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Winter weather events continue despite expected warmup next week
Temperatures are expected to rise next week, and our winter hasn’t been the friendliest to those working on winter entertainment.
MINNESOTA, USA — It finally feels like winter in the Twin Cities! Cold temperatures have been the norm for the past few weeks, but in just a few days, things are going to change.
“Mother Nature didn’t cooperate with us, with the weather-wise,” John Maslowski, snow park manager for the St. Paul Winter Carnival, said. “So, it was so warm we couldn’t even make snow.”
Temperatures are expected to rise next week, and our winter hasn’t been the friendliest to those working on winter entertainment.
“It took us until Sunday to start making snow,” Maslowski said, standing in the state fairgrounds where massive blocks of snow for sculpting are being made. “Hundreds, if not thousands of hours out here, preparing for this and creating this wonderful destination for people.”
They’re not the only ones who are preparing for a change in temperatures.
“It really feels like a battle between fire and ice, you can say, a battle of hot and cold,” Britton Youngstrom, director of operations for the Ice Palace in Delano, said.
The Ice Palace needs cold temperatures to keep their constructions cold – some warmth isn’t a bad thing, though it’s all about reacting, Youngstrom says.
“It’s been too warm this entire season, until a few weeks here where it’s been almost too cold,” he said. “That fluctuates greatly, depending on the weather.”
Our weird weather has already affected them. Youngstrom says they planned to open in mid-December but now will start on January 21.
It’s all a part of working in the outdoors, changing and adapting to what Mother Nature brings. Even with next week’s warmup, the only thing not changing is getting these events ready for you.
“You know, the pain in the posterior index, as they say, it hasn’t been that cold, it hasn’t been that snowy,” Maslowski said, laughing. “But you know what, we create an event for everybody to come on out here. We encourage families to come on out here and have fun.”
The Ice Palace in Delano will open on January 21. The snow blocks Maslowski’s teams worked on will be sculpted by teams starting Friday, January 26 at 8 a.m.
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Last week, prosecutors charged John Sawchak with attempted 2nd-degree murder and other felony charges after he allegedly shot his neighbor Davis Moturi.
MINNEAPOLIS — Following the shooting between two neighbors, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to request that the city’s auditor conduct an independent investigation into the incidents and cases between Davis Moturi and John Sawchak.
Moturi was allegedly shot by his neighbor, Sawchak, on Wednesday, Oct. 23 but Minneapolis police did not arrest Sawchak until days later.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended not arresting Sawchak sooner, calling it a “high-risk” situation. O’Hara later said the victim, who had complained about harassment from Sawchak for months, was failed by police. Sawchak was arrested this past weekend after an hours-long standoff.
Moturi suffered a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion in the shooting. “Mr. Moturi’s life matters and I’m sorry that for nearly a year, MPD did not treat it like it did,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley in a news release, “Today’s vote affirms that the City Council is committed to taking meaningful actions towards accountability and restoration, starting with this independent review.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released this statement:
“Mayor Frey fully supports an independent review of this incident. The mayor and City are committed to always doing better, and this means closely examining past actions and finding where there may be ways to improve and grow. The mayor extends his condolences to Davis Moturi, his wife, Caroline, and their family and friends. The safety of our residents is a top priority and any form of violence or hate speech is completely unacceptable and does not align with who we are as a community. Brian O’Hara will continue to be the Minneapolis Police Chief.”
“This Valentine’s Day, 2025, will mark the five-year anniversary of the premiere of ‘Love is Blind,” Vanessa said on the Season 7 finale. “And, it is gonna be the launch of Season 8, which takes place in Minneapolis.”
The episode also revealed three of the new cast members, one of whom, “Alex,” told Lachey Minneapolis is “not like a major city, but it’s also not a small town,” which he said is just one of the obstacles in his way of finding the one.
“I just never found the right person that clicked for me,” he said.
Meantime, you can bone up on Seasons 1-7 streaming now on Netflix.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
