By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A large banner featuring Donald Trump’s face was hung on the exterior of Justice Department headquarters on Thursday in a physical display of the Republican president’s efforts to exert power over the law enforcement agency that once investigated him.

While Trump banners have been hung outside other agencies across Washington, the decision to place one on the storied Justice Department building amounted to a striking symbol of the erosion of the department’s tradition of independence from White House control.

The banner, hung between two columns on one corner of the building, says, “Make America Safe Again,” a slogan used by the administration to tout its efforts to clamp down on illegal immigration and violent crime.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has postured herself as the president’s chief supporter and protector, eschewing the approach of predecessors who sought to maintain an arms-length distance from the White House to protect the impartiality of investigations and prosecutions.

Trump officials have rejected accusations that they have weaponized the Justice Department for political purposes, saying the Biden administration was the one that politicized law enforcement with two federal criminal cases against Trump that were abandoned after he won the 2024 election.

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The Justice Department in a statement Thursday said it is proud to “celebrate 250 years of our great country and our historic work to make America safe again at President Trump’s direction.”

The Trump administration has opened investigations into a number of the president’s perceived enemies, amplifying concerns that the agency is being used to exact revenge on his political foes.

Federal prosecutors brought charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey that were later dismissed, and separately sought to indict several Democratic lawmakers in connection with a video in which they urged U.S. military members to resist “illegal orders.”

The department is also investigating Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell over congressional testimony and Democratic Minnesota officials over whether they obstructed federal immigration enforcement through public statements.

Wild forward Marcus Foligno has spent plenty of his life living on either side of the 49th parallel, but he’s a Canadian at heart. And as such, with three Minnesota teammates playing for Team USA and four members of the Wild on the Team Sweden roster, he was officially a neutral observer for the Americans’ 2-1 overtime win in the Olympic quarterfinals on Wednesday.

With a dozen or so members of the Wild watching on the big TV inside the team’s TRIA Rink locker room, perhaps the biggest moment of the game — prior to Quinn Hughes scoring the overtime winner off a set-up from Wild teammate Matt Boldy — came in the third period when Joel Eriksson Ek got up slowly after a hard hit.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin, left, skates with the puck alongside Carolina Hurricanes left wing Eric Robinson (50) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

“I think everyone’s probably worried about 14 the most, with all of the little things he’s experienced across the last three or four seasons,” Foligno said following the team’s Thursday practice in St. Paul. “He’s a beast, and if we can just keep him healthy down the stretch, it’s huge for our team.”

Of the 10 Wild players that went to Italy, six of them are done playing and are returning to Minnesota mostly healthy for the re-start to the NHL season next week. For those who didn’t go to Europe, passport stamps from destinations such as Mexico, the Bahamas and Costa Rica were collected, a much-needed respite from the rigors of this condensed regular-season schedule.

“We’ve been playing so much, and not only physically but mentally, you can get drained sometimes,” Wild defenseman Daemon Hunt said. “I think it’s just a greater reset. It helps getting your mind off the game and coming back refreshed.”

On the Wild’s blue line, while Hughes and Brock Faber are still digging for gold in Milan, the break provided a chance for banged-up defensemen like Jonas Brodin and Zach Bogosian to get healthier for the March and April push for the playoffs.

“For Brodin to have that time off, where you’re not missing so many games, you can kind of dip into your rehab schedule with the days off that we have,” Foligno said.

Brodin last played in a Jan. 12 home game versus New Jersey and had surgery for a lower body injury that cost him a trip to the Olympics with Team Sweden. He has drawn praise from Wild teammates for prioritizing a potential run at the Stanley Cup over the Winter Game

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s.

“That was huge. I think such an unselfish thing,” Foligno said. “He probably could’ve tried to fight through it and you know, maybe it would’ve done some more damage. Obviously, you lose out on the lifelong dream of playing in the Olympics. But to have a healthy Brodin down the stretch when we need him in the playoffs, that’s huge for our team.”

