Rachel Hutton
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Articles by Rachel Hutton
Midnight bike rides and edible insects: Why Minnesota is the valedictorian of community education
Midnight bike rides and edible insects: Why Minnesota is the valedictorian of community education Lifelong learning here is comprehensive and cutting edge, from GED and ESL, to Prince tours and dinner at Bûcheron. Cyclists pedal through south Minneapolis during the 47th annual Midnight-to-Dawn bike ride. The event is one of Community Education's unexpected offerings, which include dog massage, drone flying and overnight bus tours.
Move over, Coachella. The State Fair is where it’s at
Move over, Coachella. The State Fair is where it’s at Call it the influencerfication of the fair. The internet’s cool kids are embracing the folksy vibe at the Great Minnesota Get-Together. Emily Nierman carries a wealth of treats as she and her sister, Abby Nierman, view the crop art exhibit in the Agriculture Horticulture Building during their visit to the State Fair. Abby Nierman, an East Coast influencer, brought a group of 11 to produce a wealth of content.
Powerful Minnesota women are putting their wealth to work
Powerful Minnesota women are putting their wealth to work Led by Cargill heir Muffy MacMillan, Women Warriors fight poverty while forging friendships: “I came here because of the cause, but I stayed for the sisterhood.” The Women Warriors visit Opportunity International clients in Colombia.
Minneapolis singles find love pulling invasive weeds
LIFE Rachel Hutton Minnesota Star Tribune Aug. 7, 2026, 3:14 p.m. ET View Comments Minneapolis — On a recent Sunday morning, nearly 50 people in long pants and sun hats, some toting loppers, gathered beside the Mississippi River. It was the second meeting of the Minneapolis Buckthorn Removal Singles Club, a group of mostly 20-and-30-somethings circling up for an icebreaker. Attendees shared their dating preferences and suggested two topics others could talk to them about while they worked.
Twin Cities Day Trips: Behind the historic brick, Chaska surprises with churros, cocktails and curling
This is the seventh stop in our summer Twin Cities Day Trips series with tips on where to eat, shop and explore. Check back next Saturday, Aug. 8, for our final day trip — to Anoka. In the meantime, explore previous destinations Wayzata, Blaine, Hopkins, Hastings, Prior Lake and Hudson. Chaska is known for once making bricks from clay deposits formed by the Minnesota River, an industry launched a few decades after French-Canadian fur trappers established a trading post with the Dakota.
Minneapolis buckthorn singles club uproots invasives, cultivates love
By Rachel Hutton, The Minnesota Star Tribune MINNEAPOLIS -- On a recent Sunday morning, nearly 50 people in long pants and sun hats, some toting loppers, gathered beside the Mississippi River. It was the second meeting of the Minneapolis Buckthorn Removal Singles Club, a group of mostly 20-and-30-somethings circling up for an icebreaker.
Minneapolis buckthorn singles club uproots invasives, cultivates love
MINNEAPOLIS -- On a recent Sunday morning, nearly 50 people in long pants and sun hats, some toting loppers, gathered beside the Mississippi River. It was the second meeting of the Minneapolis Buckthorn Removal Singles Club, a group of mostly 20-and-30-somethings circling up for an icebreaker. Attendees shared their dating preferences and suggested two topics others could talk to them about while they worked.
Minneapolis buckthorn singles club uproots invasives, cultivates love
Minneapolis buckthorn singles club uproots invasives, cultivates love Volunteers Jacob Smith and Emily Szeliga get to know each other while clipping and shearing their way through buckthorn in parkland along East River Road in Minneapolis. (Richard Tsong-Taatarii/The Minnesota Star Tribune) Fed up with dating apps? These sweaty work sessions convene conservationists and weed out players.
Malls are dying. Southdale placed a $400 million bet to reinvent the concept
Rachel Hutton, Carson Hartzog, Star Tribune An old idea is new (and extra fancy) at Southdale Center, the shopping mall that started it all. This spring's opening of Tiffany & Co. marked the completion of Southdale's gleaming new luxury wing. On a recent weekday, there was little foot traffic to scuff up the white-marble floors, unlike the Edina center's opening day 70 years ago. That fall, 75,000 people came to see the country's first fully-enclosed, climate-controlled shopping mall.
