Local briefs

ST. PAUL -- Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently announced the appointment of Rep. Mary Ellen Otremba, DFL-Long Prairie, Sen. Jim Vickerman, DFL-Tracy, Rep. Brad Finstad, R-New Ulm, Raymond Christensen, Maddy Forsberg, Steve Hansberry, Paul Iverson, Michael Mulder, and Rhonda Wiering to the Rural Health Advisory Committee (RHAC).

Otremba is state representative for District 11B, which includes all of Todd County and part of Douglas County. A substitute teacher and farmer, Rep. Otremba is currently serving in her fourth term in the Minnesota House of Representatives. She is a member of the both the Finance and Policy Committees for Health and Human Services. Rep. Otremba received a B.A. in Home and Community Service from the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota. She recently completed a yearlong National Rural Health Leadership Fellowship from the National Rural Health Association. Rep. Otremba is appointed to a four-year term ending January 1, 2007. She will serve as the RHAC member who is in the minority party in the House of Representatives. She replaces Rep. Bernie Leider on the Committee.

Walk for Safety set for Monday

CASS LAKE -- Louis' Walk for Safety, for victims of violence, will be at 6 p.m. Monday in Cass Lake. The walk will start at the Cass Lake American Legion.

The safe walk is being held in honor Darrell "Louie" Bisson, a legally blind man who was beaten to death by teenagers on Nov. 29 while walking his dog in downtown Cass Lake.

An Ojibwa taco sale will follow at the American Legion.

EDA to meet Thursday

The Brainerd Economic Development Authority will meet at 8 a.m. Thursday in the city council chambers at Brainerd City Hall.