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Starting Monday, Minnesota's tax on tobacco is the sixth-highest in the country. The tax just jumped to $2.83 from $1.60, making the average pack of cigarettes in Minnesota now $7.51. Lawmakers who upped the tax said they did it not only to raise money, but to get people to quit.
The south portion of Merrick State Park, located north of Winona on the Mississippi River, has been closed as a safety precaution due to the river's rising water. The DNR said the north campground at Merrick will stay open and isn't affected.
Interest rates for student loans have doubled. The House and Senate failed to come up with a compromised bill during this past session, so the subsidized Stafford Loan rates jumped today from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent.
Cigarettes will be much more costly in Minnesota after Sunday. New tobacco taxes kick in Monday. That includes a $1.60 increase in the per-pack tax on cigarettes.
The Twin Cities is known as a bike friendly area, and now a new service is making it even easier for cyclists on the trails. Roadside service through Triple A will soon be available for bicyclists. Today, there was a kickoff event at the AAA office in St. Louis Park. Visitors got the chance to learn bike safety tips, but more importantly they learned how this new service works.
Every few years a new water sport or water toy comes out that becomes all the rage. Currently, it's all about flyboarding. "It's a board that hooks up to a jet ski," Rodney Jansen said. "It will lift you and propel you into the air."
This Independence Day, put aside the burgers and hot dogs and try something a little more adventurous. Stu, the "King of Barbecue" has some easy recipes.
Whether you're a novice or even a master gardener it's always nice to have some advice. Susie Bachman talks with WCCO and shares tips on successfully watering and fertilizing your garden.
In Hennepin County alone, people paid nearly $60 million in court fees last year -- mostly from people who got caught doing something wrong on the road. Karl Kohn of West St. Paul contributed to that pot with two speeding tickets of his own. Each set him back $145. So, he wondered: "When you get a ticket where does the money from your fine go?"
With the Fourth of July just a week away, WCCO viewers picked out Minnesota's Best Campground. And the Boundary Waters came out on top. After 30 minutes of paddling in search of the campsite, it's obvious that camping in the BWCA is a little different than at other campgrounds.
Evergreens are dying at rates the DNR calls alarming. Last week the focus was on the epidemic in western Wisconsin but on Thursday, WCCO talked with a couple who've already lost five pine trees they'd planted decades ago.
Two Minneapolis staples will be closing their doors after a combined 164 years in business. Peter's Grill, a favorite among Twin Cities lunchtime diners, first opened its doors in 1914, two years after the Titanic sunk. Halek's Bar, founded over 65 years ago, will also be calling it quits.
Beginning next year, children may be getting a few extra vaccination shots when at the doctor. The health department wants to change the school immunization rules beginning in September 2014 to reflect the Centers for Disease Control recommendations.
A Minnesota-based mail order company has agreed to refund nearly $10,000 in membership fees to dozens of customers in Iowa who claimed the business illegally charged them. Attorney General Tom Miller announced Thursday that Stauer, a jewelry and general merchandise retailer from Burnsville, Minn., would change its marketing practices and provide refunds to more than 50 Iowa customers.
Target Corp. said Thursday that it is ending its relationship with celebrity cook Paula Deen as fallout builds from revelations that the Southern celebrity chef used racial slurs in the past. Diabetes drug maker Novo Nordisk also joined the companies distancing themselves from her.
If you have a newer car, you may be in for some sticker shock when you renew your Minnesota license tabs. That's because the formula for calculating license tab fees has changed because of a 2023 bill.
Wild Head Coach John Hynes said Jessi Pierce's presence will be sorely missed.
Weapons screening at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul has been "running smoothly" since it started last month, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
The Trump administration said ICE agents would fill in for staffing shortages, as TSA workers have gone unpaid since the partial government shutdown began in mid-February.
Three of the most iconic '90s music groups are joining forces at this year's Minnesota State Fair.
Deron Russell has long been a problem for opposing teams. The Waseca, Minnesota, star broke his own school record in the section semifinal game with a 51-point performance.
If you have a newer car, you may be in for some sticker shock when you renew your Minnesota license tabs. That's because the formula for calculating license tab fees has changed because of a 2023 bill.
A Nevis, Minnesota, man who served as an election judge in Hubbard County during the 2024 election has pleaded guilty to accepting the vote of an unregistered voter, online court records said Monday.
The Minnesota State Patrol says a 2016 GMC Terrain SUV traveling north on Highway 71 and a southbound 2019 Ford Transit Van collided head-on near 240th Street.
