Minnesota
Inside ‘doomsday prepper’ Josh Duhamel’s off-the-grid family life in Minnesota
Josh Duhamel’s cabin in the woods has become his new home and doomsday safe house all in one.
The “Ransom Canyon” star dished on his new off-the-grid digs in Minnesota, describing the wooded abode as a “big playground” in an interview with Parade published Thursday.
“It really got me back in touch,” he said. “There’s something about it that fulfills the soul in a lot of ways.”
Duhamel told the outlet that the house, which he built himself over the course of 15 years, is his slice of heaven on earth far away from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood — or any major town, for that matter.
“Part of the reason I built my place out in Minnesota, deep in the woods, is it’s removed from everything,” he shared.
“The closest store is 40 miles away. Once we get there, it’s really about everybody taking care of each other — making memories, spending time with family and friends. You really get a chance to get back to the basics. You’re not consumed by all these other distractions.”
“When you’re out there, it’s really about having fun, making sure everybody’s warm, everybody’s got food and water,” he added.
The home has also served as a vehicle to bring the actor’s family closer.
Duhamel, 52, is father to two sons: Axl Jack, 11, whom he shares with ex-wife Fergie, and Shepherd, 15 months, whom he welcomed with his current wife, Audra Mari.
“My son is going to have memories of this place forever. He’s not on his iPad when he’s out there. He’s out there in the boat with me, or he’s playing soccer on the beach, or he’s out there in the woods doing whatever I’m doing,” he told the outlet.
“And then I have a little baby who’s going to experience the same thing. Someday, I hope to pass this on to them [so] they’re able to share it with their kids. It’s really important to me that they have this. It’s not just about having all the amenities and all the luxuries that we become so used to. It’s really about family. It’s about legacy.”
The “Shotgun Wedding” star, who grew up in North Dakota, shared that he’s grown closer to his own dad, who originally found the land the cabin is built on, through the experience.
“I’ve become a lot closer to my own parents because of this place, which has been interesting. My dad absolutely loves coming out there to hang out. And we’ve spent more time together in these last five, 10 years than we ever did growing up. I’m much closer to my dad,” he expressed.
“My mom now loves coming out there. It’s become a real, central hub for all of us.”
The self-described “doomsday prepper” previously shared that he was building his home to be a safe haven for his family “if things do go south” in his February 2024 interview with Inverse.
“I have this crazy fixation on what happens if s–t hits the fan in LA and I have to take my family out there and live off the land,” he shared at the time, adding that he was “growing crops” and learning to hunt and fish.
“I believe that we could live off the land out there. I’m not very good at it yet, but I’m getting there.”
The remote home also comes equipped with Starlink internet connection and has a custom water filtration system.
Minnesota
Wolves assistant Micah Tori hired as Trailer Blazers head coach
The Portland Trail Blazers picked Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori as their next head coach on Tuesday, after making the playoffs for the first time in five years under the direction of interim coach Tiago Splitter.
Nori, who spent the past five seasons with the Timberwolves, has interviewed for multiple head coach vacancies, including the Chicago Bulls earlier this month, the New York Knicks last year, and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2024.
Nori, 52, was the lead assistant under Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch while the club made the playoffs each season, won five series, and reached the Western Conference finals in 2023 and 2024. Nori, who began his NBA career in 1998 as a scout with the Toronto Raptors, has also been an assistant for the Raptors, the Sacramento Kings, the Denver Nuggets, and the Detroit Pistons. His son, Dante, is a minor league baseball player in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.
Splitter, who was hired last week as head coach of the Chicago Bulls, was promoted from assistant to interim coach when then-head coach Chauncey Billups was arrested in October in a federal takedown of a sprawling gambling operation. Billups has pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud and money laundering.
The Blazers went 42-40 with a five-game loss to NBA finalist San Antonio in the first round of the playoffs, the first postseason appearance and first time they finished with a winning record in five years.
The news comes a day after the Wolves reportedly traded three-time All-Star Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team trade that sends Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls.
Minnesota
Report: Timberwolves trade Julius Randle to Brooklyn Nets as part of 3-team deal
The Minnesota Timberwolves are reportedly trading three-time All-Star Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team trade that sends Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls.
Minnesota is sending the 28th pick to the Nets and will be receiving the No. 33 pick that will be made in the second round on Wednesday night, according to a person who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal has not received the required approvals from the league office.
For Minnesota, the trade opens up a slew of financial possibilities. It creates a $33 million trade exception, plus gives the Timberwolves room they can use to re-sign Ayo Dosunmu and target more players in free agency.
Randle, a three-time All-Star, will be moving to his fifth team after stints with New York, the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans and the Timberwolves. He averaged 21.1 points this past season, though shot just 39% from the field and 24% from 3-point range in Minnesota’s 12 playoff contests.
Claxton just finished his seventh NBA season, all with Brooklyn. He averaged 11.7 points this past season.
The 2026 NBA Draft begins Tuesday night.
Minnesota
Keeping the ‘Classic’ Minnesota Flag – Minnesota Senate Republicans
At Senator Westrom’s St. Paul office, visitors are greeted by the classic Minnesota state flag, which the DFL leaders should not have taken away from Minnesotans.
However, local communities have the authority to keep flying it, like many have done, and Senator Westrom encourages communities interested in keeping it to do so.
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