Biden to nominate Ketanji Brown Jackson for Supreme Court

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers TOP STORIES - Biden to nominate Ketanji Brown Jackson for Supreme Court: President Joe Biden on Friday [will nominate federal appeals court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court](, the White House said, making her the first Black woman selected to serve on a court that once declared her race unworthy of citizenship and endorsed segregation. Jackson would be the high court's first former public defender, though she also possesses the elite legal background of other justices. - 3 former Minneapolis officers guilty of violating George Floyd's civil rights: Three former Minneapolis police officers were [convicted by a federal jury Thursday of depriving George Floyd of his constitutional rights]( by failing to stop a fellow officer from using the excessive force that killed him on the street outside Cup Foods nearly two years ago. Having found the officers guilty, the jury also was asked whether Floyd's restraint caused his death. The jury answered yes, allowing the possibility that the judge can impose lengthy sentences. Reaction to the across-the-board guilty verdicts Thursday in the federal civil rights trial of the three ex-Minneapolis police officers in George Floyd's death were split between [celebration for another example for police accountability and concern over a potential chilling effect on police.]( - Ukraine's capital under threat as Russia presses invasion: Russian troops bore down on Ukraine's capital Friday, with gunfire and explosions resonating ever closer to the government quarter, in [an invasion of a democratic country that has fueled fears of wider war in Europe]( and triggered worldwide efforts to make Russia stop. With [reports of hundreds of casualties from the warfare]( — including shelling that sliced through a Kyiv apartment building and pummeled bridges and schools — there also were growing signs that Vladimir Putin's Russia may be seeking to overthrow Ukraine's government. - From missile strikes to employee safety, Cargill and other Minnesota companies scramble in Ukraine: Minnesota's multinational businesses with interests in Ukraine and Russia [scrambled Thursday to connect with their people on the ground as war broke out](. The threat of violence loomed over the region for weeks, but the scope and speed of the attack took many by surprise, forcing U.S. companies — including Medtronic, Ecolab and Cargill — to make fast decisions as the situation quickly deteriorated. Across the Twin Cities, [Ukrainian Americans reacted to the invasion with horror, sorrow and outrage.]( About 100 people gathered Thursday afternoon outside St. Constantine's Ukrainian Catholic Church in northeast Minneapolis, waving homemade signs and flags in the snow. Many are in regular contact with relatives and loved ones in Ukraine, and they feel keenly the pain of what's happening in the country. - CDC to ease pandemic mask guidelines today: The Biden administration [will significantly loosen federal mask-wearing guideline](s to protect against COVID-19 transmission on Friday, according to two people familiar with the matter, meaning most Americans will no longer be advised to wear masks in indoor public settings. - Johnson & Johnson, distributors finalize landmark $26B opioid settlement: Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and three major distributors finalized nationwide settlements over their role in the opioid addiction crisis Friday, an announcement that [clears the way for $26 billion to flow to nearly every state and local government]( in the U.S. - Biden to travel to Superior, Wis., after State of the Union address next week: According to the White House, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden [will stop in Superior on Wednesday]( to discuss how the $1 trillion infrastructure law will improve the state's roads and bridges, among other things, and create jobs. - Why did so many Jewish people move to St. Louis Park decades ago?[The western suburb was the hub of Jewish life in the Twin Cities]( for the latter half of the 20th century. WATCH THIS Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones leads group of two dozen musicians and dancers in new recording of "When the Levee Breaks": Filmed in a handful of studios and scenic locations, [this version was recorded to raise funds for conservation organizations]( as part of for Playing for Change's Songs around the World initiative. Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](. TRENDING - Controversy brews over James Beard Awards selection of Minnesota restaurateur Kim Bartmann: The owner of seven Minneapolis restaurants, Bartmann came under fire in 2020 after employees said she had laid off workers during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns without giving them their final paychecks. The Bartmann Group reached a settlement in 2021 for more than $230,000, which included nearly $99,000 in back wages and more than $66,000 in overtime wages that Bartmann had already paid to employees. Commenters on social media, including former Bartmann Group staff, [spoke out Thursday about what they see as a violation of the James Beard Awards' code of ethics](, which lists "stealing of wages or tips" as a practice antithetical to the values of the awards. - Current radio DJ Sean McPherson named music director at Jazz88-KBEM: A fixture in the Twin Cities nightlife scene — he's also the bassist and bandleader for the St. Paul hip-hop group Heiruspecs and co-founder of Trivia Mafia — [McPherson will sign off next week from the Current]( after nearly eight years on staff. - The 5 best things our food writers ate in the Twin Cities this week: From a macha chicken bowl to saffron paella, [here's a rundown of the greatest hits from their dining diaries]( over the past seven days. SPORTS ROUNDUP - Can Kevin O'Connell avoid this key early Mike Zimmer mistake?[Zimmer was hands-off with the offense]( after hiring a veteran coordinator at the start of his tenure. - Gophers coach Motzko wasn't kidding: Close can play. The Gophers appeared to have a giant question in net when Jack LaFontaine turned pro in January, but Justen Close has been the answer, [writes Patrick Reusse.]( - Prior Lake ends girls' basketball season after racist note found in player's bag: The Prior Lake High School girls' basketball team will forfeit its final game of the season and its first-round playoff match after [a sophomore player discovered a racist note in her gym bag](, school board Chair Michael Nelson and Superintendent Teri Staloch wrote in a note to families Thursday. Lakers head coach Demondi Johnson also announced his resignation on Twitter. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. WORTH A CLICK On Ukraine's Snake Island, a defiant last stand against Russian forces: The Washington Post's Dan Lamothe and Paul Sonne report on [a viral audio recording of border guards taunting a Russian warship]( shortly before they met their deaths on a desolate island in the Black Sea. 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: Which Wisconsin-based beer-maker unveiled heated shorts with a beer holster for sale on its website this week? Good luck! FROM THE ARCHIVES Feb. 25, 2019: Isaac Baker first restarted his girlfriend's car in the background, and then came to help Modeste Zinzindo with his vehicle, which had stalled the day before on Hwy. 218 in southern Minnesota. The engine compartment had filled with snow from the ferocious blizzard winds. (Photo: Glen Stubbe/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.](