Stories from February 6, 2021

A frantic search for a 1-year-old boy who was in the back seat of an SUV stolen Saturday in Minneapolis ended with the toddler found "smiling and happy" in the vehicle.
Police in the Twin Cities suburb of Roseville issued an alert Saturday about a "sharp spike in overdoses and related deaths." It followed a warning from Rochester police on Friday, about recent fatal drug overdoses in that city.
Gatehouses that symbolize Minnesota city's meatpacking era in jeopardy
Two brick and limestone gatehouses in South St. Paul are the lone vestige of what was once the world’s largest and most modern meatpacking plant. But the future of the gatehouses could be in jeopardy.
StoryCorps: Remembering an older brother lost to COVID-19
In April, Mauricio Valdivia of Chicago died from complications related to COVID-19 at age 52. For StoryCorps, his two younger siblings, Jorge and Jessica, trade memories of their generous and fun-loving brother.
Compelling queer romance eclipses sci-fi stakes in 'Winter's Orbit'
This charming, trope-laden sci-fi romance started life as an original story posted to a fanfiction site, and it wears its fannish influences proudly. Fake-dating? Hurt/comfort? Sunny/grumpy? Yes!
Your warmest coat, gloves and hat will be needed this weekend. We have the cold forecast details.
'The Good Girls' aims to uncover the story behind the deaths of two Indian girls
Two young, inseparable teenage girls were found hanging side by side from a mango tree in a small village in India in May 2014. Author Sonia Faleiro investigates their deaths in a new book.
Is it ever OK to jump ahead in the vaccine line?
With vaccine still scarce, and eligibility differing from place to place, some people have easier access to "extra" doses than others. Careful, ethicists warn. Going out of turn is a slippery slope.
Feb. 6 update on COVID-19 in MN: Vaccination pace lagging behind previous week
After an early-week stumble, Minnesota’s COVID-19 vaccination counts have increased for four consecutive days, topping 36,000 in Saturday’s report. But the numbers still aren’t matching levels from last week.
A journalist's eye enlivens 'Land Of Big Numbers'
Journalist Te-Ping Chen's fiction debut puts her reportorial talents to brilliant use, in a collection of short stories about Chinese life that will make readers reconsider their settled notions.
Analysis: Federal executions likely a COVID superspreader
The executions at the end of Donald Trump’s presidency, completed in short windows over a few weeks, likely acted as a superspreader event. That's according to records reviewed by The Associated Press.
What do we know about COVID-19 variants?
Minnesota has confirmed cases of both the U.K. and Brazilian COVID-19 variants. Two health experts share what we know about the new variants and how we can limit their growth.