Challenge course opens in Bloomington
Finding a playground in the Twin Cities metro for littles is pretty easy, but a new one in Bloomington is perfect for the teens who want a challenge. The Smith Park Challenge Course is open now in near Interstate 494 and Highway 77. The park includes a timed 40-yard dash race track, an obstacle course for kids ages 13+ and an all-inclusive play structure for all ages. The playground is from local company, MWP Recreation. It’s the second of its kind in the Twin Cities. There’s another challenge course in Golden Valley, two in Jordan and another on the way in Lakeville. The Smith Park Challenge Course is located at 8155 Park Ave. S.
Minnesota Twins release City Connect uniforms
The Minnesota Twins unveiled their new 2024 City Connect Series uniform. The release event features live art and music, free lunch while supplies last, and appearances by players.
Chalkfest returns to Maple Grove this weekend
Chalkfest Maple Grove returns to its original location on Main Street between Elm Creek Boulevard and Arbor Lakes Parkway. It takes place on June 8-9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be 54 large-scale chalk art creations from some of the best chalkers in the world. There will also be a Kids Zone including a chalk art area for families, live music, and food trucks to compliment the restaurants on Main Street.
Meteor bar in Minneapolis racks up the accolades
One of the most "Oustanding Bars" in the country is tucked in an industrial neighborhood in Minneapolis. Meteor has a long history as a dive bar going back 120 years, but the current owners have created something special that’s getting a lot of recognition. The bar made it to the semi-finals of the James Beard Awards for ‘Outstanding Bar’ and has been nominated for the "Best U.S. Bar Team" in the Central Region for the Spirited Awards.
Minneapolis restaurant vying for Best New Restaurant title
A Northeast Minneapolis restaurant is a finalist for Best New Restaurant in the Country from the James Beard Awards. Oro by Nixta is from the chef team of Gustavo and Kate Romero. The pair will head to Chicago on Saturday. Ann Ahmed of Khâluna and Christina Nguyen of Hai Hai are also finalists for Best Chef: Midwest. The ceremony is on Monday, June 10.
Battleground debuts on FOX 9 next week
"Battleground," a new FOX First Run digital initiative, is set to debut on June 10 on FOX 9. It takes a local-first approach to covering the swing states and their electoral votes. Host S.E. Cupp joined the FOX 9 Morning News with a look at the new program and how they're keeping tabs on critical races in Wisconsin and Minnesota. You can watch the episodes live Mondays at 11:05 PM.
Delicious goods at Lau’s Czech Bakery in New Prague
FOX 9's Se Kwon stops by Lau's Czech Bakery in New Prague ahead of FOX 9's Town Ball Tour stop in New Prague on June 5, 2024.
Twin Cities gem is about to undergo a major renovation
The Nine Mile Creek corridor spans 240 acres and flows through both Moir and Central parks in Bloomington. The project is in the early planning stages and still seeking public input. The plan is to improve the trails and park amenities, while also getting rid of invasive or undesirable plants, and restoring the shoreline which will improve water quality of the creek. Weather depending, there is a community celebration planned for Wednesday, June 5 from 4-6 p.m. at Moir Park which is located at 10320 Morgan Ave. S. There will be games, a food truck and plenty of information about the upcoming project.
Spacious sports center opens in north Minneapolis
V3 Sports is poised to be a destination health and wellness center for the area. The 40,000-square-foot facility offers a ton of amenities including a 25-yard teaching and training pool, a public hydrotherapy pool, a weightlifting floor, fitness studios, a drop-in childcare center, and a space for Boys and Girls Club to provide out-of-school activities and STEAM education. This is Phase 1 of the project. A grand opening is planned for June 22. The restaurant will open on Aug. 1. The goal is to open Phase 2 in 2027. It will be 180,000 square feet and include an Olympic Trials 50-meter pool and several basketball courts. V3 Sports is located at 701 Plymouth Ave. N.
Preparing your pups for summer
Are your pets up to date on their flea & tick meds or their vaccines? Dr. Eric Ruhland from the St. Paul Pet Hospital joined FOX 9 Good Day along with his dog Butter and her litter of puppies to walk through the top items pet owners need to keep in mind.
Report points to 'soft landing' for US economy
The latest income and consumption level report is out from the White House showing incomes are on the rise while spending continues to remain tighter than what we've seen during the pandemic. Patrick Rehkamp, a senior financial writer from 1834, A Division of Old National Bank, joined the FOX 9 Morning News to discuss what the latest report means for consumers and our economy.
