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December marks the start of peak flu season. State Health officials warn every-day spots like grocery store are common places to pick up the virus. "Going to mall, going to store, going to church," said Doug Schultz of the Minnesota Health Department.
The southern half of Minnesota is under an air pollution advisory. Warmer temperatures, along with moisture and low winds, are causing fine particles to be trapped near the ground. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says it's unhealthy for people with respiratory health problems.
Influenza and respiratory illness is now widespread in Minnesota, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. According to MDH, during the week of Dec. 6 indicators showed the flu had spread to be considered widespread across the state.
State officials are reminding Minnesotans to sign up through the state's health insurance exchange by Dec. 15 to ensure they're covered at the start of the New Year. MNsure is preparing for a rush of web traffic ahead of the Monday deadline, increasing call center hours to handle consumers looking to avoid a lapse in coverage.
A Minnesota high school is feeling the full effects of the flu season, including the death of one of their classmates. According to her family, 17-year-old Shannon Zwanziger had been suffering from flu-like symptoms for about a week and had also been battling a severe sore throat. Her parents took her to a hospital as she was unable to eat or drink anything.
Minnesota has dropped from third to sixth in overall health, according to the latest edition of America's Health Rankings. However, the state still leads the nation in lowest rate of cardiovascular deaths.
A Twin Cities home health care agency says it has taken corrective steps following the death of a man who was in the care of one of its nurses.
A Twin Cities home health care provider is being accused of neglect after a patient died of malnutrition. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, a staff member of Interim Health Care of the Twin Cities allegedly neglected a patient who had a change in condition.
He's known as the guy who teaches work out classes in a Speedo, or as the maker of the Twin Cities Pride Parade's most outrageous float. But he's really just a perfect combination of his parents.
Winter is all fun and games…until after New Years' Eve.
People who use electronic cigarettes in Minneapolis will have to head outside. The city announced Friday that it's updating its Clean Indoor Act ordinance, banning the use of e-cigarettes in all indoor public places as well as places of employment.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is one of the better choices in the country for healthy eating options, according to a report released by Harvard University. The report says that nearly 70 percent of the airport's 70 food venues offer at least one cholesterol-free, plant-based, fiber-packed meal.
It's the time of year when the sick list can get long. The common cold, the flu and strep throat can leave businesses a bit understaffed. So over the course of the year, how much sick time do we take? The average American worker is given about eight to 10 days of sick leave a year, but most people only take between 3 and 6.
A cancer diagnosis usually means starting treatment right away. Fighting it as soon as possible offers the best chance to successfully get rid of it. But a Minnesota woman who found out she has thyroid cancer is waiting to get it treated. Zach and Teri Johnson always wanted twins. Their 3-year-old daughter, Scarlett, is pretty thrilled about the idea, too.
Ryan Suter missed his first game since signing with the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night, due to an illness. A day later, the Wild found out what that illness is. And it's an all-too familiar issue. "Yeah," Coach Mike Yeo said. "He's got the mumps."
The Works Museum in Bloomington is one of many offering volunteer opportunities for Xcel Energy's Day of Service.
Minnesota Hockey is putting on a youth tournament in honor of sports reporter and hockey lover Jessi Pierce. This December, the Jessi Pierce Community Cup will be held in St. Paul at Tria Rink.
A longtime family-run Thai restaurant in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, is picking up the pieces after an individual broke a window and tried to enter early Monday morning, but the owner says the incident won't drive them from the area.
A 43-year-old Hugo woman who pleaded guilty to making threats towards Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth was sentenced on Thursday.
The man who killed a grocery store employee in the Loring Park neighborhood of Minneapolis with a golf club in 2023 was found not guilty by reason of mental illness on Thursday.
Friday marks 25 years since 9/11, and a small Minnesota community has found a special way to honor the victims year-round.
WCCO is tracking everything you can go out and do 4 Your Weekend, including local festivals and the start of some fall activities.
It'll be a mostly sunny day Thursday with light winds, but the humidity starts to pick up Friday ahead of some scattered showers.
Built in 1886, the Prospect House was once a resort hotel. The third floor is preserved to show what the hotel looked like back then, but for Jay Johnson, the real history is in the basement.
The state's forest health consultant says severe drought can mute some colors and push trees to drop leaves early — or hold them later, depending on the species. Peak is still expected from late September through mid-October.
