Good Question: Why Do Our Heating Bills Fluctuate So Much?
The Department of Energy released its winter fuel outlook and found homeowners with natural gas can expect increases in their heating bills of up to 13 percent.
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The Department of Energy released its winter fuel outlook and found homeowners with natural gas can expect increases in their heating bills of up to 13 percent.
Caroline Schelquist, a junior at Minnetonka High School, plays basketball and volleyball. "In my off-season, I play on an A.A.U. basketball team and on a J.O. volleyball," Schelquist said. Minnetonka senior Josh Dalki plays football and baseball. He stopped basketball after the 8th grade. "I either play winter baseball or we obviously train a lot for football," Dalki said.
Heather Brown answers all your questions, from where did goose bumps get its name to where do bird go during a thunderstorm.
Mary wrote to us this week out of frustration. In fact, many of you were quite angry in your Good Question submissions about the government shutdown. On Tuesday, we answered the GQ about Congressional members' salaries. I thought we'd use this space to answer Mary's question: Is there a recall option for Congress?
A few years back, Kathy Lesicka's Monticello home had hail damage and needed the roof replaced. Two months after the repairs, her homeowners' premium increased by $200. "That was the first time we ever claimed, and we were like, 'We've been with you for 20 years, are you kidding me?'" she said.
Last year, the flu virus showed up in Minnesota in October, so many doctors are recommending people get the shot now. That has Susie wondering: Can you get sick from the flu shot?
Hundreds of thousands of federal workers won't be getting paid for the foreseeable future. That had many of you emailing, wanting to know: Do members of Congress get paid during a government shutdown?
Many viewers of the Vikings game Sunday may have taken in some adult beverages; perhaps a beer or two. So, we thought this would be a good time to answer a question from Bruce in Blaine: How much does beer contribute to a beer belly? Allina Health cardiologist Dr. Courtney Baechler says beer bellies are a bit of a myth. "Culturally speaking, men tend to drink a little more beer than women, and it's the perfect nitus to get fat because it's a lot of carbohydrates," Dr. Baechler said.
Thanks to everyone who sent in Good Question suggestions this week! Please keep them coming! In the meantime, I wanted to answer a few that didn't make air. Rosy has a question I've never thought about before: Why do people put an "s" on the end of email, as in emails? We don't say we are going to pick up our snail mails from the post office. Good point, Rosy. I looked up the definition of email in the dictionary and found three definitions – two for nouns and one for a verb.
This weekend, the University of Minnesota, along with many other colleges and high schools, will celebrate homecoming. That had U of M senior Kelli Peterson wondering: How did homecoming traditions start?
It's a source of pride for many Minnesotans – the number of Fortune 500 companies that call Minnesota home. "We live in an amazing state, so I thought a big percentage were here," said Diane Anderson, of Minneapolis.
On Tuesday, Burger King released a healthier french fry: the Satisfry. The fast-food restaurant says it has 20 percent fewer calories and 25 percent percent less fat compared to regular fries. It's made with a different batter so less oil is absorbed.
After mortgage banker Alex Stenback of Alerus Mortgage helps people buy a new home, he sells off the mortgage. "We sell everything that we do here," Stenback said. "When we sell them, it's one by one." About 80 percent of home loans are eligible to be sold. Stenback says it can happen for a couple of reasons. "One is there is $10 trillion in outstanding mortgages right now in the country and there's simply not enough deposits in all the banks to make that many mortgages," he said.
It's Friday, and Heather Brown went to the mailbag to answer some of your burning Good Questions about the human body.
Thank you to everyone who sent in Good Question suggestions this week! So far, I've counted about 75 submissions and that's just from the emails. Please keep them coming! In the meantime, though, I wanted to answer a few that didn't make air.
In the land of lutefisk and Uff-da, it appears there are fewer Sven and Oles. According to new data released by the U.S. Census, the faces of Minnesota are changing.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently released its "eat your fruits and vegetables" reminder. It used to be the experts suggested people eat between 3 to 5 servings of vegetables and 2 to 4 servings of fruits each day. But now the CDC says the number of servings depends on the person.
All across the state, workplaces, doctors' offices and drug stores have been offering the flu shot. For years, the Centers for Disease Control and Minnesota Department of Health have recommended people get vaccinated as soon as the vaccine is available, which is generally the middle to end of September.
According to AAA, the average cost of gas has been more than $3 per gallon for 1,000 days straight. It's the longest streak ever for gas prices at this level. Right now, the average in Minnesota is $3.50 per gallon, slightly lower than the national average of $3.54 per gallon. Bob Darbelnet, president and CEO of AAA, says kiss the days of cheaper gas prices goodbye. "Paying less than $3 per gallon for gasoline may be automotive history for most Americans, like using 8-track tapes or going to a drive-in movie," Darbelnet said.
Don from Eden Prairie and Linda from Roseville want to know: What happens to the money collected when NFL players are fined?
