As of Monday, July 20th, 2026, residents living 2.5 to 3 hours south of Duluth, Minnesota have endured nearly three days of heavy smoke on the ground, described as gloomier than typical foggy or dark days. The smoke results from a series of 15 wildfires in northern and eastern Minnesota, initially sparked by a lightning strike in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) a few weeks ago. These fires have since spread and crossed into Canada, raising concerns about continued smoke and air quality issues in the region. Locals have been warned to expect more days of poor air quality before conditions improve.

In other news, a Verizon customer shared a personal account of spending nearly four hours on Saturday, July 18th, trying to resolve a billing issue related to an Apple Watch. The customer expressed frustration with the process and stated, "I will never step foot inside a Verizon store unless it's an absolute last-resort situation." Despite the difficulties, a Verizon representative named Richard helped identify a double charge for Netflix and resolved part of the issue. The customer also advised others not to focus on individual numbers but rather on their overall monthly bill, noting it "doesn't go up that much."

Additional topics mentioned in the roundup include Ray Lewis training in MMA, Tom Brady's future in WWE, and a forgettable British Open golf lead.

Sources