Minn. Woman Sits With First Lady At State Of The Union
A Twin Cities woman was President Obama's guest at the State of the Union address Tuesday night. Rebekah Erler wrote the president last year about how tough the economy has been on her family.
A Twin Cities woman was President Obama's guest at the State of the Union address Tuesday night. Rebekah Erler wrote the president last year about how tough the economy has been on her family.
Since 1960, it's been an unstoppable population shift, and a new study from the Center for Rural Policy and Development shows a 50-year migration from rural Minnesota to the urban corridor stretching from St. Cloud through the Twin Cities and Rochester.
Minnesota lawmakers opened hearings Thursday on a bill to regulate how long police can keep computer images of your car and license plate. Police store tens of thousands of those images -- even if you haven't committed a crime.
Minnesota lawmakers are caught in a dust-up over office space at the State Capitol, and it's threatening to delay the massive Capitol restoration now underway. The three-year, $272 million project is on time and on budget. But the tenants in the new building -- including the governor, the Senate, the House and the attorney general -- cannot come to agreement over how much space they will control.
When Minnesota lawmakers returned to the State Capitol after the bruising 2014 election campaign, Tina Smith was outside their offices to greet them.
Minnesota lawmakers are moving quickly to overhaul the state's child protection system.
Minnesota lawmakers kicked off the new session Thursday with a sweeping package of unusual legislative priorities.
An interesting new idea from some Minnesota lawmakers this year: Cancel next year's legislative session. The "No Session 2016" movement began the first hour of the first day of the 2015 legislature, when top leaders revealed that they're talking about it.
Members of the newly-elected Minnesota House took the oath of office in a major construction zone Tuesday. The Capitol is shrouded in scaffolding. Lawmakers and their families navigated closed-off hallways and long elevator lines to open the session. The new Republican majority selected Rep. Kurt Daudt as the powerful house speaker.
The U.S. Government said Tuesday the nation's economy grew at a whopping 5 percent annual rate last summer. That's the fastest growth since 2003, including jobs coming back to the Midwest.
The widow of "American Sniper" Chris Kyle says she'll have to pay lawsuit damages to former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura out of her own pocket. Ventura won the lawsuit in July after he claimed he was defamed by Kyle's book. Taya Kyle says she's on the hook for most of the $1.8 million in damages awarded to the former Minnesota governor.
The Minnesota State Capitol restoration makes the building look the way it did more than 100 years ago, when Minnesota's best craftsmen built its most visible public landmark. But this project is repairing a century of cover-ups and patch-overs. Project Manager Jason McMillan showed us skylights hidden for decades above false ceilings.
The new Vikings stadium has 200,000 square feet of glass as part of its iconic design. Glass fabrication is well under way, with installation beginning in February. But officials overseeing construction of the billion-dollar facility met last week with bird advocates and the Vikings at 3M headquarters in Maplewood, telling lawmakers they asked the company if it could develop a new 3M adhesive film to cover the glass.
Minnesota joins 32 other states with policies for transgender athletes on high school sports teams. But that doesn't make it any less controversial. Minnesota transgender students can choose a sports team if parents and health care professionals can prove their gender-related identity. Students don't need proof of sex-change surgery or hormone therapy.
Talk of tax cuts has followed word that Minnesota's budget will run up a $1 billion surplus. Top Democrats and Republicans separately raised the prospect Thursday of giving tax breaks with a portion of the surplus. The first dose could come soon in the next session as lawmakers weigh whether to match up Minnesota's deductions and credits more closely with those at the federal level.
AAA is forecasting more travelers will hit the road this Thanksgiving than at any time since 2007.
The final election results are in: Minnesota had its lowest voter turnout since 1986. The state canvassing board officially certified the 2014 voter turnout at 50.5 percent. It's one of the last official acts for Secretary of State Mark Ritchie.
Shashi Chopra sat at her kitchen table, surrounded by her husband, and two children, and cried a little as she recalled that accident in March of 2013.
The Minnesota Vikings are putting more money into the new stadium under construction in downtown Minneapolis. The Vikes are adding another $647,000 for stadium extras, from sideline seating to food concessions. The latest upgrades include upgrading the team's locker room, expanding cooking and concession areas and adding end-zone seating areas it calls "Red Zone Mini-Suites."
The executive director of Minnesota's health insurance exchange says a mostly problem-free weekend rollout netted more than 500 enrollees.
Connie Grover has been in the bar-and-restaurant business for more than 30 years. So she's accustomed to sudden change. But she was stunned to get a letter from PreferredOne saying her monthly insurance rates are going up 160 percent. "I couldn't believe how high the rate went," Grover said. "I just couldn't believe it."
An audit of MNsure found Minnesota's Human Services Department made multiple mistakes verifying who's eligible for which public health program. Legislative Auditor James Nobles said human services got it wrong at least 17 percent of the time. "We spent a lot of money, taken quite a bit of time now and we ought to be at a point where they can get it right -- all the time, on every case," Nobles said.
Minnesota honored its veterans with a special state program Tuesday in Inver Grove Heights. State military leaders honored Minnesota's 370,000 veterans, including 26,000 who were deployed for extended periods of time after 9/11.
Six months after winning a bid to host the 2018 Super Bowl, Minnesota is making a bid for the NCAA Final four. Minnesota is one of eight locations competing for a Final Four between 2017 and 2020.
Minnesota lawmakers next year are preparing again to take up the issue of Sunday liquor sales. Minnesota is one of only 12 states that require liquor stores to be closed on Sundays. And many Minnesota consumers cross the border to Wisconsin, where Sunday sales are legal.
President Biden announced Sunday he is dropping his reelection bid in the 2024 presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.
Bodycam video of the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey was released Monday afternoon. The video shows the chaotic scene after a sheriff's deputy shot Massey, who is Black, in the face during a tense moment over a pot of water in her home.
Police are investigating after a driver in northern Minnesota hit two pedestrians who were walking on a highway early Monday morning.
Shop deals on laptops that'll save you hundreds on popular brands like Asus, Acer, Razer and more.
Discover some of the best portable monitors that can be used with your MacBook or Windows laptop computer.
City and community leaders in Minneapolis on Monday detailed an ordinance that they hope will reduce the amount of hazardous vacant buildings.
Police said they have "limited information" about what happened, but they are investigating.
Flight cancellations and delays continue at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Monday, several days after global technology outages brought major disruptions to the airline industry.
A North Carolina woman is still trying to get home after last week's CrowdStrike outage waylaid her at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Authorities suspect several garbage fires on Minneapolis' West Lake Street Monday morning were intentionally set.
Police are investigating after a driver in northern Minnesota hit two pedestrians who were walking on a highway early Monday morning.
A standoff with an allegedly armed suspect in southern Minnesota shut down traffic on Interstate 35 for hours Sunday afternoon.
Top leaders from Minnesota are reacting to President Biden's decision to step down from his reelection bid and Gov. Tim Walz is throwing his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
The Sauk Rapids Police Department says it responded to a report of a dead man in Lions Park shortly before 7 a.m.
The train, which was carrying consumer goods, derailed around 3:15 a.m.
The Dunn County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened around 10:46 a.m. at 710th Street and 240th Avenue in Spring Brook.
A group of farmers is changing how they use their land by working with nature to improve their animal's health, along with the soil and water.
A faculty committee has recommended that a former chancellor of the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse be removed from his tenured position over his involvement in adult entertainment.
"I was like, okay we got to do something about this. We have to write a story that actually talks about what it's like to have a disability and that you are just a normal person," said writer Katie Mettner.
There may be no better cultural ambassador for Wisconsin than Charlie Berens.
City and community leaders in Minneapolis on Monday detailed an ordinance that they hope will reduce the amount of hazardous vacant buildings.
Lisa Ishchenko is in the U.S. for the first time – away from her family, away from her life as a medical student, away from the war that still makes itself known daily in her home country of Ukraine.
The Minnesota Vikings are sponsoring girls flag football leagues across the state in an effort to give everyone a chance to play the game.
Spike Moss spent decades fighting for his community, much of that time along Plymouth Avenue.
Veterans who had been living on the street now have a new home in St. Paul as part of the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans' effort to end homelessness.
President Biden announced Sunday he is dropping his reelection bid in the 2024 presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle repeatedly refused to answer questions about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, enraging lawmakers.
President Biden dropped out of the 2024 race on Sunday and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination.
There has been so much attention on the developments with the presidential candidates that some local races have not gotten as much attention.
There has been so much attention on the developments in the presidential candidates that some local races have not gotten as much attention. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is running for her fourth term in the US Senate. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy looks at the unusual journey Republicans are taking to find the opponent to run against her.
A North Carolina woman is still trying to get home after last week's CrowdStrike outage waylaid her at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
The global Microsoft outage is causing mass flight cancellations and delays nationwide Friday, including at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Whether you plan to hit the water, savor the treats or maybe just stay indoors, Minnesotans are in for a hot summer weekend.
A 2019 blue Hyundai Elantra has given Erin Walters the freedom to travel across the country. That all changed a week ago after she tried renewing her car insurance with State Farm and was denied.
A recent study shows that Minnesota is ranked sixth in the nation for business, with high marks coming from areas judging the state's competitiveness, workforce, infrastructure, economy, quality of life and business friendliness.
Bodycam video of the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey was released Monday afternoon. The video shows the chaotic scene after a sheriff's deputy shot Massey, who is Black, in the face during a tense moment over a pot of water in her home.
Police said they have "limited information" about what happened, but they are investigating.
Authorities suspect several garbage fires on Minneapolis' West Lake Street Monday morning were intentionally set.
A standoff with an allegedly armed suspect in southern Minnesota shut down traffic on Interstate 35 for hours Sunday afternoon.
Children's Hospital reported that a 5-month-old child had unexplained bruising and they believed the abuse occurred at Small World Daycare Center in Blaine.
For two years, three simple numbers have helped countless people struggling with mental health: 988, the national suicide prevention lifeline abbreviated from its original 10 digits to three.
An anti-abortion group in South Dakota is appealing a judge's dismissal of its lawsuit to remove an abortion rights initiative from the November ballot.
Minnesota health care systems are working to recover after a technical outage overnight caused Microsoft systems to go down globally.
Energy drinks have been around since the 1940s, and in recent years, they've become all the buzz — especially with young people. But studies have shown they may not be as popular with our hearts.
Across three-quarters of a century, the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation has treated hundreds of thousands of people with addiction.
Organizers were looking for a new location that had the infrastructure to host the festival and support its growth.
Bob Newhart, who starred in the long-running sitcoms "The Bob Newhart Show" and "Newhart," has died at age 94.
From major floods to a major festival — work is underway to transform St. Paul's Harriet Island into an oasis for festivalgoers.
Minnesota's largest Black-sponsored festival will ring in its 42nd year this weekend with performances from two of hip hop's most legendary artists.
Nominations for the 76th annual Emmy Awards were announced Wednesday, with "Shōgun," "The Bear," "Hacks," "Only Murders in the Building" and "Baby Reindeer" all earning multiple major nods. See the full list of nominees for the 2024 ceremony here.
Training camp is typically a buzzy, hopeful time of year for an NFL team, but for the Minnesota Vikings, the kickoff to camp took a more somber tone Monday.
Adrian Beltré, Joe Mauer, Todd Helton and Jim Leyland have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Rhys Hoskins hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning and rookie Jackson Chourio homered and drove in three runs to lift the Milwaukee Brewers to a two-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins with an 8-7 win at Target Field.