A $1.8 billion project to replace the Blatnik Bridge, which links Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin, is now underway.
An 18-year-old man has pleaded guilty to killing 10-year-old Lily Peters in Wisconsin four years ago. He was then given a life sentence with the possibility of extended supervision after 25 years.
A Wisconsin prosecutor says he will not file election bribery charges against billionaire Elon Musk even though the state's bipartisan elections commission said he likely broke state law.
A Wisconsin high school football player has died from injuries sustained during a game on Thursday night.
Dozens of cases of E. coli and salmonella in multiple states are linked to an alfalfa grower in Minnesota, health officials say.
The nonprofit opened its Twin Cities doors in 2010 and now runs a seven-woman operation out of a warehouse stocked entirely with what other Minnesotans gave away.
An Annandale, Minnesota, boy who survived overwhelming odds as a baby is once again facing a serious heart battle.
Zy'ire was diagnosed with bone cancer in his tibia, and throughout treatment, his love of the game helped keep his spirits up. Make-A-Wish Minnesota granted his wish by putting him on the sideline in Vikings gear.
Lt. Ryan Kelly, the first Minneapolis officer to arrive at Church of the Annunciation on Aug. 27, 2025, described walking in to find dozens of children hiding in the pews — and locating 2 who had already died.
After the Annunciation Catholic Church mass shooting in Minneapolis, there were loud calls for action on guns.
In August, a law changing the age for criminal prosecutions in Minnesota went into effect. The law bars children under 13, no matter how serious the crime, from being prosecuted. It's unclear what will happen to kids now accused of these crimes.
Maryland and New Hampshire have similar laws but carve out exceptions for serious violent crimes like murder and rape; Minnesota's version, effective August 1, 2026, has none.
A 43-year-old Hugo woman who pleaded guilty to making threats towards Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth was sentenced on Thursday.
The Supreme Court said Missouri must use a 2022 congressional map — not a new congressional map that favors Republicans — in the 2026 midterm elections.
Minnesota's neighbor to the north is striking back in President Trump's widening trade war. Canada just imposed new tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on everything from milk to fishing rods to hockey gear.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services is working with a contractor to correct an autism treatment plan backlog that is frustrating both parents and providers.
You've probably seen THC drinks at Minnesota bars and liquor stores, but those made-in-Minnesota drinks could disappear this winter if new federal rules take effect.
The 2026 Minnesota State Fair is rolling out more than three dozen new food items this year, on top of all the returning favorites — which makes putting together a game plan for your visit no small task.
President Trump said Friday that the U.S. will waive higher tariffs on ground beef imports, which he says will reduce beef prices by 25%. Some cattle ranchers, including those in Minnesota and Wisconsin, worry the plan will hurt them financially.
An outbreak of E. coli and salmonella is linked to an alfalfa grower in Minnesota, health officials say. WCCO speaks with a food safety expert about the risks associated with alfalfa sprouts.
A longtime family-run Thai restaurant in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, is picking up the pieces after an individual broke a window and tried to enter early Monday morning, but the owner says the incident won't drive them from the area.
The man who killed a grocery store employee in the Loring Park neighborhood of Minneapolis with a golf club in 2023 was found not guilty by reason of mental illness on Thursday.
The father of Jordan "Manny" Collins, who is accused killing his 16-year-old son, will go on trial Thursday in Anoka County.
Heather Hoffman says she was inside the Grandstand on Saturday when her fiancé, Sammy, was roaming around the fair with two friends. Those friends say Sammy bumped into a teen and it escalated.
Police in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, arrested 23 people during a raid that centered around two hotels Wednesday morning.
The money will fuel a 10-year push into precision medicine at a hospital system that treats children from before birth through young adulthood.
Hospice nurses who work for Allina Health are set to begin a seven-day strike on Friday.
A school night usually means earlier bedtimes and setting multiple alarms. WCCO spoke with a sleep medicine physician about how many alarms you should set to wake up.
A group of over 150 Allina Health doctors in the Twin Cities has filed a 10-day unfair labor practice strike notice, their union said on Friday.
Sanford Health and North Memorial Health announced Tuesday that they completed the merger.
WCCO is tracking everything you can go out and do 4 Your Weekend, including at the Minnesota State Fair.
