Business & Economy

Walz budget pairs social‑media tax with $370M cuts, sales‑tax trim, Metro Surge aid

17m Breaking TC 2

Gov. Walz’s supplemental budget pairs a proposed state tax on large social‑media/tech companies with $370 million in spending reductions, a sales‑tax trim and targeted aid for the Metro Surge program. A substantial share of the cuts would come from human services—including slowed growth and repurposed DHS line items beyond the fraud‑detection and IT overhauls—intersecting with ongoing Medicaid fraud crackdowns and CMS deferrals that are straining metro providers.

Local Government Business & Economy Technology

Sutter-Allina deal would form $26B, 88,000-employee system

3h Breaking TC 2

Sutter Health announced plans to acquire Minnesota-based Allina Health, creating a combined organization valued at roughly $26 billion and employing about 88,000 people. The deal would add Allina’s roughly 1 million patients to Sutter’s base to form a multistate system across California, Minnesota and Wisconsin, and is expected to close by year‑end pending terms and regulatory approval.

Business & Economy Health

Fairview seeks major expansion of St. John’s Hospital

4h Breaking TC 1

M Health Fairview has proposed a 190,000‑square‑foot, four‑story addition to St. John’s Hospital in Maplewood, a project that would boost the facility’s total size to roughly 560,000 square feet and mark one of the bigger east‑metro hospital expansions in recent years. The plan, which requires city approvals, is slated for a Maplewood City Council decision in April 2026. Details on beds, service lines and cost aren’t public yet, but a build‑out of this scale typically signals more inpatient capacity and expanded specialty or surgical services aimed at capturing a bigger share of east‑metro patients who might otherwise head to St. Paul or Minneapolis campuses. For Ramsey and Washington County residents, the expansion would shift more care closer to home while locking in years of construction and associated traffic and zoning impacts around the hospital campus. It also lands at a time when the region’s hospital finances are under strain, raising questions about how Fairview plans to pay for growth while safety‑net systems like HCMC are warning of cuts or closure.

Health Business & Economy

Funeral plans set for Sgt. Nicole Amor, White Bear Lake soldier killed in Iran conflict

8h Breaking TC 6

Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor of White Bear Lake was one of six Army Reserve soldiers killed March 1 when an Iranian drone struck a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, and was honored in a dignified transfer at Dover attended by President Trump, Vice President Vance and Minnesota senators. Visitation is set for Thursday, March 19, from 2–6 p.m. at Mueller Memorial in White Bear Lake, with a public funeral at noon Friday at Eagle Brook Church followed by a private interment at Fort Snelling, and Gov. Tim Walz has ordered U.S. and Minnesota flags at half‑staff statewide until sunset on the day of her interment.

Public Safety Local Government Legal

Ramsey County attorney seeks funding to tackle statewide fraud

18h TC 1

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi says his office is willing to become a main prosecutorial hub for complex statewide fraud cases — including schemes tied to state government in St. Paul — but only if lawmakers cough up more money for investigators and attorneys. In an interview with FOX 9, Choi pointed to his office’s past work on a $4 million daycare fraud ring and said they currently handle about 50 fraud cases a year, arguing they could take on more statewide cases because the State Capitol sits in Ramsey County and gives his office jurisdiction over many state‑level crimes that don’t involve federal dollars. A recent state fraud report explicitly recommended boosting the “prosecutorial capacity” of the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, effectively inviting Choi to step into a bigger role as Minnesota scrambles to respond to mounting fraud scandals in human services and beyond. Choi admits he hasn’t yet had serious funding talks with legislators, calling the idea ‘early stages’ and stressing that any expansion would require a ‘robust’ team of investigators, not just lawyers. For Twin Cities residents watching DHS, Medicaid and childcare fraud stack up while cases bog down, the signal here is clear: Ramsey County is offering to swing harder — but only if the state stops pretending you can do big‑league fraud enforcement on a small‑ball budget.

Legal Local Government Business & Economy

Twin Cities gas prices jump to $3.53 as Iran war enters third week

1d Breaking TC 3

Twin Cities average gasoline price jumped to $3.53 per gallon this week—up about 18.4 cents from last week, nearly 90 cents higher than a month ago and roughly 58 cents above last year—with Minnesota’s statewide average at $3.43 and diesel averaging about $4.66 (national diesel about $4.98). The rise reflects oil-market turmoil tied to Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, retaliatory strikes and reduced Gulf output that pushed Brent toward $120 a barrel, while the Trump administration has called the increase temporary, framed it as a “very small price to pay,” and urged other nations to help secure shipping lanes.

Business & Economy Energy

Downtown Minneapolis office towers lose over 20% of value

1d TC 1

New 2027 assessments show downtown Minneapolis office towers have lost more than 20% of their value, with flagship buildings like IDS Center and Wells Fargo Center posting double‑digit drops that confirm the central business district’s office market is still in a deep reset. The cut‑rate valuations reflect persistent high vacancy, remote‑work demand shifts and softer lease rates that landlords have been quietly eating for several years. While full numbers and building‑by‑building details sit behind a paywall, the direction is clear: some of the most visible addresses on the Minneapolis skyline are now worth far less on paper than they were a few years ago. That matters because commercial property carries a big share of the local tax load; as these towers get written down, the gap gets filled either by higher levies on everyone else or by service cuts. The piece underscores what downtown workers and small businesses already see on the street — a core still struggling to replace lost office demand with anything that pencils out.

Business & Economy Housing

$40M Metro Surge rental relief bill dies in House committee

5d Breaking TC 2

DFL lawmakers proposed a $40 million emergency rental assistance package to help people affected by the Metro Surge, but the bill stalled and effectively died in a Minnesota House committee on a party‑line vote, which House Speaker Lisa Demuth said "has no path forward." The Senate version had passed with at least one Republican vote, yet House Republicans were unanimously opposed, while supporters such as Sen. Lindsey Port argued using the tax‑forfeiture surplus fund is appropriate restitution to people harmed and frames the Metro Surge as federal‑government wrongdoing the state should address.

Housing Local Government Business & Economy

OCM recalls 'low‑dose' Beezwax vapes and pre‑rolls for high THC

5d Breaking TC 1

The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management has ordered a recall of all Beezwax brand disposable 2.5‑gram vapes and 1‑gram hemp pre‑rolls after state testing found they contained 'high amounts of THC' far above what their 'low dose' labels claimed. On March 2, Kooka LLC, the parent company, initiated the recall, which covers all flavors of the products that were marketed as compliant with the 2018 Farm Bill using the claim 'contains <0.3% THC.' OCM says lab results show the vapes and pre‑rolls do not meet legal limits and conceal their true potency, and has directed Kooka to immediately stop sales and destroy the affected batch or face penalties of up to $10,000 per violation. The products have been distributed to both licensed cannabis retailers and hemp/tobacco/CBD shops across Minnesota, meaning Twin Cities buyers who thought they were getting mild hemp products may actually be holding much stronger THC items with no honest labeling. The case underscores how the Farm Bill THCa loophole and a still‑wobbly state enforcement regime are leaving consumers to trust labels that don’t always match what’s in the cartridge or joint.

Health Business & Economy

Federal judges’ written orders slam ICE Metro Surge as unconstitutional, 'Orwellian'

5d Breaking TC 16

Federal judges across the District of Minnesota have issued written orders blasting ICE’s Operation Metro Surge as unconstitutional and “Orwellian,” finding multiple Fourth Amendment violations — including warrantless battering‑ram home entries and workplace arrests — and ordering immediate releases, a 72‑hour limit on out‑of‑state transfers and expanded attorney access. Courts say ICE and DOJ have repeatedly flouted hundreds of these orders amid a surge of habeas petitions in the high hundreds to over 1,000, prompting contempt findings and threats of fines or criminal sanctions while the U.S. Attorney’s Office, depleted by resignations and overwhelmed by the caseload, struggles to comply as ICE at times re‑arrested released individuals and seeks to restart deportations.

Legal Public Safety Local Government

Ecolab adds 10–14% surcharge amid energy spike

5d Breaking TC 1

St. Paul–based Ecolab will tack a 10% to 14% surcharge onto all its products and services starting next month, blaming sharp jumps in oil and natural gas prices driven by the escalating conflict in the Middle East. The company, a major employer and supplier to hotels, restaurants, hospitals, factories and cleaning contractors across the Twin Cities, is effectively passing energy costs straight through to customers rather than absorbing them. That means higher operating costs for local businesses already squeezed by wage, rent and insurance hikes, and sooner or later those costs land in consumers’ laps as pricier meals, room rates, and services. The move also shows how quickly a foreign shooting war filters into metro balance sheets, compounding the gas and diesel spikes residents are already seeing at the pump. For now Ecolab isn’t talking about layoffs or cutbacks — it’s just sending the bill for global turmoil down the chain.

