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It's that time of year when we might not even be able to see the real color of our car. When that familiar shade of dirty whitish-grey appears, it seems the cars themselves are screaming for a soapy brush. Nick Burlow, owner of Isles Auto Repair, says it's probably not a bad idea to wash your vehicle at least once a week.
Sara from Bloomington, Katie from Savage and Elisabeth from Owatonna asked: Why do we decorate with lights at Christmas?
During the holidays, many of us thank the people who have helped us throughout the year. According to a Consumer Reports survey from the 2011 holiday season, a little less than half of Americans tip during the holidays -- sometimes, it's with cash, gift cards, home-baked cookies and gifts.
Christmas is one week away, but the National Retail Federation says about half of us haven't finished our shopping and 14 percent haven't even started. "I'm just lazy," said Mohammed Abdelfathah of Fridley. "I say I'll do it in another hour, then another hour, then tomorrow."
We know Christmas must be close when we see poinsettias decorating offices, public spaces and homes. "I like them because they're pretty and last long," said 8-year-old Abby, who was buying one for herself and one for her mother at Bachman's on Tuesday night.
The new Weather Watcher sign atop the WCCO building has been alerting TV viewers and passersby to changes in the air since the day after Thanksgiving. That has prompted several Good Questions from WCCO viewers, including one from 10-year-old Alex of Glenwood City, Wis. He wanted to know: How do we decide when to change the color? For example, flurries were in the forecast for Monday night, but warmer weather is on the way. The Weather Watcher was shining red. "I was watching the news and it was showing red on the thing, and I looked at it and said snow is coming, too," Alex said.
There's no denying winter has arrived in Minnesota. Many of us have sent us questions about our recent blast of frigid air this week. So we thought we'd answer your cold weather Good Questions in this week's Reply All.
Every holiday season, thousands of Minnesotans will eat lutefisk dinners in church basements, restaurants and VFW posts across the state. On Friday night, Minneapolis' Mount Olivet Church will hold one of the largest in the state with 1,600 people.
Among our weapons to fight winter is an ingredient that's also on our kitchen table. Salt gets rid of the slick spots on our driveways and sidewalks. But how does salt melt ice? Good Question.
We all know Minnesota winters aren't easy, especially driving through all the ice and snow. This week's weather has reminded some of us it's time to change our tires. But who really needs snow tires? Good Question.
On CBS' 60 Minutes, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced a plan to deliver packages within 30 minutes by unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones. Amazon's "Prime Air' service could be used for packages which weigh less than five pounds, and can only be sent to destinations that are within 10 miles of an Amazon distribution center. Bezos said he hopes the service could be ready in four years. "I know this looks like science fiction," Bezos said. "It's not." So, how realistic is this idea?
James from Apple Valley and Anna from Sartell wanted to know: When did Black Friday start? According to BlackFriday.com, the term "Black Friday" was coined back in the 1960s, but it was really 1924 - the first year of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - that the day after Thanksgiving became the unofficial start to the Christmas shopping season. Early on, when the term was coined in 1961, it had a negative connotation because Philadelphia Police used it to describe the traffic jams and clogged sidewalks of that day. But, by the 1980s, the idea of the Friday after Thanksgiving putting the retailers back in the black (or profitable) started to take hold.
Thirty-one years ago on Thanksgiving Day, a massive fire in downtown Minneapolis robbed the Northwestern National Bank of its iconic weather ball. But on Friday, a new twist on the weather ball concept was shining over Nicollet Mall.
f turkey sandwiches, turkey soup and turkey a la king are on your menu over weekend, it's good to know long it's safe to eat Thanksgiving leftovers.
After all of the Thanksgiving cooking comes the cleaning as garbage disposals get a major workout. "The day after Thanksgiving is usually our biggest day for drains, especially kitchen sinks," said Jason Kuehn, a plumber with Dean's Professional Plumbing and Heating.
If you were to listen to the headlines, "Nature threatens holiday happiness," you wouldn't be crazy to think no one will be getting home for the holidays.
