June 19, 2020

Overcast, stormy weekend. The weekend forecast is cooler and cloudy across Minnesota, with highs in the 70s on Saturday and in the lower 70s to the lower 80s on Sunday. There’s a chance of showers and thunderstorms statewide throughout the weekend.

A rally at Capitol against systemic racism on Juneteenth. Walz hopes to make it a state holiday. Gov. Tim Walz issued a proclamation recognizing today as Juneteenth Freedom Day. Walz says he would like it marked in future years as an official holiday, but that would require a change in law. On the Capitol grounds, a crowd gathered for a rally, celebrating Juneteenth and calling for racial justice.

Outdoor visits now allowed at long-term care. Here are things you should consider before seeing your loved ones. While outdoor and window visits are allowed, you will have to wear a mask, keep the 6-foot distance from one another and go through a temperature check while at the facility. Here’s more information about the new guidance on long-term care visits.

Mayo study says it’s “safe” to use plasma from recovered people on COVID-19 patients. The research followed 20,000 patients who received plasma from recovered patients, and found that using the plasma is safe for treating people fighting the virus. The study also found that the treatment was safe for a diverse group of patients, too. Does that mean that it’s effective? That’s still in question.

COVID-19 in Minnesota today: New daily death counts stay under 20 for a week; ICU, hospitalization numbers continue dipping. Health officials on Friday reported 17 more COVID-19 deaths in Minnesota, bringing the total to 1,361. As of Friday, 339 people were hospitalized, with 168 needing intensive care. Those ICU cases are the lowest since early May.

— Jiwon Choi, MPR News | @ChoiGEE1

In Minn., across the U.S., Juneteenth 'tinted with sorrow' and buoyed by hope

Rallies are happening from the Twin Cities to Atlanta to Los Angeles — including in Galveston, Texas, where the holiday was born. Amid a reckoning around race, this year's Juneteenth has an even more urgent meaning.

In the wake of Floyd's killing: A ‘profoundly different’ Juneteenth in Minnesota
Nationally: Calls to make Juneteenth a federal holiday gain momentum
Juneteenth: A day of joy and pain — and now national action

MN OKs restart of youth sports games

State health officials Friday said youth sports games and scrimmages could resume June 24 or later for outdoor sports, and July 1 or later for indoor sports under the recommended guidance.

Minnesota is loosening its COVID-19 restrictions: Here's what you need to know

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The history of Juneteenth and how we should commemorate it today

Friday is Juneteenth, and across Minnesota and the country, events are being held to recognize the end of slavery in the United States.

Target, U.S. Bank, Best Buy: Minnesota companies make Juneteenth a company holiday
The Current: Mpls. Sound luminaries trace their roots to historic Fergus Falls black community

Divided Minneapolis Park Board supports encampment at Powderhorn Park

Superintendent Al Bangoura said the park board is spending $7,400 per week to rent port-a-potties, and is also providing showers and electricity for those living at Powderhorn Park. But he said the agency doesn't have the resources to keep up with the extra cleaning and maintenance that's required there.

Earlier this month: More than 200 people sheltering in a vacant Mpls. hotel face eviction
As volunteers pull out of shelter: Questions remain about what’s next for residents

After boy’s death, Hennepin County finally severs ties with troubled facilities

County officials had kept kids in out-of-state residential treatment centers despite reports of abuse.

APM Reports: Hennepin County sending at-risk kids to other states despite concerns about care

Anguish, fear, hope: Voices of Minnesotans on the aftermath of Floyd killing

More than three weeks after George Floyd’s death, Minnesotans living in and around the city where he was pinned down by police continue to call for justice and racial equality, as they struggle to heal the repeated pain and trauma. From a fear and frustration to hope for changes, here are voices of some Minnesotans about Floyd’s killing and the aftermath.

Twins remove Calvin Griffith statue from Target Field over racist remarks

The team apologized for racist remarks Griffith made to a Lions Club meeting in Waseca, Minn., in 1978. There, Griffith reportedly told the group he moved the team to Minnesota from Washington, D.C., because there weren't many black people here.

Morning Edition with Cathy Wurzer: Reporter Nick Coleman on Calvin Griffith's comments
NewsCut: Twins’ statue again revives debate on distasteful history
Last week: Minnesota protesters pull down Columbus statue at Capitol
Related: The rise and fall of the statue of Christopher Columbus

New novel relates Ojibwe history from the mouth of a wolf

Minnesota writer Thomas Peacock’s new novel "The Wolf's Trail" is hard to categorize. It's a fictional tale based on the foundational stories of the Ojibwe people. But Peacock tells it from from the perspective of an elderly wolf. The story is a profound mixture of history, spirituality, with a healthy dash of wolf wisdom and humor.

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