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Opera review: Minnesota Opera stages a disquieting Don Giovanni

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:48 GMT

As the civil rape case against former president Donald Trump heads to its conclusion, the Minnesota Opera opens its no holds barred production of “Don Giovanni,” about a rich nobleman who rapes, lies and kills with abandon in an unrepentant descent into hubris.Opening night took place on Saturday, May 6, with Mario Antonio Marra taking the reins as conductor, filling in for the Grammy award-winning conductor Karen Kamensek.Views on sexual assault and consent have no doubt evolved since “Don Giovanni” premiered in 1787, though as evidenced by E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuit and Trump’s own recorded “grab ‘em by the p—” statement, societal opinions on these topics still vary widely.Seth Carico as Don Giovanni and Sara Gartland as Donna Elvira in the Minnesota Opera’s production of “Don Giovanni,” which runs May 6–21, 2023 at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul. (Cory Weaver / Minnesota Opera)Back in the 18th century, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and l...

Fostering a need: Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe seeks to increase number of foster families

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:48 GMT

Five years ago, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe had more than 70 licensed foster homes.Today, that number has fallen to about 40. Most are already caring for children, or are licensed only to care for relatives.Melanie Benjamin, chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. (Courtesy / Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe via MPR News)That means some kids are being sent to non-Native foster homes or facilities outside the community — a problem rooted in historical trauma, Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin said during her annual State of the Band speech in January.“For our oldest generation of band members living today, there were boarding schools that stripped our children of their culture, identity and caused generational trauma,” Benjamin said. “Today, our youngest generation face a similar loss of culture when they are sent to foster homes outside of the band.”The need for foster families comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is set to decide on a challenge to a federal law that aims to keep Nat...

Why official Tony Brothers issued Nikola Jokic a technical foul after altercation with Suns owner Mat Ishbia

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:48 GMT

PHOENIX — In the second quarter of Denver’s Western Conference Semifinal Game 4 loss to Phoenix, Nikola Jokic and Suns owner Mat Ishbia made contact after a loose ball ended up out of bounds along the baseline.Ishbia, who recently purchased the franchise, had the ball in his hands and Jokic tried to take it away from him. Ishbia resisted, and the result included Jokic’s elbow making contact with Ishbia and the owner dramatically flailing himself backward.The officiating crew led by Tony Brothers ultimately issued Jokic an unsportsmanlike technical foul but did not eject him from the game. Ishbia was not removed from the arena or asked to move from his seat.Nuggets coach Michael Malone and players including Jokic insisted the two-time MVP did nothing wrong. Malone was incredulous that his superstar got a technical at all, while forward Aaron Gordon called Ishbia’s actions “super lame.”Jokic said he thought the league was supposed to protect players...

Kiszla: Nikola Jokic and Suns owner tussle. A suspension is in order. Mat Ishbia should be sat in a corner until he learns how to behave at playoff game.

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:48 GMT

PHOENIX — Can we call it a wild and crazy night in the desert, when Nuggets center Nikola Jokic scored a career-high 53 points, but by far his most memorable shot knocked billionaire Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia on his entitled, flopping keister?And now, after Jokic got hit with a technical foul for his role in the confrontation, this classic basketball playoff series could be decided on whether the NBA decides to forgive Jokic or suspend him for tussling with Ishbia.“They’re not going to protect me? They’re going to protect the fan?” Jokic said Sunday, when his confrontation with Ishbia overshadowed both his record-setting performance and the Suns’ 129-124 victory.Well, a suspension is indeed in order.Ishbia shouldn’t be allowed back in the arena for an NBA playoff game until he learns how to behave.“I think it’s crazy that Nikola got a technical foul in the situation,” said Malone, after Phoenix again rode the magnificence of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker to lev...

Video: massive brawl breaks out at The Grove

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:48 GMT

Cellphone video taken Sunday at The Grove in Los Angeles captured a large brawl unfolding in the streets of the shopping mall.  The incident, located at 189 The Grove Drive, happened just after 3:30 p.m., officials with the Los Angeles Police Department told KTLA.  The video shows what appears to be about a half dozen people or more fighting in one of the streets that runs through the sprawling outdoor mall. A security guard can be seen moving toward the melee as it spills onto a nearby sidewalk. That guard and another are seen standing on the outskirts of the brawl as it continues.  At one point, video shows a man getting his shirt torn off as he tries to get out of the center of the fight, only to end up right back in the middle of the skirmish. Several people are throwing punches and fighting, making it unclear if they are trying to hurt the man or help him.  “Where is the police? Where is security?” a woman watching the fight break out yells.  Video taken Sunday, ...

