GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — What's open (and what's not) under the Stay Safe MN order
Governor Tim Walz announced Wednesday that Minnesota's Stay at Home order will be allowed to expire at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 17, and will be replaced with a new "Stay Safe MN" order. The new executive order will allow more business openings with safety restrictions, as well as smaller group gatherings. The governor's order encourages all Minnesotans who leave their homes to wear a face covering in public settings where social distancing is difficult to maintain, such as a grocery store. Some of the other changes include small groups up to 10 people being allowed under the order, as well as drive-in gatherings... as long as all participants stay in their own vehicles and follow safety guidelines. Non-Critical Businesses can choose to reopen by implementing a COVID-19 preparedness plan. That plan encourages working from home whenever possible, maintaining social distancing and worker hygiene. Customer-facing businesses are also required to maintain 6 feet of social distancing between workers and customers, and store occupancy is limited to 50% of the typical occupancy allowed by the state fire marshal.
A feeling of so-called “normalcy” returned to the banks of the St. Croix River on Thursday as people in Hudson packed the sidewalks and crowded restaurant patios for the first time in two months. These activities became legal in the state of Wisconsin, after the conservative-led State Supreme Court deemed the Democratic governor’s “Safer at Home” order unconstitutional. In the absence of a statewide policy, the 72 local counties in Wisconsin – and the cities and towns within them – must now scramble to make their own rules as they see fit. In Hudson, the city and St. Croix County are still in discussions about those policies, according to county and city officials. The elimination of statewide restrictions has led to a mix of celebration, confusion and concern, depending on who you meet. Some felt like they were coming out of a dream, while some were worried the state was reopening too soon. Business owners – specifically restaurateurs – offered a variety of reactions. Some opened their doors and outdoor patios for dine-in almost immediately, while others chose a more cautious approach.
Two people have been charged after allegedly kidnapping a woman and demanding ransom earlier this week. According to the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office, Jason Tucker and Hailey Flynn have been charged with kidnapping a Little Canada woman and are currently in custody. According to criminal complaints, Tucker and Flynn allegedly abducted the victim on Monday in Oakdale after luring her to a car and striking her with a pistol. Prosecutors say the two suspects then took the woman to a residence in St. Paul, then to a Bloomington hotel where they allegedly held her at gunpoint in the bathroom of one of the hotel rooms. On Tuesday morning, deputies were called to a home in Little Canada, where the victim's parents say a man wearing a bulletproof vest came to their house and demanded a ransom of $5,000 - showing the parents a picture of their daughter with a black and swollen eye. According to the criminal complaint, Tucker thought the victim had sold his car and wanted $5,000 to cover the loss. Officials say other friends and relatives of the victim also received messages from her saying she was in trouble and needed to raise $5,000 to be released.
