A school bus driver fatally struck a man on a bike in St. Francis on Friday morning, authorities said.

The collision happened just before 7:30 a.m. when a woman who was driving the bus, which had no passengers, was turning south onto St. Francis Boulevard from eastbound Ambassador Boulevard, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office said. The man died at the scene.

The identities of the victim and bus driver have not been released.

The crash remains under investigation by the sheriff’s office, Francis Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol and Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office.

Related Articles

Woman, 72, fatally struck by drunken driver while crossing White Bear Township road, sheriff’s office says

Turkish student at Tufts University is latest Palestinian supporter swept up in US crackdown

350-pound teacher accused of stepping on sixth-grader’s back during lockdown drill in northwestern Minnesota

3rd gunman sentenced in St. Paul murder that led to funeral shooting

Minnesota judge says ex-senator arrested in prostitution sting can be released to halfway house

High school girls flag football is coming to Minnesota this spring.

The Vikings announced Friday they’ll launch a league featuring 51 high schools that will culminate with a state championship game at June 9 at TCO Stadium in Eagan.

The NFL team piloted a smaller-scale program last year. This year, the Vikings said they will contribute $600,000 to support the league and participating schools. Last month, the Vikings announced the launch of a collegiate women’s league featuring local area colleges.

“This is an exciting time for women’s and girls’ flag football in Minnesota,” Vikings Vice President of Social Impact Brett Taber said in a release. “Since testing the pilot league in 2024, interest in girls flag football has increased dramatically at the high school level, and to see such a high number of schools participate this year is a tremendous sign for future growth.”

Teams will play double-headers on four consecutive Sundays from April 27 through May 18. Playoffs are set to begin on June 1 with the title bout slated for Monday, June 9.

The league will not be officially affiliated with the Minnesota State High School League. Girls flag football is not currently an MSHSL-sanctioned sport.

But that could eventually change.

MSHSL executive director Erich Martens said in a statement that as member schools consider and begin to offer the program, “we will continue discussing with MSHSL membership the sport’s popularity, growth and future in Minnesota and supporting the interests of our member schools and their students.”

The Associated Press reports there are 14 states that have sanctioned girls flag football as a high school varsity sport.  Nearly 500,000 girls ages 6 to 17 years old played flag football in 2023, per NFL FLAG.

The schools competing in the league’s first season are:

Anoka

Apple Valley

Benilde-St. Margaret’s

Big Lake

Bloomington Kennedy

Burnsville

Centennial

Champlin Park

DeLaSalle

Eagan

Eastview

Eden Prairie

Elk River

Fairmont

Farmington

Hopkins

La Crescent

Lakeville North

Lakeville South

Mahtomedi

Melrose

Minneapolis Camden

Minneapolis Edison

Minneapolis North

Minneapolis Roosevelt

Minneapolis South

Minneapolis Southwest

Minneapolis Washburn

Minnetonka

Monticello

Mounds View

North St. Paul

Park

Pine Island

Proctor

Richfield

Robbinsdale Cooper

Rochester Mayo

Rosemount

Roseville

Sartell

Simley

South St. Paul

Spring Lake Park

St. Cloud Tech

St. Louis Park

St. Michael-Albertville

Tartan

Two Rivers

Waterville-Elysian-Morristown

Woodbury

Related Articles

Source: Vikings acquire running back Jordan Mason in trade with 49ers

John Shipley: Vikings would do well to sign Aaron Rodgers

Vikings: Minnesota lands third-round compensatory pick in upcoming NFL Draft

Vikings spend big to keep cornerback Byron Murphy Jr.

Source: Vikings make first move, add cornerback Isaiah Rodgers

CHICAGO — For the past year, three days a week for four hours, Alfredo Pacheco, 37, has been undergoing dialysis. Most days, even if he feels ill, he pushes himself to work after the procedure, thinking of his three young children who wait to see him again one day back in Venezuela.

As time passes, however, he feels weaker and a bit more tired every day, he said.

Pacheco was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease not long after arriving in Chicago seeking asylum. It was then that doctors told him that he needed a kidney transplant, “or else I would die,” he said. Medical records also show the acute illness that has drastically changed his life.

