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What becomes of Target Center if the Wolves move?

A new Timberwolves arena wouldn't just replace Target Center — it could reshape downtown Minneapolis.

News

As the Timberwolves/Lynx <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="search for a new home" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/07/07/timberwolves-lynx-new-owners-arena-location-options" data-vars-content-id="622f3372-2560-4245-98cb-7c5849cd846a" data-vars-headline="What becomes of Target Center if the Wolves move?" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/07/07/timberwolves-lynx-new-owners-arena-location-options" target="_self">search for a new home</a>, the debate will soon heat up over what to do with the Target Center and its $53.5 million debt balance.Why it matters: This is a big and important piece of downtown real estate, and what to do with it should have developers, elected officials and urbanists dreaming.<ul><li>It will also become a key piece in the negotiations between the city of Minneapolis and team owners if they work out a deal for a new downtown arena.</li></ul>

Small Minnesota data centers fueling bigger AI backlash

Several relatively modest projects have sparked some of the loudest outcry.

In several Twin Cities communities, big fears about the future of AI are driving backlash to data center projects — even relatively small ones.Why it matters: Data centers are becoming a stand-in for broader anger at an AI future many Americans don&#x27;t want but fear they&#x27;ll have to pay for.<ul><li>New <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="statewide" data-vars-click-url="https://www.startribune.com/mn-politics-hot-dish-poll-takeaways-dems-gop-midterm-elections-outside-spending/601855488" data-vars-content-id="dd3f1f89-d2ab-4590-abaa-479cffc2a32f" data-vars-headline="Small Minnesota data centers fueling bigger AI backlash" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.startribune.com/mn-politics-hot-dish-poll-takeaways-dems-gop-midterm-elections-outside-spending/601855488" target="_blank">statewide</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="national polling" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/46250032.182768/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWlsbHRvd25wYXJ0bmVycy5jb20vaW5zaWdodHMvYmVoaW5kLXRoZS1iYWNrbGFzaD91dG1fc291cmNlPW5ld3NsZXR0ZXImdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249bmV3c2xldHRlcl9heGlvc2xvZ2luJnN0cmVhbT10b3A/6577de049e5374e60a0e2e6eB9f5b2fce#_ga=2.102283201.1177888367.1783532777-1479187806.1769785246" data-vars-content-id="dd3f1f89-d2ab-4590-abaa-479cffc2a32f" data-vars-headline="Small Minnesota data centers fueling bigger AI backlash" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/46250032.182768/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWlsbHRvd25wYXJ0bmVycy5jb20vaW5zaWdodHMvYmVoaW5kLXRoZS1iYWNrbGFzaD91dG1fc291cmNlPW5ld3NsZXR0ZXImdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249bmV3c2xldHRlcl9heGlvc2xvZ2luJnN0cmVhbT10b3A/6577de049e5374e60a0e2e6eB9f5b2fce#_ga=2.102283201.1177888367.1783532777-1479187806.1769785246" target="_self">national polling</a> suggests many voters are wary of the pace and terms of the buildout — and anxious about higher utility bills, home prices or environmental damage.</li></ul>

Boundary Waters fires could burn for months

The northeast Minnesota fires have led to evacuations and unhealthy air.

The wildfires burning in northeast Minnesota are so hot and intense that experts say they might linger until snow falls. Why it matters: The fires have shut down the popular <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/01/27/bwca-trip-planning-guide-boundary-waters-minnesota" data-vars-content-id="9382e68a-f3a8-4b21-8484-af42cf336e80" data-vars-headline="Boundary Waters fires could burn for months" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/01/27/bwca-trip-planning-guide-boundary-waters-minnesota" target="_self">Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness</a>.<ul><li>They&#x27;ve also prompted evacuation orders in the Arrowhead and have blanketed the state in unhealthy smoke. </li><li>Two Minnesota YMCA camp groups <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="had to be rescued" data-vars-click-url="https://www.fox9.com/news/minnesota-wildfires-ymca-campers-rescue-underway" data-vars-content-id="9382e68a-f3a8-4b21-8484-af42cf336e80" data-vars-headline="Boundary Waters fires could burn for months" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.fox9.com/news/minnesota-wildfires-ymca-campers-rescue-underway" target="_blank">had to be rescued</a> from remote areas near the U.S.-Canada border, with help from the Royal Canadian Air Force. </li></ul>

