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3M Open: Blaine’s Caleb VanArragon receives final sponsor exemption

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:34 GMT

The man who’s dominated the Minnesota golf scene this summer will tee it up in the state’s PGA Tour event this week. Blaine’s Caleb VanArragon received the final sponsor’s exemption for the 3M Open, tournament director Mike Welch announced.VanArragon won the Minnesota Open by nine shots, then followed that up by winning the state am by 12.The two-time Minnesota Golf Association Player of the Year and past Minnesota State High School League Class 3A state champ has three collegiate wins at Valparaiso, where he’ll return for a fifth season this next school year.But not before he gets a taste of golf at the highest level in his hometown at TPC Twin Cities.Related ArticlesGolf | Blaine couple charged in connection with explosion at apartment complex Golf | City of Blaine responsible for drying up residential wells, DNR says

Twins rookie Jordan Balazovic impressing out of bullpen

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:34 GMT

Jordan Balazovic didn’t realize it initially on Saturday in the aftermath of the Twins’ 3-2 victory that he had recorded his first career win. It wasn’t until he got back to his phone and saw an outpouring of messages — along with a beer shower from his teammates — that it really started to sink in for him.This is a 2021 photo of Jordan Balazovic of the Minnesota Twins baseball team. This image reflects the Minnesota Twins active roster as of Friday, Feb. 26, 2021 when this image was taken. (Adam Glanzman/MLB Photos via AP)For Balazovic, once the Twins’ top pitching prospect, the accomplishment comes after a long journey during which he experienced unprecedented struggles on the mound last year, suffered a broken jaw as a result of an off-field altercation at the beginning of spring training and adjusted to a shift to the bullpen.“He’s done a really nice job,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “He has come right in and pitched in a lot of important moments and he’s fearless. He wan...

Saints drop series, lose 3-1 to Storm Chasers in finale

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:34 GMT

Tucker Bradley hit a two-run double in the seventh inning that broke a 1-1 tie and powered the Omaha Storm Chasers to a 3-1 victory over the St. Paul Saints in their series finale Sunday night in Papillion, Neb.The Saints (55-40, 12-9 second half) lost four of six against the Storm Chasers despite starting the series with the second-best record in the International League for the second half.Sunday’s game started as a pitchers’ duel between the Saints’ Randy Dobnak and the Storm Chasers’ Anthony Veneziano. Dobnak allowed a run in the first on a two-out double from John Rave that scored Bradley, but otherwise held Omaha (46-46, 8-12) quiet through four innings. He allowed four hits and the one run but struck out six, with 43 of his 67 pitches going for strikes.The Saints got the run back in the sixth when Mark Contreras hit an RBI double to left-center field, finally getting to Veneziano, who went six innings and struck out five while allowing just four hits a...

Richard Barancik, last of the World War II Monuments Men, dies at 98

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:34 GMT

By Richard Sandomir, The New York TimesRichard Barancik, the last surviving member of the Allied unit known as the Monuments Men and Women, which during and after World War II preserved a vast amount of European artworks and cultural treasures that had been looted and hidden by Nazi Germany, died July 14 in Chicago. He was 98.In a family photo, Richard Barancik during his military service in World War II. Barancik, the last surviving member of the Allied unit known as the Monuments Men and Women, which during and after World War II preserved a vast amount of European artworks and cultural treasures that had been looted and hidden by Nazi Germany, died on July 14, 2023, in Chicago. He was 98. (Barancik family via The New York Times)His death, in a hospital, was confirmed by his daughter Jill Barancik.Barancik (pronounced ba-RAN-sick) was one of four members of what was formally called the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Section to receive the Congressional Gold Medal in 2015 in Was...

Deputy seen punching transgender man in L.A. County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:34 GMT

Surveillance footage from a 7-Eleven store in Whittier captured the violent arrest of a transgender man by a deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department earlier this year.  The Feb. 10 incident occurred in the parking lot of the convenience store on Mills Avenue at around 12:30 p.m.  Footage of the arrest, which is difficult to watch, shows an LASD deputy, identified by the Los Angeles Times as Deputy Joseph Benza, pulling into the parking lot directly behind 23-year-old Emmet Brock’s black Honda Civic, blocking him in.  The deputy is then seen exiting his cruiser and approaching Brock as he was getting out of his Honda. Audio of the arrest was captured by the deputy’s body-worn camera.  “Come here. I just stopped you,” the deputy is heard saying.  “No, you didn’t,” Brock replies as he turns toward the entrance of the store.  “Yeah, I did,” the deputy replies as he grabs Brock and quickly takes him down.  “Oh, my god. What the f–– is ha...

