Duluth Voted The 'Best Town In America'
The votes are in and the best town in America is? You betcha, it's Duluth, Minnesota. Outside Magazine asked voters which town was the best place to live, if they love an active lifestyle.
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The votes are in and the best town in America is? You betcha, it's Duluth, Minnesota. Outside Magazine asked voters which town was the best place to live, if they love an active lifestyle.
It's the first day of a new job for Erik Ziegler. The Vermillion College student is on summer break, and working the front line of Minnesota's war against zebra mussels. "If you sell a boat, a trailer or a lift and someone else buys it, I mean, [zebra mussels] can even be transported to another lake and it will just spread like wildfire," Ziegler said.
Two commercial divers with expertise in deep diving have been hired to recover the body of a pilot whose small plane crashed into Lake Superior.
A body has been found in the wreckage of a plane in Lake Superior. The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office received a call at about 11:24 a.m. Saturday reporting that a single engine aircraft had taken off from the Duluth International Airport, gone off the radar and was believed to have crashed into Lake Superior.
Authorities in Duluth are searching for a plane that may have crashed into Lake Superior. Duluth Fire Department officials say that they have a boat out searching a possible debris field, but visibility is poor due to the fog.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is preparing to treat about 1,200 acres in Duluth to slow the spread of a gypsy moth infestation. Depending on the weather, officials are set to conduct the treatment on Thursday.
When it comes to the best places to live in America, voters say Duluth takes the cake over Minneapolis -- according to Outside's online poll.
Minnesota Democrats face a major challenge as they seek to keep Gov. Mark Dayton and U.S. Sen. Al Franken in office -- getting their supporters to show up at the polls. Republicans face the challenges of uniting the party after a fractured state convention and a potentially divisive primary campaign ahead.
U.S. Sen Al Franken has won the endorsement of Minnesota Democrats for a second term. Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party convention delegates in Duluth backed him by acclamation and welcomed him to the stage at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center.
Minnesota Democrats have endorsed Gov. Mark Dayton for re-election to a second term. Delegates to the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party's state convention in Duluth gave Dayton a strong voice vote of confidence on Saturday, He was unopposed.
Minnesota Democrats have endorsed Lori Swanson for a third term as attorney general. Swanson won an easy voice vote Saturday. The attorney general then told DFL convention delegates her office takes on some powerful interests. But she says the important thing is not who they're fighting against.
Minnesota's Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party convened Saturday with delegates poised to endorse Gov. Mark Dayton and Sen. Al Franken for second terms. Around 1,300 delegates gathered at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center to hear speakers praise the state's Democratic elected officials for using their control of state government to champion their values. They cited new laws to raise the state's minimum wage, invest in public schools and infrastructure projects, and legalize gay marriage.
A Duluth woman has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for her role in the fatal stabbing of her former landlord.
Registration for the 38th running of Grandma's Marathon closes May 31. As of Thursday, the annual Two Harbors-to-Duluth race had more than 7,400 runners in the field.
A northeastern Minnesota man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for fatally stabbing a Duluth landlord. Forty-two-year-old Raymond Weeks pleaded guilty in March to intentional second-degree murder.
Last winter's heavy snowfall is partly to blame for a fish kill that took out tens of thousands of walleye, bass, northern pike and other species on Grand Lake near Duluth. Dan Wilfond, Department of Natural Resources fisheries specialist for the Duluth area, said even bullhead were among the species affected — an indicator that the fish kill was fairly severe. He estimates roughly 35,000 fish died.
A person of interest in connection to the killing of a Virginia, Minn., man was arrested Sunday evening by BCA agents and police in northern Minnesota.
The University of Minnesota-Duluth is creating a new program to turn out more graduates who can work in the mining field. UMD geology professor Jim Miller says the goal of the Mineral Resources Center is to graduate people with a full understanding of the mining cycle, even if they specialize in certain areas.
Duluth police are investigating the discovery of a body. Police say a passer-by Tuesday noticed the body near an intersection along a fence and brush line.