St. Paul's Midway Marketplace could be poised for a comeback

Two new potential tenants have lined up for space in a complex where vacancies have mounted.

After years of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="mounting vacancies" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2024/10/17/midway-neighborhood-allianz-field-crisis-homelessness" data-vars-content-id="21def72b-9b0d-4349-b327-c58b368415a7" data-vars-headline="St. Paul&#x27;s Midway Marketplace could be poised for a comeback" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2024/10/17/midway-neighborhood-allianz-field-crisis-homelessness" target="_self">mounting vacancies</a>, a shopping complex in St. Paul&#x27;s Midway neighborhood appears poised for a comeback.Driving the news: A banner announcing an 80,000 square-foot indoor playground &quot;coming soon&quot; to the Midway Marketplace appeared last week on the former Herberger&#x27;s store, which has sat empty since 2018.<ul><li>Axios&#x27; messages to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Lululand Adventure Park" data-vars-click-url="https://lululandadventurepark.com/" data-vars-content-id="21def72b-9b0d-4349-b327-c58b368415a7" data-vars-headline="St. Paul&#x27;s Midway Marketplace could be poised for a comeback" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://lululandadventurepark.com/" target="_blank">Lululand Adventure Park</a> have yet to be returned, but the banner promises an arcade, augmented reality (AR) games and trampolines.</li></ul>Catch up quick: A company <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="with ties to the grocery chain H Mart" data-vars-click-url="https://mspmag.com/eat-and-drink/foodie/h-mart-korean-asian-grocery-supermarket-st-paul-mn/" data-vars-content-id="21def72b-9b0d-4349-b327-c58b368415a7" data-vars-headline="St. Paul&#x27;s Midway Marketplace could be poised for a comeback" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://mspmag.com/eat-and-drink/foodie/h-mart-korean-asian-grocery-supermarket-st-paul-mn/" target="_blank">with ties to the grocery chain H Mart</a> recently bought other parts of the shopping complex that, until recently, housed a Cub Foods and an At Home store.<ul><li>It&#x27;s yet not clear whether the popular Asian grocer is actually moving in.</li></ul>Friction points: Vacancies at the Midway Marketplace have fueled neighborhood concerns about crime and trash.<ul><li>Conditions there have also invited <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="deeper questions" data-vars-click-url="https://streets.mn/2025/09/18/why-the-midways-suburban-design-is-killing-its-commercial-future/" data-vars-content-id="21def72b-9b0d-4349-b327-c58b368415a7" data-vars-headline="St. Paul&#x27;s Midway Marketplace could be poised for a comeback" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://streets.mn/2025/09/18/why-the-midways-suburban-design-is-killing-its-commercial-future/" target="_blank">deeper questions</a> about whether a car-centric, suburban-style shopping complex is a good fit for an urban transit corridor.</li></ul>Zoom out: Construction is progressing on an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="office building and hotel" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/10/14/what-s-going-up-next-near-mnufc-s-stadium" data-vars-content-id="21def72b-9b0d-4349-b327-c58b368415a7" data-vars-headline="St. Paul&#x27;s Midway Marketplace could be poised for a comeback" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/10/14/what-s-going-up-next-near-mnufc-s-stadium" target="_self">office building and hotel</a> near neighboring Allianz Field.<ul><li>Minnesota United FC owner Bill McGuire is also now leading <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="redevelopment" data-vars-click-url="https://www.stpaul.gov/news/redevelopment-former-cvs-site-advance-saint-pauls-midway-neighborhood" data-vars-content-id="21def72b-9b0d-4349-b327-c58b368415a7" data-vars-headline="St. Paul&#x27;s Midway Marketplace could be poised for a comeback" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.stpaul.gov/news/redevelopment-former-cvs-site-advance-saint-pauls-midway-neighborhood" target="_blank">redevelopment</a> of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="now-bulldozed Midway CVS" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWCIIxIjlfZ/" data-vars-content-id="21def72b-9b0d-4349-b327-c58b368415a7" data-vars-headline="St. Paul&#x27;s Midway Marketplace could be poised for a comeback" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWCIIxIjlfZ/" target="_blank">now-bulldozed Midway CVS</a> lot.</li></ul>

