Photos: Forest Lake toasts to 100 years of Independence Day celebrations

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A family passes out candy and pinwheels as it drives its dressed up John Deere tractor in the Forest Lake Independence Day Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The popular parade celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

The VFW Color Guard march down Broadway Avenue at the head of the Forest Lake Independence Day Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The popular parade celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Mentzer Mattson, 6, from Lindstrom, sports patriotic colored hair as he readies his bag for candy at the Forest Lake Independence Day Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The popular parade celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

A trombonist with the Forest Lake Marching Band performs during the Forest Lake Independence Day Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The popular parade celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Members of the Forest Lake High School Marching Band Flag Team perform during the Forest Lake Independence Day Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The popular parade celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Wearing flags and patriotic sunglasses Brayden Bresnahan plays the saxophone as a part of the Chisago Lakes High School Marching Band during the Forest Lake Independence Day Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The popular parade celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Lillian Martinson, 1, sits atop her dad Joe’s shoulders as she watches her very first Forest Lake Independence Day Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The popular parade celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Forest Lake residents Amy Helmueller, left, her daughter, Annabelle Bruss, 16, center, and neighbor Leslie Dalbec wear matching sequined USA jackets to the Forest Lake Independence Day Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The popular parade celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

A Farmall tractor is dressed up to pull a wagon during the Forest Lake Independence Day Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The popular parade celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Chisago Lakes Ambassadors ride their float during the Forest Lake Independence Day Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The popular parade celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

A flutist with the Forest Lake High School Marching Band wears her patriotism proudly as the band performs during the Forest Lake Independence Day Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The popular parade celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

A women shoots bubbles at the crowd as she marches in the Forest Lake Independence Day Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The popular parade celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Dressed in the finest patriotic accessories cousins Hailey Moredock, 12, left, and Aiyana Mordock, 14, enjoy a laugh during the Forest Lake Independence Day Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The popular parade celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Aircraft with the South St. Paul based Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing start the open the festivities with flyover at the Forest Lake Independence Day Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The popular parade celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

People line Broadway Avenue to watch the Forest Lake Independence Day Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024. The popular parade celebrated its 100th anniversary Thursday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

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Despite scattered showers in the forecast, residents of Forest Lake showed up Thursday in their best red, white and blue to celebrate the Fourth of July and mark the city’s 100th  Independence Day celebration.

Hosted by the American Legion Post 225, the “Cheers to 100 years” event kicked off earlier this week with a carnival that runs through Sunday.

The annual fireworks display scheduled for Thursday night has been canceled. A new date is expected to be announced later this summer.

Related: Where to find Fourth of July fireworks and events in the St. Paul area

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Biden heads into a make-or-break stretch for his imperiled presidential campaign

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WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday opened a critical stretch in his effort to salvage his imperiled reelection campaign, arguing the stakes extend far beyond his own political prospects to the future of the country’s economy and democracy itself.

There is a growing sense that Biden may have just days to make a persuasive case that he is fit for office before Democratic support for him completely evaporates in the aftermath of his disastrous debate performance last week against Republican Donald Trump.

In an interview with a Wisconsin radio station that aired Thursday, Biden said, “The stakes are really high. I know you know this. For democracy, for freedom … our economy, they’re all on the line.”

He added: “The president is the most powerful office in the world. But we need someone with wisdom and character.”

The interview on the Earl Ingram Show on the Civic Media Radio Network, taped Wednesday, was the part of a media and public events blitz that the Democratic president and his staff have acknowledged as a make-or-break moment. Some financial backers were holding off or canceling upcoming fundraisers, according to a person familiar with the plans who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss private discussions.

After hosting a July Fourth evening barbecue at the White House for military families, Biden is scheduled to campaign in Wisconsin on Friday and sit for an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that will air as a prime-time special that night.

He plans to be in Philadelphia on Sunday and hold a full news conference during the NATO summit in Washington next week.

It is not a given that his campaign will survive even that long if he does not deliver a strong showing on ABC. Discussions that were once a whisper around who should step into his place should he bow out are growing louder.

For now, Biden is not ready to walk away and he has communicated that in conversations with Democratic governors, close allies and staffers from his campaign.

But time is short for a possible change. The Democratic National Committee announced weeks ago that it would hold a virtual roll call for a formal nomination before the party’s national convention, which begins Aug. 19.

“I’m proud to be running for reelection as a president who’s made his promises and I’ve kept them,” Biden said in the radio interview.

