Tag: Tim Walz

Gov. Walz lays out major rollback of Minnesota’s COVID-19 restrictions

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Limits eased on concerts, restaurants, gatherings. 

Large events from high school proms to live Minnesota Twins games can resume this spring under a rollback of COVID-19 restrictions announced Friday by Gov. Tim Walz.

While public mask-wearing and social distancing requirements will remain, Minnesota will allow in-person work again, lift capacity limits for worship services and permit up to 10,000 fans at the Twins home opener April 8.

“We’re winning, and this thing’s coming to an end,” said Walz, who encouraged people to plan for summer weddings and the May 15 walleye opener. “Let’s just buckle down. We’re going to know in the next three or four weeks if we’ve truly got this thing on the ropes and it’s done and then we finish it.” Continue reading.

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: March 5, 2021

Governor Walz: First Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Doses Have Arrived in Minnesota

Gov. Walz with First J&J Shipment

On Wednesday, Governor Walz announced that the first Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine doses arrived in Minnesota and met one of the first shipments to arrive in the state. Immunizations began shortly after doses arrived to Minnesota providers.

“This is an exciting development. We now have three vaccines available that are safe and highly effective in preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death,” said Governor Walz. “The Johnson & Johnson vaccine will help our state quickly provide immunity and get us one step closer to ending this pandemic. We know we need broad community protection before we can get back to the normal, enjoyable parts of life we have missed, and the way we get there is by getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible. Everyone who has the opportunity to get this shot should take it.”

Continue reading “Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: March 5, 2021”

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: February 26, 2021

Governor Walz: State to Vaccinate 70% of Seniors by End of March Before Expanding Vaccine Eligibility

Minnesota COVID Vaccination Plan


This week, Governor Tim Walz announced that Minnesota will remain focused on vaccinating most of the state’s seniors before expanding eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine. Governor Walz issued guidance to vaccinate 70% of adults 65 years of age and older before expanding eligibility, and aims to reach this goal by the end of March. The directive is the latest commitment of the Walz-Flanagan Administration to vaccinating seniors and keeping them safe.

Continue reading “Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: February 26, 2021”

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Weekly Update: February 19, 2021

More Than 1 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Administered to Minnesotans

21-02-19 1 Million Doses Image


Minnesotans have received more than one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Governor Walz announced today. The state reported 1,016,210 doses had been administered as of today’s official report. The seven-day rolling average of doses administered is now 29,705, a pace that has accelerated since Governor Walz took action to increase the rate of vaccinations across the state.

Continue reading “Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Weekly Update: February 19, 2021”

Walz: All Minnesota schools should offer at least some in-person learning by March 8

All districts should have some form of it in place by March 8 

All Minnesota schools should offer some form of in-person instruction by March 8, Gov. Tim Walz said Wednesday, announcing a move he characterized as “critical” for students’ and families’ well-being, mental health and economic stability in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Many districts have already started bringing secondary school students back to classrooms, and Walz said other middle and high schools could reopen as soon as Feb. 22.

A majority of the state’s elementary schools are already providing face-to-face instruction, following an earlier pivot by state officials to prioritize in-person learning for the youngest students. Continue reading.

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: February 12, 2021

Governor Walz Orders Flags Flown at Half-Staff to Honor Victims of Buffalo Tragedy

On Wednesday, Governor Tim Walz directed all flags at state and federal buildings in Minnesota to be flown at half-staff, effective immediately, until sunset on Sunday, February 14, 2021 in honor of the victims of the senseless tragedy that resulted in one lost life and four others injured at Allina Clinic Crossroads in Buffalo, Minnesota on Tuesday, February 9, 2021.

“Minnesota flags will fly at half-staff through Sunday to honor the loss of Medical Assistant Lindsay Overbay and those who were injured and the at Allina Clinic in Buffalo,” said Governor Walz. “As we grieve this senseless tragedy, let us also honor their work to keep Minnesotans safe and healthy.”

Continue reading “Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: February 12, 2021”

Gov. Walz scales back some COVID-19 restrictions in Minnesota

Caps on indoor gatherings such as wedding receptions increased from 10 people up to 50. 

Gov. Tim Walz is scaling back indoor crowd restrictions, designed to slow the spread of COVID-19, amid improving measures of pandemic activity.

Wedding receptions and private indoor gatherings can increase, as of noon Saturday, to 50 people rather than 10 — though facilities still can’t exceed 25% of their fire code capacity. Similarly, restaurants can host up to 250 people, but must operate at no more than 50% of capacity and maintain social distancing of groups.

Restaurants also can remain open until 11 p.m. instead of 10 p.m., despite concerns that viral transmission happens in later hours when customers become less cautious. Continue reading.

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: February 5, 2021

Minnesota Ramps Up COVID-19 Vaccinations; Doubles Number of Shots Administered Per Day Compared to Last Week

On Wednesday, Governor Walz announced that the State of Minnesota has ramped up its COVID-19 vaccination efforts, and is now administering two times the number of shots given per day on average compared to just last week. The increase in vaccination rate follows Governor Tim Walz’ directives given last Monday designed to accelerate the availability of vaccine across the state. 

To date, More than 600,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Minnesota.

Continue reading “Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: February 5, 2021”

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: January 29, 2021

Governor Walz Announces Minnesota’s COVID-19 Recovery Budget

COVID-19 recovery budget graphic


On Tuesday,  Governor Walz announced Minnesota’s COVID-19 Recovery Budget – his budget proposal for the next biennium. As Minnesota continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Walz’s budget supports working families, ensures students catch up on learning, and helps small businesses stay afloat while driving economic recovery.

Governor Walz Takes Action to Jump-Start Vaccine Rollout

On Monday, Governor Walz accelerated plans to make COVID-19 vaccines more broadly available across Minnesota. The actions included a new 72-hour goal for vaccine providers to administer 90 percent of their vaccine doses within three days of receiving them, and all doses within one week. 

Continue reading “Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: January 29, 2021”

Tax increases on wealthiest, budget reserves key pieces of Walz’s budget proposal

The first pawn in a months-long budgetary game of chess has been played.

Calling it the “Minnesota’s COVID-19 Recovery Budget,” Gov. Tim Walz unveiled his $52.4 billion 2022-23 budget proposal Tuesday, that includes tax increases on the wealthiest Minnesotans and big corporations, further assistance for struggling smaller businesses, help for students falling behind and dipping into the state’s budget reserve.

“We know that when workers are supported, when children are supported, when quality of life is supported, it creates an economic environment where things thrive,” Walz said. “We’re going to ask those that are most fortunate and those corporations that have profited during this time to pay a fair share to make sure we can continue to provide the services we need. Continue reading.