Biologists Call For Continued Protection Of Great Lakes Wolves
A group of scientists is taking issue with colleagues who want the federal government to remove gray wolves in the Great Lakes region from the endangered species list.
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A group of scientists is taking issue with colleagues who want the federal government to remove gray wolves in the Great Lakes region from the endangered species list.
Two U.S. senators announced a renewed push Thursday to strip federal protection from gray wolves in the western Great Lakes region and Wyoming — and to prohibit courts from intervening in those states on the embattled predator's behalf. Legislation introduced this week would order the Department of the Interior to reissue orders from 2011 and 2012 that dropped wolves in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Wyoming from the endangered species list.
Federal crews have discovered two Asian carp in the Illinois River, 12 miles closer to Lake Michigan than where others of that size previously were seen.
State and federal agencies are teaming with pipeline operator Enbridge Energy Partners for an oil spill response exercise in the area where crude is piped beneath the Great Lakes.
Populations of invasive, fish-killing sea lampreys have fallen to their lowest point in decades across the Great Lakes, showing that control measures costing millions of dollars a year are paying off, officials said Wednesday. Lamprey numbers have reached a 30-year low in Lake Huron and a 20-year low in Lake Michigan, according to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, a U.S.-Canadian organization. Numbers also are down significantly in the other lakes.
Oil and gas industry watchers said Wednesday prices at the pump have jumped across the Great Lakes region because of the unexpected, partial shutdown of a large Indiana oil refinery, and those increases could continue.
Government agencies plan to spend nearly $60 million over the next two years in the battle to prevent invasive Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes, where scientists say they could unravel food chains and harm native fish.
The group of state Department of Natural Resources scientists that Republican lawmakers targeted for cuts has been working on a number of politically charged issues in recent years, including climate change, pollution and mining.
A panel of experts will study proposals to allow fish farming in Michigan's Great Lakes waters.
Scientists specializing in the Great Lakes are going to be hearing about the challenge plastic pollution poses for the lakes during a conference at the University of Vermont.
U.S. and Canadian crews are working to clear a path through ice on eastern Lake Superior that's left freighters unable to move, including one that had a hole punched in its hull. The Canadian Coast Guard says that by Wednesday afternoon, six vessels heading toward the lower lakes and 12 vessels heading toward upper Lake Superior were waiting to move.
Members of Congress from both parties are lobbying colleagues not to cut funding from a key Great Lakes environmental program. Fifty-one representatives sent a letter Monday in support of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Michigan is joining the federal government in appealing a decision that restores legal protections for gray wolves in the western Great Lakes region.
Members of Congress are calling for quick action at a crucial spot in the Chicago area to block Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes.
The Great Lakes Areas of Concern is receiving $7.9 million from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to fund habitat restoration projects. U.S. Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow announced the grant Wednesday. Both Michigan lawmakers are members of the Great Lakes Task Force.
For the second consecutive winter, bitter weather threatens to turn the surface of the Great Lakes into a vast, frozen plain. Nearly 81 percent of the lakes' surface area was covered with ice, the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory reported Friday.
President Barack Obama's proposed budget for 2016 seeks a $50 million cut in a multi-year program to clean up the Great Lakes. The president's spending plan released Monday requests $250 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, down from $300 million appropriated for this year.
First it was tiny plastic beads, but now scientist are rising concerns about fibers from clothing polluting the Great Lakes. A recent study found polyester fleece sheds thousands of fibers when it's washed.
Scientists who have reported that the Great Lakes are awash in tiny bits of plastic are raising new alarms about a little-noticed form of the debris turning up in sampling nets: synthetic fibers from garments, cleaning cloths and other consumer products.
An organization representing U.S. cargo shippers on the Great Lakes says last year's deep freeze cost the economy an estimated $705 million and shows the need for another heavy icebreaking vessel. The Lake Carriers' Association said Tuesday the volume of freight that U.S.-flagged ships hauled on the lakes between Dec. 1, 2013, and May 30, 2014, was about 7 million tons lower than the same period a year earlier.
With Great Lakes levels finally back to normal after a 15-year downturn, the University of Michigan plans research to help people in the region prepare for future ups and downs. The university's Graham Sustainability Institute announced the program this week, as federal scientists reported that Lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan and Erie are well above their long-term average levels. Lake Ontario is slightly below.
Two unusually wet years have finally ended the lengthiest period on record of low Great Lakes water levels — a blessing for long-suffering cargo shippers and recreational boaters — although scientists said Tuesday it's uncertain whether the recovery is temporary or heralds a trend.
Dave and Amy Freeman are making their way to Washington, D.C. -- in a canoe. The couple is paddling 2,000 miles from Ely to the nation's capitol. They're on a mission to draw attention to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
It may be June, but a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources warden discovered some icebergs still afloat in Lake Superior near Madeline Island on Friday. DNR Marine Warden Amie Egstad spotted the floating ice – which was covered in resting seagulls – while doing a routine check of commercial nets in the largest of the Great Lakes.
