Area news briefs

Sen. Tony Kinkel, DFL-Park Rapids, was appointed vice chair of the Higher Education Budget Committee.

His other committee assignments include Children, Families and Learning, Education Finance, Higher Education Budget, Jobs Energy and Community Development and Local and Metropolitan Government.

Kinkel, who has a doctorate in higher education administration and is a former member of the adjunct faculty at Central Lakes College, was elected to the Senate in December in a special election to replace Dave Ten Eyck, who accepted a judgeship.