Originally published June 1 BLUE EARTH CO., Minn. (WCCO) — There’s a restaurant in southern Minnesota that’s been around for more than 100 years. And it’s pretty “dam” good, thanks in large part to the dam that sits next to it. “My sister lives two miles away from here and you can hear the roar of the dam from there,” David Hruska said. For more than a century, people have been drawn to the Rapidan Dam because of its sights and sounds. During that same time, they’ve also been drawn to the store next door because of its smells and sweets. David and his sister Jenny Barnes run the Rapidan Dam St ..read more

Originally published June 1 BLUE EARTH CO., Minn. (WCCO) — There’s a restaurant in southern Minnesota that’s been around for more than 100 years. And it’s pretty “dam” good, thanks in large part to the dam that sits next to it. “My sister lives two miles away from here and you can hear the roar of the dam from there,” David Hruska said. For more than a century, people have been drawn to the Rapidan Dam because of its sights and sounds. During that same time, they’ve also been drawn to the store next door because of its smells and sweets. David and his sister Jenny Barnes run the Rapidan Dam St ..read more

BLUE EARTH CO., Minn. (WCCO) — There’s a restaurant in southern Minnesota that’s been around for more than 100 years. And it’s pretty “dam” good, thanks in large part to the dam that sits next to it. “My sister lives two miles away from here and you can hear the roar of the dam from there,” David Hruska said. For more than a century, people have been drawn to the Rapidan Dam because of its sights and sounds. During that same time, they’ve also been drawn to the store next door because of its smells and sweets. David and his sister Jenny Barnes run the Rapidan Dam Store along with their dad, Ji ..read more

MANKATO, Minn. (WCCO) — The herd of bison in Minneopa State Park is booming this spring. At least 14 baby bison have been born at the park in Mankato this season. That’s a record number for a single season, beating the old record by at least one. There may have been as many as 16 bison born there this year, but getting a precise count is tough because the animals are constantly moving. The park had 31 total bison before the new births. Wildlife experts will move some of them out of the park to prevent inbreeding ..read more

MANKATO, Minn. (WCCO) — A pilot is recovering after a plane crash-landed in Mankato Tuesday night. It happened around 8 p.m. (credit: CBS) The pilot was hurt, but the severity of their injuries is unclear. The pilot was the only person on the plane. Federal officials are investigating the cause of the crash ..read more

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A missing 30-year-old Mankato woman has been spotted in Eagle Lake, according to Mankato officials. In an update Tuesday, Mankato Public Safety officials said missing person Nyawuor James Chuol was captured in surveillance video from a Casey’s gas station along Highway 14, which is within 10 miles east of Mankato. Investigators say the woman took a cab or rideshare to the store. (credit: Mankato Public Safety) The images were taken at 8:45 p.m. on April 25, which is nearly two hours after Chuol’s family reported last seeing her. Chuol is described as 5-foot-9 and 120 pou ..read more

MANKATO, Minn. (WCCO) — A southern Minnesota man is in critical condition after police say he was stabbed by his son Wednesday afternoon. The Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called just after 1 p.m. to the 200 block of Eleanor Street in South Bend Township, in rural Mankato. The 59-year-old homeowner reported that his son had a knife, and had assaulted him before. The dispatch operator also heard “an apparent struggle” happening while law enforcement were en route to the residence. Deputies arrived to find the man’s 24-year-old son waiting outside, who “confirmed the dist ..read more

MANKATO, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota State goaltender and Hobey Baker Award winner Dryden McKay has been given a six-month ban for an anti-doping violation after leading the Mavericks to the Frozen Four national championship game. The suspension was announced Monday by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. McKay was tested by the agency as an alternate for Team USA’s Olympic hockey roster. On. Jan. 23, the 25-year-old tested positive for ostarine, which is a prohibited substance that’s in the class of anabolic agents. Minnesota State said in a statement that McKay learned of the positive result on ..read more

MANKATO, Minn. (WCCO) – It’s a continent that many people will never reach, but a high school science teacher at Mankato East just returned from Antarctica. Julia Battern was invited to attend a climate summit along with 150 other CEOs, politicians, college students, energy company employees, and teachers. She brought back big lessons to share with her students from the land of icebergs, glaciers, and penguins. When Battern was selected to travel to Antarctica for a climate summit, she didn’t know what to expect. There were some tough conversations, especially with the fossil fuel executi ..read more

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — One year ago, Minnesota State University Mankato beat the University of Minnesota men’s hockey team in the NCAA regional, advancing to their first ever Frozen Four. Fast forward a year, and the teams meet again, one round deeper. “They’ll come out a little bit differently this time,” said Mavericks junior forward Nathan Smith. “They’re fast. They’re skilled. And we’re pretty defensive and gritty. But we’re pretty skilled, too. So I think it’ll be another good game.” The Mavs are coming off a good game to get to this point, beating Notre Dame 1-0. It was yet another shutout ..read more