Outcry forces UnitedHealthcare to delay plan to deny coverage for non-emergency ER visits

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers TOP STORIES - Outcry forces UnitedHealthcare to delay plan to deny coverage for non-emergency ER visits: UnitedHealthcare is [putting on hold a new policy that would have stopped payments]( for non-emergency care in ERs beginning next month. Physicians and hospitals strenuously objected to the plan, with emergency physicians saying the change threatened progress in the fight against COVID-19. - Minneapolis DFL fails to endorse in six of 13 City Council races: Minneapolis DFL delegates have returned endorsements in seven of 13 City Council seats. Incumbent Council Members Phillipe Cunningham, Lisa Goodman, Andrea Jenkins, Andrew Johnson and Linea Palmisano all received enough votes to earn endorsements. There were no endorsements made for six seats, [including five held by incumbents seeking re-election.]( - Omar faces criticism from Democrats over tweet on alleged war crimes: Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar is [publicly clashing with members of her own party]( after a group of House Democrats criticized the congresswoman, saying a tweet from Omar "equating the United States and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban is as offensive as it is misguided." The prominent pushback from 12 Democrats, including fellow Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, comes after GOP criticism of Omar's social media post this week. - Another jump in prices tightens the squeeze on U.S. consumers: American consumers absorbed another surge in prices in May — a 0.6% increase over April and 5% over the past year, the biggest 12-month inflation spike since 2008. The May rise in consumer prices that the Labor Department reported Thursday [reflected a range of goods and services now in growing demand]( as people increasingly shop, travel, dine out and attend entertainment events in a rapidly reopening economy. - Minnesota adolescent mental health treatment facility closes abruptly: Cambia Hills of East Bethel, which has struggled since opening during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and has been cited by state regulators for licensing violations, said [it had not received a requested rate increase]( from the Minnesota Department of Human Services to continue operations. - Ex-Cheerios plant in northeast Minneapolis to be redeveloped into $16M office complex: The structure, renamed the Highlight Tower, sits next to the former Minneapolis school board headquarters building Hillcrest bought in 2015 and redeveloped into offices now known as Highlight Center. [Together the two developments will form a commercial campus with 250,000 square feet]( in the middle of a bustling district known for art, craft breweries, coffee roasters, restaurants and the site of several future multihousing developments, said Hillcrest Managing Partner Scott Tankenoff. - Cancer takes singer/songwriter Jessa Roquet, 42, before Lowertown show: A solemn twist on the otherwise celebratory kickoff of St. Paul's Lowertown Sounds — singer/songwriter Jessa Roquet, who performed under the stage moniker Gambler's Daughter, [died of cancer at the age of 42 last week]( before her appearance in the series June 17. - Twin Cities roads are buckling under the extreme heat: MnDOT says it has [responded to nearly 45 road explosions in the Twin Cities]( since 90-degree temperatures arrived last Friday, and with only a slight cool-down in the immediate forecast — 88 degrees on Saturday — the agency is bracing for more. In other news, hang on to your umbrellas and patio furniture! Pop-up storms like the one that swept through the Twin Cities on Wednesday evening [could become a more regular occurrence as high temperatures persist]( over the next week or two, according to the National Weather Service. WATCH THIS Super slo-mo footage of Simone Biles makes a strong case that she is one of the greatest athletes ever: [Note how far off the ground she gets at the end of this clip.]( Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](. TRENDING - A guide to Twin Cities farmers markets: [Celebrate some of the best farmers and makers]( in Minnesota, including [a handy map to locate your nearest market.]( - A halal-certified wellness brand is growing in Minnesota — thanks in part to exposure at Mall of America: Nearly five years after officially launching Silk Road Wellness, Annie Qaiser's products can be found at local food cooperatives like the Lakewinds, the Wedge, Linden Hills, as well as other boutique stores in the Twin Cities. This past September,[she was among a handful of brands picked for placement in Mall of America's Community Commons](, a storefront created in 2020 on the second level of the mega mall to support and showcase local businesses owned by people of color. - Ball pits might return soon, but should they?[Ball pits raised eyebrows even before the pandemic](, given the participating children who might mouth balls, sport runny noses and not thoroughly wash their hands after using the bathroom. SPORTS ROUNDUP - Vikings' return-to-Lake Minnetonka boat cruise is postponed: Former Vikings players were planning to take to the waters of Lake Minnetonka once again next week. But that voyage [has been postponed because of a "scheduling conflict,"]( according to ex-Vikings safety and one of the organizers Robert Griffith. - Bringing his best stuff, Yankees' Cole sticks it to accuser Donaldson: Gerrit Cole on the mound, Josh Donaldson in the batter's box and a week's worth of headlines about sticky substances and spin rates ended in a mismatch, [writes Chip Scoggins.]( - A Little League legend turns to broadcasting: The Little League World Series put Mo'ne Davis on the cover of Sports Illustrated seven years ago. [Now she's hoping to become famous again.]( Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. WORTH A CLICK How low can America's birth rate go before it's a problem? "The U.S. fertility rate hit arecord low in 2020 — just as it did in 2019, and 2018. Although the COVID-19 pandemic seems to haveaccelerated this decline, the drop has been underway for years. ... But recently, some experts have questioned whether we ought to be concerned about low fertility," [writes Stephanie H. Murray for FiveThirtyEight.]( FROM THE ARCHIVES June 10, 2018: A section of southbound I-35W was closed due to construction in Minneapolis. (Photo: Jerry Holt/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.](