announced this week: • Motorcycle rider training courses are available for new and experienced riders — register at http://www.motorcyclesafety.org,
https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/mmsc/Pages/default.aspx
• OTS is investing federal grants totaling more than $7 million to 317 law enforcement agencies and community partner groups for enforcement and education campaigns, Oct. 2012–Sept. 30, 2013.
• OTS news archive: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/Pages/news.aspx.
•  OTS PSA archive: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/audio-visual-library/Pages/default.aspx.

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The bill, authored by Representative Melissa Hortman, now heads to Gov.Mark Dayton’s desk for signature. A companion version of the bill, authored by Senator Patricia Torres Ray, passed in the Senate Thursday evening.

“We’re grateful to Rose McGee and other homeowners who courageously told their stories, and who along with the members of faith, labor and community organizations lifted up support for this bipartisan legislation in communities throughout Minnesota and at the legislature,” said Donna Cassutt, Director of Minnesotans for a Fair Economy. “And we are incredibly grateful for the leadership of Rep. Melissa Hortman for her perseverance to pass the Homeowners’ Bill of Rights, with significant provisions to protect homeowners, this year.”

This legislation is aimed at protecting consumers facing foreclosure in the following ways:

• Requiring loan servicers to communicate ALL options to homeowners.
• Requiring loan servicers to offer loan modifications to all eligible homeowners.
• Banning “dual tracking,” preventing servicers from foreclosing without a clear yes or no on loan modification.
• Requiring servicers to assist homeowners in submitting documentation regarding the foreclosure process.
• Allowing homeowners to take the servicer to court to stop foreclosure if the servicer fails to comply with any aspect of the law. Lawyer’s fees and court costs would be covered should the homeowner prove their case. This is commonly referred to as “private right of action.”

Throughout the state, more than 150,000 Minnesota homeowners have lost their homes to foreclosure since 2006.

In 2012, there were three times more foreclosures in Minnesota than in 2005, continuing to have a disastrous effect on Minnesota communities. These foreclosures can and should be avoided.

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The Omnibus Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture finance bill passed yesterday also starts addressing concerns surrounding silica sand mining in regions of southeastern Minnesota.

In total, HF 976 appropriates more than $700 million for environment and natural resources and $81 million for agriculture.

Key investments made for the 2014-2015 Biennium include:

• Forest Management: $10.1 million
• Aquatic Invasive Species: $6.2 million
• Environmental Quality Board: $1 million
• New architectural paint stewardship program: $111,000
• Silica sand mining technical assistance and rulemaking: $1 million

“The bill has our industry and environment both in mind,” said Sen. David Tomassoni (DFL-Chisholm), chair of the Environment, Economic Development and Agriculture Finance Division. “Most of what we did in this bill was a pretty good compromise and I think people across Minnesota will be happy with the outcome.”

Two of the major differences between the original House and Senate plans were increasing water-usage fees and adding silica sand mining fees — proposals supported only by the House.

The final legislation drops these increases. Additionally, the silica sand mining compromise does not prohibit activity. Rather, it sends a clear signal that if the industry wants to move into southeastern Minnesota, the areas within a mile of trout streams will be looked at closely. Of upmost importance was that new rules and regulations were specific to the southeast corner of the state.

For the state’s agriculture industry, the legislation appropriates more than $20 million to the Agriculture Growth, Research and Innovation Program (AGRI). “The AGRI Program is integral to strengthening our Agricultural economy and expanding interest in farming,” continued Sen. Dan Sparks. “Ensuring Minnesota’s continued lead in the agriculture industry depends on the investments we make in research and education today.”

The final version of the omnibus bill received bipartisan support in the Senate. With both bodies’ approval, the legislation now heads to the governor’s desk for his signature.

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The legislation takes a balanced approach of budget reductions and targeted investments to help balance the state’s $627 million deficit.

After several years of budget cuts to human services, Sen. Lourey made sure that his budget worked to reverse the trend of disinvestment by investing in Minnesota’s most vulnerable populations. One of those priorities was nursing homes, which will receive their first increase in four years and their largest in the last decade.

“This Health and Human Services bill is honestly the best Health and Human Services bill that we’ve seen in a very long time,” said Sen. Lourey. “We’ve taken care of seniors, the disabled and the people who care for them in a way that makes me very proud.”

Another area the senator is particularly excited about is in dental services. His legislation invests $4.5 million in Critical Access Dental services, $986,000 to expand Medical Assistance dental services and includes a Medical Assistance rate increase for dental.

“Members throughout the chamber, Republicans and Democrats, we all face calls from recipients of our public programs that are unable to access the dental care they need and deserve to live a full life,” said Sen. Lourey. “With this critical investment in dental services I think we are really going to be able to move the dial and make sure that our public program enrollees have the access to the care that they desperately need.”

The DFL’s plan also invests in homelessness supports, housing assistance and adult and children’s mental health. This funding, which totals $10 million, will be used to aid Minnesota homeless adults, youth and children.

With its passage in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the legislation will now head to the governor’s desk for his signature.

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Though these phone calls are all fraudulent in nature, a quick way to identify calls like this is to look at your caller ID. Is the caller’s prefix 876? If so, the call originated from Jamaica, a hotbed for sweepstakes scams.

The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota is urging people to be aware of this type of scam and to warn friends and loved ones about it.

“These sweepstakes calls sound wonderful and it would be nice if even one of them was legitimate,” said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of the BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota. “However, they’re not. Many of these calls come from boiler rooms in Jamaica, and anyone playing along with them guarantees the only real winners will be the scammers.”

Though the 876 area code might look “local,” it’s actually the telephone prefix assigned to Jamaica. In recent years there have been many news reports about fraudulent cold-calling operations operating out of that country and targeting U.S. consumers. According to AARP, approximately 30,000 calls are made from Jamaica into the U.S. every day attempting to defraud American citizens.

Beyond claiming potential victims have won a cash prize, foreign scammers also drop references to luxury sports cars to sweeten the package. They will also falsely claim affiliations with established companies or government agencies, including the FTC, Publishers Clearing House and the BBB. However, like the “prizes,” these affiliations are non-existent and used only to try to bolster the bogus callers’ credibility. In some cases, these Jamaican scammers have even resorted to threats of physical harm in an attempt to get victims to make on the spot payments.

To avoid falling victim to sweepstakes scams, the BBB provides the following advice:

• Screen your calls. If you see a call from an 876 area code, it’s very likely a scammer on the other end of the line.
• Stay realistic. You can’t win a contest you didn’t enter, and if you’re told you have to pay anything to collect your winnings, you haven’t won anything.
• Remember, you’re in charge. If you don’t like the way a call is going, simply hang up. If the calls keep coming, report them to the proper authorities, such as the Federal Trade Commission (ftc.gov), as well as the Better Business Bureau.
•  Don’t be bullied. Though it’s important to ensure your own safety, keep in mind the majority of these calls are made from outside the country. If calls you receive become threatening in nature, report them to your local authorities immediately.
• Never wire money. Sweepstakes scams usually come with a request to wire funds for supposed fees such as insurance or taxes – don’t play along. Some scammers are now asking people to purchase Green Dot MoneyPaks and then share the number on the back. By doing this, you’re giving criminals all the information they need to drain the funds loaded onto these MoneyPaks.
Other lottery solicitations are sent through the mail or via email. To further help consumers identify a lottery or sweepstakes scam, the BBB provides the following checklist:

• Was the lottery notification delivered to you by mail or email? If so, it’s likely fraudulent.

• Were you sent a check or money order with your notification? Fraudulent promoters will usually send a check or money order along with notification to convince you they are real. While the checks and money orders may look official, they are counterfeit!

• Are you asked to wire money to cover some type of fee or taxes? Fraudulent promoters will ask you to deposit their check or money order and then instruct you to wire money back to them to cover what they claim are administrative fees, insurance or taxes on your “winnings.” They also may instruct you to call a number to learn more about your prize. If so, they will likely seek personal information that will undoubtedly be used for identity theft purposes. If you deposit a bogus check or money order in your bank account, keep in mind that you will be held responsible for any money you spend against those non-existent funds.

• Does the notification appear to come from another country? Organizations behind these frauds operate under different names, often derived from well-known lotteries in other countries. It is illegal for U.S. citizens to participate in foreign lotteries over the phone or through the mail.

• Are the notifications sent by people claiming to be bankers, gaming officials, claims agents, tax collectors, attorneys, or affiliated with agencies like the FTC or BBB? Scam artists will use any number of titles – or claim bogus affiliations – in an effort to convince you that they are legitimate. Don’t be fooled.

