David Joles

A food truck exploded in a residential neighborhood in Lakeville late Friday, damaging as many as 20 homes and leaving the area strewn with twisted metal and insulation.

These photos taken at Lake Nokomis were shot nearly one year, and 68 degrees apart. Move the slider in the middle of the image to see the differences between these two scenes.

These two views of Lake Calhoun were shot nearly one year, and 68 degrees apart. Move the slider in the middle of the image to see the differences between the two scenes.

Caesar Marino of Little Canada had been mostly deaf since age 7 and longed to hear birds chirp again

The Filipino Minnesota Association hosts the Debutantes Ball to celebrate the accomplishments of Filipino youths

An artist and sculptor has spent the past two years at the Hindu Temple of Minnesota in Maple Grove

In a living room in Cottage Grove, faith unites people from different cultures. Three young Mormons left their homes in the western United States to come to Minnesota, learn to speak Hmong and serve the Twin Cities Hmong community.

Her mom felt a twinge as the soft curls hit the floor, but 8-month-old Maggie Lund met the scissors with a smile. "She was born with a whole head of hair," said her mother, Sarah. But now it was time to trim back.

Rites of passage • A weekly photo journal

Celebrating the solstice

On an infant mattress in a barren bedroom, Brittni Jones, 18, and her daughter Alissa, 21 months, seemed to marvel at their good fortune. They were no longer homeless.

Lucia, aka Linnea Cederberg, led attendant Nicole Ellis and head star boy Rutger Van Huber through the American Swedish Institute mansion Sunday in Minneapolis. In Scandinavian countries, Lucia is celebrated Dec. 13 in a ceremony where a girl is elected to portray its namesake -- an Italian saint who was adopted by the Swedes. Wearing a white gown with a red sash and a crown of candles, Lucia walks at the head of a procession of girls, each holding a candle. The candles symbolize light in winter's darkness and the fire that refused to take St. Lucia's life when she was sentenced to be burned.

Curtina Wilson is only 9, a little young to be a soldier.

It took a life-threatening stroke for Jim Baker, 64, of Edina, to fulfill his dream of building a wooden boat.

Blue-eyed Marly Melsh grew up in Iowa with loving parents who believed in a higher power and encouraged her to be open-minded and seek out the truth. Melsh attended a Christian college in Iowa before landing a job in Minneapolis with CommonBond Communities, a nonprofit that provides affordable housing. After arriving here, Melsh began meeting Muslims.

Native American girls learn about growing into strong women at the Nawayee Center School in Minneapolis. A women's health class at the alternative school offers lessons in self-esteem and respect, and how and when to walk away from unhealthy relationships. A culture class helps them find their voices through drumming and singing -- a tradition usually reserved for males. In a recent class, girls sang a ballad, "You Should Be My Man," written by classmate Jodi Vermillion, second from left. "If you sit around the drum, it just like brings joy to you," said one student.

Brennan Mercury Feist was three weeks old during his Buddhist newborn blessing ceremony performed by monks Witiyala Seewalie Thera and Bisho Kirti Maharjan at the Minnesota Bhuddhist Vihara in north Minneapolis. Named after supreme court justice William Joseph Brennan Jr. and former Queen singer Freddie Mercury, Brennan Mercury Feist slept through much of the ceremony, held by his mom Sandra Feist, with father Ben Feist nearby, along with grandmother Susan Feist. Sandra Feist is an immigration lawyer and has a colleague who attends the Bhuddist temple. The ceremony involved blessings for protection and a healthy life for Brennan and a string was held by the monks, participants and parents and touching Brennan for the positive thoughts and blessings to travel along. The blessings, which are for freedom from fears, physical and mental illnesses and from obstacles in life, and for success in life. The blessings were done in the Pali language by reciting the great qualities of Bhudda, Dharma and Sangha and love and kindness and compassion of the Bhudda. The mission of the Minnesota Buddhist Vihara is to share the Buddha's message of Peace and Happiness and help create peace and harmony within and ourselves and in the surrounding world.

Not long ago Larry Jones was in danger of failing school. That all changed when he switched to Phoenix High, an alternative school run by the Volunteers of America. He graduated and will attend college. As he neared graduation principal Sonal Redd learned that Jones could two-step. To repay Redd, Jones gave his principal dance lessons.

Joe and Sara Laube celebrate the birth of their son, Tyler.

Robert and Dorothy Bode moved to Minnesota from Seattle as a young couple without children. When they headed back west for Robert's new job in Colorado Springs, they could no longer travel light.

Rites of passage • a weekly photo journal

On their last day of kindergarten, the kids of Lake Country Montessori in Minneapolis know what comes next: "Fly Up." Teachers, parents and other family members line a "runway" on the school grounds.

This past week, the Minneapolis Mayhem hosted the 2010 Bingham Cup at the National Sports Center in Blaine. The gay world rugby championship drew teams from Dublin, Ireland; Sydney, Australia; England, Scandinavia and across the United States.

Dolores Braun raised 10 children and worked the family farm outside Eden Valley, Minn., so she's no stranger to hard work.

In a living room in Cottage Grove, faith unites people from different cultures. Three young Mormons left their homes in the western United States to…

Robert and Dorothy Bode moved to Minnesota from Seattle as a young couple without children. When they headed west for Robert's new job in Colorado Springs, they could no longer travel light. In the past 15 years, they've built a family of 11 adopted and biological children.