Talkers: Stalked Current DJ Mary Lucia returning to the airwaves

Welcome to today's edition of Talkers, a daily roundup of our latest, newsiest and most interesting stories. You can receive this as a newsletter right to your e-mail inbox each afternoon by signing up here.

Top stories

• Xcel Energy seeks rate hike: The utiity company on Monday requested a 9.8 percent electric rate hike in Minnesota that would be phased-in over three years and by 2018 result in $132 more in annual payments for the typical residential customer.
• Stalked Current DJ returning to the air: A music DJ will be back at the microphone more than six months after a stalker forced her into a leave of absence, the station said Monday.
• Airline blames "external impact" for crash of Russian plane: Only an external impact could have caused a Russian plane to dive into the Egyptian desert, killing all 224 people on board, its Russian operator said Monday, adding to a series of confusing statements from investigators that left unclear why the plane broke up in mid-flight.
• GOP candidates rebel over debates: Republican presidential candidates have agreed on a series of demands to give them greater control of debates, as the GOP's frustrated 2016 class works to inject changes into a nominating process that was supposed to create a smoother path to the White House.
• Trick-or-treater got out of vehicle before being struck by car: The 5-year-old boy who was fatally struck by a car while trick-or-treating in north Minneapolis "ran … across the road" after getting out of a vehicle, police said Monday.
• Minnesota college grads struggle with debt: For this generation of college graduates, it's the norm to finish school with nearly $30,000 in student loans. We asked some recent graduates about what it means to live in the shadow of debt as they start their careers and adult lives.
• Suspect killed by police in Hutchinson: Authorities responded Sunday to a report of a verbal disturbance at a residence. A struggle ensued, and the suspect — the only person encountered by officers — was shot and killed, police said. A police officer was also shot in the leg.
• Vatican arrests priest, laywoman in leak case: A Spanish priest and an Italian laywoman who had served on a financial reform commission set up by Pope Francis have been arrested in the probe into yet another leak of confidential information and documents, the Vatican said Monday.
• A "privatization of the justice system": The second installment of the New York Times' examination of arbitration clauses finds that "over the last 10 years, thousands of businesses across the country — from big corporations to storefront shops — have used arbitration to create an alternate system of justice. There, rules tend to favor businesses, and judges and juries have been replaced by arbitrators who commonly consider the companies their clients". Read the first part here.
• Long sentence for "cowardly and cruel" murder: A 50-year-old northern Minnesota man was sentenced to 27 years in prison for fatally torching the mother of his three children as she lay in an overdosed state of unconsciousness on a couch.

In case you missed it

Minneapolis, St. Paul elementary schools increasingly segregated: Elementary students in Minneapolis and St. Paul attend schools that are more racially segregated than they have been in a generation, while many once overwhelmingly white suburban districts are increasingly diverse. Read the story, and then dig into the data.

Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to talkers@startribune.com.

Trending

• Janet Jackson eventually finds her groove: At age 49 and on her first arena tour in 14 years, Jackson showed she still has game in a fast-paced, hits-filled, dance-happy but less-than-satisfying performance Sunday night at the Target Center.
• In new book, Caddie talks about Tiger Woods' affairs: Woods' former caddie Steve Williams has described his anger and frustration at being "hung out to dry" by Woods' management when the golfer's infidelities were revealed in 2009, and says he was sometimes treated as a "slave" on the course.
• Things end badly for intoxicated woman who broke into zoo: Newsweek reports that "an intoxicated woman was hospitalized early Sunday after a tiger bit her hand after she broke into the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha, Nebraska, police said in a statement."
• Relic of Dakota War found: Until now, historians had never seen an image of Capt. William J. Duley, a pivotal figure in one of early Minnesota's grimmest moments: the hanging of 38 Dakota men in Mankato in 1862.

Sports roundup

• Can the Twins follow the Royals blueprint? With last night's victory over the Mets, the Royals are world champions, and in the process they might have proved that not only were the past two years not flukes but also that they have found the modern blueprint for winning in the post-steroid era.
• After Michigan loss, Claeys vows to improve clock management: Tracy Claeys called Jerry Kill late Saturday, after the Gophers' 29-26 loss to Michigan, and it wasn't just to commiserate. Claeys needed advice on clock management.
• Bridgewater returns to winning form: When the Vikings really needed Teddy Bridgewater and their offense to deliver, they did it not just once, but twice as the Vikings stole a 23-20 victory from the Bears at Soldier Field.
• Diggs proves to be savvy beyond his years: For the third straight week, Stefon Diggs, a fifth-round draft pick who was inactive for the Vikings' first three games, might have made the difference between winning and losing, Jim Souhan writes.
• Subscribe to our Access Vikings podcast! Mike Rand and Matt Vensel break down all the Vikings news each week. It's free on iTunes.

Quote of the day

Worth a click

The ultimate guide to Nordic cooking: Chef Magnus Nilsson, whose restaurant Fäviken is housed in a hunting lodge deep in northern Sweden, shows the range and diversity of the region's cuisine in his new tome, "The Nordic Cookbook," which features about 730 recipes — three of which are featured at the end of this interview with the chef.

Trivia winner

Congratulations to Diana Ford! Like many of you, Diana correctly answered Friday's trivia question: a griffin was the mythical animal engraved on an ivory plaque found in an ancient warrior's grave recently. She will receive one of these sweet "In Sota We Say Pop" t-shirts. Be sure to check back Friday for this week's question!

From the archives

Nov. 2, 1964: Bruce Ribnick, 11, found that one wheel worked just as well as two when he delivered newspapers on his St. Louis Park route. (Photo: Roy Swan)