May 14, 2020
Enjoy some sunlight Friday, with warm air. Friday will be dry and mostly sunny, with seasonable highs in the 60s and low 70s. By Friday evening, more clouds push across the state as the next weather system approaches, and rain starts moving in early Saturday morning. Showers and thunderstorms are in sight for this weekend’s forecast. Read more on the latest Updraft blog.
COVID-19 in Minnesota today: 13,435 cases confirmed, 663 deaths reported; 3rd person in 30s dies. The Health Department confirmed 25 new deaths, and reported that nearly 500 Minnesotans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 and more than 200 of them are currently in intensive care. The department statistics noted a third person in their 30s had died from COVID-19, who had underlying health problems. Can my business open? Can my family go camping? Here’s what you need to know. The new "Stay Safe Minnesota" order replaces Gov. Tim Walz’s current stay-at-home order, which expires on Monday, May 18. Under the new order, retail businesses will be allowed to reopen with limited capacity and group gatherings of 10 or fewer people will be permitted. And overnight family camping is allowed, too, but only at dispersed or remote sites that are not part of developed campgrounds. What other questions do you have about the new “stay safe” order? Let us know here and we’ll continue to answer your questions! 36.5 million Americans lost jobs in 8 weeks. Nearly 3 million people filed for unemployment benefits last week and as of last month, the unemployment rate shot up to 14.7 percent — the highest level since the Great Depression. The economy shrank at a 4.8 percent pace in the first quarter of 2020, but analysts are forecasting a double-digit drop in coming months. Have you lost your job and insurance? Even as the risk of big medical bills climbs, many Americans are losing their jobs and health insurance right now. Here is a guide to a few of the options available to you if you're one of the millions who've recently lost your job and your health insurance. Sounds of self-quarantine: How Minnesota musicians are getting by. We’ve been asking local musicians to give an update on how they’re doing during this pandemic -- and to share a song, too! Give a listen to who we’ve heard from so far. And if you’re a musician, l et us know how you’re doing here!
— Jiwon Choi and Sara Porter, MPR News | 
