Minnesota
Fall is about to show its true colors
Those who plan to chase Minnesota's fall colors as they sweep from the northern reaches of the state to its southern border may want to get an early start this year.
The summer of 2020 was the fourth warmest on record, said Minnesota climatologist Mark Seeley. And with a statewide average rainfall of about 13.75 inches for June through August, the summer will also rank as the 17th wettest on record.
All that translated into a good growing season, which should bode well for fall colors, Seeley said. But it could start a week earlier in parts of northeastern Minnesota, where it was drier than the rest of the state, he said.
A recent spate of abnormally cold weather also likely will spur change, he said, noting that the region's color season usually begins Sept. 20-26. The rest of the state likely will stay on its normal track, Seeley said.
Mary Lynn Smith
Iron Range
Mayors draw ire for endorsing Trump
Several northern Minnesota mayors are under fire for their widely publicized letter endorsing President Donald Trump, which was released as Vice President Mike Pence visited Duluth on Aug. 28.
A rally was held last Wednesday on the Iron Range, long a DFL stronghold, where a recall petition was announced for Chisholm Mayor John Champa.
A group called Concerned Rangers for Accountability in Politics said it has also asked St. Louis County Attorney Mark Rubin to investigate "whether laws were broken by the mayors who portrayed themselves as acting in their official capacity." Group member Travis Paulson said the endorsement "is an obscene and grossly incorrect view of our communities."
