As both Hollywood and Broadway plunged into the now-decades-old age of the remake, “The Addams Family” was bound to return. Based on the New Yorker cartoons of Charles Addams and their adaptation into a 1964-66 TV situation comedy, the comically macabre characters have been resurrected in multiple films, as well as a stage musical and a very popular Netflix series called “Wednesday.”

Renee Kathleen Koher (Morticia Addams) and Rodrigo Aragon (Gomez Addams) in the North American touring production of “The Addams Family.” (Sarah Smith / NWCC)

Your latest opportunity to find out why pop culture has so avidly embraced these characters is a touring production of the 2010 musical that has brought the creepy old Addams mansion to the Ordway Music Theater stage for a week.

Tuesday’s opening night performance gave some clues as to why the Addamses endure. Their wildly off-kilter ways were an open rebellion against the “normal” in 1964 and — seeing as conservative conventionality has made such a comeback in our country — the time might be right for a reprise of that message. Alas, Big League Productions’ touring version lacks the spirit of adventure that could make it rewarding or revelatory.

Much of the fault lies with the script by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and the songs of Andrew Lippa. That team has been trying to figure out an interesting story to tell with these characters for 15 years now, tweaking as they go, but I came away feeling as if I’d experienced an hour’s worth of story and solid songs presented over the course of two hours and 45 minutes.

Characters can only get you so far without a story, and this plot is particularly conventional. Oldest child Wednesday is now an adult, one secretly engaged to a “normal” young man from Ohio, and she’s invited his parents to dinner to meet her decidedly out-of-the-ordinary family. That’s the gist of it, the action hanging on the flimsy premise that father Gomez keeping their engagement a secret will somehow damage his marriage to Morticia.

What remains is a series of character studies, mostly in song. But only four of the 26 tunes are musically memorable, most notably the spicy salsa intro to the clan, “When You’re an Addams,” and Morticia’s clever, Vaudeville-esque dance with death, “Just Around the Corner.” Younger brother Pugsly’s “What If” is a sweet ballad (kudos to Logan Clinger, the only performer who seemed to crack the code of the Ordway sound system and make every word understandable), as is Gomez’s “Happy/Sad,” addressed to his departing daughter.

While Rodrigo Aragon does fine things with Gomez, this musical makes him far too typical a father, while unpredictability is what established the Addams brand. Meanwhile, Renee Kathleen Koher’s tepid take on Morticia is as colorless as her corpse-like makeup. There’s almost none of the steamy, spontaneous sexual energy that John Astin and Carolyn Jones brought to the TV show. Similarly, Melody Munitz portrays the linchpin character of Wednesday with a relatively expressionless paucity of spark.

That said, Randel Wright’s deliciously gloomy set and Tristan Raines’ imaginative costuming make it an enjoyable show to look at, something aided greatly by the enthusiasm of the ancestors who’ve dropped in from the afterlife to take in this meeting of two families. Would that they had something more interesting to observe.

Rob Hubbard can be reached at wordhub@yahoo.com.

Big League Productions’ ‘The Addams Family’

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday

Where: Ordway Music Theater, 345 Washington St., St. Paul.

Tickets: $154-$45, available at 651-224-4222 or ordway.org

Capsule: A musical that makes the unpredictable eccentrics way too normal.

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By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS

NEW YORK (AP) — As uncertainty deepens amid the U.S. government’s first shutdown in almost seven years, the gold frenzy continues to climb to new heights.

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The going price for New York spot gold hit a record $3,858.45 per troy ounce — the standard for measuring precious metals — as of market close Tuesday, ahead of the shutdown beginning overnight. And futures continued to climb on Wednesday, dancing with the $3,900 mark throughout the day.

Gold sales can rise sharply when anxious investors seek “safe havens” for parking their money. Before Wednesday, the asset — and other metals, like silver — have seen wider gains over the last year, particularly with President Donald Trump ‘s barrage of tariffs plunging much of the world into economic uncertainty.

If trends persist, analysts have predicted that prices could continue to soar. Still, gold can be volatile and the future is never promised. Here’s what we know.

How much have gold prices climbed this year? What about silver?

Gold futures are up more than 45% since the start of 2025, trading at just under $3,895 by around 4 p.m. ET Wednesday.

Other precious metals have also raked in gains — with silver seeing an even bigger percentage jump year to date. Silver futures are up nearly 59%, trading at over $47 per troy ounce as of Wednesday afternoon.

Why are prices going up?

A lot of it boils down to uncertainty. Interest in buying metals like gold typically spikes when investors become anxious.

Much of the recent economic turmoil has spanned from Trump’s trade wars. Since the start of 2025, steep new tariffs the president has imposed on goods coming into the U.S. from around the world have strained businesses and consumers alike — pushing costs higher and weakening the job market. As a result, hiring has plunged while inflation continues to inch back up. And more and more consumers are expressing pessimism about the road ahead.

