Minnesota
Facing a Minnesota rite of passage: a ropes course
FINLAND, MINN. – My 10-year-old daughter was stuck on a tower 30 feet in the air, crying and shaking. She had already conquered a series of ropes course obstacles, growing shakier and weepier with each skootch across thin wires and tiptoe over rounded logs.
The finale, the zipline, had been the carrot coaxing her. She imagined a leap and a “Wheeee!” into the dark, chilly night. This vision changed into a fear once she got close.
My daughter could either fling her body into the void or she could turn around and redo the ropes course backward, exiting at the point of entry. There was no ladder, no tele-transporter, no do-over for the decisions that brought her to this point. She was here, helmeted and fully harnessed, and desperate for a third option.
And here I was, also helmeted and fully harnessed, with a front-row seat for this moment. It was the reason I signed up to chaperone — but now I wasn’t sure what she needed in this moment, or even if I had the ability to help her.
Wolf Ridge is one of a handful of environmental learning centers in Minnesota. In its more than 50-year history, it has seen 750,000 visitors come through the outdoor school — students, teachers, chaperones there for hands-on learning in outdoor spaces from on-site naturalists, according to executive director Peter Smerud. The 2,000-acre property near Silver Bay includes classrooms, dormitories, a cafeteria, but also hiking trails, scenic vistas, geocaching sites and beaver-gnawed trees.
You might have a chance encounter with a hawk named Ruby and her friendly minder, with his pocketful of rat meat.
Students from Duluth are among the busloads from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and North Dakota who make this trek. At my daughter’s elementary school, the three-day trip is a rite of passage for the fourth-graders.
Fourth-grade teacher Troy Erie, of Lowell Elementary School in Duluth has been organizing the Wolf Ridge experience for a decade, long enough to see three of his own kids go through it. He credits the center with exposing kids to the experiences they can have in nature — and potentially opening the door to a new lifelong habit.
My daughter’s classmates from Lowell, a crew of 100-plus 9- and 10-year-olds, were divided into groups, each with a schedule that included classes in geology, Lake Superior, art and habitats, that started in classrooms and then segued to hours spent outside.
But it was the kids headed to or from the ropes courses that had a certain sheen.
This is where the stories were made — and everyone had one, whether they opted out of the course and stayed landlocked or zipped through it with ease.
One kid purposefully dangled from a harness, but then struggled to get back on the wire. Then she panicked.
“I want to go home,” she told friends gathered 30 feet below. An instructor talked her back onto the ropes and back to land. Another child, who claimed a fear of heights, shouted deathbed confessionals while rushing through the course, which she finished with no problem.
The cafeteria buzzed on the second day with the story of a student who was still out there, late for nachos. Stuck, his friends confirmed, completely disinterested in exiting via the zipline. Eventually the young adventurer turned around and recrossed the entire course. Another triumph!
He walked to the cafeteria and received a hero’s welcome from classmates.
Each of these scenarios has a lesson attached, according to Smerud. Kids might work through a fear in a dangerous-seeming safe space. The ones who opt out are standing strong in the face of peer pressure and instead doing what feels right in their own bodies.
“It’s easy to celebrate all the people who go through,” Smerud said. “How much strength does it take to say no?”
My daughter, too, would make her own story. She’s a real will-she-or-won’t-she in scenarios like this. She loves climbing trees, but won’t learn to ride a bike. She’s selective at amusement parks. Peer pressure holds no sway and she shrugs at regrets.
On this day, though, she was heady with a morning victory on the climbing wall.
She was the last student on the ropes course. Most of the kids had gone back to the dorms for snack time. She started the course easily, but stalled at the midpoint. She cried as she crossed a wire sideways — unwilling to look forward, backward or down. Safely on the platform, she panicked. The thought of the zipline brought short breaths and messy tears.
I told her to take deep breaths, my go-to parenting advice after “drink more water.” I told her the equipment was safe, made of airplane-grade material and able to tow semitrucks. But short of wrapping her in a bear hug and catapulting us from the perch, there was nothing I could do. She had to want to do it — or at least have that outcome outweigh starting a new life 30 feet above the ground.
Through the trees we heard another team counting backward, encouraging a kid on the other ropes course. A countdown! The idea took hold. My daughter’s physical response was sudden.
She straightened. She emitted a powerful growl of a voice. “3, 2, 1,” she roared, then leaned backward into her harness, dropped from the tower and zipped away into the cold, dark night.
Who was that? I wondered, breathless.
Then I burst into tears.
I inhaled deeply and followed her lead — toward my own rite of passage.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (FOX 9) – Shots were fired outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington D.C. Saturday night. President Donald Trump and top members of his cabinet were in attendance and unharmed.
Federal officials say they are investigating the accused gunman’s grievances against the Trump administration he sent to family shortly before the incident.
Minnesota elected officials on both sides of the aisle condemned that acts of political violence, and thanked law enforcement for their swift efforts to keep attendees safe.
Close call
What we know:
Video showed the chaotic moments when guests inside the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner took cover under tables, and Secret Service agents rushed President Donald Trump and his cabinet to safety.
Authorities released security footage, showing what led up to the panic in the ballroom at the Washington Hilton Saturday night. Law enforcement officials say an armed man rushed the checkpoint and exchanged gunfire before Secret Service agents took him into custody. The shooting suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Cole Allen.
Officials say he had traveled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago, then onto Washington, D.C., and had checked into that hotel days earlier.
What we don’t know:
Investigators are looking for possible motives. Federal officials say they are investigating the accused gunman’s grievances against the Trump administration.
Authorities say they have reason to believe this was a politically-motivated attack, citing writings the accused gunman sent to family members shortly before shots were fired.
Minnesota leaders react
What they’re saying:
Minnesota officials are denouncing any form of political violence.
Gov. Tim Walz taking to social media writing, “political violence has become all too prevalent in America. I’m grateful for the swift response from law enforcement.”
Minnesota Representative and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer attended the event and was seen being helped out of the ballroom. Emmer clarifying on FOX News, he had a previous foot problem and is in a cast, so he needed assistance exiting the event.
Emmer also took to social media and thanked law enforcement for their bravery and added “political violence will never be tolerated.”
FOX 9 political analyst Blois Olson says the incident has revived conversations about political violence in Minnesota.
“It reminds us of the heightened sense of the country, of our state. We’ve experienced political violence here in Minnesota,” said Olson. “I think it’s a reminder as we approach June 14 in Minnesota that it was less than a year ago that violence against elected officials in Minnesota happened. We have to turn down the temperature, find a more civil way forward.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s office also confirming he attended the dinner and is okay, and is grateful for law enforcement’s quick response.
What’s next:
Prosecutors say the suspect is preliminarily facing two charges related to using a firearm and assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon, but more charges could be filed later.
NBA Playoffs biggest surprises
For the Win’s Prince Grimes and USA TODAY Sports’ Lorenzo Reyes break down the biggest surprises from the first week of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have dodged a serious blow to star guard Anthony Edwards, but his status for the rest of the NBA playoffs remains in question.
Medical imaging tests revealed that Edwards, the NBA’s third-leading scorer this season, suffered a bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee on Saturday, April 25, in Game 4 of Minnesota’s first-round playoff series against the Nuggets.
The results were first reported by ESPN.
Although sources tell the network Edwards is expected to be sidelined multiple weeks, he did avoid a more serious ligament injury that would’ve ended his postseason.
The news comes as the No. 6-seeded Timberwolves have taken a commanding 3-1 series lead in the first round over the No. 3 Denver Nuggets. The Timberwolves are also dealing with depth concerns in the backcourt, after guard Donte DiVincenzo suffered a torn right Achilles tendon one quarter before Edwards sustained his injury.
The Timberwolves have ramped up their defense and are playing their best basketball of the season. After making consecutive trips to the Western Conference Finals, Minnesota is looking to break through this season with its first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history. Although the Western Conference is stacked with talented teams, the Timberwolves have been very impressive to open the 2026 playoffs. To pose a legitimate threat, however, they will need Edwards to be healthy, especially now that DiVincenzo will be out indefinitely.
Anthony Edwards’ injury in Game 4
The injury ocurred with 2:45 left in the first half, when Edwards jumped vertically to defend a Cameron Johnson layup during a fastbreak drive. When Edwards landed, his left knee appeared to hyperextend as his weight came down, and he immediately grabbed at the area, writhing in apparent discomfort. Edwards slapped the court a few times in obvious frustration.
Athletic trainers rushed over as Edwards popped up to his feet. The trainers helped Edwards hobble off the floor, as he did not put any weight on the injured leg.
The trainers helped him toward the tunnel, though they didn’t immediately usher Edwards to the locker room, momentarily examining him in the tunnel.
After Minnesota’s 112-96 victory in Game 4, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch didn’t have any updates on the severity of Edwards’ injury, noting that he was being evaluated.
“I saw Ant (at halftime) and kind of dapped him up,” Timberwolves forward Julius Randle said after Saturday’s game. “There’s not much to say in those moments. I’ll give him a call tonight, or a text and just check up on him.”
In 61 games this season, Edwards averaged a career-high 28.8 points (which ranked third in the NBA behind only Luka Dončić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. His field goal percentage (48.9%) and 3-point percentage (39.9%) were also career bests.
In February, he was selected to his fourth consecutive All-Star team.
Contributing: Steve Gardner
Minnesota Timberwolves lose key contributor for rest of playoffs due to major injury originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The good news for the Minnesota Timberwolves is that they were able to pull out a 112-96 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night to take a 3-1 lead in the first-round series between the teams.
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The bad news for the Wolves is that they lost a key contributor in the process.
Donte DiVincenzo out for rest of playoffs after suffering torn Achilles
Starting guard Donte DiVincenzo suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Game 4, and he’ll miss the rest of the postseason as a result. He’ll also miss a huge chunk, if not all, of the 2026-27 NBA season as a result of the injury.
It’s an extremely unfortunate break for a guy who was extremely durable for Minnesota during the regular season. DiVincenzo was so durable, in fact, that he started in all 82 games for the Wolves over the course of the campaign.
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In addition to DiVincenzo, the Timberwolves also lost star guard Anthony Edwards during their Game 4 victory. Edwards exited the game with an apparent knee injury and never returned. He’s set to undergo testing on the knee, and his status moving forward is in question at this point. An update on Edwards should be provided in short order.
With DiVincenzo, and possibly Edwards, sidelined for the foreseeable future, guys like Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Hyland will likely see their roles increase exponentially.
The Wolves need just one more win to eliminate Denver and advance to the Western Conference semifinals where they would meet the winner of the series between the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers.
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