The Minnesota State Fair Grandstand: 140 years of magic
"While all the other stadiums and other facilities were coming and going, this is the one that's remained. And it's as good today as it ever was," Jerry Hammer said.
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"While all the other stadiums and other facilities were coming and going, this is the one that's remained. And it's as good today as it ever was," Jerry Hammer said.
Many gardens are in full bloom this time of year. But there's a place in Bloomington that seems to be budding year-round.
In Ottertail County, there's a type of race where speed records will never be broken.
Imagine spending your summer days on top of a 100-foot cliff. It's a reality for the good folks at Sand Creek Adventures.
"It's a comfort food. It's a heritage item for families. People rally around it," Blaine Pederson said.
Minnesota farm towns seem to have similar characteristics: a quaint main street, a tractor dealer, a baseball field. And in the case of Millerville -- a whole, lotta butter.
Architecture is celebrated on this tour, especially houses doctors once lived in. Some of the tour spots even housed such famed figures as Lou Gehrig and Ernest Hemingway, who was often seen reading his own books.
When the Larsons retired a few years ago, they moved from the Twin Cities to central Minnesota. Mike got a little bored so he decided to become a farmer. A worm farmer.
Sue Foss began growing her garden near Sandstone in 1989. She and her husband, Rod, planted over 500 different kinds of flowers, shrubs and trees to honor the Ojibwe people.
"They are pretty laid back and calm. They really are," said park manager Ashley Steevens. "They're managed as a wild herd, so this is their territory. This is their home."
In this week's Finding Minnesota, John Lauritsen shows us how a giant statue ended up in the city of Blue Earth.
In this week's Finding Minnesota, John Lauritsen takes us to the Rapidan Dam Store in Blue Earth County.
In this week's Finding Minnesota, John Lauritsen takes us on a tour of a treasured ghost town in Fillmore County, near the Iowa border.
There's a place in our state where you can "hit" a nice drive down the fairway, while surrounded by "hits" from the Beatles.
It's not very often that you can get up close and personal with 20 different species of birds, right in the middle of town -- but that's the case in a west central Minnesota at the Fergus Falls rookery!
The National Wheelchair Softball Association's annual World Series drew 18 teams from each corner of the country to Minnesota. Over three days and 65 games, they competed for the ultimate crown.
Police in St. Paul, Minnesota are investigating a shooting they say left a man dead early Saturday morning.
I-94 will be closed in both directions between I-35W and Highway 280 from 10 p.m. Friday to Monday at 5 a.m.
The 28-year-old man is charged with one count each of child endangerment and negligent storage of a loaded firearm.
A 17-year-old boy and his 45-year-old mother have been charged in a June shooting outside Born's Bar in St. Paul, Minnesota, that injured a woman.
A 24-year-old woman has been sentenced for her role in the murder of an Isle, Minnesota, man whose partial remains were found in a tote in 2023, according to court records filed on Friday.
In July, Brady Heiling of Clara City and his girlfriend Hallie Helgeson of Montevideo, were killed by a wrong-way drunken driver on their way back from a concert in Wisconsin. But the teenagers are continuing to give back, even in death.
"When he caught the fish, I turned the transducer around and boom, there it was just sitting on the bottom," said Brody Loch, a fisherman from Watkins, Minnesota, who spotted the car.
He's one of the most powerful congressmen in the country, and during a tour of a bus manufacturing plant on Thursday in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Rep. Tom Emmer said he's fully "on board" with President Trump's so-called "big, beautiful bill."
As St. Paul reels from the fallout of a cyberattack, a new law in place that aims better to track the growing number of cyberattacks across the state.
A deer hunter has discovered a rare subtropical wood stork in the wilds of Wisconsin.
Wolfdogs in northern Wisconsin are helping war veterans deal with their post-traumatic stress disorder.
A motorcyclist from Minnesota was killed in a crash with a truck pulling a trailer in western Wisconsin on Sunday.
Flash flooding canceled the final day of the Wisconsin State Fair on Sunday as continued heavy rainfall in half a dozen Midwest states has led to water rescues, power outages and road closures.
