Dear Neighbor,
I hope you are doing well during this beautiful fall season. I wanted to share the latest news and notes regarding what I have been working on lately:
I recently attended a ceremony honoring James Allison “Cap” Colehour, the last Civil War veteran buried in Otter Tail County. Colehour was wounded twice during the war before receiving an honorable discharge. Colehour also served as Mayor of Battle Lake for four terms.
I am forever grateful to all who fought to ensure "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
MARKET-DRIVEN ENERGY
The Lignite Energy Council’s Fall Conference recently took place in North Dakota, and I was pleased to attend to learn more about market-driven advancements in clean energy production taking place just across our border.
Specifically, this event showcased technological innovation taking place through Minnkota Power Cooperative’s Project Tundra carbon-capture project. This initiative has been hailed as a centerpiece of North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum’s ambitious goal of the state becoming carbon neutral by 2030. Reports indicate it is designed to capture 90 percent of the carbon dioxide produced from either unit at the Milton R. Young Station located near Center, N.D. – the equivalent to taking 800,000 gasoline-fueled vehicles off the road.
We need bipartisan solutions for affordable, reliable energy, and North Dakota is doing a great job developing innovative technology instead of pushing top-down government mandates. The more we can learn and borrow from others’ successes, the better. Much of the energy we use in western Minnesota is produced in North Dakota, making this even more relevant to our region.
I appeared with Scott Hennen on the Energy Matters radio show and you can click on the below image to hear us delve deeper into the future of energy policy in Minnesota.
CAPITOL PAGE PROGRAM
High school juniors are encouraged to seize an opportunity to spend a week working behind the scenes at the Capitol as a House page.
Applications to the Minnesota House of Representatives High School Page Program are now open for the 2022 session, with a Nov. 23 deadline. A dozen, week-long slots are available from early February until mid-May and stipends are available to defray expenses.
Participants are engaged in a wide variety of activities designed to provide them with an understanding of the legislative process, state government, public policy, public service, politics, and much more. Pages attend meetings with legislators, constitutional officers, members of the judiciary and others. They also assist members and staff during House floor sessions, participate in mock committee hearings and more.
I was fortunate enough to serve as a page myself and it was an eye-opening experience, with memories I still carry with me today. I urge area students to look into this program and welcome the opportunity to work with students from District 8A in the House.
The House of Representatives page program has been in place for 45 years, and Minnesota is one of a few states in the nation to offer this program, providing young people with an in-depth look into state government. Program participants are selected through a formal process which includes an application, one faculty letter of recommendation and an essay.
More information is available here, or by calling (651) 296-7452. Local schools also can provide further assistance.
Sincerely,
Jordan