Tag: Minnesota

Poll: Minnesotans support stay-at-home restrictions as fear of the virus persists

More than two-thirds of Minnesotans say they won’t return to normal rhythms of daily life, and many believe the worst is yet to come, according to a new Minnesota Poll.

More than two-thirds of Minnesotans say they won’t return to normal rhythms of daily life even though some social distancing restrictions have been relaxed, and many believe the worst of the corona­virus pandemic is yet to come, according to a new Star Tribune/MPR News/KARE 11 poll.

As anxiety about the virus persists, the poll also found a majority of people support the stay-at-home restrictions and business closures they lived under for nearly two months and say they were necessary to limit the spread of the virus in their communities.

In the poll of 800 registered voters — conducted May 18 through May 20 — 57% of respondents said the restrictions are the right approach to prevent the coronavirus from spreading, while 32% said they have gone too far. Only 9% said the restrictions did not go far enough. Despite partisan divisions, a majority of independents also support the restrictions. Continue reading.

New bar and restaurant rules: Patios, masks, and social distancing

Minnesota’s bars and restaurants can reopen in June.

The experience won’t be anything like you were used to before coronavirus.

Gov. Tim Walz announced the conditions required for reopening June 1 on Wednesday afternoon. Among the new rules in place:

  • Service will be restricted to outdoor seating, and restricted to tables spaced six feet apart;
  • No sitting at the bar;
  • No more than 50 customers seated at a time;
  • Parties no larger than four people per table, or six, for families;
  • Reservations are required;
  • Masks would be mandatory for restaurant staff, and are “strongly recommended for customers,” according to a fact sheet that accompanied Walz’s announcement.

Restaurants have been closed from on-site service since March 17.  Continue reading.

Gov. Walz COVID-19 Update: May 4, 2020

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May 4, 2020

Below is an update on the COVID-19 pandemic as it pertains to Minnesota as of 8:30 PM on 5/4/2020.

Updates from the Governor

Today, Governor Walz discussed how his administration is engaging with Minnesotans across industries, organizations, and communities to safely get Minnesotans back to work. He remains committed to addressing this pandemic as One Minnesota – together as a state. Through virtual and in-person meetings, letters, emails, and survey responses, the Walz-Flanagan Administration is receiving feedback from leaders in every corner of the state. To learn more about our strategy, and the work we’re doing together, explore our engagement page on the COVID-19 website.

From May 4-8, we are celebrating family child care provider week. In his remarks today, Governor Walz highlighted the thousands of family child care providers stepping up to care for and nurture the children of emergency workers. Child care has remained open during this pandemic, and providers are making every effort to meet public health needs and keep kids and families safe during COVID-19.

Governor Walz also signed an order that will exempt federal, tribal, state, and local COVID-19 relief funds from being automatically intercepted by creditors and debt collectors. Continue reading “Gov. Walz COVID-19 Update: May 4, 2020”

In fast-warming Minnesota, scientists are trying to plant the forests of the future

Washington Post logoMINNESOTA — Almost everywhere he looks, Lee Frelich sees the fingerprints of climate change on the forests he has studied since he was a boy half a century ago.

Birds from southern Minnesota are now popping up far north in Ely, on the edge of the famous Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Splashes of red maple leaves are now visible each fall amid the pines and spruces of the iconic North Woods, where they once would have been harder to find.<

Frelich, the director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Forest Ecology, thinks that if the state’s warming trend remains unchecked, such subtle changes will become starker and more devastating in the decades ahead. He thinks the boreal forests that soak up huge amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere could disappear entirely, taking with them a third of the state’s native species of trees, flowers, birds and pollinators. Continue reading.

Coronavirus: Minnesota joins pact with 6 Midwest states on reopening economy

It includes Wisconsin and Illinois.

Minnesota is joining a regional pact with five other Midwestern states that will coordinate on reopening their respective economies amid the coronavirus outbreak.

It was announced on Thursday that Gov. Tim Walz has agreed to join the pact along with governors Gretchen Whitmer (D-Michigan), Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), Tony Evers (D-Wisconsin), JB Pritzker (D-Illinois), Eric Holcomb (R-Indiana), and Andy Beshear (D-Kentucky).

All seven of these states have some form of Stay at Home order in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Three of Minnesota’s other neighbors, the Dakotas and Iowa, do not.  Continue reading.