Joey Ortiz hit the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the 12th inning after hustling home for the go-ahead run in the 11th to give the Milwaukee Brewers a spark out of the All-Star break in an 8-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
Minnesota United used a first-half own goal and a second-half score by Bongokuhle Hlongwane to snap a nine-match winless streak with a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes.
There has been so much attention on the developments with the presidential candidates that some local races have not gotten as much attention.
There has been so much attention on the developments in the presidential candidates that some local races have not gotten as much attention. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is running for her fourth term in the US Senate. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy looks at the unusual journey Republicans are taking to find the opponent to run against her.
A presidential race like no other seems like a farfetched fiction novel after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy explores the future of the race amid calls for unity and Trump's gaining momentum in Democratic stronghold states.
A presidential race like no other seems like a farfetched fiction novel after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy explores the future of the race amid calls for unity and Trump's gaining momentum in Democratic stronghold states.
A presidential race like no other seems like a farfetched fiction novel after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy explores the future of the race amid calls for unity and Trump's gaining momentum in Democratic stronghold states.
Instead of watching old, classic cars leave the state, a museum in Wright County is trying to keep them around at the Veit Museum near Buffalo.
When Belgian immigrants settled in Ghent, they brought along rolle bolle — a sport that's sort of a cross between curling and lawn bowling — but you don't play with a ball, you play with a bolle.
The town of Remer is surrounded by hundreds of acres of woods and marshes. A perfect place for squirrels, deer, bears and maybe even Bigfoot.
Native Americans, Swedish immigrants and even cattle thieves have all taken shelter in a little spot along the St. Croix River.
Claws, scales, teeth and tails: There's a place in Medford where alligators and snakes have taken over.
Energy drinks have been around since the 1940s, and in recent years, they've become all the buzz — especially with young people. But studies have shown they may not be as popular with our hearts.
The sounds of summer wouldn't be complete without the familiar tune of mosquitoes buzzing. But did you ever wonder: Why do mosquitoes buzz? Good Question.
The funny bone is anything but funny. So why does it hurt so bad when it gets hit? It turns out there's a "humerus" answer.
It's an age-old question that's been studied for years: When is the best time to exercise? Good Question.
Summer projects around the house are a staple of the season. Figuring out which ones to tackle yourself versus hiring a professional can be tough for beginners.
The Minnesota State Fair has announced its new offerings for 2024, and they include plenty of fried foods, plenty of dairy, and plenty of sweet corn. See the full roster of new items here.
Thousands lined the streets of Hennepin Avenue on Sunday for the Twin Cities Pride Parade.
Many Minnesotans will be cleaning up Thursday from a storm system that brought sizable hail, heavy winds and possible tornado touchdowns.
Minnesotans were delighted by an otherworldly light show Friday night that was on a level the state hadn't seen in nearly two decades.
Many Minnesotans were treated to a stunning double rainbow on Thursday.
WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows shares the latest forecast for the Twin Cities, which includes a potential return to 90 degrees this coming weekend.
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.
We’ll be dealing with pop-up storms for the next couple of days, but things improve by midweek.
Expect pop-up storms on Monday in the afternoon and evening hours, with spells of sunshine and clouds as well.
Things will stay unsettled for the next couple of days before more favorable weather returns.
Erin Hassanzadeh has the latest headlines.
The average American has 12 days of vacation time to work with per year, and in many cases, leaves a few days on the table.
A man may not survive after being stabbed in downtown Minneapolis late Sunday night, police said. The stabbing occurred just before 11 p.m. on the 1300 block of Nicollet Mall, the Minneapolis Police Department said. The man was hospitalized with a life-threatening wound.
WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows shares the latest forecast for the Twin Cities, which includes a potential return to 90 degrees this coming weekend.
Top leaders from Minnesota are reacting to President Biden's decision to step down from his reelection bid and Gov. Tim Walz is throwing his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.