“I had a bad night. A bad night. I screwed up,” he said of the debate, where he gave halting and convoluted answers.

“But 90 minutes on stage does not erase what I’ve done for 3 1/2 years,” he said in a different interview, with Philadelphia-area WURD Radio.

In his private conversations, Biden has focused on how to reverse the trajectory from his rocky debate and has emphasized the critical nature of this year’s presidential election.

During one call, when asked what would happen if his efforts to course correct do not work, Biden stressed that he understood how important the race is and that he would put the country first, according to a person who spoke directly with the president. The person was granted anonymity to discuss private conversations.

Biden met for more than hour at the White House on Wednesday night, in person and virtually, with more than 20 Democratic governors. Afterward they described the conversation as “candid” and said they were standing behind Biden despite being concerned about a Trump victory in November.

During that meeting, Biden told leaders that he had been checked out by his doctor following his debate performance, according to two people familiar with the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the private conversation. A few hours earlier, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had said Biden had not been examined by the doctor.

The White House has blamed Biden’s debate performance, where he appeared pale and his raspy voice trailed off at times, on a cold. Biden also said he had jet lag following back-to-back foreign trips that ended 12 days earlier.

Biden’s staff has resisted repeated calls to release more robust medical records for the 81-year-old president. After his last full physical in February, his doctor declared him fit for duty.

Two Democratic lawmakers have publicly called for Biden to drop out of the race. Most Democratic lawmakers, though, are taking a wait-and-see approach, holding out for a better idea of how the situation plays out through new polling and the interview. That’s according to Democratic lawmakers who requested anonymity to speak bluntly about the president.

Some have suggested Vice President Kamala Harris is emerging as the favorite to replace Biden if he were to withdraw. Those involved in private discussions acknowledge that Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan remain viable alternatives. But for some insiders, Harris is viewed as the best prospect to quickly unify the party and avoid a messy and divisive convention fight.

Trump was seen on video declaring that Harris would be his new rival, saying, “she’s so pathetic.” It was unclear when he made the comments, which were posted on his social media account.

Even as other Democratic allies have remained quiet since the debate, there is a growing private frustration about the Biden campaign’s response at a crucial moment in the campaign — particularly in Biden waiting several days to do direct damage control with senior members of his own party.

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Associated Press Writers Seung Min Kim, Lisa Mascaro and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

Minnesota Aurora has ‘unfinished business’ going into USL playoffs

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Minnesota Aurora players fanned out after Wednesday’s training session for one-on-one interviews with reporters going into Friday’s USL W League playoff game.

One common refrain heard and overheard from the squad was that Aurora has “unfinished business” this postseason. The amateur women’s soccer team just completed its third straight unbeaten regular season, but their first two playoff appearances were cut short of a championship.

After a 11-0-1 record in 2022, Aurora won two playoff games before losing to Tormenta FC in the championship game. After a 12-0-0 record in 2023, Aurora won one playoff game before falling to Indy Eleven in the quarterfinals.

This year, top-seed Aurora (10-0-2) will play Indy Eleven (7-1-2) in a first-round match at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, Mich. The winner will play Detroit City or River Light in a quarterfinal Sunday.

“The returning players have really brought that kind of unfinished business perspective to this, and I think that that really drives the squad as a whole,” first-year head coach Colette Montgomery said. “We know that we’re grateful for what’s been done, and we’re not content to leave it where it is. So we’re going to do our best to put out the best performance this weekend.”

Midfielder Addy Weichers, a team captain for each of Aurora’s three seasons, was there when Aurora beat Indy in the 2022 quarterfinals and lost to that team 1-0 a year ago. Indy went on to win the 2023 USL W championship.

“Last year, it was a game that I felt like we definitely could have won,” Weichers said. “You know how soccer goes; it can go anyway. But I think feeling like we walked away with goals left on field that we should have scored definitely. It has left a drive where, this is our year coming back with more fire than before. So we’re really excited.”

Weichers said this year’s Aurora team is made up of players with bigger goals.

“I think having a mix of returning players, but also these new players we have brought in,” Weichers said. “Everybody has such high ambitions. Everyone on this team wants to go further, and so I think that makes all the difference. Some of the best college players and those who have done well. Players who are past college want to go pro. It’s just such a competitive environment that makes it super good.”

Aurora’s level in training sessions has been higher than in some matches. Aurora had a plus-55 goal differential in its 12 regular-season matches and won the regular-season finale 14-0.

With the cream rising in the playoffs, Montgomery has been trying to provide a consistent message that both Minnesota and Indy are not the same teams as a year ago.

