Three of the 49 people charged in an alleged quarter-billion-dollar scheme to defraud government meal programs pleaded guilty Thursday. Bekam Addissu Merdassa, 40; Hanna Marekegn, 40; and Hadith Yusuf Ahmed, 33, entered pleas at the federal courthouse in Minneapolis, in the case linked to the nonprofit Feeding Our Future. The three were charged with wire fraud.

On Thursday, Democratic incumbent Angie Craig and Republican challenger Tyler Kistner met face-to-face for the first and only debate of this year’s campaign that was held at Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount. 

A rare Great Lakes vessel built in the Twin Ports and lost more than a century ago has been found and photographed at a depth of more than 600 feet in Lake Superior. Barge 129, of the unique, curved "whaleback" design, sank on Oct. 13, 1902 — exactly 120 years ago.

If you’re in the southern half of the state like Rochester, the Twin Cities and even St. Cloud, leaves are only at 50 to 75 percent of their peak, meaning you should be seeing a gorgeous array of color.