Imagine having to dress up an almost five-million-square foot space for the holidays! The daunting task is a reality for Brett Baudette, design manager at MOA. He says they "kick in to holiday gear" in mid-September, contracting out to about 100 workers who normally build inside the stores. "It's a team of construction workers," Baudette said. "It's kind of a fun change for them." They'll spend $250,000 on new decorations and labor, with most of the work executed in the middle of the night.
Caroline Kennedy was sworn in as the ambassador to Japan on Tuesday. So, that had Wendy from Eagan wondering: What does being an ambassador entail? According to the U.S. State Department, a U.S. ambassador is the president's highest-ranking representative to another country. That person's main role is to coordinate the Foreign Service office and the staff that serves under him or her. An ambassador is nominated by the president, but must be approved by the Senate. Some ambassadors are long-time diplomats, and others have been political friends or allies. In this case, Caroline Kennedy is a well-known person from prominent political family who will fill a high-profile ambassadorship.
The rules for car and booster seats can be confusing for any parent. Car seat laws vary by state. So what are the car seat laws and how do you know when your child should switch from a car seat to a seatbelt? Good Question.
For the first time since 1888, the first day of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving will overlap. Experts say that might not happen again until 79,811.
"One of the principles of the Affordable Care Act is that everybody has good insurance," said Dan McLaughlin, director of the Center for Health and Medical Affairs at the University of St. Thomas. "When you start pulling apart the insurance, all of the sudden you have inadequate insurance."
Every year, the average American family spends more than $100 on energy costs to power appliances that have been turned off. These "vampire appliances" - like televisions, cable boxes, DVD players, etc. - continue to use power once we turn off the power switch. According to the Department of Energy, this vampire power accounts for 4 to 5 percent of the energy use in a home. As is the case with almost all appliances, when we turn something "off," it's still usually "on" in standby mode.
Every fall, we have to do something with the leaves that cover our yards. That's so the grass can freeze, we prevent snow mold and make sure little critters can't destroy our lawns.
Whether it's at work or in our personal lives, it seems some people just tend to get sick more often than others. Most of us work with someone who's never taken a sick day, while others use all of them up every year.
The Minnesota Wild has a brand new Zamboni – it's first new ice resurfacer in 14 years. It'll be a few weeks before the 8,620 pound machine is in "game shape," but that had us wondering: how do Zambonis work?
Rep. Dean Phillips speaks to WCCO about his thoughts on the 2024 presidential election.
The preliminary investigation into what happened to 20 ballots unaccounted for in the closest state House race in Minnesota were likely thrown away and won't be recovered, the Scott County attorney said Wednesday.
More than 80% of what's on the shelves comes from outside the U.S.
Wild turkeys are serving up trouble for Minneapolis mail carriers.
Xcel Energy is in the early stages of planning a 5,000-acre solar energy project in the eastern part of St. Croix County.
The preliminary investigation into what happened to 20 ballots unaccounted for in the closest state House race in Minnesota were likely thrown away and won't be recovered, the Scott County attorney said Wednesday.
More than 80% of what's on the shelves comes from outside the U.S.
Wild turkeys are serving up trouble for Minneapolis mail carriers.
The Office of Cannabis Management says it will not add any additional delivery methods to the medical cannabis program in 2025.
A Minnesota Court of Appeals judge has overturned the murder conviction of a man accused of fatally shooting another man at a vigil in north Minneapolis three years ago.
The preliminary investigation into what happened to 20 ballots unaccounted for in the closest state House race in Minnesota were likely thrown away and won't be recovered, the Scott County attorney said Wednesday.
A Red Lake Department of Public Safety officer was one of two people killed in a crash in the northern Minnesota community Wednesday morning.
The preliminary investigation into what happened to 20 ballots unaccounted for in the closest state House race in Minnesota concluded that they were likely thrown away and won't be recovered, the Scott County attorney said Wednesday.
A woman is dead following an early morning crash Wednesday in northwestern Minnesota's Otter Tail County.
A man trying to remove a deer he hit from an eastern Minnesota roadway died after another driver struck him, authorities said.
Xcel Energy is in the early stages of planning a 5,000-acre solar energy project in the eastern part of St. Croix County.
