The NHL and players union officials were on break from negotiations Saturday, but took a lunch break together anyway. The informal session in New York came as talks broke off Friday after four-straight days at the bargaining table.

American Crystal Sugar Co. officials say the company's chief executive officer will not be attending a proposed meeting with locked-out union workers, the Associated Press reports. The union has invited Crystal Sugar CEO Dave Berg to an Aug. 16 gathering that union negotiator Steven Bertelli described as an "informative, constructive discussion that could contribute to productive negotiations."

The parents of former Minnesota Wild player Derek Boogaard are suing the NHL Player's Association for $9.8 million after the union failed to help them claim the remainder of Boogaard's multi-million dollar contract, TMZ reports.

A group of child care providers opposed to an effort to unionize the business are suing. They claim Gov. Dayton overstepped his authority in signing an executive order authorizing child-care workers to vote on whether to form a union.

Top negotiators for the NBA and players' association will meet tonight in a last-minute effort to avoid canceled regular-season games. Commissioner David Stern has set Monday as the deadline for a new labor deal.

An increased state subsidy and help with health care premiums are two key issues a unionized day care workforce would push for. MPR touched in with other states that have union child care workers and finds no solid consistency in their structure or operation.

Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson is suing a consulting firm for losing a laptop computer filled with private health information for thousands of residents. The suit accuses Accretive Health of violating privacy, consumer protections and debt-collection laws.

Melissa Lynn Hill says she has a First Amendment right to write and anti-war statement on the Minneapolis federal building sidewalk with impermanent chalk. She's suing police, Governor Mark Dayton, and the state attorney general for what her attorneys call a 'classic example of overreach by government.'