2016 photos of the year
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Rain Swan, 13, danced to the drumming of Iron Bull, a group from the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota. Rain, who is Crow/Lakota, joined protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline and danced because she was "trying to save the kids who are coming into this world so they can have clean water." - Richard Tsong-Taatarii
Antonio Carnell, 20, joined masses of people outside First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis on the day Prince died in April. In the days following, an outpouring of sorrow and affection drew crowds to sing, weep, dance and remember. – Elizabeth Flores
Marchers protesting the shooting death of Philando Castile by police blocked Interstate 94 near downtown St. Paul in July. Protests over the case erupted throughout the rest of the summer. – Glen Stubbe
Installed as the new archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the Rev. Bernard Hebda paused at the end of mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul to greet young members of the congregation. During his May installation, he joked that the pope “has given you a shepherd who has never eaten lutefisk.” – Jim Gehrz
An overflow crowd packed a hall at RiverCentre St. Paul in January to hear Sen. Bernie Sanders’ message of a “political revolution” during his race against Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary. – Jeff Wheeler
The singer Lizzo was photographed at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design before a show. The wallpaper backdrop is a student piece in the gallery titled "Cost of an MCAD education." – Jeff Wheeler
In a backyard in St. Peter, Minn., a group of kids from ages 7 to 15 jumped on a trampoline and showed off their best aerial tricks. – Leila Navidi
A solitary visitor stood at a gravesite at Fort Snelling National Cemetery during a March snowstorm. – David Joles
U.S. Bank Stadium took shape in Minneapolis this year, glowing over the east end of downtown before it opened this summer. – Brian Peterson
A baby boy led the way at a unity rally at St. Cloud State University in September after a stabbing attack at a mall inflamed racial tensions. Halima Aden greeted little Jayse Waisanen, and soon Aden and the baby’s mother, Daynelle Hoff, introduced themselves to each other. – Renee Jones Schneider
“For us, Jacob was alive until we found him,” Patty Wetterling said at a wrenching news conference in September, consoled by her son Trevor. Trevor was with Jacob the night he was abducted in St. Joseph, Minn. – Jerry Holt
On the day of Prince’s death, a rainbow arced over Paisley Park, his home and studio in Chanhassen. In the days following, fans stood in the rain, or flooded downtown streets, or jammed First Avenue to remember Minnesota’s superstar. – Carlos Gonzalez
After a huge fire wiped out a section of downtown Madelia, Minn., in February, street supervisor Mark Blekestad hung U.S. flags along Main Street. – Glenn Stubbe
Pallbearers raised their fists as they carried the casket of Philando Castile from the St. Paul Cathedral to a horse-drawn carriage after Castile's funeral. A congregation that spilled into the aisles remembered the elementary school worker as someone who “made history. You opened their eyes,” wrote his sister. – Aaron Lavinsky
Four months after Jamar Clark was killed by police, protesters shut down streets in north Minneapolis when no charges were filed against the officer involved. As police in riot gear faced demonstrators occupying the streets in March outside the Fourth Precinct station, a little girl rode through the area in a car that appeared to have been hit with bullets. – David Joles
“BrEGGxit” the ostrich rid itself of jockey Jose Montoya as the pair approached the finish line during "Extreme Race Day" at Canterbury Park in July. Camels named “Donald Hump” and “Hillary Camelton” also competed, along with regular old horses. – Aaron Lavinsky
As Karl-Anthony Towns had his official Timberwolves photographs taken in May, his nephew and niece, Max and Jolani, had different takes on how to pose with the Rookie of the Year. – Brian Peterson
Twenty-four hours after fire engulfed the empty Harris Machinery Co. warehouse in southeast Minneapolis, January’s icy grip took hold. – Jeff Wheeler
Supporters, including Spider-Man, waited to shake hands with Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson after he addressed a rally at Canterbury Park in Shakopee in October. – Jeff Wheeler
John Sorenson fished the Straight River in August as the mating dance of the hex mayflies drew brook trout to the surface. “It’s a treasure,” Sorenson said of the river near Park Rapids that’s threatened by development and agricultural pollution. – Aaron Lavinsky
While there weren’t many firsts left for Michael Phelps as the Summer Olympics approached, he took the top seed for the first time in the 200-meter butterfly prelims at Olympic trials in Omaha in June. He later won gold in the event in Rio. – Brian Peterson
Martell Harris beat the August heat with a dive into the Webber Natural Swimming Pool in north Minneapolis. The pool uses a natural filtration system with plants and no chemicals. – Elizabeth Flores
For about five minutes, the U.S. held the world record in the team pursuit in the Olympic women's cycling competition in Rio de Janeiro. Kelly Catlin of Arden Hills (in the lead) and teammates Sarah Hammer, Chloe Dygert and Jennifer Valente ripped around the Olympic velodrome in four minutes, 12.282 seconds, winning their first-round heat. The U.S. went on to take the silver medal, two seconds behind Great Britain. – Brian Peterson