An 18-year-old college student from Sauk Centre was crowned the 59th Princess Kay of the Milky Way at ceremony Wednesday night at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Christine Reitsma plans to study economics at the University of Minnesota.

It's not too early for corn mazes. A few are already open with lots more on the way. As for fall colors, peep early. And be quick about it. A short, early leaf season is forecast.

State farmers will benefit in two ways: drought has helped to drive corn prices higher, and Minnesota farms are producing high yields compared to farms in other states, where dry conditions have shriveled crops, WCCO reports.

The exhibit, 'Diana: A Celebration' will run from Feb. 4 to June 10 at the Mall of America. All profits generated from the display go to the princess' memorial fund.

Finding your way through the corn maze is supposed to be the hard part. But for a Fridley family the real challenge came afterwards, while playing in the three-foot-deep pit filled with corn kernels. Karilyn Miller discovered she'd lost her wedding ring. But fate - and a metal detector - was on her side as the ring amaizingly turned up.

Minnesota's cornfields will average 168 bushels an acre this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Pioneer Press reports this would be Minnesota's largest corn crop in state history and make the state the second largest corn producer in the country -- only trailing Iowa.