Uber and Lyft say they will stay in Minnesota

After weeks of threats and negotiations, ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft say they will continue service in Minnesota after state lawmakers reached a deal on a minimum wage for drivers.

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.

Minnesota legislative session comes to a heated finish

The last day of the session is always a game of beat the clock as Minnesota lawmakers try to cram in months' worth of unfinished business. Sunday night was no different, but ended on a particularly chaotic note. 

Horace the Corpse Flower continues to grow, but no bloom yet

There’s a lot of buzz around an upcoming bloom at the Como Park Conservatory in St. Paul. Horace the Corpse Flower could bloom any day now, though the staff believes Sunday May 19 is the likely date. When it happens, it will likely be in the afternoon or evening. They’ve been waiting for Horace to bloom for seven years. His brother is also at the conservatory but is still dormant and remains nameless. Both come from seeds from the same parent plants. Horace will be moved to the North garden on Friday morning and will still be available to view during regular business hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. You can watch Horace 24/7 on the Como Park live feed.

High-profile bills high and dry as Capitol session concludes?

The clock is ticking on Minnesota Democrats trying to pass bills addressing sports betting, Uber and Lyft, and a lot more. A Republican strategy to slow things down shifted to the Senate Wednesday and time could just run out on some bills soon.

Historic carousel opens for the season in Como Park

A piece of history is still bringing joy to families year after year in St. Paul. Cafesjian’s Carousel is located in St. Paul’s Como Park, just south of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. It was constructed for $8,500 in 1914 and assembled on the Minnesota State fairgrounds. Though it has moved locations a few times it’s found a permanent home in Como Park. The carousel is open five days a week Thursday to Monday and will run on that schedule through Labor Day.