Minneapolis, MN

'We've waited long enough': Minneapolis education support workers authorize strike

Published

2 years ago

April 27, 2024

'We've waited long enough': Minneapolis education support workers authorize strike

Members of the union representing Minneapolis teachers voted Friday to authorize a strike, staging a potential walkout for scores of education workers.

Support professionals with the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers voted to authorize the strike Friday night. At least 92% voted in favor. The vote allows union leaders to call a strike if necessary, although state law requires they notify the district 10 days before a strike begins.

Union members negotiating with Minneapolis Public Schools have argued for a “substantial” wage increase, affordable health care and plans to encourage retention.

“Most education support professionals in the Minneapolis Public Schools are not paid enough to live in Minneapolis without taking a second job. This is not acceptable. One job should be enough,” Catina Taylor, president of the union’s education support professionals chapter, said in a statement. “No one wants to strike, but we’ve been working on an expired contract for more than 300 days. We’ve waited long enough.”

Video taken Saturday morning and shared on the union’s social media page showed dozens of people picketing outside Folwell Elementary School. Most wore blue while chanting “Solidarity!” Some held signs reading “Recruit students & retain educators.”

Their picket comes hours after Minneapolis Public Schools agreed on a tentative contract with union teachers, averting a strike authorization vote scheduled for Thursday and Friday. District officials plan to release details of that contract after teachers vote to ratify it. Teachers are expected to vote between May 8 and May 10.

Support professionals plan to continue negotiations with the district during a mediation session planned for May 1. Negotiations could continue without a state mediator before then.

Star Tribune staff writer Tim Harlow contributed to this story.

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Minneapolis, MN

Boy who shielded classmate during school shooting receives Medal of Honor

Published

6 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Boy who shielded classmate during school shooting receives Medal of Honor

WASHINGTON (TNND) — A fifth grader from Minneapolis received the Citizen Honor Award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

Victor Greenawalt jumped in front of his friend during a mass shooting at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.

Weston Halsne told local station KARE 11 that Greenawalt saved his life.

“It was really scary,” Halsne told KARE 11. “My friend Victor, like, saved me, though. Because he laid on top of me. But he got hit.”

Two students were killed and several were injured after a shooter opened fire through the windows of the church last year. The shooter died on the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Congressional Medal Society said in a statement that Greenawalt showed “extraordinary bravery far beyond his years.”

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 3: Flowers line a pathway to Annunciation Catholic Church as U.S. Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance visit to pay their respects to victims of the shooting there on September 3, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The shooting left two students dead and many more wounded. (Photo by Alex Wroblewski-Pool/Getty Images)

“Instinctively, Victor protected a classmate with his own body, directly saving their life during the attack,” the society said in a written statement. “His courage and selflessness became a powerful symbol of hope and humanity for a community in crisis.”

Greenawalt was hospitalized following the shooting, according to a verified GoFundMe page. His sister was also injured.

He flew to Washington with his family on Wednesday to accept the award.

Greeenawalt met with Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., while on Capitol Hill. The ceremony also included a wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery.

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He received the Young Hero award, which honors individuals age 17 or younger for their courage.

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Minneapolis, MN

Boy ‘leaped in front of gunfire’ to save a friend. Now, he’s being honored

Published

18 hours ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

Boy ‘leaped in front of gunfire’ to save a friend. Now, he’s being honored

A boy from Minneapolis received an award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society on Wednesday, March 25, for shielding a classmate with his body during a mass shooting at the Annunciation Catholic Church and School last summer, officials said.

Victor Greenawalt was one of six honorees, including five people and a non-profit organization, for this year’s National Medal of Honor Day, according to the Medal of Honor Society. The six recipients were recognized with a Citizen Honor Award for their “extraordinary acts of heroism and service within their communities,” a news release states.

The Medal of Honor Society named Victor as the 2026 Young Hero Honoree for demonstrating “extraordinary bravery far beyond his years” during the Annunciation Catholic Church and School shooting on Aug. 27, 2025. The award honors Americans 17 years old or younger “for their courage in a dire situation,” according to the Medal of Honor Society’s website.

“Instinctively, Victor protected a classmate with his own body, directly saving their life during the attack,” the Medal of Honor Society said in the news release. “His courage and selflessness became a powerful symbol of hope and humanity for a community in crisis.”

The award was presented by the Medal of Honor Society, a congressionally chartered, non-profit organization comprised of the 64 living Medal of Honor recipients, during a ceremony at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC.

