New rules, rising police costs force many St. Paul festivals to fold

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers TOP STORIES - New rules, rising police costs force many St. Paul festivals to fold: Several St. Paul festivals and events have dramatically regrouped or folded this year. Many cite steeply rising police costs and more city requirements as a reason on top of two years of COVID-19 disruptions and lingering public health concerns. City leaders and police officials [say they are trying to balance safety with community fun.]( They are also trying to not force taxpayers to supplement events. - Walter Mondale remembered: "One of the finest men I've ever known." A preacher's son guided by a quiet faith, Walter "Fritz" Mondale ascended from humble beginnings in southern Minnesota all the way to the White House, forever changing the role of the vice president and acting as a "guiding light" to a generation of politicians who followed him. "I hope we can all be Fritz's mirror, continue to spread his light," said President Joe Biden, who was among the lawmakers, friends and loved ones [who gathered in Minneapolis on Sunday to reflect on his legacy](. - Minnesota school budgets sag under inflation, supply woes: As Americans grapple with rates of inflation unseen since the 1980s, [increased costs are taking a toll on Minnesota's public schools](. District leaders say that in addition to the increased costs for fuel and groceries, supply-chain disruptions are also causing headaches for department heads. - Catalytic converter thefts soar in Twin Cities suburbs: No longer strictly a big city problem, [catalytic converter theft has become widespread in the suburbs, too.]( A Star Tribune analysis of crime statistics from 23 Twin Cities suburbs shows catalytic converter thefts have skyrocketed — from 300 in 2019 to more than 2,300 last year. The sharp increase prompted the National Insurance Crime Bureau to name the Twin Cities metro area as the riskiest place in the country for such thefts. - Minnesota physicians brace for Roe v. Wade decision: If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the landmark abortion case, states like Minnesota [could become islands for women seeking the procedure.]( - Onamia native Sarah Lancaster is Minnesota's first AAPI Teacher of the Year: Lancaster, a first-grade teacher in the Onamia School District, [was named the 2022 Minnesota Teacher of the Year on Sunday](. She's the first teacher of Asian-Pacific Islander descent to win the title, now in its 58th year, and has taught in her hometown for the nine years she's been in the field. - Shakopee Amazon workers walk out to demand higher pay, time off for Eid: [Amazon workers walked out of a Shakopee warehouse Friday night](, seeking higher wages and time off for Eid, the Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan. In a video shared by the Awood Center, a Minneapolis organization supporting East African communities, a crowd gathered outside the 885,000-square-foot warehouse with signage to express their demands. - Ex-Twin Cities special ed teacher convicted of sexual assault is spared prison time: Over the objection of the prosecution, a Hennepin County judge has spared prison for a longtime Twin Cities special education teacher who was convicted of sexually assaulting someone he met on a dating website. Michael J. Lovestrand, 52, of Bloomington, [was sentenced to seven years' supervised probation](, while a 12-year prison term was set aside. - New public-private effort hopes to build $2B fund to revitalize Twin Cities: The GroundBreak Coalition in May will start the process to leverage public funds and philanthropic and business donations to rebuild the corridor hit by riots after George Floyd's death and address inequities in home ownership and business, [writes Neal St. Anthony.]( - What you need to know about St. Paul's new rent control policy: As the city's rent stabilization ordinance officially takes effect, [here are answers to some common questions.]( WATCH THIS Terrifying drone footage shows tornado with up to 165 MPH winds tearing through Kansas suburb: Storm chaser Reed Timmer [shared this dramatic drone video of the massive EF3 tornado]( that destroyed hundreds of buildings during its 21 minutes on the ground in the Wichita suburb of Andover on Friday evening. Incredibly, no lives were lost, though four people, including two firefighters, were injured in the storm. [Read more about the tornado and its aftermath here.]( Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](. TRENDING - How Minnesota's top Airbnb hosts make things run: Minnesota's highest-rated Airbnb hosts offer their [top tips for running a successful short-term rental.]( - Love to cook? This Twin Cities photographer will turn your recipes into a cookbook. Heirloom Collaborative is [preserving food memories with personalized cookbooks.]( - Timber frame Minnesota lake home built "the old-fashioned way" lists for $850K: [Timber framing is a centuries-old practice]( of using wooden pegs to join beams and interlock pieces to build the skeleton of a home. Popular in the United States from the early 1600s to the mid-1800s, it grew increasingly rare as modern post-and-beam construction, which relied on metal fasteners, became the norm. SPORTS ROUNDUP - 5 big questions for the Vikings after their 10-player draft: The Vikings made six trades and spent most of their early picks on defense. [Here are questions to consider]( as the team prepares to gather for workouts later this month. - Meet Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who plays better "when I'm having fun": In addition to a future Hall of Famer,[the Wild also acquired a practical jokester nicknamed "Flower"]( who talks to the goal post and wears flashy gear when they traded for Fluery in March. - After spectacular 2021 minor league season, Twins call up Jose Miranda: [The third baseman joined the team in Baltimore]( as Miguel Sano and Kyle Garlick went on the 10-day injured list. Jovani Moran was also called up from St. Paul. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. WORTH A CLICK A crime beyond belief: "A Harvard-trained lawyer was convicted of committing bizarre home invasions. Psychosis may have compelled him to do it. But in a case that became a public sensation, he wasn't the only one who seemed to lose touch with reality," [writes Katia Savchuk for Atavist magazine.]( TRIVIA WINNER Congratulations to Jack Gorman! Jack was randomly selected from among the many readers who correctly answered that Chuck Klosterman is the author of "Downtown Owl," the book upon which a new film being shot in Minnesota is based. Jack wins a $15 gift card. Be sure to read Talkers on Friday for another trivia question! FROM THE ARCHIVES May 2, 2019: A school bus drives along State Highway 13, past hay rakers at Niemuth Implement in Stetsonville, Wis. 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