MPR News PM Update
July 1, 2020

Drier Thursday. After days of rain and storms, we’re finally welcoming dry weather tomorrow. Thursday will be mostly sunny and hot -- with highs in the mid-80s to the mid-90s across the state. Don’t forget to put on some sunscreen if you’re planning to enjoy the outdoors!


Minnesota’s new affordable insulin law kicks off today; Big Pharma sues to strike it down. Under the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act , Minnesotans with diabetes who can’t afford the essential medicine will be able to get 30-day supplies with no more than a $35 copay. A day before the law took effect, drug manufacturers filed a lawsuit that seeks to declare the measure unconstitutional and prevent officials from enforcing it. The move could entangle the law in the courts for months or years. The industry, Gov. Tim Walz says, is now “more hated than COVID-19.”

Columbus statue taken down in Columbus, Ohio. Following many other cities where Christopher Columbus statues were toppled or pulled down, a massive Columbus statue outside the City Hall of Columbus, Ohio, was removed by a construction crew Wednesday. It’s one of the most dramatic cases yet of a city reshaping how its monuments reflect its sense of history and community identity.

At the center of racial justice protests in Rochester, two teenagers leading the force. Muntaas Farah and Yezi Gugsa, both children of immigrants from Africa, say they’ve experienced overt racism in Rochester, a largely white city, and that background, they say, has driven them to organize rallies in the city in the wake of George Floyd’s killing. The two teenagers say just because they're young doesn't mean they're unmotivated or inexperienced. Her youth, Gugsa said, just means she has more time to work toward making Rochester welcoming and equitable for people like her.

Share your experience with race and protests in your community by emailing tell@mpr.org.

COVID-19 in Minnesota today: Inflammatory syndrome, believed to be linked to coronavirus, confirmed in 13 children.Multi-system inflammatory syndrome has been confirmed in 13 Minnesota children, who developed symptoms between mid-May and mid-June; their average age was 5, and most had no prior medical problems, health officials said Wednesday. They have all survived, although eight required intensive care. Eleven showed evidence of COVID-19 while the other two had been exposed to the disease, they added. 

Jiwon Choi, MPR News | @ChoiGEE1

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Inflammatory condition, likely linked to COVID-19, surfaces in 13 MN kids
The latest: A worrisome inflammatory syndrome believed to be related to COVID-19 has been found in 13 Minnesota children; Gov. Walz is seriously weighing a statewide mask order; COVID-19 immunity may only last a few months to two years, the state’s epidemiologist says.

Map: Where are face masks required in Minnesota?
Minnesota is loosening its COVID-19 restrictions: Here's what you need to know
 
Different priorities on display in hearings related to Floyd killing
The GOP-led Senate focused on damage that followed some demonstrations, while DFLers in the House are looking at police accountability.

June 20: Special session ends without deal on policing, bonding
 
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Duluth to consider requiring masks indoors
Duluth considers joining Minneapolis and St. Paul in requiring people to wear masks in public places. Several other cities are considering similar measures, even as Gov. Tim Walz weighs a statewide mask mandate.
 
Trump tweets that Russia bounty allegations are 'fake news'
Lawmakers have been demanding answers over the allegations, and Democrats have accused Trump of bowing to Russian President Vladimir Putin at the risk of U.S. soldiers' lives.
 
This new tool shows COVID-19 risk in your county
As cases of coronavirus surge in many states, a new color-coding tool backed by a coalition of top scientists provides an apples-to-apples way of comparing outbreak severity, down to the county level.
 
An eye to St. Cloud’s past, Buddy King looks to future
The city has made significant strides in overcoming the racial injustice of its past, but still has work to do, King said. The nonprofit leader and youth pastor, who recently organized a youth march in St. Cloud, is seeking a seat on the City Council. “You can see [the racism] really clearly in systems more than you can see it in people. That’s what we’ve got to change,” he said.

Muntaas Farah and Yezi Gugsa: Teenagers lead the charge in Rochester
Kate Lundquist: Black Lives Matter in Roseau, a small white city
Voices of Minnesota: Calls for change across the state
 

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