Tag: Minnesota

Gov. Walz’s COVID-19 Update: April 4, 2020

w

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

Updates from the Governor

Yesterday, Governor Walz signed an Executive Order to lift hours of service requirements for certain truck drivers, in order to support the state’s agriculture community, while they work to keep Minnesotans fed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the ongoing spread of COVID-19, there are heightened concerns within the agricultural industry about the decrease in the commercial driver workforce and the risk it poses to efficient movement of agricultural commodities. Executive Order 20-27 lifts certain regulations on hours of service, helping to facilitate safe and efficient movement of critical supplies.

“Minnesota agriculture is critical to both our economic health and our ability to keep Minnesotans fed and healthy during this pandemic,” said Governor Walz. “This measure will help ensure essential agriculture supplies can be transported quickly and efficiently.” Continue reading “Gov. Walz’s COVID-19 Update: April 4, 2020”

Gov. Walz’s COVID-19 Update: March 31, 2020

w

Below is an update on the COVID-19 pandemic as it pertains to Minnesota as of 7:30 PM on 3/31/2020.

Updates from the Governor

Governor Walz today signed two Executive Orders, which extend licenses for first responders and allow the medical cannabis program to continue safely serving Minnesotans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Executive Order 20-25 extends licenses for peace officers, firefighters, and private security personnel. The Order allows professionals on the front lines combating COVID-19 to maintain their licenses and continue supporting Minnesotans during the peacetime emergency.

Executive Order 20-26 extends enrollment dates that are set to expire over the next several months for current medical cannabis patients; allows any patient to request a temporary caregiver so they are able to send someone to pick up medication on their behalf; and allows medical cannabis patients to practice social distancing with curbside delivery and telephone pharmacist consultations. This order will help keep immunocompromised individuals safe and lessen the burden on busy healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue reading “Gov. Walz’s COVID-19 Update: March 31, 2020”

Cellphone data reveals Minnesotans are among best at social distancing

Well, it is ingrained in the state psyche.

Minnesota is among the best states in the country at social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak.

That’s according to new data provided by Unacast, which has graded each state and county based upon their cellphone movements – Minnesota gets an “A” grade.

Since the outbreak began, Minnesotans have decreased their distance traveled by 45.66 percent, after state leaders called on residents to stay home when possible to slow the spread of the virus. Continue reading.

Walz: Most will recover, but 40-80% of Minnesotans will get the coronavirus

Walz discussed at length the possibility of a stay-at-home order for Minnesota.

Gov. Tim Walz said Monday that millions of Minnesotans should expect to get the novel coronavirus before the pandemic is over, but also making the critically important note that the vast majority of those who get it will recover.

“Before we’re done with this, each and everyone of us will be touched by this, probably very personally,” said Walz, speaking from the governor’s mansion in self-quarantine after being exposed to a member of his security detail who has COVID-19.

“The numbers run pretty high that over the course of this that between 40 and 80 percent of Minnesotans will have become infected with COVID-19,” he said. “The vast majority will recover without hospitalization. Those that need it, we need to ensure they’re able to get it. This whole battle is about bending the curve, lengthening out the time of an infection rate.” Continue reading.

Minnesota to restrict COVID-19 testing to specific patients amid kit shortage

Minnesota health leaders have been asking the federal government for more testing capacity.

The Minnesota Department of Health will be limiting COVID-19 tests to patients in certain circumstances due to a national shortage of testing kits.

The MDH announced Monday that it’s being forced to make adjustments to the testing criteria “to focus on the highest priority specimens,” amid a dearth in available testing kits nationwide.

“We need to be focusing on testing those individuals for whom the positive test will make a significant difference either in their care for our healthcare system,” MDH director of infectious diseases Kris Ehresmann said Tuesday. Continue reading.

Governor Walz: Minnesota schools to close starting Wednesday

The coronavirus is forcing state officials into more drastic action.

Governor Tim Walz has announced that Minnesota’s schools will close down for two weeks as of Wednesday.

The governor has signed an executive order authorizing the closure of the state’s K-12 public schools starting Wednesday until Friday, Mar. 27.

The move is being taken to give schools time to make plans for long-term distance learning, suggesting that the closure could be extended beyond Mar. 27, though for now the plan is to re-open on Mar. 30. Continue reading.

3rd case of coronavirus confirmed in Minnesota, this time in Anoka County

A person in their 30s contracted the virus, health officials say.

A third presumptive case of the novel coronavirus has been confirmed in Minnesota, with the Department of Health saying it involved an Anoka County resident.

“The case is an Anoka County resident in their 30s who was likely exposed through contact with international travelers,” a release from the department said. “The patient developed symptoms Feb. 28 and sought health care March 9.”

The patient is in critical condition and hospitalized. The first two cases involved persons in Ramsey and Carver counties, with both being quarantined in their homes.  Continue reading.

Thank you, DFLers, For the Huge Turnout in Minnesota’s First Primary in 28 Years!

Minnesota’s first Super Tuesday was this week and it lived up to its name!

Almost 750,000 DFLers came out to make their voices heard in our party’s presidential primary, whereas just over 140,000 Republicans showed up to vote.

These numbers prove that the energy and the momentum in this election is on the DFL side. In 2019, the DFL  out-fundraised the Minnesota Republican Party, in the presidential primary we out-voted the Minnesota Republican Party, and in this election we’re going to out-organize them.

To see how our votes in the primary translated to national convention delegates, visit dfl.org/primary. Here’s a quick summary:

  • Vice President Joe Biden received 38 delegates
  • Senator Bernie Sanders received 27 delegates
  • Senator Elizabeth Warren received 10 delegates

If you’d like to be a delegate to our national convention, head over to www.dfl.org/caucuses-conventions/dnc.

NOTE:  DFL 3rd Congressional District is hosting a national delegate training in place of our regular monthly meeting on March 18 at 7:00 PM, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka, Blvd, MN 55345. If you’re interested, please join us.

RNC will flood battleground states with staffers to boost Trump

The party committee has approved plans to send 300 more field workers to 18 swing states.

The Republican National Committee on Thursday approved plans to dispatch an additional 300 field staffers to 18 target states in this fall’s general election, a move that comes as the Trump political machine ramps up its presence in battlegrounds across the country.

The deployment was confirmed by a party official briefed on the plans. With the new wave, the committee will have over 600 staffers spread out across the nation. Party officials, who noted they had already knocked on a million doors, said the canvassers would be promoting GOP candidates up and down the ballot.

The RNC’s 168 members and its chairwoman, Ronna Romney McDaniel, are gathered in Doral, Fla., for the committee’s annual winter meeting. President Donald Trump is slated to address the group on Thursday evening. Eric Trump, Trump’s son, made an appearance earlier in the day. Continue reading.

NOTE:  Minnesota is included in this strategy.