Six months ago, I came home & started a new job as @MinnPost's metro reporter.

I knew a lot about Minneapolis & St. Paul, but my assignment was to learn the Twin Cities the way a reporter needs to: *What matters? *Who matters? & *Why?

Here's what I've learned about so far: 🧵 1/ Both of the Twin Cities are gearing up for City Council elections.

In Minneapolis, I'm still learning about the balance of power on the council — but analyzed more than 3,900 votes to create this visual representation of what I've learned so far: https://t.co/5TbpAMysvYminnpost.com/metro/2023/05/…

BREAKING: Minneapolis' rent stabilization ballot measure just unceremoniously died. The council only mustered 4 votes to advance to committee.

Chughtai & Osman still not here, along with fellow Muslim CM @jeremiah4north, who's at Eid.

@JChavezMpls is livid. "This is shocking."

https://twitter.com/kystokes/status/1674072211836006402

Votes (6) against sending to committee: Koski, Vetaw, Rainville, Goodman, Johnson, Palmisano

Votes (4) in favor of advancing the issue: Payne, Wonsley, Chavez, Jenkins

.@MayorFrey — backed by three city council members, Public Safety director @Calex_law, @MinneapolisPD Chief O'Hara & @mnhumanrights commissioner — kicks off press conference on police reform settlement

"The agreement isn't change in and of itself, but it charts a clear roadmap." "There will be moments when some will say that this agreement needs to be pushed aside. I'm asking you to hold with us," @MayorFrey says.

"When we are faced with a violent weekend, or shootings take place, that should not result in calls for this agreement to be undone."

Minneapolis has approved a police reform settlement that will shape @MinneapolisPD's practices — under court supervision — over perhaps the next decade.

Here's what's in the deal: (1) Field training officer program improvements — including, interestingly, a review system that allows trainees to review their trainers.

(There's been much made of how Officer Derek Chauvin was an MPD trainer)

Minneapolis City Council members have resumed yesterday's meeting — but this time in open session.

@CityMinneapolis attorney Kristyn Anderson is now starting a slideshow on a court-enforceable agreement to settle @mnhumanrights charges of racially biased policing Anderson references concerns about a lack of community feedback:

She said this is a legal document to resolve a legal claim. "We're not in a position to go back to @mnhumanrights and renegotiate based on feedback — but community input was taken into account in agreement."

Some info that wasn't ready by the time @MinnPost published a story yesterday about @CityMinneapolis' ex-director of the racial equity office…

A bit in the weeds, but stick with me… (short 🧵) minnpost.com/metro/2023/03/… 1/ Tyeastia Green said she "didn't mess up her budget" for a Black History Month expo—she had enough money in her discretionary budget to cover all costs.

This was in part b/c a colleague gave her access to $290,000 in fed stimulus money meant for a "corridor activation" event…

Some context about @CAgovernor's school reopening plan: the plan does have flexibility for schools in #COVID19 hotspots to still get the full amount of reopening money — if they commit to reopen when it's safe. #lausd #caedchat #caleg

https://twitter.com/kystokes/status/1348647750091624448

According to the @CAgovernor's budget summary and other background docs I've seen, all schools have to do is submit a safety plan — with their unions' sign-off — by Feb. 1

The idea is that schools would then reopen for TK-2 by Feb. 15 … and for TK-5/6 by March 15

NEW: L.A. County's Office of Education (@lacoeinfo) has issued guidance for reopening classrooms in the county's 80 school districts. The 43-page document has a lot of moving parts — so I'll tweet highlights.

FULL DOC: assets.documentcloud.org/documents/6929… #lausd #lbusd #caedchat As a starting place, @lacoeinfo outlines 3 basic strategies — and districts will have to choose a model "or combination of models that best fits their students' needs"

1⃣ "Face-to-face"
2⃣ "Hybrid" — mix of classroom and #distancelearning
3⃣ "Distance learning"