Jan. 3: 120-Year-Old Restaurant Burns Down

(credit: CBS)

Carpenter's Steakhouse, a restaurant that has been a Hugo landmark for 120 years, was a total loss after a fire.

Jan. 6: 3 Dead After Minneapolis Robbery

(credit: CBS)

Minneapolis started the year out on a bloody note, as three were killed in a holdup at the Seward Market in South Minneapolis.

Jan. 7: Mpls. Cop Robs Bank On His Way To Work

(credit: Dakota County)

Timothy Edward Carson, a Minneapolis Police officer and member of the department's SWAT team, was arrested in connection with four separate robberies in Dakota County.

Jan. 21: Hobbit Travel's Massive Debt

(credit: CBS)

George Wozniak's Hobbit Travel shuttered without advance word, leaving many who had booked trips through them in the lurch.

Jan. 31: Ringo Starr Wears Electric Fetus Shirt To Grammys

(credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

A Minnesota record store got some free advertising at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards when Beatles legend Ringo Starr hit the red carpet wearing an Electric Fetus T-shirt.

Feb. 7: Locally Made Doritos Ad Runs During Super Bowl

(credit: IMDB)

Mike Rylander and friends Ben Krueger and Cole Koehler made a Dorito's commercial in hopes of winning $1 million and having their ad appear on national TV. It ended up running during the Super Bowl.

Feb. 10: Hecker Indicted On Fraud, Money Laundering Charges

(credit: Hennepin County Sheriff's Office)

A federal grand jury issued an indictment against auto mogul Denny Hecker, charging him with five counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was also charged with money laundering.

Feb. 18: Wolf Captured After Turning Up In New Brighton

(credit: CBS)

An endangered Mexican gray wolf that spent several days on the lam was returned to a wildlife center in Forest Lake after being located in New Brighton.

Feb. 19: Popular South Mpls. Stores Go Up In Flames

(credit: CBS)

A large fire broke out at a popular retail block in south Minneapolis, destroying Heidi's Minneapolis, Patina and Blackbird Cafe.

Feb. 22: Woman Gets Profane E-Mail From Theater Co. VP

(credit: CBS)

When a Minnesota woman complained about her experience at a movie theater, the response she got stunned her. "Sarah, drive to White Bear Lake and also go *&*% yourself," read the e-mail from the vice president of the company.

Feb. 23: Mpls. Man Accused Of Rape, Exposing Victim To HIV

(credit: Hennepin County Sheriff's Office)

Daniel James Rick was charged with raping a man and knowingly exposing him to HIV. After the arrest, a number of other men came forward claiming they may have been exposed to the HIV virus by Rick.

March 5: WCCO-TV Reporter Darcy Pohland Dies At 48

(credit: CBS)

Veteran WCCO-TV reporter Darcy Pohland died in her sleep from a ruptured artery related to a stomach ulcer. She hadn't been feeling well in the few days before she died, but because she was paralyzed in a 1983 diving accident, she couldn't feel the pain in her stomach.

March 26: Prince Ordered To Pay $3M Over Canceled Concert

(credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

A Dublin judge ordered U.S. pop singer Prince to pay €2.2 million ($2.95 million) to Irish concert promoters Friday for canceling a 2008 concert at the last minute.

March 30: Grain Belt Readys New 'Nordeast' Beer

(credit: CBS)

Grain Belt released a new, limited edition brew named after the Minneapolis neighborhood, describing it as a mild amber lager with a hoppy aroma and a light, smooth maltiness.

April 2: 6 Die In South Minneapolis Fire

(credit: George Humphrey)

Six people died in a fire above McMahon's Irish Pub, making it the city's deadliest in more than two decades. Officials said it probably started in a corner apartment on the 98-year-old building's second floor.

April 8: Tom Petters Sentenced To 50 Years In Prison

(credit: Hennepin County Jail)

Former Wayzata businessman Tom Petters was sentenced to 50 years in prison in federal court, four months after being convicted for his part in a Ponzi scheme prosecutors said cost investors $3.65 billion.

April 12: 1st Regular Season Twins Game At Target Field

(credit: Hannah Foslien /Getty Images)

After 28 seasons inside the dingy Metrodome, the Twins broke in Target Field by beating the Boston Red Sox behind hometown star Joe Mauer in the first regular-season game at their new ballpark.

April 25: Head-On Crash Kills 6 In Cambridge

(credit: CBS)

Six people -- Kelsee Blackledge, 15; Stephen Kendryna, 16; Travis Buchan, 17; Travis Gryczkowski, 21; Joshua Netzel, 24; and Aaron Newschwander, 23 -- were killed in a two-car crash near Cambridge authorities said involved alcohol.

