Plans To Rebuild Lutsen Lodge Already Underway; DFL Senate Tax Chair Plans No New Taxes; Deer Ticks Are Back!
(Lutsen, MN) — The general manager of the historic Lutsen Lodge in northern Minnesota says there are already plans to rebuild it. Edward Vanegas says that a new building will be constructed from the original plans used in 1951. The new building will be modernized to meet current building codes but will have the feel and look of the old building. The lodge burned down early yesterday and investigators are still looking for the cause of the fire. The iconic Minnesota skiing and tourist destination, was declared a total loss The wooden lodge was more than 70 years old, having replaced another lodge lost to a fire.(24/7 News Source)
>>Murphy To Lead DFL Senate Caucus During Legislative Session
(St. Paul, MN) — Democrats in the state Senate have a new leader. Senator Erin Murphy of St. Paul was picked yesterday to lead the Senate DFL Caucus. Murphy served as the party’s majority leader in the House in 2013 and 2014. The party had to select a new leader after state Senator Kari Dziedzic [[ DEED-zik ]] announced last week she was stepping down due to health problems.(24/7 News Source)
>>Deer Ticks Emerging In Minnesota Due To Warm Weather
(Dakota County, MN) — Ticks are starting to emerge in Minnesota. The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District says they found the first deer tick of the year in Dakota County on Monday. Ticks usually start appearing in March or April, but officials say the warm winter weather has allowed the pest to emerge ahead of schedule. Experts are urging Minnesotans to keep a close eye on pets to help prevent the spread of tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease.(24/7 News Source)
(Bemidji, MN) – The 2024 GigaZone Gaming Championship and TechXpo will be Saturday, April 20 at the Sanford Center in Bemidji.
For the first time, this year’s main stage tournament will feature Rocket League on the e-sports stadium style stage in the GigaZone Championship Arena. It will be a 3-person team competition with 32 team maximum. Rocket League is a video game that combines arcade-style soccer and driving games. Players control rocket-powered vehicles to score goals with a giant soccer ball.
>>DFL Senator Says She Will Not Support New State Taxes
(St. Paul, MN) — The head of the Minnesota Senate’s tax committee says she’s will not support any new taxes being introduced during the upcoming legislative session. Some DFL lawmakers are proposing a state sales tax increase to fund housing programs, but Senator Ann Rest of New Hope says she’s against any new taxes or new spending. Rest says those proposals will get a hearing in her committee but will likely be pushed to a future session of the legislature. This year’s session begins on Monday.(24/7 News Source)
>>Minnesota AG Keith Ellison To Give Update On State’s Insulin Lawsuit
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is expected to announce a major development in the state’s fight against three big insulin manufacturers. Minnesota is part of a lawsuit that accuses pharmaceutical companies of overcharging for insulin. Ellison will be joined today by Nicole Smith-Holt, whose son died in 2017 after he was forced to ration his insulin because of the high cost. The Minnesota Department of Health says close to 160 thousand Minnesotans rely on insulin.
>Cargill To Give $2.5 To UofM To Study Renewable Fuel Alternatives
(Minneapolis, MN) — A Minnesota company will be funding research into crops that could be used to create alternatives to biofuels. Cargill announced this week that it will give two-point-five-million dollars to the Forever Green Initiative at the University of Minnesota. The money will go toward studying winter camelina and domesticated winter pennycress, two crops that can be used for seed-based oil. Researchers say the two crops can be planted in the winter to help stop soil erosion and protect water quality. The seeds can then be refined as a replacement for diesel and jet fuel, providing new revenue for Minnesota farmers. The grant covers five years of research on the initiative.(24/7 News Source)
