Aug. 6, 2020
Steamy, stormy weekend ahead. If you've been able to hold off using your AC this summer, this weekend might break you. Saturday highs will be in the 80s, and a few spots in far southern Minnesota could be close to 90 degrees. A clusters of thunderstorms might keep you indoors as they move across Minnesota from Friday evening into early Saturday. More on the Updraft weather blog.
Worried about your school's plan for reopening? Here are some elements to look for. The state has set out guidelines for schools to follow when planning for the new school year, but ultimately it'll be up to individual districts to decide what school looks like this fall. Here is an analysis from NPR that looks at common safety measures, how they might work and what's still up for debate. Have a question about the state's guidance? Share it here and we'll try to track down the answer.
Speaking of schools: St. Paul and St. Cloud districts start to solidify their plans. Citing the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community and a survey of district families, St. Paul's school board opted to start the school year on Sept. 8 with distance learning. Minneapolis previously decided on a similar route . In St. Cloud, the school district plans to use a hybrid approach for students this fall, with their superintendent recommending students in kindergarten through second grade attend school for in-person learning Monday through Thursday.
The latest on COVID-19 in Minnesota: Case count continues upward climb. The Health Department Thursday reported 867 new cases on Thursday — one of the highest daily counts in the pandemic. Younger people continue to drive the new cases. Minnesotans in their 20s now make up the age group with the most confirmed cases in the pandemic — nearly 14,000. While serious cases are less common in this age bracket, health officials are worried they will inadvertently spread the virus to grandparents and other more vulnerable people. -- Sara Porter | MPR News | 
