Good morning and welcome to a brand new work week.
Protections for people behind on their rent during the pandemic are going away, and evictions are starting to tick up. Brian Bakst has the story : Eight cases that cycled through an Anoka County housing court one morning last week offered a glimpse at the shaky ground some Minnesota families are on as COVID-19 inspired eviction protections fade. In a Zoom hearing that moved in fits and starts, attorneys for property owners sought a judge’s approval to remove tenants many months and many thousands of dollars behind in their rent. One woman settled, but will pay thousands in tightly bunched installments and have to find a new home after November. A couple of others must vacate even sooner after failing to appear. But the more common outcome? A halted process due to a pending application for special financial aid through RentHelpMN, the program that distributes some of the money from the federal government aimed at preventing pandemic-related problems.
From Dan Kraker: Both supporters and critics of the proposed Twin Metals Minnesota copper-nickel mine are anticipating what could be a major announcement in the next few days from President Joe Biden’s administration — one that could help determine the future of the project. Federal officials have taken the past several months to clarify their position on the proposed $1.7 billion underground mine, which would be built along the shore of Birch Lake, about seven miles from Ely and just outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Opponents say the watershed of the Boundary Waters — an iconic wilderness with extremely high water quality — is the wrong place to build what would be a new kind of mining for Minnesota, one that has left behind a legacy of toxic pollution in the western U.S. They also say the mine would devastate the region’s tourism and recreation-based economy. But supporters of the proposal argue it would create hundreds of good-paying jobs, take advantage of rich mineral resources that would benefit local communities and the state’s economy and help provide metals needed to power a green economy.
Colin Powell, former Joint Chiefs chair and secretary of state, has died from COVID-19 complications, his family said Monday.
The head of the U.S. Department of Energy was in Minnesota Friday promoting the Biden administration's 'Build Back Better" plan. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm held a round-table discussion with Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith along with several others representing utility companies and worker organizations.When asked at a news conference whether the Biden administration has done a good enough job selling its massive spending proposal, Granholm said, "I'm here today for this very reason, and Cabinet members are being sent across the country to be able to do this. Members of Congress are also doubling down on explaining what is in this bill for people because when people hear it, they love it. So we want to make sure that those messages get out."
Meanwhile the New York Times reportsa key climate change measure backed by Smith is likely to be cut from the reconciliation bill because of opposition from West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.
From Tim Pugmire: The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) says it plans to have all remaining driver’s license testing stations opened and operational by the end of January. The state closed the stations in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and cancelled 19,000 scheduled exams. A limited number reopened two months later. Currently 26 of the 93 stations are operating, but a backlog continues. DPS Commissioner John Harrington told members of the Senate Transportation Committee during a hearing Friday that the reopening is the top priority for the division of Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS). “We are absolutely committed to getting 100 percent of our exam stations open as soon as possible,” Harrington said. Legislation passed last session mandated the reopening of all 93 exam stations without a reduction in services. Pong Xiong, the director of DVS, said exam stations will be reopening in phases. He said there will be 32 open by the end of November and 41 by the end of December.
From Peter Cox: Allina Health has temporarily closed its Abbott Northwestern WestHealth emergency department and urgent care in Plymouth, Minn., after nurses walked off the job at 7 a.m. Sunday. Nurse leaders say they have been negotiating with Allina since May. They're seeking a new contract with better pay and benefits. The Minnesota Nurses Association says during the pandemic Allina WestHealth nurses have been required to work more days and longer hours. In a statement, Allina said it has negotiated seven times with nurses and offered wage increases that align with wages at other metro hospitals. The health system says at a moment when hospitals throughout the state are short staffed and dealing with COVID-19 cases, a work stoppage benefits no one. The strike is scheduled to last until 7 a.m. Wednesday. | 
