Minnesota briefs: Center of the American Experiment reschedules Rochester event after cancelation

The Center of the American Experiment (CAE), a conservative Minnesota think tank, will put on a public safety-focused event in Rochester after all.

"The Crime Crisis," a discussion on crime trends and what communities can do about them, will take place from 4:30-6 p.m. April 26 at the Rochester Event Center.

The think tank planned to host the event at Rochester Golf & Country Club last month but the club cancelled it after members circulated a petition. CAE is suing the country club for breach of contract and Erin Nystrom, a club member who created the petition, for interference with a contract.

TREY MEWES

EAST GRAND FORKS

City looks at improvements to transit system

Cities Area Transit (CAT), the transit system serving the twin cities of East Grand Forks and Grand Forks, N.D., is in the midst of a yearlong effort to set new goals and understand how to better serve its users.

At an East Grand Forks City Council meeting last week, CAT presented the results of a series of surveys of residents and businesses on system improvements.

Ridership was down about 42% from 2019 to 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in line with similar areas such as Sioux Falls, Dubuque, Iowa, and La Crosse, Wis.

Riders surveyed said the most desirable improvements would be more frequent trips and more routes serving different areas of the city. Riders called for more bus shelters and said the routes should be better coordinated with work and class times.

Of the businesses surveyed, 60% said they believed their employees would use public transit if it were available and convenient — and 60% also said their company didn't have easy access to mass transit.

CAT said it's looking at changing routes and hours, as well as adding some "microtransit" options, allowing riders to arrange a ride through an app.

The transit system is continuing to gather public input and will be developing a final plan in the fall.

JOHN REINAN

WASECA

City awaits visit from a very rare repairman

Waseca is scheduling a repair of the blowers at its wastewater treatment plant, but it's not as easy as lining up a technician for a home project.

"Part of the challenge is, at this point, there is one person in the world that we're aware of who repairs these blowers," City Manager Lee Mattson told the City Council at a meeting earlier this month. "He travels the country and fixes blowers in the plants that still have this."

The plant's four blowers circulate air to promote the growth of bacteria that break down the organic matter in sewage.

JOHN REINAN