WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress has sent President Joe Biden the landmark $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. The House approved the bill Wednesday over solid Republican opposition in a vote that gives the new president and Democrats a victory just seven weeks after he took office. The 628-page measure represents Democrats’ effort to bridle the catastrophic pandemic and revive the enfeebled…
(Court TV, via AP, Pool) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jury selection opens its second day Wednesday in the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd’s death last May. Derek Chauvin faces second-degree murder and manslaughter charges. Several potential jurors were dismissed Tuesday, including some who said they wouldn’t be able to set aside their strong views about…
(Antioch Police Department via AP) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The trial for an 18-year-old from Illinois accused of killing two people and wounding a third during a protest against police brutality in Wisconsin has been pushed back by seven months and could be delayed even longer. Kyle Rittenhouse’s trial was scheduled to begin March 29, but both sides told a…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is poised to approve a landmark $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. That puts President Joe Biden on the cusp of a triumph that advances Democratic priorities yet also showcases the unity his party will need for future victories. House passage seems certain, probably coming Wednesday. The bill aims to fulfill Democrats’ campaign promises to beat the…
WASHINGTON — The U.S. is making an additional 900,000 doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines available to states and pharmacy partners this week. White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced that states and territories will receive 15.8 million doses of the two-shot vaccines, up from 15.2 million last week. Another 2.7 million doses will be distributed through the federal pharmacy…
(AP) – As the latest federal pandemic relief package makes its way to President Joe Biden’s desk, Americans may be wondering when the benefits will reach them. The $1.9 trillion known as the “American Rescue Plan” is massive, both in size and scope. It includes direct payments to most Americans, aid to small businesses, financial help for schools, and much…
DETROIT (AP) — Kia is telling owners of nearly 380,000 vehicles in the U.S. to park them outdoors due to the risk of an engine compartment fire. The Korean automaker is recalling certain 2017 through 2021 Sportage SUVs and 2017 through 2019 Cadenza sedans to fix the problem. The company says a short circuit in the electronic brake control unit…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz says Minnesota is expanding eligibility for the coronavirus vaccine after reaching its goal of inoculating at least 70% of people 65 and older. The state will expand eligibility to the next two phases of Minnesotans at once. Walz said Tuesday the next two priority groups include people with underlying health conditions and those at…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – About 2 million more Wisconsin residents, including those with certain pre-existing conditions, will be eligible for the coronavirus vaccine in the next round to be announced later this week. Wisconsin Deputy Health Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said Monday the new eligibility group will likely be unveiled on Thursday. The last expansion, which included teachers and…
NEW YORK (AP) — Fully vaccinated Americans can gather with other vaccinated people indoors without wearing a mask or social distancing. That’s according to long-awaited guidance from federal health officials. The recommendations were announced Monday. They also say that vaccinated people can come together in the same way with people considered at low-risk for severe diseases, such as in the…
EAGLE RIVER, Wis. (AP) — Students in the northern Wisconsin school district without reliable home internet will soon be able to connect to their school networks via a drone-powered cellular signal. The project comes from a Wisconsin startup via a state-funded pilot program in the Eagle River area. Wisconsin Public Radio reports the goal is to test the use of drones as…
BEAVER BAY, Minn. (AP) — One of Minnesota’s more popular state parks is getting a new campground. Work continues this year on a project to add Split Rock Lighthouse State Park’s first drive-in camping option. The Shipwreck Creek campground is tentatively planned to open in the fall, with 46 sites with electric service and a modern shower and bathroom facility….
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The fate of a former Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee into George Floyd’s neck as the man said he couldn’t breathe will be decided by 12 residents of Hennepin County who will be picked after extensive grilling about their views. Jury selection begins Monday in the trial of Derek Chauvin, who is charged with second-degree…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — More than 1 million people in Wisconsin have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine as of Friday. Additionally, more than 572,000 people have been fully vaccinated, based on the latest totals from the state Department of Health Services. As of Thursday, Wisconsin had administered at least one dose to 17.6% of its population,…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Friday ordered a judge to reconsider adding a third-degree murder charge against a former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd’s death, handing a potential victory to prosecutors. A three-judge panel said Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill erred when he rejected a prosecution motion to reinstate the third-degree murder charge…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin health officials have detected more coronavirus variants in the state but predict every adult who wants a vaccine shot will get one by mid-summer. Department of Health Services Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said Thursday that sequencing has now detected 19 cases of the coronavirus variant first detected in the United Kingdom in Wisconsin….