Anytime you receive a strange notification or are told you’ve won a prize, contact the BBB (http://www.bbb.org or 800-646-6222) to avoid becoming the next victim in this type of scheme.

The mission of the Better Business Bureau is to be the leader in building marketplace trust by promoting, through self-regulation, the highest standards of business ethics and conduct, and to instill confidence in responsible businesses through programs of education and action that inform, assist and protect the general public.

The BBB is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact the BBB at http://www.bbb.org or 651-699-1111, toll-free at 1-800-646-6222.

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“We have a responsibility and obligation to take care of the men and women who have courageously served our nation,” said Sen. Franken. “Right now veterans are waiting too long to start receiving the benefits they’ve earned from the VA. That’s why I’ve joined my colleague to introduce bipartisan legislation to get benefits into the hands of veterans and their families as quickly as possible and help reduce the claims backlog at the VA.”

“After these brave men and women put their life on the line for us, the least we can do is ensure they are getting the benefits they have earned in a timely manner,” said Rep. Walz. “I recognize this problem was not created, nor will it be solved, overnight, but we can and must do better. Our bipartisan legislation will enhance the VA’s current efforts to break the backlog by helping them become more efficient, allowing them to hand down quicker, more accurate decisions to help end the backlog and get veterans the benefits they have earned.”

As identified by the VA, for a veteran to qualify as in the backlog, they must be waiting 125 days or more for the VA to process their claim. Currently, nearly 600,000 veterans are in the VA benefits backlog. According to the Center for Investigative Reporting, the average wait time for veterans filing a claim for the first time at the St. Paul, Minnesota regional office is 180 days.

The Franken-Walz bill was written after engaging veterans and groups representing them at the local, state, and national level to determine where the current problem lies. While there is no silver bullet that will end the backlog overnight, the Franken-Walz legislation aims to help tackle the backlog by:

• Removing bureaucratic red tape by allowing veterans to see local doctors for their initial diagnosis and avoid long wait times at VA hospitals. This will conserve the VA’s resources and enable quicker, more accurate rating decisions for veterans.

• Requiring the VA to swiftly award interim benefits to disabled veterans based off their initial diagnosis when the diagnosis clearly supports such awards. This will allow veterans to receive important benefits quicker, while the VA continues to review their cases.

• Authorizing VA to pay housing benefits under the GI Bill to student veterans in a more timely way.

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After the simultaneous closure of three oil refineries in the Midwest region gas prices have jumped 15 percent in less than a week, surging to around $4 a gallon at many stations.

In a letter to Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Klobuchar called on the Department of Energy to thoroughly examine the closures and timing of scheduled maintenance operations to prevent future supply shocks that cause gas prices to rise.

“This spike in gas prices is hurting families, businesses and farmers across Minnesota and disrupting commerce,” Klobuchar said. “Scheduled maintenance at refineries should not be allowed to cause such major disruptions in supply. That’s why I have called on the Department of Energy to thoroughly review the closures and the timing of maintenance operations and take action to prevent future supply problems that cause consumers pain at the pump.”

A full text of the letter is below:

May 16, 2013

The Honorable Steven Chu
Secretary
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20585

Dear Secretary Chu,

Consumers in Minnesota and across the upper Midwest have seen gasoline prices spike dramatically.  These volatile price swings put family budgets under severe pressure, especially as people prepare for the Memorial Day weekend. In a state where many local economies depend on tourism, we cannot afford such dramatic increases. Rising prices mean more than just higher costs for consumers at the pump, they are also hurting businesses struggling to fully recover from the recession.

I understand that the recent run-up in prices can be attributed to a decision by a number of oil refineries that serve the Upper Midwest to close for maintenance at the same time, and one refinery remaining closed for unexpected repairs. These shut-downs have caused tight gasoline supplies in Minnesota. While refiners must adjust their plants for seasonal gasoline blends and perform necessary upgrades to protect worker safety and repair equipment, scheduled maintenance should not be allowed to contribute to such a major gasoline shortage.

In your capacity as Secretary of Energy, I would ask you to work to collect information regarding the timing of scheduled maintenance for refineries and also any occurrences of refinery disruptions to avoid supply shocks to consumers. While there will always be unexpected disruptions, there is no reason that scheduled maintenance should contribute to retail prices jumping 15 percent in less than a week. I look forward to working with you on administrative and legislative options to prevent similar supply issues in the future.

Sincerely,

————————-
Sen. Franken issues statement on gas price spikes
Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) made the following statement in response to the overnight spike in gas prices in Minnesota as a result of the temporary closure of two oil refineries in the Midwest:

“I’m very concerned about how gas prices in Minnesota have spiked following the temporary refinery closures. Every measure should be explored to ease pain at the pump,” said Sen. Franken, the Chairman of the Energy Subcommittee on the Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee. “I’m currently working with the Department of Energy to explore whether there’s a way to make sure that we can avoid having multiple temporary refinery closures in the same area of the country—which is part of the reason why we’re seeing the spike in gas prices.”

Last year Sen. Franken introduced legislation that would direct the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to eliminate excessive oil speculation that drives up the price of gas.

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The amendment, cosponsored by Sen. Al Franken, would close the Upper St. Anthony Falls lock within a year to help stop the spread of the invasive species.

“Asian carp not only pose a serious threat to Minnesota’s environment, they also threaten the recreation and fishing industries that play a key role in the state’s economy,” Klobuchar said. “Today’s (Thursday, May 16) action is a significant step forward to help the state take action to protect Minnesota’s waterways so we can keep this invasive species from wreaking havoc on our lakes and rivers.”

Klobuchar has been a leader in helping to fight the spread of Asian carp. Earlier this year, Sen. Klobuchar introduced The Upper Mississippi Conservation and River Protection Act (Upper Mississippi CARP Act) that was similar to the amendment that passed today.

The bill, which Klobuchar introduced with Senator Franken and Representatives Keith Ellison, Erik Paulsen, Tim Walz, and Rick Nolan, would help keep Asian carp out of the state’s waterways by closing the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock if certain criteria are met and directing federal agencies to partner with Minnesota on efforts to root out infestations and prevent the spread of Asian carp in the state’s rivers.

Klobuchar also cosponsored an additional amendment to the Water Resources Development Act, introduced by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), to help create a coordinated federal response to the Asian carp threat, enabling the federal government to work more effectively with state and local entities to help fight the spread of the invasive species in waterways around the country.

Last year Klobuchar worked to pass the Stop Invasive Species Act, which requires the expedited creation of a plan to block Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes through a number of rivers and tributaries across the Great Lakes region.

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Nearly 400 Minnesota agencies will be increasing patrols to encourage motorists to buckle up during the campaign, which is being coordinated by the Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety. Seat belt enforcement also will hit the roads nationwide.

Unbelted motorists continue to represent a significant amount of Minnesota’s traffic fatalities, especially in Greater Minnesota. In the last three years on Minnesota roads (2010-2012):

• 852 motorists died in crashes, of which 361 (42 percent) were not buckled up.
• 152 (42 percent) of the 361 unbelted deaths were ages 16-29.
• 302 (84 percent) of the 361 unbelted deaths occurred outside the seven-county Twin Cities metro area.
• 128 (42 percent) of the 302 unbelted deaths that occurred outside of the Twin Cities metro area were motorists ages 16-29.

“These staggering percentages prove there is still a major issue with seat belt use among teens and young adults, especially in Greater Minnesota.” says Donna Berger, DPS Office of Traffic Safety director. “We urge motorists and passengers alike, to wear their seat belt and remember that this minor task could turn out to be a major life saver.”

Drivers, Passengers — Including in the Back Seat — Must Be Belted
In Minnesota, drivers and passengers in all seating positions, including in the back seat, are required to be buckled up or seated in the correct child restraint. Officers will stop and ticket unbelted drivers or passengers. Seat belts must be worn correctly — low and snug across the hips; shoulder straps should never be tucked under an arm or behind the back.

The Importance of Buckling Up
In rollover crashes, unbelted motorists are usually ejected from the vehicle. In most cases, the vehicle will roll over them. Often, unbelted motorists will crack teeth out on steering wheels or break their nose, and even slam into and injure or kill others in the vehicle.

In a crash, odds are six times greater for injury if a motorist is not buckled up.

