MARSHALL (KMHL) – The number of COVID-19 cases in Lyon County took a big jump on Thursday. According to numbers from the Minnesota Department of Health, there were 38 new cases of COVID-19 and one probable case. Since the pandemic began, Lyon County has seen a total of 885 positive cases of COVID-19 and two probable cases of the virus. Statewide, there were 1,108 new cases of COVID-19, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Health officials also reported 19 COVID-19 related deaths yesterday as well.

UNDATED (LEARFIELD)  --  Meteorologists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are saying Minnesota has a chance of seeing more snowfall than usual this winter. The federal agency released its updated winter outlook Thursday.  The weather experts favor a wetter-than-normal winter for the northern United States. The outlook also says most of Minnesota is right on the edge – and has an equal chance of seeing above-average or below-average temperatures. The agency says La Nina is well-established and expected to persist through the winter season, meaning a cooler, wetter northern U-S.

MINNEAPOLIS (LEARFIELD) --  Minneapolis-based U-S Bank says it will close another 400 branches nationwide by early 2021. The bank says three-fourths of its transactions currently occur on its website or app. Most of the additional branches slated for closure have already been shut down in response to COVID-19. Executives say the pandemic sped up the ongoing shift to digital banking.

ST. PAUL (LEARFIELD/KMHL)  --  The Minnesota Department of Health is reporting 29 new deaths from COVID-19 complications. That's the highest daily increase since June and brings the state's death toll to two-thousand-180. More than 12-hundred-50 new positive tests were reported today (Wednesday), increasing the total number of cases to 115-thousand-943 since the pandemic began. State health officials announced Wednesday that they are now posting COVID cases on the website detected using antigen testing equipment. Of those 29 deaths, the department of health says there was one death in Pipestone County in an individual 60-to-64 years of age. There was also another [...]

ST. PAUL (LEARFIELD) - On a vote of 100-34, the Minnesota House passed a $1.8 billion bonding bill after nearly 10 hours of debate. The long-delayed bill will help pay for public works, infrastructure and construction projects around the state. "It creates more than 20,000 jobs, based on the United States Department of Commerce estimate," said Rep. Mary Murphy (D-Hermantown) and lead author of the House bill. However, Rep. Tama Theis (R-St. Cloud) says for all of the talk about jobs no one wants to discuss re-opening businesses in the state. "Business owners are struggling to keep their businesses open so [...]

CLARA CITY (LEARFIELD) -- The MACCRAY School District is canceling its next two football games due to COVID-19 exposure. School officials say there was one positive case in the high school and contact tracing has been completed.  Athletes, coaches, and anyone else who had close contact with the infected student are under quarantine for 14 days. Due to this exposure varsity football games for October 16th against R-T-R and October 23rd against Canby have been canceled. A letter sent to parents said the person who tested positive is a member of the football team.