Olympic-size ice sheets, 15 feet wider than the normal NHL-size playing surfaces, were once a hockey trend that is quickly going away. Locally, the Gophers reduced the size of the ice at 3M Arena at Mariucci a few years ago, and St. Cloud State recently announced plans to do the same.

In the 1990s, when the “big ice” was all the rage, many believed that more playing surface would open up the game to more dynamic offense. It didn’t really happen that way, but there were nuances in the game on an Olympic-size sheet that caused teams to adjust their style of play.

During his run as head coach at the University of Michigan, Edina native Mel Pearson noted that playing on the Gophers’ big ice caused many young defenders to stray farther and farther away from their own net, leaving the Wolverines’ goalie unprotected at times.

Although he surely played on Olympic-size ice sheets, which remain commonplace in Europe, on his journey to the NHL, Wild defenseman David Jiricek now makes his living on standard size ice. In an effort to make him an everyday member of the blue line — and show fans why they paid dearly to acquire him — the Wild are working with the 21-year-old Czech on not wandering away from the net.

Or as head coach John Hynes explained it, “If there’s a play below the goal line, and there’s kind of a loose guy at the net front, not vacating the net front to go chase bad ice.”

With a 6-foot-3 frame and the long limbs that can be so effective for modern NHL defenders, Jiricek clearly has all the physical tools, one reason Columbus made him the sixth overall pick in the 2022 draft. Last season, Wild general manager Bill Guerin sent Daemon Hunt, the Wild’s 2025 first-round pick, and first-, second-, and third-round picks to Nashville to acquire him.

Jiricek played 27 games for the Iowa Wild and six at the NHL level (with one goal) before an upper body injury ended his season prematurely.

While his skating has been the biggest project for coaches working with Jiricek, he has a goal already in the preseason — scoring on a power play during the team’s preseason game in Dallas last week. But Hynes reiterated that there are still lessons for Jiricek to learn about when to defend and when to let his offensive instincts kick in.

“The habits and the mindset,” Hynes explained, “to be able to defend, and understand when it is time to be aggressive and when is it not time to be aggressive.”

With a good stable of defensemen at the ready, and veteran like Jack Johnson proving to be an option, it looks as if the Wild will remain patient with Jiricek’s development into a full-time NHL blue line option.

Teammate and translator

Wild rookie Danila Yurov is learning to speak better English, but it is a work in progress. Following Thursday’s preseason home loss to Dallas, Yurov spoke to the media with the help of a translator, fellow Russian and new Minnesota teammate Vladimir Tarasenko.

Along with the normal questions about Yurov’s first game at Grand Casino Arena, one reporter asked Yurov what it is like to play with Tarasenko, a hero to Yurov his while growing up in Russia. After Yurov answered in Russian, Tarasenko provided the answer in English.

“He said, ‘It’s nice to play’ because he was watching me on TV,” Tarasenko said. “So, they still have skill and it was nice to play together.”

Tarasenko, 33, has more than 800 NHL games and two Stanley Cups on his resume, while Yurov, 21, looks to make his NHL debut next month after playing in Russia’s KHL since 2000.

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Bruce Helmer and Peg Webb

Families across America are preparing for one of the largest wealth transfers in history. Yet research consistently shows that most failures in passing wealth between generations have little to do with investment mistakes or tax inefficiencies. They are about something far more human: a lack of trust and communication.

That reality leaves many parents with a difficult question: Is it wise to share personal financial information with my adult children? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. Rather, it depends on timing, maturity, and the way you handle these often-sensitive conversations.

Why families choose to share

For many families, openness about money provides clear benefits. Children who are introduced early to financial concepts tend to become more confident and capable stewards of wealth later in life. Studies suggest that kids between ages 7 and 13 are in a particularly effective window for learning the basics: how money works, why compounding matters, and how to balance spending with saving and giving.

Just as important, sharing financial information fosters trust. A landmark study found that 60% of failed wealth transfers result from poor communication or lack of trust between generations. By comparison, only 25% were due to insufficient preparation of heirs and a mere 15% to other issues such as inadequate planning. In other words, the conversation itself often matters more than the spreadsheets.

