Latest news with #EllenSchmidt
Straits Times
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Reaction to deadly shooting of Minnesota lawmaker
Officers are posted in a staging area after what police said was a targeted shooting in the area around Edinburgh Golf Course in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, U.S. June 14, 2025. REUTERS/Ellen Schmidt TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY A police officer conducts a traffic stop after what police said was a targeted shooting in the area around Edinburgh Golf Course in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, U.S. June 14, 2025. REUTERS/Ellen Schmidt Police are stationed outside Edinburgh Golf Course after what police said was a targeted shooting in the area in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, U.S. June 14, 2025. REUTERS/Ellen Schmidt Officers work in a staging area after what police said was a targeted shooting in the area around Edinburgh Golf Course in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, U.S. June 14, 2025. REUTERS/Ellen Schmidt Officers communicate in a staging area after what police said was a targeted shooting in the area around Edinburgh Golf Course in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, U.S. June 14, 2025. REUTERS/Ellen Schmidt A gunman posing as a police officer killed a senior Democratic Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband on Saturday in an apparent "politically motivated assassination," and wounded a second lawmaker and his spouse. MINNESOTA GOVERNOR TIM WALZ, A DEMOCRAT: "An unspeakable tragedy has unfolded in Minnesota - my good friend and colleague, Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, were shot and killed early this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination." U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: "I have been briefed on the terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be a targeted attack against State Lawmakers. Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law. Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!" U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI: "I am closely monitoring developments in Minnesota after what appears to be a targeted attack against state lawmakers. The FBI is on the ground investigating this case alongside state and local partners. This horrific violence will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." MINNESOTA'S U.S. SENATOR AMY KLOBUCHAR, A DEMOCRAT: "This is a stunning act of violence. I'm thankful for all the law enforcement who are responding in real time. My prayers are with the Hortman and Hoffman families. Both legislators are close friends and devoted to their families and public service." DEMOCRATIC U.S. SENATE MINORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER: "The ghastly targeted shootings of Sen. Hoffman and Rep. Hortman are not just horrific—they're acts of political extremism and an assault on our democracy itself. This is where hate and violent rhetoric lead." DEMOCRATIC U.S. HOUSE MINORITY LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES: "The targeted shootings of Minnesota Senator John Hoffman and State Rep. Melissa Hortman are deeply disturbing. Violence is never acceptable." REPUBLICAN U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON: "Such horrific political violence has no place in our society, and every leader must unequivocally condemn it." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Legislature maintains support for education, but future is cloudier
A student exits a school bus as they arrive to Creative Arts Secondary School on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Saint Paul, Minn. (Ellen Schmidt/Minnesota Reformer) Democratic legislators and Gov. Tim Walz played defense on education funding this year, trying to preserve as many of their 2023 legislative gains as possible without pursuing bold new goals. The K-12 education bill, passed Monday, includes $25.7 billion for schools during the next two years, an increase of 4.8% over the current biennium. Although spending on education will increase in aggregate, the bill includes cuts to special education and libraries, as well as social workers, nurses and counselors. Overall, the 2025 Legislature passed a mostly status quo budget. With dark clouds on state government's fiscal horizon, the future of public schools, educators and students will be determined to a great extent by the 2026 election. Special education aid is shouldering the largest portion of cuts to the education budget. The state will reduce the amount it reimburses school districts for special education transportation services by $15 million next school year and $28 million the following school year. Walz was first to propose the cuts. Federal law protects services to special education students from cuts. The reductions in state aid means school districts will have to make cuts outside of special education — or find new local revenue — to make up for the lost state aid. The budget agreement also creates a commission to explore ways to cut state spending on special education in the next biennium. The bill sets a target of $250 million per year in cuts for fiscal years 2028 and 2029. But that comes after the next election — and the potential for a different balance of power. The next Legislature won't be bound by this one and can ignore the plan to cut special education