Bluestem Prairie last covered former New Republican state representative Tim Miller in MNHouse Republicans falsely claim schools are providing litter boxes for kids identifying as cats and Retiring state rep Miller to push unconstitutional local ordinances for new PLAM Action job. He's back in the news, with a career and lifestyle change. Willmar Radio report in Tim Miller, family decide to live in their RV: Former state lawmaker and pro-life activist Tim Miller no longer calls Prinsburg his home. Miller, 58, says he and his wife Cherie have made the decision to sell their house and live in a fifth-wheel... Continue reading

Back in late Auguest, Bluestem had republished a South Dakota Searchlight article Noem rejects more than $70 million in federal funds for energy and environmental programs. Sad. Now the Searchlight has pointed out in a quick read one of the advantages of tribal sovereignty. Tribe gets nearly $8 million from federal program that state shunned by Searchlight Staff A Native American tribe in South Dakota will receive a nearly $8 million grant from a federal program that state government declined to apply for. The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that the Rosebud Sioux Tribe has been selected to receive a... Continue reading

Good news from the South Dakota Searchlight: Cooperative serving South Dakota receives share of $7.3 billion for rural clean energy projects By Searchlight Staff A rural electric cooperative serving South Dakotans is among 16 co-ops sharing in $7.3 billion from the federal government for clean energy projects that President Joe Biden announced Thursday in Wisconsin. Basin Electric Power Cooperative will apply its funding toward 1,400 megawatts’ worth of renewable energy infrastructure in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. Estimated long-term member savings are over $400 million. Plus, the project would reduce greenhouse gasses — equivalent to removing 522,000 gasoline-powered cars... Continue reading

A yearly nonpartisan Minnesota State Fair poll yields some fascinating results. From Session Daily. Poll results show state fairgoers favor ban on cell phones in schools; strengthened gun storage requirements by Jonathan Mohr Two-thirds of respondents to the 2024 House of Representatives’ State Fair Poll support prohibiting K-12 students from using cell phones during the school day. A similar percentage say they would favor expanding firearm storage laws. A new law requires a school district or charter school to adopt a policy on students' possession and use of cell phones in school by March 15, 2025, and 68.6% of polltakers... Continue reading

Yet another twist in the battle for reproductive rights in South Dakota, a "trigger" state that banned abortion when Roe v. Wade was tossed by the United States Supreme Court. For a broader view of reproductive freedom ballot measures around the country this fall, check out The 10 states where voters could decide on abortion directly, from Elisha Brown, the Reproductive Rights Today newsletter author at States Newsroom. From South Dakota Searchlight. Abortion ballot measure challenge on course for late September trial by John Hult Amendment supporters had hoped to see a judge dismiss case; issue will appear on ballots... Continue reading

I admire Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, who possesses both the temperament and skills set for his position. Minnesotans in the Upper Minnesota River valley will have a chance to see these qualities in person on Friday. At the Marshall Independent, Deb Gau reports in Fischbach, Simon events in area Friday: . . .Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon will be stopping in downtown Granite Falls Friday afternoon. . . . Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon will be stopping in Granite Falls Friday as part of a statewide listening tour, said representatives of CURE (formerly Clean Up the... Continue reading

I'm so used to reading headlines like Noem rejects more than $70 million in federal funds for energy and environmental programs that a new article from the South Dakota Searchlight is a beacon of hope. Daycare is an issue throughout rural America so this is a promising development. Day care loan celebrated as example of federal lending partnership’s rural impact By Makenzie Huber Ages and Stages Daycare is the only child care center in Clear Lake, a town near Watertown with a population of 1,218. The owner planned to sell, and longtime employee Hailey Freeman was able to buy the... Continue reading

On Tuesday, Bluestem posted Dusty Johnson et al sketchy hook-up with Madison rural water earns snarky social media, a tale of Johnson showing up at a celebration of the completion of hooking up the Lewis and Clark Rural Water system to the city of Madison, South Dakota. A sign at the ribbon-cutting noted "Project Funded By President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Dusty Johnson had voted against. His Demcratic challenger,Sheryl Johnson, objected to his action at the event. The South Dakota Searchlight looked a bit deeper. Apparently, Dusty Johnson supported the project before he voted against funding for it.... Continue reading

I received a press release this morning from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources about the awards more than $1 million for Lawns to Legumes Pollinator Pathways Grants. Good news! And then I learned that it's Pollinator Day at the Minnesota State Fair. From a source at the Fair: As part of the occasion, Rep. Rick Hansen, DNR Pollinator Coordinator Christina Locke and partner organizations gathered at the pollinator display at the Eco Experience prior to a panel presentation. Rep. Hansen authored legislation approved in 2024 to make Lawns to Legumes a permanent program. Managed by the Minnesota... Continue reading

