Happy (arctic) Monday, Minnesota! Hold tight, we're having more days of subzero temperatures this week. Highs today will range from 15 below zero in northern Minnesota to the single digits above zero in south. Wind chill warnings and advisories remain in effect for the northern half of the state today through tomorrow morning. If you have to go out in the cold, be sure to wear several layers of warm clothing! Get the latest from the Updraft weather blog. A new community vaccination site opens in Duluth today; another one is opening soon in southern Minnesota. The state is ramping up its COVID-19 vaccination efforts as 1,500 Minnesotans age 65 and older are expected to receive their first shots in Duluth today. More than 550,000 people in the state have now received at least the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine -- about 10 percent of the state's population.
Here are Minnesota’s latest COVID-19 statistics : 6,299 deaths (10 new)468,118 positive cases (914 new), 453,225 off isolation (97 percent)6.8 million tests, 3.3 million Minnesotans tested (about 58 percent of the population) 10 percent of Minnesotans vaccinated with at least one doseTom "Terrific" Brady did it again: The veteran quarterback wins his seventh Super Bowl, this time with Tampa Bay. Tom Brady made the Buccaneers, their fans and their city believe from the moment he arrived in Tampa Bay. With help from old friend Rob Gronkowski and a ferocious defense, Brady and the Buccaneers are Super Bowl champions. Here's a recap of last night's Super Bowl match. A pair of brides had a tearful reunion in Stillwater this weekend -- with their wedding dresses. A mix-up at a Woodbury dry cleaner nearly a decade ago sent the two Minnesota women home with each other's wedding dresses — a mistake discovered just last month. Another business owner did some detective work, and arranged a meeting over the weekend to set things right. "After 8 years I just told my husband, 'There is no way I am ever getting the dress back,'" recalls Amanda Timm. "Oh my God, I'm so happy. It’s crazy to see it again.” Despite changing regulations and falling prices, Minnesota hemp industry is expecting a bright future. Many farmers still have last year's crop in storage because markets were saturated and prices crashed. And after a bumpy few years, the industry is now looking to branch out from its early products — primarily focused on CBD oil — to new markets, in fiber and grain. This week, Minnesota hemp farmers and industry leaders hold their annual conference virtually, grappling with how best to grow and expand the nascent industry, from one focused on oils and tinctures to one to includes earth-friendly alternatives to plastic and other man-made materials. At 9 a.m. on MPR News: Where are we with the COVID variants and what do we do about them? As of late last week, Minnesota 16 confirmed cases of the U.K. COVID-19 variant and two cases of the Brazilian variants, both of which are believed to be more contagious. This morning, our Kerri Miller talks with two doctors about what we know about the emerging virus variants so far and best practices for slowing the spread.
🎧 Tune in to stay informed and connected. Here's what's coming up on MPR News today. — Jiwon Choi, MPR News MPRNews.org. | 