Dear Neighbor,
The 2020 session got underway this week and the House spent much of its first floor session of the year recognizing the three Minnesota National Guard soldiers who died in a helicopter crash near Kimball last December.
It was an honor for me to issue a House resolution and offer a personal tribute to District 8A native and 2007 Perham High School graduate Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charles Nord, who was among those killed in the crash. It was a heartfelt moment and you can click this link to see video from the House floor.
As for other House business, we spent months on end talking about issues that need to be addressed in our state and now it’s exciting to begin the session so we can officially begin working on solutions. For starters, the state’s $1.3 billion surplus presents us with a great opportunity to deliver real tax relief to Minnesotans.
There are many more important issues up for discussion this year and I look forward to what the next few months have in store. I welcome correspondence throughout the session and you can best reach me by calling (651) 296-4946 or emailing rep.bud.nornes@house.mn.
On a final note, the Prospect House in Battle Lake is receiving a $4,800 history grant from Minnesota Legacy appropriations via the Arts and Culture Heritage Fund.
Congratulations to the Prospect House for earning this grant, especially since competition for these dollars is stiff. We are fortunate to have the Prospect House in the heart of Otter Tail County and this funding will be valuable in their efforts to preserve history.
The Minnesota Historical Society indicated to me in a letter the funding will allow the Prospect House to “hire a qualified museum consultant to conduct a general preservation needs assessment survey and long-range collections preservation plan.”
The Prospect House also in recent months was awarded a $10,000 state grant to develop curriculum regarding “Industrialization in Minnesota” for use in Minnesota classrooms. More information regarding history grants through the MHS is available here.
Sincerely,
Bud