Niche released its list of best high schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Did your child's high school make the list?
The second annual Guns and Hoses event is being held to raise money for police officers, firefighters and paramedics across the state, including those who responded to the shootings that wounded Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his wife.
After a monthslong push for more transparency, a community exposed to elevated lead emissions earlier this year was able to get some answers from investigators.
Dozens of students will be looking their best when heading back to school, thanks to the annual Youth Appreciation Day in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Sometimes there are milestones so rare that they turn a care center into the most joyful place in town.
After a successful food giveaway earlier this summer, a local organization is making its services more permanent.
President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a high-stakes summit in Alaska, but the talks did not yield a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Environmental groups and independent scientists are criticizing a report assembled by a small team of well-known climate skeptics selected by Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
President Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin held a rare meeting Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.
A grand jury returned an eight-count indictment against Vance Boelter, including first-degree murder charges for his alleged killing of the Hortmans and attempted murder of the Hoffmans. A chilling criminal case is growing larger tonight, nearly a month after a federal grand jury handed down six counts. What sets the state case apart are two new charges and disturbing details.
He's one of the most powerful congressmen in the country, and during a tour of a bus manufacturing plant on Thursday in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Rep. Tom Emmer said he's fully "on board" with President Trump's so-called "big, beautiful bill."
One Minnesota woman left the corporate world to run her own bakery in Saint Paul's Lowertown.
Some recent, big-name restaurant closures in Minneapolis have fueled concerns about the health of the Twin Cities dining scene.
A popular northeast Minneapolis bar and restaurant is no longer under threat of closure due to construction in the area.
WCCO tests if in-store and online prices are different at Target, Walmart and Best Buy.
Around 176 people will be permanently laid off as a result of the closure, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
Police in St. Paul, Minnesota are investigating a shooting they say left a man dead early Saturday morning.
A 24-year-old woman has been sentenced for her role in the murder of an Isle, Minnesota, man whose partial remains were found in a tote in 2023, according to court records filed on Friday.
The 28-year-old man is charged with one count each of child endangerment and negligent storage of a loaded firearm.
A 17-year-old boy and his 45-year-old mother have been charged in a June shooting outside Born's Bar in St. Paul, Minnesota, that injured a woman.
The second annual Guns and Hoses event is being held to raise money for police officers, firefighters and paramedics across the state, including those who responded to the shootings that wounded Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his wife.
A dog named Nova is suiting up for a very special purpose: keeping a close eye on her human, University of Minnesota medical student Wesley Flint.
A Victoria, Minnesota, family is channeling their heartbreak into hope.
Minnesotans will once again experience hazy conditions and poor air quality this weekend, as wildfires continue to burn across Canada, sending smoke south with the change in wind direction.
The Minnesota Department of Health issued a health advisory last week warning of an increase in overdose cases involving sedatives.
Changes could be coming at the area's largest trauma hospital. At a packed meeting Tuesday, Hennepin County commissioners said they have to take extreme measures to make sure it stays open.
President Trump announced this year's "truly exceptional class" of Kennedy Center Honorees and said he will host the annual ceremony himself.
UFC CEO Dana White confirmed plans for a July 4, 2026 fight at the White House to mark America's 250th birthday.
Taylor Swift announced her 12th studio album, "The Life of a Showgirl," after a countdown tease on her website. The release date is now set for Oct. 3.
Paramount will become the new home to all UFC events in the U.S., while UFC's CEO says the White House may host a July 4 event broadcast on CBS.
Brandon Blackstock battled cancer for more than three years, his family said.
Julia Rodrigue attended Hudson High School in Wisconsin and was active in three sports. In college, she stumbled into a sport she had never tried. Three years later, she's a national champion and climbing.
Charlie Morton gave up two hits and struck out five over six innings and the Detroit Tigers scored five runs in the first inning of a 7-0 win over the Minnesota Twins.
Colt Keith scored on Gleyber Torres' sacrifice fly in the 11th inning and the Detroit Tigers overcame an early three-run deficit to beat the Minnesota Twins 4-3 on Thursday night.
