Local Happenings

Did Minneapolis Organized Crime Steal My Bike? (And How You Can Protect Yours)

It wasn’t my first rodeo. I grew up in the City and earned my street smarts at now- shuttered Minneapolis Central High School. While Prince was also being burnished by the inner city, I was playing hoops with him every day at Bryant Junior High. So there was no way I was going to park and lock up my bike at tree-shrouded McRae Park and catch the bus to the State Fair. Instead, I locked my “Pee Wee Herman” Schwinn cruiser in the driveway of a bank, in the line of their security cameras on 47th and Chicago.

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Wildcatting Minnesota Oil -- Boom or Bust?

The Minnesota Oil Boom was sparked by a Missouri mining engineer visiting his doctor in Rochester in 1923. In between treatments, he whiled away the time “going up the country,” touring the surrounding landscape. He confided to his doctor that he liked the “lay of the land,” and that many of the geologic formations resembled oil field operations out West.

The engineer must have been particularly persuasive because soon a local realtor joined them to form a wildcatting syndicate called the Rochester Oil and Development Company. The plan was to enlist 25 wealthy, local investors...

Move Over Big Bang Theory. The Yule Log Program Is Roaring Back for Its 15th Year

Amid the languor and afterglow of a large Thanksgiving meal and a Vikings win, the nieces and nephews were scattered about the living room like throw pillows. My nephew Chase was fiddling around with his Roku monitor and then an air of satisfaction when he was able to project a live aquarium screen saver. Not to be outdone, my 12-year-old niece Lexi exclaimed: “We have a yule log on our TV!”
Move over Big Bang Theory. Shuffle step back Dancing With The Stars. For the fifteenth consecutive year, Hubbard KSTC (45TV) will broadcast its popular...

Volunteers Will Finish Home Remodel for Army Veteran Diagnosed With Cancer

While cancer is always an awful thing, always, oftentimes good things can come from these dire circumstances. This is an example of one of those times. Jerry Webbe was in the process of renovating his St. Paul residence with his family when he was diagnosed with stage four throat cancer. Awful news for any family, especially nearing the holidays. Despite the home remodel already underway, Jerry and his family had pause the renovation to focus their energy and efforts on fighting the cancer. Sometimes tragedy brings out the best from a community. The Home Depot Foundation and The Mission Continues ...

Mall of America to Close on Thanksgiving -- Sorry Black Friday Shoppers

mall of american to close on Thanksgiving - 2016

I am one of those people who enjoys going out for a bit on Black Friday -- my wife and I usually spend a few hours in the afternoon stopping at a few stores and grabbing some early Christmas presents. I find it so ironic how, literally one day after people say "thanks" for all they have, it's a feeding frenzy at retail stores for the "marked down" consumer products as people fight for more. Though I enjoy the time with my wife on these days, I will never fully understand the craziness that surrounds Black Friday. The hordes of ravaged shoppers, the merciless fighting, the absurd lines starting outside stores...

Hidden Treasures Arcade Running Kickstarter for a Permanent Home in Champlin

hidden treasures arcade - nathan block

Video games have radically changed over the last few decades -- online multiplayer, realistic graphics, vast worlds, and complex programming are all taken for granted today. But in the 1980s they weren’t even fathomed as an option. Today, instead of running to the arcade to play with friends, gamers can log into their home console and play with strangers from around the world. Many don’t know that video games came from humble, albeit fun, beginnings. Those that do know, may be aware of Pacman, Galaga, or Mario, but haven’t heard of the thousands of other games available at the time. Nathan...

Busier Than Ever: State Fair Shatters First Friday Attendance Mark

mn state fair - 2016 - breaks friday attendance record

For the 152nd time since 1859, a deluge of Minnesotans dressed in brotanks and fanny packs has flooded St. Paul for the latest installment of the Great Minnesota Get Together. Even as you read this sentence, from Albert Lea to Roseau, and all points in between, citizens of the 32nd state in the Union are making the pilgrimage to our capital city for the chance to see beauty queens carved from huge butter blocks while double-fisting a couple of pronto pups and washing them down with an entire bucket full of cookies. The Pioneer Press ...

'Canby Classic Cinema' Gets Restored Back to Life

canby movie theater

Canby, Minnesota’s Central Park, is an idyllic spot for a family reunion. It is encircled by a bustling small town that could leap right out of A Prairie Home Companion. A quick left turn from last week’s Randgaard family reunion and I had to screech on the brakes to capture a shot of one of America’s classic art deco theatres, Canby Classic Cinema. Two years ago this art deco treasure was dilapidated and the roof was leaking when the City of Canby bought it and stepped in to save historic venue. Canby Mayor Gene Bis talked to a number of people that remembered...

Minnesota Icon Dies -- The World Mourns the Loss of a Prince

prince dead at 57 One of Minnesota’s most iconic recording artists passed away on Thursday. Prince (full name Prince Rogers Nelson) died at the age of 57. The exact cause of death is not known at this time. According to the Carver County Sheriff’s office, at about 9:45 a.m. Thursday, emergency personnel responded to a medical call at the Paisley Park complex, where his home and studio are located in Chanhassen. He was found unresponsive in an elevator. CPR was attempted without success. Prince was pronounced dead at the scene. The Carver County Sheriff’s office said that it is investigating the death with help from the Hennepin...

An Iconic Grandstand Destroyed by Fire at Tink Larson Field

Tink-Larson-Field-City-of-Waseca

On Wednesday of last week, the grandstand at Tink Larson Field went up in flames. The ball park, which is based in the small Southern Minnesota town of Waseca, is an icon in the state-wide baseball community, especially to those in the region. The fire, which was first reported around 8:11 p.m., destroyed most of the grandstand which included seats from the old Metropolitan Stadium. You can see pictures of the ...