Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signs law making grooming a felony
Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday signed a bill into law that makes grooming a felony in Minnesota, legislation introduced after a WCCO investigative series.
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Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday signed a bill into law that makes grooming a felony in Minnesota, legislation introduced after a WCCO investigative series.
A bill to make grooming a felony offense is heading to the governor's desk after passing unanimously in the Minnesota Legislature.
The bill to make grooming a crime in Minnesota is headed to the Senate floor for a vote. The legislation follows a WCCO investigative series on grooming in schools.
It's the final stretch to make grooming a child a crime in Minnesota. With a week to go in the legislative session, it's the state Senate's turn to move the legislation along.
A law to make grooming a felony in Minnesota is closer to reality. House members unanimously passed the bill on Monday. The move follows a WCCO Investigates series where Hannah LoPresto shared what she calls grooming and sexual assault by her high school band director.
Legislation was introduced after Hannah LoPresto came forward as part of a WCCO Investigates series.
A bill intended to stop predatory behavior in schools before it becomes a sexual assault is moving on in the Minnesota Senate.
Proposed legislation to make grooming in schools a crime has passed another hurdle in the Minnesota House Tuesday.
Two bills designed to protect students from grooming have been passed by a Minnesota Senate committee. They follow a WCCO Investigates series on the topic.
A bill designed to stop children from being groomed in Minnesota schools is moving forward, introduced following a WCCO investigative series.
A bill designed to stop grooming in Minnesota schools is moving forward after its first hearing on Tuesday. It follows a WCCO investigative series where a young woman shared what she says happened to her in high school.
Last fall, Hannah LoPresto came forward to say she was groomed and sexually assaulted by her band director. She told WCCO she wants her experience to change laws to better protect kids. Now, lawmakers are set to introduce legislation this session.
Alison Feigh with the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center, a program of the Zero Abuse Project, says a child's isolation from their adult circle is a warning sign of grooming.
In October, WCCO introduced you to a young woman who told police she was groomed and sexually assaulted by her band director. Her mission in speaking up was to strengthen laws and change policies to better protect kids. She had the chance to have her voice heard once again on Monday.
WCCO Investigates digs into the process of suspending or revoking a teaching license in Minnesota, as part of a series of stories about laws and policies surrounding grooming.
WCCO investigated the laws and policies surrounding grooming. We heard from a young woman who is sharing her story in hopes of creating change and keeping kids safe.
"My hope is to get people's attention and hope that they listen and understand and see that this isn't just about what happened to me," Hannah LoPresto said.
She told police her band director groomed and sexually assaulted her in high school, but he was never charged. Senior investigative reporter Jennifer Mayerle digs into why and how a change in law could lead to more accountability in future cases.
She thought she was receiving extra attention as a high school student. She now says she realizes she was being groomed.
A 26-year-old man is in custody after voluntarily returning to Minnesota on charges that he defrauded the Minnesota Housing Stabilization Services program.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections has denied supervised release for a man convicted in the 1970 killing of a St. Paul, Minnesota, police officer.
Minnesota sports fans will have the opportunity to see several flyovers this weekend as part of a memorial for the first responders who gave their lives on 9/11.
You might not think an NFL running back has anything in common with little kids in Vikings T-shirts. But Aaron Jones does.
An American Airlines reservations agent who took Betty Ong's historic 9/11 call recalls the flight attendant's bravery.
A 26-year-old man is in custody after voluntarily returning to Minnesota on charges that he defrauded the Minnesota Housing Stabilization Services program.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections has denied supervised release for a man convicted in the 1970 killing of a St. Paul, Minnesota, police officer.
It'll start to get warm and breezy Friday as storms roll in for the evening.
Football is back, and just days before the Vikings and Packers face off in a border battle, U. S Bank Stadium is making major upgrades.
Since the event was established by the White House in the 1980s, the Hispanic Heritage Awards have always been held in Washington, D.C.
It'll start to get warm and breezy Friday as storms roll in for the evening.
Friday marks 25 years since 9/11, and a small Minnesota community has found a special way to honor the victims year-round.
WCCO is tracking everything you can go out and do 4 Your Weekend, including local festivals and the start of some fall activities.
