Editor's note: As noted earlier this week, the final edition of Talkers will be sent Friday. You will receive the Star Tribune's new flagship newsletter, Essential Minnesota, starting Monday. Read about it here.
TOP STORIES
- Bemidji post office delayed 79,000 pieces of mail, audit finds: An audit this week revealed the understaffed and overworked Bemidji post office — grappling with mountains of Amazon packages — delayed the delivery of 79,000 pieces of mail during a three-day inspection in December. The audit comes after mail carriers staged a symbolic strike in November that gained national attention, prompting calls from lawmakers to address the delivery disruptions in northern Minnesota. Read more.
- Minnesota lawmakers look to ban "excited delirium" training for police: Minnesota could become the next state to ban police officer training on "excited delirium," a term that has been rejected by major medical associations in recent years as pseudoscience used to justify deaths in law enforcement custody. Read more.
- First phase of rebuilding Lake Street done, but there's a "long way to go": Four years after George Floyd's murder, Lake Street sees progress, but there are many stalled projects such as the former Gandhi Mahal Restaurant building. Read more.
- Stormy Daniels spars with Trump attorney over cash-for-silence transaction: Donald Trump's defense attorneys grilled adult film actor Stormy Daniels Thursday on the transaction at the center of the former president's hush money trial, pressing her on why she accepted a $130,000 payment to keep quiet about her alleged sexual encounter with Trump instead of going public. Read more.
- Twin Cities restaurant chain owner charged in Dakota County with dodging $260K in taxes: Claudia Gutierrez Mendez runs Hamburguesas El Gordo restaurants in Minneapolis, St. Paul and West St. Paul. She's facing charges that she filed false tax returns. Read more.
WATCH THIS
128-year-old, three-mast ship delivers Olympic flame to Marseilles: The flame arrived in France aboard the Belem, flanked by an armada of sailboats, after a 12-day voyage from Athens, Greece. See the video.
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TRENDING
Before she became known as Joe Mauer's mom, Teresa Mauer was a standout athlete: She came of age during the infancy of girls' prep sports in Minnesota and later raised three baseball stars of her own, including this year's Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, writes Laura Yuen. Read more.
SPORTS BLINK
Bally Sports North general manager on the dispute with Comcast: Bally Sports North General Manager Randy Stephens joined host Michael Rand on Thursday's Daily Delivery podcast to share BSN's perspective on Comcast removing all Bally Sports channels — a move last week that left many Twins fans frustrated. Read more.
WORTH A CLICK
34-year-old woman found living in Michigan grocery store's rooftop sign: "Inside her dwelling, she had a mini desk, flooring, a pantry of food and even a houseplant," Tereasa Nims reports for the Midland Daily News. Read more.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
May 9, 2013: Lake Mille Lacs still had plenty of ice well into May. This year's March 16 ice-out was the earliest on record. (Photo: Jerry Holt/Star Tribune)
