Days to the November Election: 210
2020 Election
The Supreme Court’s disturbing order to effectively disenfranchise thousands of Wisconsin voters, Vox
Long lines, face masks in Wisconsin as voters head to polls despite coronavirus, Reuters
We’ll Need Vote-by-Mail in November. And It Could Be a Legal Nightmare., Politico
Who Has Emergency Authority Over Elections? Nobody’s Quite Sure.,MN Reformer
Agriculture
USDA SAYS TO RESTRICT CONTACT WITH ANIMALS IF SICK WITH COVID-19, Successful Farming
FERTILIZER PRICES FALL TO LOWEST LEVELS IN A DECADE, ECONOMIST SAYS, Successful Farming
Attorney General Keith Ellison
Ellison prosecutes landlord for trying to evict tenant during Stay at Home Order,Lakeland Broadcasting
Minnesota task force to target crimes related to pandemic, Rochester Post Bulletin
Congress
Worried that $2 trillion law wasn’t enough, Trump and congressional leaders converge on need for new coronavirus economic package, Washington Post
Donald Trump
Trump takes heat for firing intel watchdog during pandemic, The Hill
Trump’s War on Veterans, The American Prospect
This Is Trump’s Fault, The Atlantic
There Is No Plan for the End of the Coronavirus Crisis, New York Magazine
“You’re a third-rate reporter”: Trump lashes out in response to questions about damning IG report, Vox
Laura Ingraham and Fox News medical guests met with Trump to discuss Hydroxycholroquine: Report, Newsweek
Nigeria Has Chloroquine Poisonings After Trump Praised Drug, Bloomberg
Donald Trump Has Stake In Hydroxychloroquine Drugmaker: Report, Huffington Post
Economy
Extra $600 unemployment benefits will start flowing as early as this week for a lucky few, CNN
Trump’s Promised Oil Deal Still Eludes Big Producers as Prices Dive Again, Foreign Policy
How do you reopen the economy after coronavirus? German experts have a plan, CNN
Education
Nation’s governors urge Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to immediately disburse new federal relief funding for schools, Washington Post
Environment
DNR reviews impacts of farmer’s plan to irrigate cropland in Pineland Sands, MPR
Superfund, Meet Super Plants, New York Times
Governor Tim Walz
Gov. Walz announces $6.2 million in coronavirus grants for Minnesota veterans, KARE11
Walz appoints Moehrle, Welte as Seventh Judicial District judges, St. Cloud Times
Gov. Tim Walz weighs modified stay-at-home order as forecast improves, Star Tribune
Health
Navarro memos warning of mass coronavirus death circulated in January, Axios
Coronavirus patients in areas with high air pollution more likely to die: research, The Hill
Health professionals warn of ‘explosion’ of coronavirus cases in minority communities, Politico
Human testing beginning on second coronavirus vaccine candidate, The Hill
No work, no stimulus check add anxiety for undocumented immigrant laborers, USA Today
Labor
Striking McDonald’s Workers Say Their Lives Are More Essential Than Fast Food, In These Times
Wage Theft Allegations at Menards Construction Site, Workday MN
AFSCME Local 2822 Calls on Hennepin County to Halt its ‘Dangerous Work or Debt’ Mandate,Workday MN
Minnesota News
Grocery shopping levels still increasing but not at frenzied levels, Star Tribune
Minnesota legislators told to brace for a brutal budget forecast, MinnPost
COVID-19 fight looks different in Minnesota’s border states, Star Tribune
Hastings and Woodbury/Cottage Grove newspapers to cease publication, citing coronavirus fallout, Pioneer Press
Representative Angie Craig (CD2)
Rep. Craig hears concerns from small cities, rural leaders, Rochester Post Bulletin
Pandemic illustrates broadband woes of education, health care, Rivertown.net
Representative Collin Peterson (CD7)
USDA Aid Being Prepped for Livestock, Dairy, Specialty Crops, Progressive Farmer
Republicans
Senate Intel Chair Sold Dutch Fertilizer Stock in 2018, Right Before a Collapse, ProPublica
It’s Hardly Shocking the Navy Fired a Commander for Warning of Coronavirus Threat. It’s Part of a Pattern., Mother Jones
Coronavirus Is Forcing the GOP to (Tacitly) Admit Its Ideology Is Delusional, New York Magazine
After Coronavirus, Let’s Never Forget: Republicans Recklessly Put Our Lives in Danger, The Intercept
Evers chose public health and democracy, Republicans chose chaos, The Cap Times
The Republican Plot Against Voting Turns Deadly, The New Republic
Senator Amy Klobuchar
AMY KLOBUCHAR WANTS TO SAVE THE ELECTION FROM THE CORONAVIRUS, MTV News
Klobuchar: Trump went from ‘I alone can fix this’ to ‘I am backup’, MSNBC
