Perhaps best known for filling party balloons and causing Mickey Mouse voices, helium is a critical element for many industries ranging from semiconductors to fiber optic cables. One of its biggest uses is as a coolant for MRIs. A new mining boom could be underway on the Iron Range following the discovery of a large, highly concentrated reservoir of the colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-toxic gas. Helium’s discovery in northern Minnesota earlier this year is a win for an area that could use it,
Legislation to distribute $16.75 million in onetime fiscal year 2025 funding among more than 40 organizations and municipalities for job training programs and other workforce development initiatives was approved Friday by the House Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee. “Our workforce is in crisis,” said Rep. Hodan Hassan (DFL-Mpls), who sponsors HF5205. She added that the bill is an essential part of the solution to fixing the workforce shortage affecting all parts of the state. As