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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.
Chocolate is by far the most popular Valentine's Day treat, but it's getting more difficult though to find sweet deals for your sweetheart. Prices are up nearly 20% because the cost of cocoa has more than doubled in the past year. Some say it's time to find a "chocolate alternative." As Erin Hassanzadeh reports in this special "Climate Watch" story, the search has ties to a Minnesota business.
Advocates say mining would create jobs and help the economy; opponents say mining will pollute the precious boundary waters.
Supporters of expanding mining and drilling near the Boundary Waters are cheering another Trump executive order.
Among the tsunami of signed orders Monday night in the Oval Office is one that's expected to cause controversy here at home. Kirsten Mitchell has the details.
In his inaugural address, President Trump said he'll be ushering in a new era and ending a period of American decline. Those executive orders cover a wide range of policies from immigration to energy, trade and inflation.
Glaciers around the world are melting. The United Nations has declared 2025 to be the "Year of Glacier Preservation." The Canadian Rockies is one place where the problem is clear - especially since the region is a vital freshwater source for millions of people. CBS News Climate Correspondent Dave Malkoff recently visited the area.
One type of reindeer isn’t having the best holiday right now. They don’t have enough mothers for the next generation, and a big fire almost wiped out their breeding facility in Canada. Bringing them back is crucial for maintaining a healthy ecosystem.
Water Gremlin and its parent company, Okabe, agreed to a settlement. Nearly a hundred people sued the now-bankrupt plant in White Bear Township last year over exposure to a toxic and cancer-causing chemical called TCE. That chemical is now banned in the state, and recently the EPA banned it too. News of a settlement follows a multi-year WCCO Investigation led by senior investigative reporter Jennifer Mayerle.
A cancer-causing chemical at the center of a pollution investigation will now be banned nationwide. WCCO first told you about the toxic danger five years ago. That's when we learned that a Twin Cities manufacturing plant had emitted unsafe levels of TCE into the air for years. Jennifer Mayerle explains how this ban could keep the chemical from ever harming neighborhoods again.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans produce 25% more trash from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day.
It's known as the most wonderful time of the year, turns out it's also the most wasteful. We produce 25% more trash from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day. Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield helps us navigate the tricky art of holiday recycling.
It's the time of year when families pick out the perfect Christmas tree for their home. Just like the last three years, a troubling weather trend for farmers joins that tradition. So how does drought impact Christmas tree growth? Good Question. WCCO's Jeff Wagner explains what to expect when tree shopping this season.
There are expensive efforts in the east metro to filter out PFAS from drinking and wastewater. The forever chemicals are used in everyday items like nonstick pans, dental floss and food packaging. PFAS can build up in our bodies and harm our health. 3M settlement dollars are paying for $140 million dollar treatment facilities in Cottage Grove. But as our Erin Hassanzadeh shows us, other communities will have to foot some of the bill on their own.
Communities across Minnesota have drinking water that's contaminated with PFAS. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says PFAS don't break down in the environment. They do build up in the body and can lead to some serious health issues. That means more communities, like Cottage Grove will have to start filtering it out, but it's not cheap or easy.
If you have walked on a trail or swam in a lake in Minnesota you've benefited from the environmental natural resources trust fund. The fund was designed decades ago using funds from the state lottery.
Richfield residents can throw their jack-o-lantern in the garbage, the city is providing a destructive, yet constructive alternative.
Analysts say Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the devastation in the southeast should serve as reminders for Minnesotans: weather patterns are changing in the upper Midwest, too.
Analysts say Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the devastation in the southeast should serve as reminders for Minnesotans: weather patterns are changing in the upper Midwest, too.
Analysts say Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the devastation in the southeast should serve as reminders for Minnesotans: weather patterns are changing in the upper Midwest, too.
A Twin Cities zero waste nonprofit is getting a $10 million dollar loan to upgrade its equipment.
Scientists from the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration warn of a "grim outlook" for the Thwaites Glacier, also known as the "Doomsday Glacier."
An annual celebration of the monarch butterfly takes place in September, but the butterfly population has dropped over the years.
They're icons of the Northwoods. Loons captivate our imaginations and steal our hearts, but they're literally shrinking. WCCO's Erin Hassanzadeh tagged along with researchers to understand what's happening, and what's at stake.
A public-private partnership that has successfully reduced harmful emissions from auto-body shops and dry-cleaners in Minneapolis is now working with landscape companies.
The Minnesota Twins announced Friday that catcher Ryan Jeffers has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list after missing nearly two months with a left hamate bone fracture.
Vaughn Grissom went 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 4-3 to snap a five-game skid at Target Field in Minneapolis.
