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Minnesota woman leads charge on new law requiring adult changing tables in U.S. airports

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Minnesota woman leads charge on new law requiring adult changing tables in U.S. airports


MINNEAPOLIS — Linda Hood is always on the move. She’s a marathoner who has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. 

In 2018, quadriplegia changed her body, but her will is the same — especially after she realized the basic task of using a public restroom was now alarmingingly complicated.

“We got on the floor and it was wet. It was cold. It was filthy,” Hood said. “It was awful and I looked at my husband and thought, this is disgusting.”

Babies have changing tables — why don’t kids and adults, she wondered.

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So Hood got to work, getting the first adult changing table in U.S. Bank Stadium, helping push for the first one at the Minnesota State Fair and now it’s law in Minnesota for changing tables to be in large, public new builds.

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WCCO


This month, Hood set her sights on Washington to talk specifically about airport bathrooms.

“All I could do is say, ‘When are they gonna listen? I need someone to hear me,’” she said.

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And they did. Hood says she was warmly greeted by Minnesota congressmembers Betty McCollum and Dean Philips, where she explained the experiences of friends like Prince Cole, a Minnesotan and native Liberian who wants badly to visit home more often.

“Every time I go to the airport, I get huge anxiety. My anxiety is around the bathroom” Philips said. “You have to get changed and get changed on the floor so some people would rather stay at home than go through that, a humiliating experience.”

So Hood fought back against the norm and the Senate passed the bill. It’s soon to be law to have adult changing tables in U.S. airports.

“I got results and if I could have jumped out of this chair and jumped to the moon, I would have done it,” Hood said. “I had that much energy and that much joy. I was elated. It made me feel so good and I Just wanted to hug everyone in Washington and say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servants.’”

“When I found out the change was coming, I was like, ‘Thank God for Linda,’” Philips said.

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Because there’s no mountain Hood can’t climb.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport already has two adult changing tables — one in Concourse D and the other near baggage claim.

Hood’s next mission is to broaden federal law and she is prompting the Olympic Committee to have adult changing tables at their venues. 

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Minnesota

Gophers commit Tori Oehrlein continues to dominate, setting MN prep record

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Gophers commit Tori Oehrlein continues to dominate, setting MN prep record


Crosby-Ironton four-star guard Tori Oehrlein verbally committed to the Gophers in November and it looks like they will have a future star when she arrives on campus in 2026. She has absolutely dominated to begin her junior campaign.

Oehrlein has been putting up unbelievable numbers all season, averaging 29.8 points, 16.7 rebounds, 9.5 assists and 7.3 steals per game — and her performance on Tuesday night might’ve been her most impressive.

The 5-foot-11 guard broke the Minnesota high school girls basketball state record with 21 assists in a 113-33 victory over Hinckley-Finlayson. She ended Tuesday night’s game with a ridiculous box score of 30 points, 21 assists, 12 rebounds and 12 steals, marking her third quadruple-double of the season.

Oehrlein is only a junior this year, so head coach Dawn Plitzuweit and the Gophers will have to wait more than a year until she’s able to play for Minnesota. Crosby-Ironton is a perfect 14-0 this season and Oehrlein looks like one of the best players in the state regardless of class.

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According to ESPN’s recruiting rankings, Oehrlein ranks No. 43 nationally in the class of 2026. The only high schooler in Minnesota who ranks high in 2026 is Kentucky commit Maddyn Greenway, who ranks 18th nationally.

Greenway, the daughter of former Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway, is averaging 31.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 4.8 steals per game at Providence Academy.

Another high school phenom who has been offered by the Gophers is Duluth Marshall ninth-grader Chloe Johnson. The class of 2028 recruit is averaging 28.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 3.8 steals per game for the Hilltoppers.

Stay up to date on all things Gophers by bookmarking Minnesota Gophers On SI, subscribing to our YouTube Channel, and signing up to receive our free Gophers newsletter, which will enter you into a drawing for the EA College Gameday 25 video game (you choose between PS5 or Xbox).



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Minnesota plays Memphis, looks for 4th straight win

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Minnesota plays Memphis, looks for 4th straight win


Associated Press

Memphis Grizzlies (24-14, third in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (20-17, seventh in the Western Conference)

Minneapolis; Saturday, 8 p.m. EST

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BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota heads into a matchup with Memphis as winners of three games in a row.

The Timberwolves are 16-10 in conference matchups. Minnesota is third in the Western Conference at limiting opponent scoring, giving up just 107.2 points while holding opponents to 45.4% shooting.

The Grizzlies are 11-11 against Western Conference opponents. Memphis ranks second in the league scoring 56.9 points per game in the paint led by Jaren Jackson Jr. averaging 12.1.

The Timberwolves average 15.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.5 more made shots on average than the 13.6 per game the Grizzlies allow. The Grizzlies average 13.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.4 more made shots on average than the 12.5 per game the Timberwolves give up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Anthony Edwards is averaging 25.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Timberwolves.

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Jackson is scoring 22.6 points per game with 6.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the Grizzlies.

LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 6-4, averaging 107.5 points, 46.0 rebounds, 23.8 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.0 points per game.

Grizzlies: 5-5, averaging 122.8 points, 49.5 rebounds, 28.8 assists, 9.1 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.0 points.

INJURIES: Timberwolves: Rob Dillingham: out (ankle).

Grizzlies: Cam Spencer: day to day (thumb), Marcus Smart: out (finger), Vince Williams Jr.: out (ankle), GG Jackson II: out (foot ).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.




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How to get tickets for Minnesota Vikings vs. LA Rams NFC Wild Card playoff game

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How to get tickets for Minnesota Vikings vs. LA Rams NFC Wild Card playoff game


The final game of the NFL’s Wild Card weekend is set to take the Minnesota Vikings to LA to face the NFC West champion Rams Monday night at SoFi Stadium. The game is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET, and tickets are still available to catch the action live.

How to get Vikings vs. Rams NFC Wild Card tickets: Seats are available for the NFC Wild Card matchup between the Vikings and Rams on secondary sites Vivid Seats, StubHub, SeatGeek and Viagogo.

As of Jan. 9, the starting prices were as follows:

  • Vivid Seats starting at $87
  • StubHub starting at $92
  • SeatGeek starting at $92
  • Viagogo starting at $91

#5 Minnesota Vikings (14-3) at #4 Los Angeles Rams (10-7)

NFC Wild Card Playoffs

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When: Monday, Jan. 13 at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT)

Where: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif.

The Vikings had a shot to win the NFC’s top seed in Week 18, but fell short against the Detroit Lions, losing the NFC North Division and slipping to the No. 5 spot instead for a road matchup on Wild Card weekend. They are listed as 1-point favorites against the Rams after finishing the regular season with a 14-3 record and nine straight wins prior to last weekend’s 31-9 loss in Detroit. Though all the ingredients are in place for the Vikings to make a run, just three of their 14 victories this season came against playoff teams and one of their three losses came to the Rams (30-20) back in Week 8.

  • Minnesota Vikings vs. Los Angeles Rams NFC Wild Card tickets: Vivid Seats | StubHub | SeatGeek | Viagogo

The Rams found their way through an injury-marred start to the season and closed it out strong with five straight wins before resting starters in a Week 18 loss to the Seattle Seahawks (30-25). The highlight of that stretch and their season as a whole was a 44-42 shootout win over the Buffalo Bills that was fueled by two Kyren Williams touchdown runs and a big day from the receiving duo of Puka Nacua (12-162-1) and Cooper Kupp (5-92-1). The same combination of playmakers around quarterback Matthew Stafford are central to LA’s path to victory against Minnesota.



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