Good morning,
Afternoon temperatures Wednesday climb into the mid 60s to low 70s, returning all of Minnesota back to more typical May warmth. More on Updraft.
The Pfizer vaccine, approved by the FDA for emergency use, still needs final sign-off from a CDC advisory group, which is meeting today. By the end of this week, teens ages 12 to 15 are expected to be able to take their first big step toward their “normal” life as they used to know it. "I can get the vaccine, hell yeah, I’m getting it,” says 15-year-old Tatyana Sanders, a freshman at Duluth’s Denfield High School. Still, though, many parents and guardians aren't sold on the vaccine for their teenagers quite yet.
If you’ve got an eligible or soon-to-be-eligible teen in your life, here’s a guide to getting the COVID-19 vaccine in Minnesota.
Up till now, anyone 16 and older can get the Pfizer vaccine in the U.S., and it was found to be safe and effective for children as young as 12 in recent studies. Any health care provider or clinic that is giving out the Pfizer vaccine should be able to administer it to this expanded age group. That includes state-run vaccination sites, pharmacies and pop-up clinics across Minnesota, too.
Here are Minnesota’s latest COVID-19 statistics:
- 7,240 deaths (9 new)
- 589,527 positive cases; 97 percent off isolation
- About 60.5 percent of Minnesotans 16 and older have received at least one vaccine dose; about 49.3 percent completely vaccinated
Catch-hold-release no more. Minnesota’s fishing opener goes virtual, and anglers now go “catch-click-release.”
While Otter Tail County opens the state’s fishing season by hosting the 73rd annual Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener this weekend, anglers won’t have to drive miles to join this year’s festivities. All they need is a fishing rod and a smartphone -- This year, the annual fishing derby is going virtual. And the new format is gaining advocates who say fish caught and quickly released are less likely to die afterward.
St. Louis Park’s Roller Garden in St. Louis Park, where skaters glided, danced and bonded, said goodbye to the community this month.
The roller rink for over 50 years had been a special place for many Minnesotans, who came to the Garden to skate and celebrate special moments in their lives. On the final day of the business, last Saturday, the rink was full of tearful skaters who were saddened to see it go -- partially due to the pandemic, the Star Tribune reports. "It's heartbreaking. The atmosphere here is so nice and supportive in a way I really needed and loved,” said one of the skaters, Irissa Semler.
Last year, we met two couples who deepened their love while skating with each other at the Roller Garden. Here find their stories of love at the rink. 🎧 Here is what's on MPR News today. — Grace Birnstengel, MPR News | Find me on Twitter @Grace_ | 
