No more dress-up for Smokey Bear statue in International Falls

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers TOP STORIES - No more dress-up for Smokey Bear statue in International Falls: With Halloween just around the corner, there is one prominent resident of International Falls who won't be in costume. The northern Minnesota city has decreed that residents [may no longer dress up the 26-foot-tall statue of Smokey Bear]( that has stood downtown since 1954. - Minneapolis police ballot question divides Black activists, leaders: [Proponents of the charter amendment contend]( that this is their one shot at addressing policing issues in the city and getting rid of a racist police system. Opponents argue dismantling the police department with no clear plan is too much of a risk for the Black community that is already dealing with high levels of violent crime. - Man cleared of firing at Minneapolis officers during unrest files lawsuit: Jaleel Stallings, a man found not guilty on all charges of shooting at Minneapolis police during the unrest that followed George Floyd's murder last year, [filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against the city and several of its officers](, alleging the use of excessive force and several constitutional rights violations. - Former U gymnast sues school for eliminating sport: A former University of Minnesota gymnast is suing the school for eliminating his sport, [alleging that administrators engaged in sex-based discrimination]( by letting Title IX compliance concerns influence their decision to cut three men's teams last fall. - Biden says Pope Francis told him he should "keep receiving communion": President Joe Biden said Pope Francis told him he should continue to receive Communion, as the world's two most prominent Roman Catholics [ran overtime in highly personal discussions on climate change](, poverty and the coronavirus pandemic that also touched on the loss of president's adult son and jokes about aging well. Biden's support for abortion rights and same-sex marriage has has put him at odds with many U.S. bishops, some of whom have suggested he should be denied Communion. - Minnesota's drought shows signs of easing with steady rain: For the first time since spring, more than 1/10th of the state — primarily in southwestern Minnesota — [is no longer abnormally dry.]( The north still is seeing dry conditions. - Assault charges dropped after Dayton man fired at police in self-defense: Assault charges in Hennepin County filed early last year against a Dayton man accused of shooting at police have since been dropped after [it was determined that he fired in self-defense.]( The resolution of Faris M.T. Hussien's case was first reported by KARE this week.[In an investigative report, the television station chronicled]( how Hussien and his pregnant wife, Sara, were arrested and held in the Hennepin County jail following the incident, and how Sara went into labor in her cell and was forced to give birth at HCMC while shackled. Sara has since filed a lawsuit against Hennepin County, according to the report. - Home Depot, Fed Ex are building giant distribution centers in Rosemount: Development is underway on [two sprawling warehouses with a combined nearly 1 million square feet]( in Rosemount, one of several outer-ring suburbs that have become go-to destinations for developers that are catering to the growing e-commerce industry. HEY, LOOK AT THIS These are the winners of the Star Tribune's annual pet Halloween costume contest: [Get ready to say "awwww."]( Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](. TRENDING - Your drawer full of old tech could have a new life — or start a fire: That stuff might look like junk, but don't be fooled — some of it is potential e-waste, and [the last thing you should do is toss it in the trash.]( - The 5 best things our food writers ate this week: From savory crêpes to black sugar boba, [here's a rundown of the greatest hits]( from their dining diaries over the last seven days. - Why are there so many suburbs named St. Paul? The moniker extends beyond the capital city itself to many of its neighboring suburbs — West St. Paul, North St. Paul, South St. Paul and St. Paul Park. And in a somewhat maddening twist, [those city names don't always neatly line up with the compass.]( SPORTS ROUNDUP - Is Anthony Edwards Minnesota's most charismatic star since Kirby Puckett? The Wolves guard is averaging 25.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists for the 3-1 Wolves, who are coming off an impressive road win at the defending champion Bucks. Let's not forget — [he only turned 20 in August.]( - St. Thomas, new to Division I, quickly turning heads in Pioneer League: The Tommies are 3-1 in conference play and continue to show that [the jump from Division III wasn't too big.]( - Freshman Matthew Knies makes quick impact on U hockey: Knies, who grew up playing with the kids of NHL players in Arizona, [has been a fast study since joining the Gophers.]( Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. WORTH A CLICK Architect resigns in protest over university's "social and psychological experiment" mega-dorm: The idea for UC Santa Barbara's planned "11-story, 1.68-million-square-foot structure that would house up to 4,500 students, 94 percent of whom would not have windows in their small, single-occupancy bedrooms" was conceived by a 97-year-old billionaire investor and amateur architect who donated $200 million toward the project on the condition that his blueprints be followed exactly. A consulting architect on a university review committee quit in protest, saying the proposed dormitory was "unsupportable from my perspective as an architect, a parent, and a human being," [the Santa Barbara Independent's Tyler Hayden reports.]( 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: The military seized power and arrested the prime minister in which African country this week? Good luck! FROM THE ARCHIVES Oct. 29, 2014: A Cooper's hawk from the University of Minnesota's Raptor Center got some exercise in St. Paul. (Photo: Kyndell Harkness/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.](