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Family, friends mourn St. Paul man at intersection where he, his dog were killed

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

Friends and family of Steve Wirtz, a St. Paul man who was struck and killed while crossing a street darkened by copper wire theft, held a candlelight vigil for him Saturday evening at the intersection where he died.Wirtz, 64, and his 2-year-old German shepherd, Gunther, were killed shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday — Christmas Eve — while they were out for a quick walk in their North End neighborhood.The 45-year-old driver who hit Wirtz and Gunther cooperated with authorities at the scene. The stretch of Maryland Avenue recently got a new pedestrian median, freshly painted crosswalk, signage and bump-outs designed to make it safer for pedestrians, but a new streetlight at Park Street was not connected because its copper wiring had been stolen, city officials said.St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and Ramsey County officials issued statements of condolence, with Carter calling for “state policy to help prevent tragedies like this in the future.” Carter also attended Saturday’s vigil for W...

Sharks get a bit healthier as date with Colorado Avalanche looms

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

The San Jose Sharks returned Magnus Chrona to their AHL affiliate, likely meaning fellow goalie Mackenzie Blackwood will be available to play on the road Sunday against the Colorado Avalanche after he sat out the last two games with an illness.Chrona started Thursday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers and allowed four goals on 11 shots before he was pulled after one period in favor of Kaapo Kahkonen. The Sharks lost the game 5-0 in what was their seventh-straight defeat.Blackwood practiced Saturday in San Jose after he missed the team’s games earlier this week against the Oilers and Los Angeles Kings.Blackwood is 4-14-2 this season with a .889 save percentage in 23 games for the Sharks (9-24-3).Also Saturday, the Sharks activated defenseman Ty Emberson off of injured reserve. Emberson, who is averaging close to 18 minutes of ice time per game, was injured on Dec. 3 during the team’s morning skate hours before the Sharks faced the New York Rangers.The Sharks are 4-8-1 thi...

Sacramento man arrested in accidental shooting of wife

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

A 50-year-old Sacramento man was arrested early Saturday and taken to Sacramento County Main Jail after the apparently accidental shooting of his wife, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.Deputies said they responded to a “frantic 911 call” about 1:40 a.m. from a man who, according to a Sheriff’s Office media release, said that he accidentally shot his wife in the shoulder.The woman was reported conscious and alert in the main bedroom and was taken to a hospital. There were no witnesses located in the house, the release stated.Deputies on the scene took independent statements from the couple. The man was taken to jail on suspicion of negligent discharge of a firearmAccording to sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Amar Gandhi, both individuals reported they heard a noise in the middle of the night. When the man went to investigate the noise, the report said, he got his gun and it accidentally discharged.The couple remained adamant that the incident was a complete accident.Crime ...

Tesla Cybertruck involved in San Mateo County crash: CHP

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

(KRON) -- A Tesla Cybertruck was involved in a crash Thursday afternoon in San Mateo County, California Highway Patrol said in a news release. The crash happened around 2:05 p.m. in the area of Highway 35 and Page Mill Road, just north of Skyline Ridge Open Space Reserve. Approximately $1M worth of merchandise stolen from Ross in Solano County: authorities The Cybertruck crashed into a 2009 Toyota Corolla, which was driven by a 17-year-old boy from Woodside. It is unknown if he was injured. The Tesla was traveling north while the Toyota was going south at the time of the crash, CHP said. The weather at the time of the crash was "cloudy and wet." A preliminary CHP investigation determined the Toyota was traveling at an unknown speed when it hit a dirt embankment on the right shoulder. The Toyota reentered the roadway, crossed the double yellow lines and entered the northbound lane where it then crashed into the Tesla. The driver of the Cybertruck, a 32-year-old man from San Franci...

To eat better in 2024, focus on your snack habits

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

If you are looking to improve your nutrition, you may want to start with your snacking habits. While snacks have the potential to improve nutrient intake and boost energy levels between meals, in reality snack choices often fall short of these goals. Before jumping on the latest diet craze, consider how your snacks may be derailing your healthy eating plans.Researchers looked at the diets of over 20,000 Americans and found that, on average, people consumed an additional 400 to 500 calories per day in snacks. Snacks contributed to about a meal’s worth of calories, or about 22% of daily calories, while providing little nutritional value. The study, which was published in PLOS Global Public Health, reported that snacks were mostly carbohydrate-rich and high-fat convenience foods, sweets, alcoholic beverages and sugar-sweetened drinks.Healthful snacks can help manage appetite and keep energy levels stable during longer time periods between meals. Some individuals may need to rely on con...