His older brother, José Gregorio González, 43, who was denied entry to the country at the southern border, tried to enter once again hoping to donate a kidney to save his brother’s life. He managed to cross and stay in the United States under immigration supervision.

After a long and complicated process to get approved for the transplant under public insurance, the brothers had an appointment in a Chicago hospital in April to go forward with more tests for the organ exchange. But on March 3, González was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs authorities and now awaits deportation at Clay County Detention Center in Indiana, leaving Pacheco, once again, desperate and fighting for his life.

The two are pleading with immigration authorities to release González on humanitarian parole to donate the kidney. “After that, I will return to Venezuela,” González said from a call in the detention center.

“Los dos lloramos cuando se lo llevaron, él sabe que él es mi vida,” Pacheco said, or in English, “We both cried when they took him because he knows that he is my lifeline.”

The two Venezuelan brothers, affected by both immigration and health care policies at the federal and state level, showcase the turmoil and uncertainty immigrant families are facing in the country, advocates and attorneys said.

As the Trump administration continues to double down on efforts to deport unauthorized immigrants, it has now reached an agreement with Venezuela to resume repatriation flights. That and the threat from the state to dismantle the Medicaid coverage for noncitizen adults means “immigrants are under attack,” said Cook County Commissioner Alma Anaya, who also serves as the vice-chair of the Health and Hospitals Committee.

“(Their story) highlights the complexities of some of the policies. Big decisions are being made statewide and federally that are ultimately deciding whether a person lives or dies,” Anaya said.

In Pacheco’s case, the decision is in the hands of González’s immigration agent, said their attorney Peter Meinecke, who is also the managing attorney at The Resurrection Project legal team. The request for humanitarian parole is made directly to the ICE officer in charge of the detainee’s case, and the agent can authorize their release for a set period at their discretion.

“It is ultimately an opportunity to leave detention for the sole purpose of undergoing the kidney donation to save his brother’s life, and then ICE will be able to detain him again and eventually remove him from the country,” Meinecke said, who added that González does not have a criminal background.

In most cases, the maximum amount of time immigrants are released under humanitarian parole is one year. Most are released under supervision or with ankle monitors, Meinecke said.

From the detention center, through a phone call, González said his biggest concern is that he will be deported before immigration agents can consider his case. For him, staying in the United States is no longer about finding a better job or stability, but rather to save his brother’s life.

When he made his way north in late 2023, González wanted to join Pacheco like thousands of other migrants in Chicago with dreams to work and craft a better future for their children and families in their native Venezuela. He first tried to enter the country but failed the credible fear screening, after learning that his brother was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure, he tried again under the CBP One app, which allowed migrants to make appointments to enter the country.

It was then that González was put in removal proceedings and detained for a few months, but since there were no deportation flights to Venezuela, he was released to join Pacheco in Chicago under immigration supervision in March 2024.

Due to the previous order of removal, unlike Pacheco, González cannot apply for asylum or any other kind of immigration relief. ICE officials had no immediate comment, citing confidentiality rules.

The oldest of six and having lost two younger siblings to accidents over the last few years in Venezuela, González felt it was a blessing to be by Pacheco’s side even if it was only for a few months to donate his kidney.

Related Articles

Federal judge to consider releasing immigration activist who took refuge in churches

Mahmoud Khalil’s lawyers appear in New Jersey court over jurisdiction of Columbia activist’s case

A look at who has been detained or deported in a US crackdown on pro-Palestinian protesters

US economic growth to slow in the next 30 years, fueled by debt and declining birth rates, CBO says

Turkish student at Tufts University is latest Palestinian supporter swept up in US crackdown

At the detention center, González said, he prays from time to time and writes to his brother, still hopeful that he will be released even for a few months to donate his kidney to his brother so that he can stay in the country and reach the goals that he couldn’t.

It is a promise that the two say they have made to each other despite the uncertainty the two face. They rely on each other and the thought of their family back in Venezuela for strength.

Pacheco’s children, a girl, 17, and twin boys, 9, still don’t know that their father has a terminal illness. He refuses to tell them because he hopes to get the transplant that could eventually get him back on track with his plans when he first migrated to the United States.

