Twin Cities

Axios Twin Cities

Data: Minnesota Legislative Reference Library; Note: Senators were not up for re-election in 2014 or 2018; Five legislators intending to run for other offices excluded in 2022 for now; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

An expected wave of state legislative retirements is starting to swell ahead of the 2022 election.

What's happening: Fifteen state legislators have already announced that they won't seek re-election in November, per announcements and a tally kept by the Legislative Reference Library.

GOP Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen of Alexandria became the latest addition to the 2022 retirement list on Monday. The five-term senator chairs the Environment and Natural Resource Finance Committee.

Plus: Five more legislators, including former Senate leader Paul Gazelka and House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, are seeking other offices.

Why it matters: Retirements create open races that could reshape the Legislature with new voices.

Driving the departures: The decennial redrawing of political maps, now underway, traditionally leads to retirements in large numbers.

In 2012, after the last redistricting process, 48 of 201 state legislators declined to run again.

Between the lines: In addition to retirements, some longtime legislators are already facing primary challenges.

Sen. Sandy Pappas (DFL-St. Paul), for example, has attracted several potential Democratic rivals.

What to watch: Maps that put incumbents in the same district could lead to even more exits.

Editor's note: This post and chart is being updated as more retirements are announced. 

Tracker: Minnesota Legislature's retirement count grows

Redistricting is a driver of the announcements.

An expected wave of state legislative retirements is starting to swell ahead of the 2022 election.What&#x27;s happening: Fifteen state legislators have already announced that they won&#x27;t seek re-election in November, <a class="gtm-content-click" data-vars-link-text="per announcements and a tally kept by the Legislative Reference Library." data-vars-click-url="https://www.lrl.mn.gov/history/retire" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.lrl.mn.gov/history/retire" target="_blank">per announcements and a tally kept by the Legislative Reference Library.</a><ul><li>GOP Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen of Alexandria <a class="gtm-content-click" data-vars-link-text="became the latest addition to the 2022 retirement list on Monday" data-vars-click-url="https://twitter.com/toreyvanoot/status/1483144298250084354" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://twitter.com/toreyvanoot/status/1483144298250084354" target="_blank">became the latest addition to the 2022 retirement list on Monday</a>. The five-term senator chairs the Environment and Natural Resource Finance Committee.</li></ul>Plus: Five more legislators, including former Senate leader <a class="gtm-content-click" data-vars-link-text="Paul Gazelka" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2021/09/08/paul-gazelka-minnesota-governor-announcement-gop-primary" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2021/09/08/paul-gazelka-minnesota-governor-announcement-gop-primary" target="_self">Paul Gazelka</a> and House Majority Leader <a class="gtm-content-click" data-vars-link-text="Ryan Winkler" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2021/10/05/ryan-winkler-running-for-hennepin-county-attorney" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2021/10/05/ryan-winkler-running-for-hennepin-county-attorney" target="_self">Ryan Winkler</a>, are seeking other offices.Why it matters: Retirements create open races that could reshape the Legislature with new voices.

Politics

Axios Twin Cities, anchored by Torey Van Oot, Nick Halter and Audrey Kennedy, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard

Tickets for the 2022 Minnesota State Fair will increase $1. 

What's new: Fairgoers ages 13 to 64 will pay $17 at the gate, while seniors and kids ages 5 to 12 will pay $15, per a weekend vote by the board that manages the fair. Kids under 5 still enter for free. 

Daily hours, meanwhile, will be slightly reduced. The fairgrounds will be open 7am to 11pm instead of 6am to midnight until the final day, when it closes at 9pm. 

The big picture: The fair recorded an operating loss of $1.3 million for 2021, as the pandemic and labor shortages led to vendor troubles and plummeting attendance.

For context, the fair lost $16.5 million in 2020, when it was fully canceled. 

What they're saying: Jerry Hammer, the fair's general manager, cited "myriad hurdles" faced by planners last year, including supply chain back-ups and security concerns. 