Minnesota Child Car Seat Law and Steps
Minnesota statute requires children under age 8 to ride in a federally approved car seat or booster, unless the child is 4 feet 9 inches or taller. Here are the restraint steps a child should progress through as they age and grow:

• Rear-facing infant seats — Newborns to at least 1 year and 20 pounds; recommended up to age 2. It is safest to keep a child rear-facing as long as possible.
• Forward-facing toddler seats — Age 2 until around age 4. It’s preferable to keep children in a harnessed restraint as long as possible.
• Booster seats — Use once outgrown a forward-facing harnessed restraint; safest to remain in a booster until 4 feet 9 inches tall, or at least age 8.
• Seat belts — A child is ready for an adult seat belt when they can sit with their back against the vehicle seat, knees bent comfortably and completely over the vehicle seat edge without slouching, and feet touching the floor. Children 4 feet 9 inches tall or taller can correctly fit in a lap/shoulder belt.

About the Minnesota Department Public Safety
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) comprises 11 divisions where 2,100 employees operate programs in the areas of law enforcement, crime victim assistance, traffic safety, alcohol and gambling, emergency communications, fire safety, pipeline safety, driver licensing, vehicle registration and emergency management. DPS activity is anchored by three core principles: education, enforcement and prevention.
 
About the Office of Traffic Safety
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) designs, implements and coordinates federally funded traffic safety enforcement and education programs to improve driver behaviors and reduce the deaths and serious injuries that occur on Minnesota roads. OTS also administers state funds for the motorcycle safety program and for the child seats for needy families program.

OTS is an anchoring partner of the state’s Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) traffic safety initiative. A primary vision of the TZD program is to create a safe driving culture in Minnesota in which motorists support a goal of zero road fatalities by practicing and promoting safe and smart driving behavior. TZD focuses on the application of four strategic areas to reduce crashes — education, enforcement, engineering and emergency trauma response.

Office of Traffic Safety Highlights
• Approximately 160 people were arrested for DWI statewide May 10; about half of those arrests occurred in the Twin Cities as part of the metro area’s largest-ever, one-night DWI enforcement effort.
• Voting ends May 19 for the 2013 Buckle Up and Pay Attention, Teens TV Commercial Challenge; the winner will be announced May 24: http://rockthebelt.org/buckleupteens/.
• Motorcycle rider training courses are available for new and experienced riders — register at motorcyclesafety.org, https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/mmsc/Pages/default.aspx.
• OTS is investing federal grants totaling more than $7 million to 317 law enforcement agencies and community partner groups for enforcement and education campaigns, Oct. 2012–Sept. 30, 2013.
• OTS news archive: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/Pages/news.aspx.
• OTS PSA archive: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/audio-visual-library/Pages/default.aspx.

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The measure also invests in flood protection for Fargo-Moorhead and Roseau, which have been hard hit in recent years.

“Investing in our waterways infrastructure is good for Minnesota and good for the country—it creates jobs and spurs economic growth, helps critical industries remain competitive, and provides protection from devastating natural disasters,” said Sen. Franken. “By passing the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act, we are enabling growth in mining, manufacturing and construction, and helping Minnesotans who are impacted yearly by flooding.”

The Senate passed the bipartisan measure 83-to-14. Sen. Franken said he hopes that the U.S. House of Representatives will take up and pass the bill in a timely fashion.

The post Franken lauds passage of bipartisan waterways development legislation appeared first on Hometown Source.

Norris and six other award recipients were honored at a ceremony at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C. May 9.

Doug Norris, wetland program coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, received a national wetland award recently and is shown with Nancy Stoner, acting assistant administrator for water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Norris has been at the forefront of wetlands protection and conservation in Minnesota for over 20 years. He began his career in wetlands conservation in 1991 – the same year Minnesota passed its landmark Wetlands Conservation Act. Since then, he has been a tireless advocate for Minnesota wetlands, championing their protection through regulation, monitoring, mapping, and restoration.

For example, in recent years, Norris has played a lead role in developing a comprehensive wetlands monitoring program for Minnesota. This has allowed the state to evaluate the status of its wetlands. “I have been very impressed with what Doug has been able to accomplish for wetland inventory, monitoring, and assessment in Minnesota,” said Tom Bernthal, wetland monitoring and assessment coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. “Doug’s work has helped make Minnesota a leader in wetland monitoring and assessment.”

This success is all the more noteworthy given the setting in which it has occurred: administration of Minnesota’s wetland program requires coordination among three state agencies and one federal one, making it one of the more complicated wetlands program in the country. “For more than 20 years, Doug has been a leader to coordinate, align, and effectively communicate administration of Minnesota’s wetland program for various audiences,” said Mark Gernes, research scientist for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. “Much of Minnesota’s wetland protection program success can be directly attributed to Doug.”

Jeanne Christie, executive director for the Association of State Wetland Managers, echoes this sentiment, “Doug is quick to give others credit for successful programs. But those of us who work in wetlands know that wetland program development absolutely requires great partnerships. It is because of Doug’s ability to make it happen – to coordinate the needs of multiple and diverse agencies and organizations involved with wetland management – that he is considered to be responsible for much of the success of Minnesota’s program.”

One of the keys to Norris’ success is his ability to work effectively with a variety of people in resolving challenging wetland issues. “Doug is an excellent communicator who is able to consistently connect with diverse audiences,” said David Weirens, land and water section manager for the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources. “His comments and input are always very thoughtful, succinct and well measured in terms of fairness and policy implications. Yet, he is more than an effective voice for government policy for Doug is always a tireless advocate for conservation and protection of Minnesota’s wetland resource.”

Through it all, Norris remains modest about his accomplishments. “Wetland protection and management in Minnesota is shared among a large cast of federal, state and local agencies, as well as a number of non-profit groups,” Norris said. “I am honored to receive this award on behalf of the many committed individuals who contribute to achieving our wetland goals.”

The National Wetlands Awards program is administered by the Environmental Law Institute and supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Forest Service, and Federal Highway Administration. A committee of wetland experts representing federal, state and local governments, academia, and nonprofit organizations selected the award recipients.

For more information on the National Wetlands Awards, visit http://www.nationalwetlandsawards.org
or email wetlandsawards@eli.org.

The Environmental Law Institute
Since 1969, ELI has played a pivotal role in shaping the fields of environmental law, policy, and management, domestically and abroad. Today, ELI is in its fifth decade as an internationally recognized, nonpartisan research and education center working to strengthen environmental protection by improving law and governance worldwide.

ELI delivers insightful and impartial analysis to opinion makers, including government officials, environmental and business leaders, academics, members of the environmental bar, and journalists. The Institute is a clearinghouse and a town hall, providing common ground for debate on important environmental issues.

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Fans holding tickets to the postponed game (April 17) have three options:

1) Utilize their tickets for admission into the rescheduled game on Monday, Sept. 9 at 6:10 p.m.

2) Utilize the value of their ticket (the amount paid) as a voucher towards any future Twins regular season game in 2013. Fans who wish to exchange their tickets for another game must bring the tickets to the Target Field Box Office no later than 48 hours prior to the start of the rescheduled game. Tickets returned any later than 48 hours prior to the start of the rescheduled game will be considered invalid. Tickets may be exchanged only at the Target Field Ticket Office located on Target Plaza off 7th Street.

3) Fans who have purchased tickets through StubHub have received an automatic credit and their tickets have been returned to the seller of record. StubHub customers with questions should contact StubHub customer service at 1-866-788-2482.

Tickets for the postponed game are not subject to refunds.

Fans are encouraged to visit http://www.twinsbaseball.com, call 612-33-TWINS (612-338-9467) or 800-33-TWINS (800-338-9467), or visit the Target Field Box Office during normal business hours for detailed information on the Twins’ rainout policy, which is outlined below.
 
Target Field Rainout Policy
In the event a regulation game, as defined by Major League Baseball (i.e. 4 1/2 innings if the Twins are ahead and five full innings if the visiting team is ahead or the game is tied), is not played due to weather, an act of God or any other reason, the following policy will apply:

The game will be:
A. Rescheduled to an open day, or
B. Rescheduled to a split day-night doubleheader (two separate games on the same date)

Fans holding tickets to a postponed game should keep their tickets as they will be required for admission into the rescheduled game. Fans who wish to exchange their tickets for another game must bring the tickets to the Target Field Box Office no later than 48 hours prior to the start of the rescheduled game. Tickets returned any later than 48 hours prior to the start of the rescheduled game will be considered invalid.

Suites, Thomson Reuters Champions Club, Delta SKY360 Legends Club, Budweiser Roof Deck and Great Clips Great Seats Tickets
Due to their sold out status, tickets in the Suites, Thomson Reuters Champions Club, Delta SKY360 Legends Club, Budweiser Roof Deck and Great Clips Great Seats will be valid only for the rescheduled game.

