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Negotiations continued between the MPS district and striking educators over the weekend, but no deal was reached over the weekend. On Friday, MFT 59, the educators' union, said it was "feeling more hopeful and productive than ever" and earlier in the week, the Minneapolis School Board said they were making "good movement" in negotiations. Here is what the district says is its last, best, and final offer. Since the strike started, MFT 59 has held firm on a demand that ESPs salaries start at $35,000. According to Shaun Laden, ESP union chapter president, MPS's last offer does not get all ESP salaries to $35,000 per year.Here is a video update for MPS families recorded by Board Chair Kim Ellison and posted on Sunday. According to the board, the district's current offer includes "starting wages for 85% of current ESPs to $23 per hour or more, bringing most of our full-time ESPs close to $35,000 annually."

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Resources for MPS families, from childcare to meals and more, are still available during the educators strike. If your kids are curious, here is the MPS breakfast and lunch menu during the strike.

For those who need a grocery boost, families can check out this interactive map of Every Meal community food distribution sites across Minneapolis.

As a reminder, the follow recreation centers are open from 12-9 p.m. during the strike: Whittier, Bryant Square, East Phillips, Fairview, Longfellow, Luxton, Lake Nokomis, North Commons, Northeast, and Sibley.

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Your voices are crucial to this organization and we appreciate being able to share your perspectives with our community. Here is a collection of what you have been sharing with us about the MPS budget, Metro Transit and more.

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LINK ROUNDUP 🔗

‍Minneapolis Public Schools food service workers reached a tentative contract agreement with the district on Thursday. Without this agreement, the food service workers could have gone on strike as early as March 28. (Sahan Journal)

The Minneapolis City Attorney's office subpoenaed three local journalists that covered the George Floyd uprising. The materials the city wants are for its defense after a police officer's projectile partially blinded journalist Linda Tirado. (MPR News)

After a neighbor posted a photo on Twitter of an Uptown apartment that very clearly had a Nazi flag hanging up, other neighbors contacted the apartment building's landlord. The landlord publicly stated they were moving to evict the people in that apartment. (Twitter/Racket)

Wedge LIVE! interviewed Josh Martin about the Minneapolis Chamber Commission. Martin, a very busy person, is co-hosting an info session tonight about applying to be on the commission (see below for more details). (Wedge LIVE!)

COMMUNITY RESOURCES 💪

City Council Public Health and Safety Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. Here is the agenda which is three consent (non-controviersial) items about grants. You can watch all City Council meetings here.

Ward 13 Councilmember Lisa Palmisano is hosting a public safety event tonight at 6:30 p.m. You can register to attend the event in-person or livestream the event here.

At 7 p.m. tonight, there is one more info session on applying to the Minneapolis Charter Commission (yes, you should apply).  Josh Martin, one of the info session hosts, wrote about the Charter Commission a few weeks back.

OUT & ABOUT 🛵

‍There are two civic-minded events you can attend tonight, highlighted above. 👆

Dave Power’s Experimental Improvisatory Sounds in it its third week at Icehouse. Tonight's show features Inside Voice and Helvetica.  

Save the date! On April 1, the Whittier-based Futsal Society is holding a fundraiser at Loring Social. We will update you on more details about the fundraiser this week. If you aren't familiar with our neighborhood futsal league, read about them here and here.