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Rachel Hutton

Reporter | Features
Phone: 612-673-4569

Rachel Hutton writes lifestyle and human-interest stories for the Star Tribune. 


Hutton was previously the editor of Minnesota Monthly and Midwest Home magazines and City Pages' food critic. She has written frequently about restaurants, travel, and design and enjoys profiling interesting people. A Minnesota native, Hutton returned home after stints in the Bay Area and New York City and has traveled the state extensively, from the Spring Grove Soda factory near the Iowa border to the Northwest Angle, which pokes into the Canadian one. She has a degree in product design from Stanford and co-edited an essay collection about life "before the mortgage" prior to settling in the Twin Cities.
Recent content from Rachel Hutton
Christian Alberto Ledesma starts the game at the pitching mound to start a neighborhood pick up softball game at Lake Hiawatha Park on July 18.

Minneapolis principal's 'sandlot' works social muscles during summer break

Pickup baseball games "on the verge of extinction" combat the loneliness epidemic.
Falen Bonsett and iHeartRadio street team members look for boaters to throw T-shirts to on Lake Minnetonka.

Falen is vulgar. And vulnerable. And Minnesota audiences can't get enough.

Falen defied gender stereotypes on KDWB. Now the uber-popular media personality joins "The Jason Show."
Jason Matheson and Falen Bonsett, his new co-host on Fox 9's "The Jason Show."

Fox 9's Jason Matheson announces his new co-host

"The Jason Show" fans have been atwitter since Kendall Mark departed for MyTalk 107.1 FM.
Jimmy Lonetti talks with a customer about a catchers mitt at his shop, D&J Glove Repair, in south Minneapolis.

Minnesota's go-to guy for baseball-glove repair revives a rare art

Nationally, there's nothing like his memorabilia-filled workshop-slash-baseball-geek hub.
At Cub Foods in Forest Lake, Tina Fisher makes sure her stash of Top the Tater and Heggie's Pizza, Minnesota-made foods her family can't get in Florid

The secret cult following of Top the Tater, Minnesota's quirkiest condiment

Fans smuggle it in suitcases and slather it on sloppy joes. Yet their friends have never heard of it.
Windom experienced flooding Saturday after heavy overnight rainfall. Wyatt Haugen, 20, wades through the water while sandbagging.

Flooding fears rise in the state as residents scramble to control the tide

Flooding and no-wake warnings were issued across the state on Saturday after intense rain, especially in the south. Up north, families left stranded at Camp du Nord near Ely were able to leave.
Law enforcement members accompany the casket of officer Jamal Mitchell at Maple Grove High School on Tuesday.

MPD officer Jamal Mitchell memorialized as 'very best of our city'

Thousands attended the Maple Grove service and viewed the 30-mile processional for the police officer killed in the line of duty.
James Adams, founder of Twin Cities Skaters, skates at the new TCS Studio in Uptown Minneapolis, during a recent “Roller Fonk Friday” open skate n

A Minneapolis man vowing to 'Make America Skate Again' just opened an Uptown roller rink

The rink is revitalizing a struggling neighborhood and fueling the sport's comeback.
Major retailers commonly work with salvage companies that resell their excess inventory and returned items.

Psst! We found two secret sources of discounted Target goods

New clothing, housewares, toys and more sell for less than clearance prices.
Can we be comfortable putting our hearts behind a Timberwolves win, or will our hopes be dashed?

T-Wolves tips: How to ride the Minnesota sports roller coaster

This team has us going up and down and spinning around. How should we handle this week? Here are some tips.
Anishinaabe designer Delina White, who created and produced the event, walks down the runway at the annual Native Nations Fashion Night show at Quincy

'Native fashionista' creates runway looks and economic opportunity

An unlikely entrepreneur from Leech Lake helps lead the movement to "appreciate not appropriate."
James Adams, founder of Twin Cities Skaters, is converting the former Uptown CB2 into a boutique roller rink with a little help from his son, Jasper,

Former Uptown furniture store becoming a 'boutique' roller rink

The furniture store will be a bricks-and-mortar location for Twin Cities Skaters, which has hosted pop-up events around the metro area.
MJ Weiss and her fiancé Dale Blair listen as Erich Mische of Suicide Awareness Voices of Education speaks at a State Capitol news conference last mon

A grieving family fights for suicide prevention barriers at a Minneapolis hotspot

They're advocating for safety barriers on a popular bridge.
A pair of red women's slippers adorned with sparkles and a tiny bow toward the toe

The stolen ruby slippers from 'The Wizard of Oz' were recovered by the FBI. But the tale isn't over.

The reporter who dug up the dirt, the museum head who took the heat and Grand Rapids itself are forever changed by the ruby slipper theft.
A model walks the runway during 2022's Native Starlight fashion show.

Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan hits the runway at Native Nations Fashion Night

The annual event spotlights Indigenous designers and an artisan market.
Graphic arrangements of found nature items such as feathers, fish, and fiddleheads photographed by Mary Jo Hoffman from her new coffee-table book "Sti

Spring's hot gift book features gorgeous found-nature photos

4,000 images later, this Shoreview photographer is still searching for the beauty we usually miss.
Shoppers scoop up deals at Mike’s Discount Foods in Fridley, which sells heavily discounted items ranging from produce and cereal close to their “

Do Minnesota's discount grocery stores really offer cartloads of savings?

Looking past sell-by dates can yield big discounts on everything from pantry staples to produce. Here's what we found.
A screen grab from the Too Good To Go app.

Is the Too Good to Go restaurant discount app too good to be true?

We shopped the app that helps restaurants reduce waste while giving shoppers steep discounts.
Krtstina Van Moer, right, and Brianna Neil chatted on the upper level of Fitger's Brewhouse in Duluth Min., Wednesday, May 22, 2013. ] (KYNDELL HARKNE

Duluth pub responds to Cargill's diss by serving Cheerios with its beer

The community is also donating boxes of the cereal to local food shelves.
Monticello High School teammates work on their entree during the 18th annual Minnesota ProStart Invitational. Students were judged by local chefs on t

A Minnesota chef trusted these kids to cater his wedding

High-school culinary students cook like pros at their bacon-scented state championship.
Ojai Valley Trail Riding Co. takes visitors through the Ventura River Valley Preserve on horseback.

Charming Ojai is Hollywood's playground for a reason

Just outside Los Angeles, this hidden gem has ranches, vineyards and spas for a great girlfriends getaway.
Nickelodeon Universe. ] GLEN STUBBE * gstubbe@startribune.com Thursday, June 2, 2016 Jess Nelson, MOA case manager, Oasis For Youth, walks through the

Not going anywhere for spring break? Try these fun Twin Cities area family activities

Get slimed, grab a joystick, brave a cold plunge.
Exterior rendering of Southdale's forthcoming luxury shopping wing.

Gucci, Max Mara, and Breitling are coming to Southdale

The Edina center is renovating a new luxury shopping wing , redefining "the mall."
Nancy Cameron's Kia Soul has been stolen and broken into multiple times.

A Minneapolis woman's Kia was stolen 5 times: 'I am going out of my mind'

Thousands of Minnesotans have experienced the material and psychological toll of having their vehicles stolen.
A small flock of wild turkeys briefly caused a traffic jam as they crossed Johnston Street Northeast while foraging for food Thursday.

Questions surround death of Minneapolis neighborhood turkey 'Gregory Peck'

The demise of a neighborhood turkey is a study in what can go wrong between urban wildlife and their human neighbors.
North is a real-estate and lifestyle magazine focusing on the Duluth area.

North is a new real estate and lifestyle magazine for Duluth

The glossy publication celebrates life on the North Shore.
Lives of fallen Burnsville police and firefighter celebrated in multi city ceremony

'Nothing could be more honorable': Fallen Burnsville police, firefighter mourned in massive ceremony

Thousands attended in person and watched the livestream sending off the first responders.
Members of the honor guard fold the flags for each of the three fallen public servants.

Burnsville responders mourned: 'May you forever rest in peace'

The BCA said 10,000 people filled Grace Church, hundreds more attended Prince of Peace Lutheran Church to watch the 2-hour service. More than 20,000 watched the livestream.
Friends are the key to health and happiness. Here's how to make (and keep) them.

Friends are the key to health and happiness. Here's how to make (and keep) them.

As Americans' precious social time erodes, friendships help stave off loneliness, build connection and cultivate a healthy "social biome."
Jaw-dropping rainbow hues at Naniboujou Lodge near Grand Marais.

After Lutsen, what is the state of classic lodges in Minnesota?

These old-time lodges are steeped in history for Minnesota travelers.
Wild Rumpus in Minneapolis is under new ownership.

New owners keep tiny door of beloved children's bookstore, Wild Rumpus, open in Minneapolis

Don't worry, the famed menagerie is staying put.
Allison Kaplan peruses the racks at Requisite boutique for her startup, Mother Of, a website that curates mother-of-the-bride fashions.

Ali shops. Ali edits. Ali influences. What doesn't Twin Cities media maven Allison Kaplan do?

The longtime writer and serial entrepreneur brought substance to style. Now she's making business news more relatable.

How does the Minneapolis FBI operate? Citizens Academy offers a rare peek inside.

The Minneapolis FBI's Citizens Academy is designed to educate the public and cultivate a diverse group of informal ambassadors, as well as humanize agents.
Marti Gudmundson pulled boxes of pie crusts from pallets in the alley behind Harvest of the Heart food pantry in south Minneapolis. She found out abou

What were 48,000 pie crusts doing in the alley behind a Minneapolis church?

