LWV Roseville Area is sponsoring Candidate Forums for the candidates running in area elections. The purpose of the Candidate Forum is to give voters an opportunity to hear candidates discuss the issues of importance to them in this election. The candidates will answer written questions from the public during these moderated events. Written questions will also be accepted via email until noon the day of the event at lwvrosevillearea@lwvmn.org.  The event is free and open to the public.  Here is the list of Candidate Forums:

Participants will receive a League button and learn about the purpose of observing local government meetings (city, school district, county), procedures for being a League observer, topics that we have positions on and how to report in after the meeting. Tuesday, September 11, 6:30-8 pm.  Lexington Park Building, 2131 Lexington Avenue N., Roseville.  Everyone is invited – new or experienced!  Bring friends.

The League of Women Voters Roseville Area marched Sunday, August 6th in the Canadian Days Parade in Little Canada. It was a wonderful, fun event and the people of Little Canada came out in full force to view it. Kudos to a fabulous community that is part of our Roseville Area LWV.

Refugee resettlement to the United States has been slashed over the last year and the number of new refugees entering the country is at a historic low. How are refugee resettlement groups navigating the political turmoil to help refugees start over in a new community?

In November 2016, 86% of Washington DC citizens voted to petition Congress for statehood for the residential and commercial parts of the city.  Find out why statehood will give the residents of DC their first representation in Congress since 1801.

Parkland students were in the Twin Cities for events over the last week end of June which included a Town Hall Forum at Osseo High School.  Two LWVRA members attended.  A panel of Parkland and other student activists from Chicago, Milwaukee, and MN communities including, Rochester, Maple Grove, St. Paul, and Osseo responded to student moderator questions and audience questions.  Discussion focused on reasons for gun safety and policies which need to be advanced along with ones (such as arming teachers) which the students believe make no sense nor positive difference.  Gun violence occurs in many forms in addition to mass shootings ~~~ domestic violence, suicide, road rage, accidental shootings by and of toddlers, etc.  

LWV Roseville Area will host a presentation by Sarah Walker, founder of Minnesota Second Chance Coalition.  Second Chance is a nonpartisan coalition of over 50 organizations who advocate for policies and outreach to enable individuals who have been incarcerated to transition successfully into their communities and to prevent relapse into the criminal justice system.

Among Ms. Walker’s extensive background in social justice, is service as a board member of the William Mitchell Reentry Clinic Advisory Board and past member of Governor Dayton’s Minnesota Sentencing Guideline Commission.  In 2016, she was named one of the “40 under 40” by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal for her contributions as a lobbyist, Second Chance founder and president of the Coalition for Impartial Justice.

The League of Women Voters Roseville Area is once again hosting the highly popular Brews and Book Reviews event on Tuesday, July 24 at 7:00 p.m. at the Bent Brewstillery, 1744 Terrace Drive, Roseville (between Lincoln Drive and Fairview Ave.).  Attendees are encouraged to bring a book to recommend to others for summer reading.  Craft beers and non-alcoholic drinks are available for purchase.  

The event is open to the public.  Invite a friend and join us for a relaxing evening discovering what is on everyone’s recommended book list.  Consider posting the flyer attached to the Voter in an area that you visit. 

LWV Roseville Area members, as part of the affordable housing study, toured Prior Crossing in St. Paul.  The facility is 44 studio appartments for homeless aged 16-24.  The Wilder Foundation provides on-site services, and the facility was built and is administered by Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative.  We were extraordinarily impressed by the services available to residents and its facilities.  Our tour leader, Denise Ellis, assured us that our voices are the most powerful and valuable resource we can use to promote the cause of affordable housing.

This photo shows what greets every resident when they enter their own apartment for the first time.  There will be a full article in the July-August issue of The Voter.  

After a seven year absence, LWV Roseville Area will have a presence in the Rosefest Parade on Monday, June 25.  We will be carrying the banner Marching is Not Enough. Vote. and probably other signs about voting.  We won’t try to do voter registration.  We’ll just be reminding the crowds that League is around and encouraging them to vote.  It should be a fun time.  The course starts at Roseville High School at 6:15 p.m. and we march to Lexington, turn left past Central Park and then turn on County Road C and finish at Civic Center Drive.  It’s one mile long.  Please contact June Stewart at juneret@comcast.net  or Sherry Hood at sherrychood@comcast.net to get more details and let us know you will be participating.  We hope to see you there.