May 1: Maplewood Sgt. Joseph Bergeron Slain

(credit: CBS)

Maplewood Police Sgt. Joseph Bergeron was killed during an ambush Saturday morning, setting off a massive manhunt that ended with one suspect dead and another in custody.

May 4: 1 Punch Changes 2 Men's Lives Forever

(credit: CBS)

Adam Baker went into a coma after one punch in a fight outside the Corner Bar in St. Michael. Months later, Baker died and the man who punched him, Alexander Tuomisto, faced a possible prison term.

May 24: Bee Truck Involved In Fatal Crash In Lakeville

(credit: CBS)

A semi truck ran into two stopped cars and another semi in a chain reaction crash, killing two. One of the two semis was carrying a load of bees, many of which escaped at the scene.

May 27: Entenza Selects Robyne Robinson As Running Mate

(credit: Matt Entenza)

Democrat Matt Entenza named longtime Twin Cities TV personality Robyne Robinson as his running mate in the governor's race on Thursday. Mark Dayton ended up winning the nomination.

June 9: Seniors Not Allowed To Walk In Graduation For Prank

(credit: CBS)

Five Buffalo High School seniors were told they wouldn't be allowed to walk during commencement after they were caught in the middle of a senior prank.

June 16: Delta Worker's Death Leads To Troubling Web Posts

(credit: David McNew/Getty Images)

Minutes after the news broke about a Delta mechanic dying on the job, mechanics who lost their jobs after the 2005 strike started posting sharply-worded messages on the website, exnwa.com.

June 16: State Sen.'s Dinner With Porn Star Raises Eyeballs

(credit: Paul Koering)

Republican State Sen. Paul Koering raised eyebrows for going out to dinner with gay porn star Brandon Wilde, whose movies include "My Brother's Hot Friend" and "Cruiser Boys." He lost his reelection bid.

June 17: Record-Breaking Single-Day Tornado Tally

(credit: CBS)

Forty-eight tornadoes touched down in Minnesota on June 17, compared to the 27 on June 16, 1992 which marked the previous single-day record. Wadena was hit particularly hard.

June 22: Nurses Vote To Authorize Open-Ended Strike

(credit: CBS)

Thousands of Minnesota nurses voted to authorize an open-ended strike on 14 hospitals in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. A month later, their vote ratified a new contract.

June 27: Jason DeRusha's House Struck By Lightning

(credit: CBS)

WCCO-TV's Jason DeRusha had quite a scare when lightning struck his Maple Grove home. It didn't take long for DeRusha to start reporting events to his followers on Twitter.

June 29: Bieber Fever Snarls Downtown Traffic

(credit: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)

Thousands of fans of a teenage heart throb streamed into downtown Minneapolis at the same time as thousands of Minnesota Twins fans were arriving for a game against the Detroit Tigers.

July 1: Home Searched Near Wetterling Abduction Site

(credit: CBS)

Investigators executed search warrants at a St. Joseph farm near where Jacob Wetterling was abducted over two decades prior. Test results on their findings did not lead to a break in the case.

July 20: Lawyer Pleads Guilty To Having Sex With Teen Boy

(credit: Hennepin County)

Aaron Biber, a former Twin Cities lawyer and one-time treasurer of the Minnesota State Bar Association, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for raping a 15-year-old boy.

July 26: Red Bull Flugtag Takes St. Paul By Storm

(credit: CBS)

Red Bull's popular Flugtag Competition visited the Twin Cities for the first time ever, and arrived tailored to Minnesota's own unique character.

Target Store

(credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Aug. 6: Prosecutor Won't Re-Try Fong Lee; Now Free Man

(credit: CBS)

The Minnesota man convicted in a fatal 2006 Toyota crash became a free man after a judge ordered a new trial for Koua Fong Lee, and the prosecutor said she wouldn't seek another trial.

Aug. 9: Deputy Chris Dewey Dies

(credit: Emily Dewey)

Mahnomen County Deputy Chris Dewey was shot in the head and stomach in February 2009 while checking out a report of shots fired in a Mahnomen neighborhood. He never fully recovered and died Aug. 9.

Aug. 17: Multiple Salmonella Cases Linked To Eggs

(credit: Jupiter Images)

An Iowa egg producer recalled hundreds of million eggs after being linked to an outbreak of salmonella poisoning. State health officials say tainted eggs sickened a number of people in Minnesota.

Aug. 19: Woman Who Killed Boy In Crash Says She's God

(credit: CBS)

Leah Graeber, who was accused of killing an 11-year-old boy while driving under the influence this summer, called WCCO-TV before a court hearing to tell us she sometimes thinks she's God.

Aug. 23: Minneapolis Pays $165,000 To Zombies

(credit: CBS)

Seven people who were arrested in 2006 while dressed as zombies and their attorney were to be paid $165,000 from the city of Minneapolis.

