ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Dec. 11 -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota issued the following news release: On December 6, 2024, the ACLU of Minnesota and pro bono co-counsel Norton Rose Fulbright filed a lawsuit on behalf of Ramsey Kettle, who was unlawfully punished by Otter Tail County correctional officers while housed as a pre-trial detainee on charges that were later dropped. Mr. Kettle was subjected to extreme, punitive treatment in violation of his constitutional rights and stan  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Benton Institute for Broadband and Society and Institute for Local Self-Reliance Community Broadband Networks Initiative issued a 50-page report in June 2024 entitled "Neighborly Networks: Vermont's Approach to Community Broadband." The report was written by Ry Marcattilo and Revati Prasad. Here are excerpts: * * * INTRODUCTION ... 5 VERMONT'S BROADBAND STORY ... 7 Table 1: Broadband Availability by Maximum Speed Tier in Vermont, 2019 ... 7 Map 1: Maximum Internet Ac  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration issued the following warning letter to Mid America Pet Food LLC: * * * To: Jeff Caswell, Chief Executive Officer, Mid America Pet Food LLC, 2024 N. Frontage Road, Mount Pleasant, TX 75455-6474, United States Dear Mr. Caswell: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected your pet food manufacturing facility located at 2024 N. Frontage Road, Mount Pleasant, Texas from November 2, 2023,  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- The Federal Reserve System Board of Governors issued a change in bank control notice in the Federal Register on Dec. 6, 2024, entitled "Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company". Here are excerpts: * * * The notificants listed below have applied under the Change in Bank Control Act (Act) (12 U.S.C. 1817(j)) and 225.41 of the Board's Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.41) to acquire shares of a bank or bank holding company. The factors that are considered in actin  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Rep. Brad Finstad, R-Minnesota, issued the following news release: ROCHESTER, MN Today, Congressman Brad Finstad (MN-01) announced teammates Grace Kaspar and Sia Sood, eighth-grade students at John Adams Middle School, are the winners of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge for Minnesota's First District. The teammates created the app "Design Your Brain" which uses engaging and interactive tools to improve attention, memory, and cognitive skills. Grace and Sia were inspir  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, issued the following news release: House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) delivered remarks today at a hearing on "Oversight of the U.S. Census Bureau." Chairman Comer expressed concerns over the Census Bureau's Post-Enumeration Survey--which measures Census count accuracy--after it revealed that significant errors and flaws occurred in the 2020  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register on Nov. 29, 2024, entitled "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Contiguous U.S. Distinct Population Segment of the Canada Lynx". Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to revise the critical habitat designation for the contiguous U.S. distinct populat  more

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Dec. 11 -- The Minnesota Department of Agriculture issued the following news on Dec. 10, 2024: Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Commissioner Thom Petersen today announced the launch of the Green Fertilizer Grant Program. The announcement was made at the Green Ammonia Summit in Morris, MN. The Green Fertilizer Grant will support agricultural and rural electric cooperatives registered as 308A or 308B with the state of Minnesota so they can invest in green fertilizer  more

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Dec. 11 -- Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minnesota, issued the following proclamation: * * * WHEREAS: Computing technology is integral to modern culture as it transforms the way we engage with information, the economy, and our communities; and WHEREAS: Access to computer science education, including qualified teachers, technology, and age-appropriate curriculum, promotes critical thinking skills and offers opportunities for advancement in the rapidly growing field; and WHEREAS: Compu  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- The National Endowment for the Arts issued the following news release on Dec. 10, 2024: The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced today funding for nine projects that demonstrate promising local arts and cultural approaches for addressing social connection, belonging, and mental health through the arts. Each organization will receive a non-matching grant of $150,000 for their project, totaling $1.35 million in allocated funding, and will participate in opportuni  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Sen. Tina Flint Smith, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release: MINNEAPOLIS, MN Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN) announced nearly 130 new clean energy projects across rural Minnesota. The $15.6 million investment will save farms and rural small businesses nearly $18.4 million on their energy bills per year while simultaneously reducing harmful carbon emissions. A full breakdown of the awards and projected savings can be found below. "  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 -- Sen. Tina Flint Smith, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced legislation to improve access to health care and address the physician shortage in rural areas. The Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2024 would authorize the Rural Residency Planning and Development Program to continue providing start-up funding to rural hospitals, medical schools, and other organizations to establ  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the following news release: Funding Will Improve Access to a Clean, Reliable Electric Grid and Safe Drinking Water for Millions in Rural and Tribal Communities U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is investing $6.3 billion in rural and Tribal communities across 44 states to expand access to a clean and reliable electric grid, provide safe drinking water and create good-paying jobs.  more

NEW YORK, Dec. 11 -- The Whitney Museum of American Art issued the following news release: The Whitney Museum of American Art and Hyundai Motor Company present the next Hyundai Terrace Commission by Marina Zurkow. The artwork The River is a Circle will be on view on the Whitney's fifth-floor terrace from April 2025 through early 2026. Shown on a large-scale video wall, The River is a Circle is an animation based on custom software that depicts a complex river ecosystem of fluctuating social an  more