WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden is nominating Denis McDonough, who was President Barack Obama’s White House chief of staff, as secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The sprawling agency has presented organizational challenges for both parties over the years. Biden is continuing to stockpile his incoming administration with prominent members of Obama’s team. Biden plans to make the…
(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government and 48 states and districts sued Facebook Wednesday, accusing it of abusing its market power in social networking to crush smaller competitors and seeking remedies that could include a forced spinoff of the social network’s Instagram and WhatsApp messaging services. It marks the second U.S. offensive against a Big Tech…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Department of Health Services on Wednesday launched an education and awareness campaign designed to help bolster vaccination for the flu among the state’s minority communities. Health officials recommend flu vaccinations every year, but particularly this year because hospitals are under stress from the coronavirus pandemic. As of Tuesday, there were 1,556 people hospitalized due…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota health officials reported 4,539 new coronavirus cases Wednesday and 82 new deaths, the state’s third-highest one-day total of the pandemic. The new cases raise Minnesota’s total case count to 363,719 and its cumulative death toll to 4,109. But hospitalizations are continuing a slow decline. Minnesota had 1,545 people hospitalized with COVID as of Tuesday, with 358…
(AP Photo/Michel Euler) CLEVELAND, Oh. – On Wednesday, ArcelorMittal announced the sale of ArcelorMittal USA to Cleveland-Cliffs has been completed. According to reports, the sale was for $1.4 billion in cash and shares. The deal, announced in September by the companies, makes Cleveland-Cliffs the largest flat-rolled steel and iron ore pellet producer in North America. “I would like to thank…
(Jerry Holt/Star Tribune via AP, File) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The future of policing in the city where George Floyd was killed is headed for a showdown vote Wednesday night. The Minneapolis City Council will decide whether to shrink the city’s police department while violent crime is already soaring and redirect funding toward alternatives for reducing violence. Mayor Jacob Frey has…
LONDON (AP) — British regulators have warned that people who have a history of serious allergic reactions shouldn’t receive the new Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine as they investigate two adverse reactions that occurred on the first day of the country’s mass vaccination program. The U.K.’s Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency is looking into whether the reactions were linked to the vaccine….
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Army says it has fired or suspended 14 officers and enlisted soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, and ordered policy changes to address chronic leadership failures at the base that contributed to a widespread pattern of violence including murder, sexual assaults and harassment. Two general officers are among those being removed from their jobs, as top Army…
LONDON (AP) — A retired British shop clerk has received the first shot in the country’s COVID-19 vaccination program, the start of an unprecedented global immunization effort intended to offer a route out of a pandemic that has killed 1.5 million. The U.K. is the first Western country to start a mass vaccination program after British regulators last week authorized…
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health regulators say in their initial review that the vaccine from Pfizer is 95% protective against COVID-19. The review posted online Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration offers the world the first detailed look at the evidence behind the shot, which was co-developed with BioNTech. The FDA review comes before a Thursday meeting where a…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota reported 5,296 new cases of the coronavirus and 21 deaths on Monday. Both numbers were down from the state’s seven-day averages, but Mondays are typically a lighter day for virus numbers due to a dropoff in testing over the weekends. Minnesota has averaged about 5,400 new daily cases and 58 deaths per day over the past…
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Sunday his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani has tested positive for the coronavirus, making him the latest in Trump’s inner circle to contract the disease that is now surging across the U.S. The 76-year-old former New York mayor has traveled extensively to battleground states in recent days and weeks in an effort to help…
MOUNTAIN IRON, Minn.- The 19-year-old man shot by deputies Saturday after fleeing the scene of a shoplifting call in Mountain Iron has been identified by his mother. Estavon Elioff was identified by his mother Jacqueline, the Star Tribune reported. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that deputies first discovered the man outside a business about…
LONDON (AP) – British officials have authorized a COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, greenlighting the world’s first shot against the virus that’s backed by rigorous science and taking a major step toward eventually ending the pandemic. The go-ahead Wednesday for the vaccine developed by American drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech comes as the virus surges again in the United States…
(AP Photo/Jim Mone, File) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Enbridge Energy began construction on its Line 3 crude oil pipeline replacement in Minnesota on Tuesday, a day after state regulators approved the final permit for the $2.6 billion projects amid legal challenges from local activists and Indigenous groups. Spokeswoman Juli Kellner said Enbridge began construction in several locations around the state in…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General William Barr said Tuesday that the Justice Department has not uncovered evidence of widespread voter fraud and has seen nothing that would change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. In an interview with The Associated Press, Barr said U.S. attorneys and FBI agents have been working diligently to follow up on specific complaints and…
NEW YORK (AP) — An influential scientific panel on Tuesday is set to tackle one of the most pressing questions in the U.S. coronavirus epidemic: When the first doses of COVID-19 vaccine become available, who should be at the front of the line for shots? The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet in an open-to-the-public, virtual meeting to vote…
