The current popular sentiment, expressed uniformly as the result of profound sadness, suggests that we live in the Minnesota that we no longer recognize. A hateful young fellow with guns took care of that when he fired wildly through the stained glass windows of Annunciation Catholic Church and in South Minneapolis on a beautiful morning when the Annunciation schoolkids were assembled for their first school Mass of the year.

Bullets flew and glass shattered. Two children were killed, Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, and many others injured. The shooter killed himself.

It was such an egregious act of evil that it transcended speechlessness and almost instantly compelled a new and useful response, “pray with your feet.” I took it to mean hand-wringing is over. Hoping for the best at the next school Mass is over. Praying with your feet means to move, to advance, to take, literally, steps to make sure innocents are not gunned down in church or school by a madman.

And perhaps a Minnesota we do recognize has responded by a particularly Minnesota curiosity. We all knew the affected, if not personally, then by the parish underground party hotline. It’s not even exclusive to Catholics. It’s just the way things are around here. In the Twin Cities, people are known by the parish they belong to. It’s an uncanny part of initial conversations.

“Where did you grow up?”

“South Minneapolis.”

“Annunciation?”

“Well, it would have been Annunciation, but the dividing line was 50th Street. I was north of 50th, so I went to Visitation.”

Everybody knows somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody whose niece goes to Annunciation. Everybody knows somebody whose uncle went to Annunciation, aunt, grandmother, wife’s best friend’s cousin. The same thing happens in St. Paul, with Nativity, or St. Luke’s (I don’t care what they call it now, I went to St. Luke’s) or St. Agnes or Holy Spirit or St. Casimir’s.

During golf the other day, a guy said, unasked, “my mom and my uncle went to Annunciation. My grandmother on my mom’s side was the church secretary.”

“That was your school?”

“I was north of 50th, went to Visitation.”

Everybody knows those Annunciation kids because all you have to do is look next door, or across the street, or under the roof of the house of a kid you used to have. And there they are, posing for the first-day-of-school picture on the stoop, smiling, brand-new shoes and uniform shirts, one of them pointing at the camera as if to say, “Here I come!”

Every single parishioner in the Twin Cities, in the state, is now enlisted in what we might call the Fletcher Merkel or Harper Moyski security team, praying with their feet. The idea that the government will prevent shootings in the future is preposterous. We don’t need their boilerplate resolutions, or their grandstanding or their empty promises. In fact, get out of our way. This is our problem. Praying with your feet will be the answer. In fact, it is already happening here. Last week at Mass, there were quite a few heads on swivels. That started before Mass and continued until the doors were locked. Another Annunciation cannot happen and people can no longer just hope for the best.

Just days after the sadness at Annunciation, the feeling outside the church of doing something was palpable, not the endless tyranny of hoping somebody else does something. No, we will act. We are alert.

We will pray with our feet.

We owe it to all those kids who point at the camera and say with their bravado and their innocence and grace, “Here we come!”

That can be a Minnesota we’ll be happy to recognize.

Joe Soucheray can be reached at jsoucheray@pioneerpress.com. Soucheray’s “Garage Logic” podcast can be heard at garagelogic.com.

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By Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES — Want to get Generation Alpha into movie theaters? Look to video games.

Kids still like to go to the movies, according to a high-profile new research report. But the franchises they care about are not the traditional Hollywood popcorn fare.

Seven of the top 10 entertainment franchises that the youngest generation of moviegoers cares about are video game properties, according to a recent study by National Research Group (NRG).

The top five titles that Gen Alpha kids, generally considered to be those ages 12 and under, say they talk most about were Roblox, “Minecraft,” “Fortnite,” “Grand Theft Auto” and “Pokémon,” all of which originated from the world of video games. The highest-ranked non-video game property was Marvel and Walt Disney Co.’s “The Avengers,” at No. 6.

Studios have started to catch on. Spring’s “A Minecraft Movie,” based on the popular game where users build and explore different worlds, was such a huge success. The film, adapted by Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment for the big screen, grossed $955 million at the global box office, according to Comscore. Young fans packed the theater, cheering during scenes important to gamers.

“Gaming is a deeply important part of Gen Alpha culture because it provides an essential venue for socialization,” said Fergus Navaratnam-Blair, NRG’s vice president of trends and futures. “Social gaming platforms like Roblox and Fortnite give them the opportunity to spend time with their friends, build communities, and develop a sense of their own identity.”

That could present a shift in the way theaters and studios cater to Gen Alpha, a key demographic born 2013 onward, to their future survival. Compared with millennials and Gen X, a higher percentage of Gen Alpha members (38%) said they would see a movie in a theater instead of waiting for it to come to a streaming service if their friends were talking about it, NRG said.

Nearly 60% of Gen Alpha members said they enjoy watching movies in theaters more than at home, according to NRG, which surveyed more than 6,000 U.S. moviegoers in May and June of this year. The majority of kids surveyed ages 6-to-12 said the reason why they go to the theater is to spend time with friends and family and “to make seeing the movie feel like a special event,” according to NRG.

“We are seeing the signs within this demographic that they do really value the experience of watching movies in theaters,” Navaratnam-Blair said. “The fact that they have grown up surrounded by phones, tablets, other sorts of devices, if anything, that seems to have made them more appreciative of the opportunities that they do get to switch up from all of that.”

Stories that resonate with Gen Alpha can come from franchises they are already familiar with, like “Minecraft,” or ones such as “Wicked” that inspire them to create fan fiction or show off their fandom by dressing up like the characters, he said.

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Already, studios are marketing their films to reach younger consumers on platforms they frequent including Roblox and TikTok.

Movie theaters can help cater to Gen Alpha by making the viewing an experience, such as selling food that is matched to what characters are eating on screen, Navaratnam-Blair said.

Younger audiences also can still be attracted to seeing a movie in a theater if it’s a special event that happens after the title has started streaming. For example, many people attended sing-along showings of the popular animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” in theaters even after streaming it first on Netflix. The sing-along version of the film was the No. 1 movie domestically during the weekend it was briefly in theaters, with an estimated $18 million in ticket sales.

“This is a generation that does offer hope for the future of theatrical moviegoing,” Navaratnam-Blair said. “We just need to understand what it is they’re looking for, that experience, and play into it in a way that gives them what they’re looking for out of that.”

©2025 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Gretchen McKay, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PITTSBURGH — These are anxious times in which to feed our families.

Grocery shopping is not just wildly expensive these days — the Consumer Price Index in July was up 2.7% year-over-year, with the price of some foods reaching record levels — but also filled with uncertainty.

Just when you think the price of a box of Honey Nut Cheerios couldn’t be higher (seriously folks, $7?) we have to worry about how big a hole President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs will burn in our pockets going forward.

Nearly 75% of U.S. food imports will be affected, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan tax policy nonprofit. A 25% tariff on all Mexican imports all but guarantees the cost of fresh produce will go up, and we also can expect to pay more for household essentials like coffee and bananas.

The price of eggs is (maybe?) down to a bearable level. Recently, a dozen Good & Gather large white eggs were on sale at Target for $2.79. But the cost of ground beef is still climbing along with prices for dairy.

As someone who grocery shops several times a week — always within a set budget — I feel your pain. I’ve probably been caught on a security camera more times than I can count cussing the price of a single tomato or a pint of orange juice while checking out at the register. And I’ve got plenty of company: About half of all Americans say the cost of groceries is a “major” source of stress, according to a poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Because I’m well acquainted with every grocery store within a 10-mile radius, and am tasked with keeping recipe costs down, I’ve become a more savvy shopper in recent years. You can, too, if you follow some of these tips.

In a nutshell, it involves putting pen to paper, doing some basic arithmetic and forcing yourself to plan ahead. But trust me, in the end you’ll save some of your hard-earned dollars.

Learn to budget

Most of us have a certain amount of money coming in and going out each month for fixed expenses like mortgage or rent, utilities, insurance and childcare. So it’s important to budget so you don’t overspend what’s left over for grocery store purchases.

“It’s a four-letter word,” says Vic Conrad, of Pinnacle Financial Strategies, “because nobody wants to live with strains on them.” But knowing exactly how much money you have for food shopping prevents you from spending beyond your means.

“It’s the reality,” says Conrad. “It’s basically blocking and tackling” — football-speak for focusing on the essential tasks needed to accomplish a goal.

But budgeting only works if you actually stick to the dollar amount you’ve set aside for meals. Not good at mental math? Use your phone’s calculator to keep a running tally of what goes into the cart.

Or as Conrad puts it, “Go in with discipline.”

Plan and shop with a list

If you shop without a plan, you’re more apt to buy haphazardly. So decide what you’re going to cook that week (the PG website has tons of great recipes!), make a written or Google list of all the ingredients needed and take the list with you to the store. Then, stick to it! Impulse buys will drive up the total, and can also lead to food waste if you buy something you don’t end up using.

Afraid you’ll still go wild, even with a list? Order curbside pickup.

Shop your fridge first

Always, always do an inventory of what you’ve already got on hand before heading to the store. We all forget about the boxes of pasta, bags of rice, frozen meat and veggies we got the week before at our favorite farmers market but haven’t used yet. Repurposing leftovers will also save you a few bucks. I believe almost any leftover protein, grain or vegetable can be turned into a taco, for instance, and don’t forget we’re heading into soup and stew season.

Redefine dinner

Does dinner really have to be a complicated, three-course meal? Think grilled cheese sandwiches, scrambled eggs, pancakes, stir-fries that don’t need a lot of meat, and beans and rice instead. A bowl of cereal topped with fruit also makes a good supper.

Don’t shop hungry

Head to the grocery store with an empty stomach and you’re just asking for trouble. A rumbling tummy makes everything look sooo good, especially bad-for-you snack foods that will never make it onto the dinner table. Shop after a meal and you won’t crave what you don’t need.

Go generic

According to Consumer Reports, many store and generic brands taste just as good and have the same quality as national brands. And they can cost substantially less. While we’d never tell you to buy no-name ketchup instead of Heinz, choosing generic cereal and grain products, over-the-counter medications, frozen produce, canned goods, pasta and baking staples like sugar, salt and flour will save you money.

It also pays to occasionally visit discount grocery chains like Aldi, which offer lower prices on essential goods.

Compare unit prices

What’s cheaper — a 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes for $1.59 or a 28-ounce can for $2.69? Get into the habit of comparing unit prices, the price-per-ounce/pound/item displayed on the shelf tag beneath the product. If the grocery store doesn’t list it, use your phone’s calculator to divide the total price of the item by the number of units (e.g. ounces, pounds, items).

Use coupons and shop sales

Clipping coupons might seem old school, but actually, it’s never been easier, says extreme couponer Shayna O’Brien of Houston, Pennsylvania.

That’s because instead of sitting down with the newspaper and a pair of scissors (though that still works!), “every store has an app you can download onto your phone with digital coupons,” she says.

Take a few minutes to peruse and save them before you head to the store (remember, you’re planning meals and making a list) and you’ll instantly save money at checkout when you provide your phone number.

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You’ll also find the weekly specials and sales that are so smart to shop on your store’s app.

Oftentimes, coupons are stacked with in-store promotions — buy two of something and save $1, for instance — which leads to even bigger savings, says O’Brien, a mother of one, who says she saved about $300 on a recent shopping trip at Walmart and Shop ‘N Save.

“That’s when the magic happens,” she says.

If you don’t mind having to upload receipts, rebates that offer cash back from manufacturers can also often be found on grocery store apps. And don’t forget the exclusive offers and perks that come with loyalty programs, says O’Brien.

Don’t know where to start? Pick a store you’re comfortable with, then eventually branch out, she advises.

“Yogurt, crackers, toothpaste, cleaning products … you can pretty much coupon everything these days.”

Explore Flashfood app

This mobile app connects grocers that have surplus product or product that might be nearing its “best before date” with consumers who are looking for a great deal. Savings can be 50% or more. For instance, you can get a 10-pound box of produce for $5.

Shop farmers markets

During the peak growing season, produce is often cheaper at your local farmers market or farm stand. It’s definitely fresher, which can mean you’ll actually eat it. It’s also good for the local economy by supporting local families and helps reduce your carbon footprint because the fruits, veggies and other foods don’t have to travel long distances from farm to table.

Buy in bulk (when it makes sense)

If you have a large family or routinely purchase a lot of one certain product like paper towels or canned tomatoes, it can be good business to buy in bulk. But you’re going to need storage space, and to be able to use what you purchase before it goes stale or spoils.

Best bets are nonperishable items like canned goods, dried beans and grains, paper products and cleaning supplies. But still check unit prices to see if you’re actually getting a deal.

