DULUTH, Minn. — Brittany Blue’s journey to graduation from Lake Superior College looks a little different from the average student.

Her first step in the world of higher education started in 2017, but as a single parent working two jobs, she soon found the load of full-time classes too much.

“I ended up passing two classes, but then withdrawing from two, and then I fell back into my addiction,” Blue said.

Blue’s substance use kept her out of education and instead led her to a “criminal lifestyle” for a few years. She was eventually arrested in 2021 for drug possession and sentenced to 92 months. Little did she know at the time that the arrest would start her down the path to graduation in May.

At the Minnesota Women’s Correctional Facility in Shakopee, Blue heard about the opportunity to earn college credits while she served her time.

“In prison, you have to have a job. So I looked into it and found out that education could be considered my job,” she said. “I was nervous and scared because I thought all these other women are so much smarter than me, because I haven’t been in school for so long. But I continued to persevere.”

By taking a few classes at a time, Blue was able to earn more than half of the credits needed for an associate’s degree.

Because of the nature of her crime, Blue was accepted into the Challenge Incarceration Program after she’d served 18 months. CIP is a structured program that treats substance use disorders and helps people develop personal discipline and improve physical and mental well-being. Successful participants also see a reduction in their incarceration time.

The only downside for Blue was that she couldn’t continue her studies while participating in CIP. But it led to her release in 2023, when she decided to return to Lake Superior College in Duluth.

“I was a little worried at first about judgment,” Blue said. “But I faced that fear and instead used my past as a strength. I was always upfront with my professors about being a woman in recovery. And by then, I’d learned to love myself enough to talk about it. And the professors there would meet you where you’re at.”

This time around, Blue took two classes a semester so she could continue to balance the demands of her life outside the classroom. She’d take one class in person on campus and one online. She said she got a lot of guidance from her adviser, Sherry Dalager, which helped her figure out her options.

“If you have a good adviser, that makes a really big difference, just the genuineness of her,” Blue said. “Every time I had an issue, I would talk to her and she would direct me through some options in different categories, and I would think it through and make that decision on my own. But Sherry showed me what options were there.”

Blue also credits the support she received from her husband, Brandon Blue, for helping her along the way. Brandon was also incarcerated for drug possession around the same time she was, and said the two made a game plan to come out on the other side better than when they went in.

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“We were able to execute the game plan and make ourselves better,” Brandon said. “We learned to take care of ourselves and go after what we want. Brittany has her degree now, and nobody can take that away. That’s something she accomplished when she learned to invest in herself.”

What’s next for Brittany? She has a day job at a nonprofit organization and plans to attend Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Cloquet this fall to pursue a degree in chemical dependency counseling. She said she wants to help other people achieve their goals.

“If you’re someone struggling in addiction, there is hope in education. Don’t give up on yourself,” Blue said. “There were plenty of times where I wanted to just quit and be on red tag, where you don’t have a job and you just serve your time. But it’s worth it if you keep pushing through.”

Cecilia Belcher, assistant principal second violin for the Minnesota Orchestra, gets the spotlight this weekend as she performs the solo part in two Romances — instrumental works that are elegant and tender — by Ludwig van Beethoven. The concert also features work by Johannes Brahms and Carl Maria von Weber. The program emphasizes the emotional flourish of the three German composers.

Conductor on the rise Kensho Watanabe leads the concert, after previously conducting “Listening Projects” concerts in 2022 and 2023. This marks his third appearance with the Minnesota Orchestra, and he proved himself to be someone to keep note of as he continues his career.

Before the music began, Watanabe paid tribute to Minnesota Orchestra viola player Ken Freed, who died on June 29 while running in a sprint triathlon. Freed was Watanabe’s teacher at Greenwood Music Camp in Massachusetts, and the conductor admitted to being a bit scared of him back in those days. Later, Freed gave Watanabe his first conducting job. “Ken was a generous musician who didn’t take himself seriously,” the conductor said, adding that Freed loved viola jokes.

The concert begins with the overture to Der Freischütz, often considered the first German Romantic opera. Weber’s music accompanies a story about love, hunting and a deal with the devil gone awry. The opera explores the power of love to overcome the most dire circumstances.