People in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness won't be able to have a campfire beginning Saturday due to "continued dry conditions" in northern Minnesota, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
A St. Paul, Minnesota, neighborhood that has struggled to keep businesses might be turning a corner.
A pattern of vandalism targeting young trees along the riverfront in St. Paul, Minnesota, has cost the city upward of $100,000 in damages.
A St. Paul, Minnesota, neighborhood that has struggled to keep businesses might be turning a corner.
A pattern of vandalism targeting young trees along the riverfront in St. Paul, Minnesota, has cost the city upward of $100,000 in damages.
Police in Minneapolis are citing a May incident involving a missing man found by a drone as a positive example of how the technology can be used to keep the public safe. City officials are considering trying out a drones-as-first-responders program that neighbors are concerned could really mean public surveillance.
Two Burnsville, Minnesota, parents are facing charges after medical officials found their child had "extensive bruising" following a welfare check at their home, according to court documents filed on Friday.
The crash happened around 2 p.m. at the intersection of Candlewood Drive and Brunswick Avenue North, according to officials.
People in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness won't be able to have a campfire beginning Saturday due to "continued dry conditions" in northern Minnesota, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
A 62-year-old woman is dead after driving underneath a semitruck on a highway in Evergreen Township, Minnesota, on Thursday night, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating after a small plane crashed in Winona County, Minnesota, Thursday evening.
Twenty-four months after Nikki Anderson disappeared without a trace in Dakota County, Minnesota, her sister says her family is left with no answers and plenty of questions.
A Twin Cities animal rescue saved 71 cats after getting a call from a concerned neighbor in Sibley County, Minnesota.
A Wisconsin family lost their ten-month-old daughter after she swallowed a water bead. They blame Target and the water bead manufacturer for her death.
Francesca Hong has not backed away from calls to defund and abolish the police, raise taxes on the wealthy, and create a state-owned bank — positions now facing voters in a state Trump has carried twice.
A former Wisconsin judge will soon learn her sentence for felony obstruction for helping an immigrant evade federal officers.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 5-2 that guardianship records sought by the Wisconsin Voter Alliance to identify ineligible voters are not public records under state law.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has transferred $1 million from his former congressional account to a super PAC supporting Michael Alfonso, his 26-year-old son-in-law, who is running for Duffy's old Wisconsin seat in an Aug. 11 primary.
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.
What started as a small fundraiser following one of Joe's surgeries at Gillette Children's has grown into a community tradition that has raised nearly $100,000 for the hospital.
A trip to the video store was once a weekly ritual, and now one Minnesota movie lover is trying to bring that experience back.
Graham Platner had until 5 p.m. on Monday to formally suspend his campaign or he would remain on the ballot in November.
In the plan under discussion, the Secret Service and the White House would be able to open and close sections of the fencing, sources said.
Eight months ago, Hegseth told top military leaders there would be "no more beardos" and "fat troops."
President Trump said Friday he won't sign the law, but a U.S. official said he isn't expected to veto it either.
The U.S. military released a new batch of files related to UFOs, including one report from a Navy pilot who said a mysterious object was "unlike anything I had seen" in 28 years of service.
A Wisconsin family lost their ten-month-old daughter after she swallowed a water bead. They blame Target and the water bead manufacturer for her death.
For many Minnesotans, the road to the Fourth of July starts with a short drive across the St. Croix River to Wisconsin to stock up on fireworks. The kinds of pyrotechnics that can be legally ignited in Minnesota might be surprising.
Insurance experts say hail damage claims that once averaged $10,000–$15,000 now routinely reach $40,000–$60,000, even as many policies have shifted away from full replacement coverage.
Hundreds of workers, employed by Delaware North Company to serve food and drinks, say they are fighting for livable wages and healthcare benefits.
Target is tapping designer and TV personality Isaac Mizrahi for a newly created role as creative director at large as the discounter aims to reclaim its reputation for stylish clothing on a budget.
Two Burnsville, Minnesota, parents are facing charges after medical officials found their child had "extensive bruising" following a welfare check at their home, according to court documents filed on Friday.
A Twin Cities fire chief is accused of sexually assaulting and grooming a teen girl enrolled in the Fire Explorers job-shadowing program, charges filed in Anoka County reveal.
A 17-year-old boy faces a weapon charge in connection with the fatal shooting of another teen at a Twin Cities park on Sunday.
An employee at a St. Paul, Minnesota, daycare who was fired after allegedly hitting a 4-year-old in the face multiple times now faces a gross misdemeanor charge.
Two people were hospitalized after a domestic stabbing in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, early Friday, according to police, and one of them will be jailed after release.
More than 75,000 Minnesotans have been approved for the state's paid family and medical leave program, which launched at the beginning of the year.
Skip the latest fad diet. The best way to manage your weight might already be sitting on your plate.
