Visit this blog and our website to get a glimpse of what's happening in the Brooten, Belgrade, Regal, Terrace, Sedan, Norway Lake, Sunburg, Elrosa, Padua and Grove Lake areas of central Minnesota. Also, random school news from the Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa district. While you're at it, subscribe to the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper: PO Box 250, Brooten 56316 (e-mail lifeinbonanzavalley@gmail.com for costs) Find our newspaper online at http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com.
For Tuesday, June 30, the state of Minnesota released new figures showing six COVID-19 deaths for the last reporting period ending at 4 p.m. yesterday.
Also, a total of 444 COVID-19 cases were added to the state's total. In Stearns County, the case count grew by 36, while Stevens County added one and Douglas County added three. Kandiyohi and Pope counties both reported no new COVID-19 cases.
This is the first time in quite awhile that Douglas County has COVID cases added to their total, which now stands at 61 cases. Cumulative totals for other area counties: Pope County - 10 Stevens County - 4 Kandiyohi County - 565 Stearns County - 2,265 Todd County - 398 Swift County - 20
Food for thought: two percent of the passionate will control 98 percent of the indifferent 100 percent of the time if we don’t wake up.
Stearns County has 28 new cases of COVID-19 for the reporting period of Monday, June 29. No other area county (Todd, Douglas, Swift, Pope, Kandiyohi) reported any new COVID-19 cases. The state of Minnesota reported 10 new COVID-19 deaths today. Also, a total of 315 new COVID cases were reported from across the state, including 98 in Hennepin County. Hospitalization numbers from COVID infections continued the trend of decline in Minnesota. As of today, 278 are hospitalized and 140 are in ICU.
Unemployment leads to death. And, there's more! "In addition to lives lost because of lost income, lives are also lost due to delayed or foregone health care." - Scott Atlas, John Birge, Ralph Keeney, Alexander Lipton, The Hill, May 25, 2020. Currently, in June of 2020, over 650,000 Americans are undergoing cancer treatment of chemotherapy. Half of them stopped getting their chemotherapy in recent months treatments because some hospitals stopped "non-essential" treatments. This can include anything that's non-emergent. This can literally be thousands of biopsies per week of potential cancer. Altogether, it's estimated that since March of this year, over half to three-quarters of all necessary cancer screenings did not take place. Let that sink in for a moment.
For the reporting period released on Sunday, June 28, the Minnesota Department of Health released the new COVID-19 case count for Stearns County that shows 34 new cases of the novel coronavirus. For the day prior, Stearns County had 11 cases added to their total. The total COVID case count for Stearns County now stands at an even 2,200 in a population of over 161,000 people. It's important to note that some people are tested multiple times, so the figure of "2,200" does not mean that 2,200 Stearns County citizens have been diagnosed with COVID. Around the area...Kandiyohi County had one new case, while Pope, Swift and Douglas counties all reported none.
Hospitalizations from COVID continues to drop in the state, down to 288 overall and 143 in ICU. This is the lowest number of patients in ICU in a single day since May 2, when 135 were in ICU.
A total of eight new COVID deaths were reported in Minnesota with new COVID cases totaling 523 on a testing volume of 14,997 tests. That testing volume is the second-highest in Minnesota of any day, topped only by the 15,900 tests reported on June 3. Also, the positive test rate for today's period is 3.5 percent, which is where it's been for at least the past week.
Humanity seems to be in a loop, wherein the safer we become, the more intolerable any remaining risk appears.
That makes us more susceptible or more receptive to “projects” that make us even more safe, under the cover of which, is much more bureaucratic grasping either by corporations or the state.
Here's more food for thought in this video:
Moral high ground = safety. How do you argue against the “most safe” option?
Stearns County has reported 15 new COVID-19 cases as of today. The total COVID case count for Stearns County is now 2,156. Kandiyohi County added one new case. No new cases were reported out of Douglas, Pope and Swift counties. The state of Minnesota reported five new COVID deaths, and all were in long-term care facilities. All five were residents of either Hennepin or Dakota counties. Minnesota as a whole reported 493 new COVID-19 cases on a testing volume of 14,560 tests. That equates to a 3.4 percent positive rate on testing. I'll end this blog post by paraphrasing something that President John F. Kennedy once said: "Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be a stronger person."
