Minnesota briefs: College of St. Benedict to host AG Keith Ellison at town hall meeting

The College of St. Benedict will host a town hall meeting this week with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

The event, sponsored by the CSB/SJU Multicultural Center and McCarthy Center, will be moderated by Louis Johnston, economics professor. The conversation will cover health care mergers, student debt and more.

The town hall meeting is open to all. It begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Gorecki Center.

JENNY BERG

ROCHESTER

City vies for $1M in art funding

Rochester is hoping to obtain $1 million over two years for a large-scale public art project across three sites in the community.

"ARTiculation: Destigmatizing Mental Health and Creating a Pathway to Well-Being" would have installations in the Oak Terrace neighborhood and the 41st Street NW area, as well as a third installation at Mayo Park.

Deputy City Administrator Cindy Steinhauser told the City Council last week that neighborhood residents will be involved in designing and creating the installations, and local artists will help design the Mayo Park installation.

The city won't find out if it has been selected to receive funding until the fall, but local officials likely will try to find other funding sources if Rochester isn't chosen.

TREY MEWES

EVELETH

Ida Rukavina, who was appointed commissioner of Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation in December and has been in the role since January, was confirmed by a Minnesota Senate vote on Thursday.

She replaces Mark Phillips, who was in the role for eight years and recently retired.

Rukavina, who was raised on the Iron Range, will oversee the agency charged with economic development. The IRRR, which has an advisory board of legislators, uses taconite production taxes from mining companies to support projects for public works and private businesses. Rukavina has worked with different levels of government and the labor movement.

She has a master's degree in political leadership from the University of Minnesota Duluth in addition to undergraduate work in politics at Clark University.

Rukavina most recently was the executive director of the Range Association Municipalities and Schools. She is the daughter of the late Tom Rukavina, a DFL representative.