WCCO Radio of Minneapolis, Minnesota Public Radio and WDIO-TV of Duluth are among top winners in the 2013 Minnesota Associated Press Broadcasters Awards Contest. WCCO won for coverage of the legalization of gay marriage in Minnesota, affordable health care and the search for a 2-year-old western Wisconsin boy found dead in a locked trunk. WCCO also was cited for memories of the Metrodome, sports play-by-play, best newscast and website.
A 42-year-old Two Harbors man pleaded guilty to stabbing and killing a Duluth man inside his Central Hillside apartment, according to the St. Louis County Courthouse.
Officials with the Lake Superior Zoo will seeking funding from the State Legislature after major flooding in 2012 caused significant damage to the area. Representatives from the zoo met with Duluth Mayor Don Ness and administrators late last week.
Twin Cities residents have innumerable reasons to feel good about where they live, but it's nice to lay them out in numbers anyway. According to a list of rankings from Gallup and Healthways, the metro area ranks just outside of the top 10 among the country's top cities for overall well-being.
The owner of a Wendy's restaurant in Duluth, Minn. is paying 30 employees for months of work, even though the restaurant is closed. The restaurant closed after it caught fire in January, but the owner is still cutting checks.
Minnesota playwright Jeffrey Hatcher is taking his one-man show about his childhood experience staging Hamlet on the road this month. "Jeffrey Hatcher's Hamlet" will travel to seven Minnesota communities. Hatcher was 11 when he adapted, directed and performed in Shakespeare's drama "Hamlet" for a fifth-grade English class in Steubenville, Ohio.
Several sheriff's offices in Minnesota have what's called a 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Different models allow departments to help enforce ICE operations and to serve warrants on people inside their jails. Crow Wing County has both.
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt said Friday she's carefully considering options for a compromise with federal immigration agents if it means winding down Operation Metro Surge.
After a contentious start to the investigation into Alex Pretti's death, his family feels true justice starts with both the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension working together.
The city of Minneapolis estimates it's losing $10 million to $20 million in revenue each week — with the Lake Street corridor in particular down $46 million in revenue between December 2025 and last month.
The Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee is requesting records related to firms partially owned by the husband of Rep. Ilhan Omar.
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt said Friday she's carefully considering options for a compromise with federal immigration agents if it means winding down Operation Metro Surge.
After a contentious start to the investigation into Alex Pretti's death, his family feels true justice starts with both the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension working together.
The city of Minneapolis estimates it's losing $10 million to $20 million in revenue each week — with the Lake Street corridor in particular down $46 million in revenue between December 2025 and last month.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says it "remains committed" to working with the FBI and the Department of Justice on finding a joint path forward in the investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
Border czar Tom Homan says in the past month, 158 people have been arrested for impeding or assaulting federal officers, with 85 cases already accepted for prosecution.
Several sheriff's offices in Minnesota have what's called a 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Different models allow departments to help enforce ICE operations and to serve warrants on people inside their jails. Crow Wing County has both.
Border czar Tom Homan says in the past month, 158 people have been arrested for impeding or assaulting federal officers, with 85 cases already accepted for prosecution.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations aren't only happening in the Twin Cities. Federal agents are also working in smaller towns, and in some, seeing similar resistance from the community.
The Crow Wing County Jail started accepting ICE detainees in November 2025. The county sheriff, Eric Klang, says that oftentimes they're brought in a few at a time.
Community leaders in St. Cloud, Minnesota, say federal agents have detained at least 10 Somali people there and arrested several more during protests. One man says he was arrested and released, only to be arrested again.
John Lauritsen shares the story behind a massive snow sculpture that's now become a winter destination.
A jury has found a Wisconsin man guilty of forging threats against President Donald Trump in an attempt to get a witness against him deported.
Minnesota and Wisconsin are among the 11 states reporting their first measles cases of 2026.
Hundreds of schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin have closed or shifted to virtual learning on Friday amid dangerous cold.
A Wisconsin man accused of sending the state Supreme Court's chief justice intimidating emails has been sentenced to probation.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations aren't only happening in the Twin Cities. Federal agents are also working in smaller towns, and in some, seeing similar resistance from the community.