The bureaucrats calling the shots here...we need to start framing this the appropriate way.
From the video: British Columbia in Canada recorded the most overdose deaths ever for a one-month period during May of 2020. It's more deaths from just overdoses in one month than all COVID deaths during the entire pandemic in that province of Canada. Year-to-date 2020 totals of overdoses are 554 in B.C., Canada, while total COVID deaths are just 167 to date. "You can't reason with these people. They're not interested in science." THEIR version of "new normal" that they want to see go on indefinitely into the future, as we dance to their tune and do what they say: 1. Wear masks anywhere outside your home 2. Do not congregate or gather in a social setting 3. Always maintain six feet of distancing with others: socializing is bad! 4. They kill our elderly family members from loneliness 5. We let them harm children of all ages. 6. They use unreliable tests to gin up fear and close our businesses. THEIR new normal. As for parents, who else out there knows that what they want to do with our kids this fall is wrong and inhumane? I am ready to fight. Who's with me?
Stearns County, with a population of over 161,000 people, reported two new COVID-19 cases for the reporting day of Wednesday, June 24. Kandiyohi, Swift, Pope and Douglas counties all reported no new COVID cases. Todd County reported two new cases of COVID. No deaths were reported in all of the above-mentioned counties. For the state of Minnesota, five additional deaths were reported, and all were in the Metro Area. On a testing volume of 9,547 tests (those reported in a 24-hour period ending at 4 p.m. on June 23), the state of Minnesota added 304 new COVID cases. This makes for a positive case count testing rate of 3.2 percent. The total COVID case count in Minnesota is now 33,763 dating back to January 20, 2020. Patients battling COVID who are in the hospital total 340. Of those patients, 160 are in ICU.
Today's COVID-19 case report in Minnesota shows just 245 new cases added and nine additional deaths, all but two in the Metro Area, and the two not there coming from Goodhue and Wright counties. Seven of the nine deaths came from the ages of between 80 and 100. One was reported in the age category of 60 to 69, and one from the category of 50 to 59. Kandiyohi County reports one new COVID-19 case, with Stearns County reporting two new cases. Todd County added two cases, while Pope and Swift counties added no new cases. Douglas County also added no new cases. Altogether, the 245 new COVID-19 cases came from a testing volume of 7,261 tests in the latest reporting period that ended at 4 p.m. on Monday. This equates to a 3.4 percent positive rate. Ramsey (42 cases) and Hennepin (65 cases) continued adding the biggest case counts to Minnesota's COVID-19 totals. In terms of ICU hospitalizations, which is one of the single most important figures in the entire discussion of the COVID-19 pandemic, Minnesota has 158 residents hospitalized in ICU. This is up from 156 yesterday but still far below a point where state officials would be concerned about capacity to provide care to those in need.
A study out of Indonesia suggests that a person hospitalized with COVID-19 has a 98-plus percent chance of dying if they are Vitamin-D deficient.
The same study says that if hospitalized and not Vitamin-D deficient, a person has just a four percent chance of dying.
Below is a 31-minute video giving more details on this and other issues related to Vitamin D and how it relates to success against COVID-19.
The more you know! Activated Vitamin D affects 36 organ systems including: (1.) immune system (2.) pancreas (3.) heart (4.) blood pressure (5.) muscle strength (6.) brain activity (7.) prostate health (8.) colon health (9.) bone marrow (10.) kidney health (11.) lung health (12.) retina (13.) skin (14.) stomach ...and many more. Vitamin D is tied to 2,000 genes in the human body. It has 2,000 ways of being activated in the human body, or another view: Vitamin D affects 2,000 different mechanisms in the human body. In terms of the cardiovascular system, Vitamin D is closely tied to your heart's health. Heart health, bone health and immune system function are all closely tied to Vitamin D levels.
The second regular meeting of the Brooten city council for June is coming tonight, Monday, June 22 starting at 7 p.m. The approximate schedule of items is as follows. 7 p.m. - airport fuel system 7:15 - RESOLUTION No. 2020-15: adopting COVID-19 preparedness plan 7:30 - building permits for fences at the following addresses: 600 Roe Street, 220 Western Ave. North and 220 Eastern Avenue. 7:45 - Letter of Resignation from the Brooten Economic Development Committee 8:00 - Review bids for roofs and siding on the city shop, cold storage and roof on the Brooten Pavilion 8:15 - Street sweeping schedule and notice to residents 8:30 - Insurance renewal - statutory tort limits 8:45 - Other random old or new business as raised by council members
The Monday, June 22 COVID case information in Minnesota shows:
four deaths, between the ages of 60 and 89, and three in the Metro area and one in Olmsted County.
