Good Question 'Reply All': Wrapping Paper, Snow And Auld Lang Syne
Jen from St. Paul asked: Why can't we recycle wrapping paper? In some places, like Minneapolis, you can.
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Jen from St. Paul asked: Why can't we recycle wrapping paper? In some places, like Minneapolis, you can.
This time of year, many of us talk about getting our finances in order. A WCCO-TV viewer named Rachael from St. Joseph wrote us asking how long she should keep her financial documents.
About 40 percent of us will make New Year's resolutions for 2014. But,according to research by University of Scranton psychologist Dr. John Norcross, those lofty goals fall by the wayside after six months for more than half who set them. In his study, success rates were 71 percent for two weeks, 64 percent for one month and 46 percent for six months.
Every year, billions of people spend time with friends and family on December 25th to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. But, there's no mention of Jesus' birthdate in Bible, so why do we celebrate on the 25th? Good Question.
It's that time of year when we might not even be able to see the real color of our car. When that familiar shade of dirty whitish-grey appears, it seems the cars themselves are screaming for a soapy brush. Nick Burlow, owner of Isles Auto Repair, says it's probably not a bad idea to wash your vehicle at least once a week.
Sara from Bloomington, Katie from Savage and Elisabeth from Owatonna asked: Why do we decorate with lights at Christmas?
During the holidays, many of us thank the people who have helped us throughout the year. According to a Consumer Reports survey from the 2011 holiday season, a little less than half of Americans tip during the holidays -- sometimes, it's with cash, gift cards, home-baked cookies and gifts.
Christmas is one week away, but the National Retail Federation says about half of us haven't finished our shopping and 14 percent haven't even started. "I'm just lazy," said Mohammed Abdelfathah of Fridley. "I say I'll do it in another hour, then another hour, then tomorrow."
We know Christmas must be close when we see poinsettias decorating offices, public spaces and homes. "I like them because they're pretty and last long," said 8-year-old Abby, who was buying one for herself and one for her mother at Bachman's on Tuesday night.
The new Weather Watcher sign atop the WCCO building has been alerting TV viewers and passersby to changes in the air since the day after Thanksgiving. That has prompted several Good Questions from WCCO viewers, including one from 10-year-old Alex of Glenwood City, Wis. He wanted to know: How do we decide when to change the color? For example, flurries were in the forecast for Monday night, but warmer weather is on the way. The Weather Watcher was shining red. "I was watching the news and it was showing red on the thing, and I looked at it and said snow is coming, too," Alex said.
There's no denying winter has arrived in Minnesota. Many of us have sent us questions about our recent blast of frigid air this week. So we thought we'd answer your cold weather Good Questions in this week's Reply All.
Every holiday season, thousands of Minnesotans will eat lutefisk dinners in church basements, restaurants and VFW posts across the state. On Friday night, Minneapolis' Mount Olivet Church will hold one of the largest in the state with 1,600 people.
Among our weapons to fight winter is an ingredient that's also on our kitchen table. Salt gets rid of the slick spots on our driveways and sidewalks. But how does salt melt ice? Good Question.
We all know Minnesota winters aren't easy, especially driving through all the ice and snow. This week's weather has reminded some of us it's time to change our tires. But who really needs snow tires? Good Question.
On CBS' 60 Minutes, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced a plan to deliver packages within 30 minutes by unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones. Amazon's "Prime Air' service could be used for packages which weigh less than five pounds, and can only be sent to destinations that are within 10 miles of an Amazon distribution center. Bezos said he hopes the service could be ready in four years. "I know this looks like science fiction," Bezos said. "It's not." So, how realistic is this idea?
James from Apple Valley and Anna from Sartell wanted to know: When did Black Friday start? According to BlackFriday.com, the term "Black Friday" was coined back in the 1960s, but it was really 1924 - the first year of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - that the day after Thanksgiving became the unofficial start to the Christmas shopping season. Early on, when the term was coined in 1961, it had a negative connotation because Philadelphia Police used it to describe the traffic jams and clogged sidewalks of that day. But, by the 1980s, the idea of the Friday after Thanksgiving putting the retailers back in the black (or profitable) started to take hold.
Thirty-one years ago on Thanksgiving Day, a massive fire in downtown Minneapolis robbed the Northwestern National Bank of its iconic weather ball. But on Friday, a new twist on the weather ball concept was shining over Nicollet Mall.
f turkey sandwiches, turkey soup and turkey a la king are on your menu over weekend, it's good to know long it's safe to eat Thanksgiving leftovers.
