Xcel Energy's fiery conundrum 🔥

Plus: A small-town summer festival guide [Plus: A small-town summer festival guide] View this email as a [web page]( [Star Tribune]( [Essential Minnesota logo] ESSENTIAL MINNESOTA [Essential Minnesota logo] ESSENTIAL MINNESOTA Good morning, Minnesota! Apologies to those who received yesterday's edition well past the usual time. We had a little technical issue 🤖 On to the news 📢 [Eder Campuzano] By Eder Campuzano TODAY’S OTHER TOP STORIES - [Minneapolis will host WWE's Summer Slam in 2026]( - [Timberwolves' playoff run brings welcome — and free — economic boost for downtown Minneapolis]( - [Mavericks rally past Timberwolves 108-105 in Game 1 as old problem returns to bite Minnesota]( - [Man hit by minivan in Minneapolis mosque lot; police make arrest, investigate as possible hate crime]( - [After months of bureaucratic delays, Minnesota family getting documentation to bring premature baby home from Brazil]( Xcel's wildfire conundrum: Mitigation and damage costs keep rising Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune Utility companies have caused some of the most damaging fires in recent history, even though they constitute a small sliver of the blazes that have struck the U.S. In February, an Xcel Energy pole that fell amid high winds ignited one of several wildfires that tore through Texas. All told, those fires torched more than 1 million acres and killed two people and more than 15,000 cattle. The company faces lawsuits from the Smokehouse Creek fire that may surpass its $500 million insurance premium for 2024. Xcel has denied any negligence in that and other fires involving its infrastructure. The company has also spent more than $500 million on wildfire prevention programs in Colorado alone since 2020. As wildfires become more disastrous, utility companies must tackle the dual issues of mitigation coupled with the need for expansion as urban centers sprawl. Energy reporter Walker Orenstein has the story [here](.     GOING OUT - [Liquid Music series finds new home in Northrop]( - [How high did Prince's 'Purple Rain' go on Apple Music's new list of 100 best albums?]( - [Six ways to spend Memorial Day in the Twin Cities]( Wesley Lowery at the Westminster Forum Arc Toward Justice 2024 Thursday, May 23, 2024, 5:30 p.m. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1200 S. Marquette Ave., Minneapolis | [Livestream here]( It's summer festival szn, y'all Small-town festivals: The unsung heroes of many a summer memory. I've always been fascinated by the traditions of rural and exurban cities, from lederhosen-laden German celebrations in Jasper, Ind., to the thorough exploration of everything agate in Moose Lake, Minn. Our fantastic variety team has put together the ultimate guide to the North Star State's summer festivals. Get the details [here](. You can almost smell the fresh-baked pies. Rachel Hutton/Star Tribune more from the star tribune - [Neal: The National Women's Soccer League's next franchise should be Minnesota Aurora]( - [Classroom cellphone rules and a ban on book bans: What school bills passed in Minnesota this year]( - [Legislature's mega omnibus bill includes new State Patrol HQ, traffic camera program]( The Superior hiking trail, by the numbers Brian Peterson/Star Tribune The Superior Hiking Trail Association began using infrared sensors to detect how many people use the paths that guide visitors throughout the North Shore wilderness last year. Trail managers crunched the numbers with the help of a team from the University of Minnesota. Here's what they found, courtesy of outdoors reporter Bob Timmons: - The trail saw more than 407,000 visits in 2023. - Day hikers made up almost 76% of users. - About 85% of trail users took out-and-back trips - More than 300,000 visits were made by 75% of trail users who visited multiple times per season. - The Duluth section is the most-used part of the path. in other news - [Time to reset, reflect: Group plans vigil on fourth anniversary of George Floyd’s death]( - Sahan Journal - [This winter marked the lowest ice cover on the Great Lakes in 50 years, experts report]( - Minnesota Reformer - [Hatchlings spotted on DNR FalconCam, new EagleCam in the works]( - MPR     the minnesota goodbye Have you ever wondered what kind of wood they used to build the ninth-floor lobby of the Ramsey County Courthouse? Me neither! That is, until I saw reporter Greta Kaul's tweet about just that. The first time I visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in California, I bought a wand modeled after Sirius Black's. Now I wish I'd gotten one custom-made with primavera wood and a loon feather core. Thanks for reading Eder Campuzano, reporter David Taintor, editor [Email]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Manage email preferences]( • [Subscribe to Star Tribune]( • [Privacy Policy]([Unsubscribe from this newsletter]( [Unsubscribe from this newsletter]( [Manage]( your preferences | [Opt Out]( using TrueRemove™ Got this as a forward? [Sign up]( to receive our future emails. View this email [online](. 650 3rd Ave. S. Suite 1300 | Minneapolis, MN 55488 US This email was sent to {EMAIL}. To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.