Minnesota
Warm winter weather forces Minnesota vineyards into unprecedented territory
DELLWOOD, Minn. — Mild temperatures are impacting plants and trees in a variety of different ways, and Minnesota vineyards are now entering unprecedented territory.
“Last year I had to snowshoe through the whole vineyard, and I haven’t had to use any of my snowshoes this year,” said Geneva Knutson of 7 Vines Vineyard.
In fact, some of the workers on Knutson’s crew were pruning grape vines in t-shirts this week. That’s when they noticed something highly unusual.
“All these cuts I’m making, the other day, they were sticky to the touch. Which normally isn’t happening until March or even April,” said Knutson.
It means that the roots are starting to wake up and the sap is starting to flow.
“Everybody has been talking about this because it’s a big game-changer,” said Matt Scott.
MORE: Wimpy winter causes cancelations for various Twin Cities events
Scott is a general manager at 7 Vines Vineyard in Dellwood. He said if the vines try to produce grapes too early, and are hit by frost and snow, it could have a negative impact on the grape crop.
“Once that sugary water comes up, the cells swell up, we get a cold spell and that can damage the cellular structure. That’s the truth, not just for grape vines but for apple trees and a lot of fruit trees,” said Scott.
It’s a scary outlook considering there are now nearly 100 wineries in Minnesota. And the past, couple years have been extremely successful. Seven Vines Vineyard is coming off a record year. They harvested more than 70,000 pounds of grapes by mid-September.
Since they don’t know what the weather has in store for the rest of February and March, they’ll just keep working. Hoping that normal winter weather doesn’t come roaring back. If it stays mild, they could be looking at another record year.
“This could be one of those West Coast wakeups where it’s going to feel more like the north part of California. And that, for us, would be amazing. We’d probably be harvesting fruit in August instead of September and October,” said Scott.
Scott said the lack of snow cover, which acts as energy for sleeping winter vines, is also creating confusion for the plants.
Minnesota
Another Minnesota city moves toward displaying old state flag
Elk River leaders are moving to keep Minnesota’s retired state flag flying in the city after residents backed the idea in a survey.
The Elk River City Council voted 5-0 on Monday night to draft a resolution to display the old flag instead of the new design adopted two years ago.
The move came after more than 1,000 residents responded to an online survey posted by the city. In that survey, the city says almost 75% supported displaying the old flag.
A final council vote is expected at its next meeting on the 20th.
Minnesotans hold onto old habits when buying a state flag
Other cities across the state have taken similar steps to fly the retired flag, including Champlin and Zumbrota.
The flag design turned into a political dispute when planning for a new design first began. Two years later, debates continue, with some believing the old flag celebrated the displacement of Native Americans and others embracing it due to its history.
Lawmakers, commission member discuss new legislation for state flag, seal designs
Minnesota
Brad Paisley to perform at 2026 Minnesota State Fair
Country music star Brad Paisley will be bringing his talents to the Grandstand at this year’s Minnesota State Fair.
Paisley, along with special guest Avery Anna, will take to the stage on Sept. 3. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, with prices ranging between $52 to $113.75.
Paisley has won several awards, including three Grammys, two American Music Awards, 15 Academy of Country Music Awards and 14 Country Music Association Awards.
In 2008, Paisley became the first artist to achieve 10 consecutive Billboard Country Airplay No. 1 singles. Last year, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
This year’s Grandstand acts also include TLC, Salt-N-Pepa, En Vogue, Rod Stewart, “Weird” Al Yankovic and Bonnie Raitt. Pre-fair discount admission tickets are also still available.
Minnesota
ATHENA Award Honors Lori Kloos For Decades Of Service To SCTCC And Local Charities
ST. CLOUD (WJON News) — The Women’s Fund of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation has announced this year’s ATHENA Award winner.
Lori Kloos is the 2026 recipient.
She serves as the President of the St. Cloud Technical and Community College, where she has also held other leadership roles, including Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Administration for nearly 30 years. Prior to her time at SCTCC, Kloos served as a State and Legislative Auditor for Minnesota.
In addition to her professional achievements, Kloos is actively involved in the community, serving on several local boards and committees, including Greater St. Cloud, United Way, and the St. Cloud Downtown Rotary.
The ATHENA Award is a lifetime achievement honor recognizing exceptional women leaders who inspire others to achieve excellence in both their professional and personal lives.
Kloos will be honored on June 8th at the Women’s Fund Presents: Dancing With Our Stars Live at the College of St. Benedict.
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Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
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