Category: SD48

Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (HD48B) Update: October 25, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

I hope fall is treating you well, and hopefully we will get the opportunity to fully enjoy the third of our four seasons. Each Saturday, the Eden Prairie Outdoor Center(13765 Staring Lake Pkwy.) hosts “Nature Rocks!,” a free open house with hiking, interactions with live animals, craft projects and more. Check the city’s website for more information.

Coffee with Carlie

coffee with carlie

Everyone in the community is invited to join me for Coffee with Carlie next Tuesday morning October 29. We will meet at 10 a.m. at Smith Coffee & Cafe. Please bring your input and ideas about the issues that matter to you. As always, it’s an informal chat with no speeches or program, and you can stay for as long or as little as you’d like. I’m looking forward to a good discussion among neighbors!

Continue reading “Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (HD48B) Update: October 25, 2019”

Rep. Laurie Pryor (HD48A) Update: October 25, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

I hope you are enjoying fall and everything that comes with it, including leaves changing colors and preparation for trick-or-treaters in less than one week. Tomorrow is National Drug Takeback Day. If you have any unused or expired prescription drugs in your medicine cabinet, it’s a good opportunity to safely dispose of them. Sites will be open from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., including the Eden Prairie Senior Center and other sites around the metro area.

Here’s an update from the State Capitol.

Climate Action Caucus

climate action caucus

In Minnesota, we’re blessed with abundant natural resources including lakes, rivers, forests and more. Tragically, these resources are in jeopardy. We’re facing an urgency to take action before the effects of the climate crisis become irreversible. Minnesotans are motivated and pushing for our state to be a leader in the fight against climate change. We’ve especially seen this from Minnesota’s young people who descended upon the Capitol for the Youth Climate Strike. Continue reading “Rep. Laurie Pryor (HD48A) Update: October 25, 2019”

Sen. Steve Cwodzinski (SD48) Update: October 24, 2019

October, 2019

Come join us as an intern!

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Applications are now open for the Minnesota Senate Internship Program. If you or someone you know has finished high school and is looking to explore a career in government, this is a great place to start! My office will only be allowed to have two interns next session, but I know everyone always has a great experience no matter who they end up working for. You can apply online by clicking HERE.

Our 40th gubernatorial portrait

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Governor Mark Dayton’s official portrait was unveiled last week, and I was lucky enough to be in attendance at the ceremony. The painting is incredible, and depicts one of Governor Dayton’s proudest achievments: restoring the state capitol. I also got to meet the artist, Paul Oxborough, and the photo above made it into the Star Tribune!

Continue reading “Sen. Steve Cwodzinski (SD48) Update: October 24, 2019”

Rep. Laurie Pryor (HD48A) Update: October 7, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

Getting to the State Capitol can be a challenge for many Minnesotans living outside the metro area. But no matter where they live, all Minnesotans deserve a government that is accessible, accountable, and responsive. To that end, the Minnesota House resumed the tradition of holding mini-sessions in Greater Minnesota with one last week that included stops in Austin, Rochester, and Winona. Over the years, the House has held 14 mini-sessions and this year marked the 30th anniversary since it was last held in Winona. The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has information available on each of the prior mini-sessions.

Continue reading “Rep. Laurie Pryor (HD48A) Update: October 7, 2019”

Sen. Steve Cwodzinski (SD48) Update: September 18, 2019

September, 2019

Another successful town hall

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Tuesday marked another day of great turnout for Senate District 48’s town hall meeting! Representative Laurie Pryor, Representative Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn, and I had a wonderful time hearing from you all and providing an update on what’s been happening during interim.

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For those who were unable to attend, some of our big points of conversation surrounded marijuana legalization, the cost of college, and K-12 school funding. If you have any thoughts you would like to share, I would love to hear them! Continue reading “Sen. Steve Cwodzinski (SD48) Update: September 18, 2019”

Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (HD48B) Update: September 13, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

I hope you enjoyed your summer. As we transition to fall, our community still has plenty of opportunities to get outside. This past weekend, the Eden Prairie Community Foundation hosted Prairie Brewfest, where grants were awarded to several community nonprofits. I was glad to chat with many of the nearly 700 people who attended, including our State Senator Steve Cwodzinski and his lovely wife Patti.

Back to School Town Hall Meeting

I hope families in our community are all having a smooth transition back to school. Our community deeply values having excellent schools available to all of our learners at all levels. This legislative session, we made solid investments in our classrooms. Looking ahead, we know there is more to do, and Sen. Cwodzinski, Rep. Laurie Pryor and I want to hear your input about how we can deliver a world-class education to all students.

Next Tuesday, we’re hosting a Back to School Town Hall Meeting at Eden Prairie High School from 7 – 8:30 p.m. While the meeting will focus on education, we hope to hear your thoughts on others issues important to you, too. Everyone is welcome, and I hope you can join us!

Early Childhood Advisory Council

Along with the new school year is the first meeting of the Eden Prairie Early Childhood Advisory Council. The meeting will take place next Thursday, September 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the Education Center (8040 Mitchell Road). The council serves as the parent/teacher organization for early childhood in our community, giving parents an opportunity to be informed and to inform decisions that affect Eden Prairie’s Early Childhood Programs. Topics discussed have included technology, program offerings, curriculum, community outreach, and fundraising. Monthly meetings also include a guest speaker. As a “Little Eagles” parent myself, I know how helpful it is to network with other parents and connect with educators. For more information, contact info@EPAdvisoryCouncil.com. If you’re a parent of a young learner, I hope you’ll get involved!

Eden Prairie Fire Safety: Be a Hero!