“Historical context is not in the present,” Montgomery said. “We’ve scouted them and know what they do well. We lock in on what to do and bring our game to them. Hopefully we get that unfinished business finished.”

If Aurora wins two games this weekend, the club can bid to host later-round matches at TCO Stadium in Eagan. The USL W semifinals are set for July 12-14 and the final will be between July 19-21.

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Fireworks bundt cake: Confessions of a very amateur baker

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“My bundt hole’s too big,” I said. I was alone in my kitchen. My inner Beavis laughed out loud.

This was supposed to be an “easy, colorful July 4 recipe.” That’s what I’d jotted on our editorial list of stories for the week, anyway. Not quite as simple as the patriotic berry trifle I made for this column a few years ago (heck, you don’t even need an oven for that one), but it is close.

To be fair, the cake part of the Food Network’s Fireworks Bundt Cake was, in fact, cake. As in easy. Fluffy and fortified with sour cream and buttermilk, it stuck in the pan just a little here and there, but these small imperfections didn’t worry me.

Cute, edible props are a win for holiday recipes no matter what, but they can be great for camouflaging imperfections, too. (Amy Drew Thompson/Orlando Sentinel)

Because I had fireworks in the form of some gorgeous rock candy props. I had red, white and blue sprinkles. I even had a few nice strawberries I’d forbidden anyone from eating as a standby garnish. A nice opaque glaze would provide a smooth, white draping blanket that would make all these American colors pop. I was counting on it.

What I wasn’t counting on was a cavernous bundt hole. Or a glaze so ghostly it’d be better suited for my Halloween column (where things don’t always go as planned, either).

I’ve seen the food stylist hacks. Dish-soap bubbles on coffee to make it look rich with creamy foam. Lipstick on strawberries too white near the stems. Dyed mashed potatoes as a stand-in for ice cream so you can shoot without worry of melting. It’s all brilliant. But rather than busting out the Elmer’s glue for a flawless, fool-you glaze, I’m doing what I always do: Telling you what really happened.

Like when most of my pumpkin cheesecake bars hit the floor before their close-up.

My dog simultaneously judging me while hoping he can have some. If you need the glass, too, you could always make taking one a part of the fun! (Amy Drew Thompson/Orlando Sentinel)

I don’t know what went wrong with the glaze, to be honest. The cake had cooled overnight and I was careful to follow the directions, but even so, I must have added a smidge too much water.

The wide crater? There was really no illusion-free fix. At their intact length, the rock candy angles were all wrong. Thirty degrees at best, their sticks choked the space quickly, preventing that pretty, bouquet-like presentation in the Food Network image from coming together. Even at different lengths, there was no suitable arrangement. Not without a votive holder, which is what I eventually used, in combination with placements of shorter sticks between glass and cake, to achieve my facsimile.

Not quite as pathetic as something from “Nailed It!” but decent. And, you know, sometimes — even with recipes way out of my league like Christina Tosi’s confetti cake — I do pretty OK.

I am neither a pro baker nor a food photographer. I am exactly who this recipe is for. And though it probably doesn’t need pointing out, you could make this design idea even easier by replicating the look with a store-bought cake mix if you’re really pressed for time. For holidays, especially when you’re hosting or attending a July 4 gathering at the last minute, it’s just nice to have something festive to set on the table or hand your host when you arrive.

And it doesn’t suck to have a story that goes with it, especially if the cake isn’t everything it could be.

Want to reach out? Find me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com. For more foodie fun, join the Let’s Eat, Orlando Facebook group.

Ghostly glaze or not, it’s still cute. (Amy Drew Thompson/Orlando Sentinel)

Fireworks Bundt Cake

Recipe courtesy Food Network (foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/fireworks-bundt-cake-3762601)

Ingredients

For the cake:

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

For the glaze:

2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Red, white and blue nonpareils, for topping
Red, white and blue rock candy sticks, for decorating

Directions

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10- to 12-cup bundt pan, making sure to get in all the crevices; dust with flour and tap out the excess. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the sour cream and vanilla. (The batter may look curdled.) Reduce the mixer speed to medium low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk; beat until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 15 minutes in the pan; loosen the edge of the cake with a knife and invert onto the rack to cool completely.
Make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and 1 tablespoon water in a bowl; add a splash more water if the glaze is too thick. Spoon over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Decorate with nonpareils. Let stand until set, 5 to 10 minutes. Put rock candy sticks in the center of the cake.