Days to the November Election: 213
2020 Election
Why Democrats Kicked the Convention Can Down the Road, NY Mag
Wisconsin Primary To Go On But Absentee Voting Extended, Federal Judge Rules, NPR
Democrats fear coronavirus impact on November turnout, The Hill
“The Campaign Panicked”: Inside Trump’s Decision to Back Off of His Easter Coronavirus Miracle, Vanity Fair
Agriculture
Online Marketing Enables Farmers, Elevators and Traders Amid COVID-19, AgWeb
Farmworkers ‘harvesting America’s food supply’ amid coronavirus pandemic fight for safety, NBC News
Attorney General Keith Ellison
AG Ellison to Trump Administration: Quit it with regulatory rollbacks during pandemic, Waseca County News
Minnesota attorney general enforcing order suspending evictions, Crookston Times
DNC News
Democratic Party delays July convention until August over coronavirus concerns, NBC News
Donald Trump
The White House Wanted To Give $0 To Tribes In The $2 Trillion Stimulus Bill, HuffPost
Trump tells CNBC he spoke to Putin, MBS and expects Saudis, Russia to announce 10 million barrel cut, CNBC
Trump campaign sends letter to Sessions demanding he stop invoking Trump, CNN
Trump, Tucker Carlson accuse 3M of capitalism, City Pages
Trump administration ended pandemic early-warning program to detect coronaviruses, LA Times
The Trump Organization Is Looking for a Coronavirus Bailout: Report, NY Mag
Putting Jared Kushner In Charge Is Utter Madness, NY Times
Sailors cheer Navy captain who was removed after pleading for help with coronavirus outbreak, The Hill
Desperate for insight, Trump’s team turns to the past to try and save his presidency, Politico
Economy
New data says the unemployment rate surged to 4.4 percent in March — but the truth is worse, Vox
Amazing Discovery at the NYT: Drugs and Vaccines Can be Developed Without Patent Monopolies, Beat The Press
Education
Tech frustrations, inequity and silver linings: Minnesota’s first week of distance learning, MPR
The government must protect universities in this crisis or job cuts will follow, The Guardian
Environment
Climate grief: How we mourn a changing planet, BBC
Gutting fuel economy standards during a pandemic is peak Trump, Vox
Governor Tim Walz
Gov. Walz: Minnesota health plans to waive cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatment, Bring Me the New MN
Minnesota high school spring sports’ return in doubt after latest comments from Gov. Tim Walz, Star Trib
Gov. Walz: ‘Relatively slim’ chance MN students return before school year’s end amid coronavirus outbreak, Pioneer Press
Walz facing decision on whether to extend stay-at-home order for MN, Bring Me the News MN
Walz names Ramsey County Judge Frisch to Court of Appeals, MPR
Health
3M warns Trump: Halting exports under Defense Production Act would reduce number of masks available to US, CNBC
Fauci endorses national stay-at-home order: ‘I just don’t understand why we’re not doing that’, Politico
Coronavirus isn’t transphobic. But America’s economic and health systems are., Vox
Military scientists working with coronavirus samples to develop possible treatment, CBS News
Judge rebuffs Trump administration over border wall funding, Politico
Minnesota undocumented population fears being overlooked in COVID-19 response, MN Reformer
Trump gambles on immigrant workers during coronavirus, Politico
“Don’t let us die”: Women in ICE custody plead for release amid coronavirus pandemic, CBS News
Labor
Leaked Amazon Memo Details Plan to Smear Fired Warehouse Organizer: ‘He’s Not Smart or Articulate’, Vice News
Unions and State Officials Criticize Amazon for Firing Strike Leader, Bloomberg
NY lawmakers, unions urge Jeff Bezos to close Amazon warehouses hit by coronavirus, CNBC
Staggering: Record 10 Million File For Unemployment In 2 Weeks, NPR
A 3,000% jump in jobless claims has devastated the US job market, CNN
Companies Tied To W.Va. Governor To Pay $5 Million In Mining Violations, NPR
Minnesota News
A neighborhood rises above viruses, vandals and other plagues, Star Tribune
No longer a luxury: Minnesotans need broadband now more than ever, MN Reformer
Latest on COVID-19 in MN: Schools likely closed for the year, MPR
Minnesota distillery finds unlikely partner for first big batch of hand sanitizer, Pioneer Press
‘We’ll continue to publish’: Local news takes hit in midst of coronavirus coverage, MPR
Coronavirus In Minnesota: Twin Cities Pride Postponed Indefinitely, WCCO
St. Paul asks Minnesota to allow take-out liquor at restaurants shuttered due to coronavirus, Pioneer Press
Minnesota State Legislature
Coalition of Minnesota landlords, tenant advocates push for rental assistance, Minn Post
Senators wanting to relax stay-at-home orders: What are you talking about?, Star Tribune
Representative Angie Craig (CD2)
Coronavirus In Minnesota: Rep. Angie Craig Pushes For Gov’t To Send $500 Checks For Dependent Adults, WCCO
Representative Dean Phillips (CD3)
Rep. Dean Phillips authored a measure to oversee spending under the $2 trillion coronavirus relief package. Trump has pledged to sidestep it, Minn Post
Was Minnesota home to nuclear missiles during the Cold War?, Star Tribune
Republicans
‘It’s a sh– sandwich’: Republicans rage as Florida becomes a nightmare for Trump, Politico
