Recent content from Raymond Grumney
The only mostly normal thing about 2020 in Minnesota? Weather
It was warmer and drier than average, but not without extraordinary events.
U.S. wildfire tracker
Use this interactive map of current wildfires in the U.S. to get the latest info.
Interactive: Hurricane tracker map
Explore this data rich map of current hurricanes/typhoons from around the world.
Perseverance rover
The rover is the most sophisticated that NASA has ever sent to Mars. It will search for signs of ancient microbial life, characterize the planet's geology and climate, and collect rock/sediment samples for possible return to Earth. It is powered by heat from the radioactive decay of plutonium into electricity used to charge its two batteries.
Map: World earthquakes
Map of recent quakes that are occurring in both the United States and around the world. The data is from the United States Geological Survey's (USGS). Earthquake information is extracted from a merged catalog of earthquakes located by the USGS and contributing networks. Earthquake data will be available within a few minutes for California events, and within 30-minutes for worldwide events.
In Minnesota and across the U.S., virus death toll keeps climbing
As of Monday, 143 Minnesotans had died from COVID-19, with more than half of those fatalities occurring since April 14. The virus has now claimed more lives in the U.S. than anywhere in the world.
INTERACTIVE: Active volcano tracker
Locations of active volcanoes around the world are from The Pacific Disaster Center's (PDC) Active Hazards Map Service
INTERACTIVE: U.S. Storm reports, warnings and precipitation
This map shows the National Weather Services weather warnings, current radar-based precipitation forecast and recent and yesterdays storm reports. Data is regularly updated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Bike trails in the land of 10,000 lakes
Across the state, more than 1,500 miles of bike trails — some paved, some natural, all off highway — line abandoned railroad beds and cross public lands. Then there are the many bike trails in the metro-area. We have some of the best urban bike options in the country. Pedal one for a close-up experience of Minnesota's many unique landscapes.
Interactive: Hurricane tracker map
Explore this data rich map of current hurricanes/typhoons from around the world.
National flood map
This map shows the 3-month long range flood outlook and the 48 hour forecast flood values from river gauges with weather watches & warnings. Stream Gauge data gives readings of stream gauges around the US, which depict the current water level in the measured areas. Data is regularly updated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click on a symbol to get in-depth information for each site then click on MORE INFO to get the latest data.
Snow forecast and weather warnings
See how much snow is forecast to fall, current weather warnings from the National Weather Service, and current snow depth around the state.
Even by Minnesota standards, 2019 was a wild weather year
It was a year of record precipitation and some very cold days.
Even by Minnesota standards, 2019 was a wild weather year
It was a year of record precipitation and some very cold days.
NASA's next giant leap: Return to the moon and beyond
After decades of low Earth missions, NASA has a renewed commitment to deep-space exploration. It is betting on a new program called Artemis to take us back to the moon by 2024.
Minnesota's weather in 2018? A whole lot of winter and summer
Many lakes still had ice cover on May 1, but a run of six straight days at or above 90 degrees, including a rare 100 degrees reading on Memorial Day, helped May end as the second warmest on record.
Resort Finder: Add your favorite resort or getaway
Use this handy form to add your favorite resort to the map. Also, make sure to include your name, where you are from and a phone number, in case we need more details. (We won't share your phone number.Note: It may take some time before your item appears on the map. We want to make sure all information is correct and that it will map correctly. We appreciate your patience.
Resort Finder: Click to find your favorite Minnesota getaway
Use Resort Finder by clicking on a push pin to see the approximate location and details of your favorite vacation spots in Minnesota. Don't see your favorite resort, add it to the map by sending the name of the resort, the address, phone number, website and one or two sentences about what makes it special to Star Tribune's Resort Finder. Also include your name, where you are from and a phone number (in case we need more details).
Potato grower stops expansion
There are over 200 agricultural wells owned by R.D. Offut in the Pinelands Sands Area that have permits to irrigate crops. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources gave the company notice that it would require an environmental study to proceed with three new permits.
Navigating the 2018 Fringe Festival
The Fringe is centered in two Minneapolis neighborhoods: Northeast and Cedar-Riverside, with Red Stag Supperclub returning as Fringe Central, the official post-show hangout. There's also a new Minnesota Family Fringe at Celtic Junction in St. Paul, and a Family Central at nearby Can Can Wonderland where ticketholders can do mini-golf or other activities from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 2-5 and 9-12.
