We continue our conversation with Dave Ladd of RDL Associates talking about the issues and components of the recently passed and signed Farm Bill.

EXCERPT: “A Mankato native and two-term former speaker of the Minnesota House has been selected to head the Minnesota Department of Transportation with Governor-elect Tim Walz’s incoming administration. The appointment of Margaret Anderson Kelliher has signaled to some that projects in Greater Minnesota will have more attention going forward. ‘Those of us representing the Mankato ...

EXCERPT: “As you get out of your car and head into Elden’s Fresh Foods, Cub Foods, Walmart or the Viking Plaza Mall, you will hear the familiar ring-a-ling-linging of the Salvation Army Bell Ringers. Each year, in the weeks leading up to Christmas Day, people from various service organizations, businesses and the community volunteer their ...

EXCERPT: “Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention came out with some troubling news: Average life expectancy has declined for the third consecutive year in the United States, in part due to a rise in suicides. In 2017, 783 Minnesotans died by suicide. At 13.8 per 100,000 residents, Minnesota’s suicide rate is nearly on par ...

  Dave Ladd, president RDL& Associates and a CRPD board member, joins us this week to talk about the recently passed Farm Bill. Dave discusses some of the high points of the bill, in particular the rural development section, which addresses both physical and technological infrastructure.

EXCERPT: “A Twin Cities coalition aiming to boost state investments in public transit said it will push for full funding of $120 million in improvements in Greater Minnesota. Spokespeople for the new initiative called Keep Minnesota Moving laid out their top priorities at the Capitol Tuesday, Dec. 11, including fully funding Metro Transit operations, supporting ...

EXCERPT: “The Federal Communications Commission said Friday it will investigate whether major U.S. wireless providers have submitted false data. The FCC said it will temporarily suspend the start of a $4.5 billion program to improve wireless Internet service in rural and other underserved areas while the probe is underway. Wireless providers were required to submit current data of their ...

EXCERPT: “A new study by Minnesota health officials finds virtual medical visits are on the rise. Telemedicine grew at a rapid pace in Minnesota with visits jumping from around 11,000 in 2010 to 86,000 in 2015. That’s according to the Minnesota Department of Health and University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Researchers found uses of telemedicine vary ...

  Frank Douma, director of the State and Local Policy Program at the U of M’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, joins us this week. Frank has been tracking self-driving vehicles for years. The technology for them is out in fields right now, Frank says, and MnDOT demonstrated self-driving buses last year already. We can ...

EXCERPT: “While the 2019 state legislative session will see a different governor and plenty of new faces in the House, one of the top priorities for the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities remains the same. As has been the case with recent years, the coalition is once again looking to the Legislature for a boost ...