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Days of rage

THUMBS DOWN: The protests and rioting following the death Monday of George Floyd in Minneapolis are understandable. The rage of the black community has been pent up and building with each time a black man has died at the hands of police in Minnesota. Admonitions to remain calm and keep the peace could not restrain the violence this time.

Still, Minneapolis and state officials did little to respond to the violence that has marred the Twin Cities the past few days. Rioters and looters were allowed to run unchecked. Gov. Tim Walz on Friday called the response to the violence an “abject failure,” and promised a change.

We hope so. The arrest of Derek Chauvin, the former officer who knelt on Floyds, and his being charged with third degree murder is the first step in bringing the justice the protestors seek.

Holding the line

THUMBS UP: Minnesota should pass 1,000 deaths from COVID-19 this weekend. The toll stood at 996 on Friday. It should be noted that of that total, 811 of the dead are people living in assisted living or long-term care facilities.

In Brown County, we have had 14 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and two deaths. There was one reported case of COVID-19 in a long-term care facility in the county, early on in the pandemic.

The administrators and staff in our local nursing homes and assisted living residences have been doing a tremendous job of keeping the COVID-19 virus out of their facilities and away from their residents. Their extraordinary vigilance and scrupulous anti-viral actions are a big reason that Brown County’s COVID-19 figures are so low.

Thanks to all who work with the elderly and disabled who do so much to keep them healthy and safe.

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