While Operation Metro Surge continues in the Twin Cities, Minnesota's farm country is also feeling the impact. The major concerns for farmers and the trickle-down effect it could have on consumers.
Minnesota's governor spoke out Sunday afternoon following the shooting death of Alex Pretti by federal immigration enforcement agents. "What's the plan, Donald Trump? What is the plan?" Walz said. "Fear, violence and chaos is what you wanted from us, and you clearly underestimated the people of this state and nation."
A marching protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis Friday afternoon happened as a widespread work stoppage across Minnesota, as organizers called for a day of no work, no school and no shopping.
"When you come to our church, you see Muslims, Christians, Catholics, atheists, LGBT community, everybody with one purpose: helping the neighbor, loving your neighbor as yourself," said Pastor Sergio Amezcua
The Minneapolis Lake Street Council alone says they’ve lost $46 million in revenue since December, and are pleading with community members to spend money at local shops and restaurants.
Several Twin Cities small businesses say Operation Metro Surge has cost them millions of dollars in revenue. Now, they're asking for the community’s help.
The Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee is requesting records related to firms partially owned by the husband of Rep. Ilhan Omar.
For many immigrant families in Minnesota, sending a child to school each day requires faith that one of the thousands of federal immigration officers deployed around the state won't detain them.
Public health officials say a measles crisis has long been brewing in Minnesota.
Amid ongoing immigration operations in Minnesota, a local company is filling a desperate need for on-demand legal help.
Outside the governor's mansion in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Friday, demonstrators, including many students and teachers, pleaded for Gov. Tim Walz to enact an immediate eviction moratorium to help families impacted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge.
It's part of broader protests calling on the Minneapolis-based retailer to respond more directly to immigration enforcement.
While Operation Metro Surge continues in the Twin Cities, Minnesota's farm country is also feeling the impact. The major concerns for farmers and the trickle-down effect it could have on consumers.
For Minister JaNae Bates Imari, Co-executive director of ISAIAH — a progressive, multi-faith non-profit — it's an idea that was set into motion weeks ago.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says it "remains committed" to working with the FBI and the Department of Justice on finding a joint path forward in the investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
Border czar Tom Homan says in the past month, 158 people have been arrested for impeding or assaulting federal officers, with 85 cases already accepted for prosecution.
Lang posted a video to social media of him kicking the newly-installed sculpture that reads "prosecute ICE."
Investigators have no proof that the missing mother of "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie is still alive but are holding out hope she is "still out there," the sheriff said.
What does community safety look like with thousands of federal agents on Minneapolis streets? WCCO sat down with Todd Barnette, the city's community safety commissioner, to hear how the city is handling the surge of federal agents.
Public health officials say a measles crisis has long been brewing in Minnesota.
Patients in Minnesota are canceling appointments and deferring critical health care needs because of fear of immigration enforcement as the federal crackdown continues, doctors say.
Children's Minnesota announced Tuesday it plans to pause some gender-affirming care for children amid "threats" from the federal government.
Nurses in Minneapolis doubted federal immigration officers' claims about a Mexican immigrant's severe injuries.
Minnesota and Wisconsin are among the 11 states reporting their first measles cases of 2026.
Bad Bunny says he wants to bring his culture to his 2026 Super Bowl halftime show Sunday.
Renowned comedian Dave Chappelle is set to return to the Twin Cities later this month to perform and "show a stand with a community at the center of events that should unite all Americans," show organizers said Monday.
Complete closure of the performing arts center in Washington, D.C., will start on July 4, Mr. Trump said. It's not yet clear how extensive the changes to the building might be.
Music's biggest night returned Sunday with the 68th annual Grammy Awards. Here is how to watch and stream and what to know.
In 1971, Demond Wilson appeared on an episode of "All in the Family," a role that led him to land a lead part in "Sanford and Son."
Veteran point guard Mike Conley is expected to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves after being traded twice this week, NBA insider Shams Charania reports.
Minnesota United FC is adding an international star to its roster.
The small town of Warroad, Minnesota, has had an outsized impact on the history of hockey in the U.S. The inclusion of Brock Nelson on the men's Olympic team this year makes eight players from Warroad to go to the Winter Games.
