Finders, keepers, in the case of Stacy Knutson and her magic box.

Poverty-stricken waitress Stacy Knutson stumbled across $12,000 while working at the Fryn' Pan in Moorhead. She reported her fortuitous, unclaimed finding to police, only to have them keep the cash on the pretense that it was drug money. She later sued the county to recoup the funds, arguing police had no basis for the drug money claim.

Today, the 18-year restaurant veteran and mother of five received good news. The Clay County attorney's office decided to return the full $12,000 to Knutson and her family, meaning she and her kids should eat well for the foreseeable future. No reason for the decision was immediately given, but perhaps the Grinch-like move to seize the money created a PR shitstorm the county just didn't want to weather.

"She and her family were praying and asked God's intervention to touch these peoples' hearts," her attorney, Craig Richie, told the Star Tribune, "and that's what happened."

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For turning in an unclaimed $12,000, Moorhead police gave a waitress a $1,000 consolation prize.

A waitress at the Moorhead Fryn' Pan was working when she noticed a woman had left a to-go box from another restaurant on a table.

She grabbed the box, then followed the woman out the restaurant. But when she tried to reunite the woman with her "leftovers," the waitress was told, "No, I'm good, you keep it."

Befuddled, the waitress reentered the restaurant and noticed the box was heavier than your usual leftover container. She opened it up, looked inside, and there was the answer to her prayers -- $12,000 in cold hard cash.

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​Check your pockets, Minnesota. We have a winner.

A Powerball ticket sold in Dakota County came up good last night, and the winner's due a $229 million jackpot. The Minnesota State Lottery says the sum is the biggest ever won in Minnesota.

The magic numbers are 11-18-36-41-46 and a Powerball number of 38. The winner has one full year from yesterday's date to claim the prize, which can either be taken in pieces -- big, money-filled pieces that grow bigger each year -- that would add up to the full $229 million, or take the lump sum of straight cash, homey.

The cash option cuts the total down to about $84 million, after taxes, but that would allow the winner to immediately build a new mansion with walls that are made out of $100 bills. 

"This is a great day," acting Minnesota Lottery director Jenny Canfield said. "This is what we live for."
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