1 in 10 Minnesotans are food insecure

Happy Friday, Minnesota!

Here comes the first day of the subzero weekend in the state. After highs in the single digits and lower teens, lows tonight will approach 20 below in far northern Minnesota, with single-digits below zero in the south. Highs on Saturday and Sunday will be below zero across much of Minnesota, with highs creeping slightly above zero in parts of the far south. Stay warm, stay safe! Get the latest weather updates on Updraft.

Amid huge demand during the pandemic, Minnesota's food shelves urge people to seek help.

According to Second Harvest Heartland, more than 1 in 10 Minnesotans remain food insecure during COVID-19 — meaning they lack regular access to quality, affordable food. Even worse, 1 in 6 Minnesota children are considered food insecure.

“We are seeing record numbers of people who need help who have never had to ask for help. And that’s why we’re really asking this entire community to help us make it OK for people to ask for help," says the Minnesota-based food bank's CEO Allison O'Toole.

Minnesota, the first U.S. state to confirm the Brazil variant, now reports its second case of the strain, as well as more than a dozen UK variant infections.

State officials have found 16 cases of the UK variant, 12 of which are linked to travel. Minnesota's second case of the Brazilian strain was identified as a household member of the first case, who had also traveled to Brazil. "It is not a surprise that we detected another case, but it underscores the need for continued vigilance,” says state epidemiologist Dr. Ruth Lynfield.

Next week, the state will receive 84,000 more doses of COVID-19 vaccines, which will be shared among yet-to-be-vaccinated health care workers, tribal nations, people over age 65, educators and others.

According to the latest available data, more than 475,000 Minnesotans received at least one COVID-19 shot as of Tuesday, about 8.6 percent of the state’s population. Under the current speed of vaccinations in Minnesota, the state is on a pace to be able to vaccinate 80 percent of adults by September.

Planning a Super Bowl watch party this weekend? Think again, health experts say.

With variants spreading across the nation, and the pandemic still raging, “this is probably not the year to have a Super Bowl party," said Minnesota's infectious disease director Kris Ehresmann, who went on to say: "Fortunately we don’t have to feel bad because the Vikings aren’t in the Super Bowl.”

In Theater Mu's new production, “Today is My Birthday,” actors and actresses are living on the stage, literally -- because it's set in each of their homes.

After months of planning and with pandemic restrictions still in place, Theater Mu in St. Paul will launch its mainstage season tomorrow with a new production merging theater and film — a play that’s designed for, and speaks to, the times we’re living in. Living rooms and kitchens in actors' homes have been transformed into fully designed, high-tech performance spaces that allow the show to go on, even as the pandemic continues to preclude large gatherings. Read more about the theater's new show here.

Listen at 9 a.m.: Celebrating Black History Month, a talk with Michelle Duster, the great-granddaughter of journalist and Black activist Ida B. Wells, about her new intimate biography of Wells' legacy.

The FBI once named journalist and activist Ida B. Wells one of America’s “most dangerous Negro agitators.” What led to such a nefarious title? A life spent fighting injustice. Wells was one of the few suffragists of color to call for a woman’s right to vote. She crusaded against lynchings in the South at a time when white mob violence was common. Wells’ story unfolds in a new book by her great-granddaughter. This morning, MPR News host Kerri Miller talks with Duster about her iconic ancestor’s life and legacy.

Awards season is here. These are the movies you need to watch this weekend. At 11 a.m., host Angela Davis is joined by two longtime film critics to talk all things awards season. After the show, you’ll know exactly what to stream this weekend. What is your pick for best film? Who for best actress and best actor? Share your favorites with us by calling 651-227-6000 or tweet @AngelaDavisMPR during the live show.

— Jiwon Choi, MPR News MPRNews.org.