Season, Group and Single-Game Tickets
Tickets are valid for the rescheduled game. Season, Group and Single-Game ticket holders should keep their tickets from the postponed game as they will be required for admission into the rescheduled game.
or
Season, Group and Single-Game ticket holders are also welcome to utilize the value of their ticket (the amount paid) as a voucher towards any future Twins regular season game in 2013. Fans may apply the paid value of their ticket to seats in any Target Field seating area, based on availability. Important Note: Due to the discounts offered for the purchase of some tickets, the amount paid for the ticket (and thus the “value” of your ticket) may be different than the price printed on the ticket.

While fans are welcome to exchange for any 2013 regular season game/seating area, fans who apply the paid value of their ticket for higher-priced game/seating will be responsible for paying any resulting balance due. Refunds are not available to fans who elect to apply  the paid value of their ticket to lesser priced game/seating area.

Members of groups who are exchanging for the same “new” game and who wish to remain seated together should exchange their tickets at the same time and location. Any exchanges must be made at the Target Field box office at least 48 hours prior to the rescheduled game.
 
StubHub Tickets
Fans who purchased tickets through StubHub have received an automatic credit and their tickets have been returned to the seller of record. StubHub customers with questions should contact StubHub customer service at 1-866-788-2482.

Twins tickets remain affordable and available. Starting at just $8, special deals are available for every day of the week at http://www.twinsbaseball.com/tickets.

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Sen. Franken also called on SEC Chair Mary Jo White and several other commissioners in attendance to take swift action and implement rules to limit the conflict of interest in the rating industry.

“One thing is clear: there must be reform,” said Sen. Franken in his remarks to members of the SEC at today’s roundtable. “You have the opportunity and the responsibility to take action in the public interest. We cannot leave ourselves unnecessarily exposed to yet another financial collapse, and that’s what we will be doing if we don’t reform the credit rating industry. And that means acting – and acting swiftly – to propose rules to limit conflicts of interest in the credit rating industry.”

Today’s roundtable included public and private financial experts and regulators as well as representatives from the credit rating agencies  and was held to examine a report the SEC recently did that explored possible options for reform, including Sen. Franken’s.

The report was mandated by a provision authored by Sens. Franken and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) in the 2010 Wall Street reform law. Also included in the Franken-Wicker amendment was a proposal to root out the inherent conflict of interest in the current “pay-to-play” model used in the industry—banks pay the credit rating agencies, most notably S&P, Fitch, and Moody’s, to rate their financial products—by replacing it with a “pay-for-performance” model.

If fully implemented, as the senators are pushing for, their amendment would create an independent, self-regulated board comprised of investors, representatives from the credit rating and banking industries, and academics which would assign the banks’ financial products to different rating agencies based on the agencies expertise, resources, and track record.

Read Sen. Franken’s full remarks at today’s roundtable below:

As Prepared for Delivery
Madam Chair, thank you for holding today’s roundtable and for inviting me to participate.

We are here today because the financial meltdown of 2008 and its devastating impact can be attributed in no small measure to the conflict of interest inherent in the credit rating industry’s issuer-pays model – through which banks shopped for and handsomely paid the Big Three credit rating agencies to give Triple-A ratings to junk. When the banks ran out of subprime mortgages to package, they issued packages of bets on them, and then bets on those bets. These wagers were stacked one on top of the other, creating a house of cards.

As we’ve seen from email exchanges, folks in the credit rating agencies knew that they were giving inflated ratings to worthless, or at best extremely risky, investment packages. The prevailing practices of the Big Three rating agencies can be summed up nicely by this email from an S&P official: “Let’s hope we are all wealthy and retired by the time this house of cards falters.”

Well, of course, that house of cards didn’t just falter, it collapsed, bringing the entire American economy down with it.  Americans lost trillions of dollars in savings.  They lost their homes, their businesses, their jobs.  The national debt skyrocketed.  And we find ourselves in a fiscal mess which has caused us to disinvest in education, in crucial infrastructure, and in innovation.  In contrast, the Wall Street banks were bailed out.  And the credit rating agencies kept the hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars in fees.

Millions of Americans lost their jobs because the credit rating agencies did not do their job – to give financial products accurate, objective ratings.  That was their only job.  They had no other job. And they did not do it.

That is why Senator Roger Wicker and I introduced the Franken-Wicker Amendment that creates an independent board to assign a credit rating agency to provide the initial rating to a structured finance instrument. The amendment passed with 64 votes, including those of eleven Republicans.  But in the conference committee, the amendment was downgraded, if you will, to a study.  The language in the final law says that the SEC shall implement our proposal or an alternative that would better serve the public interest and the protection of investors as it determines is necessary or appropriate.  It is required to do something to protect the American people from a repeat of what happened five years ago.

The study released by the Commission is mainly a construct to organize the arguments for and against our proposal made in the comment letters submitted by various parties. While I value the expertise of everyone who submitted comments and who is here today, I think it is important to note that most of the arguments presented in the report against our proposal were brought by parties that have benefited directly from the conflict of interest inherent in the issuer pays model.

Due to time limitations, I can’t address each objection to our model, but I’ll pick out a few to underscore how inherent the conflict is in the issuer-pays model.  For example, we are told by the same credit rating agencies that gave Triple A ratings to junk that “reputational risk” is enough to prevent credit rating agencies from succumbing to the conflict of interest inherent in the issuer pays model.

Yet, just last month, S&P asked a judge to throw out a Justice Department lawsuit against them by pointing to a decision made by a US District Court judge in an earlier securities fraud case against them. That earlier suit against S&P had been filed by shareholders who said they had bought their shares believing that S&P’s ratings were independent and objective, as S&P had long declared.  But the judge dismissed the shareholders’ suit, finding that S&P’s statements that its ratings were independent and objective had been “mere puffery.” And S&P is now relying on that earlier ruling to try to get the Justice Department’s suit against them thrown out.  So as of April, S&P’s legal argument was that nobody could reasonably think that they had a reputation for producing independent and credible ratings.  I suspect that the testimony you will hear today from S&P may be quite different.

So how risky is this reputational risk?  Well, the Big Three, which brought us the meltdown, still has over 90% of the market.  Yet, opponents of our proposal argue that it would “further entrench the largest incumbents.”  That it would be difficult for NRSROs with little or no track record to break into the market.  The opposite, of course, is true.  If the credit rating industry starts playing by fairer rules, smaller rating agencies would finally be given the opportunity to break the oligopoly that now exists.

In addition, I urge you to critically consider the report section on Rule 17g-5.  A number of the commenters argued that the Rule 17g-5 program will more effectively reduce conflicts of interest because unsolicited ratings would provide a check against biased ratings.  But so far only a handful of opinions have been produced under 17g-5, so it’s clear that 17g-5 alone is not enough – not much more than the status quo. What’s more, there is absolutely no reason that our proposal cannot coexist with 17g-5.  In fact, they perfectly complement each other.
One commenter said that our proposal is, quote, “inconsistent with government efforts to reduce reliance on ratings.”  They are saying, in effect, that a system that seeks to create accountability and to reward accuracy is problematic because it will cause investors to rely on the ratings.  Their argument seems to be this: That the best way to get investors not to rely on ratings is for the credit rating agencies to generate unreliable ratings.

The fact is that investors are always going to have to rely on these ratings.  A pension manager making investments for the pension funds of volunteer fire fighters in Kandiyohi County in Central Minnesota simply doesn’t have the resources to do his or her own complex credit risk analysis.

I was in Kandiyohi County this weekend, in Willmar, Minnesota.  I had a three hour dinner with eight or nine leaders in that community of about 20,000 people.   One man owned a successful contracting business.  A couple had ag-related businesses.  A couple others were community bankers. There was the president of the local two year college.  And they all felt that the system is rigged.  It’s rigged in favor of Wall Street and against Main Street.  And how can you blame them?

My plea to you today is that you take action. If we maintain the status quo, we are leaving ourselves far too vulnerable to another catastrophe.  After today’s roundtable, you have an opportunity to take action and do real reform. That reform must provide meaningful protection to American investors and our economy at large.  I have said many times over the past few years that I hold no pride of authorship.  I appreciate suggestions for improvement to our model; I am open to learning about a better one today.  But frankly nothing I have seen so far makes me think there is a model that would reduce the conflict of interest more effectively than ours.

The Franken-Wicker proposal would create an independent board that would consist of institutional investors, academics, and representatives from the banks and from the credit rating agencies.   That board would assign different credit rating agencies to provide initial ratings to structured finance products based on an agency’s capacity, expertise, and, after time, track record.
It would allow smaller agencies to develop areas of expertise that would allow them to ultimately break up the oligopoly.  It’s a commonsense idea that will restore Americans’ trust in the market.

