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After ‘thawing out,’ Twins reveling in the Minnesota sun

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After ‘thawing out,’ Twins reveling in the Minnesota sun


With roots in Southern California, where the weather is notoriously perfect for baseball, Twins first baseman Ty France – in his first season in Minnesota after spending 2024 with Cincinnati – admitted there is a little more spring in the step when you come to work on a June morning with sunshine, low humidity and the thermometer headed for the 70s.

“Whenever you get a little bit of sunshine, it’s nice to get out there,” France said prior to Saturday’s game versus Toronto, admitting that recent road trips have offered better weather than what they experienced at home early in the season.

“The first month was a little bit of a grind, but we ran into some warm weather too, in Tampa, Sacramento, Seattle was nice,” France said. “But it’s nice coming home to this, for sure.”

First proposed in the late 1990s, the original plans for a ballpark to replace the Metrodome included a retractable roof similar to those in Seattle and Houston. When legislators and much of the voting public in Minnesota soundly rejected the cost of a retractable roof facility, the design of what eventually became Target Field was scaled back, and outdoor baseball – for better or worse depending on the whims of Minnesota weather – returned in 2010.

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Some believe that April and May games at Target Field, when the weather can be colder than anywhere else in the majors, give the Twins a home field advantage. On a smaller scale, similar to what the Minnesota Vikings enjoyed for their first two decades, playing outdoors at Met Stadium, where the weather could be frigid late in the football season.

France said they play in any temperature, but admitted that short sleeves and sunglasses are ideal.

“It’s a more comfortable environment for us,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s necessarily an advantage, but once we get the opportunity to thaw out after the first month, it’s nice. I haven’t played here in the summertime, but I’ve heard the ball starts carrying a little better, and I’m looking forward to that.”

Lewis past slump

After snapping out of a brutal 0-for-32 slump at the plate during the Twins’ three-city road trip, Royce Lewis continues to do good things with his bat, going 3 for 3 with a walk in Friday’s loss to Toronto.

“I think he has looked good at the plate. I think he has looked more comfortable. I think his swing has been synced up really good,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Both his timing on his swing, and actually the swing itself, has looked a lot like the Royce you would see last year at times and the year before.”

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Lewis, who scored a run in the Twins’ 6-4 loss, said he’s concentrating on what he can control at the plate, and leaving the rest to the hands of fate.

I can only control so much. Once the ball leaves the bat, it’s on God and it’s on those fielders where they’re playing. So I’ve just got to keep doing my thing and controlling what I can control, and looking for my pitch, which is key I think for any hitter,” he said following Friday’s game.

“If you’re looking for your pitch, and you’re focusing on every pitch of every at-bat which is tough to do sometimes, I know you wouldn’t think it, like ‘oh, you should be focused.’ Well, sometimes you just lose sight of your plan. You get homer happy or you swing too hard. Those are the little things that I’m trying to take care of right now. Just breathing and having fun.”

Whatever is working for Lewis, Baldelli wants to see it continue.

“It’s been a week, so we want to keep this going throughout the whole season,” the manager said.

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Happy birthday “Buck-Ninety”

Tim Laudner, the former Twins catcher and current member of the broadcast crew, celebrated his 67th birthday on Saturday, noting that he and late Minnesota music icon Prince entered this world on the same day: June 7, 1958.

Born in Iowa, Laudner played high school baseball at Park Center, in the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis and at the University of Missouri before making his major league debut with the Twins in 1981.

As a catcher on Minnesota’s 1987 World Series title team, Laudner was beloved for his local roots, and playfully teased for his light-hitting ways.

He batted .191 for the 1987 season with 16 home runs, prompting some fans to hang a banner from the facing of the Metrodome’s upper deck during the playoffs with Laudner’s number, declaring them members of the “Buck-Ninety Fan Club” in reference to his batting average.

In the clubhouse before Saturday’s game, Laudner joked about being the second most prominent Minnesotan – after Prince, who died in 2016 – but said that a fan once noted that for their careers, Laudner had more hits than the musician.

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ICE arrests in Minnesota surge include numerous convicted child rapists, killers

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ICE arrests in Minnesota surge include numerous convicted child rapists, killers


NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

FIRST ON FOX: ICE officials on Saturday released a shocking list of the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal immigrants arrested during their recent surge in the sanctuary state of Minnesota, including child rapists and nearly a dozen killers.

