The city of Lakefield, Minnesota will no longer direct any resources to the enforcement of Gov. Tim Walz’s stay-at-home order issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Read the full storyAuthor: Anthony Gockowski
St. Paul Barber Reopens for Business in Defiance of Stay at Home Order: ‘We Can’t Survive’
The owner of a St. Paul barbershop reopened for business Monday in defiance of Gov. Tim Walz’s stay-at-home order.
Read the full storyTennessee Dems Ask Lee to Support No-Excuse Absentee Voting in Response to Pandemic
The Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus called for no-excuse absentee voting in a recent letter to Gov. Bill Lee and Secretary of State Tre Hargett.
Read the full storyGroups Sue to Expand Absentee Voting in Tennessee
Two legal organizations have filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State Tre Hargett in an effort to overturn Tennessee’s “unconstitutional” restrictions on absentee voting.
The lawsuit was filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and the Campaign Legal Center. The two groups filed the complaint on behalf of several Tennessee organizations “whose many members are not eligible for vote by mail under current law.”
Read the full storyNursing Homes Continue to Account for 80 Percent of Minnesota’s COVID-19 Deaths
Long-term care facilities continue to account for 80 percent of all COVID-19 deaths reported in Minnesota.
The Minnesota Department of Health reported nine new deaths Monday, bringing the total number of deaths in the state to 428. Of those 428 fatalities, 345 (80 percent) were people who resided in long-term care or assisted living facilities.
Read the full storyMinnesota Business Owners Call for Reopening Economy During Press Conference at the Capitol
Several small business owners called for reopening the economy during a Monday press conference at the Minnesota Capitol.
“We desire to honor our God, and our government and governor. We think we can do both. But we have no idea how to get a plan approved, to whom to submit it, or if anyone needs to or will consider it. The church needs to gather, we are more the church when we gather than at any other time. Please, Gov. Walz, help us by providing clear ways for plans to be approved and for us to meet,” said Rory Martin, pastor of the Liberty Baptist Church in Eden Prairie.
Read the full story80 Percent of Minnesota Craft Breweries Say They’ll Be Closed in Six Months if Shutdown Continues
A new report indicates that the coronavirus pandemic could wipe out more than half of Minnesota’s craft breweries.
“With the closure period extended, breweries continue to see a decline in revenues despite their ability to sell curbside and delivery. The biggest hurdles to continued revenue are a lack of off-sale options as well as a drop in orders from distributors and retailers given the inability for bars and restaurants to serve draught beer,” states an April 26 report from the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild.
Read the full storyGov. DeWine Says He Thinks Americans Are ‘Better Off Not Having Government Tell Us What to Do’
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine admitted during a Sunday interview that his policy requiring retail customers to wear a face mask was “a bridge too far.”
Read the full storyHouse Republicans Will Block Major Legislation Until Walz Ends Peacetime Emergency
The leader of the Minnesota House Republicans said Saturday that his caucus will block a bonding bill from being passed while the governor’s emergency powers remain in effect.
Republicans have made three unsuccessful attempts to end Gov. Tim Walz’s peacetime emergency declared in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The emergency declaration expires May 13 but can be extended for an additional 30 days. Walz has already extended the peacetime emergency once.
Read the full storyProtesters in Vehicles Clog Streets Outside Minnesota Capitol in Opposition to Stay at Home Order
Protesters clogged the streets with their vehicles outside the Minnesota Capitol Saturday afternoon in protest of Gov. Tim Walz’s stay-at-home order.
Read the full storyKARE 11 Fires Meteorologist After He Called Anti-Shutdown Protesters ‘Nazi Sympathizers’
KARE 11 announced Friday that it has fired popular meteorologist Sven Sundgaard after he called opponents of the ongoing economic shutdowns “Nazi sympathizer gun fetishist miscreants.”
Read the full storyOregon Man Arrested in Minnesota Was Traveling to White House to Kill President Trump
An Oregon man who was arrested this week in Minnesota was apparently on his way to the White House to kill President Donald Trump.