One thing is clear: there must be reform. You have the opportunity and the responsibility to take action in the public interest. We cannot leave ourselves unnecessarily exposed to yet another financial collapse, and that’s what we will be doing if we don’t reform the credit rating industry. And that means acting – and acting swiftly – to propose rules to limit conflicts of interest in the credit rating industry.

One of my constituents made this point very powerfully at a roundtable I held in in Minnesota in 2010. His name is Dave Berg, from Eden Prairie, Minnesota.  Here is part of his testimony:

“My situation mirrors the situation of thousands of Minnesotans in my age group–and illustrates why it is so important to reform the way Wall Street operates. I am 57 years old and looking for a job. . . I have been out of work for about 14 months. . . Throughout my working career, I saved for retirement . . . I thought I would have a secure retirement because I was doing the right thing. . .  Much of my overall retirement security is now gone. . .  At the age of 57, I need to again start building up a nest egg so that I can hopefully afford to retire in my seventies. This was not my plan. . . The downturn of the economy, caused in part by the abuses on Wall Street, led to the loss of my retirement security. Reforming the way Wall Street operates is important to me personally because I still have a lot of saving yet to do – and I simply cannot afford another Wall Street meltdown. I need to have confidence in the markets – and I need to know that there is accountability to those who caused this financial crisis.”

Mr. Berg, and so many Americans, aren’t seeking retribution from Wall Street. They just want to know that it won’t happen again.  The people in this room today have the power to do that, and I look forward to working with all of you in the weeks and months ahead to make sure we do right by Mr. Berg and the millions of Americans like him around the country.  Thank you.

The post Sen. Franken pushes to prevent next financial collapse appeared first on Hometown Source.

Kline’s legislation would ensure our veterans are given the choice they earned and were offered between TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Standard health care insurance.

U.S. Rep. John Kline

Due to a policy change made by the Pentagon, more than 170,000 veterans across the country who live outside 100 miles of a military treatment facility will lose access to TRICARE Prime on Oct. 1, 2013.

Nearly 4,000 of those veterans live in Minnesota. Kline’s legislation, the “Keep Faith with TRICARE Prime Act,” would afford every affected veteran the opportunity to continue their enrollment in TRICARE Prime or move to TRICARE Standard, depending upon which plan best fits their needs.

“Promises made should be promises kept and the Pentagon should not break faith with our nation’s heroes,” said Kline, a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. “My legislation keeps faith with nearly 4,000 veterans in Minnesota and more than 170,000 nationwide. I look forward to working with my House and Senate colleagues from both sides of the aisle to help those affected by the Pentagon’s misguided TRICARE policy change.”

Under the Pentagon’s current plan, affected veterans will be automatically switched to TRICARE Standard. Unfortunately, many retirees will not have the ability to cover the increased costs due to their fixed incomes.

TRICARE Standard is a fee-for-service option that will typically cost more and require beneficiaries to pay higher out-of-pocket expenses.

Kline’s legislation would reduce the immediate impact imposed by the new policy by allowing military retirees to make informed decisions on how to best utilize their military retirement health care benefits while they consider future life decisions with their families.

TRICARE is the triple option health care program serving uniformed service members, retirees, and their families worldwide.

TRICARE serves all seven uniformed services: the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. TRICARE provides health care coverage for medical services, medications, and dental care for military families, retirees, and their survivors.

In his sixth term in Congress, Congressman Kline serves on the House Armed Services Committee. He also serves as chairman of the Education and the Workforce Committee.

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Because seniors control over 70 percent of the nation’s wealth, they are often targeted by fraudsters and con artists. However, simply by following some basic steps such as taking time to consider all offers carefully, seniors can avoid becoming a victim.

“The scammers are out there and they’ve got a pretty deep bag of tricks,” said Gary Johnson, the Outreach Manager for the BBB’s Senior Program. “Our goal is to beat them to the punch and explain to seniors how these schemes work so that they can not only identify them, but use that knowledge to help others in their age group avoid them and also report them to law enforcement and agencies such as ours.”

The BBB warns against the following six scams that commonly target senior citizens:

Grandparent scam — Victims receive a phone call from someone claiming to be a family member stranded far from home. They usually beg to have the matter kept private and say they are being held in jail, need car repairs or other assistance and money has to be wired to them immediately. These scammers may lace the conversation with correct references to other family members, increasing their credibility.

– BBB Advice: Remain calm and confirm the identity of the individual by calling him or her directly or verifying the story with other family members before taking any further action. Never provide scammers with information they can use against you. For instance, don’t venture a name when an unknown caller says, ‘It’s your grandson!’ Instead, make them “fill in the blanks.”

Sweepstakes and Lottery Scams –Typically, the victim receives a letter in the mail stating they have won a lottery or sweepstakes. The letter instructs the victim to deposit an enclosed check and then wire a portion back to cover taxes, insurance or administrative fees. While these checks clear initially, the money will be removed when the bank discovers the check is phony. The victim is out whatever they wired back to the scammers – often thousands of dollars. These scams are also attempted over the phone. Remember, you can’t win a contest you didn’t enter, and if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

– BBB Advice: Never wire money to someone you don’t know. You should never have to pay a fee to collect winnings from a lottery or sweepstakes. Also, participation in a foreign lottery over the phone or through the mail is illegal. Some newer scams ask people to purchase Green Dot MoneyPaks and then get people to share the number on the back, which allows scammers to siphon funds that have been loaded onto these MoneyPaks, leaving victims empty-handed.

Medicare Scams – Scammers often claim to be with Medicare and ask for personal information such as Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, credit card or bank account numbers. Potential victims might be given any number of excuses to provide this information including that an error needs to be fixed, that he or she is part of a survey or eligible to receive free products or can sign up for a new prescription drug plan.

– BBB Advice: Medicare will never call to ask for sensitive personal financial information. If you suspect fraud, contact your local police or the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General at 800-447-8477.

Bereavement Scams – Scammers will go so far as to try to take advantage of seniors who have recently lost a loved one, such as a spouse. They call the widow or widower and claim that their spouse had outstanding debts that need to be paid immediately.

–BBB Advice: If you are uncertain about owing a debt when collectors call, always ask for written confirmation. Don’t be intimidated by unknown callers or letters claiming a debt is owed. Be aware of your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Deceptive Professionals – While many scams targeting senior citizens are “faceless,” some scammers knock on the front door, claiming to be experts in their fields. These so-called professionals will lie about the extent of problems with your home or furnace, and then inflate prices in an attempt to profit off trusting seniors.

BBB Advice – Find professionals you can trust by researching them at bbb.org. Report any deceptive offers to your BBB, local law enforcement and the state Attorney General.

Investment Opportunities - These schemes promise big returns but offer few details.

BBB Advice: Beware of investment or money-making offers that seem too good to be true or use high pressure sales tactics. If you have questions about any offers you receive, contact the BBB at 1-800-646-6222.

For more advice on avoiding scams visit: http://www.bbb.org/us/consumer-tips-scams/.

The mission of the Better Business Bureau is to be the leader in building marketplace trust by promoting, through self-regulation, the highest standards of business ethics and conduct, and to instill confidence in responsible businesses through programs of education and action that inform, assist and protect the general public.

The BBB is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact the BBB at http:/www.bbb.org or 651-699-1111, toll-free at 1-800-646-6222.

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The bipartisan amendment, which Klobuchar introduced along with Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Chris Coons (D-DE), includes a provision similar to Klobuchar’s Immigration Innovation Act, or I Squared, to fund STEM education by increasing green cards fees.

Other provisions of Klobuchar’s legislation to promote innovation were previously included in the comprehensive immigration reform bill.

“Preparing students for careers in high-demand, high-tech fields will both put young people on the road to success and help keep America competitive in the global economy,” Klobuchar said. “This is an important step forward in our efforts to help improve science and math education and ensure students have the skills they need to get the jobs of tomorrow that our businesses are creating today.”

Klobuchar’s amendment would raise the fee on employment-based green cards by $1000 to help fund STEM education grants to states across the country. It also makes recommendations to promote gender equality and train veterans in STEM related fields.

The comprehensive immigration reform legislation already includes provisions similar to those authored by Klobuchar that would reform the employment-based green card and H-1B visa systems.

The proposal expands the employment-based green card system in a similar manner as Klobuchar’s Immigration Innovation Act by exempting spouses and children of employment-based green card holders, outstanding professors and researchers, and immigrants with extraordinary ability from the annual green card cap.

