Walz’s State of the State AddressLast week, Governor Walz delivered his State of the State address. The Governor’s words were those of unity, and they served as a strong reminder of the importance of the relationships and professional responsibility we hold in this chamber. While I don’t agree with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle on everything, Minnesota has an opportunity in these next few weeks to show the country what can be accomplished when we work together. Thanks for Joining us for a Town HallI would like to express my deepest gratitude to the 600+ Minnesotans who attended the recent South Metro Town Hall meeting on the impacts of federal funding. The stories about how these freezes and cuts would affect health care access, schools, infrastructure, and essential services were both moving and informative. Minnesotans are fired up about impacts on health care, the freedoms Donald Trump and Elon Musk are working to take away, and the impact on family budgets through increased costs due to reckless tariffs.  Minnesota Making Progress on Clean EnergyIn 2023 and 2024, DFLers made generational investments in a cleaner, cheaper, and more efficient energy system, putting Minnesota on the path to 100% Carbon-Free Energy by 2040. The latest Minnesota Energy Factsheet shows our policies are working and our investments are paying off, creating high-paying clean energy jobs, lowering costs for families, and building a greener future: ? A new record low in carbon emissions, cutting another 4% between 2023 & 2024. ? Residents and businesses saved more than $307 million in energy costs from the Energy Conservation Optimization (ECO) Act. ? Minnesota ranked #1 in Midwest for overall energy efficiency and #10 nationwide! Here at the Capitol, I’m dedicated to protecting our progress from those who are seeking to repeal the legislation that made this positive change possible. Support Public MediaThe Trump/Musk Administration has proposed $1.1 billion of cuts to Public Broadcasting, which supports public media like NPR/MPR and PBS. These non-partisan media organizations are vital to ensuring access to information for all Americans and cutting these would be detrimental to us all. MPR has put together a petition to deliver to congress urging them to not support this cut, which you can add your name to here. You can also use this tool to find your federal representatives and call them to show your support for public media! Recipe of the Week If you’re like me, the news coming out of Washington has been overwhelming lately. In between calling my congressmembers and working to protect our progress here in Minnesota, one thing that keeps me going is gathering with my family around a good meal at the end of a long day. Food connects us, comforts us, and fuels us to continue to fight extreme MAGA policies that threaten our democracy. In the name of community and longevity of our fight, I want to share some of my favorite recipes that are staples in our household. This week’s recipe is a great weeknight dish – Garlic Noodles from Little Spice Jar! You can find the recipe here. |