Authorities are urging a Wisconsin man accused of faking his death and fleeing to Europe to come home and spend the holidays with his wife and three children.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is grappling with a case affecting whether the swing state's nonpartisan top elections official can remain in her post despite not being reappointed and confirmed by the state Senate.
Documents say Steven Williams resigned from the Prescott, Wisconsin police force "in lieu of termination."
An attorney representing a conservative prosecutor struggled Monday to convince Wisconsin's liberal-leaning Supreme Court to reactivate the state's 175-year-old abortion ban.
A Red Lake Department of Public Safety officer was one of two people killed in a crash in the northern Minnesota community Wednesday morning.
The cost of Thanksgiving dinner is still nearly 20% higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Union Gospel Mission is lightening the load by welcoming 10,000 families through their meal kit pick-up.
From the Twin Cities to the North Shore, here are the holiday tree lightings and parades in 2024 in the Twin Cities and in Greater Minnesota.
A group of young adults wants everyone, regardless of what suburb or rural area they live in, to know what it's really like to live in the heart of the city and to sometimes not have a place to live at all.
Inside Catholic Charities St Paul Opportunity Center, local physicians, surgeons, and lawyers gathered on Sunday to support people experiencing homelessness.
Rep. Dean Phillips speaks to WCCO about his thoughts on the 2024 presidential election.
The preliminary investigation into what happened to 20 ballots unaccounted for in the closest state House race in Minnesota were likely thrown away and won't be recovered, the Scott County attorney said Wednesday.
The preliminary investigation into what happened to 20 ballots unaccounted for in the closest state House race in Minnesota concluded that they were likely thrown away and won't be recovered, the Scott County attorney said Wednesday.
The preliminary investigation into what happened to 20 ballots unaccounted for in the closest state House race in Minnesota concluded that they were likely thrown away and won't be recovered, the Scott County attorney said Wednesday.
A new White House proposal would make costly weight loss drugs, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, accessible to millions more Americans — but it's unclear if the $35 billion proposal will go anywhere.
GasBuddy's Patrick De Haan says Canadian tariffs would mean Minnesotans will pay between 35 and 50 cents more per gallon for gas, depending on the season, because a majority of the state's crude oil comes from Canada.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the Sun Country is expecting to serve 82,000 passengers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Best Buy, the nation's largest consumer electronics chain, reported another quarterly drop in sales as Americans continued to tighten their purse strings on appliances and gadgets to focus on essentials.
The Minnesota State Fair is getting the jump on Black Friday again this year with a Tuesday-only flash sale on 2025 tickets.
The average price for a typical turkey is about $25 this year. That's 6% cheaper than last November.
A Minnesota Court of Appeals judge has overturned the murder conviction of a man accused of fatally shooting another man at a vigil in north Minneapolis three years ago.
The head of Minneapolis police says one of his officers "put his life on the line" while taking an armed felon into custody over the weekend.
A fight inside a Duluth high school on Tuesday left two police officers and a staff member injured.
Charges have been filed in an alleged attack that seriously wounded a teenage Fleet Farm worker in Minnesota over the weekend.
A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to more than two decades in prison after he robbed two women at gunpoint and stole from another.
A lawsuit filed in federal court last Friday seeks to nullify Minnesota's laws protecting access to abortion, arguing they violate the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
A case of active tuberculosis was confirmed at a high school south of the Twin Cities, but officials said there is "no further risk of exposure at the school."
Minnesota has completed its inventory of community water systems as part of its effort to eliminate lead pipes across the state.
Last year, Minnesota lawmakers passed new protections after a young woman testified about contamination in her community just before she died. Her sister is now carrying on the fight to protect other families.
The Minnesota Department of Health and the United States Department of Agriculture say they have confirmed a total of 15 cases of E. coli related illnesses in Minnesota.
One of the most successful computer games of all time is currently being developed by Apple as a forthcoming movie.
Chuck Woolery was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978.
English hyperpop artist Charli XCX will be coming to Minneapolis on April 26, 2025.
After almost a decade of "Disney On Ice" performances, a Minnesota native is eagerly anticipating his first show at the Xcel Energy Center.