Minnesota education rankings are slipping

The latest Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count rankings raise concerns about K-12 students' post-pandemic recovery.

Minnesota kids are still some of the healthiest and best cared for in the nation — but in school, they haven&#x27;t kept pace with their peers since the pandemic, according to a new Annie E. Casey Foundation report.Why it matters: The foundation&#x27;s &quot;Kids Count&quot; index is among the most widely cited comprehensive measures of children&#x27;s economic, educational, health and social wellbeing.

AI fears push Twin Cities students to rethink career paths

Colleges are responding with new ways to serve up skills.

Education

Gabrielle spent her first year at a Twin Cities community college as an English major, figuring her passion for proofreading friends&#x27; papers would translate well to an editing career. While she &quot;absolutely loved&quot; the subject, a hard-to-shake concern had her questioning her choice.<ul><li>&quot;I was terrified that I&#x27;d either never find a job or lose my job due to AI,&quot; she tells Axios. </li></ul>

ICE surge worsens child care staffing crunch in Minnesota

The crackdown is exacerbating shortages in an already-understaffed industry.

The federal immigration crackdown is deepening staffing shortages at Twin Cities <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="child care centers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2024/11/01/st-paul-child-care-ballot-measure-provider-capacity" data-vars-content-id="62a20371-c0bc-4487-961b-b243c594080e" data-vars-headline="ICE surge worsens child care staffing crunch in Minnesota" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2024/11/01/st-paul-child-care-ballot-measure-provider-capacity" target="_self">child care centers</a>, forcing some providers to cut hours or close classrooms as immigrant workers stay home out of fear.Why it matters: The growing shortages in Minnesota&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="already understaffed child" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/12/10/child-care-shortage-improves-but-expensive" data-vars-content-id="62a20371-c0bc-4487-961b-b243c594080e" data-vars-headline="ICE surge worsens child care staffing crunch in Minnesota" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/12/10/child-care-shortage-improves-but-expensive" target="_self">already understaffed child</a> care industry could force some parents to leave the workforce to care for their kids, a recent national report suggests.The latest: The anxieties stem from multiple reports of parents and staff encountering federal agents around child care centers in recent weeks.<ul><li>ICE officers removed a teacher from her car just outside the Minneapolis location of Jardin Spanish Immersion Academy, where she was about to begin work, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the Star Tribune reported" data-vars-click-url="https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-daycares-say-ice-is-targeting-its-workers/601560204" data-vars-content-id="62a20371-c0bc-4487-961b-b243c594080e" data-vars-headline="ICE surge worsens child care staffing crunch in Minnesota" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-daycares-say-ice-is-targeting-its-workers/601560204" target="_blank">the Star Tribune reported</a>.</li><li>One anonymous Spanish immersion child care center <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="told KARE11" data-vars-click-url="https://www.kare11.com/article/news/politics/immigration-news/local-child-care-centers-report-ice-detentions-federal-visits/89-2dc1ce9e-8b8a-4964-81c0-b52715e98b8e" data-vars-content-id="62a20371-c0bc-4487-961b-b243c594080e" data-vars-headline="ICE surge worsens child care staffing crunch in Minnesota" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.kare11.com/article/news/politics/immigration-news/local-child-care-centers-report-ice-detentions-federal-visits/89-2dc1ce9e-8b8a-4964-81c0-b52715e98b8e" target="_blank">told KARE11</a> that agents detained multiple workers who had legal work authorization in the center&#x27;s parking lot.</li><li>The leader of another unidentified center <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="told KSTP" data-vars-click-url="https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/spanish-immersion-schools-feeling-impact-of-immigration-enforcement/" data-vars-content-id="62a20371-c0bc-4487-961b-b243c594080e" data-vars-headline="ICE surge worsens child care staffing crunch in Minnesota" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/spanish-immersion-schools-feeling-impact-of-immigration-enforcement/" target="_blank">told KSTP</a> that &quot;nearly half of her staff has stopped coming to work.