Think winter has been cold in the Twin Cities? Try the Icebox of the Nation.

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers TOP STORIES - Think winter has been cold in the Twin Cities? Try the Icebox of the Nation. If the freezing past couple months in the Twin Cities has put you on the verge of a meltdown, remember a brutally cold Minnesota winter is all relative — a matter of degrees, if you will. And if you're feeling a bit frosty coming off the Twin Cities' coldest January in nearly a decade, try driving five hours straight north to International Falls, the city of 6,000 that trademarked the moniker "Icebox of the Nation." There, in the town that inspired Rocky and Bullwinkle's Frostbite Falls, live [America's top experts on surviving brutally cold winters.]( - Blizzard leads to closure of 50 miles of I-94 in northwestern Minnesota: Blizzard conditions have led to scores of crashes Friday morning across northwest Minnesota and led the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the State Patrol to shut down several major roads, including [a 50-mile stretch of Interstate 94 from Fergus Falls to Moorhead.]( - Many Minneapolis employers rebooting back-to-office plans: As news of lower rates of the omicron variants made their way to Minnesota employers, some have decided to reboot their back-to-work plans. The city of Minneapolis will be [switching to its official hybrid plans on Monday.]( - Minneapolis North High School student, 15, dies after shooting: Sophomore Deshaun Hill Jr. was a quarterback for the school's football team and the subject of an upcoming documentary, according to his uncle Deontray Walker. [Police found Hill with a life-threatening gunshot wound]( near the intersection of N. Golden Valley Road and N. Penn Avenue around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. - Ethics complaints filed against Minneapolis Mayor Frey over Amir Locke killing: [Minneapolis' ethics officer has received "close to 30" complaints]( from people raising concerns over Mayor Jacob Frey's handling of the Amir Locke killing — and activists are promising to deliver more this afternoon. The filings come after the launch of an online campaign — dubbed the Residents' Complaint — encouraging people to submit a form ethics complaint against Frey. - Minneapolis school shows love for devoted bus driver who was shot while on route: Students, parents and staff at a Minneapolis elementary school are [pulling together to support a devoted bus driver who was seriously wounded by gunfire]( while taking children home. Kids drew get-well wishes for driver who started learning Spanish with the students at Sheridan Dual Language Elementary School. - Minnesota state senator injured in snowmobile crash says he "can't walk for two months": A state senator who crashed his snowmobile in central Minnesota during a ride with fellow legislators said [he has a broken pelvis that will keep him off his feet for many weeks.]( - Cleveland-Cliffs to idle Northshore taconite mine this spring: Northshore Mining operations in Silver Bay and Babbitt [will be idled this spring at least through the fall](, Cleveland-Cliffs chief executive Lourenco Goncalves said Friday morning. Goncalves is making good on a previous pledge to avoid royalty payments to Mesabi Trust for the iron ore that supplies Northshore. - In Seattle interview, Hennepin County Library Director Chad Helton acknowledges new county residency policy: In a job interview Thursday with Seattle Public Library officials, Hennepin County Library Director Chad Helton acknowledged that the county is now requiring a person holding his position to live in Minnesota. While he said he accepted the county's new policy, [he did not say whether he would move back to Minnesota]( from his home in California if he doesn't get the Seattle job and continues to work for Hennepin County. - Workers at two Starbucks locations in Twin Cities push for unionization: The coffee shops are [the first in Minnesota to join the national Starbucks Workers United movement]( in which workers at more than 70 store locations have filed for union elections. WATCH THIS Remote underwater vehicle gathers footage of otherwordly deep-sea animals: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute posted [this 10-minute video of strange and beautiful creatures]( encountered by its remotely operated vehicles just off the California coast in Monterey Bay. Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](. TRENDING - Vinyl record boom goes bust for Minnesota acts facing manufacturing delays: A rise in demand has stymied acts like the Cactus Blossoms, [who hit the road next week without LPs in tow.]( - Why is the BWCA a wilderness and not a national park? The area's history as a hub of industry and recreation led to unique protections and management for the Boundary Waters — [and a national park next door.]( - The 5 best things our food writers ate this week: From matzo ball soup to Swedish meatballs, [here's a rundown of the greatest hits from their dining diaries]( over the past seven days. SPORTS ROUNDUP - Can the Gophers find a dominant inside player in the Land of 10,000 Big Men? The Big Ten is stacked with something first-year Gophers men's basketball coach Ben Johnson is missing in his program right now: a dominant inside presence. [Two of Minnesota's most intriguing center prospects squared off](Wednesday night, when Park of Cottage Grove played Holy Family. Fans were treated to a Big Ten-like frontcourt battle with 6-9 senior Pharrel Payne vs. rising 6-11 junior Boden Kapke. - Disaster looming, Roseville's Stecklein bails out USA in tough win over Czechs: Team USA appeared one play from being one of the biggest upsets victims in women's Olympic hockey history before Lee Stecklein of Roseville, a former Gophers star, stepped up in the 4-1 win, [writes La Velle E. Neal III.]( - New coordinator Donatell could bring big change to Vikings defense: If the Vikings switch to a three-man defensive front under new defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, [it could change how they evaluate certain players](, including pass rushers like Danielle Hunter. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. WORTH A CLICK Who would win in a real-world battle: A Bengal tiger or a ram? Here's some timely science content from Smithsonian Magazine ahead of the Super Bowl. If it's a one-on-one fight, the answer might seem obvious, but like football, [survival is often a team sport.]( 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: Canterbury Park in Shakopee is planning to sell nearby land for the construction of what? Good luck! FROM THE ARCHIVES Feb. 10, 1993: Eric Eifler, left, and Leif Pettersen, right, both from the University of Minnesota Juggling Club, carefully handle flaming torches as they prepare to juggle in front of Coffman Union to promote the upcoming Mondo Jugglefest IV at the university. (Photo: Judy Griesdedieck/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.](