WKRN News 2 Mayor Freddie O’Connell held a press conference to discuss federal law enforcement actions in South Nashville from the weekend Pop sensation Benson Boone is hitting the road with American Heart Tour Millersville's new police chief officially took over Monday The city is launching a new effort to support immigrants in Nashville during moments of crisis Many residents are still reeling from an ICE operation that took place in Nashville over the weekend Brentwood City Managers talks what's in store for the city TN Arson Awareness Week: Preventing arson at places of worship The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) announced a precautionary fish consumption advisory for Center Hill Reservoir in DeKalb and Putnam counties Monday Newsmaker on Tour: Public safety in Brentwood Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInEN ESPAÑOL: Alcalde de Nashville asegura que la policía de Metro no participó en operativos de ICE EN ESPAÑOL: Patrulla de Caminos de Tennessee llevó a cabo 150 paradas de tráfico con ICE (WSMV) - Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell is continuing to speak out after weekend traffic stops led to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainments in the city O’Connell shared that he was “heartbroken” for Nashvillians who are experiencing “family separation rather than the safety we all deserve.” He added that his office is continuing to work to find more information as to what took place “That state and federal officials coordinated without us to engage in traffic enforcement actions clearly intended to target immigration concerns.” Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers led a ‘public safety operation’ Saturday night that also included Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and ICE agents The agencies said they were conducting the operation in areas with a history of serious traffic crashes and gang activity Several vehicles were pulled for traffic violations and THP said some drivers were found without valid licenses or identification THP said Federal agents handled those situations Here are instructions on how to watch WSMV4 live on various platforms. “I’m heartbroken that Nashville today is experiencing fear over family separation rather than the safety we all deserve The trauma inflicted on families is long-lasting to protect anyone who calls Nashville home What’s clear today is that people who do not share our values of safety and community have the authority to cause deep community harm We're still working to determine more about what happened over the weekend but what we know right now based on public statements is that state and federal officials coordinated without us to engage in traffic enforcement actions clearly intended to target immigration concerns MNPD has asserted to us that they were not involved in these actions My office is in contact with MNPD to ensure we keep the public updated and deliver accurate information and the accountability the community deserves.” Over the weekend, O’Connell expressed his deep concern over the detainments and said that his office is working to learn the names of those detained. He made it clear, along with his updated Monday statement, that officers with the Metro Nashville Police Department were not involved in any traffic stops. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mayor Freddie O’Connell (@mayorofnashvilletn) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mayor Freddie O’Connell (@mayorofnashvilletn) The Minnesota Vikings have made sure to address the team’s weaknesses this offseason in particular the trenches that have been bothering Skol Nation for years And after watching the front office waste one offseason after another without taking action it was easy for Vikings fans to expect minimal changes at best and it suggests that just reaching the playoffs isn’t good enough for this regime Every casual fan knows playoff games are won in the trenches and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell have realized that Failing to protect a ghost-seeing Sam Darnold in the playoff loss while also failing to get to Matthew Stafford with only four rushers certainly played a significant role in the one-and-done playoff journey Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen were signed in free agency The two former Pro Bowlers aren’t the youngest anymore but they can still do the job for a couple of years Even more drastic was the change along the offensive line and O’Connell teased it after that playoff defeat He stepped in front of the media just minutes after a miraculous season went up in smoke and was asked about the pass protection that got blown up by the Rams and their young and hungry defensive line His answer put the interior linemen on notice “There’s no question we’ve got to find a way to be able to give a quarterback [time] especially with players like Justin (Jefferson) we’ve got to find a way to solidify just the interior of the pocket.” “There can be a thousand excuses made or even midway through the game losing [Brian O’Neill] tonight it’s the foundation of the interior of the pocket that we’re going to have to take a long look at but really when you look at it over the course of the entirety of the season we lost to two football teams and both of them were able to do some similar things against us.” the Vikings started Garrett Bradbury at center and Ed Ingram or Dalton Risner at right guard Center Ryan Kelly was hired in free agency but the Vikings take the bet that he can stay healthy and efficient for a couple of years Kelly’s teammate Will Fries was signed as well. He received a huge five-year deal and is supposed to be an anchor on that line for years to come. After he joined, the Vikings shipped Ed Ingram to Houston for a sixth-round pick. Risner is still a free agent Entering the draft, of that “foundation of the interior of the pocket that we’re going to have to take a long look at,” only Brandel was still in the starting lineup. But not for long, as the franchise invested the 24th overall pick to acquire Donovan Jackson He’s the first guard the Vikings selected in the first round since 1988 The three-year starter at Ohio State should challenge Brandel early in his career It’s rare for a head coach to be this clear about what he wants to be addressed in the offseason And it’s just as rare to see the team actually take action to this extent Rather than signing an average guard and drafting a center in the mid-rounds signing a pair of expensive starters and using the first-rounder to strengthen the line An improved offensive line can be a game-changer and the Vikings hope to get that effect from their pricey unit The new group will be on the field together for the first time next week when the veterans and the rookies meet for offseason workouts With an 11-game winning streak, the Bishop O’Connell Knights baseball team finished the regular season very strong Now the postseason begins for the 20-4 high-school team as the No. 2 seed in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference tournament followed by the Division I private-school state tourney During O’Connell’s winning streak, the Knights finished 5-0 to win the South Atlantic Bank Invitational spring-break tournament in Myrtle Beach and snapped a string of losses to WCAC rival Gonzaga. The Knights also had a 4-3 walkoff victory over visiting Good Counsel in their final regular-season game. In Myrtle Beach, O’Connell finished 5-0, defeating the Audubon Green Wave of New Jersey, 9-5, in the championship game at Myrtle Beach High School. O’Connell scored 67 runs in the tournament and allowed 34. “Our hitters were alive, that’s for sure, and we faced some good pitching,” first-year O’Connell coach Chris Berset told ARLnow. “The guys have bought into what we want them to do at the plate — they are having fun and knocking the cover off the ball.” Truman Leckey, who will play college baseball at Eastern Connecticut State University, was a top hitter for O’Connell in the tournament and was chosen as the Most Valuable Player. He was 8 for 15 in the five games with 10 RBI, a home run, two doubles, four stolen bases and seven runs scored. Noah Haught was another top hitter. He was 12 for 19 with six RBI. He scored nine runs, had three doubles and one triple and stole a base. He also got a win on the mound, striking out nine in five innings and not walking a batter. Haught will play at the University of Richmond. “Both Truman and Noah were worthy of being MVP,” Berset said. O’Connell catcher Jack Woda, East Carolina University bound, also swung a hot bat, with six hits and eight RBI. In the championship game, Haught had a hit (double) and one RBI, as did Chris Connolly and Leckey (double). Walker Mcelwain (double) and Chaz Walker each had a hit and two RBI, Woda and Nick Ferrara each had a hit. James Robinson had two hits (homer) and one RBI. Owen Spera had an RBI. The Knights scored seven runs in the bottom of the first inning and had nine hits. Drew Markey (5-0) pitched a seven-inning complete game. He scattered 10 hits, struck out six, allowed three earned runs, did not walk a batter and threw 108 pitches. O’Connell has been without injured seniors Aidan Kim and Karari Chisolm, who will play at Hood College, for a few games, but have continued to win. “The players know their roles now very well,” Berset said. In O’Connell’s other games in Myrtle Beach, the Knights defeated Waccamaw, 21-15, Socastee, 15-4, St. James, 10-2, and Georgetown, 12-8. In the win over Good Counsel, Woda belted a winning walkoff three-run homer in the last of the seventh inning. He doubled and had four RBI in the win. Connolly also had two hits. Junior right-hander Shota Fogus got the win in relief, pitching two shutout and hitless inning with four strikeouts. NOTE: The 20 wins in a season are O’Connell’s most since finishing 20-10 in 2022. Michael O’Connell oversees all aspects of stewardship, public programs and business operations for the Irvine Ranch Conservancy (IRC). The Yale-educated CEO brings decades of experience to ensuring Irvine’s open spaces are well-maintained and available for public use. If you could select just one hike to take visitors on, which would it be? I would suggest Bommer Canyon. This area has healthy and globally endangered coastal sage scrub habitat and wildlife, and the trails are in excellent condition. On the trail in Bommer, it’s easy to forget that the city is only minutes away. Our partnerships with so many organizations for two decades. We help manage over 30,000 acres of land in partnership with cities and the County of Orange, and we work closely with dozens of organizations on fire prevention, habitat restoration, environmental education and community involvement. It’s easy to participate in an activity on the land, including hikes, rides and restoration days. For those who want to give more, IRC has a large volunteer community of folks who regularly contribute their time and share their passion with visitors. The easiest way to find something fun is to visit letsgooutside.org. What are you looking forward to this year? 2025 is IRC’s 20th year as an organization. We are looking forward to everything! What is something about IRC that would surprise people? Just how many people are involved in our shared work and mission. There are more than 50,000 registered participants on letsgooutside.org, representing nearly 15% of the households in Orange County. More than 525 volunteers donate thousands of hours of service each year. Subscribe to get the latest stories and community news from Irvine Standard delivered straight to your inbox. Families, hikers and cyclists gathered under sunny skies at Quail Hill Trailhead on April 19 to celebrate Irvine’s expansive network … Irvine’s San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary is a 300-acre freshwater wetland owned and managed by the Irvine Ranch Water District. … From Limestone Canyon to Quail Hill and more, the hikes in Irvine’s open space provide a perfect springtime activity. Explore Laguna Wilderness with a hike on Laurel and Lizard trails, where your imagination can run wild. © 2002-2025 Irvine Company, LLC. All rights reserved. MENUCULTURESinners Star Jack O’Connell on Playing an Irish-Dancing Vampire in Ryan Coogler’s Hit Film“We just threw it down and started jigging.” Mike Marsland/WireImage/Getty ImagesSpoilers ahead for Sinners the Southern Gothic blockbuster from Black Panther director Ryan Coogler you’d be forgiven for forgetting that the Michael B Jordan-starring film is billed as a horror-action flick Coogler dedicates such care to building the intricate world of the first half of the story (which is set over one 24-hour period in 1932 Mississippi) that when Jack O’Connell’s Irish vampire first appears onscreen—his bare skin smoking and peeling as a group of Native Americans chase him away—it’s a jolt politely asking to join a party at the Jordan-played twins’ freshly opened juke joint it’s a marker that the film’s genre and tone are about to shift all hell breaks loose into a cataclysmic bloodbath has been a cult-favorite actor since his days on beloved U.K he plays the grinning Remmick with a charismatic edge Although his character is a ravenous vampire seeking to turn the entire town into fellow undead (and steal their memories in the context of the viciously racist Jim Crow world the film is set in where the Klu Klux Klan still runs free and violence waits in the shadows—Remmick offers a false but alluring post-racial utopia to his would-be prey As an Irishman turned into a vampire before he arrived in America Remmick seems to view race from the viewpoint of a disenfranchised outsider rather than in the literal black-and-white terms the characters are otherwise boxed into