• Ryan’s virtual groundbreaking at the 122-acre Ford site on Tuesday also introduced its new name: Highland Bridge

• EO 20-79 issued Mon, July 13: modifying the suspension of evictions and writs of recovery during the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency
• EO 20-78 issued Mon, July 13: extending the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency declared in EO 20-01
• Thursday DEED Update
• COVID Dial-Back Dashboard to monitor progress towards further reopening.
• Big message right now is about masks: Governor contemplating statewide mandate. Complex decision. Regardless, evidence is clear that masks make a big difference, particularly indoors.
• July 25 expiration of $600 top-off of UI benefits. Has been huge income subsidy. 75% of Minnesotans on UI are earning more than they did when the crisis hit.
• Earlier today, launched campaign re awareness of this impending change. And providing info/resources to ensure people are thinking about a path forward.
• View these Online resources.
• Engaging in outreach re SBRG. 29K applications for 6K $10K grants. So 1 in 5 will get a grant. Conducting a lottery later today.
• June employment numbers: news release on DEED website. Did tick down to 8.6% for June, over 84K new jobs. Industries: mostly those hardest hit and which are now reopening. And some regional variations as well. National unemployment level down to 11.1%.

• Wednesday Administration Updates, Commissioner Malcolm, Kris Ehresmann:
• Testing volume vs positives: last week, we had 13.6% increase in # tests performed, and a 10.5% increase in total cases (down slightly from Monday). 
• 7-day positivity rate: now at 4.8% (up from 4.4% a week ago). We want to stay under 15%. A rate above 5% indicates we may be heading back into a period of more rapid spread of the disease.
• Median age of positive tests now is 37.5 years, down from 40.5 years reported a month ago.
• As of Wednesday, deaths each day this week are in the single digits for the 12^th straight day.
• “Make A Plan Minnesota” campaign, urging parents to develop plans for alternate short term care plans for our children in case we get ill. Tool developed to help can be found here.

• 3M developing paper-based coronavirus test that could give results in minutes From MPR, July 14: Maplewood-based 3M says it is working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on a point-of-care test for the COVID-19 that could make diagnosing infections nearly as simple as a home pregnancy test.

• Four more states added to NY, NJ, CT virus quarantine list From the Pioneer Press, July 15: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio and Wisconsin means that travelers from 22 states will be required to quarantine for 14 days upon entering New York.

• Where face masks are required in Minnesota From KSTP-TV, July 15: More cities, municipalities, colleges and universities are considering a mandate on face masks being worn in public spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota.

• $1.35 billion bonding bill, tax cuts advance at Minnesota Capitol From the Pioneer Press, July 14: The package includes $1.35 billion in general obligation bonds, $300 million in trunk highway bonds, $147 million in appropriation bonds and $38 million cash. The full $1.8 billion proposal will pay for a variety of construction, transportation, housing and infrastructure projects around the state that legislators say could bring online more than 27,000 jobs.

• Walz’s emergency powers to remain intact as House votes down effort to block extension From the Duluth News Tribune, July 14: The Minnesota House of Representatives on Tuesday, opted not to take up a resolution that would block the extension of the state’s peacetime emergency, allowing the 30-day extension to take effect. The vote comes a day after the Minnesota Senate approved a similar resolution. On a 63-70 vote, the House fell short of the total needed to take up a proposal to end the emergency, indirectly allowing Governor Walz’s expanded executive authority to continue for another month.

• See available SBA COVID-19 training here.

• For more on SBA programs for the coronavirus, please visit www.sba.gov/coronavirus.

• Minnesota Chamber’s COVID-19 Business Toolkit has a dedicated section for employment guidance that can help.