&quot;</li></ul>What they&#x27;re saying: Dawn Uribe, who owns four Mis Amigos Preschool locations in the Twin Cities, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="told MPR News" data-vars-click-url="https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2026/01/14/st-paul-child-care-centers-ask-for-city-support-amid-safety-concerns" data-vars-content-id="62a20371-c0bc-4487-961b-b243c594080e" data-vars-headline="ICE surge worsens child care staffing crunch in Minnesota" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2026/01/14/st-paul-child-care-centers-ask-for-city-support-amid-safety-concerns" target="_blank">told MPR News</a> she set up a food pantry for staff who aren&#x27;t working.<ul><li>&quot;Our entire admin team has been in classrooms covering breaks,&quot; so her centers don&#x27;t fall below their required staff ratios. &quot;If we don&#x27;t have enough staff, we have to close classrooms,&quot; Uribe told MPR.</li></ul>The other side: In a statement, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended federal agents&#x27; work and reiterated the claim that they&#x27;re arresting criminals.<ul><li>&quot;A HUGE victory for public safety,&quot; McLaughlin said.</li></ul>The big picture: In Minnesota, 14% of the early education workforce was<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" born outside the U.S." data-vars-click-url="https://cscce.berkeley.edu/publications/blog/nearly-half-a-million-early-childhood-educators-are-immigrants/" data-vars-content-id="62a20371-c0bc-4487-961b-b243c594080e" data-vars-headline="ICE surge worsens child care staffing crunch in Minnesota" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://cscce.berkeley.edu/publications/blog/nearly-half-a-million-early-childhood-educators-are-immigrants/" target="_blank"> born outside the U.S.</a> — and data analyzed by the think tank New America suggests their fears about going to work will have ripple effects.By the numbers: Nationwide, from January to July 2025 — the early days of the Trump administration&#x27;s crackdown — about 39,000 foreign-born child care workers dropped out of the workforce, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the report&#x27;s authors concluded" data-vars-click-url="https://d1y8sb8igg2f8e.cloudfront.net/documents/The_Impact_of_Increased_ICE_Activity_on_the_Child_Care_Workforce_and_Mothers_E_ipNMo5s.pdf" data-vars-content-id="62a20371-c0bc-4487-961b-b243c594080e" data-vars-headline="ICE surge worsens child care staffing crunch in Minnesota" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://d1y8sb8igg2f8e.cloudfront.net/documents/The_Impact_of_Increased_ICE_Activity_on_the_Child_Care_Workforce_and_Mothers_E_ipNMo5s.pdf" target="_blank">the report&#x27;s authors concluded</a>.<ul><li>During that period, 77,000 U.S.-born working mothers with preschool-aged children also left the workforce, New America estimated. (There were around 7.7 million working moms with 0- to 5-year-old kids.)</li></ul>The intrigue: Over the same time span, the number of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="working mothers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/02/women-jobs-rto" data-vars-content-id="62a20371-c0bc-4487-961b-b243c594080e" data-vars-headline="ICE surge worsens child care staffing crunch in Minnesota" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/02/women-jobs-rto" target="_self">working mothers</a> of young children dropped 3 percentage points, to its lowest rate since 2021.<ul><li>The decline has been primarily driven by white mothers and those who are highly educated leaving the workforce, according to the New America report.</li></ul>The bottom line: There&#x27;s no shortage of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="theories" data-vars-click-url="https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/working-moms-affected-return-office-policies-expert/story?id=124613629" data-vars-content-id="62a20371-c0bc-4487-961b-b243c594080e" data-vars-headline="ICE surge worsens child care staffing crunch in Minnesota" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/working-moms-affected-return-office-policies-expert/story?id=124613629" target="_blank">theories</a> as to why women are <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="quitting their jobs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.npr.org/2025/09/12/nx-s1-5537129-e1/why-mothers-in-the-u-s-are-scaling-back-on-their-work-lives" data-vars-content-id="62a20371-c0bc-4487-961b-b243c594080e" data-vars-headline="ICE surge worsens child care staffing crunch in Minnesota" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.npr.org/2025/09/12/nx-s1-5537129-e1/why-mothers-in-the-u-s-are-scaling-back-on-their-work-lives" target="_blank">quitting their jobs</a>.<ul><li>That said, the New America report provides some of the first evidence that immigration enforcement&#x27;s squeeze on child care availability is contributing to the drop-off, co-author and Arizona State University professor Chris Herbst said.</li></ul>Editor&#x27;s note: This story was updated to add McLaughlin&#x27;s statement.

