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| It
was a beautiful day in Minnesota’s capital city! Conference attendees got to
enjoy summer and sunshine in Minnesota today after a rainy start to the week. |
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| St.
Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, LMC Executive Director Dave Unmacht, and Alliance for
Innovation Executive Director Karen Thoreson opened today’s festivities by sharing their thoughts on innovation in Minnesota, how the first-ever combined Annual Conference was going, and their highlights from St. Paul and the conference. |
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| Local
government officials from across the country gathered together in the largest-ever exhibit hall to meet with vendors and share ideas. |
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| It’s
been nearly a year since Jim Miller retired as the League’s executive director,
but he came back for this year's Annual Conference! Jim presented the first James F. Miller Leadership Award to Terry Schwerm, city manager of Shoreview. |
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| City
officials from Coon Rapids showed how they inspire innovation in their
community, and listen to community members, during their presentation on their program that turned their city’s aging housing stock into more desirable—and more functional—homes. |
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| During
the conference festival, attendees were transported back in time to an era of
prohibition and gangsters. Crime historian Paul Maccabee shared stories of St. Paul’s unique relationship with some of the biggest criminals of the era, including John Dillinger and Ma Barker. |