We've all heard that sound -- a motorcycle so loud it can hurt your ears. Some bikers say they do it to be safer on the road, but being too loud is against Minnesota law.
Almost all of us remember where we were and what we were doing when we heard terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center 12 years ago. "I remember thinking, is this really happening, it's like an out of body experience," said Kristin Witte of Minneapolis.
In 2013, 91 percent of us own some sort of cell phone. Fifty-six percent own a smart phone. It wasn't until 2007 that we saw what's now considered the first smartphone – the iPhone. The iPhone 5 is now the top selling phone in US, followed by the Samsung Galaxy S III.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, the average Minnesota driver pays $125 per year to register his or her car. But some of us pay much more, and some of us pay much less. So, when Joel Tracy of St. Paul found out his daughter paid almost $400 her new minivan's tags, he was surprised. He had only paid $41 for his 2002 Tahoe. "I thought she stuttered," Tracy said. According to Bruce Gordon, the director of communications for the Department of Public Safety, the car tabs fees are set by the state legislature.
Mary from Eagan wants to know: Why do speedometers go so high? Her Honda CRV says 140 mph, but she, like many of us, would never go that fast. According to Larry Dominique, a longtime automotive engineer and current president of ALG, there are two reasons: 1) Consumer research shows that when people are driving on the highway, they like their speedometers to be between 11 and 1, like on a clock. That makes the needle easier to see at highway speeds. 2) Consumers believe that a car that says it can go 140 mph is better than a car that says it can go 120 mph.
Three-time Pro Bowler Jamal Adams says he's joining the Minnesota Vikings on the eve of training camp.
Police in Fridley are restricting who can access data from Flock Safety cameras. At a packed City Council meeting on Monday, they walked through data, showing the community's network of cameras was searched hundreds of thousands of times in December and January by agencies around the country.
The issue is a major talking point ahead of the midterm elections. Do gas prices actually impact elections?
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says a mother and her daughter who were sought by police in Blaine on Monday night have been found safe.
More than eight decades after a Minnesota soldier went missing during World War II, his remains have been found.
Police in Fridley are restricting who can access data from Flock Safety cameras. At a packed City Council meeting on Monday, they walked through data, showing the community's network of cameras was searched hundreds of thousands of times in December and January by agencies around the country.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says a mother and her daughter who were sought by police in Blaine on Monday night have been found safe.
No matter the factors, the numbers don't lie. According to Forbes, groceries have increased 55% since 2020 and that impacted how many voted in 2024.
An Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, man who admitted to having a rifle that belonged to the FBI during a federal operation in Minneapolis earlier this year has been sentenced, according to court documents filed on Monday.
In the heart of Minneapolis, Lakewood Cemetery's 200-plus acres bring people — living and dead — together.
An investigation is underway to determine who is behind a cyberattack that briefly shut down a water plant in Braham, Minnesota, on Monday morning and hit at least four other communities across the state, officials in the east-central city said.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he is considering calling a special session next month focusing on the wildfires that have devastated 72,500 acres of forest across the U.S. and Canada and community recovery.
Day trips will resume in some parts of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota on Monday. For local businesses, it's a lifeline.
Officials in northern Minnesota say some residents will be allowed to return to their homes as wildfire conditions improve.
Authorities in southern Minnesota are investigating a suspicious death after a woman reported she received a text from a man saying he had hurt her sister.
A new lawsuit argues that Wisconsin's elections commission is wrongly blocking absentee voters from canceling their ballots and requesting new ones, with nearly 91,000 ballots already returned ahead of the Aug. 11 primary.
Madison, Wisconsin remains one of the only cities of its size without a police body camera program, leaving key moments of a fatal officer-involved shooting unrecorded.
The state Democratic Party is asking Wisconsin's elections commission to allow voters who already returned absentee ballots to cast new ones, after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out of the governor's race and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley rejoined it.
The effects of Minnesota's prolonged heat wave are becoming impossible to miss with several reports of fish kills.
Three new women's world records have been set at the Lumberjack World Championships in Hayward, Wisconsin.
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.
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.
The issue is a major talking point ahead of the midterm elections. Do gas prices actually impact elections?
The two top contenders in the DFL race for U.S. Senate faced off in a debate at Minnesota Public Radio on Monday.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked Minnesota from enforcing its law banning most bets on prediction markets, according to court documents filed on Monday.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he is considering calling a special session next month focusing on the wildfires that have devastated 72,500 acres of forest across the U.S. and Canada and community recovery.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he is considering calling a special session next month focusing on the wildfires that have devastated 72,500 acres of forest across the U.S. and Canada and community recovery.
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 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.
An Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, man who admitted to having a rifle that belonged to the FBI during a federal operation in Minneapolis earlier this year has been sentenced, according to court documents filed on Monday.
The son of Chiefs assistant coach Eric Bieniemy has been arrested and charged with a shooting that wounded his mother, Mia Bieniemy, according to authorities in Virginia.
Police believe a suspect in the deadly shooting at a food festival in Seattle was among those who were killed, as another suspect remains on the loose and a teenager is in custody.