After all of the Thanksgiving cooking comes the cleaning as garbage disposals get a major workout. "The day after Thanksgiving is usually our biggest day for drains, especially kitchen sinks," said Jason Kuehn, a plumber with Dean's Professional Plumbing and Heating.
If you were to listen to the headlines, "Nature threatens holiday happiness," you wouldn't be crazy to think no one will be getting home for the holidays.
Imagine having to dress up an almost five-million-square foot space for the holidays! The daunting task is a reality for Brett Baudette, design manager at MOA. He says they "kick in to holiday gear" in mid-September, contracting out to about 100 workers who normally build inside the stores. "It's a team of construction workers," Baudette said. "It's kind of a fun change for them." They'll spend $250,000 on new decorations and labor, with most of the work executed in the middle of the night.
Caroline Kennedy was sworn in as the ambassador to Japan on Tuesday. So, that had Wendy from Eagan wondering: What does being an ambassador entail? According to the U.S. State Department, a U.S. ambassador is the president's highest-ranking representative to another country. That person's main role is to coordinate the Foreign Service office and the staff that serves under him or her. An ambassador is nominated by the president, but must be approved by the Senate. Some ambassadors are long-time diplomats, and others have been political friends or allies. In this case, Caroline Kennedy is a well-known person from prominent political family who will fill a high-profile ambassadorship.
The rules for car and booster seats can be confusing for any parent. Car seat laws vary by state. So what are the car seat laws and how do you know when your child should switch from a car seat to a seatbelt? Good Question.
For the first time since 1888, the first day of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving will overlap. Experts say that might not happen again until 79,811.
"One of the principles of the Affordable Care Act is that everybody has good insurance," said Dan McLaughlin, director of the Center for Health and Medical Affairs at the University of St. Thomas. "When you start pulling apart the insurance, all of the sudden you have inadequate insurance."
Josh Bell homered twice and drove in four runs as the Minnesota Twins beat the Houston Astros 6-3.
The summer will be jam-packed for Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin. He made it abundantly clear on Monday that re-signing Quinn Hughes is at the top of the list.
Dozens of recreational marijuana dispensaries can now be found across Minnesota. Many of them opened last year, but it's still relatively new. And if you've visited dispensaries in other states, the rules can be different.
Neighbors and business owners in the Minneapolis neighborhood of Uptown are concerned as businesses in the area continue to falter. Last month, The Lowry closed, citing changing consumer behavior, city-specific mandates and "disruptive Hennepin Avenue construction."
A 38-year-old man is dead after he was thrown from a vehicle following an attempted auto theft in south Minneapolis on Friday, according to police.
Neighbors and business owners in the Minneapolis neighborhood of Uptown are concerned as businesses in the area continue to falter. Last month, The Lowry closed, citing changing consumer behavior, city-specific mandates and "disruptive Hennepin Avenue construction."
A 38-year-old man is dead after he was thrown from a vehicle following an attempted auto theft in south Minneapolis on Friday, according to police.
A 35-year-old man has been charged after being accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl during a time in which he was a police officer, according to court documents filed Monday.
The City of Minneapolis is trying a new approach when it comes to solving and preventing non-deadly shootings.
A federal court will decide whether a Minnesota man can continue his fight to stay in the U.S.
At a hangar in St. Paul, Minnesota, engineers at Momentum Aeronautics are building Heatwave, a new generation scooping float system designed to make one of firefighting aviation's most dangerous jobs safer.
It's estimated that there are more than 15,000 black bears in Minnesota, with the majority of them in the northeastern part of the state.
Authorities arrested a 48-year-old man they believe is responsible for shooting at a fire suppression aircraft in northern Minnesota on Friday.
A wildfire in an area near Two Harbors, Minnesota, has been 100% contained, a federal interagency wildfire map showed Monday night.
A Minnesota motorist was shot in the face Friday by "an errant round" fired by someone on a family's nearby target shooting range.
A driver went airborne during a high-speed police chase in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, after fleeing a traffic stop.
Fifty beagles rescued from animal testing in Wisconsin are set to arrive in Minnesota Thursday.
A 100-mile stretch of Mississippi River towns is hosting its annual 100 Mile Garage Sale this weekend, drawing shoppers and sellers from across the region and beyond.
