MINNESOTA REPUBLICANS, INCLUDING CONGRESSWOMAN MICHELLE FISHBACH, SENT A LETTER TO THE US POSTAL SERVICE SEEKING ACTION THAT WOULD REMEDY THE MAIL DELIVERY DISRUPTION OCCURRING ACROSS MINNESOTA. IT MENTIONED THE HIRING, TRAINING, AND RETENTION OF QUALITY POSTAL WORKERS. SHE SAID SHE HAS HEARD FROM CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE NOT RECEIVED MAIL FOR UP TO THREE WEEKS.
IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR, MOST SAW IMPROVED OR UNCHANGED CONDITIONS FROM 2021 TO 2022, AND THOSE WITHIN THE INDUSTRY ARE EXPECTED MOSTLY UNCHANGED CONDITIONS AS WELL FOR 2023. FROM 2021 TO 2022, FINDING WORKERS WAS THEIR BIGGEST CHALLENGE, AND THEY EXPECT THAT TO CONTINUE IN 2023 AS WELL.
A STATEWIDE CRACKDOWN ON DRINKING AND DRIVING OVER THE HOLIDAY SEASON LED TO OVER 2,200 ARRESTS. THERE WERE ROUGHLY 200 MORE ARRESTS THIS YEAR THAN DURING A SIMILAR CAMPAIGN LAST YEAR. SOME OF THE MORE EXTREME CASES INCLUDING ONE WHERE A TROOPER FOUND A 58-YEAR OLD MAN IN ROSEAU PASSED OUT IN THE DRIVERS SEAT WITH THEIR VEHICLE IN A SNOW BANK. HE HAD A BAC OF .21. SOME OF THE HIGHEST BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENTS WERE AS HIGH AS .38.
AT A LATE DECEMBER ROSEAU COUNTY BOARD MEETING THEY DISCUSSED ISSUES WITH COUNTY SNOWPLOWING. ASSISTANT ENGINEER MURRAY SAID HE WOULD INVESTIGATE ANY COMPLAINTS RECEIVED. THE BOARD WAS TOLD THAT IF ALL PLOWING WAS TO BE COMPLETED IN ONE DAY, THEY WOULD NEED AN ESTIMATED 4-5 ADDITIONAL SNOW PLOWS, ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THEM.
AT A SEPARATE MEETING, ROSEAU COUNTY COMMISSIONER JACK SWANSON WAS NOMINATED AND ELECTED BOARD CHAIR FOR 2023. COMMISSIONER NOVACEK WAS ELECTED VICE-CHAIR.
Last modified: 01/16/2023
