GOP field for Minnesota governor's race already taking shape

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers TOP STORIES - GOP field for Minnesota governor's race already taking shape: The last election is barely over, but Minnesota Republicans have [already started to angle for the state's next big political matchup](. For a party desperate to regain statewide relevance, and hopeful that pandemic-driven decisions and last spring's stretch of civil unrest left Democratic Gov. Tim Walz vulnerable, 2022 offers a chance for a major reset. - Trump presses Georgia official to "find" him thousands of votes: President Donald Trump pressured Georgia's Republican secretary of state to ["find" enough votes to overturn Joe Biden's win]( in the state's presidential election, repeatedly citing [disproven claims of fraud]( and raising the prospect of a "criminal offense" if officials did not change the vote count, according to a recording of the conversation. The unprecedented Republican effort to overturn the presidential election has been condemned by [an outpouring of current and former GOP officials]( warning the effort to sow doubt in Biden's victory and keep Trump in office is undermining Americans' faith in democracy. In an extraordinary rebuke of the president, all 10 living former secretaries of defense, both Democrats and Republicans, [warned against any move to involve the military]( in pursuing claims of election fraud, arguing that it would take the country into "dangerous, unlawful and unconstitutional territory." - Minnesota expands saliva COVID-19 testing capacity: Starting this month, the Minnesota Department of Health is [eliminating nasal-swab testing]( at its 20 "barrier-free" COVID-19 testing sites, and moving to collecting only saliva samples. The state's at-home tests will remain saliva-based. - Hundreds march in protest of Minneapolis police killing: As many as 1,000 protesters [took to the snow-covered streets of south Minneapolis]( on Sunday to demand justice for 23-year-old Dolal Idd after he was fatally shot by Minneapolis police last week. The crowd was peaceful while expressing outrage over the killing that closed out 2020 — the first by Minneapolis police since the killing of George Floyd on May 25. - Annandale fitness club owner filmed women undressing, lawsuit alleges: The personal injury suit, filed in District Court last week, says that franchisee Randall D. Roiger [installed the surveillance camera in the booth]( of his Snap Fitness in Annandale and watched a woman as she "repeatedly removed her clothing ... without knowing she was being viewed." - Fatal crash prompts closure of Hwy. 7 in Victoria: The Minnesota State Patrol says the road will be [closed for an "extended period of time."]( - Minnesota Lottery's annual lottery yields $1M tickets bought in Bloomington, St. Cloud: [The winners have yet to come forward]( and have one year to do so or their windfall is forfeited to the state's general fund. - Minneapolis planners say downtown 1969 modernist building shouldn't be wrecked: Regrets about the demolition of Minneapolis' "skid row" in the 1960s helped bring about the city's historic preservation laws. Now the same rules [may save a Brutalist building]( that replaced those skid row buildings of yesteryear. WATCH THIS Fisherman makes friends with pelican: At first, conflict between man and bird appears inevitable, but [this story has a surprise happy ending.]( Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](. TRENDING - Minnesota restaurant owner has creative solution for outdoor dining: [The fish houses are full](, but nobody's landing any crappies. Instead, diners in this central Minnesota town are reeling in chicken, steak and French fries in the parking lot outside the Pirates Den. - More men are making their own clothes: [The quarantine has accelerated this trend](, with a significant rise in sewing machine sales (and not just to make face masks). - Homebound Minnesotans stay grounded with houseplants: As Minnesotans continue to spend more time in their homes, [interest in collecting, cultivating and caring for houseplants is growing]( like an over-fertilized pot of English ivy. SPORTS ROUNDUP - Vikings end disappointing season with a win: As a campaign that began with bold rhetoric ended with an early-afternoon game between two sub-.500 teams, quarterback Kirk Cousins might have put it best: [The 2020 Vikings season was one decided on the margins.]( - Spurgeon takes on "huge honor" as new Wild captain: Zach Parise and Ryan Suter will continue as alternate captains as [the team prepares for a shortened season.]( - NCAA to play all 67 March Madness men's games in Indiana: The NCAA announced Monday that all 67 men's basketball tournament games including the Final Four [will be played entirely in Indiana]( in a bid to keep the marquee event from being called off for a second consecutive year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. WORTH A CLICK How to eat a Christmas tree: "For most people who celebrate Christmas, it would be hard to imagine the holiday without the iconic centerpiece of a decked out evergreen. Each year, an estimated25 to 30 millionChristmas trees are sold in the United States. But if you're increasingly worried about the carbon footprint of buying a real tree, there are ways you can recycle it once the holidays have passed. It can be used for mulch or even turned into something edible," [Smithsonian Magazine reports.]( FROM THE ARCHIVES Jan. 4, 2019: The ice-fishing season started out with great ice and little snow, but quickly turned into slush after a few heavy snowfalls. With temperatures in the 40s, anglers enjoyed a nice view of the Minneapolis skyline from Bde Make Ska. (Photo: Brian Peterson/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 © 2021 StarTribune. All rights reserved. We value your opinion! [Give us your feedback.](