🌲🌲🌲 How lumberjacks harnessed an "ocean of pine" to build Minnesota 🌲🌲🌲

Plus: The 5 best things our food writers ate this week. ͏ ͏ If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers TOP STORIES - How lumberjacks harnessed an "ocean of pine" to build Minnesota: Minnesota's legacy as the world's flour milling capital is well remembered today. But less is said about the state's other 19th-century industrial triumph — lumber. [Read more.]( - Violent crimes in Minneapolis park hot spots down drastically in 2022: Park Police Chief Jason Ohotto said the 2022 park crime rate is on pace to meet its 10-year average of 92 violent crimes per year. There were 130 such incidents in 2020, when parks briefly offered sanctuary to numerous homeless encampments. [Read more.]( - Minneapolis officials reach deal on Hennepin Avenue bus lanes: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and the City Council agreed Thursday to allow dedicated bus lanes on the rebuilt Hennepin Avenue, but only for six hours a day. [Read more.]( - State auditor sides with Two Harbors officials in handling of mayoral conflicts: Two Harbors Mayor Chris Swanson may not have always disclosed how his business dealings overlap with his role as an elected official, the State Auditor's Office said in a report released Thursday that suggested the city implement more robust disclosure requirements for elected officials. [Read more.]( - St. Paul City Council proposes exempting new construction, affordable units from rent control ordinance: A sweeping set of proposed amendments to the city's 3% rent cap also would allow landlords to bank and defer rent increases until a tenant moves out and prevent them from using utility charges to skirt the law. [Read more.]( WATCH THIS NASA engineer demonstrates how to always win a coin toss: There's a reason the officials [let the coin hit the ground]( at sporting events. *** Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](. *** TRENDING The 5 best things our food writers ate this week: From a Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich to Korean braised short ribs, here's a rundown of the greatest hits from their dining diaries over the past seven days. [Read more.]( SPORTS BLINK New bosses enjoy honeymoon as Vikings fans feed on "Evil Zim" tales: So far, nobody is calling out new GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's naivete. Some Viking players have helped provide cover by blaming ex-coach Mike Zimmer and the atmosphere they say he created, writes Patrick Reusse. [Read more.]( *** Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. *** WORTH A CLICK In much of Asia, tiger populations are rebounding: "The slow but steady rise in the big cat's estimated populationcomes as biologists get better at tracking the animal and marks a high point amid a deepening extinction crisis that may see as many as a million plants and animal species disappear worldwide because of habitat loss and climate change," reports Dino Grandoni for the Washington Post. [Read more.]( 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 Minnesota-based Fortune 500 company announced plans to spin off its health care business this week? Good luck! FROM THE ARCHIVES June 29, 1982: Coach Bud Grant surveyed workouts as the Vikings opened training camp for the 1982 season at Mankato State University. (Photo: John Croft/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.](