Por BILL BARROW y STEVE KARNOWSKI

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — La senadora Amy Klobuchar anunció el jueves su postulación para gobernadora de Minnesota, prometiendo enfrentarse al presidente Donald Trump mientras unifica un estado que ha soportado una serie de desafíos incluso antes de la represión migratoria del gobierno federal.

La decisión de Klobuchar ofrece a los demócratas una candidata de alto perfil y ganadora comprobada a nivel estatal, mientras su partido intenta mantener la oficina ocupada por el gobernador Tim Walz. El nominado a la vicepresidencia demócrata en 2024 abandonó su campaña para un tercer mandato a principios de este mes en medio de críticas por la mala gestión de los fondos de los contribuyentes para programas de cuidado infantil.

“Minnesota, hemos pasado por mucho”, expresó Klobuchar en un anuncio en video el jueves. “Estos tiempos requieren líderes que puedan levantarse y no ser sellos de goma de esta administración, sino que también estén dispuestos a encontrar puntos en común y arreglar las cosas en nuestro estado”.

Klobuchar citó la represión migratoria de Trump en Minnesota, la muerte a tiros de dos personas en Minnesota a manos de agentes federales en protestas por las redadas, el asesinato de un líder legislativo estatal y un tiroteo escolar que mató a varios niños, todo ocurrido en el último año. Evitó mencionar directamente las investigaciones en curso sobre fraude en los programas de cuidado infantil que Trump ha utilizado como arma política.

“Creo que debemos defender lo que es correcto y arreglar lo que está mal”, manifestó Klobuchar.

La senadora ha sido una de las críticas más fuertes de Trump, más recientemente por las redadas migratorias que ha provocado protestas masivas.

Varios republicanos ya están haciendo campaña en lo que podría convertirse en un concurso destacado entre 36 gobernaciones en la boleta en noviembre. Entre los que se postulan para la nominación del Partido Republicano están el fundador y director general de MyPillow, Mike Lindell, quien rechazó los resultados de las elecciones de 2020 y cercano a Trump; la presidenta de la Cámara de Representantes de Minnesota, Lisa Demuth; el Dr. Scott Jensen, un exsenador estatal que fue el candidato a gobernador del partido en 2022; y la representante estatal Kristin Robbins.

La inmigración y el fraude serán temas en cuestión

La campaña en Minnesota probablemente pondrá a prueba el enfoque inflexible de Trump y sus compañeros republicanos sobre la ley y el orden y el programa de deportación masiva contra las críticas de los demócratas a las tácticas de su administración.

Agentes federales han detenido a niños y adultos que son ciudadanos de Estados Unidos, han entrado en hogares sin órdenes judiciales y han participado en intercambios violentos con manifestantes. Renee Good, residente de Minnesota, fue baleada tres veces por un agente del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) a principios de enero. El sábado, agentes federales mataron a tiros Alex Pretti, un enfermero, durante una protesta.

Muchos demócratas en el Capitolio han votado en contra de los proyectos que financian al Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de Trump. Un enfrentamiento sobre el financiamiento podría llevar a un cierre parcial del gobierno.

Trump y otros republicanos también intentarán cargar a Klobuchar, o a cualquier otro demócrata, con preguntas sobre la investigación federal en curso sobre los programas de cuidado infantil de Minnesota y su comunidad somalí. Trump también ha hecho repetidas afirmaciones de fraude generalizado en el gobierno estatal, y su administración está investigando a varios funcionarios estatales, incluido Walz. El demócrata asegura que su administración ha investigado, reducido y procesado el fraude.

Klobuchar ha ganado en todo Minnesota

Sirviendo su cuarto mandato en Washington, Klobuchar ha sido fiscal local y candidata presidencial, se posiciona como moderada y ha demostrado la capacidad de ganar en todo Minnesota.

La senadora ganó su candidatura a la reelección en 2024 por casi 16 puntos porcentuales y recibió 135.000 votos más que la nominada presidencial demócrata Kamala Harris, quien había elegido a Walz como su compañero de fórmula. Harris superó a Trump por menos de 5 puntos porcentuales.

