>>Ellison Celebrates Trade Court Ruling Blocking Trump Administration’s Tariffs
(St. Paul, MN) — Attorney General Keith Ellison is celebrating after the U-S Court of International Trade ruled the Trump administration’s tariffs are invalid and cannot be implemented. Ellison and 11 other attorneys general sued the Trump administration for violating law by imposing worldwide tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Ellison said in a statement, “If Trump wants to impose tariffs, the Constitution requires him to work through Congress to do so.” The A-G claims the president abused the powers of his office by attempting to circumvent Congress and impose his tariffs anyway.
>>Hospital Officials Rally Against Medicaid Cuts at State Capitol
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota health care leaders are already concerned about 715 billion dollars in possible Medicaid cuts coming from Washington, DC. Rick Breuer is C-E-O of Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet, and he says cuts would mean the closing of more rural hospitals. Breuer said at a State Capitol rally, “Minnesotans who lose Medicaid coverage will still get sick, they’ll still get hurt and injured, but now instead of getting preventative care and taking care of themselves in the best possible way, they’ll end up in crisis in our E-R’s.” Breuer says 150 rural hospitals have closed in Minnesota in since 2005.
>>Supreme Court Orders Re-Evaluation of Lawsuit Against MN Police Officer
(Washington, DC) — The U-S Supreme Court is instructing a lower court to reassess whether a Minneapolis police officer can be sued for blinding a teenager during protests that followed the death of George Floyd in 2020. Ethan Marks was struck in the face by a chemical projectile fired by Officer Benjamin Bauer, who claimed he was attempting to use less-than-lethal force to stop what he described as an assault on a fellow officer. Although lower courts initially permitted Bauer to face a lawsuit, the Supreme Court vacated those decisions on Tuesday and ordered the Court of Appeals to reconsider the case.
>>Allina Healthcare Union Workers to Picket Next Week
(Minneapolis, MN) — Allina’s unionized healthcare workers will be picketing next week as negotiations continue with the healthcare provider. Doctor Matt Hoffman of Vadnais Heights says Allina has ignored their proposals of what they need from a staffing standpoint. Hoffman says Allina is proposing to cut pay of primary care providers, zero paid sick time, and are refusing to meaningfully bargain. Hoffman says the first picket will take place next Tuesday. The two sides have been negotiating a contract since February of 2024.
>>MDH Help Me Connect Tool Helping Connect Minnesotans with Doulas for Last Year
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Department of Health’s ‘Help Me Connect’ tool has been helping expecting families find doulas for the last year. Maternal Care Access Coordinator Sierra Hill says they heard from many people that it can be a challenge to find a doula. Hill says the tool includes a mapping function for finding doulas and more than 30 filter options, such as for home birth services, cultural or religious practices and payment options. More information can be found on the M-D-H’s Help Me Connect website.
>>Human Smugglers Sentenced for Deaths of Indian Nationals Along US/Canada Border
(Fergus Falls, MN) — Two human smugglers are headed to federal prison for the deaths of four Indian nationals along the Minnesota/Canada border in January of 2022. Prosecutors say Harshkumar Patel from India was sentenced to more than ten years Wednesday and Steve Shand of Florida received a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence. A family of four that included a three-year-old and 11-year-old child froze to death trying to cross the border during a blizzard. Shand was supposed to pick them up, but his van broke down in the snow. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police found the bodies of the four victims. Patel will likely be deported after serving his sentence.
>>Layoffs Likely at General Mills
(Golden Valley, MN) — General Mills, based in Golden Valley, is anticipated to implement widespread layoffs as part of a $130 million “transformation” initiative. The company filed a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission this week, stating that it has approved a multi-year global transformation plan. This initiative is expected to cost the company $130 million by 2028, with $70 million allocated for the current quarter. General Mills is currently the 37th largest employer in the state, with more than 3,000 employees.
>>Thunder Blow Out Wolves in Game 5 of Western Conference Finals
(Oklahoma City, OK) — The season is over for the Timberwolves following a 124-94 loss at Oklahoma City Wednesday night in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. The Wolves only scored nine points in the first quarter and trailed the Thunder by 33 points at halftime. Julius Randle led Minnesota with 24 points and Anthony Edwards scored 19. The Wolves are headed home after losing in the West Finals four games-to-one for the second straight season. O-K-C will face either the Indiana Pacers or New York Knicks in the N-B-A Finals.