Open discussions can also help clarify values. Families that take the time to talk through what money means to them often find themselves better aligned. Parents and adult children should spend time sharing what they hope money will accomplish and how they want it to be used. Some may even create a Family Mission Statement that captures priorities and traditions while allowing space for next-generation perspectives such as corporate responsibility, sustainability or values-based investing.

Why many parents hesitate

It’s easy to understand why some parents hesitate to open the books. Financial information is deeply personal and some worry that disclosing income or inheritance could create entitlement or unnecessary anxiety. Others simply feel uncomfortable sharing numbers that they themselves may have worked hard to earn and protect.

Generational differences are also a reality. Younger family members may push for socially conscious or tech-focused strategies that clash with previously established investment traditions. Without a process for reconciling these differences, such conversations can devolve into conflict.

Finally, timing matters. Not every adult child is prepared to handle the responsibility that comes with knowledge of family finances. Oversharing too soon can backfire. Once sensitive information is shared, it must be carefully safeguarded. Families are right to be concerned over storing digital data and securely exchanging documents.

Finding a better way

The most successful families recognize that the real question is not whether to share, but how to do it wisely. Many start small, introducing children to basic lessons through allowance systems, or even small family loans that must be repaid under agreed terms. As children mature, parents can expand the discussion to more complex topics such as investing, estate planning, and philanthropy.

These conversations are often most effective when formalized. Some families schedule regular meetings, while others plan retreats that allow time both for recreation and thoughtful dialogue. The agenda usually begins with values, then moves to ownership and inheritance, and finally to issues like governance and conflict resolution. Governance can be a powerful tool, providing not just process, but purpose and transparency for decisions across generations.

Professional advisers can often play an important role as facilitators but may not be equipped to handle every conflict. In some cases, bringing in psychologists or mediators can help families work through more emotional issues. Even something as simple as having each person write a letter outlining their concerns can reduce misunderstandings and promote empathy.

Technology and giving can bridge generations

Technology is also reshaping how families plan and communicate. Digital storage and e-signatures make it easier to manage documents, while visualization and AI tools help families explore “what if” scenarios. But this convenience can present new challenges around disclosure, compliance, and cybersecurity.

One area where technology and tradition can meet is philanthropy. Many families find common ground in giving back. Developing a Philanthropic Philosophy Statement helps capture the vision, values, and causes that matter most. It’s a great way to show younger generations how wealth can serve a larger purpose.

A continuing process

Sharing financial information with adult children isn’t a one-time event. It’s an ongoing process that should unfold gradually, with attention to timing, structure and values. The payoff can be significant: stronger trust, better-prepared heirs, and a legacy that extends beyond numbers on a balance sheet.

Ultimately, it’s less about what you have and more about what your wealth means for the generations to come.

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The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

Bruce Helmer and Peg Webb are financial advisers at Wealth Enhancement Group and co-hosts of “Your Money” on WCCO 830 AM on Sunday mornings. Email Bruce and Peg at yourmoney@wealthenhancement.com. Advisory services offered through Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC, a registered investment adviser and affiliate of Wealth Enhancement Group.

 

The single-family home at 2133 Selby Ave. was there one day, gone the next. A few days after its Sept. 19 demolition, Tim Flanigan was surprised to see its garage torn down, and then excavators digging deep into the foundation and front yard.

When Flanigan checked property records through PAULIE, the city’s new online web portal for inspections and permitting, there was no evidence the city had issued a demolition permit.

He went downtown to talk to officials in the city’s Department of Safety and Inspections in person, and was told no such permit yet existed. The property is registered to a limited liability company, MJ Properties MN, LLC of Bloomington. Efforts to reach MJ Properties for comment were not successful.

“They told me there the application had been submitted and wasn’t even yet reviewed,” said Flanigan on Tuesday. The city later issued a stop-work order, but by then, the demolition had already taken place.

Tim Flanagan stands in front of a hole in the ground which will become a six unit college housing apartment along Selby Ave in St. Paul on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Single-family zoning eliminated

If developers and property owners seem to be getting ahead of themselves in the neighborhood, there may be good reason.

In 2012, homeowners living near the University of St. Thomas convinced the city of St. Paul to slow the construction of privately-owned student rental housing in the area by creating an overlay district separating new registered student dwellings from existing ones by at least 150 feet.