Klobuchar llamó la atención durante el primer mandato de Trump por interrogar a sus nominados judiciales, incluido el ahora juez de la Corte Suprema, Brett Kavanaugh. En las acrimoniosas audiencias de confirmación de Kavanaugh, ella le preguntó al futuro juez, quien fue acusado de agresión sexual cuando era adolescente, si alguna vez había bebido tanto que no recordaba lo que había sucedido. Kavanaugh respondió: “¿Y usted?”.

La senadora, que ha hablado públicamente sobre el alcoholismo de su padre, continuó su interrogatorio. Kavanaugh, quien fue confirmado por un solo voto, luego se disculpó con Klobuchar.

Después de la primera presidencia de Trump, Klobuchar fue una de las legisladoras más francas durante las investigaciones bipartidistas del Congreso sobre la insurrección del 6 de enero de 2021, cuando los partidarios de Trump atacaron el Capitolio durante la certificación de la victoria de Joe Biden en las elecciones presidenciales de 2020. Como presidenta de la Comisión de Reglas del Senado, presionó a la Policía del Capitolio, a funcionarios de la administración y a otros para obtener detalles sobre lo que las autoridades sabían de antemano y cómo los alborotadores irrumpieron en el Capitolio.

“Es nuestro deber tener respuestas inmediatas a lo que sucedió”, dijo después de ayudar a redactar un informe centrado no en el papel de Trump, sino en mejores protocolos de seguridad para la sede del Congreso.

Candidatura presidencial en 2020

Klobuchar buscó la nominación presidencial demócrata en 2020, postulándose como moderada en el mismo carril político que Biden. Lanzó su campaña de pie afuera en una tormenta de nieve en Minnesota para destacar su “determinación” y las sensibilidades del centro-norte del país que han anclado su identidad política.

Como candidata, Klobuchar enfrentó historias de empleados del Senado descontentos que la describieron como una jefa difícil, pero también se distinguió en escenarios de debate abarrotados como una pragmática decidida. Superó a varios candidatos con mejor financiamiento y se adelantó a Biden en los caucus de Iowa y las primarias de Nuevo Hampshire. Pero Biden, entonces exvicepresidente, la derrotó a ella y a otros en las primarias de Carolina del Sur, lo que la llevó a retirarse y unirse a otros para cerrar filas detrás de él.

Después de la victoria de Biden, Klobuchar hubiera estado bien posicionada para un puesto en el gabinete, quizás incluso como secretaria de Justicia. Pero la división 50-50 del Senado hizo inviable que Biden creara cualquier apertura para que los republicanos recuperaran el control de la cámara.

Klobuchar anunció en 2021 que estuvo en tratamiento por cáncer de mama y en 2024 anunció que estaba libre de la enfermedad, pero sometiéndose a otra ronda de radiación.

Ahora hay cuatro senadores que buscan liderar sus estados de origen. Klobuchar se une al demócrata de Colorado, Michael Bennet; a la republicana de Tennessee, Marsha Blackburn, y al republicano de Alabama, Tommy Tuberville. Bennet, Blackburn y Klobuchar no están en reelección en 2026, por lo que podrían permanecer en el Senado si no ganan sus contiendas para gobernador. Tuberville está en el último año de su mandato de seis años y dejará el Senado en enero de 2027.

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Barrow informó desde Atlanta y Maya Sweedler en Washington.

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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/la-senadora-demcrata-klobuchar-anuncia-candidatura-a-gobernadora-de-minnesota-tras-retiro-de-walz/ 

SAP Shares Plunge Most Since 2020 As Cloud Backlog Miss Amid AI Worries

Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/29/2026 – 07:45

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/sap-shares-plunge-most-2020-cloud-backlog-miss-amid-ai-worries 

Good morning, Chicago.

A family-owned Chicago candy manufacturer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, seeking to keep its Northwest Side factory churning out assorted fruit-flavored starlights, lemonade drops and buttery toffee.

Primrose Candy, which has been making such confections since 1928, needs to reorganize more than $12 million in debts and secure new financing to pay its 90 mostly contract employees and other business expenses, according to the bankruptcy petition.

The culprit? That piece of wrapped butterscotch candy that grandma pulls out of her purse has gotten a lot more expensive to make these days, according to David Welch, a Chicago attorney representing the company.

Read the full story from the Tribune’s Robert Channick.

Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including: what Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a DC speech yesterday, the latest on a Chicago Bears stadium bill in the Indiana Senate and our weekend events guide.

