The Minnesota House DFL on Sept. 9 elected Rep. Zack Stephenson, District 35A, which includes Anoka and the majority of Coon Rapids, to serve as caucus leader during an organizational caucus. The House DFL currently has 66 members, pending a special election in District 34B on Sept. 16 with Xp Lee, DFL, facing Ruth Bittner, GOP.
On Sunday, August 31, Rep. Tom Emmer, GOP Majority Whip, spoke to Martha Raddatz on ABC This Week. On the the subject of the recent mass shooting at the Annunciation Catholic Church involving students from the primary school, Emmer attacked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) for “not giving schools enough resources to prevent a shooting that killed two children in Minneapolis last week.”
“It’s going to be very important that the schools have the resources,” he said.
Martha Raddatz noted, however, “After mass shootings in Buffalo and in Uvalde, Texas, Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. It provided hundreds of millions of dollars for schools to expand mental health services, enhance safety measures. You did not vote for that bill. Why?”
“I don’t remember the reasons that I didn’t vote for that bill,” Emmer replied. He had nothing further to say about how he had decided that vote.
That was not the only time Tom Emmer refused to support gun safety measures. Here is his voting record on a number of bills responding to the many mass shootings in recent years. More content available at the votesmart.org link.
07/29/2022
Assault Weapons Ban of 2022
No
07/13/2022
Active Shooter Alert Act of 2022
No
06/24/2022
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act
No
06/09/2022
Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act of 2021
No
06/08/2022
Protecting Our Kids Act
No
03/17/2021
Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021
No
03/11/2021
Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021
No
03/11/2021
Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021
No
02/28/2019
Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019
No
02/27/2019
Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019
No
District 4 School Board Candidate Abbey Payeur spoke to the Anoka-Hennepin School Board during a recent meeting. Abbey, who is a recognized expert in literacy instruction, specializes in evidence-based reading instruction and structured literacy. As Vice-Chair of The Reading League Minnesota and frequent presenter to teachers, principals, school administrators, and teacher-trainers, Abbey provides high-quality professional development to teachers ensuring that they have the tools to support all learners. As a member of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), she helps families advocate for the needs of their children with dyslexia. Her research at the University of Minnesota focused on neurological differences and neuroplasticity found in students with dyslexia. With experience as both a classroom educator and university professor, Abbey is committed to bridging the gap between research and practice to improve literacy and learning outcomes for all students.
State Fair Grandstand Donut Booth – Fair opens a week from TODAY! Please share with anyone that you think would enjoy a free ticket to the fair and help us in the booth!
This is all brand new for our SD31, but I think it is an exciting opportunity and can be fun if you have a couple people you’d like to work with!
Appreciate everything you all do and look forward to a fun time at the fair!
Summer is a time for fairs and community days and DFL Senate District 31 is looking for interested persons to participate. Here is your chance to meet neighbors and make new friends. Do your part to build a joyful, strong community where all belong!
Volunteers are needed to staff our booth and/or march in the parade on September 6th. Bring a friend (or two) to join in on the fun! Parade line up starts @ 10:00 am but please be there by 10:30 for 11:00 am parade start. Please come; would like as many marchers as possible!
Don’t miss out on a chance to make a difference in your community. Sign up HERE today for Saturday, September 6th!
More festival information can be found on the Ramsey Happy Days website.
Greetings, DFL Friends–
High summer is upon us — many are getting away from the heat to lakes, cabins, rivers like our own Rum, or even just lawn sprinklers! And the news from DC continues to be hot and heavy. It can be a real relief to focus on things closer to home. Among the main challenges locally are school board races — more on that below.
Also, a number of picnics, parades, and similar events are on tap for late summer, and many need more support — so check the lists below and on our website, and get out with other progressives.
It is amazing to see that truth and facts now are seen as having a liberal bias. As this is being written, the EPA is planning to revoke its finding that greenhouse gases are dangerous. As portrayed in the book “1984,” we are being told that black is white, hot is cold, and wrong is right. A test of MAGA membership is the ability to “believe” something you know is false. (By the way, “1984” is now being banned by MAGA groups, just as was done by the Soviet Union. And it is easy to see why.)
To counter that, here is a recent reminder from Thom Hartmann.
The problem, of course, is that reality has a well-known leftwing bias. That’s because reality, unlike rightwing ideology, is rooted in facts. For example:
Trickle-down economics has never helped the working class; it’s a scam to transfer wealth to the rich.
Immigrants are not more likely to commit crimes; they’re less likely.
Late-term abortions are rare and almost always involve severe fetal abnormalities or risks to the mother; women don’t “love getting abortions” or do so with little thought.
