The CDC is urging Americans not to travel this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, however, millions of people still will be.   Kyle Potter executive editor at Minneapolis-based ThriftyTraveler.com says the airline industry is expecting passenger levels to be down by about 50 percent from a normal Thanksgiving weekend. But, he says for those who do choose to fly, most will be staying longer: "People are extending whatever travel they are doing. So while people would book their trips to visit family for Thanksgiving you know depart on Wednesday come back on Sunday, the timing of people that are traveling has really shifted." [...]

Around 400-million dollars in state aid to COVID-closed bars and restaurants -- the number lawmakers seem to be closing in on, as Governor Tim Walz pushes for a deal so he can call a special session.   Walz says he wants help for about 14-thousand businesses: "We want every single one of them who's been impacted to do this. So I think you can extrapolate this will be a fairly significant package. It will fall within Minnesota's ability to pay for it." Democrats also want to extend state unemployment benefits for bar and restaurant workers. Minneapolis Representative Mohamud Noor: "We have [...]

Just a dip, not an improvement. That is the diagnosis of numbers that show a decline in the growth rate of COVID-19 cases from Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. "Possibly we are in a trough now between waves, and we do not necessarily think we are, what we are seeing in recent days represents the downside of a peak." Malcolm did call the drop in the 7-day positivity rate, from 15-point-2 last week to 14-point-3 this week, a "bright spot." For the length of the pandemic, the positivity rate is just over 7. Malcolm says there is no denying the numbers showcase [...]

Sanford Health C-E-O Kelby Krabbenhoft is out, just days after sending an e-mail to the health system's 48-thousand employees that he didn't plan to wear a mask at work after recovering from COVID, because he believed he had immunity for at least several months. Governor Tim Walz last Friday was critical of Krabbenhoft's stance, saying it's not supported by solid data: ..."someone whose systems are being strained right now...   who is hearing from his clinical staff.   I don't understand myself why you wouldn't do it to try and show leadership (which) requires modeling behaviors that we want to see." [...]

Prior Lake Senator Eric Pratt says he anticipates Senate Republicans' plan will be unveiled in the coming days, as Governor Tim Walz urges the legislature to approve state assistance for bars and restaurants that are again closed due to COVID: "Now is the time for a package to go forward, and the sacrifices they're making can't be for naught." ...Walz said Tuesday. House Republicans propose 400 million dollars from the state's "rainy day" fund go to struggling bars and restaurants: "We had to put out a strong number to make sure that Minnesota businesses know we're serious about this." ...Willmar Representative [...]

The State Canvassing Board Tuesday afternoon certified the results of the presidential election, even as a citizens group and several Republican state lawmakers filed a challenge with the Minnesota Supreme Court.   The MN Election Integrity Team alleges Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon's "haphazard rule changes resulted in absentee votes being treated differently from county to county." Simon is not commenting on pending litigation, except to say: "There was a very efficient, a very secure and streamlined process that was uniform throughout the state, that courts at multiple levels blessed along the way, and I'm quite confident that the results [...]

Starting today there will be extra law enforcement on the roads looking for impaired drivers. Mike Hanson with the Department of Public Safety says the pandemic has got our healthcare systems stressed like never before... "Our healthcare system is in critical condition. We do not, cannot add extra burden to that with preventable trauma which takes up a tremendous amount of resource." Hanson is urging drivers to plan ahead for a sober ride. The extra enforcement campaign runs through December 31st.

There is an event coming up this Sunday in Cold Spring to honor two of central Minnesota's fallen officers. Cold Spring Officer Tom Decker and St. Joseph Officer Brian Klinefelter will be remembered during a memorial at 1:00 p.m. behind Winner's Sports Bar and Grill: "So we're going to have the Honor Guard from Stearns County Sheriff's office which is a great addition. We're going to have representatives from LIMA -- Law Enforcement Memorial Association, Cold Spring Police, State Patrol, St. Joe, Stearns County Sheriff's Office." Organizer Paul Waletzko says Sunday marks the 8th anniversary of the killing of Officer Decker. [...]

Don't get a test without cause...That from the Minnesota Department of Health as they clarify guidelines for COVID-19 testing. Assistant Commissioner Dan Huff says they are not concerned about their testing supply, but they do need to manage to test responsibly. "We have worked really hard to make sure every Minnesotan has the testing resources available to them in a low barrier fashion. but that doesn't mean we all rush out at once and get a test." Huff says anyone with symptoms, people who know they've been exposed, and anyone still working at businesses that are open should plan to be [...]

A group of about 40 state lawmakers is taking a pledge to follow COVID precautions like masking, social distancing and limiting holiday gatherings to immediate family-- and they're urging Minnesotans to do the same at hashtag Take-the-Pledge-MN   (#TakeThePledgeMN). Farmington Republican Pat Garofalo says it's a bipartisan effort: "What we're here talking about today are just like generally-accepted public health principles. There's certainly a time and place for us to have a good, vigorous debate about what the appropriate level is for the chief executive to impose restrictions on commerce, freedom and liberty." Richfield Democrat Michael Howard says this could well be [...]