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The Mississippi River is a big part of life in Minnesota, from its roots in Itasca State Park to its exit out of the state at the very southeastern corner. There are some parts of it that are well known and frequently visited. But it's a big river. What else is there to see?
The Mississippi is a powerful river spanning more than 2,000 miles. But there's one stretch, not far from the metro, that's shallow and peaceful enough to attract canoeists, paddle boarders and kayakers.
WCCO's summer road trip continued Thursday with Mike Binkley and Liz Collin, who are Park Rapids, Minn. The city is about three-and-a-half hours northwest of the Twin Cities.They found the Mississippi River's headwaters at Itasca State Park. Countless visitors have stood right at the beginning of the Mississippi River's 2,552-mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico. This is one of the must-see stops if you're visiting Park Rapids.
Two tours in Afghanistan took a toll on Joshua Ploetz. The former Marine was injured in a roadside bomb. He lost friends in combat, and later, to suicide. When the Winona, Minn. resident returned from the war eight years ago, he was coping with post-traumatic stress disorder, known as PTSD,
A group of University of Minnesota researchers are trying to prevent the spread of Asian Carp in the Mississippi River. They just installed a new sonic deterrent system at Lock and Dam 8 near Genoa, Wis. Five speakers were mounted that produce a very specific type of sound.
Federal officials hope to clear enough silt and sand from the Mississippi River so barge traffic can resume downstream this weekend. Commercial traffic on the upper Mississippi has been choked off for weeks by large sediment deposits left behind by flooding.
Authorities said a man's body was pulled from the Mississippi River Saturday morning near the line between Ramsey and Dakota Counties. The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office received a report of a body in the Missisippi River at about 7:42 a.m. Saturday.
Friday marks seven years since the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring 145 others. It was the height of the evening rush hour on Aug. 1, 2007, when the 35W bridge in Minneapolis fell into the Mississippi River.
Commercial barge traffic should fully resume on the Mississippi River as early as next Tuesday. Parts of the heavily used upper Mississippi River were left impassible to barge and tug traffic after recent flooding left behind an unwanted surprise.
It's been more than a year since the Ford Plant shut down in St. Paul. Now, the city is talking about its plans for redevelopment. The 125-acre site along the Mississippi River was used by Ford Motor Company for nearly 100 years. Demolition leveled 2 million square feet of buildings to the ground.
A body was recovered from the Mississippi River near Brooklyn Park, Minn. Saturday evening, according to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office received a call about a body in the river shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says invasive carp have been found in the Mississippi River near Cottage Grove. The agency says commercial fishermen under contract with the DNR netted two adult invasive carp in Pool 2 Thursday.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will reopen Fort Snelling State Park after a three-week closure due to rains and flooding. The DNR will reopen the park Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. The parked closed June 22 when the main park road flooded.
Six Indian burial mounds have been added to the National Register of Historic Places. Indian Mounds Park is the only remaining burial mound within the Twin Cities.
This week is the anniversary of one of the most traumatic stories in Minnesota's history. And it's one many people have never even heard about. One historian calls it Minnesota's version of the Titanic. The Sea Wing left Red Wing, Minn. for a Sunday cruise to go watch music in Lake City. On the way back a summer storm hit and 98 people died, mostly women and children.
A man who leads eagle cruises near Red Wing, Minn. has seen high waves and erosion damaging the trees that hold eagles' nests along the shore. Red Wing is in the process of drying out. The mighty Mississippi River is in the processes of purging itself of inanimate objects. Cruise director, Captain Rusty Mathiasmeier describes the scene as a river full of logs and trash.
A man is believed to have drowned, authorities say, after he was seen in Minneapolis Tuesday morning going under water in the fast-flowing Mississippi River.
The Mississippi River has forced a lot of people out of their homes over the last two weeks. In the small southeastern Minnesota town of Frontenac, nearly a dozen homes on Lake Street are surrounded by the Mississippi. The river has covered their yards and flooded the street.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board had a special celebration at Sheridan Memorial Park Saturday morning for a new veteran's memorial art installation. People have been working to make the memorial along the Mississippi River a reality for nearly 10 years.
Every couple plans their wedding with the hope that it will be the perfect day. But flooding at Harriet Island in St. Paul is causing a lot of anxiety for some brides and grooms-to-be. So far, four weddings have been cancelled because of the swollen Mississippi River, and couples are scrambling to make last-minute changes.
During President Obama's visit Thursday to the Twin Cities, Gov. Mark Dayton said he'll ask for federal disaster help. A flood warning remains in effect for many Minnesota rivers, including the Mississippi River. It's expected to crest Thursday night in St. Paul at 20.5 feet.
Walking up to Newport's clay levee, which is holding back the rain-swollen Mississippi River, city administrator Deb Hill doesn't like what she is seeing.
St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman declared a state of emergency Tuesday as the Mississippi River continues to rise there and create flooding issues. It's the same situation in Ramsey County, and Harriet Island is under water.
