 There was talk of climate change in Brainerd today as the Brainerd Area Environmental Learning Networks held a free seminar to discuss the topic of climate change, resilience and adaptation. The featured speaker was Dr. Kenny Blumenfeld, a senior climatologist at the Minnesota State Climatology Office. Blumenfeld's lecture was focused on how climate change affects Minnesota and says that the effects of climate change in Minnesota are unique to the state. According to Blumenfeld, Minnesota has seen a rapid increase in heavier rainfall and less bone-chillingly cold days since 1975, compared to a steady increase from 1885 to 1975. I would say that Minnesota's climate changes are somewhat unique to Minnesota, which is why it's important to look at what's going on here. So we're seeing these dramatic changes in winter that other parts of the country aren't seeing quite as dramatically. Blumenfeld also says that there is much uncertainty in the climatology community about how the Trump administration's view on climate change will affect research funding.