2019 LOCAL NEWSPULITZER FINALIST Firefighters blast city ... › dfp › pdf18 › MN_ST.pdf · or...
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THE CORONAVIRUS’ TOLL HAVE YOU HEARD TOP NEWS MINNESOTA SPORTS 13,813,333 cases worldwide 589,776 deaths worldwide 3,588,462 cases in the U.S. 138,268 deaths in the U.S. 45,013 cases in Minn. 1,533 deaths in Minn. Au revoir, Bellecour: Chef Gavin Kaysen has closed his four- star French bistro and bakery in Wayzata. E1 Poll finds distrust: 60% disapprove of Trump’s pan- demic response. A5 Flag ban: Without saying “Confederate,” Pentagon forbids its display. A3 YMCA budget suffers: Pandemic cut revenue at huge nonprofit by 30%. B1 Reusing Lake Street Kmart: Postal Service to lease part of vacant site. B3 Duffey’s trip to mound: Pitcher worked his way up to key role for Twins. C1 Koivu preps for post- season: Wild captain not ready to talk retirement. C1 Numbers as of 9 p.m. Friday • Sources: Johns Hopkins University (worldwide), New York Times (U.S.), Minnesota Department of Health (Minnesota) STAR TRIBUNE Minneapolis, St. Paul MN Volume XXXIX • No. 105 July 18, 2020 More of what matters to Minnesota. All day. Every day. ONLINE: startribune.com • TIPS: 612-673-4414 • COMMENTS: 612-673-4000 SUBSCRIPTIONS: Call 612-673-4343 or go to startribune.com/subscribe ¬ 2019 LOCAL NEWS PULITZER FINALIST 95° 70° A scorcher — with a storm chaser. B10 The claims come amid a wave of violent crime. By JENNIFER BJORHUS and LIZ NAVRATIL • Star Tribune staff The continued surge of Minneapolis police officers seeking disability benefits after the George Floyd unrest is heightening concerns of a police staffing shortage amid a wave of violent crime. Ron Meuser Jr., the lawyer handling the claims, said his office met with an additional 43 Minneapolis cops this week who have retained him. That’s in addition to the estimated 150 officers who Meuser said at a July 10 news conference had retained him. And it brings the total closer to 200 now, out of a sworn force of about 850. Meuser said most of the officers starting the disabil- ity paperwork leave their jobs fairly quickly on a medical leave. The disability claims pro- cess can take up to six months. He said his office has “doz- ens and dozens” of more appointments with officers scheduled for next week. “The curve has not flattened,” Meuser said. “We are signing up a staggering number of officers every day right now.” The increase in officers seeking to file disability claims comes as the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) faces unprecedented public criticism following the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, in May. The City Council has advanced 1 in 4 Mpls. cops seeks disability By FREIDA FRISARO and DAVID CRARY • Associated Press FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. – Millions more children in the U.S. learned Friday that they’re unlikely to return to classrooms full time in the fall because of the corona- virus pandemic as death tolls reached new highs. It came as many states — particularly in the Sun Belt — struggled to cope with the surge and governments worldwide tried to control fresh outbreaks. In a sign of how the virus is galloping around the globe, the World Health Organization reported nearly a quarter-million new infections in a single day. In the U.S., teams of military medics were deployed in Texas and California to help hospitals deluged by coronavirus patients. The two most populous states each reported roughly 10,000 new cases and some of their highest death counts since the pandemic began. Big numbers in Florida, Arizona and other states also are helping drive the U.S. resurgence that’s forcing states to rethink the school year. California Gov. Gavin Newsom laid out strict crite- ria for school reopenings that make classroom instruc- tion unlikely for most districts. The Democrat’s rules Millions more kids headed for online school as virus rages By JEREMY OLSON and MARY LYNN SMITH Star Tribune staff writers As Gov. Tim Walz debates whether to mandate mask-wearing in Minnesota, state health officials Fri- day urged people to don them anyway to slow the spread of COVID-19 and a troubling uptick in mystery cases. Minnesota has seen a 10 percentage-point increase since June 20 in the rate of infections that state contact tracers can’t tie back to likely community sources — such as spouses, co-workers or drinking buddies. The rate of unknown community transmissions reached 34% on July 8, above the state target of 30%. As more cases come from unknown sources, it pre- vents health officials from identifying specific individuals with exposure risks and strengthens the need for blanket protections such as mask-wearing and social distancing, said Kris Ehresmann, state infectious disease director. “We know that a significant number of cases may be asymptomatic,” Ehresmann said, so waiting for symp- toms to emerge before taking precautions “doesn’t necessarily work.” State health officials warned that the rising trend of CALL FOR MASKS INTENSIFIES Controversial Asatru sect is establishing a Midwest hub in Swift County. By JOHN REINAN [email protected] MURDOCK, MINN. – A Nordic heritage group that religious scholars have identified as a white supremacist organiza- tion is sinking permanent roots into this Swift County