News from Representative Wills 06-06-2014

Dear Friends,

Summer activities are in full swing, and it's been great to be out in the community over the past few weeks seeing everyone enjoying the warm weather and abundant sunshine. I enjoy when the legislature is not in session, because it gives me the opportunity to attend more community events, visit schools, and hear from you about your priorities and  thoughts on the work the legislature did this past session.

I'm always looking for events around our area to attend. If you have one, please don't hesitate to pass it along by emailing me at rep.anna.wills@house.mn or call my office at 651-296-4306.

Here are some updates from the past week:

Transition Plus Graduation Celebration
It's the time of year for graduation ceremonies and graduation parties, and on June 2nd I was able to attend the District 196 Transition Plus Graduation Ceremony. About 50 students were presented with diplomas and we heard a commencement speech from Debbie Kelly, the Early Childhood Special Education Coordinator, and a performance from the Transition Plus Choir - including a couple of wonderful solos. It was wonderful to see all the smiling faces and to be a part of this celebration with these students and their families.

Ribbon Cutting CeremonyOn June 3rd, I joined other local officials from Rosemount for a ribbon cutting ceremony to welcome Wheelie Awesome Bike Service to Rosemount. Wheelie Awesome repairs, tunes up, and restores bicycles, and is welcome addition to the community. To find out more about their new store, and the services they provide you can visit their website at www.wheelieawesome.com.

School Visit
On June 4th I visited Mrs. Mary Snyder's kindergarten class at Shannon Park Elementary in Rosemount. I had the opportunity to visit her class last fall at the beginning of the school year, and it was great to get to visit the students again at the end of the school year to see how much they have grown and progressed in their learning.

It was fun to get to read "Duck for President" to the kids and see how they have grown in their reading skills as they read parts of the book along with me. Visiting school classes is one of the highlights of my job; I love to share with students about my job as a legislator and to see first-hand the great work that our amazing teachers do with these students every day.

Dakota County Regional Chamber Legislative Breakfast
This morning I joined Rep. Pat Garofalo from Farmington and Rep. Laurie Halverson from Eagan to participate in a panel discussion at the Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerece Legislative Breakfast.

We shared our thoughts on the 2014 legislative session, and talked about goals moving forward as we start to look toward 2015. I was grateful for the feedback and discussion we heard from Chamber members and constituents in attendance about ways we can help businesses and jobs continue to grow in Dakota County, and how the legislature can work to make that growth easier.

Reminder: Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Volunteer Appreciation Gala:
I'm looking forward to attending this weekend's Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Volunteer Appreciation Event this Sunday from 4-7PM at Bogart's in Apple Valley. Beyond the Yellow Ribbon does amazing work for our military servicemen and women and their families. For more information on how you can support Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, please visit: http://www.beyondtheyellowribbon.org/rosemount

Reminder: Apple Valley Town Hall with Rep. Tara Mack
Details have been finalized for my town hall meeting with Rep. Tara Mack in Apple Valley. I hope you'll mark your calendars and come with any questions or comments you have about the 2014 session.

Have a wonderful weekend, and as always if you have any questions or comments please contact me directly at rep.anna.wills@house.mn or call my office at 651-296-4306. I am always looking to hear feedback from you so I can better represent our district, and am always appreciative of your comments and questions.

Anna Wills
State Representative, District 57B