Veterans' Affairs Commissioner Larry Shellito became the first appointment in Gov. Mark Dayton's administration to be confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, after unanimous approval on the chamber's floor Thursday.

, Shellito will take the helm of a department charged with assisting the state's 381,000 veterans and dependents.

A Twin Cities philanthropist and telecom mogul is trying to raise $1 million in private funding to build a first-of-its kind tribute honoring military families on the state Capitol Mall.

Severely wounded Iraq veteran Sgt. Marcus Kuboy and his trusty service dog, Blade, a 2-year-old golden retriever, "graduated" last week from training school. The Minnesota Dept. of Veterans Affairs helped Kuboy find the money he needed to connect with Blade.