Recent content from Jeff Strickler
Minnesota crime novelist David Housewright took a 'no pressure' route to success
His latest, "Something Wicked," touches on COVID and the aftermath of George Floyd's murder.
Pandemic unleashes a tsunami of weddings in Minnesota
There are too many ceremonies and not enough venues.
Ask Amy: Crisis overreaction divides family
Dear Amy: We are a family of seven siblings, all in our 60s.My brother "Brian" lost his teenage daughter to a sudden medical event in…
News of the Weird: Leapin' lizards, check out this smuggler
U.S. border agents at the San Ysidro crossing in California stopped a 30-year-old man driving a truck on Feb. 25 as he attempted to cross…
Ask Amy: Is 'Mr. Mom' remark an insult?
Dear Amy: I'm a 25-year-old guy. I have a 16-month-old daughter that I stay home with full time. One phrase keeps coming up that I…
Sweating tops social media when it comes to feeling better
Annual survey explores a wide range of fitness issues.
Want to make a New Year's promise you can keep? Try these 11 Low Effort Resolutions
Need an emotional boost as we head into what could be another tough year? Make a resolution you know you can achieve.
Ask Amy: Affair's aftershocks prevent healing
Dear Amy: I was involved with a married man for 15 years. It was a beautiful and loving relationship. We shared nightly phone calls, managed…
Which rock will rule in Minnesota? Vote to decide what our state fossil will be
Minnesota is one of several states that doesn't have an official state fossil. The Science Museum of Minnesota aims to fix that.
Review: 'Billy Summers,' by Stephen King
FICTION: Stephen King's tale about an assassin is right on target.
Fitness clubs ramp up online classes: 'We want to meet people where they are'
What started as a quick fix during the pandemic has turned into a booming industry.
38 years apart in age, Minneapolis couple are happily together in love
Only 8.5% of married couples in the U.S. have more than a 10-year age difference.
Resolve to keep your resolutions
By now, most of us have ditched our New Year's resolutions. Here's how to hang onto yours.
Minnesota's 'Happy Doc' turns personal happiness into a DIY project
Instead of waiting for circumstances to change, we can make an attitude adjustment.
When social distancing isn't all bad: 10 of the pandemic's bright spots
The quarantine has a number of tantalizing opportunities we can use to our benefit. Here are some to consider.
Baby name trends: Suddenly there are lots of Kamalas but fewer Karens
Annual list of popular baby names reflects 2020.
A meat-lover's mask: Hormel is giving away bacon-scented face coverings
"Don't just eat bacon," the company's website advises. "Inhale it."
Starting Monday, 'Mark Trail' takes a new path
Monday's strip is the first by Jules Rivera, a new artist who has taken over the comic strip. But she's not jettisoning everything that has made "Mark Trail" part of readers' daily routines since 1946.
You can't blame the pandemic anymore: It's time to exercise again
Twin Cities trainer/dietitian says it's time to quit using COVID-19 as an excuse: "We're not as fit as we were before."
Minnesota historian raises a glass to women, bars and suffrage
Multimedia journalist traces the lines between temperance and suffrage movements.
Video workouts get a second wind thanks to COVID
Shelter-at-home rules caused the market to explode among serious exercise fans.
Minnesota State Fair's famous butter sculptures will go on this year
The carving process will be streamed on the Princess Kay Facebook page.
With no drinks to serve this year, Minnesota State Fair is selling its spare plastic cups
You won't be able to sip your favorite cool beverage at the State Fair this year, but you can drink it from an official cup.
Exercise caution when returning to the gym
Gyms have been closed for three long months, so while the spirit is willing, the muscles may be weak.
4 resilient Minnesota moms have advice for Mother's Day: 'Be kind to yourself'
This Mother's Day, we salute four Twin Cities women who have risen to the challenge during chaotic times.
How to make a face mask, without having to sew a stitch
A Minnesota doctor and his wife have designed a no-sew face mask that simulates a surgical mask. It can be made in about 10 minutes from materials you probably have on hand.
How to strengthen your resolve to exercise during quarantine
If you treat exercise as something you simply have to do — and try to make it fun — you're more likely to stick with it.
'Ancient Caves' shows off Science Museum's new movie technology
The movie is narrated by Bryan Cranston of TV's "Breaking Bad" fame.
Twin Cities teacher has introduced more than 1,000 kids to ice fishing
Over the last five winters, the middle school teacher has worked to promote the favorite Minnesota past-time by working with schools, community groups and veterans' family organizations.
Sauna Village is the new hidden hot spot in the Twin Cities
Minnesotans behind 612 Sauna Society's mobile sauna operation want to promote "thermaculture."
Minnesota's 2019 weather was wet, wild and record-breaking
The year's weather was a record-breaker. Twin Cities precipitation totaled more than a foot above average.
Bryan Cranston narrates Imax film premiering at Science Museum of Minnesota
Recently retired St. Paul museum exec hired "Breaking Bad" star for "Ancient Caves."
What's this? Cat lovers and dog lovers agreeing on something? Yes
They think alike when it comes to naming their cherished four-legged friends.
Locally made, artisan confetti? 'It's much more photogenic.'
When Kylee Leonetti says her business is a cut above, she isn’t speaking just metaphorically. Leonetti Confetti makes artisan confetti, each piece of fluttering paper…
At Minnesota Christmas tree farm, everyone is family: 'We want everyone to feel good'
At this Christmas tree farm, everyone is family — from four generations of owners, to staff, visitors, even the evergreens.
Is it time to can the canned cranberry sauce?
Nearly half of Americans say canned cranberry sauce is "disgusting," a survey found.
