Minnesota
Good Question: How did Jell-O become a Midwestern staple?
MINNEAPOLIS — A dessert that’s beloved in Minnesota just celebrated a week honoring its fruity versatility. But its nationwide appeal is looking a bit wobbly.
On the heels of National Jell-O Week, we wanted to know: How did Jell-O become a Midwestern staple? And why has its popularity dipped over the years?
“People use it on everything,” said shopper Joan Cole after grabbing couple boxes herself with plans to make a Jell-O salad.
“Going to Lutheran church basements, there was always a Jell-O salad,” added shopper Laurie Franklin.
Jell-O is iconic in its name, jiggly shape, and versatility.
Based on Google searches, it’s Minnesota’s most popular dessert.
Cole believes Jell-O is more popular than ever, at least in the circles she runs around. Franklin disagrees.
“I think younger generations probably don’t even look at Jell-O as being cool,” she said.
One Minnesotan is fluffing up that uncool perception one kitschy video at a time.
Amber Estenson is known as That Midwestern Mom on her social media channels like Tiktok and Instagram. The Northern Minnesota native’s videos play into funny midwestern tropes while making Jell-O recipes she genuinely enjoys.
She visited WCCO’s studio kitchen where she made an Orange Fluff Salad consisting of cottage cheese, orange Jell-O, and Cool Whip. It’s a timeless recipe from church cookbooks now imprinted in Estenson’s mind.
“I’m passing it down to those (younger) generations,” she said of her social media efforts.
MORE: What makes up the price of a gallon gas?
That lineage of recipes traces back to Jell-O’s heyday. Trademarked in 1897, the powdered concoction became famous in the early 1900’s for creating vibrant, almost exotic desserts.
“It meant that you had refrigeration. So, it was kind of the food of the wealthy or the aristocracy,” Estenson said. Jell-O had another boost post-World War II as a simple way for hardworking moms to create unique meals. Many recipes found their way into cookbooks put together by church groups, especially in Minnesota and neighboring states.
“I think that’s the appeal of these salads is anybody can do this. It’s just dumping stuff in a bowl, stirring it around,” she said. Addition of fresh, or canned, fruit added to the “healthy” side of the salads and desserts.
Has Jell-O lost its popularity? “I’m probably the wrong person to ask this because if you open up my mother’s pantry there’s an entire door of Jell-O,” Estenson said with a laugh.
The past decade has been filled with not-so-rosy reports about Jell-O’s declining sales, as younger generations opt for healthier, more niche dessert options. Others might associate it with being sick or hospitalized, since it’s a soft food option.
Estenson’s videos might playfully poke fun at the recipes — but they also carry the torch for the wobbly wonder — holding firm in the heartland.
“Why did these recipes survive in Northern Minnesota or in the Midwest? It’s just because we’re hanging on to those things that we’ve always done. Grandma always did it. It reminds us of home,” she said.
Jell-O recently looked to revitalize its brand by giving its packaging a whole new look. It is more colorful and emphasizes that some of its treats are “zero sugar.”
Minnesota
Shorthanded Clippers can’t keep pace with Anthony Edwards and Minnesota
Anthony Edwards scored 31 points, Donte DiVincenzo added 18 and the surging Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Clippers 94-88 on Thursday night.
Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu each scored 12 points and Rudy Gobert had 13 rebounds to help the Timberwolves improve to 5-1 since Feb. 9 and 3-1 since the All-Star break.
Edwards, returning to the site of the All-Star Game, where he was the MVP, was 12 for 24 from the floor and sealed the victory with a step-back three-pointer over two defenders for a 92-88 lead with 42.9 seconds left.
Minnesota improved to 2-0 on a three-game trip.
Derrick Jones Jr. scored 18 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 14 for the Clippers, who struggled from the outset with a season-low 38 points in the first half. Kris Dunn had 11 points for the Clippers (27-31), who have lost three consecutive games for the first time since December.
The Clippers struggled on offense without star Kawhi Leonard, out because of ankle soreness. The Clippers shot 40.5% from the floor, including 18.2% (four for 22) in the second quarter. Minnesota shot 43.4% in the game.
The Timberwolves (37-23) scored just 15 points in the second quarter and still topped the Clippers, who had 11. Minnesota led 44-38 at halftime behind 12 points from DiVincenzo and 11 from Edwards.
The Clippers led by six in the third quarter and were up 68-63 heading into the fourth. Edwards’ drive and reverse layup put the Timberwolves up for good at 76-74 with 7:40 remaining.
