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The CDC said healthy people can take a break from wearing masks a day after Minneapolis and St. Paul lifted their public indoor mask mandates. After a nationwide spike in COVID-19 cases and deaths in mid-January, the numbers are plummeting. In Hennepin County, we haven't had such low numbers since August.

The CDC released its COVID-19 Community Levels, a new tool to help communities decide what prevention steps to take. Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at data around hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area.
Hennepin County is currently at a medium prevention level. Ramsey County is at a low prevention level.

According to the Star Tribune, Mayor Jacob Frey will ultimately appoint a replacement to chair the housing authority after the previous chair he appointed resigned from the position. According to the Sahan Journal, Frey appointed Sharmarke Issa to chair the board of the housing authority in 2019 and again in 2021. Issa is the co-owner of an apartment complex that the federal government alleges was bought with money meant to feed children.
Frey's now former senior aide is a co-owner of the same apartment complex and stopped working for Frey two weeks ago. 😬

The Current's popular on-air host Sean McPherson is moving from The Current to Jazz88, which works closely with Minneapolis Public Schools. McPherson will be KBEM's music director and will host the afternoon show. You can listed to McPherson on The Current through March 5.

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LINK ROUNDUP 🔗
Beth Hawkins reports that Minnesota schools have been "inundated with public records requests seeking millions of documents with information on everything from their schools’ COVID protocols to classroom materials, names of teachers and the buildings where they work, even text messages that mention race or social-emotional services." (The 74 Million)

KARE-11 reported last night that MPD utilized a no-knock warrant in March 2021 to investigate the whereabouts of a stolen dog.  

Heavy Table has updated its lists of restaurants and venues that continue to require vaccination records. The list was updated two days before Minneapolis and St. Paul ended their mask mandates.

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COMMUNITY RESOURCES 💪
The Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association is hiring a communications and fundraising specialist. They are looking for someone who will spread the word about LHENA and maintain/develop funding sources.

The Minneapolis behavioral crisis response team,  made up of unarmed mental health professionals that respond to behavioral and mental health emergencies via 911, is now operating 24 hours a day Monday-Friday.

The Minneapolis City Council has accepted a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to improve housing conditions for families with moderate and low incomes. The work on 120 homes will address 29 common environmental hazards from throughout houses. This grant will provide funds for homeowners and rental property owners to make essential repairs. Interested homeowners/property owners can call 311 or email Health@Minneapolismn.gov for more information.

Check your mailboxes closely over the new few weeks because Solid Waste & Recycling is mailing out its local waste and recycling guide. The guide includes the collection schedule, services provided by Solid Waste & Recycling, an overview of what happens to your waste and a list of accepted materials. Wheeee!

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OUT & ABOUT 🛵
Minneapolis Park & Recreation centers are now open Monday-Friday: 3-9 p.m. and Saturday 12-6 p.m. Select locations are open 12- 6 p.m. Sunday, which includes Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

The American Swedish Institute has a new exhibit, "Paper Dialogues: The Dragon and Our Stories," that explores the parallels between Nordic and Chinese culture through the art of paper cutting.

Fire & Nice on Lyndale Ave. S. is hosting Bingo tonight from 7-9 p.m. Full disclosure: my brother is hosting and it's a perplexing but entertaining decision to give him a microphone.

I am disqualified from winning Bingo prizes.  -Melody

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