Business & Economy Energy

Staffing exodus jeopardizes next Feeding Our Future trial

5d Developing TC 1

Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to delay the June 8 trial of Feeding Our Future defendant Abdiraham Ahmed, admitting in a new court filing that "significant staffing changes" at the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office and a separate, lengthy April trial in the same fraud saga mean they can’t be ready on time. Ahmed, charged in 2022 with conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering, is out on his own recognizance and opposes any postponement, but a ruling on the government’s motion is still pending. The filing confirms that the office has suffered double‑digit departures, including lead Feeding Our Future prosecutor Joe Thompson, just weeks after U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen publicly insisted his office had "all of this bandwidth and more" and warned criminals not to assume a shortage of lawyers. The motion explicitly blames those departures and the upcoming seven‑defendant Feeding Our Future trial for the crunch, undercutting Rosen’s spin and raising hard questions about how fast the government can move the rest of the massive Minneapolis‑centered nutrition‑fraud cases. For Twin Cities residents whose tax dollars were looted and who’ve already watched DHS and DOJ stumble through Metro Surge, this is another sign that Washington overreached on immigration crackdowns while hollowing out the very office that’s supposed to clean up Minnesota’s fraud mess.

Legal Business & Economy Local Government

Target CEO’s $3B growth plan collides with ongoing Minneapolis‑led boycott over DEI and ICE

5d TC 2

Target’s $3 billion growth plan to open new stores and win back customer trust is running up against an ongoing Minneapolis‑led boycott that local activists say remains “indefinite” over the company’s 2025 rollback of DEI measures and its allowing ICE to stage in parking lots and detain people during Operation Metro Surge. At a March 11 news conference outside Target’s Minneapolis headquarters, civil‑rights leader Nekima Armstrong rejected claims the boycott was over and accused Target of “going around” local organizers; Target responded that it is “more committed than ever” to growth and opportunity as quarterly results show profits stabilizing after five straight quarters of sliding sales.

Business & Economy Local Government Public Safety

Walz pushes to scrap Medicaid managed‑care insurers after fraud probe shows MCOs control $6B and 80% of care

6d Breaking TC 3

Gov. Walz is pushing to eliminate private Managed Care Organizations from Minnesota’s Medicaid program and centralize accountability at the Department of Human Services after a probe found MCOs administer roughly 80% of Medicaid care and have paid out more than $6 billion in claims since 2018. DHS officials and former prosecutors argue the current, fragmented MCO-run fraud‑detection system — with MCOs and DHS the only entities able to freeze suspected payments — failed to stop large schemes, a concern spotlighted by last year’s seizure of major MCO UCare and its absorption by Medica.

Health Local Government Business & Economy

Hennepin Healthcare crisis deepens as UCare default leaves HCMC owed millions

6d Breaking TC 3

Hennepin Healthcare is facing an acute financial crisis after losing more than $100 million in 2024 and being owed $115 million by collapsed nonprofit insurer UCare, with county leaders covering payroll, using $38 million a year in property taxes to plug losses, and bluntly warning HCMC is "on life support." Officials say the safety‑net hospital could begin a formal shutdown as early as May unless the Legislature redirects roughly $55 million a year from the Target Field sales tax or provides other aid, and they warn projected federal budget changes could cut about $1.7 billion from HCMC over the next decade. UCare’s Medicaid payouts ballooned in recent years and the insurer stopped paying hospitals in December, leaving Minnesota’s four largest systems collectively owed nearly $500 million as the Minnesota Department of Health oversees UCare’s shutdown and member transfer to Medica.

Health Business & Economy Local Government

HCMC warns closure as UCare default and Target Field tax fight converge

6d Developing TC 2

Hennepin County Medical Center warns a potential closure that could cause patient deaths after UCare stopped making payments in December, leaving nearly $500 million owed to the four largest hospital systems and saddling Hennepin with a $100M‑plus loss that has prompted talk of a 12–18 month shutdown. State data show UCare’s Medicaid payouts surged after the pandemic, and with the Minnesota Department of Health now running the UCare wind‑down following an ordered merger, the state will largely determine whether and how much HCMC recovers.

Health Business & Economy Local Government

UCare’s Medicaid surge, $500M debt threaten Twin Cities hospitals

6d TC 1

New DHS data show UCare’s Medicaid payouts more than doubled in three years to nearly $620 million in 2025, helping drive record losses that forced state regulators to seize control of the insurer and order a merger, FOX 9 reports. From 2018 through 2021 UCare was already the state’s largest Medicaid managed‑care outfit, paying out $250–300 million a year, but it still posted a $325 million surplus in 2022 and told regulators that future impacts were "not expected" to materially hurt its finances — a forecast that turned out to be fiction as Medicaid claims ballooned and it lost about $478 million in 2024 alone. Court filings now say Mayo, Allina, Fairview and Hennepin Healthcare are owed nearly $500 million for care they’ve already delivered to UCare members, and UCare simply stopped paying those debts in December. An attorney for Allina is warning a judge that unless hospitals get a real say in how UCare’s remaining assets are carved up, the failure of one state‑blessed Medicaid plan could trigger a "domino effect" of hospital cuts or failures, with HCMC — already threatening closure — squarely in the blast radius. For metro residents who depend on Allina, Fairview and especially Hennepin Healthcare, the story underlines just how exposed the local safety‑net is to bad actuarial bets and slow‑footed oversight in the state’s outsourced Medicaid system.

Health Business & Economy

Business groups warn of early strain from paid leave law

6d TC 1

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce told a House committee that, just two months after Minnesota’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Act took effect in January, many of its 6,300 member businesses are already reporting higher costs, administrative headaches and fears of abuse. Chamber official Lauryn Schothorst said 80% of members already offered some paid leave before the mandate, but now face a more complex state system they say is slow to execute and disruptive for small and seasonal operations. She cited employer reports of workers pressuring doctors for the full 12 weeks of leave regardless of medical need, employees traveling on vacation or to music festivals while on leave, and some making more on benefits than the law’s wage‑replacement thresholds, which she framed as "overuse is abuse" even if it doesn’t meet a legal fraud standard. The article notes that while some workers have experienced glitches applying for and receiving benefits, most appear to be getting payments without major problems so far. The program is still in its infancy, and lawmakers have not yet decided whether to tweak eligibility, enforcement or employer recourse in response to the business pushback, leaving Twin Cities employers in a wait‑and‑see posture as they staff around new absences.

Business & Economy Local Government

Ramsey County delays property taxes for ICE‑hit owners

6d Breaking TC 1

Ramsey County is giving certain property owners up to two extra months to pay the first half of their 2026 property taxes if they can show they were financially hit by Operation Metro Surge, the federal ICE crackdown that disrupted work for many east‑metro residents. The relief applies to non‑escrowed homesteads and small businesses with annual tax bills of $50,000 or less, and to one‑ to three‑unit residential non‑homestead properties with annual taxes of $20,000 or less. Eligible owners must apply through the county to qualify for the extension; escrowed properties are not covered. County officials explicitly link the move to "financial hardships" tied to the surge and are also steering $75,000 to the Ramsey County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative, alongside existing 24/7 crisis services. For St. Paul and suburban Ramsey County, it’s one of the first concrete county‑level tax breaks tied directly to ICE’s economic damage, but it only delays payment — it doesn’t cut anyone’s bill.

Local Government Housing Business & Economy

DOJ pushes back on Minnesota suit over $243M Medicaid deferral, downplays JD Vance role

7d Breaking TC 11

The Justice Department told a federal court it opposes Minnesota’s request for an emergency order blocking roughly $243 million in CMS Medicaid deferrals tied to alleged fraud in 14 “high‑risk” programs, arguing the hold is temporary, the state hasn’t exhausted administrative remedies, and the funds can be restored through established processes. DOJ lawyers also said Vice President J.D. Vance’s public comments carry “no weight” because he has no delegated Medicaid authority, even as the Trump administration — citing an Optum audit and broader fraud estimates — has paused larger payments (CMS has cited figures from about $259.5 million up to $2 billion) and Minnesota has appealed while ordering state audits and other oversight measures amid warnings the action could harm vulnerable residents.

Local Government Health Business & Economy

Hundreds of Allina doctors OK open‑ended strike

Mar 06 Developing TC 1

Hundreds of physicians employed by Allina Health have voted to authorize an open‑ended strike as contract negotiations with the Twin Cities‑based health system drag into a third year, escalating a long‑simmering labor fight that could directly affect patient care at metro hospitals and clinics. The strike authorization doesn’t set a walkout date but gives union leaders the power to call an indefinite strike if talks fail, a marked escalation from limited, time‑boxed actions other hospital workers have taken in recent years. Doctors say they’re fighting over staffing levels, scheduling, and clinical autonomy they argue are being squeezed by Allina’s financial and productivity targets, while Allina maintains it is bargaining in good faith and trying to preserve access and stability. For Minneapolis–St. Paul patients, the move raises the real prospect of disrupted appointments, delayed procedures and heavier reliance on temporary or non‑union physicians if a strike is called, at a time when ERs and clinics are already under pressure from staffing shortages. On social media, nurses and other hospital workers are largely backing the doctors, framing the vote as a fight over safe workloads and corporate control of bedside medicine rather than just pay.

