DNR hosts a virtual open house for conversations about deer

ST. PAUL — Anyone interested in discussing deer and deer management can tune in to a virtual open house on Tuesday, Aug. 18, hosted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

The meeting will include a presentation from Barbara Keller, the DNR’s big game program leader, who will share information about Minnesota’s deer and deer hunter population, explain some of the upcoming changes for this fall’s deer hunting season, and describe how the public can provide input about deer management in their areas. There will also be time for questions and answers.

As part of Minnesota’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the DNR will be using a web-based platform to host the deer open house online.

“We’re looking forward to continuing these conversations about deer management from a safe distance,” Keller said. “This is a great opportunity to bring everyone together across the state and hear people’s deer-related questions.”

All are welcome to join the virtual meeting from 6-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18, on their computers, on smartphones or by phone (with limited visual capability). Registration for the event is required and available on the deer open house webpage. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions in advance on their registration form.

The open house will be recorded and available online on the deer open house webpage for those who cannot attend. For questions about deer in local areas, at any point during the year, people are encouraged to contact their local wildlife manager. A list of area wildlife offices is available online at mndnr.gov/areas/wildlife.

Torkelson receives Energy Champion Award from coalitiont

HANSKA – The Coalition for a Secure Energy Future is announcing a series of “Energy Champion” awards to a group of Minnesota legislators.

In a first, the Coalition presented the award to Rep. Torkelson via Zoom due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

“The Coalition is proud to recognize Rep. Paul Torkelson as a dedicated leader for his work to make electricity cheaper and cleaner,” Johnson said. “Rep. Torkelson knows that low cost energy is key to moving our economy forward and his support of all-of-the-above electricity ensures we can continue in that direction.”

“I’m very pleased to receive this award, as providing affordable and reliable energy to southwestern Minnesota residents has always been one of my top priorities,” Torkelson said.

The Coalition was founded in 2014 to enhance, preserve, and protect our diverse set of energy resources, including coal-based electricity, to ensure a continued affordable and reliable energy supply for families and businesses in Minnesota. Learn more at www.secureenergyfuture.org

The Lignite Energy Council works to maintain a viable lignite coal industry and enhance development of the region’s lignite coal resources for use in generating electricity, synthetic natural gas and valuable byproducts. Members of the Lignite Energy Council include mining companies, major users that use lignite to generate electricity, synthetic natural gas and other valuable byproducts, and businesses that provide goods and services to the lignite industry.

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