Vikings: Off Duty Guns, Bird Glass and Adrian

Judge: Off-duty police may carry guns at Vikings games

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A judge has ruled that off-duty police officers may carry handguns at Minnesota Vikings games at TCF Bank Stadium.

The Minneapolis police union and the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association sued last year after the NFL banned guns for all but working officers and security personnel.

In August, Hennepin County Judge Ivy Bernhardson determined state law requires the NFL to allow officers to carry handguns. That law restricts the ability of private establishments to limit the carrying of firearms by off-duty officers.

On Friday, the judge found the Legislature had intended the law apply to the university, the NFL and the Vikings.

Lt. John Delmonico, head of the police union, says he's happy with the decision.

A university spokesman tells the Star Tribune the school is reviewing the decision.

NFL asks court to toss NFLPA's lawsuit for Peterson

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The NFL has asked a federal court to reject the petition by the NFL Players Association on behalf of Adrian Peterson to have the star running back's suspension overturned.

Attorneys for the league, in filings Friday, wrote that U.S. labor law should prevent the court from handling a dispute already ruled on by the arbitrator for Peterson's appeal.

The NFL argued that the NFLPA's petition, filed on December 15th, amounted to "nothing more than a transparent effort to re-litigate all of the issues" decided on by arbitrator Harold Henderson.

The hearing is scheduled for February 6th in front of U.S. District Judge David Doty.

The league suspended Peterson through at least April 15th for the child-abuse case he was involved in.

Officials: Vikings stadium bird-safe glass could cost $60M

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Officials say adding bird-safe glass to the new Minnesota Vikings stadium could add as much as $60 million in extra costs.

Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority Chairwoman Michele Kelm-Helgen says adding the special glass also could delay construction by six months.

Kelm-Helgen gave the estimate Friday in response to complaints that the clear glass planned for the stadium would pose a threat to birds.

She said Viracon, the stadium's Owatonna-based glass maker, has said substituting etched glass would take as much as 23 extra weeks, possibly keeping the Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium for an additional season.

The stadium authority plans to test film coatings produced by 3M that might make the glass safer for birds. The University of Minnesota will help monitor the tests.