Good morning, this is Minneapolis Local Pulse for Wednesday, December 18, 2024.We're starting off with breaking news from the past few days. More than 70 Minnesotans were forced out of their homes on Monday after officials condemned a downtown St. Paul apartment complex. This comes as a significant concern for housing in the Twin Cities area. Additionally, deputies cited a driver in southern Minnesota after they rear-ended a school bus full of children on Monday morning, highlighting the need for increased road safety.Moving on to the job market, we have a mixed picture. Despite low unemployment rates, the office market in the Twin Cities is experiencing challenges. Office vacancies are rising, with an overall market vacancy rate of 18.3% and multi-tenant office properties at 22.6% as of Q3 2024. However, there are still many job openings available, with Minnesota having 191,000 job openings in September 2024, and a job openings rate of 5.9%, higher than the national rate of 4.5%[2].In real estate news, there have been notable commercial and residential property sales, but we're seeing a decrease in residential construction. The Ninth District economy saw slight growth since the previous report, with employment increasing slightly but labor demand softening[5].From city hall, we have updates on decisions that affect daily life. The Minneapolis City Council is considering a proposal to set a $15 minimum price for a pack of cigarettes, aiming to reduce smoking rates[4].Weather-wise, we're expecting a messy morning commute due to an overnight coating of snow, followed by an arctic blast. WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer says the wind will increase and there will be a big temperature drop on Wednesday with wind chill values below zero[1].In new business activity, we have openings and closings to report. The made-in-Minnesota 2024 gift guide is out, featuring local products. However, Uptown boutique Proper is closing after a decade in Minneapolis[3][4].Upcoming community events include the Park Tavern Patio opening soon and Vampire Weekend adding a second show at The Armory on July 31, 2024[4].In local school achievements, parents of Minneapolis Public Schools students pushed back against the district's staffing decisions during a board meeting Tuesday night[1].For a feel-good community story, we have the story of Charlie Boike, who envisioned expanding his Waite Park training gym before his untimely death. His family is now working to make that vision a reality[1].In today's crime report, we have significant incidents to share. An unlicensed driver was sentenced to 5 months in prison for fatally striking a Burnsville priest, and a man was sentenced to 40 years in prison for his role in a fatal Duluth shooting[4].This has been Minneapolis Local Pulse. We'll see you tomorrow with more local updates.This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

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