| Glen Stubbe | Star Tribune via AP, Pool
Nov. 19, 2020 Walz hits the brakes on Minnesota social life as COVID-19 rages | |
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Good morning. A cold front is pushing its way across northern Minnesota making roads slick this morning. Southern Minnesota stays in the warmer air most of the day and makes it into the 50s again. Highs in the mid-30s to mid-40s in the north, and upper 40s to upper 50s in the south. The Twin Cities may see highs in the lower 50s with temperatures dropping to lower 50s in the afternoon. Most of the state can expect partly cloudy skies Find out more from Updraft.
Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday rolled out a new COVID-19 order that prohibits all in-person social gatherings with people outside your household for four weeks. It restricts bar and restaurant service to takeout and delivery. Theaters and gyms must close, although retail stores can be open.
Organized sports for youth and adults are on hold. Collegiate athletics and professional sports can continue but with new spectator limits. Places of worship and child care can stay open with the proper precautions in place.
What will this mean for your day-to-day life? Here’s what you need to know.
“We’re at a dangerous point in this pandemic,” Walz told Minnesotans in his address announcing the new restrictions. “How we act, and how this virus moves, will have huge implications on the number of people who will be hospitalized and, ultimately, those who will lose their lives.”
Earlier in the day, the state Health Department’s latest data showed the virus cutting across all of Minnesota.
Hospitalizations continue to climb steeply, with the seven-day new admissions trend hitting a record. About 1,700 people are in Minnesota hospitals now because of COVID-19 with 355 needing intensive care, according to the latest update. The numbers have leaped since Nov. 1.
Here are Minnesota’s current COVID-19 statistics:
3,010 deaths 242,043 positive cases (5,945 new), 193,869 off isolation3.5 million tests, 2.2 million people tested (about 39 percent of the population) 14.3 percent seven-day positive test rate (officials find 5 percent concerning)Two northern Minnesota state senators broke Wednesday from the Senate DFL and formed their own independent caucus in a closely divided legislative chamber.
Longtime Iron Range Sens. Tom Bakk and David Tomassoni said in a written statement that they’ll exit the DFL caucus to start a caucus for moderate-minded lawmakers. For now it includes only the two of them.
Their departure from the DFL gives Republicans a bit more breathing room heading into a session where they were facing a single-seat majority. Now, it’ll be 34 Republicans, 31 DFLers and the two independents.
Throughout November, MPR News is featuring Indigenous Minnesotans making history to celebrate Native American Heritage Month.
University of Minnesota history professor Brenda Child says her mother taught her to be proud of her Red Lake Ojibwe heritage, something she strives to pass on to her two children.
Her daughter, Benay Child, is taking that love of Ojibwe stories and language to create art and better connect with her ancestors.
🎧 Tune in and stay informed.Here's what's coming up on MPR News today.
-- Matt Mikus, MPR News (@mikusmatt) |
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