US Sen. Amy Klobuchar sets schedule for job tour

MINNEAPOLIS – To help push for more economic recovery action from Washington, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar will spend much of next week on a Main Street Jobs Tour throughout Minnesota, focusing on opportunities for job creation with infrastructure and renewable energy projects,

Klobuchar’s plans to visit communities in 17 counties between November 30 and December 4.  The visits include the Twin Cities, Rochester, Duluth, Moorhead – as well as Blue Earth, Fairmont, Madelia, New Ulm, Le Center, Detroit Lakes, Park Rapids, Pine River, Sebeka, Long Prairie, Baxter, Little Falls and Sauk Rapids.

The Main Street Jobs Tour will continue later with visits to the Iron Range and southwestern Minnesota.

Klobuchar said she will meet with business leaders (especially those in energy or infrastructure-related businesses), as well as area economic development agencies, elected officials and workers to discuss how to move the economy forward and create jobs in Minnesota.

President-elect Obama recently indicated that he will propose a national economic recovery plan focusing on immediate relief to the middle-class and investments in infrastructure and renewable energy.

“We all know the economy is in deep trouble,” said Klobuchar.  “I believe the best response is to create jobs on Main Street and provide the middle class with significant relief while also building a solid foundation for long-term prosperity.”

She added: “Obama’s economic recovery plan should be especially good for Minnesota, with his focus on infrastructure and renewable energy.  I want to go back to Washington and advocate for this recovery plan based on what we’re already doing in Minnesota and what more needs to be done.”

Klobuchar’s tour will kick off in Golden Valley on Sunday afternoon with a briefing at M.A. Mortenson Company on renewable energy and infrastructure projects.  Headquartered in Minnesota, Mortenson is among the nation’s largest construction companies.  Its Energy Group is the leading builder of wind power facilities in North America, with 78 wind energy projects across the U.S. and Canada.  Mortenson is also a leader in the construction of biofuel plants.

Below is the full itinerary of Klobuchar’s Main Street Jobs Tour next week.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30

2:00 p.m.          Golden Valley

Briefing on renewable energy and infrastructure opportunities with M.A. Mortenson Company (a leading builder of wind power projects and biofuel facilities).

700 Meadow Lane North
Golden Valley

MONDAY, DECEMBER 1

9:00 a.m.          Rochester

Briefing and demonstration of “Project Green Fleet” (retrofitting buses for cleaner operation).
Rochester Civic Center30 Civic Center Drive SE

11:50 a.m.        Blue Earth

Meeting with the Southern Minnesota Initiative Fund.

Faribault County Courthouse
415 North Main

1:15 p.m.          Fairmont

Meeting with area economic development officials.

Southern Minnesota Educational Campus
115 South Park Street

3:10 p.m.          Madelia

Meeting on renewable energy projects with Rural Advantage

Madelia City Hall

116 West Main Street

5:05 p.m.          New Ulm

Meeting with Associated Milk Producers, Inc. (AMPI)

315 N. Broadway

7:15 p.m.          Le Center

Meeting with area first responders

Le Center Fire Department

175 S. Cordova Ave.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3

9:00 a.m.          Moorhead

Meeting with business leaders and area economic development officials

Meeting Room

Moorhead Wastewater Treatment Facility

2121 28th Street North

11:00 a.m.        Detroit Lakes

Meeting and tour at local company that designs and manufactures power-train systems.

TEAM Industries

1551 Richwood Road

1:00 p.m.          Park Rapids

Roundtable with State Rep. Brita Sailer, area economic development leadership

and small businesses about broadband and cellular service.

Community Room

Northwoods Bank

1200 East First Street (Hwy 34)

2:40 p.m.          Pine River

Meeting and tour of a local organization that makes and installs solar water heaters for residential use.

Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (RREAL)
Hunt Utilities Group Campus
2330 Dancing Wind Road S.W., Suite #2

4:45 p.m.          Sebeka

Meeting to discuss the telephone co-op’s work on solar/wind hybrid renewable energy systems.

West Central Telephone Association
308 Frontage Road

6:40 p.m.          Long Prairie

Roundtable with city and economic development leadership about the Long Prairie business incubator project.

Long Prairie City Hall
615 Lake Street South

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4

9:00 a.m.          Duluth

Briefing and tour of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority

1200 Port Terminal Rd

1:00 p.m.          Baxter

Meeting and tour at manufacturer of products for the renewable energy and backup power markets.

Silent Power Inc.
13256 Dogwood Drive

2:30 p.m.          Little Falls

Meeting with Minnesota National Guard and tour of the Minnesota Military Museum

Camp Ripley

4:00 p.m.          Sauk Rapids
Meeting with area veterans.

Sauk Rapids VFW
901 N Benton Dr,