Kare11
2024 Holiday happenings at Mall of America
As the holiday shopping season begins to get more busy, officials at the Mall of America announce a “Christmas list” of events.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — The Mall of America (MOA) is spreading festive cheer and joy to shoppers with a huge holiday transformation and a “Christmas list” of events leading up to the big December day.
Here is a look at the new holiday décor at MOA by the numbers:
- Two 44-foot trees stand in the Rotunda
- Each tree in the Rotunda has 385 branches and 32,000 LED bulbs
- In each court space of the Mall, oversized ornaments weighing 200-300 pounds hang from the ceiling, with each taking a full hour to install
- Nearly 5,000 strands of lights are up and glowing throughout the mall
- Seven 11-foot nutcrackers stand in the Mall’s north entrance
- Four larger-than-life toy installations including a View Finder, Rocket Ship, Robot, and Toy Car can be found inside
- Twenty themed holiday trees and giant ornaments are inside the Nickelodeon Universe
The Nickelodeon Universe Winter Break runs from Nov. 4 to Jan. 31 with fan-favorite characters dressed up for the season throughout the theme park and a nightly holiday light show.
Want to meet Santa? An arrival ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 26 in the Rotunda. The public is invited to schedule an appointment to visit multicultural Santas beginning Nov. 16 at the annual Santa Experience. Pet photos with Santa are also available on Nov. 24, Dec. 1, Dec. 8, and Dec. 15. Santa photos, movies, and other merchandise will be available for purchase.
Beginning Nov. 29, the elf-run, Santa-approved holiday research lab is back for another season. Elves will offer tours to shoppers at the Candy Cane Institute — giving a behind-the-scenes look at the North Pole’s research department and a special visit from Santa himself.
Billed as the “most exciting day of the year at Mall of America” — Black Friday is Nov. 29 this year with doors opening at 7 a.m. Mall officials offered this three-prong plan for the biggest shopping day of the year at the mall:
- Mystery Cards presented by Minnesota Lottery: As guests enter the North Entrance doors on Black Friday morning, thousands of Mystery Cards will be handed out that reveal their special surprise. Prizes are valued up to nearly $600.
- Pepsi Prize: The first 200 people in line at the North Entrance of the Mall on Black Friday will receive a $25 Mall of America gift card in addition to their Mystery Card. Plus, one of those first 200 people will receive $2,500 courtesy of Pepsi! Participants must be 18 years or older to participate in the Pepsi Prize.
- Doorbuster Zone: Guests who receive a Doorbuster on their Mystery Card will head to the Doorbuster Zone where one of our designated Doorbuster characters will bust through a door to deliver their prize.
MOA officials will ramp up their expanded hours in three separate sets of dates:
November 1 – November 30:
Monday – Saturday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Black Friday: 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
December 1 – December 16:
Monday – Thursday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday + Saturday: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
December 16 – January 1:
Monday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Christmas Eve: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
New Years Eve: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
New Years Day: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
The Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettles and volunteer bell ringers are back for another season and can be found at the mall’s entrances.
For more information on the festivities at MOA, please visit mallofamerica.com/holiday.
The owners argue that the city’s failure to address deterioration and crime in the neighborhood has ruined their businesses. They are asking for $30M in damages.
MINNEAPOLIS — Several business owners at the struggling corner where George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020 are suing the city to demand it take over their properties and compensate them.
The owners of the Cup Foods convenience store and other businesses operating near 38th Street and Chicago Avenue argue that the city’s failure to address deterioration and crime in the neighborhood has ruined their businesses and constitutes an unlawful taking of their property without just compensation, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported Thursday. They’re seeking $30 million in damages.
The area, now known as George Floyd Square, has become a place of pilgrimage for social justice supporters from across the country, and the store has renamed itself Unity Foods. But business owners say they haven’t benefitted, while activists and officials remain divided over how to transform the intersection while keeping it as a permanent memorial.
Floyd died after a white officer pinned his neck to the pavement outside Cup Foods for 9 1/2 minutes despite the Black man’s pleas of “I can’t breathe.” The ensuing protests, which turned violent at times, tested the leadership of Gov. Tim Walz at one of the state’s most consequential moments, and sparking a nationwide reckoning over racism and police misconduct. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was convicted of murder.
The legal action, filed last week in Hennepin County District Court, argues that the businesses have lost revenue, real estate value, reputation, and tenant and rental income. It argues that the city’s decisions led to higher crime and created a “no go zone” for police in the area. It replaces an earlier lawsuit by the businesses that was dismissed two months ago.
Michael Healey, the lawyer representing the businesses, told the Star Tribune there are two possible outcomes. The businesses “could conceivably keep the property if a settlement is reached with the city on the diminished value,” he said. The other possibility is that the city could begin the process of taking the properties and compensating the owners.
A city spokesperson said in a statement that while it can’t comment on pending litigation, the city “understands the challenges that residents and businesses have confronted in the wake of George Floyd’s murder.“
The Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) says Smithfield Packaged Meats Corp. employed at least 11 children ages 14-17 at its St. James plant.
ST JAMES, Minn. — A national meatpacking company will pay a fine of $2 million for alleged child labor violations at its plant in St. James, Minn.
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) announced the consent order signed by Smithfield Packaged Meats Corp., on Nov. 13, which includes the largest penalty ever recovered by the agency.
DLI conducted an investigation that covered two years between April 13, 2021, and April 13, 2023. Investigators allege that Smithfield employed at least 11 children between the ages of 14 and 17 at the St. James plant during that time, three who started working for the company when they were 14.
Among the other violations cited by DLI:
- Smithfield allowed nine of the 11 minor children to work after the hours allowed by state law – after 9 p.m. for those under 16 years old and after 11 p.m. before a school day for those 16 or 17 years old.
- All 11 minor children performed hazardous work for Smithfield, including working near chemicals or other hazardous substances, operating power-driven machinery (meat grinders, slicers and power-driven conveyor belts), and operating nonautomatic elevators, lifts or hoisting machines, including motorized pallet jacks and lift pallet jacks.
“It is unacceptable for a company to employ minor children to perform hazardous work late at night. This illegal behavior impacts children’s health, safety and well-being and their ability to focus on their education and their future,” said DLI Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach.
“DLI’s resolution with Smithfield sends a strong message to employers, including in the meat processing industry, that child labor violations will not be tolerated in Minnesota.”
While agreeing to the $2 million fine, Smithfield made clear in the consent order documents that the company disputes the allegations by DLI and denies violating Minnesota child labor laws.
Along with the fine, the consent order requires Smithfield to conduct industry outreach related to child labor compliance, require child labor compliance from its staffing agencies and sanitation contractors, and take other steps to ensure future child labor compliance.
To submit a child labor complaint or to ask questions about child labor restrictions and requirements, contact DLI’s Labor Standards Division by calling 651-284-5075 or via email.
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Celebrate the holidays with Salvation Army and a variety of local celebrities at the upcoming “Tree of Lights” event in St. Paul.
The free event will occur at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 16 at Rice Park. Basketball Hall of Famer Lindsay Whalen, Grammy winners The Sounds of Blackness, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and additional local favorites will attend.
For the ultimate holiday experience, the trees at Rice Park will have an LED light display synchronized to holiday music, and the Salvation Army will serve up hot chocolate and cookies.
