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A severe storm swept through the Brainerd Lakes Area one month ago. It knocked out power for thousands in the area, and did extensive damage to homes and businesses. It took nearly a week before power was restored for some homeowners, and cleanup continues.
Get out and enjoy these five family-friendly activities before the summer is over.
Clean up continues after a tornado touched down this weekend in Carver County. Debris from the Friday night twister was scattered all around the communities of Watertown and Hollywood, and many are still hauling it all away.
A chorus of chainsaws and generator moans defines Jack Smith's Brainerd backyard. "I know the first place you go is to Fleet Farm, get a generator and try to get back in business," Smith said.
Gov. Mark Dayton and U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan will travel to the Brainerd Lakes area on Friday to tour storm damage. Dayton and Nolan also plan to meet with resort owners, emergency managers, local officials, residents and volunteers.
Gov. Mark Dayton plans to visit the Brainerd Lakes area on Friday to survey the damage caused by Sunday's severe thunderstorms. The clean-up still continues after winds up to 80 miles per hour toppled trees and damaged properties.
A Minnesota couple had to scramble to make arrangements after the wedding they had planned at Madden's Resort in Brainerd had to be moved because of Sunday's severe storms.
Storm cleanup continues in northern Minnesota during the height of vacation season. Some of the state's most popular resorts and campgrounds have shut down, causing many vacationers to make new plans.
Forecasters say at least four unconfirmed tornadoes may have touched down in western Minnesota when strong storms moved through the state. There will be a big cleanup in the Brainerd Lakes area because of a number of big trees coming down during Monday night's storm.
A Brainerd-area youth camp owned and operated by the American Legion will remain closed for several weeks after sustaining damage during Sunday night's storm.
Severe thunderstorms are rolling across Minnesota Sunday night, and the Brainerd/Baxter area appears to be one of the communities hit hard early on. A dispatcher with the Brainerd Police Department said there are several reports of trees and power lines down in the city.
One suspect has been arrested but another remains at large after the two were spotted burglarizing a cabin in northern Minnesota, according to the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office. Authorities were called by the cabin's owner at about 8:30 p.m. Monday.
We've all had those days. The days when you just need a gosh, darn drink. Well, now one brewery owner in the Brainerd/Baxter area is here to help you with those days. Only he's giving you a Gull Dam beer.
A Minnesota woman who says she was sexually abused by a priest in the 1960s has filed a lawsuit against the Diocese of Duluth. In the lawsuit, Quin Buchtel accuses the Rev. Charles Gormly of abusing her while he was at St. Francis of Assisi in Brainerd. She says it took place from about 1960 to 1961, and that she was 12 to 13 years old at the time. Gormly died in 1968.
A Brainerd family is the owner of one of the most unique houses in Minnesota. Aimee and Preston Jobe plan to transform an old Minneapolis skyway into their home after winning it from a Twin Cities architectural firm.
The Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help to find two suspects involved in a home burglary last month. Authorities said the incident happened on the night of March 26 at a residence on North Nelson Road in Brainerd.
A 24-year-old Brainerd man is dead after a car crash in St. Paul early Saturday morning. Police say the accident happened at Dale Street and Sherburne Avenue. Driver Justin Dechantal was pronounced dead at the scene.
Three mailboxes exploded in Crow Wing County on Sunday, and two of the explosions started fires.
In the tiny agricultural town of Pierz, they rely on their butcher shops. Many have come and gone, but one stands the test of time. Thielen Meats, voted Best of Minnesota, has been in the family for four generations.
The Crow Wing County Sheriff has identified a 15-month-old choking victim who died Friday.
A Minnesota family is doing everything it can to help get some new leads on the whereabouts of a missing loved one. Marc Welzant, 47, has been missing since October.
The family of a man missing for three months hopes a new reward will bring him home. Marc Welzant, 47, was last seen around 1:30 p.m. Sunday Oct. 26 at the Clark Lake Group Home in Brainerd.
It's a "go" for the 25th annual Brainerd Jaycees $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza. The Crow Wing County sheriff's office met with representatives from the Brainerd Jaycees on Gull Lake's Hole in the Day Bay on Wednesday to verify ice conditions.
Two men face charges after a double shooting in Brainerd early Sunday evening, which left one man dead and a woman seriously injured. According to the Crow Wing County Attorney's Office, 23-year-old Tyler Allan Cronquist of Brainerd faces four criminal charges, including two counts of second-degree murder.
Brainerd police have arrested two suspects in connection with a double shooting at an apartment building. A 23-year-old man and the 26-year-old man, both of Brainerd, were arrested several hours after the Sunday evening shooting.
Residents in the Twin Cities are keeping a close eye on public schools for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity amid operations targeting Somali immigrants in the area.
A student is recovering after a school bus collided with a Metro Transit light rail train in St. Paul on Friday morning.
Car thieves aren't waiting for the sun to rise in the suburbs of the Twin Cities, and neither are the police.
A combination of cold weather and fresh powder serves as a beacon for cross country skiers, eager to hit the trails.
