MONTEVIDEO, Minn. — A Montevideo parent says he's prepared to run Minnesota's first medical marijuana manufacturing operation if the state can't get the drug elsewhere.
Jeremy Pauling is a member of the state's new task force that will study the impact of the new medical marijuana law. Pauling's daughter, Katelyn, suffers from a degenerative brain disease and her family thinks medical marijuana could help her.
Pauling tells Minnesota Public Radio he has county and city support for building an indoor growing facility to provide the marijuana extract legalized by the state earlier this year.
The Minnesota Office of Medical Cannabis has until Aug. 1 to determine if the state can rely on the federal government to supply the marijuana it needs. If not, the marijuana will be grown and manufactured in Minnesota.
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Minnesota Power to pay for state park improvements
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Power has agreed to make $53,000 in improvements at Jay Cooke State Park instead of paying a penalty for stormwater violations.
The MPCA says Minnesota Power hired a contractor in 2012 to do excavation work near the utility's boat launch on the Island Lake reservoir in Duluth. But the MPCA says they didn't have a proper state permit and failed to take the proper precautions to prevent sediment from flowing into the reservoir, a popular fishing and recreation spot. They later took corrective actions.
In lieu of a penalty, Minnesota Power will make at least $53,000 in improvements at Jay Cooke State Park near Carlton. The work is intended to stabilize ongoing erosion on a hillside near a scenic overlook that was caused by a major flood in 2012.
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Feds release money to fix flooded Minnesota roads
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The federal government has released $4.25 million to help repair flood-damaged roads in Minnesota.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said Thursday that the emergency relief funds would be available immediately from the Federal Highway Administration.
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The money is in addition to an initial "quick release" payment to Minnesota of $750,000 announced last month.
Gov. Mark Dayton announced Wednesday that Minnesota would get up to $5 million in federal highway dollars to fix some flood-damaged roads.
Minnesota saw widespread flooding, mudslides and high winds in June.
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Gorilla briefly escapes main zoo enclosure
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A gorilla at the Como Zoo in St. Paul escapes its main enclosure.
But, zoo officials say a second gorilla-proof barrier kept the animal from roaming free Thursday morning.
The zoo told visitors to get inside a safe shelter, including the conservatory, when the gorilla got out of its enclosure. But, officials say no visitors or animals were ever in danger.
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The gorilla is back inside its main pen.
