KTOE Noon News 3-3-25
Top Stories for Noon 3-3-25
- State Staff At St. Peter Facilities Protest Working Conditions
- Minnesota is seeing an increase in demand for nursing care. U of M Associate Professor of Health Care Management Lacey Loomer says one of the reasons for the increase is simply that we are living longer. Loomer says one challenge facing the industry is low wages and benefits, and there aren’t enough people to meet the increased demand. Loomer also says Greater Minnesota is disproportionally impacted by the increased demand, and rural counties have 41% fewer nursing home beds than twenty years ago. There are currently 101,000 people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in Minnesota.
- The fifth annual Salvation Army Food Drive is currently underway and will continue until March 26th. This initiative aims to help restock local food shelves. In the past year, nine million people in Minnesota turned to food banks, marking a 20 percent increase compared to 2023. Officials emphasize the importance of receiving sufficient donations to ensure the shelves are filled this year. Inflation has contributed to a public food shortage at the Salvation Army. Community members are encouraged to drop off non-perishable, unexpired food items at their local Salvation Army locations.
- Local governments across Minnesota are seeking funds for cybersecurity amid rising threats. Maple Grove DFL Representative Kristin Bahner authors a bill that would create a state-funded local government cybersecurity grant program. Grants would be available for cities, counties or towns with a population greater than 5,000. Communities could use the grant funding for things like storage and backup solutions, email filtering solutions, and antivirus and endpoint protection. If passed, the program would start in 2026 with $20 million coming from the state’s General Fund.
