🌱 City Approves Police Contract + Unemployment Lowest In Decades

Happy Friday! Here's the latest local news in Minneapolis.

First, today's weather: A rain or snow shower; windy. High: 38 Low: 20.

Here are the top 4 stories today in Minneapolis:

1. The Minneapolis City Council officially approved a contract agreement with the city’s police force. The Thursday morning approval means police will receive $7,000 as an incentive to become and stay an officer. (Patch)

2. A West St. Paul man has been arrested in connection with a shooting at a Minneapolis White Castle. Authorities said Lionel J. Hicks has been wanted for the crime since August 2021. (Paid source: Star-Tribune)

3. Minneapolis public school students have missed 13 days of class as the teachers strike continues. The district gave its “best and final” offer on March 8, which included raising starting wages and adding teacher bonuses. (Patch)

4. A Minneapolis landlord must pay the state $1 million after being investigated for violating tenants’ rights, Bring Me The News reports. Stephen Meldahl violated the rights of 267 families, according to Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office. (BMTN)

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Today in Minneapolis:

• American Swedish Institute opens its "Paper Dialogues" exhibit early for babies and caregivers. (9:15 a.m.)
• Ninth Street Soccer offers its Kids Free Play program. (10 a.m.)
• Check out the Flint Hills Family Festival Pop-Up at Midtown Global Market. (5 p.m.)
• The Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus performs its spring concert. (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• State unemployment is at its lowest rate since 1999, according to Economic Development Commissioner Steve Grove. (FOX)
• Meet Minneapolis has a list of ways to explore your hometown during Spring Break. (Meet Minneapolis)
• Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott announced donations to five more Minnesota organizations, including Boys & Girls Clubs and Planned Parenthood. (BMTN)
• A 12-year-old tiger at the Minnesota Zoo died Wednesday during a medical procedure. (CBS)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Wartburg St Elizabeth Choral Spring Concert (March 26)
• Derby Party — Rush Creek Elementary PTO's Spring Fundraiser — open to the public (April 16)
• Add your event

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday! See you tomorrow for another update.

— Georgi Presecky

About me: Georgi is a newsletter writer and partner content curator from Chicago. She spent five years on the entertainment beat for FF2 Media covering film festivals across the U.S. Her feature articles have been recognized with awards from the Illinois Women's Press Association and National Federation of Press Women. As editor-in-chief of the Lewis University newspaper, she and her staff earned honors from the Associated Collegiate Press and American Scholastic Press Associations. She began working for Patch in 2019.