Spring is here! Balmy Thursday. Today’s warm, springlike weather continues tomorrow, with highs in the 60s in most parts of Minnesota. It’ll be much colder near Lake Superior, though, with highs in the mid-40s Thursday. There is a chance of showers in western Minnesota in the afternoon. 

COVID-19 in Minnesota today: Walz unveils major testing push. Minnesota will soon be able to test tens of thousands of people a day for COVID-19 and evidence of coronavirus antibodies. The governor announced a joint effort between Mayo Clinic and the U of M to rapidly increase the state’s testing capacity. “The increase in testing and tracing will improve our control of the pandemic and help us think about those strategies to start reopening our society,” Walz said.

For Minnesota restaurants, it’s about survival now. Joe and Mary Kohler are barely hanging on. They own Joseph’s Restaurant and Bar in Stillwater, and it’s been more than a month since the governor’s executive order limiting dining room services. “I don’t think in my wildest dreams I ever thought something like this would happen,” Joe Kohler said.

Ramadan starts tomorrow; pandemic forces Minnesota’s Muslim community to adapt to new reality. With mosques closed, and large gatherings restricted under the stay-home under, Muslims in Minnesota are struggling to find a new way to support their faith and community during this unprecedented time. “Usually, as a Muslim, when we have issues or problems, we run to the mosque. And now, we cannot go to the mosque. So, that is a very difficult situation,” says St. Cloud resident Hassan Yussuf.

As people stay home, Earth becomes cleaner and wilder. Today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. As people across the globe stay home to stop the spread of the new coronavirus, the air has cleaned up, smog stopped choking New Delhi, one of the most polluted cities in the world, nitrogen dioxide pollution in the northeastern United States is down 30 percent and stars seem more visible at night. See how this unplanned grand experiment is changing Earth.

What do you see or hear from nature in your backyard and beyond? Although the pandemic has canceled much of our outdoor activities, our spring is not canceled. Flowers are blooming, birds, bunnies, squirrels and many other animals are saying hello, letting us know spring is here. How are you enjoying nature in your backyard and around your neighborhood? Share your story with us!

— Jiwon Choi and Matt Mikus, MPR News