Minnesota Year In Review: Top 5 Fun And Inspiring Stories Of 2017

The year is almost in the books and needless to say, the Land of Lakes had some notably positive stories in 2017. On top of the heartbreak and controversy, there was a lot to smile about in Minnesota this year.

Here are the top five fun and positive Minnesota stories of 2017:

First Woman With Down Syndrome Competes In Miss USA

Minnesota native Mikayla Holmgren was awarded the Miss Minnesota USA Spirit Award and the Director's Award in November.

Watch: Mitsubishi Mascot Falls Hard in Commercial Outtakes

As this video shows, it turns out wearing a giant bear costume and trying to walk on ice is a lot harder than it looks.

Home Visits Build Relationships Through Books

Personal visits from volunteers allow for ill or bedridden readers to explore books even when routine library visits aren't possible.

Jimmy John's Delivered On I-35W After Car Stalls

Jimmy John's boasts "freaky fast" deliveries, and one Minnesota man stuck on the freeway decided to put the motto to the test.

Created In Northfield, 'The Oregon Trail' Video Game Turns 46

Three Carleton College students designed the game using a teletype machine that connected to a mainframe computer via a phone line.

Photo by William Bornhoft/Patch.com