20+ hour, 48+ min ago (250+ words) The McKnight Foundation announced Monday it is distributing $1 million in grants to help Minnesota families this holiday season. With proposed cuts by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to address homelessness and the recent lapse in federal SNAP benefits, which 440,000 Minnesotans rely on to supplement their grocery purchases, the foundation said it aims to provide support to families who are struggling to afford food, rent and energy. The money will be distributed through 14 organizations statewide. Six Minnesota Initiative Foundations will receive $100,000 each for grocery and gas gift cards, vehicle maintenance and heating assistance. Eight organizations in the Twin Cities will receive $50,000 each for emergency housing, food and holiday assistance. These organizations include CLUES, Sabathani Community Center, Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, People Serving People, Pillsbury United Communities, Communities Advancing Prosperity for Immigrants, Merrick Community Services and the Little Earth Residents…...

19+ hour, 10+ min ago (165+ words) A driver struck two pedestrians in a St. Paul crosswalk and one was critically injured, according to police. The 22-year-old driver was heading south on Dale Street and turned left onto Summit Avenue when he hit a 75-year-old woman and her 74-year-old husband. The couple was in the crosswalk and had the right of way when crossing Summit Avenue, based on preliminary information, said Alyssa Arcand, a St. Paul police spokeswoman St. Paul Fire Department medics took the woman to the hospital in critical condition. The man sustained minor injuries. The driver stayed at the scene and preliminary information suggested he was not under the influence, Arcand said. Police continue to investigate the crash. The incident came just over a week after another driver struck a woman in a St. Paul crosswalk on St. Anthony Avenue as she walked with…...

21+ hour, 12+ min ago (855+ words) Snorkeling among countless stingless jellyfish in far-off Micronesia would've been a pinch-me moment on its own. But doing so in one of the world's few marine lakes " and without another tourist in sight " well, cruise adventures don't get much better than that. Ah, but this wasn't a cruise, at least not in the traditional sense. True, the jellyfish encounter took place aboard a superyacht " the Four Seasons Explorer, gliding through otherworldly Palau " but the experience felt more like a stay at a luxury hotel than a traditional cruise. That impression wasn't just personal, but the goal of a hospitality brand attuned to a growing trend that finds travelers craving less structure and more serendipity. Unlike conventional cruise ships, the Explorer lets guests embark or disembark any day, a rare freedom that reinforces its identity as a bona fide floating hotel....

10+ hour, 35+ min ago (238+ words) The latest version of "80s rock band Guns N" Roses will play the new Mystic Lake Amphitheater in Shakopee on Aug. 8. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Dec. 5 through Ticketmaster. Fans who register at signup.ticketmaster.com/gunsnroses by the end of the day Monday have access to a presale that runs on Dec. 3. Guns N" Roses formed in 1985 from the ashes of several other Los Angeles rock bands. After turning heads on the Hollywood club scene, GNR signed a deal with Geffen Records the following year and released their debut "Appetite for Destruction" in the summer of 1987. It spawned five hit singles, including the ballad "Sweet Child o" Mine," and went on to top 18 million in sales. For the next two decades, about a dozen people cycled in and out of GNR, with Minneapolis" own Tommy Stinson playing bass in the…...

22+ hour, 46+ min ago (174+ words) Sunday's high was 56 degrees, barely higher than the previous record of 55 degrees in 1905. The day's new record high was 56 degrees, barely higher than the previous record of 55 degrees in 1905. Colder weather is coming this week, the NWS predicts, with rain Tuesday turning to snow Wednesday morning. Central Minnesota may see strong northwesterly gusts above 40 mph, and a few inches of snow accumulation. The NWS also outlined a winter storm watch for the northern part of the state and eastern North Dakota, to be in effect Tuesday and Wednesday. It includes just about every county in eastern North Dakota as well as a number of counties throughout northern Minnesota, except Pembina in North Dakota and Kittson and Roseau in Minnesota. Cities in the watch are within a large swath, from Bottineau, Rugby, Harvey and Jamestown in North Dakota, all the way…...