WASHINGTON (AP) – Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen is describing the economic crisis brought on by the COVID pandemic as an “American tragedy” and warning that without quick action to address it, the damage will get worse. Introducing herself during a Joe Biden transition event where the president-elect unveiled his economic team, Yellen spoke about the “historic crises” of the…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit in Wisconsin seeking to disqualify hundreds of thousands of ballots in a longshot attempt to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s win in the battleground state he lost by nearly 20,700 votes. Trump filed the suit with the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday. It came a day after Democratic Gov. Tony…
APPLETON, Wis. (AP) — Christmas tree lots report that business is already brisk in Wisconsin this holiday season and owners attribute that in part to the coronavirus pandemic. Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers Association spokesman Greg Hann says many families want a fresh tree because they won’t be traveling this year and will be home to care for it. “I have…
PUPOSKY, Minn. (AP) — A hunter has fatally shot another hunter in northern Minnesota after mistaking him for a deer, according to authorities. The two men were not hunting together and the victim was not wearing blaze orange, according to the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office. Officials said Monday the shooting happened Wednesday near Puposky at dusk. The victim is identified…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Madison high school student has died after a brief coronavirus-related illness, according to officials. In an email to students and families, East High School’s principal said junior Isai Morocho died unexpectedly during the Thanksgiving break. Principal Brendan Kearney described Morocho as “a caring friend and family member with a ready smile and great sense of…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Arizona officials have certified Joe Biden’s narrow victory over President Donald Trump in the state. Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs and Republican Gov. Doug Ducey stood up for the integrity of the election even as lawyers for Trump were across town Monday arguing without evidence to nine Republican lawmakers that the election was marred by fraud….
(AP) – Minnesota has called off Saturday’s game against 16th-ranked Northwestern, the second straight cancellation for the Gophers due to a spike in COVID-19 cases within the program. University officials made the decision in consultation with the Big Ten after seven additional positive cases were confirmed. The Wildcats lead the West Division at 5-1. Since Nov. 19, Minnesota has turned…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota regulators approved the final permit Monday for Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 crude oil pipeline replacement across northern Minnesota, giving the company the green light to begin construction on the $2.6 billion projects. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency granted a construction stormwater permit for the project, which was the last hurdle that Calgary, Alberta-based Enbridge needed to…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is returning to Washington for one last attempt at deal-making this year. The only absolute must-do is preventing a government shutdown on Dec. 11. But lawmakers are also debating whether to deliver another round of coronavirus relief before President Donald Trump leaves office. A virus bill would provide funding for vaccines and testing, for reopening schools,…
(courtesy: Michigan Republicans) ESCANABA, Mich. (AP) — Tom Casperson, a former state lawmaker from the Upper Peninsula who cast a key vote to expand Medicaid and built alliances with labor unions, has died at age 61. Casperson, a Republican from Escanaba, died Sunday. He had been stricken with cancer. Fellow Republicans in the Senate called Casperson a “titan of the…
(AP) – Moderna Inc. says it will ask U.S. and European regulators to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine as new study results confirm the shots offer strong protection. Multiple vaccine candidates must succeed for the world to stamp out the coronavirus pandemic. Moderna is just behind Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech in seeking to begin vaccinations in…
(AP) – The nation’s top infectious disease expert says that the U.S. may see a “surge upon a surge” of the coronavirus over the coming weeks, and he does not expect current recommendations around social distancing to be relaxed before Christmas. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also says it’s “not too…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin finished a recount of its presidential results on Sunday, confirming Democrat Joe Biden’s victory over President Donald Trump in the key battleground state. Trump vowed to challenge the outcome in court even before the recount concluded. Dane County was the second and last county to finish its recount, reporting a 45-vote gain for Trump. Milwaukee…
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A federal appeals court in Philadelphia has rejected President Donald Trump’s latest effort to challenge the election results in a case expected to reach the U.S. Supreme Court if Trump appeals. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals echoed a string of other courts in finding his campaign offered no evidence of any election fraud. Instead, the…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Department of Health reported 101 more deaths due to COVID-19 on Friday, the first time the state has topped 100 single-day deaths since the start of the pandemic. The state health department reported 5,704 new cases on Friday, putting the state at 3,476 deaths and 295,001 cases due to the virus since March. More than…
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Nearly 300 nursing home residents in Wisconsin died from COVID-19 in the most recent month reported to the federal government. The Journal Sentinel reports that’s more than 10 times the previous month. Nursing homes in Wisconsin reported that 294 residents had died of the disease caused by the coronavirus between Oct. 12 and Nov. 8, according to data…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The University of Minnesota football program announced late Wednesday that ten more people within the team have tested positive for the coronavirus. An outbreak among athletes and staff prompted the team to halt all activities on Tuesday, including canceling its game against rival Wisconsin for the first time in 118 years. Minnesota said seven more staff members and three…
