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Boston officials report elevated virus levels in wastewater

BOSTON (AP) — Boston health officials said Friday they're concerned about elevated levels of the coronavirus in the city's wastewater. The concentration of the virus in local wastewater has increased by 3.1% over the past week and by nearly 100% over the past two weeks, according to new data from this week from the Boston Public Health Commission. New COVID-19 cases in Boston have decreased slightly over the past week, though the data does not include positive results from at-home tests, the commission said. Boston hospitals had 170 new hospital admissions related to COVID-19 this ...

California tribes will manage, protect state coastal areas

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Five California tribes will reclaim their right to manage coastal land significant to their history under a first-in-the-nation program backed with $3.6 million in state money. The tribes will rely on their traditional knowledge to protect more than 200 miles of coastline in the state, as climate change and human activity have impacted the vast area. Some of the tribes' work will include monitoring salmon after the removal of a century-old defunct dam in the redwood forests in the Santa Cruz mountains and testing for toxins in shellfish, while also ...

Pea plant tour shows innovations in agriculture

DAWSON — New growth in terms of economic growth and new crop varieties was in the spotlight at an event for area legislators on Thursday. A group of state lawmakers toured the PURIS pea protein plant near Dawson, and also spoke with representatives of the University of Minnesota’s ...

Minnesota joins hydrogen hub

ST. PAUL – Minnesota has joined North Dakota, Montana and Wisconsin in developing a regional clean hydrogen hub to help meet the nation’s clean energy, transportation, and agricultural needs, Gov. Tim Walz announced this week. “Minnesota is working to expand our clean energy economy and meet the changing needs of industries across our state with innovative solutions,” Walz said. “I look forward to working with these states to secure a critical investment in clean energy and create a world-class hydrogen hub.” Under a memorandum of understanding, the four states agree to ...

Smith tours Mankato solar garden

MANKATO — U. S. Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minnesota, toured the new Kasota Prairie Community Solar Garden north of Mankato Thursday. The $3 million, 4.5 megawatt solar garden with 4,000 solar panels on eight acres is estimated to provide power to 200 homes, according to solar officials. The ...

Ian evacuees return to mud, rubble as death toll hits 101

SANIBEL ISLAND, Fla. (AP) — Rotting fish and garbage lie scattered in Sanibel Island's streets. On the mainland, debris from washed-away homes is heaped in a canal like matchsticks. Huge shrimp boats sit perched amid the remains of a mobile home park. "Think of a snow globe. Pick it up and shake it — that's what happened," said Fred Szott. For the past three days, he and his wife Joyce have been making trips to their damaged mobile home in Fort Myers, cleaning up after Hurricane Ian slammed into Florida's Gulf Coast. As for the emotional turbulence, he says: "You either hold ...