Several pumps are keeping St. Paul's floodwaters at bay. The ever-widening Mississippi River is attracting curious spectators like Barb Stahowiak. "I'd walk here almost every day during the fall flood, I think it was 2010, and it did not rise like this, not at all," Stahowiak said.
Gov. Mark Dayton made the rounds of more Minnesota cities along flood-swollen rivers Tuesday to meet with emergency managers and local elected officials. Delano City Administrator Phil Kern told the governor a conservative estimate of damage from the Crow River is already at $250,000, about 10 percent of the city's budget.
The FBI says that a suspect is in custody after protests in north Minneapolis Wednesday evening culminated in vandalism and the apparent compromising of federal documents.
A document left behind by law enforcement lists highly sensitive items that were taken from the vehicles, including multiple FBI access badges and wallets containing driver's licenses and credit cards.
Mark Scheifele had a goal and three assists, Jonathan Toews scored for the fourth consecutive game and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Minnesota Wild 6-2.
A couple and their six children say they were trapped inside their vehicle when tear gas exploded underneath.
Cell phone footage shared on social media by a Democratic state senator appears to show the moments after Wednesday's shooting took place, in which a woman calls 911 and can be heard pleading for help.
A document left behind by law enforcement lists highly sensitive items that were taken from the vehicles, including multiple FBI access badges and wallets containing driver's licenses and credit cards.
A couple and their six children say they were trapped inside their vehicle when tear gas exploded underneath.
A Minnesota lawmaker is proposing a bill that would pave the way for people to sue for compensation when federal officials violate their civil rights.
A dozen DFL lawmakers are calling for change after reports of federal officers getting into hospitals and detaining patients.
Department of Homeland Security officials have released more information on the Venezuelan migrant whom an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot in the leg in Minneapolis on Wednesday evening, but did not share any information indicating he was wanted for a violent crime.
The American Civil Liberties Union is filing a class action lawsuit against the federal government on behalf of three Minnesotans — two Somali men and one Latino man — "whose constitutional rights were violated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and other federal agents," the ACLU of Minnesota announced Thursday morning.
Most good Minnesota high school hockey teams face the offseason reality that their best players may leave for juniors. This year, Rogers had three key players decide not to, which has benefited the roster.
In a rare primetime address Wednesday evening, Gov. Tim Walz gave a six-minute-long address to Minnesotans where he called on President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to "end this occupation."
President Trump is following through on a promise he made late last year to end deportation protections for some Somali immigrants in the country.
Faith leaders, union representatives and community members are calling for a Day of Truth and Freedom on Friday, Jan. 23 — urging all Minnesotans not to go to work, school or go shopping.
A Wisconsin man accused of sending the state Supreme Court's chief justice intimidating emails has been sentenced to probation.
Some schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin are delayed or closed on Tuesday as early morning rain makes the roads slick.
A western Wisconsin town is reveling in the national spotlight.
When he's not playing zone or man, Hall is carving it up at local hills. He has qualified for multiple professional snowboard competitions.
Two people were killed and another hurt in a crash in western Wisconsin Tuesday afternoon.
At Moth Oddities in northeast Minneapolis, volunteers moved through stacks of boxes as donations continued to pour in for families impacted by the increased presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the city.
Many people who serve in the U.S. military find it hard to ask for assistance when they've been trained to help and serve others.
Food Bank Eatery in North Minneapolis provides free meals for children, who may have little to eat after the pause of SNAP benefits for many in the community.
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.
The FBI says that a suspect is in custody after protests in north Minneapolis Wednesday evening culminated in vandalism and the apparent compromising of federal documents.
The family of Renee Good is preparing to potenially take legal action against ICE and the agent who shot her. Attorneys sent a new document to the federal government outlining the evidence they're looking at. Ashley Grams breaks down the new details at the federal and state levels.
Cell phone footage shared on social media by a Democratic state senator appears to show the moments after Wednesday's shooting took place, in which a woman calls 911 and can be heard pleading for help.
Employees fearful of the immigration crackdown have forced a number of Twin Cities restaurants to temporarily close their doors.
After both the shooting of Renee Good and the one Wednesday night, Democratic Gov. Tim Walz is calling for calm. He is appealing to the president to "lower the temperature" and "stop this campaign of retribution." Caroline Cummings has the latest.
It's a business model picking up steam across the Twin Cities. For instance, all the major sports venues in town, like Target Field and U.S. Bank Stadium, no longer accept cash.
WCCO gathered data on core staple items from Aldi in Apple Valley, Target in Fridley and Cub Foods in north Minneapolis.
Minnesota drivers have something to celebrate this holiday — a price drop at the pump.
With costs still high and budgets stretched, getting smarter with money matters more than ever.
There were 584 vehicles towed during this week's snow emergency in Minneapolis. That number stands at 352 and counting in St. Paul, where parking restrictions are in place until 9 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 2.