Health Business & Economy

Operation Metro Surge cost Minneapolis at least $203M, but true damage is higher and hard to tally

Mar 06 TC 5

Minneapolis now says Operation Metro Surge cost the city at least $203.1 million — a conservative floor that includes roughly $47 million in lost wages, about $81 million in small‑business and restaurant revenue losses, $4.7 million in hotel cancellations, $15.7 million in emergency rent aid, millions more in city payroll and police overtime, and large weekly food‑support expenses — while MPD reports tens of thousands of surge‑related calls, cancelled days off, extended shifts and officer injuries/PTSD. Reporters and city officials warn the tally is incomplete because of blind spots (undocumented and cash‑paid workers, suburban impacts, long‑term closures, legal costs and more than 1,000 habeas petitions), the continued federal presence in the metro, and the shifting of fiscal burdens to local governments and nonprofits, so the true damage is likely far higher; state auditors are preparing a statewide estimate.

Business & Economy Local Government Public Safety

Bill would mandate IVF, infertility coverage in Minnesota

Mar 05 Breaking TC 1

A bipartisan group of Minnesota senators has introduced the Minnesota Building Families Act (SF 1961), which would require most health plans in the state to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment — including in vitro fertilization (IVF) — and standard fertility preservation services, putting a new floor under what Twin Cities residents can expect from their insurance. Sponsored by Sen. Erin Maye Quade (DFL–Apple Valley) with co‑sponsors Sen. Julia Coleman (R–Waconia), Sen. Zach Duckworth (R–Lakeville) and Sen. Alice Mann (DFL–Bloomington), the bill is set for a hearing in the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee on Thursday. It would mandate comprehensive infertility benefits with coverage for unlimited embryo transfers and up to four completed oocyte retrievals, while prohibiting higher co‑pays, deductibles or coinsurance than what a plan charges for maternity care; surgical reversals of elective sterilization would remain optional for insurers. The proposal also locks the definition of "standard fertility preservation" to clinical guidelines from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the American Society of Clinical Oncology, targeting patients whose cancer or other treatments threaten their ability to have children later. With IVF cycles routinely costing up to $30,000 out of pocket — far beyond the modest TrumpRx discount program touted by the White House — this bill would shift a large share of that cost from individual metro families onto the insurance pool if it clears both chambers and Gov. Tim Walz signs it.

Health Local Government Business & Economy

Optum audit and DHS probe put $1.7B in Minnesota Medicaid claims and 200+ providers under scrutiny

Mar 05 Developing TC 13

A state‑commissioned Optum audit ordered by Gov. Tim Walz found about $52 million in clear Medicaid billing violations and flagged roughly $1.7 billion in claims across 14 "high‑risk" services as vulnerable due to vague DHS policies, prompting the Department of Human Services to open probes into more than 200 providers and roll out Optum‑driven analytics, prepayment reviews and up to 90‑day holds on flagged claims. The abrupt initial rollout — which briefly delayed all payments for the programs before narrowing to only Optum‑flagged claims — sparked provider backlash and legislative scrutiny while revalidation, enrollment freezes, licensing pauses and the threat of federal recoupment or CMS deferral (potentially near $2 billion) have produced legal and political fights and raised concerns about destabilizing care for vulnerable clients.

Local Government Health Business & Economy

CMS threatens $2B cut; Minnesota massively expands unannounced Medicaid site checks under 'Minnesota Revalidate'

Mar 05 Breaking TC 11

Federal regulators threatened in December to withhold as much as $2 billion over Medicaid fraud concerns and have since deferred $259.5 million, prompting Minnesota to sue to recover more than $243 million it says CMS unlawfully withheld. In response, Minnesota launched "Minnesota Revalidate" — a statewide surge of unannounced site checks targeting 5,813 providers across 87 counties in 13 high‑risk Medicaid programs, reassigning 168 state employees, freezing new provider enrollments, opening investigations into at least 200 providers, and terminating its fraud‑plagued Housing Stabilization Services amid payment stops that critics say are destabilizing housing and disability supports.

Health Housing Local Government

MN bills target AI 'surveillance pricing' at grocers, retailers

Mar 05 Breaking TC 1

DFL lawmakers at the Minnesota Capitol are pushing two new bills that would ban "surveillance pricing"—AI tools that track individual shoppers and quietly charge them different prices for the same items—first in grocery stores and then across other businesses. The move follows FOX 9’s own test of the Cub Foods app, which found a frequent shopper in Minnesota was quoted higher prices on soy sauce, eggs and orange juice than an infrequent shopper at the same store, raising concerns that loyal Twin Cities customers are being penalized for their habits. Bill author Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (DFL–Eden Prairie) says legislators need to "set the framework" before corporations race ahead of regulation, while Rep. Andy Smith (DFL–Rochester) argues most Minnesotans will see such hidden price gaps as fundamentally unfair. Tech‑industry group Chamber of Progress counters there’s still no comprehensive evidence of systematic harm from personalized pricing, setting up an inevitable fight at committee between consumer‑protection advocates and companies that have invested heavily in dynamic pricing systems. For metro residents already squeezed by groceries and rent, the story is touching a nerve online: social feeds are full of shoppers swapping screenshots and warning that the old price tag is no longer a guarantee everyone in the aisle is paying the same thing.

Business & Economy Technology Local Government

House report undercuts Walz timeline on Feeding Our Future payments

Mar 04 TC 1

A new U.S. House Oversight Committee report released during a contentious hearing with Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison says Minnesota education officials voluntarily resumed Feeding Our Future payments in April 2021 before any court order — contradicting Walz’s public claim that a Ramsey County judge forced the state’s hand. The report cites Minnesota Department of Education Assistant Commissioner Daron Korte and nutrition director Emily Honer, who told congressional investigators the judge never issued a final ruling on the payment stoppage and that the court lacked jurisdiction to order MDE to keep paying; Judge John Guthmann had already issued a rare public rebuke in 2022, writing that MDE "voluntarily resumed payments" and that no order compelled reimbursements. According to the report, MDE flagged Feeding Our Future concerns to the governor’s office by April 2020, stopped processing applications in November 2020, halted payments in March 2021 for "serious deficiency," then restarted payments a month later and continued until January 2022, while Walz later told reporters he was "speechless" at a supposed ruling and suggested the judge should be investigated. The GOP-led committee is using the internal testimony to argue the Walz administration misled Minnesotans about its role, even as state officials point to USDA rules that make cutting off a sponsor extraordinarily difficult. For Twin Cities residents, this isn’t academic: those 2021 payments are the pot of public money that ultimately financed a giant share of the Minneapolis‑centered fraud spree and are now being used in Washington as political ammunition to justify deeper federal intrusion into Minnesota’s human‑services programs.

Legal Local Government Business & Economy

Walz, Ellison grilled in U.S. House fraud hearing

Mar 04 Developing TC 2

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison testified before the U.S. House Oversight Committee, where they were questioned about alleged welfare fraud in the state. They told the panel a federal immigration crackdown — including Operation Metro Surge — has diverted resources, politicized oversight and hindered fraud investigations, with Walz calling Minnesota a “scapegoat,” disputing the Justice Department’s $9 billion fraud figure as far exceeding what has been charged or documented, and warning that threatened funding cuts are undercutting program‑integrity work.

Legal Local Government Health

ICE surge chills $11M Latino business hub in St. Paul

Mar 04 TC 1

A planned $11 million Latino small‑business incubator in St. Paul, designed to mirror the Mercado Central model that helped anchor Lake Street, is suddenly struggling to line up tenants because federal ICE raids in the Twin Cities have spooked would‑be shop owners. The project was supposed to be a cornerstone of Latino entrepreneurship on the city’s East Side, offering affordable stalls and shared services, but the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports that Metro Surge enforcement has many prospects now unwilling to sign leases or even be publicly associated with a highly visible hub. Backers warn that without a pipeline of committed vendors, the incubator’s financing and core mission are at risk just as construction and rehab dollars are coming together. This is exactly the kind of community wealth‑building project politicians love to stand in front of at ribbon cuttings; the reality on the ground is that a federal crackdown is bleeding it before it even opens. On social media, immigrant‑rights groups are holding this up as Exhibit A that Metro Surge isn’t just about arrests — it’s poisoning the business climate on the very corridors the state says it wants to revive.