The bill also increases the cap on the number of H-1B visas from 65,000 to 110,000 annually, with the ability for the cap to rise to 180,000 depending on the needs of the economy, and increases the separate pool of H-1B visas for U.S. advanced degree holders from 20,000 to 25,000.

The Gang of 8 bill also includes Klobuchar’s provision to remove the requirement that foreign students prove they have no intention to stay permanently in the U.S. before they are allowed to enter the country, and establishes a 60-day transition period for H-1B visa holders to change employers, which is an important worker protection included in Klobuchar’s legislation.

Klobuchar also pushed for additional worker protections included in the Gang of 8 proposal, such as a significant increase in required wages for H-1B workers, limits on the number of H-1B workers any one company can hire, increased auditing, and increased fees on companies hiring a large number of H-1B workers.  Additionally, the legislation includes Klobuchar’s provision to provide employment authorization to the spouses of H-1B workers.

The legislation also includes a Klobuchar-authored provision to allow international doctors to remain in the U.S. longer than their visas initially allowed under the condition that they practice in underserved areas such as rural communities. Currently doctors from other countries training in America on J-1 visas are required to return to their home country after their residency has ended for two years before they can apply for another visa or green card. The Conrad 30 program allows doctors to stay in the U.S without having to return home if they agree to practice in an underserved area for three years. The “30” refers to the number of doctors per state that can participate in the program.

The provision makes the Conrad 30 program permanent, ending the Congressional requirement to extend the legislation. It also allows for the program to be expanded beyond 30 slots if certain thresholds are met, while still protecting small states. Additionally, the provision allows the spouses of doctors to work, and provides worker protections to prevent the doctors from being mistreated.

The post Klobuchar’s amendment to imigration bill to boost STEM appeared first on Hometown Source.

These targets provide the framework for a fair and responsible budget that invests in the middle class.

The agreement reached by Gov.Dayton and DFL leaders:

• Closes the state’s $627 million budget deficit in FY 14-15 without budget gimmicks and achieves long-term structural balance in FY 16-17.

• Repays all of the money borrowed from Minnesota’s schools in the next two years.

• Makes an historic $725 million investment in education ($475 million in E-12 education and $250 million in higher education).
Provides $400 million in property tax relief.

• Pays for those investments by asking the wealthiest 2 percent of Minnesotans to pay their fair share in taxes, closing corporate tax loopholes, and reforming our tax system to make it fairer for middle-income Minnesotans.

Gov. Dayton, Speaker Thissen and Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk released the following statement:

“When the legislative session began, we shared the goal of progress for Minnesotans on education, job creation, and better government.  This budget delivers on our promise of progress.

“We agreed that we needed to put middle class Minnesotans first. We agreed on the need to invest in education, from early learning through higher education.  We agreed it was time to put fairness back in the tax system, close the deficit, and balance the budget for the long term without games or gimmicks. Today, we are pleased to announce a budget framework agreement that accomplishes these priorities and moves Minnesota forward.

“Our plan eliminates the projected $627 million deficit and balances the state budget for the next two bienniums with no gimmicks or shifts. We pay back, in the next biennium, all of the money still owed to our schools.  We make historic new investments in education, including early childhood scholarships and funding to provide all-day kindergarten for all of Minnesota’s children.  We make major new investments in new job-creating incentives for businesses to locate or expand in our state.  And we spend $400 million to provide very significant property tax relief for Minnesotans, while asking the very wealthiest Minnesotans to pay their fair share in income taxes.”

The post Gov. Dayton, DFL leaders agree on FY 2014-15 state budget appeared first on Hometown Source.

The program will begin at 7 pm and attendees must have a ticket to be admitted. A limited number of tickets will be available to the general public at the Metrodome’s Gate B, at 5 pm the day of the event.

For those without tickets who wish to view the presentation, the entire event will be streamed live at http://www.Vikings.com.

The stadium unveiling event will be emceed by KFAN’s Paul Allen; with remarks from Gov. Mark Dayton; a presentation by HKS architect Bryan Trubey; reaction from Mayor R.T. Rybak; Vikings Coach Leslie Frasier; Vikings General Manager Rick Speilman; Viking players John Sullivan and Phil Loadholt and will conclude with a formal vote on the design of the new stadium by the MSFA board.

The post Sports facilities authority, Vikings to unveil stadium design on Monday appeared first on Hometown Source.

The Twins open tonight (Friday, May 10) against the Baltimore Orioles.

HOMESTAND HIGHLIGHTS
Friday, May 10 – Sunday, May 19
Orioles, White Sox, Red Sox
Friday, May 10 vs. Baltimore Orioles (7:10 p.m.) presented by Park Nicollet
GIVEAWAY – The first 10,000 fans will receive a Josh Willing“hammer” bobblehead presented by U.S. Bank.
TRAFFIC ADVISORY – Fans coming to Target Field should expect significant road closures starting on Friday evening at 10 p.m. I-35W, I-94, Park and Portland avenues will all be rerouted near Downtown Minneapolis. Fans are strongly urged to plan ahead and seek alternate routes to Target Field. Visit www.twinsbaseball.com/transportation for more information.
TICKET OFFER – Metro Transit Go-To Friday
Purchase a U.S. Bank Home Run Porch View ticket and receive $7 in bonus value on a $20 Metro Transit Go-To Card.

Saturday, May 11 vs. Baltimore Orioles (6:10 p.m.) presented by Park Nicollet
GIVEAWAY – The first 20,000 fans will receive a Twins cap presented by DQ®.
TRAFFIC ADVISORY – Fans coming to Target Field should expect significant road closures. I-35W, I-94, Park and Portland avenues will all be rerouted near Downtown Minneapolis. Fans are strongly urged to plan ahead and seek alternate routes to Target Field. Visit www.twinsbaseball.com/transportation for more information.
CEREMONIAL FIRST PITCH – Former Minnesota Viking Matt Birk will throw out a ceremonial first pitch.
TWINS SPLIT THE POT RAFFLE
The Twins Split the Pot Raffle will benefit the Minnesota Stroke Association. Raffle tickets may be purchased through the end of the fifth inning at various locations throughout the ballpark. One lucky winner will take home HALF the net proceeds from that day’s raffle ticket sales (up to $10,000).
TICKET OFFER – DQ Sensational Saturdays
Purchase a Saturday single game ticket in any seating section and receive a coupon for a buy-one-get-one-free Blizzard® Flavor Treat from DQ. (Offer not available for online orders printed at home or via the Target Field automated kiosks.)

Sunday, May 12 vs. Baltimore Orioles (1:10 p.m.) presented by Park Nicollet
GIVEAWAY – The first 10,000 female fans will receive a women’s sun hat courtesy of Pepsi.
TRAFFIC ADVISORY – Fans coming to Target Field should expect significant road closures. I-35W, I-94, Park and Portland avenues will all be rerouted near Downtown Minneapolis. Fans are strongly urged to plan ahead and seek alternate routes to Target Field. Visit www.twinsbaseball.com/transportation for more information.
TICKET OFFER – Crystal Farms® Kids Day
Purchase a Sunday single game ticket in any seating section and receive a special coupon offer from Crystal Farms. (Offer not available for online orders printed at home or via the Target Field automated kiosks.) Plus kids 14 and younger can receive free autographs from a Twins player before the game. Postgame, kids can run the bases courtesy of Gillette Children’s Hospital.

Monday, May 13 vs. Chicago White Sox (7:10 p.m.) presented by Discovery Channel
TICKET OFFER – Denny’s Military Mondays
Active military members or veterans with a valid military ID, discharge papers or membership card from the Legion, VFW, or DAV will receive a half-price ticket in Home Plate View seating locations. (Available day of game only)
TWINS’ WIVES ORGANIZATION – Fans can visit the Twins’ Wives Organization kiosk to purchase exclusive Twins’ Wives Organization items to benefit people in need. They will be at the Heart of Twins Territory kiosk behind section 117 until the end of the second inning.

Tuesday, May 14 vs. Chicago White Sox (7:10 p.m.) presented by Discovery Channel
GIVEAWAY – The first 10,000 fans will receive a Twins fleece blanket courtesy of Delta Air Lines.
TICKET OFFER – Sports Authority Value Pack
Purchase a U.S. Bank Home Run Porch View ticket and receive a FREE Schweigert™ hot dog and Pepsi.

