Karen Clark, Minnesota's first openly lesbian lawmaker, dead at 80
Karen Clark, Minnesota's first openly lesbian legislator and the longest-serving lesbian state lawmaker in the U.S., died at age 80 on Tuesday following a brief illness.
Watch CBS News
Karen Clark, Minnesota's first openly lesbian legislator and the longest-serving lesbian state lawmaker in the U.S., died at age 80 on Tuesday following a brief illness.
Sunday marks one year since a politically motivated attack killed former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and seriously injured state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. As Minnesotans begin reflecting on the shocking day, many are choosing to remember how the Hortmans lived.
Sunday will mark one year since a politically motivated attack killed former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. As family, friends and Minnesotans reflect on the loss, many are choosing to remember the Hortmans for the way they lived. Ubah Ali explains how.
Vance Boelter pleaded guilty to the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses on Thursday as part of an agreement with federal prosecutors.
At their convention this weekend in Duluth, Minnesota, Republicans chose to endorse businessman Kendall Qualls over GOP House Speaker Lisa Demuth.
DFL Minnesota state Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart sits down with Esme Murphy to discuss why the House counterpart of her e-bike safety bill passed, but failed in her chamber.
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.
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.
Hundreds of people, from families of Annunciation victims to Moms Demand Action, called on the House of Representatives to vote on a sweeping gun reform bill that already passed the Senate.
A bill meant to protect children on social media is heading to Gov. Tim Walz's desk after passing both the Minnesota House and Senate.
Shelisa Demuth says she still believes in her heart that her mom, Lisa Demuth, should call for the vote, but she understands why it won't happen.
Republican Sen. Michael Kruen joins Esme Murphy on WCCO Sunday Morning at 10:30 a.m. to talk about the social media bill that just passed the Minnesota House.
One big bill that passed the Minnesota Senate Saturday: a sweeping bill aimed at keeping children safe on social media. Esme Murphy has the details.
DFL lawmakers claim GOP House Speaker Lisa Demuth is holding up the vote for a gun reform bill. She insists House lawmakers voted in committee, where it stalled. That debate has created a public debate between Lisa Demuth and her daughter, who has criticized her mom's actions on social media. Shelisa Demuth spoke only to WCCO's Reg Chapman, saying this issue is personal.
Reg Chapman has the morning headlines.
A protest led by DFL members of the Minnesota House over a stalled gun reform bill entered the 24-hour mark on Friday night as the session goes down to the wire. The state representatives are holding the floor at the Minnesota State Capitol in hopes of getting a vote on the legislation. Republicans in the chamber say it's already had its chance. Ubah Ali spoke with a political science professor about how this compares to previous demonstrations over similar proposals.
A round-the-clock protest entered its 22nd hour at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul on Friday evening. With just two days left in the session, DFL lawmakers are holding a sit-in in the Minnesota House. They want Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth to allow a vote on gun control in the wake of the deadly Annunciation shooting. WCCO’ Esme Murphy shares where the debate stands as of Friday evening.
After a motion to bring the Minnesota Senate's gun reform bill to the House floor for a vote was defeated along party lines Thursday following nearly six hours of debate, some DFL lawmakers staged a sit-in overnight inside the House chambers in protest.
During the gun debate, there was a controversial confrontation — but what was actually said is triggering debate.
Some DFL lawmakers staged a sit-in overnight inside the House chambers after a motion to bring the Senate's gun control bill to the floor was defeated along party lines, plus more of the day’s top stories.
With just days left in Minnesota's legislative session, one controversial topic has lawmakers at odds: gun reform. And now, Minnesota House Democrats are threatening a sit-in if Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth doesn't let them vote on a gun control bill that already passed the Senate.
Some Minnesota House Democrats are threatening a sit-in if Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth doesn't let them vote on a gun control bill that already passed the Senate.
Countless hearings with dozens of witnesses and whistleblowers detailing Minnesota's fraud crisis are now summed up in an 80-plus page report by the state's GOP-led Fraud Prevention and Oversight Committee.
Two years of digging into Minnesota's fraud crisis revealed a multi billion dollar problem. The state Republican-led Fraud Committee released its final report Wednesday. As Jeff Wagner reports, not everyone agrees with its findings.
Minnesotans will soon face tougher consequences if they disguise themselves as law enforcement to deceive the public in response to the lawmaker shooting attacks last summer.
Jamal Adams, the hybrid defender the Minnesota Vikings signed this offseason to bolster Brian Flores' unit, won't play this year after suffering a preseason injury, the NFL Network reports.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson has made the NFL Top 100 for the sixth straight year.
Police are investigating after the owner of a St. Paul restaurant said thieves broke in and stole $1,300 Sunday morning.
Hennepin County prosecutors on Monday morning elaborated on charges filed against four people last week, including former Anoka County Assistant Attorney Andrea Sampson, for allegedly running a "sprawling" sex trafficking scheme over the course of several years.
One month after a fire tore through the Helix Apartments in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, neighbors are still stepping in to help.
