State briefs: Minneapolis-Duluth rail project to hold four open houses

The open houses will provide information on proposed safety improvements and changes to the 169 railroad grade crossings and an update on the project work and schedule. Project staff will be available but there will be no formal presentations. The project would operate on approximately 152 miles of existing railway track.

The open houses will be held in Hinckley on Oct. 18 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Hinckley-Finlayson High School, 201 Main St. E.; in Cambridge on Oct. 19 at the Cambridge City Center Mall, 140 Buchanan St. N.; in Askov on Oct. 24 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Pine County History Museum, 6333 H C Andersen Alle; and in Superior, Wis., on Oct. 25, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Superior Government Center, 1316 N. 14th St.

Mark Brunswick

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has authorized up to an estimated $49,711 in relief for Norman County after the county experienced severe thunderstorms, tornadic winds, heavy rain, and flooding in August.

Aid from the State Disaster Assistance Contingency Account will reimburse the county for public infrastructure repairs and cleanup costs, Dayton's office said in a release. Under Minnesota law, the state will reimburse 75 percent of eligible costs for public infrastructure repairs and cleanup, with local entities responsible for covering the remaining 25 percent.

Mark Brunswick

A Minnesota man who now oversees medical-device testing will soon take the helm of the Lake Superior Zoo, officials announced last week.

Corey Leet, 36, was named chief executive officer of the zoo after a search including candidates from various industries around the country.

Leet has a bachelor's degree in ecology, evolution and animal behavior from the University of Minnesota and a master's in organizational management from Concordia University. Currently, he is research operations manager at Medtronic's Physiological Research Laboratory. In college, he worked at the Minnesota Zoo and later served on the board of the Springbrook Nature Center.

Leet said in a news release that he dreamed of having a career at a zoo.

The zoo and adjoining city park are set to undergo $15 million in improvements.

Pam Louwagie