🌱 Teachers Near Strike + Health Director Retiring + Floyd Trial

🌱 Teachers Near Strike + Health Director Retiring + Floyd Trial

Happy Friday! Here's your five-minute guide to what's making news in Minneapolis today.


First, today's weather: Cold; a bit of afternoon snow. High: 14 Low: 13.


Here are the top 5 stories today in Minneapolis:

1. An Instacart delivery driver was carjacked at gunpoint and sexually assaulted at a Minneapolis gas station last week, CBS News reports. Police arrested the attacker near Third and Franklin avenues, where he was attempting to steal more cars. (CBS)

2. Jury selection began yesterday in the trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd's rights in May 2020. J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. (KARE11)

3. The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers is inching toward a potential strike, according to FOX. The union is negotiating with the school district on its "safe-and-stable schools" agenda, seeking strategies to reduce class sizes, address the mental health crisis, retain more teachers of color and more. (FOX)

4. Minnesota's infectious disease director announced she will retire in February. Kris Ehresmann is leaving the Minnesota Department of Health after 30 years and several months as "a key architect of the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic." (StarTribune)

5. Interim Minneapolis Police Chief Amelia Huffman laid out her priorities for the department Thursday, her first official appearance as chief since taking over the role on Jan. 16. Huffman said she will prioritize resident concerns about carjackings and shootings; she also hopes to hire more officers. (CBS Minnesota)


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Today in Minneapolis:

  • The Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure “turns Minneapolis into a giant game board.” (8 a.m.)

  • Open Gym at the Minneapolis American Indian Center. (9 a.m.)

  • Food Donation Friday at Finnegans Brew Co. (3 p.m.)

  • Kane Brown takes the stage at Target Center. (7 p.m.)

  • Strike Theater hosts “Good Grief,” a night of “story-telling about love and loss.” (7:30 p.m.)


From my notebook:

  • The University of Minnesota men's hockey team is “looking to steady the ship” in its games against Michigan tonight and tomorrow. (Minnesota Daily)

  • Several pets are up for adoption at Safe Hands Animal Rescue and Minneapolis Animal Care and Control. (Patch)

  • Voting is open through Jan. 26 for the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s “Name a Snowplow” contest. (VNL)

  • Soccer bar and music venue Part Wolf will close at the end of January. (BMTN)


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That's all for today, Minneapolis. See you tomorrow for more local stories.

Georgi Presecky

This article originally appeared on the Minneapolis Patch