The FBI says that a suspect is in custody after protests in north Minneapolis Wednesday evening culminated in vandalism and the apparent compromising of federal documents.
A document left behind by law enforcement lists highly sensitive items that were taken from the vehicles, including multiple FBI access badges and wallets containing driver's licenses and credit cards.
Employees fearful of the immigration crackdown have forced a number of Twin Cities restaurants to temporarily close their doors.
Department of Homeland Security officials have released more information on the Venezuelan migrant whom an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot in the leg in Minneapolis on Wednesday evening, but did not share any information indicating he was wanted for a violent crime.
Minneapolis police are investigating after a man was shot multiple times overnight Thursday in the city's northeast corner.
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development says it began distributing payments on Friday to over 2,600 Minnesotans.
Just one day after dropping his bid for reelection, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said the state's paid family leave program is one of the most transformational bills the state has ever passed.
Roughly 12,000 Minnesotans have already applied for the state's new paid family leave program, according to an update by the Department of Employment and Economic Development.
It's a beauty technique that's exploding. Depending on your age, you might not have heard of it. It's called micro-needling.
The clock is ticking to snag a few more gifts and prepare for that holiday trip to visit family. As the pressure builds, so does the stress.
Here is everything you need to know about how to watch and stream the 2026 Golden Globes.
Bob Weir wrote or co-wrote and sang lead vocals on Grateful Dead classics including "Sugar Magnolia," "One More Saturday Night" and "Mexicali Blues."
Here are the significant books, films and characters joining the list of works in the public domain on Jan. 1, 2026.
Isiah Whitlock Jr. is perhaps best known for his role as state Sen. R. Clayton "Clay" Davis on HBO's "The Wire."
The band announced Perry Bamonte's death on their official website on Friday.
Mark Scheifele had a goal and three assists, Jonathan Toews scored for the fourth consecutive game and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Minnesota Wild 6-2.
The Minnesota Twins have claimed infielder Vidal Bruján off waivers from the Atlanta Braves.
Authorities said the alleged scheme involved 39 players, 17 different NCAA Division I men's basketball teams and 29 games.
Kiki Rice had 25 points on 8-for-9 shooting and Lauren Betts posted her third straight double-double, leading No. 3 UCLA past Minnesota 76-58 on Wednesday night.
Most good Minnesota high school hockey teams face the offseason reality that their best players may leave for juniors. This year, Rogers had three key players decide not to, which has benefited the roster.
The shooting death of Renee Good by an ICE agent has raised several legal questions.
The fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent has raised many legal questions. Constitutional law professor David Schultz, who has taught a class on police, criminal and civil procedure, has some answers.
The DFL race pits two prominent party leaders, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig, against each other.
Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is calling for answers about the immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities. She is also denouncing the president's attacks on the Somali community and herself. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy shows us how, for Omar, this is a familiar position to be in.
Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is calling for clarity about the immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities.
On Dec. 9, 1965, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" debuted on CBS, and it became an instant classic. Lee Jenkins' home is proof that the show is still a hit six decades later.
Holiday lights are on full display across the state right now, and just south of the Twin Cities you'll find a Christmas light show that's been around for more than half a century.
The story begins years ago when the city acquired one of the T-38 Talon Thunderbird jets from the Air Force.
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."
New polling shows most voters do not think last week's deadly ICE shooting was justified. But the Trump administration thinks so and suggested that Renee Good was a domestic terrorist. Experts say that's not a label to be taken lightly.
ICE is making arrests in Minnesota right next to shoppers grabbing groceries. The tense encounters are happening at places like Target, Walmart and other private businesses.
It's a question many people have been asking: What is the cost of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Minnesota? WCCO was able to get some numbers.
It's a business model picking up steam across the Twin Cities. For instance, all the major sports venues in town, like Target Field and U.S. Bank Stadium, no longer accept cash.
From the frozen ponds and lakes to the packed indoor rinks serving as community hubs, hockey is uniquely celebrated and cherished in Minnesota like no other state in the country.
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 the wind picks up tomorrow, the temps tumble down throughout the day, and there will be more light 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.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer says waves of light snow will pass through tonight, but it will stay mild.
Waves of light snow will pass through Thursday night, and the wind will pick up on Friday.
Wind picks up tomorrow, the temps tumble down throughout the day and there will be more light snow, WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak reports.
He understands basketball; he's been refereeing for 64 years. He's been married for 63 years and was a parole officer for 43 years. Ron Poeschel has led an interesting life, including a stint in the White House.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer says the wind picks up tomorrow, the temps tumble down throughout the day, and there will be more light snow.
The family of Renee Good is preparing to potenially take legal action against ICE and the agent who shot her. Attorneys sent a new document to the federal government outlining the evidence they're looking at. Ashley Grams breaks down the new details at the federal and state levels.
We're hearing from a woman who says the search for a stolen federal firearm brought federalagents to her front door. Ubah Ali is here to walk us through the video and new details.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer says waves of light snow will pass through tonight, but it will stay mild.