Post Malone announced Tuesday that the "Big A** Stadium Tour" will come to U.S. Bank Stadium on May 20, 2025.
Meet a student athlete from Chisago Lakes with endless drive, despite a surprise diagnosis. Plus, Becker and Totino-Grace battled at U.S. Bank Stadium for the Class 4A championship.
As the Gopher volleyball team closes out their regular season this week, there's a question looming in the back of their minds: whether they'll be able to host the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament.
The Minnesota Vikings are signing recently released New York Giants quarterback and former first-round pick Daniel Jones.
Alperen Sengun had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, Fred VanVleet added 27 points and 11 assists, and the Houston Rockets pulled out a 117-111 overtime win against the Minnesota Timberwolves in an NBA Cup game.
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. has been placed on injured reserve after hurting his hamstring Sunday in a 30-27 overtime victory over the Chicago Bears.
In this election, Klobuchar faired much better than all other Senate Democrats — she won by a significantly larger margin.
For Democrats the postmortem continues on why Vice President Kamala Harris and her Running mate Governor Tim Walz performed more poorly with almost every demographic than Joe Biden did in 2020. In Minnesota, Senator Amy Klobuchar did much better than Harris with some of those same groups.
As Election Day nears, experts say voters in Wisconsin and other battleground states will decide the 2024 presidential election winner.
As Election Day nears, experts say voters in Wisconsin and other battleground states will decide the 2024 presidential election winner.
As Election Day nears, experts say voters in Wisconsin and other battleground states will decide the 2024 presidential election winner.
There are a lot of quirky town names in Minnesota: Embarrass, Nowthen, Clontarff, Kiester. But the people of Nimrod believe their name stands out from the rest.
Did you know that donkeys are fast, smart and can build life-long bonds with other animals and people? It's believed that donkeys are smarter than most dogs.
The Fitzgerald Theater is the oldest active theater in St. Paul — but is it also haunted?
Wisconsin bars are known for their pints and their patrons. About the last thing you'd expect to discover in such a place would be 55 feet of historic American artwork.
Did you know Minnesota has a real castle? Miller Castle, near Nisswa.
We're just over two weeks since Minnesota's deer opener and already hunters have harvested more than 123,000 of them using firearms. That could equal huge dollars for the state if they all took one extra step.
This holiday season, you might pull out a Betty Crocker cookbook to find a tried and true recipe.
Krueger is the third-generation owner of Krueger's Christmas Tree Farm. While he finds joy in knowing the evergreens will make a family happy, they might not realize the effort it took to reach these towering heights.
As President-elect Donald Trump fills out his cabinet, there's one department for which he's yet to announce a leader. That could be because he promised it wouldn't exist after taking office.
The tiny sensory organs that cover our tongue allow us to detect five basic tastes: sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami — which is a savory, rich or meaty flavor.
Regions Hospital and Children's Minnesota share photos of their tiniest patients dressed to the nines for Halloween.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Thursday night due to the arrival of a severe geomagnetic storm.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Monday night.
Storms ripped through parts of Minnesota and western Wisconsin on Thursday evening. There were several reports of tornadoes and trees were downed in the metro and beyond, including in Cottage Grove, Anoka, Champlin and Fridley.
A powerful thunderstorm tore through the grounds of the Minnesota State Fair on Monday night, delaying Tuesday's opening.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer has your latest forecast.
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.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer has your latest forecast.
Thanksgiving Day will bring scattered flurries and a big chill.
Scattered flurries are in the forecast for Thanksgiving, as well as a drop in temperatures.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer has your latest forecast.
A small town in northern Minnesota has garnered attention thanks in part to the town's unusual statues. WCCO's John Lauritsen has the story.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara talks about safety plans for the unofficial bar holiday, the night before Thanksgiving. WCCO's Ubah Ali has the story.
The preliminary investigation into what happened to 20 ballots unaccounted for in the closest state House race in Minnesota concluded that they were likely thrown away and won't be recovered, the Scott County attorney said Wednesday. WCCO's Frankie McLister has more.
WCCO's Caroline Cummings speaks with Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips in this full one-on-one interview.