Wednesday, May 15 vs. Chicago White Sox (12:10 p.m.) presented by Discovery Channel
LOCAL MUSIC: THE 4ONTHEFLOOR – The Twins and K-TWIN radio will kick off the Midwest Music Showcase with a special in-game performance by The 4onthefloor.
TICKET OFFER – Rasmussen College Student Day presented by FOX Sports North
Standing room only tickets are just $5 for students on Wednesday games. (Available day of game only at the Target Field box office beginning at 9 a.m. Limit one ticket per student with valid ID.)
TICKET OFFER – Schweigert Dollar-A-Dog Day
Hot dogs are just $1 at the Hennepin Grille and Taste of Twins Territory concession stands. (Limit 20,000 per game; 2 per person)
TICKET OFFER – Treasure Island Resort & Casino Senior Days
Fans 55 and better receive a $5 discount on Field Box and Powerball® Pavilion tickets for all weekday day games. (Offer available by phone and in-person only. Tickets subject to availability)

Friday, May 17 vs. Boston Red Sox (7:10 p.m.) presented by CenturyLink
TICKET OFFER – Metro Transit Go-To Friday
Purchase a U.S. Bank Home Run Porch View ticket and receive $7 in bonus value on a $20 Metro Transit Go-To Card.

Saturday, May 18 vs. Boston Red Sox (6:10 p.m.) presented by CenturyLink
POSTGAME GIVEAWAY – All fans will receive an energy efficient light bulb courtesy of Xcel Energy.
TWINS SPLIT THE POT RAFFLE
The Twins Split the Pot Raffle will benefit the Twins Community Fund. Raffle tickets may be purchased through the end of the fifth inning at various locations throughout the ballpark. One lucky winner will take home HALF the net proceeds from that day’s raffle ticket sales (up to $10,000).

TICKET OFFER – DQ® Sensational Saturdays
Purchase a Saturday single game ticket in any seating section and receive a coupon for a buy-one-get-one-free Blizzard® Flavor Treat from DQ. (Offer not available for online orders printed at home or via the Target Field automated kiosks.)

Sunday, May 19 vs. Boston Red Sox (1:10 p.m.) presented by CenturyLink
SANDLOT NIGHT – To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of The Sandlot, the classic film will be shown on the video boards at Target Field following the Twins vs. Red Sox game on Sunday, May 19 (approximately 4:30 p.m.).

BALLPARK-WIDE PHOTO – Fans in attendance are encouraged to be in their seats during the 3rd inning to be a part of the Target Field ballpark-wide photo. Then, fans can visit http://www.twinsbaseball.com/tagoramic to find themselves at the game and tag their friends.

TICKET OFFER – Crystal Farms® Kids Day
Purchase a Sunday single game ticket in any seating section and receive a special coupon offer from Crystal Farms. (Offer not available for online orders printed at home or via the Target Field automated kiosks.) Plus kids 14 and younger can receive free autographs from a Twins player before the game. Postgame, kids can run the bases courtesy of Gillette Children’s Hospital.

Twins tickets remain affordable and available. Special deals are available for every day of the week at http://www.twinsbaseball.com/tickets.

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Gov. Dayton will attend a community picnic in downtown Park Rapids on Friday evening. The event will feature food, activities for kids, live music, a speaking program featuring the governor and Lieutenant Governor Yvonne Prettner Solon. The event is free and open to the public.

Gov. Dayton, joined by former Chief Justice Eric Magnuson and Mr. Thomas Brown, along with other enthusiastic fisherwomen and fisherman will cast a line at 12:01 am Saturday. The group will be guided by Jason Durham of Park Rapids.

On Saturday morning, Gov. Dayton will officially kick-off the fishing season with North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple and Minnesota State Senator Rod Skoe. After fishing with guide Jason Durham Gov. Dayton will hold a short press availability at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Additional details on the 2013 Governor’s Fishing Opener can be found at:
http://www.mngovernorsopener.com

To celebrate summer fishing season, the Governor is launching a “Best Minnesota Fishing Opener Photo” contest. The winning picture will be used as his new Facebook cover photo. Details can be found on the Governor’s blog here: http://ow.ly/kSOQy

 
Who: Gov. Mark Dayton, Lieutenant Governor Yvonne Prettner Solon, DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr, Director of Explore Minnesota Tourism Director John Edman, US Congressman Rick Nolan

What: Governor’s Fishing Opener Community Picnic

When: Friday, May 10, 2013, program begins at 4:00 p.m.

Where: Downtown, Park Rapids, MN

Who: Gov.Mark Dayton, Lieutenant Governor Yvonne Prettner Solon, Governor Jack Dalrymple, State Senator Rod Skoe

What: Fishing send-off ceremony

When: Saturday, May 11, 2013, 8 a.m.
Where: TBA

Who: Governor Mark Dayton

What: Post-fishing press conference

When: Saturday, May 11, 2013, 11:30 am

Where: TBA

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“We rely on the actual data that comes from Election Day and this has proven for decades to be the most accurate reflection of eligible voter turnout,” says Ritchie. “Minnesota voters delivered the highest turnout rate of eligible voters in the nation in 2012 as reported last fall. In that election, we also saw a record turnout in our state’s history.”

According to the Census Bureau, its Current Population Survey is a statistical calculation based on a limited number of self-reporting households, including only civilian, non-institutionalized people living in the United States — excluding millions of voters, including military and overseas voters, college students and nursing home residents. The bureau reports non-responses to the voting question as a no-vote.

“Criticism of their methodology is widespread, and the report simply is not an accurate reflection of voter turnout,” says Ritchie.

According to a statement by the Pew Research Center in response to the survey, “The gap between the voter turnout reported by the Census Bureau and the actual national vote tallied by election officials widened in 2012. According to the Bureau’s 2012 Current Population Survey November Supplement on Voting and Registration, an estimated 133 million U.S. citizens voted in 2012. That estimate is higher—by 4 million votes—than the national tally of 129 million votes cast for president.”

The 2012 General Election Turnout Rates report, published by the U.S. Election Project at George Mason University, is considered the most accurate measurement of voting results in the county. It compares official voter data provided by election officials based on actual voter turnout on Election Day. The 2012 report provides the following data for 2012 eligible voter turnout:

• Minnesota — 75.7 percent  (number-one in the nation)
• Wisconsin — 72.5 percent
• Mississippi — 59.7 percent

Ritchie notes that Census Bureau report has great value in measuring relative percentages of turnout by race, gender and age.

However, the bureau’s report describes some of the challenges of interpreting survey data because there is always a great risk of error due to the nature of “the respondent’s interpretation of a question, willingness and ability to provide correct and accurate answers. “

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According to DEED’s 2012 Export Report, state exports increased last year by $246 million to break the previous record of $20.3 billion set in 2011. Among all states, Minnesota ranked 20^th in export sales in 2012, with manufacturing exports supporting nearly 115,000 Minnesota jobs.

DEED Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben said this progress is crucial to remaining competitive in today’s global economy. “Minnesota exports have been on a record-setting pace for more than two years and have contributed to new jobs and investment in our state,” said Commissioner Sieben. “This growth signifies an opportunity for Minnesota and Minnesota businesses, and it is critical that we continue to build on this success.”

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar made the following statement after the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) released new data showing Minnesota’s exports of agricultural, mining and manufactured goods rose 1.2 percent in 2012, an increase of $246 million from the previous year. Earlier this year, Klobuchar was appointed to the President’s Export Council, which is the primary national advisory committee on international exports.

“Exports are literally a world of opportunity and this report makes clear that our state’s farmers and businesses are continuing to capitalize on these opportunities at record levels,” said Klobuchar. “As a member of the President’s Export Council I have long been committed to efforts to boost exports and I will continue to work to open up new markets for U.S. exports and make sure Minnesota businesses can compete in the global marketplace.”

Klobuchar has been a leader in efforts to boost America’s ability to compete in the global economy, working to cut red tape for businesses and open up new markets to U.S. exports. She previously chaired the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion, and passed legislation—the Export Promotion Act—to help small- and medium-sized businesses sell their products in international markets.

The report released today (Wednesday, May 8) showed that North America accounted for 36 percent of Minnesota exports in 2012, followed by Asia (32 percent) and the European Union (20 percent). Canada was Minnesota’s largest national market, with sales climbing 2.7 percent to $6 billion, accounting for 29 percent of exports. Other top export markets were:

1. China ($2.5 billion, up 7.1 percent)
2. Mexico ($1.3 billion, up 6.7 percent)
3. South Korea ($707 million, up 0.8 percent)
4. Belgium ($640 million, up 2.7 percent)
5. Taiwan ($489 million, up 0.1 percent)

Other countries among the state’s top 20 export markets were Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Singapore, Australia, the Netherlands, France, Brazil, Ireland, Thailand, Italy, India and Switzerland.