Police are investigating after the owner of a St. Paul restaurant said thieves broke in and stole $1,300 Sunday morning.
Hennepin County prosecutors on Monday morning elaborated on charges filed against four people last week, including former Anoka County Assistant Attorney Andrea Sampson, for allegedly running a "sprawling" sex trafficking scheme over the course of several years.
One month after a fire tore through the Helix Apartments in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, neighbors are still stepping in to help.
An investigation is underway after a body in a "severe state of decomposition" was discovered in the waters of Bde Maka Ska late Sunday morning, according to the Minneapolis Park Police Department.
Family and friends are remembering a Twin Cities teenager killed following a crash on a Minneapolis highway last weekend.
More than six fire departments responded in the middle of the night to Kingsway Senior Living, and staff say it took a village to relocate everyone to Belle Plaine High School for temporary shelter.
An individual is dead after a police officer shot at them with their service weapon on the Red Lake Nation Thursday, according to a special agent with the FBI.
Families heading west to the Black Hills this summer might make a stop at the Crazy Horse Memorial near Mount Rushmore. The memorial has a Minnesota connection that tells the story of the site.
More Minnesota communities are parting ways with Flock Safety and dropping the automatic license plate-reading cameras. On Thursday, the Sherburne County Sheriff's Office joined the list and announced they will no longer use the cameras.
WCCO is tracking everything you can go out and do 4 Your Weekend, including a slate of county fairs.
The crash happened at approximately 7:12 a.m. on westbound I-94 at milepost 13 in St. Croix County near Roberts, Wisconsin, according to the State Patrol.
Wisconsin residents headed to the polls Tuesday — or voted early — to have their say in the 2026 primary. Here are live results.
Progressive candidates for governor in Wisconsin and U.S. Senate in Minnesota are making their final pushes ahead of Tuesday's election.
Authorities have released the name of the Madison police officer who shot and killed a 38-year-old Black man last month in Wisconsin's capital city, Madison.
David Crowley, backed by Gov. Tony Evers, faces democratic socialist Francesca Hong in a Wisconsin primary that could signal how far left the Democratic Party is willing to go.
Crews in St. Paul, Minnesota, are clearing out the city's largest encampment on Wednesday.
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.
In the aftermath of the primary, Republicans in Minnesota are more optimistic about their November chances than they ever have been.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s closed-door research has yet to produce evidence linking vaccines and autism.
In the aftermath of the primary, Republicans in Minnesota are more optimistic about their November chances than they ever have been.
In the aftermath of the Minnesota Primary, Republicans are more optimistic about their November chances than they ever have been. GOP nominee Michele Tafoya joined Esme Murphy on WCCO Sunday Morning at 10:30 a.m.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he hasn't heard back from Sen. Mitch McConnell following formal requests for an update on his health last month amid a weekslong hospitalization.
A Minnesota woman says she fainted, spiked a 102-degree fever, and was hospitalized with sepsis three days after eating a chicken burrito bowl at a Chipotle in Roseville, and genetic testing connected her case to a multistate outbreak, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.
Parents will be digging deeper into their wallets this back-to-school season.
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.
Police are investigating after the owner of a St. Paul restaurant said thieves broke in and stole $1,300 Sunday morning.
Hennepin County prosecutors on Monday morning elaborated on charges filed against four people last week, including former Anoka County Assistant Attorney Andrea Sampson, for allegedly running a "sprawling" sex trafficking scheme over the course of several years.
The Chisago County Attorney's Office filed a juvenile delinquency petition in connection with the Oct. 25, 2025, crash that happened near the intersection of Stacy and Ivywood trails in Chisago City.
Police in Minneapolis say a man suffered serious injuries in a shooting early Sunday morning on the city's south side.
The family of Kristen and Evie Brown, the victims in Wednesday's double murder-suicide in Hopkins, Minnesota, has released a statement through the Hopkins Police Department.
In a wide-ranging interview with the CBS News partner BBC News, Hunter Biden grew emotional as he discussed his father's condition, describing it as very sad to watch.
Back-to-back tainted food outbreaks have a lot of people asking what's safe to bring home from the grocery store.
A Minnesota woman says she fainted, spiked a 102-degree fever, and was hospitalized with sepsis three days after eating a chicken burrito bowl at a Chipotle in Roseville, and genetic testing connected her case to a multistate outbreak, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.
The system uses light tracing and more than 1,500 data points to create a personalized treatment plan.
Two Michigan residents who had "significant underlying health conditions" have died after contracting cyclosporiasis, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said.
Hayden Panettiere, who starred in "Remember the Titans" as a child actor and rose to fame in the sci-fi series "Heroes," has died at the age of 36.
WCCO is tracking everything you can go out and do 4 Your Weekend, including a slate of county fairs.
Rod Stewart, who is 81, is recovering from a "routine coronary stent procedure," according to his team. He had been scheduled to perform at the Grandstand on Sept. 1 alongside Richard Marx.
Singers at Eastview High School in Apple Valley, Minnesota, are warming up for their performance on stage with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Foreigner.
