Police crack down on street racing

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Law enforcement officers

pulled over more than 100 vehicles in a crackdown on

drag racing in downtown Minneapolis and surrounding

suburbs this past weekend.

Authorities issued 29 citations and booked 22 people

as area law enforcement agencies partnered to stop drag

racers. A dozen firearms were recovered, one person

was arrested for drunken driving and four others were

detained on fleeing charges, the Star Tribune reported.

Minneapolis police spokesman John Elder says drag

racing this year has been “more egregious.” Last month,

police opened fire hydrants to flood downtown streets

and deter drag racing.

SD hospitalizations hit record for 2nd day

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health

officials on Monday reported 11 hospitalizations in

the last day due to the coronavirus, boosting the total

number of patients in medical facilities to a record

377.

The update showed 538 new cases of COVID-19,

following two straight days in which the state topped

1,000 positive tests. A total of 38,504 people have

been diagnosed with the virus since the start of the

pandemic.

The number of fatalities remained at 375 with no

new deaths reported Monday.

State Department of Health figures show that

more than 35% of inpatient hospital beds are available

statewide, as well as nearly 32% of intensive care

unit beds.

Sanford Health, Intermountain to merge

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Sanford Health and Intermountain

Healthcare said Monday they plan to merge

companies.

If the deal is approved, it would unite Salt Lake Citybased

Intermountain with operations in Utah, Nevada

and Idaho, with Sioux Falls-based Sanford, which operates

in 24 states.

The combined organization would employ more than

89,000 people and operate 70 hospitals, many in rural

communities, the companies said in a release. It would

run 435 clinics across seven states, provide senior care

and services in 366 locations in 24 states, and insure 1.1

million people, the release said.

The organization will have headquarters in Salt Lake

City, Utah, and corporate offices in Sioux Falls, South

Dakota.