Central Minnesota Health Care Workers Calling For Mask Mandate Amid Surge
Doctors in central Minnesota say they have seen COVID-19 cases spike 250% in recent weeks. Now, the health care workers are making a desperate plea to policy-makers.
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Doctors in central Minnesota say they have seen COVID-19 cases spike 250% in recent weeks. Now, the health care workers are making a desperate plea to policy-makers.
Parents, teachers and districts are facing myriad challenges as the omicron variant continues to surge. It's become a perfect storm of COVID, cold weather, and bus driver shortages, all leaving a cloud of uncertainty over the state's largest school districts.
"You know, I'm used to emergencies. It's different when it's your own child," ICU nurse Katrina Hull said.
The latest figures from the Minnesota Department of Health place the total case count at 1,075,028, which includes 19,390 reinfections. Since the start of the pandemic, 10,810 Minnesotans have died from the virus.
Minneapolis Public Schools will move to online learning Monday and close all of its building, citing cold weather and COVID-19 as reasons for the shift.
As many kids have been home more than usual this winter from daycare or school exposures, parents are trying to keep their kids busy and healthy this winter.
Experts say the worst of the entire pandemic is still to come.
Students in Fridley will go back to online learning starting Monday.
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has announced that nearly two dozen Twin Cities priests have tested positive for COVID-19 and will not be able to hold Mass Sunday.
As omicron cases spike in Minnesota and across the country, the U.S. Supreme Court takes up the mandate requiring millions of workers to be vaccinated.
As more Minnesotans seek to get COVID-19 tests following the holidays and the rise of the omicron variant, the state's health department reports the highest average rolling positivity rate the state has seen since the start of the pandemic, at 15.6%.
Mel Reeves, a longtime activist in the Twin Cities, died Thursday due to complications from COVID-19. He was 64 years old.
The clinic will be at Inwood Oaks in Oakdale, on the 400 block of Inwood Avenue North, and it will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays, and from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays.
It's been seven months since mask mandates were lifted in Minnesota, but now they are back in the state's two biggest cities.
Nearly 20% of all job vacancies in Minnesota are in health care. From hospitals to long-term care, 40,000 positions are open right now.
In the next few days the state is opening new testing sites in Anoka, Cottage Grove and North Branch and increasing the capacity at St Paul's Roy Wilkins Auditorium by 50%.
There have been 13 deaths since the start of the 2021-22 flu season, one of which was considered a pediatric case (among those below 18 years of age).
Health officials on Thursday reported a seven-day average positivity rate of 14.6% as of the end of December, a figure not seen since the thick of the fall 2020 wave of COVID-19.
The Premier Hockey Federation announced the team's games on Saturday and Sunday against the Toronto Six will be rescheduled for a future date.
Two Minnesota colleges are taking new steps to try and keep COVID-19 infection rates low on campus.
By now, you've probably tried a handful of different masks, but it might be time to shop around.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Wednesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
A day after an announced expansion in COVID-19 testing capacity statewide, Minnesota health officials on Wednesday reported 71 additional deaths and 4,149 more virus cases.
Waste Management says it affects about 5,000 households in 15 different cities.
Mayo Clinic now confirms it fired 700 employees Tuesday who did not comply with its policy to get vaccinated against COVID-19 by Monday.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada is dropping 25% tariffs on a long list of U.S. products to ease trade tensions.
A day after an endorsement by the Minneapolis branch of the DFL for Omar Fateh was revoked at the party's state level, those frustrated by the decision will gather at City Hall to voice their concerns.
Iowa's state party officials say it was a mistake that the party's 2024 nominating calendar forced them to ditch the five-decade, first-in-the-nation caucus where community members publicly signal their support for a candidate.
A Wisconsin court commissioner has resigned after asking to see an immigration arrest warrant, highlighting tensions between judges and the Trump administration over immigration policies.
A man and a woman are expected to be in court on Friday for charges related to a Minneapolis drive-by shooting that left a 79-year-old woman who was inside her home at the time seriously hurt.
A day after an endorsement by the Minneapolis branch of the DFL for Omar Fateh was revoked at the party's state level, those frustrated by the decision will gather at City Hall to voice their concerns.
A man and a woman are expected to be in court on Friday for charges related to a Minneapolis drive-by shooting that left a 79-year-old woman who was inside her home at the time seriously hurt.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is asking for your help in finding a missing 35-year-old Maple Grove, Minnesota man.
A Northstar Commuter Rail train hit a truck "stopped on the tracks" Friday morning in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, according to Metro Transit police, halting service in both directions.
A hit-and-run driver plowed into a woman pulling children in a wagon in a Twin Cities crosswalk on Thursday night, leaving one child in critical condition.
A Northstar Commuter Rail train hit a truck "stopped on the tracks" Friday morning in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, according to Metro Transit police, halting service in both directions.
Charges say when he was asked why he touches the children, the man said "he hasn't had sex in a long time," and he did it because he had "access."