Plan to increase social life along the Metro Green Line
St. Paul, city leaders are considering the creation of enterprise zones to take advantage of the new Allianz soccer stadium near University and Snelling Avenue. These proposed zones would allow new bars and restaurants to score their own licenses.
Spreading the financial pain
The overall percentage of parents borrowing alongside their children has dropped slightly, but those who are borrowing are taking on significantly more debt.
A shifting burden
The average student's debt load is leveling off, a new analysis of federal loan data show. That's not true for many parents.
Areas that are harder to count
Census Bureau uses housing and demographic information to determine which areas are likely to be harder to count in the Census. The map below reflects the "Low Response Score" distribution in the metro area. For more information visit census.gov/roam.
Suburban apartment growth
Excluding apartments in Minneapolis and St. Paul, suburban multifamily development hotspots include Apple Valley's Kelley Park, Edina's Southdale area, and an area spanning from St. Louis Park's West End into Golden Valley. The map below includes about 88 percent of the units permitted between 2010 and 2017 in buildings exceeding 5 units. It excludes some units that could not be linked to specific parcels.
Ruling's wide impact
A judge's ruling last year to rein in water use around White Bear Lake impacted 44 permitted wells within a five mile radius of the shoreline. All 12 city water providers in the affected area challenged the new limitations, which include an irrigation ban tied to lake levels. Some city leaders say they are unfair and would be ineffective.
What school districts will see cuts
In a dreaded spring routine for some cash-strapped Twin Cities school districts, teachers and other staff are being laid off as part of the annual spree of budget cuts.
Minnesota's weather in 2017 was warm, but not too warm
Minnesota's warmth was notable for how long it lasted rather than how hot it was.
'It could have been worse': Minnesota's weather in 2016 was, in a word, wet
Minnesotans weren't able to use one of their favorite phrases – "We could use some rain!" – in 2016. The Twin Cities broke the record for annual rainfall – with 40.3 inches.
Large-scale solar projects for Xcel Energy
Three large solar projects are planned by Xcel Energy around the state. State regulators approved the largest, North Star Solar, on Wednesday.
Exploring the legal trade in at-risk wildlife
This is not the highly publicized, illicit trafficking in such goods as ivory and rhino horns. Millions of vulnerable wildlife specimens are legally admitted through U.S. customs each year.
INTERACTIVE: Emerald ash borer
Here are the confirmed sites of the emerald ash borer in Minnesota as collected by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
State marijuana prices compared against U.S. average
PriceofWeed.com, a website that asks people to anonymously submit the cost of marijuana they purchase in their area, has collected a lot of data on the street price of both legal and illegal marijuana around the U.S. over the last few years.
Poverty in the Twin Cities region
Suburban and rural poverty in the metro area jumped 92 percent from 2000 to 2013 while it grew by 24 percent in the core cities, according to a newly released Metropolitan Council report. The Metropolitan Council defines poverty as 185% of the federal poverty threshold ($44,093 for a family of four in 2013).
St. Paul Park refinery
Minnesota's oldest oil refinery, which recently celebrated its 75th anniversary, is investing $100M so it can process additional Bakken oil.
Minnesota DWI arrests
A new law that takes effect Aug. 1 will lower the threshold for gross misdemeanor drunk driving arrests for first-offenders to .16 percent from the current .20 percent. That could push nearly 60 percent of current misdemeanor DWIs in Minnesota into the more serious category, boosting gross misdemeanors by more than 70 percent.
Monarch highway
Monarch butterflies, known for their remarkable 3,000-mile migration to Mexico each winter, use a route that has lost millions of acres of prairie where they rest and feed. To protect them from further population declines, a White House plan released this month would aim to restore milkweed, grasses and other native plants on hundreds of square miles forming a corridor from Duluth to Texas with I-35 as its spine.
Resort finder: A guide to your favorite Minnesota getaways
Use Resort Finder by clicking on a push pin to see the approximate location and details of your favorite vacation spots in Minnesota.
Don't see your favorite resort, add it to the map by sending the name of the resort, the address, phone number, website and one or two sentences about what makes it special to Star Tribune's Resort Finder. Also include your name, where you are from and a phone number (in case we need more details).
INTERACTIVE: Child protection services not equal
Whether an abused or neglected child is getting protective services largely depends on the county the child lives in. Some counties in the state "screen out" more than 85 percent of child abuse reports, meaning they don't investigate the case or provide the child any protective services.
The Brown's Creek State Trail
The new trail follows the old Minnesota Zephyr corridor and is expected to attract at least 75,000 people a year.