funding. Legislation approved in 2023 finally began chipping away at the nearly $800 million gap that school districts faced each year in funding for special education. That gap is commonly referred to as the 'cross-subsidy' because districts pull money from their general per-pupil formula money to cover their unreimbursed costs for special education services. On average, districts were spending 12% of their general per-pupil aid to cover unreimbursed special education costs, with the amount varying from less than 5% to more than 20% in some districts. The cuts to special education funding come at the same time that districts face uncertainty about the future of federal aid for special education. Minnesota school districts can continue to expect an annual increase of at least 2% in basic per-pupil aid. The education bill preserves a provision enacted in 2023 that indexes the formula to inflation, with a minimum annual increase of 2% and a maximum of 3%. The per-pupil formula accounts for about two-thirds of all state funding for K-12 education. For the upcoming fiscal year, the basic formula is $7,481 per pupil, a 2.7% increase from the current year. In fiscal year 2027, the amount will increase to $7,705. The state will spend $17.2 billion on general formula aid in the 2026-2027 biennium. Overall, state funding makes up 64% of education spending in Minnesota, with federal funding providing 8%, and the balance made up by local funding. The state will also continue to provide funding for universal school meals. The cost is expected to grow from $584 million in the 2024-2025 biennium to $659 million in 2026-2027, or 13%. Hourly school workers, like paraprofessionals, bus drivers and culinary workers, will continue to be eligible to collect unemployment insurance during the summer. Minnesota was the first state in the nation to provide this benefit when it was enacted in 2023. House Republicans pushed to eliminate the program, while unions representing the workers, including SEIU and Education Minnesota, lobbied their DFL allies to preserve the program. The state expects to have paid out $102 million from the initial $135 million set aside in 2023 to fund the program by the end of the fiscal year. Walz proposed adding another $40 million to the program. At the end of the regular session, the Legislature approved an additional $100 million to fund the benefit by canceling funding for the Northern Lights express train to Duluth. This sets up a conundrum in the future, with Democratic lawmakers seeking to stand with the workers — and the unions that represent them — while also confronting rising costs for school districts or the state or some combination. Unlike for salaried school workers, like principals and teachers, the current law does not allow districts to directly levy local taxpayers for the cost of the unemployment benefits for hourly workers. The state will delay for one more year changes to how it calculates what's known as compensatory revenue, a form of state aid linked to the number and concentration of low-income students under federal poverty guidelines. For next school year, compensatory revenue sent to school districts will receive a boost of $55 million. Under current law, the state was supposed to eliminate the use of paper forms for counting qualifying students, starting next school year. Instead of paper forms, the state would use enrollment in other government programs — like Medical Assistance and SNAP — to determine if a child is low income and thus qualifies their school district for more help. But going away from paper forms would mean that some students who meet the qualifications, but don't participate in programs like SNAP or Medicaid, wouldn't be included in the funding formula. The Legislature will also form a task force to make recommendations about how to change the low income student formula in the future. The state will cut nearly $20 million of aid to schools that support libraries, and an additional $29 million in aid for social workers, school nurses and counselors. The cuts roll back some of the increases in funding the Democratic trifecta made in 2023. School library aid was first enacted in 2023, providing districts with $16.11 per pupil or $40,000 per year, whichever is greater. Starting next year, library aid will be reduced by 34% per pupil, and the minimum amount of aid per school district will be cut in half, from $40,000 per year to $20,000 per year. The 2023 education law would have almost tripled the per-pupil amount next year for nurses, counselors and social workers. Instead, the per-pupil funding will only double to $34.32. Smaller school districts will continue to receive a minimum of $40,000 per year in aid.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Here are some of the projects funded by the $700 million infrastructure deal
