News Talk 830 WCCO Radio Minneapolis, MN

What should you do with this year's Minnesota State Fair tickets?

Canceling the 2020 Great Minnesota Get-Together sparked plenty of questions from people who already purchased tickets for the fair and scheduled Grandstand events.According to the Minnesota State Fair's website, any ticket for the 2020 fair will be honored at the 2021 fair. That includes any Grandstand tickets purchased. Although the Grandstand events don't have official dates, officials with the Minnesota State Fair have said all of the 2020 Grandstand shows have been postponed to 2021 and that tickets for 2020 will be honored next year.Refunds are available for both gate admission tickets and Grandstand tickets through the state fair's website.Minnesota State Fair general manager speaks about the cancellation of the 2020 Great Minnesota Get-Together.Learn more: https://t.co/4ZpZSVwrIHhttps://t.co/iP4JSyZ7yS via @YouTube— Minnesota State Fair (@mnstatefair) May 22, 2020 The 2020 Minnesota State Fair was canceled last week over COVID-19 concerns. It was scheduled to run Aug. 27 until Labor Day, Sept. 7.The Minnesota State Fair had not been canceled since 1946. That cancellation happened over fears from a polio epidemic.

May 27, 2020

Dr. Michael Osterholm warns of what second COVID-19 wave could look like

Dr. Michael Osterholm at the University of Minnesota is warning of what impacts a second wave of COVID-19 could mean for the United States.Dr. Osterholm told Dave Lee during the WCCO Morning News that if COVID-19 goes dormant in the next few months, it could be the worst thing that could happen."Given previous influenza pandemics, and this not an influenza virus so we don't know for certain it will act like that, but if it did, by far the second wave was the worst one of each of the pandemics," Osterholm said. "A second wave in late summer or early fall that lasts three or four months could make everything we've experience so far seem mild."On Tuesday, the Minnesota Department of Health reported 21,960 total COVID-19 cases in Minnesota, 652 of which were newly reported cases. There were 18 newly reported deaths, bringing the total to 899."I don't think the public gets that we're in this for the long haul," Osterholm said. "Less than 5-percent of many parts of the United States have been infected with this virus yet. We're not going to see this virus slow down until we get until 60-70 percent of the population infected, hopefully develop and immunity, or a vaccine causes that immunity."New COVID-19 numbers for Minnesota should be released to the public shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday. Governor Tim Walz is expected to join the daily MDH briefing at 2 p.m.

May 27, 2020

Chef David Fhima on how Gov Walz's patio order could mean death for restaurants

He's no stranger to successful and failed restaurants. But Chef David Fhima has never lived through the types of challenges that COVID-19 has meant for the restaurant industry. He spoke with Roshini Rajkumar on REAL Talk with Roshini one week before Gov Tim Walz's patio-only order goes into effect on June 1st. An order that made the Fhima's Restaurant owner feel blindsided.He says, "On the best of days, we struggle with our bottom line. On the worst of days, we are not struggling. We are dying." And that's just what he hopes doesn't happen this summer with the current expectation that restaurants in Minnesota only serve customers on their patios.Listen to some of Roshini's conversation with Chef Fhima here.

May 26, 2020

Personal care assistants who provide in-home care for vulnerable, elderly continue call for pay increase

They work jobs that keep vulnerable and elderly folks in their homes instead of long term care facilities that have been a focus of the state’s coronavirus response. And they want an increase in pay.Despite bipartisan support, a measure to temporarily increase pay for personal care assistants up to 15% did not pass before adjournment last week.Deb Howze makes just over $13 an hour and said PCAs deserves more respect, not just during a global pandemic.“We’re in this together, and one thing the home care workers are doing and the workers that are on the front lines, we’re putting our lives at risk, we are sacrificing, so we’re worth getting the money to live our lives as well. My clients depend on me to be safe.”With long term care residents making up 87 percent of COVID-19 deaths, Howze said PCAs perform an important role keeping people at home.“We’re doing the majority of the work,” she said. “We’re keeping people at home and saving money and people want to be at home.”The industry has dealt with longstanding understaffing due to the low pay and physically demanding nature of the job. Just like long term care workers, people of color tend to make up a significant portion of the PCA workforce. Health officials also say people of color are experiencing sharp health disparities in the pandemic: In Minnesota African-Americans make up 6 percent of the population, but around a quarter of COVID-19 cases. “This has been going on since the beginning of time where people of color have worked for little or nothing and our lives were never valued,” Howze said. “Just like it is now. We call this modern-day times, but it hasn’t changed much.”Howze hosted Gov. Tim Walz on the clock taking care of a young MS patient in St. Paul. She said she hoped that experience would have made an increase in pay a priority, but workers will keep trying to convince lawmakers.“We don’t know when it’s going to happen, if we’re going to need a PCA, your family members or even yourself,” she said. “It’s about the money and it’s not about the money. But it’s about that we care to keep our communities intact. We’re on the line like everybody else. Why aren’t we getting paid like everybody else?”Without an official end-of-session deal, it's possible the pay increase gets floated again in a special session.