Interactive: Mass transit options in Twin Cities
Existing transit lines in the Metro-area include the Blue Line (Hiawatha) Light Rail, Northstar commuter rail, Red Line (Cedar Ave BRT) and the Green Line (Central Corridor).
The Green Line (Central Corridor) links five major centers of activity in the Twin Cities region - downtown Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota, the Midway area, the state Capitol complex and downtown St. Paul.
The Green Line Extension (Southwest LRT) would run along a 15-mile route between Eden Prairie and downtown Minneapolis, passing through Minnetonka, Hopkins and St. Louis Park.
Other planned projects include the Red Line phase II (Cedar Ave BRT), Orange Line (I-35W BRT) and the Blue Line Extension (Bottineau Corridor)
INTERACTIVE: Remembering Gettysburg
Minnesota played a pivotal role in the battle of Gettysburg. Explore this rich map of historical war monuments and markers scattered throughout the Gettysburg National Military Park.
President Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863 on the site of one of the bloodiest and most decisive battles of the Civil War and would be would be remembered as one of the most important speeches in American history.
Data used in this map are from the Historical Marker Database. When you click on a location in the map, you will get the name of the monument and a link to the Historical Marker Database page detailing it. This map allows you to view Twitter feeds using the search term 'Gettysburg Address' that have been posted from recent visitors to the Gettysburg Battlefield.
Note: To use the Twitter feed you must have an account, you will be prompted to log into it while using this map.
INTERACTIVE: Explore Minnesota State Parks and trails
Explore this data rich map of Minnesota State Parks, Recreation areas, Waysides and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Park (MN DNR) land and water trails. Included are links to MN DNR Park pages. Find National Forest and State Park campsites, campgrounds, horse campgrounds and day use areas.Please be patient while this visualization loads. Some maps can take longer than others.
The cases of unaccompanied minors
Minnesota's immigration court has received 285 deportation cases of unaccompanied children since the August launch of a special priority docket (out of 29,500 such cases nationally). Most were closed temporarily as attorneys applied for asylum or for other relief. The Chicago Asylum office, which covers 15 states, has one of the lowest approval rates for unaccompanied minors nationwide.
Downtown Minneapolis: A new east side
Details from the Ryan Companies proposal for a $400 million redevelopment near new Vikings stadium.
Major League Soccer makes money
The average value of a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise has risen 175.7 percent since 2008, according to Forbes magazine's franchise valuations.
Solar arrays across Minnesota
Geronimo Energy has won state approval to build solar arrays across Minnesota to serve Xcel Energy electric customers. The $250 million Aurora Solar Project will be, by far, the largest solar generating effort in the state.
Interactive: Five weather maps
Use this collection of precipitation, wind, watches/warnings and temperature maps to plan for the weather happening right now and look ahead with forecasts of what is to come.
Site of Minneapolis rail yard fatality
The accident occurred about 11:30 a.m. near NE. Spring and Harrison Streets NE., alongside the Federated Brake and Equipment Warehouse.
Duluth hoping to protect plovers at Park Point
To encourage the birds to nest at Park Point, the tip of a 7-mile-long sand spit that juts into the lake, volunteers are asking residents and visitors — especially those with unleashed dogs — to steer clear of a mile-long stretch of beach near Sky Harbor Airport through mid-June.
Location of fatal shooting in Minneapolis
A man was killed and two others were wounded Monday in north Minneapolis in what police described as a neighborhood dispute that erupted in gunfire.
Clear-cutting red pine plantations in Minnesota
A plantation of red pine trees north of Crosslake, Minn., is one of many sites destined for clear-cutting under a DNR plan to accelerate timber harvest on School Trust Lands. The shift in management has raised questions about DNR forestry values.
Methamphetamine tops drug seizures in 2014
Drugs seized by the Minnesota Drug and Violent Crimes Enforcement Teams. 120 agencies participate in the effort coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Justice Programs.
High stress increases doctor burnout
A national survey of doctors found increasing levels of burnout since 2011 – with administrative and recordkeeping responsibilities being top sources of frustration and pushing some doctors toward early retirement.
Spreading pain from bird flu outbreaks
For every $1 million in direct losses from the death of poultry, the ripple effect leads to an estimated $1.8 million in overall economic losses, including $450,000 in wages. The clearest indirect impact is on farm suppliers and the trucking industry.
