Today is Saturday, Jan. 24, the 24th day of 2026. There are 341 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Jan. 24, 2011, a suicide bomber attacked Moscow’s busiest airport, killing 37 people; Chechen separatists claimed responsibility.

Also on this date:

In 1835, a major slave rebellion began in Bahia, Brazil, leading to the deaths of dozens of enslaved people in clashes with troops, police and armed civilians in the provincial capital of Salvador. The uprising was seen as influential in helping to bring about an end to slavery in the country decades later.

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In 1848, James W. Marshall found a gold nugget at Sutter’s Mill in northern California, a discovery that sparked the California gold rush.

In 1945, Associated Press war correspondent Joseph Morton was among a group of captives executed by German soldiers at the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp in Austria.

In 1965, Winston Churchill died in London at age 90.

In 1978, a nuclear-powered Soviet satellite, Kosmos 954, plunged through Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrated, scattering radioactive debris over parts of northern Canada.

In 1984, Apple Computer began selling its first Macintosh model, which boasted a built-in 9-inch monochrome display, a clock rate of 8 megahertz and 128k of RAM.

In 1989, confessed serial killer Ted Bundy was executed in Florida’s electric chair.

In 2003, former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge was sworn as the first secretary of the new Department of Homeland Security.

In 2013, President Barack Obama’s Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced the lifting of a ban on women serving in direct ground combat roles.

In 2018, former sports doctor Larry Nassar, who had admitted to molesting some of the United States’ top gymnasts for years under the guise of medical treatment, was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison.

In 2023, a farmworker killed seven people in back-to-back shootings in a case of “workplace violence” at two Northern California mushroom farms. It marked the state’s third mass killing in just over a week.

Today’s birthdays:

Cajun musician Doug Kershaw is 90.
Singer-songwriter Ray Stevens is 87.
Singer-songwriter Neil Diamond is 85.
Singer Aaron Neville is 85.
Physicist Michio Kaku is 79.
Actor Daniel Auteuil is 76.
Comedian Yakov Smirnoff is 75.
Actor William Allen Young is 72.
Musician Jools Holland is 68.
Actor Nastassja Kinski is 65.
Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Mary Lou Retton is 58.
Actor Matthew Lillard is 56.
Musician Beth Hart is 54.
Actor Ed Helms is 52.
Actor-comedian Kristen Schaal is 48.
Actor Tatyana Ali is 47.
Actor Carrie Coon is 45.
Actor and rapper Daveed Diggs is 44.
Actor Mischa Barton is 40.
NFL coach Sean McVay is 40.
Soccer player Luis Suárez is 39.
Actor Callan McAuliffe is 31.
Singer Johnny Orlando is 23.

Without much contortion find outrageous fortune

Near this bunkerish getaway

Look for a bird known for the word

Who hailed from this waterway

Hunt clues will be released at about midnight at TwinCities.com/treasurehunt each day of the hunt.

See the Treasure Hunt rules.

Where has the medallion been discovered in past years?

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It’s only fitting that the Winter Carnival’s 2026 Royal Family was announced on one of the coldest days we’ve seen in years.

This year’s wintertime monarchs were announced Friday night at a coronation at the RiverCentre. For the coming year, Peter Kenefick will reign as King Boreas the 89th, and Erin Gustafson will serve with him as Aurora, Queen of the Snows.

Kenefick, a financial advisor at UBS in Wayzata, also owns Emmett’s Public House and Saji-Ya on Grand Avenue. The oldest of five children in a third-generation St. Paul family, Kenefick grew up on Norfolk Avenue in Highland Park. In recent years, he spearheaded the redevelopment of the mixed-use Kenton House, which opened on Grand in 2024. He was grand marshal of the Grand Old Day parade that year and previously served as Mr. Pat in the St. Patrick’s Day parade. He currently lives in his wife’s hometown of Edina; the couple is celebrating their 46th wedding anniversary on Feb. 1, the last day of this year’s Winter Carnival.

Gustafson, who lives in Woodbury, is a marketing and strategy professional with a bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Thomas and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. She frequently volunteers with nonprofits, hosts game nights with friends, knits handmade gifts and searches for the Twin Cities’ best bookstore. As she noted in her candidate bio, she “believes that meaningful relationships and genuine connection are at the heart of effective leadership, lasting community change, and building a happy life.”

Also of note is this year’s prime minister, Tom Barrett, who previously served as Vulcanus Rex and is now known as an authority on Winter Carnival history and the curator of the historical Carnival memorabilia window display at the corner of Grand Avenue and Victoria Street.

