Dear Neighbor,
Greetings as we make our way toward one of the last weekends of the summer. The forecast looks like one more blast of heat is on the way, along with the potential for more rain early next week that could help us continue climbing out of the drought.
We’ll see how it plays out but, for now, here are some jottings from the House:
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development will begin accepting applications for the Main Street COVID Relief Grants Program for Minnesota-owned/operated businesses this Monday (Sept. 20).
This program was approved by the Legislature earlier this year, with $64,200,000 available in grants for Minnesota businesses that can demonstrate financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding will be distributed in a 50/50 split between the Twin Cities metro area and Greater Minnesota.
Successful applicants will receive a grant amount between $10,000 and $25,000 based on the number of full-time equivalent employees on staff. Eligibility requirements and application information can be found at this website.
In other news, last week’s speech by President Joe Biden dealing with vaccine mandates for upwards of 80 million Americans has further divided our country, which is the last thing we need. Forcing companies with over 100 workers to use vaccination as a condition of employment is a major step, one that many view as unconstitutional. Vaccination should be a personal choice, with decisions made in the context of what’s best for me and my family.
Full disclosure here: I’ve been vaccinated. Because of a respiratory condition I have, it was an easy choice for me. I had two doses of the Moderna vaccine back in late winter/early spring with no complications except for feeling a bit lethargic the day after the second shot.
I think we are being given mixed signals about how serious this second round of COVID-19 actually is. College and professional football teams are starting their seasons playing to capacity crowds of 60-70,000 fans, many of whom are not wearing masks. Major concerts are being held once again, and we just concluded our Minnesota State Fair, and while attendance was down, it was still over one million.
Early on, we were told that once we reached the 70-percent level of vaccination, we would be OK because of “herd immunity.” We are now there, both at the state and national levels, but there is little talk of that anymore.
Having said that, I realize this is a difficult situation, one where we’re still learning how to combat this virus. And, on top of it all, major concerns over the health care industry are cropping up. Already critically short of workers, what will happen if any number of nurses or other staff leave because of a mandate? We have great health care in this country, but it’s the people doing the work, many times in difficult and overworked situations, that give us that care. We can’t afford to lose any of them!
Sincerely,
Paul