The modern manna from heaven was a rare hiccup among millions of pounds of food that the church helps rescue every year.
A new generation can’t get enough of the beloved beagle.

Why is Gen Z obsessed with Snoopy? These Minnesotans offer a few clues.

Teens and twentysomethings are stalking CVS stores and donating blood to show their love for the 1950s beagle.

In frugal, freewheeling Buy Nothing groups, even dryer lint and used deodorant find new homes

Neighbors engaging in mutual aid turns household effluvia into social glue.

Alexandria death investigated

A man was found unresponsive in a home Friday night.
Artist Kada Goalen envisioned Mary Poppins’ magic gone wild in a City Center storefront.

Dayton's holiday figures return to downtown Minneapolis

In Holidazzle's absence, artist-designed displays of the old eighth-floor statues enliven Nicollet Mall storefronts.
Lila Monetti, from St. Paul, is 2024’s Girl of the Year.

New American Girl doll hails from St. Paul

Lila Monetti is 2024's Girl of the Year.
There's only one cranberry farm in Minnesota, and it's run by a 21-year-old woman and her brother

There's only one cranberry farm in Minnesota, and it's run by a 21-year-old woman and her brother

For this second-generation farmer, harvest is a beautiful season — and a big responsibility.
The Englund family’s drive-thru lefse stand featured on the Quirky Minnesota Places Facebook page.

What could be more Minnesotan than a lefse drive-thru — in a converted deer stand?

Rural family sells the Norwegian holiday treat, plus a few others, from their front yard.
In 2011, Robert Janssen trudged into Painter’s Marsh near Lake Minnetonka chronicling birds to help the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District with a ha

A Minnesota birding 'pioneer,' expert and author dies at 91

Robert Janssen was considered the "pioneer of ornithology in Minnesota."
Artist Russell Sharon walks through a grove of his upside-down tree sculptures at his home in Randall, Minn.

Upended tree sculptures' surprising backstory links the '80s East Village art scene, rural Minnesota

Artist Russell Sharon continues to create bold, nature-based work at his Little Falls farm.
What's it like behind the scenes at one of the Twin Cities area's largest scream parks?

What's it like behind the scenes at one of the Twin Cities area's largest scream parks?

Dead End Hayride's creepy actors share their scare tactics.
Dan Callahan and several of his GWG Life co-workers watched a 2017 solar eclipse in Commons Park, downtown Minneapolis.

Where to watch the Oct. 14 solar eclipse in the Twin Cities area

Minnesota viewing events offer solar activities, astronomers and more.
The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck comes to Ridgedale on Saturday, Oct. 7.

Why is a Hello Kitty Cafe Truck coming to Minnesota? And why do we still care?

The Japanese cat has cultivated fans for nearly 50 years, while other Gen-X cuties faded away.
Houston White photographed in his “barbershop” “office” in the Webber-Camden neighborhood office.

North Mpls. entrepreneur talks Black excellence, cultural appropriation and eagle-watching

Houston White's new book reads like a memoir, but serves as a guidebook for creative entrepreneurs.
Aging But Dangerous releases a tastefully nude calendar featuring women 50+, including 81-year-old Faye.

Aging But Dangerous women of Minnesota produce a nude calendar

The group's 83-year-old co-founder helps older women break taboos.
On Oct. 11, three veteran Minnesota broadcasters host an event to improve our relationship with death.

Pat Miles, Don Shelby and Cathy Wurzer discuss living — and dying — well

The three veteran journalists will explore "Living With the End in Mind" at an Oct. 11 event.

Ojibwe Word of the Day spreads the ancient language on social media

James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw's new book, "The Seven Generations and Seven Grandfather Teachings," shows how language carries cultural wisdom.
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum releases its Jessie Diggins statue today.

Olympic skier Jessie Diggins gets a bobblehead

Hometown hero gets the "nod."
Sharon Day leads a Nibi Water Walk around Lake Superior near Washburn, Wis.

Ojibwe woman leads 1,200-mile walks around Lake Superior 'for the love of the water'

For Indigenous advocate Sharon Day, "water walk" ceremonies make spiritual and human connections.
WATCH: One of two Fargo police officers wounded by gunfire leaves hospital to loving applause

WATCH: One of two Fargo police officers wounded by gunfire leaves hospital to loving applause

Andrew Dotas was critically wounded in a shooting that killed fellow officer Jake Wallin.
Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.