town. For $45,000, the Asatru Folk Assembly (AFA) bought an abandoned Lutheran church and is creating its third “Hof,” or gathering hall, joining oth- ers the group operates in California and North Caro- lina. Organizers said the hall is intended to serve believers throughout the Midwest. The move has come as a sur- prise to many in this town of 275 residents 115 miles north- west of the Twin Cities. Word of the deal spread in the past week after the political blog Bluestem Prairie reported it. There’s been a lot of chatter about the sale on social media, said Brianna Watkins, who lives 4 miles outside town. “People don’t like what they’re hearing,” she said. “They’re calling them white supremacists.” Mayor Craig Kavanagh said he first heard about the church at a City Council meeting last week and is trying to learn more about the group. “I know I’ve got a bunch of people in town worked up Church’s ‘white’ message stirs fear By MIGUEL OTÁROLA [email protected] The Minneapolis City Council declared racism a public health emergency in the city Friday, vowing to allocate funding and other resources to “name, reverse, and repair the harm done” to people of color in the city. The resolution was unani- mously approved nearly two months after George Floyd, a Black man, was killed by Min- neapolis police while in cus- tody in south Minneapolis. Days after his death, Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins called on the council to define racism as a public health crisis. During a committee meet- ing last week, Jenkins said Floyd’s killing, Black people’s vulnerability to the corona- virus and racial gaps in home- ownership are issues that have “been deeply agreed upon that at the core is racism.” “How do we begin to address and end racism?” Jen- kins asked. “I think the first step in that process is through naming that as an issue.” The resolution, sponsored by Jenkins and Council Mem- ber Phillipe Cunningham, listed multiple ways the city Council calls racism health crisis Police budget cuts: Minneapolis City Council members pitch initial numbers. B1 • George Floyd police case: News outlets challenge judge’s gag order. B1 NEW HOME This vacant church in Murdock, Minn., will become a Midwest regional hub for a Nordic heritage group. Mystery cases spur state officials’ push for face coverings “If we could get everybody to wear a mask right now, I really think in the next four, six, eight weeks, we could bring this epidemic under control.” Dr. Robert Redfield, CDC director See RACISM on A10 Ø See GROUP on A10 Ø See POLICE on A10 Ø Masked shoppers entered the Walmart in Apple Valley on Friday. New COVID-19 cases in Minnesota are rising at more than double the target rate. On the upswing: Virus is once again ravaging the state of Washington. A6 See MINNESOTA on A7 Ø See VIRUS on A7 Ø LEILA NAVIDI • [email protected] CIVIL RIGHTS ICON JOHN LEWIS DIES NATION SATURDAY July 18, 2020
Transcript of 2019 LOCAL NEWSPULITZER FINALIST Firefighters blast city ... › dfp › pdf18 › MN_ST.pdf · or...
T H E C O R O NAV I RU S’ TO L L
H AV E YOU H E A R D
TO P N EWS M I N N E S OTA S P O RT S
13,813,333 cases worldwide
589,776 deaths worldwide
3,588,462 cases in the U.S.
138,268 deaths in the U.S.
45,013 cases in Minn.
1,533 deaths in Minn.
Au revoir, Bellecour: Chef Gavin Kaysen has closed his four-star French bistro and bakery in Wayzata. E1
Poll finds distrust: 60% disapprove of Trump’s pan-demic response. A5
Flag ban: Without saying “Confederate,” Pentagon forbids its display. A3
YMCA budget suffers: Pandemic cut revenue at huge nonprofit by 30%. B1
Reusing Lake Street Kmart: Postal Service to lease part of vacant site. B3
Duffey’s trip to mound: Pitcher worked his way up to key role for Twins. C1
Koivu preps for post-season: Wild captain not ready to talk retirement. C1
Numbers as of 9 p.m. Friday • Sources: Johns Hopkins University (worldwide), New York Times (U.S.), Minnesota Department of Health (Minnesota)
STAR TRIBUNE Minneapolis, St. Paul MNVolume XXXIX • No. 105July 18, 2020
More of what matters to Minnesota. All day. Every day.
ONLINE: startribune.com • TIPS: 612-673-4414 • COMMENTS: 612-673-4000SUBSCRIPTIONS: Call 612-673-4343 or go to startribune.com/subscribe
¬2019 LOCAL NEWS PULITZER FINALIST
95° 70°A scorcher — with
a storm chaser. B10
The claims come amid a wave of violent crime .
By JENNIFER BJORHUS and LIZ NAVRATIL • Star Tribune staff
The continued surge of Minneapolis police officers seeking disability benefits after the George Floyd unrest is heightening concerns of a police staffing shortage amid a wave of violent crime.
Ron Meuser Jr., the lawyer handling the claims, said his office met with an additional
43 Minneapolis cops this week who have retained him. That’s in addition to the estimated 150 officers who Meuser said at a July 10 news conference had retained him. And it brings the total closer to 200 now, out of a sworn force of about 850.
Meuser said most of the officers starting the disabil-ity paperwork leave their jobs fairly quickly on a medical leave. The disability claims pro-cess can take up to six months.
He said his office has “doz-ens and dozens” of more
appointments with officers scheduled for next week. “The curve has not flattened,” Meuser said. “We are signing up a staggering number of officers every day right now.”