"Uncertainty about whether there would even be a fair in '21 lingered into May, creating a significantly compressed time frame in which to produce what is normally one of the largest and best-attended events in the world," Hammer said in a statement.

Be smart: You can lock in discounted tickets for $13 through Jan. 31.

Save the dates: The fair is set to run Aug. 25 through Sept. 5.

Minnesota State Fair to increase ticket prices and reduce hours

The state fair back in 2019. Photo: AP Photo/Jim Mone

Tickets for the 2022 Minnesota State Fair will increase $1. What&#x27;s new: Fairgoers ages 13 to 64 will pay $17 at the gate, while seniors and kids ages 5 to 12 will pay $15, per a weekend vote by the board that manages the fair. Kids under 5 still enter for free. <ul><li>Daily hours, meanwhile, will be slightly reduced. The fairgrounds will be open 7am to 11pm instead of 6am to midnight until the final day, when it closes at 9pm. </li></ul>

Things to Do

Reproduced from a KHN analysis of CDC and NCHS data: Chart: Axios Visuals

About one in four Minnesota children ages 5 to 11 are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with rates varying significantly across the state.

The big picture: State data largely reflects a national trend of rural regions trailing more populated areas when it comes to shots for kids, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis.

Exceptions include several counties in Northern Minnesota, which have also posted high vaccination numbers for adults.

Why it matters: Months after the shots were approved for the cohort, rates continue to lag those for teens and adults.

By the numbers:  In Minnesota, 27% of kids 5-11 have both doses. That's much higher than the national average of 18%. 

Cook and Olmsted counties lead the state for fully vaccinated youngsters. In both areas, more than four in 10 kids have two shots.

Clearwater (4.4%) and Roseau (5.8%) counties were among the lowest.

Mapped: COVID-19 vaccines for Minnesota kids 5-11

About one in four Minnesota children ages 5 to 11 are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with rates varying significantly across the state.The big picture: State data largely reflects a <a class="gtm-content-click" data-vars-link-text="national trend" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/kids-coronavirus-vaccines-schools-rural-america-26b439c7-0c2f-4b67-bd85-9ee38d5affd5.html" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/kids-coronavirus-vaccines-schools-rural-america-26b439c7-0c2f-4b67-bd85-9ee38d5affd5.html" target="_self">national trend</a> of rural regions trailing more populated areas when it comes to shots for kids, according to a Kaiser Health News <a class="gtm-content-click" data-vars-link-text="analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://khn.org/news/article/as-omicron-surges-effort-to-vaccinate-young-children-stalls/" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://khn.org/news/article/as-omicron-surges-effort-to-vaccinate-young-children-stalls/" target="_blank">analysis</a>.<ul><li>Exceptions include several counties in Northern Minnesota, which have also posted high vaccination numbers for adults.</li></ul>Why it matters: Months after the shots were approved for the cohort, rates continue to lag those for teens and adults.

News

New vaccine-or-test requirements for indoor dining and drinking in Minneapolis and St. Paul take effect Wednesday. 

The big picture: A growing number of major cities, including Boston, Chicago and New York, have instituted similar requirements in an effort to protect public health. 

Yes, but: Questions about enforcement, logistics and effectiveness of the temporary measures here remain. 

What to know: Patrons at most indoor venues that serve food or drink — think bars, restaurants and even arenas, bowling alleys or events — must show proof of vaccination or a negative test result taken within 72 hours. 

St. Paul's measure applies only to businesses licensed by the city. That means restaurants that don't serve alcohol, such as coffee shops and fast food chains, are exempt.

Ticketed events have until Jan. 26 to enforce the requirement.  

The catch: At-home rapid tests will not be accepted, so if you're unvaccinated, you'll have to get an appointment — and results —  for an antigen or PCR sample from a medical professional in time for your plans. 

On Friday, Minneapolis issued a new order that does removes earlier language requiring a test for children between ages 2 and 5. They were already exempt in St. Paul.

What they're saying: Both mayors said the move is meant to curb the spread of COVID and help businesses weather the Omicron wave.

"This is a critical next step to avoid closures," Frey said at a Wednesday news conference. "We want to stay open, and we need to stay safer." 

