Laserfiche WebLink
www. sctimes.com/)ocai <br /> <br />Local/State <br /> <br />Assistanl managing editor, Mike Knaak, 255-8747 St. Cloud Times · Monday, Oct. 20, 2003 <br /> <br />'All Aboard' ralli <br /> <br />Group of Northstar supporters plans <br />'I\msday even t to launch ~uapaign <br /> <br />B,r Kit-st5 Mapohn <br /> <br /> Dan Severson anti <br />Roland Fro)'en make <br />st ra nee politimM bedfd <br /> But Ihe consem~ve s~te <br />lawmakcr from Sauk <br /> <br />82-mile Northstar rail line <br />from Rice to Minneapolis. <br />The 2.0 to 26 people who <br />regularly at- <br />tend bi- <br />monthly %4.11 <br />Aboard~ <br /> <br />Rapids and the environ~ meetings <br />mentalist former te;tcher of hope the ef- <br />L)mden 'l'owmhip have <br />found one thtngthey firm- <br />ly agree on: the need fin' <br />~n~lmuter rMI. <br /> Sevem~n and Iffoyen are <br />p~tll of a ,ew gr~sroots of <br />ganizaLion promoting the <br /> <br />fort will <br />cmwage state R~p. Dan <br />lcgnslators to Se~ersan <br /> <br />8 ti p 1) 0 r t Suppurls <br />lkmding fnr Nodhstar <br />Nortbst~ n~ ~r. <br /> "I think we've illustrated <br /> <br />that folks from all different <br />tmints of xdk~v eau ~work to- <br />geth~ on a common inter- <br />est," Froyen smd- <br /> All Aboard kicks off ils <br />public campaign 'lXmsday <br />evening with a celebration <br />featuring music and speak- <br />ers. Participants will be <br />asked to sign a pedfion sup- <br />pordng the rail line sand to <br />join-a rally at the state Capi- <br />tol early next year. <br /> .all Aboard was born af- <br /> :er a DFL-sponsored <br /> Noohsmr fontm last July in <br /> St. Cloud. It now includes <br /> business and labor repre- <br /> sentatives, senior citizens <br /> and members of the D.FL, <br /> <br />If you go ... <br /> What: "All Aboard" cele- <br />bration to promole North- <br />star commuter rail. <br /> When,, Doors open al <br />6 p.m. Tuesday for music, <br />refreshments and tours of <br /> <br />State <br />Chocolate compaay rebuilds <br />a-Prat train rolls into [hct()ly/2B <br /> <br />lB <br /> <br />for rail <br /> <br />the new school. Program <br />begins at 7 p.m. <br /> Where: Sauk Rapids- <br />Rice High School. <br /> <br />Republic. an, Greem m~d In- <br />depea~dence parties, Froyen <br />said. <br /> The group is not spon- <br />sored or funded by the <br /> <br />cities, counties and t¢mm- <br />ships along the corridor. All <br />Aboard has sought priwate <br />donations and has a <br />$4,000 budget, Froyen <br />· said. <br /> Northstar suppmlers be- <br /> lieve 2004. is a key year in <br /> their efforts to get state <br /> funding fi~r the $302 mil- <br /> lion project. <br /> "The goal is to get the <br /> bonding through next leg- <br /> islative session," said All <br /> Aboard member Jim <br /> Graeve of bt. Joseph. <br /> In past years, the l~qpub- <br /> <br />Northstar Corridor Devel- licm~-eonu'olled ]louse h~s <br />opment Authority, tim or- been reluctant to back <br />ganization formed by th& <br /> <br />the cost. Gov. 'rih'~ Pawlen- <br />ty said he'll reserve judg- <br />ment on whether to sup- <br />port the project ~lntil he <br />sees an analysis from the <br />Feder'A Transit Admin <br />Lration. <br /> Severson, a Sauk Rapids <br />Republican, said he hopes <br />~MI Ab.ard genre'ares Ioc;d <br />cntlmsiasm about the proj- <br />ect and attracts the atten- <br />tion of legislators in <br />Sk Paul. <br /> <br /> "lt brings some aware- <br />ness do~m at the Capitol, <br />but it atto sho~ a skeptical <br />House that people along <br />the corridor are exalted <br />commuter rail because of about this," Severson ~aid. <br /> <br /> <br />