The piece is marked by contrasts between the warm, enveloping sounds of the horns and the jagged tension expressed through sighing, sorrowful calls of the clarinet and ominous timpani rolls.

After Weber, Belcher joins the orchestra for Beethoven’s Romance No. 2 in F Major and Romance No. 1 in G Major for Violin and Orchestra. In the first piece, Belcher takes a strident approach, with deep feeling and flow. The second work gives her a chance to show off her flawless double stops, played with elegance. Her playing was poised and expressive throughout, favoring subtlety over drama and marked by graceful nuance.

Both Weber and Beethoven were important figures in ushering in the Romantic era of music, following the Classical period. Weber’s infusion of folklore and the supernatural, seen in “Der Freischütz,” became hallmarks of Romanticism, and Beethoven’s Romances ooze with sentiment. Brahms’ Symphony No. 2, which came much later in the 19th century than the other two works on the program, sits more firmly within the Romantic period, even as it harkens back to earlier classical symphony forms.

It’s a luscious work, evoking landscape and sensation, with a complex structure of melodies and texture. The tension between the lower strings and the wind instruments evokes a yawning pull between earth and sky, punctuated by swelling grandeur, cascading passages, and finely articulated details that surface throughout the piece.

Violin soloist Cecilia Belcher will perform with the Minnesota Orchestra July 10-12, 2025 at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. They will perform both of Beethoven’s Romances-plus music by Brahms and Weber. (Zoe Prinds-Flash / Minnesota Orchestra)

The work’s third movement offers an intriguing pizzicato section, as well moments of discordant — though not somber — unease. Frantic runs burst through the music, while the last movement surprises with its sudden force. Watanabe leans into the final section with vigor, drawing out its celebratory intensity. The symphony drives to a triumphant, satisfying conclusion.

If you go

What: Beethoven and Brahms

When: Friday, July 11 at 8 p.m., Saturday, July 12 at 7 p.m.

Where: Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls.

Tickets: $31-$106

Capsule: The Minnesota Orchestra serve up a program of German Romanticism, featuring violinist Cecilia Belcher and guest conductor Kensho Watanabe.

Which multicooker is best?

Multicookers are the Swiss Army knife of the kitchen. They can cook countless foods and recipes, from something as simple as plain white rice to something as complex as an all-day slow-cooked pot roast. Some are even advanced enough to include air frying to the list of gizmo-powered cooking.

The best multicooker is the Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Multicooker. The Instant Pot name is used interchangeably with multicooker by many people, thanks to its consistently high-caliber offerings. This model is among their best.

What to know before you buy a multicooker

Capacity

Multicookers generally come in capacities between 2 and 8 quarts, with roughly 1 quart needed for each person you intend to feed. Keep in mind you can always cook small batches in large multicookers. If your budget allows it’s best to purchase one with an extra quart or two of capacity to be safe and for weekly meal prepping.

Pressure

Multicookers can be divided into two categories: those with pressure cooking and those without.

Pressure multicookers can cook a wider variety of foods. They use either high or low pressure depending on the recipe, with better slow cookers letting you choose specific pressures rather than just “high” or “low.”
Nonpressure multicookers focus on slow-cooking various types of foods. They’re perfect for making a pot roast one night and rice the next, but their overall options are more limited.

What to look for in a quality multicooker

Programs and presets

The best multicookers offer the most programs and presets. These are one-touch functions that automatically set the cooker’s temperature, pressure and time to perfectly cook the chosen food. The most common presets are various types of rice — including white, brown and multigrain — as well as soup, oatmeal or porridge and meats.

Countdown timer

Your multicooker should include a display that counts down the time left until your food is ready. They should also allow you to set a timer manually if your food doesn’t have a preset. Most multicookers only have timer settings in increments of five minutes, but better models let you set it to the minute.

Delayed start

Advanced multicookers have a delayed start setting. It lets you put everything inside the cooker before you leave for the day and choose a specific time for cooking to begin so you can come home to a fresh, hot and perfectly cooked meal.

This setting should be used with some caution, however. If you’re unsure that anyone will be home when the food is finished cooking, you may want to reconsider the option. Additionally, some foods such as any kind of meat shouldn’t be left out longer than an hour.

