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Perhaps some NBA title contenders can coast to the playoffs. Timberwolves know they’re not one of them.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:21 GMT

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch was named Western Conference Coach of the Month on Monday which, as he noted, was a nod to the team’s accomplishments and a credit to the work everyone in the organization has put in to this point in the season.Finch was a shoo-in for the award. Minnesota enters Wednesday’s home game against San Antonio with the best record in the NBA (15-4). The Timberwolves come to play on a nightly basis, and currently have the look of one of the league’s top dogs. Minnesota is presently at or near the top of a number of national NBA power rankings.That’s a great designation for a team to carry at any point in the season, but it comes at a cost.Karl-Anthony Towns went to Mike Conley at Monday’s practice and noted how tired he was.“I’m like, ‘Well, you know, it’s really hard to win in this league.’ Because when you win a lot in this league, your effort is just so much more. It’s almost like you’re playing playoff-level basketball i...

Public meeting scheduled for Wednesday on two proposed specialty hospitals in St. Paul, Roseville

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:21 GMT

The Minnesota Department of Health is holding a virtual public meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday to gather public comment on two proposals for new specialty hospitals in Ramsey County.The changes will not result in any loss of services, according to state officials.While there is a moratorium on adding new hospitals or hospital beds in Minnesota, the Legislature has a process to weigh exceptions. State law requires the health department to assess whether new proposals serve the public interest.Nobis Rehabilitation Partners has asked to build a new free-standing 60-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Roseville. The hospital would focus on providing intensive rehabilitation services — such as physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy — to those requiring these services long-term.Meanwhile, Regency Hospital is seeking to open a second campus of its Golden Valley long-term acute care hospital to be located at the Regions Hospital Campus in St. Paul. The pro...

Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores ignoring head coaching rumors

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:21 GMT

As the Vikings trickled back into TCO Performance Center on Monday morning fresh off their bye week, defensive coordinator Brian Flores gathered his group together like he usually does before game prep begins. He went on to deliver a message to the defense to make sure everybody fully understood what’s at stake over the next month or so.Defensive coordinator Brian Flores of the Minnesota Vikings reacts against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter at Soldier Field on October 15, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)“We’ve got 35 days,” Flores said. “That’s all we’ve got that’s guaranteed.”Indeed. The playoffs certainly aren’t guaranteed for the Vikings despite the fact they currently sit above the cut line with a 6-6 record. They have games against the Las Vegas Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions (twice), and Green Bay Packers coming up, and while the offense is about to get a boost...

Dakota County Historical Society is looking for new board members

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:21 GMT

The Dakota County Historical Society is on the hunt for new board members for 2024.The board is made up of volunteers who serve two-year terms where they set organizational policy and help to preserve, interpret and promote the history of the county, according to a news release from the Historical Society.The Dakota County Historical Society, which was founded in 1939, operates three historic sites including the Lawshe Memorial Museum in South St. Paul, the LeDuc Historic Estate in Hastings and the Sibley Historic Site in Mendota as well as a research library and website.“The organization is excited for what is to come,” said Executive Director Matt Carter, in the release. “We just completed a $1.2 million renovation of the Lawshe Museum in South St. Paul and have funding to provide more needed upgrades to the space,” Carter said.Other upcoming projects for the Historical Society include the George Daniels project at the LeDuc Estate, the Black Heritage Trail project in Hastings and...

Arrest warrant issued for VT gun range owner

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:21 GMT

WEST PAWLET, V.T. (NEWS 10) — A Vermont judge issued an arrest warrant for the man operating what the state calls an illegal paramilitary training center. A Vermont Environmental Court Judge again issued the warrant for Daniel Banyai owner of Slate Ridge,  a former firearms training center in West Pawlet, Rutland County. The judge ruled that Banyai is in contempt of court for failing to bring his property into zoning compliance after an inspection last week. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The gun range and associated buildings are on 30-acre land only zoned for an apartment and garage. The state outlawed paramilitary training camps including Slate Ridge earlier this year. As a result of these violations, Banyai owes Pawlet more than $100,000 in fines over the unpermitted structures. This is the second time an arrest warrant was issued for Banyai over his property. This is the wooded area surrounding the entrance. Even locating...