308 new cases
0 new cases in Kandiyohi County
3 new cases in Stearns County
0 new cases in Pope County
0 new cases in Swift County
For Stearns County altogether this year, a total of 2,137 positive COVID cases have been reported with 19 deaths. That number is 560 for Kandiyohi County (one death). Swift County continues to hold at 20 COVID cases this year and one death, and Pope County remains at 10 cases with no deaths. Douglas County is at 54 cases and no deaths.
So far in June, a total of 344 Minnesotans have passed away from COVID, which is an average of between 15 and 16 per day. On June 12, Minnesota reported 25 COVID deaths, but since that day, a total of 87 have passed away for an average of just under nine per day.
For hospitalizations, today, a total of 156 Minnesotans are in the ICU while battling COVID. This figure has continued to fall in the past week. It stood at 185 as recently as June 16.
American Innovation Helps Patients Beat Coronavirus
By Kenneth E. Thorpe
American scientists are working furiously to develop treatments for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.
No group of patients needs a vaccine more than those with chronic conditions. Patients with just one chronic disease who contract COVID-19 are 80 percent more likely to experience a "poor outcome" -- like hospitalization or death -- than those without any chronic conditions, according to recent studies.
Fortunately for Americans living with chronic disease, the United States leads the world in medical innovation. As long as policymakers protect this innovation ecosystem, U.S. scientists will surely produce vaccines and treatments relatively quickly -- and keep our nation healthy through this crisis and for years to come.
Americans are rightly worried about COVID-19. More than 100,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and more than two million have tested positive for the disease.
Patients with chronic diseases are particularly vulnerable. Forty percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients have some type of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease. Other chronic conditions -- like arthritis, diabetes, and cancer -- could make it harder for the body to fight the virus.
But our scientists will rise to this challenge and invent new therapies, just as they have countless times in the past. Heart disease death rates have declined 36 percent since 2000, largely thanks to new and better medicines. Similarly, cancer death rates have declined 27 percent since the 1990s.
Health gains like this come at a hefty price. It takes up to 15 years and $2.6 billion to develop just one new medicine. And only 12 percent of drugs that begin clinical trials ever make it to pharmacy shelves. Drug companies and their investors will only roll the dice on novel research projects if they have a chance of recouping their development losses and earning a return.
Because the United States fairly values medicines, scientists have a strong incentive to launch research projects here. All told, American firms develop half of the world's new medicines.
Researchers tend to flee countries whose governments arbitrarily cap prices of new medicines. Consider that in the 1970s, Europe produced more than half of the world's new medicines. But throughout the 1980s, many European countries imposed increasingly strict price controls on drugs. As a result,todayEurope produces only 33 percent of all new drugs.
Unfortunately, some lawmakers want to implement similar price controls in the United States. A few members of Congress attempted to slip a price control into one of the first COVID-19 spending packages. The provision would have allowed the government to dictate the price of any COVID-19 vaccine that resulted from the emergency funding.
Congress wisely stripped out that provision, which would have discouraged investments into COVID-19 cures, vaccines, and therapies. Congress' decision is great news for every American hoping for a COVID-19 vaccine, especially those living with chronic disease.
COVID-19 poses an enormous threat to American society -- but our smartest scientists are already on the case. Let's hope our policymakers don't put any stumbling blocks along their path to a cure -- whether for coronavirus or any other dangerous disease.
Kenneth E. Thorpe is a professor of health policy at Emory University and chairman of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease.
Unfortunately, about 42% of the US population is vitamin D deficient with some populations having even higher levels of deficiency, including pre-menopausal women, those with poor nutrition habits, people over age 65, Caucasians who avoid even minimal sun exposure, and those who take prescription medication long term.
No ranting here, I am all out of rants for the time being.
But I am happy to report that only 6 COVID deaths were reported today from Minnesota.
And just 230 new cases on approximately 5,000 tests completed/reported.