He got to Chicago in July 2022 and applied for asylum shortly after. He said he fled from violence and political turmoil since he was a part of the armed forces in Venezuela. He wanted to find a job here and eventually bring his wife and children.

But in January 2024, he ended up in the emergency room, experiencing strong stomach pain and nonstop vomiting. Though he had lost almost 15 pounds in less than a month, he was afraid to go to the doctor.

“My world completely fell apart,” Pacheco said.

Because Pacheco has a pending asylum case, he is covered under the Illinois Medical Benefits for Asylum Applicants and Torture Victims (AATV) program, an extension of the Medicaid program. Under state-sponsored insurance, however, certain treatments, such as kidney transplants, are typically harder to process for those who have an irregular immigration status, often taking a long process that could affect the patient’s life expectancy, according to health care experts. Most times, case managers help patients with irregular immigration status or those who are in the country without permanent legal status to navigate the process.

In Illinois, immigrants who lack permanent legal status to reside in the country and are diagnosed with kidney failure can access kidney transplants, thanks to a 2014 law and the Illinois Transplant Fund (ITF), which provides financial support for health insurance premiums, enabling them to qualify for transplants.

Pacheco managed to get on the waitlist for a kidney transplant at the University of Illinois Hospital, a spokesperson for the institution confirmed. Even if González is not compatible with Pacheco, if he has a kidney, it could buy Pacheco time and a faster appointment for a transplant.

“Every day that passes without José Gregorio González being released from detention to donate his kidney puts his brother Alfredo at a greater risk of losing his life,” said state Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernández, who supports the expansion of medical coverage for adults in the country without permanent legal status or irregular immigration status in Illinois, including HBIA. “The situation we are in is unfortunately unsurprising given the current administration’s haphazard crackdown on hardworking, law-abiding immigrants and their families. José deserves the chance to save his brother’s life. The Department of Homeland Security and the Trump Administration on humanitarian grounds should afford him and every immigrant that very opportunity.”

For now, Pacheco only works delivering packages for Amazon from time to time, on days when dialysis does not get the best of him, he said. Last month he couldn’t pay rent of his basement apartment in Cicero, but his landlord’s daughters helped him to pay. They’re also helping to collect signatures to support his case and submit it to the ICE agent, begging for mercy.

larodriguez@chicagotribune.com

By DANICA KIRKA, Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III waved to well-wishers in central London on Friday as he headed for his country estate in western England a day after he was briefly hospitalized because of side effects from a scheduled cancer treatment.

Charles canceled planned engagements on Thursday afternoon and Friday on the advice of his doctors, Buckingham Palace said, without providing details about the “temporary side effects” that he experienced.

But the episode was a reminder that the king is 76 and continues to undergo treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer diagnosed more than a year ago.

Britain’s King Charles III is driven by car from Clarence House, his London home, along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace in London, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

That reality has slipped away from the collective consciousness since last spring, when Charles returned to public duties after stepping away for almost three months to focus on his initial treatment and recovery. In the intervening months, he has attended D-Day commemoration events in France, presided over the State Opening of Parliament and even embarked on a nine-day visit to Australia and Samoa.

But during the early stages of his treatment, Charles continued fulfilling his constitutional duties as head of state, including reviewing government papers and meeting with the prime minister.

Here’s a brief rundown of what we know about the king’s health.

What happened?

The king went to the London Clinic on Thursday morning for a scheduled cancer treatment. The clinic is a private hospital in central London, where Charles has been receiving treatment since his diagnosis in February 2024.

“Following scheduled and ongoing medical treatment for cancer this morning, the king experienced temporary side effects that required a short period of observation in hospital,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement. “His majesty’s afternoon engagements were therefore postponed.”

A man takes a picture of Buckingham Palace in London, Friday, March 28, 2025, after the Palace said King Charles III was hospitalized for observation on Thursday, experiencing “temporary side effects,” related to a scheduled cancer treatment. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The king then returned to his home at Clarence House, where he reviewed papers and made calls, the palace said. Queen Camilla didn’t join him at the hospital.

“His majesty would like to send his apologies to all those who may be inconvenienced or disappointed as a result,” the palace said in a statement.

Will this affect future events?

