KNUJ » The Affect

U of M Tuition Freeze Approved

susan — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:46:56 +0000

The University of Minnesota Board of Regents has approved a tuition freeze for in-state undergraduates next year. University officials say it’s the first tuition freeze in a generation. The plan also increases tuition for students from states without reciprocity agreements, raises price tags for graduate and professional students and boosts funding for research. The plan also cuts administrative costs and funds the hiring of more than 50 faculty members. The University’s proposed 2014 operating budget spends about $61-million more than the year before, an almost 2% increase.

Local Blood Drives This Week

susan — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:45:31 +0000

The American Red Cross Bloodmobile is making a few stops around the area this week. The need for blood is constant, with someone in the US needing a blood transfusion every 2 seconds. Around 44,000 pints of blood must be donated every day in order to meet that demand. The Bloodmobile will be at the Lake Crystal Area Recreation Center from 12:30 to 6:30 today (MON). On Tuesday eligible donors can give blood at the Le Center American Legion from 1 to 7pm, and on Thursday there’s a blood drive at the Gaylord American Legion from 1 to 7. For more information on giving the gift of life, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or log on to www.redcrossblood.org.

US Senate Passes Farm Bill

susan — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:02:10 +0000

The US Senate on Monday passed a 5-year Farm Bill which reforms federal programs and strengthens the farm safety net. Senator Amy Klobuchar says it gives Minnesota ag producers the certainty they need to plan for the future, and helps address the federal deficit. Klobuchar says crop insurance will be an adequate safety net for farmers, and ag organizations have been supportive of the changes. The Farm Bill now goes back to the US House, and Klobuchar says she’s hopeful it will soon be on it’s way to the president’s desk. Among significant differences: the House bill cuts funding for food stamps — now called SNAP — by $20-billion, while cuts are much smaller in the Senate’s version.

Weekly Minnesota Crop Report

susan — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:00:53 +0000

Yet another week of wet weather last week prevented Minnesota farmers from getting their planting done. The weekly crop report from the USDA says that just over 2-and-a-half days were rated suitable for fieldwork last week. So corn planting advanced only 3-percentage points to 90% complete, remaining behind the 5-year average of 99% for this date. Because of the long delay, some farmers are now expected to file insurance claims for “prevented planting” rather than plant a corn crop this year. Despite the wet conditions, though, soybean planting advanced 17 points to 72% planted, which is still behind the 95% average for this time of year. Crop development continues to lag the normal pace because of the cold wet spring, and that could affect yields.

Adopt-A-Highway Numbers

susan — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:59:27 +0000

Minnesota transportation officials say volunteers pick up an estimated 26,000 tons of trash along state highways each year. The Department of Transportation figures the volunteers save the state an estimated $6-million annually. The Adopt-A-Highway program is currently staffed with more than 49,000 volunteers who clean up litter from 11,000 miles of Minnesota highways. The program requires at least a 2-year commitment to pick up trash two or three times a year, and allows state road crews to spend more time on highway improvement and safety projects. Only state workers are responsible for picking up trash along the interstate.

Ag Runoff Program Kickoff

susan — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:01:23 +0000

US Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack is visiting Minnesota to launch a new pilot project offering farmers incentives to take steps to reduce water pollution from their operations. The Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program is the first of its type in the nation. It’s the product of an agreement Vilsack signed with Governor Dayton in January 2012, the work of an advisory committee that delivered its recommendations last November, and a series of public listening sessions held across the state in February. The idea is that farmers who agree to adopt conservation practices to control erosion and runoff will get guarantees that they won’t be subjected to stricter rules during the lives of their agreements. Vilsack, Dayton and other officials were announcing further details later today (MON).

Blood Drives This Week

susan — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:57:15 +0000

World Blood Donor Day is coming up later this week, and the American Red Cross is encouraging everyone eligible to become regular donors, especially during the summer – a challenging time to meet patient needs. Today (MON) the Red Cross Bloodmobile will be at the St. Peter Regional Treatment Center’s Tomlinson Hall from 8am to 1pm, the Truman Community Center from 1 to 7, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Bird Island from 1 to 7, and the Assembly of God Worship Center in Sherburn from 1 to 7. On Tuesday eligible donors can give blood at the Courtland Community Center from 2 to 7pm, Salem Lutheran Church in Madelia from 1:30 to 6:30, and Peace Lutheran Church in Hutchinson from Noon to 6. On Wednesday there’s a blood drive at the Buffalo Lake Community Center from 1 to 7pm. Thursday has a blood drive at the Cedar Mountain School in Franklin from 1 to 7 as well, and on Friday the Bloodmobile stops at the Danube Community Center from 8am to 1pm. World Blood Donor Day is Friday. To find the blood drive nearest you check out www.redcrossblood.org.

NU Concert & Puppet Wagon

susan — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:56:11 +0000

The Monday Night Concerts in the Park continue this (MON) evening in New Ulm’s German Park, and the New Ulm Puppet Wagon kicks off its summertime shows at 6:15 in German Park today as well. The Puppet Wagon summer schedule includes: Mondays at 6:15 at German Park, Tuesdays at Lincoln Park at 9:30 and Hermann Heights Park at 11, and Thursdays at Washington Park at 9:30 and Flandrau State Park at 11am. Tonight’s free concert in German Park features the Little Prairie Pickers. The concert starts at 7pm, and Relay For Life will be selling pop and popcorn.

District 88 Parking Lot Repair

susan — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 22:36:20 +0000

The New Ulm District 88 School Board approved a tax abatement bonding project to make improvements to school parking lots during a special meeting Friday morning. The proposed $680,000 project will include improvements to the main parking lot and entrance roads for New Ulm High School, as well as minor improvement projects such as curb and gutter reconstruction and crack repair and seal coat improvements for both the staff parking lot and Jefferson Elementary playground. The only bid for the project came from M-R Paving, and was $21,000 over the proposed bonding amount.

Take A Kid Fishing Weekend

susan — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 22:35:14 +0000

It’s “Take A Kid Fishing” weekend in Minnesota. The DNR’s Pat Arndt says if you have never fished before, a number of State Parks have equipment families can use free of charge. Arndt says today (SAT) is also “National Get Outdoors Day” and admission to all Minnesota State Parks is free.