Some high-poverty Minnesota schools beat the odds, others struggle in wake of pandemic

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 - Some high-poverty Minnesota schools beat the odds, others struggle in wake of pandemic: A Star Tribune analysis of test scores shows which schools statewide exceeded expectations. [Read more.]( - McCarthy pushes last-ditch plan to keep government open, but with steep cuts:House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is rushing Friday into a last-ditch plan to keep the federal government temporarily open — but with steep spending cuts of nearly 30% to many agencies and severe border security provisions demanded by his hard-right flank though with almost no chance in the Democratic Senate. [Read more.]( - Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California dies at 90: U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, a centrist Democrat and champion of liberal causes who was elected to the Senate in 1992 and broke gender barriers throughout her long career in local and national politics, has died. She was 90. [Read more.]( - Selling for survival: Migrants peddle fruit on Twin Cities streets. The practice led to clashes with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board over the summer, when it began receiving complaints from park patrons and licensed concessions operators about the migrants lacking licenses to sell food. [Read more.]( - Want to honor Dakota land? With a voluntary "tax," you can. The wealth-return program, a form of voluntary reparation, is the first of its kind in Minnesota. [Read more.]( WATCH THIS Streets, subway flooded as torrential rains hammer NYC area: A river was seen running through down subway steps at the Park Slope station in Brooklyn this morning as about 23 million people are under a flood warning in the New York City region. [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 sushi sandwiches to a trio of salsas, here's a rundown of the greatest hits from their dining diaries over the past seven days. [Read more.]( SPORTS BLINK Buxton pitches Baldelli: Put me on the playoff roster. The injured center fielder is "pushing day in and day out" trying to recover, and he'll work out this weekend in an attempt to prove he can play in the postseason on Tuesday, 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 Meet one of the 11 adults responsible for 60% of school book challenges last school year: Virginia parent Jennifer Petersen objects to one school book a week, roiling her community and earning her fervent admiration and criticism. She says she'll never stop, Hannah Natanson reports 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. 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 Minneapolis venue apologized this week for canceling a Latinx community dance party to instead host a Dave Chappelle after-party? Good luck! FROM THE ARCHIVES Sept. 29, 2021: Angela Dawson and Harold Robinson stood in their hemp greenhouse. Togethery, they run Forty Acre Co-op, a Black-owned farmers collective that aims to give land access to new and emerging farmers of color. (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.](