Business & Economy Housing Public Safety

Walz tells Congress ICE surge hampered Minnesota fraud fight

Mar 04 Developing TC 4

Gov. Tim Walz told a House Oversight Committee that the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge and broader immigration crackdown undermined Minnesota’s fraud investigations by diverting federal resources, politicizing oversight, and threatening to freeze Medicaid and child‑care funds, calling the state a “scapegoat” and disputing DOJ’s multibillion‑dollar fraud figures compared with actual indictments. His testimony came as federal tensions escalated — with President Trump threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act, directing that federal agents won’t intervene in protests unless cities ask (and must say “please”), and ordering ICE and Border Patrol to be “very forceful” in protecting federal property — developments that have fueled protests after the Minneapolis ICE crackdown and complicated state‑local legal fights over the surge.

Local Government Public Safety Education

Bill would cap private‑equity home ownership, create landlord database

Mar 04 Breaking TC 1

A new Minnesota House bill, HF 2687, backed by eight lawmakers and authored by Rep. Esther Agbaje (DFL–Minneapolis) with GOP co-sponsor Rep. Elliott Engen (R–Lino Lakes), would bar private‑equity corporations from owning more than 50 single‑family homes statewide and prohibit them from holding stakes in duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes. The proposal, headed to the Housing Finance and Policy Committee on Wednesday, defines private equity as profit‑seeking investment firms while exempting government agencies, land trusts, nonprofits that build or rehab housing, and mortgage holders of foreclosed properties. It also orders the Department of Commerce to build a free, public landlord database listing the legal names and addresses of all owners and managers, with owners required to register new rental units within 60 days and update annually, and protects tenants from rent hikes or lease changes in retaliation for reporting missing information. If violations persist a year after a cease‑and‑desist, Commerce could fine private‑equity owners $25,000 per single‑family home over the 50‑property limit. If passed and signed by Gov. Walz, the limits would apply to home purchases on or after Aug. 1, 2026, directly affecting how large investor landlords operate in the tight Twin Cities single‑family market.

Housing Local Government Business & Economy

IRS details how to deduct tips and overtime pay

Mar 04 TC 1

The IRS has released instructions and a new Schedule 1‑A for 2025 Form 1040 filings that let eligible workers deduct up to $25,000 in tipped income and up to $12,500 in overtime pay ($25,000 for joint filers) under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The tips deduction phases out for modified AGI above $150,000 ($300,000 for joint returns), and the law also creates a new deduction for car‑loan interest on a qualified passenger vehicle, available even to taxpayers taking the standard deduction. Seniors born before Jan. 2, 1961 with valid Social Security numbers can claim an additional $6,000 deduction, but married seniors must file jointly to qualify. The IRS is urging filers nationwide — including Twin Cities service‑industry and shift workers who stand to benefit most — to file electronically with direct deposit, saying tax software will compute the new deductions and reduce errors. These changes apply to 2025 income, so they will affect returns filed in early 2026.

Business & Economy Local Government

Minneapolis tops $1B in 2025 construction permits for 15th year

Mar 02 TC 1

Minneapolis officials say the city issued about $1.07 billion in building permits across roughly 12,000 projects in 2025, marking the 15th consecutive year the permit tally has topped $1 billion. Mayor Jacob Frey touted the numbers as evidence people still want to live and do business in the city, but the key projects city leaders chose to showcase were heavily weighted toward public and affordable housing investments rather than luxury towers. These include a $78 million rehabilitation of 221 public-housing units at Spring Manor Highrise plus a new 15‑unit building, a $35 million overhaul of North Commons Park with a new fieldhouse and water park, and a $29.6 million Native American Community Clinic project on Franklin Avenue that pairs a new clinic with 83 income-restricted units. Other top projects range from a $22.9 million rehab at Little Earth and $22.3 million in added units at Exodus Residence for people exiting homelessness to an Xcel Energy service center and an Indian Health Board wellness campus. Taken together, the permit data and project list show a construction pipeline that’s still sizable but increasingly reliant on publicly backed housing, health and community facilities rather than big speculative office development downtown.

Business & Economy Housing Local Government

Community campaigns bolster immigrant-owned restaurants after Metro Surge

Mar 02 TC 2

Following Operation Metro Surge, community groups — including PACAT (People’s Action Coalition Against Trump) — have organized coordinated pro-immigrant dining events and rallies at Los Cactus and four other immigrant-owned restaurants on Central Avenue to channel economic support to businesses hit by enforcement. Los Cactus temporarily closed and cut hours because workers were afraid to come in but has recently resumed normal operations, and organizers are deliberately extending campaigns into suburban immigrant corridors such as Columbia Heights and Fridley.

Business & Economy Public Safety Local Government

Central Avenue rally backs immigrant restaurants after Metro Surge

Mar 02 TC 1

Immigrant‑owned restaurants along Central Avenue in Columbia Heights hosted a packed solidarity event Sunday as organizers, anti‑ICE protesters, church members and neighbors deliberately filled dining rooms to offset losses and fear from Operation Metro Surge. The action, led by the People’s Action Coalition Against Trump (PACAT), centered on Los Cactus, whose general manager says the federal surge scared workers so badly the restaurant temporarily closed and cut hours before recently resuming normal operations. Supporters said stories of how immigrant workers have been treated are 'heartbreaking' and that visible patronage is one of the few tools communities have as federal agents remain active in the metro. After eating, participants marched along Central carrying signs like 'ICE Out of Minneapolis' and 'Legalization for All,' signaling that, even as the administration claims Metro Surge is winding down, organizing in inner‑ring suburbs like Columbia Heights and Fridley is intensifying rather than fading. The event reflects a growing pattern, seen across social media, of Twin Cities residents using "buycotts" at specific restaurants and markets to both stabilize fragile businesses and publicly reject ICE tactics.

Business & Economy Public Safety

Volunteers aid ICE detainees released from Whipple

Feb 27 Breaking TC 2

Volunteer group Haven Watch continues to meet released ICE detainees at the Whipple facility in Minnesota, helping them find rides, phones and winter clothing and offering emotional support. The group says it has seen no meaningful evidence of a DHS/ICE drawdown — people are often held longer before release and routinely let out with no ride, no phone and inadequate clothing, leaving them stranded at the gate and increasing the human toll of the surge.

Public Safety Legal Business & Economy

Hennepin Healthcare warns HCMC could shut without Target Field tax rescue

Feb 27 Breaking TC 3

Hennepin Healthcare says Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) lost more than $100 million in 2024 treating many patients who cannot pay and is urging state lawmakers to redirect Target Field sales tax revenue from stadium debt service to keep the hospital open, warning that without such a rescue the county would begin a 12–18 month shutdown process by May that would itself cost about $100 million. County leaders and Sen. Alice Mann warn a closure would overwhelm ERs statewide and could cause patient deaths — underscoring HCMC’s role as the backstop for complex, unfunded transfers from rural and smaller hospitals — even as Hennepin Healthcare plans a new $12 million downtown Minneapolis addiction center.

Health Business & Economy Local Government

Minnesota forecast now shows $3.7B 2026–27 surplus; structural gap looms

Feb 27 Breaking TC 4

Minnesota Management and Budget now projects a $3.715 billion general‑fund balance for 2026–27—about $1.3 billion higher than the November estimate—and has revised the 2028–29 outlook to a $377 million shortfall (improved from nearly $3 billion projected earlier). The swing reflects stronger‑than‑expected income and sales tax receipts, revised federal assumptions and updated spending baselines, but MMB warns of a structural imbalance ahead amid federal funding uncertainties and rising health‑care costs, prompting partisan debate over one‑time relief versus longer‑term fixes.

Local Government Business & Economy

Minnesota forecast now shows $3.7B 2026–27 surplus

Feb 27 Breaking TC 1

Minnesota Management and Budget’s February 2026 forecast projects a $3.7 billion general‑fund balance for the 2026–27 biennium, $1.3 billion higher than the state’s November estimate, driven by a slightly better economic outlook and stronger—but more volatile—revenue sources. The out‑years are less rosy: the 2028–29 biennium now shows just a $377 million balance and what officials call a “significant structural imbalance,” with spending growth outpacing revenue through 2029 amid federal policy shifts, shutdown‑related data gaps and broader economic uncertainty. House GOP leaders immediately seized on the stronger near‑term numbers to argue against tax hikes and for a conformity bill that would exempt tips and overtime from state income tax, with Speaker Lisa Demuth saying “tax increases…should be off the table” and Rep. Harry Niska casting the forecast as proof pro‑business policies are the solution to what he labels earlier DFL “fiscal disaster.” For the Twin Cities, this forecast sets the table for 2026 session fights over whether to spend, save or cut—choices that will cascade into local aid, school funding, transit money, and how much of the Metro Surge and Medicaid‑fraud fallout gets patched from the state’s checkbook versus pushed onto local levies. The structural gap on the horizon also means Minneapolis–St. Paul taxpayers should assume today’s surplus is no guarantee against tougher budget medicine later in the decade.

