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🏫 Mpls teachers strike averted

November 11, 2025

Good morning, Twin Cities! Tiffany here. Thousands of people gathered at Split Rock Lighthouse yesterday to commemorate 50 years since the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. The beacon was lit to honor the 29 crew members who died that day, and all who we’ve lost in Lake Superior. 🕯️ Check out the Duluth News Tribune’s five-episode podcast on the historic ship.

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What the Cities Are Talking About

Minneapolis school teachers dressed in coats, hoodies, and beanie hold protest signs on a snowy day.
Minneapolis school teachers on strike in front of the Justice Page Middle School in March 2022. (Kerem Yucel / Getty Images)

Minneapolis teachers' union and district reach a deal

Teachers would have gone on strike today, but the Minneapolis Federation of Educators and the school district have reached a tentative deal. Among the agreements: no middle or high school classes will have more than 38 students, Educational Support Professionals (ESPs) will have 14 days of full pay for times like winter and spring breaks, and adult education teachers will receive the same pay as their colleagues. The contract is ratified if a majority of union members agree to it. [Minneapolis Public Schools]

  • “Collaboration won over confrontation”: At a press conference today, the teachers' union and the district stood as one to celebrate the agreement. Union president Marcia Howard jokingly recounted being in a room with “nerds all around me doing math” when “the numbers started making sense to both sides.” Minneapolis Public Schools faces a $75 million budget deficit. [KSTP / Minneapolis Public Schools]
  • The timeline: The union filed an intent to strike on Oct. 31, which started the ten-day countdown and put pressure on the district. During the countdown, both sides returned to the bargaining table to work on a deal. The previous contract expired June 30, and the union and district have been in negotiations since April. [MPR News / Star Tribune]
  • “Why are we here again?”: This is the second time in three years a strike has been on the table. While some parents have transferred their kids out of the district, others are doubling down. Minneapolis Families for Public Schools is a newly formed group of parents supporting union efforts. [Star Tribune]

Also Worth Your Time

“Beautiful Ones” read: In honor of the “Purple Rain” musical, you can get limited-edition Prince library cards in Hennepin County. They have 25,000 available for new and existing patrons, and you can sign up here. [MPR News]

College financial aid: The Minnesota State Grant program is $102 million short, jeopardizing funding for low and middle-income Minnesota college students. Higher enrollment, more students qualifying for the program, and more students with higher needs have contributed to the deficit. On a personal note, this program is a huge reason I was able to afford college. [Star Tribune]

Rod Johnson dressed in a blue button-up shirt and blue shorts sits with a customer dressed in a blue pollo short and denim jeans at Midwest Mountaineering
Rod Johnson (left) with a customer at Midwest Mountaineering in May 2000. (David Brewster / Getty Images)

RIP adventure icon: Outdoorsy Minnesotans are remembering Rod Johnson, world adventurer and owner of Midwest Mountaineering. Johnson died at age 76 in his home, according to his daughter. He operated his store in Cedar-Riverside for 50 years before it closed in 2023. [Star Tribune]

Inside the St. Paul upset: Though Rep. Kaohly Her was St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter’s biggest challenger, her win came as a surprise to many. Her secret? Lots of doorknocking and responding to every email. [Star Tribune]

Pizza partings: When Mesa Pizza closed in Uptown, I thought, “At least the college students still have it.” Alas, the Dinkytown location has also shuttered. Owner Dave Hathaway chalked it up to high costs and burnout. Thanks for the memes and late-night slices, Mesa. [MN Daily]

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— Tiffany

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