Family sues Panera, saying its caffeinated lemonade led to Florida man's cardiac arrest

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:21 GMT

FLEMING ISLAND, Fla. (AP) — The family of a 46-year-old Florida man has filed a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit against one of the biggest fast-casual restaurant chains in the U.S., claiming Panera Bread Company's caffeine-filled lemonade drink led to his death.David Brown had high blood pressure and didn't drink energy drinks, but the lawsuit said he believed the Panera Charged Lemonade was safe since it was not advertised as an energy drink. It was offered in the same place as the restaurant chain’s non-caffeinated or less-caffeinated drinks, according to the lawsuit filed Monday in Superior Court in Delaware, where Panera Bread Company is registered.The lawsuit states that on Oct. 9, Brown had the drink three times during a visit to the Panera Bread Company location in Fleming Island, Florida. On his walk home, he suffered cardiac arrest and died a short time later. He had ordered a Panera Charged Lemonade at least seven times over the course of two weeks in September and O...

Colorado School of Mines semifinal preview: Orediggers one win away from returning to Division II national championship

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:21 GMT

The state’s unstoppable college football force makes one final local appearance this Saturday in Golden.Top-seeded Colorado School of Mines hosts Kutztown in the Division II semifinals at 1:30 p.m. at Marv Kay Stadium, with the Orediggers one victory away from returning to McKinney, Texas, for a second straight appearance in the national championship.The Orediggers, 13-0 for the first time in program history, obliterated Augustana in their playoff opener in Golden two weeks ago. Then in the quarterfinals last week, Mines turned a 14-14 halftime score against Central Washington into a decisive 38-14 win.Mines is again a favorite against the Pennsylvania-based Kutztown this week. Here’s a look at five keys to victory for coach Pete Sterbick’s squad as the Orediggers’ national-championship-or-bust campaign enters its homestretch.Colorado School of Mines’ Noah Roper (28) runs the ball up the field during the NCAA Division II football championship quarterfin...

For a memorable holiday party, personalize the punch

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:21 GMT

By Rebekah Peppler, The New York TimesHoliday party drinks can take many forms: punch bowls, batched cocktails, a bathtub of bubbles, a tray of shots. What unifies them is a festal shared experience for guests to gather around. This year, keep the communal theme, but drop the one-drink-fits-all approach.“To me, hosting parties is really about making everyone happy,” said Estelle Bossy, the beverage director at Le Rock in New York City. “Rather than tell everyone what I think is delicious, I like to empower people to find their own version of their favorite thing,” she added.To maintain a through line among different drinks, you need a deeply flavorful base. Making a batch of a single base and placing it on the table, alongside a bucket of ice and a few different spirited and nonalcoholic bottles, lets drinkers choose their own holiday cheers.One of Bossy’s favorite bases for holiday drinks is a shrub, and while early versions in the 18th century leaned closer to a concentrated punch...

Stoney’s Cantina closes after two years on South Broadway

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:21 GMT

Stoney Jesseph said adios to a restaurant he opened on South Broadway in 2021.The restaurateur, who owns three remaining Stoney’s locations around Colorado, said the one at 30 S. Broadway branded Stoney’s Cantina never made a profit.The biggest culprit: a year of road and sidewalk construction on the bustling commercial strip.“You can’t ride. You can’t walk down a whole block. It’s a nightmare down here. You can’t get anywhere,” Jesseph said, adding that sales fell by 60 percent once construction commenced.“From what I hear, everyone (on the retail strip) has seen business slow down considerably,” Jesseph said.“It doesn’t have the same walk-in traffic it used to have. It’s not the same neighborhood at night, either.”Related ArticlesRestaurants, Food and Drink | Apple Blossom will close after two years in downtown Denver hotel Restaurants, Food and Drink | Stranahan’s whiskey returns to mountain-town roots with new taproom Restaurants, Food and D...

CVS' new pricing plan isn't exactly a breakthrough

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:21 GMT

CVS Health excitedly announced Tuesday that it will change how it reimburses pharmacies for sales of prescription drugs to introduce more transparency to the market.It presented the change, which won't be implemented until 2025, as a breakthrough for customers.Prem Shah, CVS' chief pharmacy officer, said in a statement that the switch represents "a foundational step towards more pricing clarity for consumers."That remains to be seen.Currently, pharmacy reimbursement reflects the opaque pricing of industry middlemen who may pay little heed to how much a drug actually costs. This popular condiment could boost your memory Under CVS' new plan, reimbursements will be based on a drug's wholesale price, with a set markup for customers and a set fee for middlemen.Which is to say, CVS will operate pretty much how most other businesses have been operating for centuries -- adding a profit margin to wholesale costs.So the new approach isn't so much revolutionary as a fallback to a business mo...