Stories you'll find only in your Sunday Star Tribune newspaper

The abduction of 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling on a warm October night 20 years ago shocked Minnesotans like few crimes before and shattered the innocence of the prairie town of St. Joseph.

Aaron Larson was with Jacob that night -- riding their bikes to a store for candy and a movie. Even now, 20 years later, Larson plays it back daily, wondering what he might have done, said or seen to make things turn out differently.

For Larson, the abduction of his best friend, who was never seen again, changed him in ways that he is only beginning to understand.

The usually reticent Larson, who is now a father in southwestern Minnesota, talks about the case.

Other stories you'll find only in Sunday's Star Tribune:

METRO: Minnesota and Wisconsin are both struggling with billion dollar deficits at the same time they need to upgrade their emergency radio systems to meet new federal standards. They're taking very different approaches. Minnesota is spending at least $250 million to upgrade its system, while Wisconsin is spending a fraction of that figure to make needed improvements. While some question the need for Minnesota's high-priced model, state officials insist that the state-of-the-art system will eventually prove less costly and better than alternatives.

BUSINESS: HOM Furniture has come a long way since its roots selling waterbeds. In a little more than a year, the Coon Rapids-based chain has bought up three of its competitors: Gabberts, Seasonal Concepts and, most recently, Hoigaard’s patio furniture. All this while many furniture stores have been snuffed out by the recession.

MUSIC: In Sarah Hicks’ world, her approach to music represents where the symphony orchestra is going in the United States. It’s not an expression of ego, only of the realities facing a cultural institution that is struggling for survival as audiences age and classical music is seen by many as an elitist endeavor. Hicks, just named Pops Conductor at the Minnesota Orchestra, sees a diversified future, where pops and world music are as important to a company’s survival as is the classical subscription series.

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