Hey all!

Heading up to Big Sandy in McGregor and looking for recommendations on Jet ski rental, if there is any option up there.

Appreciate any advice :-)

Edit: Dates are July 14th -19th

Hey there 👋. I want to take out my mother in law for grilled octopus this Saturday and Apostle doesn't have it on the menu anymore. Please give suggestions and recommendations 🙏. Thank you!

For a research project:

Does anyone know what policies the government has enacted to fight the issue of lake pollution in MN?

Hello everyone,

I'm in a bit of a crossroads and could really use some perspective. I've been residing in Minneapolis, MN for the past 7 years, but lately, I've been contemplating a significant change. The winters here can be incredibly isolating for me, to the point where I find myself turning to alcohol just to pass the time. Coming from South India, where the weather is warm and welcoming year-round, the harsh winters of Minnesota have taken a toll on me both mentally and emotionally.

I'm a 33-year-old gay man with aspirations of finding a life partner and starting a family. Recently, I landed a job that allows me to work fully remotely, which opens up the possibility of living anywhere. While I do have a few dear friends here in MN whom I cherish, I can't shake off the feeling of homesickness for South India. The people of Minnesota are undeniably kind, but I find it challenging to truly connect and open up with them, and vice versa.

I'm torn between staying in a place that offers stability and familiarity but also brings bouts of loneliness and longing for home, or taking a leap of faith and relocating to a warmer, more culturally resonant environment where I might find it easier to build meaningful connections and potentially find love and start a family.

I would deeply appreciate any advice or insights you all might have, especially if you've been in a similar situation or have experience with relocating for personal or professional reasons. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this and for any guidance you can offer.

Looking for new hiking trails near the twin cities. Preferably places that aren’t super busy like fort snelling. Looking for a good 4+ mile hike. Any recommendations would be great.

Send me social links. Thanks.

NOAA has released this map showing that tonight should prove to be another good show, albeit a bit weaker than the past few nights. This being said, it is not a bad idea to ready to see them.

Current Report (1:15pm): Current prediction models have tonight being favorable, with KP hitting 7 between 10pm and 12am. The Northland will have good viewing for most of the night as KP levels are predicted to sit at or above 5 the entire night. Northland should also have no cloud cover, although I am not sure about other parts of the state. At the moment, though, it is weaker than predicted and fluctuating heavily, but following the trend of getting stronger as the day progresses. I think tonight will be a show that will need travel to the north see them and may be unfeasible for those south of the Cities. We'll see as the day progresses, as last night I was afraid of a bust and well, they sure turned up!

The weather report has the Northland clear of clouds, but I am unsure of the rest of the state. Feel free to comment conditions of your area in case this isn't the case.

Remember, to see them you need to be away from light pollution. Find a field or lake with a NORTH FACING view, and remember to respect the area you camp out at. If you need tips for where to look, feel free to browse Friday's thread or ask in the comments below. I try my best to respond to anyone asking for help!

In referencing the Aurora site (SoftServeNews), you want the Perfect Trio: High KP numbers, your location on the map report being covered and red Bz numbers.

You need the following KP to see the Lights relative to these cities:

• 4.33 - Grand Marais to Pembina
• 5 - Duluth to Grand Forks
• 5.33 - Sandstone to Fergus Falls
• 6 - Twin Cities to Ortonville
• 6.33 - Winona to Pipestone

It is to note, if you have a better view of the northern horizon, then these levels can be lowered. For example, Duluth can be as low as 4KP if you have a great view of the northern horizon and are out of the way of light pollution.

Today, I won't be as active on giving updates, so here are the five sites I use for Aurora prediction, cloud cover and light pollution:

Aurora - SoftServeNews

Aurora - NOAA's Dashboard

More deeper Aurora analysis - SpaceWeatherLive

Cloud Cover - ClearDarkSky

Light Pollution - ClearDarkSky

Feel free to leave any updates from your part of Minnesota and drop any questions you may have! Good luck!

My parents once had a deck attached to the back of their home and it got old. They tore it down and replaced it with a much nicer, but also larger one, with stairs going down to the backyard.

That was 22 years ago.

I have since learned that my parents never got a permit to build this new deck or have it properly zoned or anything.

My sister and I are standing to inherit this property once my mother passes.

My big question is... when we get the home inspected, are they going to find out that it was built without a permit? Would they make it be torn down? And what would that mean for us as potential new owners? What other potential outcomes could occur?

Thanks for all your tips

He did, near Andover I believe (or was it Hanover?).

Hey guys, I would appreciate any recommendations you have on where I can buy the new state flag (just a "regular" sized one for our house). Any particularly good prices or good quality? Any places to avoid? Do any local, brick and mortar stores sell them?

Thanks!

Hello all,

So I’m new to Minnesota from the east coast and signed up for summer hockey out here. It’s been a while since I’ve been on the ice and was hoping to find stick and puck that’s open to the public before the season starts to get my bearings again without just jumping right into pickup games.

If anyone has any advice or info for arenas with stick and pick I would greatly appreciate it. I live in Sartell, work in St.Cloud but am willing to drive up to 30-45 minutes (ish) depending what day of the week it falls on and the time of session

Thanks in advance

Hi! I was hoping to drive north to get the best chance to see the northern lights today. Camping in one of the national parks sounds like the way to go. What recommendations do you have of a nice place?

Rapid onset of smoke is expected behind a cold front. Will linger overnight.

God’s promise to the founders?

Hey yall, title says it all. Looking to fish the river this week and wondering if there are any places to get bait by Hastings/ Prescott. Thanks!

Was advised by our agent to get Encova Home insurance for home and auto. Does anyone have any experience with it, especially if you went through a claims process with them? I haven't heard of the company and neither of my friends have either.