Good morning. It's Friday, June 25.
Another sunny day today with highs in the upper 70s to upper 80s. We're still in a drought, and it's not getting better. As of yesterday 75 percent of the state was in drought.
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is scheduled to be sentenced today at 1:30 p.m. In April, a jury convicted him of all counts — second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter — for the killing of George Floyd in May 2020.
We'll be streaming live on Facebook and YouTube and providing updates throughout the day.
MPR News reporter Jon Collins has two helpful reads beforehand: what to expect from today's sentencing, and from yesterday: the top questions about Chauvin's sentencing.
Anything you're wondering about the sentencing or how it works? Let us know, and we'll look into it.
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Minnesota legislators are making progress on the state budget | Glen Stubbe, Star Tribune via AP |
Quite a few bills are now advancing down the legislative line as we head into the final days of special session.
Progress:
- The transportation package passed both the House and the Senate, now heading onto Gov. Tim Walz
- After much debate, a House vote began on the process to end the eviction moratorium. The Senate could vote on this today.
- The education budget is advancing to votes this weekend
- Also advancing: a massive health and human services bill boosting money for child care programs and PCAs
- And the state government and state agencies budget, which kept its funding for the Market Bucks program that was in jeopardy
Not so much progress:
- A public safety bill continues to cause difficulty as lawmakers clash on police accountability
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SAGA Youth marches in Fergus Falls | KNVC Arts & Photography |
This weekend is the last weekend of Pride month, and LGBTQ Minnesotans are gathering to commemorate history, build community and seek justice.
I wrote about three ways people are acknowledging Pride across the state , including Rachel Rehbein and her son Preston who are attending a potluck for trans community in Duluth; the fifth year of the Taking Back Pride march in downtown Minneapolis focused on police violence; and the first ever Pride weekend in Fergus Falls — fit with a drag show featuring Fergus queens. | | |
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- The state's battle against COVID-19 still seems to be going well. Three state-run testing sites close this week : Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul closed yesterday, and Minneapolis Convention Center and Creekside Community Center in Bloomington close today.
- Our Art Hounds this week brought us new music from Laura Sellner and shows in Two Harbors and Minneapolis breweries this weekend; a short film about a Hmong American family unable to perform a traditional funeral due to COVID-19; and a virtual performance and discussion on issues of disability and theater. Read more here.
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