Minnesota Senate returns to full strength after 2 sworn in
The Minnesota Senate chamber returned to full strength on Tuesday after two new members took the oath of office, restoring the Democrats' slim one-seat majority for the first time in months.
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The Minnesota Senate chamber returned to full strength on Tuesday after two new members took the oath of office, restoring the Democrats' slim one-seat majority for the first time in months.
Republican Sen. Rich Draheim of Madison Lake said he will not seek reelection in 2026, while Democratic Sen. Steve Cwodzinski of Eden Prairie will retire.
Two state senators have announced their time in the Minnesota Legislature will come to a close next year.
The man accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses was back in federal court Wednesday morning.
Several Minnesota law enforcement agencies say a third party will evaluate their efforts and response of the June lawmaker shootings that killed Rep. Melissa Hortman and sparked a massive statewide manhunt.
The number of threats against people who work in and around the Minnesota State Capitol more than doubled over the last year, a state law enforcement official told a panel of lawmakers Monday.
Security is back in the spotlight at the Minnesota State Capitol. It comes as threats against people who work there have more than doubled. Caroline Cummings reports on Monday's hearing and how the State Patrol is responding.
Dozens of people, including NBA players and a coach, are embroiled in federal investigations involving an alleged sports betting scheme and organized crime ring—the latest to put a spotlight on sports gambling. It's legal in 40 states, but Minnesota is not one of them.
Gun safety advocates gathered in Stillwater for a rally on gun violence prevention on the day Gov. Tim Walz had suggested for a special session, though he never called lawmakers back to the State Capitol, where a divided Legislature is still at a stalemate over what to do. Caroline Cummings reports.
The 10th Avenue Bridge in downtown Minneapolis was dedicated Wednesday to Kari Dziedzic, the former Senate Majority Leader who died last year after a battle with cancer.
A proposal says Gov. Tim Walz would call a special session to convene on Monday and will focus on "specific action on guns."
Medicaid fraud allegations continue to spread in St Paul, Minnesota, as debate over a possible special session on gun control continues.
As the threat of a federal government shutdown looms, fraud allegations continue to spread at the state DHS. Minnesota Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth talks with Esme Murphy on WCCO Sunday Morning at 10:30 a.m.
One month after the mass shooting at Minneapolis' Annunciation Catholic Church that forever changed their community, students are back in the classroom. But Minnesota lawmakers are still at odds about what to do in response.
There's a stalemate at the Minnesota State Capitol over a special session about gun control. Leaders and the governor met on Thursday, and as Caroline Cummings reports, there's still no deal to get anything done.
The 2026 legislative session will be the last for a longtime state lawmaker. It comes at a time when politics has become very divisive. From the political attack on Minnesota lawmakers, to the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, tensions are high. As Caroline Cummings shares, after 40 years, Sen. Ann Rest isn't letting today's climate change her legacy.
After four decades at the state Capitol, Rest still has a to-do list for her last act in the Legislature.
A legislative legend is ready to retire and she says she's seen one major change in her 40 years in politics: civility. And that troubling change reached its peak here when an assassin visited her home, before killing her colleague. Caroline Cummings sat down with her.
Can Minnesota take lessons from other states when it comes to Capitol security? That was the focus of a panel tasked with oversight of the issue today. WCCO's Caroline Cummings is at the Capitol with the latest.
Rest, a Democrat who represents the northwestern suburbs of Minneapolis, said she promised her family in 2022 this term would be her last.
Democrat Xp Lee won a special election Tuesday for a seat previously held by the late state Rep. Melissa Hortman, who was assassinated in June. Lee's win also restores a tie in the Minnesota House.
Parents of students who survived the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting late last month testified before a panel of state lawmakers on Monday, imploring them to take action on gun control measures in the wake of the attack.
The shooting of Charlie Kirk is the latest in a series of violent shocks that have left the nation reeling. With Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz set to call a special session to deal with gun violence, the debate over security for public officials intensifies.