ICE told Fox News the criminal illegal immigrants were roaming freely in Minnesota prior to their recent arrest, and that they are the type of people Democratic politicians and activists are referring to as their “neighbors,” as they attempt to interfere with ICE.

“Regardless of staged political theatrics, ICE is going to continue to arrest the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in Minnesota and elsewhere,” ICE director Todd M. Lyons wrote in a statement. “Some of these criminal aliens have had final orders of removal for 30 years, but they’ve been free to terrorize Minnesotans.”

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Anti-immigration enforcement agitators clash with federal law enforcement outside an ICE facility in Minneapolis, Minn. (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images)

AG PAM BONDI WARNS MINNESOTA PROTESTERS AFTER ICE SHOOTING: ‘DO NOT TEST OUR RESOLVE’

“ICE’s arrests prevent recidivism and make communities safer, but it feels like local politicians want to ignore that part and drum up discontent rather than protect their own constituents,” he continued.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reacted to the arrests on X Saturday, calling the convicts “sick people.”

“This is why we have ICE Agents,” Leavitt wrote in the post. “May God Bless them for their thankless work to protect American communities from these sick people.”

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted a photo of a plane on X Saturday captioned, “Lawbreakers going wheels up in Minneapolis.”

Some of the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal immigrants arrested in Minnesota include:

Sriudorn Phaivan, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of strong-arm sodomy of a boy and strong-arm sodomy of a girl. (ICE)

Sriudorn Phaivan

Sriudorn Phaivan, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of strong-arm sodomy of a boy and strong-arm sodomy of a girl, another aggravated sex offense, nine counts of larceny, unauthorized use of a vehicle, four counts of fraud, vehicle theft, two counts of drug possession, obstructing justice, possession of stolen property, receiving stolen property, burglary and check forgery. 

He also has pending charges for two counts of receiving stolen property, flight to avoid prosecution or confinement and burglary.

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Phaivan has had a deportation order since 2018.

Tou Vang, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of sexual assault and sodomy of a girl under the age of 13, and procuring a child for prostitution. (ICE)

Tou Vang

Tou Vang, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of sexual assault and sodomy of a girl under the age of 13, and procuring a child for prostitution.

Vang has had a deportation order since 2006.

Chong Vue, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of the strong-arm rape of a 12-year-old girl, and kidnapping a child with intent to sexually assault her. (ICE)

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Chong Vue

Chong Vue, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of the strong-arm rape of a 12-year-old girl, and kidnapping a child with intent to sexually assault her.

Vue has had a deportation order since 2004.

ICE DIRECTOR FIRES BACK AT ‘SQUAD’ LAWMAKERS OVER ‘POLITICAL RHETORIC’ AFTER FATAL MINNEAPOLIS SHOOTING

Ge Yang, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of strong-arm rape, aggravated assault with a weapon, and strangulation. (ICE)

Ge Yang

Ge Yang, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of strong-arm rape, aggravated assault with a weapon, and strangulation.

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Yang has had a deportation order since 2012.

Pao Choua Xiong, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of rape and child fondling. (ICE)

Pao Choua Xiong

Pao Choua Xiong, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of rape and child fondling.

Xiong has had a deportation order since 2003.

Kou Lor, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of rape, rape with a weapon, and sexual assault. (ICE)

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Kou Lor

Kou Lor, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of rape, rape with a weapon, and sexual assault.

Lor has had a deportation order since 1996.

Hernan Cortes-Valencia, a criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico, was ordered to leave the country in 2016 and has been convicted of sexual assault against a child, sexual assault-carnal abuse and four DUIs. (ICE)

Hernan Cortes-Valencia

Hernan Cortes-Valencia, a Mexican illegal immigrant, was convicted of sexual assault of a child and DUI.

Cortes-Valencia has had a deportation order since 2016.

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Abdirashid Adosh Elmi, a Somalian illegal immigrant, was convicted of homicide. (ICE)

Abdirashid Adosh Elmi

Abdirashid Adosh Elmi, a Somalian illegal immigrant, was convicted of homicide.

