LOCAL NEWS
(Renville MN-) The American Red Cross has an emergency need for lifesaving blood amid the ongoing severe blood shortage. Blood and platelet donations continue to be critical to meet hospital demand and the public is urged to make an appointment to give now. Read more
(Willmar MN-) Kandiyohi County Public Health has issued an update on COVID-19 cases in the county. They say in deciding whether to follow CDC recommendations on mask wearing, regardless of vaccination status, keep in mind as of Monday, Kandiyohi County had 56 active cases of COVID-19 and has… Read more
(Willmar MN-) The City of Willmar has learned they are losing their planning and development director. City Administrator Leslie Valiant says Dr. Dave Ramstad has turned in his notice and will be leaving the city at the end of the month. Ramstad was hired in May of 2019 to replace the retiri… Read more
(Willmar MN-) The Fabulous Armadillos entertained a huge crowd at Robbins Island Park in Willmar last night as the Rockin Robbins concert series wrapped up for the summer.. Read more
(Alexandria MN-) Former Willmar City Administrator Brian Gramentz was recognized by the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities (CGMC) July 29 during the Coalition’s summer conference in Alexandria for his years of leadership to rural Minnesota. Read more
(Willmar MN-) Carris Health Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Lucio Minces says there is no rationale for not getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Minces says it is now more important than ever to get vaccinated because he says the Delta variant is now circulating freely because of those who are no… Read more
LOCAL SPORTS
(Cincinnati, OH) -- Minnesota infielder Jorge Polanco hit a three-run, go-ahead home run in the ninth as the Twins took down the Reds 7-5 in Cincinnati last night. Read more
(Undated) -- The Minnesota Vikings are cutting cornerback Jeff Gladney after he was indicted by a Texas grand jury for a felony assault charge. Read more
(Minneapolis, MN) -- The University of Minnesota football opens fall camp today on campus, getting ready for their September 2nd season opener against Ohio State. Read more
(Eagan, MN) -- Mike Zimmer is not happy with how some players on the Minnesota Vikings are approaching COVID-19. Rookie quarterback Kellen Mond tested positive for COVID, forcing unvaccinated Kirk Cousins and Nate Stanley to be placed on the COVID-19 Reserve list. That left the group with Ja… Read more
Waterloo, Iowa – The Stingers bounce back after Sunday's loss to take Game 1 in Waterloo, 6-3. Read more
NATIONAL NEWS:
COVID-19 live updates: Arkansas sees highest hospitalization increase since start of pandemic
(NEW YORK) -- The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious delta variant spreads.
More than 613,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and over 4.2 million people have died worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
Just 58.1% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC last week, citing new science on the transmissibility of the delta variant, changed its mask guidance to now recommend everyone in areas with substantial or high levels of transmission -- vaccinated or not -- wear a face covering in public, indoor settings.
Here's how the news is developing Tuesday. All times Eastern:
Aug 03, 8:55 am
US ships more than 100 million vaccine doses abroad
The Biden administration has hit a vaccine-sharing milestone, shipping more than 110 doses to over 60 countries around the world, mostly through COVAX, the World Health Organization's vaccine-sharing initiative. The U.S. has shared more doses than every other country combined, according to United Nations data.
Starting at the end of August, the U.S. will begin shipping another batch of 500 million doses of Pfizer to 100 low-income countries across the globe. Two-hundred million of those 500 million doses are expected to be shipped in 2021.
Aug 03, 8:24 am
Arkansas sees highest increase in hospitalizations since start of pandemic
Another 81 COVID-19 patients were admitted to Arkansas hospitals on Monday, the highest increase in hospitalizations since the beginning of the pandemic, Gov. Asa Hutchinson tweeted.
The state now has 1,220 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, including 250 on ventilators.
"We continue to see nearly all hospitalizations among the unvaccinated," the governor wrote. "Hospitals are full & the only remedy is for more Arkansans to be vaccinated."
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