98.1 - Minnesota New Country

Here's a simple way to be happier and improve your quality of life: get a pet. According to a new study from Purina, some pet owner perks include feeling more relaxed (60 percent) and less lonely (55 percent), achieving improved physical wellness (44 percent) and feeling more confident (19 percent).

ST. PAUL -- Minnesota is cracking down on phone scams. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has joined the Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force. The Task Force of 50 attorneys general has one goal: to crack down on illegal robocalls. The AG’s office estimates robocall scammers stole more than $29 million in 2021.

Imagine reading a headline that says, "Dolly Parton's House Burns Down After Ashley McBryde Microwave Mishap." Perhaps that's a bit dramatic, but it almost happened!. The "Martha Divine" singer was happy to divulge some of her most embarrassing moments while doing an interview with Audacy's Rob + Holly at the Faster Horses Festival. The biggest whoopsie-daisy had to be her experience house-sitting for Parton and that she neglected to read the instructions on a Bagel Bites box.

ST. CLOUD -- The second of two people charged in a south St. Cloud shootout last August has been found guilty. A Stearns County jury has convicted 33-year-old Justin Hudak of aiding and abetting 2nd-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and drive-by shooting. No sentencing date has been set. The...

WJON's small town series brings us to Duelm in St. George township in Benton County. Duelm is an unincorporated community located along Duelm Road near 110th Avenue. Stoney Brook flows through the community. Duelm was originally settled by Germans from the town of Dülmen The spelling is different with the two community names but the pronunciation is close to the same.

WAITE PARK -- Another new car wash has opened in the St. Cloud area, but this one has a more personal touch. M & W Hand Car Wash Automotive Care Center is at 65 10th Avenue South in Waite Park. Owner Marlene Mattei says they'll hand wash your vehicle, and...

WATKINS -- A Meeker county man suffered minor injuries in a motorcycle crash. The Meeker County Sheriff's Office says at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday 68-year-old Gregory Bunce of Darwin was going south on 675th Avenue south of Watkins when his motorcycle went into the ditch. Bunce was not wearing a...

A few months ago we reported on the horrific story of a mother, Daisy Joy Buley, who was arrested for trafficking her 11 year old daughter for money and drugs. Buley pleaded guilty to first degree aggravated sex trafficking. She was sentenced to 94 months in prison, avoiding a maximum 25 year sentence. She must also register as a predatory sex offender.

Flight changes and cancellations are nothing new to us travelers; but since 2020 things seem to have escalated to a new level. It's almost as if the consumer, who is spending their hard-earned money to fly to their destination, whether it be for work, family matters, or vacation is at the mercy of the airlines. The US Transportation Department has received so many complaints that they are ready to make big changes, including getting you your money back.

HGTV has a series that began last year called "The Ugliest Home in America" where Retta, best known from Parks and Recreation, goes from state to state in search of the "Ugliest Home in America" and if they "win" they will get a remodel worth $150,000 from designer Alison Victoria from "Windy City Rehab", which is another GHTV production.

We are a hearty bunch in Minnesota who are tasked with surviving extreme cold, extreme heat and watching the Minnesota Vikings on a regular basis. Do you consider yourself a true Minnesotan? Here's a helpful guide to find out just how legit you are. 1. WEAR A GREEN BAY PACKERS...

WJON's Small Town series continues with the focus this time on Duelm. Duelm is an unincorporated community in St. George Township in Benton County south and west of Foley. The community is located along Duelm Road near 110th Avenue. Stoney Brook flows through the community.

The Benton County fair has been going on all this week, and if you don't get there early in the day, you may wind up parking a few blocks away. But this isn't all bad. Yes, I did wind up walking a bit further than I may have wanted to, being that it was an every day event at the fair, but walking along the sidewalk provided some positive feelings. Inspiration, even.

NASCAR champion Kyle Busch and his family were inside the Mall of America yesterday afternoon when shots were fired. Bloomington police said no one appeared to be injured, and were still searching for a suspect after securing the scene shortly before 6 p.m. The police said two groups at the mall got into an altercation at a store and one group left, but someone in that group fired three rounds.

It's not every day that you get to see a semi help out law enforcement. The good news is that the folks over at MNCrime found some video of a semi-driver wedging in a vehicle as it is being pursued by police in Minneapolis. The vehicle's occupants then fled the scene but were all eventually captured according to the posted video.

ST. CLOUD -- The largest collection of monster trucks in the United States is based right here in St. Cloud. James Trantina says owning monster trucks started out as a hobby for him back in 2016 and now with 14 trucks in his fleet, it has grown into a business.

SAUK RAPIDS -- The Sauk Rapids Police Department has released a statement on a fake Facebook post that has been widely shared. Police Chief Perry Beise says the post has been passed around several social media and other sites. Beise says at this time the Sauk Rapids Police Department has...

Yesterday was the first day of Farmfest in Southern Minnesota. If you've never been to Farmfest before it is where producers, politicians, and rural lifestyle meets to talk all things ag. It's also, generally speaking, one of the first events for those running for office to form an impression with those living outside the Twin Cities metro. Yesterday Gov Walz, and his Republican opponent Dr. Scott Jensen, squared off in their first debate. While the Governor was at Farmfest he took some questions of those assembled. One man asked the Governor about the events that unfolded after George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer, to which the Governor didn't get the chance to reply.

ST. CLOUD -- A former wrestler at St. Cloud State University has pleaded guilty to assaulting another student last fall. Twenty-one-year-old Ezayah Oropeza pleaded guilty to a charge of 3rd-degree assault causing substantial bodily harm. Just after 1:30 a.m. on September 18th, officers were called to the 700 block of...

BECKER -- A new housing development got the green light from Becker Wednesday night. Avalon Estates will bring 22 twin homes, two apartment buildings, and three out lots to a ten-acre lot next to the Community Center. The Becker City Council unanimously approved a conditional use permit that finalizes the...