Gov. Walz COVID-19 Update: April 10, 2020

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Below is an update on the COVID-19 pandemic as it pertains to Minnesota as of 6:00 PM on 4/10/2020.

Updates from the Governor

Like many Minnesotans, Governor Walz will observe the holidays with his family this weekend. Our thoughts are with Minnesotans across faith communities who would typically be spending upcoming religious holidays with extended family and friends. We ask Minnesotans to remember that as hard as social distancing is during this season, it’s still important and will help ensure our neighbors and loved ones stay safe.

Grocery stores and food co-ops are still open for business and helping to feed our families. Please help us all stay safe and practice social distancing by remembering to shop one person at a time when possible. Stay Home guidelines still apply during the holidays – visit our new COVID-19 website for FAQs, resources, data, and tips on how to protect yourself.

Today, scientists from the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Health provided a press briefing on the Minnesota modeling developed to help inform the state’s policy and response. An interdisciplinary team at the University of Minnesota has been working with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to use available evidence on COVID-19 to estimate the trajectory of the disease in Minnesota. You can read more about the model and watch the MDH briefing on it here: mn.gov/covid19/data/modeling.jsp. Continue reading “Gov. Walz COVID-19 Update: April 10, 2020”

Minnesota might just be flattening that coronavirus curve

There are days when we feel like very little can get us through this wild, weird time, so hopefully this will help.

This quarantined, self-isolated thing we’re doing as a state? It’s working.

The University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) has been modeling possible outcomes for the coronavirus outbreak in order to help policymakers and health professionals prepare. At this early stage, nothing is certain.

But current data show that Minnesota’s fatal cases have not been increasing at an exponential rate. We were up to 30 total deaths and just shy of 1,000 confirmed cases as of Monday afternoon. Continue reading.

Statement from Speaker Hortman and Majority Leader Winkler on extended Stay at Home Order

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — This afternoon, Governor Walz announced an extension of his Stay at Home Executive Order, directing Minnesotans to limit movements outside of their homes until May 4, 2020.

House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler released the following statements:

“Minnesotans have done a great job of social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19, but we are not out of this crisis yet,” said Speaker Hortman. “Governor Walz and his team have done an excellent job following the data and making strong decisions to protect Minnesotans. Today’s extended Stay at Home order is no different. I strongly encourage Minnesotans to stay home as much as you can, maintain social distancing, and wear a mask when in public.”

“What Minnesota is doing seems to be working, and we have to keep it up,” said Majority Leader Winkler. “Lives are on the line and our long-term economic future is in jeopardy if we don’t get this right. I thank Governor Walz for continuing to make responsible decisions in the best interest of Minnesotans. The Minnesota House of Representatives is continuing to work with the Governor to do everything we can to help Minnesotans during this difficult time.”

 

4 more dead as Minnesota surpasses 1,000 positive tests for coronavirus

There are now 34 dead in Minnesota since the start of the outbreak.

Four more people have died from the novel coronavirus in Minnesota, bringing the state’s total number of deaths to 34 in just over a month since the outbreak began in early March.

The total number of confirmed cases in Minnesota now stands at 1,069, an increase of 83 from Monday’s reported totals, which come from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and are reflective of reports submitted through 8 p.m. the day prior.

The 83 positives tests is the largest single-day total so far in Minnesota, though MDH has previously noted that Tuesday figures tend to be be higher due to a testing lag from over the weekend. Continue reading.

Gov. Walz’s COVID-19 Update: April 7, 2020

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April 7, 2020

Below is an update on the COVID-19 pandemic as it pertains to Minnesota as of 9:00 PM on 4/7/2020.

Updates from the Governor

Governor Tim Walz today announced that CUB Foods and its parent company United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI), in partnership with the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet, has set up an ordering process specifically for child care providers.

Grocers are working tirelessly to meet the needs of Minnesotans – and they’re going the extra mile for our child care providers and emergency workers,” said Governor Walz. “Partnerships like this are critical to keep our communities healthy and safe. I’m grateful to CUB for stepping up in this time of crisis.”

CUB, based in Stillwater, Minnesota, has an extensive statewide supply chain network, including Kemps, that will allow child care providers serving children of emergency workers to secure needed products at convenient, flexible hours and locations. Continue reading “Gov. Walz’s COVID-19 Update: April 7, 2020”