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Parents will need to make plans for childcare if teachers strike
Right now the district is in negotiations with the teachers union.
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — St. Paul Public Schools said the district agrees its teachers deserve more for everything they do but more money to educators compromises programs for students.
Right now, the district is in negotiations with the teachers union. The clock is ticking as educators announced they will walk off the job March 11 if a deal is not reached.
District leaders say the biggest sticking point right now is money, and they’ve spent a lot in recent years on school safety.
“The history of these bargaining sessions there have also been a number of different language items, too,” said Dr. Joe Gothard, SPPS superintendent. “And I think both sides have to carefully go through them. Are there costs involved? Ways that we can do this in creative ways that don’t take away from our investment that we have in negotiations?”
The St. Paul Federation of Educators is asking for better pay, more affordable health care and more mental health support for students.
There’s another mediation session on Friday.
Meantime, St. Paul parents are paying close attention to strike talks, as they’ll be left scrambling for childcare if teachers walk.
Chelsea Zomer considers herself lucky. Her 3-year-old son is only in one Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) class that could be canceled if there is a strike.
“I’ve actually volunteered with a couple different friends of ours. Comes down to it, I can take care of them,” said Zomer.
Saint Paul families are starting to make plans.
“I see the dedication of the staff to my kids,” said Ying Jin, who has two kids in the district. “I support their fight.”
His wife is a teacher in another district, so he’s happy to figure something out if there is a strike. His neighbor, Rebecca Pelton also wants to support those teachers.
“I feel like they do a great job, just showing up for the kids,” she said.
Pelton said she isn’t exactly sure what she’ll do though, if it comes to a strike. We checked in with community centers and libraries, who said they will post publicly on their websites and social media channels if there are changes to programming.
The parents who went on camera today were supportive of a strike. But one mom who did not want to be on camera said they are tired of strikes within the district and decided they will be moving their child to a different one.
“Saint Paul Parks and Recreation and Saint Paul Public Library are in close conversation with other City departments to ensure students and families are supported in the event of a teacher strike impacting Saint Paul Public Schools,” said a Parks and Recreation spokesperson in a statement.
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The Minnesota Vikings’ home will be open from 5-9 p.m. on most Tuesday and Thursday evenings in December and January.
MINNEAPOLIS — Welcome to the Thunderdome, U.S. Bank Stadium officials will say to runners and skaters soon.
The annual Winter Warm-Up, an indoor running and inline skating program, returns to the closed-roof stadium beginning Tuesday, Dec. 3, and ending Thursday, Jan. 23.
The Minnesota Vikings’ home will be open from 5-9 p.m. on most Tuesday and Thursday evenings in December and January, featuring twelve running-skating sessions.
The Winter Warm-Up is open to all ages, with the stadium’s main concourse dedicated to inline skaters and the upper concourse for runners.
Open skating is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. with speed skating set for 8 to 9 p.m. for the session.
Skaters will need to bring their equipment as skate rental will not be available.
“Skaters are required to bring their own safety gear, including helmets,” the news release states.
Phone use is not permitted while skating on the main concourse as is wearing headphones, earbuds, speakers or any other music accessories.
Strollers are not allowed on either concourse. Security staff will conduct bag searches at the entrances.
Admission is $15 a person and tickets can be purchased at this link.
For more information, click here.
The lottery will preapprove cannabis licenses for verified businesses, with general licensing anticipated for next year.
ST PAUL, Minn. — The cannabis lottery isn’t happening this week as planned after a judge approved a motion to halt the lottery while a lawsuit is ongoing.
Minnesota became the 23rd state to legalize recreational marijuana in 2023, and this past summer the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced businesses deemed verified to meet social equity eligibility requirements could start the process of getting licensed. A lottery for those licenses was scheduled for Nov. 26, with general licensing anticipated for next year.
A lawsuit was filed by Cristina Aranguiz and Jodi Connolly, against the OCM. The plaintiffs asked for a temporary injunction to keep this lottery from happening until the “resolution of this matter”, which a judge approved.
Interim director of the OCM Charlene Briner in a statement called Cristina Aranguiz and Jodi Connolly “bad actors who seek to overwhelm the system at the expense of legitimate, prospective business owners.”
According to the OCM, the plaintiffs in the lawsuit are the “face of a scheme to use hundreds of straw applicants to gain unfair advantage in the lottery” and allege they are “using the judicial process to thwart the ambitions and dreams of legitimate social equity candidates who have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get a head start in this industry.”
While it is technically legal to possess and grow cannabis in Minnesota, the law is subject to limits meant to keep a lid on things while the state sets up a full-blown legal cannabis industry. In the year that most prospective businesses have been in limbo, a handful of sovereign tribal nations have been able to take advantage of working outside the state’s regulatory framework.
A spokesperson with the OCM on Monday sent KARE 11 the following statement:
While we are disappointed by the decision to prevent OCM from moving forward with the license preapproval lottery tomorrow, we stand by the process used to review applications. Minnesota’s approach has always aimed to protect the integrity of a social equity license, and the rigorous review also allowed us to identify and prevent bad actors from entering the system. State statute sets high standards for applicants to successfully complete applications while also filtering out those with malicious intent.
We remain committed to launching an equitable, sustainable, and responsible adult-use cannabis marketplace in Minnesota.
The money will be used to plant 1,000 native and climate-resilient trees in areas that need environmental improvements.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis will soon be getting a little greener, particularly in areas that need environmental improvements.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board received a $120,000 donation through the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Fund of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation to “enhance climate resilience in economically disadvantaged and environmentally justice designated neighborhoods in Minneapolis,” according to a release from the city.
The money will be used to plant 1,000 native and climate-resilient trees in areas most in need. City officials say the trees will improve air quality, support wildlife and help remove carbon dioxide. Planting is expected to begin in 2025.
“We continue to be deeply grateful to the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Fund of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation for recognizing the need for climate resiliency in some of the most economically disadvantaged areas of Minneapolis,” said MPRB Superintendent Al Bangoura in a statement. “These funds will help contribute to the well-being of Minneapolis’ underserved and climate-vulnerable communities.”
The donation will also be used to purchase native plants, particularly at Harrison Park to help support the conversion of turf grass to natural areas.
