Author: The Associated Press

Cocktails to Go Would Be Legal in Wisconsin Under Bill

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Bars and restaurants could sell cocktails and glasses of wine to go under a bill the state Assembly approved Wednesday. The bipartisan measure has been pushed by bar and restaurant owners since the pandemic began as another way for struggling businesses to attract customers. Bars and restaurants also have a higher profit margin on alcohol sales…

Atlanta-Area Shootings Leave 8 Dead, Many of Asian Descent

(courtesy: CNN) ATLANTA (AP) — The man accused of killing eight people at massage parlors in the Atlanta area told police his act was not racially motivated, and that he had a potential “sex addiction.” Still, officials said they were investigating whether the deaths were hate crimes amid concerns over a wave of attacks on Asian Americans. Six of the…

Officials: Wisconsin Man Kills 2 Co-Workers, Later Dies

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A worker shot and killed two colleagues at a supermarket distribution center near Milwaukee before crashing his vehicle during a police pursuit and then killing himself, a union official and police said Wednesday. The attacks happened Tuesday night at the Roundy’s distribution center in Oconomowoc, about 30 miles west of Milwaukee, said Thomas Bennett, secretary-treasurer of General…

Wisconsin Judge Arrested, Suspected of Possessing Child Porn

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Wisconsin judge was arrested Tuesday on tentative charges of possession of child pornography, authorities said. Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Brett Blomme, 38, was apprehended following an investigation into “multiple uploads of child pornography,” the Wisconsin Department of Justice said in a release. A criminal complaint was expected to be filed Wednesday, the DOJ said. The…

Juror Dropped From Chauvin Trial After $27m Settlement

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A judge on Wednesday dismissed a juror who had been seated for the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer in George Floyd’s death over fears that the juror had been tainted by the city’s announcement last week of a $27 million settlement to Floyd’s family. Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill recalled seven jurors and was questioning…

Teens Fueling Slight Increase in COVID-19 Cases in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Health officials say teenagers are behind a slight increase in coronavirus activity in Minnesota. The state Department of Health reported 6,818 additional COVID-19 cases in the week ending Tuesday. About 10% involved teenagers 15 to 19 years old. The risk for that age group increased when in-person instruction and sports activities resumed earlier this year. State Health…

Ex-Officer Wants Jury to Hear About 2019 George Floyd Arrest

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Lawyers for a former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd’s death are asking the judge to admit evidence of a previous arrest in which the Black man was found with drugs, a request the prosecutor derided as an attempt to “smear” Floyd’s character. Derek Chauvin’s attorney Eric Nelson says Floyd’s arrest in May 2019 and last…

Wisconsin Senate Approves Sexual Assault Kit Bills

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Senate overwhelmingly approved a pair of bipartisan bills Tuesday that would establish protocols for collecting and tracking sexual assault evidence kits. The first bill would require health professionals to notify police within 72 hours whenever a sexual assault kit has been collected and police to send kits to the state crime lab within 14 days. The…

Vaccine Eligibility for Next Phase Moved a Week Earlier

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — People age 16 and up with certain preexisting conditions in Wisconsin will be eligible for the coronavirus vaccine starting Monday, a week earlier than previously announced. Last week, the state said people in that eligibility group would be able to get vaccinated starting March 29. But Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday said vaccinations are proceeding quickly…

State Estimates $1.4 Billion in Relief Funding for Schools

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction estimates the state will receive about $1.4 billion to distribute to schools from the latest federal coronavirus relief package. Precise allocations to each state are still being finalized, but DPI expects this round of funding to be double the amount in relief funds allocated in December. The federal bill allows…

Dentists Could Administer COVID-19 Vaccine Under Bill

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Dentists in Wisconsin could administer the COVID-19 vaccine under a bill the state Legislature is scheduled to pass on Tuesday, a step being taken as the push to increase people for the coronavirus accelerates. It was one of several coronavirus-related proposals up for votes. While it has broad bipartisan support, other Republican-backed measures are opposed by…

Few COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Have Been Wasted in Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Fewer than 2,400 doses of the precious and highly sought-after coronavirus vaccine were wasted or spoiled in Wisconsin through February, with the single largest case happening when an employee did it on purpose. That is according to data that the Wisconsin Department of Health Services provided to The Associated Press. The data shows that through February,…

Defense in Ex-Cop’s Trial Fears Impact of $27M Settlement

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The defense attorney for a former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd’s death says he’s “gravely concerned” that last week’s announcement of a $27 million settlement for Floyd’s family makes it impossible for his client to get a fair trial. Attorney Eric Nelson asked for a continuance Monday and also raised the possibility of renewing his previously unsuccessful…

2 Charged in Assault of Capitol Officer Who Died After Riot

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials have arrested and charged two men with assaulting U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick with bear spray during the Jan. 6 riot, but they do not know yet whether it caused the officer’s death. Thirty-nine-year-old George Tanios, of Morgantown, W.Va., and 32-year-old Julian Khater, of Pennsylvania, were arrested Sunday. They were expected to appear in…

Vatican Bars Gay Union Blessing, Says God ‘Can’t Bless Sin’

