Stories from July 14, 2021

Extreme heat wave likely next week across Upper Midwest
The weather maps are flashing bright red next week for what could be the most intense heat wave of summer. A week of temperatures at or above 100 degrees looks possible.
Nature as a healer
When you’re stressed or anxious do you go for a walk in the woods? Or do you garden or kayak? Host Angela Davis talks about the healing benefits of nature with the founder of a nature-based therapeutics program, a holistic health practitioner and therapist who sees clients outdoors.
Minnesota school districts will be left to decide if they’ll require that students be masked when they return to classrooms in the fall. That’s because the state won’t mandate use. Also, former police officer Kim Potter opposes the livestreaming of her trial in the killing of Daunte Wright. This is the MPR News afternoon update for Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Hosted by Nancy Lebens. Theme music by Gary Meister.
Line 3 pipeline opponents appeal to Minnesota Supreme Court
Tribal and environmental groups opposed to Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 oil pipeline have asked the Minnesota Supreme Court to overturn a lower court decision affirming the approvals of the project. The state Commerce Department, which was part of the earlier appeal, is not joining in the appeal this time.
Ex-cop Kimberly Potter fights move to livestream trial
The former Brooklyn Center police officer charged with killing Daunte Wright during a traffic stop, says she does not want her trial televised.
Interest in off-roading, boating explodes during pandemic
People who make and sell motorized recreational equipment from boats to four-wheelers and other all-terrain vehicles say they’re having difficulty keeping up with demand. They say the pandemic-related desire for outdoor activities has fueled growing interest in what are called “power sports.”
Audit finds no overpayments by Minnesota for COVID-19 tests
The Office of the Legislative Auditor says it found no evidence that the state of Minnesota overpaid two companies it hired to conduct COVID-19 saliva testing. 
Art for All show aims to challenge and include
After 18 months without in-person exhibits, the University of Minnesota’s Art for All program is inviting the public to their newest show featuring eight artists with disabilities. Artists and organizers say after the pandemic it’s good to be showing their art again.
Burning wildfires in Canada are causing air quality issues in parts of the U.S., including Minnesota and North Dakota.
Judge delays sentencing after twists in Iowa woman's killing
A judge has agreed to delay the sentencing of the man convicted of killing University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts after his lawyers said they need time to investigate new information implicating other people
The lingering side effects of COVID-19
Thousands of people across the U.S. have reported a range of symptoms months after recovering from COVID-19. Having recuperated from the initial infection, patients have experienced persistent joint pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog and headaches. What can be done to extend health care access to the most vulnerable?
After pandemic hunkering, the art of reopening your home
Hosting guests after hunkering down for so long can be tricky. Not everyone has the same comfort level. Etiquette and homes experts say communication, flexibility and compassion are important in keeping things running smoothly when you have guests over. Start simple and give people space if they want it.
Severe weather and air quality problems Wednesday
Following a very active day Wednesday, with everything from severe storms to smoke in the air, Minnesota’s weather returns to the hot and dry pattern we have seen much of the summer.
Senate Democrats' $3.5T budget deal backs up Biden's goals
Senate Democrats say they have reached a budget agreement that envisions spending an enormous $3.5 trillion over the coming decade, paving the way for their drive to pour federal resources into climate change, health care and family service programs sought by President Joe Biden.
DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman says she could work with House attorneys to investigate whether Rep. John Thompson (DFL-St. Paul) has engaged in wrongdoing and deserves punishment. The first-term lawmaker is under scrutiny after a recent traffic stop in which he presented a Wisconsin ID card, despite statements that he’s lived in Minnesota for almost two decades. This is an MPR News morning update for Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.
Pope Francis returns to Vatican 10 days after surgery
Pope Francis was discharged from a Rome hospital and returned home to the Vatican on Wednesday, 10 days after undergoing surgery to remove half his colon.
July 14 update on COVID-19 in MN: Case counts edge higher; deaths stay low
Minnesota continues to see COVID-19 case counts move higher, but there’s nothing yet to suggest the state is headed for another surge like it saw in mid-April. Concerns, though, still linger.
Canada's taking it slow on reopening its border to travelers from the U.S. Here's why
Canadians can fly to the U.S. but cannot enter by land. Most non-Canadians can't enter Canada by land or air. The government says a full reopening may require 75 percent of Canadians to be fully vaccinated.
'A Passage North' is a quiet elegy for lives lost to Civil War
In his second novel, Anuk Arudpragasam returns to the subject of Sri Lanka's civil war — this time to examine the ways people live amidst the aftermath of war, and to memorialize the lives lost.
Concerned about children and COVID variants? Your questions, answered
When will vaccinations be available for younger children? Are kids more susceptible to the delta variant? What advice do health officials have for parents for the upcoming school year? We spoke with Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm and state infectious disease director Kris Ehresmann for answers to these questions and more.
How to stay safe and cool in extreme heat
As temperatures rise above 100 in many places around the U.S., Kristina Dahl of the Union of Concerned Scientists explains warning signs for heat-related illnesses and tips for staying cool.
More than 160 additional Indigenous graves have been found in Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his “heart breaks” after the discovery of more unmarked graves on the grounds of an Indigenous residential school in the southern Gulf Islands off the British Columbia coast.