CHICAGO, Illinois, Feb. 20 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Midwest Regional Information Office issued the following report on Feb. 19, 2025, entitled "Union Members in Minnesota - 2024": * * * In 2024, union members accounted for 14.2 percent of wage and salary workers in Minnesota, compared with 13.3 percent in 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that the union membership rate for the state was at its peak in 1992, when it averaged 22.0 per more PR

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Feb. 19 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-St. Paul District issued the following news release: * * * Corps of Engineers seeks public input on Lock and Dam 7 outdraft project The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, will host an open house on its Lock and Dam 7 outdraft weir modification project Feb. 27, from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. in the Nursing Center at Viterbo University, 10th Street, La Crosse, Wisconsin. There is no formal presentation scheduled. An outdraft means a "pulling" toward a downstream dam. The  more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- Sen. Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: * * * Hirono, Colleagues from Disaster-Impacted States Demand Answers About Elon Musk and DOGE's Access to Disaster Victims' Personal Data WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and nine of their colleagues from disaster-impacted states in demanding answers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on the potential security breach created by Elon Musk's Department of Govern more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 -- The House Natural Resources Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-928) on A concurrent resolution (H.Con.Res. 34) expressing disapproval of the withdrawal by the Secretary of the Interior of approximately 225,504 acres of National Forest System lands in Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis counties, Minnesota, from disposition under the U.S. mineral and geothermal leasing laws. The report was advanced by Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Arkansas, on Dec. 18, 2024. Here are excerpts: * * * PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION The purpose of H. Co more ST

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 -- Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Klobuchar Joins Ernst, Fetterman, Colleagues to Press USDA to Address Avian Flu Outbreak WASHINGTON - Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, joined Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Fetterman (D-PA) and 13 other Senators to press the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to address the ongoing outbreak of  more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release: * * * Klobuchar Urges Action at Senate Judiciary Hearing on Children's Safety Online WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, today delivered the following opening statement at the Judiciary Committee hearing on Children's Safety in the Digital Era: Strengthening Protections and Addressing Legal Gaps. A transcript of Klobuchar's full opening statement is  more PR

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Feb. 20 -- Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release on Feb. 19, 2025: * * * Governor Walz Authorizes Emergency Shelter Assistance in Wadena County Executive Order will support residents displaced by apartment building fire [ST. PAUL, MN] -- On Tuesday, February 18, 2025, Governor Tim Walz issued Executive Order 25-02 authorizing the National Guard to provide temporary shelter for residents displaced by an apartment fire in Wadena County. One person was found deceased and nine residents have been dis more PR

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Feb. 20 -- Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minnesota, issued the following proclamation: * * * WHEREAS: Heart valve disease is a serious and life-threatening condition that occurs when one or more heart valves do not function properly, disrupting normal blood flow and potentially leading to severe complications; and WHEREAS: More than 5 million people in the United States are diagnosed with heart valve disease each year, and countless others remain undiagnosed due to limited awareness of its symptoms and risk factors; and WHEREAS: App more PR

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Feb. 20 -- The Minnesota Utilities Commission issued the following decision involving Detroit Lakes Public Utilities, Otter Tail Power Co., Sauk Centre Public Utilities, Stearns Electric Association, Xcel Energy, Minnesota Power and Amazon Data Services Inc.: * * * INTRODUCTION DECISION ITEMS 1. Details 2025-017 * E017,E229-SA-24-409 Detroit Lakes Public Utilities; Otter Tail Power Co. In the Matter of the Joint Request of the Detroit Lakes Public Utilities and Otter Tail Power to Modify Electric Service Territory Bo more PR

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Feb. 20 -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued the following news on Feb. 19, 2025: * * * Nordic Metals fined more than $14,000 for air permit violations Crow Wing Recycling Inc. doing business as Nordic Metals, a metal recycler in Brainerd, Minnesota, constructed and operated a metal shredder without obtaining an air permit and under-reported the amount of volatile organic compounds they emitted in 2022, according to a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) investigation. Nordic metals has been fined $14,77 more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is reviewing a proposed amendment to the Facility Operating License for the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant, operated by Northern States Power Company. The amendment seeks to modify the plant's Emergency Action Level (EAL) scheme in response to exigent circumstances. This request follows a transient event at an upstream dam during the winter of 2024-2025, which led to icing and debris challenges at the plant's intake structure. The amendment aims to adjust the thr more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Padilla, Welch Lead Push to Demand Answers About Elon Musk and DOGE's Access to Disaster Survivors' Personal Data Senators: "When disaster strikes, Americans should have confidence the government will safeguard their data, regardless of the Administration at the helm" WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) demanded answers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after Elon Musk's Department more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 -- The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released the following written testimony by Dan Yates, executive director of the Ground Water Protection Council, from a Feb. 12, 2025, hearing entitled "Advancing Carbon Capture, Utilization and Sequestration Technologies and Ensuring Effective Implementation of the USE IT Act." USE IT Act is the Utilizing Significant Emissions With Innovative Technologies Act. * * * Thank you, Madame Chairman Capito, Ranking Member Whitehouse and to all committee members for the invita more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 -- The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released the following testimony by Kevin Connors, assistant director for regulatory compliance and energy policy at the University of North Dakota Energy and Environmental Research Center, from a Feb. 12, 2025, hearing entitled "Advancing Carbon Capture, Utilization and Sequestration Technologies and Ensuring Effective Implementation of the USE IT Act." USE IT Act is the Utilizing Significant Emissions With Innovative Technologies Act. * * * Good morning, Chairman Capit more PR

MADISON, Wisconsin, Feb. 19 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin issued the following news release: * * * Wausau Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking MADISON, WIS. - Timothy M. O'Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Bee Her, 45, Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 8 years in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of superv more PR