Business & Economy Local Government

HCMC ‘on life support,’ warns of possible shutdown without Target Field tax rescue

Feb 27 Developing TC 2

Hennepin County Medical Center is “on life support” and could shut down without additional state aid, even after cutting tens of millions of dollars in expenses. As one of Minnesota’s largest health systems and a major downtown Minneapolis employer, corporate and civic leaders are pressing the Legislature for a rescue beyond what county taxpayers can shoulder.

Health Business & Economy Local Government

Minneapolis to end nine community trauma-response contracts

Feb 27 Breaking TC 1

Minneapolis’ Neighborhood Safety Department has told nine community trauma-response groups — including high‑profile team A Mother’s Love — that their city contracts will end in 30 days, blaming a $4 million rollover that never materialized in the general fund and a decision to pivot funding into gun‑violence intervention programs instead. Officials say police and fire overtime and weaker‑than‑expected property‑tax collections helped drain the general fund, but have not yet provided the full documentation FOX 9 requested. NSD manager Amanda Harrington says the department will focus on Group Violence Intervention and Youth Group Violence Intervention, while acknowledging the loss is "painful" and that many groups have still been showing up at crime scenes even when unpaid. A Mother’s Love founder Lisa Clemons says families won’t have buried many current homicide victims before the money stops and argues that trauma care itself is a key violence‑prevention tool, warning that no one has explained who will take their place when shootings typically spike this spring and summer. The city has offered no clear replacement plan for on‑the‑ground trauma response, leaving neighborhoods to wonder whether police and prosecutors’ budgets are being backfilled at the expense of the community workers who sit with grieving families after the tape comes down.

Public Safety Local Government Business & Economy

Target pays $110M to exit City Center lease; tower going up for sale

Feb 26 Breaking TC 1

Target Corp. has paid nearly $110 million to terminate its long-term lease at Minneapolis’ City Center, and the downtown tower will now be put on the market, according to a Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal report. Most of Target’s payout will go toward paying down debt on the building, easing pressure on the landlord but underlining how badly the once‑flagship property has been hollowed out since Target moved its headquarters functions a block over and shifted to hybrid work. The sale will test investor appetite for a large, aging office/retail complex in the heart of a downtown still struggling with high vacancies, safety perceptions and the fallout from the ICE surge and the pandemic. For the city, any change of hands shapes future tax revenue, the chances of an office‑to‑residential conversion, and whether Nicollet Mall regains meaningful retail traffic. Commercial brokers and downtown advocates watching the listing say the size of Target’s check shows how far landlords are now willing to bend to get legacy leases off the books and reset financing in a battered office market.

Business & Economy Housing Local Government

DFL, GOP feud over rival anti‑fraud plans and inspector general push as 2026 session opens

Feb 26 TC 3

As the 2026 session opens, Minnesota DFL lawmakers have rolled out a 13‑bill anti‑fraud package — proposing more site visits, provider background checks, electronic visit verification, modernized IT, a consumer‑protection fraud bureau and beefed‑up Medicaid Fraud Control — while House Republicans counter with their "Fraud Isn’t Free Act," pressing for statutory rules for high‑risk programs (citing Feeding Our Future, Housing Stabilization, Medicaid and Somali‑run day‑care centers), an independent Office of Inspector General and an unredacted Optum audit. The standoff centers on whether agencies that oversaw past fraud can police themselves, with Republicans tying the issue to Gov. Tim Walz’s decision not to seek reelection and DFL leaders urging bipartisan agreement on measures like EVV as Walz prepares to announce his own anti‑fraud priorities.

Local Government Business & Economy Legal

Eagan uses one-year data center/crypto moratorium to study neighborhood, power impacts

Feb 25 Breaking TC 2

Eagan has approved what reports call Minnesota’s first-ever one-year moratorium on data center and cryptocurrency operations to study potential neighborhood and power impacts. City staff will evaluate issues including power-grid capacity, noise, traffic, heat, water use and tax implications, review how other Minnesota communities are responding, and the pause covers projects within 500 feet of residential zoning or drawing more than 20 megawatts, with draft ordinances expected before the moratorium ends.

Local Government Energy Business & Economy

Court affidavits show 4,000 federal agents cycled through Minnesota; about 400 ICE/HSI to remain after Metro Surge

Feb 25 Developing TC 4

Court affidavits filed at U.S. District Judge Eric Tostrud’s request say more than 4,000 federal agents — including roughly 3,000 ICE personnel (with about 270 ERO officers and 700 HSI agents detailed to the St. Paul field office) and additional CBP officers — cycled through Operation Metro Surge, with CBP beginning demobilization around Feb. 4 by moving about 680 personnel and leaving roughly 67 CBP staff to be reassigned. ICE’s filings say staffing will stabilize at about 107 ERO officers and 300 HSI agents in Minnesota, and while officials including White House border official Tom Homan have publicly declared the Metro Surge over, enforcement data and maps show post‑announcement arrests and operations remained elevated above pre‑surge baselines; the drawdown coincided with a sharp drop in immigration habeas filings and the lifting of a prior contempt order after ICE complied.

Public Safety Legal Business & Economy

MSP–Puerto Vallarta flights canceled amid cartel unrest

Feb 23 Breaking TC 1

Sun Country and Delta have canceled multiple Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport flights to Puerto Vallarta on Sunday and Monday, Feb. 22–23, 2026, after Mexican forces killed Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes and cartel gunmen launched retaliatory attacks across Jalisco. U.S. travelers already in Puerto Vallarta are being told to stay at their resorts, and Delta has posted a travel alert saying civil unrest could disrupt flights through Feb. 26, while Sun Country warns that all travel to and from Jalisco airports, including PVR, "may be impacted" and is waiving change fees for affected passengers. Mexican officials say 25 National Guard members were killed in six separate attacks in Jalisco as cartel members blocked roads and burned vehicles following El Mencho’s death. The cancellations hit just as Minnesota’s spring break travel season ramps up, and social media posts from Twin Cities families show confusion and anxiety as they scramble to rebook or decide whether to travel into a volatile situation. Airlines say they are "monitoring the situation" with local authorities, but have given no firm timeline for when regular MSP–Puerto Vallarta service will resume.

Transit & Infrastructure Public Safety Business & Economy

Data show true scope and impact of ICE Metro Surge

Feb 23 TC 1

The Reformer analysis uses ICE, DHS, court and state records to quantify for the first time how Operation Metro Surge actually played out in Minnesota — from how many people were arrested and what they were arrested for, to how many agents came and went, to the crush of habeas petitions and lawsuits it generated. It finds that only a small fraction of arrestees fit the administration’s 'worst of the worst' label, while many were picked up on civil immigration grounds or lower‑level matters, matching what families and public defenders have described since December. The piece also sets those enforcement numbers against Minneapolis’ updated estimate that the surge cost the city at least $203 million in business losses, wages, hotel cancellations and emergency rent and food support, and notes state and county officials now peg the legal workload at over 1,000 habeas and related cases. Maps and timelines show enforcement moving from Minneapolis’ core into suburbs even after federal officials declared the surge over, undercutting claims that the crackdown has truly ended and raising fresh questions about who will be held accountable and how long the metro will be living with the aftershocks.

Public Safety Legal Business & Economy

Minnesota workplace deaths jump to 84 in 2024

Feb 21 TC 1

Minnesota recorded 84 fatal work injuries in 2024, up from 70 in 2023, prompting the Department of Labor and Industry to urge employers to tighten safety practices, especially in high‑risk sectors that are heavily represented in the Twin Cities such as construction, transportation and hospitality. New Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries data show private agriculture/forestry/fishing/hunting had the most deaths (19), followed by construction with 18 fatalities, including eight roofing‑contractor deaths, and leisure and hospitality with 10 deaths, six of them in accommodation and food services. Transportation incidents remained the top cause of on‑the‑job deaths with 25 cases, while fatal falls, slips and trips jumped to 20 from 12 the year before, and workplace violence took 15 lives, up from 12. Even with the increase, Minnesota’s 2024 fatality rate of 2.9 deaths per 100,000 full‑time workers was still below the national rate of 3.3, but officials say that’s no excuse for complacency on metro job sites, where recent work‑zone deaths and construction fatalities have already raised alarms. The numbers give unions, safety advocates and regulators hard evidence that specific hazards—roof work, transportation jobs, fall protection and violence—need renewed focus in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area.

Health Business & Economy

2026 Minnesota session quickly bogs down in partisan fight over fraud and ICE-death investigations

Feb 21 TC 2

The 2026 Minnesota legislative session quickly bogged down in partisan fights as House Republicans tried to fast‑track a Senate bill creating a new inspector general to investigate fraud—overruling suggested changes from the bill’s DFL author—while House Democrats pushed to fast‑track a bill giving the BCA authority to investigate deaths of Minnesotans caused by federal agents, citing the FBI’s refusal to turn over evidence in cases like Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Both fast‑track efforts failed on tied votes, leaving the proposals stalled in the first week; GOP Rep. Harry Niska blamed House DFL for blocking the fraud bill, and DFL Leader Zack Stephenson defended the BCA bill, saying the BCA told them the FBI would not cooperate.

