Lifestyle

Americans have made genealogy research one of the biggest hobbies on the internet. The Minnesota Historical Society has just updated its guide that helps people wade through the research possibilities.
Life without cell phones is inconceivable for many people. One scholar of American media suggests this ever-changing device has fundamentally altered the way we live.
Mourning doves are fair game again in Minnesota. Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed a bill this week reinstating a mourning dove hunting season, after 46 years without one. Most states already allow dove hunting. Hunters and cooks are looking forward to the change.
Chef Lenny Russo shares one of his recipes for preparing mourning dove, also known as squab. Russo runs the Heartland Restaurant in St. Paul.
Minnesota's fishing season opens May 15 for walleye, northern pike and inland lake trout. The bass opener is May 29 for most of the state, and the muskie opener is June 5. Gov. Tim Pawlenty will celebrate the 56th annual Governor's Fishing Opener on Lake of the Woods, with headquarters at Sportsman's Lodge in Baudette.
The push to generate new state gambling revenues appears over for the year after a Senate committee Thursday night rejected or passed over the major casino initiatives. The Senate Taxes committee, however, did approve a plan calling for the governor to discuss an off-reservation casino with any of the state's 11 Indian communities that express an interest. But with only days left in the legislative session, that proposal seems certain to stall. And some tribal representatives are already suggesting it may be unworkable and unwelcome.
Las Vegas-based Caesar's Entertainment has finally shown its Minnesota hand. After months of quiet lobbying, the company Tuesday made a public pitch to lawmakers for a new, private casino. Caesar's officials have their eyes on a site next to the Mall of America in Bloomington -- but legislators from that area are bristling at the idea of a major gambling venue in their backyard. The package is one of several gambling options that are making the rounds at the Capitol in the final week of the regular session.
As part of our salute to the opening of fishing season in Minnesota, we asked our audience to share their favorite fish story. Here is a sampling of those stories. We'll add more as they come in.
Minnesota is home to more anglers and more fishing opportunities than just about any other place in the country. The Department of Natural Resources estimates 15,000 miles of cold and warm water streams and 5,493 fishable lakes are available to anglers. Minnesota also leads the nation in per capita sales of fishing licenses. Which means, we should have plenty of good fish stories. To mark the opening of the general fishing opener on May 15, we collected some good fish stories to share.
Fishing facts and figures, courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.