Government & Politics
Brooklyn Park inpatient facility gets 30 new beds amid mental health crisis
PrairieCare, a psychiatric health system with nine Minnesota locations, unveiled the expansion of its inpatient care facility in Brooklyn Park on Wednesday, providing some much-needed relief to an overwhelmed mental health system. With legislative approval, the expansion added 30 new beds for adolescent psychiatric patients. Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic, DFL-Minneapolis, said lawmakers backed up […]
Minneapolis DFL vice chair resigns, hitting state party on the way out
The vice chair of the Minneapolis Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party resigned from his post Wednesday, attacking the DFL endorsement process and what he called voting irregularities around that process on his way out the door. Mike Norton criticized the caucus and convention process, which he called “highly problematic and exclusionary” and “complex and cumbersome.” The upshot, according […]
U.S. House GOP spending bills falter as Congress struggles to avoid a shutdown
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats said Tuesday they are preparing their own short-term spending bill that they believe will garner bipartisan support, a decision that could stave off a partial government shutdown — and as House Republicans failed to advance two spending bills. The Senate move would work as long as the House votes to […]
States and cities eye stronger protections for gig economy workers
Joshua Wood remembers days during the COVID-19 lockdown when New York City’s streets were practically empty, save for workers like him. That experience convinced the 25-year-old Brooklynite — who makes deliveries for both Uber Eats and a package delivery service — that the gig economy needed some urgent changes. Roughly 1 in 6 American adults […]
UAW president sets new deadline for automakers, promising additional strikes
Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers union (UAW), on Monday night announced that more locations may be called to join the union’s strike on Friday. The UAW declared a historic strike against all three members of the Big Three automakers at midnight Thursday, after contracts expired with Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. “I […]
Three Minnesota U.S. GOP congress members receive ‘F,’ don’t support Ukraine
Three Republican Minnesota U.S. House members received a grade of “very poor” on their support for Ukraine, based on their public statements and votes to cut United States’ aid to the war-torn country. U.S. Reps. Pete Stauber, Brad Finstad and Michelle Fischbach all received an “F” from the conservative advocacy group Republicans for Ukraine, which […]
‘However long it takes,’ longtime Ford worker says of the UAW strike
As the United Auto Workers strike against the Detroit Three enters its fourth day, workers say that they are in it “for the long haul.” Samantha Litton of Taylor has worked at the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant for three years. “It shouldn’t take eight years to get top pay,” Litton told the Advance on Monday. […]
Republicans say Orwellian ‘bias registry’ could still be created under new law
A Minnesota bill that would have created a state government database of “hate incidents” — which drew impassioned opposition from Republicans who said it would police constitutionally protected political speech — was quietly watered down during the waning days of the legislative session.
Automakers’ record profits not shared with workers, Biden says as UAW strike launches
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden dispatched two senior administration officials to Detroit on Friday after the United Auto Workers union began a historic strike against the Big Three auto companies amid a contract dispute. “Over the past decade auto companies have seen record profits, including over the last few years because of the extraordinary skill […]
With two weeks until the money runs out, Congress grinds to halt on spending bills
WASHINGTON — Amid rising tensions and an approaching hard deadline, the U.S. House and Senate ended their work week on Thursday without a deal to fund the federal government past the end of the month. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who has been struggling to build consensus among the members of his Republican Conference, pledged that […]
U.S. Senate to examine AI’s wide-ranging impact, Schumer and Rounds say
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and South Dakota Republican Sen. Mike Rounds said Thursday they’re part of a bipartisan and private-sector consensus about the need for government oversight of artificial intelligence on a range of issues. Schumer, a New York Democrat, and Rounds held an informal bipartisan news conference Thursday to discuss […]
Minnesota police, Republicans press for special session over restraint law
Minnesota Republicans and police officers continue to pressure Gov. Tim Walz and Democrats in the Legislature to make changes to a law that they say has left many law enforcement officials confused and hesitant to do their jobs. The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association and Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association said during a Wednesday […]