Some Minnesota students are missing school because they fear ICE

Absenteeism has risen in several Twin Cities districts, prompting Minneapolis to offer a distance learning option.

Several Twin Cities schools have seen an uptick in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="absenteeism" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2023/09/15/minnesota-students-school-absence-rises-pandemic" data-vars-content-id="d0b5ba13-f8a5-4b81-9a1b-135335c06ace" data-vars-headline="Some Minnesota students are missing school because they fear ICE" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2023/09/15/minnesota-students-school-absence-rises-pandemic" target="_self">absenteeism</a> as some students and parents fear <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="immigration officers might detain them" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/12/16/ice-immigrant-business-minneapolis-metro-surge" data-vars-content-id="d0b5ba13-f8a5-4b81-9a1b-135335c06ace" data-vars-headline="Some Minnesota students are missing school because they fear ICE" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/12/16/ice-immigrant-business-minneapolis-metro-surge" target="_self">immigration officers might detain them</a> on their way to or from school, advocates and district officials say.Why it matters: Districts like <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Minneapolis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.minnpost.com/education/2026/01/minneapolis-schools-to-offer-remote-learning-amid-federal-immigration-enforcement/" data-vars-content-id="d0b5ba13-f8a5-4b81-9a1b-135335c06ace" data-vars-headline="Some Minnesota students are missing school because they fear ICE" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.minnpost.com/education/2026/01/minneapolis-schools-to-offer-remote-learning-amid-federal-immigration-enforcement/" target="_blank">Minneapolis</a> are adjusting by dusting off pandemic-era <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="distance learning plans" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/08/01/schools-pandemic-students-learning-loss" data-vars-content-id="d0b5ba13-f8a5-4b81-9a1b-135335c06ace" data-vars-headline="Some Minnesota students are missing school because they fear ICE" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/08/01/schools-pandemic-students-learning-loss" target="_self">distance learning plans</a> that were <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="far from ideal" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/07/12/pandemic-remote-school-english-learners-effects" data-vars-content-id="d0b5ba13-f8a5-4b81-9a1b-135335c06ace" data-vars-headline="Some Minnesota students are missing school because they fear ICE" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/07/12/pandemic-remote-school-english-learners-effects" target="_self">far from ideal</a> for student learning — but may be a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="better alternative" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/21/student-chronic-absenteeism-covid-recovery" data-vars-content-id="d0b5ba13-f8a5-4b81-9a1b-135335c06ace" data-vars-headline="Some Minnesota students are missing school because they fear ICE" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/21/student-chronic-absenteeism-covid-recovery" target="_self">better alternative</a> now for students who otherwise wouldn&#x27;t be in class at all.

