Minnesota eases quarantine rules for kids in child care

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers TOP STORIES - Minnesota eases quarantine rules for kids in child care: The state will [no longer require child care providers in Minnesota to quarantine students and staff]( who were in contact with someone testing positive for COVID-19. The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) notified early care and education programs of the change to its licensing requirements on Tuesday and said it was "effective immediately." - Authorities ID remains unearthed in Isanti County in 2003 as man missing since early '70s: A mystery more than a half-century old has at least partly been solved for one family. Authorities said Wednesday [they have positively identified the remains of a man that were unearthed in 2003]( on property southwest of Cambridge in Isanti County. - Golden Valley, Hopkins pass mask mandates: Golden Valley and Hopkins are t[he first metro area suburbs to mandate mask wearing in public indoor settings](, a move that many Minnesota cities — outside Minneapolis and St. Paul — have resisted because of the difficulty in enforcing the controversial policy. As the highly contagious omicron variant causes record COVID-19 cases across the U.S., people are swapping in N95 masks for their old cloth face coverings to better ward off the virus. N95 respirators are proven to provide high levels of protection against the droplets that cause infections leading to COVID-19 — and many doctors and public health experts are now advocating for their use among the general population. [Here are answers to questions about the masks.]( - Minneapolis school board approves agreement with bus drivers, averts strike: The Minneapolis school board on Tuesday [approved an agreement with a union representing about 100 Minneapolis school bus drivers](, about two months after the union threatened to strike if their demands over pay and working conditions weren't met. - Omicron may be headed for a rapid drop in Britain, U.S.: Scientists are seeing signals that [COVID-19′s alarming omicron wave may have peaked in Britain]( and is about to do the same in the U.S., at which point cases may start dropping off dramatically. The reason: The variant has proved so wildly contagious that it may already be running out of people to infect, just a month and a half after it was first detected in South Africa. - U.S. inflation soared 7% in past year, the most since 1982: Inflation jumped at its fastest pace in nearly 40 years last month, a 7% spike from a year earlier that is increasing household expenses, [eating into wage gains and heaping pressure on President Joe Biden and the Federal Reserve]( to address what has become the biggest threat to the U.S. economy. - State trial of three officers charged in George Floyd killing postponed from March date: Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill, who is presiding over the trial, issued an order Wednesday morning granting defense attorneys' request to move the trial [but did not set a new date.]( - St. Paul City Council asks state to help clean up Pig's Eye Lake: The St. Paul City Council is asking the state for funds from President Joe Biden's federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the state's $7 billion state budget surplus to [help clean up years of pollution near the underutilized lake](. The amount of funding needed was not specified. The area near the lake, wetlands and flood plain were used as a landfill from 1920 to the early 1970s. - Trump abruptly ends NPR interview after he is pressed on baseless election fraud claims: Former president Donald Trump [abruptly ended an interview with NPR on Tuesday after he was pressed on his baseless claims of election fraud]( and repeated contention that the 2020 election was "rigged" against him. Trump hung up on "Morning Edition" host Steve Inskeep nine minutes into what NPR said was scheduled to be a 15-minute interview that was broadcast Wednesday. WATCH THIS Twitter user unmasks a famous location with Google Earth: [The cultural significance of this bridge is undeniable](. Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](. TRENDING - Subscription bakery Laune opens storefront on E. Lake Street in Minneapolis: All of the breads at Laune [will be leavened with a sourdough culture and take a hyperlocal approach](, including the use of grains grown in the region. The opening menu will include breads as well as a mix of sweet and savory pastries. - 5 small changes that can lead to healthier eating: From sneaking in more greens to changes in mind-set, [a little change can mean big things.]( - Michele Tafoya confirms she's leaving the NFL sidelines — but not Minnesota: Michele Tafoya, who has become one of the most famous sideline reporters in broadcasting while remaining based in Minnesota, confirmed Tuesday that she's leaving NBC Sports. [And possibly leaving the sports arena entirely.]( SPORTS ROUNDUP - Who will be the next Vikings coach? Start by figuring out who won't be. Teams looking for a new coach tend to avoid the traits of the last one. There are a number of names you're hearing who won't come close to getting the job. [What traits will the new coach have?]( - Twins to retire Hall of Famer Jim Kaat's No. 36: The team will now have 10 numbers retired after [honoring their all-time leader in pitching victories.]( - When the refs are all women, is girls' basketball a better game? n addition to making an impact as role models, many players and coaches [suggest that women officials call the game differently from men](, allowing girls to play more physically. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. WORTH A CLICK Is gruyère still gruyère if it doesn't come from Gruyères? A federal judge says yes, siding with U.S. cheese producers who say gruyère can be produced anywhere, not just in Switzerland and France, [reports Jenny Gross fo the New York Times.]( FROM THE ARCHIVES Jan. 12, 2017: Shaul Hanay, an observational cosmologist and professor at the School of Physics and Astronomy, propelled himself across the stage with the pressure from a fire extinguisher during the University of Minnesota Physics Force performance at Northrop Auditorium. More than 25,000 students attended the Physics Circus shows to help teach elementary school kids that physics is fun. (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 © 2022 StarTribune. All rights reserved. We value your opinion! [Give us your feedback.](