Unions raise wages and reduce inequality; they don’t “steal from workers.”
Climate change is real and accelerating, and fossil fuel companies and Republicans have known it — and spent billions to cover it up — for decades.
Renewable energy is cheaper than coal, gas, or oil in most of the world.
People on public assistance are usually not “lazy” but are either disabled, working or actively seeking work, or living in areas where there is no work.
Raising the minimum wage doesn’t increase unemployment; it boosts the economy which increases employment.
Universal healthcare works in every other developed nation; it’s not “impossible” to implement here in America.”
The U.S. was not founded as a Christian nation, but as a secular republic.”
So let’s hold on to the truth, verifiable facts, and to our connections with each other — to weave a community fabric that can resist all the lies, hate, and corruption. We need each other, every one of us, to make it through this difficult time!
Take a look at these opportunities and sign up — enjoy the company of fellow progressives and speak out to our community.
14001 Silverod St. NW, Andover, MN 55304
Meet Abbey and choose from hundreds of free, gently used books for kids and adults. Then make an optional donation to Abbey Payeur for Anoka-Hennepin School Board. Book donations are also accepted at DFL Saturday Morning Coffee every Saturday from 8:30am to 11:00am at Starbucks inside Andover’s Target. Donated books are also accepted at 16381 Inca St. NW, Andover. (Leave them on the porch if no one is home.)
Event:
https://dflneighborhoodnetwork.net/event/abbey-payeur-book-fundraiser/
Abbey’s Website:
https://www.abbeypayeurforschoolboard.com/
From CD6: “Join us for the second event in our CD6 Candidate Forum Series as we work together to find the strongest candidate to unseat Congressman Emmer in 2026.”
Several potential candidates will be on hand.
Topics will include:
“Bring a friend, come with questions, and be ready to engage. Let’s build a campaign rooted in grassroots energy, informed decisions, and collective strength.”
Sign up and get more info here:
https://www.mobilize.us/dfl/event/799947/
Our biggest fundraiser of the year, and a chance to get together with other DFL’ers from nearby districts. Lots of good food and good friends. Sign up to volunteer, and/or send us your info for silent auction items. Every cent from these items goes to SD31, so submit an item or two to the auction!
To Volunteer:
https://volunteersignup.org/LHALQ
For Silent Auction — print and fill in the Bid Sheet (below). We need name, address, and value of the item to be donated (for our reports). This can be dropped off with the item at the Picnic.
https://mcusercontent.com/
Kari is the DFL representative from our neighbor district, SD35. She is running again and is working to be sure the DFL re-takes the MN House.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdzbdCFRS2qR4GiYq5jlPaVp9xQCRQ3miWQBM5472T8XXAkvQ/viewform
August 23-28 (Saturday through Thursday)
State Fair DONUT BOOTH
This year SD31 is working with other DFL Districts to run a Donut Booth at the State Fair. And we share in the proceeds. Shifts are 5-6 hours in length. We have openings on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday of Fair week — one morning and 3 afternoon times are available. Sign up here:
https://www.grandstanddonuts.com/sd-31-volunteers
DFL Statewide Call (see below)
Protests at Emmer’s Office, Otsego
Tuesdays 4-5 pm
Saturdays 11 am- Noon
SD31 DFL Coffee Break- DFL Neighborhood Network
Saturdays 8:30- 11:00 AM
Starbucks Inside Andover Target
Coffee Break at Coburn’s in Ramsey
Each 2nd + 4th Saturday
SD31 DFL Monthly Meeting
[NO SD31 MEETING IN AUGUST DUE TO NORTH METRO PICNIC]Next: Tuesday, September 9
6 pm Social Gathering; 6:30 Business
Ramsey Game Fair
Ramsey Happy Days – Parade!
And
Linwood Family Fun Days
Anoka-Hennepin
Work Sessions allow for observation only— but we need people to watch what is happening! Major decisions are often made in these meetings, without a written record.
Work Sessions- Second Mondays, 5:30 pm
Education Services Center, 2727 Ferry St, Anoka
Next: 8/11
Regular School Board Meetings- Fourth Mondays, 6:30 pm
Sandburg Ed. Center, Anoka 1902 2nd Ave
Next: 8/25
If you cannot make the meetings in person you can also watch live. The agenda and streaming link are posted here:
https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Organization/2720
St Francis
2nd and 4th Mondays , 6:30 PM, Community Room, District Office
4115 Ambassador Boulevard NW, St Francis MN 55070
NEXT: 8/11, 8/25
See our calendar page at VoteBlueMN.org for more events. And look for additional sign-ups at the DFL Neighborhood Network website:
https://dflneighborhoodnetwork.net/
Links You Can Use
Keep checking our SD31 DFL Website: VoteBlueMN.org
Indivisible North Metro on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/indivisiblenmh/
Common Cause Minnesota
https://www.commoncause.org/minnesota/
Brennan Center for Justice
https://www.brennancenter.org/
Clean Elections MN
Heather Cox Richardson
Heather Cox Richardson Posts
https://heathercoxrichardson.
