David Bly - Former Member of Minnesota House of Representatives

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

In these hard times it may seem that the severe weather is just one more added hardship. But as I stare out my window and look across the lots next to mine the quiet beauty of the snow fills me with calm I can’t explain. It makes me thankful to be here and appreciate my […]

The health care overhaul’s effects on one Twin Cities small business | Minnesota Public Radio NewsQ

Here is a story about the impact of the Health Care reform bills on small business and an endorsement for a single payer system and the public option by a small business owner: The health care overhaul’s effects on one Twin Cities small business | Minnesota Public Radio NewsQ.

CALL FOR WORK GROUP PARTICIPANTS ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER CORRIDOR CRITICAL AREA

As part of the process for establishing rules for the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area, the Department of Natural Resources is seeking interested parties to participate in work groups to provide input on rulemaking for the MRCCA. The DNR is currently considering convening 1 to 4 work groups that will each meet 3 or 4 […]

Flu Shot Update

A list of clinics offering the H1N1 vaccine is available at the Minnesota Department of Health’s website. Minnesota should have received about 1 million doses of H1N1 vaccine. A link on that site allows you to find a location near your area code, or you can search for availability on a specific date. Simply click […]

Minnesota Historical Society Seasonal Events

Where else can learning be so much fun? The James J. Hill House and the Alexander Ramsey House in St. Paul each have a number of seasonal events including storytelling by costumed characters, a hunt for fantastic creatures featured in the artwork of the Hill House, a doll display, horse-drawn carriage rides and more. Other […]

FYI: Bridge to Benefits

The Children’s Defense Fund has implemented a multi-state project to improve the well-being of families and individuals by creating a website called Bridge to Benefits. The Bridge links people to public work support programs such as health care, food support, energy assistance, WIC, school meals, child care assistance, and tax credits. There is an eligibility-screening […]

Geocachers can find gift cards in State Parks

Starting November 24th and continuing through the holiday season, gift cards loaded with amounts ranging from $10 to $50 will randomly appear in the “Critter Caches” at Minnesota state parks and recreation areas statewide. Critter Caches are camouflaged containers hidden in every Minnesota state park and recreation area as part of the Geocaching Wildlife Safari. […]

THANKSGIVING: A sense of place

It begins with the rain and the sound of tapping Feet of a thousand squirrels over the rooftop A thunderclap and the swirled dry grass On either side the lime stone cliffs guard the waterway And the brown river winds its way south – we are travelers Come together in the mystery of coincidence Each […]

Middle Class hardest hit for State taxes

I received an interesting report from the Washington, D.C. office of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. In the 2009 edition of Who Pays? A Distributional Analysis of the Tax Systems in All 50 States, it was found that One-fifth earn under $23,000 a year. They pay on average 9.2% of their income in […]