Star Tribune awarded Pulitzer Prize for Floyd coverage, Darnella Frazier receives special citation

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers TOP STORIES - Star Tribune awarded Pulitzer Prize for Floyd coverage, Darnella Frazier receives special citation: For its coverage of the police killing of George Floyd, and the landscape-altering racial reckoning that fanned out across the world from Minneapolis in its aftermath, [the staff of the Star Tribune on Friday was named winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News](. The Pulitzer Board calledthe Star Tribune's coverage of Floyd's deathunder the knee of former police officer Derek Chauvin and captured on a cellphone by teenager Darnella Frazier, "urgent, authoritative and nuanced." [Frazier received a Pulitzer special citation for her bravery]( in capturing video of Floyd's death at 38th and Chicago. That video swiftly changed the narrative of what happened that evening, going viral and sparking protests both locally and internationally. - Woman in Winston Smith's car didn't see a gun, attorneys say: The woman who was in Winston Smith's vehicle when a federal task force shot and killed him last week [never saw Smith with a weapon, her attorneys said Thursday]( — disputing authorities' claim that he shot first. Several activists and lawyers spoke at an emotional news conference in Minneapolis to continue raising questions about the lack of transparency in the case. On Thursday evening, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension spokesman Bruce Gordon said the investigating agency stands by its earlier statement that evidence from the scene "indicates that [Smith] fired his weapon from inside the vehicle." - Dayton's Project developer claims financial partner trying to take over building: The owners of the repurposed Dayton's Project on Nicollet Mall have sued one of its financiers, [accusing it of predatory lending and using COVID-related leasing delays]( in an attempt to take over the $350 million building project in Minneapolis. - U.S. vaccine surplus grows by the day as expiration dates loom: [The U.S. is confronted with an ever-growing surplus of coronavirus vaccine](, looming expiration dates and stubbornly lagging demand at a time when the developing world is clamoring for doses to stem a rise in infections. - 2 men, teen charged in shooting death of 14-year-old at Woodbury graduation party: Jaden L. Townsend, 19, and Enrique L. Davila, 23, of St. Paul, were [charged late Thursday in Washington County District Court with aiding and abetting second-degree murder]( and various assault charges in connection with the killing of Demaris N. Hobbs-Ekdahl, of Maplewood, last Saturday during a shootout allegedly involving the teen's stepfather, Keith Dawson. Charged by juvenile petition with the same counts was Xavier L. Hudson, of Oakdale. Earlier this week, Dawson, 35, of St. Paul, was charged with with drive-by shooting, assault with a dangerous weapon and illegal possession of a gun in connection with his role in the chain of events that left his 14-year-old stepson dead. - Trump's Justice Department targeted congressional Democrats in probe of leaks: The zeal in the Trump administration's efforts to hunt leakers led to [the extraordinary step of subpoenaing communications metadata from members of Congress]( — a nearly unheard-of move outside of corruption investigations. While Justice Department leak investigations are routine, current and former congressional officials familiar with the inquiry said they could not recall an instance in which the records of lawmakers had been seized as part of one. Senate Democratic leaders are [demanding that Trump-era Attorneys General Bill Barr and Jeff Sessions testify]( about the secret seizure of data from House Democrats in 2018, calling it "shocking" and a "gross abuse of power." - Omar clarifies war crimes tweet after pushback from fellow Democrats: U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar said Thursday that she "was in no way equating terrorist organizations with democratic countries with well-established judicial systems" after [her tweet earlier this week spurred harsh criticism]( from Republicans and prominent Jewish Democrats. - Walz praises progress, promotes beer reward for vaccinated: Gov. Tim Walz t[hanked Minnesotans Friday for driving COVID-19 numbers down]( to levels not seen since March 2020 and encouraged unvaccinated people to get their free shots and vaccinated people 21 and older to pick up free or discounted drinks as a reward. - Three St. Cloud residents face murder charges: Three St. Cloud residents are [facing second-degree murder charges related to the June 3 death of Keisa Marie Lange](, who was shot in the head and later discovered lying on the side of the road in south St. Cloud. On Thursday, officials arrested 26-year-old Kenneth J. Carter in Dakota County and 23-year-old DeAntae D. Davis in Wisconsin. Angela R. Jones, 33, was previously in custody in Stearns County and made her first court appearance Thursday. - Did modern Minnesota roads evolve from Native American trails? Some routes have been providing passage since [long before the introduction of paved roads.]( WATCH THIS Beers aren't the only things that are bigger in Australia, apparently: This semi truck was spotted towing not one ... not two ... [but four trailers on a highway]( down under. Talk to us! Send feedback on this newsletter, questions, story tips, ideas or anything else to [talkers@startribune.com](. TRENDING - How to beat the heat in practical and kooky ways: In addition to cranking up the AC, here are some serious (and a few silly) [suggestions for fun ways to keep your cool.]( - Minnesota writer Louise Erdrich wins Pulitzer for her novel "The Night Watchman": The book is based on Erdrich's grandfather and his efforts to preserve his tribe. [It was the first Pulitzer for Erdrich](, 67, who has won numerous awards over her long career, including the National Book Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and, twice, the National Book Critics Circle award. She was a Pulitzer finalist in 2009 for "The Plague of Doves." - The 5 best things our food writers ate this week: [Special heat wave frozen treat edition!]( SPORTS ROUNDUP - Cruz can't recall a more dramatic walk-off, but will this win spark more success? As is typically the case for an underachieving team after an unexpected win, the discussion afterward was about [whether this will change things.]( - What will the Vikings' pass rush look like? Why aren't the Vikings signing more pass rushers? What will the defensive end rotation look like? Who's the next free-agent signing? [That and more in the latest Vikings mailbag.]( - Would you pay $23 a month just for access to Bally Sports North?[That's the price point Sinclair is reportedly floating to investors]( for a standalone app that could be available by the start of the 2022 MLB season. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. WORTH A CLICK The price of a Toyota pickup truck helps explain why inflation is surging: "Prices for a lot of things are surging across the U.S., and John McConnell's recent car-shopping experience helps explain why," [writes Scott Horsley for National Public Radio.]( 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. We can't prevent you from simply Googling the answer, so Googling is encouraged! 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: A three-day celebration to mark the 15th anniversary of an elegant Hindu temple in which Minnesota city is slated for this weekend? Good luck! FROM THE ARCHIVES June 11, 2019: A robin played in the mud at Bunker Hills Golf Course during the Class 3A state high school golf tournament in Coon Rapids. (Photo: Renée Jones Schneider/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 © 2021 StarTribune. All rights reserved. We value your opinion! [Give us your feedback.](