200K people signed up before MNSure's deadline

Three weeks after the MNsure deadline was closed, it saw success.

Bring Me the News reports that more than 200,000 people have signed up for public and private health-care insurance through MNSure.

MNsure's interim CEO director, Scott Leitz is pleased with the numbers right now and he also says that the 200,000 people that signed up represents real people. From parents treating their kids to an peditrician, to people going through pre-existing conditions, they would have not been able to get affordable coverage with a public program.

Minnesotans who haven't signed up for health-care plans have to wait until open registration begins on Novenber 15th, or be subjected to pay a tax penalty.

Courtesy: MNSure on Twitter

Speech and Chemistry Yields Success

Many students on the SMSU campus are good at something. Some are good in athletics, some are good in music, but one SMSU student combines his two major interests as a way to make his voice heard.

Nick Dorman has been part of the SMSU Forensics Team for 3 years. After breaking finals and getting a number of trophies later, he is now getting the chance of a lifetime. This weekend, he will be competing in the Interstate Oratorical Association National Tournament that will be located on the campus of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

How did he earn this huge honor? He earned it by winning the state oratory category at the Minnesota Collegiate Forensics Association Tournament back in February. In his persuasive (oratory) speech, he advocates for federal regulation of a dangerous chemical called triclosan. This chemical is found in many consumer products such as hand sanitizer.

Dorman told SMSU Today back in February, the reason behind the persuasive speech was a lecture about triclosan in Dr. Steve Kramer's honors seminar course. Afterwards, he then researched this chemical which then turned into an award-winning speech.

Dorman is the second SMSU student that qualified for this tournament since 2002 when former alum Tanya Sponholz won and advanced to the national tournament.

Prior to the tournament, Dorman performed his speech at the Spring Forensics Showcase and he even spoke at a luncheon prior to President Connie Gore's Inauguration. With all of his accomplishments, when you add his academic interests of speech and chemistry, it yields success.

We at KSSU-TV want to congratulate you and wish you the best of luck!!

Courtesy: SMSU Today Facebook Page (Spring Forensics Showcase)

"Southwest Serves"

 

While it is now getting down to the wire with classes, papers, and presentations, SMSU students still squeezed in time to volunteer in the community.

This week, "Southwest Serves" dedicated a whole week of volunteer experiences that the SMSU campus community can be a part of. From a food drive, to package 10,000 meals for Kids Against Hunger, to even picking up trash outside of Pizza Ranch which led to a participant founding a $5 dollar bill on the ground.


SMSU Today reports that these activities spotlight the many ways that SMSU gets involved in not just the community but also around Southwest Minnesota.

This week-long  volunteer experience is leading up to today's inauguration of SMSU's 9th President, Dr. Connie Gores. The event will take place this afternoon at 2:00p.m. in the R/A Facility. Following the inauguration, a reception will be held at the upper Student Center level.

If you can't be out at today's inauguration, you can watch the event live on KSSU-TV on Charter 18 and WOW 99:  www.smsu.edu/campuslife/kssu/.

For more information on President Connie Gores, check out a link from the SMSU Today website : http://www.smsu.edu/today/?articleid=2744

Courtesy: SMSU Today Facebook photo album: Litter pickup 

(Center right and center top)

Teens and Technology

Being a parent of a teenager is hard, especially when it comes to technology. On Monday, middle and high school students in the Marshall area will get a first-hand on how social media affects their daily life and what the dangers are from educator Dave Eisenmann.

Dave Eisemann has spent the last five years talking to schools across the state about technology safety issues especially when it comes to social media.

Marshall High School Principal Brian Jones told the Marshall Independent, that in this day and age, school districts can't expect kids to unplug technology, but they can teach students how to use it responsibly.

Eisemann will also be giving a presentation to parents called Cyber Safety: Catching Up with High-Tech Kids. This presentation will talk about how parents can have an open dialogue with their kids about technology and how parents play a significant role in today's high-tech world. This presentation will take place Monday night at 7 P-M in the Marshall Middle School Theater.

Courtesy: itunes.com

Courtesy:twitter.com

MNsure Deadline Approaches

Minnesotans have only two days to sign up for MNsure, and so far enrollement has been increasing. 

Bring Me the News reports that it has now enrolled more than 152,000 people on the exchange. MNsure Interim Director Scott Leitz told the Associated Press that it will take more time for officials to say how many previously uninsured people have obtained coverage for the first time. 

MNsure will be very busy this weekend as they will have about 70 enrollement events across the state. To see if your community will have an enrollement event coming up check out the link for MNsure "March to Enroll" webpage:  https://www.mnsure.org/updates/updates.jsp

Courtesy: My Fox 9 Twin Cities

Uh, let me take a selfie......

The Chainsmokers hit single #Selfie has been rocking the airwaves and the Billboard Top 100 for the last couple of months. Since the word "selfie" has become the new word everyone's been talking about, we at KSSU-TV wanted to create our own "selfie" that inspired Ellen DeGeneres and Jimmy Kimmel.

Since the picture was posted on Tuesday, it's gotten so many "likes" and "shares" on Facebook, as well as 16 retweets and 14 favorites on Twitter. 

So, what are you waiting for? Gather your friends and take a selfie during this nice beautiful weekend we are having and who knows maybe you'll might get so many retweets and shares on social media. 

In the meantime, you can still retweet, like or share the KSSU-TV selfie on Facebook and Twitter. 

Courtesy: KSSU Radio and TV-Marshall, MN Facebook page

Earthquake Shakes Up Los Angeles

Earlier this morning, a 4.4 magnitude earthquake has struck just west of Los Angeles according to CNN.

According to the U.S.Geographical Survey, the earthquake happened around 6:25 this morning and was centered around 6 miles north-northwest of Westwood and about 15 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.\


Stick with KSSU News for the latest developments in Los Angeles.