The king is expected to press ahead with his work in the coming days, including a state visit to Italy scheduled for early April.

Why did the palace decide to reveal this information?

Palace officials have recognized that it’s better to release some information about the king’s health, rather than allow media speculation to fill the void when he’s forced to cancel scheduled events.

But they have tried to walk a fine line, seeking to balance the public’s legitimate interest in the health of the head of state with Charles’ right to privacy.

Britain’s King Charles III is driven by car from Clarence House, his London home, along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace in London, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)

This was seen first in January 2024, when the palace announced Charles was being treated for an enlarged prostate, followed by the cancer diagnosis a few weeks later.

The decision to talk about the king’s health issues marked a departure from past palace protocols. For example, when Queen Elizabeth II began missing events toward the end of her life, royal officials repeatedly said that she was suffering from “mobility issues,” without providing further details. Her death certificate listed the cause as “old age.”

Tourists stand in the rain at Buckingham Palace in London, Friday, March 28, 2025, after the Palace said King Charles III was hospitalized for observation on Thursday, experiencing “temporary side effects,” related to a scheduled cancer treatment. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The public was unaware that Charles’ grandfather, King George VI, had lung cancer before his death in February 1952 at the age of 56. Some historians suggest that even the king wasn’t told about the gravity of his condition.

Charles’ decision to break with the past has paid dividends

Health authorities have applauded the king’s openness, saying his disclosures saved lives by encouraging thousands of men to have prostate exams.

Mounted soldiers during the Changing of the Guard ceremony in London, Friday, March 28, 2025 after Buckingham Palace says King Charles III was hospitalized for observation on Thursday after experiencing “temporary side effects,” related to a scheduled cancer treatment. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Royal experts say Charles’ candor has also brought him closer to the public by demonstrating that he faces the same kinds of challenges that they do. Health is, after all, the great leveler.

Why is Charles doing so much?

Charles’ busy schedule is a reminder that this is a man who waited around seven decades to become monarch and he wants to make the most of it.

The king has been open about his desire to demonstrate that the monarchy still has a role to play as a symbol of unity and tradition in the sometimes fractious, multicultural nation that is 21st-century Britain.

Tourists stand at the entrance to Clarence House that serves as the London residence of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, in London, Friday, March 28, 2025 after Buckingham Palace says King Charles III was hospitalized for observation on Thursday after experiencing “temporary side effects,” related to a scheduled cancer treatment. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

And the job of a modern king is to take part in a whirl of public events, from the pageantry of state occasions when he wears the crown and rides through the streets of London in a horse-drawn carriage to more mundane appearances such as opening public buildings or handing out awards for public service.

Charles took part in 372 public engagements last year, even after stepping aside for almost three months because of cancer treatment, according to data compiled by The Times of London newspaper. That made him the second-busiest royal behind his sister, Princes Anne, who had 474 engagements.

Members of the Household Cavalry march into the entrance to Clarence House in London, Friday, March 28, 2025, after Buckingham Palace said King Charles III was hospitalized for observation on Thursday, experiencing “temporary side effects,” related to a scheduled cancer treatment. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Charles has long been known as a workaholic, and Queen Camilla said last year that he “won’t slow down and won’t do what he’s told.” During her Reading Room literary festival in July, the queen told author Lee Child that her husband was “doing fine,” but hadn’t heeded her advice to curtail his schedule.

Prince Harry once said that his father worked so hard that he would fall asleep at his desk and wake up with bits of paper stuck to his face.

Related Articles

Hegseth tells Philippines the Trump administration will ramp up deterrence against China threat

Putin suggests putting Ukraine under UN-sponsored external governance

Powerful quake rocks Myanmar and Thailand and kills more than 150 people

Suspected US strikes pummel Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen

Today in History: March 28, Three Mile Island nuclear plant accident

What are royal experts saying?

The king’s busy schedule has obscured the fact that he is an older man with cancer, said Robert Hardman, author of “Charles III: New King, New Court, the Inside Story.”

“We’ve seen him go back to normal,” Hardman told the BBC on Friday.

“I think this is sort of a reminder that this is a head of state undergoing treatment for cancer, because I think a lot of us tended to forget it.”