Kare11
KAT’s farewell to some little fans shows the impact he had on MN
On the same day he flew out to join his new team in New York, Karl Anthony Towns made good on a promise to two of his biggest fans.
MINNEAPOLIS — Days after trading one of the cornerstones of the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise, general manager Tim Connelly officially introduced the three players, who will replace Karl Anthony Towns.
But first, he acknowledged the KAT not in the room.
“The whole idea of trading people, I think is pretty gross and weird,” Connelly said, as he sat on stage next to Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and Keita Bates-Diopp. “It’s hard to get players of this caliber, so to do that we had to give up one of the best players to ever put on a Timberwolves jersey. As good of a player (KAT) is, he’s an even better guy, so New York got a heck of a guy and an even better person.”
As a reporter who has covered the Timberwolves for 20 seasons, The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski has spent years documenting KAT’s impact on and off the court.
“I was here when he was drafted as a 19-year-old, I watched him kind of grow up in life and in this league,” Krawczynski said.
In turn, Towns also saw Krawcynski’s kids grow up.
“I would bring them to practice every once in a while, we would go to Karl’s basketball camps and he would always meet and say hello and be very kind,” he said. “He came here three months after Nita, my daughter, was born, my son was two at the time so they don’t really know life as Timberwolves fans without Karl Anthony Towns.”
When Krawczynski was breaking the story about the trade on Friday night, he reached out to KAT for comment. When he eventually heard back, he wasn’t surprised to hear he was ‘stunned’ by the news, but Krawczynski was surprised by what he heard next.
“(KAT) asked how the kids were taking it because he knows they’re big fans of his,” Krawczynski said. “I was upfront with him and said Nita cried herself to sleep and that they were very sorry to see him go. That’s when he responded, ‘Where are you going to be tomorrow? Do they have sports or anything?”
Krawczynski says he did mention that his daughter had soccer in Blaine the next morning, and passed along directions, but he wasn’t exactly expecting a visit.
“When I woke up on Saturday morning I had seen a video he had posted on Instagram of him shooting in the Timberwolves practice facility at 3 a.m.,” Krawczynski said. “I didn’t bother telling my kids or even my wife because I figured there was just no way that he’s going to make it to an 11:00 soccer game probably 35 minutes from where he lives.”
Krawczynski: “I was shocked. Lo and behold, I get a message at halftime of the game that he’s pulling up, and there he is. He’s seven feet tall and he has a Timberwolves shirt and a Timberwolves hat. He doesn’t keep a low profile at all. He walks right out onto the field and we watch the game together.”
Kent Erdahl: “Just as a Dad, what was that moment like for you?”
Krawczynski: “There’s nothing more than I could ever want to provide my children in a moment like that. My son has had some health issues and Karl told him that he’s very proud that he’s overcome those and then, for my daughter, just as sad as she was, there he was wrapping her in a hug and having some words for her. At the end of the day, you just want your kids to feel good and that’s what Karl Anthony Towns did to them.”
Erdahl: “You also immediately became the coolest dad on the soccer team.”
Krawczynski: “Ha. It was, it was that a little bit. You know, I have to temper expectations now. I don’t know how I beat this. Like, I don’t think this is happening again but to see them come over and say, wow, this is really cool. Yeah, I think I’ll be trying to play this card with the kids forever.”
He’s also pretty sure KAT won’t soon forget it either.
Krawczynski: “Even though him coming to the game meant so much to my children, I think that he needed something like that as well. He got there and a bunch of other girls from other teams came over and took pictures with him and said how much they loved him and how much they’re going to miss him and it allowed him a moment to say goodbye on a small scale. To a community that has raised him.”
Overall, the MAC says it expects a six percent increase in travelers compared to last year.
ST PAUL, Minn. — Holiday travel is ramping up with the holidays next week, as thousands hit the skies out of MSP to other parts of the world.
The Metropolitan Airport Commission (MAC) says they expect tens of thousands of travelers to pass through security checkpoints each day, with the busiest day before Christmas falling on Friday.
