Face masks remain divisive as Walz considers statewide mandate

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers Top stories - Face masks remain divisive as Walz considers statewide mandate: The face mask — a basic item health officials consider a simple precaution against the spread of COVID-19 — has become a symbol of political division across the state and the nation. Now, as [Gov. Tim Walz mulls a statewide mask mandate](, state and local government leaders are weighing their response. - "Return to work" COVID antibody testing comes with warning: Health officials say [the evidence backing test accuracy and protectiveness from antibodies]( is not yet strong enough. Even the lab companies and hospitals admit they can't offer "immunity certificates" to people who have the antibodies today. - Legal experts review Black Minnesota teen's life sentence: An independent panel of national legal experts will [review the conviction of Myon Burrell]( , an African American teenager who was sentenced to life in prison nearly two decades ago for the murder of a little girl who was struck by a stray bullet while studying in her south Minneapolis home, Northwestern University’s Center on Wrongful Convictions and the New York-based Innocence Project announced Monday. - Steady growth in new confirmed COVID-19 cases continues in Minnesota: State health officials worry that the [recent upticks in cases confirmed by diagnostic testing]( — particularly among young adults and teenagers — could eventually cause deaths and hospitalizations to rise in Minnesota again. - Troubled south Minneapolis block renews calls for help from police, City Hall: Neighbors say the 2900 block of S. 18th Avenue has become even less of a priority for police and City Hall after the unrest that followed the killing of George Floyd in police custody, leading to calls to reimagine policing in the city. They say it’s one reason the area stands out as the city’s most notorious open-air drug markets. And while some sympathize with the long-term goals of the “Defund MPD” movement, they say they’re facing [a number of other issues that require more immediate attention.]( - Black driver in Bloomington pulled over by police, gun drawn in case of mistaken identity: Richfield police said [they would be releasing squad dashboard camera video]( Monday in an effort “to promote transparency” about the speeding stop led by one of their officers as part of a state traffic enforcement campaign. - Mendota Bridge closure related to police pursuit, sheriff says: [Both directions of the bridge]( spanning the Minnesota River near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the Fort Snelling historical site were closed. - Washington's NFL team drops its name after 87 years: The Washington NFL franchise announced Monday [it is dropping the "Redskins" name and Indian head logo](, bowing to recent pressure from sponsors and decades of criticism that they are offensive to Native Americans.  Watch this Scientists stunned as they watch grouper swallow a shark whole: A group of researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were excited when their remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer caught a rare glimpse of a deep-sea shark feeding frenzy off the coast of South Carolina, when [something even more unexpected happened](  Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](.  Trending - Meet the shop dogs of Minneapolis: It’s not always easy working in a shop. The hours are long. There can be interminable dull stretches, followed by an onslaught of customers arriving at once. And interacting with humans, let’s face it, comes with its own set of challenges. [But there’s one group of employees who bound into work every day](, excited to start another shift. Each customer is a new best friend, at least until the next customer walks in the door. And if it all gets to be a bit too much, there’s always time to lie down in a nice fluffy bed beside the counter. - How the pandemic is reshaping weddings: There probably will not be dance floors. No three-day destination weddings with endless booze and a luau. Instead, social distancing will be the two most popular words (besides “I do”). What else can you expect from upcoming wedding celebrations? [Here are some expert predictions.]( - Great White apologizes for mask-less show in North Dakota: [The band drew criticism on social media]( after the performance Thursday night as part of the “First on First: Dickinson Summer Nights” concert series in Dickinson, in the southwest of the state. Spin magazine posted video showing the crowd packed in and not wearing face masks.  Sports roundup - Spectacular finish gives Minnesota United 2-1 victory in soccer's return: [he Loons scored twice late in second-half stoppage time]( — in the 92nd and 97th minutes — after Sporting Kansas City's goalkeeper was ejected for an illegal move. - Wild sign Russian star Kirill Kaprizov, but he can't play this postseason: The Wild [signed Kirill Kaprizov to a two-year, entry level contract Monday.]( The young Russian star, however, won’t be eligible to play when the Wild season resumes with a play-ins series against Vancouver in Edmonton on Aug. 2. The team hopes Kaprizov can quickly get to Minnesota for training camp, however. - ESPN suspends NBA reporter Wojnarowski for vulgar email to U.S. senator: ESPN’s most prominent basketball reporter has been suspended for a two-word vulgar email reply to the office of a United States senator on Friday morning in response to the senator’s critical statements about the NBA’s relationship with China. The reporter, Adrian Wojnarowski, [sent the email to the office of Josh Hawley](, a Republican senator from Missouri, who posted a screenshot of it on Twitter.  Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](.  Worth a click The long, litigious history of the St. Louis couple who confronted protesters with guns: Jeremy Kohler of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch puts on a master class in using public records to profile uncooperative subjects by digging into [the very, very lengthy list of lawsuits]( filed by personal-injury attorneys Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who gained overnight fame last month after they pulled guns on protesters outside their mansion.  From the archives July 13, 1984: Minneapolis City Council Members Walt Dziedzic and Van White speak with protesters seated on the floor during a meeting in the council chambers. About 100 demonstrators attended in a show of opposition to the nomination of a white woman, Mary Emma Hixson, to head the city's Civil Rights Department. Hixson was confirmed by a vote of 10-3. 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