by T.W. Budig
ECM Capitol reporter

Gov. Tim Pawlenty this weekend will address a crowd of some 700 Republicans who could have a lot to say about how he spends his future years. Pawlenty is expected to speak Saturday, Nov. 7 to Iowa Republicans at a “Leadership for Iowa” reception at the state fairgrounds in Des Moines.

With its early presidential caucus, Iowa is a proving grounds for presidential hopefuls — that Pawlenty is appearing there is seen as significant.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty is expected to address Iowa Republicans  tomorrow (Nov. 7) at the state fairgrounds in Des Moines. Pawlenty's appearance is seen as important, because if Pawlenty does decided to run for president, Iowa and its caucuses could figure largely in his fortunes. (Photo by T. W. Budig, ECM Capitol Reporter)

Read more: Gov. Pawlenty expected to make key speech in Iowa Saturday

Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN - The Minnesota Twins, in conjunction with advertising partner Periscope, today announced the first commercial of the 2010 "This is Twins Territory" campaign will debut on Twin Cities television stations starting Monday, Nov.9.

The first new ad for the Twins inaugural season at Target Field is entitled "Twins-portation" and features Joe Mauer, Michael Cuddyer, Denard Span, Joe Nathan and a special cameo appearance by former Twins manager Tom Kelly. The commercial also features an appearance by an unfortunate White Sox fan.

Read more: Twins to launch first TV ad for inaugural season at Target Field

Minnesota Human Services Commissioner Cal Ludeman today (Friday, Nov. 6) announced plans to continue providing health care coverage through MinnesotaCare for people enrolled in the General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) program when the program funding ends on March 1.

People who are enrolled in GAMC on this date will be automatically transitioned to MinnesotaCare by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). No action will be required on the part of these enrollees, who will receive a notice from DHS about the transition.

Read more: GAMC enrollees to receive health care through MinnesotaCare

The Apple Valley boys soccer team have achieved perfection. The Eagles won their eighth state title and capped off a 24-0-0 record Thursday at the Metrodome in Minneapolis in the Class AA final.

“They’re the best Apple Valley team all time,” head coach Chuck Scanlon said. “I can say that now. We had to win a state title first. They have the drive, excitement, speed. It’s been a great year."

Apple Valley's boys soccer team beat Wayzata 4-0 to win the state championship. This is Apple Valley's eighth state title and a year in which head coach Chuck Scanlon celebrated his 500th career win. (Photo by Rick Orndorf)

This year’s fall musical presented by the Forest Lake High School drama department is based on a familiar children’s fairytale that incorporates a message of tolerance.

“HONK!”, which opens this weekend, is an adaptation of the Hans Christian Anderson story “The Ugly Duckling.” The music and lyrics are by the British songwriting duo, Anthony Drewe and George Stiles. See more in Jennifer Larson's Forest Lake Times preview.

Cambridge Mayor Marlys Palmer on Nov. 2 presented a proclamation in recognition of East Central Regional Library’s 50th Anniversary, which is being celebrated this month.

The library, established in 1959 by Isanti, Mille Lacs and Pine counties, became the second multi-county library system in Minnesota. See more in Editor Jon Tatting's Isanti County News story.

The long-arm reach of a reality television show was not long enough to lure in a Rush City woman who works in Forest Lake.

Chief of Police Clark Quiring said a call to the Forest Lake Police Department on Monday may go down as a first. See more in Editor Cliff Buchan's Forest Lake Times story.

One year after her car collided with a deer, causing paralysis from her armpits down, Lynne Dorr struggles with the question of why this happened to her as she rehabilitates to hopefully be able to walk and play with her daughters again.

“I have two little girls that I want to be a good mom for and do things with them that I used to do and I can’t do those things any more,” she said. See more in Eric Hagen's ABC Newspapers feature story.

Her daughters Kalissa, 7, and Kaelyn, 5, are an inspiration to Lynne Dorr in her goal to walk again someday. Dorr was driving through Blaine the morning of Nov. 8, 2008 when a deer sprinted onto Radisson Road near Arnold Palmer Drive and smashed into the driver’s door of her car. The vehicle went off the road and crashed through a fence and into a group of trees. She is paralyzed from the armpits down and has limited movement in her arms. (Photo by Eric Hagen)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Al Franken, and Byron Dorgan yesterday (Thursday, Nov. 5) sponsored legislation to prohibit the use of personal wireless communication devices by the flight crew while operating commercial aircraft.

Klobuchar, an Aviation Subcommittee member, and Franken joined Commerce Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Byron Dorgan to introduce the legislation in response to the recent Northwest Airlines incident in which pilots claimed they were distracted by working on their computers and did not respond to radio calls for 91 minutes. The plane flew 150 miles past its destination of Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Read more: Bill introduced to ban use of wireless devices in airplane cockpits

NEWS RELEASE

Washington DC  – Legislation to extend unemployment benefits and the Homebuyer Tax  Credit program passed the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday (Thursday, Nov. 5) and is now on  its way to President Obama to be signed into law.

The bill corrects what Eighth District Congressman Jim Oberstar, DFL, calls a “gross oversight in the House bill,” by extending the unemployment benefits  for an additional 14 weeks in all 50 states, instead of limiting the  extension to the 31 states with the highest unemployment.

Read more: Congress extends unemployment benefits and homebuyers credit