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As the Minnesota Legislature enters the last full week of its 2021 session, lawmakers face long hours of tough negotiations as they seek to agree on a balanced budget by next Monday's mandatory adjournment date.
A House DFL proposal at the state capitol would ban all electronic pull tab games currently in play across the state because they are too similar to slot machines, a move that would cost bars, restaurants and charities that benefit from the revenue tens of millions of dollars.
A group of Minnesota Democratic voters filed a lawsuit Tuesday that seeks to have the courts take over the state's redistricting process, predicting that the divided Legislature will be unable to agree on new political maps.
Wednesday night, the Minnesota House is expected to discuss a large budget bill that would also make changes to police policies.
A bill introduced Thursday in the Minnesota Legislature would repeal a law that prohibits objects hanging from the rearview mirror while driving, a traffic violation in Minnesota that Daunte Wright's mother said her son told her on the phone was the reason he was pulled over before he was shot and killed.
A bipartisan group of Minnesota lawmakers are calling for swift passage of legislation that would update the state's criminal sexual conduct code after a loophole in the law's current language led to the reversal of a rape conviction last month.
A few hundred protesters rallied at the capitol on Monday to demand Minnesota lawmakers update state law to make it easier to seek justice for victims who are sexually assaulted while intoxicated.
Bills in the House and Senate — sponsored by a Democrat and Republican, respectively — that advanced this week would help low-income Minnesotans shoulder the additional financial burden at a time when they are already struggling due to the pandemic.
The move is in response to an improving fiscal outlook for Minnesota.
The proposed summer learning plan would feature funding for summer learning programs and field trips, as well as mental health support programs, summer preschool and college courses for graduating seniors.
Minnesota's budget outlook has swung from a $1.3 billion deficit to a $1.6 billion surplus, state economists announced Friday, setting up the debates for the rest of the legislative session over taxes and spending.
Proposed funding for bolstered security during the trial of the former Minneapolis police officer charged with killing George Floyd has once again failed to pass in the Minnesota House.
A partisan dispute over who should pay for reinforcing police during the murder trial of a former Minneapolis officer charged with killing George Floyd came to a head Monday at the Minnesota Legislature, where the Democratic-controlled House and the Republican-controlled Senate debated two very different plans.
Minnesota House Republicans laid out a roadmap Monday for lifting the state's coronavirus restrictions on businesses with a goal of letting them return to full operations by May 1.
Overall, Democratic candidates and outside groups spent more than $16 million in their unsuccessful attempt to retake control of the Senate from Republicans, who spent just $7.7 million defending their one-vote majority.
The Minnesota legislative session is already framing up as a battle over proposed spending cuts by Republicans and proposed tax increases by Gov. Tim Walz. While partisan politics will impact the outcome, so will factors that are now impossible to predict.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has released his two-year budget proposal, saying his package bolsters his education plan and offers economic relief for small businesses and families hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the Minnesota Legislature convenes for its 2021 regular session Tuesday, it won't look like a normal session. The House will meet entirely via Zoom until further notice because of the pandemic. The Senate will try a hybrid approach. And the Capitol will remain surrounded by riot fencing.
The Minnesota Legislature voted Monday night to pass a $216 million relief package aimed at businesses and workers who took the biggest hit from a four-week "pause" ordered by Gov. Tim Walz as increasing coronavirus cases threatened to overload hospitals.
The top four leaders in the Minnesota Legislature expressed optimism Friday that lawmakers can agree on a new coronavirus relief package in time for a Dec. 14 special session, though negotiations on what should go into the aid package were continuing.
Minnesota's Senate majority leader said Tuesday that his caucus could've handled news of positive COVID-19 cases among Republican senators differently, after criticism from Democrats that included a call for him to resign from his leadership post and demands for full transparency.
If preliminary results hold, the Senate GOP's already narrow majority will slip by one seat to 34-33 next year.
The election has set the stage for more partisan gridlock at the Minnesota Capitol, with Republicans appearing likely Wednesday to hang onto their slim majority in the Senate and Democrats poised to keep a diminished majority in the House.
In an election that will determine political control of the Minnesota Legislature, Democrats have high hopes for flipping the Republican-controlled state Senate in November.
The possibility of a police reform bill passing during the special session Monday night at the Minnesota State Capitol is still unclear.
More and more Minnesota families are struggling to put food on the table. The Salvation Army is working to stop the hardship.
Ayman Mohamad Ghazali made two purchases at a Phantom Fireworks store in Livonia, Michigan. He told the store staff the fireworks were for the end of Ramadan.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has again set up a livestream of a peregrine falcon nest in downtown St. Paul in an effort to monitor and protect the species.
Despite the potential for a winter storm, people across the Twin Cities are getting ready for St. Patrick's Day celebrations this weekend, and into next week.
A 29-year-old woman is dead after police in Bloomington, Minnesota, found her unresponsive in a cell at the city's jail early Friday, officials said.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has again set up a livestream of a peregrine falcon nest in downtown St. Paul in an effort to monitor and protect the species.