Strong commentary against the latest effort at greenwashing copper nickel mining in northeastern Minnesota, republished from MinnPost. First, some background from the Associated Press's Steve Karnowski in Developers of stalled Minnesota copper-nickel mine plan studies that may lead to significant changes: . . . The plan is for a $1 billion open-pit mine near Babbitt and a processing plant near Hoyt Lakes that would be Minnesota’s first copper-nickel mine and produce minerals necessary for the clean energy economy. It is a 50-50 joint venture between Swiss commodities giant Glencore and Canada-based Teck Resources. The project was renamed NewRange Copper Nickel... Continue reading

Earlier today, I posted an Ethanol carbon news digest: Summit Carbon pipeline in MN, Iowa & North Dakota media. Late this afternoon, the Iowa Capitol Dispatch posted an update on the status of the project in Iowa. Ethanol carbon news digest: Summit Carbon pipeline in MN, Iowa & North Dakota media By Clark Kauffman The Iowa Utilities Commission has issued a construction permit for Summit Carbon Solutions’ proposed hazardous liquid pipeline across Iowa. The commission’s decision on Wednesday was not unexpected given a June 25 order in which the panel issued a final decision approving the project while requiring Summit... Continue reading

Bluestem Prairie last posted about Summit Carbon Solutions' ethanol carbon project in South Dakota Supreme Court ruling complicates Summit Carbon Solution’s push for land and Public can comment on Otter Tail – Wilkin Co section of ethanol carbon pipeline until Sept. 11. There's more about the federal tax credit profiteer project in the news across Minnesota, North Dakota and Iowa. Time for a news digest. I'd mentioned in the Public can comment on Otter Tail – Wilkin Co section of ethanol carbon pipeline until Sept. 11.: On Tuesday night, I attended the public hearing on FEIS of Otter Tail –... Continue reading

Bluestem recently republished a South Dakota Searchlight article, Madison, South Dakota, finally connects to Lewis & Clark Rural Water System. I've been following the progress of the Lewis and Clark Rural Water project since Tim Walz's first term in Congress. Dusty Johnson was there at the dedication last week, posting a fascinating image: For nearly 35 years, the city of Madison has waited as they worked diligently to connect to the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System. We celebrated the completion of that connection for the new supply of water to the city. pic.twitter.com/PZW8O9P9T3 — Rep. Dusty Johnson (@RepDustyJohnson) August... Continue reading

Local news sources are reporting that the Blue Earth Count Board of Commissioners has voted to remove the Rapidan Dam. which was damaged after heavy rains on June 24. Bluestem first posted about the dam before the collapse, in a 2007 post, Earmark--or emergency? The case of the Rapidan Dam: For as long as I can remember--or since about the Flood of 1965--the dam at Rapidan has been a bit of an albatross, though it was retrofitted in 1985. . . . KEYC TV's Kendall Larson and Mitch Keegan report in Blue Earth County Board votes to remove Rapidan Dam,... Continue reading

Saturday morning in Ortonville's Lakeside Park, twenty DFLers gathered to share their favorite moments of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago by the sylvan shores of Big Stone Lake. The Big Stone County DFL gathers most Saturdays while the local farmers market is open, but Saturday's meeting had a renewed optimism and energy. Those gathered named various speakers as highlights, though Ortonville resident Todd Sandberg shared his delight in seeing his nephew Jake from Mankato on the stage, one of the winning Mankato West football players who streamed out in introduction to their coach, Vice President nominee Tim Walz. Jake... Continue reading

As a citizen and the owner of an older home, I have little to add to this South Dakota Searchlight article. Noem rejects more than $70 million in federal funds for energy and environmental programs By Joshua Haiar One opportunity would have made efficiency rebates available to South Dakotans Governor Kristi Noem’s administration recently turned down more than $70 million of federal funds from energy efficiency and environmental programs, according to her top budget official. The Home Energy Rebates program would have provided the state with $69 million to give South Dakotans rebates for energy-efficient home retrofits and high-efficiency electric... Continue reading

A South Dakota Supreme Court ruling has added another twist to the Summit Carbon Solutions ethanol pipeline saga on Thursday. Want to use eminent domain to build your project? Prove you're a common carrier. For additional coverage, read coverage by AgWeek's Kennedy Tesch in South Dakota Supreme Court sides with landowners, says Summit Carbon Solutions cannot use eminent domain. From the South Dakota Searchlight. Court ruling complicates carbon pipeline company’s push for land By Joshua Haiar Justices send matter back to lower courts, saying Summit hasn’t proven it’s a common carrier The company trying to build a carbon-capture pipeline through... Continue reading

