mask mandate

If you were thinking of heading to the casino this weekend, it was just announced that Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Welch is no longer requiring masks.

Sartell Mayor Ryan Fitzthum says the enforcement of a mask mandate was a big deterrent in instituting a mask mandate in his community. He says if an ordinance for a mask mandate were in place it would be hard to enforce.

St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis along with area Mayors, some county commissioners and business leaders met with top CentraCare officials late last week. CentraCare asked area decision makers to mandate mask wearing for 6 weeks to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant.

Waite Park officials are asking residents to mask up while inside all city-owned facilities.

The city's of St. Paul and Minneapolis have instituted a mask mandate to deal with the increase in COVID-19 cases. CentraCare spokesman Dr. George Morris went to local civic leaders, which includes St. Cloud area mayors, to ask them to institute a mask mandate indoors at public places like restaurants, bars, grocery stores and retail establishments late last week.

District 742 will be requiring all PreK-12 grade students and staff to wear masks to start the school year.

City leaders in Ramsey have voted to stop enforcing Gov. Tim Walz's coronavirus mask mandate with proponents arguing it infringes on an individual's constitutional rights.

Metro Bus is reminding its passengers about a federal mandate requiring masks whether on the bus or in one of its facilities.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has issued a statewide mask mandate amid a spike in coronavirus cases, setting up a conflict with Republican legislative leaders who oppose such a requirement and successfully sued earlier to kill a ``safer at home'' order.