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Gov. Walz suspends evictions as COVID-19 outbreak worsens
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Monday ordered a statewide moratorium on evictions and foreclosures during the peacetime emergency to help curb the spread of COVID-19. “We’re asking people to stay home as much as possible,” Walz said during a news conference. “We can’t make this work (if we) have people on the streets. It would […]
Minn. landlord group says members should halt evictions through May
A trade group representing nearly 2,000 landlords in Minnesota is asking its members to halt evictions, late fees and rent increases through May to help ease the economic fallout from the coronavirus and slow its spread. The guidance comes as Gov. Tim Walz considers ordering Minnesotans to shelter in place, which could come with an […]
Hennepin County moves 130 homeless people into hotels for COVID-19 protection
One hundred thirty people experiencing homelessness in Hennepin County have voluntarily moved into separate living quarters in hotels just four days after the county board unanimously approved spending $3 million on isolation and quarantine spaces. So far, the county has contracts with two area hotels and is working on securing more spaces as the need […]
Minnesota sees first death from COVID-19
A Ramsey County resident in their 80s is the first known person with COVID-19 to have died in Minnesota, the Department of Health reported Saturday. The person died on March 19 and had contact with a family member who had previously tested positive and had a history of international travel. “Gwen and I extend our deepest […]
Who can cancel evictions amid the COVID-19 outbreak?
Cities and states across the country, including Minnesota, have temporarily halted evictions as health officials urge people to stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19. In the short term, judges in Minnesota have stopped hearing new eviction cases, except for those involving domestic abuse or personal safety. Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea […]
Hennepin and Ramsey counties authorize $4.8 million for quarantine spaces for homeless
Hennepin and Ramsey counties will spend up to $4.8 million to provide space for isolation and quarantine for homeless people and others who need it as the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 grows every day. As the Reformer reported Monday, homeless shelters are ill-equipped to stop the spread of the virus. Communal meals, lack […]
Mpls. mayor orders restaurants end dine-in service by noon Tuesday
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey declared a state of emergency Monday, ordering bars, restaurants, coffee shops and nightclubs to close or limit operations by Tuesday at noon in an effort to curb the outbreak of COVID-19. The city will also stop issuing permits for gatherings of more than 50 people. Minneapolis restaurants can continue delivery, takeout […]
Shelters are defenseless against the spread of COVID-19
At 7 o’clock on a recent evening, people began filing into the basement of a church in northeast Minneapolis for a free dinner of lasagna, green beans and corn. Staff from the church had cleaned all the surfaces with disinfectant wipes and placed bottles of hand sanitizer on each of the round folding tables. Those […]
Gov. Walz budget proposal covers $29 million overpayments to tribes
Tucked into Governor Tim Walz’s $257 million supplemental budget proposal is a line item returning more than $29 million to the federal government for overpayments the state made to two tribes for addiction treatment services. If the Legislature approves, the payments would bring Minnesota a step closer to resolving a year-long saga that has strained […]
Thousands of Target employees work over 50 hours a week. Why don’t they get overtime?
Target Corp. has quietly settled half a dozen class action lawsuits and still faces two more from workers who allege the company has failed to pay overtime they’re owed. Target calls these workers “executive team leaders” and pays them managerial salaries — as opposed to hourly wages — that keep them from earning overtime. But the […]
St. Paul teachers strike for first time in over 70 years
Class was cancelled for more than 36,000 students in St. Paul as teachers began an open-ended strike Tuesday with picket lines in front of dozens of schools across the city. With no new negotiations scheduled, the strike will likely continue tomorrow and possibly through the week or longer. “We would like more resources for our […]
Lawmakers aim to defund libraries that host drag queens
Five Minnesota legislators introduced a bill this week that would withhold federal funding from public libraries that host drag queen story hours. A dozen Hennepin County libraries hosted the story hours in October for LGBT history month to “celebrate differences and learn that it’s okay to be yourself through stories, rhymes, music and movement.” That […]