An effort to prevent people from drowning due to dangerous currents along the Great Lakes will include installing kits with life-saving aids such as ring buoys and youth life jackets at 10 public beaches along Lake Michigan, officials announced Monday.
Gov. Tim Walz has ordered U.S. and Minnesota flags at all state buildings to fly at half-staff on Monday to honor and remember St. Paul firefighter Timothy Bertz, who officials said died after suffering a "serious medical event."
Minneapolis officials have banned government officials, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, from using city lots and ramps as a staging area to enforce federal immigration laws, according to an updated city ordinance.
Millions of people across the globe celebrated Christmas on Thursday. And once presents are opened and decorations come down, families are left with overflowing trash bags.
Police in Roseville, Minnesota, are investigating after they said officers found a man injured at the scene of a reported shooting on Friday morning.
The Minnesota Vikings are trying to practice the process of winning in December despite being eliminated from contention for the playoffs.
Gov. Tim Walz has ordered U.S. and Minnesota flags at all state buildings to fly at half-staff on Monday to honor and remember St. Paul firefighter Timothy Bertz, who officials said died after suffering a "serious medical event."
Minneapolis officials have banned government officials, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, from using city lots and ramps as a staging area to enforce federal immigration laws, according to an updated city ordinance.
Police in Roseville, Minnesota, are investigating after they said officers found a man injured at the scene of a reported shooting on Friday morning.
A lucky lottery player in Arkansas won the $1.817 billion Powerball drawing on Christmas Eve, but someone in the Twin Cities was also treated to a nice stocking stuffer in the form of $100,000.
Minneapolis police say they're investigating a "suspicious death" after a woman's body was discovered inside a vehicle Tuesday morning.
Gov. Tim Walz has ordered U.S. and Minnesota flags at all state buildings to fly at half-staff on Monday to honor and remember St. Paul firefighter Timothy Bertz, who officials said died after suffering a "serious medical event."
An ER patient is accused of attacking a security guard inside a Wyoming, Minnesota, hospital on Christmas evening, leading to a confrontation with a police officer outside the facility.
Hockey moms are a community, one that Jacqueline Nowakowski had no idea she'd need as much as she does.
Two women are dead after a semitruck collided with a Chrysler minivan in Elmer Township, Minnesota, on Christmas Eve, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
On Dec. 9, 1965, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" debuted on CBS, and it became an instant classic. Lee Jenkins' home is proof that the show is still a hit six decades later.
A Wisconsin woman who almost killed her sixth-grade classmate to please the fictional Slender Man has been ordered back to a state psychiatric hospital after she escaped from her group home last month.
Several schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin are reporting delayed starts on Monday amid a messy morning commute.
The U.S. Justice Department has sued three states, including Illinois and Wisconsin, and D.C. for not turning over requested voter information to the Trump administration.
Defenders of a Wisconsin judge found guilty of felony obstruction for helping a Mexican immigrant evade federal officers are raising alarms about judicial independence and say they hope the conviction will be overturned on appeal.
The Minnesota Attorney General's Office says Menards, the Wisconsin-based home improvement retailer, has reached a $4.25 million settlement with several states to "resolve claims" of deceptive marketing practices in its popular "11% Rebate Program," and pandemic-era price gouging.
Many people who serve in the U.S. military find it hard to ask for assistance when they've been trained to help and serve others.
Food Bank Eatery in North Minneapolis provides free meals for children, who may have little to eat after the pause of SNAP benefits for many in the community.
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.
Minneapolis officials have banned government officials, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, from using city lots and ramps as a staging area to enforce federal immigration laws, according to an updated city ordinance.
The Veterans Affairs Department is reimposing a near total ban on abortions for veterans and their families that was modified in 2022.
President Trump says the U.S. launched powerful and deadly strikes against Islamic state forces in Nigeria, plus more of the day’s top stories.
Strikes against ISIS targets in Nigeria come after President Trump spent weeks accusing the West African country's government of failing to rein in the persecution of Christians.
The message, aired on Channel 4 on Christmas Day, reflected on the impact of President Trump's second term in office thus far.
This season of giving can really do a number on our recycling systems. But we can all be part of the solution.
With the time-honored tradition of gift giving comes gift concealing.
Twin Cities shoppers were out and about on Super Saturday, the second-busiest shopping day of the year. The day lands on the final Saturday before Christmas annually.
Buy now, pay later plans are becoming more popular for shoppers this holiday season.
The Minnesota Attorney General's Office says Menards, the Wisconsin-based home improvement retailer, has reached a $4.25 million settlement with several states to "resolve claims" of deceptive marketing practices in its popular "11% Rebate Program," and pandemic-era price gouging.
Police in Roseville, Minnesota, are investigating after they said officers found a man injured at the scene of a reported shooting on Friday morning.
