Congratulations to all Minnesota high school graduates! 🎓🎓🎓
As a gift to every single 2023 high school grad in Minnesota, the
@StarTribune
is offering a FREE 1-year subscription. No strings attached; no payment info needed.
Sign up here!
NEW: We just got the national rankings, and Minnesota's 1.8% unemployment rate was not only the lowest in U.S. in June, it's also the lowest monthly unemployment rate any state has ever reported. 🤯
NE is currently at 1.9% and NH and UT are both at 2.0%.
I'm excited to share that I'm heading to the
@StarTribune
& eager to work w/ a talented team to build the next chapter of the company.
Quality journalism is foundational to our democracy, & the Star Tribune has an excellent foundation to build on.
It's been a crazy week & I know so many Minnesotans are feeling scared & uncertain.
I feel lucky to have spent so much time with
@GovTimWalz
, seeing how he makes decisions & cares about people.
Minnesotans, no matter how challenging these times, know this: you are in good hands
Another example of a MN company stepping up during
#COVID
ー19 crisis:
@RedWingShoes
gave every worker 120hrs of PTO to use to take care of themselves or family. They're also ramping up production of steel-toed boots, which are in high demand from emergency workers.
Thank you to Minnesota grocers
@cubfoods
&
@kowalskismarket
who are both increasing wages by $2/hr & bumping OT up to double-pay.
These employees are on the front lines & working extended hours, great to see their employers paying them more for it.
Proud to see
@GovTimWalz
sign a business relief & UI extension package that will help our state's economy at a difficult time.
We did this in a bipartisan way for the people of Minnesota.
Your turn, Congress.
A reminder in Minnesota that for workers whose UI benefits will end w/out fed action,
@mndeed
will implement the recently-passed MN Additional Benefits program.
You don't need to re-apply; we'll add either state or fed benefits as appropriate. More at
If President Trump does not sign the $900 billion pandemic relief bill today, there will be a temporary lapse in expanded unemployment benefits for millions of Americans.
Last wk, MN became the 1st state in the nation to implement the $600/wk federal "top-off" to unemployment insurance (UI) from the CARES act.
Next step is to expand UI to cover self-employed. I want to share what that entails, as we're getting lots of good questions here. 1/9
This is my monthly reminder to all fans of
@GroveToken
that I'm not a crypto currency, but a government official from Minnesota.
Best of luck growing your crypto - you'll do even better if you use
@grovetoken
&
#grovetoken
, not
@grove
😂
BIG NEWS for unemployment insurance - MN is one of 1st states in US to start paying $600 "top-off" payments that came from CARES act.
Big thanks to our UI team who worked tirelessly to make this happen. 👏👏👏👏
Our kids made brownies to celebrate
I'm thrilled to congratulate
@hamse_warfa
on his appointment by
@POTUS
to the US State Dept to advance democracy around the world:
Hamse's been a great leader at
@mndeed
& I can't wait to see him serve on the global stage!
Congrats, brother! 👏👏👏👏👏
Wearing a mask is the simplest way you can keep yourself & others safe.
Disagree? Here's another reason: wear a mask so that your favorite businesses can stay safe and stay open.
With
#COVID19
re surging in many states, let's be different, Minnesota.
#MaskUp
😷♥️
We've just implemented the 13-wk extension of unemployment benefits from the CARES act.
Minnesota is one of the first states to do this. I'm proud & grateful to the team for their hard work, it'll immediately help 8K Minnesotans who are at or near the end of benefits. 👏👏👏👏👏
Today's
@StarTribune
editorial is an important read. It shows how MN navigated health & economic concerns through COVID better than most.
We haven't gotten it perfect, but data shows
@GovTimWalz
approach saved lives, & protected & grew our economy.
Steve Kelley is a thoughtful & smart leader who was serving our state well at
@MNCommerce
He was like the utility infielder of
@GovTimWalz
cabinet - he knows so many issues well that he could have led almost any agency with great skill. A sad day for our state government.
I'm excited to start this week as CEO & publisher of the
@StarTribune
. I shared some thoughts today on departure:
I'd love your advice! I'll be traveling the state to learn more from readers & partners, & you can always reach me here too. 👋🙏
We are so fortunate for our medical & research community in MN. Today
@GovTimWalz
,
@MayoClinic
&
@UMNews
are announcing a breakthrough for rapid, widespread testing of
#COVID
in Minnesota.
