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Experts say climate change is making allergy season worse
Warming average temperatures have prolonged pollen season, and that’s not the only impact.
MINNEAPOLIS — Allergy season is ramping up in Minnesota and as the symphony of coughing, sneezing, and wheezing grows louder, experts say climate change has been steadily prolonging the suffering.
Dr. Pramod Kelkar, an allergist with Allina Health, says understanding the impact that climate change is having requires more than just a snapshot of the current allergy season.
“So far, I am seeing just a typical allergy season, but it is early,” Dr. Kelkar said.
Dr. Kelkar says many Minnesotans suffering right now, are struggling with snow mold and other issues related to our prolonged, wet winter.
For those who are allergic to tree pollen, he says the battle is just beginning, but even though it might feel like we’re getting a late start, the annual spring leaf index recently revealed that the Twin Cities region, along with southeastern Minnesota and much of Wisconsin still produced spring leaves earlier than the 30-year average.
“Every year we are seeing patients who are telling us that this year has been worse than the previous one,” Dr. Kelkar said. “Climate change has to be blamed for that because we know that because of climate change, the allergy season is expanding.”
According to the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, pollen season now starts 20 days earlier and lasts 10 days longer than it did in 1990. And the heat isn’t the only thing on the rise. A recent study found rising levels of carbon dioxide also contributed to pollen totals increasing by 21 percent from 1990-2018.
“The plant is actually getting more fuel (from the carbon dioxide) so it’s more robust in its growth,” said Emily Onello, a family physician who also studies the health implications of climate change at the University of Minnesota. “So we’re seeing a longer allergy season, but there is data to suggest that we actually see more pollen too.”
Dr. Onello says those changes are of particular interest in Minnesota because they are expected to follow other climate trends.
“States in the northern tier of the United States are far more impacted by this, interestingly, than states down south,” she said.
Climate data will make tracking that impact pretty straightforward, but she says the impact it’s having on us, and our allergies, is much harder to assess.
“The challenge is that the symptoms are irritating and life-impacting but not always bad enough to see the doctor or go to the emergency room,” Dr. Onello said. “So sometimes it’s hard for even physicians to have a handle on how bad are things. One of the interesting ways researchers are looking at this is actually tracking sales of allergy medications to see how bad are things?”
According to the CDC, one in four US adults reported suffering from seasonal allergies in 2021, but that was the first time tracking that information for the organisation.
If you find yourself suffering, Dr. Kelkar says it’s worth reaching out.
“The first thing that people need to remember is that we have so many good treatment options available,” Dr. Kelkar said. “You should not deny yourself the pleasure of outdoors just because you have allergies.”
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The crash occurred at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday in Welcome, Minnesota after the bus driver failed to yield to the truck, which had the right-of-way.
WELCOME, Minn. — Nine students were injured Wednesday morning when a truck crashed into a bus in southern Minnesota.
The crash occurred at 8:15 a.m. in Welcome, Minnesota after the bus driver failed to yield to the truck, which had the right-of-way at the intersection of County Road 7 and 280th Street, according to the Redwood County Sheriff’s Office. In a press release, officials say the nine students sustained “minor injuries” and were transported to a nearby hospital.
The initial investigation indicates that the truck, an F550, was traveling north on County Road 7, while the bus, which was providing service to the Wabasso Public School District, was traveling east on 280th Street. The news release says the truck had the right-of-way at the intersection.
“We are grateful that no serious injuries happened to our students, the driver or the other driver, however, nine students were transported to area hospitals for follow-up treatment,” Superintendent Jon Fulton said in a letter to parents. “… The District and 4.0 bus transportation company is praying for a speedy recovery for the students and families involved.”
Several fans said this team has inspired them to pursue a career in sports.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Lynx is inspiring the next generation of athletes regardless of whether they win or lose.
Sophia Witkowski went to the game with her mother, Christy, to watch Game 3 of the WNBA Finals.
“For her to see all her idols it’s just so fun,” Christy said.
“I like it because women’s sports aren’t that popular. Now the WNBA is really popular,” Sophia said.
They weren’t the only mother-and-daughter duo at the game. Amanda Williams took her 10-year-old daughter Abby to watch.
