Friends,
We've had another beautiful fall week and hopefully you have been able to enjoy MEA week with some fun fall activities. It was another full week of fall sports with both Maple Grove and Wayzata boys & girls soccer moving on to the state tournament and football section playoffs starting next week. Osseo will take on Saulk Rapids Rice on Tuesday at 7:00pm, while Wayzata will travel to Maple Grove for their first section playoff game next Friday at 7:00pm. Good luck to everyone and congrats on great seasons!
REAL ID Extension until October 2018
This week we received more good news that Minnesota has been granted a grace period by the Department of Homeland Security that will ensure Minnesota drivers licenses can continue to be used to board airplanes and enter federal buildings until at least October 10, 2018. Earlier this month Minnesota was granted an extension until January of 2018.
I am thankful that the efforts this past session to pass REAL ID into law is coming to full realization with this extension granted by the federal government. The focus now shifts to the troubled MNLARS system to ensure the implementation of the REAL ID law moves forward and a REAL ID is in the hand of any Minnesotan who wants one. As you can listen to in my interview with Minnesota News Network this week, the troubled MNLARS system is not only a pain for Minnesotans now but putting the future of obtaining REAL IDs in peril. This must be fixed and I will continue to monitor the progress made by the Dayton Administration to fix the MNLARS system.
I also had a chance to speak with Tom Hauser of KSTP TV this week on the issue so stay tuned for clips from that interview!
Community Events
- The Maple Grove Community Organization is holding its Happy Halloween Family Fun Event on Saturday, October 21 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at Weaver Lake Park, 8401 Dunkirk Lane. Kids should wear their costumes to enjoy games, crafts, music and more. There is a cost of $5 per child.
- The Osseo Lions Club sponsors the Osseo Lions Halloween Event on Saturday, October 28. The event will begin at Osseo City Hall, 415 Central Ave. at 11:00 AM with all your costumed kids and go trick-or-treating up and down Central Ave until noon. They'll end at the Osseo Community Center for more fun and games and pictures.
High School Page Program
The Minnesota House of Representatives High School Page Program is now accepting applications. Over the last 40 years the program has provided high school juniors with hands-on access to our state government in action. I encourage any high school junior who may be interested in learning more about the legislative process to apply for the page program by December 1st. Click here to apply!
Please continue to share your thoughts with me about our state government; bill ideas and concerns are welcomed! I am honored to serve you at the Capitol. My email address is Rep.Dennis.Smith@house.mn, phone number 651-296-5502, and by mail: 375 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.
Have a great weekend!
Dennis