WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released the following public communication dated Jan. 21, 2025, from UnitedHealthcare, Minnetonka, Minnesota: * * * To: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs Division of Regulations Development Attention: Document Identifier: CMS-10796 Room C4-26-05 7500 Security Boulevard Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850 Re: Dual  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the following public communication dated Jan. 15, 2025, from the Minnesota Environmental Science and Economic Review Board: * * * To: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20460 Re: Docket No. EPA-HQ-OW-2024-0158; Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 16 * * * As a representative of the Minnesota Environmental Science and Economic Review Board (MESERB), I am wr  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the following public communication dated Jan. 21, 2025, from the National Parks Conservation Association, Coalition to Protect America's National Parks, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy and Sierra Club: * * * TO: Kathleen D'Agostino January 21, 2025 [corrected] Air and Radiation Division U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 77 West Jackson Boulevard Chicago, IL 60604 Re: Comments on Proposed  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (TNSres) -- The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis issued the following Beige Book on Jan. 15, 2025: * * * Summary of Economic Activity Ninth District economic activity increased slightly since the previous report. Employment grew slightly and wage growth was moderate, while labor demand was positive but slowing. Overall prices increased slightly. Growth was noted in consumer spending, construction, and residential real estate. Energy activity was flat, while manufacturin  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 -- Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minnesota, ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, issued the following statement: * * * Today, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump's firing of inspectors general of at least a dozen federal agencies: "This midnight purge of inspector generals, including at the USDA, is alarming and unprecedented. While the president has the right to replace inspector  more

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Jan. 28 -- The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources issued the following news release: * * * Cases confirmed in DPA 266 near Hawley and DPA 701 near Greenfield * * * Two adult male deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease in two deer permit areas without previous confirmed cases of the disease. One deer was harvested in DPA 266 near Hawley in Clay County and the other deer was harvested in DPA 701 near Greenfield in Hennepin County. Both deer were harvested  more

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Jan. 28 -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued the following news on Jan. 27, 2025: Louisiana-Pacific has been fined $15,775 for stormwater and wetland violations according to a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) enforcement investigation. Louisiana-Pacific operates a wood-board manufacturing facility in Two Harbors, Minnesota. MPCA staff inspections in August and November 2023 found the following violations: * Discharge of polluted water into a stormwat  more

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Jan. 28 (TNSres) -- The Minnesota State Auditor issued the following news release: "The trend of TIF districts finishing projects earlier continues," said Auditor Julie Blaha. "This is good news." Tax increment financing (TIF) is a financing tool established by the Legislature to support local economic development, redevelopment, and housing projects. TIF allows development authorities to fund these activities by using the additional property taxes, referred to as "tax inc  more

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, Jan. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota issued the following news release: Two Brooklyn Park men have pleaded guilty in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine throughout central and northern Minnesota, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. According to court documents, on June 22, 2024, a Minnesota State Patrol trooper initiated the traffic stop of a white Ford Expedition on Highway 10 in Royalton, M  more

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Jan. 28 -- The Minnesota State Auditor issued the following news release: Minnesota State Auditor Julie Blaha expressed serious concerns about the recent firing of federal inspectors general at multiple federal government agencies by the Trump administration, calling the move "alarming" and "negligent." An inspector general is an independent position that conducts audits and investigations into allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse of federal funds. "It's bad enough to f  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 -- The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released the following public communication dated Jan. 14, 2025, from 52 House members: * * * To: The Honorable Julie Su Acting Secretary United States Department of Labor 200 Constitution Ave. NW Washington, DC 20210 * To: The Honorable Douglas L. Parker Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health United States Department of Labor 200 Constitution Ave. NW Washin  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 -- The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released the following public communication dated Jan. 14, 2025, from the Association of American Railroads and two collaborators. Here are excerpts: * * * To: DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION DOCKET NO. OSHA-2021-0009 HEAT INJURY AND ILLNESS PREVENTION IN OUTDOOR AND INDOOR WORK SETTINGS NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING COMMENTS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 -- The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released the following public communication dated Jan. 14, 2025, from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries: * * * To: The Honorable Douglas S. Parker Assistant Secretary of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration U.S. Department of Labor 200 Constitution Ave. NW Washington, DC 20210 RE: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), Heat Injury and Illness Preventio  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 -- Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minnesota, ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Ranking Members Rebuke Trump's Unlawful Attempt to Purge Independent Government Watchdogs Who Serve to Protect Taxpayers' Interests and Hold Government Accountable * * * Today, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig joined House Committee Ranking Members in a letter to President Donald Trump condemning his attempted late-night purge  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, Jan. 27 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (16th Air Force) issued the following news: * * * Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth begins 'most important deployment of my life' WASHINGTON - Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was sworn into his new role leading America's 3.5 million service members and civilians by Vice President JD Vance Saturday morning, following Hegseth's Friday evening Senate confirmation. "When President Trump cho  more

RANDOLPH AFB, Texas, Jan. 27 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command issued the following news: * * * Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth begins 'most important deployment of my life' * Published Jan. 27, 2025 * By Jim Greenhill * DOD News WASHINGTON -- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was sworn into his new role leading America's 3.5 million service members and civilians by Vice President JD Vance Saturday morning, following Hegseth's Friday evening Senate confirma  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: * * * Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Begins 'Most Important Deployment of My Life' WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was sworn into his new role leading America's 3.5 million service members and civilians by Vice President JD Vance the morning of Jan. 18, following Hegseth's Jan. 17th's evening Senate confirmation. Vice President JD Vance swears in Pete Hegseth as the 29th secretary of defense as   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 -- The U.S. Space Force issued the following news: * * * Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Begins 'Most Important Deployment of My Life' WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was sworn into his new role leading America's 3.5 million service members and civilians by Vice President JD Vance the morning of Jan. 18, following Hegseth's Jan. 17th's evening Senate confirmation. "When President Trump chose me for this position, the primary charge he gave me w  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 -- Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) reintroduced their bipartisan legislation to lower child care costs and address the nationwide shortage of affordable child care. The Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act would provide competitive grants for states to train child care workers and build or renovate child care facilities. Families across the country are struggling to acces  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 -- Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Thune Discusses Sean Duffy's Plan for a Safer, More Efficient Transportation System Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune's remarks below (as delivered): "Mr. President, this afternoon we will also be voting to invoke cloture on the nomination of Sean Duffy to be secretary   more