Local Government Business & Economy Public Safety

Federal officials say fewer than 500 ICE agents remain in Minnesota after Metro Surge

Feb 20 Developing TC 5

Federal officials say fewer than 500 ICE agents now remain in Minnesota, down sharply from roughly 3,000 at the height of Operation Metro Surge and following a series of announced drawdowns that officials say have reduced the force by about 1,000 since Tom Homan’s initial pullback; the White House has presented the named "Metro Surge" as concluded. Gov. Tim Walz, who has pressed for an immediate end and called the presence an "occupation," expects the drawdown to happen in days and is preparing emergency grants, tax deferrals and licensing relief for Twin Cities businesses hurt by the surge, even as local leaders note that fewer than 500 agents still exceeds the pre‑surge federal immigration footprint.

Business & Economy Local Government Public Safety

Trump tells governors he won’t force future ICE surges on states

Feb 20 Developing TC 9

President Trump privately told governors he will not force large-scale ICE enforcement surges on states that oppose them, but that pledge is political — not backed by any written order — and has been met with skepticism from immigrant communities and civil-rights lawyers. In Minnesota, Border Czar Tom Homan has declared Operation Metro Surge over and called it a success even as roughly 700 agents were pulled and about 2,000 ICE officers remain, prompting protests, legal challenges, local leaders’ concern, and disruptions that have turned some business corridors into ad hoc shelters and triage sites.

Public Safety Local Government Business & Economy

Supreme Court strikes down Trump emergency tariffs; Twin Cities businesses eye relief

Feb 20 TC 5

The U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 20 ruled that President Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose sweeping emergency tariffs — including February duties on imports from Canada, China and Mexico and broader April “reciprocal” tariffs that had ranged from 10–50% and were projected to raise roughly $3 trillion over a decade — was unlawful, removing that mechanism for future tariff actions. The decision, following lower‑court setbacks for the administration and nearly three hours of oral argument, is expected to bring “much needed relief” to import‑reliant Twin Cities manufacturers, retailers and builders, which are being advised to review contracts, pricing and supply chains now that the emergency duties are invalidated.

Legal Business & Economy

Downtown Minneapolis recovery shows gains, hurdles ahead

Feb 20 TC 1

At the Minneapolis Downtown Council’s 70th annual meeting at the Armory, Mayor Jacob Frey and business leaders touted signs of rebound downtown — roughly $200 million in 2024 building permits, about 9 million event visitors, and a 55% drop in Warehouse District crime — while conceding perceptions of danger and stubborn office vacancies are still dragging recovery. Council CEO Adam Duininck said the top barrier is the belief that downtown is unsafe or unpredictable, a perception recently inflamed by visible ICE enforcement, protests and business disruptions. Sixteen of the 20 largest downtown employers now require at least some in‑office days, but small businesses like Hell’s Kitchen say they still can’t cover bills without more workers coming in, even "one more day" per week. Population is holding at about 60,000 residents with low residential vacancy and more apartments under construction, yet older office towers remain under‑occupied and the Council is pushing conversions to housing and other uses, acknowledging this will require new financing tools and investor confidence. Speakers like Twins chair Tom Pohlad stressed that sports and events are propping up vibrancy, putting pressure on teams and venues to keep fans coming even when on‑field performance lags.

Business & Economy Local Government

Walz $10M forgivable-loan plan, suburban mayors seek broader state bailout for ICE surge damage

Feb 19 Developing TC 4

Gov. Tim Walz has included a $10 million emergency relief package in his 2026 legislative proposal to provide one-time forgivable loans of $2,500–$25,000, administered by DEED, to small businesses that can show substantial revenue loss during specified Operation Metro Surge dates — a response he called to a “campaign of retribution” that caused “long-term damage,” with owners like Henry Garcia saying aid could keep doors open. Meanwhile a coalition of roughly 20 largely suburban mayors is pushing for a broader state bailout, arguing the $10 million business fund is insufficient as cities face lost construction jobs, mounting police overtime, overwhelmed nonprofits and unaffordable local costs that suburbs cannot absorb alone.

Business & Economy Local Government

Minneapolis renews liquor licenses for ICE‑lodging hotels after legal review

Feb 19 Developing TC 2

The Minneapolis City Council renewed liquor licenses for the Canopy and The Depot hotels despite earlier threats to deny them over allegations they housed ICE agents, after Regulatory Services’ Jan. 28, 2026 review of security plans, code and labor‑standards history and 911/311 calls (Dec. 2025–Feb. 2026) found no ordinance "strikes" and only a corrected 2025 underage‑alcohol violation; public comments were evenly split 10‑10. Staff warned that alleged weapons in rooms and ICE presence fall outside liquor‑license criteria and that tying renewals to immigration policy would be legally vulnerable, while some council members signaled they might use other measures (such as blocking a hotel GM’s advisory‑board appointment) to register disapproval.

Local Government Business & Economy Legal

Minneapolis council moves to block Graduate Hotel GM from city board over ICE housing

Feb 18 Breaking TC 2

The Minneapolis City Council is moving to deny the general manager of the Graduate Hotel a seat on a city board amid allegations that downtown hotels housed ICE agents during Operation Metro Surge. Council members are also scrutinizing liquor-license renewals for the Canopy and The Depot — but City Attorney Quinn O’Reilly said officials must show a nexus between alcohol service and any public-safety concerns before restricting licenses, while Council Member Michael Rainville said the threat of license loss has prompted cancellations, reduced hours and planned layoffs and Council Member Aurin Chowdhury pressed for due process and possible investigation before Thursday’s vote.

Local Government Business & Economy

Bloomington sting nets 30 men; ICE vetter charged with prostitution

Feb 17 Breaking TC 2

A Bloomington prostitution sting that netted about 30 men led to the arrest and Hennepin County charging of 36‑year‑old Brashad Antwann Johnson of St. Michael, who faces a gross‑misdemeanor prostitution charge for allegedly responding to a police decoy ad, agreeing to pay $100 for a "quick visit," and being arrested at a hotel with $100 in cash and a phone. The Pentagon confirmed Johnson is a contract investigator for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency via Peraton who performs background checks and security‑clearance vetting for DHS/ICE, HSI, the FBI and other federal employees, and officials are reviewing whether further action is warranted; Peraton has not responded about his employment status.

Public Safety Legal Business & Economy

Evidence undercuts DHS narratives in Twin Cities ICE shootings; DOJ drops north Minneapolis assault case

Feb 14 TC 7

Surveillance and bystander videos, document analyses and medical records from multiple Twin Cities incidents have undercut DHS/ICE accounts — showing men running or falling rather than attacking in at least one Minneapolis shooting, revealing a defective St. Paul warrant that led a judge to free six detainees, and documenting a detainee’s skull fractures that contradict ICE’s claim he violently resisted. Separately, DOJ moved to dismiss with prejudice federal assault charges against two Venezuelan men in a Jan. 14 north Minneapolis shooting, citing newly discovered evidence materially inconsistent with the ICE affidavit, a development defense attorneys and rights groups say bolsters calls for independent investigation.

Public Safety Business & Economy Immigration & Legal

UCare collapse deepens: $500M owed to Mayo, Allina, Fairview, Hennepin Healthcare; hospitals fear shortfall

Feb 14 Breaking TC 5

UCare is winding down and Medica will acquire roughly 300,000 UCare members — including all of UCare’s 2026 Medicaid and individual/family plans — in a deal expected to close in Q1 2026 pending approvals, with officials saying coverage should continue without interruption. Hospitals say UCare owes nearly $500 million to Mayo Clinic, Allina ($70M), Fairview ($100M) and Hennepin ($115M), that payments stopped after state control in December, and Minnesota’s rehabilitation plan currently reserves only $200 million for providers, prompting legal challenges and demands for greater transparency.

Health Business & Economy Legal

PITSTOP‑66 defendant admits role in 'phantom' Medicaid rides to Twin Cities

Feb 13 Developing TC 2

A PITSTOP‑66 defendant has pleaded guilty after admitting involvement in a scheme that billed Medicaid for "phantom" medical rides to the Twin Cities. Federal prosecutors are seeking to seize alleged proceeds of the fraud, including cash, a luxury car and designer jewelry.

