News in :90 – Nov. 5, 2019

The new St. Thomas College of Health will take the Morrison family name after an eight-figure donation was announced Tuesday. St. Thomas also announced plans for a new 160,000-square-foot academic complex on the St. Paul campus.

The science, technology, engineering, arts and math complex will “facilitate creative collaboration” and serve capacity demands for engineering and nursing programs, according to the announcement.

Today is election day in St. Paul and the garbage referendum that will decide if St. Paul keeps the current garbage collection system is on the ballot, or gets the power to renegotiate it.

According to the St. Paul city website if the referendum fails, there is a possibility that property taxes will rise in the city.

In addition to the garbage referendum, seven city council spots are up for election.

Students who live on North Campus can vote in McNeely Hall.

The U.S. trade deficit fell in September to the lowest level in five months as imports dropped more sharply than exports and America ran a rare surplus in petroleum.

The Commerce Department said Tuesday that the September gap between what America buys from abroad and what it sells shrank by 4.7% to $52.5 billion. That was down from the August deficit of $55 billion and was the smallest imbalance since April.

The politically sensitive deficit with China edged down 0.6% to $31.6 billion.

Abby Sliva can be reached at sliv7912@stthomas.edu.