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Racial vaccine data still shows major inequities, despite Walz administration and MDH efforts
Two weeks after the Walz administration announced it would redouble efforts to make COVID-19 vaccine distribution more equitable, rates of vaccines among different races remain identical. White Minnesotans are still receiving more than 90% of vaccines, 3.5% have gone to Black Minnesotans, 1.7% to Latino Minnesotans and 0.7% to American Indian Minnesotans, according to the […]
White Earth Nation to boost minimum wage to $16 an hour, highest in the state
When the White Earth Nation increases its minimum wage to $16 an hour on March 27, it will be the highest minimum wage of any government entity in the state. The move by the state’s largest tribe — also one of its poorest — aims to raise living standards for hundreds of employees and make […]
Q&A with Rep. Cedrick Frazier, labor lawyer who replaced longest serving legislator in state history
Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope, grew up in a low-income neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, where gun violence and drug trafficking were a frequent presence near his home. At the University of Minnesota Morris, he founded and was president of the only collegiate NAACP chapter in Minnesota. After law school, he became a […]
University of Minnesota to resume in-person classes this fall
The University of Minnesota announced Friday that all five campuses will return to in-person instruction for the fall 2021 semester. The university has been on a hybrid system for the entire 2020-2021 school year after going fully remote last March as the pandemic began. Faculty “transitioned to online education not in weeks, but literally in […]
Walz includes a $6 million cash injection for K-12 mental health services in budget proposal
Gov. Tim Walz is proposing $6 million in one-time spending for school mental health grants, aimed at expanding care for children affected by COVID-19. The Department of Human Services says that Minnesota childrens’ mental health needs have increased since the start of the pandemic, echoing reports from around the county. The grants could help more […]
Minnesota is moving onto the next phase of vaccine rollout early
Gov. Tim Walz announced Tuesday that Minnesota will surpass the 70% threshold of vaccinated 65+ residents, and Minnesota will move on to the next phase of vaccination earlier than expected. The next phase includes essential workers in food processing plants and people with specific underlying conditions — sickle cell disease, Down Syndrome, active cancer treatment, […]
Q&A with Soren Stevenson, who was blinded in one eye during George Floyd protests
One moment, Soren Stevenson was standing on a bridge over 35W with his arms raised, chanting “don’t shoot” with others protesting the murder of George Floyd. The next, flashbangs went off, and he crumpled in pain as a rubber bullet struck his face. Stevenson lost his left eye and is due for a sixth facial […]
New data shows racial disparities in Minnesota’s COVID-19 vaccination rates
White Minnesotans are being vaccinated at greater rates than other populations: about two times higher than Black Minnesotans and three times higher than Hispanic Minnesotans. The discrepancy is likely due to offering vaccines to residents 65 and older first because Minnesota’s population of seniors comprises more white people than younger demographics. Minnesota’s COVID-19 vaccination plan […]
Report: Minnesota ‘failed’ to protect people in prisons from COVID-19
A Minnesota Ombuds for Corrections report Monday said the state “failed” to protect incarcerated Minnesotans from the spread of COVID-19. In three out of 11 state correctional facilities, more than 70% of incarcerated people tested positive or are presumed to have had COVID-19, according to the Ombuds for Corrections, which is an independent auditor.* Overall, infection rates are […]
Floyd family ‘disappointed’ that only one family member will be allowed at Chauvin trial
Hennepin County District Judge Peter A. Cahill issued an order Monday allowing only one family member of both Derek Chauvin and George Floyd to be in the courtroom for Chauvin’s trial. Different family members are allowed to rotate in and out each day when the trial begins Monday in downtown Minneapolis at the Hennepin County […]
Walz administration announces the full vaccine rollout
Gov. Tim Walz announced Thursday that all Minnesotans should be able to get a COVID-19 vaccination by summer with the state prioritizing seniors followed by people with certain pre-existing conditions and essential workers before opening up eligibility to the rest of the state. To date, more than 40% of Minnesotans older than 65 have received […]
Food delivery apps add fees for Twin Cities customers
Multiple food delivery apps have added fees for Twin Cities customers, Axios reported Thursday. DoorDash has implemented a $1.50 “regulatory response fee,” and UberEats added a $1 “temporary local fee” that might appear at the bottom of your bill. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey instituted price caps limiting what companies can charge restaurants for using their […]