It'll be a mostly sunny day Thursday with light winds, but the humidity starts to pick up Friday ahead of some scattered showers.
Built in 1886, the Prospect House was once a resort hotel. The third floor is preserved to show what the hotel looked like back then, but for Jay Johnson, the real history is in the basement.
A $1.8 billion project to replace the Blatnik Bridge, which links Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin, is now underway.
An 18-year-old man has pleaded guilty to killing 10-year-old Lily Peters in Wisconsin four years ago. He was then given a life sentence with the possibility of extended supervision after 25 years.
A Wisconsin prosecutor says he will not file election bribery charges against billionaire Elon Musk even though the state's bipartisan elections commission said he likely broke state law.
A Wisconsin high school football player has died from injuries sustained during a game on Thursday night.
Dozens of cases of E. coli and salmonella in multiple states are linked to an alfalfa grower in Minnesota, health officials say.
The nonprofit opened its Twin Cities doors in 2010 and now runs a seven-woman operation out of a warehouse stocked entirely with what other Minnesotans gave away.
An Annandale, Minnesota, boy who survived overwhelming odds as a baby is once again facing a serious heart battle.
Zy'ire was diagnosed with bone cancer in his tibia, and throughout treatment, his love of the game helped keep his spirits up. Make-A-Wish Minnesota granted his wish by putting him on the sideline in Vikings gear.
Lt. Ryan Kelly, the first Minneapolis officer to arrive at Church of the Annunciation on Aug. 27, 2025, described walking in to find dozens of children hiding in the pews — and locating 2 who had already died.
After the Annunciation Catholic Church mass shooting in Minneapolis, there were loud calls for action on guns.
Four former presidents were at the World Trade Center memorial site for 9/11 commemorations, while President Trump spoke at the Pentagon.
In August, a law changing the age for criminal prosecutions in Minnesota went into effect. The law bars children under 13, no matter how serious the crime, from being prosecuted. It's unclear what will happen to kids now accused of these crimes.
Maryland and New Hampshire have similar laws but carve out exceptions for serious violent crimes like murder and rape; Minnesota's version, effective August 1, 2026, has none.
A 43-year-old Hugo woman who pleaded guilty to making threats towards Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth was sentenced on Thursday.
CBS News Texas political reporter Jack Fink spoke with President Trump for an exclusive interview during the president's visit to North Texas.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services is working with a contractor to correct an autism treatment plan backlog that is frustrating both parents and providers.
You've probably seen THC drinks at Minnesota bars and liquor stores, but those made-in-Minnesota drinks could disappear this winter if new federal rules take effect.
The 2026 Minnesota State Fair is rolling out more than three dozen new food items this year, on top of all the returning favorites — which makes putting together a game plan for your visit no small task.
President Trump said Friday that the U.S. will waive higher tariffs on ground beef imports, which he says will reduce beef prices by 25%. Some cattle ranchers, including those in Minnesota and Wisconsin, worry the plan will hurt them financially.
An outbreak of E. coli and salmonella is linked to an alfalfa grower in Minnesota, health officials say. WCCO speaks with a food safety expert about the risks associated with alfalfa sprouts.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections has denied supervised release for a man convicted in the 1970 killing of a St. Paul, Minnesota, police officer.
A longtime family-run Thai restaurant in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, is picking up the pieces after an individual broke a window and tried to enter early Monday morning, but the owner says the incident won't drive them from the area.
The man who killed a grocery store employee in the Loring Park neighborhood of Minneapolis with a golf club in 2023 was found not guilty by reason of mental illness on Thursday.
The father of Jordan "Manny" Collins, who is accused killing his 16-year-old son, will go on trial Thursday in Anoka County.
Heather Hoffman says she was inside the Grandstand on Saturday when her fiancé, Sammy, was roaming around the fair with two friends. Those friends say Sammy bumped into a teen and it escalated.
The money will fuel a 10-year push into precision medicine at a hospital system that treats children from before birth through young adulthood.
Hospice nurses who work for Allina Health are set to begin a seven-day strike on Friday.
A school night usually means earlier bedtimes and setting multiple alarms. WCCO spoke with a sleep medicine physician about how many alarms you should set to wake up.
