>>Regions Hospital Expands Lifesaving ECMO Program
(Duluth, MN) – Regions Hospital is expanding its ECMO program, providing critically ill patients with lifesaving treatment when other conventional methods aren’t enough. ECMO Medical Director Dr. Charles Bruen explains that ECMO, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, is a way of doing heart-lung bypass outside an operating room in an ICU. ECMO has been around since the 1970s but Bruen says “We’ve dramatically expanded its use, originally, during the H1N1 pandemic but then during COVID.” Bruen adds since 2019 in partnership with the University of Minnesota, the ECMO program has been used for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the Minnesota Mobile Resuscitation Consortium (MMRC).
>>Willmar Hospital Employee Seriously Injured After Stabbed by Patient in E.R.
(Willmar, MN) — An employee of CentraCare Rice Hospital in Willmar was seriously injured after being stabbed by a patient in the emergency room Monday. Around 11:33 a.m., police responded to the hospital’s emergency room on an immediate request for assistance with a combative patient. Officers found an individual, who had been in the hospital for an apparent mental health issue, had produced a knife and had stabbed an employee. The employee was injured but escaped to safety while the suspect was subdued. The employee suffered serious injuries and is undergoing treatment, their current condition is unknown. The 31-year-old suspect from Willmar injured himself during the assault, received treatment, and then was brought to the Kandiyohi County Jail. He’s being held in jail pending charges of first- and second-degree assault. The suspect has a significant history of erratic behavior and is currently on probation for a different second-degree assault case. The investigation is ongoing.
>>North Carolina Woman Wanted on St. Cloud Stabbing Charge Pleads Guilty
(St. Cloud, MN) — A North Carolina woman wanted on a St. Cloud stabbing charge from six years ago has pleaded guilty. 30-year-old Kathilina Garcia was found and brought to Stearns County in February and pleaded guilty to second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon causing substantial bodily harm in March. Court documents say officers responded to a residential area in January 2018, finding a man with a life-threatening stab wound to his ribcage and a portion of his intestine protruding from the wound. The victim said Garcia was extremely drunk and when he told her to leave, she became enraged and stabbed him with a butterfly knife. When Garcia was arrested it was reported she was out of control, yelling, physically resisting officers, and trying to hit her head on objects. Garcia is set to be sentenced on May 9th.
>>Pine Island Teacher Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Sexually Assaulting a Minor Student
(Pine Island, MN) — A Pine Island teacher has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for sexually assaulting a minor student. 25-year-old Lindsey Schneeberger pleaded guilty Monday to first-degree sexual criminal conduct. Court documents say Schneeberger began as the 13-year-old student’s volleyball team coach in the fall of 2022. Schneeberger then became the student’s physical education teacher in the spring of 2023 and the two would “hang out” at Schneeberger’s Rochester home when the incidents occurred.
>>Fargo Man Arrested for Terrorizing Downtown
(Fargo, N.D.) — A Fargo man has been arrested for terrorizing downtown Fargo on Monday. Around 9:30 p.m., officers responded to a report of a man on top of a parking ramp who was believed to have guns. Officers created a perimeter around the ramp, conducted a search, and found 23-year-old Tyson Oka with a BB handgun and a BB rifle. Both weapons are replicas designed to look like authentic firearms. No one was injured and no other suspects were found.
>>Target Field Food Service System Preparing for MN Twins Season
(Minneapolis, MN) – Have you ever thought about the responsibility of trying to feed upwards of 30-thousand people more than 80 times a year? Well, that’s what the food service system at Target Field has to do for every home game. The man who oversees it all is Peter Spike, who says he has a lot of help, from “About two thousand employees and non-profit volunteers that make us go on any given day. We hope that we have 30- to 40-thousand every night, that means the team is playing well, it’s probably a nice beautiful summer day, and we’ll be ready for them when they come.” Spike says they use metrics and data on how much food they have to have ready each and every game. The first Twins home game comes up on Thursday afternoon against Cleveland.
>>Minnesota Timberwolves Playoffs Tickets on Sale Thursday
(Minneapolis, MN) — Tickets go on sale Thursday for Minnesota Timberwolves playoff games at Target Center. The Wolves officially clinched a third straight postseason berth Monday night. Fans can also sign up for a presale that starts at 10 a.m. Wednesday on the Timberwolves website. Tickets will be available for Games 1 and 2 of the first round of the playoffs. Minnesota is currently in third place in the N-B-A’s Western Conference and has five regular season home games remaining.
>>Service Members Honored Tonight at the 51st Annual Twin Cities Auto Show
(Minneapolis, MN) – Service members are the guests of honor this evening at the 51st annual Twin Cities Auto Show in downtown Minneapolis. Scott Lambert of the Minnesota Auto Dealers Association says tonight is Military Appreciation Night, meaning, “Current active military personnel and veterans get in for free and their family and friends get a big discount as well of $7 off the ticket price.” Lambert says there will be a ceremony at 7 p.m. to honor those who served in the U-S military. The Twin Cities Auto Show runs through Sunday.