While performing in St. Louis on Saturday night, Lionel Richie appeared at one point to lean on a piano for support, according to video from the show.
Louis Lee came to Minnesota decades ago from Hong Kong to become a student at the University of Minnesota. He says listening to comedy helped him learn English.
The vault is open. Recordings no one's ever heard, spanning 40 years of Prince's musical career, are now available on a new album called "Timeless."
The community is mourning the loss of Charles Dillon, also known as Chaz Millionaire, a longtime voice on the Twin Cities airwaves.
Josh Jacobs pleaded no contest Thursday to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage charges; the NFL said it is reviewing the case under its personal conduct policy and Jacobs remains on the commissioner's exempt list.
Quinn Hughes appears to be in no rush to get a contract extension done with the Minnesota Wild.
Colt Keith homered and the Detroit Tigers ended a seven-series losing streak with a 7-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday afternoon.
The Minnesota Vikings have officially named Carson Wentz the backup quarterback for Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers.
Minnesota's leading scorer Cade Tyson has rejoined the team with the intent to play this season.
In August, a law changing the age for criminal prosecutions in Minnesota went into effect. The law bars children under 13, no matter how serious the crime, from being prosecuted. It's unclear what will happen to kids now accused of these crimes.
Maryland and New Hampshire have similar laws but carve out exceptions for serious violent crimes like murder and rape; Minnesota's version, effective August 1, 2026, has none.
Demuth has been running ads focusing on a million-dollar funding proposal that Klobuchar supported that was stripped out of a funding bill.
She has won four races for U.S. Senate by double digits, and now Sen. Amy Klobuchar is campaigning to become Minnesota's next governor.
The DFL primary in Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District was supposed to be close, but it wasn't. Former Lakeville Mayor and state Sen. Matt Little beat two well-known opponents by double digits.
Built in 1886, the Prospect House was once a resort hotel. The third floor is preserved to show what the hotel looked like back then, but for Jay Johnson, the real history is in the basement.
For nearly a half century, the Haunted Mansion at the Minnesota State Fair has been scaring people silly.
It is one of the most uniquely shaped buildings at the Minnesota State Fair, and it holds nearly 80 years of history.
For five generations, one family has run the Taylors Falls Scenic Boat Tours along the St. Croix River.
Keith Richardson is a home brewer and beer memorabilia collector. His collection got so big that, two years ago, he moved everything into an old toy store near downtown Lanesboro and opened the Hammarama Museum and Gift Shop.
The first days of school can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. New teachers, new classes, maybe even a new building. It can be a lot to manage without a plan.
A school night usually means earlier bedtimes and setting multiple alarms. WCCO spoke with a sleep medicine physician about how many alarms you should set to wake up.
Behind the fried foods and thrilling rides, farming remains at the heart of the Minnesota State Fair, where farm families work around the clock to get their animals ribbon-ready.
Visitors are spending tens of millions of dollars to experience all there is at the Minnesota State Fair. It's a 12-day production that costs tens of millions of dollars to put on.
There's more than 300 vendors keeping people fed at the Minnesota State Fair. That's a lot of competition for your cash and the limited space in your stomach.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new foods for 2026.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
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.
One more day of summer-like temperatures before the weather starts to feel more like fall. Chief meteorologist Chris Shaffer has more.
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.
There's a slight risk of severe weather in most of Minnesota from Friday morning to early Saturday, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.
Severe weather is expected to move across Minnesota from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., bringing the threat of large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes to parts of the state, WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak reports.
Friday evening brings a severe weather threat, with isolated supercells capable of 2-inch hail, damaging winds, and a few tornadoes, WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak reports.
One more day of summer-like temperatures before the weather starts to feel more like fall. Chief meteorologist Chris Shaffer has more.
The Works Museum in Bloomington is a hands-on engineering learning center.
The first Vikings game is set for Saturday, and while they may be on the road, if you do go to a home game this year you can expect some new and delicious foods.
A small Minnesota community has found a special way to honor the victims of Sept. 11, year-round.
Jessi Pierce and her three children couldn't escape a fire at their home in White Bear Lake earlier this year. She was a longtime hockey reporter. As Ashley Grams reports, Minnesota Hockey is helping to make sure her family's legacy lives on.