Deal to reopen the government could threaten Minnesota’s hemp-derived products

The state’s official Veterans Day program is at the National Guard Armory in Mankato. Officials from the Minnesota National Guard and the state Department of Veterans Affairs will join elected officials and others for the event. Minnesota has begun distributing SNAP benefits to recipients — but there continues to be widespread confusion over whether that will continue as the Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to again freeze the payments. County administrators are struggling to keep up with the constant changes to the status of the program. A deal to reopen the federal government could imperil Minnesota's hemp-derived products industry. Wayzata-based Cargill is one of four meatpacking giants under investigation by the U.S. justice department . The City of St. Paul is the one of the lead plaintiffs in a new lawsuit against the Trump administration over the cancellation of clean energy grants. The city is part of a coalition that said Democratic-led states were unfairly punished with the cancellation of $7.5 billion in projects for things such as electric vehicle charging stations, solar energy incentives and measures to prevent methane leaks. Teachers have reached a tentative contract contract agreement with the Minneapolis school district avoiding a strike that was scheduled to start Tuesday. The union wanted smaller class size caps and pay increases for teachers, adult educators and support staff. A spokesperson said the new contract includes agreements on those demands. Teachers will vote on whether to officially accept the contract on Thursday and Friday.