Former Oakland A’s pitcher Vida Blue dies at 73

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:48 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) – Former Oakland Athletics pitcher and three-time World Series champion, Vida Blue, passed away on Saturday.  Blue made his Major League Baseball debut when he joined the Oakland A’s organization in 1969. He was named American League MVP in 1971 and helped the Oakland A's win three consecutive World Series championships from 1972 to 1974. Blue, who wore the number “35”, was also a six-time MLB All-Star.He also played 6 seasons for the San Francisco Giants from 1978 to 1981 and 1985 to 1986. A’s announcer Kuiper suspended, says he is ‘horrified’ by on-air slur Major League Baseball released the following statement on Blue's passing:"We mourn the passing of Vida Blue, a Cy Young, MVP and three-time World Series winner. He was 73."The Oakland A’s released a statement Sunday morning that read in part:“Vida will always be a franchise legend and friend. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends during this arduous time.”The Oakland A's re...

Man shot to death at Oakland motel

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:48 GMT

(BCN) -- A man was shot and killed Sunday morning at an Oakland motel. Oakland police said they were called to the 700 block of West MacArthur Boulevard, just before noon. Officers found an adult male, Oakland resident, with at least one gunshot wound. Medical personnel arrived on scene and pronounced the victim deceased. The victim's identity is being withheld pending notification to next of kin. KRON On is streaming news live now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }Police say there's an ongoing investigation and anyone with information can contact police at (510) 238-3821 or the TIP LINE at (510) 238-7950. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kraken ride 2nd period outburst, thump Stars 7-2 in Game 3

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:48 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Jordan Eberle sparked a five-goal outburst in the second period with his fourth goal of the playoffs, Philipp Grubauer made 24 saves and the Seattle Kraken beat the Dallas Stars 7-2 on Sunday night to take a 2-1 series lead in their Western Conference semifinal. Eberle was the recipient of an unfortunate bounce, beating Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger at 2:10 of the second period after the puck hit Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen in the face and fell to Eberle’s stick.That was just the start for Seattle. Alex Wennberg doubled the lead 1:26 after Eberle’s goal; Carson Soucy became Seattle’s 16th different goal scorer this postseason, beating Oettinger five-hole at 6:30; and Matty Beniers made it 4-0 at 8:22. Seattle’s first four shots of the period beat Oettinger, and the Kraken made it 5-1 when Eeli Tolvanen finished a rebound with 37 seconds left in the period. It was the second time in three games of the series that Oettinger had surrendered five goals after Dallas los...

The Frenchie becomes a favorite — and a dog-show contender

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:48 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The United States’ new favorite dog breed — the comical, controversial French bulldog — has never won the nation’s pre-eminent dog show. Yet here, at an ambling trot, comes Winston. The Frenchie with NFL connections is a strong contender at this week’s Westminster Kennel Club dog show, less than two months after the release of rankings showing that his kind has become the country’s most prevalent dog breed. Frenchies’ rise has been stunning: from 83rd most popular to No. 1 in three decades. It also has been dogged by concerns about their health, debate over the ethics of breeding, denunciations of a gold-rush-like market with ever more “exotic” variations, and a recent spate of high-profile and sometimes fatal robberies.If all that says something about these stumpy-snouted, pointy-eared, deep-chested, quizzical little bulldogs, what does it say about the culture that loves them? THEIR MEDIA IMAGE IMPACTS THEIR POPULARITY“Just like humans, dogs...

Panthers beat Maple Leafs in OT, take 3-0 series lead

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:16:48 GMT

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sam Reinhart scored 3:02 into overtime and the Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Sunday night to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.Reinhart dumped the puck off the boards behind the net to set up his game-winner, taking a pass back from Anton Lundell and scoring to give Florida its first 3-0 series lead in 27 years.Anthony Duclair and Carter Verhaeghe scored for Florida, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 22 shots. Sam Lafferty and Erik Gustafsson scored for Toronto. Joseph Woll stopped 18 of the 21 he faced for the Maple Leafs after he relieved starter Ilya Samsonov, who stopped all eight shots he saw before leaving early in the second period with an injury.Game 4 is Wednesday night.DEVILS 8, HURRICANES 4NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Jack Hughes had two goals and two assists to help New Jersey cut their series deficit to 2-1.Nico Hischier and Ondrej Palat each had a goal and an assist, and Timo Meier, Damon Severson, Mic...