The website states that there is a free Subscription option; access to comment requires a paid Subscription.
Thom Hartmann- The Hartmann Report
You can also hear Thom Hartmann from 11am to 2 pm daily on the radio (and lots of other progressive programs) on the Twin Cities progressive radio station, AM 950 (KTNF)
FREE! CONTRIBUTE to SD31— FOR FREE!
Make a donation of any size to SD31 and get a full refund— before the legislature takes it away!
Contribute whatever you can– and then GET A FULL REFUND for any amount up to $75 per person. If you make smaller donations, save your receipts and submit them together— this is a one-time refund per person. Each member of a couple can get the full $75 refund.
After donating at VoteBlueMN.org, just print and fill the following document and send it in with your receipt. The address is on the form.
https://www.revenue.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/2024-12/pcr-25.pdf
Email Updates and Submissions
Newsletters and other Emails from SD31 DFL will typically be sent out on Monday or Tuesday, once or twice a month. If you have an item to share, please submit it by noon on Friday to:
We also welcome longer items for our website if you have articles, blogs, or letters that you would like to share! Check the site out at VoteBlueMN.org.
THANK YOU for every effort you are able to make— no matter how large or small. Stay connected with us as we struggle to resist the authoritarian extremists and to make our communities, state and country better.
Let your voice be heard!
A Good Economy for Working Families
Fighting Hatred and Racism
Liberty and Justice for ALL— including Women’s rights and reproductive freedom
Taking care of our Home– the Earth
Love Your Neighbor
Truth, Justice and Compassion
Non-Violence
Showing up to Do Your Part
… and because even though it should be obvious in the USA, they seem to have forgotten:
The Rule Of Law
The Constitution Of The United States
SD31 DFL Communications
sd31dfl@gmail.com
According to the St. Francis School District website on July 24th, A Special Election for one seat on the St. Francis Area Schools (SFAS) School Board will happen on Tuesday, Nov. 4. The filing period for interested candidates runs from Tuesday, July 29 to Tuesday, August 12. The interim Board Member is Jessica Bakken-Kleven who replaced Andrea Anson after she resigned on June 6. The winner of the special election will step in after certification of the election results and serve until January 8, 2029. Instructions for filing are found here.
To qualify as a candidate, you must:
Abbey Payeur, Mom of three, brings experience and expertise to the role of school board member. Running in District 4 of Anoka-Hennepin, Abbey is in it to win. She is busy meeting community members and speaking about the importance of making school boards use evidence-based decision-making. Board members must use their positions to make good decisions for the wellbeing of the kids and to strengthen our community. Abbey had a booth at the Ham Lake Freedom Festival on Saturday, June 28th and also attended the Andover Family Fun Fest on July 11th and 12th. A Town Hall (TBA) is coming soon.
Future events will be posted here and on Abbey’s website.
Related: Jodi has contributed an excellent article on The Importance of School Board Elections at our sister website, DFL Neighborhood Network.
Indivisible and Mobilize.Us/nokings write:
Across the country, authoritarian forces are getting bolder and more dangerous. Trump and his allies are not hiding their agenda: mass deportations, rollbacks of civil rights, weaponized courts, and full-scale attacks on our democracy. …
That’s why this summer, we’re launching One Million Rising—a national effort to train one million people in the strategic logic and practice of non-cooperation, as well as the basics of community organizing and campaign design.
This is important. Protests, no matter how big and frequent, are not enough. If this movement is something that interests you, please consider the trainings listed below. If you know anyone who may be interested, please pass this message on. If you are able to post this information anywhere else, please do so.
Sessions (sign up):
Session 1: The Moment & Your Mission – July 16 Get oriented to making meaning of this moment and the role you can play in coordinated strategic action.
Session 2: How to Make it Happen – July 30 This train-the-trainer session is how we get to one million. Learn not just our strategy, but how you can train others and get them on board. You’ll host your first community resistance gathering after this session.
Session 3: What Now? – August 13 You’ll be onboarded to basic campaign design and learn how to implement it locally as well as get plugged into our next national campaign work. Your second community resistance gathering will move this action forward.
Stay Strong!