Minnesota animal rescues are stepping up to take in dogs from a Wisconsin research facility accused of animal abuse.
You may have heard of Give to the Max Day, where people donate millions of dollars to hundreds of nonprofits and organizations across Minnesota on a single day. That idea has spread to western Wisconsin, called Give Big Valleys.
Quincy Street isn't just at the center of Art-A-Whirl, it's at the heart of the Arts District in northeast Minneapolis. The road itself, however, is falling apart. And the only thing bumpier than the exposed brick is the reaction to the city's plans to fix it.
Somali and Muslim leaders in Minnesota played a threatening voicemail at a public gathering Friday, saying businesses in their community are being targeted with messages warning of death.
The Black homeownership rate in the Twin Cities dropped to 29% in 2024, and the region had the largest gap between Black and White homeownership rates of any comparable metro in the country.
Bobby Rogers once came to the Minneapolis Institute of Art to sketch and study; now he leads its design and editorial work, shaping what visitors see and experience.
Moses Cooper, who has cerebral palsy, met running partner Mark Hulsey through My Team Triumph Minnesota two years ago and the pair qualified for the Boston Marathon at Grandma's Marathon last summer.
Both sides of the aisle are claiming wins following the end of the legislative session in Minnesota. They barely got everything done in time. Esme Murphy details bills that were approved by lawmakers.
It came right down to the wire, but the legislative session is over and finished on time. Most top priorities passed, including a bailout for HCMC and a hospital reserve fund, a one year roll-back of car tab fees, and property tax relief. But, the most emotionally-charged issue of the session never came up for a final vote, gun control. Esme Murphy is live at the Capitol with what happened.
Minnesota lawmakers crossed the finish line at the State Capitol just before midnight. But even with bipartisan agreements in place, the final hours were anything but smooth.
The Trump administration announced it's restricting people who don't have U.S. passports from entering the country if they have been in Congo, South Sudan or Uganda amid the Ebola outbreak.
President Trump had accused the Treasury Department and IRS of unlawfully allowing a government contractor to leak his tax returns and those of his sons and company.
Part of the end-of-session deal in the Minnesota Legislature rolls back skyrocketing tab renewal fees. Those fees have electric vehicle owners especially revved up.
In Minnesota, you'll be able to try one at St. Paul's CHS Field.
With more Americans opting to drive rather than fly amid higher costs, South Dakota tourism officials say the state is well-positioned as a regional road trip destination.
President Trump's idea to save drivers a few dollars at the pump could cost them in the long run.
A 100-mile stretch of Mississippi River towns is hosting its annual 100 Mile Garage Sale this weekend, drawing shoppers and sellers from across the region and beyond.
A 38-year-old man is dead after he was thrown from a vehicle following an attempted auto theft in south Minneapolis on Friday, according to police.
A 35-year-old man has been charged after being accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl during a time in which he was a police officer, according to court documents filed Monday.
The City of Minneapolis is trying a new approach when it comes to solving and preventing non-deadly shootings.
Three people were killed in a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, and two suspected shooters were found dead inside a vehicle nearby, police said.
A federal officer faces charges in connection with a shooting in north Minneapolis that left a man wounded, and that two agents were caught lying about under oath.
At least 80 deaths have been reported in a new Ebola disease outbreak in Congo and Uganda, authorities said.
It comes after insurers stopped paying for their kids' daily care, which they argue was covered as part of a 15-year-old state law. As the end of the Minnesota session nears, lawmakers have four days to make a change.
A Twin Cities teenager is facing an unimaginable battle: terminal cancer. She's fortunate enough to have family by her side through her fearless fight as they all hope for a miracle.
Dr. Gianrico Farrugia has led Mayo Clinic since 2019, and the organization said it was his decision to "complete his tenure at the end of this year."
Twin Cities emergency room physicians, nurses and technicians made an emotional plea Tuesday for lawmakers to do something about Minnesota's gun laws.
Dave Ryan has been a pillar of Minnesota radio for over three decades who last week made the surprise announcement that he would retire from his morning show at KDWB.
If you're a Smashing Pumpkins fan in Minnesota, today may be the greatest day you've ever known. Billy Corgan and his band are bringing their next tour to Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul.
The Library of Congress revealed this year's list of 25 recordings to be preserved for future generations on the National Recording Registry.
