Hoping for the best case scenario. The Star Tribune’s Jeremy Olson reports: “Hospital leaders endorsed Gov. Tim Walz’s decision to end the statewide stay-at-home order on Monday, but urged Minnesotans to remain vigilant to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus that could still overwhelm them and leave them unable to care for some patients at the peak of the pandemic. … Minnesota appears to have a razor-thin margin of critical hospital supplies — including critical care beds and ventilators — to weather the surge of COVID-19 infections that is expected this summer, according to new state modeling results.”
Speaking of PPE… KARE’s Brandon Stahl, Lauren Leamanczyk and Steve Eckert report: “Nurse Sarah Simons was in disbelief over HCMC’s solution to a shortage of N95 respirator masks. … The hospital had a cache of thousands of them in storage. The problem: they had been there for nearly 20 years, with manufacturing dates listed on them as 2001 and 2002, expiring well over a decade ago. … Despite the nurses’ objections, Simons said they had to wear them anyway.”
Devastating report on the realities facing pig farmers. The New York Times’ Michael Corkery and David Yaffe-Bellany report: “One Minnesota hog farmer sealed the cracks in his barn and piped carbon dioxide through the ventilation system. Another farmer has considered gassing his animals after loading them into a truck. And a third shot his pigs in the head with a gun. It took him all day. … These are dark days on many American pig farms. Coronavirus outbreaks at meatpacking plants across the Midwest have created a backlog of pigs that are ready for slaughter but have nowhere to go.”
Virtual summer school is on. The Star Tribune’s Anthony Lonetree reports: “Gov. Tim Walz said Thursday that schools will have the option of using distance learning or a hybrid of in-school instruction and remote learning for summer school this year. … With his declaration came an acknowledgment that many students have not been thriving under the remote approach.”
In other news…
New justice: “Walz appoints Judge Gordon Moore to Minnesota Supreme Court” [KSTP]
Unity from Minnesota’s members of Congress: “‘It’s So Vital’: Minn. Congressional Delegation Urges Those Who Recovered From COVID-19 To Donate Plasma” [WCCO]
Awful: “Coronavirus devastates Moorhead nursing home with 9 deaths: ‘It’s too late for us’” [Fargo Forum]
Klobuchar veep speculation, part 324: “As Biden veep search ramps up, Harris and Klobuchar get a close look” [Washington Post]
Sincerest condolences: “Rainforest Cafe founder, wife lose suit over municipal dock in front of their Lake Minnetonka property” [Star Tribune]
Want a Ferris wheel? “Betty Danger’s Owner Looking To Sell Due To Pandemic” [WCCO]
Malls coming back: “Mall of America to reopen June 1, Rosedale and Galleria on Monday” [Star Tribune]
Celebrate safely: “Twin Cities Pride Weekend, Parade Going Virtual Next Month” [WCCO]
Have you seen this turtle? “Kenyon family searches for missing turtle” [River Towns]