How much you can expect to spend on a multicooker

Multicookers typically cost $50-$300. Small models or those with limited features cost roughly $50-$100. Midsized models and those with average features cost roughly $100-$150. Large models and those with every feature cost roughly $150-$300.

Multicooker FAQ

What can a multicooker do?

A. Multicookers live up to the name with most having at least five functions while others can have 10 or more. Some of the most common functions include:

Slow cooking
Pressure cooking
Rice cooking
Steaming
Sauteing
Warming
Air frying

Are multicookers dangerous to use?

A. Like any kitchen appliance that uses high levels of heat, multicookers can be dangerous if used incorrectly. However, most include safety features that mitigate this risk. If your multicooker includes pressure cooking, the most important feature to have is a locking lid to prevent the accidental, unsafe release of pressure. Cheap multicookers with pressure cooking tend not to include this safety measure.

Is it safe to slow-cook foods all day while I’m at work?

A. That depends on what you’re wanting to cook and how you use your multicooker to slow-cook it. Foods that are unsafe to leave out at room temperature include dairy and meat, but if you start the multicooker when you leave and set it to “keep warm” mode after it’s done, it should be safe. However, using a delayed-start mode will not be safe.

What’s the best multicooker to buy?

Top multicooker

Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Multicooker

What you need to know: Instant Pot is nearly synonymous with multicookers for a reason.

What you’ll love: The seven functions are rice cooking, yogurt making, pressure cooking, slow cooking, steaming, sautéing and warming. The stainless steel exterior is fingerprint-resistant and the inner pot, rack and lid are all dishwasher-safe. It’s available in 3-, 6- and 8-quart sizes.

What you should consider: Many customers spoke of a steep learning curve to getting everything out of the Instant Pot, but they were pleased with their results.

Top multicooker for the money

Aroma Housewares Rice and Grain Cooker

What you need to know: It’s a good choice if you’re on a strict budget.

What you’ll love: It’s available in 2- and 5-quart sizes. The two-quart size has automatic modes for white and brown rice, risotto, steaming, slow cooking and a timer. The five-quart size adds oatmeal, soup, cake, multigrain rice, egg and reheating functions. It includes a rice measuring cup and spatula.

What you should consider: It has limited functionality compared to most multicookers. Some purchasers reported it having less capacity than advertised. Others had issues with the timer.

Worth checking out

Ninja Combi All-in-One Multicooker

What you need to know: It’s a high-quality, versatile multicooker, though it’s expensive.

What you’ll love: It has 14 different functions, including air frying, baking, steaming, defrosting and more. It’s easy to clean, and the outside of the cooker doesn’t get too hot to touch. It has a 6-cup capacity and features both a cooking bowl and a basket, so you can prepare two dishes simultaneously.

What you should consider: Some people have reported issues with the exterior damaging easily and the controls becoming buggy after extensive use.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill to regulate college sports introduced in the House on Thursday would offer limited antitrust protection for the NCAA, while barring schools from using student fees to pay for college athletic programs.

Co-sponsors of the SCORE Act includes seven Republicans and two Democrats, which gives the bill a fair chance of passage in the House. It would need at least seven Democratic votes in the Senate, where its chances are viewed as slim.

The bill includes the three elements the NCAA has lobbied for: antitrust protections, pre-emption of state laws that regulate name, image, likeness payments, and a section that prevents athletes from becoming employees of their schools.

The bill’s main goal is to set national standards for NIL payments that are dominating the industry in the wake of the approval of a $2.78 billion lawsuit settlement that allows schools to pay athletes.

It also includes a section that purports to protect Olympic programs that some see as threatened because of increased funding that will go to football and basketball. That part calls on schools with at least one coach who earns more than $250,000 to offer at least 16 sports programs. That language mirrors a rule already in effect for NCAA’s top-tier FBS schools.

The ban on using fees to offset costs strikes to the core of some schools’ plans to fund athletic programs, which are looking at ways to pay for the up to $20.5 million they’ll share with athletes.

Clemson earlier this year announced it would implement a $150 “athletic fee” each semester for students starting this fall. Fresno State approved fees of an additional $495 a year, about half of which is to be directed toward athletics.

Other schools, like Tennessee, have announced a “talent fee” to be added to season-ticket renewals. Arkansas is increasing concession prices and many more schools are informing boosters about the increasing price tag for the sports programs they support.