August 1st is the third anniversary of the horrific I-35W bridge collapse. On this day, we must remember the value of maintaining our infrastructure. We do not just fix our roads and bridges to provide jobs, but also to protect the lives of our loved ones. If there is one lesson to learn, it is that the collapse was preventable.

Many of you know me as a candidate for State Representative in Lakeville. I am also an engineer. My day job is solving problems. I am paid to make designs that experience few problems in the field. Every engineer knows that good practices lead to bulletproof solutions and cutting corners leads to unmitigated disaster.

I was just endorsed by the Sierra Club. In addition to my Clean Water Action endorsement, this proves my commitment to keeping clean air and water in mind while I develop policy to rebuild our state's economy.

Take a look at my opponent's record on the environment. Sierra Club rated her at zero percent based upon her actual voting record, not for partisan reasons. Other Republicans scored as highly as 83%. Only 10 of 134 legislators voted against clean air and water as much as Mary Liz Holberg.

We have just been endorsed for the second election in a row by Clean Water Action.

Clean Water Action has done outstanding work to preserve the quality of Minnesota water and to protect consumers from dangerous substances. During the 2010 session, Clean Water Action passed bills to ban toxic Bisphenol A in baby bottles, to provide green jobs, the Toxic Free Kids Act, the Lead in Homes Act, the Green Chemistry bill, and many other new bills which provide safer water and products for Minnesotans.

Read more here: http://www.cleanwateraction.org/files/publications/mn/mn_scorecard_2009_...

I recommend reading the editorial I had published in the Star Tribune on Wednesday about our disastrous health care system...

Guest letter: Ignoring health care burden won't make it disappear

Also, here is a must-watch documentary from an emergency room physician in Oregon.

We have run a highly effective and visible, first-time, third party campaign. There is no question that we could not have done as well as we did without the unwavering commitment of our core volunteers, donors, and those who have committed to proudly show our lawn signs. When Derrick Williams of ThisWeek Newspapers called me at 8:30 this morning to discuss my campaign, he was blown away by our powerful show of competency in getting out a clear message to a wide audience very early and very often from February until November.

650 voters in Lakeville signed my petition within the first two weeks of July to put my name on the ballot, then 1250 Lakeville voters followed up this November by voting for me for the fourth highest race in this election. Achieving this level of support required the committed volunteer effort of over two dozen volunteers at various points of the race.