Together we're building the capacity to test as many as 20,000 Minnesotans everyday.
Alright
#GroveToken
fans, I'll make you a deal: if I invest in some of your excellently-named currency, you tell 10 friends what a great state MN is to live and build a business. Sound good??
Without refugee resettlement & immigration, MN's pop would not have grown over the last 10 years.
And we'd have even steeper labor shortages than we do now.
Heartening to see a majority of Minnesotans recognize that.
More than half of Minnesota voters say they support the resettlement of refugees in their communities and believe that immigrants mostly boost the economy, a Star Tribune/MPR News Minnesota Poll found.
Five years ago today, we moved from Silicon Valley to Minneapolis. We purposely moved in Spring to avoid snow, but of course an April blizzard came a week later.
Today we're celebrating melting snow, an amazing adventure, & two kids who keep us smiling. 🌞🌞
The
@BLS_gov
just released state rankings on growth.
Minnesota in March:
📈3rd-highest % job growth in the U.S.
📉5th-lowest unemployment rate in U.S.
@GovTimWalz
& our
@mndeed
team are proud of MN's economy & know there's a lot more work ahead.
Important update:
@mndeed
is beginning to issue Pandemic Unemployment Insurance (PUA) for the self-employed & others not usually eligible.
Minnesota is one of the first states in the country to grant this federal benefit.
Let me explain a bit about how this works. 1/10
NEW: the state-by-state rankings are out today & MN remains
#1
in the country w/ a 1.8% unemployment rate, the lowest ever recorded nationally.
Tied at
#2
: Nebraska, New Hampshire & Utah - all at 2%.
Today we are excited to announce our last round of commissioners at Fueled Collective at the Grain Exchange Building. These commissioners are innovative problem solvers and passionate leaders, and share our commitment to equity and inclusion.
#mngov
I'm thrilled to announce
@hamse_warfa
will join
@mndeed
as Assistant Commissioner of Economic Opportunity. He brings a wealth of experience + wisdom to work w/ me &
@GovTimWalz
to make MN economy work for everyone. Welcome aboard Hamse!
#oneminnesota
Due to the ongoing protests, we are evacuating
@mndeed
employees from several Twin Cities locations. This may cause a delay in service times today for unemployment insurance, etc., but is necessary for the safety of our team.
Please stay safe Minnesota.
Going from
@Google
to government was a unique transition - I've been inspired by the public servants I get to work w/ at
@mndeed
every day.
I shared some thoughts w/
@CNNBusiness
& encourage more to make the leap to the public sector, especially now.
To the hundreds of thousands of Minnesota workers affected by today's business closures, we know how incredibly difficult this is.
@GovTimWalz
executive order ensures COVID-related layoffs & leaves are eligible for unemployment benefits. Apply at
NEW: Minnesota broke our all-time record for most exports in a quarter, w/ nearly $7B in exports in Q2 of this year.📈
We're proud of our businesses large & small for expanding across the world 🌎
Learn more from our
@mndeed
report:
Nic Zapko's face turned a little red as she had to translate
@GovTimWalz
praise for her extraordinary work during the pandemic, & proclaimed today Nic Zapko Day!
Thank you to Nic & to all those who have served & empowered people with disabilities during this pandemic.
Every Minnesotan can take free online classes on
@coursera
thanks to
@mndeed
partnership:
So far 7K Minnesotans have registered, top 5 classes they've chosen: Excel for Business, Tech Support, Python Programming, Science of Well-being, Project Mgmt
Thanks to
@GovTimWalz
executive order today, we're no longer required to delay UI benefits for people taking vacation, sick pay or PTO.
This technicality is a big deal for 45,000 Minnesotans whose applications are stuck on this eligibility issue, who can now get paid.
The idea that new moms should take UNPAID leave is ridiculous. We're gambling w/ our future if we don't take care of our newest Minnesotans.
It's time for the
#mnleg
to pass a paid family medical leave program that works.
@GovTimWalz
& our team think our workforce depends on it.
Fortunate to dine at
@spoonandstable
for their reopening tonight & grateful to
@gavinkaysen
& team & all the restaurants across MN who have done so much to help keep workers & customers safe & happy. 👏👏👏
We know small business & independent contractors are facing major challenges due to
#COVID
ー19
That's why
@GovTimWalz
just signed an order to provide 0% interest, 50% forgivable loans through
@mndeed
We'll be open for apps later this week, more here:
I'm proud to work for a Governor who uses data to make decisions.