Minnesota schools ask voters to OK property tax hikes to ease budget strains

Seventy school districts across the state have put a combined 96 funding measures  on the ballot.

Voters across Minnesota will decide Nov. 4 whether to raise property taxes to raise tens to hundreds of millions of dollars for their <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="local schools" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/05/29/twin-cities-open-enrollment-school-shift" data-vars-content-id="9218354e-c982-458e-becc-4a8ba6f5ae66" data-vars-headline="Minnesota schools ask voters to OK property tax hikes to ease budget strains" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/05/29/twin-cities-open-enrollment-school-shift" target="_self">local schools</a>.The big picture: Budget pressures are prompting a growing number of districts to ask homeowners to chip in more for everything from building upgrades to classroom costs.

Data shows spike in guns found at Minnesota schools

State lawmakers remain deadlocked over proposals to reduce gun violence.

Minnesota school officials have discovered nearly 200 firearms on their campuses since the fall of 2021, per a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new Star Tribune analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-schools-reporting-sharp-increase-in-number-of-guns-confiscated-from-students/601470933" data-vars-content-id="2e267c57-5466-4050-910d-daca3fc1dde6" data-vars-headline="Data shows spike in guns found at Minnesota schools" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-schools-reporting-sharp-increase-in-number-of-guns-confiscated-from-students/601470933" target="_blank">new Star Tribune analysis</a> of state Department of Education data.<ul><li>That&#x27;s roughly three times the number of guns found at schools between 2017 and 2020.</li></ul>

Minneapolis' model anti-homelessness program faces "fiscal cliff"

Mayor Jacob Frey has a plan to prop up Stable Homes Stable Schools — but it would cancel another anti-homelessness effort.

One of Minneapolis&#x27; most successful <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="homelessness" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/09/23/minneapolis-homelessness-mayor-election" data-vars-content-id="06f33dcb-a537-495b-aec6-4bebb84144c2" data-vars-headline="Minneapolis&#x27; model anti-homelessness program faces &quot;fiscal cliff&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/09/23/minneapolis-homelessness-mayor-election" target="_self">homelessness</a> prevention programs is not accepting new referrals, and could run out of money by next spring unless the mayor and City Council can agree how to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="financially rescue it" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/08/13/minneapolis-budget-tax-hike-mayor-frey" data-vars-content-id="06f33dcb-a537-495b-aec6-4bebb84144c2" data-vars-headline="Minneapolis&#x27; model anti-homelessness program faces &quot;fiscal cliff&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/08/13/minneapolis-budget-tax-hike-mayor-frey" target="_self">financially rescue it</a>.Why it matters: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="&quot;Stable Homes Stable Schools&quot;" data-vars-click-url="https://mphaonline.org/housing-choice-vouchers/special-purpose-programs/stable-homes-stable-schools/" data-vars-content-id="06f33dcb-a537-495b-aec6-4bebb84144c2" data-vars-headline="Minneapolis&#x27; model anti-homelessness program faces &quot;fiscal cliff&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://mphaonline.org/housing-choice-vouchers/special-purpose-programs/stable-homes-stable-schools/" target="_blank">&quot;Stable Homes Stable Schools&quot;</a> program — which helps house 240 Minneapolis Public Schools families at risk of homelessness — has been championed as a success story by practically everyone in a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="divided" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/02/12/minneapolis-city-council-votes-mayor-jacob-frey" data-vars-content-id="06f33dcb-a537-495b-aec6-4bebb84144c2" data-vars-headline="Minneapolis&#x27; model anti-homelessness program faces &quot;fiscal cliff&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/02/12/minneapolis-city-council-votes-mayor-jacob-frey" target="_self">divided</a> City Hall.<ul><li><a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The program" data-vars-click-url="https://mphaonline.org/news/shss-inspires-the-denver-housing-stability-pilot/" data-vars-content-id="06f33dcb-a537-495b-aec6-4bebb84144c2" data-vars-headline="Minneapolis&#x27; model anti-homelessness program faces &quot;fiscal cliff&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://mphaonline.org/news/shss-inspires-the-denver-housing-stability-pilot/" target="_blank">The program</a> stars in Mayor Jacob Frey&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="first campaign ad" data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlTRBnFgspg" data-vars-content-id="06f33dcb-a537-495b-aec6-4bebb84144c2" data-vars-headline="Minneapolis&#x27; model anti-homelessness program faces &quot;fiscal cliff&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlTRBnFgspg" target="_blank">first campaign ad</a>. It&#x27;s also racing toward a &quot;fiscal cliff,&quot; city officials warn.</li></ul>

