Good morning. Today is the beginning of astronomical fall, but apparently nobody told Minnesota's weather maps. High temperatures this week will reach the 80s in southern and western Minnesota, with 70s likely up north. More on Updraft
With help from grant funds, Minneapolis leaders hope to speed cleanup following civil unrest. City staff have identified 16 properties in need of aid, most of them along Lake Street. The hope is that the funds -- which come from a combination of new federal grant income and unspent city funds -- will fill the gap between cleanup costs and insurance coverage for businesses who can't afford to clear properties. Another hope: That businesses return for good.
“It is a loan that is forgiven, provided the city reaps that 40-year benefit of keeping the project in the hands of a community member,” said Jim Terrell with Minneapolis’ planning and economic development department .
After seeing some progress in September COVID-19 data, Minnesota is breaking confirmed case number records. There have been more than 3,000 newly confirmed cases reported over the past three days. Prompting health officials to repeat their common refrain: The pandemic is not over yet.
“We have seen a high count of new cases in recent days” that can’t be attributed to a testing results backlog Kris Ehresmann, the state’s infectious disease director, said Monday. “It’s not a record that we’re pleased about.”
The advice is the same: wear masks in indoor public spaces, socially distance and take other measures, do not leave your home if you feel sick.
Minnesota State High School League decision sparks new set of concerns.
After an August decision to postpone the sports until the spring, state high school sports officials announced Monday that fall football and volleyball seasons could return starting Sept. 28.
While health officials said early indications in other high school activities aren’t showing noticeably greater risk of transmission, they stress programs should be ready to change.
"I think that we all expect how the season looks will be influenced by what direction the pandemic takes from here,” Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said.
More:The latest on COVID-19 in Minnesota Preparing Minnesotans of color to wield more power at the Capitol The number of Minnesota lawmakers of color has tripled over the past 10 years, but the Legislature remains 90 percent white — which is less racially diverse than the state’s population. A St. Paul program is trying to build a pipeline from diverse communities to the state Capitol to tackle widening racial disparities.
Be well!
Sara Porter, MPR News | 