Read the full storyMinnesota House Rejected Third Resolution to End Peacetime Emergency
The DFL-controlled Minnesota House rejected a third resolution this week that would have ended Gov. Tim Walz’s peacetime emergency declaration.
Read the full storyGov. Lee Announces Plan to Test Every Nursing Home Resident, Staffer at White House Press Conference
President Donald Trump commended Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and said he has done a “fantastic job” during a Thursday press conference.
Read the full storyGov. Walz, Called a ‘Failed and Misguided Leader,’ Extends Stay at Home Order for Second Time
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz extended his stay-at-home order Thursday for another two weeks, but with some modifications.
Read the full storyMinnesota Spent $62,000 to Develop COVID-19 Model
A recently released document reveals that the state of Minnesota spent $62,000 to develop its controversial COVID-19 model.
Read the full storyVice President Pence Addresses Criticism for Not Wearing Mask at Mayo
Vice President Mike Pence visited the world-renowned Mayo Clinic Tuesday to discuss its fight against the coronavirus, but the media obsessed over the fact that he wasn’t wearing a mask.
Read the full storyAlice DeWine, Governor’s Daughter, Loses Race for Greene County Prosecutor in a Landslide
Alice DeWine, the daughter of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, was defeated Tuesday in the Republican primary for Greene County prosecutor.
Read the full storyIzzy’s Ice Cream Permanently Closes St. Paul Location
The coronavirus pandemic has taken out another Minnesota business, this time the famous Izzy’s Ice Cream in St. Paul.
Read the full storyMinnesota Small Business Owners Sue State Over Coronavirus Restrictions
A group of small business owners announced Wednesday that they are suing the state of Minnesota over the “unconstitutional” restrictions imposed on them during the coronavirus pandemic.
Read the full storyLos Angeles Lakers Return $4.6 Million Small Business Loan
The Los Angeles Lakers received and then returned a forgivable loan of roughly $4.6 million under a federal program designed to help small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.
Read the full storyNew Poll Has Trump and Biden Tied in Ohio
A new poll released Sunday has President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden statistically tied in Ohio, a critical state for the Trump campaign’s path to victory.
Read the full storyVice President Pence Tours Mayo Clinic, Criticized by Media for Not Wearing Mask
Vice President Mike Pence praised the innovation and leadership of Mayo Clinic during a Tuesday visit to the distinguished institution’s headquarters in Rochester, Minnesota.
Read the full storyOrganization Claims Minnesota Legislative Committees Meeting in Small Groups to Avoid Open Meetings Law
A legal organization said members of the Minnesota Legislature are holding committee meetings in small groups in order to avoid triggering the state’s “Open Meeting Law.”
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Minnesota said legislators have been deliberately meeting in small groups so they can bypass the law, which generally requires that all meetings be open to the public.
Read the full storyJesse Ventura ‘Testing the Waters’ for Green Party Presidential Bid
Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura said Monday that he has decided to “test the waters” on a third-party presidential bid.
“If I were going to run for president, the Green Party would be my first choice. I’ve endorsed the party and I’m testing the waters,” the former professional wrestler said on Twitter.
Ventura said he hasn’t filed for candidacy but simply authorized a letter of interest sent to the Green Party on his behalf.
Read the full storyModel Developed by UT Prof Claims Jails Will Act as ‘Volcanoes’ for Spread of COVID-19 as State Prison Sees Massive Outbreak
A new model developed by a professor at the University of Tennessee and other academics suggests that most models on the coronavirus pandemic have failed to consider one important variable: jail populations.
Most standard COVID-19 models predict that America will experience about 101,000 deaths during the course of the pandemic, but that number increases by 98 percent to 200,000 deaths when jails are accounted for, the new model claims.
The model was developed by Dr. Nina Fefferman at the University of Tennessee, Dr. Eric Lofgren at Washington State University, and Dr. Kristian Lum from the University of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with Aaron Horowitz and Brooke Madubuonwu of the ACLU’s data analytics team.