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will leave the White House if the Electoral College formalizes President-Elect Joe Biden’s victory even as he insisted such a decision would be a “mistake.” Trump spent his Thanksgiving renewing claims that “massive fraud” and crooked officials in battleground states caused his election defeat even though there is no evidence…
(Garret Ellison | MLive) ST. PAUL, Minn (AP) — Two Native American tribes in northern Minnesota are asking state regulators to stop the imminent construction of Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 crude oil pipeline replacement, saying it would increase the risk of coronavirus infections spreading. The Red Lake and White Earth Bands of Chippewa filed a motion late Wednesday asking the…
National security adviser General Michael Flynn delivers a statement daily briefing at the White House in Washington U.S., February 1, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has pardoned former national security adviser Michael Flynn, taking direct aim in the final days of his administration at a Russia investigation that he has long insisted was motivated by political…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The number of COVID-19 infections in Wisconsin continues to tick downward. The state Department of Health Services reported 5,469 confirmed cases Wednesday. The number of cases has now declined every day since Saturday, an encouraging sign after the state saw a record-high 7,989 cases on Nov. 18. The seven-day average of positive tests was 28.3% as…
(AP Photo/John Minchillo) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota prosecutor said Wednesday that he has offered to reduce the sentence of a Black man who is serving life in prison in the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old girl. Myon Burrell was 16 when he was accused of killing Tyesha Edwards, who was hit by a stray bullet on Nov. 22, 2002,…
NEW YORK (AP) — The pandemic may have upended most traditions this holiday season, but the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will march on with balloons, dancers, floats, Broadway shows, and Santa all heavily tweaked for safety. The biggest change this year is that the usual 2 1/2-mile route through crowded Manhattan has been scrapped in favor of concentrating events…
WAUWATOSA, Wis. (AP) — A 15-year-old boy faces multiple charges in a shooting at a Wisconsin mall that left eight people injured, and he has been ordered held in secure juvenile detention rather than being released to his parents. Court Commissioner J.C. Moore on Tuesday denied a defense request to allow the teen to be released to house arrest with…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A current surge of COVID-19 cases throughout Minnesota is affecting staffing levels at many nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. That’s forcing the state to send the National Guard to help out in some homes, while the administration is also asking state employees to consider volunteering in facilities with critical staff shortages. The Star Tribune reports Wednesday that…
(courtesy: Facebook/Biden) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota’s state canvassing board has unanimously certified the state’s election results. It’s an ordinarily routine task that drew closer attention due to President Donald Trump’s efforts to delay it in key states. The board agreed 5-0 that Joe Biden defeated Trump in Minnesota by just over 233,000 votes or about 7 percentage points. Biden therefore…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin set another record for COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday as Gov. Tony Evers begged people not to celebrate Thanksgiving with anyone outside their households as the diseases rages across the state. The state Department of Health Services reported COVID-19 was a factor in another 104 deaths on Monday, breaking the old daily record of 92 set…
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrat Joe Biden was certified Tuesday as the winner of the presidential election in Pennsylvania, culminating three weeks of vote counting and a string of failed legal challenges by President Donald Trump. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf first disclosed in a tweet that the Department of State had certified the vote count for president and vice president….
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Department of Corrections says a 73-year-old man who was a prisoner in Oak Park Heights has died after recently testing positive for COVID-19. The department said Monday that the man, who was not immediately identified, died at the University of Minnesota Medical Center. He tested positive for COVID-19 while he was being treated for terminal…
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden is preparing to formally announce his national security team to the nation. Those being introduced during a Tuesday afternoon event are among Obama administration alumni whose roles in the upcoming administration signal Biden’s shift away from the Trump administration’s “America First” policies. The picks include former Secretary of State John Kerry to take…
MINNEAPOLIS-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved one of the last remaining permits for Enbridge Energy’s planned Line 3 crude oil pipeline replacement across northern Minnesota. Corps approval came Monday. All that remains now is for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to issue a storm water construction permit, and then for the Public Utilities Commission to give a final…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota officials urge residents to download a free app for their smartphones that will notify them if someone who’s been near them later tests positive for the coronavirus. The app also allows them to warn others anonymously if they test positive themselves. Officials stress that participation in COVIDaware MN is voluntary and that the system contains ample…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A conservative law firm is asking the state Supreme Court to strike down Dane County’s ban on indoor gatherings and sports. The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty asked the justices on Monday to take its lawsuit challenging the ban directly and issue an immediate injunction. The firm argues the issue is of statewide importance since…
