Did a famed Minneapolis parks leader import gray squirrels — and have the red ones killed?

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 - Did a famed Minneapolis parks leader import gray squirrels — and have the red ones killed? Gray squirrels were once a rare breed mostly found in forests. Now they are abundant in the city's parks. [Read more.]( - Minnesota leaders propose new spending to boost workforce: Gov. Tim Walz proposed hundreds of millions for broadband expansion, business assistance and climate initiatives on Thursday. But at nearly $669 million, the creation of a paid family and medical leave program is the single biggest item in his economic development budget. [Read more.]( - Pain from expensive eggs multiplied for bakeries, restaurants: While egg prices may have peaked, they likely won't fall quickly. Minnesota businesses that go through hundreds or thousands of eggs per week are still feeling the pain. [Read more.]( - Charges unsealed against teen accused in killing at MOA: Lavon S. Longstreet, 17, of Minneapolis, has been charged in a juvenile petition filed in Hennepin County District Court with second-degree intentional murder and second-degree assault in connection with the shooting on Dec. 23 that killed Johntae Hudson, of St. Paul, in the Nordstrom department store. [Read more.]( - Remembering David Crosby, a Hall of Fame voice and interview: David Crosby was a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame performer in two different harmony-loving groups, the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash. He was a Hall of Fame jerk, too, even by his own account. But his candidness, even if he sometimes put his foot in his mustachioed mouth, made Croz a Hall of Fame interview, one of the music world's great talkers, writes Jon Bream. [Read more.]( WATCH THIS Firefighters use inflatable "ice path" to rescue dog in England: The pooch fell into a canal while chasing ducks in Willenhall, U.K. Firefighters from the West Midlands Fire Service pulled her to safety with the device, essentially a long, flat raft. [See the video.]( *** 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 salmon scramble to kimchi fried rice, here's a rundown of the greatest hits from their dining diaries over the past seven days. [Read more.]( SPORTS BLINK Vikings fire Ed Donatell after first season as defensive coordinator: Donatell's firing might be just the first of the big changes for the Vikings' defense. Several free players are scheduled to be free agents and other veterans may be salary cap casualties. [Read more.]( *** Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. *** WORTH A CLICK "Toadzilla," a giant toad found in Australia, may be world's largest: "As Kylee Gray got out of her car, she looked to the ground and gasped in disbelief. The ranger at Conway National Park in Queensland, Australia, had stopped the vehicle last week in a wild rainforest after she saw a snake slithering across the track. But what she saw next was no snake — or, for that matter, anything she had seen before," Timothy Bella writes 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 university announced a record $75 million gift this week to help cover the cost of new sports facilities? Good luck! FROM THE ARCHIVES Jan. 20, 2015: Animal research technician Leda Mox changes the feed in the shrimp tanks at Cargill's Aquaculture lab in Elk River. Aquaculture — fish and shrimp farming — is still small to compared to hogs, poultry and livestock, but it is an important animal feed market for Cargill. (Photo: Leila Navidi/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 © 2023 StarTribune. All rights reserved. We value your opinion! [Give us your feedback.](