Rep. Zack Stephenson of Coon Rapids was chosen by Minnesota House Democrats to replace Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman as their leader. He joins Esme Murphy on WCCO Sunday Morning at 10:30 a.m.
In the last few weeks, local pro-gun control groups have added thousands of supporters. Yet, the passage of their signature goal, a ban on assault weapons, does not appear to have the votes in the Minnesota Legislature. WCCO's Esme Murphy spoke to the Executive Director of Protect Minnesota
CrowBar also includes pieces salvaged from restaurants and bars long gone, including doors from the iconic Palmer's Bar.
J.J. McCarthy has returned to the lineup for the Minnesota Vikings, refreshed after an injury absence to resume his much-delayed development with a better perspective on how to handle this most difficult job.
Hola Arepa in Minneapolis was heading into dinner rush Wednesday night, when two plain-clothed individuals entered the restaurant, saying they're from the Department of Homeland Security.
Out of the 1,500 men on his ship, Del Thielke was the only one selected to be aboard the USS Missouri when the peace treaty was signed.
Inspire Change Clinic opened its doors in Minneapolis with a simple mission: provide access to marginalized communities. On Thursday afternoon, the clinic should have been bustling with a waiting room filled with families. Instead, the clinic was empty.
CrowBar also includes pieces salvaged from restaurants and bars long gone, including doors from the iconic Palmer's Bar.
Hola Arepa in Minneapolis was heading into dinner rush Wednesday night, when two plain-clothed individuals entered the restaurant, saying they're from the Department of Homeland Security.
Inspire Change Clinic opened its doors in Minneapolis with a simple mission: provide access to marginalized communities. On Thursday afternoon, the clinic should have been bustling with a waiting room filled with families. Instead, the clinic was empty.
An investigation is underway after a police pursuit ended in a shootout near the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, according to police.
Minnesota will see a higher-than-expected surplus for this current budget, but is expected to see a deficit in the future due to spending outpacing revenues, according to state budget experts.
Out of the 1,500 men on his ship, Del Thielke was the only one selected to be aboard the USS Missouri when the peace treaty was signed.
The owner of the historic Lutsen Resort on Minnesota's North Shore has been charged with arson and insurance fraud more than a year after a fire destroyed the resort's lodge.
Minnesota will see a higher-than-expected surplus for this current budget, but is expected to see a deficit in the future due to spending outpacing revenues, according to state budget experts.
Police in Duluth, Minnesota, say a mountain lion has been spotted in the city recently.
The holidays are upon us, and in the town of Kellogg, Minnesota, you'll find a toy store unlike any other.
Bodycam video captured a sheriff's deputy in Racine County, Wisconsin, saving the life of a little girl from a house fire that killed her mother and the family dog earlier this week.
A divided Wisconsin Supreme Court has agreed to take a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of an immigrant rights group.
A Democrat who served four years as Wisconsin's lieutenant governor and narrowly lost a 2022 U.S. Senate bid is running for governor in the battleground state.
Organizers at Mt. Telemark Village in Cable say there's no shortage of reasons to head north.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ordered that a pair of three-judge panels hear two lawsuits that argue the battleground state's congressional maps must be redrawn because they unconstitutionally favor Republicans.
Firefighters are continuing a 44-year tradition that happens every year north of the Twin Cities.
It was a scary moment in the Twin Cities over the weekend, as a trailer hauling sled dogs turned over on Interstate 494 in Minnetonka.
On Sunday, members of Minnesota's Somali community spoke out against President Trump's social media post calling for an end to temporary protected status.
Two hundred Thanksgiving meals were distributed to this community by Second Harvest Heartland and the Thielen Foundation.
A Minnesota nonprofit is getting a major boost this week as dozens of college students spend their morning sorting donated shoes to support families in need.
