WCCO digital update: Afternoon of June 2, 2025
Jeff Wagner has the latest headlines and updates from WCCO.com.
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Jeff Wagner has the latest headlines and updates from WCCO.com.
The entire state of Minnesota is under an air quality alert as large plumes of smoke from Canadian wildfires move into the region. WCCO's Jason Rantala shows the dangers of unsafe air quality and how to stay safe.
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 7 p.m. for areas northwest of the Twin Cities, and all of the state is under an Air Quality Alert.
More than 25,000 Canadians have been forced to flee their homes as wildfires burn through thousands of acres, sending smoke down south into Minnesota and parts of the U.S.
All of Minnesota is under an air quality alert through Monday evening, which is when the heaviest haze could set in.
The National Weather Service says the air quality alert that goes through Monday is a result of smoke from wildfires in Canada.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued a statewide air quality alert, including all tribal nations, that will be in effect through 6 p.m. Monday due to smoke from the raging wildfires in Canada's Manitoba and Saskatchewan provinces.
Meteorologist Lisa Meadows says waves of wildfire smoke from Canada may impact air quality in Minnesota over the weekend.
Raging wildfires in Canada's Manitoba and Saskatchewan provinces has prompted the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to issue a statewide air quality alert, which will be in effect until 6 p.m. Monday.
The Twin Cities and much of the state is under an air quality alert due to ground-level ozone.
Ozone is the main concern that is causing an air quality alert Monday, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says — but what exactly is ozone?
The agency says air quality is expected to reach the orange Air Quality Index (AQI) category, which is unhealthy for sensitive groups.
A round of smoke will roll through Minnesota on Friday after several wildfires developed in Canada.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has released its latest air quality forecast for the summer season.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has released its latest air quality forecast for the summer season.
The countries with the worst air quality included Bangladesh and India, according to an annual report from IQAir.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) says it's working to improve air quality monitoring following a state review stemming from a dispute over reported violations at a Minneapolis metal foundry.
Almost half of Minnesota is under air quality alerts on Monday due to hazardous wildfire smoke blowing south from Canada.
Hazy skies are hanging over Minnesota's Arrowhead. Smoke from Canadian wildfires has made outdoor air unhealthy to breathe. That's a problem that's become all too common across all four corners of the state. In fact, a new tool estimates that wildfire smoke killed 77 people in Minnesota last year, and more than 130 in Wisconsin. NEXT Weather Meteorologist Adam Del Rosso explains the risks.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on Wednesday issued an air quality alert for northeastern Minnesota due to wildfire smoke from Canada.
The federal government announced a $241.5 million settlement with Marathon Oil on Thursday for alleged air quality violations at the company's oil and gas operations in the Forth Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota.
Minnesota is experiencing its first air quality alert of the year. What is in the wildfire smoke and what does it do to your body? NEXT Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows explains.
The Twin Cities metro and southern parts of the state are still under an air quality alert until 11 p.m. Monday due to raging Canadian wildfires.
Many Minnesotans woke up to a smoky scene on Monday morning.
Last year, 22 air quality alerts were issued for Minnesota — 13 of them were orange, which means bad for people with pre-existing conditions. Nine were red — bad for everyone. Those 22 alerts spanned 52 days.
In a wide-ranging interview with the CBS News partner BBC News, Hunter Biden grew emotional as he discussed his father's condition, describing it as very sad to watch.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board issued a hazardous algae warning for all three beaches at Cedar Lake.
Olivia Miles scored 26 points, Napheesa Collier added 22 and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Las Vegas Aces 98-87 on Saturday to clinch a WNBA playoff berth.
A Minnesota man was found guilty on Friday of two counts of mailing threatening communications and one count of threatening to murder a federal judge.
The Minneapolis Police Department is investigating after a man was fatally shot Friday night.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board issued a hazardous algae warning for all three beaches at Cedar Lake.
A Minnesota man was found guilty on Friday of two counts of mailing threatening communications and one count of threatening to murder a federal judge.
The Minneapolis Police Department is investigating after a man was fatally shot Friday night.
An individual experiencing homelessness believes somewhere between 60 and 70 people moved to an encampment near Shepard Road and Randolph Avenue after the city cleared a site at Pig's Eye Park on Wednesday.
A man who was shot by St. Paul police while he was hiding in a dumpster after sexually assaulting and kidnapping his ex-girlfriend will receive a $350,000 settlement from the city.
