FOX 9 Good Day

We're less than a month out from Christmas, and this holiday season could be a quick turn around to get all of the gifts purchased for family and friends. Retailers are taking notice. Patrick Rehkamp, a senior financial writer from 1834, A Division of Old National Bank, joined the FOX 9 Morning News to talk about the holiday shopping forecast and what inflation means for consumers and retailers.

Claw machine arcades are popping up all over the Twin Cities. These types of machines are quite popular in Japan and are typically filled with colorful plushies. Neko Clawww is one of the newest spots in Roseville. And while claw machines are one of the most frustrating arcade games, the staff there will "fluff" the machine if you’re striking out. Neko Clawww is open seven days a week on Lexington Avenue near Larpenteur Avenue. There are similar arcades in Bloomington and Maplewood as well.

FOX game show host Jay Pharoah is in the Twin Cities for a comedy show. He stopped by FOX 9 Morning News and helped Keith Marler do the weather.

With Christmas a little over four weeks away, many families will be heading out this weekend or next for a tree. There are more than 60 tree farms in the state and a few of the state's biggest and oldest are opening this weekend. Krueger’s Christmas Tree Farm is celebrating 70 years in Lake Elmo. They offer both cut-your-own and pre-cut trees, but you do need to reserve a timeslot before arriving. To find a tree farm near you, visit the Minnesota Grown website.

Bring on the lights! Glow Holiday Festival is back for year five. They’ve placed more than a million lights inside CHS Field in St. Paul. This is a walk-through experience with food and beverage options plus a zip line and giant slide. GLOW Holiday Festival runs Nov. 21 through Jan. 5, 2025, from 5-9 p.m. on select nights.

One of the most charming holiday events in the Twin Cities has opened for the season. Night Trains runs every Saturday evening from 3-7 p.m. through the last Saturday in February. The museum adds holiday lights to the miniature towns and trains while also dimming the lights inside so it glows. The museum is marking 90 years, and this is the 30th year of Night Trains. The museum is located at 668 Transfer Road, Suite 8 in St. Paul. Admission to this special show is $15 per person and free for children ages 4 and under.

How can Minnesota, the State of Hockey, lose a professional hockey team? A new FOX 9 documentary examines all the factors that ultimately led to the North Stars relocating to Texas in 1993. Catch the premiere of 'No Stars: When Minnesota Lost Pro Hockey' Thursday night after the Gopher game on Fox 9. The hour-long special will also be available on demand on FOX Local. Producer and FOX 9 photojournalist Sean Skinner joined FOX 9 Good Day to chat about the development of the documentary and what his team uncovered.

A collection of dolls is bringing steady crowds to The Museum of Russian Art. The ‘A Thousand Nesting Dolls’ exhibition will be on display through March 9. The show includes some of the earliest dolls ever created and shows the craft as it developed over the years with a large variety of styles and themes. The museum is located at 5500 Stevens Ave. in Minneapolis. It’s open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The Ball Park in Blaine has batting cages like you've never seen before, with a state-of-the-art baseball simulator.

The citizens of Whoville are inviting you to the Children's Theatre for a classic holiday story. 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' is back by popular demand. Shows run until January 5th. Actors Reed Sigmund and Dean Holt joined FOX 9 Good Day to chat about the production and reprising their roles on stage once again.

The crew behind Mr. Paul’s Supper Club in Edina has opened another restaurant in the same neighborhood. Mothership Pizza Paradise is all about wood-fired pizza, handmade pasta, and craft cocktails. FOX 9’s Shayne Wells has more on the new restaurant.

As the month comes to a close, you might have noticed some purple ribbons at businesses around town. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and one group that has been working to help victims is Gathering Hope MN. One of the founders, Rachel Kennedy, joined FOX 9 Good Day where she talked about how difficult it can be for many people to recognize that they are in an abusive relationship

As Election Day post, scammers are using election-related methods to try and rip you off. On FOX 9 Good Day, we sat down with cybersecurity expert Michael Crow to talk about common methods scammers use.

Costumed alpacas greet trick-or-treaters at Eagle Eye Farm in River Falls, Wisconsin. The farm has 70 award-winning alpacas along with mini highland cattle, kune kune pigs and three new South American porcupines.

There are two big matchups on the ice this weekend as college hockey season heats up. The University of St. Thomas and the University of Minnesota have back-to-back games. The first is Friday night at Mariucci Arena, the second is Saturday at Xcel Energy Center. Men's Hockey Coach Rico Blasi joined the FOX 9 morning news to talk about how the team has fared so far this season, and how they're prepping for the big games.

Chenue Her joins the FOX 9 Morning News and is happy to be back in the Twin Cities as a St. Paul native. The Good Day crew sat down with him to learn more about his Minnesota roots and his excitement about coming full circle.

An award-winning Robbinsdale restaurant is bringing back its Halloween pop-up, the wildly popular Haunted Basement Bar, for the month of October. They’re also adding a new concept upstairs called Duel, a competition between two talented teams of chefs with multiple courses and wine pairings. Guests will have a chance to vote on their favorite dish. The Duel concept will run through the end of the year.

A pumpkin patch in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis is selling pumpkins that last forever, if you handle them with care. The Glass Pumpkin Patch event will be held at the FOCI Minnesota Center for Glass Arts Oct. 12-13 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be hundreds of pumpkins for sale, as well as demonstrations and opportunities to create your pumpkin color scheme. To learn more, visit www.mnglassart.org.

The Chanhassen Dinner Theatres is spreading a little Christmas cheer early this year. The theatre is presenting "White Christmas" the musical for the first time on the main stage. Fox 9's Lauren Andrego got a chance to see how the show is coming together behind the scenes. Performances run through January 25th.