Star Tribune
State confirms four new cases of canine influenza in the Twin Cities
Four more cases of canine influenza were reported in the Twin Cities on Wednesday by the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, leading to “strong indicators of community spread” of the rare virus after a larger outbreak earlier this month, the state agency said.
The Animal Humane Society closed its three shelters in Woodbury, Golden Valley and Coon Rapids on April 6, after about 200 dogs were infected with the highly contagious virus — the largest outbreak ever of canine influenza in Minnesota. The nonprofit has paused all pet adoptions through at least mid-May, its longest closure ever because of an animal-related outbreak, leading to an uptick in pets at other local shelters and nonprofit rescues.
Since then, the Board of Animal Health has been flooded with calls from veterinarians about suspected cases where testing wasn’t done or was inconclusive. There are more cases of sick dogs than positive test results because the cost of testing is too expensive for many dog owners, Dr. Veronica Bartsch, senior veterinarian with the Board of Animal Health, said in a statement.
The four new cases are all in Hennepin County, according to the agency. Canine influenza causes similar symptoms as the flu in humans, including coughing and sneezing, a fever and runny nose, and dogs are sick and contagious for three to four weeks. The virus isn’t transmittable to humans or most other animals.
The first outbreak of canine influenza was detected in the U.S. in 2015. But until this recent outbreak, Minnesota has had only minor reports of the virus in 2017, when 13 dogs were sick.
The Board of Animal Health recommends that dog owners avoid their dog having contact with other dogs, including at dog parks, and keeping their pet at home if they’re sick. Dog boarding and day care facilities should separate symptomatic dogs and send any dog with signs of respiratory diseases home. To report a confirmed case of canine influenza or for more details on the virus, go to bah.state.mn.us.
Star Tribune
St. Paul planning commission to discuss a potential citywide ban of new fast food drive-thrus
Twin Cities franchisees and business advocacy groups have already voiced their concerns about the potential drive-thru restrictions to the planning commission.
Over 80% of Taco Bell transactions in St. Paul are done via drive-thru windows, according to Zach Zelickson, vice president of Marvin Development, which develops Taco Bell restaurants for Border Foods. A ban on new drive-thrus could limit what can be done with existing restaurants and make customers travel to locations outside the city, he said. In 2022, Border Foods opened a futuristic Taco Bell Defy location with four drive-thru lanes in Brooklyn Park.
“We believe that drive-thrus play a vital role in serving the needs of our communities across Minnesota,” Angie Whitcomb, CEO of Hospitality Minnesota, which represents the state’s hospitality businesses, said in a statement. Drive-thrus provide convenience for busy customers and contribute to the safety of fast food workers, particularly duing late-night hours, she said.
Drive-thrus have been synonymous with America’s fast-food culture since the concept became mainstream in the 1970s. During the pandemic, drive-thrus became even more important, allowing consumers to grab food while COVID-19 restrictions shut down many restaurant dining rooms.
Besides traditional fast food operations, other fast casual restaurants such as Chipotle have begun to add drive-thru lanes.
According to a study released last month by the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, drive-thrus are critical for many businesses. Average monthly visits to studied stores with drive-thrus were down a little more than 4% in December 2022 (post-pandemic) compared to December 2019 (pre-pandemic). However, traffic at stores without drive-thrus declined about 48%.
“[The most pressing issues] are everything from gentrification to community policing to climate change,” he told the Star Tribune. “MCAD’s role is: How do we begin addressing the most critical issues of our time? Frankly that’s got to be part of the work we do in educating the next generation of cultural leaders.”
MCAD’s Board Search Committee will begin a national search for the next president, working with executive search firm Isaacson, Miller, along with the MCAD community.
“We thank President Sethi for his dedication for the past five years, as he led the college through the challenges of COVID, acquired a new building for much-needed student housing, reimagined the campus of the future, and advocated for greater access to an art-and-design education,” said Board Co-Chairs Chris Barry and M.E. Kirwan in a joint statement.
Sethi is the 19th president in MCAD’s 139-year history, previously serving for four years as inaugural director of George Washington University’s Corcoran School of the Arts & Design, and previously holding leadership positions at Santa Fe Art Institute, Memphis College of Art and California College of the Arts.
The medical center is owned by a local nonprofit, but operated by Duluth-based Essentia under an affiliation agreement that dates back to 2009.
With the ruling announced Wednesday, Essentia Health says it will continue to operate the hospital, clinic, assisted-living and long-term care facilities in Fosston, plus clinics in Bagley and Oklee.
“Now that the arbitration process is over, Essentia is focused on the opportunity to engage our patients, colleagues and the community in building a shared vision for the future of health care in Fosston,” said Dr. Stefanie Gefroh, interim president of Essentia Health’s West Market, in a statement.
Arbitrators were asked to rule on whether Essentia eliminated a “core” service by discontinuing deliveries, since the city of Fosston would then have the right to terminate the affiliation agreement. But the panel in a 2-1 vote concluded that labor and delivery is just one aspect of obstetrics (OB).
“OB is a ‘core’ service under the agreement, encompassing labor and delivery as part of comprehensive care for pregnant women,” the ruling states. “Simply put, while the delivery of the baby is an essential component, it is not the sole care provided to a pregnant woman.”
Fosston officials, including the town’s mayor, were involved in the arbitration because the city has a legal connection to the nonprofit owner of the medical center, which historically was a municipal hospital.
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