🌱 Shooting At School District Office + State Could Legalize Cannabis

It's Wednesday in Minneapolis! Let's get to the latest headlines, find out why:

• State lawmakers are having a busy legislative session.
• Hazy skies are expected over the Twin Cities metro area.
• Minneapolis was named among the "best places to live."

But first, today's weather: Partly sunny and not as warm. High: 75 Low: 60.

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Here are the top 5 stories today in Minneapolis:

1. Shots were fired Monday outside the headquarters for Minneapolis Public Schools, KARE11 reports. No one was injured though several staff members were sitting in an outdoor courtyard when the drive-by shooting occurred. “Everyone is shaken but safe,” the district said in a statement. (KARE11)

2. A 91-year-old woman was struck by a car and injured in Minneapolis Monday. The crash happened at the intersection of Nicollet Mall and East Grant Street. FOX reports the driver stayed at the scene and is cooperating with police. (FOX)

3. State officials could legalize marijuana in Minnesota “as early as this week,” the Star Tribune reports. House and Senate bills were merged into one 300-page bill Tuesday with several changes, including the creation of an Office of Cannabis Management “to oversee licensing of recreational and medical marijuana and hemp-derived products.” (Paid source: Star Tribune)

4. In other legislative news, state lawmakers are expected to approve a $2 billion “boost in school spending” this week, the Minnesota Reformer reports. Members of the House also voted late Monday night to pass an $880 million public safety bill, including universal gun background checks and red flag laws to increase gun safety. (Reformer/KARE11)

5. Hazy skies are expected over the Twin Cities for the next few days due to Canadian wildfires. The National Weather Service said “smoke will also lead to poor quality” across northern and central Minnesota. (Patch)

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Today in Minneapolis:

• The “Downtown Dash” fun run and 5K begins at 100 West River Parkway. (2 p.m.)
• Tour Perking Recreation Center at a “community bonding” event. (5 p.m.)
• Hear live music at the Cedar Cultural Center. (7:30 p.m.)
• Shania Twain performs at Xcel Energy Center (7:30 p.m.) and Hozier takes the stage at First Ave. (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• U.S. News & World Report ranked Minneapolis among its “best places to live,” coming in at the number 35 spot. (Patch)
• Vikings running back Za'Darius Smith was traded to the Cleveland Browns, the team announced Tuesday. (Vikings)
• The Minnesota Orchestra will debut “brea(d)th” tomorrow at Orchestra Hall. The work was “commissioned in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder.” It will also be performed Friday and Saturday. (MinnPost)
• The State Fair announced its free concert lineup. (FOX)

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That's all for Wednesday! See you tomorrow for more local stories.

— Georgi Presecky

About me: Georgi is a Chicago-based newsletter writer and partner content curator. 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.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Minneapolis Patch newsletter? Contact me at georgi.presecky@patch.com.