Dozens of Twin Cities hospice workers are walking the picket line Monday in a one-day strike after nearly a year of negotiations for an inaugural union contract.
As Mayor Jacob Frey pledges a crackdown at open-air drug markets in Minneapolis, WCCO found brutal honesty about the situation from people who say they actively participate in the illicit trade.
Noah Walden says he didn't notice anything unusual while eating. About three days later, he began experiencing stomach pain that continued to worsen over the next several days.
A St. Paul, Minnesota, neighborhood that has struggled to keep businesses might be turning a corner.
It's another action-packed weekend here in Minnesota, featuring hot dogs, book fairs, community celebrations and more.
Bonnie Tyler, the Welsh pop star best known for singing the chart-topping power ballad "Total Eclipse of the Heart" in 1983, has died. She was 75.
AI-generated actor Tilly Norwood is set to star in her first feature film, with her creator saying that "art will be imitating life."
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were married as they celebrated their wedding with hundreds of guests Friday at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The Minnesota Twins announced Friday that catcher Ryan Jeffers has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list after missing nearly two months with a left hamate bone fracture.
Vaughn Grissom went 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 4-3 to snap a five-game skid at Target Field in Minneapolis.
Gavin Williams pitched seven dominant innings, Gabriel Arias, Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey hit home runs and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Minnesota Twins 5-2 to avoid a three-game sweep.
Alan Roden's RBI single in the ninth inning helped the Minnesota Twins beat Cleveland 6-5 for their fourth straight win over the Guardians.
Kayla McBride scored 23 points, and Minnesota beat the Connecticut Sun 86-80 to give Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve the WNBA record for career wins.
Minnesota Republicans head into an August primary shaped by a president who has lost the state three times but still commands outsized loyalty from its conservative base.
Minnesota Republicans head into an August primary shaped by a president who has lost the state three times but still commands outsized loyalty from its conservative base.
Mike Lindell, who leads the Minnesota Republican gubernatorial primary at 27%, is proposing conditional non-resident visas for undocumented immigrants with no criminal record — a position that differs from the Trump administration's approach.
Mike Lindell says he called President Trump before entering the Minnesota governor's race and asked for an endorsement, but Trump has not given one — though he said in December that Lindell deserves to be governor.
One of the most-watched primary match-ups pits Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan against U.S. Congresswoman Angie Craig in the race for the DFL nomination for U.S. Senate.
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.
It's a lake cruise in the middle of town, and there's more than pelicans on the Pelican Breeze tour in Albert Lea, Minnesota.
Currie, Minnesota, is truly small-town America. The population hovers at just over 200. But on the northern outskirts, you'll happen upon a place with plenty of bells and whistles: End-O-Line Railroad Park and Museum
School's out, summer's here, and if you're heading to the lake on Highway 10, you may just stumble upon hidden treasure.
Catching a flight with just a carry-on can make travel feel easy. No need to check a bag and all your belongings stay with you. But quite often, that suddenly changes before boarding.
Skip the latest fad diet. The best way to manage your weight might already be sitting on your plate.
There's no doubt your air conditioning unit is working overtime this week as oppressive heat blankets Minnesota.
In every corner of the metro, and across Minnesota, you'll find construction crews ripping up roads and rebuilding bridges. WCCO looks into whether the piles of rubble they create can get a second life.
Water beckons Minnesotans this time of year, especially our lakes. But something in it can turn us away, even if other animals and organisms need it.
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.
Heat indexes will be above 90 degrees on Saturday and Sunday afternoon in the Twin Cities, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows.
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.
High temperatures across the majority of Minnesota will be in the 80s or 90s on Saturday, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows.
WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows says we are heading into a long, hot stretch of weather.
As we crank up the heat, you can bet beaches and pools will be popular places for some relief. Reg Chapman has some tips to keep you and your kids safe while in the water.
Heat indexes will be above 90 degrees on Saturday and Sunday afternoon in the Twin Cities, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows.
The co-owner of a Twin Cities tree care company is recovering after he was hurt on the job. Erin Hassanzadeh shows how family and community are lifting him up after a frightening fall.
Police in Brooklyn Park are trying to figure out what led to a crash that killed an 8-year-old boy. Officials said he was riding an electric scooter at the intersection of Candlewood Drive and Brunswick Avenue North when he was hit by a pickup truck.
Alarming allegations against Maple Grove's fire chief. He's accused of grooming a teenager while "in a position of authority" before sexually assaulting her, according to a criminal complaint filed on Friday. Ubah Ali breaks down the allegations and the warning signs experts say parents should watch out for.
Minnesota resident Kevin Baker works with basketball tournaments and is a former coach. Mike Max explains why he never won a game during his coaching tenure.