News
Chauvin verdict: Guilty on 3 charges in George Floyd’s death
The jury has spoken, and found Derek Chauvin guilty in the death of George Floyd. The former Minneapolis police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than 9 minutes while he was handcuffed and face down on the pavement at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue last May. Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder; guilty […]
Haaland asks for federal funding for Interior to fight climate change, aid Native Americans
In her first congressional hearing as the leader of the Interior Department, Secretary Deb Haaland fielded questions from members of a U.S. House spending panel Tuesday on the major conservation and energy initiatives that President Joe Biden has outlined. She was noncommittal about some contentious and high-profile items of deep interest to Western states, like […]
Republicans push bill to make voting rules more restrictive
Minnesota has some of the least restrictive voting rules in the country, offering Election Day voter registration, absentee voting by mail and early in-person voting to all eligible Minnesotans. State Sens. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake, and Andrew Lang, R-Olivia, have a wide-ranging bill that would create new processes and restrictions they say are needed for […]
‘We have failed’: Walz admits mistakes in law enforcement treatment of media
Facing a burgeoning political crisis over his administration’s aggressive response to protests of police killings, Gov. Tim Walz acknowledged law enforcement failed to protect press freedoms during a news conference Monday. “We have failed this week,” Walz said, referring to attacks on journalists. “It’s unacceptable.” Joined by the mayors of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Walz […]
Chauvin case: Now it’s up to the jury
Both sides gave their final arguments to the jury Monday in the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, with the prosecution imploring jurors to believe what they saw on videos — three police officers holding George Floyd down for nine minutes and 29 seconds, killing him. The defense tried to raise doubts about the cause of […]
Minnesota House passes sweeping education budget proposal
The DFL-majority Minnesota House passed its education budget bill Monday 73-60, following hours of contentious debate over the 260-page measure. The GOP-controlled Senate is expected to take up their own education bill in the Finance Committee Tuesday.* The two chambers will have to hash out a compromise on the schools budget. School spending accounts for […]
Pushback against ‘vaccine passports’ puts colleges in a quandary
WASHINGTON — Florida’s Nova Southeastern University joined a small group of U.S. colleges on April 1, when the private research university announced that it would require all students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning to campus this fall. In a message posted on the university’s website, NSU’s president and CEO, Dr. […]
Gov. Tim Walz seeks $9 million to pay for out-of-state law enforcement assistance as protests, unrest continue
The Minnesota Senate on Monday voted 48-19 to approve $9 million in emergency funding to pay for out-of-state law enforcement assistance Gov. Tim Walz sought over the weekend. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-East Gull Lake, said Walz asked legislative leaders to quickly approve the funding, adding that all four caucus leaders agreed to the […]
The Chauvin trial looks like David v. Goliath, but it’s not
On the ninth day of testimony during one of the most significant police brutality cases in U.S. history, Derek Chauvin’s attorney Eric Nelson began to lose his voice. Jurors had been taking lots of notes as Dr. Martin Tobin explained how he thought George Floyd died of asphyxia as Chauvin and other former Minneapolis police […]
Federal judge orders Minnesota state troopers to not arrest journalists covering protests
A Minnesota federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order barring Minnesota state law enforcement from using force against journalists or ordering them to disperse while covering protests. The ruling does not apply to local law enforcement or the National Guard, however. Indeed, amid another night of protests in Brooklyn Center, journalists reported being detained […]
Survey: Minnesota’s vaccine hesitancy rate among nation’s lowest
About 11% of Minnesotans are hesitant about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, one of the lowest rates in the nation, according to a federal survey. Vaccine hesitancy rates range from 31% in Wyoming to 7% in Vermont and Massachusetts. Minnesota’s rate is among the nation’s six lowest and suggests that the state may be able to […]
Ellison opposes motion to exempt journalists from arrest during protests
The office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is opposing a motion that seeks to exempt journalists from arrest or use of force during protests. In June, the ACLU sued law enforcement and the City of Minneapolis for allegedly targeting journalists trying to cover protests after the death of George Floyd, seeking damages for injured […]