"Weary and Wary” or “Practicing Perseverance"

​I spent some time in St. Paul restaurants through the weekend, trying to get a sense of initial impacts from vaccine mandates. Some restaurants are checking cards; others have closed inside dining. All I visited checked my vaccine status at the door (I use the Docket app for ease). In the immediate term, business is down across the board. All I spoke to reported significant reservation cancellations, one along West 7th reported business down by 75% over the weekend. The good news is that patrons generally are being gracious with the process. I have taken a few calls from individuals who tell me that, given the new mandate, they are more willing to come downtown. Thus far, the numbers haven’t borne that out. I do like what Tim Niver of Saint Dinette said:  “Mandates aren’t here to help business. They’re here to help people…if you have your vax card, just come eat.”  Though he, too, confirms that business has remained down.
 
Meanwhile, issues of public safety and increased crime continue to be a very real, very deep concern.
 
The entire community is weary and wary. How much more of this is ahead, we all wonder?
 
We persevere, but we are very, very tired. And we all are on the edge. I hear it in the tone people are using with one another, the tension and anger that is bubbling just below the surface, the divisive language and ugly accusations being thrown against people who disagree on any of the serious the issues of the day….
 
These last two years of will-it-ever-end-COVID-19 coupled with very serious concerns of public safety have upended our lives. Completely. And we’re still all over the place in terms of our experience/opinions of both. It’s messy and lonely.  May I offer one thought for all of us to hold onto? Kindness, people. Speak kindly, think kindly, behave kindly. Now more than ever are we called to a higher standard. We can disagree; absolutely. But let’s do so with comity.  
 
When I need to calm my own mind, I turn to Mahatma Gandhi. And he tells us that, “when I despair, I remember that all throughout history… there have been tyrants and murderers and, for a time, they can seem invincible; but, in the end, they always fall. Think of it – always.”  That sounds like a pandemic to me.
 
See you in the trenches.
B

• The CDC is redefining what constitutes “fully vaccinated.”

​

• Many of us have been vaccinated, boosted, and still had a breakthrough COVID infection. The question we are asking: do we have “super immunity” after booster and Omicron?  Doctors from 3 different healthcare groups respond.

• Invest: Minneapolis-St Paul 2022 Launch Conference highlights economic resilience, long-term opportunities. Feb 17, 11am Zoom webinar event. Opening keynote speaker is DEED Commissioner Steve Grove.

• According to Morning Consult, The Federal Open Market Committee's two-day policy meeting is set for Tuesday and Wednesday, with a news conference from Fed Chair Jerome Powell scheduled shortly after the conclusion of the gathering. What we're watching: There's an expectation among economists that this will be the meeting in which central bank officials tip their hands on raising interest rates in March, though some believe a concrete timeline will not be revealed. Regardless of the timing, this monetary policy meeting will likely center on the Fed's plans for transitioning away from its easy-money policies of the past two years. 

• State’s unemployment rate lowest it’s been since 2019, down 2.1% in December to 3.1%.

• The Governor's Council on Economic Expansion met on January 10th to work on Phase II recommendations for allocating state ARPA funds. The next meeting, which is virtual and open to the public, will be on January 31st.  

​

• Regional Economic Conditions: General Business and Manufacturing. Check out this virtual video event on Feb 4.

Public Safety:

• The federal jury trial of three former Minneapolis police officers involved in George Floyd’s death being held in downtown Saint Paul, at the Warren E. Burger Federal Courthouse is expected to resume today with opening statements. Jury selection and pretrial/motion hearings concluded last week.  At this time, the SPPD is unaware of any immediate credible threats related to events planned in St. Paul.  SPPD will provide information through a blog on the police department website which can be found at https://www.stpaul.gov/news

 

• MN Judicial Council weighs eliminating criminal history information from pretrial release forms. This is a tricky one to balance bias checks vs the need-to-know criminal history and “failed to appear” information.

 

• Why are police chiefs and DAs feuding in some cities? Great read on the essential relationship between prosecutors and police. Together they have a responsibility to prevent the next crime and hold responsible those who commit crime. And their focus always has been a victim-centered approach. A worthwhile read. 

State:

• The proposed “Walz-Flanagan Budget”
• Walz proposes $350 rebate checks from budget surplus; Republicans call it ‘election year gimmick’
• Governor’s bonding priorities: given that we’re in an even-numbered year, the legislative debate will be over the bonding bill (odd years focus on 2-year budgets) and potential supplemental budget packages. “Walz checks”? $770M committed to $175 apiece to all but the richest Minnesotans. Tax cuts for low- and middle-income families. Replenishing the UI fund.

 
Regional

• Mayor Carter recently was interviewed by the Star Tribune on his priorities for second term: Sizing up the capital city’s next hurdles.

 

• The St. Paul City Council approved wide-ranging zoning amendments last week, following the first phase of the city’s “1-4 Unit Housing Study,” which aims to create more ”infill” housing. Read more here.  

 
Read more updates in our weekly Chamber Advocacy Update.

• stpaulchamber.podbean.com/St. Paul and Minneapolis have significant challenges ahead. Join us on January 27 at the University of St. Thomas to hear what our mayors have to say at our annual Breakfast With the Mayors.

 

• Our biggest event of every year is our Annual Meeting. More crucial than ever today is cyber security, and we’ll be hearing about that this year from this country’s preeminent voice: Join us on February 17 at RiverCentre to hear from the Director of the NSA/Cyber Command, General Paul Nakasone.

 

• Leadership Saint Paul’s 2022 class (best class ever?) kicks off in March.  If you looking to participate in this phenomenal leadership program and build a cohort of relationships to stay with you for the rest of your career, check it out! Applications can be submitted through the end of the month.  

 

• It is time for the Winter Carnival! Check out Visit Saint Paul’s Guide to this year’s events.  2022 Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt Clue 1.

 

• I'm happy to report B's Table Talk is back! Check out my latest podcast as well as the archives here. 

• January is National Mentor Month. Whether you’re looking for a mentor or ready to give back and become one, SCORE mentors can help: Find a Mentor or Be a Mentor.

• Applications for Lunar Startups Accelerator Cohort close January 31 at 12 PM CST. The Lunar Startups Accelerator is a 6-month, customized cohort program for founders who identify as women, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and LGBTQ+. Learn more from executive director Danielle Steer's interview with KARE 11.

 

• UX Academy is now accepting employer pledges for Summer 2022 Internships. Hosting a UX Academy intern is an immediately achievable way to demonstrate your commitment to diversifying and creating a more inclusive UX industry.

 

• Jumpstart to SBA Programs for Black Business Owners and Entrepreneurs. If you are a Black business owner, entrepreneur, or an ally, check this out.

• Of great concern for our regional economy is the exclusion from Governor Walz’s proposed bonding bill of the $26M requested for the RiversEdge project in downtown St. Paul. Ramsey County partnered with Urban3 on a fiscal health assessment which demonstrated the land use interdependencies between St. Paul and suburban Ramsey County. We need to continue to invest in our downtowns on behalf of the entire region. Read the report here.

 

• The national real estate landscape: the industrial market is stronger than ever. Especially big, which makes sense considering the accelerated build-out of e-commerce, are fulfillment centers and bulk warehouses. You can download Cushman Wakefield’s national market outlook report here.

 

• And tech continued to lead US office leasing activity in 2021, though vacancy remains elevated.