Minnesota
MNUFC Upgrades Current Allianz Field Playing Surface with New Hybrid Technology | Minnesota United FC
Minnesota United introduced immediately the membership has begun the method of upgrading the taking part in floor at Allianz Area to a GrassMax Programs hybrid sew system, put in by Des Moines-based Iowa Sports activities Turf. As soon as accomplished, this new hybrid taking part in floor will present enhanced infrastructure and stability to the pure grass.
“After 5 seasons of play, we’ve got determined to additional improve our taking part in floor at Allianz Area to make sure the best degree of consistency, stability and high quality all through Minnesota’s altering seasons,” mentioned Minnesota United CEO Shari Ballard. “We’re frequently in search of methods to enhance the expertise for our followers and our gamers, and given the unimaginable progress of soccer in our neighborhood, we’re excited in regards to the affect it will have on the sturdiness of discipline. Our world-class grounds crew is fairly excited, too!”
GrassMax methods is one hundred pc pure grass cowl strengthened with artificial fibers. The fibers stabilize the foundation zone of the pitch and improve the resistance of the grass to wreck, limiting divots and making certain a extra persistently degree taking part in floor. The system is assured to final for not less than ten years, and the taking part in traits of the pitch are an identical to an ideal pure pitch.
“The expertise is confirmed, extensively utilized in European leagues and really a lot the popular floor for FIFA. There are some core parts of this sport which have developed over time with a give attention to elevating pitch efficiency and participant security,” mentioned Ryan Moy, Head Groundskeeper at MNUFC. “That is actually a type of parts. With respect to the evolution, it was solely a matter of time earlier than this expertise reached MLS in a bigger capability. With a stitched floor at Allianz Area, we will supply a extra constant taking part in floor although the complete season. Extra particularly, we will probably be sure our floor will probably be steady in our colder seasons in Minnesota.”
The set up is already underway and the membership anticipates the venture to be accomplished by the top of Could. The hybrid expertise shouldn’t be new to the sport. This is similar system utilized in stadiums all through the world such because the Maracana Stadium in Brazil and English Premier League stadiums, together with West Ham’s London Stadium, Leicester Metropolis’s King Energy Stadium and Leeds United’s Elland Highway.
Along with enhancing the taking part in floor for all MNUFC video games, the upgraded discipline reinforces the membership’s dedication to having Allianz Area as a bunch venue for worldwide soccer occasions, together with World Cup qualifiers, worldwide friendlies, USWNT and USMNT video games and native community-led soccer video games.
Minnesota
Minnesota high school sports scores and results for Saturday, Dec. 28
• Mankato East 81, Alexandria 77, OT
• Martin Luther/GHEC/Truman 63, United South Central 45
• Minnesota Valley Lutheran 74, Mankato Loyola 66
• Moorhead 84, Fargo Shanley (N.D.) 48
• Mountain Iron-Buhl 49, Hillcrest Lutheran 39
• Nashwauk-Keewatin 63, Chisholm 55
Minnesota
Former Minnesota Senate leader Kari Dziedzic passes away
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Former Minnesota DFL Senate leader Kari Dziedzic passed away Friday after a long battle with caner.
Her family released a statement on Saturday saying Dziedzic “entered eternal life surrounded by her family” and “Kari will be remembered by her family and those she served for her enthusiastic and humble leadership, which inspired all who knew her. She had a heart of gold, willing to go to any measure to help those she loved.”
Dziedzic stepped down as the Minnesota Senate Majority leader in Feb. of this year, after learning her cancer had returned. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in early 2023.
Dziedzic’s personal health struggles prompted a policy proposal: Health insurance should cover wigs for cancer patients. Her bill requires insurance coverage with a doctor’s prescription for wigs up to $1,000 per year. The bill is set to go into effect on Jan. 1.
Dziedzic was tapped to take over the DFL leadership role after they secured a one-seat majority in the senate in 2022. During the 2023 session, under her leadership, legislators swiftly passed laws codifying abortion rights, securing school meals for Minnesota students and expanding voting rights for prior felons.
Dziedzic is survived by her mother, five siblings and their spouses and her nieces and nephews. Her family is requesting privacy at this time.
Note: The above video originally aired in March 2024.
Minnesota
Minnesota Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson says legislative session will have 'a lot going on'
EAST GRAND FORKS — As Minnesota lawmakers head into their legislative session, working to pass the next state budget likely will be the biggest item on their agenda, according to Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson.
“Especially if we start off slow with these court cases, I’m not planning a vacation in June,” said Johnson, a Republican from East Grand Forks. “There are a lot of needs in this state — not just in my district but across the state — but given the issues with the budget right now … there’s going to be a lot going on down in St. Paul.”
The Legislature convenes Jan. 14 for its 94th session. The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor party has a one-seat majority in the Senate, and the House of Representatives is expected to be tied at 67. While a
power-sharing agreement — with both DFL and Republican chairs
on all committees — has been discussed, two ongoing court cases mean unknowns remain on final majorities.
“We don’t know when those are going to be resolved,” Johnson said. “The House might be in a little bit of limbo trying to figure out who’s going to be leading.”
Two cases — one
regarding discarded ballots in a close representative race in Shakopee
and another challenging the residency of a Roseville representative — are working their way through Minnesota court.
If a DFL-Republican tie does end up being the case on Jan. 14, there’s legal and constitutional ambiguity about whether co-speakers of the House could exist. A tie has only happened one other time in Minnesota, in 1979. At that time, the Independent Republican Party gained the speakership and the DFL chaired the rules, taxes and appropriations committees. It created
chaotic final days of the session.
There’s also the case of Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, who has been
accused of burglary in Becker County court and has a jury trial scheduled for the end of January.
There have been calls for her resignation, but others have stressed that she hasn’t yet had her day in court.
“So even before we get into the budget cycle, there are all these dynamics going on behind the scenes,” Johnson said. “That’s triggered some interesting conversations of a few Democrats in the Senate.”
Even disregarding the controversies, the Legislature will be tasked with creating and passing a budget for the next two-year biennium.
The last budget, passed in 2023, was only the
eighth budget in 40 years that was passed before the regular session’s
constitutional end date of the Monday after the third Saturday in May. This year, that date is May 19. If a budget isn’t passed by then, Gov. Tim Walz will have to call a special session; if a budget isn’t passed by June 30, the government will shut down. That last occurred in 2011.
With the Minnesota Management and Budget Office
saying that the state has a structural imbalance
and as costs increase for long-term care and special education, Johnson said the Legislature needs to look at policy fixes.
“There are some policy things that we could be doing going forward that would really help out and fix what the Democrats have been doing over the last two years with that extreme policy,” he said. “Minnesotans are paying for (it) every single day and we can address and make this government more effective and efficient, and we can make it cheaper and better for people in Minnesota to live here.”
Voigt covers government in Grand Forks and East Grand Forks.
-
Technology1 week ago
Google’s counteroffer to the government trying to break it up is unbundling Android apps
-
News1 week ago
Novo Nordisk shares tumble as weight-loss drug trial data disappoints
-
Politics1 week ago
Illegal immigrant sexually abused child in the U.S. after being removed from the country five times
-
Entertainment1 week ago
'It's a little holiday gift': Inside the Weeknd's free Santa Monica show for his biggest fans
-
Lifestyle1 week ago
Think you can't dance? Get up and try these tips in our comic. We dare you!
-
Technology5 days ago
There’s a reason Metaphor: ReFantanzio’s battle music sounds as cool as it does
-
News6 days ago
France’s new premier selects Eric Lombard as finance minister
-
Business4 days ago
On a quest for global domination, Chinese EV makers are upending Thailand's auto industry