Dear Neighbor,
It has been a busy recent stretch as I continue working on issues of local interest.
Aquatic invasive species in Lake Koronis is one of those items. I met with local constituents where, among other things, ideas were shared regarding controlling the spread of starry stonewort. The idea is not to shut down the lake, but to limit points of entry to limit the spread.
Koronis and Mud lakes are the first two Minnesota lakes to contain this invasive algae. It is native to Europe and western Asia and likely entered our country through ballast water in ships. In the U.S., it first appeared in Michigan and Indiana and now is traveling around domestic waters by boats and trailers, threatening native environments.
Experts are working to identify the best methods of combating starry stonewort, but the best immediate protection could come from taking action on the accesses so boats exiting Koronis come out of clean water. Stay tuned as this develops.
I also visited with the Master Mark Plastics manufacturing company in Paynesville that wants to expand its recycling efforts. This innovative company makes lawn edging, lattice, pavers, patio furniture, composite decking and other products. We are looking into how we can help them in their efforts to expand recycling and reduce waste. It will be interesting to see how this evolves.
On another note, Dec. 4 is the application deadline for high school juniors interested in gaining hands-on experience with Minnesota’s state government by serving as a legislative page at the Capitol in St. Paul.
The House of Representatives page program has been in place for more than 40 years and is one of only a select few programs in the nation to provide young people with such an in-depth look into state government. High school pages attend meetings with legislators, assist members during the session, participate in mock committee sessions and more. There are seven four-day sessions available in 2016, stretching from mid-March until mid-May.
I encourage local juniors to take advantage of this rare opportunity to get an up-close look at how our state government functions. Students who come through this program gain new perspectives from this experience and bring their understanding of the Legislature to a whole new level. It is always good to see students from our area serve as pages and I hope to see more at the Capitol during the upcoming session.
Program participants are selected in the fall of each year based on a formal process, which includes an application, faculty recommendation and an essay. Stipends are available to defray expenses. More information is available by clicking here, or by calling (651) 296-7452. Local schools also can provide further guidance.
Next week, among other things, I will be attending a memorial event for fallen firefighters and a DNR meeting pertaining to surface water contaminants. Look for more about those issues in the future.
Good luck,
Jeff