Jury selection for Derek Chauvin’s trial in Minneapolis has been paused for at least a day while an appeal proceeds over the possible reinstatement of a third-degree murder charge.

The potential jurors were sent home this morning after the prosecutors said they would ask the court of appeals to intervene. Jury selection had been set to begin today.

Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.

Colleges around the United States are scaling back spring break or cancelling it completely to discourage partying that could raise infection rates back on campus.

Texas A&M University opted for a three-day weekend instead of a whole week off.

St. Thomas did not choose to cut back its spring break which is scheduled for the week of April 2 through April 5.

Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL) party Rep. Ryan Winkler presented the adult-use cannabis bill to the Minnesota House of Representatives that would legalize recreational marijuana, and on Feb. 23, the bill passed through its second round of House committee meetings.

The goal of the bill is to create a legal marketplace in Minnesota, as well as to remove criminal records.

A similar bill was rejected in 2019 by the Minnesota Senate. But Winkler says there is hope for the revised bill to move forward because it includes the best models from other states.

Paige Peplinski can be reached at pepl3661@stthomas.edu.