Residents of a South Minneapolis apartment building say they've been without heat for weeks as a bitter blast of winter weather continues.
A student is recovering after a school bus collided with a Metro Transit light rail train in St. Paul on Friday morning.
Car thieves aren't waiting for the sun to rise in the suburbs of the Twin Cities, and neither are the police.
A combination of cold weather and fresh powder serves as a beacon for cross country skiers, eager to hit the trails.
Residents of a South Minneapolis apartment building say they've been without heat for weeks as a bitter blast of winter weather continues.
A 28-year-old man previously convicted of sexual assault in Minnesota has been federally charged with kidnapping a 15-year-old girl in 2017 and kidnapping a woman earlier this year, according to court documents filed Thursday.
Out of the 1,500 men on his ship, Del Thielke was the only one selected to be aboard the USS Missouri when the peace treaty was signed.
The owner of the historic Lutsen Resort on Minnesota's North Shore has been charged with arson and insurance fraud more than a year after a fire destroyed the resort's lodge.
Minnesota will see a higher-than-expected surplus for this current budget, but is expected to see a deficit in the future due to spending outpacing revenues, according to state budget experts.
Police in Duluth, Minnesota, say a mountain lion has been spotted in the city recently.
The holidays are upon us, and in the town of Kellogg, Minnesota, you'll find a toy store unlike any other.
River Falls hosts St. John's this weekend in round three of the NCAA tournament.
Bodycam video captured a sheriff's deputy in Racine County, Wisconsin, saving the life of a little girl from a house fire that killed her mother and the family dog earlier this week.
A divided Wisconsin Supreme Court has agreed to take a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of an immigrant rights group.
A Democrat who served four years as Wisconsin's lieutenant governor and narrowly lost a 2022 U.S. Senate bid is running for governor in the battleground state.
Organizers at Mt. Telemark Village in Cable say there's no shortage of reasons to head north.
Firefighters are continuing a 44-year tradition that happens every year north of the Twin Cities.
It was a scary moment in the Twin Cities over the weekend, as a trailer hauling sled dogs turned over on Interstate 494 in Minnetonka.
On Sunday, members of Minnesota's Somali community spoke out against President Trump's social media post calling for an end to temporary protected status.
Two hundred Thanksgiving meals were distributed to this community by Second Harvest Heartland and the Thielen Foundation.
A Minnesota nonprofit is getting a major boost this week as dozens of college students spend their morning sorting donated shoes to support families in need.
The Supreme Court said Friday it will decide the legality of President Trump's executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship.
In July 2019, Minnesota state officials spotted early signs of fraud that would eventually siphon away more than $1 billion in taxpayer money, sources told CBS News.
Minneapolis City Council leaders are set to roll out what they’re calling a “people-centred budget."
Minnesota's state budget could go from boom to bust. A new forecast shows a $2.5 billion surplus for the current budget but a $3 billion deficit in the next one. WCCO's Caroline Cummings explains the drop and how it could impact you.
Inspire Change Clinic opened its doors in Minneapolis with a simple mission: provide access to marginalized communities. On Thursday afternoon, the clinic should have been bustling with a waiting room filled with families. Instead, the clinic was empty.
The holidays are upon us, and in the town of Kellogg, Minnesota, you'll find a toy store unlike any other.
When we do winter weather stories, there's always that one line people use: cold, snow, ice — it's just what happens here. And this week, Ticket King president Michael Nowakowski said that same idea kind of applies to Minnesota Vikings ticket prices.
Thanksgiving is a big day for the farmers who raise the centerpiece of Americans' dinner tables on the last Thursday of November. But in Minnesota, the nation's top turkey producer, the work doesn't stop once the national holiday ends.
A family-owned Linden Hills bar and restaurant is closing its doors for Thanksgiving, but opening the kitchen for those who need it most.
On the eve of Thanksgiving, Sentyrz Liquor & Supermarket turned into holiday headquarters for last-minute shoppers.
Car thieves aren't waiting for the sun to rise in the suburbs of the Twin Cities, and neither are the police.
A 28-year-old man previously convicted of sexual assault in Minnesota has been federally charged with kidnapping a 15-year-old girl in 2017 and kidnapping a woman earlier this year, according to court documents filed Thursday.
A man who law enforcement say was armed with a large knife when a deputy shot him in Monticello, Minnesota, now faces charges.
Police said this is the city's 13th homicide of the year.
The special edition locket was inspired by the James Bond film "Octopussy," which revolves around a plot to steal a rare Faberge egg.
Inspire Change Clinic opened its doors in Minneapolis with a simple mission: provide access to marginalized communities. On Thursday afternoon, the clinic should have been bustling with a waiting room filled with families. Instead, the clinic was empty.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child this year were able to start applying this week to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026.
Cases always rise in colder months, with the use of furnaces and people working on gas motors in closed garages.
A jury has awarded an Iowa woman a $19.8 million verdict against the Mayo Clinic and a colorectal surgeon in a lawsuit brought in Minnesota courts, according to her attorneys.
