🚸 Watch out for school patrols: Today is National Walk & Roll to School Day.

• Not quite as warm as yesterday, but you won't catch us complaining! High of 72 today, NWS says.

Today’s newsletter is 1,102 words — a 4-minute read.

The party in the Twin Cities is lasting longer into fall, but many businesses and recreational organizations are still turning out the lights early.

Why it matters: Our winters are long! We try to pack as much as we can into a few short months, but we might be leaving meat on the bone during what is typically some of the nicest weather of the year.

Driving the news: Most of the seasonal restaurants in Minneapolis parks closed on Sunday or Monday.

• Temperatures may hit 80 on Saturday, but you won't be able to catch a movie in a city park because the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board yells "cut!" on its Music and Movies series on Labor Day.

The big picture: Average fall temperatures in the Twin Cities have increased by 5.2 degrees since 1970.

Case in point: It's not just the tail end of fall; most municipal pools close in late August, even though the first two weeks of September have become an extension of summer.

• The St. Louis Park Aquatic Park pulled the plug on Aug. 23. It was at least 81 degrees for 19 straight days after it closed.

Reality check: There are good reasons for the early shutdowns, some of which might make us look in the mirror.

• "It's kind of like a light switch once the State Fair hits," said Sam Carter, co-owner of Lake Nokomis restaurant The Painted Turtle, which closed Monday. "We see a huge drop-off [in sales], and then it kind of just maintains that way until we decide to close for the year."

These businesses also struggle with staffing after many of their seasonal workers return to high school or college.

• That's why the St. Louis Park Aquatic Park can't remain open, said city spokesperson Jacque Smith.

What we're watching: The Painted Turtle and other park food vendors try to remain open through the Twin Cities Marathon. With the race pushed back to mid-October starting next year, Carter is still deciding if they'll also extend their closing date.

• The issue, he said, is that the Park Board turns off the water if freezing temperatures are forecast. He has to plan weeks in advance on which date to close so that he has water for building cleanup.
• "You might miss a few 80-degree October days, but what would be worse is being unprepared if you got a really cold fall."

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"Sun Country was built by Minnesota pilots. We'd go fly and come home every night and be able to see our families."

Flying cargo for Amazon has meant big money for Sun Country.

• But it's contributing to a pilot shortage that's forced the airline to slash its passenger schedule, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports.

Inside the cockpit: For years, pilots flying Sun Country passengers could count on returning to MSP most nights — a big perk in a profession where crews often spend several days away from home.

• That's not so when flying cargo, which makes bigger airlines with higher pay and flexible scheduling more attractive to pilots, Larson explains.

More via the Business Journal

🗳️ Outgoing U.S. Rep. Angie Craig isn't ruling out a future in politics after her failed campaign in the Democratic Senate primary. (Star Tribune)

• She hasn't decided on her next move, but "WNBA commissioner is every middle-aged lesbian's dream job," joked Craig, a longtime Lynx season ticket-holder.

🚔 Bloomington's police chief linked a shooting that injured one person early yesterday morning with a recent spike in what officials say is gang activity in the Twin Cities suburbs. (Fox9)

🛣️ The Met Council has promised changes to how it doles out federal money for local transportation projects after pushback from the Trump administration, conservative critics and some suburban lawmakers. (Star Tribune)

Monday's story on people placing homemade no parking signs around the pathways in their boulevard got some readers fired up.

Here are some responses about etiquette surrounding the signs.

🚑 Shirley J. places an official looking sign on her boulevard in the winter.

• "As a household with potential health issues, it's critical to ensure there's a clear and safe path for emergency responders who may be having to maneuver a stretcher through the hopefully-unblocked outwalk."

🚙 Steve H.: "Our new neighbor has three kids, and in the winter the only way they can get out to the street to get into their car is through the shoveled path of their outwalk."

🪏 Jim L. asked if property owners are required to shovel outwalks. "If so, then yes, people should refrain from parking there, if only to facilitate shoveling. If not, then jungle law is fine by me!"

• Editor's note: You're not required to shovel them, but both cities ask owners of corner lots to shovel the curb cuts to the crosswalk.

🌼 Brandon C. correctly notes that nobody owns the road in front of their home, but he puts up a sign because it helps preserve boulevard plants that would be trampled.

🏘️ The other side: We're not sure if Jack B. intended the pun, but he said people with those signs need to "go touch grass."

• "This is a city, for goodness' sake. No one is entitled to this stupid little slice of sidewalk no matter how hard you wring your hands. It comes across as entitled, boomer, and 'not on my lawn.'"

The first-ever Axios Social Club in the Twin Cities last night was a smashing success.

What happened: More than 100 readers met for dinner at tables of six or so across several North Loop restaurants.

• Nick, Audrey and Kyle caught up with many of them at the big after-party at Bricksworth Beer Co.

The bottom line: It was great seeing Minnesotans bond over their love for local journalism.

👉 Sound fun to you? Sign up to hear about our next one!

🥃 Kyle liked Bricksworth's peach-flavored twist on an Old Fashioned.

🏈 Nick played high school football with "The Harvard Football Coach Who Hacked the Hail Mary."

😭 Audrey discovered her box of nice sweaters became a moth habitat. RIP her cashmere.

💻 Torey is back in the (home) office today.

Today's newsletter was edited by Larry Graham.