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Before the countdown to the New Year begins, several local businesses count on one last rush of 2014. Grocery and liquor stores count New Year's Eve as one of the busiest days of the year and holiday season.
Not everyone can stay up until midnight on New Year's Eve. So, a special ball drop was held for them earlier today. Kids and families got the fun started a little earlier Wednesday at Como Zoo in St. Paul. The zoo held a countdown to 12. Twelve noon, that is.
Celebrating the new year traditionally happens with a bang. Whether it's the pop of the champagne cork or the boom of fireworks, a new beginning is something to celebrate. After years of less-than-satisfactory celebrations, I now prefer to celebrate with a small group of friends at dinner.
Many will be ringing in the new year by tipping a few back. A few too many can mean you'll have to call a cab -- unless you're at one of several Twin Cities bars that offers a one-of-a kind service.
Forecasters say bitter cold temperatures will greet New Year's revelers venturing outdoors. A wind chill advisory is in effect for all of central and southern Minnesota and west central Wisconsin through 10 a.m. Wednesday.
If you don't have a dinner reservation yet for New Year's Eve, you still have a chance to grab an open table. WCCO's Lauren Casey stopped by Borough in Minneapolis' North Loop to get the New Year's Eve dining details.
Millions of Americans are busy writing up their New Year's resolutions for 2015. According to a U.S. government survey, the top resolutions this year are to lose weight, get organized and spend less money.
It's New Year's Eve, so you know what that means! The champagne toast! But this year, why not step out of your comfort zone and try something different? Jason DeRusha visited World Class Wines and found easy ways to find the perfect bubbly, some even without breaking the bank!
Lizz Winstead is back in Minnesota! The Minnesota comedian is here to host two performances of her special year in review show. 'Plan B from Outer Space' goes on Saturday evening at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis.
The best way to prevent a Blue Christmas is to visit one of the best holiday destinations in America for singles.
How many people actually know the history behind one of the most joyous seasons?
New reports say a Minnesota woman who drowned after her car plunged down a 40-foot embankment and crashed through ice in Wisconsin was legally drunk at the time. A La Crosse Tribune report says 21-year-old Ellen "Ellie" Ahmann of Winona, Minn., had just left the downtown tavern where she was tending bar on New Year's Eve. Police reports obtained through an open-records request say her blood-alcohol level was 0.16 percent, or twice the legal limit.
State officials are asking the public's help in finding a 22-year-old man who was last seen in northern Minnesota at New Year's Eve parties.
A town is mourning the loss of a teenager who died on New Year's Eve. Katelyn Hank of Le Sueur was sledding at a friend's house. Another person was on the back of her sled when they hit a tree.
Sending 2013 out with a bang is on the minds of many New Year's Eve partygoers. For some, that celebration includes alcohol, and if you drink and drive be prepared to face the consequences.
Too much of any type of alcohol will cause a hangover, but drinking clear ones, like vodka and gin, will make it less severe.
Minnesota law enforcement officials say people planning to head out on New Year's Eve should also be thinking about that sober ride home. The Department of Public Safety says extra patrols of state troopers and other law enforcers will be on the lookout for drunken drivers Tuesday night.
Don't have your plans set yet to ring in 2014? We've found some fun ways to celebrate the end of 2013 and a fresh start in 2014. Here are some great events for all ages you can still drop in on today and tonight.
Doctors fear a cold New Year's Eve can create big problems for party goers. Dr. Ryan Fey from the Hennepin County Medical Center says frostbite can strike within minutes. "In extreme cold, you could be looking at frostbite in two to five minutes," Fey said. People trying to ring in the new year with a few libations can get in to big trouble if they mix it with the extreme cold.
The last songs are about to be played at The Artists' Quarter in downtown St. Paul. The underground jazz club closes New Year's Eve with a performance by torch singer Carole Martin. The Artists' Quarter is located in the basement of the Historic Hamm Building.
Jen from St. Paul asked: Why can't we recycle wrapping paper? In some places, like Minneapolis, you can.
Metro Transit and Miller Lite will provide free bus and light rail rides on New Year's Eve for the third year in a row. From 6 p.m. till the last scheduled trip, residents will be treated to complimentary rides on all Metro Transit buses and light rail, METRO Blue and Red lines, Plymouth Metrolink, Anoka County and Minnesota Valley Transit Authority buses. Metro Transit officials say they have provided more than one million rides through the Miller Free Rides Program on New Year's Eve, and for the last 16 years on St. Patrick's Day.