Malls are dying. Southdale placed a $400 million bet to reinvent the concept.
Malls are dying. Southdale placed a $400 million bet to reinvent the concept. Southdale Center in Edina is working to re-attract customers on a variety of fronts. (Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune) By adding luxury goods and places to live, work, and play, the country’s first indoor shopping center is now trying to pioneer The Mall 2.0. An old idea is new (and extra fancy) at Southdale Center, the shopping mall that started it all.
Southdale vs. Galleria: Comparing Edina’s two malls
Southdale vs. Galleria: Comparing Edina’s two malls Boutique shopping mall Galleria opened across the street from Southdale Center in 1974. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune) Two of the toniest shopping spots in Minnesota, Southdale Center and Galleria, sit right across Edina’s 69th Street from one another. Galleria opened two decades after Southdale, and the upscale boutique mall remains a destination for high-end home furnishings, with Arhaus and Design Within Reach.
Twin Cities Day Trips: Prior Lake has boats and boutiques, golf and gambling
Prior Lake is both the largest lake and one of the oldest cities in the Twin Cities’ southern metro. The city of 28,000, tucked between the lake’s upper and lower basins, started out as a farming community and summer getaway until it grew into a bustling suburb. But the area was originally inhabited by ancestors of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, whose tribal lands are spread between Prior Lake and Shakopee.
Who are the social media influencers embroiled in a legal battle?
Who are the social media influencers embroiled in a legal battle? What to know about Momchats and Dadchats, Minnesota’s uber-popular parenting influencers. Social media influencers Suzanne and Dillon White stand in their stairwell surrounded by blue tape, indicating flaws, in Woodbury, MN on Monday, June 29, 2026. The couple, with millions of followers, are in a war with their contractor over the construction of a million dollar home in Woodbury.
MnDOT has a way with words; we rated their funniest freeway signs
MnDOT has a way with words; we rated their funniest freeway signs Our favorites reference “Heated Rivalry,” Burma-Shave and Taylor Swift. Find out how you, too, can promote road safety with pop culture puns. The internet debated if this MnDOT road safety message was a "Heated Rivalry" reference or a sign of Wisconsinites invading cabin country. (Minnesota Department of Transportation) Comment Gift Share “Going to the cottage?” the sign greeted Monday commuters.
Twin Cities Day Trips: Historic Hastings offers charming rivertown reverie
This is the fourth stop in our summer Twin Cities Day Trips series with tips on where to eat, shop and explore. Explore our earlier trips to Wayzata | Blaine | Hopkins | Prior Lake. Before Minnesota became a state, Hastings was a steamboat landing and a grain and lumber milling hub at the nexus of the Mississippi, Vermillion and St. Croix rivers. Today, the city of 22,000 has one of the region’s best-preserved historic downtowns and a scenic riverwalk.
Fashion sale features unique, handmade secondhand clothing
Fashion sale features unique, handmade secondhand clothing Thrifting is chic. And Minneapolis’ Textile Center’s annual Slow Fashion Sale is a stylista’s favorite for affordable, one-of-one items. Minneapolis’ Textile Center’s annual Slow Fashion sale features handmade secondhand apparel. (Textile Center) Comment Gift Share With surging interest in thrift and vintage shopping, Minneapolis’ Textile Center has become a hotspot for used garments and accessories made by hand.
Biking is a love language
By Rachel Hutton, Star Tribune MINNEAPOLIS - Kim Kardashian may be a global trendsetter, but Minnesotans have been onto her dating trick for decades. Mega-influencer Kardashian recently posted a selfie peddling beside her boyfriend, Formula One champ Lewis Hamilton. Former music mogul Scooter Braun shared a video of biking through Times Square with his girlfriend, actor Sydney Sweeney. Then Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner were spotted on Citi Bikes.
Timothée Chalamet learns what Minnesotans know: Biking is a love language
MINNEAPOLIS - Kim Kardashian may be a global trendsetter, but Minnesotans have been onto her dating trick for decades. Mega-influencer Kardashian recently posted a selfie peddling beside her boyfriend, Formula One champ Lewis Hamilton. Former music mogul Scooter Braun shared a video of biking through Times Square with his girlfriend, actor Sydney Sweeney. Then Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner were spotted on Citi Bikes.
