Dear Neighbors, I hope you and your family are enjoying fall and that you’re staying safe and healthy. On October 22nd, I attended the Peace Garden Ribbon cutting. It was a beautiful fall evening where community partners were able to come together and celebrate outdoors under the leadership of Melvin Giles. I'm glad I had an opportunity to meet and learn about the partnership relationships with EWB, Ujamaa, Capitol Regional Water District (CRWD); Summit-U Planning Council, the Rotary Club, SPPS, TCALT, UMN Place-Based Approach (PBA) Team, and others, as well as neighbors. I enjoy the opportunity to attend events like this in our community.  COVID-19 UpdateRecent news concerning COVID-19 in Minnesota is not good. Case counts and hospitalizations are on the rise and our health care system is facing increased pressure. In fact, the Department of Defense has sent medical teams to Minnesota to help add capacity at both HCMC and a hospital in St. Cloud. These developments make it all the more important for everyone to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. We all care about one another, and it takes all of us doing our part to keep ourselves and our neighbors safe. Vaccines are now available for everyone age five and up. Additionally, booster shots are highly recommended for many of those who received their initial series of vaccine, are available for all Minnesotans 18 and older. You can find locations offering the vaccine here. Additionally, be sure to follow all other precautions including staying home when you’re sick, getting tested if you have symptoms, and wearing a mask around others. Small Business Revolution I recently had the opportunity to appear on Small Business Revolution, a digital series hosted by Amanda Brinkman and NBA All-Star Baron Davis, that works with small business owners to overcome financial, marketing and technology obstacles. The episode in which I appeared featured Elsa’s House of Sleep on University Avenue and its efforts to move forward during a changing landscape. I was honored to share some information about our community and our history. Check out the whole season here. You can also find it on Hulu and Prime Video. Heating Assistance AvailableWinter in Minnesota is just around the corner and as we head further into fall, temperatures will continue to drop. No Minnesotan deserves to be left out in the cold and on October 1, Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule (CWR) took effect. The CWR protects people from electricity and natural gas shutoffs during the coldest period of the year. If you’re behind on energy bills, the CWR allows you to enter a payment plan with your natural gas or electric provider. Visit the Public Utilities Commission website for more information. Minnesota’s Energy Assistance Program helps families pay for current and past-due bills for electricity, gas, oil, biofuel and propane, emergency fuel delivery, and repair/replacement of homeowners’ broken heating systems. Starting this year, the program has been expanded to include water and sewer bills. Over $130 million in federal funding for this program is available with over 600,000 households eligible. More information is available from the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Rental Assistance – Act NowEarlier this fall, Minnesota’s eviction moratorium – a critical action to protect Minnesotans’ housing security during a time of sudden economic hardship – concluded. This legislative session, lawmakers developed an off-ramp for the moratorium to ensure renters will be able to apply for help. Renters who are behind on their rent will remain protected from eviction if they have an open rental assistance application at RentHelpMN.org. Renters that have an open rental assistance application maintain protection from eviction for nonpayment while the application is pending. If you’re behind on rent, be sure to apply as soon as possible. A helpful Renter Checklist is available to make sure you have all the materials you need to complete your application. 2021 Minnesota Values Project Survey This has been a challenging time for all of us, and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts haven’t been felt equally. Educational opportunities, economic security, and affordable health care remain out of reach for too many. Further, we must continue our work to ensure our communities can be safe which will require transformational changes to our criminal justice system and policing. As my colleagues and I look forward to the next legislative session, we’re looking to hear directly from Minnesotans about what’s going well for your family, what you may be struggling with, and what you feel we as lawmakers can do at the State Capitol to improve opportunities in our community across the state. You’re invited to take the 2021 Minnesota Values Project Survey. The survey is only four questions and should only take a few minutes. Together, we have the opportunity to both respond to people’s needs now in the short term and make the significant changes necessary to improve people’s lives over the long haul. We’re deeply grateful for your feedback and your engagement. I hope you have a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving with your family. Please feel free to reach out to share your feedback, offer your ideas, or let me know if I can be of help. It’s an honor to represent you. Sincerely, Rena Moran
State Representative |