Part of a central Minnesota highway is closed Friday morning after a truck rolled on its side during a crash.
The polls close on Minnesota's high-stakes primary in a little more than five days, with new figures from the Secretary of State's Office showing more than 157,000 people have already voted.
WCCO is tracking everything you can go out and do 4 Your Weekend, starting with another packed weekend of local community days.
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.
One of the most competitive races in next Tuesday's Minnesota primary election is for who will be the nominees for U.S. Senate. And Tuesday, Senate candidates battled at Farmfest in Redwood County over benefit cuts that could shrink your grocery budget.
David Crowley, backed by Gov. Tony Evers, faces democratic socialist Francesca Hong in a Wisconsin primary that could signal how far left the Democratic Party is willing to go.
A Dane County judge ruled Tuesday that Wisconsin's paper-only absentee ballot system denies disabled voters the equal opportunity to vote privately and independently, though a trial on electronic voting as a remedy is still ahead.
The Milwaukee mosque leader's former Israeli attorney testified in immigration court that Sarsour was coerced into confessions and was never convicted of any charge linking him to a terrorist organization.
Two people were injured when a small plane crashed in western Wisconsin early Sunday afternoon, according to authorities.
According to the Eau Claire Fire Department, Bryce Jungbluth, 27, suffered a medical emergency after his shift on July 26.
Crews in St. Paul, Minnesota, are clearing out the city's largest encampment on Wednesday.
After officials in Minnesota's capital city announced they would shut down encampments for those experiencing homelessness, the City Council approved more than $1 million to expand capacity at local shelters.
The city of St. Paul, Minnesota, is taking a stand and closing encampments amid growing concerns.
Baseball fans might remember the Metrodome's iconic blue seats, and now in Atwater, Minnesota, spectators can once again grab a blue seat and watch a game.
Tucked away in the Midway neighborhood in St. Paul is a community treasure many have come to love and respect.
In a wide-ranging interview with the CBS News partner BBC News, Hunter Biden grew emotional as he discussed his father's condition, describing it as very sad to watch.
In a narrow 50-49 vote, President Trump's former defense lawyer was confirmed as attorney general in a vote early Saturday.
The measure was approved in a 90 to 6 vote and now goes to the House.
The White House has informed Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, that President Trump is considering firing her.
A federal appeals court said the White House lacks the authority to unilaterally construct the 90,000-square-foot ballroom. President Trump said the administration will appeal to the Supreme Court.
A Minnesota woman says she fainted, spiked a 102-degree fever, and was hospitalized with sepsis three days after eating a chicken burrito bowl at a Chipotle in Roseville, and genetic testing connected her case to a multistate outbreak, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.
Parents will be digging deeper into their wallets this back-to-school season.
Get ready to watch movies and television with clarity like never before. That's how industry experts are describing the latest TV technology now on sale exclusively at Best Buy.
A lottery player in Minnesota won a jackpot of more than $34 million last week, a record for the Lotto America game in the state.
The lawsuit accuses Loon of using "kid-friendly characters" to promote its vapes in flavors such as Cotton Candy, Strawberry Popsicle, Banana Taffy and Blue Razz Slushy.
A Minnesota man was found guilty on Friday of two counts of mailing threatening communications and one count of threatening to murder a federal judge.
The Minneapolis Police Department is investigating after a man was fatally shot Friday night.
A man who was shot by St. Paul police while he was hiding in a dumpster after sexually assaulting and kidnapping his ex-girlfriend will receive a $350,000 settlement from the city.
The Ramsey County attorney and the the state attorney general filed lawsuits Friday in an attempt to prevent two rival gangs from gathering at the Minnesota State Fair.
A Hennepin County deputy who pleaded guilty to domestic assault in February received a stay of adjudication at his sentencing Friday, according to court records.
In a wide-ranging interview with the CBS News partner BBC News, Hunter Biden grew emotional as he discussed his father's condition, describing it as very sad to watch.
Back-to-back tainted food outbreaks have a lot of people asking what's safe to bring home from the grocery store.
A Minnesota woman says she fainted, spiked a 102-degree fever, and was hospitalized with sepsis three days after eating a chicken burrito bowl at a Chipotle in Roseville, and genetic testing connected her case to a multistate outbreak, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.
The system uses light tracing and more than 1,500 data points to create a personalized treatment plan.
Two Michigan residents who had "significant underlying health conditions" have died after contracting cyclosporiasis, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said.