After three years of cautioning Minnesotans, Osterholm got long COVID

The White House adviser is optimistic about new boosters — but still sleeps with one eye open.
Betty Lou Brooking

Betty Lou Brooking, Pillsbury food scientist, dies at 95

She helped develop microwave mixes, K-rations, Space Food Sticks and more.
Bill alkofer sits in his bed alone after the sunset Friday, June 02, 2023 at Shirley Chapman Sholom Home East in St. Paul, Minn.

'Portrait of death': How we documented and photographed Bill Alkofer's final weeks

A Star Tribune reporter and photojournalist share how they got the story.
Unicorn World’s magical forest comes to the Minneapolis Convention Center July 15-16.

Should you go to Unicorn World this weekend?

The immersive display of animatronic unicorns and a fairy forest is magical — but pricey.
Bill Alkofer lays back to nap in his bed in a St. Paul nursing home in April. Living with ALS, he is almost completely paralyzed, but can turn his hea

What's it like to die of ALS? A St. Paul photographer shares his last weeks with us

Suffering from ALS, the ever-unconventional Bill Alkofer bared vulnerable moments in his final months.
Members of the Blackduck High School Trap Team enter the range to compete during the State Championship event. The Minnesota State High School Trap Sh

Minnesota youth trap shooting explodes — with help from the NRA

How two local admen sold an impossible combination — guns and schools — and turned competitive shooting into one of the fastest-growing high-school sports.

Minnesota youth trap shooting explodes — with help from the NRA

How two local admen sold an impossible combination — guns and schools — and turned competitive shooting into one of the fastest-growing high-school sports.
With PBS North’s docuseries “Minnesota Historia,” Hailey Eidenschink is a young, winking guide to Minnesota’s weirdo past.

PBS counts on Gen Z to keep Minnesota history quirky

Move over, Ken Burns. With "Minnesota Historia," generation TikTok tackles ghost mushers, shipwreck hunters and "phantom kangaroos."
Volunteer abortion doulas offer support to abortion patients.

Minnesota's abortion doulas provide logistical and emotional support

A network of volunteer companions offers abortion patients information, rides and a listening ear.
Elizabeth Ries and co-host Ben Leber shared a laugh during the 15th anniversary episode of “Twin Cities Live,” which some liken to “Twin Cities

'Twin Cities Live' co-host Elizabeth Ries: 'I want to celebrate our community'

The longtime co-host was an influencer before there was Instagram.
At last year’s Walk for the Animals, thousands of animal lovers, both with and without pets, strolled through the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

Saturday's Walk for Animals at Minnesota State Fair will go on, but without dogs

Minnesota dogs told to social distance, to curtail the spread of canine influenza.
Betsy Graca, known online as the Fighting Loaf, chronicled her experience with terminal cancer.

Betsy Graca, cancer chronicler 'the Fighting Loaf,' dies at 36

Her raw, unfiltered posts shed light on terminal illness and formed powerful connections.
Multimedia artist Nancy Stephani sells her work at Andy’s Gallery in CHS Field.

St. Paul Saints bring baseball, humor and art to the people

Minnesota's minor leaguers may have the largest arts program of any sports team in the country — including an in-stadium gallery.

Review: 'Immersive Disney Animation' in Minneapolis puts fresh spin on familiar films

Review: 'Immersive Disney Animation' in Minneapolis puts fresh spin on familiar films

The show drops viewers into a medley of Disney-scapes, from "Bambi" to "Frozen."
Margo Biestuzheva, 9, skated up and down the ice with her teammates during hockey practice at Minnehaha Ice Arena.

Ukrainian family adapts to U.S. thanks to 'a very deep part of Minnesota culture'

Separated for eight years, the war brought them together in Minneapolis, where their daughter's hockey team has immersed them in American life.
Meet Team Trans, the pioneering hockey team for transgender and nonbinary athletes in the Twin Cities

Meet Team Trans, the pioneering hockey team for transgender and nonbinary athletes in the Twin Cities

This new team normalizes the hockey experience for athletes whose identity doesn't fit the usual gender divide.
Local radio activist, author and broadcaster Sheletta Brundidge listens to her youngest son, Daniel, who had become rattled at morning breakfast durin

Who is Sheletta and why is she everywhere?

She's been told she's "too much," but she won't tone it down. Minnesota's boldest broadcaster gives the Black female perspective its due – and puts the powerful on blast.

Meet the trainer of the St. Paul Saints' 'ball pig' — and help name this year's mascot

For more than 30 years, a Wisconsin couple has taught, costumed and wrangled the team's beloved mascot.

KARE 11 reporter Lou Raguse's book reveals bungling of infamous cold case

Law enforcement assumed two missing girls had run away. Later, they assumed they'd been murdered. It took 40 years to prove both theories wrong.
Seven Seas Beach in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.

Looking for a tropical family getaway? Puerto Rico is a 5-hour flight away

The U.S. territory pairs an international feel with domestic convenience.