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers added a robust 379,000 jobs last month, the most since October and a sign that the economy is strengthening as confirmed viral cases drop, consumers spend more, and states and cities ease business restrictions. The February gain marked a pickup from the 166,000 jobs added in January and a loss of 306,000 in December. Yet…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — As the trial approaches for a Minneapolis police officer charged with murder in George Floyd’s death, prosecutors are putting the time Derek Chauvin’s knee was on Floyd’s neck at about nine minutes. The time has fluctuated before. It was given as 8 minutes, 46 seconds in an initial criminal complaint, a figure that became symbolic to many…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Crowds at most high school tournament games and events this month and next will be limited to 250 people, according to the Minnesota State High School League. League Executive Director Erich Martens says it’s hoped that one, maybe two, family members of each athlete can attend. Each team will receive a limited number of tickets. The general…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press has learned that the Capitol Police have requested that members of the National Guard continue to provide security at the U.S. Capitol for another two months. And defense officials say the proposal is being reviewed by the Pentagon. The request underscores the continuing concerns about security and the potential for violence at the Capitol,…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Law enforcement is on high alert around the U.S. Capitol after intelligence uncovered a “possible plot” by a militia group to storm the iconic building yet again. The threat appears to be connected to a far-right conspiracy theory, mainly promoted by supporters of QAnon, that Donald Trump will rise again to power on March 4, the original…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits edged higher last week to 745,000, a sign that many employers continue to cut jobs despite a drop in confirmed viral infections and evidence that the overall economy is improving. Thursday’s report from the Labor Department showed that jobless claims rose by 9,000 from the previous week. Though the…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Allowing schools to open earlier and bolstering their summer school offerings are both being floated by Gov. Tony Evers as ways to help students catch up after a year of virtual learning during the coronavirus pandemic. Allowing schools to open before Sept. 1 for the 2021-2022 academic year would require a law change. The Legislature has…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin launched an online registry Wednesday where people can sign up to receive the coronavirus vaccine if they are eligible and appointments are available near where they live, but so far only one health department is participating. The registry was supposed to launch on March 1 but was delayed as those testing the system worked to fix problems and migrate…
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Democratic official says President Joe Biden and Senate Democrats have agreed to tighten the upper-income limits at which people could qualify for stimulus checks in the party’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill. That’s a major concession to moderates as party leaders prepared to move their legislation through the Senate. As part of Democrats’ legislative thrust on…
(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (AP) – Legislators in more than 20 states have introduced bills this year that would ban transgender girls from competing on girls’ sports teams in public high schools. Yet in almost every case, sponsors are unable to cite an instance in their own state or region where such participation has caused problems. Asked about actual cases with…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Capitol Police say they have intelligence showing there is a “possible plot” by a militia group to breach the U.S. Capitol on Thursday. The revelation was detailed in a statement from the Capitol Police. The threat appears to be connected to a far-right conspiracy theory, mainly promoted by supporters of QAnon, that Trump will…
LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has announced the further loosening of Michigan’s coronavirus restrictions, easing capacity limits in restaurants and a host of other businesses while also allowing for larger indoor and outdoor gatherings. The revised state order takes effect Friday. The Democratic governor says families will be able to visit nursing homes after being tested for COVID-19….
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — An Eagan woman is accused of threatening neighbors with a machete and cutting wires inside a utility box last week, leaving dozens without phone or internet service. A criminal complaint filed in Dakota County charges 32-year-old Kathryn Joyce with threatening violence and first-degree criminal damage to property, which are felonies. According to the complaint, officers were…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Transgender athletes would be banned from participating in girls’ and women’s sports in Wisconsin from kindergarten through college under bills introduced by Republican lawmakers. The proposals unveiled Tuesday come as more than a dozen other states consider similar measures. The Wisconsin proposal faces an almost certain veto from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers should it pass the…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin will receive 47,000 doses next week of the newly approved coronavirus vaccine from Johnson & Johnson, an amount Gov. Tony Evers calls a “game-changer” in the state’s fight against COVID-19. The news came the same day that teachers, child care workers, grocery store employees, and others in a group of about 700,000 became eligible for…
(AP Photo/Steven Senne) BOSTON (AP) — The business that preserves and protects Dr. Seuss’s legacy has announced it will stop publishing six titles because of racist and insensitive imagery. Dr. Seuss Enterprises tells The Associated Press in a statement on Tuesday, the author and illustrator’s birthday, that the books portray people in ways that are hurtful. It says the decision…
