Dear Neighbors,
I hope you and your family have been able to enjoy summer so far. Whether it be our lakes, parks, trails, or any number of other opportunities, it’s a great time to take advantage of our abundance of outdoor recreation activities.
For my part, I continue to participate in events around the community. This past Sunday, I attended an event with other elected officials hosted by members of the Chinese Minnesotan community. The Political Engagement Seminar was a terrific opportunity to discuss how Minnesotans can get involved in their government and affect positive change in a variety of issues, like improved education offerings. I look forward to dialogues like this in the future.
Staying Cool
With hot temperatures taking hold recently, it’s important to stay cool, but also to save money. The Minnesota Dept. of Commerce’s website has a Heating and Cooling section that has in-depth information on how air conditioning systems work, information and tips regarding maintenance, and the energy and cost-saving benefits of high-efficiency AC units. Additionally, it has many ideas for how to reduce the heat and humidity inside your home, which will lower the stress on your AC system.
The Dept. of Commerce also has a Home Energy Guide available here with valuable tips to improve efficiencies in a variety of ways and ultimately experience lower energy costs.
Real ID
As folks travel for summer vacations, I know Minnesotans are still concerned about impending changes to required identification for boarding airplanes. This past spring, the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security approved an extension for Minnesota’s compliance with the federal Real ID program. Last month, during a quarterly check-in, Homeland Security determined Minnesota is making adequate progress toward compliance.
Minnesota is on track to have Real ID driver’s licenses available by October 1 of this year, but these Real ID licenses won’t be required until 2020. You can continue to use your existing driver’s license to go through security check-in at airports. If you need to renew your license between now and October 1, you can do so as you normally would. For more information, please visit the Minnesota Dept. of Public Safety online here.
Throughout the summer and into the fall, please continue to contact me with any questions, ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance. It’s an honor to serve as your State Representative.
Sincerely,
Laurie Pryor
State Representative