How to keep trick-or-treating safe
The best Halloween treat is for everyone to finish the evening happy. To that end, here are some safety tricks. While out and about •…
Science Museum of Minnesota reopens state-of-the-art Omnitheater
The new digital laser dome is only the third of its kind in the world.
In Brainerd, they're racing the worst cars they can find
An endurance race for junker cars has entrants channeling their inner MacGyver.
Oak Park Heights man repays 80-year-old debt to group that helped him as a teenager
Les Heggernes, 94, collects towels and toiletry items for the 400 homeless people who find shelter at the Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities each night.
Jillian Bell's 'Brittany Runs a Marathon' races to an inspiring finish
This comic drama is a call to action for anyone who's facing a challenge.
The 10 best movies of the summer (so far), from 'Aladdin' to 'Yesterday'
Do we really need another version of "The Lion King"? Another rock bioflick? Another "Aladdin"? Yes, we do.
For the past 25 years, this Minnesotan has walked 3 miles every single day
Golden Valley woman has notched 25 years of daily walks without missing a single one.
U.S. runners are devoted but slow, study finds
We run more than in other countries, but it takes us longer.
With new film 'Pavarotti,' Ron Howard gives Ken Burns a run for his money: 'I love history'
Ron Howard took us to the moon and into hyperspace. Now he profiles a stratospheric singer.
Pavarotti documentary hits a personal note: 'His life was an opera'
Documentary focuses on the man more than his music.
Minnesota's Barry ZeVan 'the Weatherman' offers old-school forecasts
Longtime TV personality Barry ZeVan offers old-school weathercasts.
Sophie Turner and Jessica Chastain turn X-Men franchise into X-Women with 'Dark Phoenix'
"Dark Phoenix" works a nifty gender reversal on the superhero sci-fi series.
Vintage Minnesota: Don Fraser dedicated his life to helping people
Longtime politician exuded calm and humility.
Live-action remake of Disney's 'Aladdin' keeps the magic alive
The live-action version of the Disney classic hits its stride with Will Smith's belated entrance as the genie.
The top 10 summer movies that are taking aim at 'Avengers'
Looking for the next blockbuster? Here are the movies that will be jockeying for superiority in the next few weeks.
A movie decades in the making? At age 96, Minnesotan has the footage to prove it
Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul founder Al Milgrom started filming the documentary "Singin' in the Grain" in 1974. You can finally see it.
British filmmaker Mike Leigh tried to keep politics out of 'Peterloo' – but couldn't
British director Mike Leigh tried to keep contemporary issues out of his 1819 drama. He couldn't.
Don't expect too much too soon from Mike Leigh's 'Peterloo'
This historical epic leads to a big finish, but there's too much talk along the way.
Stuck inside? 10 binge-worthy movies about extreme weather
You're trapped inside by the polar vortex. What better time could there be for binge-watching classic films about the weather?There are two philosophies to building…
'A Dog's Way Home' is worth a tail wag
Family flick "A Dog's Way Home" chronicles a pet's 400-mile journey.
'If Beale Street Could Talk' has a lot to say about racism
This story of social justice gone horribly awry is disturbing and powerful.
Julia Roberts' new film 'Ben Is Back' is a powerful drama about drug abuse
"Ben Is Back" explores the catastrophic costs of addiction on one middle-class family.
Emily Blunt is super as Mary Poppins returns to thrill a new generation
"Mary Poppins Returns" to thrill a new generation of viewers without alienating the old one.
Minnesota is ready for its closeup in festival of locally shot films at Parkway
Cinema Minneapolis features two nights of indie films that were shot here or were made by filmmakers from here.
How 'an attitude of gratitude' can improve your life
Proponents of counting your blessings say not only is it easy, it works.
Hollywood goes big with these 9 holiday movie hopefuls
Filmmakers wrap up 2018 with a push for Oscar nominations and box-office bonanzas.
OK, so Minnesotans are cranky – wanna make something of it?
In a state-by-state comparison of what medical symptoms people google, Minnesotans focus on irritability. (Don't even ask about Wisconsin.)
Why Minnesota's oak trees are going squirrelly with acorns
The oak trees are literally going nuts this fall, with some of them producing up to 10 times their normal output.
A Minnesotan's guide to watching the royal wedding
A list of odds and sods to make it appear that you know your onions.
Stephen King's new mystery is a bait and switch
FICTION: "The Outsider" is sort of two books in one. Either one alone would have been more satisfying.
Bae, sweetie, darling: How gushy pet names help strengthen relationships
The language of love is gooey, but those cutesy names can help you stick together.
Facing death, Barbara Carlson is living it up
After learning she has terminal cancer, she threw herself a going-away party while still healthy enough to enjoy it.
After 40 years, Minnesota's weather man Mark Seeley still not coming in from cold
Since 1978, the U's go-to guy has weathered the climatological storm.
Massive toy store in tiny Minnesota town beckons nostalgia seekers from around the state
LARK Toys in Kellogg, Minn., offers thousands of nostalgic toys in a Santa's workshop setting.
Sign of the times: Minnesota marathoners rank better with age
In a state-by-state breakdown of how marathoners rank, Minnesotans steadily move up the list as we age.
Minneapolis' effervescent Barbara Carlson shares her cautionary riches-to-rags tale
Politician and gadfly Barbara Carlson once lived a life as large as her personality. Now she's trying to keep other women from going broke like she did.
Director Christopher Nolan turns defeat at 'Dunkirk' into a cinematic triumph
REVIEW: This ferocious depiction of the World War II beachfront battle will awe some viewers and alienate others — for the same basic reasons.
