UConn's Paige Bueckers is right at home as Women's Final Four fans flood into Minneapolis

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers TOP STORIES - UConn's Paige Bueckers is right at home as Women's Final Four fans flood into Minneapolis: The basketball star from Hopkins is now a supernova, trying to win her first national title in her hometown. [At the Final Four, all eyes will be on her.]( This weekend is about celebrating four excellent coaches, four great programs and dozens of exceptional athletes, [Jim Souhan writes.]( All four teams this week [checked into their downtown hotels](, where fans are welcome to encourage players as they come and go for practices and games. [Official activity options expand today]( when the free interactive Tourney Town opens at 9 a.m. at the Minneapolis Convention Center, and Party on the Plaza starts at 3 p.m. in front of Target Center. The first game tips off at 6 p.m., when South Carolina plays Louisville, followed by Connecticut vs. Stanford at 8:30 p.m. The games will be broadcast on ESPN. Check out [our guide for getting around town during this weekend's events.]( - Regina Chu, judge who presided over Kimberly Potter trial, is retiring: Chu, 68, became [the first Asian-American female district judge in Minnesota](, when she was appointed by Gov. Jesse Ventura in 2002. She was reelected three times and would have been up for reelection again this fall. - 235 construction projects on MnDOT's 2022 to-do list: [Traffic-tangling projects include Hwy. 10 in Anoka](, Hwy. 169 in Elk River and I-35E and I-94 in downtown St. Paul. - Grand Old Day canceled again in 2022: Organizers say [the annual street festival will return in 2023](. They have already started the process of planning it, according to a post on the Grand Avenue Business Association's website. The event was canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. - Amazon workers in NYC vote to unionize, a first for the company: Amazon workers in Staten Island, New York, [voted to unionize on Friday](, marking the first successful U.S. organizing effort in the retail giant's history and handing an unexpected win to a nascent group that fueled the union drive. - Ukraine strike on Russian territory reported as talks resume: Talks to stop the fighting in Ukraine resumed Friday, as another attempt to rescue civilians from the shattered and encircled city of Mariupol was thrown into jeopardy and [Russia accused the Ukrainians of a cross-border helicopter attack]( on a fuel depot. - Two men shot in the head blocks apart are dead, Minneapolis police say: Officer Garrett Parten, the MPD spokesman, said that [any connection between the two shootings "is being investigated."]( - Insurance firm Aon launches $30M apprenticeship program in seven cities, including Minneapolis: The effort, dubbed the Apprenticeship Network, [will start with 100 hires within the next year]( in cities that also include Chicago, Houston and San Francisco, the insurer said last month. Aon has pledged to expand the program to 10,000 financial apprentices by 2030 at the insurer and other partner companies. - Oscars producer says police offered to arrest Will Smith: Oscars producer Will Packer said Los Angeles police were ready to arrest Will Smith after Smith slapped Chris Rock on the Academy Awards stage. [But Packer said Rock was "very dismissive" of the idea.]( - Minnesota's most-exported products may surprise you: From snowmobiles to Scotch tape, [companies ship an eclectic mix of locally made products overseas.]( WATCH THIS Eastbound I-94 in Maplewood was a little icy yesterday morning: More than a dozen spinouts and crashes forced the closure of eastbound I-94 in the east metro for more than an hour Thursday morning, and [you can see why in this clip from MnDOT traffic cameras](. Let this be a reminder to slow down and drive carefully on icy roads. Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](. TRENDING - Is pet insurance worth the price tag? When pets are young, premiums are manageable. [But they increase sharply as pets age.]( - COVID affected Jon Bon Jovi's health, songwriting and need to rehearse: After practicing more than ever, [the Bon Jovi frontman brings a George Floyd-inspired song]( to the band's St. Paul concert Sunday. - The 5 best things our food writers ate this week: From salad cake to sausage snuggle pie, [here's a rundown of the greatest hits from their dining diaries]( over the past seven days. SPORTS ROUNDUP - Lindsay Whalen headed to National Basketball Hall of Fame : Former Gophers and Lynx star and current Gophers coach Lindsay Whalen [will be named to the Basketball Hall of Fame's 2022 Class]( on Saturday. - Vegas oddsmakers place Vikings squarely in the middle, once again: All the changes made by the Vikings haven't done much for Las Vegas oddsmakers when it comes to [moving the needle on the team's projected victory total.]( - Canada opens up for vaccinated anglers, no testing required: Canadian resort owners and outfitters who have barely hung on financially during the pandemic [hope elimination of the testing requirement brings anglers and other tourists north]( this summer in droves. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. WORTH A CLICK As corporate landlords gobble up U.S. suburbs, these homeowners are fighting back: "Using authority that lets them punish homeowners who fail to cut the grass, one predominantly Black neighborhood in North Carolina slows the pace of investor purchases," [Peter Whoriskey and Kevin Schaul report for the Washington Post.]( 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: Minnesota's first Latina mayor announced this week that she won't seek a second term in which city? Good luck! FROM THE ARCHIVES April 1, 2017: Minnesota United fans waved flags as they cheered from the stands while the players warmed up on the field prior to an MLS game between the Minnesota United and the Real Salt Lake at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. (Photo: Anthony Soufflé/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.](