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April 13, 2020 - April 19, 2020
Vol. 47 No. 15• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
Black Press Declares
STATE OF
EMERGENCY FOR
BLACK AMERICA
Page 2 • April 13, 2020 - April 19, 2020 • Insight News
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COVID-19 State of emergency for Black America By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia While many doctors maintain that the novel coronavirus is transmitted through droplets from coughs or sneezes, more and more medical experts and officials who work primarily with infectious respiratory illnesses and aerosols are convinced that the disease is airborne. As a result of recent medical research and data, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) president and CEO, Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Jr. has issued a solemn national public warning and alert to nearly 50 million African-Americans. “Black America is now in a state of emergency as a result of the disproportionately deadly impact of the coronavirus pandemic on our families and communities across the United States,” Chavis said. “Black Americans should stay at home and only leave home for critical life-essential reasons. In fact, all Americans should stay at home to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. But I must emphasize that because before the spread of the coronavirus, Black Americans were already disproportionately burdened with multiple preexisting health conditions, including asthma, diabetes and heart disease, our communities are more vulnerable to the impact of the coronavirus, including higher rates of fatalities.” A Pro Publica report revealed that AfricanAmericans made up almost half of Milwaukee County’s 945 cases and 81 percent of its 27 deaths in a county whose population is only 26 percent Black. Milwaukee is one of the few places in the United States that is tracking the racial breakdown of people who have been infected by the novel coronavirus, offering a
glimpse at the disproportionate destruction it is inflicting on Black communities nationwide. In Michigan, where the state’s population is 14 percent Black, AfricanAmericans made up 35 percent of cases and 40 percent of deaths as of Friday, April 3. Detroit, where a majority of residents are Black, has emerged as a hot spot with a high death toll. As has New Orleans, according to Pro Publica. Louisiana has not published case breakdowns by race, but 40 percent of the state’s deaths have happened in Orleans Parish, where the majority of residents are Black. Illinois and North Carolina are two of the few areas publishing statistics on COVID-19 cases by race, and their data shows a disproportionate number of African-Americans were infected, according to the report. “We know in the U.S. that there are great discrepancies in not only the diagnosis but the treatment that African Americans and other minorities are afforded,” said Dr. Ebony Hilton, associate professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at the University of Virginia Health Systems. “So, I want to make sure that in this pandemic, that Black and brown people are treated in the same way and that these tests are made available in the same pattern as for white people.” And medical experts have also sounded the alarm that the virus could well be transmitted through the air. “Currently available research supports the possibility that (COVID-19) could be spread via bioaerosols generated directly by patients’ exhalation,” Harvey Fineberg, who heads a standing committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats, wrote in an April 1 letter to Kelvin Droegemeier, the head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). “One must be
Medical experts have sounded the alarm that the virus could well be transmitted through the air. cautious in imputing the findings with one respiratory virus to another respiratory virus, as each virus may have its own effective infectious inoculum and distinct aerosolization characteristics. Studies that rely on PCR to detect the presence of viral RNA may not represent virus in sufficient amounts to produce infection. Nevertheless, the presence of viral RNA in air droplets and aerosols indicates the possibility of viral transmission via these routes.” Fineberg penned the letter in response to a request from the White House OSTP. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a standing committee of experts to help inform OSTP on critical science and policy issues related to emerging infectious diseases and other public health threats. The standing committee includes members with expertise in emerging infectious diseases,
public health, public health preparedness and response, biological sciences, clinical care and crisis standards of care, risk communication, and regulatory issues. “The results of available studies are consistent with aerosolization of virus from normal breathing,” Fineberg wrote. He noted an airflow modeling study that followed a coronavirus outbreak in Hong Kong in the early 2000s supports the potential for transmission via bioaerosols. In that study, the significantly increased risk of infection to residents on higher floors of a building that was home to an infected individual indicated to the researchers a pattern of disease consistent with a rising plume of contaminated warm air. “In the mind of scientists working on this, there’s absolutely no doubt that the virus spreads in the
air. This is a no-brainer,” Lidia Morawska, at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, told the medical website, nature.com. A March 2020 Cambridge Research study of those with influenza revealed that 39 percent of individuals exhaled infectious aerosols, which experts noted that, as long as an airspace is shared with someone else, breathing in the air they exhale, it’s possible for airborne transmission of the coronavirus. “It’s airborne,” Dr. Angela Guerrera, an emergency medicine specialist in New Jersey, told NNPA Newswire. “If someone has the disease, they don’t have to cough and sneeze or spit. If you then go into their space, you can probably get it.” Some experts said they are convinced that a primary reason that governments and organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
iStockphoto/NNPA
(CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have shied away from stating that the virus is in the air is to prevent panic and because it could take years and cost hundreds of millions of lives before indisputable evidence can be presented. “We shouldn’t let perfect be the enemy of convincing,” Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota, said. A spokeswoman for the WHO told NNPA Newswire that the organization is focused solely on treatment and trials. “As far as treatment for COVID-19 is concerned, so far, we have no evidence that any particular drug is effective, but researchers around the world are working hard on this. More than 20 vaccines are in development globally, and several therapeutics are in clinical trials,” said WHO spokeswoman Ashley Baldwin.
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Insight News • April 13, 2020 - April 19, 2020 • Page 3 WINNER: 2020 T YPOGRAPHY & DESIGN, 1ST PLACE, PHOTOGRAPHY (PORTRAIT & PERSONALIT Y), 1ST PLACE, WEBSITE, 3RD PLACE
Insight News April 13, 2020 - April 19, 2020
Vol. 47 No. 15• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
Walz extends stay home order until May 4; peacetime emergency until May 13 To continue slowing the spread of COVID-19 across the state, Gov. Tim Walz today extended the Stay Home Order until May 4 and the peacetime emergency order until May 13. “What we are doing is working, Minnesota,” said Walz. “We are taking this seriously, and we are staying home. While Minnesota is showing lower rates of infections than our peers across the country, now is not the time to let up or allow that trajectory to change. Updated federal guidance and our own public health experts are showing that if we keep staying home, we will save lives – which is why I made the datadriven decision to extend the Stay Home Order until May 4.” The governor’s order to stay home is forecasted to significantly slow the spread of COVID-19, pushing out the peak of the disease and allowing the state to continue key preparations for the pandemic. These preparations include building new hospital capacity and buying ventilators and masks, planning for how to protect those most at risk, expanding testing and freeing up time for health care companies like the Mayo Clinic to develop treatments for the virus. “As a mom and a daughter, I know how challenging this is for Minnesota families – but it is working,” said Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. “These decisions are guided by the best-available data, and we are constantly responding to new information and challenges. Staying home is the best strategy we have, and it is saving lives, especially of our most vulnerable.” Consistent with the extended Stay Home Order,
The governor’s order to stay home is forecasted to significantly slow the spread of COVID-19. tremendous effort and sacrifices Minnesotans are making.” Under the extended order, Minnesotans may leave their residences only to perform activities such as relocation to ensure safety, such as relocating to a different location if your home is unsafe due to domestic violence, sanitation, or reasons related to essential operations, health and safety activities, such as obtaining emergency services or medical supplies, outdoor activities, such as walking, hiking, running, biking, hunting, or fishing, necessary supplies and services, such as getting groceries, gasoline, or carry-out, essential intrastate and interstate travel, such as returning to a home from outside this state, care of others, such as caring for a family member, friend, or pet in another household, displacement, such as moving between emergency shelters if
Executive Order 20-33 also extends the closure of bars, restaurants, and other public accommodations through 11:59 p.m. on May 3 and outlines exemptions to the Stay Home Order, including exempted activities and critical sector workers. The governor said he would sign a bill to allow bars and restaurants to sell bottled beer and wine with takeout orders. “We’re facing an historic public health crisis, and Minnesotans are rising to the challenge,” Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said. “The social distancing and community mitigation efforts Governor Walz implemented have secured us much-needed time to prepare more fully for the predicted peak in cases, and today’s announcement gives us a better chance to save even more lives. We are thankful for the
you are without a home, moving or relocation, such as moving to a new home or place of residence, funerals, provided that no more than 10 attendees are gathered and strict social distancing is enforced and tribal activities and lands, such as activities by members within the boundaries of their tribal reservation. Executive Order 2033 also orders that all workers who can work from home must do so. Workers in critical sectors who cannot work from home are permitted to go to work. “Our actions have saved lives, but the threat of COVID-19 remains,” said Walz. “The next stages of this pandemic are going to challenge us – an extension of Minnesota’s peacetime emergency will allow us to protect Minnesotans’ health and wellbeing and continue to respond effectively to this rapidly-evolving situation.”
Duchesne Drew
Duchesne Drew is new MPR president Duchesne Drew has been named president of Minnesota Public Radio (MPR). As MPR president, Drew will lead strategy, programming and daily operations serving MPR’s regional audiences through MPR News, Classical MPR, The Current and MPR’s digital, social and mobile services. Drew comes to MPR from the Bush Foundation, where he led the foundation’s leadership programs, community innovation and communication teams and built networks across the region as its Community Network vice president. Prior to his role at
Bush Foundation, Drew was managing editor of operations at the Star Tribune, where he began as a summer intern and rose to one of the most senior roles in the newsroom. Last year, he was honored with the Widening the Circle Award by ThreeSixty Journalism, recognizing individuals who have contributed to the next generation of journalists, particularly while promoting inclusion and diversity. “Duchesne is absolutely the right leader for our regional services – especially during this
DREW 4
Simon proposes election authority during pandemic Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon appeared before the Minnesota House Subcommittee on Elections to introduce a bill that would give the Secretary of State’s Office temporary expanded authority to ensure the conduct of safe elections during this time of pandemic emergency. “The administration of elections has become a public health issue. Minnesotans should not have to choose between their health and their right to vote,” said Simon. “After talking with elections professionals from all levels of government throughout the state, the goal became very clear to me; we need to minimize exposure at polling places and maximize voting by mail.” If the bill were enacted, Minnesota’s elections for 2020 would include temporary, one-time changes including each registered voter will automatically receive a ballot in the mail, witness signature will be required for voting, a reduction in number of polling places on Election Day and extra time allotted
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon look to solutions that match the scope and scale of the problem.” Other provisions in the bill would grant the Office authority to change the location of polling places, many of which are in vulnerable locations like senior care facilities, accept candidate filings by email, fax, or US Mail, instead of in
for to
elections administrators process ballots. “I hope we can all rise to the moment,” Secretary Simon said. “People will look back at this time and wonder what we did to make things better – and whether we put others before ourselves and our own interests. Now we need to
person and accept ballot-access petitions with digital signatures. “The election in Wisconsin, with its reduced polling places and unacceptably long lines, is a glimpse of what could happen in Minnesota if we fail to change our laws temporarily,” said Simon. “This is a time for legislative cooperation, not political games.” “We live in uncertain, drastically changing times, and it’s imperative that Minnesota remains responsive to whatever situation might present itself during the August primaries and the November election,” said Rep. Raymond Dehn (DFL - Minneapolis), chair of the House Subcommittee on Elections. “Our remaining work this year needs to focus on ensuring our upcoming elections can successfully proceed, which should include exploring the expansion of our ‘vote by mail’ capabilities.” Simon testified on the need for these changes in the House Elections Subcommittee April 8.
Omar joins representatives to push expanded access to online SNAP benefits WASHINGTON, D.C.— Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Rep. Conor Lamb (D-PA) sent a letter with 58 House Democratic colleagues to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue urging him to expand online purchases for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to all states and additional retailers. Currently, only a
limited number of states are approved to administer online SNAP purchases. “The move toward accommodating online purchases for SNAP benefits has a long history of bipartisan support that began in the 2014 Farm Bill,” said the members. “More recently, the 2018 Farm Bill required a faster path toward scaling the pilot nationwide. The first phase of the pilot, which started in 2019, includes eight states and eight retailers.
“As federal, state, and local governments expand social distancing measures to reduce transmissions of COVID-19, online purchases of food have become increasingly common to reduce public gathering in grocery stores,” continued the members. “During this time, it is crucial that we keep SNAP working for those who need it most. Therefore, we again urge you to immediately expand the Online Purchasing Pilot to all states and additional retailers.”
Rep. Ilhan Omar
I2H
Tide Cleaners offers free cleaning services for Minneapolis front-line responders
PAGE 5
Attorney General Ellison Files enforcement action against Pine County landlord
Attorney General Ellison enforces executive order against forcing tenants to vacate during COVID-19 pandemic Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed an enforcement action against Pine County landlord Howard Mostad for violating an executive order and Minnesota’s landlord-tenant laws by entering his tenants’ home in Sandstone against tenant wishes, disconnecting their electricity service and attempting to pressure them to vacate the property. The tenants were sheltering in place in the home with their four-year-old daughter who has an underlying health condition that makes her especially vulnerable to
COVID-19 exposure. The attorney general’s office is seeking emergency relief from the court to restore the tenants’ utility services and prevent the landlord from interfering with their continued residency during the peacetime emergency. “Now is the time for Minnesotans to turn toward each other, not away from each other. Most people, businesses, and landlords are doing the right thing during the crisis. For those landlords who aren’t, let this case serve as a warning to you … if you take illegal
ELLISON 4
News
Area Domino’s stores to donate 21,800 pizzas
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Page 4 • April 13, 2020 - April 19, 2020 • Insight News
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Part one of a two part series
Decisive leadership needed in COVID-19 time of crisis Culture and Education Editor
By Dr. Irma McClaurin The current COVID-19 crisis has me thinking a lot about leadership. A lot. I began writing this column a few days ago, and keep coming across tons of tweets and articles examining the leadership muscles of President Trump. This one, “A Deadly Lack of Leadership,” by Charles M. Blow, New York Times columnist, caught my attention. Especially when he opines “America needs a leader; it has a lout.” What should leaders do in times of crisis? Certainly, they should not, as Blow points out in his commentary, become “obsessed with dodging blame and claiming glory.” What do leaders actually do in times of crisis? Do they stop to ponder and think about things, letting decisions meander until the last minute? Do think about the damage their reputation will suffer if they make the wrong decision? Or, do they take the ostrich approach and stick their head in the sand,
avoiding taking a stance until their backs are against the wall? Leaders must, at all costs (that can include damage to the ego and professional reputation), take action. Even if leaders make the wrong call, they must do something. When a crisis emerges (natural, manmade, or origins unknown), decisive leadership is an absolute positive requirement. Leadership and Crisis Management In this moment of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have witnessed what happens when leadership waffles and delays. Panic takes over. People lose hope. Rumors abound. In the absence of information, people will make things up, based on the scantest of details. Most leaders find themselves unprepared to manage crisis. It is one thing to encourage people to have faith, if you have to lay-off a few people, it seems a manageable moment. As long as people are not directly touched by the crisis, we find ways to ignore the reality. Hurricane Katrina should have taught us a strong moral lesson about looking away from disaster when it is not at our front door. I know firsthand what the consequence are when you ignore the warning signs and think it can never happen to you.
Once, I worked at a national education nonprofit that laid off 200 people at one time; this action caused an emotional organizational crisis among staff who had never worked anywhere else. Leadership was unprepared for the emotional fallout and kept sending a message that “we are family.” I had to remind them that “family” can’t fire family and perhaps they needed to find new language. As for myself, I asked if I needed to worry about job security, since I had left a stable job with the federal government to become chief diversity officer. Despite assurances by senior leadership, a year later, they eliminated 300 additional jobs, including mine. I should have trusted my gut that first year and jumped ship. Instead, I believed the leadership and discovered that some leaders have the ability to lie with great ease. At the end of the day, the organization’s economic viability took precedent over the emotional and professional viability of the staff who terminated. Stuck Leadership Sometimes the problem in a crisis is what I call “stuck leadership.” Those in charge simply don’t know what to do. They may not be in denial, but might as well be, since they cannot seem to make up their minds and get stuck in a state of
In this moment of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have witnessed what happens when leadership waffles and delays. Panic takes over. People lose hope. Rumors abound. In the absence of information, people will make things up, based on the scantest of details.
inaction. Such leaders seem to forget that not making a decision is a decision. Non-action is an act of passivity and often proves to be irresponsible. Moreover, they ignore the wisdom of Einstein and his definition of insanity – keep doing the same things over and over again and expecting a different outcome. My own experience of being a leading under fire at the beginning, middle and end of a crisis has taught me
that minimizing a situation, denial that a problem exists, and delays in decision-making around taking action is not how leadership should operate. In a crisis, experience matters. Leadership must draw upon what they know at the moment, being able to instantaneously consider longterm implications, dig deep into the reservoir of knowledge they’ve acquired, do a mental calculus that weighs pros and cons, and take action.
©2020
McClaurin
Solutions Irma McClaurin(http:// irmamcclaurin.com) is the Culture and Education Editor at Insight News. An activist anthropologist and awardwinning writer, she also speaks and conducts workshops on a range of topics that include social and educational inequality; diversity, equity and inclusiveness; and the state of Black women in America.
Colonial mentality: French doctor suggests testing drugs on Africans (Global Information Network) – During a debate on drug testing on French TV, Dr. Jean-Paul Mira, head of intensive care at a Parisian hospital said, “If I can be provocative, shouldn’t we be doing this vaccine trial in Africa, where there are no masks, no treatments, no resuscitation”? He continued, “It’s a little bit like it’s been done for certain AIDS studies, where among prostitutes, we try things, because we know that they are highly exposed and don’t protect themselves.” The response was explosive. World Health Organization head, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called the remark a hangover from the “colonial mentality.” “It was a disgrace, appalling, to hear during the 21st
Global Information Network
Dr. Jean-Paul Mira
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Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Managing Editor Harry Colbert, Jr. Culture and Education Editor Dr. Irma McClaurin Associate Editor Afrodescendientes Carmen Robles Associate Editor Nigeria & West Africa Chief Folarin Ero-Phillips Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Content & Production Coordinator Sunny Thongthi Yang Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Intern Kelvin Kuria
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century, to hear from scientists, that kind of remark. We condemn this in the strongest terms possible, and we assure you that this will not happen,” Tedros said. “Africa can’t and won’t be a testing ground for any vaccine.” “Africa isn’t a testing lab,” Ivorian professional football (soccer) player Didier Drogba, who used to play for Chelsea, wrote on Twitter. “I would like to vividly denounce those demeaning, false and most of all deeply racist words.” Olivier Faure, of France’s Socialist Party, said the marks were hardly a provocation. “It’s not provocation, it’s just racism,” he wrote on Twitter. “Africa is not the laboratory of Europe. Africans are not rats!” The anti-racism group
SOS Racisme called on France’s media regulator, the Conseil Supérieur de L’Audiovisuel, to formally condemn the remarks. “It’s scandalous to see that not a single regulatory authority has come out to publicly denounce these statements,” Amar Thioune, a member of SOS Racisme, told Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, Le Club des avocats au Maroc, a Moroccan lawyers’ collective, said it was suing Mira for racial defamation. Mira later apologized in a statement published by his employer. “I want to present all my apologies to those who were hurt, shocked and felt insulted by the remarks that I clumsily expressed on LCI this week,” he said.
Hennepin County hotel shelter dedicates isolation spaces for homeless people Hennepin County stood up a third temporary shelter location at an area hotel to provide alternate accommodations for people experiencing homelessness in response to the continued spread of COVID-19. This new site is dedicated specifically to isolation spaces for people who are awaiting test results or have tested positive for COVID-19 to discourage spread of the virus. As of April 1, five residents have been moved from other shelter settings into isolation spaces at this new hotel. As of April 3, none had tested positive for COVID-19 and two are
currently awaiting test results. At one of the two existing hotel sites, 37 people have been in isolation with flu-like symptoms with zero positive COVID-19 tests. Nineteen have recovered and 18 will remain until they are asymptomatic. Hennepin County continues to work with shelter and health professionals to identify healthy but especially high-risk people experiencing homelessness. So far, 233 highrisk residents have been moved from congregate shelter settings into hotel sites, including 153 seniors and 80 other high-risk residents.
Drew
for MPR,” said Jon McTaggart, president and CEO of American Public Media Group (APMG) and CEO of Minnesota Public Radio. “Duchesne has a wonderful ability to connect with people and welcome new ideas. He brings passion and curiosity about how MPR can serve our audiences even better.” “I’m delighted to be joining MPR,” Drew said.
“Minnesotans are relying on MPR now more than ever. Our music and news services are proving their importance in people’s lives. I’m honored to lead these talented teams and I look forward to helping us serve even more Minnesotans.” In addition to serving on the board of the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, Drew is a member of the Itasca Project’s
working team and Make It MSP’s Leadership Council, which is focused on attracting and retaining talent within the Twin Cities region. Drew’s other board commitments include the African American Leadership Forum, the Monitors Club, the Leadership Learning Community and the Columbia Daily Spectator.
out of their home during this emergency to contact my office immediately. We are committed to putting a stop to conduct like this so that Minnesotans can live with the dignity, safety, and respect we all need to navigate our way through this crisis.” Under Gov. Tim Walz’s Executive Order 20-14, property owners are prohibited from filing eviction actions or terminating residential leases for the duration of the COVID-19 peacetime emergency. Ellison’s
office has the authority to enforce this executive order. In addition, it is illegal under Minnesota’s landlord-tenant laws for a landlord to interrupt or cause the interruption of electricity, heat, gas, or water services to a tenant and the disconnection of such services is considered a constructive eviction. In its enforcement action, the attorney general’s office is seeking permanent injunctive relief, civil penalties of up to $25,000
per violation, restitution for the residents, damages under Minnesota’s landlord-tenant laws, and its costs and fees. Ellison encourages Minnesotans to report suspected violations of executive order 2014 by filling out the dedicated Tenant Eviction Complaint Form on the front page of the Attorney General’s website. Minnesotans can also do so by calling his office at (651) 2963353 or (800) 657-3787.
From 3 extraordinary time. He has terrific leadership and news experience, and his commitment to using public media to inform and inspire people is a perfect fit
Ellison From 3 actions to force your tenants to vacate their property during this emergency, my office will take swift and strong action against you,” Attorney General Ellison said. “I encourage any Minnesota who believes they are being wrongly forced
This new site isdedicated specifically to isolation spaces for people who are awaiting test results or have tested positive for COVID-19 to discourage spread of the virus. As of April 1, five residents
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Insight News • April 13, 2020 - April 19, 2020 • Page 5
Insight 2 Health
Tide Cleaners offers free cleaning services for Minneapolis front-line responders Front-line responders are putting their safety on the line every day to ensure the health and well-being of the Minneapolis community during the current COVID-19 Pandemic and Tide would like to help lighten the load on them and their immediate family members. Tide Loads of Hope will provide free laundry services to medical personnel, police officers and firefighters at all Tide Cleaners locations in the Minneapolis area. Minneapolis medical personnel, police officers, firefighters and their immediate family can locate a nearby Tide Cleaners and get their personal clothes washed for free. Storefronts can wash items like jeans, shorts and
Tide Cleaners is offering free laundry for COVID-19 front-line workers. tee-shirts as well as socks and undergarments.
For Minneapolis-area front-line responders and their
immediate family members, visit Hope.TideCleaners.
com to find out more about the service and find the nearest Tide Cleaners. Pack up your dirty laundry and either drive to your nearest Tide Cleaners storefront or request home service pickup at participating locations. Verify that you are a front-line responder with badges or a valid form of identification. Must have a photo ID or picture of it if you’re a family member who is bringing it on their behalf. Front-line responders eligible for free services include paramedics, doctors, nurses, hospital and medical staff, medical researchers, police officers and firefighters. Immediate family include next of kin or individuals that share the same household address.
Free laundry services are available for up to four bags per household per week until May 9. COVID-19 exposed clothing, clothing worn while treating patients, leathers, comforters and wedding dresses are not eligible. “We are proud to launch Tide Loads of Hope Powered by Tide Cleaners in the Minneapolis community,” said Jenny Maxwell, associate director for Tide. “The frontline responders of Minneapolis are working tirelessly to keep our community safe. Our hope is to make everyday chores like laundry as seamless as possible and lighten the load for those at the front lines during this time.”
Cannabis and cannabis-related business experiencing unprecedented demand during COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 has not affected all industries and businesses equally, with some experiencing a huge spike in sales during the pandemic. Cannabis is just one of the markets that have seen sales surge with more Americans staying home and sparking up. To the Cloud Vapor Store (an online retailer that sells cannabis vaporizers) has experienced a 75 percent growth in sales over the last three weeks, with a 200 percent increase in sales to metropolitan areas under mandatory quarantine, such as New York and San Francisco. Tyler Browne, the owner of To the Cloud Vapor Store attributes this to a few factors. He said with more time spent sitting inside more people are smoking and drinking. In states such as California, cannabis dispensaries remain open, but smoke shops are closed. Online retailers who sell goods such as cannabis vaporizers — products that many would otherwise purchase at local smoke shops, are being bought online.
iStockphoto/NNPA
With extra time spent sitting inside, more people are smoking and drinking.