The Uptown Art Fair kicked off in Minneapolis on Friday afternoon. The event is now closer to Uptown for the first time in two years.
Jamal Adams, the hybrid defender the Minnesota Vikings signed this offseason to bolster Brian Flores' unit, won't play this year after suffering a preseason injury, the NFL Network reports.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson has made the NFL Top 100 for the sixth straight year.
Bryan De La Cruz hit a two-run single in the eighth inning and the Philadelphia Philles overcame a five-run deficit to beat the Minnesota Twins 7-5 and sweep the three-game series.
One of Tommy John's biggest legacies to MLB was his comeback elbow reconstruction surgery that now bears his name.
Joaquín Pereyra scored in the 89th minute and Drake Callender had six saves for Minnesota United in a 1-1 tie with Real Salt Lake.
In the aftermath of the primary, Republicans in Minnesota are more optimistic about their November chances than they ever have been.
In the aftermath of the primary, Republicans in Minnesota are more optimistic about their November chances than they ever have been.
The candidates for the Minnesota general election are all set, and the campaigns are shifting into a higher gear.
The Minnesota primary is Tuesday, with the final barrage of political ads in overdrive and candidates making their final pitches.
The Minnesota primary is Tuesday, with the final barrage of political ads in overdrive and candidates making their final pitches.
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.
Passing trains and scenic bluffs are a big part of Buffalo County, Wisconsin, but in the middle of it all is a garden where creativity and flowers grow together, all courtesy of a man named Herman Rusch.
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.
As if the constant barrage of political ads wasn't enough, some WCCO viewers are particularly bothered by the language candidates are using.
There's a certain elegance to the common loon. Its black and white plumage carries a gentle sheen of green as though dressed for a formal affair. Subtle colors that allow its piercing red eyes to steal your gaze.
Parents will be digging deeper into their wallets this back-to-school season.
Minnesotans have become quite familiar with drought in recent years. Not only how it affects the water supply, but also the rules that can come with it.
The issue is a major talking point ahead of the midterm elections. Do gas prices actually impact elections?
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.
Pleasant and seasonable Monday with comfortable humidity and highs in the upper 70s to low 80s, WCCO meteorologist Joseph Dames reports.
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.
Monday will be mostly pleasant and seasonable in the Twin Cities, with rain possible late.
Monday will be mostly pleasant and seasonable in the Twin Cities, with rain possible late.
Monday will be pleasant and seasonable in the Twin Cities.
The four were charged with 13 counts each of promoting prostitution of an individual and receiving profits from prostitution.
Patrice Johnson, chef and cookbook author, and Brett Olson, with Renewing the Countryside, share a few recipes to try out. Skillet Rye Flatbread with Herby Pesto, Charred Corn, and Burst Tomatoes Adapted from Magnus Nilsson's The Nordic Baking Book | Makes 3 x 9-inch rounds ½ ounce fresh yeast (or 1 teaspoon active dry yeast) 1 ¼ cups warm water (no hotter than 110-degrees) 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (or ½ tablespoon honey) ½ teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons vegetable oil 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon fine rye flour In large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water and maple and allow to proof about 5 minutes. Mix in remaining ingredients to form a sticky dough. Leave the dough to rise for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Note that bread made with dry yeast rather than fresh may take longer to rise.) Tip the dough out onto a floured work surface and divide into 3 equal pieces. Shape into balls. Place each ball onto parchment paper. Roll out into a round as thin or thick as you desire. Place clean skillet over medium high heat. Add a few tablespoons of oil. Place the dough round in the skillet and cook until the underside is golden and crisp; about four to five minutes, turning often for even heat. Flip the round, turn heat to low, and top with pesto and additional parmesan. Cover skillet with a lid, and cook until the cheese has melted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish with additional herbs, corn, and burst tomatoes. Herb and Sunflower Seed Pesto 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced 4 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ½ to 1 cup fresh herbs (dill, tarragon, basil, parsley, chives, cilantro), plus more for garnish ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan Vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste Add sunflower seeds to a dry skillet and cook for about five minutes, stirring and tossing as they cook. Remove from pan and set aside. Add sun flower seeds, herbs, and half the olive oil and pulse until mixture is evenly and finely ground. Add additional oil to your liking. Fold in parmesan and adjust seasonings. Set aside. For the burst: In a medium bowl, toss together 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes (halved), 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper. Heat a large skillet over high heat, add the tomatoes. Cook until the whole tomatoes burst and the halved ones start to wrinkle, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. For the charred corn: Place corn cob over direct heat (grill or skillet) and cook until kernels are charred, turning for even cook. Use a sharp knife to remove kernels.
Bailey Foss and Matthew Franz-Shoff, with Mathnasium of St. Paul, share a preview of the ways you can help your kids enjoy the process of arriving at a healthy lunch.
Pleasant and seasonable Monday with comfortable humidity and highs in the upper 70s to low 80s, WCCO meteorologist Joseph Dames reports.
A vigil for a mom and daughter killed last week at a daycare in Hopkins, a Minnesota girl is in the running for Toddler of the Year and more.