On Tuesday night, I attended the public hearing on FEIS of Otter Tail – Wilkin portion of CO2 Pipeline in Fergus Falls. Most of the people speaking shared concerns about the adequacy of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) released by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC). A OAH judge listened to the comments. I was struck by the civility of the gathering, despite the strong opinions held by those who oppose or support this relatively tiny spur of the Summit Carbon Solutions' ethanol carbon pipeline, as well as by testimony of the loca ethanol plant operator that 70 percent... Continue reading

Back in 2007, Bluestem first posted about the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System in The Lewis & Clark Water System: Walz's remarks. He said at the time during the Bush administration: . . . If the Lewis and Clark Rural Water Systems receives its full $35 million request this year and subsequent years, the project could be completed by 2018. However, if we only fund this project at the levels recommended in the President’s 2008 Budget, it will not be completed until 2051. Mr. Speaker, the 300,000 people in Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa cannot wait that long. I... Continue reading

Another interesting article about voting rights from South Dakota Searchlight. Bennett County is in Southwestern South Dakota on the Nebraska border, and lies completely within the exterior boundary of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. From the Searchlight, Bennett County agrees to open satellite office for Native Americans after voting rights probe By Searchlight Staff Bennett County in South Dakota has agreed to open a satellite office to resolve claims that it violated the voting rights of Native Americans. The U.S. Justice Department announced the agreement Monday and said it was prompted by claims that the county failed to make its... Continue reading

Reporting for Bloomberg in Summit Pipeline Chief Sees Tough Path in Winning Over Landowners, Kim Chipman writes: The head of a more than $8 billion proposed carbon pipeline that has seen numerous delays amid landowner resistance had a request this week for corn ethanol officials counting on the project: “Pray for us.” Lee Blank, Summit Carbon Solutions chief executive officer, was referring to 23 public meetings starting next week in Iowa as the company once again works to win over landowners across the US Corn Belt. The roughly 2,500-mile pipeline to trap and capture carbon emissions from US biofuel plants... Continue reading

I'm so old, I remember when we used to worry about Monsanto poisoning us with Roundup. Then Bayer purchased the ag chemical company. Earlier this month, Bluestem republished Pesticide labeling becomes issue in South Dakota’s Johnson v. Johnson U.S. House race and Dusty Johnson denies trying to help Bayer shield itself from existing Roundup cancer lawsuits, both from the South Dakota Searchlight. Here's more on this story from the Searchlight, commentary republished there from Investigate Midwest. Bayer attempts to leverage rural GOP lawmakers to end glyphosate litigation By Dave Dickey, Investigate Midwesf Over the last couple of decades covering agribusiness,... Continue reading

Earlier Friday, Bluestem posted IA Rep. Miller-Meeks says carbon pipelines will help Iowa ethanol industry stay competitive, from the Iowa Capital Dispatch. Later that day, more news about the proposed ethanol carbon pipelines broke at the Dispatch. Summit jumpstarts pipeline efforts with purchase of old land easement agreements By Jack O'Connor Summit Carbon Solutions has purchased old land easement agreements from a former rival company to help speed up its carbon pipeline construction project, Summit officials confirm. Summit’s former rival, Navigator CO2, attempted its own carbon dioxide pipeline project before backing out in October 2023. With Navigator out of the... Continue reading

Another chapter in the ethanol carbon pipeline saga, from Iowa Capital Dispatch. Miller-Meeks says pipelines will help Iowa ethanol industry stay competitive By Robin Opsahl NEWTON — U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks spoke Thursday in favor of carbon dioxide pipelines as a way to aid Iowa’s ethanol production industry with an environmentally conscious impact. Miller-Meeks, the Republican representative for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, spoke about pipelines and other renewable fuel efforts supported by the Conservative Climate Caucus. She, alongside Republican Reps. Randy Weber of Texas, Doug Lamborn of Colorado and Brett Guthrie of Kentucky — fellow caucus members — visited the... Continue reading

Bluestem Prairie has been following efforts to curb the spread of chronic wasting disease through Minnesota's wild and captive deer herds for many years. Late last December, I posted Lawsuit: Minnesota Deer Farmers Association takes State of Minnesota to federal court, which includes a copy of the lawsuit. On Wednesday, Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson reported in Judge dismisses lawsuit challenging deer farm regulations: A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging Minnesota laws that tighten regulation of the farmed deer industry. The Legislature last year passed a package of laws restricting expansion and operation of white tailed deer farms... Continue reading