All posts by mnhd66brepublicans

Proudly serving the city of Saint Paul, the Republicans of Minnesota House District 66B want to help you live a better life.
2A, HD66B

USCCA Concealed Carry Training IN St Paul (HD 66B) on Sundays

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We Republicans of House District 66B like to promote events in which anyone can participate within our boundaries of House District 66B.

What:  USCCA Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) Training Class. You can get your CCW Certificate after completion of the class to get your CCW from the Sheriff’s Office.  The course is 5 hours of classroom training and 2 hours at the range.

Where: 973 Payne Ave, St Paul MN 55130

When: 9:30 am to 4:00 pm, Sundays

Who:  Daniel Ward II is a USCCA/NRA Instructor.  His class is open to 10 students on each date on a first come first served basis.

Cost:  $125.00 (to cancel one needs to request it 48 hours prior to the class)

It’s rare that any sort of Firearm Training takes place IN ST PAUL! most trainings take place in the Suburbs or within an hour’s drive from the Twin Cities.

You can go to the following USCCA Training link to register for the class: MN Concealed Carry Course.

What to Expect as a Student

You can pre-register for the class weeks in advance.  Look at what one needs to bring to the class, bring something to drink and munch on as a snack.

There is some prep work prior to arriving. You should download the free e-book called, “Concealed Carry Home Defense,” by Michael Martin, a Minnesota resident.  You can follow along in the book during class in order to fill out a worksheet which is provided.  It is easy to read with many color photos of the information you are studying.

You will cover the topics in the e-book during the 5 hour interactive instruction with a scheduled break. Here are the topics covered:

  • Developing a Personal & Home Protection Plan
  • Self Defense Firearm Basics
  • Shooting Fundamentals
  • The Legal Use of Force (Reasonable & Deadly Force)
  • Violent Encounters & Their Aftermath
  • Universal Gun Safety Rules
  • MN Gun Laws (Duty to Retreat)

At any time Instructor Daniel Ward II will answer questions you have on the subjects.  He is patient with all students and respects them in where they are at in their knowledge of firearms.  It is okay if you’ve never picked up a firearm or are fearful of them he’ll help you become comfortable.

At The Range

After the 5 hours of classroom instruction, students leave to the range. Once students reconvene at the range, students are issued hearing protection and eye protection before they enter the range for the first time.

Basic requirements of CCW training is to show proficient knowledge and to be able to fire a weapon.  In order to help students understand the difference in calibers and the feel of their recoils, Daniel Ward II will have students fire 3 different types of calibers: .22LR, .38, and 9 mm.

Here are skills to learn at the range:

  • Clearing the handgun
  • Loading ammunition into a magazine
  • Universal Gun Safety Rules
  • Identify your Target and know what’s behind it
  • The Difference between Target & Front Sight Focus
  • Trigger Control
  • Becoming Comfortable with the Recoil
  • Range Safety

Instructor Daniel Ward II spends time with each student individually helping him or her to shoot properly.  No one is rushed through the training.

Universal Gun Safety Rules

Responsible Gun Owners follow safety rules in handling their firearm. Here they are:

  1. Treat all guns as though they are always loaded.
  2. Never point your weapon at anything  or anyone you don’t want to destroy or kill respectively.
  3. Keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you decide to shoot.
  4. Always be sure of your target and what is behind it.

It is advisable to get Gun Owner’s Insurance in case you are in a Self Defense Incident.  USCCA says on their site this insurance is part of the membership, as well as more training to become a better shooter and a safer one. (We were not paid to say this, it is up to you to decide where you buy your insurance).

HD 66B Republicans does not get any money for promoting this course by USCCA.  Our Neighborhood Party Unit as a group is not associated or affiliated with USCCA nor with Daniel Ward II.

CCW is a topic people in St Paul and Minneapolis are interested in being the increase in violent crime and the City Governments looking to cut budgets to the Police Departments.  Self Defense is a non-partisan issue. ~~ Admin

I took this course on November 21, 2020, as a personal decision on my part.  I am a US Army Veteran who had not trained with handguns before. I wanted to get back into target shooting.  I wanted to write articles about CCW from the point of view of a first time gun owner.

— Tom Polachek, HD 66B Republicans Chair

Books, HD66B

Starting up 66Books Book Club: “Seeking Allah Finding Jesus,” by Nabeel Queshi January 30th

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Original book cover you might find, there is a 3rd edtion with new content in it.
3rd Edition Book Cover. Nabeel Qureshi died of stomach cancer at the time of Hurricane Harvey. This edition has been published since his death.

When I was an election judge at the Ramsey County Elections 2020 Absentee Ballot Board processing absentee ballots I would discuss books with my DFL and MNGOP Team members.  There was one book that everyone thought we should read and that’s this book by the late Nabeel Qureshi, “Seeking Allah Finding Jesus.”  It’s his conversion story from Ahmadi Islam to Christianity.

The first part of the book presents Islam in a clear respectful manner as Nabeel lived most of his life as a Muslim in America, and the second half of the book shows his conversion to Christianity.  Some of the concepts he examines will help Christians see their faith in a new light.

The book can be found as an an e-book, and in paperback at all major booksellers.

Tom Polachek, HD 66B Republicans Chair

What:  66Books Book Club Discussion of “Seeking Allah Finding Jesus” by Nabeel Qureshi

When:  January 30, 2021, 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm

Where:  Zoom Link

Cost:  Free. 

