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Friends and Neighbors-

While the legislature does not reconvene until Feb. 12, the turn of the year has definitely turned up the pace. Tomorrow morning is the Business Roundtable in Rush City, at Roxy's coffeeshop, at 9 am. Then, it's off to North Branch and then to Saint Paul, before a meeting at the end of the day in North Branch. Of course, Wednesday I have to be at the airport at 5 a.m. to get to the Midwest Energy Solutions Conference in Chicago Wednesday - Friday. I wonder, did my wife know how little she'd see me this winter...?

ANOTHER "RIDE-ALONG"

As part of my effort to walk a mile in as many different people's shoes, I spent today as a "ride-along" with Chisago County Attorney Janet Reiter. I sat in on criminal court this morning, with the Assistant County Attorneys, as they dealt with everything from Felony Possession of Firearms to misdemeanor public nuisance cases. I also observed a typical Order For Protection hearing. During the afternoon, I talked Land Use issues, Juvenile Substance Abuse Court, and other issues that the County Attorney's office faces every day.

The Assistant County Attorneys - the "line prosecutors" - have a very heavy case load. I was impressed with how well they handle how much they have thrown at them, and the speed at which it comes.

I've done "ride-along"s with law enforcement, with EMS, with builders, with attorneys, with teachers, and I've taken the Food Stamp Challenge - to feed myself on a food stamp budget for a week. If you'd like to invite me to walk a mile in your shoes - to do your job for a day (schedule depending), please let me know!

CAMBRIDGE VETERANS ROUNDTABLE

Tonight, Senator Olseen and Representative Eastlund and I joined more than 60 military veterans and families for an energetic and lively roundtable discussion at the Cambridge American Legion. 20-year Navy veteran Bob Potts put together the event, and the great turnout is to his credit, and to Isanti County Veterans Service Officer Jim Rostberg.

One of the topics we discussed was my Military and Overseas Voting Bill that was vetoed by the Governor last session. As you know, because of rep tape and our late primary date, fewer than 20% of our active duty servicemembers who tried to vote in 2006 actually had their vote arrive in time, if at all. I've worked with the Secretary of State, the Pentagon, and Senator Sharon Erickson Ropes (a Navy veteran herself) on the bill, and the Governor committed to it in his veterans agenda for 2008. I am very optimistic about its odds this year.

I will try to send an update from Chicago later this week, if I can.

All my best,
Jeremy

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Jeremy Kalin
State Representative - 17B
sign up for my email updates at www.house.mn/17b

Contact me at the Capitol:
Rep.Jeremy.Kalin@House.mn
651.296.5377
579 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive
St. Paul MN 55155

Contact me at home:
11629 Loftman Trail
North Branch, MN 55056
651-257-9861
Jeremy@Kalin.com