Some weekend 'kick back and relax' reads you might have missed

Happy Saturday, everyone. I hope you have a nice cup of coffee in your hands and you can just smell that special scent of weekend in the air. Speaking of air...

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many things, including what appears to be a renewed appreciation for rural Minnesota and the peace and beauty that comes with it. According to one of our Bemidji reporters, Bria Barton, Airbnb property owners from rural Minnesota saw their profits double over the pandemic , but that demand for these vacay getaways is only getting started.

• With site searches for more remote destinations in the country over the holiday increasing by nearly 40% in the past month.

• Local communities surrounding these properties stand to benefit economically due to increased business for restaurants and shops.

• Glamping, farm stays and minimalist tiny homes are among the most popular for vacationers.

I'm a little obsessed with this story. There, I admitted it. If you haven't seen "Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened" on Netflix, you'll know what I'm talking about. Last weekend appeared to be Fargo's Fiesta of Nada, as people paid big bucks (or just regular bucks) to take in a taco fest that never really happened the way it was advertised.

• At least eight food trucks and several beverage stations were promised, only one taco truck was there, along with one margarita station.
• Hungry, thirsty people waited in line for hours, and many of them were turned away because the solo truck ran out of food.
• Witnesses told WDAY that event organizers were still taking VIP ticket orders, even as the event was shutting down.
• The North Dakota Horse Park, where the event was being held, was only leasing the space to event organizers, and posted the guy's phone number online for disgruntled patrons to call.
• Kick'n Dirt Entertainment out of El Paso, Texas were the organizers.

Actions have consequences. Period. When a competitive Minnesota high jumper from the Twin Cities was shut down from transferring to North Dakota State University because of offensive social media posts on his account , parents all over the region were probably having that talk with their teenagers that very night. Don't post offensive things on social media, and while we're at it, just in general, don't be that guy who thinks hurtful things are funny.

• Noah Cvetnic, a freshman at the University of Minnesota, had his scholarship offer at NDSU revoked.

• The TikTok post reportedly included references to sexual assault and mocking drug abuse

• NDSU head coach Stevie Keller says they always monitor social media accounts of prospects in order to ensure they're the sort of people they want as part of their program.

There are a thousand inspirational memes that come to mind with this story — one of determination, adversity and family love. Tessily Gregory of Pine River, Minnesota was only 15 years old when she became pregnant, but with high school graduation approaching, she wants the world to know that young pregnancies do not have to stop smart, determined girls in their tracks.

• Tessily gave birth to a baby girl who struggled with medical conditions from the start and had to fight for her life.
• Her parents and family loved them both through the ordeal, with Tessily juggling the demands of new motherhood and high school classes.
• She's not only graduating from high school this month, but has been able to obtain her two-year associates degree at the same time.
• Tessily has now been accepted into and will attend one of a handful of colleges in the United States designed for young mothers like her — Misericordia University’s Women with Children Program in Pennsylvania.

And if there were a captain of everything that is inspirational, look no further than this captain — a young man who, let's face it, we've all fallen a little bit in love with. Hunter Pinke, who severed his spine in a skiing accident in December 2019, announced he's enrolling at the University of Arizona to compete in track and field and road-racing.

• Pinke was rehabbing at Craig Hospital in the Denver area, where he spoke with a Paralympian who sparked his interest.

• He is graduating from UND this spring and was accepted into Arizona State's architecture program.

• The young man, whose journey we've been following from the moment we heard of his accident , is determined to one day compete in the Paralympics.