Minnesota's state budget could go from boom to bust. A new forecast shows a $2.5 billion surplus for the current budget but a $3 billion deficit in the next one. WCCO's Caroline Cummings explains the drop and how it could impact you.
Inspire Change Clinic opened its doors in Minneapolis with a simple mission: provide access to marginalized communities. On Thursday afternoon, the clinic should have been bustling with a waiting room filled with families. Instead, the clinic was empty.
Trump's comments, presented without evidence, have shaken people like Salman Fiqy, who saw an opportunity for the GOP to gain further ground in the Somali community.
A growing climate of fear within Minnesota’s Somali community is leading to empty clinics. Ubah Ali shows us how one health care worker is fighting back.
Salman Fiqy first came to the United States from Somalia in 2009. Last year, he didn't just vote for President Trump — he helped get his neighbors to the polls so they could vote for him, too. But as Conor Wight reports, he's now changing his tune.
The holidays are upon us, and in the town of Kellogg, Minnesota, you'll find a toy store unlike any other.
When we do winter weather stories, there's always that one line people use: cold, snow, ice — it's just what happens here. And this week, Ticket King president Michael Nowakowski said that same idea kind of applies to Minnesota Vikings ticket prices.
Thanksgiving is a big day for the farmers who raise the centerpiece of Americans' dinner tables on the last Thursday of November. But in Minnesota, the nation's top turkey producer, the work doesn't stop once the national holiday ends.
A family-owned Linden Hills bar and restaurant is closing its doors for Thanksgiving, but opening the kitchen for those who need it most.
On the eve of Thanksgiving, Sentyrz Liquor & Supermarket turned into holiday headquarters for last-minute shoppers.
A former Minneapolis elementary school teacher was sentenced to 10 years for possessing child sexual abuse material and soliciting a minor to engage in sexual conduct.
The owner of the historic Lutsen Resort on Minnesota's North Shore has been charged with arson and insurance fraud more than a year after a fire destroyed the resort's lodge.
An investigation is underway after a police pursuit ended in a shootout near the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, according to police.
The 44-year-old man that a Plymouth police officer shot and injured while responding to a domestic disturbance call now faces an assault charge.
Prosecutors have charged a man they believe assaulted a University of Minnesota hockey player in September.
Inspire Change Clinic opened its doors in Minneapolis with a simple mission: provide access to marginalized communities. On Thursday afternoon, the clinic should have been bustling with a waiting room filled with families. Instead, the clinic was empty.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child this year were able to start applying this week to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026.
Cases always rise in colder months, with the use of furnaces and people working on gas motors in closed garages.
A jury has awarded an Iowa woman a $19.8 million verdict against the Mayo Clinic and a colorectal surgeon in a lawsuit brought in Minnesota courts, according to her attorneys.
ByHeart said it can't rule out that all of its baby formula across all product lots could be contaminated, citing recent test results.
The yellow childhood home of the Purple One is abandoned and in need of some TLC, despite the City of Minneapolis recently granting it landmark status.
Legendary rock 'n roll band Guns N' Roses is hitting the road again next year and will make a stop in Shakopee, Minnesota.
Jimmy Cliff, who famously sang about the "many rivers" we all must cross, has died after suffering a seizure and pneumonia, his family say.
More than 20 years after its theatrical release, the movie "The Notebook" is still stealing hearts with a romance for the ages. The classic love story is now a hit Broadway musical taking the stage in St. Paul.
Chef Sean Sherman, the James Beard Award-winning force behind Minneapolis' Owamni restaurant and the North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems, appeared Wednesday night on "The Daily Show" to discuss his new book, "Turtle Island."
J.J. McCarthy has returned to the lineup for the Minnesota Vikings, refreshed after an injury absence to resume his much-delayed development with a better perspective on how to handle this most difficult job.
