St. Paul’s West Side revives its Cinco de Mayo celebration May 1–2 as a smaller, community-first festival with a parade, car show and local performers. Organizers say safety coordination and volunteers are key.

A University of Minnesota study finds the 2026 World Junior Championship generated an estimated $71.5 million in economic activity, giving hotels, restaurants and downtown businesses a late‑winter lift.

The Diocese of St. Cloud will consolidate 131 parishes into roughly 48, ending regular weekend Mass at dozens of small-town churches and reshaping local worship.

Watershed High School in Richfield will close June 30 after falling enrollment and a funding squeeze forced leaders to shutter the charter. Families and staff are scrambling to arrange transfers.

Twin Cities PBS will manage KSMQ‑TV in Austin after federal funding cuts left the small station operating in the red. The multi‑month agreement hands operations to TPT while preserving local programming.

Compass Group plans to lay off roughly 153 dining staff at St. Cloud State University, the Minnesota Rapid Response Team says. Separations are set for July 1.

AFSA announced it will close at the end of the school year, leaving families scrambling and highlighting funding and enrollment pressures facing Minnesota charters.

Pakou Yang was named president of Normandale Community College on April 22, 2026, a historic first for Hmong representation in U.S. higher education. She has led the campus since summer 2025.

Minneapolis will add Community Safety Ambassadors to Uptown as officials pair outreach with patrols to address resident and business safety concerns. Residents say more is needed.

More than 300 nursing home workers began a three‑day ULP strike at five Twin Cities facilities, pressing for higher pay and safer staffing.

Brooklyn Park’s $4.5M Small Business Center is only half full and relies on a $175K state grant that ends in 2027, prompting city leaders to rethink how it’s run.

360 Communities launched a $14.1M campaign to replace and expand Lewis House in Eagan, promising roughly 50 beds, a Survivor Support Center and pet‑friendly services.

Southdale drivers plan a St. Paul rally after MTM Health abruptly ended the company's contract, threatening about 95 jobs and thousands of Medicaid rides. Families say school and therapy runs could be disrupted.