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PWHL MN already having impact on young hockey players
Natalie Peters and Shaylen Bennett echo their teammates’ thoughts – they may be here to catch a game, but they’re also here to catch a glimpse of their future too.
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — It’s barely been a month since the players for PWHL Minnesota have been competing, but the impact the team is having off the ice is already being noticed.
“Now we have this, and the girls can look up to the players, and it’s just incredible,” Kalli Funk, director of fan experience and community engagement for PWHL Minnesota, said. “They have something to aspire to.”
Thousands of fans made their way to the Xcel Energy Center to see the team take on Montreal Wednesday night, including plenty of young hockey players and their teams.
“It’s fun to look up to something when, you know, this didn’t exist a couple years ago, so it’s cool,” one girl said.
“State of hockey!” another added.
Natalie Peters and Shaylen Bennett echo their teammates’ thoughts – they may be here to catch a game, but they’re also here to catch a glimpse of their future as well.
“I wanna be in the Olympics!” Bennett said.
“Yeah, me too,” Peters added. “I really wanna go to the Olympics when I’m older.”
Also high on their list – playing in the PWHL.
“I think it’s very cool to get these little girls excited about a women’s sport.” Basia Lutz, a fan of the team, said.
Being an inspiration to these players is something Funk says the team – and league – don’t take lightly.
“Just being a positive role model, showing what it takes, how to get there, working hard, just being a good person, it’s so important,” Funk said. “Everyone in this league is doing that, which is awesome.”
With that in mind, the message from the future stars is simple.
“Women’s hockey is a big deal!” Bennett said.
The team has more home games coming up, with the season lasting into May. Click here for more information.
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Last week, prosecutors charged John Sawchak with attempted 2nd-degree murder and other felony charges after he allegedly shot his neighbor Davis Moturi.
MINNEAPOLIS — Following the shooting between two neighbors, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to request that the city’s auditor conduct an independent investigation into the incidents and cases between Davis Moturi and John Sawchak.
Moturi was allegedly shot by his neighbor, Sawchak, on Wednesday, Oct. 23 but Minneapolis police did not arrest Sawchak until days later.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended not arresting Sawchak sooner, calling it a “high-risk” situation. O’Hara later said the victim, who had complained about harassment from Sawchak for months, was failed by police. Sawchak was arrested this past weekend after an hours-long standoff.
Moturi suffered a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion in the shooting. “Mr. Moturi’s life matters and I’m sorry that for nearly a year, MPD did not treat it like it did,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley in a news release, “Today’s vote affirms that the City Council is committed to taking meaningful actions towards accountability and restoration, starting with this independent review.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released this statement:
“Mayor Frey fully supports an independent review of this incident. The mayor and City are committed to always doing better, and this means closely examining past actions and finding where there may be ways to improve and grow. The mayor extends his condolences to Davis Moturi, his wife, Caroline, and their family and friends. The safety of our residents is a top priority and any form of violence or hate speech is completely unacceptable and does not align with who we are as a community. Brian O’Hara will continue to be the Minneapolis Police Chief.”
“This Valentine’s Day, 2025, will mark the five-year anniversary of the premiere of ‘Love is Blind,” Vanessa said on the Season 7 finale. “And, it is gonna be the launch of Season 8, which takes place in Minneapolis.”
The episode also revealed three of the new cast members, one of whom, “Alex,” told Lachey Minneapolis is “not like a major city, but it’s also not a small town,” which he said is just one of the obstacles in his way of finding the one.
“I just never found the right person that clicked for me,” he said.
Meantime, you can bone up on Seasons 1-7 streaming now on Netflix.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
