Congressman Erik Paulsen, R-Third District, will host a town hall meeting from 7-8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 2, at the Southview Middle School auditorium, 4725 Southview Lane, Edina.

"Paulsen will provide an update on recent legislation in Congress and share information on some of his other initiatives while taking questions and comments from constituents attending the forum," according to a news release.

Target has been getting a lot of flak recently because of the corporation’s $150,000 donation to MN Forward, a group running ads in support of Tom Emmer, a Republican running for governor. Emmer is not in support of gay marriage and has in fact authored a constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex unions.

Eden Prairie resident Randi Reitan documented her disappointment in Target’s support of Emmer by visiting the Eden Prairie Target last week, purchasing more than $200 in items, then returning the items right away and cutting up her Target charge card.

The public is invited to meet Minnesota DFL gubernatorial candidate Margaret Anderson Kelliher and other political leaders at Glen Lake Golf and Eden Wood Center this Saturday, July 31. The golf, social and dinner event is hosted by Eden Prairie and Minnetonka Democrats. Reps. Maria Ruud (42A) and John Benson (43B), Sen. Terri Bonoff (43), and candidates Ray Daniels (District 42B) and Ron Case (Senate District 42) are among those slated to attend.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently announced the appointments of Jeffrey Leichter, Ph.D.; Patricia K. Orud, and Patricia Stankovitch, Ph.D.; and the reappointment of Chris M. Bonnell and Margaret Alyssa Fulton, Ph.D. to the Board of Psychology.

The following candidates had filed to run for state and federal offices as of Wednesday morning. Filing closes June 1. Election Day is Nov. 2. For more general election information, visit www.sos.state.mn.us.

District 42A

Minnetonka resident Maria Ruud, a DFL-er who represents Eden Prairie and part of Minnetonka in District 42A, filed to run for re-election on May 19.

Fresh off another combative legislative session, Gov. Tim Pawlenty addressed members of the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce at Bearpath Country Club last Wednesday. Pawlenty was emerging from what started out as a less-contentious bonding year but ended in a down-to-the-wire legislative push to balance the budget.

With little more than a week left, legislators have their hands full finishing up work on some major bills of the session. Still left to be resolved is another round of budget cuts to health and human services along with an education bill that could notably change the state’s policy on teacher licensing.

The fan support to build a new multi-purpose stadium for the Minnesota Vikings may be out there, but 2010 is shaping up to be an ill-timed year for any stadium-related proposals at the Legislature.

But some feel what’s at stake now is a home for the team and many think the future of professional football in Minnesota. “I watched the North Stars leave,” said Cory Merrifield, a Shakopee resident who helped begin a grassroots effort (www.savethevikes.org) in January to raise support and awareness about the perceived need for a new Vikings stadium.

State Sen. John Marty provides perspective on recently enacted national health care law on the current edition of Democratic Visions. Sen. Marty is one of Minnesota’s leading advocates of an affordable, “universal” health-care plan and has been campaigning for governor.