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Page 6 • April 13, 2020 - April 19, 2020 • Insight News
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Every Domino’s store will give away 200 pizzas within their local communities
Area Domino’s stores to donate 21,800 pizzas Domino’s and its nationwide system of franchisees are banding together during the COVID-19 crisis to feed people pizza. Domino’s locallyowned stores throughout Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul will donate 21,800 pizzas within their local communities. “We realize that there is a great deal of hardship and uncertainty at this time,” said Susan Graves, a MinneapolisSt. Paul-area Domino’s franchisee. “Domino’s wants to do whatever it can to help, and that means spreading a little bit of joy through pizza.” More than 100 Domino’s stores throughout the Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area will each donate 200 pizzas as part of this national effort, so that hospitals and medical centers, schoolkids and their families, health departments, grocery store workers, and others in need can enjoy a hot, delicious pizza. “We want to show how much we appreciate and support those who are in need of a hot meal, including families and the elderly, as well as those who are on the frontline, working to save lives,” said Graves. “We hope that this simple act will bring a small sense of normalcy and a smile to their faces.” Together, Domino’s stores nationwide will donate more than 1.2 million pizzas, or about 10 million slices, across their communities.
Domino’s stores nationwide will donate more than 1.2 million pizzas, or about 10 million slices, across their communities.
President of PolicyLink says COVID-19 highlights inequities By Maya Beecham Worldwide media coverage has presented the COVID-19 pandemic as an indiscriminate novel virus – a global leveler. People the world over are experiencing a “new normal” as they navigate life under state government mandates to stay home. However, according to an Associated Press analysis on the racial disparities of the pandemic, African-Americans account for 42 percent of known COVID-19 related deaths reported in the nation. The analysis covered more than 4,450 deaths and 52,000 COVID-19 cases. AfricanAmericans accounted for 21 percent of the population, in the areas that were analyzed. Michael McAfee, president and CEO of PolicyLink, said mainstream media is not telling the public that people of color and indigenous people have always lived under a pandemic of racial inequality enforced through structural racism. Furthermore, COVID-19 has only highlighted the disparities these communities face daily. For example, African-Americans are disproportionately diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes, asthma and receive the highest levels of inadequate healthcare. “Every time there is a crisis, Black folks, people of color, indigenous folks, are going to experience these types of things first and worst and it’s time for us to get out of this pathological way of behaving where we simply are shocked in the moment at what we are seeing, and yet we never want to tend to the structural ways in which we are creating this,” said McAfee. PolicyLink, a national research and action institute advancing racial and economic equity started in 1999 by Angela Glover Blackwell. The organization’s work is centered around advancing an equitable economy, healthy communities of
Acooa Ellis, senior vice president of Community Impact at Greater Twin Cities United Way. Raises $3.25 Million to Date, Distributes $315,000 to Local Nonprofits in Second Funding Wave
Greater Twin Cities United Way Expands Covid-19 Relief Efforts
Michael McAfee, president and CEO of PolicyLink
opportunity and a just society. PolicyLink is advising restructuring democracy and the economy to benefit everyone, and lift up work done by communities of color and to put people first by making the scale and duration of relief match the scale and duration of the need. It is also calling for government to invest in community infrastructure by investing in organizations that have proven to work effectively with community and succeed in getting results and build an equitable economy by providing direct support to workers and help small businesses preserve jobs. In addition, it is calling for government to protect and expand community voice and power by including lowincome people, people of color and indigenous people in recovery decisions. A more detailed roadmap of accountability aligned with each principle will be unveiled by PolicyLink in the coming weeks. “In the coming months we are going to
be rolling out scorecards holding government and corporations accountable for doing what they said they were going to do,” said McAfee. “We are not going to let this recovery end like the last. And so one of the things we’ve learned is that our institution must fight and we are going to fight in a different way by being able to put the data out to see, did jobs improve, did healthcare improve, did housing improve for the folks who need it the most.” In 2018 PolicyLink published the report “100 Million and Counting: A Portrait of Economic Insecurity in the United States.” The report states that more than 100 million people in the United States, about one third of the population live in economic insecurity, with household incomes less than 200 percent of the poverty level. For a single family that equates to an annual income of $24,000, and for singles the annual income is $12,000. McAfee said this nation has not designed a support system for those most in need.
“Think about how many states have intentionally stopped people from being able to enroll in the Affordable Care Act. Think about how many states have intentionally not expanded Medicaid or Medicare or have cut them to save money. Think about what you are seeing in so many places like Florida and others where, by design they have made it so it was almost impossible to get unemployment benefits and now you see the systems crashing.” He firmly believes that through transformative solidarity communities of color and indigenous people can demand the change that is needed. “The most important thing we can do right now is to demand that our communities have the features that make other communities thrive. This is the time to transcend charity even though it’s needed. It’s our job to make sure it’s less needed by designing this nation so that it works for everyone. It’s going to be the people of color that will lead that charge.”
