Daily Digest for April 14, 2020 Posted at 6:45 a.m. by Cody Nelson | Good morning and happy Tuesday. Here's your Digest. For daily updates, subscribe to our morning COVID-19 newsletter and Minnesota Today podcast. “There are plans to move us back to a more sustainable place," Gov. Tim Walz said Tuesday, signaling that the state planned to ramp up testing for COVID-19 while tracing the virus and isolating those infected as part of the next phase of reopening parts of the economy. Bars could soon be allowed to sell wine and beer for takeout, too. Walz said he'd sign a bill allowing as such if it lands on his desk.
Remember President Trump's Rose Garden address last month? "We've been working very hard on this. We've made tremendous progress," Trump said, making a series of promises to Americans about the coronavirus and how his administration would respond. "When you compare what we've done to other areas of the world, it's pretty incredible." Many of the big promises Trump made have been broken. NPR reporters dug in and found a series of inaction or over-promises from the administration: "What became clear in the days and weeks or even in some cases the hours following that event was that they had significantly over-promised what the private sector was ready to do," Jeremy Konyndyk, senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development, told NPR. Minnesota lawmakers are preparing to act on new coronavirus legislation Tuesday. MPR News' Brian Bakst reports: "The Legislature has already passed three bills with financial help for health providers, first responders and small businesses. The latest plan is more policy focused. It offers more flexibility for those with commercial driver’s licenses and extra latitude for the state courts system given that many hearings are on hold. It would give couples the ability to obtain marriage licenses by mail, fax or electronic methods rather than requiring an in-person appearance. It would assure coronavirus care for people on public health insurance programs. A moratorium on new hospital construction would be eased as temporary facilities are brought online. Farmer-lender mediation time periods would be stretched out by up to 60 days." Bernie Sanders has endorsed Joe Biden. "Today I'm asking all Americans ... to come together in this campaign to support your candidacy, which I endorse," Sanders said to Biden during a joint video press conference. Wisconsin's primary results are out. Biden won in our neighboring state during an election held in defiance of health officials' social distancing guidelines.
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