VIRUS OUTBREAK-MINNESOTA

Virus surge sends Minnesota hospitals scrambling for room

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota hospitals are scrambling to make room for patients as patients needing medical care for COVID-19 have hit a high for the year. Hospitals have delayed non-essential procedures, diverted less serious cases to outpatient clinics, and treated emergency room patients in hallways and ambulance bays that have been converted to urgent care centers, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported. The crunch in hospital capacity comes as health care systems are handling a backlog of medical procedures that were delayed during the first months of the pandemic. Hospital staff are also weary from battling COVID-19.

WINTRY WEATHER

Snow hits Minnesota, officials urge travel caution

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota is readying for snow as the National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory. Officials urged caution on the roads as ice and strong winds threatened to make driving conditions treacherous late Saturday and into Sunday. The Minnesota State Patrol has already cited snow and icy roads in a fatal crash on Thursday afternoon when a storm moved into the state. Forecasters expected between 2 and 4 inches of snow to accumulate over the weekend north of Interstate 94. Less was expected in the southern part of the state.

GOVERNOR-EUROPE TRADE MISSION

Minnesota Gov. Walz departs for Europe trade mission

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is leaving for a six-day trip to Europe to promote the state’s businesses. The Democratic governor said says he will travel to the United Kingdom and Finland to promote trade with a focus on health care, environmental technology, agriculture and education. Walz will spend the first three days of the tour in London, then head to Helsinki, Walz will travel with his wife, Gwen Walz, a pair of his cabinet secretaries, and officials from the state’s trade office. He will also be joined by over 40 executives from Minnesota businesses and organizations at various points of the trip.

UNIDENTIFIED BODY-HENNEPIN COUNTY

Hennepin medical examiner seeking to identify woman’s body

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office wants help to identify the body of a woman found last week. Officials say they found the body on the city’s south side. She was pregnant at the time of her death and likely in her third trimester. The medical examiner’s office says the woman was about 5 feet tall. She had piercings on her right ear and belly button. Her cause of death was still under investigation.

MISSING WOMAN-SEARCH

Minnesota officials ask hunters for signs of missing woman

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Authorities in Minnesota and Wisconsin are requesting help from hunters in a search for a missing woman. Local officials have been searching for the woman, Ashley Miller-Carlson, since late September when her car was found partially submerged in a lake in Minnesota’s Pine County. Investigators are requesting hunters to be on the lookout for any sign of the woman, KFGO-AM reported.

WINTRY WEATHER

Snow and ice cited in NE Minnesota crash that killed 2

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) — Wintry weather carrying strong winds, snow and icy conditions may have contributed to a highway crash in northeastern Minnesota that killed a woman and an 11-year-old boy. The Minnesota State Patrol cited snow and icy roads in a fatal crash Thursday afternoon on Highway 135 in St. Louis County. A Toyota Corolla carrying four people was westbound when it lost control and crossed the center line, struck a Toyota Yaris and was then struck by a Chevy Malibu. Another vehicle then rear-ended the Chevy. Two people in the Corolla, 11-year-old Dakota Smith and 32-year-old Betty Smith, died in the crash. Two other children in the car were injured as well as the driver of the Malibu.

TAVARIS JACKSON-CHILD SUPPORT

Court to hear support case against Tavaris Jackson estate

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Supreme Court says a Minnesota woman seeking more than $360,000 in child support from the estate of one-time NFL quarterback Tavaris Jackson can pursue her claim before an appeals court. Jackson was living near Montgomery when he died in a car wreck and Jessa Roginski asked an Alabama court to enforce an order for $2,112 a month in support. A judge refused and she appealed to the Supreme Court. Justices there say the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals should hear the case.

CAMERAS IN COURTS

Court panel reconvenes in January on video trial coverage

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A state court advisory committee will take a closer look in January at key issues in whether to allow more video coverage of criminal trial proceedings in Minnesota. Chief Justice Lorie Gildea directed the panel to study the issue after coverage of the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd got widespread national viewership. At a meeting Friday, the panel said it will discuss rules for streaming and broadcasting proceedings such as trial testimony and verdicts when it reconvenes Jan. 14. The panel is due to report by next July. Media organizations have been pushing for greater access court proceedings.