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Roughly 41.9 million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more from their homes this Independence Day, according to AAA. AAA said this is up .7 percent from 2014 and the most Fourth of July travelers since 2007.
You may not have noticed much of a change at the gas pumps over the past week, but there is good news ahead -- experts say gas prices have hit their peak for the year.
Drivers who have seen a steady rise in the price of gasoline can relax: They will almost certainly be paying far less for gas this summer than they have in at least six years.
The average national price for a gallon of regular gas dropped five cents over the past month to $2.39 a gallon.
Gas prices usually go up in the summer. But AAA said prices could actually drop this year. AAA said as long as there are no unexpected refinery problems or major conflicts in the Middle East, gas prices will go down.
Every Friday, we tackle a bunch of viewers' burning questions. This week, Heather Brown explores gas prices, strange structures in the Mississippi River and gray hair.
After gas dipped below $2 last month, prices have begun to rise. Statewide Monday morning, Minnesotans are paying $0.17 more than we were one week ago. The average now sits at $2.41 a gallon. A month ago, it was $1.99.
Gas prices have been a little more tolerable for a while now. Or at least we don't cringe every time we pull up to the pump. But as cheaper gas flows into our cars and less money leaves our pockets, how much of that $2 per gallon gas is helping with road repairs?
Lower gas prices have had an added bonus in Minnesota beyond fatter wallets: Train traffic is leveling off, giving regulators space to refocus on safety issues, a state railroad official told lawmakers Wednesday. "That's the good news. It gives us a little breathing space," Dave Christianson, a rail planner for the Minnesota Department of Transportation, told a state House committee.
Cheap oil doesn't only mean cheaper gas in the tank. It means that a car dealer in Illinois is shuffling the inventory of models he'll be selling, that more students in Wisconsin may get school-provided iPads, that some planned projects in a Southern California city will get delayed, and that some expected oilfield hiring in North Dakota and Texas may not happen.
The new speaker of the Minnesota House, Rep. Kurt Daudt, spoke with Esme Murphy on WCCO Sunday Morning about road construction, gas prices, education, liquor on Sundays and the Capitol construction project.
Travel agents say now is a good time for that beach vacation. With the state of the economy and low gas prices, spring break trips are booking fast. If you want to save some money and avoid the lines, experts say to try some last minute deals.
Minnesota drivers are paying 7 cents less per gallon than a week ago. The state's average is now $1.93, which makes it the sixth-cheapest state in the country for gas currently.
Gov. Mark Dayton blasted the new Republican Majority in the Minnesota House Friday for what he calls a "phony" transportation plan. Republicans yesterday unveiled a "no new taxes" plan to fix roads and bridges, but Dayton called it "fantasy."
Twice a month, CitySprint, a courier company based in Edina, adjusts its fuel surcharge. It generally adjusts down one percent for every 10 cent drop in gas. Larger delivery companies, like UPS, have also reduced their fuel surcharge.
Sticker shock at the pump continues in the Twin Cities and around the nation. And for motorists filling up, it's the good kind of shock.
Minnesotans are starting 2015 with the cheapest gas prices we've seen in five years. According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of gas in the Twin Cities is $2.03. That's 14-cents cheaper than a week ago, and far cheaper than the $3.24 we were paying last January.
It has been five years since gas prices dipped below $2 per gallon. Now, there's one gas station in the Twin Cities at that price, and there're a few more around the state.
Gas prices are finally falling, but those savings might not last long. At least 18 states, including Minnesota, are considering taxing drivers based on distance. Gas prices aren't the only reason for the idea, since newer cars get better gas mileage.
Just when you thought gas prices couldn't go any lower – they did. Some Twin Cities gas stations are now selling gas for lower than $2.30 a gallon, a windfall for consumers.
Gas prices have fallen steadily over the past few months and they're currently at their lowest level in about four years as we transition into winter.
AAA is forecasting more travelers will hit the road this Thanksgiving than at any time since 2007.
It's going to cost you a lot less to drive over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house this Thanksgiving holiday. Global demand for oil is down and supply is up.
Gas prices have dropped nearly 20 cents over the last two weeks, and they could keep dropping. The average price for gas is now $3.05 nationally, according to AAA.
