LOCAL NEWS - MONDAY, JULY 26, 2010 Posted on 07-26-2010 HOUSING COSTS IN MINNESOTA REMAIN HIGHER THAN WAGES; THAT’S ACCORDING TO AN ANALYSIS OF ALL THE COUNTIES IN THE STATE, DONE BY THE MINNESOTA HOUSING PARTNERSHIP … LEIGH ROSENBERG, A RESEARCHER FOR THE HOUSING PARTNERSHIP, SAYS MANY JOBS THAT TRADITIONALLY PAID A LIVING WAGE (LIKE TEACHING, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND RETAIL SALES) NO LONGER DO. ABOUT TWENTY-TWO PERCENT OF RENTERS AND TEN PERCENT OF HOMEOWNERS PAID AT LEAST HALF THEIR INCOME FOR HOUSING; RENTAL COST INCREASES WERE MOST PRONOUNCED OUTSIDE THE TWIN CITIES. THE GREENBUSH PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS A UNIQUE ART EXPERIENCE CALLED STEAMROLLER PRINTING THIS AFTERNOON (3-7 PM) … GREENBUSH LIBRARIAN ANGIE PETERSON. STEAMROLLER PRINTING IS AT THE WARROAD PUBLIC LIBRARY TOMORROW AFTERNOON (1-4 PM). ALTRU CLINIC OF ROSEAU IS OFFERING SPORTS PHYSICALS TOMORROW EVENING (4:30-7 PM), FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES SEVEN THROUGH TWELVE. CALL 463-1365 TOSCHEDULE AN EXAM; THE COST IS THIRTY DOLLARS. THE ROSEAU COUNTY BOARD MEETS TOMORROW MORNING. STATE CHANGES TO THE GREEN ACRES PROGRAM COULD SHIFT THE TAX BURDEN NEXT YEAR FROM RURAL TO RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS. AL HEIM IS ROSEAU COUNTY’S ASSESSOR … THE GREEN ACRES PROGRAM WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED IN THE 1970’S TO DEFER RAPIDLY RISING PROPERTY TAX INCREASES ON FARMLAND, ESPECIALLY IN THE SUBURBAN TWIN CITIES. A FOURTH ANNUAL GARDEN PARTY IS SATURDAY (Noon) AT THE BADGER COMMUNITY CENTER; FOLLOWED BY A TOUR OF SIX LOCAL GARDENS. TICKETS ARE TEN DOLLARS. IT’S HOSTED BY THE BADGER CREEK CHURCH. ROSEAU COUNTY IS PART OF A STATEWIDE HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH IS AIMED AT SMOKING CESSATION AND WEIGHT LOSS. PAULA HEDLUND, FROM LIFECARE MEDICAL CENTER, SAYS THERE IS A PRACTICAL VALUE TO BE GAINED FROM THE “SHIP” PROGRAM … STATE PROJECTIONS SAY THE COST OF HEALTH CARE WILL BE LARGER THAN THE ENTIRE CURRENT STATE BUDGET WITHIN TWENTY YEARS. THE U.S. SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE HAS APPROVED MORE THAN THIRTY-THREE MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR FLOOD MITIGATION (AND OTHER) PROJECTS IN MINNESOTA. PART OF THAT MONEY IS TWO-POINT-FIVE MILLION DOLLARS FOR ROSEAU’S EAST DIVERSION FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT; THAT PROJECT ALSO GOT FOUR-POINT-SIX MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT. THE BILL NOW GOES TO THE FULL SENATE. THE TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY SEASON OF WARROAD SUMMER THEATRE’S POPCORN PLAYERS OPENS TOMORROW NIGHT WITH THE CHILDREN’S MUSICAL “SHAKESPEARE COMES TO CALAMITY CREEK”. THE ROSEAU SCHOOL BOARD MEETS TOMORROW EVENING. THE BOARD IS EXPECTED TO OFFICIALLY HIRE AN ELEMENTARY PHY ED TEACHER, WHO WOULD ALSO BE THE HEAD FOOTBALL COACH.