Happy Thanksgiving and legislative update

Update on book chronicling Fergus Falls’ history

I was pleased to attend the Minnesota Historical Society’s recent annual meeting to highlight how a major research project overcame accessibility issues amid COVID-19, keeping a book chronicling Fergus Falls’ history on track for release in 2022 as the city celebrates its 150th year.

Local author R.C. Drews’ book “Founding Fergus Falls: A History” is scheduled for release in late spring of 2022. It will be available in both hard copy at launch and electronic forms to follow. We can’t thank the MNHS enough for rapidly turning this local project into a beta test for digitizing files. Here is a Daily Journal article on this subject.

Helping hands

I urge area residents to do what they can to contribute to organizations that assist those in need. The important resources these groups provide tend to be stretched thin over the holidays, so whatever you can do to help is greatly appreciated. I was proud to recently support the Fergus Falls Salvation Army by dropping off the first donation as they kick-off their red kettle campaign.

Award for efforts on energy package

Thank you to the Center for Energy and Environment for recently issuing me the a 2021 Energy Efficiency Rising Star Award.

The award was presented “to recognize outstanding work in innovating and improving cost-effective energy efficiency opportunities in Minnesota.” The group specifically credited my successful efforts to bring Energy Conservation and Optimization Act legislation into enactment. The ECO Act gives utilities more flexibility to recognize and respond to emerging technologies and consumer behaviors and demands. We are seeing a technological boom in the field of energy, and we need to make sure Minnesota is able to capitalize on innovations with market-driven advancements.

Here is a story the Daily Journal ran about this award.