The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are underway after the lighting of the Olympic cauldrons and the Parade of Nations at the opening ceremony.
Grace Grocholski scored 21 points, Mara Braun added 16 and Minnesota beat No. 10 Iowa 91-85 on Thursday night for its fifth straight victory.
The state of Minnesota is vowing to continue the legal battle after it and 12 cities were denied a temporary restraining order that would have shut down Operation Metro Surge.
The state of Minnesota is vowing to continue the legal battle after it and 12 cities, including St Paul and Minneapolis, were denied a temporary restraining order that would have shut down Operation Metro Surge.
While Operation Metro Surge continues in the Twin Cities, Minnesota's farm country is also feeling the impact. The major concerns for farmers and the trickle-down effect it could have on consumers.
While Operation Metro Surge continues in the Twin Cities, Minnesota's farm country is also feeling the impact. The major concerns for farmers and the trickle-down effect it could have on consumers.
While Operation Metro Surge continues in the Twin Cities, Minnesota's farm country is also feeling the impact. The major concerns for farmers and the trickle down effect it could have on consumers.
John Lauritsen shares the story behind a massive snow sculpture that's now become a winter destination.
Northland Arboretum was built half a century ago on top of what was once a city dump. But over time, nature carved its own path with a little help from a Zamboni.
St. James is a smaller town with a main street and a railroad running though. But inside a local building, the main street and the railroad are even smaller.
On Dec. 9, 1965, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" debuted on CBS, and it became an instant classic. Lee Jenkins' home is proof that the show is still a hit six decades later.
Holiday lights are on full display across the state right now, and just south of the Twin Cities you'll find a Christmas light show that's been around for more than half a century.
According to the Police Executive Research Firm, 82% of police departments in the United States equip officers with body cameras. That number comes from 2023, meaning it could be even higher by now.
With the new $2,600 stipend, DHS said the cost of a single self-deportation is $5,100. That's significantly less than the cost to arrest, detain and deport an undocumented immigrant, which DHS said costs more than $18,000.
It might be hard to believe, but it's gotten warmer outside over the past few days. The temperature is creeping above zero during the day, but the wind chill remains dangerously low. So, how is wind chill calculated?
Minnesota gun rights are in the spotlight after U.S. Border Patrol agents shot and killed a lawful gun carrier over the weekend.
It's a saying Minnesotans and Wisconsinites know well: "There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing." The problem is that even proper clothing might not be enough to withstand the bitter chill headed for the bold north.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new food, drinks and vendors for 2025.
A suspect was taken into custody after an attack on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder on June 1 in which there were 15 people and a dog who were victims. The suspect threw Molotov cocktails that burned some of the victims, who were part of a march for Israeli hostages.
NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer says the temperature in the Twin Cities could hit 41 degrees on Monday. Temps are expected to be in the 30s throughout the rest of next week.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
Saturday will be breezy in the Twin Cities with a high temperature of 26 degrees, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.
Saturday will be breezy and cooler, then things will warm back up.
Temps are set to fall into the teens by the evening due to gusty winds from the north.
NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer says the temperature in the Twin Cities could hit 41 degrees on Monday. Temps are expected to be in the 30s throughout the rest of next week.
Residents of Minneapolis' Cedar-Riverside neighborhood returned to their apartment units on Friday following a sudden flood to find loss, damage and community support.
Two Democratic congresspeople who represent parts of Minnesota said the Department of Homeland Security on Friday wouldn't let them into the Whipple federal building to check on conditions where federal officials hold immigrants and others. A third Democratic lawmaker was allowed inside. Laurie Perez reports.
Documents from the Minneapolis Police Department and Minneapolis Fire Department shared with WCCO on Friday reveal some of what happened in the moments after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
Thousands of people oppose U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by driving around every single day looking for agents. They consider it their job to stop arrests when they can. Advocacy groups say they've trained tens of thousands of people on how to do it safely and legally. Some of those observers have been arrested, or, in the case of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, killed. Conor Wight hopped into the backseat with some observers to show us how they operate.