ByHeart said it can't rule out that all of its baby formula across all product lots could be contaminated, citing recent test results.
Frank Gehry was known for designing the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
Netflix on Friday said it will acquire Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO.
The yellow childhood home of the Purple One is abandoned and in need of some TLC, despite the City of Minneapolis recently granting it landmark status.
Legendary rock 'n roll band Guns N' Roses is hitting the road again next year and will make a stop in Shakopee, Minnesota.
Jimmy Cliff, who famously sang about the "many rivers" we all must cross, has died after suffering a seizure and pneumonia, his family say.
Early in the winter season, there are always good nonconference matchups in Minnesota, including Friday, when the Chanhassen girls basketball team visited Blaine. Plus, see the results of other exciting prep games in Minneapolis, Shakopee, Andover and other areas in the state.
River Falls hosts St. John's this weekend in round three of the NCAA tournament.
Julius Randle had 28 points and nine rebounds, carrying Minnesota on a quiet night from Anthony Edwards, and the Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans 125-116 on Thursday night.
J.J. McCarthy has returned to the lineup for the Minnesota Vikings, refreshed after an injury absence to resume his much-delayed development with a better perspective on how to handle this most difficult job.
A White Bear Lake Native, Bill Butters lived a hockey life through and through – playing for coach Herb Brooks at the University of Minnesota before embarking on a pro career throughout most of the 1970s with the Minnesota Fighting Saints and the Minnesota North Stars.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child this year were able to start applying this week to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child in this year can start applying to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy spoke with Matt Varilek, the commissioner of the state's Department of Employment and Economic Development about the program's rollout and who qualifies for the program.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child this year were able to start applying this week to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026.
Minnesota lawmakers and small businesses are scrambling to get a piece of new federal legislation overturned that they say would eliminate Minnesota's hemp industry.
A new federal law threatens the hemp industry that Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar says provides 2,700 Minnesota jobs and has generated $16 million in taxes for the state through nine months in 2025.
The holidays are upon us, and in the town of Kellogg, Minnesota, you'll find a toy store unlike any other.
With the holidays fast approaching, and lutefisk on the menu for many families, one Minnesota town has the distinction of being called the "Lutefisk Capital of the Country."
How would you like to own a former Cold War missile site? In Dakota County, Minnesota, there's a one-of-a-kind property that could be yours for the right price.
It's a photograph found in homes across the country, and even overseas. The picture "Grace" shows a man bowing his head in prayer with food and what appears to be a Bible in front of him.
Fall harvest means barns across the Midwest are a busy place — but for a central Minnesota woman, they aren't just farm buildings, they're works of art.
It is the food that is top of mind right now, but did you know more turkeys come from Minnesota than anywhere else in the country?
Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnehaha, Minnetonka, Minnewaska, Minneota. Those are just some of the place names in "the Land of 10,000 Lakes" featuring "minne" as the first five letters.
As we approach Thanksgiving, we wanted to do a deep dive into gratefulness, and why it makes us feel better.
Many commuters know the Interstate 394 and Interstate 94 interchange seems to back up almost every afternoon. And you face the choice: should you wait in the back of the line or try to get closer and swoop in?
According to the Minnesota Christmas Tree Association, 50% of their farms open before Thanksgiving, which used to be unheard of.
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.
A suspect was taken into custody after an attack on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder on June 1 in which there were 15 people and a dog who were victims. The suspect threw Molotov cocktails that burned some of the victims, who were part of a march for Israeli hostages.
Showers moving through southern Minnesota on Saturday may drop up to 5 inches of snow in some areas, according to Next Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows. The Twin Cities could see up to 3 inches as the system moves through.
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.
Snow will cover southern Minnesota on Saturday, according to Next Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows, with the system partially hitting the Twin Cities metro.
A combination of cold weather and fresh powder serves as a beacon for cross country skiers, eager to hit the trails.
Residents of a South Minneapolis apartment building say they've been without heat for weeks as a bitter blast of winter weather continues.
Early in the winter season, there are always good nonconference matchups in Minnesota, including Friday, when the Chanhassen girls basketball team visited Blaine. Plus, see the results of other exciting prep games in Minneapolis, Shakopee, Andover and other areas in the state.
Showers moving through southern Minnesota on Saturday may drop up to 5 inches of snow in some areas, according to Next Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows. The Twin Cities could see up to 3 inches as the system moves through.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in the Twin Cities has some parents and teachers dealing with scared students. Conor Wight explains what schools and parents are doing to address fears during the federal enforcement.
Snow will cover southern Minnesota on Saturday, according to Next Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows, with the system partially hitting the Twin Cities metro.
In 1990, WCCO aired a report called "The Iron Crib," which exposed the horrible living conditions of thousands of children crowded into Romanian orphanages. Many Minnesota families saw their plight and opened their hearts and homes through adoption. Photojournalist Tony Peterson shows us how one of those orphans recently connected with her past.