Former United States Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was at the Minnesota State Capitol last week to show her support for a pair of gun 
Giffords, while a member of Congress in 2012, survived an assassination attempt but suffered a severe brain injury when she was shot in the head. After she recovered, and ever since, she has been a strong advocate for gun safety laws.
Pursell said she and Giffords spoke for a few minutes and even though Giffords has difficulty speaking and has some other physical setbacks, she said the former Congresswoman is an inspiration. Pursell also said Gifford’s visit was especially poignant given the tragic shooting at an elementary school on Monday.
The two bills moving through the legislature right now are what Governor Walz calls “commons sense gun control.” One would close a loophole in the law mandating background checks before a person can purchase a handgun or an assault-style rifle by requiring the checks also be made on those who purchase the guns online or at a gun show.
The other is a so-called “redflag” law that would allow family members and law enforcement officials to petition for guns to be removed from those who are deemed to be a danger to themselves or others.
Pursell said having Giffords’ support for the new legislation means they are on the right track.
“She came in support of the work that we are doing for these redflag laws and closing background check loopholes. And I think because we are trying to make some progress in the state, that was sort of her impetus for being here and to lend her support for what we’re hoping to move.”
While the bills have widespread support throughout the DFL caucus in the House of Representatives, there is doubt that they can pass through the Senate, where Democrats hold a one vote majority. No Republican has offered their support for either bill, and in fact, both have been characterized by Republicans as part of a DFL “extreme all-or-nothing” agenda.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Representative Kristi Pursell can be heard here
Hillmann hoping for more from the state legislature
At this time of year, most of the public entities that receive funding from the State of Minnesota, are usually paying some attention to 
That, however, might not be the case in 2023. Last week, with a DFL majority in the House and Senate, and a Democratic Governor, leaders in the legislature were able to agree to budget targets a full ten weeks in advance of the adjournment deadline.
Northfield Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann said the target for K-12 public education amounts to $2.2 Billion, with another $300 million for Early Education. And while he is pleased to see a healthy amount of new spending, he said it still isn’t quite enough to fix everything that is wrong.
Hillmann has been a strong critic of the legislature’s approach to education funding over the last thirty years, saying that the annual increases to the basic formula for funding school districts has rarely kept up with inflation, and strongly criticizing the fact that the state has promised to fully fund special education, but never has.
“Those two things should be funded first, before anything else is considered. That is backpay. It’s backpay for 30 years of chronic underfunding. There are some worthy policy considerations that are happening in Saint Paul, but first, before anything else is done, we need to fix the reasons we got here. And so that’s what we’re paying close attention to at the legislature.”
Hillmann said the state needs another “Minnesota Miracle,” referring to the decision made in the early 1970’s by then Governor Wendell Anderson to change the way schools were funded in the state. There are structural problems with the way the state funds education, he said, and that must be addressed during this legislative session.
Council Chambers Mural aims to ‘bring people together…strengthen communities’
Tomorrow night prior to the regular City Council Meeting, City officials and the Northfield Arts and Culture Commission will host a public
Greene, a St. Paul-based artist, was commissioned by the city to create a site-specific mosaic mural for the Council Chambers in 2021. Along with artists Tara Nielson, Juliette Myers and Adrienne Sherman, she completed the painted mural and tile mosaic in April 2022. A statement issued by the city said the artwork depicts a “colorful celebration of the contributions of the ordinary people that make Northfield extraordinary.”
“We hope that by bringing art and people together,” Greene said in the statement, “and pushing that art and those people to say something and to be something, that we will all grow stronger as individuals and as communities.”
The mural was funded by the 1% for the Arts program, which calls for one percent of construction costs of a city capital improvement project to be dedicated to public art.
The ceremony is set for 5pm tomorrow afternoon in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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