Horace the Corpse Flower continues to grow, but no bloom yet

There’s a lot of buzz around an upcoming bloom at the Como Park Conservatory in St. Paul. Horace the Corpse Flower could bloom any day now, though the staff believes Sunday May 19 is the likely date. When it happens, it will likely be in the afternoon or evening. They’ve been waiting for Horace to bloom for seven years. His brother is also at the conservatory but is still dormant and remains nameless. Both come from seeds from the same parent plants. Horace will be moved to the North garden on Friday morning and will still be available to view during regular business hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. You can watch Horace 24/7 on the Como Park live feed.

High-profile bills high and dry as Capitol session concludes?

The clock is ticking on Minnesota Democrats trying to pass bills addressing sports betting, Uber and Lyft, and a lot more. A Republican strategy to slow things down shifted to the Senate Wednesday and time could just run out on some bills soon.

Historic carousel opens for the season in Como Park

A piece of history is still bringing joy to families year after year in St. Paul. Cafesjian’s Carousel is located in St. Paul’s Como Park, just south of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. It was constructed for $8,500 in 1914 and assembled on the Minnesota State fairgrounds. Though it has moved locations a few times it’s found a permanent home in Como Park. The carousel is open five days a week Thursday to Monday and will run on that schedule through Labor Day.

New Minnesota state seal and flag face criticism, receive support

Minnesota elected officials gave the state a history-making gift to mark its 166th birthday on Saturday. But not everyone appreciates the gesture, as recent polls suggest about half of the Minnesota population favors the old flag, which some Republican lawmakers fought to keep.

Minnesota unveils new state flag

The new Minnesota state flags were raised at sunrise on Saturday. The old state flags will be preserved by the Minnesota Historical Society.

Junk fees trashed next year in Minnesota

Under the bill, sellers will now have to include all mandatory fees or surcharges when they tell a customer the price of an item in Minnesota.