Leanne Kunze of Laketown Township last Saturday received the DFL endorsement to challenge state Rep. Paul Kohls (R-Victoria) for his District 34A seat. She was nominated at the District 34 DFL convention at Chaska Middle School East. The district includes a portion of Carver County and Louisville and Jackson townships in Scott County.

Kunze said she was honored to receive the endorsement but hesitated because Kohls and his wife are family friends.

Governor Tim Pawlenty on Monday issued an executive order declaring a State of Emergency in many counties that could experience flooding. The counties include Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Chippewa, Clay, Dakota, Goodhue, Hennepin, Kittson, Lac Qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lyon, Marshall, Nicollet, Norman, Polk, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Scott, Sibley, Swift, Traverse, Washington, Wilkin, Wright, and Yellow Medicine.

Saint Paul – In December, Governor Tim Pawlenty and First Lady Mary Pawlenty led an historic Minnesota trade mission to Chile and Brazil.

In Chile, delegates had meetings in Santiago and Conception to foster stronger economic relations, promote trade exchanges, and explore new business opportunities.

The epicenter of the recent earthquake in Chile was just 70 miles from Concepcion, Chile’s second-largest city. Concepcion is the capital of the Bio Bio Region, one of Chile’s 15 first-order administrative divisions, comprising four provinces.

 By Forrest Adams

     Before forging ahead with a state bonding bill, Gov. Tim Pawlenty this week urged legislators to come to grips with $1.2 billion budget deficit.

By Shannon Fiecke

With financial pressures mounting, racino-related bills are coming out of the chutes in hopes that more gambling might ease the state’s economic woes.

Gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton will visit Chaska at 9 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 20 as part of his campaign’s “87 counties in 87 days.”

Dayton’s “meet and greet” will be at Dunn Bros, on Second Street in downtown Chaska.

State Rep. Paul Kohls (R-Victoria) spent the night hospitalized with a concussion and several broken bones in his face after falling on the ice at Victoria Fieldhouse on Sunday but was back at the Capitol by Wednesday morning, attending a meeting of the House Taxes Committee, according to a report by Politics in Minnesota.

For the full story, go to http://politicsinminnesota.com/blog/2010/02/kohls-back-at-capitol-after-...

Saint Paul – Governor Tim Pawlenty today released his supplemental budget recommendations, eliminating the state’s projected $1.2 billion deficit and providing tax cuts to spur job growth.

Rep. Paul Kohls (R-Victoria) introduced a bill Feb. 11 to sell the Metrodome to the Vikings for $1. 

“We currently face a $1.2 billion budget deficit. I don’t support using tax dollars to fund a new stadium when so many Minnesotans are struggling,” stated Kohls, in a press release.

“We just can’t afford it, and I’ve never supported using taxpayer dollars for professional stadiums. We do want the Vikings to stay, and this is one way to try to keep the team here.”

Click on attachment below to see Gov. Tim Pawlenty's State of the State address.