Over the past year or so, developers reading through the fine print have found a work-around. That’s in turn led to the construction, permitting or conversion of some 24 new privately-owned student rental buildings in the blocks around the intersection of Cleveland and Ashland avenues, just off campus.

The St. Paul City Council voted to eliminate single-family zoning citywide in October 2023, opening the door to multi-unit residences within almost every zoning district in the city. The 150-foot buffer written into the overlay district applies to single-family homes and duplexes, but the language is silent on creating a separation requirement between other types of dwellings.

The result has effectively upended the student rental housing overlay district near St. Thomas, which has since been inundated by building permit applications.

Two large college rental apartments occupy lots that once belonged to much smaller single family homes on Ashland Ave. in St. Paul on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Student housing

Flanigan can point to two single-family homes slated to be torn down and replaced with side-by-side six-plexes at 2149 and 2143 Selby Ave., which could span 24 bedrooms between them. The properties are both registered to private investors based outside the city — the Elliot Capital Group of Eden Prairie.

“If you have entire blocks that are only student housing, it creates a tipping point and makes the neighborhood structurally different,” Flanigan said. In a single block of Cleveland, “where there were maybe 20 students, now there’s going to be maybe 80 students.”

“Essentially, what we’ve asked for is a moratorium just for this type of construction — duplex to six-plex — so as a community we can ask, ‘Why is it only happening in this part of the city?’” Flanigan added. “Should it be done in this way or is it going to create problems in the neighborhood?”

Rather than impose a moratorium on the new student housing developments, city officials have largely treated the new units as a welcome trend at a time of sluggish housing growth in a city that could use more property tax base.

A “moratorium isn’t before the council,” said Ward 4 Council Member Molly Coleman on Wednesday, noting she would continue to work with DSI on quality-of-life concerns within the overlay district.

‘A bit of a land rush’

Flanigan, who chairs the grassroots group Neighbors for Responsible and Livable Development, said he and his fellow members have tracked two dozen new student rental properties in recent months as they’ve been built, converted or permitted. The units, he said, are marketed exclusively to students at monthly rents of about $1,000 per bedroom, using a website where St. Thomas invites property owners to list housing for rent near campus.

“Most of what has gone up so far is very large duplexes and triplexes that house 12 or 15 students at a minimum. There’s that many bedrooms,” Flanigan said. “And there’s no minimum setbacks, minimum side setbacks and no requirement for green space or tree replantings. There’s no back yard so all the partying happens in the front yard.”

“It’s a bit of a land rush. None of the units have any affordability requirements,” he added. “The applications to do these were duplexes or triplexes, but they’re actually rented by the room — like rooming houses — so there’s six individual leases for six bedrooms, which is actually not a permitted structure under H1 and H2 zoning.”

Danielle Hokason grew up in the neighborhood and lives in a duplex she’s owned for 20 years near Wilder and Portland avenues, about a block off campus. She’s seen about seven homes come up on Ashland, the street she grew up on.

“Everything is concrete now,” said Hokason, who can point to blocks where century-old trees no longer stand. “They’ve paved over parking lots and cut down trees. All the noise is amplified when you get rid of all of the green space.”

“You lose some of the buffer,” she added. “Saturday was pretty loud.”

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Call for moratorium on new student rentals

In response, Neighbors for Responsible and Livable Development have called for a temporary moratorium on the construction of new student rental housing within the overlay district until new rules can be sorted out. Their proposal has won the support of the Union Park District Council and the West Summit Neighborhood Advisory Council.

The Macalester-Groveland Community Council’s land-use committee supported the moratorium, but after lengthy discussion, the full Mac-Groveland district council did not.

“The voices that were coming through were the voices for the need for housing, not a moratorium,” said Laura Wallace, executive director of the Mac-Groveland Community Council.

University of St. Thomas responds

Jerome Benner, a spokesperson for St. Thomas, said the university has not taken an official stance on the moratorium proposal. However, it has held space to facilitate community discussions, which Flanigan called helpful.

Benner said the university wants more on-campus housing, but city regulations dictating building heights, campus boundaries and other details have been tough to navigate.

