8 injured when semi crashes into school van in western Minnesota

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers Top stories - 8 injured when semi crashes into school van in western Minnesota: Seven children and one adult were injured when [a semitrailer truck broadsided a school van]( near Benson, Minn., on Monday afternoon, authorities said. The driver of the van failed to yield at a rural intersection, the big rig's driver said Tuesday. - IT leader for Minnesota's vehicle licensing system fired: Minnesota’s multimillion-dollar computer system for vehicle licensing took another hit when a state official crucial to its development was fired, but [he went out with a scathing rebuke of the system.]( - Minneapolis cracks down on employers that violate sick tie ordinance: The city of Minneapolis has [cited more than 60 employers since July]( for failing to abide by a new ordinance that guarantees workers an allotment of sick days without retribution from management. - Pawlenty fundraising in Florida for governor bid: "A fundraising invitation obtained Monday by MPR News contains a "Pawlenty for Governor" committee disclaimer. It advertises a Naples, Fla., fundraiser next week that seeks up to the maximum donation of $4,000 per person," [MPR reports.]( - Trump fires Tillerson with a tweet: President Donald Trump [fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson]( on Tuesday and said he would nominate CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace him, ending Tillerson's difficult tenure by tweeting an ouster that had been long expected and yet was shocking in its abruptness. The State Department said Tillerson only learned of his termination when he read Trump's tweet on Tuesday morning. The president said he was nominating the CIA's deputy director, Gina Haspel, to take over for Pompeo at the intelligence agency. If confirmed, Haspel would be the CIA's first female director. Haspel, who ran a CIA "black site" prison in Thailand during the George W. Bush administration, [is facing criticism for her record]( on human rights and torture. John McEntee, who has served as the president's personal assistant since Trump won the presidency, was [forced out of his position and escorted from the White House]( on Monday after his security clearance was revoked, officials with knowledge of the incident said. CNN reports [McEntee is under investigation]( for "serious financial crimes." - House Republicans close the books on Russia investigation: After a yearlong investigation into Russian meddling, Texas Rep. Mike Conaway announced Monday that the committee has finished interviewing witnesses and that Republicans have already completed [a draft report saying there is no evidence of collusion](. The finding enraged Democrats who say Republicans are protecting the president by cutting the probe short. - Minnesota woman awaits sentencing for killing of boyfriend in YouTube stunt: A 20-year-old woman is expected to be told she can never touch a firearm again Wednesday in her sentencing for [fatally shooting the father of her two children]( during a YouTube stunt gone awry that they video-recorded outside their northwestern Minnesota home. - Pennsylvania special election may offer preview of November: Today's special congressional election in Pennsylvania wasn't pegged as a close race when Republican Tim Murphy resigned last fall amid a sex scandal. Now, [Republicans are scrambling to hold onto the seat]( in a district President Trump dominated in 2016. - Rochester man shot dead near his home in possible robbery: Three men, ages 23 to 25 and all from Rochester, [were arrested in connection with the killing]( Monday night. - More challenges surface for Southwest light-rail project: Before the Metropolitan Council applies for a critical federal grant to pay half of Southwest’s construction costs, [it needs to reach agreements with three railroads]( that operate along part of the 14.5-mile LRT route between downtown Minneapolis and Eden Prairie.  Watch this Why using a PVC pipe to pole-vault over a creek isn't a great idea: This guy (barely) managed to make it across once, [but coming back was another story.](  Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](.  Trending - Pink gets the party started at Xcel: [Last night's sold-out concert in St. Paul]( was all about entertaining — from her mashup of her own “Funhouse” (about remembering when a failing relationship was a good time) and No Doubt’s “Just a Girl” to a roaring cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” to Pink’s own fist-pumping anthem for freaks and underdogs (her words), “Raise Your Glass.” - Joy Behar apologizes for Christianity comment: The co-host of "The View" is [apologizing for comments she made]( equating people's claims that Jesus Christ talks to them to mental illness. - Josh Groban, Idina Menzel coming to St. Paul: He doesn’t have a new album yet but Josh Groban is itching to tour. So the operatic pop star has announced shows for the fall, including [a Nov. 2 concert at Xcel Energy Center]( in St. Paul. Opening will be Minnesota’s favorite Super Bowl singer Idina Menzel.  Sports roundup - Kirk Cousins is visiting Minnesota this week: [Cousins' first free agent visit]( will be with the Vikings. It's quite possible the visit will end with a contract making him the NFL's highest-paid quarterback. - Lance Lynn says Twins "seemed like a perfect fit": When the 30-year-old right-hander was unable to land the multiyear bonanza he hoped for, he contacted the Twins to [finalize a one-year, $12 million contract]( that deepens their rotation, puts him in line for a postseason run and allows him re-enter the market after the season. - Case Keenum to sign with Broncos: According to an NFL source, Case Keenum will sign with the Denver Broncos when free agency begins on Wednesday, in a move that both [takes away one of the Vikings’ potential competitors]( for Kirk Cousins and ends whatever chance they had of going back to Keenum if Cousins opted to sign with another team.  Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](.  Quote of the day “It’s a disservice to the people of Minnesota to give the impression that by putting a head on a spike, the problem will be solved. ” -- [Paul Meekin](, former chief business technology officer for the Department of Public Safety, on the state's troubled vehicle licensing system.  Worth a click National Geographic reckons with past racism: The magazine commissioned a historian to [examine how it covered people of color]( in the America and around the world over its 130-year history and found that "until the 1970s National Geographic all but ignored people of color who lived in the United States ... meanwhile it pictured 'natives' elsewhere as exotics, famously and frequently unclothed, happy hunters, noble savages — every type of cliché."  From the archives March 13, 1990: Gerald Wright bottle-feeds a three-day-old lamb at his farm in Cottage Grove. (Photo: Rick Sennott/Star Tribune) Connect with Star Tribune [facebook]( [twitter]( [google+]( [pinterest]( [instagram]( [tumblr]( [Manage email preferences]( • [Subscribe to Star Tribune]( • [Privacy Policy]( • [Unsubscribe]( This email was sent by: StarTribune, 650 3rd Ave S, Suite #1300, Minneapolis, MN, 55488 © 2018 StarTribune. All rights reserved. We value your opinion! [Give us your feedback.](