The Special Olympics flag football team from Minnesota and Massachusetts faced off at TCO Stadium with some big names as their coaches.
J.J. McCarthy, in likely his last reps against another team until the regular season, looked good in the 11-on-11 portion.
A new Minnesota law requires governments and public entities to report cyberattacks within 72 hours to the state and notify victims whose data has been breached. Starting next year, the law will require the state to issue an annual report on cyberattacks.
As St. Paul reels from the fallout of a cyberattack, a new law in place that aims better to track the growing number of cyberattacks across the state.
As St. Paul reels from the fallout of a cyberattack, a new law in place that aims better to track the growing number of cyberattacks across the state. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy spoke with Craig Sixta, the Chief Technology Officer with Element Technologies, about the world of cyberwarfare and how you can stay safe.
Half of all pancreatic cancers are first diagnosed when a patient is already at stage four and the five-year survival rate is just 13%. But with AI at the Mayo Clinic, it's a new ballgame.
Doctors at the Mayo Clinic are using artificial intelligence to achieve a breakthrough in diagnosing pancreatic cancer. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy explains the remarkable development and the potential impact on other cancers.
Caves that were once used for making beer in the 1800s are now used for making cheese. In this week's Finding Minnesota, John Lauritsen looks into the history of the cheese caves in Faribault.
On his five-acre property in Blaine, Minnesota, Erik Lund has plenty of space to fine-tune his golf game and his guitar game.
This Friday, the town of Braham will reach a milestone as it celebrates its 35th "Pie Day." It's always the first Friday in August.
In the mid-90s, a group of Alexandria, Minnesota, residents wanted to highlight wooden boats and their craftsmanship, believing they were essentially works of art. So, they converted an old city garage into the Legacy of Lakes Museum.
The town of Sedan, Minnesota, has gone out of its way to celebrate an every-day household item.
The first Tuesday of August is a unique night meant for nothing more than connection with those living on your street and the people tasked to protect it: National Night Out, which is now in its 42nd year.
Homeowners know the saying, "water finds a way." Add wildfire smoke to that distinction, another savvy invader harming indoor quality, where people should feel protected from it.
Be sure to turn your eyes to the night sky, as brief flashes of light will streak through outer space on Tuesday night.
From farmland to store shelves and, soon, your kitchen, produce is a healthy choice that sometimes needs a healthy rinse.
Tears come for many reasons: a joyful reunion, a surprising win, a frustrating loss and a forever loss, too. And sometimes, tears come for reasons we can hardly explain.
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 photojournalist Art Phillips shares some personal family photos taken by his father, Arthur Phillips Sr., in Vietnam during his time in service.
The new Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum is under construction just outside of Camp Ripley in Little Falls. Set to open in late 2026, the $40 million, first-of-its-kind project in the nation will be eight times the size of the existing museum. It will honor not only Minnesota's service members and their sacrifices, but the refugee experience as well. Watch and read more in Pauleen Le's series "Vietnam 50 Years Later: Reflections on a War that Changed Minnesota."
The National Weather Service has issued multiple tornado warnings and many more severe thunderstorm warnings throughout wide swaths of southern and central Minnesota Monday afternoon.
More rain is in our future with Sunday having the potential for another Next Weather Alert. The rain chances will continue through Monday. Lisa Meadows breaks down the timing and shares when it clears up.
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 severe storms that rolled through Saturday morning are done for the time being.
Meteorologist Adam del Rosso takes a look at what conditions to expect as you plan your weekend.
Meteorologist Adam del Rosso takes a look at what conditions to expect as you plan your weekend.
More rain is in our future with Sunday having the potential for another Next Weather Alert. The rain chances will continue through Monday. Lisa Meadows breaks down the timing and shares when it clears up.
The nation's best wheelchair softball players compete for the championship.
Following the accidental draining of a lake at William O'Brien State Park, environmentalists say they have a rare opportunity to rid the lake of invasive greens.
Meteorologist Adam del Rosso takes a look at what conditions to expect as you plan your weekend.
Meteorologist Adam del Rosso takes a look at what conditions to expect as you plan your weekend.