How the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of Minnesotans, in 12 charts

Plus: The 5 best things our food writers ate (and drank) this week ͏ ͏ If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may [see it online](. [Star Tribune]( Talkers TOP STORIES - How the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of Minnesotans, in 12 charts: The pandemic caused abrupt and unusual shifts at home, at work, shopping, traveling and more. Life isn't completely back to pre-pandemic normal — and maybe it never will be. [Read more.]( - GOP state senators reject infrastructure package: Seven Senate Republicans needed to join Democrats in supporting an $1.9 billion infrastructure deal Thursday, which required a supermajority to pass. In the House, more than enough GOP representatives backed the funds. Senate Republicans, however, remained firm on a repeated vow: Before they agree to borrowing, they want tax cuts. [Read more.]( - Derek Chauvin pleads guilty in tax case: The former Minneapolis police officer serving time for the 2020 murder of George Floyd pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of tax evasion. [Read more.]( - Xcel is cleaning up radioactive water spill at Monticello plant: A broken pipe at Xcel Energy's Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant leaked about 400,000 gallons of water containing radioactive tritium, and the utility is working to clean up the contaminated plume, state regulators said Thursday. Both Xcel and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said there was no risk to drinking water from the spill, which was traced to a pipe connecting two buildings across just a half-inch space. [Read more.]( - Walz wants to end child poverty in Minnesota. What would it take? The DFL governor's inaugural promise aims to lift roughly 139,000 children in the state above the poverty threshold and keep others from falling below that level, a change that experts say could be transformational for the trajectory of their lives and have wide-ranging benefits for the state. The administration is proposing a new state agency and a suite of tax changes to help tackle the problem. [Read more.]( WATCH THIS Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury pleaded with ref to let him fight: In case you thought you had seen it all during the Wild's eventful 8-5 victory over St. Louis, new audio and video on Thursday brought the near battle-of-the-goalies to another level. [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 (and drank) this week: From fish on a stick to a Timberwolves player's signature cognac, here's a rundown of the greatest hits from their dining diaries over the past seven days. [Read more.]( SPORTS BLINK Big chill finally over as fans fill arena for Gophers men's hockey: A loaded lineup and a sold-out arena — this is a great comeback for Minnesota hockey. And there's no reason to think the momentum will die off anytime soon after the sparse crowds of a few years ago, writes Patrick Reusse. [Read more.]( *** Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can [sign up for Talkers here](. *** WORTH A CLICK What would a four-day workweek look like for you? Use this calculator from the Washington Post to find out how much time you'd get back with a shorter workweek, to use however you want, from getting more sleep to socializing. [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 music festival announced this week that it would remain on hiatus for a second consecutive year in 2023? Good luck! FROM THE ARCHIVES March 17, 1988: A group of about 25 anti-British punks dragged the Union Jack down the street and carried signs protesting Great Britain's presence in Ireland during the annual St. Patrick's Day parade through downtown St. Paul. (Photo: Mike Zerby/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.](