Good morning. We're going to start with a coronavirus update before moving onto the latest in the fallout of George Floyd's killing. Weather's up first. Southeast Minnesota is in a flood watch this afternoon through tomorrow morning. It'll be wet and cooler everywhere else, too. Twin Cities highs in the lower 80s with rain and storms possible all day. Statewide highs from 60s in the northwest o near 80 in the southeast. Showers and storms likely throughout the day, some producing heavy rains. More on Updraft | Forecast The number of Minnesotans hospitalized for COVID-19 has become steadied recently after weeks of increases. Another key metric, the number of people in intensive care, has fallen significantly over the past seven days and hit its lowest amount in nearly a month yesterday.
However, state health officials remain concerned about the virus. We have seen deaths in healthy, younger adults. That is very sobering," said Kris Ehresmann, the state’s infectious disease director. One of the 11 new deaths reported yesterday was a person in their 20s with no underlying health conditions. And because COVID-19 is new, Ehresmann said "we're continuing to be cautious on how we view things.
Minnesota leaders still don't have guidance for next school year, but more openings are coming tomorrow. Here's a quick rundown of what's coming:
Indoor restaurant and bar service and personal services can open at 50 percent capacity with a 250-person limit.Places of worship can also hold services at 50 percent capacity with a 250-person limit.Entertainment venues can open 25 percent capacity with a 250-person limit. Personal care services, including salons, barbershops and tattoo parlors, can work indoors at 50 percent capacity.Gyms, yoga studio and fitness centers can reopen 25 percent capacity with a 250-person limit.And here are the latest coronavirus statistics:28,224 cases confirmed via 354,226 tests 1,197 deaths 3,401 cases requiring hospitalization 452 people remain hospitalized; 198 in intensive care 23,657 patients no longer needing isolation The former Minneapolis cop charged with murdering George Floyd had his first court hearing yesterday. A Hennepin County judge set Derek Chauvin's bail is at $1.25 million without conditions, or $1 million with conditions. Chauvin is in the state prison at Oak Park Heights and appeared in court via closed-circuit TV, wearing handcuffs, a mask and an orange jumpsuit. His next appearance is set for June 29.
Minneapolis' City Council supports disbanding the police force, but it's far from clear how that'd happen. The AP reports that dismantling an entire police force is nearly unprecedented. It happened in Camden, N.J., and nearly happened after Michael Brown's killing in Ferguson, Mo. but dismantling comes with legal issues and battles against the police union.
Twin Cities activists are skeptical. “Saying that they’re going to defund the police or that they’re going to ban the police or whatever they’re talking about, that was optics, guys," said Michelle Gross, president of the Minneapolis chapter of Communities United Against Police Brutality. "Just plain optics.”
And some aren't sure the Minneapolis council is even on the right track. Sam Martinez, an activist with Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar, which formed after Jamar Clark's killing by Minneapolis police, said simply ridding of the police department doesn't solve the problem. “If they attempted to defund the police or reduce the police force, we know they can’t do it , and what comes after that? Will they turn over the power to the [Hennepin County] sheriff ... who has had no accountability either?” Martinez said.
— Cody Nelson, MPR News | @codyleenelson |
