ACLU’s KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Training
June 7th, 2025
From the ACLU, here’s their announcement and registration for their training:
Minnesota: Know Your Rights While Protesting!
Getting ready to protest this weekend? Join our Minnesota-specific know your rights training on June 11th.
On June 14th, while President Trump’s military parade takes place in the Capitol, communities across the country will mobilize en masse for the No Kings national day of action- standing in bold defiance of any attacks on our rights.
This moment builds on the energy of Hands Off! and May Day mobilizations, uniting people in every corner of the country – rural and urban, red states and blue, and everything in between.
Together, we’ll send a powerful message: we reject authoritarianism and we will not stand by as our freedoms are eroded. The power of the people is- and always will be stronger than the people in power.
Before you mobilize – join our Know Your Rights Training. This training will prepare you to show up safely and confidently at this nonviolent action. Whether you’re marching, rallying, or supporting from the sidelines, you’ll learn how to protect yourself, your community, and stand up for your rights.
WHAT: June Know Your Rights Training
WHEN: June 11th at 6 PM CT
WHERE: On Zoom- RSVP for the link!
https://act.aclu.org/a/minnesotakyr
What we’ll cover:
- Know your rights during protests and law enforcement encounters
- Get prepared to take action safely, powerfully and together
Join our know your rights training and together we will build the knowledge and strength to take nonviolent action on June 14th and beyond.
Because when we know our rights, we can defend them. Let’s get ready. RSVP NOW.
Notice of Accessibility: The ACLU strives to create inclusive and accessible events that enable all individuals to fully engage with its programming. Please email npad_ad@aclu.org with any accessibility needs and we will do our best to accommodate.
RSVP NOW: https://act.aclu.org/a/minnesotakyr
A disturbing nuclear trend
June 2nd, 2025
Here are a few of the most recent nuclear related Executive Orders:
- Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security EO 14299 May 23, 2025
- Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission EO 14300 May 23, 2025
- Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy EO 14301 May 23, 2025
- Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base EO 14302 May 23, 2025
I’d thought the most troubling is the first one, EO 14299, Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security, but he’s not talking about nuclear weapons, and that’s a relief when there’s a demented crank at the wheel.
And there is Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base EO 14302, which includes:
Whoever thought this is a good idea — restarting closed plants? Ramping up capacity? Constructing new plants? Nuclear power failed for a reason, primarily cost, and also technology.
Sure, if these yahoos are going to pay to promote and build nuclear, it’ll happen. But just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean you should.
It’s good to be home!!
June 1st, 2025
Homeward bound! It was a short month as camp host at Frontenac State Park, a regimen of stocking toilets, and minor cleaning, firepits garbage free and ready for use, in my May domain:
On the way in, the pelicans were gathering on the “lakelette,” hundreds, there were probably thousands on Lake Pepin.
After last year’s flooding in the Wawona 6, because there was no bathtub floor, no floor at all, in the vestibule… not to be repeated!
I got a 2 room inflatable tent for a month-long DRY stay. It worked. Even though a branch blew out of a tree and popped through the tent, gorilla tape did the job and it was DRY. Comfort was the goal, and this was essentially a hotel room or studio apartment!
The tent was perfect. It’s not the super expensive Russian one ($1,700+). I confess, IT’S FROM TEMU! I did a lot of youtubing, and figured out some features, like needed to be a double unit, plexiglass skylights, and a good tub floor. I picked the heavier of material, 400+ v. 200+, and yeah, that sucker is hard to move around, but for long term camping, that’s the best. It inflated so easily, took less than 5 minutes, and what took most time was that they MUST be guyed out thoroughly, so it was, and in that entire month, it never needed more air. The doors are kind of awkward, doors on both ends, and the zips aren’t too well thought out. There also should be at least a little awning, but I did get a 2nd tarp though didn’t get around to putting it up. The floor seems too light duty, even with tarp below, and a pad on top to protect — there may be teeny holes from all the rocks. When it’s hot, it’s HOT, so a fan would be good, but mostly this May, it was COLD, and a little space heater did the job. It just wasn’t weather to hang around outside, and way too windy for cooking, despite the stove table with a tall windbreak.
It does have a stovejack for hot-tenting, though I don’t think I want to camp in the snow in a TENT.
The last week was a very long week, well, 10 days, VERY LONG poison ivy days. Yeah, I’m whining… this was NOT fun. The hit to my immune system was intense, not really able to function. Started the 22nd, and it’s still grim today. I guess another week or two.
It was an “interesting” time. There was a fire, a stump smouldering behind a campsite, a bit into the woods, and then leaves starting to burn, flames jumping up. The camper brigade put it out, and the Lake City Fire Dept doused it thoroughly just to make sure:
Another day, a guy put his trailer into a tree and couldn’t get it out. Sometimes too many years with a CDL pays off — I got it out of the tree and backed into the site. The tree and the trailer were damaged a little, but survived.
There were very well attended public hearings for Xcel Energy’s Mankato-Mississippi River transmission project in Waterville one evening, and Nancy Prehn got to weigh in:
The next night it was Zumbrota, and the VFW was packed:
It was at the Zumbrota hearing where we hard from the first of the 1,341 landowners who did NOT receive notice that their property may be affected until just 2 weeks prior to the public hearing. He was rightfully pissed off, and I hope that he was heard by all.
