2026 Minnesota Legislative Session Review Minnesota Legislators just wrapped up the session, marking the end of an at-times contentious 2025-2026 biennium. Despite strong efforts from advocates, the legislature was ultimately unable to come to agreement on almost any energy and environmental proposals. “If we don’t fight hard enough for the things we stand for, at […]
They Didn’t Get It Done. We’re Just Getting Started. Read More »
CURE is pausing our normal order of business on Friday, January 23rd, and we want to share why. ICE’s dangerous operations have surged across Minnesota. Federal agents are inciting fear and violence and putting our families and neighbors at risk. Last year, 32 people died in ICE custody. And on January 7th, ICE agent Jonathan
Day of Truth and Freedom Read More »
Winter is setting in across Minnesota. At the same time, thousands of Minnesotans are at risk of not being able to afford to keep the heat on because the federal government shutdown has halted funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). A CURE-led coalition of 18 organizations from around Minnesota, have sent
Gov. Walz: Protect Minnesota Families from LIHEAP Suspension Read More »
Defending the carbon-free standard at the Public Utilities Commission and in the Legislature For the second year in a row, CURE has worked in coalition with environmental justice, environmental advocacy, climate activist, health professional, faith based, and zero waste organizations to defend Minnesota’s 100% Carbon Free Energy Law passed in law in 2023. We’ve created
CURE Work + Wins 2025 Read More »
CURE stands with clergy, immigrant leaders, and community allies in strong opposition to the reopening of the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton, MN, as an ICE detention center. Reopening this prison—owned by CoreCivic, a private prison corporation with a history of reports of mismanagement, unsafe conditions, and detainee abuse—would violate our deepest humanitarian and spiritual
CURE Statement on the Potential of an ICE Detention Center in Appleton Read More »
Minnesota’s Tragedy and the Power of Collective Decency CURE is devastated by the assassination of Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and the attempted assassination of Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Both families lived lives dedicated to helping others, at the legislature and beyond. We knew Speaker Emerita Hortman as a devoted public
This Is Not Normal Read More »
End of the 2025 Special Session This is the fourth and final CURE Legislative update of the 2025 Session. Check out our previous updates here: Keeping it Real and Rural; CURE’s Cliff Notes; and The Show Must Go On. Just before 2:00 am on Tuesday, June 9th, the Minnesota legislature wrapped up special session, passing all the necessary
A Brief Update on CURE’s priorities at the end of the Regular Legislative Session This is the third CURE Legislative update of 2025. Stay tuned for our end-of-session wrap-up at the conclusion of the special session. As of Monday, May 19th, the 2025 Regular Session of the Minnesota State Legislature has come to an end.
The Show Must Go On Read More »
This is the second CURE Legislative update of 2025. Stay tuned for periodic updates at key points during the Session, which officially ends on Monday, May 19th. It’s been two months since Minnesota legislators assembled at the Capitol for the start of session, and after a halting start, we now have a better idea of
CURE’s Cliffs Notes on the First Act of MN’s 2025 Legislative Session Read More »
*99.9% of the tax credits are claimed by massive oil and gas interests. Carbon capture is the most expensive, least effective climate mitigation strategy. Last week, I traveled to the Capitol with a small but determined group of Minnesotans: landowners, farmers, and community members who are experiencing the threats posed by the carbon capture
CO2 Pipeline Resistance to Congress: Cut the Waste, Repeal 45Q Read More »
Kelsey Olson (she/her) joined CURE in 2025 as its Director of Environmental Stewardship. As a skilled environmental naturalist, Kelsey’s work focuses broadly on environmental education and advocacy with a keen focus on rural land use and how that use impacts our environment and climate. Working Lands, how land is used to support agriculture and forestry, is a key focus of her work. She brings 15 years’ experience in public communication, environmental education, and rural community engagement – strong communication strategies are core in her work. This includes two terms of service with AmeriCorps in the VISTA program in Oregon and Maryland and a nearly 10-year career as a naturalist followed. She recently worked on communications and marketing for rural economic development.
Kelsey lives in New London, MN, with her young children, husband, dog, and two cats. They enjoy spending time together outside and finding small treasures in nature. Visits to Minneapolis often include visits to one of their favorite historical museums, the American Swedish Institute. Kelsey enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, canning local produce, and making kombucha.
