Minnesota
Travel: Minnesota offers glimpse of Bob Dylan’s origin, plus wild and wonderful North Shore
Timothee Chalamet wants Austin Butler’s Elvis to make cameo Bob Dylan biopic
Timothee Chalamet is hopeful that Austin Butler can reprise the role of Elvis for a cameo in the upcoming Bob Dylan biopic ‘A Complete Unknown’.
Bang Showbiz
DULUTH, Minn. — About a thousand people gather at Duluth Ship Canal in the early evening to watch a cargo ship pass beneath the iconic Aerial Lift Bridge.
The ship’s crew waves as it passes. The crowd waves back. Once the bridge lowers, people applaud and then wander off. “It’s a Duluth thing to do,” a woman tells us. “People like to mingle and enjoy the pleasant waterfront.”
Ships, trains, hawks and native son Bob Dylan are among the many causes for celebration in this city on Lake Superior.
“There’s a lot of mythology about Bob Dylan and his time in Minnesota,” says music historian Ed Newman as he drives along Bob Dylan Way, a part of Superior Street.
Newman likes to promote Duluth’s connection to Dylan, who was born here in 1941 and lived his first six years in a top-floor duplex at 519 North Third Avenue. The clapboard house sits on a hill above downtown.
In “Something There Is About You,” Dylan sang, “Though I’d shaken the wonder and the phantoms of my youth/Rainy days on the Great Lakes, walkin’ the hills of old Duluth…”
Newman believes the bond between Dylan and Duluth is strong. U.S. Highway 61, a main thoroughfare through Duluth, inspired Dylan’s 1965 album “Highway 61 Revisited.” Newman stops at the Duluth Armory where Dylan attended a Buddy Holly concert in 1959, a pivotal performance in the singer’s life.
Dylan’s music reflects the grittiness and toil of Minnesota’s mining region. In Hibbing, his second childhood home, he lived among miners and others of the working class. “His songs are a lot about the haves and the have nots from here,” Newman says.
Alluding to Dylan’s studio album, “Together Through Life,” Newman says that for many people Dylan’s lyrics are “part of their soundtrack in life. No matter what happens, there’s a Dylan line that sums it up.”
A week-long Duluth Dylan Fest around his May 24 birthday attracts fans from all over the world. A local radio station hosts an hour-long Dylan program every Saturday night. Numerous concerts and other events have happened here through the years, several that included the Nobel prize-winning singer and songwriter.
Duluth’s top attractions
Love for the Lake Superior waterfront is seen throughout the city. Locals and visitors go to the Canal Park District for dining, entertainment and shopping. They snap photos of the North Pier and South Pier Lighthouses.
A few steps from the Aerial Lift Bridge, the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center showcases the legacy of shipping and fishing on the lake. Re-created steamship passenger cabins provide visitors a glimpse into cruise travel of the early 1900s. Famous shipwrecks like the loss of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald are explained in other displays.
From Canal Park, people stroll and bike on the Duluth Lakewalk to Leif Erikson Park. The rose garden is a bouquet of color throughout the summer. Other parks, beaches and entertainment areas punctuate the route. For a hilltop view of the city, they follow the Skyline Parkway to Enger Park. The 80-foot-tall Enger Tower grants magnificent panoramas of Duluth Harbor, the St. Louis River and Lake Superior. It is near the Lincoln Park Craft District, a former industrial site, now home to Bent Paddle Brewing Co., art galleries and restaurants.
The Lake Superior Railroad Museum, once voted America’s best transportation museum in a USA Today poll, has some rare engines housed in the restored Duluth Union Depot. The North Shore Scenic Railroad leaves daily from the depot for tours along the shoreline.
History is on display at Glensheen Mansion. The 39-room residence was built for mining executive and lawyer Chester Congdon in 1909. Situated on a 12-acre property along Lake Superior, the estate draws more than 100,000 visitors annually.
At Great Lakes Aquarium, a two-story, 85,000-gallon tank contains creatures at home in Lake Superior. Birding enthusiasts gather at Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, a viewing area just off the Skyline Parkway. In the fall, an average of 75,000 raptors are spotted during the annual count.
Driving along Lake Superior’s North Shore
Duluth is the gateway to sightseeing along the North Shore Scenic Drive (U.S. Highway 61). The dense forests of the Sawtooth Mountains offer hiking trails, campgrounds and attractions such as Lutsen Mountains, a premier ski resort. North Shore Winery hosts tours and tastings. Cove Point Lodge in Beaver Bay, Bluefin Bay in Tofte and Naniboujou Lodge in Grand Marais are popular vacation destinations.
We hike into the gorge at Gooseberry Falls State Park in Two Harbors. The Gooseberry River weaves through aspen, cedar, spruce and pine forests as it plunges into Lake Superior in a series of falls and cascades.
Nearby, at Split Rock Lighthouse, we experience gorgeous views of Lake Superior. Construction on the brick beacon on this rocky promontory was completed in 1910. The historic site includes three restored keepers’ cottages, an oil house, fog signal building and the original tower.
Grand time in Grand Marais
Grand Marais exudes the carefree spirit of an artist colony. People lounge in chairs at Harbor Park to watch for the rust-red sails of the 50-foot schooner Hjordis.
The business district offers all the essentials: art galleries, bookstore, playhouse, history museum, cafes, breweries, clothing boutiques and souvenir shops. A sign at World’s Best Donuts touts its five-generation tradition of sweet treats. Sivertson Gallery sells paintings, prints, photography and sculpture by regional artists. A favorite gathering spot is Artist’s Point, where people scramble across rocks to a man-made breakwater ending at the Grand Marais Lighthouse.
This city of 1,315 people was established by French Canadians. They came after Ojibwe Indians who had hunted and trapped in the Great Marsh for thousands of years. To immerse ourselves in this ancient heritage, we stay at Skyport Lodge on Devil Track Lake, the site of an ancestral Indian encampment.
Into the wilderness
Grand Marais is the southern terminus of the Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway, a 57-mile motor route stretching north to Saganaga Lake. It crosses through Superior National Forest and Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
It is no surprise to notice that almost every other car carries a canoe on its roof. The crystal-clear lakes connect by portages, rivers and streams.
For outdoor lovers, this is heaven. Fishing is excellent, particularly for walleye, northern pike, bass, crappies, perch and trout. At Loon Lake, a fisherman tells us, “I’ve traveled all over the U.S. and Canada, and there’s no place I’d rather be than right here.”
Side roads off the Gunflint Trail lead to dozens of fish camps, resorts, campgrounds, canoe outfitters and trailheads. Many of the resorts, such as Gunflint Lodge, established in 1925, are family-owned and -operated.
Housed in a stone lodge at Saganaga Lake, the Chik-Wauk Museum provides the cultural history of this region. A restored log cabin displays common furnishings, including woven blankets, water basins and bed frames handcrafted from diamond willow trees. A re-created trapper shack holds steel traps and tools used to skin pelts.
Minnesota’s tallest waterfall
We return to the North Shore Scenic Drive along Lake Superior and reach Grand Portage. Grand Portage Bay was a fur trading depot for Ojibwe trappers and traders and French and British merchants in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Native Americans called it the “Great Carrying Place,” a name reflective of the labor required to carry goods from inland waterways to Lake Superior.
French Canadians, known as voyageurs, hauled furs in canoes from Canada’s immense forests. As they neared Lake Superior, rapids hindered the voyageurs’ journey. The men hauled canoes and cargo over portages, or trails, to bypass unnavigable waterways. A 12-man master canoe held three tons of cargo.
In exchange for the furs, they received manufactured goods, such as cloth, woolen blankets, copper and tools. Then, they reversed the route.
This history is described at Grand Portage National Monument Heritage Center. Across the street from the museum, a reconstructed village and trading post inside a palisade illustrate the life of fur traders in the late 1790s.
Visitors can retrace the footsteps of voyageurs at Grand Portage State Park. A hiking trail follows the historic path to a series of violent rapids on the Pigeon River, the boundary for the United States and Canada. The 120-foot High Falls is the state’s tallest waterfall. At the visitor center, interpretive displays provide an overview of the culture and traditions of the Grand Portage Ojibwe people.
The state park is located on the tribal land of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, commonly known as the Grand Portage Ojibwe or Anishinaabe (the original people). The tribe owns and operates the Grand Portage Lodge and Casino, as well as the Grand Portage Marina and Hat Point Marina. Ferries depart from Hat Point Marina to reach Isle Royale National Park, located 20 miles from the mainland.
Linda Lange and Steve Ahillen are travel writers living in Knoxville, Tenn.
The capsule will be buried in Philadelphia on July 4. Here’s a look at what each state contributed to “America’s Time Capsule.”
‘America’s Time Capsule’ has been officially sealed. What’s inside?
All 50 states contributed items to “America’s Time Capsule,” which will be buried in Philadelphia on July 4 and will be opened 250 years later.
Some states sealed 10 items in “America’s Time Capsule,” sharing a broad look at their state with Americans in 2276, when the capsule is meant to be opened.
Some contributed only one, such as Montana’s beaded artwork by an Indigenous artist.
Minnesota sent two items: the executive order from Gov. Tim Walz creating the Minnesota250 Commission and the state flag.
The time capsule has been officially sealed in commemoration of the United States’ 250th birthday.
The 900-pound steel cylinder contains over 200 artifacts, records and objects to tell America’s story when it is opened 250 years later.
The capsule will be buried in Philadelphia on July 4 as part of the hundreds of events for America’s 250th anniversary that will take place nationwide.
America250, the official nonpartisan commission designated by Congress to organize the July 4 celebrations, spearheaded the work to design the capsule and collect relics. All 50 states in conjunction with numerous national organizations contributed items (ranging from a vial of sand to an Olympic gold medal) reflecting the people, places and moments that shaped their history.
California contributed a NASA photo, an AI prediction and a fusion superconducter segment. Arizona contributed a copper ingot and a laser-etched challenge coin. Maine contributed a whale bone and a woven bookmark. And Utah contributed tickets to their amusement parks and George Washington’s prayer medal.
“Now that America’s Time Capsule has been sealed, it carries with it a remarkable record of this moment in our nation’s history,” said Chair of America250 Rosie Rios. “This moment is as much about the future as it is the past. When it is opened in 2276, future generations will see the care, pride, and optimism with which Americans marked our 250th anniversary.”
Below is a list of an item contributed from each state and territory of the United States. Most states submitted multiple items, and the full list can be viewed on America250’s official website.
- Alabama: A series of poems written by author and professor James Matthew Wilson titled “America.”
- Alaska: A map of New Archangel, Alaska, when Russia sold Alaska to the United States in 1867.
- American Samoa: A set of two uncirculated quarters from 2009 and 2020 with images of American Samoa.
- Arizona: A laser nano-etching of the text and signatures of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution on a coin.
- Arkansas: A diamond found at the Crater of Diamonds State Park, the only place in the United States where people can search for diamonds and keep what they find.
- California: A Claude AI prediction of what California will be like in 250 years on archival paper. This will serve as a “tangible representation” of AI in 2026.
- Colorado: A set of postcards selected to represent “what life was like in Colorado in 2026.”
- Connecticut: The Official Proclamation document for the state.
- The District of Columbia: A challenge coin with “Washington, D.C. 250” on one side and a building with flags and the Mayor’s name etched on the other.
- Delaware: A set of 12 notecards with writings and drawings from the state’s citizens to answer what Delaware is to them.
- Florida: The Florida Senate Booklet from 2024 to 2026, which describes the operations of the Senate.
- Georgia: A distinct medallion of The Masters Logo, which has a yellow silhouette of the United States with a red flagstick to mark where Augusta, Georgia is located.
- Guam: A Gualofan ornament pendant, which is a traditional ornament that has become a “modern expression of Chamorro identity.” The pendant represents the full moon.
- Hawaii: A letter from Governor Josh Green.
- Idaho: A star garnet, which is the state’s official gemstone found only in Idaho and one other place in the world. The garnet is meant to highlight the state’s geological heritage.
- llinois: A poem authored by Illinois Poet Laureate Mark Turcotte titled “Dear New Blood.”
- Indiana: The Indiana 250 Annual Report, which shares the mission and objectives of the commission working to celebrate July 4th.
- Iowa: Astronaut Peggy Whitson’s International Space Station medallion, which commemorates Whitson’s leadership as the first woman to command the International Space Station.
- Kansas: A document identifying Kansas250 commissioners and news items from the last year.
- Kentucky: A commemorative coin from the Sons of the Revolution, intended to serve as a reminder of how the American Revolution influenced Kentucky.
- Louisiana: A necklace with a Krewe of Bacchus pendant, a collectible from Mardi Gras, and glass beads.
- Maine: A whale bone from the North Atlantic right whale, which is one of the world’s most critically endangered large whale species.
- Maryland: A challenge coin with Governor Wes Moore’s name and a map of the state on it.
- Massachusetts: A set of archival prints, including a print of the Boston Massacre and a letter from John Adams and Benjamin Franklin to the Massachusetts Council.
- Michigan: The state stone, or the Petoskey stone, which is native to the shores of Lake Michigan and formed nearly 350 million years ago.
- Minnesota: The state’s flag.
- Mississippi: Four brass coins commemorating the U.S.’s largest rocket engine test site and the Birthplace of America’s Music, amongst other notable events.
- Missouri: A letter from Governor Mike Kehoe to Americans 250 years later.
- Montana: A beaded artwork created by a Arikara artist representing the state’s landscapes and heritage.
- Nebraska: An archival photo of the Vice Grip pliers, which symbolize the state’s commerce and history.
- Nevada: A set of gambling chips to reflect the history of casinos across the state, which legalized gambling during the Great Depression.
- New Hampshire: A print of a sticker depicting the center emblem of a flag carried by the Second New Hampshire Regiment of the Continental Army.
- New Jersey: A stainless steel plate with greetings to people in 2276, with “the hope that the values that guide us in 2026 — liberty, opportunity, cooperation, love and respect for one another — continue to shape society.”
- New Mexico: A hand-crafted red chile tile created by Mexican-American artist Jennel Juarez. The tile is one of New Mexico’s longstanding cultural symbols.
- New York: A written reflection from New York State.
- North Carolina: A copper disk engraved with an image of the North Carolina State Capitol Building.
- North Dakota: A commemorative coin representing the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota.
- The Northern Mariana Islands: A crescent-hewn symbol representing the Chamorro ancestors’ leadership and noble standing.
- Ohio: Fabric from the Wright Brothers’ flight honoring the state’s connection to the birth of aviation.
- Oklahoma: A belt buckle that features images that represent the “grit, determination and spirit” of the state.
- Oregon: A handcrafted pin created by Native American artist Lillian Pitt.
- Pennsylvania: A “Greetings from Harrisburg” letter from Governor Josh Shapiro.
- Puerto Rico: A rosary to represent the importance of faith in the island.
- Rhode Island: A holiday ornament meant to honor the state’s Revolutionary War legacy.
- South Carolina: A coin commemorating the work done by the state’s 250 Commission.
- South Dakota: A poetry book celebrating the state’s rivers, wildlife and homestead culture through a special edition of “This Far Country” authored by Joseph Bottum.
- Tennessee: An original poster designed by one of the state’s artists to highlight Tennessee’s agricultural history and cultural symbols, including its role in the Civil Rights movement and women’s suffrage.
- Texas: The state seal on a chiseled glass paperweight. The seal was designed in 1836 during the Texas Revolution.
- The U.S. Virgin Islands: A letter from Governor Albert Bryan, Jr.
- Utah: A set of 101 paper cards with different people that shaped Utah history.
- Vermont: A Battle of Hubbardton ornament. The battle was the only Revolutionary War battle fought entirely on what is now considered Vermont.
- Virginia: A challenge coin representing the state’s commemoration of America’s semiquincentennial.
- Washington: A letter from Washington State Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck to the future.
- West Virginia: A student essay authored by Alyssa Dalton titled “Remembering our Foundation” celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday. The essay was solicited from a statewide essay contest to recognize how “the young people… will continue to guide our state.”
- Wisconsin: An Eagle feather and photo of Old Abe, an American bald eagle who served with the Eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the civil war.
- Wyoming: A letter from Governor Mark Gordon to future Americans.
Many of the capsule’s collections were specifically designed for the commemoration. For example, the Library of Congress contributed a molecular data storage device about 0.2 inches with synthetic DNA encoded with digital copies of the library’s items. It includes Thomas Jefferson’s rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, a 3D rendering of President Abraham Lincoln’s hand and an 1898 audio recording of the national anthem.
Companies such as Coca-Cola and Apple along with museums like the Smithsonian Institute also contributed items.
Minnesota
Minnesota cannabis store owners lament testing backlog: “It’s getting frustrating for everyone involved”
One of five cannabis testing sites in Minnesota is shutting down, citing exorbitant costs as the reason.
William Drexler is moving product he has around as he waits patiently for more. He says customers who come into Grey Area, on Grand Avenue in St. Paul, are looking for adult-use items, which he says are being held up by a backlog in testing.
“We haven’t had problems with drinks or edibles yet, but for the adult-use products that where we’ve seen the delays, like your pre-rolls, your flowers, we haven’t even gotten pens in yet,” Drexler said.
He says getting cannabis products in his store has been an issue since he got his license to sell them a few months ago.
“I’ve heard pretty much from every vendor that it’s testing that we are waiting on. That’s been the normal thing to hear, and week by week they may say, ‘it’s next week,’ and that can delay into the following week. So at this point I don’t think many of them are giving a date,” he said.
He anticipates getting those products will take even longer now that one of the testing sites is no longer testing.
In a statement, Legends Technical Services said, “under the current regulatory framework, we do not foresee an ability to continue to meet our client expectations in an economically viable manner. “
“We’ve already seen testing delays from the get go, so vendors aren’t really giving us time frames because they are probably hearing different time frames themselves,” Drexler said. “It’s getting frustrating for everyone involved.”
For now, Drexler contacts growers to see how long before his shelves are in full bloom.
“These companies here, it’s the same story kind of from them when we contact them. ‘Hey, we need more product. We’re hoping for new [product] soon, but it’s coming out of testing soon,’” he said.
WCCO has reached out to Minnesota’s Office of Cannabis Management for comment on the backlog.
Minnesota
Jack Leiter’s struggles at home give Minnesota Twins a pitching edge in American League clash
Every year, I feel like I end up locking on certain pitchers and teams and bet them more than others. It almost never is intentional; usually, I find a team or player I like, we win with them consistently, and I ride the horse until it is time to get off. That’s a bit of how I feel with both the Twins and Rangers who battle in this one.
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I have said that the Chicago White Sox are the biggest surprise in all of baseball, but the Minnesota Twins might be willing to make a strong argument about it. This was a year that the Twins were supposed to be garbage and be more likely to trade people away (like they did last year) than they would be looking to make a move for the club. I can’t say it is entirely due to Byron Buxton, one of the names floated in trade rumors last year and in the offseason, but he is having a great campaign and has the Twins just five games below .500.
Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins delivers a pitch against the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minn., on June 21, 2022. (David Berding/Getty Images)
One of the other guys that you can attribute the success of this year to is today’s starter, Joe Ryan. If the Twins do decide to take Ryan to the market, he will have many suitors and should bring back a big haul. Ryan has posted a 4-3 record with a 3.17 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. He has been slightly worse on the road than at home, but it hasn’t been a significant issue. He was great in May, posting a 1.73 ERA, but June has seen him make three starts and allow eight earned runs, including four homers. Rangers hitters have struggled significantly against him, hitting just .143 against him.
The Texas Rangers are still in the mix for the American League West division. Before you say, “Well, yeah, it’s only the middle of June.” I bring this up because they are just two games back of the Mariners, and the Rangers really haven’t played all that well this season. I think there is a lot of potential for this team to add a bat, and he could make a major difference. If they added Buxton, for example, the Rangers might be the favorite to win the division given how everyone else is playing.
Texas Rangers pitcher Jack Leiter delivers a pitch to the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on May 31, 2026. (Jim Cowsert/Imagn Images)
I’m not trying to discuss hypothetical trades, though. The pitching staff might be enough to carry them to a Wild Card or division title anyway. Today’s starter, Jack Leiter, isn’t the best on the roster, but he’s been good. Leiter is 3-6 with a 4.86 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. At home, he has been okay, going 2-2 with a 4.14 ERA. He has allowed four or more earned runs in seven of his 14 outings. Twins hitters are batting .417 against Leiter in just 12 at-bats, with Buxton going 2-for-2 with a double, a homer and three RBIs.
I think it probably makes sense to play Buxton to get 2+ bases here today. I get that he probably did all of this damage to Leiter in one game, but it is still worth seeing if he can get it done. He is having a good season, and Leiter isn’t a guy who is going to make you nervous very often about throwing zeroes.
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Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins jogs off the field after the fifth inning of the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 15, 2025. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
I also think we probably should play the game overall. I think the Twins are the correct side in this game. There are a lot of times that I’d back the Rangers, as I think they have the better overall team, but in this one, the pitching mismatch is too strong. Give me the Ryan-led Twins, through five, on the moneyline.
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For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024
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