St. Paul firefighters: Copper wire theft may have caused electrical surge
The explosion tripped two nearby electrical boxes, detaching wires from a power pole that fell onto a minivan, which then caught fire.
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The explosion tripped two nearby electrical boxes, detaching wires from a power pole that fell onto a minivan, which then caught fire.
Eh Tha Blay, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting third-degree property damage in December.
Court records say Eh Tha Blay, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting third-degree property damage.
The memorial statue for 10-year-old Barway Collins, which has stood in Becker Park in Crystal, Minnesota, for only about a year, is being repaired after it was "pushed over" earlier this summer, according to police.
Police in St. Paul say someone stole a brass statue of Olympic champion Suni Lee.
Investigators in St. Paul are trying to find out who stole a statue of Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee.
The city says they repaired the lighting in 2023 and 2024 around Lake of the Isles, yet the majority of the wire around the lake has once again been stolen.
A man charged in connection to a group accused of stealing copper wire from streetlights in St. Paul will not serve any additional jail time, court documents show.
Kyaw Klay pleaded guilty to one count of damaging or theft of energy transmission/telecommunications equipment.
Some Twin Cities residents and businesses say their landline phones haven't worked for weeks, or even months.
Nay Thar was sentenced to three years probation last week for aiding and abetting first-degree property damage.
Investigators say a confidential informant led them to the group's ringleader.
Police say they've pulled the plug on an organized copper theft ring.
In early April, thieves stole two plaques from a World War I memorial monument at Shadow Falls Park.
Metal is missing from metro monuments all to make some quick cash. As Kirsten Mitchell reports, some of that metal was stolen from a memorial honoring our fallen heroes.
According to St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, the city spent more than $1 million on repairing and restoring gutted lamps and traffic signals in the last year. It's part of the reason lawmakers are pushing to make it illegal to sell copper without a state-issued license.
State lawmakers say dark streets are shining a spotlight on a growing issue. St. Paul says the sharp rise in copper wire theft cost more than a million dollars last year, and the city says it not alone. As our Beret Leone explains, legislators believe they've come up with a solution to stop would-be thieves.
Monday is a big day for St. Paul's city leaders. They're heading to the capitol to support a new bill to stop a public safety issue costing the city millions of dollars: copper wire theft.
The city of Minneapolis says 2023 was the most challenging year when it comes to wire thefts.
The City of Minneapolis says it has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to replace street lights after the copper wiring was stolen and now thieves have another target. WCCO's Kirsten Mitchell shows us how why they're after electric vehicle charging cables, and how the city is trying to curb the crime.
WCCO's Reg Chapman spoke with the owners of a family-owned hardware store in south Minneapolis where theft is becoming a major issue.
Neighbors in St. Paul said a fatal crash that took the lives of a man and his dog could have been prevented.
Neighbors in St. Paul say a fatal crash that took the lives of a man and his dog could have been prevented. Police say 64-year-old Steven Wirtz and his German Shepherd died after they were hit while crossing Maryland Avenue Christmas Eve night.
Wold-Chamberlain American Legion Post #99 is hoping to raise $15,000 for AC units and security upgrades. They are hopeful to get that all done before summer begins.
Throughout this year, thieves have ripped out copper wires from light fixtures in the Twin Cities, leaving neighborhoods in the dark. As our Ubah Ali explains, this latest theft is a major setback for an American Legion trying to stay afloat.
Twin Cities doctors are sending a serious warning to families after seeing a surge in injuries tied to e-bikes and scooters.
Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar called for President Trump to be impeached on Tuesday after he threatened Iran with genocide unless the country makes a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
American journalist Shelly Kittleson is being released on the condition that she leave Iraq immediately, an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq says.
Lady Gaga is still slated to perform in St. Paul later this week, despite canceling her Monday night show in Montreal.
City leaders referred four ordinances to staff that would create licensing, zoning, and health regulations for establishments where sexual activity between consenting adults may be facilitated.
Twin Cities doctors are sending a serious warning to families after seeing a surge in injuries tied to e-bikes and scooters.
Lady Gaga is still slated to perform in St. Paul later this week, despite canceling her Monday night show in Montreal.
Republicans in the Minnesota House say they plan to file an ethics complaint against a Democratic lawmaker over his ties to environmentalist lobbying groups.
The Minneapolis City Council will hold a public hearing over a proposed ordinance that would decriminalize drug paraphernalia on Tuesday morning.
