The Minnesota State Fair is just around the corner, and with just weeks to go, the State Fair is sharing some new things visitors can expect.

First is the official Minnesota State Fair App, which, in addition to showing you around, also has the locations of where to find food, shopping vendors, a schedule, concert line ups and more.

A new welcome wall has also been set up. Visitors can buy an engraved tile for the wall; the $600 purchase will go towards the Minnesota State Fair Foundation.

The featured design for the state fair has also been unveiled. It features a red canna lily flower, which will be seen across the fairground and on merchandise throughout the event.

The state fair website has more details on what’s new, you can see by CLICKING HERE. It begins on August 22. CLICK HERE for KSTP’s full fair coverage.

While many Minnesotan families continue to recover from this summer’s historic flooding, for one Waterville family, their frustrations go further than cleaning up. 

The Zimmer family cabin sits on the shore of Tetonka Lake, where the Cannon River flows through and in late June, the lake swallowed their yard and then their cabin. 

“You wake up worrying about it. Go to bed worrying about it,” Jim Zimmer said about his situation. 

There was a moment of relief for Zimmer – he says it was when he saw how significant the flooding was and thought about his flood insurance likely being able to cover the costs. As he started reaching out, to his surprise, he learned his flood coverage was dropped. 

“We have to have [flood] insurance because we’re in a floodplain. So, they take it out of our mortgage,” Zimmer said about the many years of having the coverage. 

Now, though, he says the bank and insurance company are blaming each other. 

“I paid my bill. Those guys mess it up between the two of them, but I’m the one stuck with the bill,” Zimmer added about the cost of the damage he says could cost $80,000. 

Zimmer says the next step is finding a lawyer with plans to sue both his bank and insurance agency. He has filed a complaint with the Minnesota Department of Commerce – Zimmer says the state agency told him it’s still investigating his case. 

According to the commerce department, the number of complaints more than doubled in 2023 compared to 2020. 

“In the last three years, we’ve been able to get Minnesotans $10 million back from insurance companies,” Grace Arnold, commissioner of the Department of Commerce, said. 

“It’s never pleasant to think about bad things that can happen. But being prepared is really important,” Commissioner Arnold said about the importance of having proper insurance. 

But just as important as having it is understanding the coverage too, Arnold adds. 

“Ask many times, ask in different ways,” she suggests about contacting your insurance company. 

You can file a complaint with the commerce department here.

As Zimmer reflects, he says an unexpected check from the bank should have been a red flag and feels things would have worked out better if he had reached out then. 

“If it says overpayment, it’s not an overpayment… something’s up, give your bank a call,” Zimmer said.

After years of planning and fundraising, construction is starting on the new Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum.

Heavy equipment is in place, ready to begin moving earth at Camp Ripley just outside Little Falls.

The 40,000 sq. ft. museum will tell the stories of Minnesota veterans dating back to the Civil War.

The state has provided $32 million, with the museum’s board of directors working to raise another $10 million for galleries and collections.

“This new facility is going to be so important for veterans, their families and the entire state of Minnesota, as we preserve veteran stories here at the new Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum,” said Randall Dietrich, the museum’s executive director.

The museum will open in the summer of 2026.

Click here to help with fundraising and learn more about the new museum.