Let’s see, Albert Lea 10am, then Austin on Wednesday (gotta admit, I fell asleep when charging my phone!); then Zumbrota at 10am, back home then off to Kasson yesterday evening. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Handed out at close to 400 of these. Lots of time and not much done other than yack and yack. Lots of good questions, lots of the same questions, and lots of pointed “If you’re seriously concerned, GET ON eDockets!! NO EXCUSES!” That was the message of the day… days.

The crowds were… shall I say these were highly attended? 160+ in Albert Lea, 150+ in Austin, ? in Zumbrota, and 100+ in Kasson (weird place, in the middle of the County Fairgrounds).

I did learn something at the Albert Lea open house — I’ve not been tracking routing much as it’s Certificate of Need that’s ongoing now. What I learned is that is that there’s a proposed route, though in the narrower purple line, that is right below Myre-Big Island State Park! THIS IS MY PARK!!! We camp-hosted there, and spent so much time at Big Island, meetings with Doreen Hansen and Association of Freeborn County Landowners, hearings at the college:

You’d think they’d avoid a State Park? It’s also going through the Freeborn Wind project area, the landowners there getting hit again.

And speaking of viewsheds, here’s the poop… The blob of land where the “38” is, that’s Big Island, the campground is up against the water. I went to the park after the open house, killing time on the way to Austin…

From Google, here’s the Island, showing the campground.

Sites 1-5 are on that upper loop, along the road next to the lake. the furthest site, at that crossover is site, the camp host site. Sites 1-4 have the best internet on the island, have officed there many times, particularly during the Freeborn Wind fiasco (WS-17-410).

And at Site 1 way back when, before meeting Doreen Hansen, Association of Freeborn County Landowners:

Here’s what I found at Big Island. Standing at the lake by the bench across from Site 1 yesterday, though I had my directions off, and due south is a bit to the left. There was a loon just off the shore! And those lattice towers would be how far above that treeline? Impact on State Park viewshed, anyone?

Also, look at those protected areas south of the lake — I can’t imagine they’d really route it through this area, but knowing how this works, I’ll be taking a close look at the other route on the north side of Albert Lea, and on the lookout on other route issues proposed for this long route.

We’ll see how this goes. It’s not really time to look at routing, I’ve been working on rustling up participation in this Certificate of Need docket, and routing, that’s not a job for North Route Group and NO765MN, but it sure got my attention!!

Note the changes, fewer route options proposed on the poweronmidwest.com page, the “I-90” route has been eliminated, apparently. However, they can return, and other options can be added as well, it’s not over until it’s over.

Here’s the North Route Group and NO765MN Motion for Reconsideration of the amended Scoping Decision:

What happened? Well, on July 9, 2026, the Public Utilities Commission took up Objections to the Scoping Decision – info and video of the meeting here, it’s worth a look:

“SUFFICIENT INFORMATION” at this time?

Then, the written order came out, July 15, 2026:

The problematic part is in yellow, problematic because it shifts timing of production to NOW, before there’s a record (other than miscellaneous comments filed), before the contested case. This means that system alternatives can be rejected NOW, before we even get to the contested case, before they’re evaluated in the Environmental Report, AND, if not in the Environmental Report, system alternatives won’t be considered by the Commission. Well, we could try for a Supplement to the Environmental Report, but good luck with that! System alternatives need to be added to the mix NOW!

The Applicants have some time to respond to our Motion, and then it’ll be taken up by the Commission, it’ll take at least 3-4 weeks, what with a response, notice, etc.

ONWARD!

This is the fourth postcard that’s been returned out of 462 so far. How is this undeliverable? The address is the same as every other one, and the “Release TRUMP files” has been on the last 100 or 150, maybe 200.

????

When the 3rd one came in, I went to our Post Office here, and the Postmaster said she couldn’t see any reason it was not deliverable.

????

So now there’s a movement afoot to limit public comment at City Council meetings.

Watch the meeting HERE, click on meeting media.

Better yet, come on down. Meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. (4th Monday meeting is now at 6:30, not 6:00)/

Here’s the scoop:

Nope, that is a gross misstatement of what’s at issue, a gross misstatement of the issues I, this “resident,” raised. Here’s the problem, which I laid out in writing and the Council Administrator was on that email list, and which I discussed before the Council. There’s no excuse for not knowing, there’s no excuse for this “misstatement” by the Council Administrator:

And note in the Council Administrator’s Staff Report the characterization and the number of times the word “attack” is used–EIGHT TIMES!!!

A major point is the failure to understand the distinction between “attack” and “criticism.” I’ve run into this before on campaigns where an incumbent thinks that raising stupid or awful votes with big impacts on constituents is an “attack,” or “negative campaigning,” that those raising the voting record are “so MEAN.” Enough of the whining and crying.

Council members are elected officials, and council members are public figures, who by running for office and being elected to represent those of us in the City of Red Wing, have “thrust themselves into the vortex” and yes, being an elected official, it’s part of the job to absorb criticism, due and even not — it’s the job. Ideally, it’s to hear criticism, consider it, and maybe even act differently!! This is not about “comments or gestures that are threatening, profane, lewd, vulgar, obscene, harassing, or abusive.” These are comments about Council as a whole and/or Council members’ votes, policies, statements, and all ar subject to criticism, and even laudatory statements! And frankly, I think it’s about folks not wanting to hear what’s being said, and not wanting what’s being said to be public. Too bad…

For example, had I not raised Mayor Iocco’s lobbying for nuclear power on behalf of Xcel Energy in North Dakota during public comment, would the public even know?

Iocco’s nuclear lobbying for Xcel – May 15th, 2026

Would the public, or even all the Council members know he had this to say? Were these statements authorized by the Council?

Was this riff authorized by the Council? Has Iocco and the Council and the public forgotten the defrocked Mayor Dennis Egan’s ejection/resignation due to lobbying, a conflict of interest, when he was head of frac sand industry lobbying entity and when a frac sand loading facility was being considered in Red Wing and loading and mining nearby?

• Mayor Egan Resigns March 7th, 2013

• Mayor Egan to resign? Sand mining bill introduced! February 23rd, 2013

And don’t forget our right to petition about grievances:

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Oh yeah, we have grievances, and we ARE going to oh-so-politely let you know!

Hot off the press, the Chief Judge at Court of Administrative Hearings has denied W.O.L.F.’s request for disqualification of Judge Mortenson:

Here’s the background, Affidavit #1 of 2:

And Affidavit #2: