Star Tribune
2023 Minnesota State Fair attendance soars after slow start
After a slow start, attendance at the Minnesota State Fair has quickly ramped up and already set a record for the first Friday gate.
The number of people who went to the fair on opening day, always a Thursday, was a mere 106,327 — falling about 15,000 short of last year’s opening day numbers, and about 24,000 fewer than 2019’s record-setting opening day crowd.
But Friday’s fairgoers set a record for attendance on the first Friday of the State Fair, at 164,741. That number topped last year’s numbers by more than 11,000.
Saturday and Sunday attendance was also higher than 2022’s numbers but weren’t record-setting. Still, Saturday’s number flocking to the fair — 212,850 — was about 55,000 higher than the 2022 gate that day. And Sunday’s 173,724 was higher than last year but far less than the record of 209,969 for that day, set in 1994.
Of course, weather plays a big role in attendance, and this week’s weather is looking mostly sunny and, at least for Tuesday and Wednesday, with highs of 80 degrees. Almost perfect. Thursday could hit 84. Still not bad.
But a heat wave is coming.
The National Weather Service issued this dire warning: “Increasing confidence in another heat wave with the risk of excessive heat setting in for Labor Day weekend.”
Friday could hit 89 degrees. Temps in the 90s will follow. Hit those misters if you go, folks.
Monday’s turnout will be posted on the State Fair’s attendance page Tuesday sometime after noon.
Star Tribune
Judge gives driver year in jail for being drunk, fatally hitting man in Minnesota street
A driver was given a year in jail Wednesday for being drunk when he fatally hit a man in the street near St. Cloud.
Tyler J. Nies, 26, of Sartell, Minn., was sentenced in Benton County District Court after pleading guilty to criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the crash shortly before 11 p.m. on July 28 in Sauk Rapids near the intersection of N. Benton Drive and N. 8th Street that killed Kevin D. Oehmen, 47, of Sauk Rapids.
Judge Robert Raupp opted for the year in jail while setting aside a 5¾-year term. Raupp also ordered Nies to serve 10 years’ probation, perform 80 hours of community work service, complete a chemical assessment attend a victim impact panel, abstain from mood-altering chemicals and stay away from bars.
According to the criminal complaint:
An officer at the scene noticed that Nies smelled of alcohol. Nies initially said he had one beer before driving his pickup. A preliminary breath test by the officer measured Nies’ blood alcohol content at 0.129%, more than 1 1⁄2 times the legal limit in Minnesota.
Upon further questioning, Nies said that before driving he drank three beers, which were about 16 ounces each.
Nies told police he was heading north on Benton Drive in the right-hand lane and suddenly saw a man walking in the grassy area next to the curb “like he was going to cross the road,” the complaint read. Police Chief Perry Beise added that Oehmen was on a street with no marked crosswalk.
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A small fire of three to five acres has been detected in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, but it was holding in place as of Wednesday morning.
The fire was discovered Tuesday and is located on an island in Wood Lake, north of County Road 18, according to a news release from the Superior National Forest. The area is to the northeast of Ely.
The release said the fire was smoldering and holding in place due to good overnight relative humidity levels and light to no wind. However, Superior National Forest is experiencing drought conditions and above average temperatures, and increased winds are expected later this week.
The Forest Service is using aircraft to cool the fire and initiate suppression actions. Firefighters are also engaging with the fire, but ground conditions are difficult, the release said.
“This is an ever-changing event, and we ask the traveling public to stay away from the area and seek alternate routes,” the release said.
The fire is burning among timber and heavy, dead balsam fire, the release said. The origin has not yet been investigated, but it is believed to be human caused.
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