Minnesota

Minnesota State Fair records one of its lowest attended days in decades

Published

2 years ago

August 27, 2024

Minnesota State Fair records one of its lowest attended days in decades

Early morning severe storms hit MN State Fair [RAW]

FOX 9’s Se Kwon went live on Facebook early Tuesday morning as another severe storm hit the Minnesota State Fair, causing flash flooding on the grounds. Officials delayed opening the fairgrounds to the public for two hours as crews worked to assess the damage and clean up the debris.

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (FOX 9) – The Minnesota State Fair recorded its lowest first Mondays, as heat and storms kept people home.

Monday’s reported attendance for the fair reached just 80,546 visitors.

What happened?

The weather was likely the major contributing factor keeping people home on Monday. The morning and early afternoon were hot with heat index temperatures pushing over 100 degrees. Then, severe storms swept through the metro in the evening, flooding the fairgrounds.

The few people who were at the fair were forced to run for cover underneath the grandstand.

The storms also forced a late start for the fair on Tuesday, as crews assessed damage in the early morning hours.

MN fairgoers run for safety as storms roll through

Visitors at the Minnesota State Fair were running for cover on Monday as storms rolled through.

Context

Monday’s total is among the worst-attended non-opening days for the fair since the mid-1980s.

It was the worst first Monday for the fair since 1983.
The only worst non-opening day attendance since 1986 was the first Friday in 2021, when COVID concerns were still high.
The average fair attendance for the first Monday since 2000 is 122,408 people.
Sunday was also a slow day at the fair, with heat likely playing a role.
The fair set back-to-back records to start in 2024, with high attendance on both opening day and the first Friday.

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Minnesota

East Range Police Department officer passes away

Published

8 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

East Range Police Department officer passes away

A police officer in northern Minnesota unexpectedly passed away earlier this week.

The East Range Police Department said that Sgt. Cody Siebert passed away on Friday, less than 24 hours after being diagnosed with a brain infection.

The department said that Siebert was known for his happy-go-lucky personality and that “if you couldn’t get along with Cody, it was your fault.”

Siebert started at the K9 program in Babbitt with K9 Taconite (Tac) before going to the East Range Police Department.

“The hole left by Sgt. Siebert’s passing will be impossible to fill,” East Range police said. “We at ERPD love you and will miss you always. We have it from here.”

Mesabi East Schools also stated that the district was “truly blessed to have him walking our halls, greeting students, encouraging staff, and building relationships that went far beyond the badge.”

Click here for a GoFundMe to support Siebert’s family.

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Minnesota

How ICE’s presence is affecting child care in Minnesota

Published

20 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

How ICE’s presence is affecting child care in Minnesota

What happens to day care providers when families decide to stay home? Coming up at 9 a.m. on Monday, MPR News host Angela Davis is joined by early childhood education reporter Kyra Miles to talk about how the the increase of federal immigration agents is affecting the child care industry and children, families and child care workers.

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Minnesota

Utah Mammoth take down Minnesota 5-2 to end the Wild’s winning streak at 6

Published

1 day ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Utah Mammoth take down Minnesota 5-2 to end the Wild’s winning streak at 6

February 27, 2026 / 11:13 PM CST
/ AP

The Wild were taken down by the Utah Mammoth 5-2 on Friday night to end Minnesota’s winning streak at six games.

Lawson Crouse scored twice and U.S. Olympian Clayton Keller had a goal and two assists for Utah.

Logan Cooley and Barrett Hayton also scored and Karel Vejmelka made 21 saves to help the Mammoth rebound from a 4-2 home loss to NHL-leading Colorado on Wednesday night in their return from the Olympic break. Utah began the night in the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

U.S. Olympian Matt Boldy scored and assisted on Kirill Kaprizov’s goal for Minnesota. Second behind Central Division-rival Colorado in the West, the Wild are 9-2-1 in their last 12. They beat the Avalanche 5-2 on Thursday night in Denver.

Cooley opened the scoring with a short-handed goal with 6:37 left in the first period. The former University of Minnesota star got the puck on the right side off a deflection and put a shot between Wallstedt’s legs for his 15th goal.

Keller scored his 18th at 4:26 of the second. Nick Schmaltz forced a turnover on a forecheck and fed Keller on the right side.

Crouse made it 3-0 at 7:49 of the second. He came down the middle, took a pass from Keller and beat Wallstedt with a backhander.

Kaprizov countered for Minnesota on a power play with 5:57 left in the second. He has 33 goals this season.

Hayton made it 4-1 on a power play at 1:19 of the third, and Crouse added his 16th of the season on a tip with 7:12 to go.

Boldy got his 35th of the season with 5:57 remaining.