According to a new study, half a million people went to events at the four live theater venues on Hennepin Avenue last year. That foot traffic and the businesses it supports are the payoff for the $38 million spent renovating those theaters.

A Union Pacific train derailed in St. Paul Saturday under the Seventh Street Bridge near Interstate 94, according to St. Paul Police. Authorities said no injuries were sustained in the derailment, and no hazardous materials were stored in any of the train cars.

A day after the mass shooting at a midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, Colo., Minnesota theater managers are still taking precautions to keep their patrons safe. Several theater officials noted their procedures, including monitoring audiences for suspicious behavior, checking entrances and exits, and keeping an eye on security cameras.

St. Paul's Penumbra Theatre, the nation's most esteemed African-American theater, says they have suspended programming for the year. In addition to a halt in productions, the company laid off six members of its full-time staff. Fundraising may allow the theater produce a musical next year.

Its owners say the theater still plans to put on a half-dozen events this year, but had to cancel some shows because the Loring isn’t getting the attendance it needs in the tough economy.