Good morning. A cold and wet week ahead with snow likely in some parts of Minnesota Tuesday. Monday will bring high temperatures in the mid to upper 30s for just about all of the state. The rest of the week should see high temperatures of mid to upper 30s to around 40 for northern Minnesota and upper 30s to mid 40s for southern sections of the state. Updraft Minnesota’s COVID-19 case count has increased by more than 5,700 over the past three days , as the state recorded its three largest single-day case increases of the pandemic.
The daily case count topped 2,000 for the first time. Friday’s record of 2,297 new cases was followed by increases of more than 1,700 cases on both Saturday and Sunday. State health officials reported 17 more COVID-19 deaths on Sunday, the fourth time in five days that the daily death toll has been in the double digits.
University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy head Michael Osterholm said he thinks the situation will get worse on NBC's Meet the Press over the weekend.
"We do have vaccines and therapeutics coming down the pike when you actually look at the time period for that the next 6 to 12 weeks are going to be the darkest of the entire pandemic vaccines will not become available in any meaningful way until early to third quarter of next year and even then half the US population at this point a skeptical even taken the vaccine."
Osterholm urged Americans to keep wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, and said plans for family holiday gatherings should be put on hold for this year.
Legendary Minnesota sports journalist Sid Hartman dies at age 100 Sid Hartman, who chronicled Minnesota sports for decades for the Star Tribune and WCCO radio, has died at age 100.
Hartman's son, Chad, tweeted Sunday afternoon that "my father’s extraordinary and resilient life has come to a peaceful conclusion surrounded by his family."
“It's a sad day,” Star Tribune sports editor Chris Carr told The Associated Press. “He is the Star Tribune in many ways, at least in the sports department. It speaks to his amazing life that even and 100 and a half years old, he passes away and we still can't believe it.”
He kept up his age-defying pace even after his 100th birthday party on March 15 was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Hartman continued to write three columns per week for the Star Tribune as a centenarian, four during football season, and served as co-host of a Sunday morning radio show on WCCO-AM. -- Associated Press
The St. Croix River is still in good health but is facing pollution threats, according to two new reports.
Popular for its scenic beauty and recreation opportunities for boaters and anglers, the St. Croix remains one of the cleanest tributaries to the Mississippi River, thanks in part to a large forested watershed that helps filter out contaminants.
But the reports highlight some troubling trends, including increasing development that leads to more polluted runoff entering the river. -- Kirsti Marohn, MPR News
Peace, conservation, compassion: Minnesotans share their hopes for the future As we near Election Day, we’re looking for Minnesotans to share their perspectives, not just when it comes to politics, but in what they want to see change in their day-to-day lives.
We asked people around the state: “What are your hopes for your life in Minnesota over the next 5-10 years and why are these hopes important to you?”
We wanted to get at the heart of the issues impacting different people, and find where there is common ground. Here’s what a few Minnesotans had to share. -- Christine Nguyen, MPR News
Stay healthy, safe and have a good week,
Michael Olson | 
