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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Great American Backyard Campout: Trading the Wii for the Wilderness

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Friday, June 25, 2010   

ST. PAUL, Minn. - School's out for summer, and instead of letting the kids turn into couch potatoes, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is encouraging Minnesota families to enjoy some time together under the stars during the annual Great American Backyard Campout happening Saturday.

Karoline Hurd, senior manager of events for the NWF, says the event challenges families to break that electronic addiction - at least during the summer.

"Studies show that kids spend almost eight hours a day viewing some form of electronic media, and that could include cell phones, video games, and ipods. We really want kids to get unplugged and get outdoors."

Hurd says that enjoying the great outdoors is a perfect "staycation" for families on a budget.

"In today's economy, it's an economical way for them to do something for their kids that really brings them back into nature, but shows them they don't have to spend a lot of money on their vacation."

Apartment dwellers and city slickers with yards too small to hoist a tent need not worry. In the land of 10,000 lakes, and almost as many campgrounds, Minnesotans need not stray far to gain that great outdoors experience. Debbie Cash, lead naturalist with the Harriet Alexander Nature Center, is organizing one of the Twin Cities metro events in conjunction with Roseville's Rose Fest.

"Families can pay for a tent site, and come set up and have dinner, go to the campfire, and after the campfire, they can go on a nature hike. Then, if the weather is nice, they sleep out in their tents. If it rains, we can just throw our sleeping bags on the floor inside the nature center."

This is the second year that the nature center has hosted the event, and Cash says many of last year's participants were first-time campers.

"I had some grandparents bringing their grandchildren and they wanted to do something in a contained environment. I know I had a couple where the woman did a lot of camping, but the man didn't, so she wanted to break him in easy. It was a really nice beginner's camping experience for people."

Both public and private campout events are being held throughout the state. For more information, or to download nature activities, recipes, ghost stories, or other resources, visit www.backyardcampout.org.




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