(AP Photo/Alan Diaz, File) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A record number of permits to carry handguns were issued in 2020, a surge attributed to a rise in violent crime in the Twin Cities and the civil unrest that followed the death of George Floyd. A report from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension shows that more than…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A state-run COVID-19 vaccine registry touted as a one-stop-shop for people seeking vaccinations in Wisconsin is set to launch by the end of the day. The registry announced last month is going live Monday, just as teachers, child care workers, and others in a group of about 700,000 become eligible for the vaccine. The Wisconsin Department…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A preliminary study shows that deer throughout Minnesota have been exposed to a certain class of insecticides, the state Department of Natural Resources said Monday. The DNR said further analysis is required to determine if the presence of neonicotinoid pesticides is high enough to adversely affect deer health. Additional study results should be completed this spring. Neonicotinoids…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin has departed from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance by not prioritizing individuals with chronic health conditions as it rolls out the coronavirus vaccines in the state. The state committee that set Wisconsin’s vaccine priority failed to follow CDC advice that says people age 16 to 64 with underlying medical conditions should be…
PARIS (AP) — Across Africa and Southeast Asia, governments and aid groups, as well as the World Health Organization, are increasingly calling on pharmaceutical companies to share their coronavirus vaccine know-how and technology more broadly. They say it’s the only way to meet a huge global shortfall in a pandemic that already has claimed over 2.5 million lives. The Associated…
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health advisers have endorsed a one-dose COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson that’s expected to provide an easier-to-use option to fight the pandemic. The panel of Food and Drug Administration experts ruled on Friday that J&J’s vaccine protected against COVID-19 and should be made available for adults. The FDA is expected to quickly follow the recommendation…
DETROIT (AP) — Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. is recalling more than 430,000 light truck tires in the U.S. because they can develop sidewall bulges that could lead to tire failure. The recall covers certain Discoverer, Evolution, Courser, Deegan, Adventurer, Hercules, Back Country, Multi-Mile, Wild Country, and Big O tires in several sizes. The company says in documents posted Friday…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota’s budget outlook has swung from a nearly $1.3 billion deficit to a $1.6 billion surplus, state economists announced Friday, an improvement that sets up debates for the rest of the legislative session over taxes and spending. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz called for raising taxes on the wealthiest Minnesotans and large companies as part of the $52 billion…
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The case of a 15-year-old boy charged with shooting and wounding eight people at a suburban Milwaukee mall last year will remain in juvenile court. The Milwaukee teen in a petition for juvenile delinquency faces eight felony counts of first-degree reckless injury and one misdemeanor count of possessing a firearm while under 18 in connection with the…
(Renee Jones Schneider/Star Tribune via AP) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The former Minneapolis police officer convicted of third-degree murder in the 2017 fatal shooting of an Australian woman is asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to take his case. Mohamed Noor is seeking to have his conviction in the death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond overturned after a Court of Appeals panel upheld…
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A former U.S. Olympics gymnastics coach with ties to disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar has died by apparent suicide after being charged with two dozen crimes, including forms of human trafficking. Michigan’s attorney general announced John Geddert’s death on Thursday afternoon. It came about three hours after a news conference where Nessel announced that Geddert was…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The number of people eligible for the coronavirus vaccine in Wisconsin is about to grow. Teachers and child care workers in Wisconsin will have priority for the coronavirus vaccine starting Monday. They are part of a group of 700,000 people who will be newly eligible, as about half of those over age 65 have been inoculated…
(AP Photo/Dawn Villella, File) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Hunters and trappers have exceeded the state’s wolf kill target by almost 100 animals. Registration data the state Department of Natural Resources released Thursday morning show hunters and trappers have killed 215 wolves, blowing past the state kill target of 119. The hunt began Monday and was supposed to run through…
(Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via AP, Pool) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — At least 70% of Minnesotans age 65 and older will get at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine before the state moves on to the next phase of vaccinations, according to Gov. Tim Walz. The governor is expected to announce the next phase of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan Thursday,…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell sharply last week but remained high by historical standards. Applications for benefits declined 111,000 from the previous week to a seasonally adjusted 730,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. It is the lowest figure since late November. Before the virus erupted in the United States last March, weekly applications for…
(AP) MOUNT PLEASANT, Wis. (AP) — Foxconn Technology Group said Wednesday it has signed a deal with a California startup to build electric cars, conceivably at Foxconn’s facility in Wisconsin. Details of the agreement with electric car company Fisker are expected in the coming months. However, Fisker chairman and chief executive Henrik Fisker told the Wall Street Journal that Foxconn’s…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Ballot drop boxes would not be allowed anywhere other than election clerk offices in Wisconsin under a new Republican-authored proposal in the state Legislature. Another bill unveiled Wednesday would require that only voters, not elections officials, could fill out the information on absentee envelopes. The latest bills add to a growing list of GOP-authored measures addressing…
(AP Photo/Jim Mone, File) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Supreme Court has reversed an appeals court’s rejection of a critical air emissions permit for the planned PolyMet copper-nickel mine and sent the case back for further proceedings. The court ruled Wednesday that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency was not required under federal law to investigate allegations of “sham permitting.” The…
