MN's daily COVID cases shatter record; 32 more deaths

More snow likely tonight. It’ll be mostly cloudy with a chance of snow in the late evening and overnight, with a few areas of potential freezing drizzle late in the night. Lows will be in the 20s. Tomorrow will be partly sunny with highs in the 30s.

A record no one wanted: Nearly 2,900 new cases, 32 deaths today.

Minnesota set a new record for confirmed coronavirus infections today, leapfrogging a record set earlier this month: 2,872 new daily cases Thursday. Also, new hospitalizations topped 100 for a third straight day. There are now more than 15,000 known active cases in the state for the first time. That number has grown 30 percent in the last week.

Both Trump and Biden will be in Minnesota tomorrow.

The Trump campaign was initially planning a rally at the Rochester Airport, but after city officials expressed concern about the potential for thousands of people to gather together, the campaign stop was moved to a manufacturer in Dodge Center. By late afternoon Thursday, however, that plan was off the table, too.

Gray wolves are no longer listed as an endangered species in most of the U.S.

Federal wildlife officials announced a final decision today to remove wolves from endangered species protection, a move that could result in a wolf hunting season in Minnesota. It's the latest in a series of administration actions on the environment that appeal to key blocs of rural voters in the race’s final days, including steps to allow more mining in Minnesota and logging in Alaska.