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Theo Keith

10 Nov, 11 tweets, 2 min read

Gov. Tim Walz on surge in coronavirus cases in Minnesota: "I wish I could tell you this was unexpected, but it is not."

Walz, pointing to a chart during his live statewide speech showing Minnesota's case growth, says this week's increase "would go absolutely off the television screen."

As Walz winds up to his announcement on new restrictions, a reminder that we've already reported what they are. Read them here:

fox9.com/news/walz-to-i…

Here is Walz's latest executive order imposing the new limits.

Bars and restaurants must close from 10 p.m.-4 a.m., capacity limits reduced to 150 (was 250).

Celebrations (weddings, etc.) capped at 50 people on Nov. 27, then 25 people on Dec. 11.

static.fox9.com/www.fox9.com/c…

Changes made to the enforcement mechanism in Walz's latest executive order make it easier for the Minnesota attorney general to investigate violations and allows the AG to recoup its investigation costs from the business:

Defending his curfew, Walz says Minnesota's contact tracers are finding "at least a doubling" of infections in bars after 9 p.m.

"It’s certainly not our intent to demonize any industry," Walz says of bars, restaurants and venues.

"We need to move now. This has happened incredibly quickly," Walz says.

The bar and restaurant restrictions and limits on private gatherings take effect Friday.

The limits on weddings, funerals, etc. take effect Nov. 27, with further cutbacks on Dec. 11.

Dr. George Morris, CentraCare's medical incident commander, says at Walz's news conference that hospitals are seeing an "astronomical number" of inpatients and "we haven’t even hit the peak yet."

Children's Minnesota chief executive Dr. Marc Gorelick says 13 children are in his hospital today, 5 in the ICU. Both are records.

More than 200 staff are off the job because of the virus, many because of exposure, Gorelick says.

Reminder: Walz will answer questions from reporters at 3 p.m. Headed there now.

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Theo Keith

@TheoKeith

10 Nov

In front of reporters, Gov. Tim Walz says the 10-person/3 household cap applies to Thanksgiving gatherings but "we’re not going into someone’s home and arresting them on Thanksgiving."

I asked if this was so important, why wait until after the election?

Walz: "Had we been at this spike in August, we would’ve done it in August... The virus dictates our timing. The virus dictates the moves we make."

I asked for evidence that infection rates double after 9 p.m., as Walz said in his speech.

"It does," Walz said. "It's human behavior" that people get closer together, talk louder.

He points out that Utah also imposed a 10 p.m. curfew on bars today.

Read 7 tweets

Theo Keith

@TheoKeith

24 Sep

Vice President Mike Pence and Ivanka Trump arrive for a “Cops for Trump” event inside a Minneapolis-St. Paul airport vote ballroom.

Pence’s arrival is 75 minutes later than scheduled. A few hundred supporters have been waiting in this room for 2 hours.

Pence: "There’s no excuse for what happened to George Floyd and justice will be served."

(Very quiet clapping)

Pence then says there's "no excuse" for rioting and vows that rioters will be held accountable.

(Louder clapping)

Pence says 65 Minneapolis police officers have resigned or retired this year and more than 150 have sought disability.

Last week, I reported the updated numbers at 100 and 175, respectively.

fox9.com/news/minneapol…

Read 4 tweets

Theo Keith

@TheoKeith

23 Sep

@GovTimWalz

After a federal judge signals that he’ll let Minnesota’s mask mandate stand, @GovTimWalz suggests that it’s here to stay.

“One of the last things we’ll do is lose the masks,” Walz says.

He declines to lay out a timeline because of the pandemic’s uncertainty.

Walz suggests he’s unlikely to fill open cabinet positions soon, after the Senate fired two commissioners and another retired.

“I’m hesitant to fill them before the election, because I think they’ll (Senate GOP) remove them again,” Walz says.

Walz still will not say if he’ll drop his endorsement of John Thompson, a Democratic House candidate who made violent threats against the Minneapolis police union president and his wife this summer.

“I need to sit down and figure this out,” Walz says.

Read 4 tweets

Theo Keith

@TheoKeith

23 Sep

Attorney Erik Kaardal, who is suing Gov. Tim Walz and others over Minnesota's mask mandate, has run into a very skeptical U.S. District Court Judge Patrick Schiltz this morning.

"My word, your honor," an exasperated Kaardal said after Schiltz questioned several of his claims.

Schiltz does not immediately rule on the lawsuit challenging Minnesota's mask mandate, but tells an attorney for the state that he's "leaning your way."

He says he'll have a ruling soon.

In one exchange, Schiltz said people can protest the mandate in many ways w/o violating it.

Kaardal argued violating the mandate is "not a big deal, judge. It's just a protest."

“People who are vulnerable to COVID might think it’s a bigger deal than you do," Schiltz retorted.

Read 4 tweets

Theo Keith

@TheoKeith

15 Sep

@MinneapolisPD

Tense meeting between Minneapolis council members and @MinneapolisPD Chief Medaria Arradondo this morning about crime spikes, lack of police response.

A thread:

@MinneapolisPD

@MinneapolisPD Yesterday, another 17 year old was murdered in Minneapolis. There have been 55 homicides this year, which surpassed the 48 from all of 2019.

Shootings are at a five-year high, and 400 people have been shot this year, Arradondo said.

@MinneapolisPD

@MinneapolisPD “If we just stayed status quo right now, we will end this year with numbers that are absolutely unconscionable,” Arradondo said.

Read 7 tweets

Theo Keith

@TheoKeith

11 Sep

The House and Senate both started today's special session with a Sept. 11 remembrance.

Now both chambers are moving to resolutions that would end Gov. Tim Walz's emergency powers.

Both would have to vote to end them, which won't happen. #mnleg

In the Senate, Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says "We’re not in an emergency. 9/11 was an emergency...We do not minimize the fact that COVID-19 is serious."

The Senate votes 36-31 as expected to end Gov. Walz’s emergency powers (Eken again is only lawmaker on either side to break ranks).

The debate is still going in the House, but Democrats there have vowed to uphold Walz’s powers.

Read 13 tweets

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