The Clippers pulled within one three times in the last 2½ minutes, but Edwards answered each time. He scored the Timberwolves’ last nine points.
Up next for Clippers: vs. New Orleans on Sunday night.
Minnesota
Church congregant filed lawsuit against alleged Minnesota church protesters
A St. Paul church member has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that a group of individuals, including journalist Don Lemon and activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, unlawfully disrupted service last month as part of a coordinated political demonstration.
The complaint, filed by Ann Doucette in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota, alleges that a Jan. 18 demonstration at Cities Church interfered with her ability to worship and caused her to suffer damages, including emotional distress and trauma.
In addition to the former CNN anchor and Armstrong, the complaint names journalist Georgia Fort and activists Will Kelly, Jerome Richardson, Trahern Crews and Jamael Lundy. It also names St. Paul school board member Chauntyll Allen.
Doucette and seven of the defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Doucette filed the complaint without the representation of an attorney. In an emailed statement to NBC News, Crews denied the lawsuit’s allegations “with empathy and compassion.”
The lawsuit accuses the group of civil conspiracy, aiding and abetting, intentional infliction of emotional distress, interference with religious exercise and trespassing.
“As a result of Defendants’ actions, the worship service was disrupted, congregants experienced fear and distress, and Plaintiff’s ability to freely exercise her religion in a private place of worship was unlawfully interfered with,” the lawsuit states.
All eight defendants are also facing federal charges for conspiracy against the rights of religious freedom at a place of worship and for interfering with the exercise of the right of religious freedom. Lemon has pleaded not guilty to all charges, saying outside the court, “I wanted to say this isn’t just about me, this is about all journalists, especially in the United States.”
Fort, Crews and Lundy were released on bond and entered not guilty pleas, according to The Associated Press.
This is the latest legal action tied to protests in the Twin Cities, where tensions remain over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
According to the lawsuit, the demonstrators engaged in “coordinated conduct” by organizing meetings ahead of the “Operation Pullup” protest and promoting it on social media.
The lawsuit alleges that on the morning of Jan. 18, a coordinated group of individuals entered Cities Church, halting the worship service, and chanting “‘ICE Out!’ and ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot!’” while obstructing aisles. Protesters could allegedly be seen “confronting the pastor and congregants in a menacing manner,” the lawsuit says, noting that their chanting and “aggressive gestures” caused “severe emotional distress, fear, anxiety, and trauma” and caused children “terror.”
Demonstrators gathered at the church because they said its pastor, David Easterwood, was the acting director of an ICE field office in the city, the lawsuit says.
Lemon was arrested in January in California and accused of violating federal civil rights law after covering the protest on Jan. 18. He was released on a personal recognizance bond before a federal grand jury in Minnesota returned the indictment against Lemon and eight co-defendants, all of whom are also named in Doucette’s lawsuit.
In the lawsuit, Doucette alleges that Lemon specifically livestreamed the protest, “noting congregants’ fear and distress, and appeared to take satisfaction in the disruption.”
Levy Armstrong, a Minneapolis-based civil rights attorney and activist, was also arrested for her participation in the St. Paul protest. Her arrest drew national attention after the White House shared on social media doctored photos where she appeared to be crying.
Minnesota
Man arrested, charged with threatening to kill a state senator
A Hubbard County man was arrested and charged after threatening to kill a Minnesota state senator on Facebook.
Court documents filed on Wednesday state the Minnesota State Patrol were investigating a threat posted by John Tobias saying that he would “kill every one of you treasonous [expletive] immediately” if he did not get money back that he claims he lost during the 2020 COVID shutdown.
Court documents go on to say that Tobias then called the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office asking for something to be done about “Minnesota Governor Tim Walz ‘unconstitutionally’ shutting down the state due to COVID-19.
The Minnesota State Patrol contacted Hubbard County deputies regarding Tobias. Court documents state Hubbard County investigators were already familiar with Tobais after speaking with him regarding similar threats he made in Jan.
The charging documents state that investigators searched Tobias’ residence on Tuesday and found an arsenal of guns and 45 boxes of ammunition.
Tobias was taken into custody. During an interview with law enforcement, Tobias admitted to making the threat on Facebook. He also told investigators that “he did not have any intention of killing anyone, but admitted he was trying to get people’s attention,” according to court records.
In late 2025, Lt. Col. Jeremy Geiger of the Minnesota State Patrol, who oversees Capitol security, told a panel of lawmakers that threats to lawmakers had doubled between 2024 and 2025.
Tobias made his first court appearance Wednesday morning and is expected back in court early next month.
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