How John Bolton Blew Off Senators Who Asked About Global Pandemics, Mother Jones
We Can Finally See the Real Source of Washington Gridlock: The GOP, The Atlantic
Trump Has Broken the Republican Party—and Conservatism—for Good, The Bulwark
Despite Coronavirus Lockdown, Wisconsin Republicans Insist on an Election that Will Disenfranchise Thousands, Mother Jones
Senator Amy Klobuchar
Local leaders share worries about outbreak with Klobuchar, Mankato Free Press
Senator Tina Smith
Coronavirus: Sen. Tina Smith to introduce a bill to make older youth, adult dependents eligible for stimulus payments, Minnesota Spokesman Reporter
Smith urges safe disembarkment of Holland America cruise ship amid COVID 19, Brainerd Dispatch
Klobuchar, Smith, Stauber laud $4.5M EPA bill to clean up St Louis River, Brainerd Dispatch
U.S. News
Experts and Trump’s advisers doubt White House’s 240,000 coronavirus deaths estimate,Washington Post
Top doctor says White House coronavirus task force still missing 50% of testing data, CNN
New York hospitals rationing ventilators, retrofitting equipment amid crush of coronavirus, Politico
Week three of isolation with my kids – and order is unravelling, The Guardian
Premonitions of Disaster, The American Prospect
World News
Coronavirus cases top 1 million globally, CNN
Israel struggles to form government, even after rivals agree to join forces, Washington Post
In Southeast Asia, Governments Exploit Coronavirus Fears To Tighten Grip, NPR
Putin extends Russia’s coronavirus nonworking period, Al Jazeera
‘Go Back to Work’: Bolsonaro Dismisses Risks of Deadly Coronavirus in Brazil, Wall Street
Journal
When Creeping Authoritarianism Finally Prevails, The Atlantic
Upcoming DFL Events
With the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation, we suggest you check with the hosting organization to see if meetings, etc. are being held.
All DFL conventions will now be held virtually. If you were elected as a Delegate or Alternate at Caucuses, you will be hearing from your district with specifics. If you don’t, please check with the hosting organization.
- April 4, 1:00 to 3:00 PM — DFL Volunteer Webinar Training, more information and RSVP here.
- April 7, 7:00 to 8:30 PM – SD40 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meeting, Brookdale Library, contact the Chair for more information
- April 9 through 13 — Passover
- April 9
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD36 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meeting, contact the Chair for more information.
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD48 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meeting, contact the Chair for more information.
- April 10 — Good Friday
- April 12 — Easter
- April 13
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD49 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meeting, contact the Chair for more information
- April 15 — Tax Day
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — CD3 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meting, contact the Chair for more information
- April 17, 5:00 PM — Deadline for DFL local units to provide a roster to delegates/alternates and ballot content
- April 18
- April 20, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — Anoka County DFL Meeting, contact them for more information on how the meeting will be held
- April 22 — Earth Day
- April 23 through May 23 — Ramadan
- April 23 — Deadline for DFL local units to certify their ballot in writing to DFL Staff
- April 24 — Arbor Day
- April 25 – May 4 — DFL Virtual Convention Balloting Window
- May 5 — Cinco de Mayo
- 7:00 to 8:30 PM — SD40 DFL Central Committee Meeting, location to be determined
- May 6
- 6:30 to 8:30 PM — SD50 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Kennedy High School, Room C102, 9701 Nicollet Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55420
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD33 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Ridgedale Library, Room 172, 12601 Ridgedale Dr, Minnetonka, MN 55305
- May 7, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD46 DFL Central Committee Meeting, St. Louis Park City Hall, 5005 Minnetonka Blvd, St. Louis Park, MN 55416
- May 9, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM — CD3 DFL Convention, Park Center High School, Performing Arts Center, 7300 Brooklyn Blvd, Minneapolis, MN 55344.
- May 10 — Mother’s Day
- May 11 — deadline for certification of DFL local unit balloting results
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Council Chamber, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD49 DFL Central Committee Meeting, 7001 Cahill Rd, Suite 21, Edina, MN
- May 14
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD36 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Riverwind Community Center, 2701 Northdale Blvd NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433.
- 7:oo to 9:00 PM — SD48 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Glen Lake Community Center, 14350 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
- May 30 -30 — State DFL Convention, Rochester, MN, more information as it becomes available.