🌱 Fire At Church Of Incantation + City Responds To Unrest Report

Good morning, Minneapolis! Here's a brief guide to today's top stories.

First, today's weather: Cloudy and cold. High: 27 Low: 15.

Here are the top 5 stories today in Minneapolis:

1. Authorities are investigating the cause of an overnight fire at the Church of Incantation. The blaze damaged the sanctuary and broke original stained-glass windows in the building, which dates back more than 100 years in South Minneapolis. No one was hurt. (Patch)

2. The city's public school teachers continued their strike Wednesday with a rally outside the capitol building. Minneapolis Federation of Teachers President Greta Callahan told CBS educators want lawmakers to use some of the state’s $9 billion surplus to support schools. (CBS)

3. A third-party report released this week said the City of Minneapolis “did not properly use the Emergency Operations Plan to effectively guide the response to the unrest” after George Floyd’s murder in 2020. The Office of Emergency Management is developing an improvement plan with the mayor’s office, according to a government press release. (Patch)

4. YMCA locations in Minneapolis have upped staff and increased hours during the teachers strike, CBS reports. Some parents say they are relying on the Y as classes are canceled indefinitely. The City of Minneapolis also compiled a list of emergency food resources during the strike. (CBS)

5.Minnesota Department of Transportation crews are building a storm water storage facility along I-35W near 42nd Street. The project is expected to be completed by summer 2023. (Patch)

From our sponsor:

Hey Minneapolis, are you looking to buy a house, refinance or just explore your options? Check out the new Patch Mortgage Center for all your home financing needs!

Today in Minneapolis:

• Family storytime at Hennepin County Library. (9:30 a.m.)
• Conductor Fabien Gabel and violinist Augustin Hadelich take the state at the Minnesota Orchestra. (11 a.m. and 8 p.m.)
• The Progressive® Insurance Northwest Sport Show comes to the Minneapolis Convention Center for the weekend. (1 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• University of Minnesota graduate Marika Reese started a movement to support Black mental health in the Twin Cities. (MinnPost)
• MinnPost recognized the rarity of Minnesota’s mostly-female Congressional delegation in honor of International Women’s Day. (MinnPost)
• Former Minneapolis City Council member S. Doré Mead has died at 73. (Paid source: Star Tribune)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (March 14)
• Add your event

Loving the Minneapolis Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe
• Get your local business listed in front of readers
• Send me a news tip or suggestion at georgi.presecky@patch.com

You're all caught up for today. See you tomorrow for the Friday edition!

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.