Professional Educator Licensing board seeking applicants for possible appointment

The Minnesota Professional Licensing and Standards Board will be accepting applications through Jan. 24 for possible appointment by the governor to the board, according to a news release by the agency.

The PELSB is responsible for:

• licensing teachers, including related service providers.
• establishing and maintaining teacher licensure standards and requirements.

• establishing and enforcing the Teacher Code of Ethics.

• approving and overseeing teacher preparation providers to prepare candidates for licensure in Minnesota.

The board is made up of 11 members, who are appointed by the governor, with each serving a 4-year term. An appointee is expected to attend all regular and special meetings, serve on selected committees, attend legislative and Board hearings, and participate in at lease two unit review site visits over their term.
New board members are also supplied with a mentor to provide support and guidance over the board member's first year.

Any interested parties should submit an online application through the Minnesota Secretary of State's website before Jan. 24, 2022 .

Winter truck load increases begin Dec. 23

Truckers will soon have more leeway on their standard legal maximum loads as winter load increases kick into effect on Dec. 23, according to a Minnesota Department of Transportation news release.

The new load increases will go into effect for the north-central frost zone in Minnesota, which is the area north of Detroit Lakes, with Highway 10 being the dividing line.

Truckers will be able to operate at 10 percent over the standard legal maximum load on unrestricted highways during the winter load increase period. The start and end dates for the load increase periods are posted on the agency's website .

However, the news release states, "trucks must comply with current registration weight laws and not exceed registered gross weight tolerances."

The agency also recommends that truckers check with cities, counties and townships before increasing weights on their routes. They also said a winter weight increase permit is required to utilize the 10 percent weight increase on interstate highways, but no permit is required for state trunk highways.

For questions about legal axle weight during the winter load increase period, contact the Minnesota Department of Public Safety - Commercial Vehicle Enforcement at 651-350-2000. And, for questions regarding oversize and overweight permitting, contact the Minnesota Department of Transportation at 651-296-6000.

Minnesota gas prices have fallen 0.014 cents in the past week, averaging $3.08 per gallon across Minnesota

According to GasBuddy, the price regular unleaded gasoline fell $0.014 in the past week, averaging $3.08 per gallon across Minnesota.

The price is $0.08 lower than a month ago, but $0.97 higher than the same point last year in Minnesota, according to the gasoline tracker.

Nationally, the average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.30, which is $0.111 lower than last month, but $1.09 high than the national average at the same time last year.

Regionally, gas prices are:

• $2.97 per gallon in Wisconsin, down $0.035 from the previous week.
• $3.00 per gallon in Fargo, N.D., down $0.055 from the previous week.
• $3.09 per gallon in the Twin Cities, down $0.021 from the previous week.

On Dec. 20, 2011, average gas prices in Minnesota were $3.17 per gallon, and on the same date in 2019 they were $2.41 per gallon.
"For yet another week, average gasoline prices continue to fall as omicron cases surge, leading oil demand, and thus oil prices, to stall," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, in a news release. "The decline in gas prices will likely continue until new COVID cases slow down."

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