The Eden Prairie Fire Department is encouraging kids to “be a hero” by committing to being safe in their homes, schools, and neighborhoods and in doing so, can earn a “cape.” Actions include creating a family fire safety plan, wearing a bike helmet or life jacket, or testing smoke alarms.

For committing to do these, kids will earn a “cape” drawstring backpack available for pick up at the city’s Public Safety Open House on Saturday, October 12 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Fire Station 1 (14800 Scenic Heights Rd.). Visit www.edenprairie.org/BeOurHero to find out more.

Please continue to contact me with your input and ideas. I value hearing from you, so don’t hesitate to call or email me. It’s an honor to represent you.

Sincerely,

Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn
State Representative

Rep. Laurie Pryor (HD48A) Update: September 10, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

I hope you all enjoyed your summer. We can be grateful for our rich outdoor heritage and the many events which allow us to gather as a community. One such event was the inaugural Northern Lights Lacrosse Festival, a youth tournament to support teen mental health. The players, organizers, and volunteers of this event dedicated their efforts to turning a tragedy into something positive for the community. Channel 5 aired a story prior to the event. I was honored to have been invited to serve as an honorary starter for one of the games.

In the next week, I’ll be available to discuss issues important to the community at two upcoming events. First, on Sunday, September 15, I’ll be joining my colleague Rep. Kelly Morrison of Deephaven for a Neighborhood Gathering from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. The event will be held at 19625 Chimo West Street, right on Lake Minnetonka. It will be an informal conversation about legislative topics, and snacks and beverages will be provided. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to bradshinkle@gmail.com. Continue reading “Rep. Laurie Pryor (HD48A) Update: September 10, 2019”

Sen. Steve Cwodzinski (SD48) Update: August 29, 2019

August, 2019

Town Hall Meeting –  September 17!

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Rep. Laurie Pryor, Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn, and I will be hosting a Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday, September 17! The forum will take place in the South Commons at Eden Prairie High School, and run from 7:00pm – 8:30pm.

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Please bring us your questions, comments, and concerns. Hope to see you there!

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Our town hall will also coincide with Constitution Day! On September 17, 1787, the US Constitution was officially ratified. This was the beginning of our movement towards a more perfect Union. I am proud of how far we have come since then, and look forward to what the future will bring.

New podcast episode coming soon

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Earlier in the week I made my second appearance on Call of the Senate, the podcast of the Minnesota Senate DFL. Joining me alongside the host, Sen. Jeff Hayden, was Sen. Susan Kent of Woodbury and Bernadette Burnham from Education Minnesota. We discussed some of the positive things we got done for Minnesota within the realm of education, and some of our priorities for next session. The episode will soon be made available HERE.

Still time to visit The Great Minnesota Get-Together!

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If you haven’t already, try to make some time to visit the state fair before it ends on Labor Day!

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I spent a couple days at the Senate Information Booth in the education building, and got to meet some truly wonderful people.

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Some of the people who stopped by happened to be constituents, including a group of students from Eden Prairie.

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Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan made a visit to the senate booth as well. Senator John Hoffman and I had a lot of fun catching up with her.

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I also got to chat with Education Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker.

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Senator Melisa Franzen from neighboring Edina also happened to be at the senate booth at the same time as me!

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Joel Glaser, from the Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations (AMPTERS), and I got to have our first meeting outside of the capitol, with his booth just a stone’s throw away from the Senate one.

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My favorite visit was from my wife Patti and my grandson Elliot. His sense of wonder at the tractors and other large machinery reminded me of how joyous this annual event really is.

 

Eden Prairie talks climate change, from the Community Center to Washington, D.C.

On the idyllic summer evening of July 30, nearly 70 people gathered indoors at the Eden Prairie Community Center to talk about how to save such days for future generations.

It was a community conversation on climate change, hosted by State. Rep. Laurie Pryor, DFL-Minnetonka, and both residents and elected officials turned out in force. Among them was Rod Fisher, a member of the local Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) chapter that had recently sent 20 members to Washington, D.C., to discuss bipartisan legislation to mitigate climate change; and Lia Harel, a recent Eden Prairie High School graduate and member of the climate activism group Minnesota Can’t Wait.

The mood was focused, and every speaker − including Eden Prairie Mayor Ron Case and City Council member PG Narayanan, State. Rep Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn, DFL-Eden Prairie, and State. Sen. Steve Cwodzinski, DFL-Eden Prairie − expressed the urgency they felt as activists and United Nations reports alike call for immediate and far-reaching changes to prevent dramatic environmental shifts.

View the complete August 6 article by Eden Teller on the SW News Media website here.

Rep. Laurie Pryor (HD48A) Update: August 7, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

I’m heartbroken by the tragic losses of life in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas this past weekend. These are two more events in a string of too many occurrences of gun violence that’s wrapping our communities across the country in anxiety and fear. It shouldn’t have to be this way.

While it’s important to honor the victims, it’s also important for us as policymakers to step up and act to end the epidemic of senseless gun violence. During the recent legislative session, the Minnesota House passed two strong measures which would reduce the access to guns for those who shouldn’t have them. The first would expand criminal background checks on gun sales. This is a common-sense measure supported by upwards of 90 percent of Minnesotans of all political and ideological backgrounds. The second would provide for “red-flag” laws to allow – if a court rules – to temporarily restrict someone’s access to firearms if they may pose a danger to themselves or others. This provides an effective tool to potentially prevent gun-related suicides or the shootings we’ve seen in Dayton, El Paso, and elsewhere. Continue reading “Rep. Laurie Pryor (HD48A) Update: August 7, 2019”