“It’s really awesome to have my daughter here to see great role models from the team and the fact,” Amanda said.
“I think that it’s super cool that they get to do what they want to do, and they get paid for it too,” Abby said.
Maggie Niska with Her Next Play, a nonprofit working to empower the next generation of female leaders through sports, said their visibility is everything.
“I think it gives these girls someone to look up to, and it gives them something to aspire to, and by having them in the community it makes seem a little more reachable too,” Niska said.
She said the Lynx Academy put on a basketball clinic for some of her girls in Hopkins Tuesday night. Niska said all of the professional women’s sports teams in Minnesota show girls they can have a future in sports.
“I just think that any visibility these girls can get to women competing at sports at a higher level, hearing these women speak, and seeing them succeed, and getting insight into their lives and what they do to compete at this higher level, I think all of that serves as a great inspiration to these girls,” she said.
It’s something Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve understands well.
“For young girls to see the opportunities for them to play in any sport and then also more in sport, jobs in sports that sports can be a career,” Reeve said.
Sophia Ritter and Taylor Tool drove hours to see the players in action.
“We traveled from Aberdeen, South Dakota and the Northern State women’s basketball team took two vans,” she said.
Ritter and Tool both said it was a cool opportunity for them to see two great teams play on the professional level.
“Growing up, WNBA wasn’t really a big a thing and something that everyone was watching and now that it’s growing it’s really nice to see,” Ritter said.
“It’s really fun seeing all the support and seeing how many people come to watch the games like it’s really cool to see all the fans in the stands filling up and it’s growing,” Tool said.
Gophers’ Shoot Guard Mara Braun went to the game with her team after practice.
“These women out here are just amazingly talented and they play with this toughness that I think we’re really trying to embody as a team,” Braun said.
She knows young girls are looking up to her and her teammates just like they are with the Lynx.
“Especially growing up, you know, you want to play college basketball, and the next level is WNBA or overseas or whatever it is, so for me this is obviously a dream and something I’m working towards to be able to see it,” she said.
Braun dreams of playing in the WNBA and watching the Lynx and the Liberty in the finals makes that dream feel like it could be her new reality.
The department is the only one in the state to start a non-fatal shooting unit that launched in January.
ST PAUL, Minn. — The City of St. Paul has seen a number of deadly shootings recently, but often it’s the ones that aren’t fatal that don’t get as much attention. And for police, they can also be harder to solve.
The department, though, is trying something new to try and reverse that trend.
“The amount of guns that are on the street right now,” St. Paul Police Commander Nikkole Peterson said about the biggest change she’s seen in the 22 years she’s been a cop. “It’s jaw-dropping.”
Commander Peterson is now in charge of the department’s non-fatal shooting unit that launched in January focusing only on those crimes.
It’s the only department in the state implementing something like that, after it saw success with the police department in Denver, Colorado doing something similar.
“If there’s a shooting, it doesn’t matter what time of night that happens or time of day, that sergeant will get called in to begin the investigation immediately,” said Commander Peterson.
The crime used to fall on the homicide unit that’s already burdened by heavy case loads. There’s also usually little victim cooperation which can stall solving non-fatal shootings.
“A lot of times we wouldn’t investigate it any further or the prosecutor wouldn’t charge those crimes and we knew that something different had to be done,” said Commander Peterson.
The unit is now treating non-fatal shootings like homicides and making them a priority. The investigators also rely more heavily on evidence and devote just as many resources, from forensics to video management and even SWAT teams.
“We are utilizing all these different resources to help solve these crimes,” said Commander Peterson. “We’re chasing down every lead that we can.”
In a press conference on Tuesday, St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said there have been 86 non-fatal shootings compared to 99 this same time last year. But two years ago, there were 170, putting the city’s solve rate around 60%.
“Anything above 50% is just incredible and so we’re really happy with where we’re at right now,” said Commander Peterson.
Commander Peterson also credits the city’s ASPIRE program that focuses on intervention, particularly with youth. She also points to the Office of Neighborhood Safety that partners with local organizations working on prevention, saying this cooperation is ultimately what will reduce crime.
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