The state’s top export product was machinery, which accounted for $4 billion in sales, up 2.2 percent from the previous year. Other major exports were:

1. Optic, medical instruments ($3.1 billion, up 10.4 percent)
2. Vehicles ($1.9 billion, up 10.4 percent)
3. Ores, slag, ash ($668 million, up 68.5 percent)
4. Food waste ($516 million, up 6.8 percent)
5. Mineral fuel, oil ($502 million, up 15.6 percent)

The big jump in exports of ores, slag and ash ($668 million, up 68.5 percent) was driven by major increases in sales to China (up $256 million) and Canada (up $36 million). Other top exports from Minnesota were electrical machinery; plastic; aircraft and spacecraft; meat; iron and steel products; paper and paperboard; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit; cereals; and iron and steel.

Expanding Export Opportunities for Minnesota Businesses
To build on Minnesota’s record exports and expand export opportunities for Minnesota businesses, the Dayton administration is redoubling the state’s commitment to developing trade relations in foreign markets. These measures, and continued partnership with the private sector, will enhance Minnesota’s competitiveness in today’s 21^st century global economy.

Global Competitiveness Initiative – A new Global Competitiveness Initiative included in Gov. Mark Dayton’s Budget for a Better Minnesota would build on the state’s growing exports, which would support business growth and help create jobs right here in Minnesota. The new initiative would: 1) establish three new trade offices in foreign markets; 2) increase funding for a grant program that helps small businesses participate in trade activities; and 3) fund a new marketing effort to better communicate in foreign markets the benefits of doing business in Minnesota.

MSP Export Initiative – Last year, Gov. Dayton announced the MSP Export Initiative, a new trade strategy aiming to double Twin Cities exports by 2017. This initiative focuses on growing exports, increasing the global visibility of the Twin Cities region and helping companies get their products into foreign markets. The initiative was developed through a partnership between the Minnesota Trade Office, the city of Minneapolis and the Brookings Institution.

Summer Trade Mission – The governor also is planning a trade mission to Germany, Sweden and Norway in June. The goal of the trade mission is to increase state exports, attract foreign direct investment opportunities, and connect with potential customers and longstanding partners in Europe and Scandinavia.

Additional information about Gov. Dayton’s proposed Budget for a Better Minnesota can be found at www.mn.gov/governor/budget.

DEED is the state’s principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about the agency and our services, visit us at www.PositivelyMinnesota.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PositivelyMN.

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As a member of the Judiciary Committee Sen. Franken will play a key role in shaping the final immigration bill that will eventually be voted on by the entire Senate.

“Our broken immigration system has been a drag on our economy for far too long and it’s time to fix it,” said Sen. Franken. “We’re off to a good start but there is room for improvement, which is why I plan to offer bipartisan amendments to help protect children and minimize any unnecessary and costly burdens for Minnesota’s small businesses.”

Sen. Franken plans to introduce a bipartisan amendment with Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) to improve the “E-Verify” system—which electronically identifies legal American workers—and minimize any undue burdens the system places on legal employees and small businesses that do not have the resources to deal with the errors that currently exist in the system.

Sen. Franken also plans to offer his HELP Separated Children amendment with Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) to provide basic humanitarian protections for children in enforcement actions. The bill was inspired by the impacts of the 2006 immigration raids in Worthington, Minnesota, which left many young children effectively abandoned when their parents were detained.

In total, Sen. Franken filed 12 amendments which include a provision to clarify that battered immigrant women are eligible for public and assisted housing under the Violence Against Women Act and to transfer certain existing child protection programs from the Department of Health and Human Services to the Department of Justice.

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Instead of joining the bumper-to-bumper exodus of cars, trucks and boats headed out of town for the fishing opener, stick around home. Dare to dream of the big ones. You might catch some nearby.

The fact is, 12 state record fish have come from waters in the seven-county metro region. The second biggest fish caught anywhere in Minnesota was a state-record 70-pound flathead catfish hauled in from Washington County’s St. Croix River in 1970 (the biggest: a lake sturgeon weighing 94 pounds, four ounces, caught in the Kettle River in Pine County). The state record channel catfish also comes from the metro, a 38-pounder caught in 1975 in the Hennepin County portion of the Mississippi River.

With three big rivers flowing together – the Mississippi, Minnesota, and St. Croix – the metro region is a great place for anyone interested in chasing cats. The DNR continues to beef up management efforts around the species, which grows in popularity among anglers. Catfish are stocked in a number of metro lakes, too.

Another monster of the deep also grows large in metro waters. lakes Minnetonka and Waconia, White Bear, Bald Eagle and Forest lakes (among others) are managed for muskie, Minnesota’s biggest predator fish, known to snatch an occasional duck from calm waters for lunch. The 34-pound and 12-ounce state record tiger muskie — a sterile hybrid of northern pike and muskellunge – was pulled from Lake Elmo in 1999. The previous state-record tiger muskie, another 30-plus pounder, came out of Lake Calhoun. Muskie season opens June 1.

Mr. Muskie’s cousin, the northern pike, also can be found in good numbers and sizes around the Twin Cities. While the state record pike was taken long ago from some northern lake hours from civilization and good coffee, northerns more than 20 pounds have been documented in Square Lake in Washington County, and a 42-incher was sampled a few years ago in Big Carnelian. Big Carnelian has special regulations aimed at quality pike management, as do Ann and Steiger lakes in the west metro.

When it comes to bass, the Twin Cities region has some of the best angling opportunities anywhere. The state record largemouth was reeled in from Carver County’s Auburn Lake in 2005 – a 23.5-inch lunker that weighed one ounce shy of nine pounds. Five-pounders are not uncommon in Forest Lake, Big Marine, White Bear, Bald Eagle, and Coon lakes in Anoka County. Bass season opens May 25, two weeks after the walleye opener.

And as far as big ’eyes go, the metro region is no sleepy backwater, either. While you won’t run much risk of rivaling the state record 17.5-pound walleye hoisted from the Seagull River in Cook County (1979), there are big ones to be found. Last spring in ice-out sampling on Bald Eagle Lake, 80 percent of the walleye were over 20 inches, and the biggest was 33 inches – over 10 pounds.

On Owasso last year, more than half the walleye sampled exceeded 20 inches, with the biggest measuring two-feet-two. Pool 2 of the Mississippi River (between the Ford and Hastings dams), has gained notoriety as a top-notch catch-and-release walleye factory, open year-round. In the west metro area, the Minnesota River also has good potential for sizeable walleye, as well as Lake Waconia and the upper lake basins of Minnetonka.

What of the other metro state records? They’re lesser known species such as gar (both long-nose and short-nose), dogfish, eel and river carpsucker. Not necessarily something you’d want to see on the end of your line or brag about in polite company, but records nonetheless.

So there you have it, Twin Citians – an alternative opener experience to go with the rest of your alternative lifestyle. Many of the metro’s best fisheries have excellent shore-fishing opportunities, and are accessible by public transit. Instead of blowing a wad of cash for gas to get to some remote northern destination, think globally but fish locally.

You might even catch some big ones.

The post Big rivers, big fish, be different, fish metro appeared first on Hometown Source.

Lack of life jacket use is the number one contributing factor to boating deaths in Minnesota. Since 2010, 43 people have died in boating accidents, 35 of those victims were not wearing life jackets.

“The message is simple – life jackets save lives,” said Kara Owens, DNR boat and water safety specialist.

Life jackets today with inflatable, belt-pack inflatable and inflatable fishing vest options are comfortable, lightweight and don’t get in the way while an angler casts a line.

“The walleye opener typically falls on Mother’s Day weekend,” Owens said. “Give your mom, sister, wife, kids, dad, or brother – anyone – a gift every day by wearing a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket while boating.

With the late thaw, ice or ice chunks could also be an issue on several lakes. Water temperatures are dangerous this time of year, Owens added. Falling into cold water can cause an immediate involuntary gasp for air and the shock of the icy water can also cause cardiac arrest, even for people in good health.

The DNR has a few tips for safe and responsible boating:
• State law requires a U.S. Coast Guard approved wearable life jacket for each person on board all watercraft.
• All children under 10-years-old are required to wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket while a boat is under way.
• Alcohol and boating don’t mix.
• Keep an eye on the weather.
• If a watercraft becomes swamped or capsized, try to reboard or stay with the craft.
• Take a boater course and receive a boat education certificate.

For information on boating courses and other boating safety information visit http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/boatwater.

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