Former aide says Lori Swanson politicized Minnesota attorney general's office

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers Top stories - Former aide says Lori Swanson politicized Minnesota attorney general's office: D’Andre Norman said in an interview Thursday night that Swanson hired him following her election as attorney general in 2006 to a job in the consumer services division. But he said his real job was political handler, alleging that [Swanson tasked him with recruiting lawyers and other staff to participate in political activities]( during the workday. Norman’s allegations were first published in the online news outlet The Intercept, and they corroborate an earlier report from the publication in which numerous anonymous sources said they felt pressured to do political work for Swanson — and that employees who did so were rewarded for it. - Xcel tax cut will mean refunds for customers: Xcel Energy’s $136 million windfall from last year’s federal tax act will be [passed directly to its Minnesota customers through refunds](, state utility regulators ruled Thursday. Customers of Minnesota’s other investor-owned utilities will also receive refunds — or smaller rate increases — due to the 2017 tax law, which slashed the U.S. corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent. - Cyberattackers access e-mail accounts of Hennepin County employees: Cyberattackers have infiltrated e-mail accounts for about 20 Hennepin County employees since late June, and [may have accessed the private information of people]( who rely on the county's services, county officials revealed Thursday. - First lady's parents naturalized under immigration policy Trump wants to end: First Lady Melania Trump's parents were sworn in as U.S. citizens on Thursday, completing a legal path to citizenship that [their son-in-law has referred to as "chain migration"]( and suggested eliminating. [NFL players demonstrated during the national anthem]( at several preseason games Thursday night, protests that again drew criticism from the president. A new memoir by former White House adviser Omarosa Manigualt Newman [alleges Trump repeatedly used the N-word]( while he was the host of the reality television show “Celebrity Apprentice” and there are tapes that can confirm it. - Federal judge halts deportation, threatens Sessions with contempt: U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan of Washington learned in court that [the two plaintiffs in a lawsuit before him were being removed from the United States]( and confirmed later that they were on a plane headed to Central America. He said any delay in bringing them back would be intolerable. If they fail to comply, the judge said, Sessions, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and other senior Homeland Security officials would have to convince him not to hold them in contempt of court. - Governor candidates offer competing education plans: While some candidates said they would continue DFL Gov. Mark Dayton’s goal of expanding early childhood education on the road to universal prekindergarten, others said it’s time for [a new approach to reduce the achievement gap.]( - Mayo Clinic names 30-year veteran as new CEO: Dr. Gianrico Farrugia, who has run the health system's hospital in Jacksonville, Fla., [will replace retiring chief executive Dr. John Noseworthy.]( - First Amendment group calls for Minneapolis to halt leak investigation: An open-government advocacy group is [calling on Minneapolis officials to end an investigation into a leaked draft report]( that said police urged paramedics to sedate people with the powerful tranquilizer ketamine. Members of the Committee to Defend the First Amendment gathered Thursday outside City Hall and called for an immediate end to the investigation by an outside firm. - I-35W and light-rail shut downs among weekend travel disruptions: For the third straight weekend, [Interstate 35W will be closed in Minneapolis](, but this time around it’s only between NE. 4th Street and County Road C in Roseville. Transit riders will find portions of the Blue and Green light-rail lines out of service from 12:15 a.m. Saturday until 3:30 a.m. Monday.  Watch this Cows help police catch an alleged car thief: After the suspects crashed and fled from a stolen car near a pasture in Sanford, Fla., the resident cows gave chase and herded them right back toward the police, as the Seminole County Sheriff's Office [captured the whole thing on video]( from the air.  Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](.  Trending - Minneapolis' Parkway Theater to reopen this fall with new look, lineup: One of Minneapolis’ coolest little neighborhood theaters [is about to get a lot cooler.]( - Drake postpones his Xcel Energy Center concert, again: [Drake just can’t seem to get his act together.]( Literally. The Toronto rap star has once again postponed his Xcel Energy Center concert that was rescheduled for this Sunday, following his initial postponement of the show a week and a half earlier. There is no makeup date given this time around, however. - Minneapolis' McKinney Roe wins again with over-the-top butter burger: Not just any butter, but a compound butter, enriched with chives, parsley and tarragon. There are three separate ways that chefs Scott Pampuch and Niki Heber insert that colorful butter into this burger equation. [So much butter.](  Sports roundup - Rhodes, Diggs bury the hatchet, return to practice: A day after they were barred from practice Wednesday afternoon for their spat that began Tuesday and continued into the following morning’s walk-through, wide receiver Stefon Diggs and cornerback Xavier Rhodes returned to the practice field Thursday afternoon, [saying the feud was behind them]( and chalking it up to a byproduct of good-natured competition. - Twins closer Fernando Rodney traded to Oakland: In return, [the Twins received a hard-throwing minor-league pitcher]( who pitched only twice this season before suffering a season-ending injury. They also put Adalberto Mejia on the disabled list. - The power of time is unmistakable on the Superior Trail: Awe can be defined as the sense of wonder we feel when we're in the midst of something vast and impressive. Deep in a thru-hike, transcendent moments keep coming, writes Melanie Radzicki McManus in [the latest installment of her series chronicling a 310-mile trek]( along the Superior Trail.  Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](.  Quote of the day “Brothers argue. Brothers fight. We go at it, but at the end of the day, we still love each other.” -- [Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs](, on his feud with his teammate, cornerback Xavier Rhodes.  Worth a click Let's all laugh at this Chicago restaurant chain that tried to stop Hawaiian businesses from using the word "Aloha": "On July 28th, a Hawaiian activist named Kalamaokaaina Niheu appeared in a Facebook Live video to discuss a 'disturbing message' that she had received in her in-box that morning. It was about Aloha Poke Co., a restaurant chain based in Chicago that specializes in fast-casual versions of poke, a traditional Hawaiian dish made of chunks of seasoned raw fish. Niheu, who represents Hawaii in the Pacific Caucus at the United Nations and lives in Honolulu, had been hearing from Hawaiian business owners who had received cease-and-desist letters from the Chicago company, claiming that it had trademarked the phrases 'Aloha' and 'Aloha Poke,' and that any food business using those words in its name was infringing on its federal trademark," [the New Yorker reports.](  Talkers trivia Want to win a Star Tribune travel mug? Today is Friday, so it's time for a trivia question. The correct answer can be found in a story that appeared in Talkers this week. We can't prevent you from simply Googling the answer, so Googling is encouraged! E-mail your answer to [talkers@startribune.com]( by midnight on Sunday night. A winner will be selected at random from the correct responses. That lucky reader will receive an official Star Tribune travel mug, as well as a shout-out in Monday's newsletter. Here is this week's question: Which famous comedian has signed on to star in the next season of FX's "Fargo"? Good luck!  From the archives Aug. 10, 1987: Levi Caseltine, 2, raised a salute to Vietnam veterans in front of a half-scale replica of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., on exhibit in South St. Paul. (Photo: Stormi Greener/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.](