Minnesota briefs: Gov. Dayton authorizes disaster relief for St. Louis County

Gov. Mark Dayton last week authorized $2.1 million in relief for St. Louis County from the State Disaster Assistance Contingency Account.

The money will be used to help address damage to public property caused by a major winter storm with heavy snow and gale force winds on Oct. 27. Some of the worst damage occurred along Lake Superior's North Shore, where whopping waves battered the shoreline in and around Duluth.

The state account reimburses 75 percent of eligible costs for a county's public infrastructure repairs and clean up costs.

Mark Brunswick

Several parking ramps in downtown Duluth are now offering a free hour of parking to make it easier for holiday shoppers — and to get people accustomed to ramp parking in advance of work on Superior Street next year.

In a move orchestrated by the Greater Downtown Council, four city ramps and three private ramps are offering the free hour, council president Kristi Stokes said. Those who stay beyond an hour will be charged regular ramp rates.

Stokes said leaders are trying to get shoppers to change their habits from looking for street parking spaces directly in front of businesses to heading for ramps. Superior Street construction is scheduled to begin in the spring.

"We decided that it would be appropriate to kick it off during the holiday season because we know it takes time for people to change their habits, for people to feel comfortable going into ramps," Stokes said.

Pam Louwagie

Organizations in six communities across Minnesota have been given grants by the Minnesota Humanities Center aimed at remembering the war in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

Beginning in March 2018, host communities will collaborate with at least two community groups or organizations to host discussions and community engagement activities.

The events are designed to build awareness, honor personal relationships to war and engage critically with historical events in their local communities, the center said.

The six organizations are:

•Charles Lindbergh House and Museum, Little Falls, Minn.

•HomeFront Resource Center, St. Cloud.

•Minnesota State University Moorhead, Moorhead, Minn.

•St. Louis County Historical Society, Duluth.

•The SEAD (Southeast Asian Diaspora Development) Project, Minneapolis.

•SGU (Special Guerrilla Unit) Veterans and Families of USA Inc., St. Paul.

The Minnesota Humanities Center will provide grants of $5,000 to $20,000 and logistical support, facilitator training, and co-planning. The grants are presented as part of Twin Cities PBS' (TPT) Minnesota Remembers Vietnam initiative.

Mark Brunswick