This year’s Senior Royalty, announced on Jan. 15, includes married duo John Erb and Teri Theno-Erb as King Winter and Queen of the Northlands, respectively, and Kitty Ryan — the first and only woman Vulcan, back in 1952 — as Princess of the Four Winds.

And in true Winter Carnival tradition, Royal Family members’ sponsoring organizations become their official “Royal House.”

The 2026 Royal Family

King Boreas LXXXIX:Peter Kenefick, from the Royal House of Emmett’s Public House and Saji-Ya

Aurora, Queen of the Snows: Erin Gustafson, from the Royal House of Bernie Swafford at Edina Realty

Prime Minister: Tom Barrett, from the Royal House of Pilot Games

Titan, Prince of the North Wind: Jim Hawkins, from the Royal House of Hamernick’s Flooring Solutions

North Wind Princess: Stacy Johnson, from the Royal House of Party Time Liquor

Euros, Prince of the East Wind: Thomas Maida, from the Royal House of Marylee Maida, Queen of the Snows 1956

East Wind Princess: Natalka MacDonald, from the Royal House of Quality Insurance Service

Zephyrus, Prince of the West Wind: Tyler Fehrman, from the Royal House of Mama T’s Castle Tap & Boar’s Head Leather

West Wind Princess: Katelyn Bergstrom, from the Royal House of River Hills Automotive

Notos, Prince of the South Wind: Tim Whitacre, from the Royal House of City & County Credit Union

South Wind Princess: Christine Hanley, from the Royal House of Northern Prairie Financial

Captain of the Guard: Erin Harrington

Sergeant of the Guard and North Wind Guard: Matt McGraw

King’s Guard and East Wind Guard: Alex Jarboe

West Wind Guard: Abigail Medved

South Wind Guard: Veid Muiznieks

Royal Coordinators: Barb & John Maslowski

Royal Handler: Tina Cook

Klondike Kate: Ruby Ericson, from the Royal House of St. Croix Hospice

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Last year, country trio Rascal Flatts came roaring back to life with their first tour since 2019. Billed as an outing celebrating 25 years in the business, it was also a reunion for lead singer Gary LaVox, his second cousin (bass, vocals) Jay DeMarcus and guitarist Joe Don Rooney (guitar, vocals).

The guys had a tremendous first 15 or so years, but things started to fall apart after 2017’s relative flop “Back to Us.” In 2020, they announced they were embarking on a farewell tour that never happened due to the pandemic. Relations between the three soured in 2021 and following Rooney’s DUI arrest that September, the group quietly disbanded.

But after a few years of underwhelming solo efforts, the trio kissed and made up. Now settling into their new role as a nostalgia act, Rascal Flatts pulled in enough fans to make the 2025 tour a success and spawn a second leg that drew a crowd of about 13,000 to St. Paul’s Grand Casino Arena on Friday.

Judging by their sometimes frosty on-stage demeanor, however, it appears there may still be a few lingering grudges between them. LaVox, in particular, largely ignored his bandmates and, at times, felt like he was performing at a different concert then the rest of the guys on stage.

Now in their 50s, the three men’s vocals have largely held up, as was in evidence during audience pleasers like “Fast Cars and Freedom,” “Mayberry” and “These Days.” Early on, DeMarcus took center stage and delivered an impassioned pitch for Christianity. Rooney also shared a moment with the crowd and told them the story of how his DUI led him to a successful trip to rehab.

LeVox brought one of his openers, Lauren Alaina, to help him out on the power ballad “My Wish.” The “American Idol” vet boasts a big voice. As her own set proved, she’s also well versed at warming up crowds having toured with everyone from Carrie Underwood to Luke Bryan. (Chris Lane of “Fix” and “For Her” fame, was also on the bill.)

Later, DeMarcus performed a solo take of “Sweet Caroline” at the piano, which led into their 2004 cover of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Bless the Broken Road,” the group’s longest-running No. 1 single at five weeks. And, of course, they played their take on Tom Cochrane’s “Life Is a Highway,” which got a massive boost after it was used in the 2006 Pixar film “Cars.”

Rascal Flatts has scored more than 30 Top 10 hits, so it was a little surprising that they wrapped things up in a scant 95 minutes. Then again, Friday’s show was a reminder that much of Rascal Flatts’ output can get overly glossy and insincere, so maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing after all.