Gas prices in Minnesota are about 20 cents lower than the national average.
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.
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon's attorneys wrote that Trump's animosity toward Lemon "is well documented, stretching back over a decade."
The typical American's paycheck has grown faster since 2019 than in any stretch since the early 1980s. But prices climbed nearly as fast, swallowing about 80% of the wage increase.
Part of a central Minnesota highway is closed Friday morning after a truck rolled on its side during a crash.
The 18-year-old who fell nearly 20 stories inside an abandoned grain elevator on Monday has opened his eyes, according to a CaringBridge page.
The day his son's killer was sentenced to life in prison, J. Carroll Hortman blasted Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche in the courtroom for, in his view, failing their family.
A crowd gathered in White Bear Township, Minnesota, to honor the men and women who died during the Vietnam War as a traveling memorial brought a piece of the nation's history closer to home.
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.
A ground stop is now lifted at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Thursday after "a regional FAA equipment outage," according to the Metropolitan Airports Commission.
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.
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon's attorneys wrote that Trump's animosity toward Lemon "is well documented, stretching back over a decade."
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Friday she will oppose Todd Blanche's nomination as attorney general, narrowing the confirmation path for President Trump's pick to lead the Justice Department.
President Trump is trying once again to limit birthright citizenship with new executive orders, including one that bans so-called birth tourism.
The day his son's killer was sentenced to life in prison, J. Carroll Hortman blasted Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche in the courtroom for, in his view, failing their family.
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.
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 mother who lost her son to gun violence wants to know who killed her son and why.
WCCO reported in January that Minneapolis police officers worked at least $3 million over budget during Operation Metro Surge. In a news conference Thursday, the mayor said he wanted to clear up what he calls misinformation about the numbers.
Law enforcement arrested a man late Wednesday evening, bringing an end to an hourslong standoff in Isanti, Minnesota.
An 11-year-old boy is in custody after he allegedly stabbed a teenager he did not know inside a business in St. Cloud Tuesday evening.
A Minneapolis man charged in a string of business burglaries across the city has pleaded guilty to three of five counts against him, court documents show.
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.
Researchers are studying whether GLP-1s could help veterans living with alcohol use disorder. The Minneapolis VA Health Care System is one of 18 VA sites across the United States participating in the new clinical trial testing semaglutide as a potential treatment for AUD.
Since May, more than 11,000 cases of illness caused by the parasite cyclospora have been reported in 41 states. This comes after the Trump administration drastically cut FDA and CDC staff, prompting one expert to call this summer's outbreaks "a national wake-up call."
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.
WWE's SummerSlam will have two nights of bouts and matches inside U.S. Bank Stadium on Saturday and Sunday. But before that, SummerSlam is setting up shop inside the Minneapolis Convention Center.
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.
Rae Burrell scored 17 points, and Erica Wheeler had four in a game-ending 8-0 run and the Los Angeles Sparks ended Minnesota's 10-game winning streak, beating the WNBA-leading Lynx 89-82 on Thursday night.
Brooks Lee's two-run single in the eighth inning lifted the Minnesota Twins to a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals.
Michael Massey led off the seventh inning with a go-ahead home run, Noah Cameron had nine strikeouts in eight innings of one-run ball and the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Wednesday night.
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.
A slow-moving cold front arrives today with the opportunity for a few showers and storms, WCCO meteorologist Joseph Dames reports.
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.
Highs will be in the low to mid-80s, with a chance of rain in the afternoon.
A slow-moving cold front arrives Friday in the Twin Cities with the opportunity for a few showers and storms.
Friday will be mainly dry, though the afternoon will bring the possibility of scattered showers and a few thunderstorms in the Twin Cities.
Chef and cookbook author Amalia Moreno-Damgaard shares some chilled treats for the waning summer weeks.
Phil Thompson, "Man About Town," shares the roster of shows and events you need to check out this month in Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Jan Hagerman, with Habitat for Humanity Restore, shares some highly affordable items that could scratch a similar itch to what you'd find at a chic boutique.
A slow-moving cold front arrives today with the opportunity for a few showers and storms, WCCO meteorologist Joseph Dames reports.
Shayla Reaves vistis MIA to see what they have planned for Family Day.