Stowaway cat survives 400-mile ride beneath St. Paul owner's semi-truck

To view this email as a web page, [click here]( [Star Tribune]( Talkers Top stories - Stowaway cat survives 400-mile ride beneath St. Paul owner's semi-truck: If cats have nine lives, then [Paul Robertson's feline friend has eight left.]( - Real ID bill defeated in Minnesota Senate: All DFL members of the Senate, along with five Republicans, [voted against the Real ID bill on Monday](. The 29-38 vote followed a debate in which lawmakers from both sides of the aisle accused the other party of playing politics with a proposal that has pressing, practical implications for many Minnesotans. - 60 MPH wind gusts, possible tornado, to hit Minnesota later today: Temperatures will soar into the low-60s Monday ahead of [a strong cold front that will trigger showers and thunderstorms]( with damaging winds possible. Storms are expected to arrive in the metro between 6 and 8 p.m. with winds at 20 miles per hour and gusts to near 35 mph. Blasts over 50 mph are possible, especially in western Minnesota, the National Weather Service said. - Aides defend Trump's explosive wiretap claims: White House officials on Monday defended President Donald Trump's claim that Barack Obama tapped Trump's telephones during last year's election, although they won't say where that information came from and [left open the possibility that it isn't true](i). On Sunday, Trump demanded that House and Senate intelligence committees, as well as the FBI, broaden the scope of their inquiries into contacts between Trump's campaign and Russian official to include Obama's potential abuse of his executive powers. FBI Director James Comey has [asked the Justice Department to publicly refute Trump's wiretapping accusation](, but the department has not released any such statement. It's unclear where exactly Trump is getting his information, but it appears to have originated with [a conservative radio host's unsubstantiated conjecture]( that was then picked up by Breitbart News and circulated in the West Wing before Trump tweeted the allegations on Saturday morning. [Here's a brief history of Trump's strange relationship with Obama.]( - White House releases Travel Ban 2.0: President Trump on Monday [signed a reworked version of his controversial travel ban]( Monday, aiming to withstand court challenges while still barring new visas for citizens from six Muslim-majority countries and temporarily shutting down America's refugee program. The revised travel order leaves Iraq off the list of banned countries but still affects would-be visitors and immigrants from Iran, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and Libya. - Two men fall through ice in East Bethel, twice: A pair of snowmobilers in East Bethel had to learn the same cold lesson twice on Sunday — [thin ice is no joke.]( - Supreme Court passes on transgender rights case: The Supreme Court on Monday announced that it would not hear a major case on transgender rights after all, acting after the Trump administration changed the federal government’s position on whether public schools had to allow transgender youths to use bathrooms that matched their gender identities. The justices also ruled Monday that courts [must make an exception to the usual rule that jury deliberations are secret]( when evidence emerges that those discussions were marred by racial or ethnic bias. - Two acquitted in St. Paul of participating in global drug ring: A federal judge in St. Paul has [acquitted two men charged with helping operate a global internet drug conspiracy]( that had branches reaching from Israel to Chicago to Minnesota. - Vadnais Heights student charged with stalking teacher, slurs: Uriah J. Meidlinger, 19, is accused of [harassing an Asian female teacher at WELS North School](, a school for students age 18-21 with emotional and behavioral disabilities, among others. - Man fatally shot at Minnetonka park-and-ride was from Minneapolis: A man fatally shot over the weekend at a park-and-ride ramp in Minnetonka [has been identified at Thomas John Russ](, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner said. Russ, 32, of Minneapolis, died from "multiple gunshot wounds of the head," the medical examiner said in its report. - Record amount of drugs seized in Minnesota last year: Minnesota health and law enforcement officials on Monday reported an “alarming” and record rise in drug seizures last year, led by [a massive surge in seizures of methamphetamine.]