Why a slice of I-94 west of the Twin Cities is a "candyland for researchers"

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers TOP STORIES - Why a slice of I-94 west of the Twin Cities is a "candyland for researchers": A divided section of Interstate 94 west of the Twin Cities looks — at first glance — like any old construction detour that pepper state highways. [But this is no ordinary fork in the road.]( - Vaccinated teachers and students don't need masks, CDC says: Vaccinated teachers and students [don't need to wear masks inside school buildings](, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday in relaxing its COVID-19 guidelines. The changes come amid a national vaccination campaign in which children as young as 12 are eligible to get shots, as well as a general decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. - Deadly chase prompts Frey to announce another Minneapolis police pursuit review: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said Thursday [the city will review yet again its police pursuit policy]( in the wake of a chase this week that ended with an officer hitting and killing an innocent motorist at a north Minneapolis intersection. Frey in a statement called the collision that took the life of 40-year-old Leneal Frazier early Tuesday at the intersection of N. Lyndale and 41st avenues "a horrific tragedy." The officer who caused the fatal crash was [closely following a suspect who sped through a red light](, according to police records. - Apartment building fire displaces more than 40 on Minneapolis' North Side: Fire crews using ladders rescued two people off two different third-floor balconies as [they fought the blaze at the building in the 1400 block of N. Plymouth Avenue](, said Minneapolis Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Melanie Rucker. - Minneapolis Park Board resurrects $43M plan for Hiawatha Golf Course: The Minneapolis Park Board will again [try to pass a plan to revamp the 18-hole Hiawatha Golf Course]( into a nine-hole course after six years of planning and an emotional public engagement process. - Two Americans, several ex-Colombian soldiers among those arrested in assassination of Haitian president: Haitian authorities have made more arrests in the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, raiding Taiwan's Embassy where several suspects are believed to have sought refuge, while also [detaining two Haitian-Americans and several former Colombian soldiers allegedly tied to the plot](. In all, 17 suspects have been detained and another eight are being sought, according to National Police Chief Léon Charles. - First African American spelling bee champ makes history with flair: Many of top Scripps spellers start competing as young as kindergarten. Zaila Avant-garde, 14, only started a few years ago, after her father, Jawara Spacetime, watched the bee on TV and realized his daughter's affinity for doing complicated math in her head could translate well to spelling. Declared the champion Thursday evening,[Zaila jumped and twirled with joy](, only flinching in surprise when confetti was shot onto the stage. - Apple Valley man's death was caused by home fireworks, police say: The death of a man whose body was found July 4th in his Apple Valley backyard [appears to have been caused by home fireworks,]( police said Thursday. - I-35W in south Minneapolis to close for one last weekend: The Minnesota Department of Transportation [will close Interstate 35W through south Minneapolis this weekend](, the last such closure expected for the long-running Crosstown to Downtown construction project. - Minnesota sailor lost at Pearl Harbor finally comes home: Nearly 80 years after he was killed at Pearl Harbor, and after years of work by his family and the Navy to have his remains identified and returned to his family in Akeley, Minn., [sailor Neal Todd came home.]( In a somber ceremony Thursday at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Todd's flag-draped casket was carried from a commercial plane to a waiting hearse as dozens of family members — including his lone surviving half-brother, Orville Staffenhagen — watched. HEY, LOOK AT THIS Isle of Man honors its native sons with a new statue of the Bee Gees: "Artist Andy Edwards said the statue, inspired by the video for the group's 1977 disco hit 'Stayin' Alive,' had been 'huge fun from day one,'" [the BBC reports.]( Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](. TRENDING - Bug experts seek new name for destructive gypsy moths: The Entomological Society of America, which oversees the common names of bugs, is getting rid of the common name of that critter and the lesser-known gypsy ant. The group this week announced that for the first time [it is changing a common name of an insect because it was offensive.]( In the past they've only reassigned names that weren't scientifically accurate. - Minnetonka therapist turns clean food lifestyle into growing business venture: When Laura Meemken and her husband Michael learned their children suffered from food allergies, conjuring different meals became a challenge. That required Laura, then a full-time marriage and family therapist, to cook various foods, including bread and crackers, from scratch. Over the years, though, what had become a daily routine for the Meemkens turned into delicacies they would share with friends and family. From there, [the idea to make it a business grew.]( - The 5 best things our food writers ate this week: From meatball pizza to soft-serve ice cream, [here's a rundown of the greatest hits]( from their dining diaries over the past seven days. SPORTS ROUNDUP - Gophers running back and former Owatonna standout Jason Williamson medically retires: The 6-2 Williamson rushed for 3,012 yards and 46 touchdownsover his career at Owatonna, leading the Huskies to two state titles, and committed to Gophers coach P.J. Fleck as part of the 2019 recruiting class. But Williamson battled through knee and shoulder injuries with the Gophers, playing in just two games. The medical retirement [allows Williamson to remain on scholarship](, while the Gophers can award a scholarship to another player. - Plasencia ends "pretty long run" with Gophers programs: Former Olympic distance runner Steve Plasencia [retired as Gophers men's cross country coach and assistant track and field coach]( Thursday, saying the decision was unrelated to the University of Minnesota's decision to cut indoor track. - In Kayla McBride, Lynx landed a third star: So many things can go wrong in bringing in a veteran free agent. With Kayla McBride, so many things have gone right — especially lately, [writes Jim Souhan.]( Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. WORTH A CLICK Minneapolis police increasingly omitting race from use-of-force reports: "After George Floyd's murder, city officials promised to reduce racial disparities in police use of force. At first glance, data taken from the city's web site appears to show that happened. Before George Floyd, when MPD used force, 60% of the time it was against Black people. Since then, it has dropped to about 52%. That's an improvement – although still a significant disparity in a city that's only about 20% Black. When KARE 11 took a deeper look at the numbers, however, we discovered something unusual. When police officers fill out required 'Use of Force' forms, they are increasingly listing race as 'Unknown' – or simply failing to record it," [reports KARE 11's Brandon Stahl.]( TALKERS TRIVIA Want to win a $15 gift card of your choice? It's Friday, so that means it's time for another trivia question. The correct answer to this question 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 Sunday at 11:59 p.m. A winner will be selected at random from the correct responses. That lucky reader will receive a $15 card of their choice from one of several retailers — Best Buy, Target, Holiday or Menards — as well as a shout-out in Monday's newsletter. Here is this week's question: Researchers found that reduced work hours in which European nation led to no loss of productivity or decline in service levels? Good luck! FROM THE ARCHIVES July 9, 2018: The woolly mammoth display at the Bell Museum in Falcon Heights included a giant beaver and a musk ox along a glacier. The mammoth is covered with hair from the same company that made the hair for Chewbacca in the "Star Wars" films. (Photo: Anthony Soufflé/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.](