Aug. 25: Target Accused Of Ripping Off Coupon Users

(credit: AP)

WCCO-TV went undercover to look into customers' claims that they were being shortchanged by Target on coupons. Months later, the company said they resolved the issue.

Sept. 13: Teen's Suicide Leads To Mom's Fight For GLBT Youth

(credit: CBS)

In the weeks since she found her son dead in his room on July 9, Tammy Aaberg has heard from many of her son's friends at Anoka High School. They told her Justin Aaberg had been bullied and had recently broken up with his boyfriend. She spoke up at a Anoka-Hennepin School Board meeting about the district's sexual orientation curriculum policy.

Sept. 14: Sarah Shourd Released, 2 Others Still Held

(credit: Chris Hondros/Getty Images)

Sarah Shourd was released from an Iranian prison, but two others -- including Minnesota native Shane Bauer, Shourd's fiance -- remained held.

Sept. 23: Evacuations As Heavy Rain Soaks South Minn.

(credit: CBS)

Severe flooding in southern Minnesota and southern Wisconsin has closed numerous roads, closed schools and damaged homes and businesses across the area. More than 10 inches fell in some areas in 24 hours.

Oct. 11: Protest Against Catholic DVD At Archbishop's Home

(credit: CBS)

Some Catholics took their protest of a DVD to the front of the Archbishop's home. The church sent 400,000 DVD's to Catholic households, highlighting the church's teaching on marriage -- that it only exists between a man and a woman.

Oct. 29: Father, 3 Sons Killed In Wyo. Plane Crash

(credit: CBS)

The pilot of a small plane radioed that he couldn't maintain altitude because of mountain wind currents shortly before the plane crashed in northwest Wyoming. Forty-year-old Luke Bucklin's and three of his songs -- 14-year-old twins Nate and Nick and 12-year-old son Noah -- were killed in the crash.

Nov. 1: Crosstown Project Complete

(credit: CBS)

After nearly four years of work and delays, the Crosstown construction project reached its long-awaited completion.

Nov. 2: Rep. Jim Oberstar Falls To GOP Wave

(credit: Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

Democratic Rep. Jim Oberstar fell victim to the GOP's nationwide blitz, losing to upstart Republican Chip Cravaack in an astonishing ouster for an 18-term congressman with a perch atop the powerful House Transportation Committee.

Nov. 3: Still No Clear Winner In Gov. Race, Recount Automatic

(credit: Mark Dayton for a Better Minnesota/Tom Emmer for Governor)

Deja vu! The morning after an Election Day, and a high-profile Minnesota race was too close to call. Gubernatorial candidates Tom Emmer and Mark Dayton were only about 9,000 ballots apart, triggering an automatic recount.

Nov. 16: Twin Cities Teen Charged In 2 Fatal Iowa Shootings

(credit: Jeff Heinz/The Globe Gazette)

A Minnesota teenager was charged with killing two convenience store clerks in northern Iowa. Seventeen-year-old Michael Swanson, of St. Louis Park, Minn., was accused in the slayings of two women in Algona and Humboldt.

Nov. 17: Prosecutors Say Hecker Tried To Marry Girlfriend

(credit: CBS)

Prosecutors said fallen Twin Cities auto magnate Denny Hecker tried to marry his girlfriend Christi Rowan when he was allowed to leave jail to meet with his attorney.

Nov. 22: Don Shelby Signs Off

(credit: CBS)

After decades behind the anchor desk at WCCO-TV, Don Shelby said his final farewell, surrounded by co-workers and friends.

Dec. 8: Emmer Concedes Gov. Race To Dayton

(credit: Mark Dayton for a Better Minnesota)

Five weeks after voters headed to the polls, Democrat Mark Dayton accepted Republican Tom Emmer’s concession, after a recount of 8,700 votes that separated the two.

Dec. 10: Uproar Over 'Mass Firings' At Minn. Chipotle Restaurants

(credit: CBS)

A Minnesota immigration rights group protested what it called “mass firings” of Chipotle workers. According to the group, around 50 of the restaurant’s Latino workers were fired within a week.

Dec. 11: Largest Dec. Snowstorm On Record

(credit: Mike Binkley)

More than 17 inches of snow were measured at MSP. It marked the largest December snowstorm in Minnesota's recorded history, and the fifth-largest overall.

Dec. 12: Metrodome Roof Collapses Under Snow

(credit: Tom Dahlin/Getty Images)

The Dec. 11 snowstorm caused the biggest boom the next day, when the roof of the Metrodome, once again, collapsed. It led to offsite Vikings "home" games -- one in Detroit, another at TCF Bank Stadium.