( - North Korea fires banned ballistic missiles into sea: [North Korea on Monday fired four banned ballistic missiles that flew about 620 miles]( on average, with three of them landing in waters that Japan claims as its exclusive economic zone, South Korean and Japanese officials said. The test-launches appeared to be a reaction to huge U.S.-South Korean military drills that those countries consider routine but that Pyongyang insists are an invasion rehearsal. - Lots of great stuff over the weekend: Don't miss Rochelle Olson's blockbuster on the stadium authority's ex-chair [jumping the line to get front-row season tickets for Vikings games](, Patrick Coolican's smart piece on [how a big-money interest group teamed up with grassroots activists]( to defeat the Sunday liquor sales ban (and what comes next) and [Hannah Covington's excellent profile of Ricky Johnson](, the "deer carcass wrangler" who took on Anoka County in court and won. Watch this Oklahoma City Thunder's Taj Gibson steals full-court pass, then sinks full-court halftime buzzer beater: [This is amazing.]( Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to talkers@startribune.com. Trending - As grasslands shrink, a rural war rages over mowing ditches: [A showdown over roadside mowing in rural Minnesota]( has unleashed a surprisingly passionate debate at the Legislature about the culture of farming, property rights and the desperate plight of bees and monarch butterflies. - Adele announces marriage to longtime partner: The British singer has officially announced [she and longtime partner Simon Konecki are married](, weeks after hinting at a wedding. - The Revolution announces 24-date national tour: Prince’s old bandmates, who first reunited over three emotional nights last September at First Avenue, have extended their modest 2017 tour plans into [a full-scale 24-gig outing scheduled through July]( and spread out from New York and Toronto to Los Angeles and San Francisco. - Surgeons find 915 coins inside endangered sea turtle: Veterinarians in Bangkok [operated Monday on the 25-year-old female green sea turtle nicknamed "Bank,"]( whose indigestible diet was a result of many tourists seeking good fortune tossing coins into her pool over many years in the eastern town of Sri Racha. Sports roundup - Vikings veteran Chad Greenway to announce retirement: Greenway, one of the most durable and productive defenders in Vikings history, was a leading tackler in purple during a decade that boasted five top-10 defenses. His sure tackling on the field mirrored [his constant presence as a community leader off of it.]( Greenway's departure and the likely exit of Adrian Peterson [signal the end of an era for the Vikings](, writes Michael Rand. - Will the Vikings add another Asiata in this year's draft? Before pumping out 35 reps on the bench press last week, tops for all offensive linemen at the NFL scouting combine, [Isaac Asiata got some advice from his cousin, Matt.]( - "Today" show profiles Sid Hartman: In case you missed it yesterday, [here's Harry Smith's fun story about the legendary Star Tribune sportswriter](. - ESPN reportedly slated for another huge round of layoffs: Sports Illustrated reports the sports media is preparing for another round of cost-cutting — and this time, the cuts could be even more significant, [at least in terms of name recognition](. Quote of the day “The ice is no longer safe. There’s open water, it’s way too warm.” -- [Sgt. Eric Herschberger]( of the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, after two snowmobilers twice fell through the ice in East Bethel. Worth a click The best breakfast spot in every state: This is a good reference for [travelers and breakfast fans alike.]( Trivia winner Congratulations to Greg Malget! Greg was randomly selected from among the many, many readers who correctly answered that Adrian Peterson was the celebrity who did a man-on-the-street interview with an unwitting reporter in Houston last week. He wins a Star Tribune travel mug. Be sure to check back Friday for another trivia question! From the archives March 6, 1975: The side of a school bus became the floor, littered with school books, homework assignments and a broom, when it rolled onto its side following a collision with a car. Thirteen people were injured, including nine Bryant Junior High School students. (Photo: Earl Seubert/Star Tribune) Connect with Star Tribune [facebook]( [twitter]( [google+]( [pinterest]( [instagram]( [tumblr]( [Sign up for more newsletters]( • [Subscribe to Star Tribune]( • [Privacy Policy]( • [Unsubscribe]( This email was sent by: StarTribune, 650 3rd Ave S, Suite #1300, Minneapolis, MN, 55488 © 2017 StarTribune. All rights reserved. We value your opinion! [Give us your feedback.](