Minneapolis schools superintendent reverses course, says district should not close schools

October 14, 2026 · 32 sources

Quick Hits

Big reversal on Minneapolis school closures: The superintendent says the district should not close schools, walking back an administration proposal to shutter as many as 16 buildings as soon as next year (KARE 11). KSTP looks at whether a new enrollment plan could refill classrooms instead.
Time-sensitive for carshare users: HOURCAR shuts down Oct. 15 — tomorrow. The nonprofit behind the Evie carshare program announced Oct. 8 that it will cease operations, and MinnPost reports frustrated members now face officials digging for solutions.
St. Paul Public Schools may cut staff midyear after enrollment came in lower than anticipated, creating a budget shortfall this academic year (KARE 11, KSTP).
Minnesota announced the "effective end" of veteran homelessness, achieving a decades-long goal — officials say homelessness among veterans is now rare in the state (KSTP).
Minneapolis will pay $2 million over an incident caught on camera during the George Floyd protests: police officers fired projectiles at Stop N Shop owners and their friends, who were protecting the store from looters after George Floyd's murder (KARE 11).

City councilors are proposing to eliminate the Office of Community Safety, saying in a Tuesday press release that its departments have "struggled to demonstrate efficacy" (KARE 11).
The Minneapolis Planning Commission advanced zoning rules for data centers as the city's moratorium nears its end; critics say the regulations don't go far enough (KARE 11).
A fire tore through a store and Minnesota Chippewa Tribe buildings; archives spanning decades may be at risk, according to people who work there (KARE 11).
Minneapolis families struggling to afford rent can now apply through a new state-funded housing voucher waitlist (KSTP).
An ICE agent accused of pointing a gun at other drivers appeared in federal court on gun-brandishing charges (KSTP).
Mark your calendar: the Chain Link Foundation's 5K fundraiser for youth is set for Oct. 31 in Minneapolis (KARE 11).

More detail on the possible midyear cuts: St. Paul Public Schools is grappling with fewer students than anticipated, which is hitting this year's budget, and the district has signaled staffing reductions could follow (KARE 11, KSTP).
Good news out of North St. Paul: a missing 14-year-old who had last been seen leaving school was found safe (KARE 11).
Minnesota State is weighing a plan to shift millions of dollars from its two-year colleges to shore up two financially unstable universities — a move college presidents, students and employees condemned (MinnPost).

A split pair for the Wild: they beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 Monday behind a three-goal first period (Max Shabanov scored on the power play) and another strong special-teams night, then fell 5-2 to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday as Cole Perfetti scored twice and Mark Scheifele added a goal and two assists (KSTP, KSTP).
Sports bars say they're losing business because they can't show Wild games right now; a team spokesperson told KARE 11 the Wild are working "feverishly" with the NHL on an option for affected businesses (KARE 11).
Timberwolves season expectations "have never been higher," and ESPN's Kendrick Perkins — a former NBA player — sees title potential coming off another deep playoff run (KSTP).

We're in a cooler stretch, per KSTP meteorologist Chris: clouds stick around tonight with temperatures falling into the upper 40s, Wednesday stays cool and mostly dry with variable clouds, and the rain chance for Thursday is increasing (KSTP). Keep the rain jacket handy late-week.

A deputy from Minnesota was killed in the line of duty; "Her absence will be felt deeply." The suspect faces charges of attempted murder of an officer (KARE 11).
Michele Tafoya earned President Trump's endorsement in the U.S. Senate race — a notable nod, as KARE 11 notes the president's approval ratings are polling low in Minnesota (KARE 11).
In the KARE 11/Minnesota Star Tribune Minnesota Poll, 45% of likely voters rated current economic conditions as "poor," while just 2% called them "excellent" (KARE 11).