Minneapolis police say they're investigating a "suspicious death" after a woman's body was discovered inside a vehicle Tuesday morning.
An ER patient is accused of attacking a security guard inside a Wyoming, Minnesota, hospital on Christmas evening, leading to a confrontation with a police officer outside the facility.
A 63-year-old West St. Paul, Minnesota, man accused of pointing a gun at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent says the agent also pointed a gun at him, according to court documents filed on Thursday.
Minneapolis police are investigating after they say a man suffered "potentially life-threatening injuries" in a stabbing on Thursday morning.
The clock is ticking to snag a few more gifts and prepare for that holiday trip to visit family. As the pressure builds, so does the stress.
The Minnesota Athletic Trainers Association says of the middle and high schools they know of, only 49% have an athletic trainer providing some level of service.
From 2021 to 2025, Smart Therapy Center submitted claims totaling $31.8 million across all Minnesota Department of Human Services programs, according to that data. But the provider was only approved for a fraction of those payments.
The family of a Minnesota Vikings player who died at training camp from heat exhaustion in 2001 is still fighting to protect others.
A Twin Cities metro area school shifted to e-learning after a flu outbreak impacted nearly a quarter of its students. A senior epidemiologist with the Minnesota Department of Health said flu season is "definitely picking up."
The message, aired on Channel 4 on Christmas Day, reflected on the impact of President Trump's second term in office thus far.
Feeding America's CEO said the organization is "incredibly grateful" for Taylor Swift's large donation.
The singer said an MRI showed a cancerous spot on one of his lungs after he recovered from a lengthy bout of bronchitis.
The special features interviews with Kathy Bates, Annette Bening, Albert Brooks, Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Jerry O'Connell and Mandy Patinkin.
The Oscars ceremony is moving to YouTube starting in 2029, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Wednesday.
The Minnesota Vikings are trying to practice the process of winning in December despite being eliminated from contention for the playoffs.
Hockey moms are a community, one that Jacqueline Nowakowski had no idea she'd need as much as she does.
Nikola Jokic set an NBA record with 18 points in overtime, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 142-138 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Christmas night.
Former University of Minnesota Gopher kicker and punter Rob Gray is adjusting to life with a new kidney donated by his pickleball partner.
Players and coaches alike were flowing in and out of the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront hotel on Thursday, making final preparations ahead of the 2026 World Junior Championship. The tournament begins on Friday.
Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is calling for answers about the immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities. She is also denouncing the president's attacks on the Somali community and herself. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy shows us how, for Omar, this is a familiar position to be in.
Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is calling for clarity about the immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities.
Fear and uncertainty continue in Minnesota's Somali communities as ICE continues its intensified focus on the Twin Cities.
Opposition to ICE actions is widespread among Democratic elected officials throughout the state, though nowhere more than in Minneapolis, home to the state's largest Somali population.
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.
On Dec. 9, 1965, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" debuted on CBS, and it became an instant classic. Lee Jenkins' home is proof that the show is still a hit six decades later.
Holiday lights are on full display across the state right now, and just south of the Twin Cities you'll find a Christmas light show that's been around for more than half a century.
The story begins years ago when the city acquired one of the T-38 Talon Thunderbird jets from the Air Force.
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."
According to the Smithsonian Magazine and Britannica, eggnog has British roots.
With the time-honored tradition of gift giving comes gift concealing.
The story of "The Wizard of Oz " is 125 years old, yet still reinventing itself in all kinds of forms.
It's the time of year when we accumulate the most stuff. When we do, people often throw around the word "hoarding." But it turns out it's a frequently misunderstood term.
Why do we have oily or dry skin? A dermatologist explains the root cause and how it can change over time.
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.
NEXT Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows says there's a chance for snow showers on Sunday afternoon and evening.
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.
Friday will be another mild one in the Twin Cities, but another bitter blast is on the way, says NEXT Weather meteorologist Adam Del Rosso.
Friday will be another mild one in the Twin Cities, but another bitter blast is on the way, says NEXT Weather meteorologist Adam Del Rosso.
Dense fog and clouds will make for another gloomy one on Friday, says NEXT Weather meteorologist Adam Del Rosso.
NEXT Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows says there's a chance for snow showers on Sunday afternoon and evening.
Playing First Avenue in Minneapolis is a dream for a lot of Minnesota bands. Starring on the main stage twice is rare. So, when the Twin Cities' own YAM Haus headlines the venue for a third time on Jan. 10, that's almost unheard of. Mike Augustyniak asked them to walk us through what it's like during a backstage tour.
WCCO's Jeff Wagner shares the latest headlines and updates from Friday afternoon.
Friday will be another mild one in the Twin Cities, but another bitter blast is on the way, says NEXT Weather meteorologist Adam Del Rosso.
Millions of people across the globe celebrated Christmas on Thursday. And once presents are opened and decorations come down, families are left with overflowing trash bags.