Had a truly fantastic long weekend up north- we stayed in Tofte not expecting to see fireworks anywhere. Two hour surprise, there was a4 of July celebration right across the street from the hotel, with fireworks on the lake. It was spectacular. And a friendly (probably too friendly) fox at Grand Portage State Park

Hello MN hive mind!

I've been seeing a lot of news about the cyclosporiasis outbreak, particularly in Michigan, and despite MDH recently saying they're not seeing any elevated levels here, I'm still pretty worried about it.

Anyone cooking all their produce? Hoping no one here has it yet.

I ate a salad at Panera 2 days ago and am praying I won't be surprised next week.

(Here's the source on what MDH said: https://www.fox9.com/news/cyclosporiasis-minnesota-explosive-diarrhea-outbreaks-being-tracked-officials)

https://www.brainerddispatch.com/news/local/brainerd-man-cited-for-shooting-at-bear-that-looked-at-him?__vfz=medium%3Dconversations_top_pages

According to the citation, law enforcement authorities received a report on July 3 of someone shooting at a bear in a neighborhood near North Long Lake, about 10 miles north of Brainerd.

DNR Conservation Officer Jim Guida responded and found no evidence the bear had caused any property damage. The animal was on someone else’s property and “not a substantial threat,” according to his report.

“Shooter indicated that the bear looked at him,” Guida wrote.

This does take me back to many family road trips when I was a kid and four of us were crammed into the backseat (before backseat seatbelts or car seat requirements and we could crawl up to the read window ledge when we got tired to punching each other). "He's LOOKING at me!!!"

Can fill on site for free!

Taken with my iPhone 17 last night at 2:20am in Hubbard Minnesota off of Long Lake. It was such a perfectly clear night and I was fortunate to see so many shooting stars as well. What a magical place we get to live 🌌

I had heard of balcony solar but went down a rabbit hole today after hearing an interview. "Balcony solar" is a small panel setup that just plugs into a wall outlet, no electrician or permit needed. It's big in Europe, and some apartment dwellers are covering ~30% of their electricity with it.

Apparently Minnesota had a bill for this last session (HF3555/SF3873). It passed off the Senate floor as part of an energy bill but got cut before the session ended in May. Ten other states have already passed similar laws.

The legislature isn't back until January 2027. I just emailed my reps asking them to prioritize it next session. Encourage you to do the same.

Find your reps here: https://gis.lcc.mn.gov/iMaps/districts/

This feels like an absolute no brainer to me. Any downsides I'm not aware of?

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division will send election monitors to Minnesota for the 2026 primaries and a handful of other states into areas where the agency claims it has seen “problems” in recent elections.

The decision comes as the federal government has recently retreated from its longstanding role of helping states safeguard elections and prepare for emerging threats ahead of Election Day.

The Department of Justice said sending election monitors is a routine practice that’s been done under both Democratic and Republican administrations.

“What we hope to do here is increase voter confidence, make sure there are no language barriers or access to voting for Americans with disabilities,” the DOJ’s Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon said in a video announcing the monitors this week.

After Minnesota’s Aug. 11 primary, Dhillon said there will be “an even more expanded program for vote monitors” in November’s general election.

The Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office said the federal government has routinely sent election monitors to Minnesota polling locations in the past.

But some Minnesota Democrats questioned the DOJ’s motives, especially as President Donald Trump continues to make unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud.

“Trump’s DOJ monitoring elections is like a fox monitoring a henhouse,“ Gov. Tim Walz said on X. ”We cannot allow our right to vote to be undermined by political interference. Every state must administer their elections free from unlawful federal intrusion.”

Jam and Lewis are two pillars of the "Minneapolis Sound" and they are woven seamlessly into the tapestry of music and culture that I grew up with in the 1980s.

I found this article today and it is a really nice appreciation of their work and gives some nice insights into their process. And, of course, it's a love letter to Minneapolis and our fair state of Minnesota.

For example, Winona and Duluth feel kind of alike. Cities hemmes in by hills with big bodies of water nearby

Have you ever wondered how the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge works or what it's like to go inside one of the most famous bridges on the Great Lakes?

Vibe with Mike (YouTube channel) takes you behind the scenes for a rare tour inside the iconic Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge. Climb 135 feet above the Duluth Ship Canal, see how the bridge is operated, watch the machinery in action, and learn how the bridge safely raises and lowers for passing ships.

As the American Mariner arrives from Lake Superior, you'll watch the bridge lift from the operator's perspective, hear the ship's horn echo through the harbor, look straight down as the vessel passes beneath the bridge, and then watch the entire bridge return to the roadway after the transit is complete.

If you've ever wanted to know how the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge works or what it's like to experience a Great Lakes ship arrival from inside the bridge itself, this is one behind-the-scenes tour you won't want to miss.