“Our overall student population has held steady in recent years, and our residence halls are currently at capacity,” said Benner, in a written statement. “We are seeing growing demand from students who want to live on campus, and we believe expanding on-campus housing would benefit both students and the neighborhood, as well as contribute to the city’s broader effort to increase housing availability. Right now, that option is significantly limited by the current Conditional Use Permit, which has been in place since 2004.”

No council support for moratorium

The neighbors group has held at least three community meetings in the past nine months, drawing 75 to 150 residents at a time, and hosted the candidates for the Ward 4 seat on the city council for a discussion this summer.

They’ve since held talks with Coleman, who won the seat in August, and heard mixed response.

Coleman “has not endorsed a moratorium but said she would discuss some of the other issues related to the developments — pollution, noise, parking constraints, people crossing intersections that weren’t designed for hundreds of people,” Flanigan said.

Ward 3 Council Member Saura Jost “has not responded to any communications that have been sent to her office at all,” he added. “We’ve included her with almost every email we’ve sent out.”

Jost noted Wednesday that 2133 Selby Ave. does not sit within her ward. Still, Ward 3 includes the section of the overlay district that stretches south of Summit Avenue down to St. Clair Avenue, which she described as “a very tiny amount of the overlay district.”

During his time as the interim Ward 4 council member this year, Matt Privratsky spoke with concerned residents and acknowledged that the transition from living next to single-family homes to suddenly residing by multi-unit student dwellings could be disconcerting for long-time homeowners.

Nevertheless, said Privratsky in a written statement this year, “all advice I’ve received from legal and policy experts in City Hall — in addition to my own professional policy read — about the student housing overlay is that it is likely either unconstitutional or, in the very least, not good public policy.”

“I am not personally or professionally comfortable re-affirming the city’s role in regulating how residents live in our neighborhoods based solely on whether they are enrolled in or accepted into an undergraduate or trade program,” he added.

In fact, at a time of relatively sluggish housing construction, “new developments like these six-unit apartment buildings are some of the rare examples of dramatically increasing the property tax value of a given lot and reducing property tax burden on others,” Privratsky said. “None of these citywide dynamics erase the thoughts and concerns of nearby neighbors, but they do impact the way citywide zoning changes need to be contemplated and analyzed.”

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By CHRIS MEGERIAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Saturday he will send troops to Portland, Oregon, “authorizing Full Force, if necessary” to handle “domestic terrorists” as he expands his controversial deployments to more American cities.

He made the announcement on social media, writing that he was directing the Department of Defense to “provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland.”

Trump said the decision was necessary to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities, which he described as “under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for details on Trump’s announcement, such as a timeline for the deployment or what troops would be involved. He previously threatened to send the National Guard into Chicago without following through. A deployment in Memphis, Tennessee, is expected to include only about 150 troops, far less than were sent to the District of Columbia for Trump’s crackdown or in Los Angeles in response to immigration protests.

Pentagon officials did not immediately respond to requests for information.

Since the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the Republican president has escalated his efforts to confront what he calls the “radical left,” which he blames for the country’s problems with political violence.

He deployed the National Guard and active-duty Marines to Los Angeles over the summer and as part of his law enforcement takeover in the nation’s capital.

The ICE facility in Portland has been the target of frequent demonstrations, sometimes leading to violent clashes. Some federal agents have been injured and several protesters have been charged with assault. When protesters erected a guillotine earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security described it as “unhinged behavior.”

Trump, in comments Thursday in the Oval Office, suggested some kind of operation was in the works.

“We’re going to get out there and we’re going to do a pretty big number on those people in Portland,” he said, describing them as “professional agitators and anarchists.”

Earlier in September, Trump had described living in Portland as “like living in hell” and said he was considering sending in federal troops, as he has recently threatened to do to combat crime in other cities, including Chicago and Baltimore.

“Like other mayors across the country, I have not asked for -– and do not need -– federal intervention,” Portland’s mayor, Keith Wilson, said in a statement after Trump’s threat. Wilson said his city had protected freedom of expression while “addressing occasional violence and property destruction.”

In Tennessee, Memphis has been bracing for an influx of National Guard troops, and on Friday, Republican Gov. Bill Lee, who helped coordinate the operation, said they will be part of a surge of resources to fight crime in the city.

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