The day before Thanksgiving means big business for several local businesses. Dec. 23 is actually the busiest day of the year at Rainbow Foods in St. Louis Park, but Thanksgiving Eve is a very close second.
We all know the dangers of drinking and driving. And yet every year on the holidays, we're reminded to find a safe ride home.
Twin Cities' residents have a variety of different ideas of how to celebrate on New Year Eve. WCCO found party planners everywhere, from the liquor stores to the swimming pool.
Temperatures will remain in the teens on Saturday, but the wild chill will make it feel closer to the single digits.
Residents in the Twin Cities are keeping a close eye on public schools for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity amid operations targeting Somali immigrants in the area.
A student is recovering after a school bus collided with a Metro Transit light rail train in St. Paul on Friday morning.
Car thieves aren't waiting for the sun to rise in the suburbs of the Twin Cities, and neither are the police.
A combination of cold weather and fresh powder serves as a beacon for cross country skiers, eager to hit the trails.
A student is recovering after a school bus collided with a Metro Transit light rail train in St. Paul on Friday morning.
Car thieves aren't waiting for the sun to rise in the suburbs of the Twin Cities, and neither are the police.
A combination of cold weather and fresh powder serves as a beacon for cross country skiers, eager to hit the trails.
Residents of a South Minneapolis apartment building say they've been without heat for weeks as a bitter blast of winter weather continues.
A 28-year-old man previously convicted of sexual assault in Minnesota has been federally charged with kidnapping a 15-year-old girl in 2017 and kidnapping a woman earlier this year, according to court documents filed Thursday.
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.
River Falls hosts St. John's this weekend in round three of the NCAA tournament.
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.
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.
The Supreme Court said Friday it will decide the legality of President Trump's executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship.
In July 2019, Minnesota state officials spotted early signs of fraud that would eventually siphon away more than $1 billion in taxpayer money, sources told CBS News.
Minneapolis City Council leaders are set to roll out what they’re calling a “people-centred budget."
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.
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.
Car thieves aren't waiting for the sun to rise in the suburbs of the Twin Cities, and neither are the police.
A 28-year-old man previously convicted of sexual assault in Minnesota has been federally charged with kidnapping a 15-year-old girl in 2017 and kidnapping a woman earlier this year, according to court documents filed Thursday.
A man who law enforcement say was armed with a large knife when a deputy shot him in Monticello, Minnesota, now faces charges.
Police said this is the city's 13th homicide of the year.
The special edition locket was inspired by the James Bond film "Octopussy," which revolves around a plot to steal a rare Faberge egg.
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.
Frank Gehry was known for designing the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
Netflix on Friday said it will acquire Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO.
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.
Early in the winter season, there are always good nonconference matchups in Minnesota, including Friday, when the Chanhassen girls basketball team visited Blaine. Plus, see the results of other exciting prep games in Minneapolis, Shakopee, Andover and other areas in the state.
River Falls hosts St. John's this weekend in round three of the NCAA tournament.
Julius Randle had 28 points and nine rebounds, carrying Minnesota on a quiet night from Anthony Edwards, and the Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans 125-116 on Thursday night.
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.
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.
Temperatures will remain in the teens on Saturday, but the wild chill will make it feel closer to the single digits.
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 today stay in the teens, but wild chills will make it feel like single digits. There's a chance for more snow this evening, but it'll stay mostly in the southern part of the state. WCCO's meteorologist Adam Del Rosso breaks down the timing and how much snow we could see.
Showers moving through southern Minnesota on Saturday may drop up to 5 inches of snow in some areas, according to Next Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows. The Twin Cities could see up to 3 inches as the system moves through.
Snow will cover southern Minnesota on Saturday, according to Next Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows, with the system partially hitting the Twin Cities metro.
Temps today stay in the teens, but wild chills will make it feel like single digits. There's a chance for more snow this evening, but it'll stay mostly in the southern part of the state. WCCO's meteorologist Adam Del Rosso breaks down the timing and how much snow we could see.
WCCO's Reg Chapman updates on recent ICE operations in the Twin Cities and other headlines.
Early in the winter season, there are always good nonconference matchups in Minnesota, including Friday, when the Chanhassen girls basketball team visited Blaine. Plus, see the results of other exciting prep games in Minneapolis, Shakopee, Andover and other areas in the state.
Showers moving through southern Minnesota on Saturday may drop up to 5 inches of snow in some areas, according to Next Weather meteorologist Lisa Meadows. The Twin Cities could see up to 3 inches as the system moves through.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in the Twin Cities has some parents and teachers dealing with scared students. Conor Wight explains what schools and parents are doing to address fears during the federal enforcement.