Coleman asks Minnesota Supreme Court to order more ballot counts in ongoing Senate fight

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Republican Norm Coleman asked the Minnesota Supreme Court on Thursday to order the counting of at least 1,359 additional ballots and possibly thousands more in his U.S. Senate race or go so far as to throw out the election entirely.

Minn. police investigate after inedible ‘chicken skimmings’ spilled across several blocks

WINONA, Minn. — Police are investigating after a couple of city streets were covered with inedible “chicken skimmings,” including heads and feathers. Police said a tractor-trailer spilled the mess along several blocks of Main Street on Monday afternoon. Witnesses saw a blue truck rumble away from the scene, but Deputy Police Chief Tom Williams said that wasn’t enough for police to locate the truck.

Intoxicated man allegedly leads Minn. deputies on 57-mile chase in a garbage truck

LITTLE FALLS, Minn. — A 40-year-old man was jailed after leading deputies on a 57-mile chase, in a garbage truck. At one point, a Morrison County sheriff’s deputy tried to stop the truck by firing a shotgun into its engine. It all started when authorities got a report Tuesday about an intoxicated man trying to get into a home. The man left, driving the truck, before deputies arrived.

Specter switch raises stakes in Minn. Senate race; Dems have shot at filibuster-proof majority

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter’s party switch has turned up the heat on Minnesota’s long-simmering U.S. Senate race, which suddenly carries the possibility of giving Democrats a filibuster-resistant majority in that chamber.

Appeals panel throws out class action status in age discrimination lawsuit against 3M

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Court of Appeals says a trial court erred when it granted class action status to an age discrimination lawsuit against 3M Co.

Minn. mulls cremation for poor who die alone; some worry about mistakes that can’t be undone

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The slender figure of Guy Finch, zipped up in a body bag after the 83-year-old died alone in his Minneapolis apartment, was brought to funeral director Todd Maisch one Saturday last month.

Receiver Percy Harvin’s versatility gives conservative Vikings a new dimension on offense

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Percy Harvin is making the move from Florida to Minnesota, and he may be bringing the Wildcat with him.

Vikings go for big-play WR with character questions over OT, take Florida’s Harvin at No. 22

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings went with big-play threat Percy Harvin with the 22nd overall draft choice Saturday, choosing the Florida receiver despite reports of a failed drug test at the NFL combine and durability questions.

Vikings go for big-play WR over OT, take Florida’s Harvin No. 22 overall

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings went with big-play threat Percy Harvin with the 22nd overall draft choice, choosing the Florida receiver despite reports of a failed drug test at the NFL combine and durability questions.

Wild’s Backstrom may be practicing in 12 weeks after hip surgery finds less damage than feared

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom could be practicing at full speed in 12 weeks after surgery on his left hip turned up less damage than expected.

Push falls flat in Minnesota to punish group aiding family of teenage Somali pirate suspect

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A Republican state legislator in Minnesota has failed in his attempt to punish a group that helped line up an attorney for an accused Somali pirate.

New court schedule means resolution to Minn. Senate race won’t come until June at earliest

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota will head into June without a second U.S. senator under the Supreme Court’s schedule for hearing Republican Norm Coleman’s appeal.

Horseplay gone wrong: Man, pretending to fall off Minnesota River bridge actually falls

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Police said a 23-year-old man is in stable condition after he pretended that he was falling off a bridge over the Minnesota River, then actually fell off the bridge. Police got a call just before 5 a.m. Sunday from a 21-year-old man who said his friend fell off the Highway 77 bridge and into a marshy area about 30 feet below.

Wild defenseman Burns has surgery on shoulder, team says post-concussion symptoms improving

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Defenseman Brent Burns is the latest Minnesota Wild player to have surgery since the season ended.

Former Wild GM Doug Risebrough respects firing but says he was ’shocked’ by owner’s decision

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Doug Risebrough ended his run as the Minnesota Wild’s general manager with pride and confidence, plus hope his work toward shaping the franchise’s foundation would be recognized decades down the road.

Wild: Goalie Niklas Backstrom to have surgery on his left hip Friday, should be back for camp

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Wild All-Star goalie Niklas Backstrom will have surgery to remove two cysts in his left hip that caused problems with his groin muscles and affected his mechanics in the net this season.