For sale: Betty Danger's Ferris wheel
For sale: Betty Danger's Ferris wheel Custom-designed for dining, the wheel hosted everything from business meetings to engagements - including one that went awry. The Ferris wheel at Betty Danger's Country Club, which later became Hey Y’all, Tipsy Taco Bar, is for sale. (Provided) Comment Gift Share For sale: one 65-foot-tall Ferris wheel, custom-designed for dining. May be purchased on its own or along with a property that once hosted one of the state’s most outlandish “eatertainment” concepts.
Chalamet learns what Minnesotans know: biking is a love language
Chalamet learns what Minnesotans know: biking is a love language “Sex and the City” maligned men who rode a bike to a date. But cycling country knows they’re a catch. Kalon Shepard (left) and Beatrice Altopp show off a photo of themselves on a tandem bike date before embarking on a group ride at Perennial Cycle in Uptown Minneapolis. (Rachel Hutton/The Minnesota Star Tribune) Comment Gift Share Kim Kardashian may be a global trendsetter, but Minnesotans have been onto her dating trick for decades.
That Midwestern Mom’s new talk show combines cookie salad and chitchat
That Midwestern Mom’s new talk show combines cookie salad and chitchat Minnesota’s folksiest social-media celebrity brings her show online. Social-media personality That Midwestern Mom, a.k.a. Amber Estenson, on the set of her new talk show at the Elision Playhouse in Crystal, Minn.
Twin Cities Day Trips: Wayzata’s luxe lakeside shopping and dining
This is the first stop in our summer Twin Cities Day Trips series with tips on where to eat, shop and explore. Next day trip — Blaine! Check back next Saturday, June 20. Serving as the premiere “gateway” to Lake Minnetonka, Wayzata was a 19th century vacation destination for wealthy Twin Citians arriving by stagecoach or train. The city of 4,000 residents has a charming Tudor-style depot that still anchors the half-mile stretch of Lake Street now lined with upscale restaurants, boutiques and more.
New rehabilitation option: Prisoners turn time into tattoos, with a purpose
Daniel Gonzales pressed a tattoo needle into Israel Ray Gaitan’s bare back, where a Mayan calendar spanned Gaitan’s shoulder blades. Gonzales had already logged 30 hours tattooing the elaborate design in honor of Gaitan’s mother. kAmv@?K2=6D H2D?’E DFC6 9@H v2:E2? D2E E9C@F89 E96 @C562=i %2EE@@D :? E96 DA:?2= 2C62 9FCE 2 =@E] “s@?’E =6E A2:? 86E J@F 5@H? 2?5 <66A >@G:?8 7@CH2C5[” v2:E2?
Dear Driver: The bicyclist’s wish list
As Minnesota’s biking season begins, gas prices have been going up as fast as temperatures, encouraging more people to ride. Even with the state’s extensive network of bike lanes and paths, autos pose a substantial risk. Last year, 14 bicyclists were killed on Minnesota roads, double the number of deaths as 2024. Bicyclists who don’t follow traffic laws and neglect to use lights and helmets put themselves and others in danger. But auto drivers are far more likely to cause a fatal crash.
7 Brew brings coffee and congestion to Vadnais Heights
7 Brew brings coffee and congestion to Vadnais Heights Drive-through Cookie Butters and Bikini Bottoms have arrived in the metro, along with gridlock and hour-long lines. At the new 7 Brew in Vadnais Heights, Minn., there’s less of a coffee shop’s typical morning rush than spikes at noontime, evenings and weekends.
For these controversial influencers, online fame draws fervent love and hate
MINNEAPOLIS — Three Minnesota influencers recently experienced the fickle nature of internet fame. One day, they were garnering lots of likes. The next, they were crushed under a digital dogpile. John O’Sullivan, Josh Liljenquist and so-called “Minnesota Angry Man” Chris Ostroushko each established their fandom in very different ways: as a virtual tour guide, a self-appointed do-gooder and an unlikely anti-ICE activist, respectively. kAmu@C ~’$F==:G2?
