A man and woman standing in front of a microphone.

Breaking News Minnesota Local News

“I Expect 100% Compliance!” – Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Means Business

"I expect 100% compliance by Minneapolis residents and visitors with the governors stay at home order. a failure to comply with this order will result in our city reaching peak cases sooner then we are ready to handle. and therefore a failure to comply with this order will result in lives lost. this is not optional, this is not a half measure. This is a mandate and i expect it to be followed for the sake of our great city." Firmly Stated by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey during a press conference on Friday March 27.

He also stated:

"For most its not a matter of if, but when. the order is built not to reduce the number of people that eventually contract COVID-19 but to extend the time that we collectively have to prepare for the inevitable rate of infections. Its coming and we must be ready. by taking action now and enforcing the governors order at the local level, we can save lives."

Even with the firm statements he also reiterated that he expects the community to step up to their responsibilities as individuals and that law enforcement would only intervene if absolutely necessary.

A woman standing in front of a minnesota sign.

Breaking News Health Minnesota Local News

Minnesota Ordered To Shelter In Place For Two Weeks

Mar 25, 2020 Dave Denn

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has ordered all Minnesotans to shelter in place for at least the next two weeks, starting this Friday March 27th.

What does that mean for Minnesotans?

While the order is to remain in effect for at least two weeks, Tim Walz stated that the length of the shelter in place order may be extended beyond the two weeks. The order is expected to slow the spread of COVID-19 the novel coronavirus and allow the state to continue to prepare for the pandemic that is expected to infect up to 2 million Minnesotans even with these measures the Governor said Wednesday.

Minnesotans may leave their homes for these necessities:

Health and safety activities
Outdoor activities
Necessary supplies and services
Essential and interstate travel
Care of others
Displacement
Relocation to ensure safety

What will still be open?

Hospitals
Clinics
State legislature
Food (Grocery stores, delivery, take out, etc.)
Pharmacies
Food shelves
Convenience stores
Liquor stores
Child care facilities
News organizations
Gas stations
Funeral homes
Banks
Hardware stores
Postal offices

What will be closed?

Dine-in restaurants
Bars and nightclubs
Entertainment venues
Gyms and fitness studios
Zoos
Museums
Arcades
Playgrounds
Bowling alleys
Movie theaters
Concert halls
Country clubs
Salons and barber shops
Tattoo parlors
*Note - this is not a complete list

Walz also said the closure of the schools and the use of distance learning will be used through May 4th.

A red car parked in front of a waffle house.

Breaking News US News

Waffle House Closes 365 Locations in U.S. – Why that matters.

Mar 24, 2020 Dave Denn

Waffle house has just closed 365 restaurant locations across the U.S. due to the SARS-CoV-2 (coronovirus, COVID-19) pandemic that is sweeping the world. The breakfast-chain announced the news Tuesday via their facebook page.

Why is that a bad thing?

"If you get there and the Waffle House is closed? That's really bad..." Says Craig Fugate, the former head of FEMA. The Waffle House Index is an informal metric measurment named after the Waffle House restaurant chain and is used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to determine the effect of a storm or emergency and the likely scale of assistance required for the disaster recovery.

The Measure is based on the reputation of Waffle House for having a great disaster preparedness and staying open during extreme weather, or reopening quickly afterwards.

What are the levels in the Waffle House Index?

Wikipedia states The index has three levels, based on the extent of operations and service at the restaurant following a storm:

GREEN: full menu – restaurant has power and damage is limited or no damage at all.
YELLOW: limited menu – no power or only power from a generator, or food supplies may be low.
RED: the restaurant is closed – indicating severe damage or severe flooding.

The term was coined by FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate in May 2011, following the 2011 Joplin tornado, during which the two Waffle House restaurants in Joplin remained open.

The measure is based on the reputation of the restaurant chain Waffle House for staying open during extreme weather and for reopening quickly, albeit sometimes with a limited menu, after very severe weather events such as tornadoes or hurricanes; for example, assembling and training "Waffle House jump teams" to facilitate fast reopening after disasters. Waffle House, along with other chains (such as Home Depot, Walmart, and Lowe's) which do a significant proportion of their business in the southern US where there is a frequent risk of hurricanes, have good risk management and disaster preparedness. Because of this, and the fact that a cut-down menu is prepared for times when there is no power or limited supplies, the Waffle House Index rarely reaches the red level.

The Waffle House Index sits alongside more formal measures of wind, rainfall, and other weather information, such as the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale, which are used to indicate the intensity of a storm.

In a world of uncertainty and with a rapidly expanding pandemic this is just one more statistic to add to the pile, which is sure to grow even larger.

A man in suit and glasses talking at a podium.

Breaking News Minnesota Local News

MN Gov. Tim Walz Speaks By Phone While In Self Quarantine 3/23/2020

Mar 23, 2020 Dave Denn

Here is a brief overview of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' address to Minnesotans on Monday, March 23rd at 2:00pm. Walz made the conference over the phone while under self quarantine after one of his security staff tests positive for COVID-19.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has called in the National Guard to distribute PPE from Camp Ripley to the Twin Cities areas for distribution to local hospitals and care facilities.

#StayHomeMN is trending among Minnesotans to help spread the word of importance of self distancing.

Mr. Walz also went over the four executive orders that have been implemented in Minnesota.

Order 2014 Suspends evictions and writs of recovery during the COVID-19 crisis. He states its critical to protect the people during this crisis.

Order 2015 Immediate unemployment relief and small business and independent contractors loan program. Non profit lending partners will be announced at some point.

Order 2016 Hospital and healthcare to conduct a PPE and respirator inventory throughout the state.

Order 2017 Prohibit non essential elective surgeries and procedures.

The income taxes filing date in Minnesota has now been postponed to coincide with the federal tax date of Wednesday July 15^th 2020.

Revised the 2020 supplemental budget to add $356 Million for the COVID-19 crisis.

A group of soldiers standing in front of each other.

Breaking News Minnesota Local News

National Guard and Martial Law?

Mar 22, 2020 Dave Denn

As the National Guard starts pouring into Minnesota and other states around the country to help with the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) outbreak, many people are beginning to question if this is the beginning of Martial Law? While Martial Law has been implemented for short terms in the past in small areas in our country, many fear a country wide rule of law enforced by our nations military.