'Pouring money from my pocket': Mpls. skyway business owners still face uncertain future

Good morning!

Be prepared for the big weather roller coaster: A wintry mix today then a polar vortex this weekend. Parts of south and eastern Minnesota, including the metro area, are under a winter weather advisory today as we expect a few inches of snow and some freezing rain. Winds will gust over 30 mph, too, causing blowing snow and poor visibility. After today's snow, 100-plus hours of subzero temperatures will hit us next. Get the latest on the Updraft.

With a lot of downtown employees working from home, Minneapolis' 9.5-mile skyway is still deserted. By one estimate, 3 out of 5 businesses there have closed, at least temporarily.

The pandemic economy that’s been a boon to big-name companies has been awful for many local business owners in the skyway system. The skyway that used to be packed now has the feel of a declining shopping mall — many lights are turned off and gates are closed in front of coffee and cookie shops. Owners of restaurants and shops that have been able to stay open are hanging on in the hopes that COVID-19 vaccines will spark a rebound.

After a brief jump in vaccination numbers, the shot counts have plummeted through the first half of this week.

While 1 in 5 Minnesotans 65 and older have now received at least their first shots, the pace of vaccinations over the past few days has slowed in the state. The drop in the numbers is raising questions about whether the past few days are an anomaly, or if last week’s surge was a one-off. It’s not clear yet.

Here are Minnesota’s latest COVID-19 statistics:

Nearly three months after giving birth while in a COVID-19 coma, a mom finally gets to tell her baby face to face, "I love you, I've missed you."

Kelsey Townsend was in a medically-induced coma with COVID-19 when she gave birth to Lucy via C-section in November. When the 32-year-old Wisconsin woman was finally face to face with her baby, Lucy, now bright-eyed and alert, flashed her a smile. Read their full story here.

No, the "clean car" rule would not require you to buy an electric vehicle; Minnesota regulators push ahead with the proposal, despite GOP opposition and misinformation.

The state Pollution Control Agency’s proposed new standards have two primary goals: The first is to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions, and the second to increase electric vehicle options for Minnesota consumers. But the proposal has gotten fierce pushback from many state Republicans, and the agency has also been busy trying to combat misinformation circulating about the clean cars proposal. Here's the latest on the proposed "clean car" regulations and what you should know about them.

9 a.m. today: Could a constitutional amendment help shrink Minnesota's achievement gap? Long before the pandemic hit Minnesota, the state had one of the worst achievement gaps in the country. Would adding a guarantee to “a quality public education” in the state constitution make a difference? This morning, host Kerri Miller will discuss the proposed amendment and what other states are trying to close the achievement gap.

🎧 Tune in to stay informed and connected. Here's what's coming up on MPR News today.

— Jiwon Choi, MPR News MPRNews.org.