Brodin has not yet returned for practice, but Wild officials have said they are optimistic he is on track to return sometime following the break.

The Wild return to NHL play on Thursday, Feb. 26, with a game in Colorado versus the Central Division-leading Avalanche.

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By JOHN WAWROW, AP Hockey Writer

MILAN (AP) — Megan Keller backhanded in a shot 4:07 into overtime and the United States won its third Olympic gold medal in women’s hockey, beating Canada 2-1 at the Milan Cortina Games on Thursday night to close another thrilling chapter of one of sports’ most heated rivalries.

American captain Hilary Knight, in her fifth and final Olympics, forced overtime by tipping in Laila Edwards’ shot from the blue line with 2:04 remaining. The goal was the 15th of her Olympic career and 33rd point to break the U.S. record in both categories.

With the sides playing 3-on-3, Keller broke up the left wing and pushed past Claire Thompson. Driving to the net, the U.S. assistant captain got off a backhander that beat Ann-Renee Desbiens over her left pad.

Aerin Frankel stopped 30 shots for the U.S.

Kristen O’Neill scored a short-handed goal for Canada and Desbiens finished with 31 saves.

This was the seventh of 12 Olympic meetings between the rivals to be decided by one goal and the third to go past regulation. Canada overcame a late 2-1 deficit to beat the U.S. 3-2 on Marie-Philip Poulin’s overtime goal at the 2014 Sochi Games. The U.S. won 3-2 in 2018 when Jocelyne Lamoureux scored in a shootout.

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AP Olympic coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Forest Lake is once again looking for a new city administrator.

The Forest Lake City Council decided this week to part ways with City Administrator Mark Statz, who had been on the job for just one year.

Mark Statz (Courtesy of Mark Statz)

The decision to enter into a separation agreement followed Statz’s one-year review, which was held in closed session on Tuesday night, said Mayor Blake Roberts. The decision was mutual, he said.

Statz, who had been city administrator and engineer in Centerville since 2017, began working for Forest Lake on Feb. 18, 2025. Prior to that, he worked in private practice at Stantec for almost 20 years, providing engineering services for cities and towns throughout Minnesota, including Centerville.

“He is a super sharp, intelligent guy,” Roberts said. “He’s got his civil-engineer background, and so he’s going to do really well no matter where he lands. I just think there was a difference between him and our department heads’ and staff’s philosophy on things. When you can’t get the coach and the team on the same page, you just have to make a move, right?”

Statz was hired after almost a year-long search. He followed interim administrator/clerk Kristina Handt, who had previously served as city administrator in Lake Elmo and Scandia; Handt worked at Forest Lake City Hall for 11 months before she was dismissed. In November, she was hired as the interim city administrator/clerk in Grant.

Handt was hired immediately after the Forest Lake City Council in January 2024 decided to part ways with then-City Administrator Patrick Casey, who had served in the city’s top post since 2018.

“It’s been painful … hiring and firing city administrators,” Roberts said. “It’s been a frustrating process.”

Assistant City Administrator Jolleen Chaika has been appointed interim city administrator and plans to serve until a new administrator is hired, he said.

The council will wait until after the November election to launch its search, he said.

“Because Forest Lake has gone through this process a couple times here in the last three years, we feel very confident in (Chaika),” he said. “She’s more than willing to take the role through the end of the year here. Let us get through this election cycle. There could be three new council members.”

Roberts’ term is up this year, as are the terms of council member Leif Erickson, who was elected in 2022, and council member Kevin Miller, who was appointed last year to fill out the remainder of the term previously held by Roberts.

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“Whoever that next (city administrator) is, they want to know they’ll have the same council members for two years that they can work with,” he said. “Good candidates get gun shy about making a switch when (they may) not know who they’re going to be working for.”

Roberts said the city — whether led by an interim or full-time administrator — is “well positioned to move forward.”

“We have a strong, dedicated staff that remains focused and energized, and the council is confident in the organization’s ability to continue advancing important projects, delivering high-quality city services and embracing the many opportunities ahead for our great community,” he said.