ROME (AP) — The Vatican has decreed that the Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions, saying that God “cannot bless sin.” The Vatican’s orthodoxy office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued a formal response Monday to a question about whether Catholic clergy can bless gay unions. The answer, contained in a two-page explanation published in seven languages…

Fauci: Trump should urge his followers to get vaccinated

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday he wishes former President Donald Trump would use his popularity among Republicans to persuade more of his followers to get the COVID-19 vaccine. In a round of interviews on the morning news shows, the government’s top infectious disease expert lamented polling showing that Trump supporters are more likely to refuse to get vaccinated, saying politics…

Evers: Everyone in Wisconsin Will Be Vaccine Eligible May 1

(courtesy: WI Dept of Health Services via AP) MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Gov. Tony Evers says everyone in Wisconsin will be eligible for the coronavirus vaccine on May 1. State health officials said Thursday that everyone in the state would be eligible sometime in May. Hours later, President Joe Biden said he wanted states to make everyone eligible by May…

Watch Live: President Biden to Make First Primetime Address to Nation

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is outlining his plan to make all adult Americans eligible for vaccination by May 1 and get the nation back “closer to normal” by the Fourth of July. Biden is addressing the nation Thursday evening, one year into the coronavirus pandemic. Previewing his speech, officials say he will announce that he is deploying an…

South African Virus Variant Found in Minnesota for 1st Time

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota health officials have confirmed the state’s first known case of a coronavirus variant that was originally identified in South Africa. The Minnesota Department of Health said Thursday the person is a Twin Cities-area resident in their 40s who became ill on Jan. 24 and was tested on Jan. 29. The person had no recent travel history…

Wisconsin DHS Announces Next Groups Eligibile for COVID Vaccine

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin is expanding coronavirus vaccine eligibility starting March 29 to anyone 16 or older with common pre-existing health conditions, including being overweight or pregnant, or having high blood pressure, asthma or cancer, officials announced Thursday. The state Department of Health Services released a long list of qualifying conditions to get vaccinated later this month, including cerebrovascular…

Wisconsin to Greatly Broaden COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin plans to greatly expand the number of people eligible for the coronavirus vaccine by about 2 million people, including those with certain pre-existing conditions, as positive cases decline and vaccine availability increases. Gov. Tony Evers and state health officials planned to announce the next eligibility tier on Thursday afternoon. Exactly which pre-existing conditions will qualify,…

COVID-Positive Duluth Musher Removed From Iditarod Race

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A veteran Iditarod musher was removed from the race Wednesday after he tested positive for the coronavirus, organizers said. Gunnar Johnson, 52, of Duluth, Minnesota, was withdrawn from the event at the McGrath, Alaska, checkpoint, the organizers said in a news release. Iditarod Race Marshal Mark Nordman, working with epidemiologist Dr. Jodie Guest, made the decision…

Snow, Heavy Rain, Hail, Tornado Warnings in Minnesota

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) — Heavy snow and high winds in northeastern Minnesota left hundreds without power and caused hazardous travel conditions while the southeastern region of the state experienced rain, large hail and tornado warnings. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said slippery conditions likely contributed to the death of a 57-year-old driver who was killed about 6 p.m. Wednesday…

Ruling Could Put 3rd-Degree Murder Charge in Play for Ex-Cop

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeal of a former Minneapolis police officer who is trying to block a third-degree murder charge from being reinstated in George Floyd’s death. At issue is whether the conviction of another former police officer in an unrelated case established a precedent for prosecutors to restore a third-degree murder…

Ramsey Stops Enforcing Coronavirus Mask Mandate

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — City leaders in Ramsey have voted to stop enforcing Gov. Tim Walz’s coronavirus mask mandate with proponents arguing it infringes on an individual’s constitutional rights. It was not immediately clear what liability the city might face as a result of the 4-3 City Council vote Tuesday night which was discouraged by city attorney Joe Langel. He warned…

Congress OKs $1.9T Virus Relief Bill in Win for Biden, Dems

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…

Attorneys Sift Strong Opinions, Anxiety Among Chauvin Jurors

(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…

Wisconsin Protest Shootings Trial Delayed at Least 7 Months

(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…

House Set to Vote on Virus Relief, Biden on Cusp of Triumph

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…

WH: States Get 900K More Vaccine Doses This Week

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…

When to Expect Payments, Other Benefits From Relief Package

(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…

More Minnesotans Eligible for Coronavirus Vaccine

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…

2 Million More Wisconsin Residents to Be Vaccine Eligible

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…

Fully Vaccinated People Can Gather Without Masks, CDC Says

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…

New Idea to Spread Internet Access in Rural Wisconsin Areas: Drones

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…

Jury Selection Is 1st Battleground at Trial in Floyd’s Death

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…

More Than 1 Million in Wisconsin Get Vaccinated

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,…

3rd-Degree Murder Count Could Be Reinstated in Floyd’s Death

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…

Wisconsin Health Officials: ‘Couple Months’ to Other Side of Pandemic

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….

Prosecutors: Officer Was on Floyd’s Neck for About 9 Minutes

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…

Police Request 60-Day Extension of Guard at US Capitol

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,…