Friday saw our warmest day of the year, so far. Saturday will see even warmer temperatures with highs potentially hitting the 70s.
Wisconsin lawmakers are taking a shot at expanding sports betting in the state.
A Wisconsin legislator has pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct in connection with a bitter feud with her caucus over resolutions honoring Hispanics.
As the war in Iran evolves, National Guardsmen from Wisconsin are being recognized for what they are doing in the Middle East.
It's the season for booking those spring break getaways, and if you're looking to skip the airport this year, take a page out of the Condé Nast Traveler.
A judge has sentenced a Wisconsin man who forged threats against President Donald Trump as part of a deportation scheme to 16½ years in prison.
The way Mary Hernandez describes it, the effort to keep families off the street in Shakopee, Minnesota, is like trying to keep your head above water.
Deputy Fire Marshal Shawn Johnson, 61, died March 5 after a two-year battle with job-related cancer, the Minnetonka Fire Department announced.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections says 95% of all incarcerated individuals will eventually be released from prison. The DOC says it does all it can to help people transition back into the community as productive citizens.
Minnesota native and World War II veteran Les Schrenk died earlier this week. He was 102 years old.
People from across the nation are traveling to the Twin Cities, but not as tourists. Many want to learn in person from Minnesota protestors to bring that knowledge back to their own cities.
Security has the spotlight at the Minnesota State Capitol. Not just on-site, but for lawmakers whose lives are threatened. As Ashley Grams reports, State Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, is leading the call for more security both on and beyond Capitol grounds after nearly losing his life last June.
The Minnesota House on Monday unanimously approved a bill to repeal Cesar Chavez Day in the state in the wake of sexual abuse allegations against the labor leader and civil rights activist.
The Senate confirmed Markwayne Mullin as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on Monday, finalizing President Trump's shakeup of DHS following months of scrutiny of Kristi Noem's leadership.
If you have a newer car, you may be in for some sticker shock when you renew your Minnesota license tabs. That's because the formula for calculating license tab fees has changed because of a 2023 bill.
Minnesota Democrats want a relief package to shore up small businesses hurt by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge earlier this year. A Senate committee discussed the bill on Monday.
Minnesota's recent swing from heavy snow to record heat is a recipe for rocky roads.
If you have a newer car, you may be in for some sticker shock when you renew your Minnesota license tabs. That's because the formula for calculating license tab fees has changed because of a 2023 bill.
Gas prices have been rising in the weeks since the Iran war started and WCCO has been tracking them since President Trump took office again last year.
Xcel Energy wants to increase rates for 492,000 natural gas customers in Minnesota. Customers can weigh in on the proposal during public hearings in April and May.
As fraud remains in focus in the Minnesota Legislature, the House on Monday unanimously approved a bill to repeal from state law a problematic program that prosecutors said was the target of a massive fraud scheme.
A Nevis, Minnesota, man who served as an election judge in Hubbard County during the 2024 election has pleaded guilty to accepting the vote of an unregistered voter, online court records said Monday.
A 34-year-old St. Paul man faces a criminal vehicular homicide charge in connection to a fatal hit-and-run last month.
According to the Minneapolis Police Department, a woman in her 20s had been crossing Marshall Street Northeast near 16th Avenue Northeast just after 3 a.m. when she was struck by a vehicle at a high rate of speed.
Minneapolis police are investigating a shooting that killed a 19-year-old man and injured a 16-year-old boy late Saturday night.
Minneapolis police are investigating after four teenagers were shot late Friday night.
Deputy Fire Marshal Shawn Johnson, 61, died March 5 after a two-year battle with job-related cancer, the Minnetonka Fire Department announced.
Sacramento-based Sutter Health announced plans to acquire Minneapolis-based Allina Health, promising a $2 billion investment in Minnesota and Wisconsin, but healthcare unions say workers weren't consulted.
Hennepin County lawmakers plan to urge state legislators Wednesday morning to save Hennepin Healthcare, the state's busiest Level 1 trauma center, which officials say could close this year without immediate action.
Hennepin County lawmakers plan to urge state legislators Wednesday morning to save Hennepin Healthcare, the state's busiest Level 1 trauma center, which officials say could close this year without immediate action.
A northern California health nonprofit is planning to acquire Allina Health in a deal that was announced Tuesday.
Three of the most iconic '90s music groups are joining forces at this year's Minnesota State Fair.
