Minnesota Resort
markkennedy.house.gov
The Governor's Fishing Opener started in 1948 as a way to spread the word about all Minnesota has to offer and kick-start our tourism industry. Since then, its purpose has broadened greatly, because tourists now understand how great Minnesota's recreational activities are, so the opener celebrates the beginning of our robust tourist season. It's a great way for different groups to come together- the resort industry, media, public officials and participants. ... [Read More]
FRB: Beige Book - Minneapolis
Tourism activity was generally up from last year due to solid snowfall in several areas of the district. Downhill ski reservations in northwestern Montana were above a year ago. Early snowfall helped boost cross country skiing in northwestern Wisconsin, while a recent large snowfall in Montana and South Dakota has spurred a significant jump in skiing and snowmobiling compared with last year. A Minnesota ski resort reported strong visit numbers, about the same as last year. In contrast, a recent warming trend in Michigan's Upper Peninsula has drastically slowed winter activity; up to 80 percent of reservations in some areas were canceled during the holidays. ... [Read More]
Retail Unbundling - Minnesota
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has been studying the issue ofrestructuring and unbundling of retail natural gas sales for several years. In April 1995,Minnegasco, the largest local distribution company (LDC) in the state with 52 percent of theresidential business, filed a proposal that included a plan to aggregate small customers who couldthen choose their natural gas supplier. That proposal was rejected by the PUC because ofunaddressed concerns such as who, if anyone, would be the supplier of last resort, whethersystem reliability would be affected, and the amount and recovery method for stranded costs. InOctober 1997, a docket was issued convening a study group, followed by an August 1998 orderasking the group to develop a statewide natural gas unbundling plan within a year. In May 1999,the PUC closed the natural gas unbundling investigation (docket number G-999/CI-99-687) tofree the regulatory and energy participants to develop a comprehensive gas and electric utili ... [Read More]
FRB: Beige Book - Minneapolis
Low snowfall levels have decreased winter tourism in several areas. Snowmobile trails remained ungroomed as of early January in northwestern Wisconsin and several lodging establishments there reported lower revenues in December compared with past years. In contrast, a ski resort in northern Minnesota reported solid numbers of skiers in December, while January bookings are ahead of last year. A Montana ski resort reports strong activity due to favorable snow conditions in December; however, advanced bookings for the rest of the season are down compared with last year. ... [Read More]
Minnesota Low-Income Energy Programs - LIHEAP Clearinghouse
Please note these charitable funds are last resort emergency funds with limited resources and limited times of operation. ... A "last resort" program funded through customer contributions from Minnesota utilities and is administered by The Salvation Army. Provides money to help pay natural gas, oil, propane, wood, and electricity bills, and to help with emergency furnace repairs. Persons who are elderly and persons with disabilities are given special consideration. Grants are limited to $300 during any 12 month period. ... [Read More]
FRB: Beige Book - Minneapolis
After a mixed winter season, with some activities disrupted by intense cold, tourism officials and operators are generally optimistic about the 1997 summer season. Montana officials note a substantial increase in inquiries compared to a year ago. A Minnesota resort owner says, "We will have a good summer." Most sources describe great competition and a few worry that the stronger dollar will make foreign vacations relatively more attractive. ... [Read More]
Retail Unbundling - Minnesota
Overview: The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has been studying the issue of restructuring and unbundling of retail natural gas sales for several years. In April 1995, Minnegasco, the largest local distribution company (LDC) in the state with 52 percent of the residential business, filed a proposal that included a plan to aggregate small customers who could then choose their natural gas supplier. That proposal was rejected by the PUC because of unaddressed concerns such as who, if anyone, would be the supplier of last resort, whether system reliability would be affected, and the amount and recovery method for stranded costs. In October 1997, a docket was issued convening a study group, followed by an August 1998 order asking the group to develop a statewide natural gas unbundling plan within a year. In May 1999, the PUC closed the natural gas unbundling investigation (docket number G-999/CI-99-687) to free the regulatory and energy participants to develop a comprehensive g ... [Read More]
FRB: Beige Book - Minneapolis
Warm weather has slowed the start of winter tourism; however, inquiries and reservations are up overall compared to last year, especially in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and level in northern Wisconsin, according to tourism officials. The warm fall weather has stalled early ski traffic at a resort in northern Minnesota; however, reservations for the rest of the season are good. Reservations at a Montana ski resort are up 45 percent for the year. ... [Read More]
Heroin - Minnesota Drug Threat Assessment
There are, however, no indications of significant increases in crime or violence related directly to heroin abuse in Minnesota. Nonetheless, the highly addictive nature of heroin forces many users to resort to a life of crime to obtain the money necessary to purchase the drug. Heroin users often commit theft and burglary and occasionally engage in prostitution in order to support their addiction. ... [Read More]
FRB: Beige Book - Minneapolis
Housing permit activity was strong, but sales slowed. A representative of a contractors association in Montana reported that residential building remains healthy, especially high-end homes in resort areas. Permits for new housing construction in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area were up 15 percent in January compared with a year ago, but recent construction slowed due to cold and snowy weather. The number of closed home sales was down 20 percent in January in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, with the median price 5 percent greater than in January 2003. ... [Read More]
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