Lawmakers aim to redesign "outdated" Minnesota flag

Plus: Explosion at East Bethel house under construction injures 3 ͏ ͏ If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers TOP STORIES - Lawmakers aim to redesign "outdated" Minnesota flag: There's a lot packed into the seal at the center of the state flag, including a painful reminder for many Indigenous Minnesotans. Legislators have long contemplated an overhaul of the flag to bring it in line with the simple, bold designs of states such as Colorado and Maryland. But 2023 appears likely to be the year they jump-start that work, creating a committee to come up with Minnesota's new emblem. [Read more.]( - Explosion at East Bethel house under construction injures 3: The Anoka County Sheriff's Office said in a news alert issued shortly before 9 a.m. that deputies and emergency medical responders were dispatched to an area near Viking Boulevard NE. and Greenbrook Drive NE. in response to "reports of an explosion in the area." [Read more.]( - What's the project happening on I-35W, and when will it be done? MnDOT did a four-year, $240 million reconstruction of the freeway between I-94 and Crosstown Hwy. 62, replacing bridges, putting down new concrete pavement and adding carpool lanes and a bus station at Lake Street. The agency declared the project officially complete in September 2021, but there is one lingering component that has workers still on the job and one northbound lane closed near 42nd Street. [Read more.]( - Legislature moving to restore voting rights for felons after release from custody: Current law restores the vote after probation, which can last decades. [Read more.]( - Powerful quake rocks Turkey and Syria, killing more than 1,300: A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked wide swaths of Turkey and Syria early Monday, toppling hundreds of buildings and killing more than 1,300 people. Hundreds were still believed to be trapped under rubble, and the toll was expected to rise as rescue workers searched mounds of wreckage in cities and towns across the area. [Read more.]( WATCH THIS Crystal clear ice forms on Lake Superior: Chelsey Lynn Tweedale posted video of the glassy surface of Lake Superior near Munising, Michigan, where recent frigid temperatures formed ice thick enough to walk on but clear enough to see the bottom of the lake below. [See the video.]( *** Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](. *** TRENDING 4 Minnesota-made apps make home repairs and maintenance easier: Local startups are leveraging software to also generate instant quotes on repairs, remodeling, and schedule snow removal and lawn services. [Read more.]( SPORTS BLINK "Widowmaker" comes to Twins fantasy camp — and MDs are MVPs: Jamie Green of Mounds View survived a scary scene on a baseball diamond in Fort Myers, a story that has played out much like the one involving Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin, writes La Velle E. Neal III. [Read more.]( *** Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. *** WORTH A CLICK Janitor cleaning cell gets stuck for 3 days in Florida courthouse: "A 72-year-old woman was doing her job cleaning when she was accidentally locked in a holding cell at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando all weekend with no food and no medicine," Connor Hansen reports for Orlando's FOX 35. [Read more.]( TRIVIA WINNER Congratulations to Patricia Marrinan! Patricia was randomly selected from among the many readers who correctly answered that Dave Durenberger is the U.S. senator from Minnesota who died last week at the age of 88. She wins a $15 gift card. Be sure to read Talkers on Friday for another trivia question! FROM THE ARCHIVES Feb. 6, 2019: A 25-foot Minnesota Voyageur statue greets visitors to the tiny city of Ranier near International Falls. Ranier was a major gateway for illegal liquor to Minneapolis and Chicago during Prohibition. Local developers sought to tap into that history with the Great Gatsby-themed Cantilever Distillery and Hotel, then under construction. (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 © 2023 StarTribune. All rights reserved. We value your opinion! [Give us your feedback.](