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If you have walked on a trail or swam in a lake in Minnesota you've benefited from the environmental natural resources trust fund. The fund was designed decades ago using funds from the state lottery.
The DFL monopoly on power in St. Paul is coming to an end. Democrats kept control of the Minnesota Senate with Ann John Stewart winning the only state Senate race on the ballot.
Control of the Minnesota House is still up in the air as Republicans were able to flip three seats and several other races could head towards a recount.
All 134 seats in the chamber are on the ballot this fall. But only about a dozen — like District 48B covering all of Chanhassen and parts of Chaska — are competitive. Roughly half of those are in the Twin Cities metro.
The race for president gets the majority of the attention as we race towards Election Day, but Minnesota could be in for some major changes on a state level, too. Democrats currently control the Minnesota House 70 seats to 64. But Republicans only need to secure 68 seats this election to take control back. As our Caroline Cummings reports, that's going to come down to just a handful of races.
In a rare special election this November, just one seat will decide the balance of power in the state Senate and decide whether DFL priorities keep getting the green light.
The move comes after the Minnesota Star Tribune published previously unreported court filings detailing several accusations against Rep. Jeff Dotseth, R-Kettle River, who is seeking a second term in the legislature.
Democrats in control of the state capitol have pushed for insurance mandates so IVF and other fertility treatments are included in health plans.
After a historic 2023 legislature session, Minnesota Republicans have their eyes on breaking up the Democratic trifecta at the Capitol. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy looks at the battle for the Minnesota House and why it could impact our lives.
Several new laws take effect in Minnesota Monday, including a fee on some retail deliveries to help fund transportation systems.
It will soon become a felony to buy a gun for someone else not legally allowed to have one — known as a straw purchase — under a new law effective Aug. 1.
Gun safety advocates are celebrating what they see as a win for Minnesota communities. State lawmakers approved tougher penalties for people who buy guns for others who are not allowed to have them. That's known as a straw purchase. Caroline Cummings reports on what you need to know.
Though the session ended in controversy, the legislature did pass some impactful policies. Rep. Melissa Hortman discusses those laws.
Drive too fast in Minneapolis and you may get a speeding ticket — not from a cop, but a camera. The state legislature this year created a new lane for the city to test drive how they work.
A new Minnesota law is considered a win-win for people in search of a job and those in search of workers.
The Minnesota Legislature finished its work on Sunday with a chaotic close as lawmakers raced against the clock.
Sunday evening was a grim one at the Minnesota State Capitol, with lawmakers engaging in shouting matches during the final moments of the 2024 legislative session. But amid the chaos was a rare moment of bipartisan jubilation.
The 2024 legislative session ended in chaos. Lawmakers in both the house and senate found themselves in a shouting match in the final hours.
The Minnesota Legislature ended its work for the 2024 session Sunday with a chaotic finale, as political tensions erupted over a last-minute decision by Democrats to put their unfinished priorities into one bill to get them across the finish line.
The Minnesota Legislature ended its work for the 2024 session Sunday with a chaotic finale, as political tensions erupted over a last-minute decision by Democrats to put their unfinished priorities into one bill to get them across the finish line.
After delays due to prolonged debates on other legislation, the Minnesota House early Sunday approved an amendment that would enshrine equal rights in the state constitution, including protections for LGTBQ Minnesotans and abortion rights.
A large education policy package and a bill that would boost the annual minimum wage increase are on their way to Gov. Tim Walz's desk for signature after the state House approved the measures Wednesday.
It's crunch time at the state capitol where lawmakers have just days to finish. The constitution says it's all over next Monday. There's still a lot left to do. Caroline Cummings is at the capitol tracking it all.
As lawmakers in both chambers work to get as much done as possible before the deadline, one bill drew debate in the House.
The Minnesota Legislature has less than a week left to complete its work before lawmakers must adjourn next Monday and the desired to-do list from Democrats in charge is still long, despite the clock winding down.
Ashley Dyrdahl, federally charged with purchasing straw guns for Shannon Gooden, will change her plea to guilty.
State regulators denied two-thirds of the applications seeking one of the initial "preapproved" licenses to operate a cannabis business in Minnesota, a spokesperson for the Office of Cannabis Management said by email.
A woman was charged Tuesday with a fatal hit and run from July.
A former 3M scientist says she now believes executives knew PFAS were potentially harmful long before they shared that information.
Twin Cities Jewish leaders, including the mayor of Minneapolis, are calling for an event hosted by some of the city's teachers to be canceled.
A former 3M scientist says she now believes executives knew PFAS were potentially harmful long before they shared that information.
Twin Cities Jewish leaders, including the mayor of Minneapolis, are calling for an event hosted by some of the city's teachers to be canceled.
Two Minnesota dancers, Savannah Jackson and Lily Anderson, take center stage in the Nutcracker in New York.
After almost a decade of "Disney on Ice" performances, a Minnesota native is eagerly anticipating his first show at the Xcel Energy Center.
Roseville city officials say that more than 18,000 feet of copper wire was stolen.
A woman was charged Tuesday with a fatal hit and run from July.
Authorities in central Minnesota are asking for the public's help in finding a 17-year-old boy who has not been seen since April.
The Metropolitan Airports Commission, which owns and operates the airport, expects crowds to peak on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after.
WCCO weather alerts will help keep you in the loop when the weather takes a turn, with information regarding school closings.
It's starting to feel a little more like winter in Minnesota on the 20th day of November.
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.
Jennie-O turkey brand will display its float at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the fifth consecutive year.