Graduation party etiquette
MINNEAPOLIS — As graduation season approaches, we checked in with etiquette instructor Nicki Black of Polished and Beyond in Plymouth, Minnesota, for tips on how to be a gracious graduate and polite guest. Involving graduates in party planning, and reviewing expectations for their behavior, reinforces skills they’ll need in adulthood, Black noted. She also shared suggestions for making smooth introductions, ideas about what to write in a card and the typical amounts of cash guests enclose.
For these influencers, online fame draws fervent love and hate
MINNEAPOLIS — Three Minnesota influencers recently experienced the fickle nature of internet fame. One day, they were garnering lots of likes. The next, they were crushed under a digital dogpile. John O’Sullivan, Josh Liljenquist and so-called “Minnesota Angry Man” Chris Ostroushko each established their fandom in very different ways: as a virtual tour guide, a self-appointed do-gooder and an unlikely anti-ICE activist, respectively. kAmu@C ~’$F==:G2?
For these influencers, online fame draws fervent love and hate
MINNEAPOLIS — Three Minnesota influencers recently experienced the fickle nature of internet fame. One day, they were garnering lots of likes. The next, they were crushed under a digital dogpile. John O’Sullivan, Josh Liljenquist and so-called “Minnesota Angry Man” Chris Ostroushko each established their fandom in very different ways: as a virtual tour guide, a self-appointed do-gooder and an unlikely anti-ICE activist, respectively. kAmu@C ~’$F==:G2?
For these controversial influencers, online fame draws fervent love and hate
MINNEAPOLIS - Three Minnesota influencers recently experienced the fickle nature of internet fame. One day, they were garnering lots of likes. The next, they were crushed under a digital dogpile. John O'Sullivan, Josh Liljenquist and so-called "Minnesota Angry Man" Chris Ostroushko each established their fandom in very different ways: as a virtual tour guide, a self-appointed do-gooder and an unlikely anti-ICE activist, respectively.
For these controversial influencers, online fame draws fervent love and hate
MINNEAPOLIS - Three Minnesota influencers recently experienced the fickle nature of internet fame. One day, they were garnering lots of likes. The next, they were crushed under a digital dogpile. John O'Sullivan, Josh Liljenquist and so-called "Minnesota Angry Man" Chris Ostroushko each established their fandom in very different ways: as a virtual tour guide, a self-appointed do-gooder and an unlikely anti-ICE activist, respectively.
How did Dave Ryan keep it fresh for decades on the air?
How did Dave Ryan keep it fresh for decades on the air? The KDWB radio host reflects on his career and what he’ll do when he no longer has to wake up at 4 a.m. Dave Ryan, at KDWB's St. Louis Park studios in 2018, is retiring after more than three decades hosting his morning show. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Dave Ryan, host of the Dave Ryan Show on 101.3 KDWB, hosts his show in the studio in St. Louis Park on Friday, September 21, 2018.
Where guests and grads go wrong
MINNEAPOLIS -- As graduation season approaches, we checked in with etiquette instructor Nicki Black of Polished and Beyond in Plymouth, Minnesota, for tips on how to be a gracious graduate and polite guest. Involving graduates in party planning, and reviewing expectations for their behavior, reinforces skills they'll need in adulthood, Black noted. She also shared suggestions for making smooth introductions, ideas about what to write in a card and the typical amounts of cash guests enclose.
Graduation party etiquette: Where guests and grads go wrong
MINNEAPOLIS -- As graduation season approaches, we checked in with etiquette instructor Nicki Black of Polished and Beyond in Plymouth, Minnesota, for tips on how to be a gracious graduate and polite guest. Involving graduates in party planning, and reviewing expectations for their behavior, reinforces skills they'll need in adulthood, Black noted. She also shared suggestions for making smooth introductions, ideas about what to write in a card and the typical amounts of cash guests enclose.
How to pronounce Minnesota names including Jacob Frey and Kaohly Her
Do you speak Minnesota? Take our pronunciation quiz Do you speak Minnesota? Take our pronunciation quiz Do you rhyme Frey with “hey” or “hi”? Hormel with “normal” or “bell”? From Aitkin to Zup’s, see if you know how to say the names that commonly trip us up.
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