Greater Twin Cities United Way has raised $3.25 million to date via its Greater Twin Cities COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, and $1.75 million directly will benefit the Twin Cities region. Several national corporations based in the Twin Cities are partnering with Greater Twin Cities United Way to distribute the remaining $1.5 million to other United Ways in markets where they have a presence. “COVID-19 will continue to impact individuals, the nonprofit community and our local economy, which is why we’re distributing funds to local nonprofits in waves to meet both short and longerterm needs,” said John Wilgers, president and CEO of Greater Twin Cities United Way. “We’re so grateful for the generosity of many, including 25 companies and 497 individuals.” In addition to the $200,000 United Way distributed in March, the organization announced it is distributing a total of $315,000 in its second grant round to support 56 of United Way’s nonprofit partners. This round of funding will address critical community needs, including early childhood education, support for people most impacted by layoffs in the hospitality industry and support for organizations led by and predominately serving Black, Indigenous and people of color. The third wave of funding is open to
eligible nonprofits through a competitive application process. United Way will distribute a minimum of $400,000 before the end of May. Nonprofits can apply at www.junction. g t c u w. o r g / N o n p r o f i t / FundingOpportunities/ P a g e s / G r e a t e r - Tw i n C i t i e s - U n i t e d - Wa y COVID-19-Responseand--Recovery-Fund.aspx. United Way will distribute its fourth wave of funding to nonprofits later this summer. “We are committed to targeting our resources to the areas of greatest need, especially during crises,” said Acooa Ellis, senior vice president of Community Impact at Greater Twin Cities United Way. “As we seek to foster a region where all thrive – regardless of income, race and place of residence – our COVID-19 funding strategy is mindful of both existing disparities and the nimble ingenuity that is inherent in the nonprofit sector.” Compared to the same time last year, United Way’s 211 operators are providing a 300 percent increase in referrals to services for people in need across Minnesota. Food, housing and clothing/household items are the top three needs. Given school closures, United Way 211 is partnering with school districts to provide reliable information to parents related to childcare, meal programs and other services.
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Insight News • April 13, 2020 - April 19, 2020 • Page 7
Karl-Anthony Towns mother, Jacqueline Towns, dies of COVID-19 Jacqueline Towns, mother of Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns’ died due to COVID-19. It was first reported that Jacqueline Towns was suffering from the virus on March 25 and at that time she was already experiencing serious health issues due to COVID-19. Even prior to his mother contracting the disease Karl-Anthony Towns announced a $100,000 contribution to the Mayo Clinic in its efforts to combat the disease. Jacqueline Towns succumbed on April 13. “The Timberwolves organization is incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of Jacqueline Towns due to complications from COVID-19,” read a statement from the Timberwolves organization. “In the fourplus years we were fortunate to know Jackie, she became part of our family. Her passion for life and for her family was palpable. As Karl’s number one fan, Jackie provided constant and positive energy for him and was beloved by our entire organization and staff at Target Center as she supported her son and the Timberwolves. The league, teams, and players have come together in their support of Jackie and Karl and we are grateful for our NBA family. We would like to thank all the doctors, nurses and medical personnel who cared for Jackie during her illness and all of Karl’s fans who sent their support this past month. Our deepest condolences go out to Karl and his family during this difficult time.” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was on a media call when he learned of the passing and sent his condolences to Towns and his family. “This virus is hitting us more and more. We’ve lost 70 mothers, fathers, grandparents and so on here in Minnesota,” said Walz. “Everybody is being touched by this.”
Jacqueline Towns (left) with her son, Minnesota Timberwolves star, Karl-Anthony Towns.
All year round, we provide our customers with a wide variety of diverse and in-language programming and we’re happy to work with our partners to make a selection available for free.
Comcast makes more ethnic programming, networks and subscription video services available for free PHILADELPHIA – Comcast is making on demand programming from more than two dozen more entertainment networks and subscription video services available for its Xfinity X1 and Flex customers for free in the coming weeks. “All year round, we provide our customers with a wide variety of diverse and in-language programming and we’re happy to work with our partners to make a selection available for free,” said Rebecca Heap, senior vice president, Video & Entertainment, Comcast Cable. Free content
includes African-American networks and subscription video services such as AFRO, Aspire TV, Black News Channel, Brown Sugar, Impact Network, kweliTV, REVOLT, The Africa Channel and TV One. Latino networks and subscription video services include CBeebies, Cinelatino, Cine Sony, Cinema Dinamita MX, Kanal D Drama, Kids Central en español, Pantaya, RCN Novelas, Universo, ViendoMovies and Vme Kids. International programming includes Filipino On Demand, GMA Pinoy, GMA Life, Hi-YAH!, KOCOWA
(all programs subtitled in English) and TV5MONDE. Beyond free entertainment, in response to COVID-19 Comcast has opened Xfinity WiFi hotspots located in business and outdoor locations across the country to anyone who needs them for free (including nonXfinity Internet subscribers), paused data plans, created a COVID-19 news destination and a K-12 education destination on X1 and Flex, and made its Internet Essentials program free for new families for the first 60 days of enrollment.
Page 8 • April 13, 2020 - April 19, 2020 • Insight News
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Bill Withers and Corey Withers during a 2008 Bill Withers Tribute event.