Today’s eNewspaper edition | Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History

National Guard patrol the Washington Mall, with the U.S. Capitol in the background, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Federal troop deployments to US cities like Chicago cost taxpayers $496M and counting

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Congressional candidate Katherine “Kat” Abughazaleh, center, and her deputy campaign manager Andre Martin, far left, leave with their attorneys from the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in the Loop on Jan. 28, 2026, after a hearing on charges of conspiracy during a protest outside the Broadview ICE facility in September. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)

Attorneys for ‘Broadview Six’ protesters cite killings in Minneapolis in asking for evidence to be public

Defense attorneys in the politically charged “Broadview Six” case accusing a group of Democrats and other protesters of conspiring to impede immigration agents argued in a court hearing yesterday that recent events in Minneapolis have augmented the need to keep evidence in the case public.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks during a City Hall news conference Jan. 27, 2026. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Mayor Brandon Johnson tells DC crowd he will ‘set up a pathway’ to prosecute Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino

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Fugitive ex-Loretto Hospital exec Anosh Ahmed arrested in Serbia on fraud charges

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Christianah Akinsanmi, left, along with Southeast Side residents and supporters, gather near the Quantum Shore Chicago construction site, Jan. 28, 2026, to demand a referendum question about the campus be added back onto the March primary ballot despite being rejected by the Board of Elections. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

South Side residents protest rejection of Quantum Shore nonbinding referendum

Southside Together, a local activist group, proposed a nonbinding referendum asking whether Ald. Gregory Mitchell, Ald. Peter Chico, Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker should halt the multibillion-dollar Quantum Shore project on the former South Works site.

On Jan. 13, the Chicago Board of Elections rejected the petition, citing problems with the phrasing of the question.

A site near the Gary-Hammond border, near a passenger rail track, is one of three sites proposed by Indiana for a future Bears stadium, Jan. 19, 2026. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Chicago Bears stadium bill passes Indiana Senate, but changes likely

The Indiana Senate approved a stadium authority bill that would help bring the Chicago Bears to Northwest Indiana.

Senate Bill 27, authored by State Senators Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka, and Chris Garten, R-Charlestown, would establish the Northwest Indiana stadium authority to “acquire, construct, equip, own, lease, and finance” a sports stadium.

What to know about the Chicago Bears’ possible move from Soldier Field

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy as he celebrates the Patriots’ victory over the Seattle Seahawks in NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game Feb. 1, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

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Daisy Hernández, an associate professor of creative writing at Northwestern University, relaxes at home in Chicago with her dog Lula, Jan. 23, 2026. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)

Citizen pain: Northwestern’s Daisy Hernández and her new history of the (quickly) changing meaning of citizenship

It’s hard to say if Daisy Hernández has the best timing in the world or the worst.

She thought about the question one morning, in her office at Northwestern University, where she is an associate professor of creative writing. It was a few weeks before the publication of her fascinating, urgently-needed new book, “Citizenship: Notes on an American Myth,” which will be released Feb. 17. It’s partly a family memoir and partly a world history, an argument on the meaning of citizenship and a provocative case for why we don’t know what a citizen is anymore.

Charli XCX, left, in “The Moment.” (A24/A24/TNS)

Review: Charli XCX brings a seriously bratty attitude to mockumentary film ‘The Moment’

Brat summer is dead. Long live brat summer, writes Katie Walsh. The lime-hued craze of summer 2024 that baffled and bewitched the culture becomes a channel for artistic introspection in the new Charli XCX vehicle “The Moment.” This concert mockumentary, directed by Aidan Zamiri, written by Zamiri and Bertie Brandes, is based on an original idea from pop superstar XCX, who stars as a version of herself, contemplating when and how she can and should let “brat” die, and if it’s even something that remains under her control.

Atmosphere performs at Red Rocks Amphitheatre outside of Denver on Jan. 27, 2012. (Karl Gehring/The Denver Post)

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https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/daywatch-century-old-chicago-confectionery-files-for-bankruptcy-protection/ 

Junior guard Sophia Towne’s connection to Nazareth goes back to the beginning of Eddie Stritzel’s coaching tenure.

Stritzel even has a photo of Towne with his daughter Annie taken in October 2016.

“When I took the job at Nazareth in 2016, we started running a little skill session for our grammar school kids,” Eddie Stritzel said. “Sophia’s family was the first family I met.”

Annie Stritzel was about to begin her sophomore season, still a year away from leading the Roadrunners to the first of their five state trophies. Towne was in second grade.

“Sophia calls Annie her big sister,” Eddie Stritzel said. “Nine years later, she’s the backbone of our program.”

Indeed, the 5-foot-10 Towne has developed into a Division I prospect and one of the best players in program history. Some have called Towne the best pure point guard that Eddie Stritzel has coached.

“I wouldn’t argue with that,” he said. “She’s quick, she’s long and she defends nonstop too.

“We ask a lot of her. We ask her to run the show on offense and guard the best player on the defensive end, and she’s just a wonderful kid.”

In Towne’s third varsity season but first as the starting point guard, she’s averaging 13.0 points, 4.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals for the Roadrunners (21-3, 7-1), who ended Benet’s 20-game winning streak in an East Suburban Catholic Conference victory Wednesday and are a strong contender to win their second state championship in four years.

But numbers don’t define Towne as much as her intangibles do. Senior guard Lyla Shelton and senior forward Stella Sakalas, who are Nazareth’s co-captains, laud Towne’s character as well as her physical skills.

“Sophia is the most humble person I’ve ever met in my life,” Shelton said. “She is perfect in every way.

“She’s so good at facilitating the ball, and she finds people. But she doesn’t like people coming up to her and saying she’s so good. She’s just a humble person.”

Towne is also a person who pays attention to only one statistic, which is wins.

“She can shoot it, but she doesn’t care about points,” Shelton said. “She just facilitates. She’s a really good player, and it’s so fun to play with her.”

Nazareth’s Sophia Towne (5) makes a no-look pass against Benet during an East Suburban Catholic Conference game in Lisle on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Pioneer Press)

The BYU-bound Sakalas, who leads the Roadrunners in scoring, is also a big supporter of her fellow Western Springs resident.

“I’ve been playing with Sophia long before Nazareth,” Sakalas said. “She’s such a good teammate and such a good player.

“She’s very humble and just wants to see the team succeed, and with the team succeeding, she succeeds as well. She looks for the good in others, which reflects on herself.”

When Towne reflects on her basketball career to date, her memories begin and end with the Roadrunners and the Stritzels.

“I’ve always been a fan of Naz and coach Eddie and Annie,” Towne said. “I’ve grown up watching Annie (play) in high school. Me and my dad would always go down to the state basketball games every year leading up to eighth grade, and my freshman year we went downstate, so it was super awesome to be a part of that.”

Towne was a reserve during her freshman season, when the Roadrunners went 32-4 and finished second in Class 4A. She scored five points in 15 minutes of action against Waubonsie Valley in the state semifinals and played four minutes as the only nonstarter Nazareth used during a 44-40 loss to Loyola in the state championship game.

Towne was used mostly as a shooting guard last season, when the Roadrunners went 31-3 and lost 72-71 to eventual 4A state champion Kenwood in the sectional semifinals.

Now she’s the floor general for Nazareth.

“She’s become such a good point guard,” Sakalas said. “She’s always handled the ball but never played the 1. She’s taken that on and really gotten better at it. She’s very coachable.”

Nazareth’s Sophia Towne shoots the ball during an East Suburban Catholic Conference game against Benet in Lisle on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Pioneer Press)

Towne has been taking instruction from Shelton and Sakalas as well as Eddie Stritzel.

“This year I’ve been really focusing on my point guard abilities,” Towne said. “I wanted to get better and be able to handle the pressure. I’m focusing on not turning it over and being able to set up our offense, which has been really helpful.”

Having great senior leadership also has helped Towne.

“Stella and Lyla are amazing captains,” Towne said. “I look up to them so much. We’re all super close friends, so it makes practice and games so much fun. We talk forever in film and practice, and we all just love being there. So it’s a really great environment that they’ve created.”

Eddie Stritzel marvels at Towne’s enthusiasm and energy.

“She’s one of those kids you just love coaching,” Eddie Stritzel said after Nazareth defeated Maine South at Coach Kipp’s Hoopsfest on Jan. 17.

“At 6:30 this morning, we’re in the film room, and she’s crawling on the floor, going underneath the tables. She’s like one of those kids who just has energy. I said, ‘Save your energy for today.’”

By the time Towne’s run at Nazareth ends, she could rank among the five best players ever coached by Eddie Stritzel, who guided Trinity for nine seasons. He said Lykendra Johnson, Megan Podkowa, Amalia Dray, and current assistant coaches Annie Stritzel and Lauren Matthews are the top five at the moment.

Johnson played at Michigan State and had a seven-year professional career in Sweden and Greece. Podkowa and Matthews played at DePaul, Annie Stritzel played at Harvard and Dray is playing soccer at Boston College.

“She keeps building,” Eddie Stritzel said of Towne. “I think she and Stella have a chance to eclipse two of those.”

Nazareth’s Sophia Towne, right, dribbles the ball up the court as she’s guarded by Benet’s Ava Thomas during an East Suburban Catholic Conference game in Lisle on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2026. (Troy Stolt / Pioneer Press)

Towne’s recruiting is just beginning to heat up. She has more than 10 Division I offers already and said she’s going to consider the fit, not the fame, of schools first.

“Sophia runs her own race,” Eddie Stritzel said. “She doesn’t worry about what this kid is getting. It’s going to be, ‘That coach loves me, and I want to play for them.’”

That’s exactly what Nazareth has been for Towne.

“I feel like Naz has helped me so much with that,” Towne said of the recruiting process. “I want to go to a school where I’m close to the coaches and my teammates, where I’m excited to go to practice, which is how Naz has been for my three years here. So focusing on who the coaches are is important.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/basketball-nazareth-sophia-towne/ 

MINNEAPOLIS — U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar said Thursday she is running for governor of Minnesota, promising to take on President Donald Trump while unifying a state that has endured a series of challenges even before the federal government’s immigration crackdown.

Klobuchar’s decision gives Democrats a high-profile candidate and proven statewide winner as their party tries to hold onto the office occupied by Gov. Tim Walz. The 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, Walz abandoned his campaign for a third term earlier this month amid criticism over mismanagement of taxpayer funding for child care programs.

“Minnesota, we’ve been through a lot,” Klobuchar said in a video announcement Thursday. “These times call for leaders who can stand up and not be rubber stamps of this administration — but who are also willing to find common ground and fix things in our state.”

Klobuchar cited Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota, federal officers killing two Minnesotans who protested, the assassination of a state legislative leader and a school shooting that killed multiple children — all within the last year. She avoided direct mention of ongoing fraud investigations into the child care programs that Trump has made a political cudgel.

“I believe we must stand up for what’s right and fix what’s wrong,” Klobuchar said.

The senator has been among the loudest Trump critics, most recently over the immigration enforcement effort that has prompted massive protests.

Multiple Republicans already are campaigning in what could become a marquee contest among 36 governorships on the ballot in November. Among those running for the GOP nomination are MyPillow founder and chief executive Mike Lindell, a 2020 election denier who is close to Trump; Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth; Dr. Scott Jensen, a former state senator who was the party’s 2022 gubernatorial candidate; and state Rep. Kristin Robbins.

Immigration and fraud will be at issue

The Minnesota contest is likely to test Trump and his fellow Republicans’ uncompromising law-and-order approach and mass deportation program against Democrats’ criticisms of his administration’s tactics.

Federal agents have detained children and adults who are U.S. citizens, entered homes without warrants and engaged protesters in violent exchanges. Minnesota resident and U.S. citizen Renee Good was shot three times and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in early January. On Saturday, federal officers fatally shot ICU nurse Alex Pretti during an encounter.

Many Democrats on Capitol Hill, in turn, have voted against spending bills that fund Trump’s Department of Homeland Security. A standoff over the funding could lead to a partial government shutdown.

Trump and other Republicans also will try to saddle Klobuchar — or any other Democrat — with questions about the ongoing federal investigation into Minnesota’s child care programs and its Somali community. Trump also has made repeated assertions of widespread fraud in state government, and his administration is conducting multiple investigations of state officials, including Walz. The Democrat has maintained that his administration has investigated, reduced and prosecuted fraud.

Klobuchar has won across Minnesota

Serving her fourth term in Washington, Klobuchar is a former local prosecutor and onetime presidential candidate who positions herself as a moderate and has demonstrated the ability to win across Minnesota.

The senator won her 2024 reelection bid by nearly 16 percentage points and received 135,000 more votes than Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, who had chosen Walz as her running mate. Harris outpaced Trump by fewer than 5 percentage points.

Klobuchar gained attention during Trump’s first term for her questioning of his judicial nominees including now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. At Kavanaugh’s acrimonious confirmation hearings, she asked the future justice, who had been accused of sexual assault as a teenager, if he ever had so much to drink that he didn’t remember what happened. Kavanaugh retorted, “Have you?”

The senator, who had talked publicly of her father’s alcoholism, continued her questioning. Kavanaugh, who was confirmed by a single vote, later apologized to Klobuchar.

After Trump’s first presidency, Klobuchar was among the most outspoken lawmakers during bipartisan congressional inquiries of the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, when Trump supporters attacked the Capitol during certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory over him in the 2020 presidential election. As Senate Rules Committee chair, she pressed Capitol Police, administration officials and others for details of what authorities knew beforehand and how rioters breached the Capitol.

“It’s our duty to have immediate responses to what happened,” she said after helping write a report focused not on Trump’s role but on better security protocols for the seat of Congress.

2020 presidential bid

Klobuchar sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, running as a moderate in the same political lane as Biden. She launched her campaign standing outside in a Minnesota snowstorm to tout her “grit” and Midwestern sensibilities that have anchored her political identity.

As a candidate, Klobuchar faced stories of disgruntled Senate staffers who described her as a difficult boss but also distinguished herself on crowded debate stages as a determined pragmatist. She outlasted several better-funded candidates and ran ahead of Biden in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. But Biden, then a former vice president, trounced her and others in the South Carolina primaries, prompting her to drop out and join others in closing ranks behind him.

After Biden’s victory, Klobuchar would have been well-positioned for a Cabinet post, perhaps even attorney general. But the Senate’s 50-50 split made it untenable for Biden to create any opening for Republicans to regain control of the chamber.

Klobuchar announced in 2021 that she had been treated for breast cancer and in 2024 announced that she was cancer-free but undergoing another round of radiation.

There are now four senators seeking to lead their home states. Klobuchar joins Colorado Democrat Michael Bennet, Tennessee Republican Marsha Blackburn and Alabama Republican Tommy Tuberville. Bennet, Blackburn and Klobuchar are not up for reelection in 2026 so could remain in the Senate should they not win their gubernatorial races. Tuberville is in the final year of his six-year term and will leave the Senate in January 2027 regardless.

Barrow reported from Atlanta. Associated Press reporter Maya Sweedler in Washington contributed.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/amy-klobuchar-minnesota-governor-tim-walz/ 

Decline Rewritten: The Changing Face Of American Shopping Malls

Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/29/2026 – 07:20

https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/decline-rewritten-changing-face-american-shopping-malls 

The Chicago Blackhawks were buzzing initially in their road game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. They were up 3-0 near the end of the second period after an Ilya Mikheyev goal that was assisted by defenseman Alex Vlasic (primary) and center Jason Dickinson (secondary).

The Hawks blew that lead in a 4-3 shootout loss, but the defensemen made an attempt to keep their team in the game, combining for six shots on goal.

It’s not like a forward’s shot production — Connor Bedard let eight shots fly and Frank Nazar had four against the Wild — but the defensemen have shown what they can do in the offensive zone this season. The Hawks would say that’s a benefit.

“I don’t think you can undermine production from anybody in the lineup,” Dickinson said. “If we can get everybody involved, everybody pulling their weight, it just makes it a little bit easier on everybody instead of always turning to the same few guys to put the puck in the net.”

Hawks defensemen have seen offensive boosts under new coach Jeff Blashill. They have more chances to handle the puck, especially when Blashill ran seven-defensemen lineups earlier in the season.

Wyatt Kaiser has already hit career highs in goals (five), assists (seven) and points. Artyom Levshunov is in the top five among NHL rookies in assists with 19.

Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy takes a shot in the first period against the Bruins on Jan. 17, 2026,at the United Center. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

“Against some good teams, playing against (opponent’s) top lines, it’s sometimes tough to get in the O-zone, it’s tough to generate, and you want to be careful with how you do it because you don’t want to be too risky or anything,” said Vlasic, who is seeing less ice time this season but has matched his shot percentage, meaning he’s shooting more. “When the opportunity presents itself, I’ve been doing a pretty good job of trying to contribute.

“A lot of it comes from shooting pucks from the point in the O-zone, low to high. Making sure that we have a big emphasis on putting everything we get to the net and creating chaos that way.”

The top pairing has been taking what it can get. Vlasic and Louis Crevier have launched nine shots on goal in the last three games. In Crevier’s first two seasons, he had 36 shots in 56 games. Through 50 games this season, he has taken 75 shots.

Crevier turns the puck into a bullet whenever he sees the green light. He’s one of four skaters to have multiple 100-mph shots this season, his fastest of 102.41 mph (Nov. 18 against the Calgary Flames) the fifth-hardest in the NHL.

It’s not an attempt you want to be in front of when it flies.

“(I) took a step from last year (offensively), so that’s the biggest thing for me,” Crevier said. “I’m not focusing on points more than getting pucks on net and trying to create opportunity because you can’t really control points and goals.

“(My shot) is something that I use a lot, but I’m not always trying to shoot my hardest. I’m trying to put pucks on net, and sometimes it creates the same amount, or more chances than my hardest shot, so (I) evaluate every situation.”

Blackhawks defenseman Louis Crevier celebrates after scoring during a shootout against the Lightning on Jan. 23, 2026, at the United Center. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

There may be a new era of defensemen that’s arriving in the NHL, such as New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer, who has had forward-like production in his first season in the league.

The 2025 No. 1 draft pick has 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) in 52 games. On Nov. 2 he became the youngest defenseman in NHL history to have a multigoal game and is one of two 18-year-old defensemen in history to reach 10 points through 12 games (Phil Housley).

Schaefer could be a rare case, but will running up the stat sheet be a necessity for future defensemen?

“I think you need some of those guys, but you need also some more defensive guys,” Crevier said. “You need those in hockey, soccer, in every sport.”

Added Vlasic: “I think a team needs a combination of everything. If you look at (the Florida Panthers) that’s won the last two years, they haven’t necessarily had that No. 1 offensive D-man. They have a lot of two-way guys, a lot of guys that know how to play defense first.”

Indeed, those traditional defensemen still exist. The Hawks faced one Tuesday in Quinn Hughes.

The former Vancouver Canucks captain shoots when he deems fit, but he wouldn’t be one of the NHL’s top blueliners if he didn’t put defense first. He logged 27:49 of ice time versus the Hawks with one shot on goal and an assist.

“Quinn Hughes is a smaller guy, but defensively he’s so good with his stick and his feet,” Vlasic said. “(He’s) able to strip guys from pucks then transition and kind of catch the other team off guard.”

Whatever the role of a future defenseman is, Hawks blueliners will try to stay consistent with their game and be the best version of themselves.

“There’s a lot of things (that make elite defensemen),” Crevier said. “When your teammates have confidence in you, I think that’s something that means a lot for defensemen.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/chicago-blackhawks-defensemen-offensive-roles/ 

NORMAN, Okla. — Decades ago, Roger Denny’s mother considered it inevitable that her gifted son someday would become an athletic director at a major college program.

Back in 2005, the man who eventually would take over at Oklahoma was a first-year law student at Saint Louis University attending the Final Four. Denny grew up in North Carolina and was a Tar Heels fan, so he took advantage of the national title game between Illinois and North Carolina being in town.

As Denny tells it, the family walked into the Edward Jones Dome and encountered then-North Carolina athletic director Dick Baddour.

His mom, Debi, seized the moment.

“My mom, God bless her, told Dick Baddour in that moment that I was going to have his job some day,” Denny said.

It didn’t happen exactly as mom predicted, but she was right about one thing for certain — her son was going places. With Debi in the crowd, Denny was announced Wednesday as Oklahoma’s 12th athletic director.

Denny, 43, spent 15 years as a practicing corporate attorney with a focus on executive compensation, tax, corporate finance and licensing. Even as his success grew, he kept athletics in the back of his mind.

“I spent 15 years training for this job without knowing I was training for it,” he said. “I loved the practice of law. I love my partners, loved what I was doing, but … I never felt the fulfillment or satisfaction. No matter how many boxes I checked or what I accomplished, I just always knew college sports was where I wanted to be.”

Denny spent the past 4½ years in the Illinois athletic department. As deputy athletic director, he was in charge of business operations for the athletic department and the administrator for the football program.

Oklahoma special adviser Randall Stephenson said Denny’s path made him a perfect fit for the job description.

“As you step back and look at that, you see this is a very different kind of individual that we’re looking for to come in and fill this role,” Stephenson said. “We said we probably need to take a very different approach on how we go about finding this individual.”

As the college sports landscape changed, his skill set began to match up with his mother’s vision. Now, Denny is taking over one of the nation’s elite athletic programs. The Sooners won 26 national championships under Joe Castiglione, whose tenure began in 1998.

Denny likes the challenge of trying to maintain that success in a new environment as he works with Oklahoma President Joseph Harroz Jr.

“When you hear the university president use the word dynasty, that’s when you get really excited, and that’s what we’re here for,” he said.

Now that he has found his dream job in a roundabout way, Denny feels he can find that fulfillment at an ideal place.

“I’ve been asked a few times, ‘Why Oklahoma?’ ” he said. “To me, that’s the easiest question I’ll get all day. It’s Oklahoma. … there’s only one of these.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/roger-denny-illinois-oklahoma-athletic-director/ 

Bill Belichick’s reported snub from the Pro Football Hall of Fame after winning a record six Super Bowl titles as a head coach has placed new scrutiny on the process of picking pro football Hall of Famers.

While the reasons Belichick didn’t get into the Hall in his first year of eligibility are unknown, there are some possible explanations why at least 11 of the 50 voters didn’t vote for one of the sport’s most accomplished coaches.

Belichick’s role in the “Spygate” scandal in 2007 could have had a similar impact on his candidacy that steroids have had in the baseball Hall of Fame at keeping stars such as Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens out of Cooperstown.

Column: As outrage over Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame snub continues, the plot thickens

The rule changes the Hall put in place last year also could have played a part, including possible frustration from some voters about the decision to eliminate the five-year waiting period for coaches that made Belichick eligible for the ballot after sitting out only one season as an NFL coach.

The changes also made it more difficult for anyone — Belichick included — to get into the Hall as evidenced by only four people getting voted in last year for the smallest class in 20 years. Coaches now are competing directly with players in the seniors category instead of being judged on their own.

Here’s a look at how the new rules have affected the voting.

How do coaches become finalists?

Along with eliminating the five-year waiting period, coaches also were separated from contributors in terms of becoming finalists. A blue-ribbon committee whittles the coaches down to one finalist, with Belichick getting the nod this year. The one coach was grouped with one contributor, which was Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and three seniors players who haven’t played in the last 25 seasons. Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood are the finalists this year.

What about the modern-era players?

The biggest group of finalists comes from the modern-era category, with 15 players picked after a process of cutting down nominees started with a screening committee that picks 50 nominees. The full 50-person selection committee cuts that down to 25 semifinalists and then 15 finalists, with any player who made it to the final seven and didn’t get in last year guaranteed a spot in the final 15.

Who are the voters?

The selection committee consists of 50 voters, with 32 picked as media representatives of each team and the rest at-large voters, including some Hall of Famers such as Bill Polian, Tony Dungy, Dan Fouts and James Lofton. All the voters got on a videoconference earlier this month, with one voter making a presentation and others then allowed to offer their opinions in a debate. The vote is conducted by secret ballot, with the results announced Feb. 5 at NFL Honors in San Francisco.

How does someone get in?

The threshold to get into the Hall is 80% — 40 of the 50 voters — but it’s not as simple as an up-or-down vote.

Before the rule changes last year, five modern-era finalists were picked to have an up-or-down vote, as well as the senior finalists and any coach or contributor who made it to the final stage. That typically led to five modern-era players getting in with most — but not all — of the seniors, coaches and contributors also getting in.

Now, it’s much more difficult.

The voters will cut down the list of modern-era candidates from 15 to 10 and then seven. A final vote will be held for those seven, with each voter allowed to vote for only five players. If some candidates such as Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald get wide support, that would leave fewer available votes for any other potential candidates in the final seven to get to 80%. That led to only three modern-era players — Eric Allen, Jared Allen and Antonio Gates — getting in last year.

It’s a similar process for the seniors, coaches and contributors. Voters can vote for only three of the final finalists, with the top vote-getter and anyone else who gets 80% support getting into the Hall. Sterling Sharpe was the only person to reach that threshold last year from the group of finalists, while players Maxie Baughan and Jim Tyrer, coach Mike Holmgren and contributor Ralph Hay fell short.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/selection-process-football-hall-of-fame/