Read the full storyMinnesota’s State and National Dems Want to Cancel Rent and Mortgage Payments
An executive order from Gov. Tim Walz bans evictions, foreclosures, and lease terminations for the duration of the state’s peacetime emergency, but one Democratic lawmaker wants to take things a step further. State Sen. Jeff Hayden (DFL-Minneapolis) recently called for a “rent and mortgage moratorium” in Minnesota, an idea championed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) in the U.S. Congress. “Every Minnesotan deserves to have a safe, reliable place to call home. Right now, communities across the state are facing loss of income and increasingly exacerbated economic hardships during this public health emergency, while their rent and mortgage obligations continue to pile up,” he said in a statement. Without the “suspension of these payments,” the state will continue to see “devastating consequences both during this public-health emergency and after,” according to Hayden. “Our priority should be to provide the immediate relief Minnesotans so greatly need in a timely manner, and that includes a moratorium on rent and mortgage payments,” he concluded. The Minnesota House is currently considering a bill that would appropriate $100 million from the general fund for housing assistance grants. Under that bill, Minnesotans who are unable to pay their rent or mortgage because of a public-health emergency…
Read the full storyCoronavirus Calls Status of Minnesota State Fair into Question
The opening day of the Great Minnesota Get-Together is still four months away, but state leaders are already suggesting that the whole thing could be called off.
Read the full storyBusiness Groups Paint Dim Picture of Ohio Economy, Urge DeWine to Reopen ‘Sooner Rather Than Later’
Six of the state’s most influential business organizations sent a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine last week urging him to reopen the economy as nearly one million Ohioans have now filed unemployment claims since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Read the full storyKeith Ellison Asked Trump Admin to End Ban on Using Aborted Fetal Tissue for Research
Attorney General Keith Ellison said a federal ban on using aborted fetal tissue for research is “hampering” the nation’s ability to respond to COVID-19 in a letter sent to the Trump administration.
Read the full storyVIDEO: Minnesota Business Owners Describe Economic Devastation of Stay-at-Home Order
A group of small business owners described the devastating economic impact of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s stay-at-home order in a recently released video.
Read the full storySteve Cohen Asks Attorney General Barr to Clarify Trump’s Emergency Powers Comments
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General William Barr Friday asking him to clarify President Donald Trump’s comments about the use of emergency powers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Read the full storyTennessee Restaurant Owners Charged with Harboring Illegal Aliens and Profiting off Their Employment
The owners of a Tennessee restaurant were charged with harboring illegal aliens and profiting off their employment by paying them under the table in a federal indictment unsealed this week.
Read the full storyFormer MPR Senior Editor Tells Republicans to Shoot Themselves, Drink Bleach
A former Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) senior editor and director of political news told Republicans to drink bleach and shoot themselves on Twitter Friday morning.
Read the full storyVice President Pence to Visit Mayo Clinic Next Week
Vice President Mike Pence will visit Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota on Tuesday, his office announced in a statement.
Read the full storyEagle Forum Asks Supreme Court to Consider Tennessee Refugee Resettlement Lawsuit
A prominent conservative organization has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider a case involving Tennessee’s participation in the federal refugee resettlement program.
Read the full storyIlhan Omar Paid Husband’s Consulting Firm Another $292K, On Track to Pay $1 Million This Year
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) paid her husband’s political consulting firm another $292,000 in campaign funds during the first quarter of 2020.
Read the full storyMinnesota Unemployment Numbers Now Higher Than 2009’s ‘Great Recession’
Minnesota has now seen more unemployment applications during the coronavirus pandemic than during the “Great Recession,” the state’s chief economic commissioner revealed Thursday.
Read the full storyDespite Massive Outbreak, Just 0.3 Percent of Ohio Inmates with COVID-19 Have Died
Two Ohio prisons are now home to the largest known clusters of COVID-19 in the nation, but the mortality rate for inmates with the virus is below one percent.
Read the full storyWalz Says Minnesota Can Now Perform 20,000 COVID-19 Tests Per Day, Most in the Nation
Gov. Tim Walz announced Wednesday that Minnesota now has the capacity to test as many as 20,000 residents per day for COVID-19.