Minnesota state Republican Reps. Elliott Engen and Walter Hudson will be stripped of their committee assignments, a legislative source familiar with the matter told WCCO on Monday night.
Public schools in Willmar, Minnesota, are closed Tuesday after the district "received a threat regarding school safety," officials said.
Damage from the fire can still be seen on surrounding buildings and there's an empty space where the Holdingford Mill once stood, but through this devastation came a discovery.
A man accused of killing his coworker at a food and dairy processing facility in central Minnesota has been found incompetent to stand trial.
If you've been to New Ulm, Minnesota, you've likely seen Hermann the German, the 102-foot tall monument in Hermann Heights. It was once the second tallest copper statue in the country after the Statue of Liberty.
A Faribault, Minnesota, man is facing five charges after being accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old runaway girl, according to court records filed on Friday.
Owen Hailey was the second oldest of four siblings, and was known to be everyone's best bud.
Efforts to quickly and quietly oust the president of the University of Wisconsin system are drawing fire from a Republican legislative leader.
The president of Wisconsin's largest mosque was detained by federal immigration agents, drawing accusations from local officials and religious leaders that the arrest was motivated by his statements against Israel.
Some schools in Minnesota have already announced closings or shifts to virtual learning on Thursday as another round of winter weather threatens parts of the state.
A suspect is in custody after a "written threat" led to the brief evacuation of a church in Hudson, Wisconsin, Tuesday morning.
Mackenzie Reed, head custodian at Shakopee East Middle School, has painted large-scale murals throughout the building she once attended as a student, creating a more welcoming space for current students.
Kristi comes to the Salvation Army not only to get food, but to shine her light. She talks with and encourages people waiting in line.
The way Mary Hernandez describes it, the effort to keep families off the street in Shakopee, Minnesota, is like trying to keep your head above water.
Deputy Fire Marshal Shawn Johnson, 61, died March 5 after a two-year battle with job-related cancer, the Minnetonka Fire Department announced.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections says 95% of all incarcerated individuals will eventually be released from prison. The DOC says it does all it can to help people transition back into the community as productive citizens.
Republicans in the Minnesota House say they plan to file an ethics complaint against a Democratic lawmaker over his ties to environmentalist lobbying groups.
President Trump posted on social media that "a whole civilization will die tonight," adding "but I don't want that to happen, but it probably will."
Two Republican lawmakers involved in a DWI stop will be stripped of their committee assignments, according to a legislative source.
A deadline for a deal with Iran is getting closer and closer. Without reopening the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump says the U.S. will attack Iran's infrastructure.
The Minneapolis City Council will hold a public hearing over a proposed ordinance that would decriminalize drug paraphernalia on Tuesday morning.
It's a bittersweet changing of kegs and hands in northeast Minneapolis as HeadFlyer Brewing issued a permanent last call on Sunday.
Minnesota continues to beat the national gas price average, but there are still ways to save in the metro area.
A passenger on an American Airlines flight from New York to Chicago has been charged with making a false bomb threat that forced an emergency landing at Detroit Metro Airport last month, according to a federal criminal complaint.
Your car isn't the only vehicle that needs gas. It's a huge budget item for Minnesota fire departments, police and mass transit.
As we all pay more to fuel our cars, drivers might miss the savings hidden right at the pump. It comes down to timing, then adjusting your routine.
Republicans in the Minnesota House say they plan to file an ethics complaint against a Democratic lawmaker over his ties to environmentalist lobbying groups.
A man accused of killing his coworker at a food and dairy processing facility in central Minnesota has been found incompetent to stand trial.
A Faribault, Minnesota, man is facing five charges after being accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old runaway girl, according to court records filed on Friday.
A Stearns County, Minnesota, woman is accused of second-degree manslaughter after a 3-month-old baby suffocated in her allegedly unlicensed at-home day care.
A 22-year-old woman is accused of fatally striking a University of St. Thomas Student with the vehicle she was driving in northeast Minneapolis last month before leaving the scene, according to court documents.
Twin Cities doctors are sending a serious warning to families after seeing a surge in injuries tied to e-bikes and scooters.
City leaders referred four ordinances to staff that would create licensing, zoning, and health regulations for establishments where sexual activity between consenting adults may be facilitated.
A Minnesota camp is giving children facing a parent's cancer diagnosis a place just to be kids.