Singer/songwriting legend Bill Withers dies at 81 By Lauren Victoria Burke NNPA Newswire Contributor Three-time Grammy Award winner Bill Withers, a singersongwriter of music with lyrics and harmony carrying messages that stayed in the minds of many listening in an indelible way, has died at 81. Withers passed away in Los Angeles. His family referenced a heart condition as the cause of his death which has not been linked to COVID-19.
His song “Lean on Me” is one of the most popular in modern popular music and was judged to be one of the greatest songs of all time by Rolling Stone magazine along with his hit, “Ain’t No Sunshine.” Withers’ soulful songs that also include “Lovely Day,” “Use Me” and “Just the Two of Us,” “Grandma’s Hands” and “Who is He (And What Is He to You)” have now become standards heard for five decades in feature films and in the background of endless television episodes.
Withers most recently appeared in the Netflix documentary “The Black Godfather.” The film, directed by Reginald Hudlin, was a tribute to the life of influential music executive Clarence Avant and was released last year. Avant detailed his association with Withers. “I kept listening to him. I kept listening to Harlem and I kept listening to ‘Grandma’s Hands’ and you say to yourself, ‘You didn’t hear many records with people talking about
their grandmothers, but everybody has one.’ His records to me made so much common sense. It was like you were just talking to somebody. You listen to ‘Lean on Me.’ One of the songs he wrote that I still think is a great song talked about the Vietnam War, (‘I Can’t Write Left Handed’),” influential music executive Avant explained. “All those kinds of things just resonated with me and I said wow this guy has got it.” At the time Avant owned Sussex Records
and he signed Withers and had Stax Records associate Booker T. Jones produce Withers’ first album. Withers later signed with Columbia Records. Withers was born on July 4, 1938 in Slab Fork, W.V., a coal mining town. He recorded from 1970 until 1985 and his life was the subject of the 2009 documentary film “Still Bill.” The humble yet poignant singer/songwriter was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. “Lean on Me,”
was performed at the inaugurations of both Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Withers married actress Denise Nicholas in 1973 but they divorced in 1974. In 1976, he married Marcia Johnson, and they had two children, Todd and Kori Withers. Kori Withers is currently pursuing a career in music as well. Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent journalist for NNPA and the host of the podcast BURKEFILE.
Major League Baseball plans possible return to action, playing to empty stadiums By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia Major League Baseball is batting around plans to start its 2020 season next month despite the struggle by health officials to blunt the spread of COVID-19. The ambitious plan, which reportedly may have the support of the player’s union but hasn’t been finalized, would call for all 30 teams playing in an empty stadium in Arizona. Players, coaches, team doctors, umpires and some necessary officials would be quarantined in
hotels and would likely travel to the stadium in a manner that would maintain social distancing guidelines. Teams would go from hotels to buses to stadiums while undergoing regular testing in an attempt to prevent the disease from spreading, under the plan. If someone does test positive for the coronavirus, it’s believed the individual would remain quarantined in a hotel room and looked after by a team doctor. The plan reportedly could include using an electronic device to call balls and strikes and, at least for the 2020 season, eliminate the home plate umpire. Major League
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If the plan is agreed upon, all MLB personnel involved must remain in the same location until the end of the regular season and quite possibly the playoffs and World Series even if the team they’re associated with doesn’t qualify for postseason play.
Now more than ever, it is important that our communities are counted so we are able to get the resources we deserve. You can complete the census in the following three ways all in the safety of your own home: • Online • Phone • Mail-in form For more information visit www.wecountminneapolis.org
Baseball would benefit from being the first sport to return to play since the pandemic swarmed the globe and claimed tens of thousands of lives. The league would also reap substantial dollars from network coverage and local television revenue. However, some teams’ television deals are far more lucrative than others and, therefore, could be problematic when discussing revenue sharing. Besides receiving regular game checks, a benefit for the player’s union is that teams would likely be allowed to carry at least five extra players above the new 26-man limit, allowing for as many as 150 minor leaguers to accrue valuable major league service time. However, if the plan is agreed upon, all personnel involved must remain in the same location until the end of the regular season and quite possibly the playoffs and World Series even if the team they’re
associated with doesn’t qualify for postseason play. That provision is what troubles some big leaguers. “People forget that we’re actually human beings,” Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman told the Associated Press. “I have my third child due in June. If this ‘bubble’ in Arizona was going to happen starting in May, you’re trying to tell me I’m not going to be able to be with my wife and see my kid until October? “I’m going to go four or five months without seeing my kid when it’s born? I can tell you right now that’s not going to happen. Not many people have to go through that, nor should they.” “I definitely think this is just a first idea that’s being thrown around,” Diamondbacks catcher Stephen Vogt told USA Today. “Obviously, I’m
not a fan of the idea of being away from my family for four months. If anything, what I took away from this initial proposal is that it shows MLB’s dedication to just, hey, we’re trying to do whatever we can to get the longest season possible for the fans, the players, and everyone who works in the industry of baseball.” Zack Wheeler, who signed a five-year, $120 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies earlier this year, is also opposed to being away from his family. Wheeler and his wife, Dominique, are expected to welcome their first child in July. “I couldn’t even imagine missing the birth and just not being around and going, ‘Hey, I’ll see you in December’ or whenever it is,” Wheeler told The Athletic. “That’s not going to work.