May 7, 2020
Below freezing overnight. Where did our spring go? The below-average, chilly temps this week will be with us a few more days through the weekend. A freeze warning will be in effect for southern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, overnight Thursday into Friday. Sunny tomorrow with highs in the lower 40s to lower 50s across the state. COVID-19 in MN today: More testing, PPE, ensuring staffing levels among “battle plan” efforts for long-term care facilities. About 80 percent of the 508 COVID-19 deaths in Minnesota involve people living in long-term care. Total cases since the pandemic began crossed 9,000. In addition to the new efforts, Gov. Walz also suggested that National Guard members might be used to help safeguard long-term care facilities. A group says employees at a central Minnesota poultry plant are forced to work even if they’re sick. In the past two weeks, Stearns County has emerged as a hot spot of COVID-19, with confirmed cases topping 1,100 on Thursday, as workers at the Pilgrim’s Pride poultry processing plant in Cold Spring say their company hasn’t done enough to protect their health. CAIR-MN has called on a government agency to investigate the plant and to ensure workers’ safety. “Stay close to home,” DNR asks anglers for Saturday’s fishing opener. The Minnesota walleye fishing opener is Saturday, and lakes are expected to be busy. DNR officials say fishing license sales are up significantly from the last two years. Meet conservation officer Jacob Swedberg, who has been preparing for a busy angling season amid the pandemic. In the era of social isolation, Minnesota musicians stay connected with you - through their songs. Throughout this pandemic, we’ve been asking Minnesota musicians to send us a song and an update on how they’re doing. You can listen to new songs at 8:50 a.m. each morning and scroll through all of the artists we’ve heard from so far on this page that we’ll update as we hear from more musicians. Are you a Minnesota musician? Want to share the sounds of your self-quarantine with fellow Minnesotans? Share a song and brief update here.
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