Traffic is backed up on a major interstate in western Wisconsin Tuesday morning due to a crash.
A warm place to live may be taken for granted, but for a veteran taking over his family home, it's a gift.
Michael Fuller and Mahesh Mathew are finding purpose on Twin Cities running paths together.
One issue veterans face is finding a job after they finish their service. They have skills, of course, but they are not always valued as work experience. The University of Minnesota Medical School is hoping to change that.
Alan Vanhoever and Brian Neidt are honored to have served the United States. Both struggled with addiction for years before giving a specialized long-term program a try.
Retired Hugo Navy veteran Danial Daloia helps fellow veterans, first responders, health care professionals, dispatchers and more master the art form of woodworking. But it's more than that — to Daloia and his students, it's a form of therapy.
State regulators denied two-thirds of the applications seeking one of the initial "preapproved" licenses to operate a cannabis business in Minnesota, a spokesperson for the Office of Cannabis Management said by email.
If confirmed, this will be Russ Vought's second time as OMB director. He authored a chapter of Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for a GOP administration.
On Tuesday, Sherburne County officials announced that a hand recount will be done in the race for Minnesota House District 14B.
PFAS are forever chemicals used in everyday items like nonstick pans, dental floss and food packaging that can build up in our bodies and harm our health.
Linda McMahon is a co-chair of President-elect Donald Trump's transition team and was the Small Business Administrator in his first term.
"We literally walk in and dust off the jackets because they have been sitting for a while," she said.
Thieves capture radio signals from your key fob by using a device that grabs that fob's signal, even from long distances. That signal can be stored and re-used.
The price of housing in Minneapolis rose less over the last five years compared to other metro areas around the U.S.
The Wild also partnered with community food shelves to give out Turkeys this holiday season.
The Minneapolis City Council voted 9-3 in favor of a proposal on Thursday that establishes a citywide labor standards board, a move that worries some small business owners.
A woman was charged Tuesday with a fatal hit and run from July.
Roseville city officials say that more than 18,000 feet of copper wire was stolen.
Criminal charges have been dropped against two teenage brothers in connection to the fatal shooting of their 15-year-old cousin in Minneapolis this summer.
Police say an 18-year-old man is dead after he was shot on Tuesday night near Minneapolis' Little Earth of United Tribes housing area.
Police say at least five women have contacted investigators about a young man on an electric scooter who grabbed or tried to grab them
PFAS are forever chemicals used in everyday items like nonstick pans, dental floss and food packaging that can build up in our bodies and harm our health.
A new Minnesota state law requires school districts or charter schools to adopt a policy on the use of cellphones in school by March of next year. But one nonprofit has gotten a jump start, working with students to help them find a balance between devices in and out of school.
The Mayo Clinic says surgeons there successfully performed a face transplant for a Michigan man who was severely injured from a self-inflicted gunshot wound 10 years ago.
Lifting weights specifically helps strengthen bones, and in Ronnie Laitnen's case, slows down her chronic disease from developing.
Five Minnesotans have been infected with E. coli after eating organic carrots part of a nationwide recall.
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.
The much-hyped fight pitting the 58-year-old Tyson against Paul, 27, shattered records but was marred by tech glitches.
With the release of part one of her new memoir, Cher talks about her relationship - on stage and off - with Sonny Bono, and why their TV partnership survived beyond their marriage.
Betty White will be honored with a stamp in 2025, the U.S. Postal Service announced on Friday.
Parker Fox scored 16 points off the bench to spark Minnesota to a 58-47 win over Cleveland State.
Kirill Kaprizov scored a pair of third-period goals, and Jonas Brodin and Ryan Hartman also scored to help the Minnesota Wild beat the St. Louis Blues 4-2 on Tuesday night.
The Minnesota Vikings have been hounding quarterbacks all season and often without any extra help.
Lifting weights specifically helps strengthen bones, and in Ronnie Laitnen's case, slows down her chronic disease from developing.
The Minnesota Wild (8-3-3) are one of the top teams in the league right now thanks, in part, to a great goalie tandem and one of the league's top stars.
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.
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.
In this edition of Finding Minnesota, John Lauritsen takes us through the long history and evolution of the Goldy Gopher mascot.
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.
Grabbing a TV for a steal-of-a-deal is a popular move during the holiday season. This year, industry experts are expecting shoppers to go big — like really big.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is expected to have a spot in the Trump administration, feels fluoride can lead to a slew of health problems.
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.
We saw our first snow fall today, though our total is still below average for the month of November. We stay in the low 30s as we head into the overnight hours and hit the upper 30s by Thursday afternoon. There is another chance for snow in our future. WCCO chief meteorologist Chris Shaffer breaks everything down.
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 (snowy) forecast.
The Twin Cities saw roughly a tenth of an inch of snow on Wednesday.
Snow will move out of Minnesota by early Thursday, but the cold's not going anywhere.
We saw our first snow fall today, though our total is still below average for the month of November. We stay in the low 30s as we head into the overnight hours and hit the upper 30s by Thursday afternoon. There is another chance for snow in our future. WCCO chief meteorologist Chris Shaffer breaks everything down.
Documents released in 3M's 2018 settlement with the state of Minnesota reveal results from flourochemical testing on animals.
Robbinsdale schools are facing a huge budget shortfall. Parents demanded answers at a meeting Wednesday night.
New video shows South St. Paul officers rescuing a woman from her home after it caught fire.
Ashley Dyrdahl, who was indicted for straw gun purchases, will change her plea to guilty in December.