New MN laws may improve child welfare

Plus: A new choo choo to Chi-town [Plus: A new choo choo to Chi-town] View this email as a [web page]( [Star Tribune]( [Essential Minnesota logo] ESSENTIAL MINNESOTA [Essential Minnesota logo] ESSENTIAL MINNESOTA Good morning, Minnesota! I found the one intrinsic link between you and California: Y'all love saying, "We really needed that rain" 🌧️ Here's the news 📢 [Eder Campuzano] By Eder Campuzano TODAY’S TOP STORIES - [Minneapolis facing $21.6 million budget hole]( - [Rochester company uses AI to create virtual mannequins for hard-to-fit bodies]( - [A grand new pub in the works for St. Paul's Tavern on Grand spot]( - [Partisan meltdown brings Minnesota's legislative session to a bitter end]( - [Did Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards accidentally give Minnesota tourism a new catchphrase?]( Child protection changes coming, prompted by a Star Tribune investigation Photo by Shari L. Gross/Star Tribune Minnesota lawmakers laid the groundwork for long-term changes to the state's child protection system when they adjourned this week. Legislators pledged $10 million to retool the portal that child welfare workers use to log cases and will soon require Minnesota counties to create local child mortality review teams, among other reforms. Reporter Jessie Van Berkel has the story with a more full list [here](. The legislation came about six months after the Star Tribune published “In Harm’s Way,” an investigative series that revealed failings in Minnesota’s child protection system. The four-part series was prompted by the 2022 death of 6-year-old Eli Hart, who was killed by his mother 10 days after a Dakota County judge awarded her permanent custody despite warnings from county workers about her fitness as a parent. Reporter Jeff Meitrodt wondered: How often does this happen? The heartbreaking stories by Meitrodt and Van Berkel showed that hundreds of kids endured other abuse and maltreatment after judges sent them home. At least 15 died of maltreatment or suicide after being reunited with parents or caregivers over the last decade. The reporters, plus photographer Aaron Lavinsky and data editor MaryJo Webster, spent more than a year working on “In Harm’s Way,” building databases from court and death records and interviewing experts, child protection workers and families affected by these tragedies. Read the four-part series [here](. - [Reunification at all costs]( - [‘Friendly’ approach to child protection fails Minnesota families, leads to]([more abuse]( - [Minnesota's system for helping parents with addiction is full of holes. Kids pay the price.]( - [Hennepin County reduced repeat abuse of kids. Are there lessons for the rest of Minnesota?](     more from the star tribune - [New 'rare' 400-acre wildlife preserve opens near Rochester]( - [St. Paul Highland Park High students hold pro-Palestinian walkout]( All aboard the Borealis line It's no midnight train to Georgia, but St. Paul is about to get a new Amtrak route. The Borealis line makes its maiden voyage from Union Station to Chicago today. It's been more than 40 years since the Twin Cities had twice-daily service to the Windy City, and transportation reporter Janet Moore will tour the train during its inaugural trek. She has the story [here]( and will have fresh updates for you throughout the day. Photo by Leila Navidi/Star Tribune GOING OUT - [Summer movie guide: Hollywood is going big with a Marvel frenemy and two-part Western saga]( - [9 free things to do in the Twin Cities this week]( - [Justin Timberlake's sexy comeback attempt will bring him back to Minnesota on Halloween]( - [9 Twin Cities summer art festivals to check out]( - [Review: 'Furiosa' not quite as good as 'Fury Road' but it's full of energy and excitement]( what happens when the teacher is the class clown? Photos courtesy Jarrett and Ryan Sommers We've all had that teacher. You know, the one who's just as much of a jokester as the funniest kid in class. Now imagine there are two of them and that they run the same schtick when it comes time to have their yearbook photos taken. Columnist Laura Yuen recently wrote about Ryan and Jarrett "Jazz" Sommers, two brothers who also teach at Twin Cities-area high schools. They've been yucking it up with their yearbook photos for about 15 years now and have dressed up as mimes, Vikings and metalheads for the portraits. The bit is an extension of the "personality-forward" way they run their classrooms. That's because students learn better when their teachers forge personal relationships with them. "My daily goal is to do the best I can in those 48 minutes in my room with the kids," Ryan Sommers said. IN OTHER NEWS - [Every Playground in South Minneapolis, Ranked From Best to Not Really That Bad at All]( - Racket - [The first African American Baptist church in Minnesota]( - MinnPost - [New nonprofit, Good Trouble, forges healthier paths for struggling youth]( - Sahan Journal     the minnesota goodbye We're in the thick of that part of spring where every few days we get a glimpse of summer and I, for one, cannot wait for the day I can finally break out the inflatable paddleboard we recently bought. Enjoy this tranquil shot of Lake Hiawatha as we await another torrential downpour today. The weatherman says ol' Thor may throw a tantrum or two for good measure, too. Lake season cannot come soon enough. Thanks for reading Eder Campuzano, reporter David Taintor, editor [Email]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Manage email preferences]( • [Subscribe to Star Tribune]( • [Privacy Policy]([Unsubscribe from this newsletter]( [Unsubscribe from this newsletter]( [Manage]( your preferences | [Opt Out]( using TrueRemove™ Got this as a forward? [Sign up]( to receive our future emails. View this email [online](. 650 3rd Ave. S. Suite 1300 | Minneapolis, MN 55488 US This email was sent to {EMAIL}. To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.