Despite the potential for a winter storm, people across the Twin Cities are getting ready for St. Patrick's Day celebrations this weekend, and into next week.
A 29-year-old woman is dead after police in Bloomington, Minnesota, found her unresponsive in a cell at the city's jail early Friday, officials said.
Wind sheared off four bolts holding a billboard near the 3M headquarters along Hudson Road in Maplewood, Minnesota, ahead of a winter storm expected to bring heavy snow Saturday night into Sunday.
Minnesota siblings Jamison and Amaya Battle are both basketball stars, with the brother playing forward for the Toronto Raptors and sister playing point guard for the Gopher women's team.
A man and a woman are in custody after a shootout between the man and Swift County deputies in Appleton, Minnesota, on Friday, according to police.
The hit HBO Max series "The Pitt" is getting buzz for how real it feels, and there's a Minnesota doctor making sure it stays that way.
Gas prices are up for the 12th straight day as the war with Iran pushes up crude oil prices. In Minnesota, the average went up 4 cents overnight. It's now $3.29 a gallon. That's 18-cents higher than just a week ago.
According to Rochester Police, officers were dispatched around 9:30 p.m. to the 1900 block of Ashland Drive Northwest. The call was domestic-related, police say.
Rain is falling Thursday night in the Twin Cities, while snow is falling up north.
As the war in Iran evolves, National Guardsmen from Wisconsin are being recognized for what they are doing in the Middle East.
It's the season for booking those spring break getaways, and if you're looking to skip the airport this year, take a page out of the Condé Nast Traveler.
A judge has sentenced a Wisconsin man who forged threats against President Donald Trump as part of a deportation scheme to 16½ years in prison.
A fire at a hotel in Superior, Wisconsin, Monday night left one person hurt and forced guests to move to new lodgings.
Excitement is in the air in northern Wisconsin with the 52nd annual American Birkebeiner underway.
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.
Minnesota native and World War II veteran Les Schrenk died earlier this week. He was 102 years old.
People from across the nation are traveling to the Twin Cities, but not as tourists. Many want to learn in person from Minnesota protestors to bring that knowledge back to their own cities.
The Edina wife and mother of three said she felt called to go and protest in south Minneapolis after learning that Alex Pretti had been shot and killed by two Border Patrol agents.
Tuesday afternoon, more than 20 people gathered on the Highway 62 bridge between Minneapolis and Richfield after a small protest sparked a confrontation there last week.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine briefed on Operation Epic Fury in Iran Friday.
President Trump said that the U.S. military had conducted "one of the most power bombing raids" on Iran's Kharg Island, a vital oil hub for the country.
More than half-a-million taxpayer dollars meant to help Minnesotans was stolen, according to state investigators, who say a home health care provider took the money to buy flights, order food and take rides instead of helping the needy.
Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were murdered in their home in June 2025. On top of grieving the sudden, tragic loss of his parents, Colin Hortman says the cleanup of his childhood home was a headache.
Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were murdered in their home last June. Their son says what followed with the insurance company only made matters worse.
Delta is canceling flights at Midwest airports, including its Minneapolis-St. Paul hub, ahead of expected significant snow and winds starting Saturday evening through Sunday, the airline said Friday.
Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were murdered in their home in June 2025. On top of grieving the sudden, tragic loss of his parents, Colin Hortman says the cleanup of his childhood home was a headache.
Data show that catalytic converter thefts are on the rise again in the Twin Cities.
The war in Iran is not only blocking oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, it is also holding up much of the world's fertilizer supply, a development that is drawing close attention from farmers preparing for spring planting.
Renters' rights advocates and tenants gathered outside Hennepin County courtrooms Thursday to protest Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey's recent veto of an eviction notice extension ordinance.
Ayman Mohamad Ghazali made two purchases at a Phantom Fireworks store in Livonia, Michigan. He told the store staff the fireworks were for the end of Ramadan.
Police in St. Paul, Minnesota are investigating after a student at Macalester College accused a former professor of urinating on her belongings.
More than half-a-million taxpayer dollars meant to help Minnesotans was stolen, according to state investigators, who say a home health care provider took the money to buy flights, order food and take rides instead of helping the needy.
Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were murdered in their home in June 2025. On top of grieving the sudden, tragic loss of his parents, Colin Hortman says the cleanup of his childhood home was a headache.
Data show that catalytic converter thefts are on the rise again in the Twin Cities.
The hit HBO Max series "The Pitt" is getting buzz for how real it feels, and there's a Minnesota doctor making sure it stays that way.
More than half-a-million taxpayer dollars meant to help Minnesotans was stolen, according to state investigators, who say a home health care provider took the money to buy flights, order food and take rides instead of helping the needy.
Can a quick workout and your phone reveal something about your heart health? Researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School say yes, and they've built an app to prove it.