Dave Ryan announced Wednesday that May 22 will be his last day at KDWB, ending a 33-year run at the Twin Cities station.
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are calling their Aug. 29 show "Homecoming: A Celebration of the Minneapolis Sound."
Josh Bell homered twice and drove in four runs as the Minnesota Twins beat the Houston Astros 6-3.
The summer will be jam-packed for Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin. He made it abundantly clear on Monday that re-signing Quinn Hughes is at the top of the list.
A Minnesota dancer is breaking barriers everytime she competes on stage.
The Baltimore Ravens will participate in two joint practices during training camp this summer, including a home clash with the Washington Commanders.
Minneapolis is expected to play host to the 2028 NFL draft, according to multiple reports.
Amy Klobuchar is putting her gubernatorial campaign into high gear. She faces no significant opposition in the race for the DFL endorsement and her existing record of statewide wins is formidable.
The legislation establishes a list of requirements aimed at improving transparency and reducing conflicts within HOAs. Minnesota estimates that 25% of its residents live in an HOA, and 82% of new homes are built within one.
The Minnesota Senate passed a bill with mandatory requirements for homeowners associations aimed at improving transparency and preventing disputes, after two years of legislative work driven by public complaints.
The Minnesota Senate passed a bill with mandatory requirements for homeowners associations aimed at improving transparency and preventing disputes, after two years of legislative work driven by public complaints. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy spoke with Dana Ohman, an attorney who handles HOA disputes, about some of the most common questions homeowners have.
Sen. Tina Smith is using her last months in office to vocally campaign for progressive and environmental causes. She hopes that a progressive will succeed her when Minnesotans go to the polls next November.
There's a place in Wabasha County, Minnesota, where people go wild for wildflowers.
For nearly 50 years, Farmamerica has been sowing agricultural knowledge near Waseca, Minnesota.
The carillon has 56 bells, and the Mayo Clinic said that makes it one of the largest instruments in the world and the largest instrument in Minnesota.
When you think of masterful, memorable works of art, grain elevators don't typically come to mind. But in towns across the country, including in Minnesota, they're becoming an unlikely canvas for creativity.
At Arnie Lillo's Creations in Blue Earth County, you can visit a metal-scaled version of the Eiffel Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge. The works of art have taken on a shape of their own.
Dozens of recreational marijuana dispensaries can now be found across Minnesota. Many of them opened last year, but it's still relatively new. And if you've visited dispensaries in other states, the rules can be different.
President Trump's idea to save drivers a few dollars at the pump could cost them in the long run.
More people than the entire population of Minneapolis, or half a million, were estimated to go fishing in Minnesota this past weekend. WCCO looks at how the tradition stacks up with other outdoor events that keep the state's economy running.
A deadly virus that's killed cruise ship passengers can be traced to small critters found hiding in homes.
So far this decade, the Twin Cities metro has, on average, added about 17,000 housing units per year, according to data from the Metropolitan Council.
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.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new food, drinks and vendors for 2025.
NEXT Weather meteorologist Mike Augustyniak says wind gusts are expected to exceed 20 mph in the Twin Cities on Tuesday, when temperatures will reach the 50s.
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.
Another system of rain will move through much of Minnesota on Monday night, followed by cool and windy conditions on Tuesday.
WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak says more rain is possible this evening, but things are not expected to be severe.
There's another chance for rain Monday evening before a mostly dry week.
NEXT Weather meteorologist Mike Augustyniak says wind gusts are expected to exceed 20 mph in the Twin Cities on Tuesday, when temperatures will reach the 50s.
A business in Minneapolis' Uptown is warning that a new project could shut down more small businesses in a different stretch of town. Ashley Grams heard those concerns at the site of a new construction project on Lyndale Avenue.
Minnesotans have plenty of experience grabbing beer or wine at liquor stores. That's not the case when it comes to legally buying marijuana. In this Good Question, Jeff Wagner helps first-timers navigate the ins and outs of shopping at a dispensary.
Prosecutors say they want to send a message with the sentencing of Aimee Bock, the Feeding Our Future ringleader. In March, she was convicted of several counts in connection with what authorities called the largest pandemic fraud case in the U.S. Court documents said they are recommending a 50-year sentence for Bock.
An 11th hour pardon and court challenge are keeping a Minnesota man from being deported. Jeff Wagner has been following this story all month and has the latest on his legal battle, including why the man's attorney says his pause will stay in effect until further notice.