The current U.S. government shutdown could add to those anxieties. A key jobs report from the Labor Department, scheduled for Friday, is likely to be delayed, for example. And the shutdown itself threatens to bring its own economic fallout nationwide. Roughly 750,000 federal workers were expected to be furloughed, with some potentially fired by Trump’s Republican administration. Many offices will also be shuttered, perhaps permanently, as Trump vows to “do things that are irreversible” to punish Democrats for voting down GOP legislation.

The scope of impact could come down to how long the impasse lasts. Wall Street, meanwhile, has largely been unmoved by the shutdown so far — but Treasury yields dropped after discouraging hiring data from ADP Research Wednesday.

Investments in gold have also been driven by other factors over time. Analysts have previously pointed to strong gold demand from central banks around the world — including amid rising geopolitical tensions, such as the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine.

Is gold worth the investment?

Advocates of investing in gold call it a “safe haven” — arguing the commodity can serve to diversify and balance your investment portfolio, as well as mitigate possible risks down the road. Some also take comfort in buying something tangible that has the potential to increase in value over time.

Still, experts caution against putting all your eggs in one basket. And not everyone agrees gold is a good investment. Critics say gold isn’t always the inflation hedge many say it is — and that there are more efficient ways to protect against potential loss of capital, such as derivative-based investments.

The Commodity Futures Trade Commission has also previously warned people to be wary of investing in gold. Precious metals can be highly volatile, the commission said, and prices rise as demand goes up — meaning “when economic anxiety or instability is high, the people who typically profit from precious metals are the sellers.”

And even gold’s current rally has seen some volatility. While still up significantly overall since the start of the year, there’s been a handful of short stretches with losses. Gold prices fell for several days following Trump’s sweeping “Liberation Day” announcement on April 2, for example.

If you do choose to invest in gold, the commission adds, it’s important to educate yourself on safe trading practices and be cautious of potential scams and counterfeits on the market.

By AUDREY McAVOY

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano has been shooting lava from its summit crater at semiregular intervals since late last year, delighting residents, visitors and online viewers alike with a fire hose of molten rock.

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On Wednesday, the volcano had its 34th episode since December. Scientists believe they are all part of the same eruption because magma has been following the same pathway to the surface.

Fountains from the south vent at Kilauea’s summit crater soared 1,300 feet (400 meters) into the air, the U.S. Geological Survey said. That is taller than New York’s Empire State Building which is more than 100 stories.

The eruption died down after six hours.

The lava has been contained within the summit crater inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and hasn’t threatened homes or buildings. It isn’t expected to affect local commercial airports.

Park visitors can see the eruption in person. Others can watch popular livestreams offering a choice of three different camera angles made possible by U.S. government geologists.

Kilauea is on Hawaii Island, the largest of the Hawaiian archipelago. It is about 200 miles south of the state’s largest city, Honolulu, which is on Oahu.

Here’s what to know about the latest eruption at Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes:

Fountains of molten rock

A lower magma chamber under Halemaumau Crater has been receiving magma directly from the earth’s interior at about 5 cubic yards per second, said Ken Hon, scientist-in-charge at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. This blows the chamber up like a balloon and forces magma into an upper chamber. From there it gets pushed above ground through cracks.

Many of the eruptive episodes since December have featured lava flying high into the air. In some cases, the lava formed towers topping 1,000 feet. The fountains are generated in part because magma — which holds gases that are released as it rises — has been traveling to the surface through narrow, pipelike vents.

The expanding magma supply is capped by heavier magma that had expelled its gas at the end of the prior episode. Eventually enough new magma accumulates to force the degassed magma off, and the magma shoots out like a Champagne bottle that was shaken before the cork was popped.

This is the fourth time in 200 years that Kilauea has shot lava fountains into the air in repeated episodes. There were more episodes the last time Kilauea followed this pattern: The eruption that began in 1983 started with 44 sessions of shooting fountains. Those were spread out over three years, however. And the fountains emerged in a remote area, so few got to watch.

The other two occurred in 1959 and 1969.

Predicting Kilauea’s future

Scientists don’t know how the current eruption will end or how it may change. In 1983, magma built enough pressure that Kilauea opened a vent at a lower elevation and started continuously leaking lava from there rather than periodically shooting out from a higher elevation. The eruption continued in various forms for three decades and ended in 2018.

Something similar could happen again. Or the current eruption could instead stop at the summit if its magma supply peters out.

Scientists can estimate when lava is likely to emerge days ahead of time by using sensors that indicate when magma is inflating or deflating.

“Our job is like being a bunch of ants crawling on an elephant trying to figure out how the elephant works,” Hon said.

At times the lava fountains have been shorter. Steve Lundblad, a University of Hawaii at Hilo geology professor, said the vent may have gotten wider in such cases, leaving molten rock less pressurized.

Carrying stories of Pele

Some people may see lava flows as destructive. But Huihui Kanahele-Mossman, the executive director of the Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation, said lava is a natural resource that hardens into land and forms the foundation for everything on Hawaii Island.

Kanahele-Mossman’s nonprofit is named after her grandmother — the esteemed practitioner of Hawaiian language and culture. The foundation’s hula halau, or school, is celebrated for its mastery of a style of hula rooted in the stories of Pele and her sister, Hiʻiaka.