Nineteen-year-old Owen Thurnau is being credited with saving a man's life after the Owatonna, Minnesota, Hy-Vee employee successfully gave the Heimlich maneuver to a choking man last month.
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simons says Minnesota will join the fight if President Trump attempts to halt mail-in voting.
The Le Sueur Police Department on Monday announced the passing of Karl Haugen, 41, who the department said served the Le Sueur-Henderson community since 2008.
Officials say a traveler from out of state who visited two Wisconsin gas stations may have exposed others to measles.
A deer hunter has discovered a rare subtropical wood stork in the wilds of Wisconsin.
Wolfdogs in northern Wisconsin are helping war veterans deal with their post-traumatic stress disorder.
A motorcyclist from Minnesota was killed in a crash with a truck pulling a trailer in western Wisconsin on Sunday.
Flash flooding canceled the final day of the Wisconsin State Fair on Sunday as continued heavy rainfall in half a dozen Midwest states has led to water rescues, power outages and road closures.
A grandma's quiet craft shop in Holdingford, Minnesota, got a big surprise thanks to her loving grandson and a viral Facebook post.
The second annual Guns and Hoses event is being held to raise money for police officers, firefighters and paramedics across the state, including those who responded to the shootings that wounded Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his wife.
After a monthslong push for more transparency, a community exposed to elevated lead emissions earlier this year was able to get some answers from investigators.
Dozens of students will be looking their best when heading back to school, thanks to the annual Youth Appreciation Day in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Sometimes there are milestones so rare that they turn a care center into the most joyful place in town.
Caroline Cummings has the latest on the growing controversy in the Minneapolis mayoral race between incumbent Democrat Jacob Frey and state Sen. Omar Fateh, a democratic socialist.
A day after an endorsement by the Minneapolis branch of the DFL for Omar Fateh was revoked at the party's state level, those frustrated by the decision will gather at City Hall to voice their concerns.
Iowa's state party officials say it was a mistake that the party's 2024 nominating calendar forced them to ditch the five-decade, first-in-the-nation caucus where community members publicly signal their support for a candidate.
The FBI confirmed it that it searched former national security adviser John Bolton's house early Friday morning.
Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren will visit Minnesota on Friday in a show of support for Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who is running for the Senate.
While the first day of the Great Minnesota Get-Together brought in big bucks for vendors, some families say the price of participation is expensive.
With almost three dozen new foods to try at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair, it can be difficult to plan the menu for your visit. WCCO is here to help.
Visitors to this year's Minnesota State Fair might get sticker shock when buying some of their favorite foods.
Local organizations are stepping up to help families in need have a successful school year, from end-of-summer celebrations to free haircuts and full backpacks of essentials.
One Minnesota woman left the corporate world to run her own bakery in Saint Paul's Lowertown.
A man and a woman are expected to be in court on Friday for charges related to a Minneapolis drive-by shooting that left a 79-year-old woman who was inside her home at the time seriously hurt.
A hit-and-run driver plowed into a woman pulling children in a wagon in a Twin Cities crosswalk on Thursday night, leaving one child in critical condition.
Charges say when he was asked why he touches the children, the man said "he hasn't had sex in a long time," and he did it because he had "access."
A Seattle man pleaded guilty to his role in bribing a juror in the Feeding Our Future trial with a bag of hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.
A Champlin, Minnesota man is facing multiple charges for allegedly impersonating an officer - again.
Officials say a traveler from out of state who visited two Wisconsin gas stations may have exposed others to measles.
Today, the program has nine helicopters, 45 pilots and it airlifts about 2,600 patients a year.
The southern Minnesota city of Waseca has closed several beaches, boat ramps and bodies of water due to possible water contamination.
One in every seven police officers worldwide suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder or depression, and one in every 10 struggles with other mental illnesses. Officers in Bloomington, Minnesota, are making sure to check in and take care of their fellow officers.
A dog named Nova is suiting up for a very special purpose: keeping a close eye on her human, University of Minnesota medical student Wesley Flint.
The sights and sounds of country band Old Dominion lit up the Grandstand at the Minnesota State Fair on Thursday ahead of the release of their latest album, "Barbara."
Around 5:50 a.m., LAPD officers responded to Ventura Boulevard and Vineland Avenue for a man walking in the street.
As the curtain prepares to rise for the stage adaptation of Prince's iconic film "Purple Rain", producers have released the names of those whose talents will be on display later this year at the State Theatre in Minneapolis.
Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota's senior U.S. senator, says someone used AI to simulate her voice, making a "vulgar and absurd" critique of the controversial American Eagle jeans ad featuring actress Sydney Sweeney.
A Maryland ticket broker is accused of illegally purchasing and reselling hundreds of thousands of tickets for profit, including thousands to Taylor Swift's highly-sought Eras Tour.
Julia Rodrigue attended Hudson High School in Wisconsin and was active in three sports. In college, she stumbled into a sport she had never tried. Three years later, she's a national champion and climbing.
Allisha Gray scored 27 points, Rhyne Howard added 16 and the Atlanta Dream held on for a 75-73 victory to hand the Minnesota Lynx consecutive losses for the first time this season.
The Tommies are coming off their worst record, regardless of level, in 17 years. Still, they're not sneaking up on anybody.
Tyler Soderstrom went 4 for 4 to extend his hitting streak to 19 games and the Athletics swept the Minnesota Twins with an 8-3 victory.
"The State of Hockey" got some big news on Thursday: plans are in the works for a $70 million Minnesota Hockey Hall of Fame.
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simons says Minnesota will join the fight if President Trump attempts to halt mail-in voting.
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simons says Minnesota will join the fight if President Trump follows through with his call to end mail-in voting by the 2026 Midterm Elections. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy examines whether Trump has the authority to do so, as well as other election issues, including who should have access to voter information.
Fateh is a Democratic Socialist, part of a surging progressive wing of the Democratic Party both in Minnesota and nationwide.
Tuesday will mark one month until early voting begins in local municipal and school board elections around the state. That includes the Mayor's race in Minneapolis. In tonight's Talking Points, Esme Murphy looks at the candidacy of State Sen. Omar Fateh.
A new Minnesota law requires governments and public entities to report cyberattacks within 72 hours to the state and notify victims whose data has been breached. Starting next year, the law will require the state to issue an annual report on cyberattacks.
It's been 50 years since WCCO has been at its current location at the "Great Minnesota Get-Together."
Caves that were once used for making beer in the 1800s are now used for making cheese. In this week's Finding Minnesota, John Lauritsen looks into the history of the cheese caves in Faribault.
On his five-acre property in Blaine, Minnesota, Erik Lund has plenty of space to fine-tune his golf game and his guitar game.
This Friday, the town of Braham will reach a milestone as it celebrates its 35th "Pie Day." It's always the first Friday in August.
In the mid-90s, a group of Alexandria, Minnesota, residents wanted to highlight wooden boats and their craftsmanship, believing they were essentially works of art. So, they converted an old city garage into the Legacy of Lakes Museum.
Jeff Wagner looks at the winding road it took for the Minnesota State Fair to find its permanent home 140 years ago.
The first Tuesday of August is a unique night meant for nothing more than connection with those living on your street and the people tasked to protect it: National Night Out, which is now in its 42nd year.
Homeowners know the saying, "water finds a way." Add wildfire smoke to that distinction, another savvy invader harming indoor quality, where people should feel protected from it.
Be sure to turn your eyes to the night sky, as brief flashes of light will streak through outer space on Tuesday night.
From farmland to store shelves and, soon, your kitchen, produce is a healthy choice that sometimes needs a healthy rinse.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new food, drinks and vendors for 2025.
A suspect was taken into custody after an attack on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder on June 1 in which there were 15 people and a dog who were victims. The suspect threw Molotov cocktails that burned some of the victims, who were part of a march for Israeli hostages.
WCCO photojournalist Art Phillips shares some personal family photos taken by his father, Arthur Phillips Sr., in Vietnam during his time in service.
The new Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum is under construction just outside of Camp Ripley in Little Falls. Set to open in late 2026, the $40 million, first-of-its-kind project in the nation will be eight times the size of the existing museum. It will honor not only Minnesota's service members and their sacrifices, but the refugee experience as well. Watch and read more in Pauleen Le's series "Vietnam 50 Years Later: Reflections on a War that Changed Minnesota."
The National Weather Service has issued multiple tornado warnings and many more severe thunderstorm warnings throughout wide swaths of southern and central Minnesota Monday afternoon.
Fairgoers will likely feel the coolest temperatures in years this weekend at the Great Minnesota Get-Together, says NEXT Weather meteorologist Adam Del Rosso.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
WCCO meteorologist Joseph Dames says we are looking at the possibility for some of our State Fair days to top out in the upper 60s next week.
Morning storms will exit Minnesota on Friday, but some lingering showers are possible into midday or even early afternoon, says NEXT Weather meteorologist Joseph Dames.
An approaching cold front will continue to throw clouds across the Twin Cities on Friday morning.
Friday is Governor's Fire Prevention Day at the Great Minnesota Get-Together. WCCO's Shayla Reaves talks with Maple Grove Fire Chief Maddison Zikmund and State Fire Marshal Daniel Krier about fire safety.
Fairgoers will likely feel the coolest temperatures in years this weekend at the Great Minnesota Get-Together, says NEXT Weather meteorologist Adam Del Rosso.
Caroline Cummings has the latest on the growing controversy in the Minneapolis mayoral race between incumbent Democrat Jacob Frey and state Sen. Omar Fateh, a democratic socialist.
A Northstar Commuter Rail train hit a truck "stopped on the tracks" Friday morning in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, according to Metro Transit police, halting service in both directions.
Nate Janousek previews the Bad Apple Honeycrisp Lager, the Strawberry Rhubarb Runway and the Pink Prickly Pear Agave Altitude.