Read the full story70 Percent of COVID-19 Deaths in Minnesota Associated with Nursing Homes
Health officials revealed during a Tuesday press conference that nursing home residents account for slightly more than 70 percent of all COVID-19-related deaths in Minnesota.
Infectious Disease Division Director Kris Ehresmann said during a Tuesday press briefing that 113 of the state’s 160 deaths “are associated with long-term care.”
Read the full storyTwo Ohio Prisons Are Now Largest Known Sources of Coronavirus Infections in America
Two state prisons in Ohio are now the largest reported sources of coronavirus infections in the United States, a New York Times database revealed this week.
Read the full storyProminent Minneapolis Civil Rights Attorney and BLM Activist Endorses Ilhan Omar’s Primary Opponent
A prominent civil rights attorney and Black Lives Matter activist announced Monday that she is endorsing Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN-05) opponent in the DFL primary.
Read the full storyMinneapolis to Allow Broadcast of Muslim Call to Prayer Over Loudspeakers During Ramadan
Mayor Jacob Frey announced Tuesday that he will allow a mosque in Minneapolis to broadcast the Muslim call to prayer over loudspeakers during the month of Ramadan.
Read the full storyAfter Mocking ‘Liberate Minnesota’ Protest, State Media, Politicians Silent on Minneapolis Gun Violence Demonstration
Minnesota’s political establishment and mainstream media mocked and condemned the Trump-backed protesters who gathered outside the Governor’s Residence Friday, but were silent just two days later when hundreds gathered for a demonstration in Minneapolis.
According to the St. Paul Police Department, an estimated 800 people were in attendance at Friday’s “Liberate Minnesota” protest, which called for an end to Gov. Tim Walz’s stay-at-home order issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Read the full storyTrump Says He Received ‘Very Nice Call’ from Minnesota’s Gov. Walz, Despite Tweet Supporting #ReOpenMN
President Donald Trump said on Twitter Monday morning that he received a “very nice call” from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Read the full story‘Secret’ COVID-19 Model Touted by Acton and DeWine That Predicted 10,000 Daily Cases on Peak Sunday Was Off by 700 Percent
Ohio’s official coronavirus model was projecting 10,000 new cases for Sunday’s peak, but only 1,317 new cases were reported.
As recently as March 29, the Ohio Department of Health’s forecast was predicting that the coronavirus pandemic would reach its peak in the state on April 19 when 10,000 new cases would be reported, The Ohio Star said.
Read the full storyRepublicans Have Heard from More Than 1,600 Minnesotans on Plans to Reopen Economy
Minnesota’s Senate Republican Caucus said it received more than 1,600 responses in just two days from small business owners across the state on their ideas for how to safely reopen the economy.
The Republican Caucus created a new online portal Wednesday for “businesses and workers to share feedback on reopening Minnesota’s economy.”
Read the full storyHouse Democrat Criticizes Ohio Economic Recovery Task Force for Focusing Solely on Reopening
A top Democrat on the Ohio House’s coronavirus economic recovery task force criticized its Republican chair for gathering “one-sided testimony that only supported the idea of opening Ohio as soon as possible.”
In a statement released last week, Rep. Terrence Upchurch (D-Cleveland), vice chair of the Ohio 2020 Economic Recovery Task Force, voiced frustration with the fact that the committee hasn’t heard from “minorities or women.”
“We were under the impression by the majority that this task-force would be a bipartisan, collaborative effort to map out next steps for the General Assembly’s response to the COVID-19 crisis in Ohio,” he said. “However, it became almost immediately apparent from the agenda and the chosen speakers that this task force was actually designed to gather one-sided testimony that only supported the idea of opening Ohio as soon as possible. This was never a democratic process.”
Read the full storySenate Candidate Jason Lewis Launches ‘Reopen Minnesota for Business’ RV Tour
U.S. Senate candidate Jason Lewis announced last week that he will be embarking on a “Reopen Minnesota for Business” RV tour in protest of the economic shutdown imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Lewis’ campaign said the tour began Friday with select stops in the Metro area. The former congressman said he plans to meet with small business owners impacted by the coronavirus shutdown throughout the course of the tour.
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