Children's Minnesota announced Monday it is resuming gender-affirming care for children just over a month after pausing it amid "threats" from the federal government.
Nurses and physicians at Hennepin Healthcare in downtown Minneapolis, home to the first level-one and busiest trauma center in Minnesota, on Wednesday urged the state Legislature to throw the hospital a lifeline — and fast.
Lady Gaga is still slated to perform in St. Paul later this week, despite canceling her Monday night show in Montreal.
A federal judge in New York has tossed out actor Blake Lively's sexual harassment claims against actor Justin Baldoni over their roles in the movie "It Ends With Us," but left intact a claim for retaliation.
Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane was lured to a Dallas studio for a meeting, then allegedly kidnapped and robbed by a group including rappers Pooh Shiesty and Big30.
A Las Vegas performer has sued Taylor Swift over the title of her hit album "The Life of a Showgirl," alleging it violates the performer's trademark.
A Minnesota singer has made the big time, signing his first record deal after 43 years in the music business.
Colombian star James Rodríguez has returned to his MLS club Minnesota United to continue his ramp-up to game readiness after being hospitalized last week for severe dehydration.
Luke Keaschall hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning and four Minnesota relievers combined for four scoreless innings as the Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 7-3 on a frigid night.
This is Michigan's second NCAA title in school history, and the win ends a 26-year national championship drought for the Big Ten.
LaMelo Ball scored 35 points and Miles Bridges added 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the surging Charlotte Hornets in a 122-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Richie Palacios hit a two-run homer in a three-run 10th inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Minnesota Twins 4-1.
The Trump administration's positions on a number of issues is prompting debate on constitutional powers versus executive orders.
The Trump administration's positions on a number of issues is prompting debate on constitutional powers versus executive orders. WCCO spoke with David Schultz, a congressional law professor at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, to get some clarity.
Julie Le, who was removed from her post after telling a judge "this job sucks," is now challenging Rep. Ilhan Omar in Minnesota's 5th District.
In 2025, the entire U.S. Attorney's office had 77 immigration detention cases, she said. In January 2026, she alone was assigned 88 cases.
One of the most heated issues remains immigration, where Craig has walked back her support for the Laken Riley Act.
Shattuck-St. Mary's is more than a hockey school, but hockey has helped put the school on the map. They have banners and big names to prove it, though the real evidence lies with a man called Rooster.
Opening Day for the Minnesota Twins is almost here. And across town, the St. Paul Saints are getting ready for their season, too, with some added history.
The Nuss Collection is home to a lot of vintage trucks.
Denis Doyle was born in Kilkenny, Ireland. He emigrated to the U.S. and in 1856, Doyle traveled to Le Sueur County. Other Irish immigrants joined Doyle and the town was born.
One of the oldest operating theaters in the Midwest is in danger of closing its doors for good.
Filing your taxes can be stressful. But daydreaming about how to spend that refund makes it worthwhile.
It's estimated that children playing with fire set more than 20,000 fires every year. On average, the fires they start cause nearly 1,000 injuries and 150 deaths each year.
As we all pay more to fuel our cars, drivers might miss the savings hidden right at the pump. It comes down to timing, then adjusting your routine.
The produce section at grocery stores is packed with nutrient-dense foods. Certain fruits and vegetables, in particular, are packed with fiber, and a new diet trend has people "maxxing" out on it.
Minnesota's recent swing from heavy snow to record heat is a recipe for rocky roads.
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.
Tuesday will top out in the 40s with increasing clouds, but a warm-up arrives on Wednesday.
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.
Tuesday will become breezy with increasing clouds. A few light showers are possible later, mainly south and east, WCCO meteorologist Joseph Dames reports.
Temperatures will start out in the teens in the Twin Cities, eventually rebounding to almost 50.
Tuesday will start out cold but turn milder by the afternoon, and the coming days will bring several chances of rain.
Tuesday will top out in the 40s with increasing clouds, but a warm-up arrives on Wednesday.
Doctors are sending a serious warning to families after seeing a surge in injuries tied to e-bikes and scooters.
Adam Semling, with Total Wine & More, shares some options.
Students at Metropolitan State University collaborated to create this collection of writings, explain Stephanie Major and Belo Cipriani.
Paisley, with special guest Avery Anna, will be performing at the Great Minnesota Get-Together on Thursday, Sept. 3.