NEWS
--To slow the spread of COVID-19 across the state, Governor Tim Walz Wednesday signed Executive Order 20-20 directing Minnesotans to stay at home and limit movements outside of their home beyond essential needs. This order takes effect at 11:59pm on Friday, March 27th and ends at 5:00pm on Friday, April 10th. Minnesotans may leave their residences only to perform any of the following activities, and while doing so, they should practice social distancing: Health and safety activities, such as obtaining emergency services or medical supplies; Outdoor activities, such as walking, hiking, running, biking, hunting, or fishing; Necessary Supplies and Services, such as getting groceries, gasoline, or carry-out; Essential and interstate travel, such as returning to a home from outside this state; Care of others, such as caring for a family member, friend, or pet in another household; Displacement, such as moving between emergency shelters if you are without a home; Relocation to ensure safety, such as relocating to a different location if your home has been unsafe due to domestic violence, sanitation, or essential operations reasons; Tribal activities and lands, such as activities by members within the boundaries of their tribal reservation. Workers who work in critical sectors during this time are exempt from the stay at home order. These exemptions are based on federal guidance from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with some Minnesota specific additions. This includes, but is not limited to, jobs in: Healthcare and public health; Law enforcement, public safety, and first responders; Emergency shelters, congregate living facilities, drop-in centers; Child care; Food and agriculture; News media; Energy; Water and wastewater; and Critical manufacturing. On Wednesday the Governor also issued executive orders extending the closure of bars, restaurants, and other public accommodations set forth in Executive Orders 20-04 and 20-08 until May 1st, 2020 at 5:00pm and authorizing the Commissioner of Education to implement a Distance Learning Period for Minnesota’s students beginning on Monday through May 4th, 2020. On Wednesday it was reported that 287 tested positive for COVID-19 out of the 11,475 tests that have been completed. There was still 1 death, 35 total hospitalized, 122 no longer in isolation. There are still none in Morrison County along with Todd, Crow Wing and Mille Lacs Counties; Unchanged is 1 in Cass, 5 in Stearns, 1 in Benton, 1 in Sherburne Counties. Twin Cities Metro Area still largest hit including 111 in Hennepin, 27 in Ramsey, and 21 in Dakota Counties. Almost all couties south and then east of Morrison County have reported cases with now a total of 7 cases from Morrison County North.
--Authorities have released the name of the driver killed in crash involving a semi-truck and a pickup Tuesday in St. Cloud. Just before 11:00am, the Minnesota State Patrol says a semi, driven by 62-year-old David Talbot of Woodruff, Wisconsin, was stopped on Highway 10 at the intersection of 15th Avenue Southeast when he was rear-ended by a pickup. The driver of the pickup, 48-year-old Brian Kuseske of Becker, was killed in the crash. The eastbound lanes of Highway 10 were closed as authorities cleared the scene.
--Morrison County Commissioner Randy H. Winscher announced he is running for re-election in District 3 this November. Winscher said he is praying for the health of all Morrison County residents.
--London reported that Prince Charles has test positive for the COVID-19 virus and is in isolation at a place in Scotland.
--The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is creating an emergency loan program to help Minnesota small business owners who need immediate assistance to meet their families’ basic needs during COVID-19 closures. The loan program was created under the Small Business Assistance Executive Order 20-15 announced by Governor Tim Walz on March 23rd. The loan program is intended to help businesses temporarily closed under Executive Order 20-04, later clarified by Executive Order 20-08, which stopped onsite customer dining at restaurants and bars and closed an extensive list of other small businesses whose owners may not have adequate cash flow to withstand temporary closure. Executive Order 20-15 directs DEED to create a Small Business Emergency Loan Program by making available $30 million from special revenue funds. These dollars will be used by DEED’s lender network to make loans of between $2,500 and $35,000 for qualifying small businesses. The loans will be 50% forgivable, and offered at a 0% interest rate. If other financing becomes available to small businesses that received an emergency loan, such as federal funding, the emergency loan must be repaid. These emergency loans will be made by an existing network of lenders DEED works with across the state. Depending on the size of the loans offered to businesses, DEED estimates this emergency loan program will provide needed resources to between 1,200 and 5,000 businesses. DEED expects loan applications will be available later this week through the lender network. Minnesota small businesses should send questions about this emergency loan program to ELP@state.mn.us. The executive order also allows local units of government or lending partners which have a revolving loan fund to use those funds to issue loans to retail and service providers for the next 90 days. DEED estimates that up to $28 million in capital could be accessible through local revolving loan funds and local governments through this action. Local partners will be looking at ways to deploy these resources to support their local businesses. For the latest information from DEED for employers and businesses visit the DEED COVID-19 Information page on the DEED website.
--A man has been arrested after the vehicle he was driving hit a house in Sauk Rapids. The incident happened just after 11:30pm Saturday in the 1700 block of Summit Avenue North. The vehicle was heavily damaged and was seen leaving the area and was stopped by a Sauk Rapids police officer. The driver, 28-year old Jacob Heins, was arrested. Police say his blood-alcohol level tested at .20. The Sauk Rapids Fire Department responded to the scene and turned off the gas line due to a natural gas leak at the home, which was caused by the vehicle hitting the gas meter. No one in the home was hurt.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Matt Johnson and Kalyn Beseman of of Swanville, boy on March 23rd
--Devan Tretter and Kayla Robbins of Little Falls, girl on March 24th
WEATHER
TODAY= partly sunny skies, high 42, cloudy tonight, low 27.
FRIDAY= partly sunny, high 50, rain after dark, low 35.
SATURDAY= rain/freezing rain/snow, gusty winds, high 44, low 31.
SUNDAY= snow shower early, then turning sunny and mild, high 52.
SPORTS
TWINS= catch classic Twins Baseball, game 1 of the 1965 World Series tonight at 6pm on Q92 WYRQ.