Move over New Year's and St. Patrick's Day.

• Fourth of July weekend has become an increasingly important holiday for keeping drunk drivers off Minnesota's roads, an Axios analysis of state data shows.

Stunning stats: For the second straight year, Minnesota's impaired driving totals around Independence Day surpassed the equivalent periods around NYE and St. Paddy's — the two other busiest holidays historically for DWI enforcement.

• The state saw 594 DWI stops or crashes between July 2-6 last year — the highest total for the holiday in a decade.

The big picture: The rise in impaired driving around the Fourth comes as year-round totals of DWI-related crashes have decreased. Crashes last year were down 22% from 2021, the state data show.

• The number of DWI stops last year was down slightly from its 2023 peak of 26,922.

Zoom in: The number of crashes between July 2-6 last year (53) was comparable to previous years' totals — but DWI-related stops are on the rise.

• Law enforcement agencies cited 35% more drivers around the Fourth of July last year (541) than in 2023.

Between the lines: Summer is already a dangerous time on the roads, with the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day known as the "100 deadliest days" due to the uptick in fatal crashes.

• Between 2020 and 2024, there were 36 total fatalities on Minnesota roads over the Fourth of July holiday — more than most other holidays, State Patrol spokesperson Lt. Jen Krier told Axios.
• Of those 36 fatal crashes over previous Fourths, 17 involved alcohol.

What we're watching: Extra DWI enforcement is a priority for both the State Patrol and other law enforcement agencies over Independence Day, Krier said.

The bottom line: "Drive the speed limit. Put away distractions. Buckle up," Krier said. "And never drive impaired. Always plan a sober ride."

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Most of the Americans traveling this holiday (85%) are expected to drive, according to AAA.

• On Thursday, it might feel like you're stuck in traffic with all 72.2 million of them.

Pro tip: The transportation data firm INRIX projects Thursday will be the busiest traffic day of the long weekend.

• Hertz also expects its rental car pick-up counters to be busiest on Thursday.

The intrigue: Roads will be busy despite gas prices that, in Minnesota, are 20% higher than last year.

• Yes, but: The statewide average price is down 13% — or 58 cents — from a month ago, per AAA.

🏛️ Minneapolis City Council Member Aisha Chughtai will take a month-long leave of absence to enter "a rigorous outpatient program for clinical depression and anxiety." (Star Tribune)

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🏷️ The Hennepin County Assessor halved the value of Best Buy's headquarters campus, reducing Richfield's commercial property tax base by 5%. (KARE11)

🇻🇪 Minnesota's Venezuelan diaspora has collected over 600 boxes of supplies to aid relief efforts after a deadly earthquake in Venezuela last week. (MPR News)

🛒 New rules kicked in this month requiring some 18,000 Minnesotans to meet work requirements in order to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. (Sahan Journal)

Though more Americans plan to travel this summer, fewer plan to travel far.

Why it matters: Higher airfare and broader economic concerns have pushed many travelers to rethink long-haul trips.

By the numbers: Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Americans say they plan to take a summer vacation this year, up from 66% from last year, per a new survey from transportation company Enterprise Mobility.

• Even so, most travelers (69%) say they're opting for weekend getaways, with about half citing affordability as the reason.
• 89% say they plan to stay domestic for their next trip.

The big picture: The Iran war has sent oil prices soaring, causing airlines to cut flights and raise fares, and drivers to pay more at the pump.

• Flight and hotel bookings have already dipped, Virginia Tech professor Mahmood Khan previously told Axios. "People are very hesitant to make long-term bookings."

🎟️ Zoom in: Average domestic airfares out of MSP were up 10.8% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2026, according to the latest federal data.

• Nationally, fares jumped 4.8%.

The bottom line: Travelers aren't giving up on summer — they're getting more strategic.

Where everyone's going

Forget compression cubes and folding tricks.

The big picture: The smartest way to pack lighter is to bring clothes you'll actually wear, says travel writer Lydia Mansel.

She shared her top packing advice with Axios:

👕 Find your travel uniform. Mansel suggests sticking to staples — like plain tees and loose linen pants — that work for all kinds of trips.

• "This eliminates the desire to bring any 'just in case' items," says Mansel, who writes the packing-list newsletter Just Packed.

🧴 Keep a mini-toiletry stash. Save Sephora samples, hotel shampoo bottles, travel-size toothpaste and contact solution bottles so you can "shop" your collection before each trip.

• She also recommends refillable Cadence capsules for liquids, lotions and serums.

👟 For Europe, skip the leggings. Prioritize comfortable linen and cotton pieces that you can easily wash or hand-wash.

• "You'll stand out as an American tourist if you're wearing athleisure," Mansel says.

🧳 Only check a bag when you need to. For Mansel, that usually means longer journeys (at least a week) without laundry access.

• Buy full-size sunscreen when you arrive — so it's not the reason you need to check a bag — though Mansel always brings a travel-size bottle for her face.

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Babe. Pete. Willie. Wally. The coffee pot. The bobber. The German.

As you're hitting the road this weekend, we're setting out to answer once and for all:

• What is Minnesota's best roadside photo op?

📭 Reply to this email with nominations of up to three man-made structures, along with your thoughts on why they best symbolize their towns.

• Later this summer, we'll hold a tournament to pick a winner.

📸 Bonus points if you share a photo of your nominee(s) that we could use in a future newsletter!