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The Minnesota Wild have broken a team record by winning their ninth consecutive game and have taken over the division lead from Vancouver with a win Saturday night over the Los Angeles Kings, reports the Pioneer Press.

The Star Tribune is reporting that Brian Rolston, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Mikko Koivu and Brent Burns each had goals in the 4-1 victory over the Kings.

Back-up goalie Josh Harding, who is filling in while Manny Fernandez is out with an injury, is 3-0-1 in his last four starts with the Wild. Harding has only given up three goals in his last 225 minutes played, WCCO said.

The win gives Minnesota 97 points, which is also a team record, as well as the fourth highest total in the Western Conference, reports KARE 11.

Posted by Jennifer Brook at 6:23 PM | Permalink

A 28-year-old member of the Minnesota National Guard was killed yesterday in Fallujah while on patrol duty, reports KARE 11.

According to WCCO, Sgt. Greg N. Riewer, of Frazee, Minn., was killed when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb.

Riewer was on extended duty in Iraq and scheduled to come home this spring. He was one of 13 children, the Pioneer Press said.

Three other members of his unit were injured, one of them seriously, reports the Star Tribune.

Posted by Jennifer Brook at 6:09 PM | Permalink

A Minnesota native and graduate of the University of North Dakota is scheduled to fly on the space shuttle Atlantis in 2008, reports WCCO.

Karen Nyberg, who grew up in Vining, Minn., will join a seven-member crew as a mission specialist next February when the shuttle heads towards the International Space Station, reports the Pioneer Press.

According to Nyberg's mother, Phyllis, the mission will fulfill a lifelong goal for her daughter, KARE 11 said.

Nyberg received her bachelors degree in mechanical engineering in 1994 from UND, the Star Tribune reports.

Posted by Jennifer Brook at 5:20 PM | Permalink

Reuters is reporting that rat poison found in pet food is being blamed for at least 14 animal deaths in the United States.

The New York State Department of Agriculture has confirmed that the poison aminopterin originated in wheat that came from China and was used to make dog and cat food, reports USA Today.

Over 100 brands of tainted food, made by Menu brands, contained the poison, The Washington Post said.

Multiple law suits have been filed against Menu foods, including a $51 million suit filed in Ontario on Thursday, reports The New York Times.

Posted by Jennifer Brook at 12:02 PM | Permalink

MSNBC is reporting that at least one person was killed and more than 160 injured in an earthquake that hit Japan on Sunday morning.

The earthquake hit off of the Noto Peninsula on the Sea of Japan coast at 9:42 a.m., registering 6.9 on the Richter scale, reported CNN.

According to the New York Times, the quake shook for about 30 seconds, which knocked over builidings, triggered landslides and cut off power and phone commuication.

The earthquake also triggered a small 6 inch sunami that hit shore 36 minutes later, The Washington Post said.

Posted by Jennifer Brook at 11:41 AM | Permalink

Two women were killed and two men were injured on Sunday when their cars collided on Highway 62 near 169, KARE 11 is reporting.

Barni Ahmed, 61, and Halimo Mohamud, 31, were on their way home from a wedding around 2 a.m. Sunday morning when a Lexus SUV driven by a 23-year-old Milwaukee man jumped crossed the median and hit their vehicle, causing it to burst into flames, said the Pioneer Press.

The State Patrol said that Fei Ni, 23, had been drinking alcohol. Both he and his passenger, an unnamed 24-year-old man, were taken to Hennipen County Medical Center where they remain in serious condition, reports the Star Tribune.

Mohamud was the mother of seven children aged 13 years to three months, according WCCO.

Posted by Jennifer Brook at 12:59 AM | Permalink

More than 500 homes have been evacuated in Anaheim, Cal. after a small brush fire turned into a 3-square-mile blaze, according to the Washington Post.

At least three homes and 2,000 acres of land have been burned since the fire began on Sunday, said the New York Times.

According to USA Today, the fire may have started as a vehicle fire. The hot, dry winds that helped spread the fire have begun to subside, helping firefighters contain the blaze.

Southern California is experienceing one of its driest winters on record. The area has only received 2 1/2 inches of rain so far this winter, with normal totals around 11 1/2 inches, said Reuters.

Posted by Jennifer Brook at 12:43 AM | Permalink

Franec's president has decided to step down from politics and will not seek re-election after 12 years, reports USA Today.

Jacques Chirac, 74, announced on Sunday in a 10 minute speech that he was not seeking re-election and that he was not backing any candidate at this time, according to CNN.

MSNBC is reporting that Chirac's age, low popularity and the ambitions of the front-runner for the presidency, Nicolas Sarkozy, could be some of the reasons for the decision.

According to the New York Times, Chirac expressed his love for his country and its people. He ended the speech by saying, “Long live the republic! Long live France!�

Posted by Jennifer Brook at 12:14 AM | Permalink

A 25-year-old Marine from Maple Lake, Minn. was killed Wednesday in Al Anabar province, Iraq, said WCCO.

Sgt. Chad M. Allen was killed when a bomb exploded during combat operation, according to KARE 11.

According to the Star Tribune, Allan was on his second deployment in Iraq and was supposed to leave the Marines on May 1.

The Pioneer Press is reporting that Allan was the 46th Minnesotan to die in Iraq.

Posted by Jennifer Brook at 2:06 AM | Permalink

WCCO is reporting that a man was shot to death on the 7200 block of Columbus Avenue in Richfield.

A 40-year-old man is being held at the Hennipen County Jail in connection with the shooting, said KARE 11.

The shooting happened around 9 p.m and police arrested the suspect without incident, reported the Star Tribune.

Richfield police said the two men, who have not been identified, knew each other. The suspects bail has been set at $150,000, said the SunCurrent.

Posted by Jennifer Brook at 12:34 AM | Permalink