Plus: Clashes between Mayor Frey and the Minneapolis City Council over reopening George Floyd Square.
| | Andrew Krueger | MPR News June 18, 2021Drought conditions worsen | |
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| Good morning, Minnesota. It's Friday. Today will be another warm, dry and breezy day across most of the state. Partly sunny north with highs in the 70s, mostly sunny south with highs near the 90s. Here's what's happening in Minnesota. Expanding drought Drought is expanding in Minnesota, with most of the state abnormally dry or in moderate drought. Some pockets are in severe drought, too, mostly along the border of Iowa and some areas in the northwest. Water restrictions are now in place in many communities, and farm fields are rapidly drying out. Our dry weather has also put much of the state under high to extreme risk of forest fires. Anyone camping should be very careful when starting fires. Mayor Frey, City Council clash on George Floyd Square
Mayor Jacob Frey is receiving pushback from Minneapolis City Council members for contracting $359,000 with the Agape Movement to reopen George Floyd Square. Council members were not included in the decision, and several strongly disapprove, including Lisa Bender, Jeremy Schroeder and Steve Fletcher. Jim Rowader, the city's attorney, said the council wasn't included in the process due to timing and "operational secrecy." Frey used emergency COVID-19 powers to make this move. Council Member Schroeder said using those powers in this situation was a stretch, and Bender is now considering ending the mayor's emergency powers. Body parts found in northeast Minneapolis Police are investigating after a 911 caller Thursday reported finding human body parts in northeast Minneapolis. The caller made the discovery around 9:30 a.m. near 3rd Avenue Northeast across Main Street from the Mississippi River. John Elder, police spokesperson, says they're treating this as a homicide investigation "as the items that were found coming off of a human being would not be survivable." Officers are searching for answers and welcome any tips from the public. What else we're following: Our Art Hounds recommend the Ancient Cedars Trail Exhibit, a modified, two week Northern Spark and Gwen Partin's work at Form + Content Gallery in Minneapolis. How much is it worth to leave an old pipeline in the ground? State regulators rejected a call to clarify the removal program for the original Line 3.The Minnesota House launched into a long, contentious debate Thursday that delayed its votes on big budget deals lawmakers were unable to pass during the regular session.
— Grace Birnstengel, MPR News | Find me on Twitter @grace__ |
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