A new Iowa law bans local nondiscrimination protections on the basis of gender identity after the state became the first in the U.S. to roll back its civil rights code last year.
At a Minnesota State Capitol hearing Wednesday morning, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs unveiled its "Veteran Suicide Prevention Plan."
The hit HBO Max series "The Pitt" is getting buzz for how real it feels, and there's a Minnesota doctor making sure it stays that way.
A woman was arrested on Sunday for firing multiple shots at the Beverly Hills home of Rihanna, Los Angeles Police Department officials say.
Valleyfair in Shakopee, Minnesota, will soon come under new ownership.
A new art exhibition in Shoreview, Minnesota, is inviting visitors to see art — and maybe themselves — a little differently.
Actor and filmmaker Bruce Campbell told fans that he is in treatment for cancer and will cancel some upcoming public appearances.
Minnesota siblings Jamison and Amaya Battle are both basketball stars, with the brother playing forward for the Toronto Raptors and sister playing point guard for the Gopher women's team.
Travis Konecny scored the lone goal in a shootout to give the Philadelphia Flyers a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.
The Minnesota Vikings have signed quarterback Kyler Murray to compete with J.J. McCarthy for the starting job next season, the team announced Thursday.
The Minnesota Vikings are hosting Kyler Murray on a free agent visit, focusing their latest quarterback search on the first overall pick in the 2019 draft who was just released by the Arizona Cardinals.
The Minnesota Vikings have cleared salary cap space taken by their failed strategy for contending last season by releasing defensive linemen Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave.
Talking Points is tracking a partisan push to end surveillance pricing this legislative session.
This session, a bipartisan bill to end surveillance pricing is moving forward at the Minnesota Capitol. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy spoke with Minnesota DFL Rep. Erin Koegel about the push and how the ban could protection your personal data.
Minnesota Democratic Rep. Angie Craig, who is running for U.S. Senate, says she now regrets her vote in favor of the Laken Riley Act last year.
With severe weather season right around the corner, what homeowners need to know about the evolving coverage for your roof.
With severe weather season right around the corner, what homeowners need to know about the evolving coverage for your roof. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy spoke with Grace Arnold, Department of Commerce commissioner about what's driving rising insurance premiums and what you should look from in home insurance coverage.
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.
In St. Louis Park, Minnesota, there's a place where you can find radio and television technology that's nearly a century old — and it still works.
One of the best views in Minnesota is at the top of a Bloomington hill. But 15-year-old Jacob Larson isn't here for the scenery. He's here for the jump.
Pine trees are a common sight up north. But on a Carlton, Minnesota, road, they're joined by giant lollipops. They serve as the welcoming committee for Sweetly Kismet, one of the largest candy stores in the state.
Minnesota lakes remain frozen. The people walking on trails around them remain bundled up. After a warm start to March, the seasonal shift is sputtering as it often tends to do.
Drivers are bracing themselves for higher prices when they pull up to gas stations. But the pump isn't the only place you can expect to pay more in the weeks ahead.
A push for stricter gun laws in Minnesota is not new. However, this session comes on the heels of a devastating mass shooting last summer in which the target was students in prayer at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.
The military strikes against Iran have sparked intense debate in Congress. U.S. lawmakers are not only split on whether to support the operation but also on whether President Trump should have sought congressional approval in advance. WCCO investigates how the Constitution defines declarations of war.
Traveling is already stressful, especially flying, but the deadly conflict south of the border might have some travelers second-guessing their upcoming trips.
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.
People across Minnesota are making their final preparations ahead of a winter storm that's expected to move into the state on Saturday evening. Ubah Ali reports from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport where several airlines are making changes and travelers are trying to escape the snow.
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.
The Twin Cities could see around a foot of snow by Sunday afternoon as a result of a winter storm that's set to move into Minnesota on Saturday evening, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.
A winter storm warning is in effect for a large area of Minnesota From Saturday night to Monday morning, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.
A winter storm is set to impact Minnesotans across the state on Saturday night into Sunday. Photojournalist Tony Peterson found out how businesses are helping residents prepare.
The Sibleys' oldest son plays basketball in Minnesota with a bleeding condition. As Mike Max explains, it's just a small piece of life for the family that is making a difference beyond what most feel is possible.
It was all about basketball for high schools across Minnesota on Friday as boys teams battled for spots in the state tournament. Plus, meet a Minnesota teen playing basketball despite a bleeding disorder and his parents, who have supported their son and dozens of foster children, in the March 13, 2026, edition of High School Sports Rally.
Police in Appleton, Minnesota, say a shootout between a man and deputies led to two arrests on Friday. Officials said no one was seriously hurt in the incident.
People across Minnesota are making their final preparations ahead of a winter storm that's expected to move into the state on Saturday evening. Ubah Ali reports from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport where several airlines are making changes and travelers are trying to escape the snow.
The Twin Cities could see around a foot of snow by Sunday afternoon as a result of a winter storm that's set to move into Minnesota on Saturday evening, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.