$5 shows at The Ordway this weekend
A Grammy-winning duo will be performing this weekend at The Ordway in St. Paul as part of the Flint Hills Family Festival. "123 Andrés" will play on Saturday, June 1, at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The husband and wife team of Andrés and Christina, is a Grammy-winning duo with a lively show that gets families singing and dancing. The festival offers world-class talent at an affordable price. Tickets are just $5 to the shows inside the Ordway, but there also free concerts and activities in Rice Park both Friday, May 31, and Saturday, June 1.
New restaurant at Eat Street Crossing food hall
Here’s a Staff Meeting to get excited about. A new restaurant is opening at Eat Street Crossing called Staff Meeting. It comes from celebrity Chef Louross Edralin of Las Vegas. Staff Meeting fuses Hawaiian and Filipino flavors. Some of the menu offerings include Mom’s fried rice, ramen and braised pork spare ribs. Staff Meeting is open now, though the official grand opening is June 1. Eat Street Crossing is located at 2819 Nicollet Ave. The food hall is open Monday through Thursday 4-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon-10 p.m. and Sundays noon-9 p.m.
Free yoga offered all summer long at Lake Harriet
The Lake Harriet Yoga Project is back for its 14th season. Volunteer yoga teachers will offer a daily yoga class between the Lake Harriet Bandshell and the shore. If it rains, the class moves into the bandshell. Daily yoga will be held from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. on weekends from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Neighboring eatery Bread & Pickle also started its summer hours, opening daily at 7 a.m. with coffee and breakfast sandwiches to coincide with the return of yoga. The yoga class is for all skill levels and is open to everyone.
Mini version of the Minnesota State Fair gets underway for year 4
The Minnesota State Fair is still 90 days away, but starting Thursday you can indulge in some of your favorite fair goods at the Kickoff to Summer event. This is the fourth year for the four-day event. New to the kickoff: Peachey’s Baking Company will be frying up their Amish-style donuts that were a fan favorite at the 2023 State Fair. There are 40 food vendors including Sweet Martha’s and Rick’s Pickle Pizza, plus brews, three stages of music, shopping and free parking. Kickoff to Summer at the Fair hours: Thursday, May 23, 4-9 p.m.; Friday, May 24, 4-9 p.m.; Saturday, May 25, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, May 26, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Lake Nokomis restaurant opens for the season
The Painted Turtle is back for it’s second season on the Lake Nokomis beach in Minneapolis. The space is under construction but still open and serving up ice cream from Minnesota Dairy Lab and frying up cheese curds, waffle fries and sliders. The construction will allow The Painted Turtle to serve beer in the future as they add a covered seating space. The restaurant is open daily through September from 11 a.m. to sundown.
What is it like to feed the Timberwolves?
The Timberwolves take on the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday night. Ahead of the big game, FOX 9’s Kelly O’Connell caught up with the Timberwolves executive chef David Fhima to learn what it takes to feed the team.
24/7 Indoor Doggy Playground opens in Apple Valley
Apple Valley has a new type of dog park. Anytime Puppy Playground is an indoor playground that’s open 24 hours a day. Visitors can purchase a one-day pass, monthly pass or annual membership. There are no breed or size restrictions. Owners are responsible for their dogs. They must clean up after them and decide if they’re a good fit for a type of place like this. Anytime Puppy Playground is located at 6950 146th St. W, Suite 120, Apple Valley.
Brioche Donuts bring out the crowds to St. Paul
About 10 years ago the country went crazy for cronuts, a cross between a donut and a croissant. There’s a new creation to get excited about in St. Paul. So Yen Desserts is making super fluffy brioche donuts. The donuts are hand-rolled, fried and filled with a light cream. The flavors rotate monthly. For May they’re featuring banana cream caramel pie, strawberry cream, raspberry lychee and an ‘everything but the bagel’ donut. The shop also has fresh beignets, burnt Basque cheesecake and savory congee bowls. They’re open Friday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and are planning to add Thursdays this summer. They can sell out of the brioche donuts, but they will announce sell-outs on their social media pages. So Yen Desserts is located in Lowertown St. Paul at 275 4th St. E.
Did you see that? Art exhibit at the ARB
A collection at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum will make you stop and say, "did you see that?" Artist Adam Turman came up with the original designs. The show runs through July 14th.