The day after Christmas, Dec. 26, is expected to be the busiest day overall, with nearly 50,000 travelers going through security checkpoints.
Overall, the MAC says it expects a six percent increase in travelers compared to last year.
“It seems like a lot of people are traveling, but not me at this time,” Jose Acuña said. “I’m here to pick up some of my family members from Costa Rica.”
Count Acuña as one of the lucky ones, not having to brave holiday travel this time around.
“A couple of them have never seen the snow!” he said.
Their flight seemed to make it on time, unlike hundreds of others. According to the MSP website, over 250 flights were delayed or cancelled today. Close to 600 were on time.
“Just go with the flow. Sometimes we are too rigid making plans,” Acuña said. “But things don’t happen that way, and we just have to, you know, enjoy it.”
That advice seems apt this time of year – and especially for two travelers we spoke to Saturday night.
“I figured if my daughter vouched for her, and I like her son, because I’ve met her son,” Linda McRae said.
“God bless her for that!” Chris Carlin said.
McRae and Carlin met for the first time in person Saturday for their flight to Tennessee – their kids live together.
Their advice to making it through this crazy holiday travel season? Just keep in mind that it’s never that serious.
“Listen, I was more stressed at home getting my house ready for somebody to come in and take care of my cat!” Carlin said. “This is the easy part right here!”
John’s display draws hundreds of people every night.
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — We’re all familiar with the lore of Santa’s elves.
But at the head of this workshop in St. Paul is John Pihaly. He has collected 30 Dayton’s Christmas Display Characters from 10 of the old shows and restored them to recreate those iconic scenes.
“My wife was quite shocked,” laughed Pihaly. “I brought home 24 characters originally, and had them all set up here in the garage. I said, Honey, look what I did!”
“I always laugh, and everyone always says, what did you contribute?” Lindsay, his wife, said. “And all I can say is, I lived with these elves for the past year, strewn throughout the house. That was my contribution!”
But lucky for John, Lindsay has warmed up to the animatronics and covered up porch which houses the displays.
“He wanted to bring the magic alive, not just for us, but for an entire community,” he said.
Pihaly had smaller displays with a handful of figures in 2020 and 2021, but for the past few years he has dedicated hours into this display. He has consulted other collectors, and even former Dayton employees on how to perfect the art of restoring the figures.
He also had to create all the sets from scratch.
“The stories we share are all very similar,” he said. “It was a magical place to go and be.”
Every night he gets asked if folks can donate to him and his work, but he directs them to fundraising efforts for Toys for Tots and the Salvation Army. He has a box for donations in his yard.
Hundreds of people visit his home at 1887 W Saunders Ave. in St. Paul every night. The display will be alive from 5 to 9 p.m. every evening until Christmas Day.
The National Retail Federation expects 157 million consumers to shop on the Saturday before Christmas.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — On the Saturday before Christmas, many admitting to procrastination dashed to find their last-minute gifts.
“This was the only day we had,” Carol Schindler said at the Mall of America.
Dave Lafond embraced the holiday hustle as a family tradition. “It’s fun and chaotic,” he said.
They’re two among the 157 millions consumers around the country expected to shop on this Saturday alone, according to the National Retail Federation.
“With a shortened window between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, consumers will be hitting stores and shopping online to get those final gifts and to take advantage of special promotions and deals,” NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen said in a press release.
With four days left until Christmas, anything is possible if shoppers walk fast enough. Hundreds of gift-getters spirited fast passed Douglas Ness who stopped for a much-needed Cinnabon break.
“I’ve got all mine done,” he said. His granddaughter, meanwhile, had yet to complete her shopping.
Until his wife passed away three years ago, Ness said he would shop for the holidays with her. “One of the first things we did is get these Cinnabons over here.”
His holiday tradition continues with his granddaughter. The cinnamon treat comes with crossing presents off her Christmas list, finally.