Just ONE new COVID case in Stearns County (population 161,000) and one new COVID case in Swift County. The other counties in the Bonanza Valley Voice coverage area (Kandiyohi and Pope) reported no new COVID cases.
I'm still waiting for COVID's resurgence in Stearns County...it's been a month now, since the huge rally with hundreds (500+) people gathered close together outside Shady's Bar in downtown Albany. Why haven't we seen a huge uptick in western Stearns County?
Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa schools will receive a total of $77,092 from the CARES Act, which stands for Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security in 2020-2021.
These funds come in two forms. One is called the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief or (GEER), and the other is Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief or (ESSER).
GEER funds can only be used for Technology or Summer School programming. B-B-E will receive $10,235 in GEER Funds.
ESSER funds can be more widely used for relief from the impact of the Coronavirus on the district. BBE will receive $66,875.
The following are allowable uses of the funds: • Providing K-12 students with internet and technology for distance learning • Helping with students from low-income families and students with special needs • Planning & providing online summer learning programs • Providing school meals • Providing mental health services • Sanitizing school buildings
The application for these funds will be done sometime in 2020-21. No decision has been made yet on how B-B-E will expense these funds.
The eternal struggle between good and evil is playing out right in front of us, on full display, across America and even the entire globe: (short link) https://bit.ly/2XPVoSd It's always been a good time to "get right with God" - and now is no different.
Here's what you won't see in American media outlets...
PLEASE SHARE!!
Press release from the French National Academy of Medicine May 22, 2020
Vitamin D is a prohormone.
Synthesized in the dermis under the effect of ultraviolet light. Transported to the liver and kidneys, where it is transformed into an active hormone. Responsible for intestinal absorption of calcium and bone health. Modulates the functioning of the immune system by stimulating macrophages and dendritic cells. Role in regulating and suppressing the cytokine inflammatory response
Acute respiratory distress syndrome. A significant correlation between low serum vitamin D levels and mortality from Covid- 19. This phenomenon follows a North-South gradient. Exceptions are Nordic countries, vitamin D supplementation
is not a preventive or a therapeutic. By mitigating the inflammatory storm and its consequences, considered as an adjunct to any form of therapy. Simple and inexpensive measure
confirms its recommendation to ensure vitamin D supplementation in the French population. Recommends the rapid serum vitamin D (i.e. 25 OHD) testing in people over 60 years of age with Covid-19. Loading dose of 50,000 to 100,000 IU in case of deficiency, which could help limit respiratory complications;
**Recommends vitamin D supplementation of 800 to 1000 IU/day in people under 60, as soon as the diagnosis of Covid-19 is confirmed.
NEVER MIND the fact that the talking "experts" in the U.S. and the fear-porn mongers in the media don't talk about how to build yourself UP, build UP your immune system...that indicts them of being COMPLICIT in CAUSING damage to America.
The state of Minnesota COMPLETELY FAILED while it urged protest-goers to get COVID tests. They said ALL OF LAST WEEK to anyone who was at a protest, to get a test. And what happened? This week, the testing sites were overrun with people wanting to get a test. They have been told to come back next week and try again. Minnesota state government = job security even when you're incompetent and terrible at your job.
Meanwhile, over in Wisconsin, COVID-19 is fading away. They reported just 10 COVID deaths for Wednesday, compared to 19 in Minnesota.
The Bonanza Valley area received a "million dollar" rain on Tuesday and Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning. When people woke up Wednesday morning in Brooten, the rain gauges showed about 1.1 inches of rainfall came in the previous 24-hour period. For agriculture, the rainfall would be hard to put into dollars, but for farmers, it was worth millions of dollars throughout our area.
It's been 22 days since I attended what the COVID doomsday crowd would call a "super spreader" event. It was a pro-freedom rally in Albany, Minnesota, in support of the owner of Shady's Bar and Grill. Monday, May 18...22 days ago, hundreds of people of all ages gathered in downtown Albany. I've reached out to many who were there, and guess what? We're all fine. We're not dying. We're not sick. We all had a blast visiting, talking and socializing. We all left Albany that day feeling boosted. Feeling good. Feeling hopeful for the future. Here's a video clip I shot before leaving for home that afternoon:
We need more of that. Unfortunately, in Minnesota we have a Governor who sees fit to micro-manage the activities on a baseball or softball field in rural Minnesota - while thousands of protesters march close together for hours on end in the street. Both are legal, outdoor activities - but Walz is aloof and clueless. His attitude seems to be, "I am a clown. Don't take me seriously." END RANT
The World Health Organization dropped a bombshell for the entire world when they revealed that COVID-19 spread through people who do not show overt symptoms of the novel coronavirus is "very rare" - read the full story here (short link) https://bit.ly/3h6MCXI.