Construction on the Robert Street Bridge on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Saint Paul, Minn. (Photo by Ellen Schmidt/Minnesota Reformer) After bipartisan legislative leaders publicly pronounced an infrastructure bill dead for the year, they resurrected it during closed-door negotiations and shepherded the $700 million deal through the Legislature during a one-day special session Monday. The infrastructure bill is called a 'bonding bill' because the state government issues bonds — i.e. borrows money — to pay for the projects. Sixty percent of both the House and Senate must vote 'yes' to allow the state to issue bonds, so bonding bills require robust bipartisan support. This one passed 116-15 in the House and 57-10 in the Senate. The bill distributes money across the state to a wide variety of projects. In some cases, the funding will go to a state agency, which has discretion over where exactly the money goes; in other cases, lawmakers directed money to a specific project. The DFL-controlled Legislature passed a $2.6 billion infrastructure package in the 2023 session, including $1.5 billion in bonds. In 2020, lawmakers passed a $1.9 billion bonding bill. Here are the biggest-ticket items: $176 million to the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority to build, upgrade and repair municipal water treatment plants. $84 million to Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, mostly for asset preservation; $24 million will go toward a new transportation center at Alexandria Technical and Community College. $80 million to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, largely for road and bridge repairs. $60 million to the University of Minnesota. $67 million for a new Bureau of Criminal Apprehension headquarters in Mankato. $55 million for a new 50-bed psychiatric facility on the campus of the Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center. $44 million to the Department of Natural Resources for asset preservation, accessibility, flood mitigation and more at state parks. $40 million for repairs and upgrades of state prisons. $29 million to the Minnesota Housing Finance Authority, mostly for the rehabilitation of public housing. $16 million to the Metropolitan Council, the vast majority for metro-area sewer work and $1 million for tree planting. $13.7 million to the Minnesota Zoo, mostly for a new animal hospital. $11.5 million for the Capitol complex, mostly to make one of the underground tunnels connecting the buildings compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The rest is for asset preservation and security improvements.
Toronto Sun
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Putrid pitching combined with lack of power deny Blue Jays series sweep of host Minnesota Twins
Bowden Francis of the Toronto Blue Jays delivers a pitch to the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field on June 8, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minn. Photo by Ellen Schmidt / Getty Images A series would be won, but a sweep denied as the Blue Jays leave the Land of 10,000 Lakes with their collective heads well above water, at least for the time being. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account At the same time, the margin for error remains thin for a team whose pitching depth is getting tested and whose ability to stage comeback wins is not sustainable. The following are three takeaways from Sunday's series finale at Target Field where the Blue Jays were off target almost from the get-go, a day when Toronto's pitchers yielded a combined eight walks through the opening five innings en route to a 6-3 loss to the host Minnesota Twins. 1. Bowden bounced An argument could be made that Sunday's start was the biggest for Bowden Francis, who wasn't able to make it out of the second inning in his most recent outing when the visiting Phillies lit up the beleaguered right-hander. Against Philadelphia, he began the game by issuing a four-pitch walk. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Against the Twins, he once again yielded a leadoff walk, only this one came on a full count. An additional free pass would ensue, but he survived the first inning by recording two strikeouts. In the second, the Twins loaded the bases — twice. When he faced Trevor Larnach with one out, Francis had recorded as many outs (4) as walks. While it's true the Jays have been playing their best baseball of the season, some troublesome areas can't be overlooked, beginning with the lack of depth in the starting rotation. Given the state of an overused bullpen, Francis needed to be much better. He was fortunate to be facing a Twins lineup that was not opportunistic. Minny's overall game, in fact, was spotty. Misfortune struck Francis when he gave up a leadoff homer in the fourth to move him into the inglorious category of league leader having yielded his 18th belt of the season. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. One batter later, home run No. 19 was in the books. Painful can best describe Francis' outing. A pitch count violation only added more salt to the wound. A great defensive play at third base by Addison Barger prevented Bowden from an even more embarrassing exit. Once the out was recorded, Francis' day had ended. Not good, but given the circumstances of his last start he did go deeper, if that's even cause for comfort. Five walks and two homers in 3.1 innings does not equate into a quality start. Sadly, Francis is not a major leaguer at this moment. 2. An A for Alan For Alan Roden, perseverance has been critical in dealing with the mercurial nature of baseball. While he did begin the season on the opening day roster, it was obvious Roden was overmatched far too often than he looked the part of a big-leaguer. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He gets sent to the minors and is then recalled. In Sunday's series finale, Roden made his second start in the outfield since his recall. It also marked his eighth game back with the Blue Jays. He showed patience at the plate in his first at-bat, sending a line drive into centre that would cash in the game's first runner. How Roden precisely profiles is anyone's guess. Daulton Varsho's hamstring injury has paved the way for the team's ancillary players to get playing time in what is essentially a committee approach. Jonatan Clase started in each of the two opening games at Target Field, but he went 0-for-8 at the plate, including four strikeouts. Inserting Roden into the lineup was a no-brainer. 3. No lyin' about Ryan The Twins didn't send some ordinary Joe to the mound in their attempt to avoid getting swept. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In right-hander Joe Ryan, the Jays were facing a pitcher who entered the afternoon having won his past five decisions. He looked awfully good to begin his latest outing by striking out four of the first five hitters Ryan faced. Carlos Correa looked awfully bad when he failed to start what looked like a routine double-play ball at shortstop that placed the inning's first two hitters on base. It was ruled a fielder's choice, but an error was warranted. It would, for the record, be ruled an error by the official scorer, who was slow on the switch. The misplay did lead to an RBI single by Alejandro Kirk. Ryan went at the Jays' hitters with an aggressive approach. In some ways, he was a poor-man's version of Nolan Ryan. To Toronto's credit, it did pounce on every mistake, which included an RBI double by George Springer as the Jays regained the lead. Kirk and Springer have been two of the hottest and most clutch hitters in the Jays' lineup. Kirk picked off a straying runner at first base to end the third. Up next The Jays head to the Show Me State for a three-game set against the host St. Louis Cardinals that begins Monday night (7:45 p.m. first pitch); the Cards boast one of the top home records in the National League; Jose Berrios is Toronto's scheduled starter in the opener; the righty has pitched six complete innings in each of his past four starts and has surrendered a combined one run in his two most recent outings. Sports World Canada Editorials Sunshine Girls
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Twins reliever Danny Coulombe taking his 0.00 ERA to the 15-day injured list
Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers (27) and pitcher Danny Coulombe, right, embrace after winning a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants Friday, May 9, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) Minnesota Twins pitcher Danny Coulombe (54) throws to the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 9, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) Minnesota Twins pitcher Danny Coulombe (54) throws to the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 9, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers (27) and pitcher Danny Coulombe, right, embrace after winning a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants Friday, May 9, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) Minnesota Twins pitcher Danny Coulombe (54) throws to the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 9, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) MILWAUKEE (AP) — Minnesota Twins left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe, who hasn't allowed a run all season, has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a left forearm extensor strain. The move was announced Sunday but is retroactive to Thursday. In other moves, the Twins called up right-handed pitcher Zebby Matthews to start Sunday's game at Milwaukee and selected the contract of outfielder Carson McCusker from Triple-A St. Paul. Advertisement Coulombe, 35, had struck out 19 batters while allowing only two walks and eight hits in 16 2/3 scoreless innings this season. He had last pitched on Wednesday. 'It's obviously not good, but I'm not overly concerned,' Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. 'Danny hasn't been available now since the last time he pitched. We've been working around him, trying to see if we could give him a little time and get him where he needs to be. He's shown good improvement, but he's not ready to pitch quite yet. He's going to need a little bit more. I'm not going to put a timeline on it. I'm not going to say it's the minimum, but I'm optimistic that it won't be too long.' Coulombe becomes the third Twins player to go on the injured list during this weekend series, though Minnesota has weathered the situation well enough to carry a 13-game winning streak into Sunday's game. Shortstop Carlos Correa and center fielder Byron Buxton both went on the 7-day concussion injured list after they collided while chasing a shallow fly ball Thursday in Baltimore. Matthews, who turns 25 on Thursday, has gone 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA in seven starts for St. Paul this season. He pitched nine games with Minnesota last year and went 1-4 with a 6.69 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings. Matthews also was selected as the Twins' minor league pitcher of the year in 2024. Advertisement McCusker, who turns 27 on Thursday, had hit .350 with a .412 on-base percentage, 10 homers and 36 RBIs in 38 games with St. Paul. The Twins made room for McCusker on their 40-man roster by transferring outfielder Luke Keaschall to the 60-day injured list as he recovers from a fractured right forearm. ___ AP MLB:
