Wayne Christian Rustad, 80, of Austin, Minnesota passed away Thursday, December 26, 2024 at the Cedars of Austin with family at his side. Wayne was born on January 11, 1944 in Rushford, Minnesota to Clifford & Dora (Torgerson) Rustad. He grew up on farms in the Rushford area, and was baptized and confirmed at Highland Prairie Lutheran Church. He graduated from Rushford High School in 1962 and from Winona State College in 1965 with a degree in elementary education. Later he earned a master’s degree. He taught for two years in Preston, Minnesota before moving to Austin where he continued to teach until his retirement in 2000. In 1969 he met a fellow teacher, Geraldine (Gerry) Carlstrom, and they were married in 1970 in Red Wing, Minnesota. Through the years Wayne was active in church activities and with Hot Meals on Wheels where he served as president and driver coordinator in addition to delivering meals. Wayne also worked as a crop hail adjuster for Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance of Iowa for many summers. He especially loved golfing, and enjoyed canoeing in the Boundary Waters, deer hunting, listening to music, and reading books by his favorite authors. He faithfully read the Star Tribune newspaper every day. He took up coin collecting as a hobby after he retired. His lifetime achievement was getting two holes in one playing golf with friends. He loved to tell stories, was proud of his Rushford roots, and loved his family. Once Gerry retired in 2003, they began spending parts of every winter in Apache Junction, Arizona where his favorite activities were golfing, hiking, and playing games and going out to eat with friends. Wayne is survived by his wife of 54 years, Gerry; daughter, Laura (Chad) Sayles; two granddaughters, Natalie (Nick) Baier and Emily (Trent) Brown; two great grandchildren, Bennett and Chloe Baier. Also surviving are two brothers, Dale Rustad and Rick (Shirley) Rustad; brother-in-law, Charles Ruen; and many nieces and nephews. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford and Dora; his sister, Gloria Ruen; daughter, Susan Beth, who died at 15 months of age; and two sisters-in-law, Becky Rustad and Lesy Rustad. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, January 2, 2025 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Austin, with the Reverend Dr. Kristen Venne officiating. Visitation will be held at 9:30 am Thursday until the time of the service. Interment will be at Oakwood Cemetery, Austin. In lieu of flowers, memorials in his honor may be sent to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Austin; Hot Meals on Wheels, Austin; or donor’s choice. Clasen-Jordan Mortuary is assisting the family with arrangements.Russian state news agencies say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad is in Moscow and given asylumReal Madrid back to winning ways with 3-2 victory at Atalanta
Flag football uses talent camps to uncover new stars
Unlike scores of people who scrambled for the blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight in recent years, Danielle Griffin had no trouble getting them. The 38-year-old information technology worker from New Mexico had a prescription. Her pharmacy had the drugs in stock. And her health insurance covered all but $25 to $50 of the monthly cost. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Thiago Messi, the eldest son of the Argentina star, has made his debut in the “Newell’s Cup” tournament in the countryside city of Rosario. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Thiago Messi, the eldest son of the Argentina star, has made his debut in the “Newell’s Cup” tournament in the countryside city of Rosario. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Thiago Messi, the eldest son of the Argentina star, has made his debut in the “Newell’s Cup” tournament in the countryside city of Rosario. The 12-year-old Messi played with the No. 10 jersey of an Inter Miami youth team, which lost 1-0 on Monday to host Newell’s Old Boys in the traditional under-13 competition. The team also played Tuesday. Lionel Messi took his first steps as a footballer in the Argentinian club in Rosario, 300 kilometers (186 miles) northwest of capital Buenos Aires. Thiago’s mother, Antonela Roccuzzo, and several members of his family, including grandparents Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini, were in the stands to watch him play. Lionel Messi did not attend. Thiago, who was substituted in the second half, played with his friend Benjamín Suárez, son of Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez, Messi’s teammate and close friend at Barcelona and now at Inter Miami. Messi and Suárez are in Rosario after Inter Miami’s early elimination in the MLS playoffs. On Sunday, they watched a friendly game of Inter Miami’s U13 team against Unión at the same sports complex. The youth tournament in Argentina brings together eight teams from North and South America. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Advertisement
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SANGHAR - Under the banner of “Service to Humanity is Service to God,” a mass wedding ceremony was organized by Adeero Lal Welfare Tando Adam, where 250 couples from different religions were wed in a grand event. Speaking to the media, the organization’s chairman, Baba Raj Kumar, emphasized that serving the underprivileged brings true inner peace and that acts of kindness are the real legacy one leaves behind. The ceremony included 100 Muslim, 50 Christian, and 100 Hindu couples, who were married according to their respective religious traditions. Each couple received dowry items worth up to Rs. 100,000, including religious texts such as the Quran and Gita, 12 outfits for the bride and groom, a sewing machine, gold earrings, household appliances like a fan and cooler, bedding, dinner sets, watches, shoes, and cash. Additionally, a meal was provided for 25 guests accompanying each couple. Baba Raj Kumar credited the success of this initiative to the support of philanthropists and the tireless efforts of the welfare organization’s members. He highlighted that this tradition of helping the needy through mass weddings has been ongoing for the past 12 years. The event was attended by prominent social and political figures, including Taluka Chairman Ghulam Murtaza Junejo, Rajesh Kumar Hardasani, Haji Zeeshan Sheikh, Mirza Ashfaq Baig, Sons of Tando Adam founder Ejaz Sheikh, Ashiq Hussain Saand, and Dr. Ashok Kumar, alongside a large number of citizens. The ceremony concluded with the presentation of commemorative shields to individuals and members from various walks of life in recognition of their contributions. Nisar Khuhro calls on federal govt to withdraw from controversial canal project Tags: mass wedding ceremonyEmily Andre shares photo of rarely seen son on his birthday as Peter left stranded abroad
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Well, this may be just for you: USA Football is holding talent identification camps all over the country to find that next flag football star. It's "America's Got Talent" meets "American Idol," with the stage being the field and the grand prize a chance to compete for a spot on a national team. Because it's never too early to start planning for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where flag football will make its Summer Games debut. Know this, though — it's not an easy team to make. The men's and women's national team rosters are at "Dream Team" status given the men's side has captured six of the last seven world championships and the women three in a row. To remain on top, the sport's national governing body is scouring every football field, park, track, basketball court and gym to find hidden talent to cultivate. USA Football has organized camps and tryouts from coast to coast for anyone ages 11 to 23. There are more than a dozen sites set up so far, ranging from Dallas (Sunday) to Chicago (Dec. 14) to Tampa (March 29) to Los Angeles (TBD) and the Boston area (April 27), where it will be held at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The organization has already partnered with the NFL on flag football initiatives and programs. The numbers have been through the roof, with engagement on social media platforms increasing by 86% since flag football was announced as an Olympic invitational sport in October 2023. The participation of boys and girls ages 6 to 17 in flag football last year peaked at more than 1.6 million, according to USA Football research. "We pride ourselves on elevating the gold standard across the sport," said Eric Mayes, the managing director of the high performance and national teams for USA Football. "We want to be the best in the world — and stay the best in the world." Flag football was one of five new sports added to the LA28 program. The already soaring profile of American football only figures to be enhanced by an Olympic appearance. Imagine, say, a few familiar faces take the field, too. Perhaps even NFL stars such as Tyreek Hill or Patrick Mahomes, maybe even past pro football greats donning a flag belt for a country to which they may have ties. Soon after flag football's inclusion, there was chatter of NFL players possibly joining in on the fun. Of course, there are logistical issues to tackle before their inclusion at the LA Olympics, which open July 14, 2028. Among them, training camp, because the Olympics will be right in the middle of it. The big question is this: Will owners permit high-priced players to duck out for a gold-medal pursuit? No decisions have yet been made on the status of NFL players for the Olympics. For now, it's simply about growing the game. There are currently 13 states that sanction girls flag football as a high school varsity sport. Just recently, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles helped pave the way to get it adopted in Pennsylvania. Around the world, it's catching on, too. The women's team from Japan took third at the recent word championships, while one of the best players on the planet is Mexico quarterback Diana Flores. "Could flag football globally become the new soccer? That's something to aspire to," said Stephanie Kwok, the NFL's vice president of flag football. This type of flag football though, isn't your Thanksgiving Day game with family and friends. There's a learning curve. And given the small roster sizes, versatility is essential. Most national team members need to be a version of Colorado's two-way standout and Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter. Forget bump-and-run coverage, too, because there's no contact. None. That took some adjusting for Mike Daniels, a defensive back out of West Virginia who earned a rookie minicamp invitation with the Cleveland Browns in 2017. "If a receiver is running around, I'm thinking, 'OK, I can kind of bump him here and there and nudge him,'" Daniels explained. "They're like, 'No, you can't.' I'm just like, 'So I'm supposed to let this guy just run?!' I really rebelled at the idea at first. But you learn." The competition for an Olympic roster spot is going to be fierce because only 10 players are expected to make a squad. The best 10 will earn it, too, as credentials such as college All-American or NFL All-Pro take a backseat. "I would actually love" seeing NFL players try out, said Daniels, who's also a personal trainer in Miami. "I'm not going to let you just waltz in here, thinking, 'I played NFL football for five years. I'm popular. I have a huge name.' I'm still better than you and I'm going to prove it — until you prove otherwise." Around the house, Bruce Mapp constantly swivels his hips when turning a hallway corner or if his daughter tries to reach for a hug. It's his way of working on avoiding a "defender" trying to snare the flag. That approach has earned the receiver out of Coastal Carolina four gold medals with USA Football. The 31-year-old fully plans on going for more gold in Los Angeles. "You grow up watching Usain Bolt (win gold) and the 'Redeem Team' led by Kobe Bryant win a gold medal, you're always thinking, 'That's insane.' Obviously, you couldn't do it in your sport, because I played football," said Mapp, who owns a food truck in the Dallas area. "With the Olympics approaching, that (gold medal) is what my mind is set on." It's a common thought, which is why everything — including talent camps — starts now. "Everybody thinks, 'Yeah, the U.S. just wins,'" Daniels said. "But we work hard all the time. We don't just walk in. We don't just get off the bus thinking, 'We're going to beat people.'"
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