Tummy woes hamper dog’s holiday

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

Dear Dr. John,I enjoy reading your column and have for many years. We just returned from the emergency hospital where our small mutt was admitted for something called HGE. Our dog did not get into anything over the holidays that we were aware of, but he may have been given a little beef tenderloin on Christmas Eve. Could that really make him sick enough to be hospitalized? We woke up yesterday to him having some vomiting and bloody diarrhea that got worse as the day went on. We were obviously concerned and tried giving him some hamburger and rice but to no avail. He was also a bit lethargic. Is this what is typically seen and what is the typical cause of HGE? We were told that he should make a full recovery after some IV fluids and antibiotics. Should we be concerned going forward into the new year? M.T.Dear M.T.,Good to hear that you got your dog in for treatment, and he will probably come home within a day or two at most. HGE is an acronym for hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, and it i...

The ‘Super Bowl Sunday’ of online dating

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

If you were thinking about joining a dating site in the new year, you’re not alone (far from it, in fact).The first Sunday of the new year happens to be the busiest day of the year, according to several dating apps and websites. Dubbed “Dating Sunday” or “Singles Sunday,” the name traces back to 2016 when the post-ball drop increase was noticed, and now it’s an unofficial holiday for those hoping to meet their match.And there’s data to back up the hype. OkCupid revealed that they historically see a stunning 70% increase in user activity on Dating Sunday, while Tinder estimates that 10% of all swipes in the month of January occur on that date, adding that 44 million matches were made on the app in 2019 — just on Dating Sunday.Why is there such a noticeable increase on this one day of the year? Julie Spira, an online dating expert, told USA Today that it was due to a variety of factors that happen to coincide.“You have people recovering from a breakup or who were down during the...

TV Q&A: Will Netflix dispatch ‘The Diplomat’ again?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

You have questions. I have some answers.Q: Will there be another season of “The Diplomat”? I watched the first season twice already hoping there will be another season soon.A: Netflix ordered a second season of the drama starring Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell back in May after the first season became an almost immediate hit. But as with so many other shows, production was stalled by the Hollywood strikes. I’d expect it sometime in 2024 but can’t say exactly when.Q: I am looking for a movie that I believe starred James Garner. He was captured by the Germans in World War II and was put into a fake U.S. hospital so the Germans could find out when the Allied invasion of Europe would take place. He smartly became aware of the ruse.A: That’s “36 Hours,” a movie from 1964. The cast included Garner, Eva Marie Saint and Rod Taylor. George Seaton directed and wrote the screenplay, based on a short story by Roald Dahl. It has been released on DVD and other formats, including through Amazon. (A...

Will ex be unwanted guest at the party?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

Q. I just broke up with my husband of four years. Christmas was rough, but most of my friends stood by me and made it bearable. I have been invited to a New Year’s party given by a friend who was my friend first. Her husband has become my ex’s best friend and I know my ex will be there. I don’t want to see him. Should I call him and tell him not go? What’s good ex-etiquette?A. The situation you describe is the most common question I am asked when it comes to attending parties.When friends giving a party don’t want to take sides, according to good ex-etiquette, I suggest they invite both people. Then as a courtesy, the host informs them both that the other has been invited, with the addition that if they both do attend, they not disrupt the party. If they don’t think they can act in a civil manner, they should not attend. You aren’t in charge of the guest list. Calling someone and telling them not to attend is not your job.I understand you probably feel a little betrayed by you...

A slate of new movies to heat up winter screens

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

If January ushers in a New Year, at the movies it’s still the awards season with the Golden Globes and Critics Choice honors being telecast as a run-up to the Oscar nominations on Jan.23 and then the really big show March 10.Of course winter’s slate stands out as entertainment and not awards bait. Among the notable entries:“Night Swim” (Jan. 5)Supernatural horror gets a workout as Wyatt Russell (“Monarch: Legacy of Monsters”) discovers there’s something there, in the backyard swimming pool!  Writer-director Bryce McGuire, who now expands his 5-minute short, includes “Creature from the Black Lagoon” among his inspirations.“The Book of Clarence” (Jan. 12)An epic biblical comedy/drama with a formidable cast, LaKeith Stanfield stars as Clarence, who in 29 AD is a hustler who plans to get out of debt by insisting he’s a new God-sent Messiah. With Anna Diop, Omar Sy and Teyana Taylor.“Argylle” (Feb. 2)Writer-director Matthew Vaughn (“Kingsman: The Secret Service”)  is back in his fu...