Getting to a St. Paul Saints game
There are plenty of ways to get to CHS Field – by car, bus, light-rail train, even bike. City officials point out that transit affords the easiest way to get there, without the hassles of parking; the Green Line's Union Depot station is only a couple blocks from the ballpark, and several Metro Transit buses – notably Routes 21, 53, 54, 61, 63, 64, 70, 74 and 94 – also stop nearby. Cyclists can use two regional trails -- Bruce Vento and Samuel H. Morgan – to get to the vicinity of the ballpark, which provides bike racks. Parking is sprinkled throughout downtown in ramps and lots. If you drive, the ballpark can be reached from the north via Interstate 35E, from the east or west via Interstate 94, and from the south via I-35E or Hwy. 52.
Controlling reflux with magnets
The Linx is a medical device that looks like a small bracelet with magnetic-core titanium beads. The Linx is placed surgically around a patient's lower esophagus. The magnetic ring is designed to open up to make way for food and burps, but stay closed at other times to prevent stomach acid from entering the esophagus.
INTERACTIVE: Custom defies borders
Female genital cutting is performed in line with tradition and social norms and is strongly associated with ethnicity. More than 130 million girls and women alive today have been cut in the 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East where the practice is concentrated. If current trends continue, as many as 30 million girls are at risk of being cut before their 15th birthday. However, the data also show that the majority of girls and women in most practicing countries think the custom should end. The practice is less prevalent among adolescent girls than among their middle-aged counterparts in most of the 29 countries.
INTERACTIVE: Estimating the impact of cutting in the U.S.
A recent national study estimated there are more than half a million women and girls in the United States who have experienced female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) or might be at some risk of undergoing the procedure. Minnesota and Minneapolis-St. Paul came in third among states and metro areas with the highest numbers of such residents. Critics of the study argue that thanks to legal and other restrictions, the risk girls in U.S. immigrant communities face is relatively small.
176 deep, cold water 'refuge' lakes
As climate change causes Minnesota lakes to grow warmer, DNR scientists have identified dozens of cool, deep lakes where cold-water fish such as walleye and lake trout can survive in coming decades. Read the story here.
Poverty rates in Dakota County
Child poverty rates in Burnsville and South St. Paul exceed the state average.
Elevated nitrates taint public wells
Communities under heightened monitoring for elevated nitrates in wells used for public drinking water. Nitrate, a compound of nitrogen and oxygen, comes from many sources, including manure, septic systems and natural decomposition of organic matter. But the report said fertilizers applied to land used for row-crop production "are the biggest influence on Minnesota's ground and surface water nitrate levels."
A tale of two states
A large share of lakes and streams are polluted in southern Minnesota, where runoff of farm chemicals makes them unsafe for swimming and fishing much of the time. But watersheds are cleaner in the more heavily forested northern part of the state.
Map: Track on the U of M golf course?
The University of Minnesota is considering its options on where to build a new track and field complex. One potential site is somewhere on the university-owned Les Bolstad Golf Course property. This potential site is also near the university soccer complex.
Bird flu outbreak bites Jennie-O
Jennie-O relies on Minnesota and Wisconsin for its turkey supply. So far, 26 Jennie-O suppliers in Minnesota and 3 in Wisconsin have been hit by bird flu, reducing Jennie-O's turkey production.
INTERACTIVE: Private vs. public funds in MLS stadiums
Three of the 15 soccer-specific stadiums built in Major League Soccer over the past two decades were paid for by their owners – in Columbus, Los Angeles and San Jose. Two in Chicago and Vancouver were completely paid for by taxpayers. The map shows percentage of private financing for stadiums around the league.
Graphic: No moose hunting season this year
The number of moose in Minnesota according to this year's count is at 3,450, down about 20 percent from the previous year's estimate of 4,350, but above the tally of 2,760 in 2013, the year the DNR halted hunting. Since 2006, the number of moose in Minnesota is down roughly 60 percent.
Graphic: A soccer stadium for Minneapolis?
This graphic shows where Minnesota United ownership would like to put a soccer stadium on the northern fringe of downtown.
A renaissance in east downtown Minneapolis
Community leaders are working to turn the dissonant growth of east downtown Minneapolis into an orchestrated masterpiece as the area ripens for the second wave of development since the start of the latest construction boom.
Hot spots in north Minneapolis
Minneapolis police are using mapping technology that tracks violent incidents across the city to visualize hot spots where they can focus their attention.
Nitrogen use in the farm belt
Farmers in the Midwest fertilize their crops with the help of nitrogen, which then leaks into rivers and streams. A brewing fight over water quality in Iowa has broader implications for many agricultural areas, including southern Minnesota, that are trying to address pollution from fertilizer runoff.
