On North Side, two-thirds count on county aid: Out of the many discussions about rebuilding north Minneapolis after the devastating tornado last spring, one startling statistic emerged -- 68 percent of North Side residents make so little money that they receive assistance from Hennepin County to get by. (Maya Rao)

Minneapolis, St. Paul gain as growth shifts from suburbs: The central cities are adding new residents by the thousands, reversing a decades-long trend of population losses to the suburbs and possibly reordering priorities for things like spending on highways and transit. (David Peterson)

Johnson stirs ruckus in Boston job: According to the Boston Globe, there's a petition drive by parents against Boston Public Schools superintendent (and former Minneapolis schools super) Carol Johnson after she admitted that she erred in not taking any action against a school headmaster (principal) after he was charged and then found guilty of beating his wife five weeks after she delivered their child. (Steve Brandt)

Obituary: Al Gleekel, pioneering car dealer (Steve Alexander)