>>Suicide Prevention Bill Passes Senate
(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Senate has passed a bill intended to prevent suicide by making the state’s bridges safer. The bill requires the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Department of Health to study, develop and implement suicide prevention barriers around the state. The bill is called “Kayla’s Hope Act” after a Shakopee woman who died by suicide after jumping off the Washington Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis. The bill passed 63-4 and is headed to the House.
>>Minnesota’s Paid Leave program has seen nearly 62,000 applications in just three months
(Undated) – Minnesota’s new Paid Leave program is off to a fast start. In just the first three months, the Department of Employment and Economic Development says more than 62,000 people have applied. Deputy Commissioner Evan Rowe says they’ve approved about 43,000 applications so far and denied roughly 19,000, mostly because of simple mistakes or people applying to the wrong place. Rowe says they’ve also caught dozens of fraudulent applications, but stresses the number is small thanks to multiple layers of identity checks and document reviews. DEED had expected about 130,000 applications in the program’s first year
>>Man Shot and Wounded near Cass Lake in Northern Minnesota
(Cass Lake, MN) — Authorities in northern Minnesota are investigating an early morning (Wed) shooting near Cass Lake that left a man hospitalized. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says the 39-year-old victim arrived at Cass Lake Indian Health Services with a gunshot wound. He was later transported to another hospital, but the extent of his injuries is unknown. Deputies say they searched residences and secured a vehicle involved in the shooting. No other information is being released.
>>Two Drilling Equipment Plants Closing on the Iron Range
(Windsor, CT) — Nearly 80 workers on the Iron Range are expected to be laid off as a manufacturer plans to close two of its drilling equipment facilities. Walter Surface Technologies informed state officials that it will permanently shut down Minnesota Twist Drill in Chisholm and Triumph Twist Drill in Hibbing. The filing indicates that 32 positions at the Chisholm site will be cut starting in June, with further job losses scheduled through August. The company stated that both facilities will cease operations permanently. The company has not publicly detailed a single, formal reason, but reporting indicates the shutdown is tied to ongoing financial strain, particularly from steel tariffs that raised production costs.
>>President Trump Selects U-of-M Economist to Lead White House Council on Economic Advisers
(Washington, D.C.) — A senior economist at the University of Minnesota has been selected by President Donald Trump to lead the White House Council of Economic Advisers, a position that plays a key role in shaping federal economic strategy. The nominee, Christopher Phelan (Fee-lan), heads the university’s economics department and serves as a consultant to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Pending approval by the U.S. Senate, Phelan would enter the administration amid growing public concern about the direction of the economy and widespread skepticism of the president’s economic leadership.
>>Best Buy CEO to Step Down This Fall
(Richfield, MN) — Best Buy CEO Corie Barry plans to step down later this year. The Richfield-based electronics retailer says Barry will leave her role in October. She will be succeeded by Jason Bonfig, who currently serves as the company’s chief customer, product, and fulfillment officer. Barry made history as Best Buy’s first female CEO.
