Minnesota health officials reported 423 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, following a trend of increasing positive case numbers in the state. But trends in daily deaths from the disease still suggest a hopeful, downward trend. The newest counts come as officials plead with Minnesotans to keep their guard up and to follow public health guidelines over the July Fourth holiday weekend.
At a time when the city of Minneapolis is taking steps to dismantle the Police Department, an uptick in gun violence is causing fear and anxiety among some residents. A drive-by shooting in a north Minneapolis park during a youth football team practice has cemented people's fears about public safety.
Independence Day doesn’t have to change completely. Here are a few locations that plan to host events, from virtual to social distanced, and some safety reminders on fireworks.
Two college students have organized racial justice protests in the small central Minnesota city of Alexandria, but they intend to keep it top of mind for residents long after the protests end.
The city has made significant strides in overcoming the racial injustice of its past, but still has work to do, King said. The nonprofit leader and youth pastor, who recently organized a youth march in St. Cloud, is seeking a seat on the City Council. “You can see [the racism] really clearly in systems more than you can see it in people. That’s what we’ve got to change,” he said.
On Wednesday afternoon, the city’s Charter Commission will address a charter amendment that would replace the police with a new Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention. But some residents say they want to see a detailed plan before any formal action is taken.
The pharmaceutical industry is now “more hated than COVID-19,” Gov. Tim Walz said Wednesday as he ripped corporate drug giants for trying to stop a new Minnesota law requiring them to deliver insulin at little or no cost in emergency cases.