In the Know: May, 6, 2020

Days to the November Election:  181

Agriculture
CLOSED MEAT PLANTS = EMPTY MEAT CASES IN COMING MONTHS, Successful Farming

Attorney General Keith Ellison
AGs from Minnesota, ten other states ask for investigation into potential price-fixing among meatpackers, MinnPost

Donald Trump
Meet the Shadowy Accountants Who Do Trump’s Taxes and Help Him Seem Richer Than He Is, ProPublica
Trump’strainwreck ABC interview illustrated why he rarely strays from Fox News,Vox
Trump: I Was Unable to Restock PPE for 3 Years Due to Hoaxes,NY Mag
Trump says coronavirus task force will keep working ‘indefinitely,’ with a focus on vaccines and reopening, CNBCEconomy
Not-So-Small Businesses Continue To Benefit From PPP Loans, NPR
Trump Eyes New Tax Cuts for Next Stimulus Package, New York Times
In push for normalcy, industries, nations test the waters, Associated Press
Now Is the Time to Cut the Defense Budget, Slate
The economy is in free fall. So why isn’t the stock market?, Vox

Education
6 ways college might look different in the fall, MPR
The ‘Public’ in Public College Could Be Endangered, New York Times

Environment
Climate change and Covid-19: Five charts that explain the impacts, BBC
Conservation in crisis: ecotourism collapse threatens communities and wildlife, The Guardian

Governor Tim Walz
Coronavirus In Minnesota: Gov. Walz Signs Executive Order That Will Allow Elective Surgeries Starting Next Week, WCCO
61 cases of COVID-19 executive order violations filed, Star Tribune
With a lot of money and limited time, state and local governments scramble to capture and spend emergency federal funds, Star Tribune
Gov. Walz bans debt collectors from intercepting coronavirus relief funds, Pioneer Press

Health
Thousands will go uninsured in the Covid-19 outbreak because Republicans rejected Medicaid expansion, Vox
New discoveries shift coronavirus timeline by months, The Hill

Immigration

Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan
Lt. Gov. Flanagan going through distance learning challenges; emphasizes importance of taking care of self, KSTP
Lt. Gov. Flanagan named BSU’s 38th Distinguished Minnesotan, Bemidji Pioneer

Minnesota Legislature
Minnesota senator compares homelessness to leisure camping in tweet calling for open campgrounds, Star Tribune
What to expect from the last two weeks of Minnesota’s 2020 Legislature, MinnPost
What people are saying about Minnesota’s projected budget deficit, Star Tribune
Minnesota House Democrats advance bill guaranteeing pay for hourly school workers, Star Tribune
COVID-19 damage to state budget assessed this week, MPR

Minnesota News
Across Minnesota, some small businesses open shop in defiance of governor’s orders, Pioneer Press
The ‘murder hornet’ in Minnesota? ‘Probably not very likely’. Bring Me The News
Where the virus is spreading fastest, Axios
Minnesota elective surgeries, care to resume next week, Star Tribune
Land O’Lakes offering free Wi-Fi to rural communities. Will other companies follow?, Pioneer Press

Representative Dean Phillips (CD3)
For rebuilding after COVID-19, Rep. Dean Phillips proposes six-fold increase in AmeriCorps volunteers, MinnPost

Representative Ilhan Omar (CD5)
Lawmakers must make sure rents and mortgages will be forgiven for those unable to pay, MinnPost

Senator Tina Smith
Testing and Testing Supplies Are Needed to Safely Reopen the Economy, Says Sen. Tina Smith, Bloomberg News

Supreme Court of the US
Supreme Court Considers Anti-Prostitution Pledge In HIV/AIDS Funding Case, NPR

U.S. News
The War on the Postal Service Continues, The American Prospect
Ruth Bader Ginsburg ‘Resting Comfortably’ After Nonsurgical Gallbladder Treatment, New York Magazine
Congress slow to oversee US response to crisis amid partisan battles, CNN
The Coming COVID-19 Higher-Ed Disaster, New York  Magazine
Illinois Announces Phased Reopening And Its Largest Daily COVID-19 Death Toll, NPR
Ousted vaccine director files whistleblower complaint alleging coronavirus warnings were ignored, CNN

World News 
A New Generation of Dissenters Dies in Egyptian Prison,The American Prospect
Britain undergoing ‘mindset change’ toward Beijing, says leading lawmaker, Politico
Young Leader Vowed Change in El Salvador but Wields Same Heavy Hand, New York Times

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.

  • Today through May 18 — Minnesota Stay at Home Order
  • Today through May 23 — Ramadan
  • 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 18 — Last Day of the 2020 Legislative Session
  • May 20, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — CD3 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Council Chambers, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
  • May 25 — Memorial Day
  • May 30 -30 — State DFL Convention has now move to a virtual convention, more information as it becomes available.
  • May 31 — Mandatory meeting for district-level DFL National Delegates, more information as it becomes available
  • June 3
    • 6:30 to 8:30 PM — SD50 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD33 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.
  • June 4, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD46 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.
  • June 8
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD49 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.