Even by Minnesota standards, 2019 was a wild weather year

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers Top stories - Even by Minnesota standards, 2019 was a wild weather year: Almost every month of the year saw above-average precipitation, leaving the Twin Cities and many other cities with record-breaking totals. [Here's a look at the year in weather.]( - Minneapolis VA cited second time for failures in suicide of vet: For the second time in 16 months, a federal watchdog agency has cited the Minneapolis VA Health Care Center for [failures connected to a Minnesota veteran’s suicide.]( - Sentencing Guidelines Commission approves 5-year felony probation cap: The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission on Thursday approved a presumptive five-year cap on felony probation lengths, a move advocates say will limit the disparate nature of punishment in the state by [providing more consistency in sentencing.]( - Crews responding to Maple Grove house fire find woman dead inside: Flames were shooting out of a Maple Grove home Thursday evening when fire department crews arrived and found the homeowner, [a woman in her 70s who used a wheelchair](, dead inside. - Iran denies downing plane, says West should share evidence: Iran on Friday denied Western allegations that [one of its own missiles downed a Ukrainian jetliner]( that crashed outside Tehran, and called on the U.S. and Canada to share any information they have on the crash, which killed all 176 people on board. The Trump administration on Friday [announced new sanctions on Iran]( following this week's missile strikes by the Islamic Republic on U.S. bases in Iraq. Reigniting a debate over who has the power to declare war, the Democratic-controlled House on Thursday approved a resolution asserting that [President Donald Trump must seek approval from Congress]( before engaging in further military action against Iran. - Boeing employees mocked FAA and "clowns" who designed 737 Max: Boeing employees mocked federal rules, talked about deceiving regulators and joked about potential flaws in the 737 Max as it was being developed, [according to over a hundred pages of internal messages]( delivered Thursday to congressional investigators. - As cost of fixing Lakewalk swells, Duluth asks state for $13.5M: The city is [asking for $13.5 million in state funding]( to fortify its Lake Superior shoreline following three consecutive years of severe storms that battered beaches and the popular Lakewalk trail. - Rural America is "the new inner city," Land O'Lakes CEO says: Farm consolidation, oversupply, an aging farmer population, labor shortages, lack of access to high-speed internet and lender reluctance to finance agriculture [are all conspiring against rural areas](, and small towns “are rolling up on us,” said Beth Ford, CEO of Land O'Lakes. - New North Loop hotel sells to Duluth group before it opens: Developer United Properties, owned by the Pohlad family, [sold the 156-room Element hotel in late December]( for a little more than $34 million, according to an electronic certificate of real estate value made available Jan. 2.  Watch this What happens when you throw a giant "paper" airplane off a mountain? YouTuber Nick Uhas constructed an enormous and very aerodynamic foam airfoil using a traditional paper airplane design and sent it for [an impressively long test flight from a mountain top.](  Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](.  Trending - Why are felons stripped of voting rights, and what other rights do they lose? Today, an estimated [6 million Americans are blocked from the ballot box]( because of a felony conviction. But restrictions vary greatly by state. - Single-shot look of "1917" is a cinematic marvel: The World War I film is a technical astonishment but [keeps the audience at an emotional distance.]( - The 5 best things our food critic ate recently: From Almond Kringle to pot pie, Rick Nelson [shares the best entries in his food diary]( from the last few weeks.  Sports roundup - Winfield Jr.'s departure shows health of the program, Fleck says: The Gophers lost their starting safety, unanimous All-America selection Antoine Winfield Jr., to the NFL draft, [but coach P.J. Fleck thinks that’s a positive.]( - Vikings must find a way to neutralize 49ers tight end Kittle: George Kittle’s romps through NFL secondaries have made him [look like the next Rob Gronkowski.]( - Gardenhire — Toby, that is — will manage Twins' AAA team in Rochester: Toby Gardenhire, son of Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire, [will manage the Twins' Class AAA team]( in Rochester this season. He succeeds Joel Skinner.  Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](.  Quote of the day “This airplane is designed by clowns, who are in turn supervised by monkeys.” -- [A Boeing employee](, on the 737 Max, in an internal message exchange from 2017.  Worth a click The boys who wear shorts all winter: "The kid who refuses to wear pants is a familiar sight to parents, students, and educators—and a mystifying one. What’s so great about being underdressed?" [asks Ashley Fetters in the Atlantic.](  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 Minnesota craft brewery, one of the oldest in the state, closed recently? Good luck!  From the archives Jan. 10, 1982: A lonely pontoon boat weathered winds and freezing temperatures on the bleak shore of Medicine Lake in Plymouth. Three weather-related deaths were reported that weekend as temperatures plunged to a 26 degrees below zero, one degree shy of the record set in 1977. (Photo: William Seaman/Star Tribune) Connect with Star Tribune [facebook]([twitter]([pinterest]([instagram]( [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 © 2020 StarTribune. All rights reserved. We value your opinion! [Give us your feedback.](