AP-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-RACE-CRITERIA

New conservative target: Race as factor in COVID treatment

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Some conservatives are taking aim at policies that allow doctors to consider race as a risk factor when allocating scarce COVID-19 treatments, saying the protocols discriminate against white people. The wave of infections brought on by the omicron variant and a shortage of treatments have focused attention on the policies. Medical experts say the opposition is misleading. Health officials have long said there is a strong case for considering race as one of many risk factors in treatment decisions. And there is no evidence that race alone is being used to decide who gets medicine.

BC-MN-VIRUS OUTBREAK-VENTILATOR FIGHT

COVID-19 patient at center of ventilator fight dies in Texas

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — An unvaccinated COVID-19 patient flown from Minnesota to Texas during a legal battle over whether his ventilator should be turned off has died. The family attorney says 55-year-old Scott Quiner, of Buffalo, died on Saturday. A Minnesota judge had issued a restraining order on Jan. 13 blocking Mercy Hospital from turning off the machine that was keeping Quiner alive, after his family sued the Coon Rapids health care facility. The family flew Quiner to a Texas hospital. The family feels Quiner did not receive adequate care at Mercy. It's not clear if they will pursue further legal action. Allina Health, which operates Mercy, said in a statement its “deepest condolences go out to family, friends and loved ones.”

POST-FUNERAL SHOOTING

2 shot, wounded during gathering after Minneapolis funeral

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minneapolis police say two people were critically wounded in a shooting at a gathering after a funeral. Police say about 100 people were gathered Saturday for a meal at the Cora McCorvey Health and Wellness Center when a man arrived and started an argument. The suspect shot a man and woman and fled the scene. Minneapolis police spokesman Garrett Parten says gun violence in itself is shocking and to have a shooting at a funeral is wrong. Parten says there “seems to be a lack of sensitivity to the sanctity of life.”

FATAL CRASH-PLEA

Man pleads guilty in crash that killed woman walking dog

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Blaine motorist who struck a woman who was walking her dog along a road last fall has pleaded guilty to criminal vehicular manslaughter. John R. Jones was initially charged with criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the hit-and-run death of 56-year-old Bridget O’Keefe Dunn in Blaine on Oct. 25. Under the conditions of the plea, Jones would serve one year in the workhouse and six months on probation. Dunn’s husband, Chris, said his wife had been walking on the shoulder with their dog, Sully, who made it home after the crash.

FATAL SHOOTING

Police: Woman found fatally shot on St. Paul sidewalk

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Police say a woman was shot and killed in St. Paul’s North End neighborhood early Saturday morning. Authorities received a 911 just after midnight Saturday to report hearing an argument followed by at least one gunshot. Officers found a woman in her early 30s suffering from a gunshot wound lying on the sidewalk outside of a house. Medics pronounced the woman dead a short time after their arrival, Two men who were at the house when officers arrived and were being questioned. No arrests have been made, but police don’t believe it was a random incident.

SESSION PREVIEW

Minnesota lawmakers face $7.7B surplus in 2022 session

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Legislature will confront a $7.7 billion surplus when it convenes Monday, Jan. 31. And that's bound to set up clashes in this election year over whether to spend the money on unmet needs or give it back to taxpayers. The main job for lawmakers in even-numbered years traditionally is a public works borrowing package known as a bonding bill. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz has proposed a record $2.7 billion package that's probably bigger than Republicans will accept. But debates over how to use the enormous surplus will dominate the session, which runs through late May, and COVID-19 will continue to cast a shadow over the proceedings.

GEORGE FLOYD-OFFICERS-CIVIL RIGHTS

Access again an issue at federal trial in Floyd's killing

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A closed hearing in the federal trial of three former Minneapolis police officers in George Floyd’s killing was canceled Friday after prosecutors and the media objected. It's the second time in just days that access to the proceedings became an issue. U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson scheduled the conference on the admissibility of some evidence that attorneys for Tou Thao, J. Kueng and Thomas Lane sought to block. After prosecutors objected, Magnuson canceled the hearing and met with attorneys in chambers instead. No details of the meeting were immediately given. Media groups earlier this week raised concerns about restrictions on journalists and spectators in the courtroom.

GEORGE FLOYD-OFFICERS-CIVIL RIGHTS-EXPLAINER-CHAUVIN

EXPLAINER: Will Chauvin testify at trial of 3 other cops?

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — As the federal trial for three former Minneapolis officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights is set to begin Monday, some wonder whether Derek Chauvin will take the stand. Many legal experts say they don’t anticipate the jury will hear from Chauvin, who was convicted of Floyd's murder. If he does testify, he could face some hard questions. Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Kueng are broadly charged in federal court with depriving Floyd of his civil rights while acting under government authority as Chauvin used his knee to pin the Black man to the street on May 25, 2020.

News from © The Associated Press, 2022