Driver dies in hospital after Livermore two-car crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:34 GMT

(BCN) -- A 59-year-old man died Friday after a two-car collision in Livermore, police said. A white GMC SUV was changing lanes when it collided with a black Subaru on East Avenue at Mitra Street about 3:20 p.m., police said Saturday in a social media posting. Driver stuck on Richmond-San Rafael Bridge plays tennis to pass time The GMC driver suffered major injuries and was taken to a local hospital, where he died, police said. The victim's identity will be released by the Alameda County Coroner's office after the next of kin are notified, police said.Investigators are awaiting the results of toxicology tests, police said. The Alameda County Coroner's Office will release the identity of the driver who died pending notification of next of kin.Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved

DC police investigate double homicide in Columbia Heights

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:34 GMT

A search for suspects is underway after two men were shot and killed in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Northwest D.C., Saturday night.According to police, first responders were called to the 1400 block of Girard Street in Northwest around 10 p.m. on reports of a shooting.On the scene, officers found one male shooting victim at the reported location. A spokesperson for the department told WTOP that, moments later, officers were flagged down to assist a second male victim roughly a block away, near the intersection of 14th and Fairmount Streets.Police said both victims were unconscious and not breathing when officers arrived. First responders with D.C. Fire and EMS were unable to revive either victim and both were pronounced dead at the scene.The department said an investigation into the double homicide is ongoing.The approximate location of the shooting is below.WTOP’s Ivy Lyons contributed to this report.Source

Brian Harman wins the British Open for his 1st major; Akshay Bhatia claims the Barracuda

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:34 GMT

HOYLAKE, England (AP) — Brian Harman turned back every challenge in the British Open, from big names to bad weather, and took his place among major champions Sunday with a victory that was never seriously in doubt at Royal Liverpool.Harman twice responded to a rare bogey with back-to-back birdies, leaving everyone else playing for second. He closed with a 1-under 70, making an 8-foot par putt on the last hole for a six-shot victory.At age 36, he is the oldest first-time major winner since Sergio Garcia was 37 when he won the Masters in 2017.Harman had gone 167 tournaments over six years since his last win in the 2017 Wells Fargo Championship. This is only his third title in his 12 years on the PGA Tour.Masters champion Jon Rahm birdied his last hole for a 70 to make it a four-way tie for second place with Tom Kim (67), Sepp Straka (69) and Jason Day (69).Harman took the lead on Friday morning with the second of four straight birdies early in the second round. He never trailed over t...

Maryland climate town halls, legislation garner attention from national podcasters

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:34 GMT

Gov. Wes Moore (D) prepares to sign legislation expanding the state’s offshore wind energy capacity on April 21 at the Tradepoint Atlantic industrial development in Baltimore County, where several components of the wind turbines will be built and assembled. Photo from the Executive Office of the Governor. Gov. Wes Moore (D) prepares to sign legislation expanding the state’s offshore wind energy capacity on April 21 at the Tradepoint Atlantic industrial development in Baltimore County, where several components of the wind turbines will be built and assembled. Photo from the Executive Office of the Governor. This content was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryl...

Akshay Bhatia, 21, wins his first PGA Tour title at the Barracuda Championship

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:57:34 GMT

TRUCKEE, Calif. (AP) — Akshay Bhatia birdied the closing hole in regulation, then capitalized in sudden death when Patrick Rodgers found a divot in the fairway to win his first PGA Tour title at the Barracuda Championship on Sunday.The 21-year-old Bhatia, who turned pro at 17, earned full status on tour and a spot in the FedEx Cup playoffs. He had been playing under special temporary membership since his runner-up finish at the Puerto Rico Open in March.“It’s obviously been a really tough road. I’ve had a lot of up, a lot of down. A lot of good, a lot of bad,” Bhatia said. “But I knew I was going to get here. It was just matter of time. For it to happen this year with special temporary membership and now to get to play all these events and to get it done today was, I can’t even describe it.”Bhatia converted a birdie from about 15 feet on the par-4 18th hole at Tahoe Mountain Club to finish with 40 points under the modified Stableford scoring system that awards five point...