8th District DFL Debate Monday

A 90 minute debate hosted by Debate Minnesota will be held for DFL Candidates from the 8thCongressional District, Jeff Anderson, Tarryl Clark and Rick Nolan, tonight at Central Lakes College in Brainerd. It begins at 7:00 P.M.

Debate Minnesota is a non-profit led by a multi-partisan board of directors.

State-Fed Land Swap Moves Forward

A U.S. House Committee has passed a state sponsored land swap on to the House for consideration. Carried by Congressman Chip Cravaack, this legislation would finalize a bipartisan, state-passed plan to give the state-owned land in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to the federal government in exchange for giving Minnesota an equal amount federal land outside of the BWCAW.

Approximately 86,000 acres of inaccessible state-owned school trust lands remains locked within the borders of the BWCAW. Due to their location in a federal wilderness area, these school trust lands cannot be managed to generate Minnesota public education funding and job growth.

A Plea for MN Flood Assistance

U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Al Franken, and Representative Chip Cravaack today urged the President to reconsider the recent decision denying individual assistance to residents of Northeast Minnesota in the wake of last month’s flooding. In a letter to President Obama, the members offered their support for Governor Dayton’s recent appeal of the decision and the need to reexamine the level of need in the affected communities.

The Trio urge the President, “As congressional representatives of communities devastated by recent flooding, we write in strong support of Governor Dayton’s appeal to reverse the decision denying residents and businesses of Northeastern Minnesota much-needed individual assistance. We have all visited the affected areas and seen the damage to private property, and are deeply concerned that the Administration determined that the severe damage to homes was not significant enough to warrant this support,” the members said in the letter. “While we are continually impressed with the community response and the resilience of our constituents, we believe that federal assistance is necessary beyond the public assistance that has already been granted.”

Earlier this month, at the urging of members of the Minnesota delegation including Klobuchar, Franken and Cravaack, President Obama approved federal assistance to help Minnesota communities repair public infrastructure damaged by recent flooding.

Coast Guard Leaving Mille Lacs

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved the Mill Lacs Lake Freedom to Fish Act without opposition. The legislation would remove The U.S. Coast Guard oversight in permitting and inspections the vessels on Lake Mille Lacs.

In March of 2010, the Coast Guard began requiring fishing guides on Lake Mille Lacs to acquire a federal “six-pack” boating license to continue to do their jobs. This certification can cost individual fishing guides up to $2,000 in fees, training, and travel costs.

Eighth District Congressman Chip Cravaack authored the legislation that removes the Coast Guard from the popular MN fishing lake.   The freshman Republican says the new Coast Guard regulation would take a toll on the Mille Lacs Lake resort-based economy and make fishing more expensive.

Bicyclist Dies on Hwy 371

A 51-year-old Brainerd man was struck and killed in Baxter while riding his bicycle Tuesday evening.

The man has been identified Gregory P. Marsoleck.

The State Patrol reports Marsoleck was eastbound on Excelsior when he was struck in the intersection with  Hwy 371by a pick up truck driven by a Bemiji man.  The driver says he was proceeding north bound on a green light when the accident occurred.  The driver was uninjured.

Dayton Backs Nolan

(AP)  Eighth District Congressional candidate Rick Nolan has picked up a big endorsement.  Governor Mark Dayton is giving Nolan the nod, saying Nolan is a "proven leader who can get past the partisan gridlock and get things done."

Nolan has a long history in northern MN politics, having served in the 6th District from 1975 to 1981.  He won the DFL party endorsement last spring.

Nolan's biggest rival in the August 14th primary is former state Senator Tarryl Clark, who moved into the 8th District following an unsuccessful campaign against 6th District Congresswoman Michelle Bachman in 2010.  Clark has received an endorsement from former President Bill Clinton.

Pine River Man Accused of Murder

A 28-year-old Pine River man has been arraigned  for intentional murder.   Dane Joseph Riley was charged  in Cass County District Court with 2nd degree murder and interference with a dead body.

The Cass County Sheriff was contacted about a person missing since July 13th, identified only as MAH.  A subsequent investigation determined that Riley picked up MAH during the early hours of July 14th.  

Deputies say a woman living in Riley's trailer reported she was awakened by the sound of gunshots.  Outside, she observed Riley allegedly standing over a man striking him on the chest. 

Lawmen were alerted to a burn pit located near the residence, in which charred clothing was found.  A further search of the property led officers to two separate areas where the remains of MAH were found.

Riley's bail was set at $1 million.  His next court appearance is set for August 13th at 1 p.m.  Riley had been in the Cass County Jail since July 20th on an unrelated charge.