Officials at the North American Bear Center in Ely say Jewell is agitated and vocalizing--signs she may be ready to give birth. The center is monitoring her with a camera in her den.

A house about a mile north of Freeborn, Minn., exploded Friday afternoon, severely injuring a 75-year-old man. Fire largely destroyed the home. Investigators were probing what might have caused the blast. The house had recently been sold.

This year's St. Paul Winter Carnival royal family will unveil the 2012 commemorative carnival buttons during a public ceremony Friday. Buttons for the 126th carnival will be for sale immediately following the event for $5 each.

The health department reported two Twin Cities area children were the first Minnesotans confirmed to have contracted a new strain of the swine flu, just a few days before the Minnesota State Fair. But fair officials say the swine barn is safe and it will be open as usual this year.

The 126th St. Paul Winter Carnival will go on, but without the annual snow sculpture contest. Due to the lack of snow this winter, organizers made the decision to cancel it, but the carnival will still have ice carving. The St. Paul Winter Carnival is set to take place January 26 through February 5.

Nine days overdue, Andrea Nicolet and her husband, Russell, were rushing to the hospital when they realized their baby on the way was not going to wait. With the assistance of a Washington County Sheriff's deputy and a passerby who happened to be a registered nurse, baby Gabriel was delivered in the parking lot of a Lake Elmo Holiday station.