Legal Health Business & Economy

Judge moves to seize assets of FOF fraudster Salim Said

Feb 13 Developing TC 1

A federal judge has issued a preliminary forfeiture order clearing the way for the government to seize more than half a million dollars in bank funds, three properties (including one on Park Avenue South in Minneapolis and another in Plymouth), two 2021 vehicles, electronics, and a cache of luxury clothing, jewelry and accessories from Salim Said, the Safari Restaurant co‑owner convicted in the $250 million Feeding Our Future scheme. The order, signed by Judge Nancy Brasel, itemizes roughly $514,000 in Bell Bank and Wells Fargo accounts, real estate in Minneapolis, Plymouth and Columbus, Ohio, a Chevrolet Silverado, a Mercedes‑Benz GLA, multiple MacBooks and a PlayStation, along with high‑end goods from brands like Christian Louboutin, Balenciaga, Burberry, Prada, Versace and Rolex. Brasel also imposed a $7.84 million money‑judgment forfeiture; Said will get credit against that total for the net value of what’s actually seized, but the preliminary order is not final until sentencing. Said was found guilty in March 2025 on 21 counts — including wire fraud, bribery and money laundering — for claiming Safari’s Lake Street site was feeding 5,000 children a day and siphoning pandemic child‑nutrition dollars, and prosecutors used his pre‑COVID tax returns (showing $30,000 in income and $624,000 in gross restaurant revenue) to dismantle his claim that he’d simply scaled up a legitimate business. The forfeiture details put hard numbers on how much federal investigators say was converted into personal wealth, adding another layer of accountability in a scandal that has already fueled statewide Medicaid and grant crackdowns and intense public anger in the Twin Cities over pandemic profiteering.

Legal Business & Economy

Report warns of accelerating Minnesota pharmacy closures

Feb 13 TC 1

A new 2026 report from Minnesota Independent Pharmacists says pharmacy closures are accelerating statewide, with six independent pharmacies shutting down in 2025—including West Seventh Pharmacy in St. Paul—and three more already gone in 2026, fueling a rise in 'pharmacy deserts' where residents lack ready access to medications and basic health care. The group says about 44% of Minnesota pharmacies have closed in the last decade and nearly 60% of those were independents, leaving just 123 verified independent pharmacies statewide and nine towns since 2023 with no pharmacy at all. Leaders blame pharmacy benefit managers and large insurers for reimbursement rates that force small pharmacies to operate 'underwater' while corporate middlemen post record profits, arguing that the system is 'rigged' against community health providers. They warn that when local pharmacies disappear, seniors and low‑income patients are more likely to skip medications, driving up ER visits, hospitalizations and overall health‑system costs that taxpayers ultimately absorb. For the Twin Cities, the closure of West Seventh Pharmacy and the statewide trend raise red flags about access, especially in older and lower‑income neighborhoods where a corner pharmacy often doubles as a vaccination, counseling and chronic‑disease‑management site.

Health Business & Economy

CDC yanks $38M from Minnesota public health, AG sues

Feb 12 Breaking TC 1

The Minnesota Department of Health says the CDC has abruptly canceled about $38 million in grants for public‑health infrastructure in the state—part of roughly $600 million in cuts targeting Minnesota, Colorado, Illinois and California—after telling MDH the work was 'inconsistent with agency priorities.' MDH planned to use the money to bolster the public‑health workforce, modernize data systems, support emergency planning and response, and shore up local health capacity, which directly hits the metro counties that rely on state pass‑through funds for disease tracking and emergency readiness. Attorney General Keith Ellison has now filed suit with California, Colorado and Illinois, seeking at least $42 million and a temporary restraining order, arguing the directive is unconstitutional and 'arbitrary and capricious' retribution against Minnesota. MDH Commissioner Dr. Brooke Cunningham condemned the move as needless, politically targeted and dangerous, warning it makes Minnesotans 'less healthy, less safe and less prepared to respond to emergencies,' while HHS has already notified Congress it plans to cut additional grants next week, including Preventive Services Block Grant dollars and HIV/STD surveillance funding. The CDC has not yet publicly explained why these specific states were singled out, fueling online criticism that national public‑health dollars are being weaponized against perceived political enemies rather than allocated by risk and need.

Health Local Government Business & Economy

Congress moves to kill Trump’s Canada tariffs; House joins Senate in bipartisan rebuke

Feb 12 Developing TC 2

Both chambers of Congress have moved to block President Trump’s tariffs on Canadian imports, with the Senate voting earlier and the House now passing a bipartisan resolution to end the tariffs. The House measure directly targets the emergency declarations Trump used to justify the duties and sets up a likely veto fight and subsequent court challenges.

Business & Economy Government & Politics Legal

St. Paul council targets ICE hotel staging with resolution

Feb 12 Breaking TC 1

The St. Paul City Council is advancing a resolution urging hotels and other lodging businesses inside city limits to decline contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, effectively telling ICE it is not welcome to use local hotels as staging bases during Operation Metro Surge. The measure is symbolic rather than a binding ban, but it formalizes political pressure on downtown and neighborhood hotels that have quietly hosted large numbers of federal agents during the Twin Cities immigration crackdown. Supporters frame it as a way to reduce fear in immigrant communities and keep federal operations away from places where families work and stay, while critics warn the city is trying to intimidate private businesses and risk federal retaliation. The resolution comes after two large downtown St. Paul hotels temporarily closed to ICE bookings over safety concerns, and as small immigrant‑serving businesses report sharp revenue drops tied to the surge. On social media, immigrant‑rights groups are praising the move and demanding similar action in Minneapolis, while some hospitality voices privately worry about being caught between city hall and the federal government.

Local Government Public Safety Business & Economy

St. Paul expands ICE limits with ID, uniform and staging ordinances

Feb 12 Developing TC 3

St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her signed an ordinance banning ICE "staging" and other operational activity on all city-owned property — including limits on access to non-public "cry spaces" — codifying a prior cease-and-desist and framed as a response to masked agents during Operation Metro Surge and concerns about harms to small businesses. The City Council also unanimously approved a rule requiring officers performing law-enforcement duties to visibly display identification on the outermost layer of their uniform and is weighing a companion ban on masks or facial coverings (with narrow exceptions) as part of a phased, legally resilient approach.

Local Government Public Safety Legal

Philadelphia 'fraud tourists' plead guilty in $3.5M Minnesota Housing Stabilization scheme

Feb 11 Breaking TC 7

Two Philadelphia men, Anthony Jefferson (37) and Lester Brown (53), pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of wire fraud each for their roles in a $3.5 million scheme that exploited Minnesota’s Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services program; they rented Minneapolis office space for Chozen Runner LLC and Retsel Real Estate LLC, billed themselves as “The Housing Guys,” enrolled about 230 beneficiaries by targeting shelters and Section 8 housing, and admitted using ChatGPT to fabricate service notes and reports — Jefferson’s plea contemplates 5–6.5 years and Brown’s 3.5–4.5 years, with both free pending sentencing. Their pleas come amid a broader federal probe that has charged eight people in related HSS frauds allegedly involving millions, prompted FBI raids, and led the state to end the HSS program after sharply rising Medicaid spending and apparent widespread abuse.

Housing Legal Health

Top fraud prosecutor Joe Thompson quits Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office over ICE‑widow probe; now joins Don Lemon investigation

Feb 10 Developing TC 5

Joe Thompson, the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office’s top fraud prosecutor and First Assistant U.S. Attorney, resigned — one of at least six prosecutors to leave — after internal pressure from Washington to open a criminal probe into the widow of an ICE shooting victim, a dispute officials say has raised concerns about politicization and could disrupt high‑profile fraud dockets such as Feeding Our Future and Medicaid/Housing fraud cases. Thompson has since been hired by journalist Don Lemon as the lead outside investigator for Lemon’s deep‑dive reporting on the ICE killing of Renee Good and the broader Operation Metro Surge crackdown in Minneapolis.

Legal Public Safety Local Government

FDA to re‑examine safety of BHA food preservative

Feb 10 Breaking TC 1

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reopening its safety review of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a synthetic preservative used for decades in a wide range of snack foods, cereals and packaged products found on Twin Cities store shelves. The agency says it will take a fresh look at toxicology and cancer data that has piled up since BHA was first approved, responding to petitions from health advocates who point to animal studies that flagged tumor risks at high doses. The review could lead FDA to tighten limits, require new warning labels, or in an extreme case revoke BHA’s "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) status, forcing manufacturers to reformulate products sold in Minneapolis–Saint Paul groceries, corner stores, and school vending machines. Food scientists quoted in the piece stress that current exposure levels are far below doses used in lab studies, while watchdog groups argue that with so many alternative preservatives available, regulators should err on the side of eliminating avoidable chemical risks. On social media, dietitians and consumer advocates are already circulating brand lists and label-reading guides, urging metro shoppers to watch for BHA on ingredients panels while the federal review plays out over the coming months.

Health Government/Regulatory Business & Economy

Homeland Security funding fight intensifies as Democrats reject White House ICE offer

Feb 10 Developing TC 2

Democrats have rejected a White House offer on ICE provisions as “insufficient,” saying the dispute is not over DHS topline funding but over the absence of meaningful, written constraints on ICE and Border Patrol operations in the appropriations language. With Homeland Security funding set to expire imminently and Democrats moving to block the spending bill after the latest Minneapolis shooting, the standoff raises the risk of a lapse or another stopgap that would leave Operation Metro Surge unchanged.