Kanahele-Mossman has visited the crater a few times since the eruption began. She initially watches in awe and reverence. But then she observes more details so she can go home and compare it to the lava in the centuries-old tales that her school performs. While at the crater, she also delivers a chant prepared in advance and places offerings. Recently she presented awa, a drink made with kava, and a fern lei.

“You as the dancer, you are the storyteller and you carry that history that was written in those mele forward,” she said, using the Hawaiian word for song. “To be able to actually see that eruption that’s described in the mele, that’s always exciting to us and drives us and motivates us to stay in this tradition.”

Visiting the volcano

Park visitation has been increasing since the eruption began. In April, there were 49% more visitors than the same month of 2024.

This image from webcam footage provided by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) shows lava fountains shooting up in the air in the latest episode of an ongoing eruption of Kilauea volcano inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, in Hawaii. (U.S. Geological Survey via AP)

Park spokesperson Jessica Ferracane said those wanting to see the lava in person should sign up for U.S. Geological Survey alert notifications because the eruption could be over quickly, she said. Most episodes since December have lasted a day or less.

She cautioned that visitors should stay on marked trails and overlooks because unstable cliff edges and cracks in the earth may not be immediately apparent, and falling could lead to serious injury or death. Young children should be kept close to adults.

Volcanic gas, glass and ash can also be dangerous. Nighttime visitors should bring a flashlight.

By MELISSA GOLDIN, Associated Press

President Donald Trump and other high-ranking Republicans claim Democrats forced the government shutdown fight because they want to give free health care to immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

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Democrats are trying to extend tax credits that make health insurance premiums more affordable on marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, and reverse Medicaid cuts in Trump’s big bill passed this summer. But immigrants who entered the country illegally are not eligible for either program.

Here’s a closer look at the facts:

CLAIM: Democrats shut down the government because they want to give free health care to immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally.

THE FACTS: This is false. Democrats say they are pushing for the inclusion of key health care provisions in the next congressional spending package. In particular, they are seeking an extension of tax credits that millions of Americans use to buy insurance on the Affordable Care Act exchange and a reversal of Medicaid cuts made in the bill Trump signed into law in July. However, immigrants in the U.S. illegally are not eligible for any federal health care programs, including insurance provided through the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid. Hospitals do receive Medicaid reimbursements — which would be reduced under Trump’s bill — for emergency care that they are obligated to provide to people who meet other Medicaid eligibility requirements but do not have an eligible immigration status, according to KFF, a nonprofit health policy research, polling and news organization. This spending accounted for less than 1% of total Medicaid spending between fiscal years 2017 and 2023.

Sabrina Corlette, founder and co-director of Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms, called the Republicans’ claims “a flat-out lie.”

“The law is very clear,” Corlette said.

Speaking in the Oval Office on Tuesday about a deal with Pfizer to lower drug prices, Trump predicted the shutdown and made the false claim: ”We’ll probably have a shutdown because one of the things they want to do is they want to give incredible Medicare, Cadillac, the Cadillac Medicare, to illegal immigrants.” He added later that “they want to have illegal aliens come into our country and get massive health care at the cost to everybody else.”

Asked by a reporter to clarify what his comments referred to, Trump said “when an illegal person comes, a person who came into our country illegally, therefore breaking the law,” adding that “we just as a country cannot afford to take care of millions of people who have broken the law coming in.”

Other Republicans, including Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson, have made similar claims.

The Senate’s Democratic leader, Sen. Chuck Schumer, rebutted these allegations, calling them “a lie, plain and simple.”

Immigrants in the U.S. illegally are not eligible for insurance bought on the Affordable Care Act exchange or for Medicaid. To qualify for the latter, an enrollee must live in the U.S., be a U.S. citizen or have another lawful status and not be incarcerated. A Medicaid enrollee must meet certain financial requirements, be a resident of the state in which Medicaid is being received and be a U.S. citizen or have a qualifying lawful status.

Health care premiums for millions of Americans could skyrocket if Congress fails to extend tax credits that many people use to buy insurance through Affordable Care Act marketplaces. Those subsidies were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic but are set to expire.

Among the Medicaid cuts Democrats are seeking to reverse is a reduction to reimbursements hospitals receive when they perform emergency care they are legally mandated to provide on people who would qualify for Medicaid if not for their immigration status. This would affect the 40 states, plus Washington, D.C., that have adopted a Medicaid expansion created by the Affordable Care Act.

The law Trump signed would also restrict the eligibility of lawfully present immigrants such as refugees and asylees for insurance through the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid and Medicare.

Some states use their own money, not federal funds, to provide health care to immigrants who don’t have lawful status. An earlier version of Trump’s tax breaks and spending cuts bill tried to curb these programs, but the provisions did not make it into the final version.

“It’s a compelling talking point to say that Democrats want to provide health care to undocumented immigrants, but it’s just not true in terms of the cuts they’re trying to reverse,” said Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at KFF.

Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck.