Twin Cities

Bedbugs are expensive to exterminate; some can't afford it
"Goodnight. Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite." The old nursery rhyme is gaining new relevance as the blood-sucking insects are crawling into households and businesses, and straining the finances of many families.
University Avenue property owners fight condemnation efforts
The Minnesota Department of Transportation heads to court Thursday to begin condemnation proceedings for more than a dozen slivers of land needed for the Central Corridor project. The light-rail line will connect St. Paul to Minneapolis.
Judge to decide age of murder suspect after hearing wraps up
A hearing to determine the actual age of triple-homicide suspect Mahdi Hassan Ali wrapped up Thursday in Hennepin County District Court. The judge will decide within a few weeks whether Ali could stand trial as a juvenile.
Children's Hospitals to cut up to 250 jobs
Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota said Wednesday the down economy is forcing more children to rely on Medicaid. But it says cuts in Medicaid have taken a serious toll.
More bids awarded for Central Corridor light rail
The Metropolitan Council awarded two large bids Wednesday for the Central Corridor light rail project between St. Paul and Minneapolis -- and construction gets underway in earnest this fall. MPR's Dan Olson talked with All Things Considered host Tom Crann about the status of the project.
A last-ditch effort by Gov. Tim Pawlenty and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman to save the St. Paul Ford plant apparently wasn't enough to persuade company officials. The assembly plant is still scheduled to close in the fall of 2011.
Gang Strike Force victims reach $3M settlement
The agencies behind the disbanded Metro Gang Strike Force will pay $3 million to people who claim they were victims of the unit's misconduct. The settlement announced Wednesday comes a year after the state investigated the unit and later shut it down.