Dark history; Hottest July 4th on record; Your fireworks photos

Dark Minnesota history episode part of state exhibit

Worthington Daily Globe: "Museums often tell war stories, but an exhibit the Minnesota History Center just opened is more emotional than others.'This is our war,' History Center Director Dan Spock said while touring the exhibit on the St. Paul museum's third floor."

UMD drops support for Un-Fair Campaign

Duluth News Tribune: "A week after University of Minnesota Duluth's chancellor said the school wouldn't pull out of the controversial Un-Fair Campaign, UMD has done just that."

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Heat records broken

MPR News: "Temperatures hit 101 in Minneapolis on Wednesday, breaking the old record of 100 set on the same day in 1949, according to the National Weather Service. St. Cloud got up to 97, one degree higher than the record set in 1988."

Union policy presents a tough campaign issue for Bills

MPR News: "Last month, U.S. Senate hopeful Kurt Bills was across the river in Hudson, Wisconsin, to support Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who was facing a recall election launched by Democrats angry about his efforts to dismantle public employee union rights."

Storms sweep across Northland

Duluth News Tribune: "Lake Country Power crews were hard at work in the Northland on Wednesday, chipping away at a mountain of outages left by severe weather earlier this week, when Mother Nature dealt the utility and the region another round of damaging storms."

This summer is 'what global warming looks like'

AP: "Is it just freakish weather or something more? Climate scientists suggest that if you want a glimpse of some of the worst of global warming, take a look at U.S. weather in recent weeks."

Amish residents question mining activity in SE Minn.

MPR News: "The rolling countryside near St. Charles is a place of horse-drawn buggies and one-room schoolhouses, woodworking shops and limited electricity."

Twin Ports Bridge Festival adds a day for flood relief

Duluth News Tribune: "On Saturday, the Twin Ports Bridge Festival starts at 10:15 a.m. with group Zumba and continues with music by The Fractals, Charlie Parr, Caroline Smith."

Farmers' safety net is now a money bag

Star Tribune: "Many crop insurance policies guarantee a profit, which, some say, feeds competition - and boosts prices -- for cropland. Who pays? Taxpayers."

Nobles County trail project to move forward

Worthington Daily Globe: "With plans to begin constructing a trail project yet this year along Crailsheim Drive on Worthington's east side, Nobles County commissioners opted to pay a little more for a land easement to avoid the likely delays of going through eminent domain."

In N.H.L. free agency, Wild sign Parise and Suter

New York Times: "For Zach Parise, the attraction of returning home proved too strong to pass up. On Wednesday, he reluctantly left the Devils, with whom he had spent his entire N.H.L. career, and signed a 13-year, $98 million contract with the Minnesota Wild."

Minnesota Twins get another dose of classic Justin Verlander in 5-1 loss to Tigers

Pioneer Press: "Justin Verlander handcuffed the Twins on four hits and a walk in a 5-1 Tigers victory Wednesday in a game that was delayed 2 hours, 26 minutes by strong electrical storms at Comerica Park. It was his 19th career complete game, and his fifth this season, a new career high."