Session implodes as Minnesota legislature turns into pumpkin

To view this email as a web page, [click here] [Star Tribune] Talkers Top stories - Session implodes as Minnesota legislature turns into pumpkin: [The Minnesota legislative session collapsed at midnight Sunday] after House and Senate leaders deadlocked on a scaled-down transportation proposal and a multimillion-dollar public works package. Gov. Mark Dayton says [it's a tragedy that state lawmakers have adjourned] without approving a package of public works and transportation projects. Don't miss Patrick Coolican's analysis of [the winners, losers, finger-pointing and likely fallout]. Here's [a great gallery of photos of frustrated-looking politicians] in the hours leading up to the midnight deadline. - Baltimore cop acquitted of all charges in Freddie Gray case: [Edward Nero was acquitted Monday of assault and other charges] in the arrest of Freddie Gray, dealing prosecutors a significant blow in their attempt to hold police accountable for the young black man's death from injuries he suffered in the back of a police van. - Hundreds of sex abuse claims filed under Minnesota law: More than 850 child sex abuse claims, including about 500 against Minnesota Catholic clergy, have been made in the past three years [under a landmark Minnesota law sunsetting this week] that allowed victims of older abuse cases to have their day in court. - Late-night gunfire wounds 2 in downtown Minneapolis: Police said [the shooting occurred shortly after 3 a.m.] in the 100 block of 4th Street N., an area with a heavy concentration of nightspots. - Delta hiring 40 to help TSA speed up lines at MSP: [Delta Air Lines will hire 40 people this summer] to help federal agents get passengers through security faster at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, a company executive said Monday. - Fire deaths in Minnesota jumped 30 percent last year: [Minnesota recorded its highest number of fatal fires in 14 years], with 57 deaths in 2015, according to figures released Monday by the department of public safety’s State Fire Marshall’s office. - Supreme Court throws out death sentence from all-white jury: The Supreme Court [ruled decisively in favor of a black death-row inmate] in Georgia on Monday, chastising state prosecutors for improperly keeping African-Americans off the jury that convicted him of killing a white woman. - Obama lifts decades-old Vietnam arms embargo: President Obama on Monday [lifted a half-century-old ban on selling arms to Vietnam], looking to bolster a government seen as a crucial, though flawed partner in a region that he has tried to place at the center of his foreign policy legacy. During a visit to Hanoi, [Obama had dinner with chef-turned-TV host Anthony Bourdain] last night at a Hanoi restaurant. The meal cost $6, and will be featured on an episode of CNN's "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown" that will air in September, the Washington Post reports. - 1,000-acre BWCA fire is 30 percent contained amid high winds: Firefighters in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area [managed to hold back the 1,000-acre fire] despite strong winds over the weekend, according to an update released Monday by the Foss Lake Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service. - North St. Paul teen dies on prom night: After attending her prom, a North St. Paul high school senior [was found unresponsive and later died at a hospital] Saturday night, the school district confirmed Sunday. - Most Twin Cities drivers involved in crashes that kill pedestrians don't face charges: The majority of drivers who killed pedestrians between 2010 and 2014 were not charged, [according to Star Tribune analysis of metro area crash data]. Those who were charged often faced misdemeanors — from speeding to careless driving — with minimal penalties, unless the driver knowingly fled or was intoxicated at the time of the crash. In St. Paul this morning, a woman who got a wave from one motorist to go ahead and cross a street [was hit and critically injured by a driver in another vehicle], police said. - "Text and drive" billboard delivers a dark, clever message on distracted driving: A digital billboard put up last week along a busy freeway in downtown Toronto blatantly encouraging motorists to “Text and Drive” [generated a lot of buzz and even outrage] that the advertisement was sponsored by a funeral home. Watch this College runner finishes 400M hurdles race with ruptured Achilles tendon: [This video of Idaho State's Shelly Erdahl finishing her race] despite being severely injured is both inspiring and agonizing to watch. Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com]. Trending - Going to the Beyoncé concert tonight? Bring rain gear. [Current weather forecasts call for a 70-75 percent chance of rain and possible thunderstorms] from 5-10 p.m. today. Beyoncé is expected on stage right in the middle of that deluge at about 8 p.m., after a 7 p.m. warm-up set by DJ Khaled. Gates are due to open at 5:30 p.m. [Take this Beyoncé quiz] to find out if you belong in the Beyhive. - Madonna's tribute to Prince at Billboard awards disappoints: Although she may not have been everyone’s first choice, it made a certain amount of sense to have Madonna perform a tribute to Prince on Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards. [But her performance said more about her strengths and weaknesses] than it did about Prince’s prowess or legacy, writes Jon Bream. - Lions killed to save suicidal man taunting them at Chilean zoo: "A man who climbed into a lion enclosure, stripped naked and taunted them into attacking him was shot with a tranquiliser dart by zookeepers trying to save him from a near-fatal mauling," [the Guardian reports.] - Il Foro closes unexpectedly: After less than a year, Il Foro, the Italian remake of the landmark Forum Cafeteria space in downtown Minneapolis, [served its last meal on Saturday night.] Sports roundup - Wild to replace assistant coaches: Longtime Wild assistants Rick Wilson and Darryl Sydor [have been informed they won’t be returning to the bench], multiple sources have said. Both coaches have contracts that expire June 30. It’s unclear as of now if they could potentially stay with the organization in other roles. - What's going on with Twins pitchers Perkins and Hughes? The friendship between Glen Perkins and Phil Hughes seemed a charming story, until it wasn’t. [Now their fragility is a pivotal problem for a besieged franchise.] Twins television announcer [Dick Bremer says he was "confronted" by a Twins player] recently over critical remarks about the team's dismal performance. - Pirates' Ryan Vogelsong hit in the face with pitch: The Pirates' starting pitcher was removed from today's game against the Rockies after being hit in the face with a pitch in the second inning, [CBS Sports reports.] - Dan Gladden says miracle triple play shouldn't have counted: The most bizarre triple play in the 55-year history of the Minnesota Twins should have never counted, the fielder most responsible for making it happen revealed in [a long-after-the-act public confession made to thousands of baseball fans.] Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here]. Quote of the day “It's a helluva way to run a railroad, folks.” -- [Rep. Tim Mahoney], DFL-St. Paul, on the expiration of the legislative session without agreements on a number of important issue. Worth a click Which rock star will future historians remember? Starting with the premise that at some point in the future rock n' roll will be largely forgotten, the New York Times Magazine's Chuck Klosterman [ponders which artists are likely to be remembered] as representatives of the 20th century's most important musical form. Trivia winner Congratulations to Greta Wedell! Greta was chosen randomly from among the many, many readers who correctly answered that Mankato was the Minnesota city that appeared on a recent ranking of America's drunkest cities. She wins an official Star Tribune journal and pen set. Be sure to check back Friday for another trivia question! From the archives May 23, 1969: A rainbow trout leaps out of the water as it swims upstream en route to its birthplace to spawn. Unlike salmon, rainbow trout don't die after spawning and can repeat this process multiple times during their lives. (Photo: Star Tribune) Connect with Star Tribune [facebook] [twitter] [google+] [pinterest] [instagram] [tumblr] [Sign up for more newsletters] • [Subscribe to Star Tribune] • [Privacy Policy] • [Unsubscribe] This email was sent by: StarTribune, 650 3rd Ave S, Suite #1300, Minneapolis, MN, 55488 © 2015 StarTribune. All rights reserved. We value your opinion! [Give us your feedback.]