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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
It has been a difficult two weeks in our community – the shooting of Winston Smith by a federal law enforcement task force, for which details have been murky, and the subsequent killing of Deona Knajdek, also known as Deona Erickson, by another civilian. We grieve the loss of these young people.
These events combined with other recent tragedies in the city of Minneapolis prompted the board to advance and pass a $5 million package to combat gun violence. This policy specifically aims at rooting out the causes that lead to gun violence and creates community driven investments in communities disproportionally impacted by gun violence.
Please read on for more on that as well as other news – including adjustments to mask requirements in Hennepin County facilities.
And today, I wish you a Happy Juneteenth! I hope you can find time to celebrate in any way that's fitting for you. I remain committed to the pursuit of reforms and policies aimed at closing the disparities in our community.
My best,
In response to the recent spate of gun violence across our community and country, the county board has allocated $5 million to prevent, reduce, and mitigate gun violence in Hennepin County.
Specific details for this program are still being designed, but the foundation of the work will be investing in communities hardest hit with gun violence to provide services to victims, and to prevent future gun violence.
To read more details about the funding arrangement, visit the board meeting materials site and search the BAR number "21-0232".
Come together to celebrate Juneteenth this weekend. View events listed by the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder here or check out the schedule of online and in-person Hennepin County Library events at this link to the Library’s Juneteenth 2021 page.
Juneteenth is said to be the oldest African American celebration of emancipation from slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863, but news of emancipation moved slowly. For the next 2½ years, enslaved Africans and Black abolitionists persevered in the struggle for freedom.
Since the 1980s, Minneapolis has had some of the biggest Juneteenth celebrations in the nation. Click here for the Minneapolis Park Board’s list of events and activities.
Visitors and employees who are fully vaccinated are no longer required to wear face coverings in Hennepin County buildings. Visitors and employees who are not fully vaccinated remain required to wear face coverings. Fully vaccinated is defined as 14 days after the last dose in a person’s vaccine series. Children under 5 years of age are exempt from this requirement.
Regardless of vaccination status, some locations will continue to have more stringent face covering requirements for visitors and employees—including correctional facilities, courtrooms, health care settings, and homeless shelters. Please follow building and office signage to best know the requirements for each specific building.
Hennepin County continues to request that all visitors who have recently tested positive for COVID-19 or who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms not enter county facilities. Hennepin County does not require visitors to have received a COVID-19 vaccination in order to enter a county facility.
Face coverings will be available for people who need one, and visitors who can’t wear a face covering can request an accommodation. In addition, people in county buildings should practice adequate physical distancing of at least six feet whenever possible. Household groups are not required to practice physical distancing measures with each other.
Spam FC Scholarship Foundation is a nonprofit based in St. Louis Park that raises and distributes funds to help students pay for college. Their mission is to provide financial support and access to students who have been positively impacted by soccer although applicants do not have to play soccer in college.
Applications are open until June 30th on www.spamfc.com. For more information, please see details, below.
Application requirements:
- Submit a well written essay based on a prompt
- College or HS Transcript
- 1 letter of recommendation
- Proof of acceptance / enrollment
Here's how student can apply:
- Go to spamfc.com
- Click on the application button
- Fill out Google form and submit
Cooling options
Check out the interactive map below of places that can provide relief from the summer heat.
In a normal year, more than 600 Americans die of complications from overheating.
Young children, senior citizens and people who are sick or overweight are most vulnerable. Start by being informed about heat alerts, issued by the National Weather Service and publicized by local news media. When the weather gets hot, it’s important to stay cool by staying indoors in air-conditioned buildings.
Movie theaters along with some pools, community and recreation centers may have a cost for use. Please inquire at each site for ticket price or possible fees, as well as restricted use and/or limited hours.
If you visit county buildings
Required face coverings
All visitors to Hennepin County buildings are required to wear face coverings that cover both mouth and nose. A face shield alone is not sufficient. Visitors who wear a face shield are required to wear a face covering underneath it.
If you are sick
Do not enter the building if you are sick or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
Physical distance
Maintain 6 feet or 2 meters of physical distance.
Contact us
Marion Greene
Commissioner, 3rd District
612-348-7883
Elie Farhat
Principal Aide
612-348-7125
Laura Hoffman
District Aide
612-348-0863
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