‘Leaped in front of gunfire to protect his friend’

Victor and his sister were injured when a shooter fired through the windows of the Annunciation Catholic Church toward young students worshipping at Mass, according to a GoFundMe page. In a statement on social media, Sen. Amy Klobuchar said Victor “leaped in front of gunfire to protect his friend during the tragic mass shooting.”

“Victor’s actions saved his friend’s life,” Democratic Rep. Angie Craig, of Minnesota, said in a statement on social media. “I am so proud of Victor, but this is just heartbreaking. Our kids shouldn’t have to live this way in America. We must do better for our kids and pass an assault weapons ban.”

Weston Halsne, who was 10 and a fifth grader at Annunciation Catholic School at the time of the attack, was sitting two seats away from the stained-glass windows when the bullets began to rain down, he told the local NBC-affiliate KARE 11.

Like the other students around him, Weston dropped to the ground, the television station reported. A friend, who was later identified as Victor, tried to shield Weston and was shot in the back.

“My friend Victor, like, saved me, though, because he laid on top of me, but he got hit,” Weston said, calling his friend “brave.” He told the station he thought his friend went to the hospital and was doing all right.

Victor and his family were facing a “long journey of recovery,” according to the GoFundMe page. In an Aug. 29, 2025, update, the GoFundMe page stated that Victor had been released from the hospital and was recovering with his family.

“We know that there is still a long road ahead of healing for our family and the community,” according to the GoFundMe page. “A sincere and deeply felt thank you from our entire family. We are trying to focus on the light – the incredible stories of people helping each other this week.”

What happened in the Annunciation Catholic Church and School shooting?

The deadly shooting occurred at the Church of the Annunciation, a Catholic church that also houses a private elementary school in Minneapolis with about 395 students. The attack occurred just before 8:30 a.m. local time on Aug. 27, 2025, authorities said.

According to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, the shooter approached the outside of the church building and fired inside toward the children sitting in pews. Two children, 10-year-old Harper Moyski and 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, were killed in the attack.

Police initially reported that 18 other people were injured, including 15 students ages 6 to 18 and three parishioners in their 80s. Police later reported that 24 children and three adults were injured by gunfire, MPR News reported.

Of the injured, police said at least two were critically injured. All the injured had been expected to recover, though family members of some previously said they will have long roads to recovery from serious bullet wounds.

The shooting suspect, identified as Robin Westman, 23, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene, according to O’Hara.

Contributing: Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY

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Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis Submits Bid to Host 2028 NFL Draft

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

Minneapolis Submits Bid to Host 2028 NFL Draft

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. . .because you have. . .but the National Football League’s biggest off-season event could be coming to the Twin Cities in the very near future.

According to the Minnesota Vikings’ official website, Minnesota Sports and Events has announced that it has officially submitted a bid to host the 2028 NFL Draft in partnership with the Vikings and U.S. Bank Stadium.

While the Vikings’ home stadium would almost certainly serve as the anchor for the event, Matt Meunier, the Executive Vice President of Business Development and Tourism for Minnesota Sports and Events, envisions the event as having a truly regional feel.

“In terms of the location of the draft, the red carpet and all the ancillary events that go with hosting the draft, all those things are under evaluation by the league right now, so it’s to be determined, but what we can say is TCO Performance Center is a really viable option,” Meunier said. “Flag football, youth football is going to continue to be more prominent as it relates to the NFL and leaning into 2028 and the L.A. [Olympic] Games, so there’s potential to stage some youth football and community legacy events out at TCO Performance Center, but in addition to that, every event Minnesota Sports and Events hosts, we’re really intentional about staging events throughout the region and not just downtown [Minneapolis].”

Should the Twin Cities be selected for the event, it would complete the cycle of all four NFC North cities serving as host since the Draft moved away from being held in New York City every year. Chicago hosted the Draft in both 2015 and 2016, Detroit served as host in 2024, and the Draft was held in Green Bay last year.

This year’s NFL Draft will be held next month in Pittsburgh, while Washington, D.C. will play host to the 2027 NFL Draft.

As the article from the Vikings’ website notes, the draft in Detroit brought in fans from all 50 states and 20 foreign countries, generating an economic impact of over $200 million for the greater Detroit area. Surely Minneapolis/St. Paul can do better than that, right?

Right?

It is unknown when the announcement of where the 2028 NFL Draft will be hosted will be made or which other cities are competing for the opportunity, but hopefully the Twin Cities will get their opportunity to serve as host.

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