Aug. 4, 2020

Heat turns back up this week. In case you were worried our summer days were behind us, fear not. A warmer, more humid air mass blows our way as we move toward the weekend. We’ll continue to enjoy highs in the 70s Wednesday and Thursday, but highs push back into the 80s starting Friday. More on the Updraft weather blog.

Violent crime continues to spike in Minneapolis. The city has recorded 42 homicides so far this year, more than double the number of killings at this point last year. Mayor Jacob Frey says response time data show it’s taking officers longer to respond to certain 911 calls, in part due to the shrinking size of the force. Efforts to make changes to the Police Department are underway, with a Charter Commission decision possible Wednesday.

Presumed U.S. Senate rivals meet in online debate. Democratic Sen. Tina Smith and Republican-endorsed challenger Jason Lewis debated online as part of the state’s annual FarmFest. Lewis held himself out as the candidate most in tune with Greater Minnesota, while Smith promoted steps to mend trade relationships, boost technology assistance and provide other supports for farmers. Check out our full coverage of the 2020 Election here.

Getting ready to vote but not sure who's on your ballot? MPR News and the League of Women Voters Minnesota are providing a voter guide to let you compare candidates and their positions on key issues in the election. Click here to build your ballot based on location and political party preference. And be sure to keep checking back: Candidate responses are published as they respond.

The latest on COVID-19 in Minnesota: Hospitalizations, ICU cases reach 6-week high. The Health Department reported 328 people still hospitalized with 159 of those needing an ICU bed. While those numbers are still considerably lower than the peak in late-May, they continue to grow even as new case count numbers flatten.

Minnesota State High School League starts making decisions on sports seasons. The Minnesota State High School League approved plans Tuesday to push high school football and volleyball to spring seasons while other fall sports maintain modified schedules. All sports will see limits on the number of competitions and how many teams can participate in any single event. Stay tuned to MPR News every day for the latest on COVID-19.

-- Sara Porter | MPR News

Teaching cops to say something if they see something

Amid growing calls for police reform in the wake of Floyd’s death, law enforcement agencies around the country are rethinking their expectations for officers who witness misconduct by fellow officers. Some departments, including St. Paul, are planning to train officers to speak up when they see a colleague do wrong. | Full coverage.

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Lawsuit challenges Minnesota's mask mandate

A group of Republican lawmakers and voters, including the watchdog group Minnesota Voters Alliance, is suing Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison and other officials. They want the mask requirement halted ahead of next week’s primary election. | Minnesota's mask mandate: What you need to know

Photos: Huge fire damages building under construction in downtown St. Paul

A massive fire burned in downtown St. Paul early Tuesday morning, apparently destroying a hotel under construction across from the Xcel Energy Center. No injuries were reported.

Trump signs $3B-a-year plan to boost conservation, parks

President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed into law legislation that will devote nearly $3 billion annually to conservation projects, outdoor recreation and maintenance of national parks and other public lands. The measure was overwhelmingly approved by Congress.

Author ventures into the Russian wilds to save a magnificent owl

Ornithologist and writer Jonathan Slaght spent several frigid winters camping in the forests of the Russian Far East. He was there to study the biggest owl in the world, which survived by eating fish snatched out of holes in the river ice. Slaght recounts the experience in his new book "Owls of the Eastern Ice."

Parents unhappy with school options assemble learning 'pods'

As the coronavirus pandemic has clouded hopes of reopening schools nationwide, parents who want more than remote instruction have been scrambling to hire tutors and private teachers for small groups of children. The race to set up "learning pods" threatens to vastly deepen inequities in access to education. | Minnesota's rules for going back to school: What you need to know

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