Delta apologizes for napkins urging fliers to flirt with their "plane crush"

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers Top stories - Delta apologizes for napkins urging fliers to flirt with their "plane crush": Falling in love on an airplane is the kind of story you only ever hear in a bar or see in a Lifetime movie. But for a brief time this winter, Delta Air Lines wanted to help passengers make it a reality — by gently nudging them to hit on other passengers. [With cocktail napkins.]( - Snow emergencies declared as heavy snow moves into Twin Cities: In a word, the Thursday evening commute will be just like the one going to work: Rough. [Another 2 to 3 inches of snow is forecast to fall]( in the metro area over the next few hours prompting several cities, including Minneapolis and St. Paul, to declare snow emergencies. Compounding matters will be gusty winds that will blow around anything that falls, creating a snow globe effect. - Minneapolis considers halting some traffic stops: Minneapolis City Council members are considering whether to ask police to [temporarily halt traffic stops for equipment violations]( —like a broken taillight or headlight — unless there is an immediate threat to public safety, in response to activists’ concerns that they overwhelmingly target minorities. But police leaders, who say such enforcement is integral to removing drugs and guns from the streets, pushed back at the idea on Wednesday, arguing against a decision until more research was done. - Man charged with attempted murder in Minneapolis school bus driver shooting: A St. Paul man is charged with attempted murder and assault for [allegedly shooting a Minneapolis school bus driver]( in an apparent road rage incident amid a snowstorm on a busy interstate. Kenneth W. Lilly, 31, of St. Paul, has been in jail since Tuesday in connection with the gunfire that wounded the 78-year-old driver along Interstate 35W near Chicago Avenue S. near downtown. A Minneapolis School District elementary student was seated in the back of the bus and was unharmed. - Hennepin Healthcare CEO's resignation comes among financial woes: The network, which operates HCMC in downtown Minneapolis, is expected to [run a budget deficit of about $15 million for 2018]( and projects that to grow to around $20 million in 2019, according to two of its board members. - Snowmobiler to be sentenced in death of 8-year-old on Chisago Lake: A 46-year-old man from Chisago City, Minn., will be sentenced Thursday in connection with the drunken snowmobile crash that [killed an 8-year-old boy on Chisago Lake]( in early 2018. - With "pepper balls," St. Paul police explore using a less lethal force: St. Paul police recently began [carrying guns that fire marble-sized rounds of powder]( that burst upon impact with a person or surface, releasing an irritant that can cause intense coughing and burning in the eyes and nose. - "I will never let you down," Trump tells prayer breakfast: President Donald Trump told attendees at the annual National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday that he stands behind them, even as speakers bemoaned the level of division in the country and what one described as a "fracturing of the American family." The pledge came two days after Trump offered a fierce denunciation of late-term abortion in his annual State of the Union address as [he moved to re-energize evangelical voters](, who have been among his most loyal supporters and who will be vital to his 2020 re-election bid. - St. Paul chef dies at 32 after battling flu: St. Paul restaurant Forepaugh’s is reeling from [the sudden loss of its executive chef](, Kyle Bell, who died Friday, Feb. 1, at the age of 32, the restaurant announced.  Watch this It's so icy, this Minnesota man shoveled his driveway on hockey skates: [Nobody has ever had this much fun shoveling snow.](  Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](.  Trending - Michael B. Jordan, Warner Bros. buy movie rights to Marlon James' new book: The movie rights to Marlon James' new novel, "Black Leopard, Red Wolf," have been [snapped up by Michael B. Jordan's Outlier Productions]( and Warner Brothers. James calls his book "an African Game of Thrones," and the book has been widely and enthusiastically reviewed. The Star Tribune said it was a "standard bearer for future fantasy novels," while the Washington Post called it "spectacular." - Gucci pulls "blackface sweater" from stores after complaints: [Gucci has apologized after complaints]( that a wool sweater with an oversized collar designed to cover the face resembled blackface makeup, and said the item had been pulled from its online and physical stores. - Six craft cocktails made with beer: We live in the era of “craft:” craft cider, soda and barbecue, craft vinegar, doughnuts, marshmallows and burgers, among the many.Without doubt, the leaders of this trend are craft beer, spirits and cocktails. Craft brewing, arguably, started it all, with distilling following close behind. Now some in the cocktail realm are getting extra crafty, creating mixed drinks that bring the two together. Craft beer cocktails are now a thing, and [many of them are quite good.](  Sports roundup - Wolves looking to deal Teague, Dieng ahead of today's deadline: The trade deadline of 2 p.m. today is fast-approaching and the Wolves have remained quiet, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t been checking to see [what deals might be out there to make.]( As the team's injuries add up, [Ryan Saunders is showing he can lead](, writes Sid Hartman. - Koivu's season-ending injury "a kick in the teeth," Boudreau says: [The Wild will be without captain Mikko Koivu]( for the remainder of the season after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his right knee, but the team isn’t just losing one of its top-six forwards who handles all on-ice situations. - Gophers' poor shooting turns Barn into a real Brick House: "The Achilles’ heel of Richard Pitino’s team was on painful display throughout a tense, physical and testy battle with its rivals to the east. And when the Gophers needed perimeter shooting in the final minute, the predictable happened. Brick. Three missed three-pointers doomed any chance at a comeback, leaving another smudge mark on the Gophers’ tournament résumé in a 56-51 loss to the Wisconsin Badgers at Williams Arena," [writes Chip Scoggins.](  Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](.  Quote of the day “It worked much better than I had expected.” -- [Maple Grove resident Josh Hagemeyer](, who conquered the ice by wearing hockey skates while shoveling his driveway.  Worth a click How I wound up with three unforgivably lame tattoos: In an essay for the Growler magazine, Twin Cities man Brendan Kennealy [recounts the stories behind each of his regrettable tattoos]( and offers some tips for how to handle any awful ink you may possess.  From the archives Feb. 7, 1971: Driver Joe Hauser in car No. 42 makes a turn during the final lap on his way to victory in the 100-mile Carnival Cup ice race on Lake Phalen in St. Paul. 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