We pour over reams of data every day as we track our economy & the coronavirus. Not only does
@GovTimWalz
take it all in, but he also listens to people & their stories.
That's the kind of leadership MN needs.
I'm so excited for
@pilhofer
to return home to MN to join as our
@StarTribune
Chief Product Officer!
Aron's an innovative & dynamic leader with serious chops in journalism & product development. He's joining a great team focused on better serving MN.
Usually I wouldn't say this but it's impressive: "We're
#2
!!"
"Minnesota ranked 2nd best state to live in the nation by
@usnews
"
If you're looking for a great state to build a business or a family, come on in, we'd love to have you!
Cute anti-MN campaign,
@SDGOED
. But MN is a better state for business:
@CNBC
best states for biz: MN=7th, SD=28th
@Forbes
best quality of life: MN=3rd, SD=28th
@usnews
best states: MN=3rd, SD=27th
We ♥️ being neighbors though. When you succeed, we all succeed
#MidwestPride
LIVE this morning: The Minnesota Vaccine Connecter, a new tool that helps all Minnesotans know when, where, & how you can get vaccinated.
Register today to be in the loop as more vaccine becomes available in the coming weeks & months:
Hello Minnesota - we know you have questions about how COVID-19 affects your work or business. So we've posted a FAQ here:
We'll be updating it daily. If you have Qs we aren't answering, tweet them to
@mndeed
& we'll do our best to answer.
It's a big day in our fight against
#COVID
-19. We're ahead of sched & opening up vaccination to 1.8M new Minnesotans, including frontline workers who've gotten us through this pandemic.
Hear from
@GovTimWalz
@MDHCommMalcolm
@ThommyPetersen
& me at 9:30am
Proud of
@maryGrove
who just joined the board of the
@mplsfoundation
, joining
@R_T_Rybak
& his team in their great work to build our city.
She's a Californian by birth, but a Minneapolitan by choice!
Amazing story of homeless 8-year old chess champ, told by
@NickKristof
- "Tani is a reminder that refugees enrich this nation — and that talent is universal, even if opportunity is not."
We took the kids to Lake street today to drop off some food & were moved by how many people were there to help.
They're too little to understand what's happening. We need to make
#GeorgeFloyd
the turning point for MN so we can one day tell them everything changed after this.
Last night we heard from
@fema
that
@GovTimWalz
app for Lost Wages Assistance is approved. We're grateful for a quick turnaround!
We're told the next step is
@USTreasury
will transfer $ to MN w/in a few days; then we'll get the $300 payments going.
Excited to be moving to MN this spring, where I'll continue to lead the
@googlenewslab
team. I grew up there, so
@maryGrove
& I are excited to be closer to family. And we'll be near our amazing
@siliconnstars
too.
#BoldNorth
Surreal to stand outside the same doors I walked through almost 12 years ago to start working for a hot new video-sharing company,
@YouTube
And fun to re-watch the vid I shot of my journey to CA & my first day: Gonna miss this place!
10-day window for MN businesses to apply for $10K grants starts tomorrow
#mnleg
set aside $62.5M; to make it fair we'll partner w/
@mnlottery
to select winners.
Doing lots of outreach to community leaders in many languages; help us get the word out!
Today's the 85th anniversary of the Unemployment Insurance program. FDR probably never imagined this program propping up the economy during a global pandemic.
We've paid $6.5B to Minnesotans since March 16. We're lucky to have such a dedicated team making it happen at
@mndeed
.
Today is the
@StarTribune
156th birthday! 🎂
When we started in 1867, Tik-tok was the sound a clock made, & our front page advertised DRY GOODS, CLOTHING, HATS & CARPETS.
A lot's changed, with a lot more change to come!
Today
@mndeed
convened dozens of leaders in state & city govt to hear from businesses destroyed by the violence in MPLS & St. Paul.
It was raw, intense, & emotional.
There is so much rebuilding & re-imagining to do. We need to keep talking & then turn those words into action.
