With their relevance on the line, can Minnesota Republicans stop fighting each other?

Plus: Ex-mayor held in threats to shoot U students ͏ ͏ If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers TOP STORIES - With their relevance on the line, can Minnesota Republicans stop fighting each other? Seeking to win back the state House this November, Minnesota Republicans are working to unite their factions and end the civil war within the party. But it's unclear if such unity can be achieved in today's GOP, where right-wing activists galvanized by Donald Trump's presidency are trying to seize power from veteran Republicans they say aren't conservative enough. [Read more.]( - Ex-mayor held in threats to shoot U students: Students and workers were warned to avoid the campus after threats of gun violence were posted on social media. The suspect was arrested after an apparent standoff in Watson, Minn. [Read more.]( - CVS to close pharmacies in dozens of Target stores: The pharmacy chain said the closings will begin next month and will be completed by the end of April. [Read more.]( - Hennepin County Board abandons deal to help North Memorial Hospital pay to care for the poor: The Hennepin County Board cut short an agreement with North Memorial Health Hospital created to subsidize the cost of caring for residents without insurance and on medical assistance. [Read more.]( - U.S. wildlife officials seek help in kiling of swans in west-central Minnesota: More than a dozen swans, which are protected by federal law, were killed between Dec. 16 and 17, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [Read more.]( WATCH THIS Photographer captures "magical" winter scenes at Yosemite National Park: Time-lapse footage and still photos captured by Shreenivasan Manievannan show the stunning beauty of the park as it was blanketed in snow earlier this month. [See the video.]( *** Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](. *** TRENDING What happened to Paul Wellstone's green campaign bus? The vehicle became famous for its central role in an underdog campaign. It has survived two decades out of the spotlight, but its future is uncertain. [Read more.]( SPORTS BLINK Vikings could have had Jim Harbaugh, and Pete Carroll, and Mike Tomlin, and ... Four coaches with Vikings connections were among those making news this week, and each makes you wonder if the team has any regrets about these decisions, writes Jim Souhan. [Read more.]( *** Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. *** WORTH A CLICK What caused the mysterious extinction of "Giganto," the world's largest ape? "Standing nearly ten feet tall and weighing up to 660 pounds, the largest great apes to ever live—called Gigantopithecus blacki—roamed modern-day China for nearly two million years. But despite their lengthy existence and decades of searching by paleontologists, the complete fossil record of the animals consists of a mere four jawbones and roughly 2,000 isolated teeth," Ella Waver writes for Smithsonian Magazine. [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: The IRS is auctioning off a luxury sports car that was seized in Bloomington made by which British manufacturer? Good luck! FROM THE ARCHIVES Jan. 12, 1975: Vikings wide receiver John Gilliam sits on the ground after Steelers cornerback Mel Blount intercepted a pass from quarterback Fran Tarkenton near the goal line to end Minnesota's second-quarter threat during Super Bowl IX at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. Pittsburgh triumphed 16-6. (Photo: Charles Bjorgen/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 © 2024 StarTribune. All rights reserved. We value your opinion! [Give us your feedback.](