The Uptown Art Fair kicked off in Minneapolis on Friday afternoon. The event is now closer to Uptown for the first time in two years.
USA TODAY has confirmed what Minnesotans already know well: our state fair is the best in the nation.
WCCO is tracking everything you can go out and do 4 Your Weekend, starting with another packed weekend of local community days.
Ariana Grande had been due to star alongside her "Wicked" co-star Jonathan Bailey in a production of "Sunday in the Park with George" in 2027.
Vincent Pastore played Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on all six seasons of "The Sopranos," which aired from 1999 to 2007.
Olivia Miles scored 26 points, Napheesa Collier added 22 and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Las Vegas Aces 98-87 on Saturday to clinch a WNBA playoff berth.
Kaelen Culpepper arrived in the big leagues eager to show he could make a major contribution to the Minnesota Twins' push for a playoff berth.
Josh Bell went 4 for 5 with a homer and Kaelen Culpepper also went deep in his major league debut as the Minnesota Twins erased a four-run deficit and beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-6 on Friday night.
The 23-year-old is batting .271 with 14 home runs for the AAA St. Paul Saints this season.
NASCAR will no longer run back-to-back caution laps near stage breaks, a change the series says is aimed at delivering more green-flag racing for fans.
The polls close on Minnesota's high-stakes primary in a little more than five days, with new figures from the Secretary of State's Office showing more than 157,000 people have already voted.
Minnesota's ban on AI "nudification" became law and Elon Musk isn't happy about it. He is suing the State of Minnesota, claiming the law violates free speech laws.
While the law is in effect, this issue is not over. The judge has set a preliminary injunction hearing for Aug. 19.
Earlier this month, Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher prompted backlash when he said the Twin Cities has a Somali youth gang violence problem. Among his critics: Minneapolis City Council Vice President Jamal Osman.
Earlier this month, Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher prompted backlash when he said the Twin Cities has a Somali youth gang violence problem. Fletcher played videos of what he said were Somali gunfights at a July 7 news conference and on his "Live on Patrol" Facebook page, which has over 140,000 followers.
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.
Passing trains and scenic bluffs are a big part of Buffalo County, Wisconsin, but in the middle of it all is a garden where creativity and flowers grow together, all courtesy of a man named Herman Rusch.
Thousands of pictures of Split Rock Lighthouse are taken each year. And oftentimes a little island appears in those photos. Ellingsen Island has developed a following of its own.
There's a scenic, nearly century-old spot in St. Cloud, Minnesota, where right now you'll find thousands of flowers in bloom.
Baseball fans might remember the Metrodome's iconic blue seats, and now in Atwater, Minnesota, spectators can once again grab a blue seat and watch a game.
There's a certain elegance to the common loon. Its black and white plumage carries a gentle sheen of green as though dressed for a formal affair. Subtle colors that allow its piercing red eyes to steal your gaze.
Parents will be digging deeper into their wallets this back-to-school season.
Minnesotans have become quite familiar with drought in recent years. Not only how it affects the water supply, but also the rules that can come with it.
The issue is a major talking point ahead of the midterm elections. Do gas prices actually impact elections?
The U.S. House just voted to make daylight saving time permanent. In Good Question, Jeff Wagner explains how that could impact Minnesota and why our last attempt at getting rid of it failed.
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.
Some much-needed rain is headed our way. Rain will move through overnight into tomorrow morning, but clear out by the afternoon. Rain returns late Sunday night into Monday morning. Lisa Meadows shares the latest.
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.
Rain moves in overnight and early Sunday morning. Meteorologist Lisa Meadows breaks down the timing.
Saturday will feature plenty of sunshine, but storms make a return overnight. Meteorologist Adam Del Rosso shows us where the storms could turn severe.
High temperatures will be in the 80s for much of Minnesota on Saturday. Southern parts of the state could see some storms late Saturday and into Early Sunday, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows.
Some much-needed rain is headed our way. Rain will move through overnight into tomorrow morning, but clear out by the afternoon. Rain returns late Sunday night into Monday morning. Lisa Meadows shares the latest.
Blue-green algae has closed down several beaches, including all three at Cedar Lake.
Rain moves in overnight and early Sunday morning. Meteorologist Lisa Meadows breaks down the timing.
The Minnesota Fringe Festival is back. Here's what's on the stage this year.
The Japanese Obon Festival will return to the Como Conservatory, here's what you can expect.