Minnesota:
Best airport 4yrs in row ✈️
#1
port in N. America 🚢
#1
in Midwest for energy efficiency 💡
#2
on-time airport in the WORLD ⏲️
#BuildWhatMatters
In St. Cloud yesterday,
@GovTimWalz
& I met w/ entrepreneurs in our
@LaunchMinnesota
network. We heard clearly what MN needs:
🎯Always-on Angel Tax Credit
🎯A growing
@LaunchMinnesota
program
🎯Broadband
🎯Tech training for young people
Let's get all 4 done this session!
#mnleg
Proud to share that
@GovTimWalz
has appointed Angie Dickison as the new director of the
@mndeed
Office of Broadband!
I'm thrilled to (officially) welcome
Angie to
@mndeed
- the work ahead to connect 100% of MN has never been more important.
It felt strange to take off my mask indoors after the CDC announcement &
#GovTimWalz
repeal of MN mask mandate. But it's positive sign!
Please be kind to businesses, they don't want to play "mask cops." If you're not vaccinated please wear a mask, or better yet, get vaxxed! 💉🙂
When
@GovTimWalz
declared the
#StayAtHomeMN
order, it gave us an opportunity to surge our efforts to mitigate
#COVID
ー19.
You deserve to see how those efforts are going. This dashboard, which we update daily, is best place to track MN's efforts:
Thrilled the MN House & Senate passed HF5, w/ $62.5M for small biz in MN. Great working w/
@TimMahoney67A
@zackstephenson
@PTAnderson_MN
@EricPrattMN
& others on this; w/ grants designated for POCI, women, & vet-owned biz. Let's see more bi-partisan legislation pass this session!
When our twins were born, I was grateful to get paid time off to be w/ them. But 25% of Minnesotans can't.
We need paid family medical leave & other policies to improve the first 1,000 days of a child's life.
I shared more in today's
@PioneerPress
These are difficult times, but it's inspiring to see MN's business community rally alongside govt
Latest example: When
@usbank
saw
@GovTimWalz
order to expand unemployment insurance they instantly scaled capacity to issue our payments. We didn't even need to ask
#oneminnesota
Hanging on the walls at
@StarTribune
is our very first edition from May 25, 1867.
The Civil War had just ended, the pop of Minneapolis was 10,000, & the price for print delivery 365 days/yr was... $12.
My how times have changed!🗞️🗞️🗞️
To all small businesses --
@SBAgov
disaster loans now available in MN, learn more from
@mndeed
here:
✅3.75% up to $2M
✅Up to 30 yr term
✅Helps pay working capital needs due to
#COVID
ー19
Thank you
@sba_minnesota
for your partnership on this
We went to Mercado Central today to talk w/ some of the 35 businesses in the co-op. 12 were destroyed by looters.
Amongst broken glass, there were small business owners already preparing to re-open.
@mndeed
will collaborate to help rebuild.
You can too:
It was fun to show the boss around my hometown today!
@GovTimWalz
&
@mndeed
are partnering w/
@smifound
to rebuild Northfield's Archer House site via Mainstreet Revitalization 💰
"Cows, Colleges, & Contentment" (Northfield's motto) is possible when we invest in small business🏘️
We're thrilled to announce that Maureen Ramirez is our new
@mndeed
Director of Econ Opportunity! Hear more about this BIG JOB & how our new approach to setting equity goals for our agency will work, from
@hamse_warfa
Smart look at why Minnesota has so much to offer & why we need to be more aggressive on talent attraction.
Once people get here - hard for them to leave.
Thanks
@LewisMinn
@GreaterMSP
& Myles Shaver from
@CarlsonNews
Thrilled to welcome my former colleagues from
@Google
to Rochester for a new (& growing) office!
So glad they bet on Minnesota, a great choice for a talented workforce. 💪💪💪
📺 New data shows that
@GovTimWalz
’s approach to the COVID-19 pandemic saved lives - & jobs.
The Gov faced so many impossible decisions this last year, & I can say that having seen him make them up close, Minnesotans are very lucky for his leadership.
My local barber Gary also moonlights as a characturist. Since I can't get a haircut from him just yet, I asked if we could pay him to draw a picture of the kids. Nice work, Gary! Someday it'll remind us of this moment & all that Minnesota is going through together.
Two big things from
@GovTimWalz
&
@LtGovFlanagan
budget will help our economy & are worth doing now:
✔️Replenish UI Trust Fund
✔️Pay our frontline heroes
From today forward, changing UI taxes gets more complex & will take way more time to administer. Let's do this now.
#mnleg