(at will donation)

66Books Book Club Participation

For many years I was a “regular” at the Books and Bars Book Club moderated by Jeff Kamin.  Just like it sounds, it was a book club that met in a bar.  It was expected members were to read the book for the month, but it wasn’t mandatory for the discussion.

There will be no fee to join the 66Books Book Club, but the HD 66B Republicans will have to employ a beyond the basic Zoom account so it will cost something per month on our end. If you feel you want to give an “at will donation” anything under $20 will be accepted by our Treasurer without paperwork. Anything above $20 the Treasurer will need to annotate your name, occupation, address, and how much the donation was (MN Campaign Finance Rules).

As stated you don’t have to read the book to participate, but there is a section of the book for group discussion and you might want to read up on it.  Also for those who just can’t find the time to read it, I’ve found a video resource in which the late Nabeel Qureshi talks about his conversion story. It is just short of 2 hours (in the beginning Lee Strobel mentions an election which was the 2016 General Election).

Sign Up For 66Books Book Club

Since we don’t currently have a list to send out to notify Book Club Members of the upcoming book, you’ll need to send an email to mnhd66brepublicans@gmail.com with the subject line of “66Books Sign Up List.” When we get a couple of days out from January 30th, an email will be sent out to those who sign up to confirm, and a link will be sent. 

 

Next Book: “Start With Why,” by Simon Sinek

If you get done with the book for January early (I read it in a week, including writing copious notes on it for later reference) you might want to start reading the next book, “Start With Why: How great leaders inspire action.” Simon Sinek helps you find your “Why statement.” There is a TED talk about this concept, so you can use DuckDuckGo to find it under his name and “Start with Why” (there is a long version and an edited version).

I was thinking the last Saturday of each month for 66Books Club, but February is a short month and BPOU Conventions are mostly on Saturdays in February, so the date may be moved to March, but look to the last Saturday of the month.

Why 66Books?

Our Neighborhood Party Unit, aka BPOU, needs to start discussions on topics that arise in current affairs.  We need to be able to discuss solutions to problems in a clear and concise manner that is respectful to all in the discussion.  We also need to do some outreach to find people with solutions.  We need to do a better job of educating the people around us as to what a Republican is and how we think.  What better outreach vehicle than a Book Club.

A note on the name 66Books, is not a reference to the 66 Books in the Bible. It is merely a coincidence our House District is 66B and the first book is a Christian Conversion story. I was looking for a name of the Book Club that is catchy and has our designation in the title, and thus 66Books.  If this club continues to the point of doing 66 books, that will be indeed a day to celebrate.

Tom Polachek, HD 66B Republicans Chair

 

Faith, Family, HD66B

2020 Merry Christmas Message from The President & First Lady

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It’s been a tough year for everyone. At this time of year people stress out on not being able to live up to their usual family traditions.  It is sobering to know people will be embracing Christmas in a different way as many have had to do without.  So embrace your neighbor figuratively, let them know you care, clean off their sidewalk of snow when you know they can’t.  Take another neighbor to the store to buy groceries when they don’t have a car or their car won’t start in frigid weather.  Take turns digging out the nearest fire hydrant.

It’s nice to know our President is one of us and cares about us and is fighting for us.  We HD 66B Republicans pray for the health and safety of our President in this tough uncertain time.

We’ll get through this together. So support each other, pray for each other.

Be a good neighbor.

Merry Christmas & Have a Happy Healthy New Year,

Tom Polachek, HD 66B Republicans Chair

HD66B

Remembering Richard “Fritz” Bold 1961-2020

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It is with heavy heart I must relay the following news, Rich “Fritz” Bold has passed away from injuries due to a rollover near Hudson Wisconsin on October 30, 2020.

Someone sent a note to me around the end of October saying Rich Bold had died.  Rich was a bit older than me and I knew he was a respiratory therapist who worked in Western Wisconsin.  I couldn’t believe what I was reading in the note. “Not Fritz, he is too young and healthy,” I thought.

I looked online for any information about this and I couldn’t find anything.  Then almost a month since his passing I found it and I had to write this article, to remember him.

Rich “Fritz” Bold was a gregarious guy so full of life.  He was quick with a joke and he was the guy who would walk down the Harvest Fest Parade on Payne Avenue with a Sousaphone playing the “Baby Elephant Walk” on it. He was a member of Brio Brass for many years and later was part of Minnesota Brass.

Rich Bold with the Sousaphone in the back on the right. Rich was a member of Brio Brass for many years.

I met Rich through the Republican Caucusing just before redistricting in 2012.  He was a member of the old HD 67A Republicans and had run for office and or had been a HD Republican Officer.  When he became part of the new HD 66B Republicans I encouraged him to run for Chair in 2012.  In 2014 Rich was Lizz Paulson’s Campaign Manager against John Lesch.

He was a fellow Veteran.  He had served as an MP in the US Army and at the time I met him he had been a long time security guard.  Rich had a contagious bearded smile.

I remember one evening how he taught a friend of mine how to play Spades. He introduced me to whiskey (in moderation) that night too.  Politics to him was all about relationships with other people, sharing their beliefs and supporting them  when they needed help.

Rich Bold will be missed by many people.  If you would like to add a memory about Rich Bold, please send a comment and it’ll get posted after review. Only those that follow the website will be able to comment (website policy).

You can visit the Pioneer Press Legacy site and leave a memory there too. Click Remembering Rich “Fritz” Bold

Tom Polachek, HD 66B Republicans Chair