NOEM ALLEGES WOMAN KILLED IN ICE SHOOTING ‘STALKING AND IMPEDING’ AGENTS ALL DAY

Gilberto Salguero Landaverde, a criminal illegal immigrant from El Salvador, has been convicted of three counts of homicide. (ICE)

Gilberto Salguero Landaverde

Gilberto Salguero Landaverde, a Salvadoran illegal immigrant, was convicted of three counts of homicide.

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Landaverde has had a deportation order since June 2025.

Gabriel Figueroa Gama, a Mexican illegal immigrant, was convicted of homicide. (ICE)

Gabriel Figueroa Gama

Gabriel Figueroa Gama, a Mexican illegal immigrant, was convicted of homicide.

Gama was previously deported in 2002.

Galuak Michael Rotgai, a criminal illegal immigrant from Sudan, has been convicted of homicide and assault. (ICE)

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Galuak Michael Rotgai

Galuak Michael Rotgai, a Sudanese illegal immigrant, was convicted of homicide.

Thai Lor, a criminal illegal immigrant from Laos, has been convicted of two counts of homicide. (ICE)

Thai Lor

Thai Lor, a Laotian illegal immigrant, was convicted of two counts of homicide.

Lor has had a deportation order since 2009.

Mariama Sia Kanu, a criminal illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone, has been convicted of two counts of homicide, four DUIs, three counts of larceny and burglary. (ICE)

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Mariana Sia Kanu

Mariana Sia Kanu, an illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone, was convicted of two counts of homicide.

Kanu has had a deportation order since 2022.

Aldrin Guerrero Munoz, a criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico, has been convicted of homicide and assault.

Aldrin Guerrero Munoz

Aldrin Guerrero Munoz, a Mexican illegal immigrant, was convicted of homicide.

Munoz has had a deportation order since 2015.

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Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, a Somalian illegal immigrant, was convicted of manslaughter.

Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed

Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, a Somalian illegal immigrant, was convicted of manslaughter.

Ahmed has had a deportation order since 2022.

Mongong Kual Maniang Deng, a criminal illegal immigrant from Sudan, has been convicted of attempt to commit homicide, weapon possession and DUI.

Mongong Dual Maniang Deng

Mongong Dual Maniang Deng, a Sudanese illegal immigrant, was convicted of attempt to commit homicide, weapon possession and DUI.

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Aler Gomez Lucas, a criminal illegal immigrant from Guatemala, has been convicted of negligent homicide with a vehicle and DUI.

Aler Gomez Lucas

Aler Gomez Lucas, a Guatemalan illegal immigrant, was convicted of negligent homicide with a vehicle and DUI.

Lucas has had a deportation order since 2022.

Shwe Htoo, a criminal illegal immigrant from Burma, has been convicted of negligent homicide with a weapon. (ICE)

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Shwe Htoo

Shwe Htoo, a Burmese illegal immigrant, was convicted of negligent homicide.



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Tragedy in Minnesota, vaccine news, Snoop’s game call: Week in review

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Tragedy in Minnesota, vaccine news, Snoop’s game call: Week in review


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Childhood vaccine schedule gets lighter

Kids in the United States will now have four fewer recommended vaccines on their childhood vaccine schedule, the Department of Health and Human Services announced. The four vaccines are for rotavirus, influenza, meningococcal disease and hepatitis A, which will now be considered a shared decision between parents and doctors. Insurers will continue covering the vaccines regardless of the category, the HHS said. The administration says the move aligns the U.S. vaccine schedule with that of other developed nations; public health experts say the decision puts children’s health at risk.

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Fraud scandal drags down Tim Walz

A bare-knuckles 2026 campaign season has barely begun, and it has already knocked out one high-profile candidate. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, dogged by a scandal that saw hundreds of millions of dollars in state Medicaid payouts exposed as possibly fraudulent, says he will not seek reelection. “I’ve decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election,” Walz, Kamala Harris’ running mate in the 2024 presidential campaign, said in a statement. Dozens of people in Minnesota have been charged with stealing taxpayer dollars in what the Justice Department called the “largest COVID-19 fraud scheme in the country.”