A group of over 150 Allina Health doctors in the Twin Cities has filed a 10-day unfair labor practice strike notice, their union said on Friday.
Sanford Health and North Memorial Health announced Tuesday that they completed the merger.
WCCO is tracking everything you can go out and do 4 Your Weekend, including at the Minnesota State Fair.
While performing in St. Louis on Saturday night, Lionel Richie appeared at one point to lean on a piano for support, according to video from the show.
Louis Lee came to Minnesota decades ago from Hong Kong to become a student at the University of Minnesota. He says listening to comedy helped him learn English.
The vault is open. Recordings no one's ever heard, spanning 40 years of Prince's musical career, are now available on a new album called "Timeless."
The community is mourning the loss of Charles Dillon, also known as Chaz Millionaire, a longtime voice on the Twin Cities airwaves.
Minnesota sports fans will have the opportunity to see several flyovers this weekend as part of a memorial for the first responders who gave their lives on 9/11.
You might not think an NFL running back has anything in common with little kids in Vikings T-shirts. But Aaron Jones does.
Kyler Murray's debut as quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings also marks the first game as Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator for Jonathan Gannon.
Josh Jacobs pleaded no contest Thursday to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage charges; the NFL said it is reviewing the case under its personal conduct policy and Jacobs remains on the commissioner's exempt list.
Quinn Hughes appears to be in no rush to get a contract extension done with the Minnesota Wild.
In August, a law changing the age for criminal prosecutions in Minnesota went into effect. The law bars children under 13, no matter how serious the crime, from being prosecuted. It's unclear what will happen to kids now accused of these crimes.
Maryland and New Hampshire have similar laws but carve out exceptions for serious violent crimes like murder and rape; Minnesota's version, effective August 1, 2026, has none.
Demuth has been running ads focusing on a million-dollar funding proposal that Klobuchar supported that was stripped out of a funding bill.
She has won four races for U.S. Senate by double digits, and now Sen. Amy Klobuchar is campaigning to become Minnesota's next governor.
The DFL primary in Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District was supposed to be close, but it wasn't. Former Lakeville Mayor and state Sen. Matt Little beat two well-known opponents by double digits.
Built in 1886, the Prospect House was once a resort hotel. The third floor is preserved to show what the hotel looked like back then, but for Jay Johnson, the real history is in the basement.
For nearly a half century, the Haunted Mansion at the Minnesota State Fair has been scaring people silly.
It is one of the most uniquely shaped buildings at the Minnesota State Fair, and it holds nearly 80 years of history.
For five generations, one family has run the Taylors Falls Scenic Boat Tours along the St. Croix River.
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.
The first days of school can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. New teachers, new classes, maybe even a new building. It can be a lot to manage without a plan.
A school night usually means earlier bedtimes and setting multiple alarms. WCCO spoke with a sleep medicine physician about how many alarms you should set to wake up.
Behind the fried foods and thrilling rides, farming remains at the heart of the Minnesota State Fair, where farm families work around the clock to get their animals ribbon-ready.
Visitors are spending tens of millions of dollars to experience all there is at the Minnesota State Fair. It's a 12-day production that costs tens of millions of dollars to put on.
There's more than 300 vendors keeping people fed at the Minnesota State Fair. That's a lot of competition for your cash and the limited space in your stomach.
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.
There's a possibility for some rain and storms to move through northern Minnesota Friday 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.
It'll start to get warm and breezy Friday as storms roll in for the evening.
The warmth and humidity will build throughout the day before some possible severe storms in the evening.
We have rain headed our way, which should hopefully help with our drought conditions. Chief meteorologist Chris Shaffer has the timing.
Many Minnesotans are marking 9/11 by giving back. On Friday, some WCCO staff members were clearing buckthorn at Wood Lake Nature Center in Richfield as part of Xcel Energy's Day of Service. Frank Vascellaro reports.
There's a possibility for some rain and storms to move through northern Minnesota Friday evening.
More than 19 departments across Hennepin County participated in a silent procession.
You’ll be able to look to the sky for a memorial to the first responders who gave their lives during some Minnesota sports games this weekend.
Volunteers are out working to clear some pesky Buckthorn at the Wood Lake Nature Center as part of Xcel Energy's Day of Service.