The increase in officers seeking to file disability claims comes as the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) faces unprecedented public criticism following the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, in May. The City Council has advanced
1 in 4 Mpls. cops seeks disability
By FREIDA FRISARO and DAVID CRARY • Associated Press
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. – Millions more children in the U.S. learned Friday that they’re unlikely to return to classrooms full time in the fall because of the corona-virus pandemic as death tolls reached new highs.
It came as many states — particularly in the Sun Belt — struggled to cope with the surge and governments worldwide tried to control fresh outbreaks. In a sign of how the virus is galloping around the globe, the World Health Organization reported nearly a quarter-million new infections in a single day.
In the U.S., teams of military medics were deployed in Texas and California to help hospitals deluged by coronavirus patients. The two most populous states each reported roughly 10,000 new cases and some of their highest death counts since the pandemic began. Big numbers in Florida, Arizona and other states also are helping drive the U.S. resurgence that’s forcing states to rethink the school year.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom laid out strict crite-ria for school reopenings that make classroom instruc-tion unlikely for most districts. The Democrat’s rules
Millions more kids headed for online
school as virus rages By JEREMY OLSON and MARY LYNN SMITH
Star Tribune staff writers
As Gov. Tim Walz debates whether to mandate mask-wearing in Minnesota, state health officials Fri-day urged people to don them anyway to slow the spread of COVID-19 and a troubling uptick in mystery cases.
Minnesota has seen a 10 percentage-point increase since June 20 in the rate of infections that state contact tracers can’t tie back to likely community sources — such as spouses, co-workers or drinking buddies. The rate of unknown community transmissions reached 34% on July 8, above the state target of 30%.
As more cases come from unknown sources, it pre-vents health officials from identifying specific individuals with exposure risks and strengthens the need for blanket protections such as mask-wearing and social distancing, said Kris Ehresmann, state infectious disease director.
“We know that a significant number of cases may be asymptomatic,” Ehresmann said, so waiting for symp-toms to emerge before taking precautions “doesn’t necessarily work.”
State health officials warned that the rising trend of
CALL FOR MASKS INTENSIFIES
Controversial Asatru sect is establishing a Midwest hub in Swift County.
By JOHN REINAN [email protected]
MURDOCK, MINN. – A Nordic heritage group that religious scholars have identified as a white supremacist organiza-tion is sinking permanent roots into this Swift County town.
For $45,000, the Asatru Folk Assembly (AFA) bought an abandoned Lutheran church and is creating its third “Hof,” or gathering hall, joining oth-ers the group operates in California and North Caro-lina. Organizers said the hall is intended to serve believers throughout the Midwest.
The move has come as a sur-prise to many in this town of 275 residents 115 miles north-west of the Twin Cities. Word of the deal spread in the past week after the political blog Bluestem Prairie reported it. There’s been a lot of chatter about the sale on social media, said Brianna Watkins, who lives 4 miles outside town.
“People don’t like what they’re hearing,” she said. “They’re calling them white supremacists.”
Mayor Craig Kavanagh said he first heard about the church at a City Council meeting last week and is trying to learn more about the group.
“I know I’ve got a bunch of people in town worked up
Church’s ‘white’ message stirs fear
By MIGUEL OTÁROLA [email protected]
The Minneapolis City Council declared racism a public health emergency in the city Friday, vowing to allocate funding and other resources to “name, reverse, and repair the harm done” to people of color in the city.
The resolution was unani-mously approved nearly two
months after George Floyd, a Black man, was killed by Min-neapolis police while in cus-tody in south Minneapolis. Days after his death, Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins called on the council to define racism as a public health crisis.
During a committee meet-ing last week, Jenkins said Floyd’s killing, Black people’s vulnerability to the corona-virus and racial gaps in home-
ownership are issues that have “been deeply agreed upon that at the core is racism.”
“How do we begin to address and end racism?” Jen-kins asked. “I think the first step in that process is through naming that as an issue.”
The resolution , sponsored by Jenkins and Council Mem-ber Phillipe Cunningham , listed multiple ways the city
Council calls racism health crisis
Police budget cuts: Minneapolis City Council members pitch initial numbers. B1 • George Floyd police case: News outlets challenge judge’s gag order. B1
N E W H O M EThis vacant church in
Murdock, Minn., will become a Midwest regional hub for a
Nordic heritage group.
Mystery cases spur state officials’ push for face coverings
“If we could get everybody to wear a mask right now,
I really think in the next four, six, eight
weeks, we could bring this epidemic
under control.”Dr. Robert Redfield,
CDC director
See RACISM on A10 Ø
See GROUP on A10 Ø
See POLICE on A10 Ø
Masked shoppers entered the Walmart in Apple Valley on Friday. New COVID-19 cases in Minnesota are rising at more than double the target rate.
On the upswing: Virus is once again ravaging the state of Washington. A6
See MINNESOTA on A7 Ø See VIRUS on A7 Ø
LEILA NAVIDI • [email protected]
CIVIL RIGHTS ICON JOHN LEWIS DIESNATION
ZSW [C M Y K] A1 Saturday, Jul. 18, 2020
SATURDAYJuly 18, 2020
