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Student Peace Advisory Group Takes Flight in MN Students may be settled into their summer break - but in Minnesota, some remain focused on setting a peaceful tone ahead of their return to school this fall. Those involved with an emerging Minneapolis program hope it becomes a model elsewhere. Through a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant, the group Nonviolent Peaceforce has teamed up with the district for the Building Peaceful Schools project at two city high schools. ...(Read More)

New MN Law Removes Barrier for Older Residents Seeking Jobless Benefits A new Minnesota law, which goes into effect Sunday, removes requirements restricting Social Security recipients from receiving full jobless benefits as well. Bill sponsors noted Minnesota was the last state to have the offset requirement. It reduced by 50% unemployment aid for laid-off workers who, within the first year, either received or started to apply for Social Security. ...(Read More)

MN Farmers Given Bigger Opportunity to Be 'Climate Smart' From extreme drought to wet springs, Minnesota farmers are seeing firsthand the impact of climate change. To help address the growing threat, a new funding opportunity aims to give producers more tools to protect natural resources. The McKnight Foundation is giving the state $100,000 to bolster its Water Quality Certification Program. ...(Read More)

With Abortion Ruling Imminent, Potential Scenarios Play Out in MN In the coming days, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling that could remove longstanding federal abortion protections. In Minnesota, preparations are being made to accept patients from other states, but political races muddy the future here. ...(Read More)

'Public Health Emergency': Protecting Youth from Gun Violence Congress continues to debate possible changes to the nation's gun laws after the recent school shooting in Texas. In the meantime, efforts move forward in Minnesota to establish safer environments in schools and surrounding communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says gun violence is now the leading cause of death for all children and teens. ...(Read More)

New MN Law Expands Immigration Protections for At-Risk Youth Minnesota has joined several states in raising the age limit for young immigrants who have escaped trauma to receive legal protections in the United States. This week, Gov, Tim Walz signed a bill increasing the age limit from 18 to 21 to seek Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, aligning Minnesota law with federal statute. The process allows young people who left their home country unaccompanied, fleeing an abusive situation, to secure judicial guardianship at the state level. ...(Read More)

Report: MN Ranks High for Senior Well-Being, But Concerns Emerge Minnesota is among the top five states in a new report measuring a range of well-being factors for older populations, but some concerning trends playing out nationally are surfacing in this region. United Health Foundation is out with its America's Health Rankings Senior Report. The findings show a decadelong progress in boosting flu vaccinations and the percentage of those reporting good to great health. ...(Read More)

Pride Month in MN Includes Voter Outreach One in five LGBTQ adults in the U.S. are not registered to vote. During Pride Month, a Minnesota organization is ramping up efforts to help improve those numbers ahead of this year's mid-term elections. ...(Read More)

MN Nears Next Step in Regulating Underground Carbon Pipelines The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) announced it will soon accept public comments on drafting rules to regulate underground carbon-dioxide pipelines. The emerging technology is touted as a climate change solution, but environmental groups are skeptical. The PUC recently declared it has regulatory authority over such pipelines, after it was initially believed only county governments in Minnesota had a say. ...(Read More)

MN Cities Part of Rallies Calling for End to Gun Violence As policymakers debate gun-control laws in light of the latest mass shootings in the U.S., a youth-led organization is planning weekend demonstrations around the country to demand action. Events are planned in several Minnesota cities. This Saturday, March for Our Lives will host rallies in roughly 450 locations. ...(Read More)

MN Becomes Latest State to Boost SNAP Eligibility Minnesota is now the 20th state in the nation to allow the maximum eligibility for federal SNAP benefits. Hunger-fighting groups say it comes at a crucial time, as households struggle with rising grocery costs. The end of the legislative session drew attention mostly to what Minnesota lawmakers didn't finalize, but they did agree on raising the gross-income threshold for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. ...(Read More)

Utilities & Clean Power Groups: MN Must Match US Funds Leaders in Minnesota's energy industry say the federal infrastructure law puts the state in a good position to reduce its carbon footprint. But they warn inaction on providing matching funds could stall progress. State lawmakers recently adjourned their session without passing supplemental spending bills - including matching funds to unlock Minnesota's share of federal infrastructure money. ...(Read More)

Uvalde Tragedy Spurs Calls for Collective Action on Safe Workplaces The recent mass shootings in Texas and New York intersect with the organized labor movement among younger workers. Some in Minnesota say a safer workplace ties in with their demands for fair pay and better treatment. Last week's school shooting in Uvalde has renewed debate about gun-control laws and whether schools should beef up security. ...(Read More)

Foreclosure Pressure Not Easing for Some Minnesotans Higher consumer costs and expired pandemic protections are putting more Minnesotans on the brink of losing their homes. Some areas are seeing higher foreclosure activity than others, renewing calls for those behind on their payments to seek help. According to this month's Census Household Pulse Survey data, 24% of Minnesota adults faced the likelihood of eviction or foreclosure, up from 18% earlier this spring. ...(Read More)

After Deadly Year, MN Officials Stress Boat Safety in 2022 Water recreation season is officially under way in Minnesota, and the Department of Natural Resources hopes to see less tragedy on lakes this year. Boating always has been popular in Minnesota, but state officials say it has reached fever pitch in recent years - accompanied by a rise in deadly incidents on the water. The state recorded 18 boating fatalities last year, the most since 2005. ...(Read More)

Mixture of Hope, Stark Realities on 2nd Anniversary of Floyd Murder President Joe Biden is using today's second anniversary of George Floyd's murder to sign executive orders on police reform. From criminal justice to business opportunities to diversity, Black leaders cite a mixed bag in advancing racial equity. After Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police, solidarity statements and pledges to take action came from a range of institutions. ...(Read More)

MN Communities Get Helping Hand to Re-Work Contaminated Sites Minnesota has more than 10,000 brownfield sites, which are abandoned or idled properties in need of contamination removal. State officials will soon provide grants to help retail corridors in underserved areas assess their own environmental threats. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is using $2 million from the federal Environmental Protection Agency to carry out the initiative. ...(Read More)

Election Fraud Movement Asserts Itself on Policy Stage, Campaign Trail Examples of proposed policies and candidates tied to false claims of election fraud have spread to Minnesota, and a new national report found the movement is not slowing down ahead of this fall's vote. A trio of voter-rights groups issued findings into how state legislatures are trying to subvert elections, including more leeway to reject results, requiring partisan or outside audits, and shifting power away from election administrators. Some ideas have been floated by Minnesota Republicans but are not likely to pass under the current balance of power. ...(Read More)

Congress Considers Providing More Local Support to Fight Poverty May is Community Action Month, and local agencies helping low-income families hope Congress signs off on a plan to bolster and modernize their federal support. Community Action Agencies help carry out services such as job training and energy assistance. The House recently approved a ten-year reauthorization of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program. ...(Read More)

Program Helps MN Colleges Break Up the 'Stop Out' Pattern The pandemic and other factors forced some Minnesota college students to put their academic careers on hold. Several schools around the state, including Anoka-Ramsey Community College, are tapping into a program that expands efforts to get these individuals back on the path toward degree completion. "Degrees When Due" participates with schools around the country, helping them locate students who have earned credits but haven't re-enrolled after "stopping out." Anoka-Ramsey's Dean of Research and Evaluation Nora Morris said aside from pandemic issues, common life events can come up. "...(Read More)