Minneapolis man exposed as commander of Nazi-led unit dies at 100

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers Top stories - Minneapolis man exposed as commander of Nazi-led unit dies at 100: For decades, Michael Karkoc was a pillar of the Ukrainian community in northeast Minneapolis, a beloved neighbor and a leader of the local church, lending his carpentry skills to countless projects at St. Michael’s and St. George’s, a Ukrainian Orthodox congregation. But his quiet retirement was shattered in 2013, when the Associated Press reported that [he led a Ukrainian detachment serving under Nazi command]( in World War II that was accused of committing atrocities, a charge his family vehemently denied even as German and Polish prosecutors prepared cases against him. - Minnesota Supreme Court upholds Minneapolis' $15 minimum wage: The state’s highest court [handed a victory to labor activists and city leaders]( in a three-year legal fight over cities’ authority over employers. - Longtime Minneapolis civil rights leader Ron Edwards dies at 81: Edwards was [a past president of the Minneapolis Urban League]( and a key figure in the effort to desegregate the all-white Minneapolis Fire Department in the 1970s. He was an unrelenting critic of police brutality but also a friend to numerous black officers, finding kinship with them in their fight to win acceptance in the department. - Ex-St. Paul employee files discrimination complaint against mayor's office: Hope Hoffman, who resigned on Oct. 29, said her supervisors made her attend events with the mayor that [required her to walk long distances]( and dismissed her requests for accommodations that would have considered her mobility. Hoffman, who has spina bifida, wears a prosthetic on her right leg, which was amputated in 2018, and a brace on her left leg. Under pressure from residents, Hermantown votes down senior housing development: On paper, Tuesday night’s debate was about a senior housing complex. For the 100-plus people who packed the Hermantown City Council chambers, it was about [the heart and soul of the community.]( - Trump says he's open to witnesses as impeachment trial rules are set: The U.S. Senate plunged into President Donald Trump's impeachment trial with Republicans abruptly abandoning plans to cram opening arguments into two days but solidly rejecting for now Democratic demands for more witnesses to expose what they deem Trump's "trifecta" of offenses. Trump himself said Wednesday [he wants top aides to testify](, but qualified that by suggesting there were "national security" concerns to allowing their testimony. - Minnesota's battle over wells, water and nitrates lands in one farmer's backyard: Concerned about growing nitrate contamination in Minnesota’s drinking water, state regulators have ordered a farmer in the Pineland Sands area to complete a major environmental study before granting him a permit to dig an irrigation well. The move could signal [how state officials plan to respond to a decadeslong wave of deforestation]( in central Minnesota, where farmers and landowners have cleared thousands of acres of timberland to plant potatoes and row crops on land with vulnerable soil and groundwater. - Activist Sydney Jordan wins DFL primary for NE Minneapolis house seat: Currently the state director for Save the Boundary Waters, [Jordan has worked as an organizer and director]( for various political groups and campaigns since graduating in 2013. She has highlighted her numerous union endorsements and described herself as "staunchly pro-union," "anti-racist" and "pro-abortion." - With safer pet carriers, Delta hopes more passengers will put animals in cargo: Delta Air Lines is [now offering a new deluxe animal crate]( that can be tracked like luggage and is designed to reduce stress and prevent escape by passengers’ furry friends. The U.S. Transportation Department on Wednesday [announced plans to tighten rules around service animals](. The biggest change would be that only dogs that are trained to help passengers with psychiatric needs would qualify.  Hey, look at this What Niagara Falls looks like without all that water: Vintage Everyday shares photos from the time in June 1969 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers [turned off the water at American Falls]( by diverting it to Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side of the border, in order to remove some of the boulders that had piled up at the base of American Falls.  Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](.  Trending - Want to buy a century-old iconic school in downtown Duluth? For sale: [a historic brownstone building in downtown]( that for more than a century has been considered an iconic part of the city’s streetscape, complete with a clock tower offering a scenic view of Lake Superior. - MSP airport's new "speakeasy" with cocktails by Tattersall opens Friday: If you’ve never been to Concourse A at Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport — scratch that, if you’ve never even heard of Concourse A, you’re not alone. [But soon you’ll have reason to make the trek.]( - Monty Python star Terry Jones dies at 77: Terry Jones, [a founding member of the anarchic Monty Python troupe]( who was hailed by colleagues as "the complete Renaissance comedian" and "a man of endless enthusiasms," has died at age 77 after suffering from dementia.  Sports roundup - Wild fight spills into seats at end of Kansas-Kansas State game: Third-ranked Kansas and Kansas State ended their bitter showdown Tuesday night with a wild melee in the disabled seating behind the Wildcats' basket that included punches, shoving and [at least one player threatening to swing a stool.]( - What does Josh Donaldson's signing mean for the Twins? The potential effects of adding three-time All-Star and former MVP Josh Donaldson to the Twins are almost too numerous to track. [Here's a look.]( - Jeff Ferguson steps down as football coach at metro powerhouse Totino-Grace: Ferguson, known as an astute defensive mind, bucked the trend of private schools playing at the lower lower levels of competition, taking Totino-Grace, with an enrollment of roughly 700, [into the highest classes of the sport.](  Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](.  Quote of the day “Obviously it's an embarrassment.” -- [University of Kansas basketball coach Bill Self](, on a melee that erupted at the end of last night's Kansas-Kansas State game.  Worth a click This website instantly draws every road in any city in the world: In the age of Google Maps, perhaps there is more impressive technology out there. [But this is still pretty cool.](  From the archives Jan. 22, 1990: Former Twins second baseman Steve Lombardozzi wore a chicken mask while signing autographs as one of the sports stars taking part in the 5th annual Celebrity Carnival at the Met Center. (Photo: 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.](