Employees at Punch-Out Gaming said the burglary happened overnight Saturday, with suspects taking between $30,000 and $50,000 worth of merchandise. Most of the stolen items were Pokémon cards.
Authorities in southern Minnesota are investigating a suspicious death after a woman reported she received a text from a man saying he had hurt her sister.
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."
The CDC will not renew a federal grant that provided the Aliveness Project roughly $450,000 a year for HIV testing, PrEP referrals and community outreach across Minnesota.
Here's how weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy could reduce worker illness and save companies money.
There are new accusations surrounding pollution problems at a battery recycling plant in Minnesota. An attorney says lead migration from Gopher Resource in Eagan poisoned some kids connected to workers.
Taylor Farms said none of its branded salads or kits contain the iceberg lettuce associated with the outbreak.
Paramount Skydance on Friday said it would delay the deal until as late as June 2027.
It's another action-packed weekend in Minnesota, with plenty of community celebrations.
This weekend, a Twin Cities theater company will be performing "Dear Evan Hansen," a musical that deals with themes of anxiety, depression and isolation. But they also feel it relates to what Minneapolis went through during Operation Metro Surge.
The ruling comes after a coalition of 12 states sued to block the deal, arguing it would harm consumers and the entertainment industry.
The Minnesota Yacht Club Festival is expected to bring thousands upon thousands each day to Harriet Island Regional Park in St. Paul between Friday and Sunday.
Three-time Pro Bowler Jamal Adams says he's joining the Minnesota Vikings on the eve of training camp.
The son of Chiefs assistant coach Eric Bieniemy has been arrested and charged with a shooting that wounded his mother, Mia Bieniemy, according to authorities in Virginia.
.Jackson Koivun won the 3M Open by three strokes Sunday in only his third start as a professional, holding off Scottie Scheffler with a closing 5-under 66 for a tournament-record 25-under 259 total.
John Anderson, the former University of Minnesota baseball coach and Big Ten career victories leader, died Sunday.
Ryan Jeffers went 3 for 5 with three RBIs, Connor Prielipp threw 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his return from the injured list and the Minnesota Twins beat the Athletics 11-8 in the rubber match of a three-game series.
In the past few years, one of Minnesota's fiercest primary battles has been in the 5th Congressional District, which has been held since 2018 by Rep. Ilhan Omar.
Secretary of State Steve Simon says federal observers at the Aug. 11 primary will most likely be Justice Department attorneys, not immigration or border enforcement agents.
The investigations into the ICE killings of Renee Good, Alex Pretti and the shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celishave entered a critical stage.
The investigations into the ICE killings of Renee Good, Alex Pretti and the shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis have entered a critical stage.
There's less than a month to go before the Aug. 11 primary, and one of the most watched and competitive races is the DFL race for the nomination for U.S. Senate between Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig.
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.
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
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.
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.
When you get home from work in the evening, your first thought may be dinner. You might fire up the stove or oven, you could also start a load of laundry. Not long after that, you're running the dishwasher. You may think you're being efficient, but your house during this heat wave disagrees.
It's one of Minnesota's rules of the road in which two is better than one. But Jodi from Lakeville emailed WCCO saying a lot of drivers don't seem to care about the law.
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.
The temperature in the Twin Cities will reach 92 degrees on Tuesday, NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer says. Other communities across Minnesota will see temperatures in the 80s.
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.
A tornado hit multiple communities in eastern Wisconsin on Monday afternoon. Dashcam video shows strong winds pulling down power poles in Appleton. The National Weather Service says an "extremely dangerous" EF-2 twister took aim at the region.
Smoke from wildfires in the Pacific Northwest will move over Minnesota on Tuesday afternoon, when temperatures reach the low 90s, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.
Temperatures in the Twin Cities will be in the low 70s on Tuesday morning before warming to the low 90s, NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer says.
The temperature in the Twin Cities will reach 92 degrees on Tuesday, NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer says. Other communities across Minnesota will see temperatures in the 80s.
For those in the Minnesota baseball community, it hit like gut punch. Former U of M coach John Anderson collapsed with cardiac arrest last Wednesday. He died on Sunday. As Mike Max reports, Anderson was a shining light for so many and it was really never about baseball.
A major talking point for the upcoming election is once again staring drivers in the face. According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of gas in Minnesota on Monday was $4.03. That's up 17 cents from a week prior. In tonight's Good Question, Jeff Wagner learns why an expert says gas prices impact elections.
A tornado hit multiple communities in eastern Wisconsin on Monday afternoon. Dashcam video shows strong winds pulling down power poles in Appleton. The National Weather Service says an "extremely dangerous" EF-2 twister took aim at the region.
City leaders in Fridley are facing criticism and questions over cameras. A recent report highlighted how the city's traffic surveillance cameras were used in federal immigration enforcement efforts. Ashley Grams was at Monday night's City Council meeting, where elected officials presented changes to prevent that in the future.