U.S. News
New York records the largest single-day increase in deaths., New York Times
Trump announces face mask manufacturing deal with 3M after contentious negotiations, CNN
Trump aide Peter Navarro warned ‘as many as 1.2 million souls’ could be lost to coronavirus: reports, USA Today
Stephanie Grisham out as White House press secretary, Politico
In New York, Overflow Hospitals At Javits And On Navy Ship Have Been Largely Empty, NPR
World News
VIDEO: Modi Denies India Is Targeting Muslims. We Found a Different Reality, New York Times
Global Coronavirus Death Toll Passes 76,000 as Lockdowns Tighten, Wall Street Journal
George Pell: Australian cardinal released from jail after high court quashes child sexual abuse conviction, The Guardian
How do you reopen the economy after coronavirus? German experts have a plan, CNN
Coronavirus: Boris Johnson stable and ‘in good spirits’ and in hospital, BBC
China outraged after Brazil minister suggests Covid-19 is part of ‘plan for world domination’, The Guardian
Upcoming DFL Events
With the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation, we suggest you check with the hosting organization to see if meetings, etc. are being held.
All DFL conventions will now be held virtually. If you were elected as a Delegate or Alternate at Caucuses, you will be hearing from your district with specifics. If you don’t, please check with the hosting organization.
- Today through April 10 — Minnesota Stay at Home Order
- April 7, 7:00 to 8:30 PM – SD40 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meeting via FreeConferenceCall.com. Contact Chair for more information.
- April 9 through 13 — Passover
- April 9
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD36 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meeting, contact the Chair for more information.
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD48 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meeting, contact the Chair for more information.
- April 10 — Good Friday
- April 12 — Easter
- April 13
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD49 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meeting, contact the Chair for more information
- April 15 — Tax Day
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — CD3 DFL Virtual Central Committee Meting, contact the Chair for more information
- April 17, 5:00 PM — Deadline for DFL local units to provide a roster to delegates/alternates and ballot content
- April 18
- April 20, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — Anoka County DFL Meeting, contact them for more information on how the meeting will be held
- April 22 — Earth Day
- April 23 through May 23 — Ramadan
- April 23 — Deadline for DFL local units to certify their ballot in writing to DFL Staff
- April 24 — Arbor Day
- April 25 – May 4 — DFL Virtual Convention Balloting Window
- May 5 — Cinco de Mayo
- 7:00 to 8:30 PM — SD40 DFL Central Committee Meeting, location to be determined
- May 6
- 6:30 to 8:30 PM — SD50 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Kennedy High School, Room C102, 9701 Nicollet Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55420
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD33 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Ridgedale Library, Room 172, 12601 Ridgedale Dr, Minnetonka, MN 55305
- May 7, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD46 DFL Central Committee Meeting, St. Louis Park City Hall, 5005 Minnetonka Blvd, St. Louis Park, MN 55416
- May 9, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM — CD3 DFL Convention, Park Center High School, Performing Arts Center, 7300 Brooklyn Blvd, Minneapolis, MN 55344.
- May 10 — Mother’s Day
- May 11 — deadline for certification of DFL local unit balloting results
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Council Chamber, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD49 DFL Central Committee Meeting, 7001 Cahill Rd, Suite 21, Edina, MN
- May 14
- 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD36 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Riverwind Community Center, 2701 Northdale Blvd NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433.
- 7:oo to 9:00 PM — SD48 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Glen Lake Community Center, 14350 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
- May 30 -30 — State DFL Convention, Rochester, MN, more information as it becomes available.