The other side: Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association executive director Tony Chesak criticized the mandates as "unjustified and unscientific."

"It targets just one specific industry after zero science or data driving the decision, and zero caring about our dedicated frontline workers who will now add 'enforcement agent' to their plates," he said.

Between the lines: Given the prevalence of breakthrough cases and the reality that exposures could still occur within the testing window, some diners who meet the criteria could still be infectious. 

Plus: It's unclear how strictly the measures will be enforced, given the track record in other places. City leaders said while businesses could face fines for not checking, they saw high compliance rates for past COVID restrictions.

When asked about effectiveness in slowing spread, local public health officials emphasized the importance of vaccines for preventing serious cases from further stressing health systems.

Read the full policies for Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details about the orders. 

Minneapolis and St. Paul to require vaccine or test for indoor dining

The move follows mandates in several other large cities.

Illustration of a fork, knife and syringe on a napkin.

New vaccine-or-test requirements for indoor dining and drinking in Minneapolis and St. Paul take effect Wednesday. The big picture: <a class="gtm-content-click" data-vars-link-text="A growing number of major cities" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/major-us-cities-vaccine-test-mandates-covid-19/index.html" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/major-us-cities-vaccine-test-mandates-covid-19/index.html" target="_blank">A growing number of major cities</a>, including Boston, Chicago and New York, have instituted similar requirements in an effort to protect public health. Yes, but: Questions about enforcement, logistics and effectiveness of the temporary measures here remain.

COVID

University of Minnesota students return to campus — and classrooms — Tuesday amid spiking COVID-19 case counts. 

Why it matters: The start of the semester brings tens of thousands of students, faculty and staff to the Dinkytown and East Bank neighborhoods.

Yes, but: Colleges have been seen as incubators of COVID-19 throughout the pandemic, and some are worried that the start of the semester will fuel even more outbreaks as Omicron spreads.

Last week, as students trickled back to campus, the weekly positivity rate for tests taken at the U spiked to 23%.

The big picture: Some colleges and universities elsewhere have delayed the semester or temporarily switched to online classes due to the recent surge.

The U is giving departments and professors some flexibility to teach online, but stopped short of a blanket directive.

What they're saying: President Joan Gabel wrote in a Jan. 5 email that the high rate of vaccination among students and staff, along with other mitigation measures, "will allow us to continue safe operations." 

University leaders are pointing students to expanded resources for booster shots, tests and free high-quality masks.

A vaccination mandate and indoor mask requirements for community spaces remain in effect.

The response: Some faculty and staff are calling for a more aggressive approach, including all online classes to start.

Sophomore Carter Yost, who serves in student government, said members will also lobby for enhanced support services for those who fall ill.

"If I get COVID or a friend gets COVID, I don't know what the support systems at a school I pay tens of thousands of dollars to be at are. That is justifiably disappointing," Yost said, noting that the U's isolation and quarantine housing is limited to students living on campus.

What to watch: A quick rise in cases could amp up pressure to temporarily switch to all online classes.

The bottom line: Given that most students (and staff) live off campus, the U's COVID situation could have a ripple effect.

"The reality is we are not an island," Cherrene Horazuk, president of the U clerical workers' union AFSCME Local 3800, told Axios. "Everyone who works and teaches at the university goes home to their communities."

University of Minnesota students return to campus amid Omicron surge

The positivity rate for tests taken at the U last week spiked to 23%.

Photo: Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via Getty Images

University of Minnesota students return to campus — and classrooms — Tuesday amid spiking COVID-19 case counts. Why it matters: The start of the semester brings tens of thousands of students, faculty and staff to the Dinkytown and East Bank neighborhoods.

Torey Van Oot

Featured stories

Mapped: COVID-19 vaccines for Minnesota kids 5-11

University of Minnesota students return to campus amid Omicron surge

Minnesota State Fair to increase ticket prices and reduce hours

Tracker: Minnesota Legislature's retirement count grows

Minneapolis and St. Paul to require vaccine or test for indoor dining