Southwest Voices will be in Stevens Square on Friday. We are kicking off our neighborhood listening tour in the small but mighty Stevens Square. We will be hanging out at The Boiler Room, grabbing lunch at Tibet Kitchen, and I will probably need to be pulled out of Old School by Steeple People. Times and more locations will be shared this week in the newsletter and on social media. 👀

Superintendent Graff emailed families yesterday about the potential impact of a teacher strike. According to Graff, a strike will mean that school buildings will be closed for the duration of the strike, and, once the strike ends, the school year would be extended to make up for the lost instructional time. On Twitter, MFT 59 supporters reacted strongly to the email sent out to the district yesterday. Let us know what questions you have about the strike, the bargaining process, or the district's communication.

The City and State are responding to the gaps in MPD services. A long-waited Behavioral Crisis Response program is now operating 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday in Minneapolis. In recent discussions around how the MPD operates, police reform advocates have been asking for someone to call besides the police when dealing with mental health crises.   According to the City, "If you or someone you know is having a behavioral health crisis you can continue to call 911 for service. 911 staff will gather information and assess the call. They will determine if it is eligible for a mobile behavioral health team response. 911 will dispatch the teams to eligible calls within City limits.  Examples of eligible calls could include no firearms involved, physically non-violent person, etc. The eligibility criteria is being developed with mental health experts and 911 staff. It is informed by similar programs across the country."
The State Patrol is increasing its nighttime presence in Minneapolis over the next week, as reported by KSTP. Patrols will be focusing on "the ridiculous amount of speeding going on on the freeways" and to doing their part with "the unacceptable level of violent crime that has been seen in Minneapolis," according to Col. Matt Langer. The State Patrol will be utilizing "aviation support" to "help make sure any drivers trying to flee officers during a traffic stop will be found and held accountable."

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LINK ROUNDUP 🔗

Council Member Aisha Chughtai spoke with WedgeLIVE about police transparency and what she wants to see changed in the department. (WedgeLIVE)

Looking for something to jam to today while you work? Check out the Southwest High School Band, Jazz and Orchestra Winter Concert on YouTube. (Southwest Performing Arts)

Family Tree Clinic, which recently expanded to Stevens Square, recently got a big grant from the Bush Foundation to teach healthcare providers in isolated communities how to offer gender-affirming care. (MinnPost)

The investigative team at Racket figured out why all the shopping baskets disappeared at the Uptown Cub. Tldr; the baskets will be back. (Racket)

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COMMUNITY RESOURCES 💪

Tonight, Minneapolis Public Schools is hosting an info session on how to run for the school board.

Metro Transit is having a hiring event on Wednesday (tomorrow!) from 4-7 p.m. at the Metro Transit Instruction Center.

Twin Cities Collage Collective is launching the Collage Materials Scholarship. Black, brown, mixed race and indigenous folks are encouraged to apply and will be prioritized, as are members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Apps are due Feb. 28.

The Park Board agenda is published for Wednesday's meeting. There are nine resolutions for the Park Board to consider at the meeting, including approving funding for the Conservation Corps projects, hiring a legal firm to assist with employment law, and funding for Pearl Park (Nokomis) improvements.

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OUT & ABOUT 🛵

Did you know there is a Minneapolis scavenger hunt you can do on your phone? Yes, way. It costs money ($13) but it looks like a creative way to deal with our cloudy winter days.

Do you speak French and love to cook? Well do I have the perfect activity for you tonight. Alliance Française is hosting an online cooking workshop with Chef Maria-José de Frias from Le Virunga Restaurant in Montreal, Quebec to celebrate the Mois de la Francophonie, which honors the Democratic Republic of Congo. The catch? The class is in French. Bonne chance!