Stories from November 16, 2020

After a record weekend of COVID cases, officials warn more restrictions are coming, including a potential pause on high school and youth sports. This is an evening update from MPR New hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.
Police funding front and center at Minneapolis budget hearing 
During a nearly five-hour long public hearing, Minneapolis City Council members heard passionate testimony from residents to either support or defund the police department.
Cases among senators raise COVID questions at Minn. Capitol
The spread of COVID-19 cases within the Minnesota Legislature, along with the reluctance of some to share the information, have lawmakers wondering about their safety at the Capitol.
Relief groups brace for Category 5 Hurricane Iota
Just two weeks after Hurricane Eta dumped heavy rainfall in the region, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and southern Belize are facing an even stronger storm.
Richard Haass and Walter Mondale on U.S. foreign relations
Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, speaks at a University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs event that also features former Vice President Walter Mondale. Professor Larry Jacobs moderated the conversation.
What are the challenges of rebuilding Lake Street?
More than half of the Lake Street businesses that were damaged during May’s civil unrest have been reopened, but a lot of work remains. What are the challenges confronted by business owners trying to rebuild? Host Angela Davis hears stories of both rebuilding success and frustrating roadblocks.
NCAA in talks with Indianapolis to host all of March Madness
Early-round games had been scheduled at 13 predetermined sites across the country, with regionals in Minneapolis, Denver, Memphis, Tennessee, and New York City, with the First Four in Dayton, Ohio.
AP VoteCast: Minnesota voters sour on state of nation
Minnesota voters made their pick for president while holding negative views about the country's direction, according to an AP survey.
AP fact check: Trump conclusively lost, denies the evidence
President Donald Trump's refusal to acknowledge the outcome nearly two weeks after Election Day is denying President-elect Joe Biden access to the money, information sharing and machinery of presidential transitions.
New COVID-19 antibody treatment makes its way to Minnesota
Last week, the FDA gave an emergency use authorization to a drug designed to prevent people with mild or moderate cases of COVID-19 from getting sicker. In Minnesota, Mayo Clinic is among the health care systems preparing to administer it to patients.
Here comes Santa Claus — with face masks and plexiglass
Santa Claus is coming to the mall — just don’t try to sit on his lap. Malls are doing all they can to keep the jolly old man safe from the coronavirus, including banning kids from sitting on his knee, completely changing what a Santa visit looks like.
Trump campaign retreats from key claim in Pennsylvania suit
Ahead of a Tuesday hearing in the case, Trump's campaign dropped the allegation that hundreds of thousands of mail-in and absentee ballots — 682,479, to be precise — were illegally processed without its representatives watching.
After Monday’s light snow, the week stays relatively dry. Temperatures turn mild in the middle of the week, with highs in the 40s and 50s.
Parts of Minnesota see light snow Monday as a cold front moves across the state. 
'There aren’t enough of us to fill that need': As hospitals fill, staffing becomes biggest challenge
As COVID-19 patients flood their hallways, hospitals are shifting and shuffling employees and space to accommodate a growing number of patients. It’s a strategy that carries risks for patients and employees.
Gazelka is at least the third Senate Republican to test positive for the disease in the past week. He says he is not experiencing serious symptoms. This is an MPR News morning update for November 16, 2020. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.
Nov. 16 update on COVID-19 in MN: New warnings about Thanksgiving as hospitalizations climb
Gov. Tim Walz and state officials are now urging people not to gather for Thanksgiving outside their immediate household and asking college students to consider not going home for the holiday. The winter high school sports season may also be in jeopardy.
ChangeMakers: LeAnn Littlewolf, economic development rooted in culture
LeAnn Littlewolf, 47, is the economic development director at the American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) in Duluth, Minn. She sees her work at AICHO as her cultural values in action. “All of the answers are in our culture, the path forward is in our origin story. We do economic development but we do it in an Indigenous way,” she said.
U.S. hits 11 million coronavirus cases, adding 1 million in a week
More than 11 million confirmed coronavirus cases have been recorded in the U.S., according Johns Hopkins University. The country recorded 166,555 new cases in the last day and 1,266 new deaths.
Michigan halts in-person classes, indoor dining as coronavirus surges
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration on Sunday ordered high schools and colleges to stop in-person classes, closed restaurants to indoor dining and suspended organized sports in a bid to curb the state's spiking coronavirus cases.