Students from Duluth & the Twin Cities Gather to Support the Northern Lights Express

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 6, 2012

CONTACT:

Brian Downing, Co-Chair, UMD MPIRG           Dakotah Johnson, Organizing Director, MPIRG

218-390-3096 – cell                                              715-379-2541 - cell

downi065@d.umn.edu                                          dakotah@mpirg.org

Students from Duluth & the Twin Cities Gather to Support the Northern Lights Express

What | Students from the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG) in Duluth and the Twin Cities have joined forces to host a “Rolling Press Conference” in order to raise awareness about the proposed Northern Lights Express (NLX) high-speed rail between Duluth and Minneapolis and to show their strong support as Minnesota’s future generation of leaders. The event will feature press conferences in Duluth, Hinckley, St. Paul, and Coon Rapids with local elected officials, community members, and students representing each area testifying why they support the NLX and why Minnesotans should be all aboard this project.

When, Where & Who | Saturday, December 8, 2012:

9:45am - Duluth Depot with confirmed speakers

Representative-elect, Rick Nolan, U.S. CD 8

John Ongaro, Director, St. Louis County Intergovernmental Affairs

Jason Reid, UMD Student, UROP High Speed Rail and NLX

12:30pm - Hinckley Fire Museum with confirmed speakers
            Jim Oberstar, former U.S. Representative CD 8

Commissioner Doug Carlson, Pine County, NLX Alliance Board Member
Councilor Sharla Gardner, Duluth City Council

Representative Diane Gibbs, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, NLX Alliance Board Member

Students from UMD

1:00pm - St. Paul Union Depot with confirmed speakers

            Representative Frank Hornstein, Minnesota House, 61A

            Kristen Peterson, Environmental Task Force Leader, UofM – Twin Cities MPIRG

Nicholas Matzke, Co-Chair, Macalester MPIRG

3:00pm - Coon Rapids, Foley Blvd Metro Transit Station

Students and NLX supporters will gather together from across the corridor for a final event to show support of the project and excitement as the project continues to move ahead.

For further information or questions contact Brian for the Duluth and Hinckley press conferences at (218-390-3096) or (218-726-8157), and Dakotah for the St. Paul and Coon Rapids press conferences at (715-379-2541).

The Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG) is a grassroots, non-partisan, nonprofit, student-directed organization that empowers and trains students and engages the community to take collective action in the public interest throughout the state of Minnesota.
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