Quick Hits

• A Blaine teenager with gang affiliation faces charges in the Highway 100 shooting in St. Louis Park that left a driver injured, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday. New court filings reviewed by KSTP trace suspects' connections amid gang feuds that have fueled several incidents of Twin Cities gun violence.
• Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent told the school board at its Oct. 13 meeting that she no longer recommends closing schools next academic year — pulling back on proposals that could have shuttered as many as 16 schools.
• Federal investigators have seized Rep. Ilhan Omar's phone and issued more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas to her relatives in a criminal probe, according to an Associated Press source.
• Sports bars around the metro 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.
• Zach Bryan will kick off his new tour in Minneapolis.

Golden Valley & West Metro

Highway 100 — the corridor that runs straight through Golden Valley — is at the center of a charging decision in St. Louis Park. A Blaine teenager identified in court papers as Abdisalan M. faces charges after a shooting on the highway left a driver injured; the complaint, filed Wednesday, notes his gang affiliation. Separately, KSTP reports new court filings detail suspects tied to gang feuds that have driven several recent shootings across the Twin Cities.

Just north of New Hope and Crystal, a Brooklyn Park homicide case from earlier this year reached sentencing: Sebestyen James Lamar Warren, 24, previously convicted of one count of second-degree murder, was sentenced to 15 years in connection with the killing.

Minneapolis

The school closure fight in Minneapolis is on pause, but the underlying budget problems remain. After the superintendent told the board Oct. 13 she no longer recommends closing schools for next year, KSTP reports district leaders are restarting talks on school changes. The district had floated three proposals last month to close as many as 16 schools; one board member told KARE 11 that moving forward requires "a more hands-on approach."

Luther Seminary will move to River Parkway Place in downtown east, with doors set to open in 2027. Meanwhile, the Inspire Change Clinic — which mobilized a network of medical volunteers to make house calls during last winter's Operation Metro Surge, helping hundreds — is eyeing a new challenge in 2027, though organizers worry healthcare costs could keep patients away.

Police are also asking for help finding a missing teen last seen in Minneapolis, with ties to Cloquet; they say there is concern for her well-being.

On the lighter side: The Nightmare Bar has returned to the Marquette Hotel with themed cocktails, and the Chain Link Foundation's 5K fundraiser for youth is set for Oct. 31 in Minneapolis.

St. Paul

St. Paul Public Schools may cut staff mid-year as the district grapples with fewer students than anticipated, squeezing this year's budget. In better news, the 14-year-old North St. Paul teen who went missing after leaving school has been found safe.

Local Sports

Big weekend ahead at Ridder Arena: the No. 3 Gopher women's hockey team, off to a 4-0 start, hosts No. 1 Ohio State (6-0) Friday and Saturday. The Timberwolves — coming off another deep playoff run, with expectations ESPN's Kendrick Perkins says point to title potential — practiced Wednesday at Mayo Clinic Square as the regular season approaches; guard/forward Terrence Shannon Jr. spoke with reporters after.

Minnesota United settled for a 2-2 tie at the Colorado Rapids Wednesday night in Commerce City, with Kelvin Yeboah scoring his career-high 16th goal of the season. And in a sobering note for high school sports families: Eden Prairie High School added metal detectors, bag checks and extra police at its home football game after a shooting at a previous game.

Weather

KSTP meteorologist Chris says a noticeable change is on the way: mostly cloudy and seasonal tonight, a little rain over the next couple of days, then a chance of frost — but the payoff arrives just in time for a nice weekend.

Minnesota Statewide

The Minnesota State Board of Trustees on Wednesday approved what Minnpost calls "tough medicine": transferring up to $25 million a year for the next four years — largely from community college funds — to universities in financial crisis.

With the election approaching, Minnpost reports St. Cloud legislative races are being inundated by outside money; DFL Sen. Aric Putnam, who won his 2022 race by a "St. Cloud landslide" of 1,400 votes, is bracing for another photo finish.

Closer to home: Life Time CEO Bahram Akradi is defending rising membership costs as the Minnesota company expands into luxury living, including Life Time Living apartments in Maple Grove. And if you've been thinking about adding a four-legged friend, the Animal Humane Society says it has about 400 animals in care near the Twin Cities metro and shared its latest dog adoption trends.