The 2022 election process officially gets underway tonight as party caucuses will take place all across the state. 
This year the Governor’s race will headline the ballot. Incumbent Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan are not being challenged within their party, however there are several Republican candidates for Republican caucus goers to choose from. That includes such luminaries as former Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, Ham Lake State Senator Michelle Benson, and former State Senator from Chaska Scott Jensen. Attendees from both parties will also be asked to vote for candidates for Secretary of State, Attorney General, and State Auditor, as well as candidates for the US House of Representatives and the State Legislature.
In Rice County, Republican Caucuses are being held at Northfield High School, Faribault High School, Lonsdale Elementary School and Waterville/Elysian/Morristown Middle School.
Due to Covid-19, the Rice County DFL has decided to run contactless caucuses this year.
“The DFL Party’s contactless caucuses will protect the health of Minnesotans while preserving the grassroots democracy at the heart of our party which our caucuses embody,” said DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin.
The party is asking participants to fill out two forms. One is the Precinct Caucus Non-Attendee Form which will ask for contact information, whether the participant is interested in running or volunteering for a position with the DFL, and which candidates that person supports. The second is an optional form used to propose resolutions.
Completed forms may be emailed to ricecountydfl@outlook.com by 9pm tonight. Volunteers will also be collecting forms from 6:30-9:00pm at what would have been the caucus locations: the Weitz Center, the Northfield Middle School, Faribault Middle School, and Trondhjem Lutheran Church in Lonsdale. All forms can be found by visiting the Rice County DFL website.
Both parties will also be selecting delegates to the appropriate county conventions which will be held this spring.
The caucuses are set to begin at 6:30pm.
For information on Rice County Republican Caucuses, click here
For information on Rice County DFL Contactless Caucuses, click here
Draheim highlights tax reform, law and order as session begins
As the new legislative session gets underway, legislators are now tasked with several issues from deciding what to do with a $7.7
billion state budget surplus, to working out who should receive a portion of the $250 million allocated during the last session for frontline workers.
State Senator Rich Draheim said there are critical issues that must be dealt with right away.
Draheim said the top priority should be to reconcile the state’s unemployment insurance debt. The State unemployment fund is currently running a $1 billion deficit. Many states have used funds received from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act, which was a large contributor to the current budget surplus, to replenish unemployment reserves drained during the early part of the pandemic. The Senator sees this as a top priority.
He said Republicans will be looking for tax reform this year. The Social Security Tax he said is something his party would like to eliminate. Minnesota is one of twelve states in the country that taxes social security benefits, and Draheim said he would like to see the state come into alignment with the majority of the country by not taxing seniors unnecessarily.
Law and order is another major issue the Republicans will be working on during the session. Draheim brought up the rise in violent crime in the Twin Cities Metro area, and said the legislature is going to have to find a way to mitigate that situation.
“There are people getting carjacked at Lunds & Byerly’s in Edina. That’s just insane to me. So, we need to really look at how we can help those people out in the suburbs and Minneapolis & St. Paul and try to figure out a solution to making it safer.”
Meanwhile, Draheim said because this is an election year, leadership on both sides of the aisle will roll out what he called “pet projects” designed to garner the approval of voters and get more votes. Draheim, who is known to write a substantial number of bills each year, said he will keep at it.
“Most of my bills don’t get big headlines,” he said. “But they help people.”
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with State Senator Rich Draheim can be heard here
Firefighter of the year Sam Lane discusses Chief Franek, working with NAFRS crew
And Sam Lane has been selected as the Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Service Firefighter of the Year.
The 2006 Graduate of Northfield High School joined the fire department in 2017 and trained for two years to become not just a firefighter, but a Nationally Certified Emergency Medical Technician as well, as most members NAFRS are.
Lane said he had always had a fascination with firefighting and had mentioned to the now retired Chief Gerry Franek that he was interested in joining. A year, later, Franek showed up at Lane’s place of business to see that he followed through on that interest.
“Unbeknownst to me, there were a couple openings in the department. Gerry saw that my name wasn’t on the list of applicants, so he came to my office to tell me apply.
“Two days later, I was taking the written test.”
Since joining NAFRS, Lane estimates he’s been on anywhere from 1000 to 2000 calls, the most memorable of which, he said, was the Archer House fire in November of 2020.
He said being named Fire Fighter of the Year, and being singled out by his peers, is a “wonderful honor.” But he said, being individually recognized isn’t really the way things work with the department.
“One thing I’ll say is that, in firefighting, we never do anything as an individual. Everything we do is a team effort. I’m grateful to be surrounded by such a wonderful tam of men and women. There’s so much experience and wisdom. [Being around these] people who are willing to donate their time in order to make the community a safer place is awe inspiring.”
Lane was quick to credit his wife Katie as well. He said having a spouse that is constantly on call can make for a lot of spoiled dinners and events, and her support and understanding has helped him immeasurably.
Our full conversation with NAFRS Firefighter of the Year Sam Lane can be heard here
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net.
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