Where I come from, we are choosing not to live in fear. I hope the idea to not live in fear of COVID-19 will spread. We need to get our lives back.
Hearing date set for Lawsuit to end Walz’s Emergency Orders
Governor’s Executive Orders Exceed Constitutional Authority, Delegation of Powers
In late May, a coalition of small businesses calling itself Free Minnesota and a group of legislators who make up the New House Republican Caucus filed suit to end Governor Walz’s executive orders related to his declared “peacetime emergency.” Judge Thomas Gilligan was assigned to the case.
Although the petitioners requested expedited review, the attorney general’s office argued for more time and Judge Gilligan granted it. A hearing on the merits of the case has been set for July 16th at 10:00 AM in the Ramsey County Courthouse.
The lawsuit contends that governor's executive orders violate Minnesota Constitution and the judicially established non-delegation doctrine, because pure legislative power cannot be exercised by the executive branch.
“The statutes authorizing peacetime emergency executive orders are themselves unconstitutional,” said attorney for the coalition, Erick Kaardal. “Under the state constitution and appellate case law, pure legislative power cannot be delegated to or exercised by the executive branch.”
Coalition spokesman, Dan McGrath adds that there are problems with the governor’s orders even before considering the constitutional question. “The emergency powers statute does not even contain a provision for public health,” he said. This is being considered a natural disaster, but we think of disasters like tornadoes and wildfires as things with finite area of effect and duration. Claiming public health, the governor could assume dictatorial powers over all areas of the state in perpetuity. It’s inconceivable that the legislature intended to abdicate it’s authority in this way.”
If the lawsuit prevails, all of Governor Walz’s executive orders that claimed authority under the peacetime emergency statutes will be rendered null and void and the balance of power between the executive, legislative and judicial branches in state government will be restored.
Plaintiffs include the Free Minnesota Coalition, now representing over 40 small businesses, State Representatives Steve Drazkowski, Jeremy Munson, Cal Bahr and Tim Miller. Below is a video from the United Kingdom showing what happens when bizarre, dystopian group think by government officials runs wild in the education system.
God speed. And may God help us, we are in trouble.
...and, in fact, it's already happening around the globe. This video features some of what's taking place in the United Kingdom for their schools:
Our family will be home-schooling our children this fall. There's no way we'll be part of the madness that the Minnesota Department of Health is planning to unleash on schools.
Another huge disparity was shown today in the COVID death figures between Wisconsin and Minnesota. Wisconsin, whose COVID deaths and hot spots are centered in the southeastern corner of their state (nearest to Chicago), reported seven new deaths from COVID today plus 357 new cases. Minnesota, who is still weeks behind Wisconsin in terms of re-opening the economy, reported 33 COVID deaths today plus 707 new cases. Minnesota is now getting close to having twice the COVID deaths that Wisconsin has. Both states are very close in terms of overall population, but Minnesota has 206 COVID deaths per million of population compared to 109 COVID deaths per million of population in Wisconsin.
Once again, for the umpteenth day in a row, Minnesota had more COVID deaths than Wisconsin did for the reporting period posted on Wednesday, June 3. Minnesota reported 22 deaths from COVID, while Wisconsin reported 12 deaths.
Keeping in mind that COVID-19 has a 2 to 14-day incubation period, protesters of the brutal killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis one week ago, Minnesota state health officials are encouraging anyone attending and participating in protests in recent days to get a COVID test. However, if you attend a protest and have close contact with numerous people and then get a test the next day, it's very likely you won't get a "positive" result, due to the above-mentioned incubation period for COVID-19. Generally, symptoms usually present themselves in COVID infections in the 5 to 11-day period. Getting a COVID test too early raises the odds considerably that you will receive a false negative test result.
Also, it's extremely interesting that Wisconsin has done more COVID tests (272,138 compared to 255,592), has far fewer COVID cases and has around half of the COVID deaths that Minnesota has suffered. Both states have about the same for overall population.