This 3D-printed "human tissue" could sharpen doctors' surgical skills

The Minnesota innovation could transform medical training and innovation.

Health

University of Minnesota researchers are using <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="3D printers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2023/05/02/3d-printing" data-vars-content-id="662b946f-bc45-4061-bf9b-e2f67a0fdad2" data-vars-headline="This 3D-printed &quot;human tissue&quot; could sharpen doctors&#x27; surgical skills" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2023/05/02/3d-printing" target="_self">3D printers</a> to produce &quot;realistic human tissue&quot; for use in medical training. Why it matters: Practicing surgical techniques and other procedures on (close to) the real thing could help med students and doctors up their skills —potentially improving patient outcomes.

Early voting begins in Twin Cities local elections

Voters are choosing leaders and deciding whether to approve new taxes.

Election Day isn&#x27;t until Nov. 4, but early voting is already underway in local races across the Twin Cities.Why it matters: Voters in dozens of metro-area cities and school districts are choosing leaders and deciding whether to approve or renew tax increases.

Minnesota schools embrace AI — cautiously

Educators say AI is reshaping how students learn — and how teachers work.

Many Minnesota school districts that were initially suspicious of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="AI tools" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/03/30/teachers-ai-students-critical-thinking" data-vars-content-id="fcb50d4d-0931-4f2b-a515-2688b633707f" data-vars-headline="Minnesota schools embrace AI — cautiously" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/03/30/teachers-ai-students-critical-thinking" target="_self">AI tools</a> like ChatGPT are now working to embrace them — while also trying to guard against the risks that they&#x27;ll <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="inspire cheaters" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/05/26/ai-chatgpt-cheating-college-teachers" data-vars-content-id="fcb50d4d-0931-4f2b-a515-2688b633707f" data-vars-headline="Minnesota schools embrace AI — cautiously" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/05/26/ai-chatgpt-cheating-college-teachers" target="_self">inspire cheaters</a> or <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="invade students&#x27; privacy" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/08/14/ai-education-privacy" data-vars-content-id="fcb50d4d-0931-4f2b-a515-2688b633707f" data-vars-headline="Minnesota schools embrace AI — cautiously" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/08/14/ai-education-privacy" target="_self">invade students&#x27; privacy</a>.Why it matters: &quot;The reality is AI is going to redefine the workforce that all of our students are going to step into,&quot; Anthony Padrnos, a board member for the education technology organization CoSN Minnesota, told Axios.<ul><li>Plus, Anoka-Hennepin schools instructional technology coordinator Justin Wewers adds, &quot;If we&#x27;re not talking about it as educators to students, then who is?&quot;</li></ul>

Education 📚

Minnesota education rankings are slipping

AI fears push Twin Cities students to rethink career paths

ICE surge worsens child care staffing crunch in Minnesota

Some Minnesota students are missing school because they fear ICE

Minneapolis teachers prepare to strike Tuesday