MPR News PM Update
June 9, 2021

It turns out it is the heat. The Twin Cities is sweltering under a seventh straight day with high temperatures in the 90s. Not unusual for July, but the state climatology office said Wednesday that this heat wave is one for the books. Even Duluth has posted its earliest in season consecutives days with highs in the 90s.

Tonight it will be partly cloudy with lows in the lower 60s north to the lower 70s south. Thursday, expect sun with highs in the upper 80s north to mid-90s south. Find the latest on Updraft.

Officials released the number of people arrested while protesting the Line 3 pipeline on Monday in northern Minnesota.

Law enforcement officials say 179 people were arrested and jailed during the protests. Another 68 people were issued citations and released.

Most of the 247 people cited or arrested were charged with gross misdemeanor trespassing on critical infrastructure or public nuisance and unlawful assembly.

In COVID-19 news, Minnesota reported eight additional deaths, although new cases are at their lowest point in more than a year. 

The seven day rolling average of new cases is ebbing down near 200 per day, and reached the lowest point since April 2020. That number has dropped by about 1,000 cases a day in the last month.

The number of active cases has also dropped by more than half in the last 10 days, now below 1,600 statewide. Intensive care unit admissions are also at record lows.

But vaccination demand is plummeting as well, with first and single doses averaging less than 6,000 a day over the last week.

Subscribe to our Minnesota Today podcast to get up-to-date Minnesota news twice daily. — Tim Nelson
 
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