May 10 Update
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- Published on Wednesday, 15 May 2013 13:04
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Legislative Update:
The next phase in the legislative process is conference committee work. A conference committee is made up of five members from each House and Senate body to resolve differences; craft one bill to be passed by the House, Senate and signed by the Governor. The first step in that process is for Leadership to establish new budget and tax targets. House and Senate Leadership have met with the Governor to begin negotiating a global budget deal.
Education Finance Conference Committee work was scheduled to begin meeting on Tuesday, May 7. The first few meetings will allow members the opportunity to understand the funding and policy provisions in each bill. The conference committee will not be able to accomplish much until the House, Senate and Governor establish new budget targets for the conference committee.
The bond of preschool
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- Published on Sunday, 12 May 2013 11:47
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It was a party 14 years in the making. Attendees included nine moms who met when our kids were in preschool. Now, we came together to anticipate and celebrate those same preschoolers’ high school graduations.
We sat around a long table at a local restaurant, passing old photos and wondering aloud where the time went.
Larry Schneider hangs up his mail bag after 34 years
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- Published on Thursday, 09 May 2013 12:50
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When Larry Schneider became a substitute mail carrier for the Kimball Post Office March 28, 1979, he had no idea that he would someday retire 34 years later having logged nearly 1,000,000 miles.
The 1976 Kimball High School grad just wanted a part-time job that would allow him to continue farming with his father, Walter.
Larry Schneider has logged nearly a million miles delivering mail from the Kimball Post Office. He’s smiling here because this was the end of his last run on his last day, Friday, May 3. Enjoy your retirement, Larry! Staff photo by Stephanie Johnson.
May 3 Update
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- Published on Wednesday, 08 May 2013 16:43
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Legislative Update:
While we get focused on the House and Senate omnibus bills, it’s important to remember that the governor has top priorities of his own. In education, Governor Dayton continues to push for a large investment in early childhood scholarships. He has stated many times that he likes scholarships as an important investment in education, and the business community supports scholarships as well.
The Senate is advocating for school property tax reform and all-day K as their top priorities. The House is pushing all-day K, equity reform and additional funding to the formula. The House tax bill has a provision to surcharge upper incomes on a one-time basis to pay back all of the remaining school shifts.
Outrunning fear
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- Published on Sunday, 05 May 2013 10:46
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“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Franklin D. Roosevelt
I used to be afraid.
I feared many things: snakes, spiders, (lions, tigers and bears), the dark, being alone, writing, people not liking me, war, a car wreck, strangers, the monster under my bed and bad things happening to good people – to name just a few. When you think about it, there are lots of fears one might choose to choose.