Former Minnesota Sen. Calvin Larson dies at 93

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Sen. Cal Larson sits in a committee hearing at the State Capitol in St. Paul on April 6, 2005. (Scott Takushi / Pioneer Press)

DETROIT LAKES — Calvin Larson, who served a total of 28 years in the Minnesota Legislature, died on April 1 at an assisted living facility in Detroit Lakes.

Born in Glyndon, Larson served in the Navy before making his home in Fergus Falls. That’s where he was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1966 with a Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus party affiliation, serving District 55 from 1967-72 and District 11 A from 1973-74.

After his time in the Minnesota House, Larson took a break from politics, during which time he grew an insurance company and a family.

He re-entered the state Legislature in 1987 as an Independent Republican after being elected to the Minnesota Senate. He’d remain in that office for two decades before being defeated in 2006 by DFL challenger Dan Skogen.

Throughout his time in office, Larson served Becker, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stearns, Traverse and Wadena counties.

Larson and his family shared their time between Fergus Falls and their cottage outside Pelican Rapids.

On April 4, the Minnesota Senate held a moment of silence for Larson, with Sen. Jordan Rassmuson, R-Fergus Falls, talking about the big impact Larson had in Otter Tail County and his community.

“He helped establish the Fergus Falls Veterans Home and Glendalough State Park, and he was instrumental in opening the door to the first Minnesota High School League girls sports,” said Rassmuson, who said Larson was known for his bipartisan work and lasting friendships with his colleagues.

“Cal Larson was a wonderful senator,” said Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville. “I think members of both parties saw him as fair and honorable … somebody we all trusted and loved.”

Former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman posted a message on social media, saying Larson was an inspiration and mentor to him.

“He set a shining example for what a public servant should be — good common sense, humility, a deeply rooted commitment to do good — and an ability to work with folks on both sides of the aisle to better serve the community he represented,” Coleman wrote.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. June 7, with an ice cream social to follow at Zion Lutheran Church on Franklin Lake in Pelican Rapids.

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Matchbox Twenty added to Minnesota State Fair Grandstand lineup

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Matchbox Twenty, one of the biggest rock bands of the late ’90s, will headline the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand on Aug. 30.

Tickets are priced from $134 to $67 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Etix or by calling 800-514-3849. Other Grandstand performers announced so far include Blake Shelton, Chance the Rapper, the Happy Together Tour, Motley Crue, Nate Bargatze and Kidz Bop Live.

Formed in Florida in 1995, Matchbox Twenty released their debut album “Yourself or Someone Like You” the following year. After a slow start, the record took off with a string of hits including “Push,” “3 A.M.,” “Real World” and “Back 2 Good.”

Prior to work on the band’s second album, lead singer Rob Thomas was asked to co-write the song “Smooth” for Carlos Santana’s album “Supernatural.” Santana himself asked Thomas to sing it after hearing his voice on the demo and it went on to become a massive hit that won three Grammy Awards, including record and song of the year. That success set the stage for Thomas’ solo career, which he kicked off in 2005 with the album “Something to Be.”

Matchbox Twenty went on to release three more albums in the ’00s and early ’10s and returned to the charts with “Bent,” “If You’re Gone,” “Unwell,” “How Far We’ve Come” and “She’s So Mean.” In 2017, drummer/guitarist Paul Doucette said the band wasn’t going to record again and instead focus on touring.

The pandemic forced the group to postpone a joint tour with the Wallflowers three times, prompting the group to record their fifth album, “Where the Light Goes,” in 2023.

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Karl-Anthony Towns cleared for full contact and is ‘progressing toward his return to play’ for Timberwolves

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Karl-Anthony Towns is quickly approaching his return to the Timberwolves’ lineup.

The all-star big man has been out since March 4 after tearing the meniscus in his left knee, but the team announced Tuesday that he’s been cleared for full contact and 5-on-5 scrimmages and is “progressing toward his return to play.”

“I can’t wait. We haven’t had him for a little while now. We miss having Karl, so just having him back on the floor, it helps all of us, everyone,” Wolves wing Jaden McDaniels said. “They’re going to double him, and he creates so much attention on the floor, so it’s good for us to have him back.”

The team announced Towns’ successful surgery on his knee on March 12.

Entering Tuesday’s bout with Washington, the Wolves were 11-5 in the 16 games played since Towns went down. They managed to maintain their status as the No. 1 team in the Western Conference while finding a better offensive flow that’s seemingly unlocked a number of other contributors on that end of the floor.

“I think him being out has allowed everyone to step up and play and have roles and get going for the postseason. I think the postseason definitely shows – and my career is a testament to that – that you never know what you might need. And just being able to be available and be providing, guys stepping up big, it’s good to get their game reps now,” Wolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker said. “Guys like J-Mac have been huge since Karl has been out – Monte, myself, Naz and what he’s doing in his role. So I think adding Karl will be a huge help for us, make us more of a threat to make a deeper run.”

Minnesota’s challenge now will be to  wisely re-integrate Towns. It seems unlikely Towns would return for a massive tilt Wednesday in altitude in Denver that will likely be for the No. 1 seed in the West.

Friday’s home contest against the Hawks would seem to be a much softer landing spot and would still give Towns a pair of regular season games — both at Target Center — to find his rhythm and re-acclimate himself into the offense before a week of pre-playoff practices.

Speaker Johnson will delay sending Mayorkas impeachment to Senate as Republicans push to hold trial

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Mike Johnson will delay sending the House’s articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate this week as planned, after Republican senators requested more time Tuesday to build a case for a full trial.

The sudden change of plans cast fresh doubts on the proceedings, the historic first impeachment of a Cabinet secretary in roughly 150 years. House Republicans impeached Mayorkas over the Biden administration’s handling of security and immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Senators were expected to swiftly dismiss the House-passed charges against Mayorkas. Democrats, who hold majority control of the chamber, argue the charges do not rise to the constitution’s bar of high crimes and misdemeanors.

Johnson was planning to have the House impeachment managers transmit the articles against Mayorkas on Wednesday evening. Under procedural rules, that would require senators to convene the next day as jurors for a trial to decide whether to convict or acquit the secretary of charges.

Thursday’s trial was expected to be over quickly after some procedural votes to table or dismiss the charges.

But Republicans intent on holding Mayorkas accountable for border security are pushing for a full trial. Republican senators spoke during a private GOP lunch Tuesday about using a delay to build the case.

“To ensure the Senate has adequate time to perform its constitutional duty, the House will transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate next week,” said Johnson’s spokesman, Taylor Haulsee. “There is no reason whatsoever for the Senate to abdicate its responsibility to hold an impeachment trial.”