It’s an interesting dynamic that O’Connell says was already “all on the page” when he first received the Sinners script you could tell that Remmick was very well-written it’s a great starting point.” British-born with an Irish father O’Connell was uniquely prepared for the role which includes a climactic Irish step dance to the classic 19th-century folk song “Rocky Road to Dublin.” Below and the next horror roles he already has lined up: How does the huge reception to Sinners feel It’s the number-one movie in America right now It’s massively rewarding to think that it’s gone down how we’d hoped Ryan Coogler is just a fucking brilliant filmmaker so I’m just buzzing for everyone—but mainly for Ryan What did you think when you first read the script I wanted to know about “Rocky Road to Dublin” and what that was doing within this piece and I was massively surprised to find out that Ryan was going to try and do the genuine But once I knew that he was down for the real deal Jack O’Connell and Hailee Steinfeld in a still from Sinners Sinners goes deep on the history of Black American music and its ties to other cultures like “Rocky Road to Dublin.” Is that something you and Coogler talked about It’s about the sharing of ancient cultures and customs It’s impossible to put a precise start date on these cultures sharing things but more recently and more localized for us would be the melting pot that was within the South Europeans—all of them bringing these ancient forms and traditions with them Remmick hints at his life in Ireland before he was turned If I can lay claim to bringing anything to the party That’s pretty much the only thing I invented Everything else was on the page—that’s all Ryan How did you prepare for the big Irish dance scene in the middle of the film The dance was one of the first things I started preparing mainly out of nerves and fear of getting it wrong so it felt a little out of my comfort zone I teamed up with Angela O’Connor with the Academy of Irish Dance in London We rented a space and just threw it down and started jigging She also choreographed something for that dance scene and the timing of “Rocky Road to Dublin” is quite uncommon We’d done the outdoor section of that amazing one-shot journey through music You had to wear quite a lot of prosthetics Yes—the application of them can be a bit trying and it can really help the character evolve and Remmick’s character seems like a pretty clear metaphor for cultural appropriation and exploitation and did that affect how you played the character I’m probably going to take Ryan’s lead and just kind of agree that any metaphor within the story is in the eye of the beholder I’m always looking for hidden meanings and intellectual answers so that’s not to say that they’re not deliberately put there and I respect Ryan for not really wanting to be too explicit about it You have the horror films 28 Years Later and its sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple coming up next To go from Ryan Coogler’s set straight to Danny Boyle And then onto the Nia DaCosta set [for the sequel] The Democrat discussed why his party lost the last election and whether he might run in the next one. You can watch the full version on Newsnight on BBC2 and iPlayer in the UK, and BBC News and YouTube around the world. The 'Trump effect' and other things to watch for as Canada votesThe BBC's Lyse Doucet breaks down the key issues weighing on voters' minds as Canadians cast their ballots. Reeves: There is a deal to be done with the USChancellor Rachel Reeves speaks to the BBC ahead of talks with her US counterpart in Washington on Friday. What do Canadians really care about (beyond Trump)The BBC asked voters across the country what issues are most important to them ahead of Monday's election. Plumes of smoke tower over New Jersey town as wildfire rages onAuthorities have charged a 19-year-old with arson for allegedly starting the fire, which has burned more than 15,000 acres. Why RFK Jr wants American cereal to be more CanadianThe US health secretary on Tuesday announced the country would ban eight commonly used artificial food dyes, some found in breakfast cereals. 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(WTVF) — At the Nashville Public Library Thursday Mayor Freddie O'Connell delivered his State of Metro address outlining his recommended 2026 budget of $3.8 billion "I want all of us to have more of the things we need safety we deserve," said Mayor Freddie O'Connell Mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County Schools will receive 13% more money in the 2026 budget City leaders said $64.5 million will help continue some of the programs currently paid for by federal emergency money There's also money geared toward helping with school safety "This budget lets us keep a nurse in every school and MNPD will add another 23 new school resource officers to enhance safety," O'Connell said Click here for more detailed information on the 2026 budget. He also spent time explaining something on many people's minds why some residents will see higher property tax bills "The median home in Davidson County is now 45% more valuable than it was when last appraised And that means when we set the new tax rate some of us will have increased costs," O'Connell said the mayor elaborated on the budget and what it means for folks who may see a rise in their tax bill "If you look at the rate of increase we're proposing it is almost exactly the cost of inflation over the previous 5 years and this is a very back-to-basics budget," O'Connell said Nearly $50 million will go to first responders and $138 million is earmarked for initiatives like affordable housing and other support services The mayor announced a major investment in affordable housing through a Unified Housing Strategy "I'm recommending a total of $45 million from the metro in our first year of implementation," O'Connell said O'Connell outlined several priorities for the city including fighting for nonprofits facing funding shortages due to federal changes "We're not standing idly by as the federal government unlawfully tries to cut funding that's legally ours we've told them we'll see you in court," O'Connell said The State of Metro event also featured performances by the Antioch High School Woodwind Ensemble and the Nashville Youth Poet Laureate protesters lined up outside of the address all voicing one demand: don't raise the property taxes for Davidson County and pay for the programs and services that are necessary for Nashville like fire and police and fixing the streets and the roads and the sidewalks But you do not have to pay for all of these other projects out of the taxpayer's pocket," one protester said Have thoughts about the proposed property tax increase or how the $3.8 billion budget should be allocated? Watch the full video of Mayor O'Connell's State of Metro address and share your perspective with our reporter at robb.coles@NewsChannel5.com This story was reported by me and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy Rebecca: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/a2/d9/fb69982545c59e9836fbe80fe431/rebecca-recommends.png Carrie: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/2e/72/be0f23854c54a228c9d6138c9847/carrie-recommends-header.png Ben: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/df/c4/19fa7c504480938f39a431e3b276/ben-recommends-header.png Rhori: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/5b/25/a224d13d47739165c92b94e643db/rhori-recommends-header.png Lelan: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/af/54/833bf879454097a398bd44f723de/lelan-recommends.png I'm not sure there is a story that's brought a bigger smile to our faces than this one celebrating Ms The story of her service during World War II is amazing in itself — she is a true Rosie the Riveter What was also amazing was to see was how an entire community turned out to celebrate her Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInNASHVILLE (WSMV) - Metro Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell focused on property tax rates and federal funding cuts in his State of Metro address on Thursday morning O’Connell filed his $3.8 billion fiscal year 2026 budget on Thursday To help pay for the new programs and cover the gap from the end of COVID-19 relief funding the mayor wants to increase the property tax rate following this year’s reappraisal process The city is not allowed to have a financial windfall from a reappraisal year under state law so the property tax rate was scheduled to be lowered from the current $3.25 rate to a proposed rate of $2.81 This means residents would pay $2.81 per $100 of the assessed value on their homes The new $2.81 property tax would be the lowest rate in Nashville since 1972 O’Connell conceded that some Nashvillians will still end up paying more in property taxes because their home values have increased The median home in Davidson County is now worth 45% more than it was four years ago during the last appraisal A group of protesters gathered outside the downtown Nashville Public Library before the speech They said O’Connell’s proposals are a waste of money and the higher taxes will push people to move out of the city “These are the same people celebrating the chaos of federal cuts which make no mistake are not about efficiency,” O’Connell said “What they won’t tell you is that what they are proposing means we wouldn’t fund our school services and safety We wouldn’t open a new police precinct in Southeast Nashville wouldn’t the new police flex unit shrink the amount of time you have to wait when there is an emergency More than one-third of the budget proposal is for Metro Nashville Public Schools O’Connell’s 13% school funding increase includes making up for the loss of $64 million in federal funding along with a $15 million investment to have a nurse in every school O’Connell wants to add 23 new School Resource Officers in addition to 36 new officers to establish a flex unit that will help precincts better cover areas of need Nashville is also creating a new police transit agency to patrol WeGo stations and transit routes “As we try to ensure that Nashville is a city where everyone thrives we pay attention to safety in many ways,” O’Connell said The work of Metro touches each of our lives in various ways every day but we have lost a reliable partner in the federal government and that is impacting our community’s work on many levels.” The mayor said federal funding is critical for the Choose How You Move transit improvement plan and the East Bank development The city has sued the federal government over funding cuts that have previously been approved for these projects ‘we will see you in court,’” during his speech leading to one of the loudest applauses of the day O’Connell’s budget proposal and associated tax changes now go before the Metro Council where members will decide what gets approved Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story inaccurately reported a 2.8% property tax rate increase for Davidson County The story has been corrected to reflect a property tax rate of $2.81 for every $100 in assessed property value Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell addressed the media to discuss the start of 2025 Offseason programming — Nothing can compete with the surge of a victory Monday in the NFL but the first Monday of a new year's offseason workout program ranks high for Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell "Always love this building when we've got players in it," O'Connell told Twin Cities media members about four hours after players and coaches held their first meeting at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center "It's one of my favorite times of the year and seeing the group of guys in that team meeting room to kick it all off and as we continue to kind of steamroll through our roles in the offseason getting the players back and getting them going." The "impactful guys" include Harrison Smith Smith described the tone being set for his 14th NFL season "One of the things I shared with the guys this morning no matter what we built here — no matter what the players have built here — from a culture standpoint that really doesn't mean a whole lot," O'Connell relayed to media members when asked to summarize his first message to this year's team this is a new version of the Minnesota Vikings in 2025 and I think it's important that we really evaluate individually and collectively what are we doing on a daily basis to make sure that we can reinvent and become what we've been but push beyond that and really start — we've made it to the playoffs two out of the last three years and I really think about our football teams in those moments and why wait to when those games get a little bit closer on the horizon We should be talking in a way where every action needs to be applied with what we all know that common goal is," he added "But the way this league works in 17 games and trying to find your way to punch your ticket into the playoffs is one thing And how does that translate to having a real chance to go We're on a very limited schedule with these guys You don't want to come out and give your best pep talk you've ever had but you need to make sure that these guys know from day one we have laser focus on getting a little bit better being selfish about being a great teammate and committing to this time of year for the value that it does still have And then let's take it with that same minute-by-minute approach and see what that looks like when this eight View photos of Vikings players arriving for offseason workouts at the TCO Performance Center Here are four other takeaways from O'Connell's session McCarthy got a head start on the opening of the voluntary offseason program via the