May 25, 2020

MDH: 52 additional people hospitalized, 41 to ICU, in one of the highest single-day totals

Fifty-two people were hospitalized for COVID-19 Sunday, one of the highest single-day totals since the pandemic began.According to the latest figures from the Minnesota Department of Health reported Monday, total hospitalizations number 605. Forty-one more people were admitted to the ICU for nearly 250 overall.It’s having an impact on metro hospitals especially.“They’re running tight on their established capacity,” Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said. “We do think that’s due to the continued measured, but steady increase in COVID patients as well as other serious conditions, and surgeries restarting.”RELATED: Dr. David Hilden describes dwindling number of available ICU beds1,045 of the state’s 1257 ICU beds are in use, per the critical care supplies dashboard, but not all of those are COVID-19 cases. 1,120 can be ready within 72 hours.The statewide Healthcare Coordination Center through the State Emergency Operations Center is assisting.“They know that we’re at that point and anticipate that this sort of daily load balancing is going to be an important function,” Malcolm said. “They now have a daily call to monitor and help troubleshoot and assist in movement of patients where necessary.”Total deaths number 881 after 12 more people lost their lives and confirmed cases reached 21,315 (+745) as of Monday.

May 25, 2020

Flags still flying this weekend at Fort Snelling

Memorial Day weekend is a little different this year at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis because of COVID-19. Restrictions halted any flag-placing efforts over the weekend, which impacts those with Flags for Fort Snelling.Flags for Fort Snelling began placing flags at every headstone there, totaling close to 200,000 in 2018. Last year, they did the same continuing their 200,000 flags for 200,000 heroes campaign."We're honoring individual flag requests this year," said Rocky Borchardt, co-founder of Flags for Fort Snelling. "We'll honor them with just a small collection of flag runners we have."Around 6,000 volunteers helped put out the 200,000 American flags in 2019. With no organized flag placing allowed this year because of Coronavirus, that number's dwindled as around 1,200 flags will be placed at gravesites."Everybody wants to honor the fallen," Borchardt said. "The cemetery wants us there. They like what we do. Unfortunately this year, it's just too risky."Memorial Day weekend is giving Flags for Fort Snelling an opportunity to secure flags for future memorials. They designed what they call "The Legacy Flag" to develop a permanent flag collection for Fort Snelling."We're just waiting for the funds and we can manufacture them in Minnesota as soon as we have the money ready," she said.The Legacy Flags are retractable and better-built to withstand the harsh Minnesota weather."This makes it so we don't have to do constant fundraising," Borchardt said. "Last year we lost around 60,000 of the disposable flags."The Legacy Flag fundraiser has an $800,000 goal. Here is the link to donate.

May 24, 2020

Governor Tim Walz to give new guidance on reopening churches

Governor Tim Walz announced Saturday he is signing a new executive order to allow places of worship to congregate with up to 250 people, or 25% capacity, starting May 27. This comes one day after President Trump said that he would "overrule" Governors who wouldn't allow places of worship to congregate with more than 10 people.Gov. Walz said he still encourages churches to meet virtually."These are choices that need to be made," Walz said. "Now that we CDC guidance and health guidance, this is a way to partner together in an agreement with the Archbishop, especially around that congregation, the Catholic faith, and extending it to others."Walz spent the last week meeting virtually with numerous faith leaders after Archbishop Bernard Hebda and some Lutheran church leaders said they would resume in-person services regardless of what the state said.Archbishop Hebda posted a video on Saturday responding to Governor Walz's new executive order:

May 23, 2020

Six armory sites statewide providing free coronavirus testing

Free coronavirus tests are available all weekend long at six state armory locations across the state.Anyone can be tested, especially those who are sick or have come in contact with someone who's already been disagnosed with COVID-19Here are the test sites:East St Paul; 1530 Maryland Ave E, St Paul, MN 55106Minneapolis Armory; 1025 Broadway St. NE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55413.Moorhead Armory; 1002 15th Ave N, Moorhead, MN 56560Duluth Armory; 4015 Airpark Blvd, Duluth, MN 55811Faribault Armory; 3000 W Airport Rd, Faribault, MN 55021St. James Armory; 521 Armstrong Blvd N, St James, MN 56081National guard personnel are expected to be able to collect about 2,000 samples per day through Monday.No appointments are necessary, and insurance cards are not required. Hosting the sites are the Minnesota National Guard, the Minnesota Department of Health and the State Emergency Operations Center.

May 23, 2020

"The public would be shocked"

The Minnesota Department of Health continues to report increasing numbers of coronavirus cases and fatalities.And, with elective surgeries now allowed to take place, a strain on the state's health care system is emerging."What I'm seeing in the hospitals today, I think the public would be shocked to know that the state of Minnesota has relatively few beds available in our ICU's," HCMC's Dr. David Hilden told WCCO's Jordana Green on Friday.Since May 18, when the stay at home order was replaced by Stay Safe Minnesota, more than 4,900 coronavirus tests have been taken in the state.Peported positive cases reached a high of 778 on that very day of the changeover. Dr. David Hildren updates WCCO&#039;s Jordan Green on the state&#039;s handling of the coronavirus outbreak "We are ramping up, at least in the metro area," said Hilden, noting that the ICU bed shortage is more apparent in the Twin Cities, but still very real across the state."We are actively calling other hospitals, to say 'I have a patient, do you have a bed?'" he said. "We are already, not breaking, but really surging right now."Dr. Hilden said the shortage may ease during the coming summer months, but can't be sure if a second wave of the coronavirus outbreak is coming."I just couldn't even predict what might be happening this coming fall," he said. "I think it's going to be a long haul. The more we open up, the more cases there are going to be."Elective surgeries were put on hold for about two months when the stay-at-home order was first put into place by Gov. Walz.

May 23, 2020

Health officials explain concerns over reopening places of worship

After President Trump Friday declared places of worship essential and said he will “overrule” governors who take exception, Minnesota health officials explain why they’re concerned about religious gatherings from a public health perspective.In guidance for communities of faith updated Friday, the CDC encourages congregants to wear masks, physical-distance, and for churches to sanitize. The CDC also recommends places of worship consider suspending or least decreasing singing because it may contribute to transmission.It gets at the basis of local health officials’ concerns: that singing and loud speaking can spread the virus. That large gatherings can spread it quickly. That people whose symptoms haven’t taken hold yet could attend and spread it, and that vulnerable folks will feel compelled to attend services in person, putting them at risk.“When we know we have community spread, when we know there is asymptomatic transmission, it is common sense to do everything that we can do to protect each other,” Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said.Malcolm said she needed time to review the latest CDC guidance before offering more specifics, but she added that remote and drive-in services “remain the safest” for the community.“There are those among us who will not do well with this virus and who will develop severe disease,” State epidemiologist Dr. Ruth Lynfield said. “I think we need to be very mindful of that. It’s not high-tech. We know what to do to prevent transmission of this virus.”Gov. Tim Walz was not on the media briefing call Friday but a statement from his office said he has had “many productive conversations with faith leaders across the state over the last few weeks.” It adds he will be reviewing the new CDC guidance as well.The president’s declaration about churches today comes the same week the Catholic church in Minnesota announced plans to resume mass in preparation for the Pentecost May 31 at 33 percent capacity and sanitation measures in defiance of the state's order.Under the state’s latest announcement Wednesday for the next phase of re-opening, faith gatherings remained unchanged at 10 or fewer.

May 22, 2020