MPR News PM Update
April 29, 2021

In the forecast tonight, mostly clear across Minnesota, lows near 30 north to near 40 south. For Friday, another nice day. Partly sunny with highs in the mid-50s to lower 60s northeast, to mid-60s to lower 70s southwest. Get the latest on Updraft.

Federal authorities are reportedly weighing a separate civil rights case against Derek Chauvin, even after his murder conviction for the death of George Floyd.

The Star Tribune reports federal investigators are looking into Floyd's killing and a 2017 teenager's arrest as potential civil rights cases.

John Marti is a former federal prosecutor and says he isn't surprised the Department of Justice is turning up the pressure on Minneapolis — including a review of the entire department announced last week.

"Under the Trump administration there was significant resources that were diverted from the select division," Marti said, "and there was an emphasis on pursuing civil rights violations by the Department of Justice. Elections matter." The New York Times did report that the Justice Department was weighing a plea agreement with Chauvin last year.

Federal authorities did not confirm that, and declined comment on the current status of any other cases related to Chauvin or other officers.

In COVID-19 news, Minnesota health officials say more than 20 cases have been tentatively linked to protests earlier this month in Brooklyn Center. They're urging people who were there to get tested, and quarantine if they may have been exposed.

Rallies in the wake of the fatal police shooting of Daunte Wright drew hundreds of people as well as a large law enforcement response.

State infectious disease director Kris Ehresmann said Thursday there have been 11 cases among people who said they were at the protests, and another 11 among law enforcement personnel. She says the timing means they'd have been infectious while amid those outdoor crowds.

Health officials reported another 15 COVID-19 deaths in Minnesota, and more than 1,900 new cases.

Subscribe to our Minnesota Today podcast to get the up-to-date Minnesota news twice daily. — Matt Sepic | MPR News

 
Chauvin trial eases concerns of courtroom camera skeptics
Judge Peter Cahill is allowing the trial of ex-cops J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao to be televised. There were no major problems with the live broadcast of Derek Chauvin’s trial, the first time that a Minnesota criminal trial had been televised. The experiment won over many who opposed having cameras in the courtroom.
 
State utility regulators dismiss calls for Line 3 investigation
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has unanimously rejected a complaint and request for an investigation from an environmental group that argued Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 pipeline replacement project is no longer needed because of recent capacity increases the company has made to its pipeline system.
 
White farmers sue seeking government loan forgiveness
A group of Midwestern farmers sued the federal government Thursday alleging they can't participate in a COVID-19 loan forgiveness program because they're white. The group of plaintiffs includes farmers from Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota and Ohio.
 
Climate change risks mounting for businesses
This week on Climate Cast: From litigation to financial and material loss due to extreme weather, the corporate world is managing mounting risks due to climate change. And the Biden administration’s focus on climate is adding yet more for them to manage.
 
Walz, Democrats insist on police changes
With time in the legislative session growing short, Gov. Tim Walz and DFL lawmakers say changes to police powers should be an issue on the table. They were joined by one House Republican, but Senate Republicans have not expressed an interest in passing similar legislation. 
 
SPONSOR

 
 
Biden speech takeaways: Government is good, and so are jobs
President Joe Biden returned to the U.S. Capitol, his home for more than three decades, and used his first address to Congress to make the case that the era of big government is back.
 

Preference CenterUnsubscribe

This email was sent by: Minnesota Public Radio
480 Cedar Street Saint Paul, MN, 55101