rehab work the quarterback has been doing since his rookie season was derailed by a torn meniscus O'Connell said the Vikings anticipate no physical limitations for McCarthy as the program progresses to on-field work late next month "The big thing is he's done a phenomenal job with what I would really call invisible habits invisible work that he's done when really nobody's been watching then on into a phase where he's really been able to push it on the field from throws and working his technique and fundamentals," O'Connell said And now he gets the ability to from day one learn everything as we go through our installations multiple times this spring I think the spring is set up perfectly for J.J from a standpoint of Phase 1 being in a classroom setting running and lifting and continuing what he's been able to do while a lot of his teammates haven't been here and we can start throwing and catching a little bit before finalizing those two-three weeks of OTAs and minicamp where you get a little dabble of that competitive feel "So all of it is going to be kind of systematically planned out for him \"GMFB OT\" debate how confident are you in quarterback J.J McCarthy as the Minnesota Vikings starting QB O'Connell also was asked specifically about the progress of Christian Darrisaw who suffered a torn ACL in Week 8 last October and I'll give you guys a couple updates on a few players but Christian has absolutely knocked it out of the park so far really good offseason up until this point," O'Connell said depending on timelines and all those things I've long told you guys what diplomas I don't have on the wall besides my one from San Diego State that I'm very proud of and the player that I know his teammates came back to see today people were pretty excited about where he's at now and he's had such a professional focus really from day one he's just had such a good attitude about attacking it knowing exactly what he is and who he is as a player and working his way right back to that at that place and beyond So feel really good about that," O'Connell added Mekhi Blackmon is a guy kind of heading toward the end point of that rehab from his ACL and I see him progressing to football activities here as we move through the spring Javon Hargrave is another one that will probably be limited a little bit early on but should progress throughout the spring and then Will Fries and Hargrave are kind of in a similar spot but I expect those guys to progress at a pretty good clip We had a couple other guys with little cleanups and things here and there We need to make sure that for those injured players that rehab and their individualized program remains the most important thing but mixing in some meetings and talking a little ball here and there is always a healthy thing as well." NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah reveals the prospects he'd target if he were in the Minnesota Vikings' shoes during the 2025 NFL Draft Given the number of variables that occur during a draft as well as factors that impact what happens with selections some believe it is best to have as many choices as possible the Vikings are entering the draft with four selections which would be the fewest in the 65 years of the franchise's draft history (2008 and 2009 are tied for the fewest with five) It's one thing to assess a draft class (and I'm sure there will be no shortage of report cards) but it's a bit incomplete of an evaluation if a team's actions during free agency aren't added to an overall assessment of the offseason O'Connell was asked about the goals for this year's draft in which Minnesota has the 24th 139th and 187th overall picks (selections could change via trades) "I think the starting point on all of that would be looking at what we did in free agency where I truly do feel like we have a roster that really I don't know if we're going to be on the clock at any one of those particular four picks and think we need to do anything," O'Connell said You're trying to build something that sustains and what does your depth look like at different positions And where can you have really competitive situations that will make your team better?" O'Connell pointed out that the Vikings have undergone an extensive review "I think we've gone about the process as if we have much more than four picks and I'm sure it'll really feel like it on Thursday and Friday and Saturday when we're recognizing a lot of these names that are getting selected really good feel for the players in those areas and have done a lot of work on the players that we will be adding to the team," O'Connell said "So don't look at it as anything more than a positive outcome from what we did in free agency A lot of the guys we targeted are Minnesota Vikings that's across a lot of different positions And to know that the target-to-get-them-to-sign ratio we're hitting for a pretty good average right now a lot of different people who put in a lot of hard work and what this place has become so now we've got a roster we feel like we can really truly be selective on who we're going to pick and what that looks like in conjunction with what our depth charts and our team already look like." View every Vikings First Round draft pick through the years CB Mike Hughes (2018 Role of the coaching staff to support the personnel department This is the fourth year that O'Connell and General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have undergone draft preparations Each year they've continued to self-evaluate and try to find ways where each of their staffs can help support primary functions of the other group "We've got experience of working through different phases of the offseason together how we go about deploying the coaches to really supplement the scouting department the guys that are out and about year-round have the kind of dialogue that we've had," O'Connell said "It's led to some big-picture discussions that maybe impact decisions that you're not even talking about in that moment it's been about finding the best possible fits and really working through what the draft is which is a unique opportunity to add talent to your team "I want to make sure he gets everything that he needs from myself and the coaching staff to really pair with the hard work that our great personnel department does to make sure we're just making high-quality decisions that have been run through a really good process really good time of year to have the big picture in mind but then also understanding what each individual move at this point with what we've done in a really successful free agency what that can mean to this year and beyond," O'Connell added Love getting to have the type of collaboration we have in this building And I think we've really seen some good things come from that during our time here and have a blueprint for how we want to operate." View the Vikings 2025 Draft Picks View the Vikings 2025 Opponents Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer wrote about Minnesota's quarterback of the future – and present – on Monday after a conversation with Head Coach Kevin O'Connell about the 2024 10th overall draft pick The theme couldn't be clearer: McCarthy's talent was palpable before he got injured last August; he was absorbing coaches' feedback reaching goals and improving steadily in every facet of his role as an NFL QB "It started showing up more and more," O'Connell told Breer last week "And that's always a real positive from my perspective when you can really start stacking coaching points onto things that he's showing improvement on or ownership of 1 defense or in competitive situations in practice you were starting to see him play faster but under control while still maintaining the principles that we're coaching." O'Connell's confidence in McCarthy's adaptation to the NFL bloomed rather quickly The first big jump came when McCarthy returned for camp with the aforementioned homework the staff gave him in mid-June done Much of it was mundane footwork tweaking relating to the NFL dropback game which is where the ex-Michigan star's steepest learning curve laid coming from the Big Ten By training camp practices in late July and early August McCarthy was putting things on tape that pleased Vikings coaches including better body balance and positioning on different types of dropbacks occurred in Minnesota's exhibition opener at home against the Raiders In his first opportunity against NFL competition McCarthy matched the speed of play and operated with a calmness and decisiveness that had everyone Three specific throws confirmed McCarthy could apply his processing in practice to full-speed game reps The first was McCarthy's fourth play of the game in which he navigated the pocket and found Jalen Nailor for an 18-yard gain over the middle McCarthy's NFL preseason debut which came against the Raiders at U.S McCarthy courageously owned his space in the face of a free blitzer and delivered a dot to Trishton Jackson running an over route outside the numbers to the left of the quarterback McCarthy showed off his touch to fit a ball between three defenders in zone coverage against Jackson the throws reinforced McCarthy's potential to K.O "It was all examples of things he had done well from the beginning." O'Connell said to Breer but now he was doing it with a free runner basically right in his face showing the ability to set his feet and eyes to where we want for No and be accurate with the football in between the numbers the last one was the ability to layer the football in zone coverage it wasn't crazy to think McCarthy would push Sam Darnold for the starting gig And then the rookie's season was upended by a torn meniscus that required surgery and stalled his physical progress Vikings Entertainment Network's Tatum Everett talked with Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell at the Annual League Meeting Breer extended a succinct reminder about an unsaid reality with a week until the official start of Minnesota's offseason program: It's McCarthy's team now "We won't know until we get out on the grass with him," O'Connell said "But my expectation is he's going to have a great spring and we're going to feel really good about him going into training camp "I'm excited to see him get that opportunity to pick up where he left off and be accelerated just because of the mental growth that he's been able to have within our offense and the verbiage and how we talk about plays," O'Connell added "It's just a matter of continuing to progress knowing we feel good about the football team we've put together We've got the goal of surrounding the quarterback with the best possible team we can We feel really good about what that looks like." Read Breer's complete article here \"GMFB OT\" reacts to Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell's comments on quarterback J.J There's four positions getting worn out in Vikings mock drafts circulating the web: offensive line Adding to any of those rooms with the 24th pick could be warranted But that's not to say it's a cinch it'll happen and so forth often become as important as the ideal course of action once the event gets underway and teams react to their board taking shape it's worthwhile to consider all possibilities in the leadup to April 24 – even if they feel unlikely Pro Football Focus analyst Dalton Wasserman on Tuesday strayed from the popular consensus to make "surprise" first-round selections for every NFL club We'll bet you're curious about Minnesota's choice Wasserman advocated for the Vikings to draft UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger reasoning that his athleticism and versatility would likely appeal to mad-genius Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores Wasserman noted that linebackers Blake Cashman and Andrew Van Ginkel are playing on contracts that will expire within the next two years a smaller role could be a launchpad for Schwesinger – something he's acutely familiar with having graduated from walk-on to special teams ace to one-year starter and First-Team All-American with the Bruins he paired an FBS-best 90 solo tackles with four sacks two interceptions and a 90.0 PFF pass-rush grade Schwesinger, by the way, is rated second in Dane Brugler's off-ball linebacker rankings, behind Alabama's Jihaad Campbell. In his draft guide, "The Beast," Brugler tagged Schwesinger as the 38th-best prospect: Schwesinger is lightning quick in his key-and-react processing and flies to the football with an innate feel for beating blockers to the spot and navigating box traffic to stay clean I want to see more shock and leverage in his hands when he does take on contact but he has a high batting average as a tackler (just 10 career starts but had double-digit tackles in nine of them) Schwesinger is an easy player to appreciate a consistent finisher as a tackler and always plays at full speed to close on plays in a blink demeanor and cover talent to be a four-down NFL starter early in his NFL career The 2025 Miller Lite Vikings Draft Party took place at U.S Bank Stadium on April 24 that included meet and greets with Vikings players and Legends with complete coverage of the First Round of the 2025 NFL Draft Here are a few stretches for other teams' outcomes in Wasserman's article: Tennessee and Cleveland roll with quarterbacks back-to-back at the top of the draft 1 target Cam Ward; the Titans take Shedeur Sanders and the Browns tab Jaxson Dart the Jets and Panthers double-dip in the safety pool choosing Malaki Starks and Nick Emmanwori at Nos Both players have repeatedly popped up in recent Vikings mock drafts For your entertainment, you can check out Wasserman's full story of first-round surprises here View the Vikings Free Agency Tracker Mayor Freddie O'Connell delivers the 62nd State of Metro Address Press and city leaders gather for Mayor Freddie O'Connell's State of Metro Address in the Nashville Public Library's Reading Room Conservative protesters gather outside the Nashville Public Library during Mayor Freddie O'Connell's State of Metro Address State of Metro speech emphasized day-to-day government services and previewed new property tax rate elected officials and city VIPs packed into the Nashville Public Library’s ornate Reading Room downtown for the 62nd State of Metro Address on Thursday morning Mayor Freddie O’Connell emphasized points of progress like first steps on his signature public transit overhaul as well as pressing needs — particularly a worsening city housing crisis — in the annual update to the Metro Council and city leaders Mayor appoints nine others to advisory committee Each infrastructure improvement will give the mayor something concrete to point to when asked what he’s done with the extra sales taxes Nashvillians pay at the register the mayor returned to basic government functions like emergency responders and codes inspectors seeking to connect City Hall’s suited bureaucracy to issues that “touch the lives of our residents each day” — a sentiment paraphrased by O’Connell throughout the hourlong speech In an oblique reference to criticisms of his predecessor O’Connell proudly boasted about the city’s pothole-patching and trash pickup The first big moment of spontaneous applause came with O’Connell’s shot at the federal government He didn’t call out President Donald Trump by name choosing instead to firmly state that the city has lost faith in the federal government Unpaid federal grants leave the city scrambling to figure out the extent of Nashville’s growing budget hole “We’re not standing idly by while the federal government tries to cut funding that’s legally ours,” said O’Connell, referencing active lawsuits brought by the city against the Trump administration With transit improvements underway, O’Connell indicated that his office’s broader priority will shift to housing. The city just reappraised existing homes in Davidson County a step that precedes a tax rate adjustment officially filed today in the mayor’s proposed budget “The median home in Davidson County is now 45 percent more valuable than it was when last appraised,” said O’Connell addressing perhaps his most immediately controversial decision “And that means when we set the new tax rate even as we’re setting the lowest overall property tax rate in Nashville since 1972.”  O’Connell’s new tax rate will be higher than the default rate dictated by Tennessee’s revenue-neutral tax retirement It will be lower than the current Davidson County tax rate and the new rate will result in more property tax revenue for the city Outside, conservative protesters rallied against a tax increase they’ve been expecting for weeks The small sidewalk throng erupted for the occasional passing honk A steady stream of analysis and reports has come to the same conclusions about the city’s strained housing supply — Nashville needs thousands of new homes quickly Americans for Prosperity announce campaign ahead of anticipated rate adjustment it’s time to move on housing,” O’Connell said to loud cheers His proposed budget includes $45 million for housing-related projects like an expected 300 units on the city’s East Bank and called on partnership and investment from the private sector Real progress will hinge on aspects of the city’s zoning code that have limited where and how new homes can be built O’Connell told the room that it is time to reevaluate the city’s zoning code previewing potentially contentious negotiations in the Metro Council that could facilitate denser development in historically single-family neighborhoods as O’Connell referenced polls that show a more favorable view of the city from residents “Together we resolve that a great city must move forward,” O’Connell said as he neared his conclusion “If we get all of this right — the way we move how Metro works and coming together to celebrate the place we live and welcome others who’ve discovered it — Nashville will become an ever-easier place to stay.”  If you want to appeal your home's appraised value Email notifications are only sent once a day Exploring sustainability efforts at Neuhoff District Germantown’s adaptive reuse project puts the river front and center Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: 2025WarnerSave this storySaveSave this storySaveThe following article contains major spoilers for Sinners Fans of cult British dramedies will probably still best remember Jack O'Connell from his stretch on the original UK version of Skins a show that did grimy teen angst years before Euphoria made it cool He has since had his time on the big screen from Angelina Jolie's directorial debut Unbroken to Troubles drama ‘71 parts that have made the 34-year-old BAFTA winner about as popular as cult screen figures get And yet 2025 could be the actor's most consequential year to date with major roles in two of its most hotly anticipated releases—not least 28 Years Later the latest installment in a zombie franchise that has become a beloved horror institution who return to their Deep South hometown after a stint helping out Capone in Chicago and open a juke joint in what they think is an old sawmill and rip-roaring musical sequences that surge with confidence and stylistic verve lured there by the generational talents of up-and-coming bluesman Preacher Boy (Miles Caton) so staggeringly brilliant as to tear a hole in the divide between the real and spiritual realms it's a wild movie.) Said evil is O'Connell's Remmick a vampire from Ireland who now prowls the Southern states looking to share his gospel of “fellowship and love,” or in other words to chow down on necks and spread his vampiric plague He arrives at the juke joint with a pair of recent victims in tow; gloriously gory chaos promptly ensues it's clear that O'Connell is having a ton of fun he has to purport to be trustworthy,” O'Connell tells GQ over Zoom “That's a fucking fantastic character to step into Here, O'Connell talks GQ through Remmick's Irish origins, his gnarly prosthetics work, and the many skills he learned (or relearned), from banjo-plucking to Irish jigging. Plus, he offers a delicately-worded update on his secretive 28 Years Later role GQ: You saw Sinners for the first time at the New York premiere you're always kind of reluctant to lean into the reaction too much when the audience has been slightly curated This is one where it might be worth just going and getting a ticket and just sitting in the back row [Laughs] But I'd be interested to see what a neutral audience makes of this and what appealed to you about playing Remmick before the meeting with Ryan [Coogler] was to be scheduled… I would argue that you definitely need three or four reads of this script before you can wrap your head around it properly so the conversation was kind of dominated by that: What is “Rocky Road to Dublin” doing in this story I'll talk to anyone all day about Luke Kelly and the Dubliners What did you make of Remmick's Irish origin story by virtue of me dad [who was from Ballyheigue in County Kerry] My understanding [is that Ireland's] biggest export is people Just to understand the influence that had on the American south at this particular time and how that found its way into the music there was something I know that Ryan's savvy to and I think part of the reason for Remmick being from Ireland Are there any classic movie vampires that you returned to as a touchpoint I'd be slightly remiss to not mention Gary Oldman's Dracula [from Bram Stoker's Dracula by Francis Ford Coppola] That was mainly down to watching somebody perform with that amount of prosthetic makeup on It's not something that I'm particularly well-versed in it's so convincing that it's going to offer a fair amount to the performance and you can incorporate that in the character… Rather than just being like Going to the bathroom is obviously impossible no one likes being shoved onto their eyeballs it can take you somewhere entirely different And what's it like having half a guitar hanging out of your face “This is demented.” That was all done with magnets So that smoke you see coming out of Remmick's skull You've got a couple of accents to work with: the Southern twang and occasionally Remmick drops into an Irish brogue It helps when the accent is very definitely something So it was great that Remmick was at least pretending to be from North Carolina I just wanted that to base that from the region my family are from—sort of Kerry It's a part of the job that I really enjoy.. It's a great entry point for your characters Had you ever played the banjo before Sinners And you've got a couple of great music numbers Were you apprehensive at all about singing on screen But I think you just gotta fucking go for it This is the nearest thing I've got to it [It's an] amazing arena to be doing that in Serena Göransson—they'd get a tune out of anyone more often than not we were in the recording studio Did you work with a vocal coach to find the singing voice I was in a privileged enough position with this that the style of music it's kind of in my bones—through Irish dancing as a kid and then developing a vast kind of appreciation for the great recording artists in this genre of music Luke Kelly… Definitely just belting it out in pubs it's a music that I have a strong connection to and it's a bit of a gateway for me in terms of my heritage Remmick gets stuck into an Irish dance late into the film I think last time I would've done that is probably five or six years ago, down O'Dwyer's Bar in Derby Couldn't even tell you if it was a weekend or not And I suppose I did want to try and dust it off a little bit Booking Sinners gave me all the excuse I needed I consulted a dance coach from around here The film's standout scene has to be that one-take in the middle It was such a great atmosphere to be around It was a bit carnival-like… Credit to Ryan for cultivating that type of atmosphere and the assistant directors for trying to strike that balance between getting shit done and I just think it's a brilliant cinematic feat and what blues music was the basis of… I just think it's fucking genius your character is called Sir Jimmy Crystal He's a… [O'Connell hesitates] He is a gas cunt That's going straight in the official bio I don't know quite how to describe him yet certainly in contrast to anything I've ever played before This story originally appeared in British GQ. The Minnesota Vikings and head coach Kevin O'Connell have had a seamless relationship since he was hired by the team in 2022 Both he and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah were hired in the same year and they have helped the Vikings franchise take a big step into the next chapter in franchise history One way they have built a strong connection is by working together on roster building O'Connell talked about their selection of Donovan Jackson "We really felt good about honing in on certain types of players that fit with what we want...smart tough guys that will be great teammates...Donovan to me The team made it a point this offseason to overhaul their offensive line during the 2025 offseason They signed Ryan Kelly and Will Fries while releasing former first-round draft pick Garrett Bradbury then added Donovan Jackson to give their offensive line and now they can move a carnival cruise liner if they want Kevin O'Connell has clearly had an idea in mind for his offensive line and Jackson was the last piece to complete it Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application O’Connell and the late Susan O’Connell Brother of Kevin O’Connell of Rockland and the late Sean O’Connell.  Mike was once an all star baseball pitcher and an avid basketball player He was also the Captain of his high school football team He went on to play in the Shriner’s Bowl and play offensive line at Bentley College for four years where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Managemant Michael worked for many years as a Senior Hedge Fund Accountant He was a big man with a big heart especially when playing with his nephew.  He will be truly missed by all those that knew and loved him A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday January 18th at 10:30 am in Saint Bridget’s Church Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Receive emails when new obituariesare published to our website Top hats were in fashion and people connected through telegrams rather than texts And the need for family and friends to come together Planning your funeral in advance means your family won’t have to when the time comes >>LEARN MORE Services that honor the individual and provide peace of mind for families >>SEE OUR SERVICES Unparalleled care at every step with unique and personalized memorial services >>SEE OUR SERVICES Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Bridgewater Chapman Funerals & Cremations - East Bridgewater Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Falmouth Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Harwich Funeral Home Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Harwich Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Marstons Mills Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Martha’s Vineyard Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Mashpee Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Wareham Chapman Funerals & Cremations - West Falmouth Funeral Home Chapman Funerals & Cremations - West Falmouth Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Yarmouth © Chapman Funerals & CremationsSupported by SRS Computing Your browser may not work with certain site. Upgrade now. – The University of Florida invites all UF students and Gators fans to the Stephen C O'Connell Center Monday evening to watch the men's basketball team play in the NCAA Championship game versus Houston Fans in Gainesville can gather free of charge in the Exactech Arena O'Connell Center gates 1 and 3 open at 7 p.m and will remain open until full capacity is reached No entry will be allowed after the start of the second half The court will be set as it is for a regular game Concessions will be open and contests will be held during the evening The Dazzlers and cheerleaders will perform In order to promote a safe environment at all of our events all patrons will be asked to pass through metal detectors when they arrive at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C Thanks for visiting Chris joined FloridaGators.com in 2011 after nearly three decades as a sports reporter at newspapers in Tampa and Orlando including 10 years covering the UF athletic program and another 10 covering the NFL Scott has been a senior writer for the Florida Gators since 2010 the Williams-Kampp/Woodward Funeral Home has taken these words seriously while providing funeral services in their Wheaton location and throughout the Chicago metropolitan area Our family owned business has been passed down through four generations with each dedicated to providing the integrity and compassion that has become our tradition our family expanded to include the West Chicago area with our Williams-Woodward Funeral Home which has been servicing the area for over forty years We offer a complete range of quality services from funerals to cremation and are experienced at servicing families of different faiths and customs We invite you to contact us with your questions and we are glad to arrange a tour of our well-designed facilities It is our goal to support you through this difficult time; we will guide you through every step of the funeral process and help pay tribute to the special memory of your loved one The Family and Employees of Williams-Kampp and Williams-Woodward Funeral Homes Williams-Kampp Funeral Home(630) 668-0016430 E Williams-Woodward Funeral Home(630) 231-1300Williams-Woodward Funeral HomeServices are now being handled at our flagship funeral home in Wheaton only © Williams-Kampp Funeral Home Crafted with care by Frazer Consultants & TA affectionately known as “Nanny,” passed away peacefully at the age of 88 She was the beloved wife of the late Thomas Jefferson Connell Jr (“Bo”) and shared a beautiful life with him filled with memories of warmth and togetherness delighting in the beauty of her flowers and the cheerful songs of birds a pastime that brought her both serenity and adventure she cherished the time spent with her family whose love and laughter filled her days with happiness and devotion to her family will be dearly missed by all who knew her Family members include her son: Thomas Jefferson Connell of Augusta Ga; daughter: Cheryl Denise New of Fort Myers siblings survived by Jackson “Bootsie” Kearse of Tignall Miles and Irene Kearse to include her sister Jacirene Kearse Thompson  A graveside service will be held Thursday 2025 at 12 Noon in Westover Memorial Park with Dr The family will receive friends prior to the service Mayor Freddie O'Connell named Benjamin (Ben) York PE as the first Chief Executive Officer of the East Bank Development Authority (EBDA) a senior engineer with 14 years of experience with Metro Nashville has worked with the Nashville Department of Transportation since 2011 "I have seen Ben York's excellent work over the past 14 years at Metro and his intimate knowledge of the East Bank will give him a head start in his new role as CEO," Mayor Freddie O'Connell said "I am confident he will help us deliver on the vision Nashvillians shared for what has long been an underutilized part of our urban core." York is appointing Anna Grider to serve as Chief Operating Officer Grider most recently served as a Senior Urban Planner with Metro Nashville's Planning Department and she led the Imagine East Bank visioning effort which included the department's most robust public engagement effort since the 2015 adoption of NashvilleNext York and Grider have worked together on the East Bank since 2021 "Anna's work in the visioning process for the East Bank produced one of the strongest examples of successful community engagement in our city's history," York said "Her expertise in urban design and as a planner will be a valuable asset in her new role with the East Bank Development Authority I am excited by the opportunity to continue our partnership." The East Bank Development Authority will provide continuity as Metro Nashville starts construction on the East Bank and will help deliver the neighborhoods Nashvillians envisioned during the Imagine East Bank process and his role has grown into its current one as a senior engineer Anna Grider has worked as a planner in multiple cities before coming to Metro Planning in 2016 "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to see through to implementation the work of Imagine East Bank I look forward to working with our partners to enliven a part of the city that has long been in need of invigoration." Both will assume their new roles on March 31 This form should ONLY be used to provide feedback about the design functionality or content of the Nashville.gov website.  If you need to be contacted or require customer service or assistance from any Metro department, you must submit a hubNashville request Nashville.gov offers mobile apps for the App Store and Google Play © 2025 Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County Sacred Heart Catholic Church - East Providence McCarthy addressed the media from the TCO Performance Center after the start of 2025 Offseason Workouts Vikings S Joshua Metellus addressed the media from the TCO Performance Center after the start of 2025 Offseason Workouts Minnesota Vikings tackle Brian O'Neill addressed the media from the TCO Performance Center after the start of 2025 Offseason Workouts Vikings OLB Jonathan Greenard addressed the media from the TCO Performance Center after the start of 2025 Offseason Workouts Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah addressed the media after the Vikings made their final pick in the 2025 NFL Draft addressed the media after being selected with the 24th overall pick selected by the Vikings in round six of the 2025 NFL Draft addressed the media virtually after becoming a Viking selected by the Vikings in round five of the 2025 NFL Draft Vikings Senior Vice President of Player Personnel Ryan Grigson addresses the media after the team selected Georgia defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins in the Fifth Round of the 2024 NFL Draft addressed the media virtually after being selected with the 102nd overall pick Minnesota Vikings Senior VP of Player Personnel Ryan Grigson talks about the team selecting Maryland WR Tai Felton in round three of the 2025 NFL Draft Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell addressed the media following night one of the 2025 NFL Draft that saw the Vikings select Ohio State OL Donovan Jackson addressed the media virtually after being selected with the 24th overall pick Minnesota Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah addressed the media following night one of the 2025 NFL Draft that saw the Vikings select Ohio State OL Donovan Jackson Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith addressed the media to discuss his decision to return for his 14th season with the team Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones addressed the media to discuss signing his contract extension with the team in the offseason Minnesota Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr addressed the media to discuss signing his contract extension with the team in the offseason Minnesota Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah addressed the media to preview the 2025 NFL Draft Watch Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell's Full 2025 Annual League Meeting media session Minnesota Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah addressed the media from the TCO Performance Center to recap the start of the team's free agency signings and look ahead to the 2025 NFL Draft New Minnesota Vikings C Ryan Kelly addressed the media virtually after signing with the organization during free agency New Minnesota Vikings G Will Fries addressed the media virtually after signing with the organization during free agency New Minnesota Vikings RB Jordan Mason addressed the media virtually after signing with the organization during free agency but why won't head coach Kevin O'Connell say publicly what appears to be so obvious The reigning NFL coach of the year provided an answer to that question when asked by Kay Adams "We can't even line up defensive players from our own team against him yet. So we really don't have a need to have anything more than just development time, learning time, teaching phase for our entire team," O'Connell said in an interview that was released via Up & Adams on Wednesday J.J.'s going to get all of the prerequisite work for us to come out of the spring feeling great about where he's at and heading into training camp As those days and weeks click off the calendar here I'm sure he'll be in a great position to do a lot of good things for us." The only player capable of unseating him as QB1 in Week 1 is Sam Howell whom the Vikings traded for during Day 3 of the NFL draft in a move that appeared to solidify the quarterback room with an experienced backup Brett Rypien likely slots in third on the depth chart "We're going to have a great offseason program and take it day-by-day with a plan for J.J to allow him to leave for the summer before he comes back here for training camp feeling like he's absolutely ready to go," O'Connell explained a lot further along beyond than he was before the injury last year Very excited to officially get this thing going with him." The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER graduated high school and signed a major league baseball contract with the Boston Red Sox as a pitcher He moved to Appleton area in 1965 to play ball with the Fox Cities Foxes He met his wife of 60 years on his first day in Appleton at The Elks Club and they were united in marriage on November 6 He was employed for many years with the Appleton Recreation Department until his retirement Larry was an avid sports fan and could play and excel at almost any sport He adored his grandchildren and was proud to be a great-grandfather He will be sadly missed by his wife Shirley 2 granddaughters Sabryna Biese and Emily Biese sisters-in-law Joy (Lenny) Peterson and Linda Wiegand as well as many wonderful nieces The family would like to extend a loving thank you to Larry’s niece “Bethy” who Larry called his godsend He was preceded in death by his mother Eleanor Shirley’s parents Edwin Johnson and Wava Vollmer and Shirley’s brother Adolph Johnson and his beloved dogs Waffles and Scruffy There will be a memorial service on Friday March 14 2025 at 11:00 AM at Wichmann Funeral Homes There will be a visitation on Thursday March 13 2025 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the funeral home Visitation will continue on Friday morning at the funeral home from 10:00 to 11:00 AM For more information and to express condolences not many expected the Minnesota Vikings to be very good they completely defied those dismal predictions going 14-3 in the regular season with four total losses (counting the playoffs) to two teams (the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams) The NFL Coach of the Year award typically goes to the coach whose team exceeded expectations the most. So, it was not surprising when Kevin O'Connell won 2024 AP NFL Coach of the Year, as well as the 2024 Head Coach of the Year from the Pro Football Writers Association O'Connell will be lined up as a top candidate for Coach of the Year again O'Connell has the second-lowest odds to win the award in a six-way tie at +5000 with Dan Quinn (Washington Commanders) and John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens) have longer odds than O'Connell to win Coach of the Year right now There have been a lot of multi-time winners in the history of the AP NFL Coach of the Year award (since 1957) But there has been a back-to-back winner just three times and on one of those occasions the award was shared in the first year (Don Shula in 1967 1983) are the other back-to-back Coach of the Year winners are firmly against O'Connell winning Coach of the Year in back-to-back years But if McCarthy plays well and the Vikings are at or near the top of the NFC North again it will be impossible for voters to shrug off O'Connell's candidacy in deference to someone else being more deserving © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"61","src":"62","url":"63"},{"type":"60","value":"64"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"67","url":"68"},{"type":"66","value":"69"},"All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands he primarily writes for multiple sites in the NFL Division (SideLion Report going back over 20 years when he started part-time There have been a lot of multi-time winners in the history of the AP NFL Coach of the Year award (since 1957) Daunte Culpepper shares how he feels about J.J Just how good was Metro Nashville Public Schools’ graduation rate last year the 85.7% rate—the highest since the district has been keeping track of how many students end their careers with a diploma — was so good he felt the need to mention it several times during his State of Metro Address on May 1 And there’s the MNPS administration — masters as they are at cherry picking data to support a narrative focusing on “improvements” and “level 5 status” and “every child being known.” But if you ask anyone who’s paying attention — who knows, perhaps, how to navigate the dashboard for the Tennessee Department of Education’s State Report Card — they know that while MNPS’s graduation rate certainly isn’t bad Understand: Tennessee doesn’t just track graduation rates. The Department of Education also tracks a statistic called “ready graduate,” which “reflects the percentage of graduating students who demonstrated readiness for postsecondary education and/or a career after high school.” The graduation rate cited by O’Connell during his address is from the 2023-24 school year but because the State Report Card’s data lags a year the “ready graduate” rates from 2023-24 are not yet available But we do have data from the year before. And even if we assume a slight bump in “ready graduate” rates to account for the 4.5-percentage point increase in graduation rate over the same period That's because the "ready graduate" rate for the 2022-23 school year is 34.2% meaning barely a third of graduating students were adequately prepared for the future talk about the good and bad“I want all of us to have more of the things we need,” O’Connell said during the address As a Nashvillian who cares about all children in the city I also understand that the kind of progress MNPS needs to make can’t happen overnight and that O’Connell’s 2025-26 proposed budget includes an increase in MNPS funding meant to directly address issues like student achievement But to paint MNPS as an overall success for graduating 85.7% of students in the interim or to even tout the district’s record-high graduation rate without acknowledging how few of those students are on track to become economically independent adults is to engage in the dissemination of propaganda and willful manipulation For the blessed residents who own their homes in this booming market he still managed to addressed the pro and the con speaking directly to homeowners' greatest concerns Opinion: Tennessee student athletes deserve better, but state takeover isn't the answer Yet the same cannot be said for the people for whom Nashville These are the people who need the schools to work for them — and the trouble with the Tuskegee Experiment wasn’t just that doctors denied treatment to the men suffering with syphilis It was that those doctors led those poor Black men to believe they were O’Connell mentioned that Nashville has been called a beacon by other cities because thousands of us came together to pass the transit bill last November It’s a moment O’Connell is clearly proud of and one that will likely define his legacy for years to come But for the sake of students across the city my prayer is that Nashville will one day become a beacon because our city chose to buck the status quo that large urban school districts will disproportionately fail the Black I pray that thousands of us can come together to ensure the educational and vocational futures of the students who don’t attend Nashville’s excellent academic magnet schools who don’t have access to after-school tutors and who don’t have white collar parents with college degrees who can easily assist their children with their homework in the evenings that all 85.7% of our graduating high schoolers be prepared to attend college or pursue a post-secondary certification that will position them for well-paying careers and financial stability And that’s only possible when we know that Six days before he enters the Sistine Chapel to cast his vote for the election of the next pope the former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (2012-17) granted this interview to America’s Vatican correspondent and two other journalists in his private apartment in the Vatican on May 1 Pope Francis made him a cardinal in his first consistory in 2014 his criticisms of some of Francis’ statements what he’s looking for in the next pope and how he feels as he enters the conclave This interview has been edited for length and clarity Gerard O’Connell: What is the atmosphere like in the synod hall?Cardinal Müller:There’s a good climate of collegiality Some speak of continuity with the pontificate of Francis; that’s normal A pope cannot create a rupture with his predecessor The future pope is not the successor of the previous pope but the successor of Peter and that’s why it’s important to recall what Jesus said to Simon and on this rock I will build my church.” This is founded on Peter’s confession You’ve often been critical of Pope Francis What surprised you most about him?I’ve always said I was critical It’s not true because I must distinguish between the mission and the office of the pope That’s part of the Catholic and apostolic faith he asked me to write a book against modern Gnosticism Irenaeus of Lyon—who was a great opponent of ancient Gnosticism—a Doctor of the Church I told him that this was one of the most important decisions of his pontificate Many praise this pope for his engagement with the poor; that’s a fundamental dimension of the church Caritas is part of the church’s mission: liturgy These are the church’s three great functions But Pope Francis was also concerned with doctrine He always said—especially regarding misunderstandings about liberation theology—that liberation theology doesn’t speak only about social issues We cannot give the poor only bread; we must also give them the bread of the Eucharist Was there something very personal that touched your heart in your relationship with Francis?Yes When my brother had a terrible accident—he was severely burned alive—Pope Francis wrote me a very heartfelt It was in 2018; it was a work-related accident Another personal thing: We also talked about Gustavo Gutiérrez One of them is The Poor Church for the Poor Gutiérrez is fully integrated in the church’s theological framework I think Pope Francis received him three times at Santa Marta precisely to clear up any doubts about the orthodoxy of his theology People said liberation theology was Marxism introduced into the church and I am able to read other theologians’ works Gustavo Gutiérrez said: We don’t do political sociology as such And how can we speak of God’s love for all people without helping those who suffer Mothers who have nothing to feed their children You spoke earlier of continuity between Peter’s successors but wasn’t there some rupture between Francis and Benedict XVI What do you think of that openness?There was no rupture in the church’s doctrine because no pope can change doctrine The church’s doctrine is based on the revelation of God in Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today But one cannot say that previous popes were not concerned about the poor In “Deus Caritas Est,” Benedict said that charity is not something secondary; it is central because it expresses God’s love for others it’s convenient for the media to use these dualistic concepts: Pope Ratzinger was this Pope Francis has a different background—a Latin American mentality the church was always open to people in difficult situations—divorced people We in the church are concerned with the salvation of all people ideology—seek to redefine marriage as something other than a union between a man and a woman Jesus elevated marriage between a man and a woman to the dignity of a sacrament So we must distinguish between the church’s pastoral concern for the salvation of all and these ideological trends God wants all people to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth in Jesus Christ He wanted to convey the message that the church’s teaching on sin doesn’t mean people with problems are excluded but said that people who have had abortions can return to the church and receive forgiveness But when someone says abortion isn’t a grave sin Even when speaking off-the-cuff or in ways not always fully developed Do you agree with Pope Francis that the church must be inclusive not exclusive?The church is always inclusive but it must not be indifferent to people’s situations Jesus began by calling everyone to conversion We are all sinners; we all need conversion Conversion is not about obeying impersonal rules; it’s about doing God’s will The Ten Commandments are not military regulations even when they resisted him—just as we often do Are the kinds of issues being discussed now issues about the state of the church in the world?No What’s more commonly discussed is the state of humanity today: the new atheism globalism led by super-billionaires who want to “save” the world according to their own ideas These are the great challenges for the church The church must reconcile all these groups Many have said: The church is the sacrament of intimate union with God Our Pope Francis was the only moral authority left in the world So you see the papacy as a force for unity?First and foremost it’s an ecclesial mission: representing the faith and unity of the church the pope’s mission is to unify peoples and overcome these collective egoisms that drive wars what qualities should the next pope have?Objective qualities: He must represent the unity of the faith and its diversity within the depositum fidei The pope must be orthodox—obviously he can’t be an Arian Orthodox because even with all the councils everything depends on the authority of the pope the decisions of previous councils or the pope speaking ex cathedra But our [last] pope has not made any ex cathedra declarations So not everything he says on the faith is irreversible undo the allowance for laypeople and women to head dicasteries So there could be a step backward?It doesn’t depend on every position in the Vatican We’ve all said: Some offices in the church require ordination He could say: “We’re changing this part of the ‘Praedicate Evangelium’ constitution.”Everything that concerns ecclesiastical law But not divine law; that cannot be changed You can’t say a bishop is just a delegate of the pope he could change the constitution of the Vatican City State; that’s not part of the church’s divine constitution And when we talk about a dicastery—a ministry of the pope—the pope can establish who leads it It’s clear those should be led by cardinals But we always have to frame things within a theological and ecclesiological context—not just in terms of regression or progress What about the synod? You were very opposed to it Do you think the next pope might change course Francis had even called another session for October 2028.All the cardinals are united in wanting clarity about the concepts A synod of bishops is not part of the magisterium It can be a helpful institutional form for involving the cooperation of all church members Based on the common priesthood of all the faithful we can hold synodal assemblies of the faithful in various regions The pope formed the C9 council of cardinal advisors Do you think the next pope should continue in this direction?It’s something everyone should discuss Many have said it’s important to hold more frequent meetings—not just once in 10 years They have said the whole College of Cardinals should meet at least once a year Because the cardinals don’t just represent themselves; they represent the universal church This is important because the Petrine ministry is not a solitary one The pope is not just the head of the universal church but also the bishop of Rome And the College of Cardinals is the presbyterate of the church of Rome for the sake of the universal church So the pope always needs to consult; not everything can be known by one person Before making decisions that affect the whole church it’s very important to listen to competent representatives of the church of Rome You said the cardinals have only met once in 10 years Have you found that to be a problem inside the general congregations “I don’t even know the others.”That’s a big problem Not just a question of knowing their names but also of knowing their personalities To have a sense of: Who is this person who may carry great responsibility as pope We must find the right person for this task Do you agree?Yes.This is always a bit of a problem with modern popes The pope has become the church’s sole media figure The pope is not the “parish priest of the world,” as some say The parish priest of a parish is the local shepherd This isn’t just a problem with Pope Francis—it goes back to the 19th century We need to find a solution because the church does not exist only in Rome The pope is the visible principle of unity Some have spoken of “the church of Francis”—a theologian cannot accept that There is no “church of Benedict” or “church of Francis.” It is always the church of Christ whose visible representative is the current pope Some people say Pope Francis created confusion and I remember when John Paul II held the interreligious meeting in Assisi in 1986 and Cardinal Ratzinger didn’t even attend that meeting Do you think that accusation is fair when applied to Francis?It was the same with Paul VI There was great confusion in the church then Is what we need now a return to order?Order in the sense that we need to clarify the relationship between doctrine and pastoral care was not presenting magisterial teaching; those were personal opinions Like the first time he said “Who am I to judge?”.Yes but some have interpreted it as if the church has nothing to say on that topic But one could also say that Jesus created confusion.In a certain sense but he did not make contradictory declarations the blessing of same-sex couples: Do you think that’s another thing that creates confusion?Yes because that declaration says “We don’t want to change church doctrine,” but then the concrete application isn’t clear This idea of “doctrine for everyone” but “pastoral care for individuals” is delicate We had a theology professor who used to say: “From the pulpit a priest should be a lion; in the confessional a lamb.” Those are two different settings: one for proclaiming the truth of the Gospel the other for applying it to the individual you can’t do pastoral care through a general document must apply that teaching to each concrete situation “Bless all gay couples who ask for it.” You have to evaluate each case.You have to study each case you’re not blessing “the couple”—you’re blessing the individual When someone here in Rome asks me for a blessing All the Orthodox churches have rejected it They’ve said: If ecumenism ends up like this Why create problems when the previous situation was clearer but we should ask local pastors to apply it sensitively to concrete individuals John Paul II reached out to other religions Do you think that ability to relate to other religions is a necessary quality for the next pope?Ecumenism and interreligious dialogue are paths already taken by Vatican II The Council made this obligatory for the church But one must distinguish between interreligious dialogue and religious relativism “All religions are the same.” We must be discerning If all religions are true religions—that is the creator of all people—then they have a shared responsibility for world peace You’re often seen as the leader of the more traditional Do you feel comfortable with that label?I don’t know why We should think in terms of orthodoxy and heresy There’s no such thing as an “orthodox conservative” baptism or a “liberal” baptism Some have even used the word heresy—especially in the United States—saying this pope is heretical because he washed the feet of Muslim women.Someone once asked me about whether the pope could be a heretic we must distinguish between formal and material heresy Some popes in history—like Honorius I—were materially heretical Material heresy is when a pope says something unclear Formal heresy is when he issues a declaration—say a papal bull—that explicitly contradicts revealed truth So if he just doesn’t express himself clearly Would Pope Francis be materially heretical when he told the little boy whose atheist father had died that his father might be in heaven “The pope denies hell.” But he was expressing hope in God’s mercy All the councils—even the last one—affirm that we cannot know someone’s interior disposition at the final moment Just because someone says “I don’t believe in God” doesn’t mean we know what they believed at the end That’s why the church has never definitively said someone is in hell So Pope Francis would not have committed heresy in saying such things but perhaps those statements caused confusion?Yes some things were unclear and could be interpreted in different ways So that moment with the boy—when the pope said “Your father is in heaven”—was that the wrong thing to say?The correct way to answer would be: “Let’s wait and hope.” Because we can’t know But no one expects the pope to speak dogmatically at every moment Pope Benedict was always theologically precise The last two conclaves lasted just two days How long do you think this will be since as you said no candidate clearly stands out?It depends on the result of the first votes If one candidate reaches close to 90 votes Were you surprised by the huge crowds at the funeral in St along the route and at the Saint Mary Major basilica?I think the whole world is interested The whole Catholic world is praying for the pope in continuity with the other good popes throughout history there were some questionable ones in the Renaissance—but we don’t want to go back to that There’s been a lot of talk about the papacy returning to Italy after 47 years.I think this talk of nationalism—national egotism—is misplaced Someone who thinks with a Catholic mind is always open to where the Holy Spirit is pointing how do you feel?I pray to the Holy Spirit every day for good inspiration It’s a huge responsibility for the church and for the future of the church We must avoid thinking in worldly categories Pope Francis always spoke against worldliness so we shouldn’t introduce worldly labels like “conservative” or “progressive.” We must think in terms of theology and spirituality Because theology cannot be an abstract theory; it must be inspired by the Spirit Gerard O’Connell is America’s Vatican correspondent and author of The Election of Pope Francis: An Inside Story of the Conclave That Changed History He has been covering the Vatican since 1985 Password reset instructions will be sent to your registered email address As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important America’s voice is in the conversation about the church and the world. 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Please contact us at members@americamedia.org with any questions — Go ahead and put an asterisk next to the Vikings' 5-man* draft class Some maneuvering Friday and Saturday enabled Minnesota to take five players in total expanding on the four selections the team held when the clock started Thursday night The Vikings narrowly missed breaking the franchise record for fewest picks in a draft instead tying with the five selections in 2008 and in 2009 a sixth player was picked up by the Vikings to Seattle for quarterback Sam Howell and the 172nd choice Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell joined NFL Network's Rich Eisen on the third day of the 2025 NFL Draft to discuss the team's picks and give an update on the quarterbacks room after trading for Howell "We still think that there's a lot in Sam's game to develop but also see where he can take it within our system within our quarterback development plan here in Minnesota," O'Connell said "[We] feel really good about Josh McCown [coaching] that quarterbacks room and the things we've acquired – whether [it's] up front; the skill guys we do have that we feel so great about and then just our system going into Year 4 the evolution of that becoming as quarterback friendly as we can make it while also challenging defenses and trying to do the things that it takes to win football games." Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell joined NFL Network to discuss the team's 2025 NFL Draft picks Howell was the sixth of nine drafted quarterbacks in 2022 and originally suited up for Washington he's second with 22 career passing touchdowns only trailing San Francisco's Brock Purdy – "Mr Irrelevant" that year – who is responsible for 64 in twice as many games played The quarterbacks selected ahead of Howell in the 2022 cycle were Cleveland's Kenny Pickett (20th by Pittsburgh) free agent Desmond Ridder (74th by Atlanta) Green Bay's Malik Willis (86th by Tennessee) free agent Matt Corral (94th by Carolina) and Kansas City's Bailey Zappe (137th by New England) Howell appeared in relief in two games and recorded minimal statistics He'll be inserted into a Vikings QBs room that features 2024 10th overall pick J.J McCarthy and 28-year-old former undrafted free agent Brett Rypien who was integral to the scout team a year ago who was hired by the Vikings just months before the 2022 NFL Draft said Howell was a player Minnesota did its homework on when he was coming out of North Carolina Howell was a three-year college starter with all types of gaudy numbers and conference recognition going for him including a handful of single-season and career Tar Heels passing records and inclusion on All-ACC teams Watch highlights of new Vikings quarterback Sam Howell who was acquired through a trade with the Seattle Seahawks he's a 24-year-old with three seasons of NFL experience including one in which he started 17 games for the Commanders and passed for just short of 4,000 yards at a 63.4-percent clip Howell led Washington to a 4-13 mark and grew through a league-worst 65 sacks and as many interceptions as touchdowns (21) There were hard lessons – but there were also flashes Howell went 39-for-52 with 397 passing yards and a 4:1 touchdown-to-pick ratio against Philadelphia in Week 8 that season Howell rushed for 30 or more yards in seven contests and completed at least 65% of his throws eight times His woes were underpinned by a ton of responsibility the Commanders struggled in the run game – their leading rusher gained 733 yards Their offensive line started nine different players and their defense surrendered 30.5 points per game (more than anyone else) Howell was dealt to Seattle and backed up Geno Smith in 2024 His moving again could wind up being a beneficial reset for his career View photos of Vikings new QB Sam Howell who was acquired via trade with the Seahawks Following Minnesota's final selection at 202 in Round 6 General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah recapped how the Vikings accomplished manipulating the board to end up with Howell and were familiar with dating to Adofo-Mensah's first draft at the helm "[He's] somebody that a lot of people in this building had appreciation for when the opportunity struck," Adofo-Mensah said mentioning there's a mutual excitement for the continuation of Howell's QB journey Adofo-Mensah echoed O'Connell's comments that Minnesota did its "work" on Howell ahead of the draft that year but determined it wasn't the right time to "make such an investment" because of the nuances in selecting a quarterback versus maybe other positions; beyond the evaluation of statistics and film there's a high level of commitment – Adofo-Mensah used the word "marriage" — that's demanded Vikings Entertainment Network's Tatum Everett recaps what the Vikings and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah did in the 2025 NFL Draft and discusses the trade for QB Sam Howell that sort of courtship," Adofo-Mensah said "We say a lot that organizations fail quarterbacks long before quarterbacks fail organizations and all those other things we talked about he was high up on our board," Adofo-Mensah added The most important marriage in Minnesota right now is of course the one to McCarthy who's still top of mind for O'Connell and everyone else as the Vikings gently shift their focus to future offseason activities "He's really been in the building the whole offseason completing his rehab," O'Connell told Eisen And I know he was very excited to get all his teammates back this week And we're hitting the ground running this spring "As the head coach and play caller of this team," he continued "I feel really good about the roster we have right now." View photos of the undrafted free agents the Vikings have agreed to terms with following the 2025 NFL Draft Auburn (International Player Pathway Program) the Vikings announced they agreed to terms Saturday with undrafted free agent and local prospect Max Brosmer who excelled for the Minnesota Golden Gophers in 2024 completing a single-season school record 268 passes after starring for five years at New Hampshire As part of his post-draft recap (and prior to adding Brosmer) Adofo-Mensah elaborated on the thinking behind trading for Howell and why his specific "quarterback portfolio" was viewed as complementary to what the Vikings have in-house they weighed different scenarios and the ways Howell could impact the team whether it's coming off the bench in a game and how he fits in relation to the group of players around him like configuring a disbursement of reps amongst quarterbacks because he's trying to establish himself after so many on-field opportunities were postponed by a knee injury last August Plenty of practice reps will be directed toward him so Howell's prior experience will be helpful "The dedication of reps to a developing player like J.J is not necessarily going to lend itself to a ton of reps elsewhere," said Adofo-Mensah "Those are [some of my most fun] conversations [with O'Connell] because there's no right or wrong answer We're just malleable and open-minded in the way we talk about it Sam was just somebody that really fit a lot of those needs." Cyclone Club Athlete of the Week: Kiki Connell 04.28.2025 | Track and Field AMES, Iowa - Iowa State women's track & field athlete Kiki Connell has been named the Cyclone Club Athlete of the Week after winning the 3,000m steeplechase at the Drake Relays last week Connell lowered her personal best for the second time this season with a 10:16.83 Iowa native is the second ISU woman to win the steeple at Drake Connell also improved her NCAA West Prelims qualifying position with the performance For more information and to join the Cyclone Club, visit cycloneclub.org SFR catches up with actor coming home to take the stage 3 Questions with KHFM DJ/musician/music educator Kathlene Ritch 3 Questions with artist Karen Clarkson they’ve called Seattle home since 2009—and it has been 18 long years since they’ve performed in town O’Connell will play The Narrator in a Santa Fe Playhouse production of the one-performer show Every Brilliant Thing by playwright Duncan Macmillan (with Jonny Donahoe) sets out to list every awesome thing he can a whole mess-load of audience participation the show is poised to be something special (see santafeplayhouse.org for preview and official run info and pricing) We caught up with O’Connell to learn a little more This interview has been edited for clarity and concision Can you give us any spoiler-free info about the nature of the show but those people don’t know who they are until they come to see it It’s about audience participation—always with consent; they play other characters There’s quite a bit of participation which Just know that you may or may not be participating most of it is me talking and the audience is my other scene partner I want to respect what the playwright and director put together If I’m in an ensemble piece it’s important not to just throw shit at people The reason I like doing theater more than film is that the way you wake up is different every day and there’s that plus the energy in the room and whatever the audience brings I will say that I don’t think people will see the same show twice This is the second one-person piece I’ve done What made this the right time/right role for your return to a Santa Fe stage after so long I've always wanted to come back to performing in Santa Fe there was really only the children’s theater stuff that existed other than one-offs But the reason I’m an actor is I grew up here and met [Pandemonium Productions founder] Chris Leslie Every Brilliant Thing is about a person who makes a list of brilliant things after their mother tries to commit suicide One of the reasons it was so important to come home and do it here is that one of my best friends and that was a person I had a soul connection with and because of what the show is about and Entheos It felt like kismet or fate the way I got reached out to about the show Does performing in a place where you first learned about theater and did your earliest work bear any emotional weight for you I think it really does bear emotional weight but this is the longest amount of time I’ve spent here since I moved in 2009 and I think emotional weight that I would have been less willing to process 10 years ago I said to someone the other day that they call New Mexico the Land of Enchantment and how annoying it is for them to be right because it was boring and the only thing to do was get in trouble because there is freedom within this show and improv a little bit; and the show is direct-address—as in so I think the existence of that emotional weight will make its way into the show It feels like any day we rehearse it…there have been spots where I’ve thought I didn’t think that was going to come up.’ I think I’m trying to be willing to take time in the role without being indulgent It’s important to embrace how you're feeling in a moment and not worry about adding 20 seconds to the show I’m caring for the audience as they are caring for me You have to figure out what your container is But as long as you're pretty strict around your boundaries I should be able to go though these emotional moments take a few deep breaths and move on with my life SFR Culture Editor Alex De Vore has written about the Santa Fe culture scene for over a decade and won awards for doing so He's pretty tired of Americana and still hopes new punk bands might happen Photo by: Jeff SpaurConnell Wins Steeple at Drake 04.24.2025 | Track and Field DES MOINES, Iowa – Kiki Connell marked day two at Drake Relays waving the flag after winning the 3,000m steeplechase Connell lowered her personal best for the second time this season with 10:16.83 Connell and Sheridan Wheeler ran alongside each other battling through the seven water jumps and 28 barriers before Connell broke away in the final lap ISU went 1-3 with Wheeler clocking 10:21.76 In the decathlon, all three Cyclones competing in the discus hit new personal records, and in the pole vault Cooper Spurgeon hit a personal best and Chase Lathrop cleared an outdoor best Lathrop finished the 10 events with a nearly 200 point personal best of 6,767 for seventh place, less than 30 points off the Iowa State top 10 performance list. Freshman Tristan Rheingans completed his first decathlon with 6,246 points for ninth Camryn Hubbard ran 2:09.78 in the unseeded women's 800m for an all-time personal best, and freshman Jacoby Harmon clocked 1:51.60 for an outdoor PR in the men's unseeded 800m Tomorrow at Drake, events start at 10 a.m. with the women's triple jump, while the first running event is the men's 4x1,600m at 10:44 a.m. Rodgers Kiplimo and Ryan Watts also run the invite 5K at the Payton Jordan Invite in Stanford Decathlon 110m Hurdles (M): 1. Til Steinforth, Nebraska – 14.09; 8. Tristan Rheingans, Iowa State – 15.52; 12. Cooper Spurgeon, Iowa State – 16.13; 12. Chase Lathrop Decathlon Discus (M): 1. Emil Uhlin, K-State – 147-1 (44.83m); 6. Chase Lathrop, Iowa State – 128-4 (39.12m, PR); 9. Cooper Spurgeon, Iowa State – 116-10 (35.63m, PR); 12. Tristan Rheingans Decathlon Pole Vault (M): 1. Emil Uhlin, K-State – 16-2 ¾ (4.95m); 6. Cooper Spurgeon, Iowa State – 13-11 ¼ (4.25m); 9. Chase Lathrop, Iowa State – 13-3 ½ (4.05m); 11. Tristan Rheingans Decathlon Javelin (M): 1. Jack Rosner, St. Thomas – 186-4 (56.80m); 7. Cooper Spurgeon, Iowa State – 164-9 (50.22m); 12. Chase Lathrop, Iowa State – 149-6 (45.57m); 15. Tristan Rheingans Decathlon 1,500m (M): 1. Emil Uhlin, K-State – 4:32.14; 11. Tristan Rheingans, Iowa State – 5:02.92; 12. Chase Lathrop, Iowa State – 5:05.95 (PR); 15. Cooper Spurgeon Decathlon Overall (M): 1. Till Steinforth, Nebraska – 8,265; 7. Chase Lathrop, Iowa State – 6,767 (PR); 9. Tristan Rheingans 800m Unseeded (W): 1. Lina Maatouk, Augustana – 2:07.46; 6. Camryn Hubbard 800m Unseeded (M): 1. Adam Swanson, Minnesota Distance Elite – 1:49.52; 14, Tyler Carreon, Iowa State – 1:51.46; 15. Jacoby Harmon, Iowa State – 1:51.60; 22. Tommy Tyynismaa 3,000m Steeplechase (W): 1. Kiki Connell, Iowa State – 10:16.83 (PR, No. 5 ISU); 3. Sheridan Wheeler 5,000m Open (W): 1. Rosina Machu-Shuri, Gonzaga – 15:54.97; 2. Betty Kipkore 10,000m Invite (W): 1. Blezzin Kimutai, Tulane – 34:06.66; 6. Taylor Briggs Thursday, April 17, 2025 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM EDT Dykstra Funeral Homes Saugatuck Chapel 520 Lake Street Saugatuck, MI 49453 (616) 392-2348 Driving Directions Thursday, April 17, 2025 2:00 PM EDT Dykstra Funeral Homes Saugatuck Chapel 520 Lake Street Saugatuck, MI 49453 (616) 392-2348 Driving Directions At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice St. Jude Childrens Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105 Web Site Bears Care 1920 Football Drive Lake Forest, IL 60045 Web Site Illinois to Robert and Mary Eichler on June 1 She went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Loyola University a Master’s degree in Management from Benedictine University and a Master’s degree in Marketing Communications from Northwestern University She worked in various management roles with AT&T She obtained a Certification in Ergonomics from the University of Michigan and provided consulting services through Snow Environmental Health LLC Nancy was a member of the Junior Women’s Club of Glen Ellyn Illinois and also served on the Chicago Bear’s Care Gala Committee for almost 15 years As one of the longest living survivors of Grade 4 Glioblastoma Nancy was passionate about paying it forward to other patients fighting cancer Nancy is survived by her husband of 33 years her daughter Kelly (Jon) Rodgers and their children Lilla (13) her daughter Kirby Longbrake and her children Waits (9) and Murphy (7) She is preceded in death by her daughter Hannah O’Connell and parents Robert and Mary Eichler The funeral will be held at Dykstra Funeral Home in Saugatuck Visitation begins at 11am and funeral service begins at 2pm Minister Douglas Petersen will be officiating A private burial will be followed at Douglas Cemetery in Douglas Memorial donations may be made to Bear’s Care Organization The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the several agencies that assisted in the search for Nancy including the Allegan County Dive Rescue Team and Allegan County Medical Examiner’s Office JavaScript is disabled. In order to use all of the features on dykstrafuneralhome.com, enable JavaScript.Close — The 2025 Major League Fishing championship came to a dramatic conclusion Sunday afternoon when Dustin Connell In spite of one-hour morning weather delay Connell powered his boat 70 miles upriver from the takeoff point and fished the entire day immediately below Nickajack Dam in Marion County When the final seconds finally ticked off the clock Connell told the live streaming video viewers the gamble paid off as Connell caught a total of 27 bass smallmouth and spotted bass that weighed a combined 87-pounds It was the best single-day total of any angler at the MLF's 2025 Bass Pro Shops REDCREST event Connell earned $300,000 for the win and further cemented himself as the best big-event performer going He is the only angler to win REDCREST multiple times He has claimed the title three times total – he previously won on Lake Eufaula in 2021 and Lay Lake in 2024 It marked his seventh total victory on the MLF Bass Pro Tour Rhea County's Wesley Strader came in second in the championship event with 29 bass that weighed a combined 79-pounds Most of the day Connell held a commanding lead over the entire final 10-angler field When they went into the third and final period of fishing Sunday Strader was more than 20 pounds behind Connell But the Rhea County angler made a huge run and the final minutes were tough on Connell as Strader pulled within 8-pounds Bass anglers know that it's certainly possible to catch an 8-pound bass on Guntersville and Connell didn't catch a single scorable bass in the last 35 minutes of the competition But Strader couldn't find that magic 8-plus-pounder and ended in second a full 35 pounds ahead of third place finisher who now has about $2 million in career earnings Many predicted that the top anglers would be fishing for shallow bedded bass during the Guntersville event - and many of them did during the early days Sunday presented he and the rest of the Top 10 with drastically different conditions – thunderstorms delayed takeoff and dumped rain on the area all day While that made for an unpleasant hour-plus run for Connell it also killed the sight-fishing bite several of the contenders had been riding down the lake while simultaneously igniting a feeding frenzy in the tailrace His average scorable bass (two pounds or larger) weighed about 3.25 pounds compared to 2.72 for the rest of the field – more than half a pound per fish Many local anglers frequent the area immediately below Nickajack - and they know it has great potential to produce excellent fishing On most Sundays in Spring Connell probably would have had lots of unintentional competition from local fishermen below Nickajack No doubt the horrible conditions helped Connell in that regard as about the only other boats on the water were spectators there simply to watch the pro in action Other Chattanooga-area pros competing in the event included: TN (26th place and 2025 MLF Angler of the Year) Complete Final Results we're taking a look back at the week that was and the stories that led the news with Taunton Daily Gazette readers Pope Francis' funeral was this weekend. The 88-year-old pontiff died of a stroke on Easter Monday A Taunton woman says she is devastated by a ruling that could free her brother's killer When Sixty-five-year-old Greg Bobst left his home in late February of 2024 to live on the streets of Bridgewater, he had no idea the wife of an acquaintance would give him a second chance and a temporary home Freetown Summer Sounds is set to return this summer for a series of concerts Food trucks in the SouthCoast are serving up authentic flavors and dishes Lorenzo's Italian Restaurant & Bar in Middleboro celebrated 75 years this past week These were the Top 5 stories of the past week Taunton Mayor Shaunna O'Connell has confirmed that she is running for reelection Here's what she said, and how the election is shaping up so far 'Wonderful things happening': Taunton mayor running for reelection. What she told us appear to have confirmed the prolonged computer network issues in March experienced by Taunton Public Schools and City Hall were caused by a "security breach." This is what we know, as of this writing Internet outages: Were Taunton schools, City Hall internet outages caused by 'security breach'? What we know Trump cancels $195K grant to prevent flooding in Taunton's WeirThis past week the Trump administration canceled $90 million worth of disaster prevention grants that were previously allocated to Massachusetts — including $195,000 for Taunton's Cobb Brook Cobb Brook has previously been associated with flooding in the Weir Village area according to the Taunton Municipal Light Plant website According to a statement from Mayor Shaunna O'Connell sent by the mayor's Chief of Staff Ligia Madeira the city has a plan to address the canceled grant Gazette Reporter Emma Rindlisbacher has the story Canceled grant funding: Trump cancels $195K grant to prevent flooding in Taunton's Weir. How mayor is responding Gambling will be available in Taunton seven days a week thanks to extended hours at the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's First Light Welcome Center at 1 O'Connell Way Here's what to know 7 days a week: Taunton slots gaming facility expands hours again. What to know How can Route 140 — considered the gateway into Taunton — be made safer more beautiful and more economically viable The Southeastern Regional Planning & Economic Development District (SRPEDD) hopes to answer that with its new study that the city of Taunton is promoting Gazette Reporter Daniel Schemer has the story New study: Should Taunton create raised pedestrian bike path along Route 140 and shrink roadway? Robert “Bob” Paul O’Connell Charles and Frances (Gilmer) O’Connell He attended Cretin High School and earned a BA in Journalism and History from the University of St Bob proudly served as a Lance Corporal in the U.S Marine Corps reporting on NATO exercises in Europe he worked at Miller Publishing in Minneapolis where he met Dianne Youso They married in 1970 and had four daughters He dedicated his career to journalism and public relations where his creativity and sharp mind left a lasting impact and they made their home together in Bloomington He was an active member of People of Praise providing Christmas presents to children with incarcerated parents He found joy in life’s simple pleasures—sitting on his deck with a cold beer and cigar He was preceded in death by his parents Charles and Frances twin brother Tod O’Connell and sister Nancy Sweeney and nephew Patrick O’Connell Peter’s Catholic Church in Mendota on April 10