Quick Hits

• Minneapolis Public Schools laid out more details Friday on its plan to close at least 14 schools — and close or merge as many as 16 — with district officials insisting the closures are "not about money." Parents are raising concerns about proposals that would move students to other buildings.
• The U.S. Department of Justice sued Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul on Thursday over the state's 30-day waiting period for purchasing a firearm.
• Vance Boelter returned to court Friday to face state charges stemming from last summer's deadly attack on Minnesota lawmakers, two months after he was sentenced in federal court. "It's devastating," the Hoffman family said outside court.
• Roseville police are asking for the public's help after a woman was kidnapped leaving a business around 5 p.m. Wednesday, held captive for several hours, and released on St. Paul's East Side.
• Weekend planner: Expect rain for much of Saturday before things dry out Sunday, per KSTP's forecast. The Twins, meanwhile, rolled past Texas 10-2 Friday night.

Minneapolis

• MPS leaders answered community questions at a Friday news conference at the John B. Davis Education Service Center about the school transformation plan unveiled earlier this month. The proposal could close or merge up to 16 schools and move students; officials say the restructuring is not financially driven, but parents continue to raise concerns about the fallout.
• The Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation deadlocked Wednesday on the city's maximum 2027 levy as the Park Board seeks more funding. The board has until Sept. 30 to certify the amount.
• A bright spot for commercial corridors: the city's Vibrant Storefronts Initiative is helping creative groups lease vacant storefront spaces across parts of Minneapolis.

St. Paul

• St. Paul's mayor was served with a sexual harassment lawsuit this week, KARE 11 reports. Separately, the John Ireland Boulevard Bridge has reopened ahead of the Twin Cities Marathon.
• Downtown St. Paul is showing signs of a turnaround: a new grocery store, an apartment complex, and a park are among the additions KARE 11 says mark the start of downtown's transformation.
• In North St. Paul, one woman's award-winning yard — packed with Minnesota native plants — has become a magnet for monarchs and bees, and is now drawing the attention of area researchers.

Local Sports

• The Twins beat the Rangers 10-2 Friday in Minneapolis as Texas right-hander Jacob deGrom matched a career high by allowing eight earned runs. The loss was another stumble for the Rangers in the AL West race.
• Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray, knocked out of the season opener by a concussion, returns under center against a struggling Buccaneers team.
• Gophers women's basketball enters the 2026-27 season with higher expectations after last season's Sweet 16 run under Dawn Plitzuweit. Across campus, a new era begins for Gophers women's hockey as Greg May — a former assistant under longtime coach Brad Frost — takes over the program.

Weather

KSTP's forecast: Friday night stayed dry for high school football with temperatures in the 60s, but rain moves in and covers most of Saturday. Sunday dries out — plan outdoor errands accordingly. If you're looking for something to do, KSTP's weekend picks include the Parade of Homes, Oktoberfest by 1881, and the 93rd annual Twin City Cat Fanciers show.

Minnesota Statewide

• The Minnesota State system may close campuses and merge schools as it works to "right-size." Chancellor Scott Olson says a quarter of the system's schools are in financial distress.
• Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus type 2 (RHDV2), a deadly rabbit disease, was confirmed in one colony in northern Minnesota and is suspected in a nearby second colony after significant rabbit losses.
• Following Dolly Parton's passing, Central Minnesota's United Way literacy partners report a surge of interest in her Imagination Library book program.