Prior Legalectric posts — note that no other intervenor was concerned about this — UNREAL:
Public Hearings & NO NOTICE to 1,341 newly affected landowners May 11th, 2025
More on the 1,341 Landowners May 14th, 2025
And an otherwise busy month too, with appearances by A.G. Ellison in Red Wing:
A meet & greet with Jake Johnson for CD1 in Lake City — we really need to get rid of Brad Finstad:
A good Indivisible meeting in Cannon Falls, and a follow up on the Data Practices Requests I’d sent to the City of Cannon Falls about the TRACT Data Center scheme (not a peep yet):
Alan’s every Friday protests growing strong in Red Wing, and then there’s Wabasha:
Overland 1 – Wabasha Police 0 May 24th, 2025
A cool evening with Miletichs’ Clearwater Hot Club at the Widespot Performing Arts Center
Catching up on postcards:
Lots of days literally attached to Maisy, working away her reactivity, teaching her “mat” and how to walk around and assist with cleaning fire pits ,and she NEVER emitted in the tent…
And for sure I didn’t cook enough. I was SO COLD and WINDY that it was impossible for too many days, and then hit by poison ivy, and not in the mood. Corncakes were high on the agenda though, and obviously… GONE!
IT’S GOOD TO BE GOING HOME! Right Maisy?!?!
MMRT public hearing in Waterville
May 28th, 2025
Well, between the poison ivy and the wobbly front end of the car, I felt cursed, but forged on ahead. In the morning at the campsite, the low tire light was on AGAIN, I’d just filled yesterday morning, and on loading on the way to Red Wing, then Waterville, I saw a worn through spot and cord of the tire. Oh great… called around and the only place that had the tires and could get me in was… WALMART! Ran over there and they got me in right away, with the caveat that if the front end was screwed up, they wouldn’t put tires on. Thinking it was the front end, like a tie rod end about to fall off, oh, I was freakin’ but as luck would have it, a tire belt had broken and the tire was falling apart!! Haven’t had that happen before, and GOOD, they slapped tires on and off I went. Made it to Waterville only 10 minutes or so late! The poison ivy didn’t go away, but that’s life… whine, whine, whine…
They spent a full HOUR going over the intro powerpoint, and it was really hard to stick with it given the itchies. I’m glad I had Nancy Prehn there to keep me in line (former Sen. Dick Day said, about Prehn, ““I think you’re a very vicious lady. I’ve never had anybody talk to me like this in my 29 years of public service.” He knows a little about Prehn’s ability to keep someone in line!):
What was interesting is that the Xcel handouts identified a “preferred route,” which had been filed with testimony in March 2025 (which landowners would not know about):
It appears that Waseca, the City of, is on that Highway 14 alternate route, and they didn’t get notice, the Mayor said that they’d received notice a couple weeks ago. The City isn’t on Xcel’s list from their January 31, 2025 notice, and of course, Commerce-EERA didn’t send notice. This needs to be checked out, and I understand the City of Zumbrota is also wanting to weigh in.
Notice has been an issue in this project proceeding. Remember, it was Nancy Prehn who notified CenterPoint of the original proposal to run transmission right over the gas dome. BOOM!
Xcel did not even mention the natural gas dome in its application of April 2, 2024, and didn’t bother to chat with CenterPoint until May 2! Here’s the map that we drew up when doing boots-on-the-ground recon, and put in the record in our comments:
And back to notice — it’s a problem, and I’m trying to track down who got notice when, and it’s hard to even how many “original” landowners were affected and who received notice! Hence these two requests:
Frankly, Asst. A.G. Dornfeld, I don’t care what it’s called or what the rules are for IRs or DPA Requests, I just want the info and I want it in the record. We need to establish who got what notice when. If the route selected affects landowners who did not get adequate notice, you’ve got a problem. And then there’s the question if cities along the route got notice, particularly those along Hwy 14. City of Waseca may not have received timely notice. Is that correct? Are there others that did not receive notice?
Beginning TODAY – MMRT hearings!
May 27th, 2025
Put this up yesterday when it was tomorrow, and now it’s TODAY!
MMRT? That’s what they’re calling the project above — Mankato-Mississippi River Transmission.
COMMENT PERIOD CLOSES
4:30p on JUNE 10, 2025
Minnesota need? Ummmmmm, no… It’s all based on MISO claims:
It’s not real clear from the notice, but this is THE time for the public to comment on need. These are hearings for both the need docket (E002/CN-22-53) and the routing docket (E002/TL-23-157).
And as an NSP engineer testified way back in the Arrowhead hearing, “It’s all connected,” and that big long line described above is just a part of a much bigger plan:
And it’s moving right along, so don’t wait. Now’s the time to show up:
My car is acting up and I can’t get it in until Monday, so we’ll see how this goes.
Prior Legalectric posts on this project:
Public Hearings & NO NOTICE to 1,341 newly affected landowners May 11th, 2025
More on the 1,341 Landowners May 14th, 2025
Here’s the Commerce-EERA chart on landowner notifications from December, 2024:
Comparing this and the numbers from the Xcel notice, and they just don’t add up:
I sent these Info Requests to make some sense of it:








































