A lifeguard shortage is once again looming as summer swimming season approaches.

Why it matters: These whistle-carrying water watchers ensure that we all splash and swim safely.

• Lingering vacancies will mean decreased hours and access — or in some cases full closures — for local lakes and pools.

State of staffing: YMCA of the North has about 400 spots open across the aquatics program, including many lifeguards and swim lesson instructor openings, director Shannon Kinstler told Axios.

• The Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board is also "far far short," with roughly 80 of the 135-150 lifeguards it needs to fully staff lake and pools, according to aquatics manager Sarah Chillo.

Driving the shortage: Parks departments and private pools have for years struggled to hire enough guards. Pandemic closures slowed the pipeline for training new staff.

• Another tight summer labor market is compounding the problem.

What they're saying: "We're in a worse shortage than we were last year because all of our customers are back, people want to use pools, they want to have fun, and we still can't hire and retain our lifeguards," Kinstler said.

What they're doing: The Y has lowered the minimum age for some positions to 15 and is offering paid training for candidates to gain mandatory certifications.

• It's also introduced $100 sign-on bonuses for new lifeguards and swim instructors.
• Minneapolis, which reimburses hires for certification courses, has raised its starting wage to about $17. Pre-pandemic, pay was closer to $13.

Yes, but: Chillo said the higher pay so far "has had no impact on our ability to get more applicants."

• While last year's staff are returning at high rates, the postings are attracting a "very small pool of new people."

Between the lines: School closures prompted by the March teachers' strike also cut down on opportunities to recruit high school students in person, Chillo said.

• Colder springs also tend to put a damper on recruitment.

The bottom line: If hiring doesn't pick up, the Minneapolis Park Board and leaders of other local swimming sites will have to decide which pools and beaches to staff and, in some cases, keep open again this year.

Full story...

The Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival lineup is out, featuring two weeks of in-person screenings at a new venue.

Why it matters: Local and international indie filmmakers don't get the same distribution or attention as big studio flicks, a problem exacerbated by the declining theater industry.

• The May festival also coincides with the grand opening of MSP Film at the Main, a new five-screen theater run by MSP Film Society and housed in the former St. Anthony Main Theatre.

What to watch: There are over 200 films showing this year. Here are three buzzed-about screenings:

🚐 "Paulie Go!": A Minnesota-made coming-of-age comedy follows two teens as they track down a reclusive genius in northern Minnesota.

🍽 "We Feed People": The Ron Howard documentary chronicles chef and humanitarian José Andrés' journey to provide healthy food to nations in the wake of disasters.

⚰️ "The Gravedigger's Wife": A gravedigger in Djibouti City goes to extreme measures to save his wife in this drama, which was Somalia's first Oscar submission.

Don't miss out: Tickets go on sale today at 11am for Film Society members, and April 21 for everyone else.

📚 New contracts for Minneapolis Public Schools educators will add $27 million to the district's budget deficit. Leaders say to expect cuts. (Star Tribune)

🏥 Rich Stanek, the former Hennepin County sheriff now running for governor, is in the hospital following a Tuesday car crash. (Fox9)

🗳️ DFL state Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart won't run for re-election after losing the DFL endorsement vote in a west metro district to state Rep. Kelly Morrison. (Twitter)

💼 All the big law firms have now formalized return-to-office plans. (Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal)

🤑 A gas station in Ramsey sold a $106 million Mega Millions jackpot ticket! (WCCO-TV)

🛋️ Another major retailer is leaving Uptown. CB2 will close April 24, and developers plan to build a 264-unit apartment building on the lot. (Star Tribune)

🐔 Quote du jour:

"As I was walking by I put the glue on my hand, to give it a tiny head start on drying, and it was actually really surprisingly easy to walk onto the court. I just put my hand down."

Outdoor Voices is coming to the North Loop.

Driving the news: The activewear company confirmed to Axios it will open a brick-and-mortar store at 212 N. 3rd Avenue later this year.

State of shopping: Outdoor Voices is the latest national retailer to put down roots in the trendy Minneapolis neighborhood in recent years.

• Splurge-inclined shoppers can also hit up Lululemon, Allbirds, Madewell and, in the coming months, Sweetgreen, all within a one-block radius of OV's new digs.

What to watch: Local inventory will include city-specific hats and totes in an "exclusive colorway," a spokesperson said.

🔥 Hot and fresh local job listings.

1. Marketing Operations Manager at UnitedHealth Group.

2. Director, Demand Generation (Digital Marketing Activation) at Thomson Reuters.

3. Global Director - Content and Brand Marketing at Dover.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a Job.

👋 Audrey here! I stopped by the new Soga Mochi Donut in St. Paul, a Japanese mochi doughnut shop that pegs itself as the first in Minnesota.

• The ring-shaped treats, made of eight connected circles of fried dough, are light and crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside.

What I ate: I tried a sharing box (six for $16.50) of the day's offerings, including toasted coconut, Fruity Pebbles and yuzu.

My thought bubble: 3.5 out of 5. Some flavors are much better than others, but the ones that work are melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Tip: Be prepared to wait 15 minutes. All doughnuts are made to order.

Keep reading for flavor recs...