Pay with cash

It’s easy to overspend when you’re swiping a credit card or using Apple Pay instead of handing the cashier a $20 bill. Pay with cash, and you’ll be acutely aware of every single penny spent.

©2025 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Madison Czopek, KFF Health News

It makes sense to approach some marketing efforts with skepticism. Scams, deepfakes, and deceptive social media posts are common, with people you don’t know seeking to profit from your behavior.

But should people extend this same skepticism to pediatricians who advise vaccines for children? Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said financial bonuses are driving such recommendations.

“Doctors are being paid to vaccinate, not to evaluate,” Kennedy said in an Aug. 8 video posted on the social platform X. “They’re pressured to follow the money, not the science.”

Doctors and public health officials have been fielding questions on this topic for years.

A close look at the process by which vaccines are administered shows pediatric practices make little profit — and sometimes lose money — on vaccines. Four experienced pediatricians told us evidence-based science and medicine drive pediatricians’ childhood vaccination recommendations. Years of research and vaccine safety data also bolster these recommendations.

Christoph Diasio, a pediatrician at Sandhills Pediatrics in North Carolina, said the argument that doctors profit off vaccines is counterintuitive.

“If it was really about all the money, it would be better for kids to be sick so you’d see more sick children and get to take care of more sick children, right?” he said.

Is Your Pediatrician Profiting Off Childhood Vaccines?

It costs money to stock, store, and administer a vaccine.

Pediatricians sometimes store thousands of dollars’ worth of vaccines in specialized medical-grade refrigeration units, which can be expensive. They pay to insure vaccines in case anything happens to them. Some practices buy thermostats that monitor vaccines’ temperature and backup generators to run the refrigerators in the event of a power outage. They also pay nursing staff to administer vaccines.

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“Vaccines are hugely expensive,” said Jesse Hackell, a retired general pediatrician and the chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Pediatric Workforce. “We lay out a lot of money up front.”

When a child with private insurance gets a vaccine, the pediatrician is paid for the vaccine product and its administration, Hackell said.

Many pediatricians also participate in a federal program that provides vaccines free of charge to eligible children whose parents can’t afford them. Participating in that program isn’t profitable because even though they get the vaccines for free, pediatricians store and insure them, and Medicaid reimbursements often don’t cover the costs. But many choose to participate and provide those vaccines anyway because it’s valuable for patients, Hackell said.

When discussing vaccine recommendations, pediatricians don’t make different recommendations based on how or if a child is insured, he said.

Jason Terk, a pediatrician at Cook Children’s Health Care System in Texas, said a practice’s ability to make a profit on vaccines depends on its situation.

Terk’s practice is part of a larger pediatric health care system, which means it doesn’t lose money on vaccines and makes a small profit, he said. Some small independent practices might not be able to secure terms with insurance companies that adequately pay for vaccines.

Suzanne Berman, a pediatrician at Plateau Pediatrics, a rural health clinic in Crossville, Tennessee, said that 75% of her practice’s patients have Medicaid and qualify for the Vaccines for Children program, which the practice loses money on. When she factored in private insurance companies’ payments, she estimated her practice roughly breaks even on vaccination.

“The goal is to not lose money on vaccines,” Terk said.

So What’s Driving Your Pediatrician’s Vaccine Recommendations?

Pediatricians typically recommend parents vaccinate their children following either the American Academy of Pediatrics’ or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommended vaccine schedule.

Diasio said the driving force behind pediatric vaccine recommendations is straightforward: Trained physicians have seen kids die of vaccine-preventable diseases.

“I saw kids who died of invasive pneumococcal disease, which is what the Prevnar vaccine protects against,” Diasio said. “We remember those kids; we wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

Still, your pediatrician will consider your child’s health holistically before making vaccine recommendations.

For example, a few children — less than 1% — have medical reasons they cannot receive a particular vaccine, Hackell said. This could include children with severe allergies to certain vaccine components or children who are immunosuppressed and could be at higher risk from live virus vaccines such as the measles or chickenpox vaccine.

“When people have questions about whether their kids should get vaccines, they really need to talk to their child’s doctor,” Diasio said. “Don’t get lost down a rabbit hole of the internet or on social media, which is programmed and refined to do whatever it can to keep you online longer.”

©2025 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.