1+ hour, 15+ min ago (161+ words) The Tommies volleyball team is one win away from the school's first-ever Division I NCAA tournament berth. St. Thomas knocked off second-seeded South Dakota in the Summit League Tournament semifinals Monday via a thrilling five-set victory in which the third-seeded Tommies rallied from a 2-1 deficit to win 25-22, 22-25, 16-25, 25-19, 15-9 in Brookings, South Dakota. St. Thomas will meet top-seeded South Dakota State in the title match at 6 p.m. Tuesday with the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament on the line. The Jackrabbits swept the two regular season meetings between the two teams, winning both in four sets. Anya Schmidt paced the Tommies with 19 kills, while Tezra Rudzitis added 17. Ella Voegele had a team-high 25 digs. The semifinal marked the first match to go the distance for St. Thomas this season since the team's season opener against Ball State....

6+ hour, 45+ min ago (734+ words) Well, it's Groundhog's Day " Again. After the Wolves squandered an eight-point lead in the final minute in Friday's loss in Phoenix, Minnesota held a 10-point advantage over the Kings in Sacramento on Monday after Anthony Edwards tallied an and-1 with three minutes to play. Surely that would be good enough to seal the deal this time around. Yes, it happened again. Sacramento went on a 10-0 run over an 81-second span to knot the game and force overtime, where the Kings beat Minnesota, 117-112. The Wolves committed four turnovers in the extra session to offset the easy offense Edwards generated with the ball in his hands " offense Minnesota could've used at the end of regulation. The Timberwolves led by 12 with nearly 10 minutes to play in the fourth frame after Mike Conley drilled a triple. From that point forward, Minnesota went 2 for 19 from…...

19+ hour, 11+ min ago (231+ words) I believe that if the government, regulatory bodies, and parents all play their roles, we can ensure that the Internet in Malaysia is not only fast, widespread and affordable but most importantly, safe, especially for children and families," he said. Since January, major social media and messaging platforms with at least 8 million users in Malaysia are required to obtain a license as part of a broader tightening of state oversight over digital platforms. Licensed platforms must implement age verification, content-safety measures and transparency rules, reflecting the government's push for a safer digital space. Australia's parliament enacted the world's first ban on social media for children that will begin Dec. 10, setting the minimum age at 16. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube as well as message board Reddit and livestreaming service Kick face fines of up to $33 million for systemic…...

31+ min ago (225+ words) By DAVID KLEPPER, Associated Press The findings reflect the evolving tools and tactics of Russia's cyber war and demonstrate Moscow's willingness to attack a growing list of targets, including governments, organizations and private companies that have supported Ukraine, even in a tenuous way. "They routinely go after organizations that support Ukrainian institutions directly, provide services to Ukrainian municipalities, and assist organizations tied to Ukrainian civil society, defense, or government functions," said Ismael Valenzuela, Arctic Wolf's vice president of labs, threat research and intelligence. The attack on the engineering firm was identified by Arctic Wolf in September before it could disrupt the engineering company's operations or spread further. A message left with officials at the Russian Embassy in Washington seeking comment was not immediately returned. Many towns and cities around the world enjoy sister-city relationships with other communities, using the program…...

20+ hour, 21+ min ago (244+ words) The St. Paul City Council will host its annual Truth in Taxation hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday in downtown council chambers at 15 W. Kellogg Blvd. The $887 million spending plan for the coming year would levy $232.5 million on city property owners, supporting a general fund budget of $404.9 million. For the median St. Paul home with a value of $289,000, the city's new levy would add an estimated $107 to property taxes next year, with wide variation from neighborhood to neighborhood and between property types. Declining commercial and apartment values are shifting more property tax burden to homeowners this year, according to Ramsey County's tax office, with properties in Frogtown, Payne-Phalen, the North End and the West Side likely to see some of the largest percentage increases. Ramsey County and the St. Paul School District have proposed their own levies. On Nov. 4, city voters approved a 10-year…...