Afroman spoke to CBS News after he won the case, which tested the limits of parody and the license artists can take in social commentary directed at public figures.
Spring break does not have to mean big travel plans or big spending for families who head to the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, where a new exhibit invites children to climb, crawl and create as part of the art experience.
Comedian Bert Kreischer is without a tour bus after his caught fire in Minnesota.
The film follows CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp through their seven-year journey to document the toll of America's school shooting epidemic.
Deron Russell has long been a problem for opposing teams. The Waseca, Minnesota, star broke his own school record in the section semifinal game with a 51-point performance.
A Minnesota economics professor is breaking down the historic WNBA contract for her students in a fun and engaging way.
Wild Head Coach John Hynes said Jessi Pierce's presence will be sorely missed.
Minnesota has promoted Greg May to head coach of the women's hockey team after three seasons as an assistant under Brad Frost.
The loss snapped the Celtics' four-game winning streak and left them just a half-game ahead of the New York Knicks in second place in the Eastern Conference.
Young mothers working as Minnesota state senators are trying to change a system that was never designed to include them, saying their workplace is not allowing them time and space to breastfeed their infants.
Unlike the Minnesota House, which does allow children on the House floor, the Minnesota Senate bars children from being on the floor.
President Donald Trump has called the bill his number one priority and says it would prevent non-citizens from voting in the 2026 midterm elections.
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon says non-citizen voting is extremely rare. He cited a University of St. Thomas study that found only three instances of non-citizens voting in Minnesota between 2014 and 2024.
The U.S. Senate has begun debate on a controversial elections bill that would require voters to show proof of citizenship with a birth certificate or passport. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon says non-citizen voting is extremely rare. He cited a University of St. Thomas study that found only three instances of non-citizens voting in Minnesota between 2014 and 2024.
The Nuss Collection is home to a lot of vintage trucks.
Denis Doyle was born in Kilkenny, Ireland. He emigrated to the U.S. and in 1856, Doyle traveled to Le Sueur County. Other Irish immigrants joined Doyle and the town was born.
One of the oldest operating theaters in the Midwest is in danger of closing its doors for good.
In St. Louis Park, Minnesota, there's a place where you can find radio and television technology that's nearly a century old — and it still works.
One of the best views in Minnesota is at the top of a Bloomington hill. But 15-year-old Jacob Larson isn't here for the scenery. He's here for the jump.
Minnesota's recent swing from heavy snow to record heat is a recipe for rocky roads.
Heavy snow followed by bitter cold hit Minnesotans with a double whammy of winter. The good news is spring-like weather is right around the corner, but its quick arrival could spell trouble for homeowners.
Minnesota lakes remain frozen. The people walking on trails around them remain bundled up. After a warm start to March, the seasonal shift is sputtering as it often tends to do.
Drivers are bracing themselves for higher prices when they pull up to gas stations. But the pump isn't the only place you can expect to pay more in the weeks ahead.
A push for stricter gun laws in Minnesota is not new. However, this session comes on the heels of a devastating mass shooting last summer in which the target was students in prayer at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.
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.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new food, drinks and vendors for 2025.
Temperatures in the Twin Cities will start out in the 30s on Tuesday morning before warming to the low 50s by around 5 p.m., according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.
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.
NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer says Tuesday will be cloudy for much of Minnesota with high temperatures in the 40s and 50s.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer says it'll warm over the next several days, with highs in the mid-60s possible Wednesday.
We will warm over the next few days. Not as warm as Saturday, but well above average, WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak reports.
Temperatures in the Twin Cities will start out in the 30s on Tuesday morning before warming to the low 50s by around 5 p.m., according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.
Our recent swing from heavy snow to record heat is a recipe for rocky roads. Jeff Wagner explains who foots the bill if a car needs repairs from pothole damage in Minnesota.
Scandia Cemetery in Duluth is crumbling into Lake Superior and exposing human remains along the shoreline, St. Louis County officials say. The county is requesting more than $2.5 million from the state to build a concrete retaining wall to stop the erosion and exposure of human remains.
Security has the spotlight at the Minnesota State Capitol. Not just on-site, but for lawmakers whose lives are threatened. As Ashley Grams reports, State Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, is leading the call for more security both on and beyond Capitol grounds after nearly losing his life last June.
A Minnesota woman says she was shocked to find out federal prosecutors charged her in the protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, even though she wasn’t there. Ubah Ali explains how the charges have since been dropped and how federal investigators used a geofence warrant to track her.