A White Bear Lake Native, Bill Butters lived a hockey life through and through – playing for coach Herb Brooks at the University of Minnesota before embarking on a pro career throughout most of the 1970s with the Minnesota Fighting Saints and the Minnesota North Stars.
Cade Tyson had 17 points and eight rebounds to help Minnesota upset No. 22 Indiana 73-64 on Wednesday in the Big Ten debut for both head coaches, the Gophers' Niko Medved and the Hoosiers' Darian DeVries.
Jesper Wallstedt made 33 saves to record his fourth shutout of the season in just 10 games as the Minnesota Wild carried their torrid pace from last month into December, emerging with a 1-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.
Anthony Edwards scored 34 of his season-high 44 points in the second half, including a driving layup to force overtime, and Julius Randle scored eight points in the extra period to lift the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 149-142 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child this year were able to start applying this week to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child in this year can start applying to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy spoke with Matt Varilek, the commissioner of the state's Department of Employment and Economic Development about the program's rollout and who qualifies for the program.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child this year were able to start applying this week to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026.
Minnesota lawmakers and small businesses are scrambling to get a piece of new federal legislation overturned that they say would eliminate Minnesota's hemp industry.
A new federal law threatens the hemp industry that Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar says provides 2,700 Minnesota jobs and has generated $16 million in taxes for the state through nine months in 2025.
The holidays are upon us, and in the town of Kellogg, Minnesota, you'll find a toy store unlike any other.
With the holidays fast approaching, and lutefisk on the menu for many families, one Minnesota town has the distinction of being called the "Lutefisk Capital of the Country."
How would you like to own a former Cold War missile site? In Dakota County, Minnesota, there's a one-of-a-kind property that could be yours for the right price.
It's a photograph found in homes across the country, and even overseas. The picture "Grace" shows a man bowing his head in prayer with food and what appears to be a Bible in front of him.
Fall harvest means barns across the Midwest are a busy place — but for a central Minnesota woman, they aren't just farm buildings, they're works of art.
It is the food that is top of mind right now, but did you know more turkeys come from Minnesota than anywhere else in the country?
Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnehaha, Minnetonka, Minnewaska, Minneota. Those are just some of the place names in "the Land of 10,000 Lakes" featuring "minne" as the first five letters.
As we approach Thanksgiving, we wanted to do a deep dive into gratefulness, and why it makes us feel better.
Many commuters know the Interstate 394 and Interstate 94 interchange seems to back up almost every afternoon. And you face the choice: should you wait in the back of the line or try to get closer and swoop in?
According to the Minnesota Christmas Tree Association, 50% of their farms open before Thanksgiving, which used to be unheard of.
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.
A suspect was taken into custody after an attack on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder on June 1 in which there were 15 people and a dog who were victims. The suspect threw Molotov cocktails that burned some of the victims, who were part of a march for Israeli hostages.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer says temperatures are going to warm throughout the night, closer to average.
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.
Temps will stay frigid in the Twin Cities this weekend as more snow rolls in, says NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.
We will likely have some light snow by early Friday morning. It will also be the warmest of the next several days, but still slightly below average, WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak reports.
Minnesotans will be treated to more arctic cold and snow, says NEXT Weather meteorologist Adam Del Rosso.
The owner of the historic Lutsen Resort on Minnesota's North Shore has been charged with arson and insurance fraud more than a year after a fire destroyed the resort's lodge.
Minnesota's state budget could go from boom to bust. A new forecast shows a $2.5 billion surplus for the current budget but a $3 billion deficit in the next one. WCCO's Caroline Cummings explains the drop and how it could impact you.
Something new is taking flight inside one of the Twin Cities' most historic brewery buildings. A pop-up cocktail bar is bringing a new buzz to the old Hamm's building in St. Paul.
Immigration agents might be met with a chilly reception at some Minnesota businesses. They've posted signs stating that ICE isn't welcome inside. WCCO's Jason Rantala explains.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer says temperatures are going to warm throughout the night, closer to average.