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Stories from May 21, 2020

Archbishop says worshippers need to gather in response to virus outbreak

Archbishop says worshippers need to gather in response to virus outbreak

Twin Cities Archbishop Bernard Hebda said that Catholic churches in Minnesota would agree to limit service attendance, require parishioners to wear masks, and change protocol for communion, avoid congregational singing and urge vulnerable people to wait to return to church until it is safer.
by Tim Nelson

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Scientists warn CDC testing data could create misleading picture of pandemic

Scientists warn CDC testing data could create misleading picture of pandemic

The CDC combines results of a test that spots people who are actively infected with results from another one that looks for antibodies. Scientists say it could create a false picture of the pandemic.
by Rob Stein

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Restaurant, bar owners frustrated and resigned over slow pace of full reopening

Restaurant, bar owners frustrated and resigned over slow pace of full reopening

Some in the restaurant industry say they were shocked by the governor’s announcement Wednesday that they could serve customers outside only beginning June 1. They were in the middle of other plans.
by Jon Collins

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Churches, restaurants say Minnesota's reopen plan too slow, unfair

Twin Cities Archbishop Bernard Hebda and other church leaders are pushing back, saying Gov. Tim Walz’s rules are arbitrary and unfair. But state health officials say what may seem harmless for certain segments of the population could have devastating consequences for others.
by Britta Greene and Tim Nelson

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Climate Cast: How hurricanes impact supply chains

Climate Cast: How hurricanes impact supply chains

How can hurricanes impact an already stressed supply chain? MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner talks to Yale environmental researcher Chris Shughrue.
by Paul Huttner and Megan Burks

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Pandemic makes evident 'grotesque' gender inequality in household work

Pandemic makes evident 'grotesque' gender inequality in household work

With more people staying home due to COVID-19, journalist Brigid Schulte says it's impossible to ignore "the fact that women bear so much more of the burden of child care and housework."
by Terry Gross

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Ideal nursing homes: Individual rooms, better staffing, more accountability

Ideal nursing homes: Individual rooms, better staffing, more accountability

Nursing home experts say priorities need to change, emphasizing quality of life over profits. The stunning COVID-19 death toll brings scrutiny to an industry that many believe is due for an overhaul.
by Ina Jaffe

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Michael Cohen released from prison due to coronavirus concerns

Michael Cohen released from prison due to coronavirus concerns

President Trump's former attorney will be placed in home confinement. Thousands of federal inmates have been released to home confinement since March due to concerns about coronavirus exposure.
by Brakkton Booker

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Weekend weather: A bit of rain and thunder at times

We’ll see some rain at times this Memorial Day weekend, but we’ll enjoy many dry hours too. We have forecast details to help you plan your holiday weekend.
by Ron Trenda

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Getting an antibody test for the coronavirus? Here's what it won't tell you

Getting an antibody test for the coronavirus? Here's what it won't tell you

As more and more people get tested for antibodies to the coronavirus, infectious disease specialists worry that those tested — and their employers — may not understand the limits of the results.
by Rob Stein

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Want to see friends and family, now that COVID-19 restrictions are loosening? Here’s what to consider

Want to see friends and family, now that COVID-19 restrictions are loosening? Here’s what to consider

Now that Minnesota’s stay at home order has turned into a “stay safe” order, a lot of people are antsy for some social interaction. Here’s what experts say you should take into consideration when making plans.
by Dan Kraker

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Counter Stories: Amid global pandemic, racism survives and thrives

Counter Stories: Amid global pandemic, racism survives and thrives

The co-hosts of Counter Stories look at two recent deaths that underscore ongoing disparities. Plus a conversation about what it’s like to be an unauthorized immigrant during the global pandemic.
by Jo Erickson and Marianne Combs

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Policast: Walz takes heat on reopening

Walz takes heat from those saying he’s moving too slowly on reopening businesses and churches
by Mike Mulcahy

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Neither flood, nor fire, nor virus shakes the virtual calm of 'Minecraft'

Neither flood, nor fire, nor virus shakes the virtual calm of 'Minecraft'

A non-gamer discovers peace in the pixelated world of “Minecraft,” where the horizon stretches on forever, and while there may be zombies, spiders and skeletons — there are also ways to fight them.
by Kathryn Fink

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Dry Thursday before active weather returns

Thursday brings one last day of dry skies before much more unsettled weather impacts the state through the holiday weekend. Temperatures remain mild.
by Nicole Mitchell

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38.6 million have filed for unemployment since March

38.6 million have filed for unemployment since March

The United States is still losing jobs at an alarming pace two months after the coronavirus pandemic took hold. Another 2.4 million people filed claims for jobless benefits last week.
by Scott Horsley

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Meatpacking safety recommendations are largely unenforceable

Meatpacking safety recommendations are largely unenforceable

Extensive guidance issued last month by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls for meatpacking companies to erect physical barriers, enforce social distancing and install more hand-sanitizing stations, among other steps. But the guidance is not mandatory.
by Amy Forliti, Associated Press

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Catholic, Lutheran leaders plan to restart services next week

The move defies state guidelines on in-person gatherings. MPR News morning update for May 21, 2020. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Music in this episode from Blue Dot Sessions – Open Flames & Li Fonte.

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Thursday stays dry, but rain is on the way

Temperatures remain above average for most of Minnesota Thursday under a mix of clouds and sunshine.  Rain starts moving into the western edge of the state by the end of the day.
by Nicole Mitchell

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'I didn't want him to feel alone': A daughter's complicated goodbye to her father

'I didn't want him to feel alone': A daughter's complicated goodbye to her father

Civil war scattered Mohamed Omer’s family more than 30 years ago. He spent his life trying to unscatter them. Just a few years after finally arriving in Minnesota, on April 29, he died of COVID-19.
by John Enger

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Art Hounds: Labor Camp's daily COVID-19 reports

Art Hounds: Labor Camp's daily COVID-19 reports

Plus, Art Hounds recommend two very different songs by Minnesota musicians.
by Marianne Combs

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'Brown Album' centers on the erasure of race in American culture

'Brown Album' centers on the erasure of race in American culture

Porochista Khakpour's work is strongest when she turns the lens on herself to examine how she, too, is complicit; many essays here are just too tantalizingly brief to allow space for deep analysis.
by Hope Wabuke

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May 21 update on COVID-19 in MN: 809 dead; restrictions hurt, frustrations grow

May 21 update on COVID-19 in MN: 809 dead; restrictions hurt, frustrations grow

State health leaders faced growing questions over Minnesota’s COVID-19 strategy and the toll it’s taken on religious services, graduations and other life rituals. They acknowledged the cost but cautioned that moving too quickly could worsen the pain.
by MPR News Staff

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Our pandemic habits cut carbon emissions, but it's not clear they'll last

Our pandemic habits cut carbon emissions, but it's not clear they'll last

Energy demand plummeted because of the pandemic shutdown. A big question is whether new habits like telecommuting and flying less will endure, and mean lower oil consumption in the future.
by Jeff Brady

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Fact-checking and assessing Trump's letter of rebuke to WHO

Fact-checking and assessing Trump's letter of rebuke to WHO

In his letter threatening to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization and halt all funding, Trump made a number of charges about WHO's handling of the coronavirus crisis.
by Pien Huang

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A double-barreled approach to antibody testing could improve accuracy

A double-barreled approach to antibody testing could improve accuracy

Antibody tests can identify people who have been previously exposed to the coronavirus. But false positive results are a concern. Performing two different tests could reduce errors.
by Richard Harris

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