>>AG Ellison, 22 AGs Defend CFPB
(St. Paul, MN) — Attorney General Keith Ellison and 22 other AGs are defending the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) after President Donald Trump attempted to defund and disband it. On February 9th, Trump directed the CFPB to stop all ongoing work and not begin any new investigations. The CFPB oversees big banks, lenders, credit card companies, and mortgage servicers to ensure they follow federal consumer protection laws. Ellison and other state attorneys argue that Trump’s actions could prevent consumers from reporting issues of fraud or deception and would reduce the oversight of massive banks.
>>Klobuchar Co-sponsors Bill to Allow Imports of Canadian Prescriptions Drugs
(Washington, DC) — Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and Iowa’s Chuck Grassley are co-sponsoring a bill allowing people to import prescription drugs from Canada. Klobuchar says Americans pay the highest prices worldwide for medications, and this plan would lower costs and increase consumer access. Klobuchar and Grassley partnered on two other bipartisan bills to promote competition and reduce prescription drug prices that passed in 2023.
>>UnitedHealth Group Begins Offering Employee Buyouts
(Eden Prairie, MN) — UnitedHealth Group is starting to offer buyouts to several workers with an expectation of layoffs. The Eden Prairie-based healthcare giant calls the action a voluntary resignation separation program. For those who take the buyout, additional severance would be included based on their tenure with UnitedHealth Group. The company faces pressure due to rising medical costs, and there are questions about whether the health insurance industry needs reform to address patient concerns over denials of health insurance coverage.
>>Home Sales Sluggish in January
(Undated) — Home sales in Minnesota were slow last month. Patti Jo Fitzpatrick, president of Minnesota Realtors, stated that high interest rates impact buyer affordability. She noted that interest rates are at their highest level since May 2024, with mortgage rates averaging nearly 7.0% throughout January. The statewide median home price was up 4.8% last month to $330,000, while the metro median price increased 5.0% to $370,000.
>>Minneapolis Mayor Vetoes Pedestrian Mall at George Floyd Square
(Minneapolis, MN) — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (fry) has vetoed his City Council’s plan to turn George Floyd Square into a pedestrian mall. This comes almost five years after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd. Frey says a pedestrian mall would “delay any meaningful progress for at least a year.” The public has criticized Frey and the City Council for not making any positive moves toward honoring Floyd and building something in the area.
>>MPD Search for Missing Woman with Alzheimer’s
(Minneapolis, MN) — Minneapolis police are searching for a missing woman with Alzheimer’s disease. 69-year-old Mary Andrews was last seen Wednesday night near North Lowry, a mile from her home, without a vehicle or cellphone. Andrews is described as Black, 5 feet 2 inches tall, 135 pounds, with white hair. She was last seen wearing a black jacket, grey sweatpants, and black shoes.