I’ll have a sniff and a slice

Candle shoppers are still melting down over some of the offerings in Bath & Body Works’ “Perfect Pairings” collection − in particular, the Pizza & Ranch candle, which promises notes of “gooey cheese, crispy pepperonis and ranch.” The fragrance, released in December as one of the “fun and unexpected” fragrances for Candle Day 2025, brought reactions that border on the unprintable, including one that referenced a Diaper Genie pail. Other scents were Coffee & Donuts, Chips & Salsa and Popcorn & Slushie. As of Jan. 5, only the Chips & Salsa candle was available on the company’s website, and alas, there was no word on restocking.

The great Oscars countdown has begun

Roll out the red carpets and chill the champagne: Hollywood’s race for the Oscars kicked off Jan. 4 with the Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California, where “Sinners” and “Frankenstein” led the field with four wins each. “One Battle After Another” won best picture; for best actor and actress, Timothée Chalamet of “Marty Supreme” and Jessie Buckley of “Hamnet” took home the trophies. Next up on the watch list: the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11. Hollywood’s biggest night, the Academy Awards, comes March 15.

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Snoop goes unleashed in his NBA game call

Coaches clashing with officials is nothing new, but this brouhaha came with a Snoop Dogg play-by-play – and a rebuke from the coach’s mom. The coach was the Golden State Warriors’ Steve Kerr, who had to be restrained after he was ejected from the game in a dispute over a missed goaltending call against the LA Clippers. “Steve’s raining fire on them. Woo-hoo!” barked Snoop, a guest analyst for Peacock. “The Arizona Wildcat came out. … Rawr, rawr!” Later, Kerr said he was amused by Snoop’s call, but his mother, who was at the game, was “terribly disappointed in me.” − Compiled and written by Robert Abitbol



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Protests continue in the Triangle over ICE actions after Minnesota shooting incident

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Protests continue in the Triangle over ICE actions after Minnesota shooting incident


Protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are continuing across the Triangle this week, fueled by anger and fear after a woman was shot and killed during an immigration enforcement operation Wednesday in Minnesota.

Adali Abeldanez, owner of Moroleon Supermarket in Durham, said fear is impacting daily life and local businesses, including his own.

“People are still stressed and worried,” he said.

Abeldanez said he has seen a noticeable change in customer behavior since ICE operations intensified. While his store has offered delivery services for years, he noticed requests surged in November, when ICE was in the state, and have remained high.

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“That uptick in delivery – do you believe that’s directly tied to people’s fear about ICE?” WRAL asked Abeldanez.

“Oh yeah, for sure,” he said.

He said some store clients are afraid to leave their homes and are relying on organized deliveries instead. Abeldanez said his wife is undocumented and frightened, a feeling he said is widely shared in the immigrant community.

>> Q&A: NC lawyers warn immigrant communities to stay home amid enforcement sweeps in Raleigh

>> Do ICE agents have absolute immunity? No, experts say, but it’s not easy for a state to prosecute

Abeldanez believes ICE agents need more training and greater accountability.

“They’re dealing with people — human beings. It’s life,” he said. “The law should be enforced, but obviously with due process and taking into consideration humanity, being humane.”

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He also criticized what he described as racial profiling; he said agents approach people in public spaces based on appearance rather than targeted investigations.

“They should have some kind of plan to know where to go, who to look for, and not just randomly pick people,” Abeldanez said.

Despite his concerns, Abeldanez said he felt encouraged by this week’s protests, as long as they remain peaceful.

“As long as it’s something peaceful, I feel proud,” he said. “Seeing people protest in favor of protecting the immigrant community — I think that’s awesome.”

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But while both sides believe peaceful protesting is important, the divide is regarding ICE’s actions.

Matt Mercer, communications director for the North Carolina Republican Party, said the Minnesota shooting involved an agent acting in self-defense, citing video evidence and injuries the agent sustained.

“There’s a human element where someone loses their life, which you never want to see,” Mercer said. “But the video speaks for itself.”

Mercer said recent confrontations with ICE agents are not peaceful protests but attempts to obstruct federal law enforcement.

“If you wish to protest, do that in ways you can traditionally protest,” Mercer said. “Surrounding agents, obstructing vehicles or creating chaos is not legitimate protest.”

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The Minnesota incident remains under investigation. Meanwhile, protests in the Triangle are expected to continue, including one Friday night in Durham.



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