Local Government Public Safety Legal

Prior Lake man charged in $350M phony IRS refund scheme, advised 'sovereign citizens'

Feb 10 Breaking TC 2

A Prior Lake man has been charged in a $350 million fake IRS refund scheme that prosecutors say he built around "sovereign citizen" pseudo‑legal theories and used to advise others in that movement on filing sham tax returns. Authorities allege he siphoned about $19 million of the fraudulently obtained refunds to buy a Prior Lake lakefront home and to fund significant cryptocurrency investments.

Legal Business & Economy

Minnesota paid leave: one‑month update on demand, backlogs and fraud controls

Feb 09 TC 11

In its first month Minnesota’s Paid Family and Medical Leave drew nearly 12,000 early applications (11,883), with DEED reporting 6,393 applications reviewed so far and roughly two‑thirds approved, while projecting about 130,000 users in year one and budgeting roughly $1.6 billion staffed by ~400 state employees. DEED says the portal and contact center are holding up and has rolled out layered fraud controls — LoginMN ID verification with a live selfie, mandatory provider certification and EHR checks, unemployment‑insurance data matching, analytics, random audits and a program‑integrity unit to track complex or suspicious claims.

Business & Economy Technology Local Government

Scott Jensen drops governor bid, launches 2026 state auditor campaign

Feb 09 Breaking TC 3

Scott Jensen has formally withdrawn from the 2026 Minnesota governor’s race and launched a campaign for state auditor. The shift moves him from a top‑of‑ticket executive contest into an oversight role auditing state and local finances and reshapes the emerging statewide field, which already includes other GOP and DFL contenders.

Elections Local Government Business & Economy

St. Paul backs study of rail line to Kansas City

Feb 09 Breaking TC 1

The St. Paul City Council has backed a resolution supporting a study of new passenger-rail service between St. Paul and Kansas City, building on the strong early performance of Amtrak’s Borealis line to Chicago, which reached 100,000 riders in under six months. The move signals city interest in making Union Depot a broader Midwest rail hub and in exploring another long-distance option for Twin Cities travelers beyond Chicago and existing Empire Builder service. While the resolution itself doesn’t fund or commit to a line, it positions St. Paul to be at the table as Amtrak, MnDOT and neighboring states weigh potential routes, costs and federal funding. Rail advocates online are already touting the idea as a way to connect the Twin Cities more directly to Kansas City and the central U.S., while skeptics are watching to see whether the concept has enough political and financial backing to move beyond the study stage.

Transit & Infrastructure Local Government Business & Economy

Six charged as Minnesota Medicaid probes expand

Feb 07 Developing TC 4

Six people have been charged as Minnesota’s Medicaid fraud probe expands, and Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed the DOJ to send additional federal prosecutors to bolster the relatively small U.S. Attorney’s Office — a move framed as a response to “widespread fraud” and linked to a broader federal posture that has included large immigration/fraud operations. One defendant, Nasro Takhal, pleaded guilty in a PITSTOP‑66 “phantom rides” scheme that used fabricated names to bus Somali Americans to unnecessary clinic visits and inflate UCare non‑emergency medical transportation reimbursements from 2019–2021 (she faces over $300,000 in restitution), while officials warn fraud across 14 flagged Medicaid services could exceed $9 billion and say new $50 million schemes are being uncovered regularly.

Legal Health Local Government

Anoka opens Minnesota’s first city‑run cannabis shop

Feb 06 Breaking TC 1

The City of Anoka has opened the Anoka Cannabis Company at 839 East River Road, making it Minnesota’s first government‑run municipal cannabis dispensary and the first such operation in the Twin Cities metro. After a Thursday ribbon‑cutting, the 3,000‑square‑foot store is using a pre‑order system through opening weekend before offering walk‑in sales of flower, vapes, edibles, THC drinks and accessories starting Monday. City officials, who broke ground on the site last May and finished construction in January, say they expect the shop to turn a profit within its first year and plan to plow earnings and local cannabis taxes back into levy relief and new parks and recreation projects for Anoka residents. The Office of Cannabis Management has already received 12 more municipal‑run retail applications statewide, including from metro suburbs such as Blaine, Mounds View, Osseo, St. Anthony Village and Lauderdale, setting up direct competition between public and private operators once more licenses are issued. The model mirrors municipal liquor stores but, unlike booze, cities cannot lock in monopolies on cannabis, so Anoka’s experiment will be watched closely by other Twin Cities councils weighing whether the political and operational risk is worth the potential revenue.

Business & Economy Local Government

St. Paul small businesses say ICE surge slashes sales and forces hour cuts

Feb 06 TC 2

St. Paul small businesses say a recent surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity—part of Operation Metro Surge—has slashed sales and forced some restaurants to cut hours or close. Owners at a coordinated news conference said customers are afraid to shop or even leave home, and some storefronts posted signs explicitly warning ICE agents not to enter.

Business & Economy Public Safety Local Government

New $30M fund targets troubled downtown St. Paul buildings

Feb 05 Breaking TC 1

Securian Financial and the Bush Foundation are backing a roughly $30 million investment fund that will buy and stabilize troubled or strategically important properties in downtown St. Paul, working in partnership with the St. Paul Downtown Alliance’s real‑estate arm. The fund is designed to move quickly on distressed buildings or key sites that private buyers have left languishing, similar to how the Downtown Development Corporation has already taken over the U.S. Bank Center and Alliance Bank Center. By pooling local institutional money, the vehicle aims to keep ownership and decision‑making in Twin Cities hands while repositioning underused offices and ramps into housing, mixed‑use or other community‑oriented uses. For residents and businesses, this is a serious attempt to arrest the downtown vacancy spiral before it guts the tax base, and it signals that big local players are no longer waiting for out‑of‑town landlords or national capital to fix the core. Early social‑media chatter from downtown workers and small businesses is cautiously optimistic but skeptical, with people asking whether this will mean real storefront activity or just another round of speculative flipping.

Business & Economy Housing Local Government

Minneapolis council to vote on $1M ICE‑surge rental aid

Feb 04 Breaking TC 1

Minneapolis City Council Minority Leader Robin Wonsley has introduced a proposal to pull $1 million from the city’s contingency fund for emergency rental assistance to residents who have lost income or work hours during ICE’s Operation Metro Surge, with a vote set for 9:30 a.m. Thursday. The money would be transferred to Hennepin County, which would route it through existing nonprofits that already help families cover rent. Council members say the federal immigration crackdown has closed or curtailed hours at workplaces and made many immigrants too afraid to commute, pushing households toward eviction. A companion measure would temporarily extend the city’s minimum eviction‑notice period from 30 to 60 days, buying tenants more time to secure help, while the council continues to press Gov. Tim Walz for a broader, statewide eviction moratorium during the surge. On social media, tenant groups and immigrant advocates are calling the plan a necessary stopgap, while some landlords and fiscal hawks question whether a one‑time $1 million allocation can meaningfully blunt the economic damage from an open‑ended federal operation.

Housing Local Government Business & Economy

Protesters rally at Target HQ over ICE surge

Feb 02 Developing TC 1

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered Monday morning outside Target’s downtown Minneapolis headquarters, demanding that new CEO Michael Fiddelke publicly oppose ICE’s Operation Metro Surge and bar federal immigration agents from using Target stores and parking lots. Organizers accuse Target of 'silent complicity' while ICE and Border Patrol fan out across the Twin Cities, and they are pressing the retailer to end cooperation with federal staging and speak out against arrests that have traumatized immigrant workers and customers. The rally is part of a coordinated pressure campaign that has already hit hotels and homebuilders, and comes as major corporations have been criticized for reaping profits from diverse metro neighborhoods while ducking the political fallout of the crackdown. Social media posts from the scene show union banners and family‑led chants, with some employees saying they fear both retaliation from the company and ICE attention if they join in.

Business & Economy Public Safety Local Government

St. Paul mayor meets border czar, presses to curb Metro Surge harms

Jan 28 Developing TC 2

St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her met in person with the federal "border czar" to describe the harms Operation Metro Surge is causing — including fear in neighborhoods, school disruptions, and traffic and business impacts at immigrant‑serving businesses as residents reportedly avoid work, school and essential errands because of visible ICE and Border Patrol activity. Federal officials acknowledged the concerns but gave no signal of an immediate rollback, and the meeting was framed as part of Her’s broader push to tighten the city’s separation ordinance and limit ICE staging on city property.

Local Government Business & Economy Public Safety

How federal $1,000 'Trump Accounts' work for new Twin Cities parents

Jan 28 TC 1

The piece explains that under the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act, every baby born in the U.S. from 2025 through 2028 is eligible for a federally seeded $1,000 'Trump Account' once a parent or guardian opens an approved investment account, with the money locked in low‑fee U.S. stock index funds until the child turns 18. It clarifies that funds can only be used for restricted purposes — such as tuition, a first‑home down payment or starting a business — and withdrawals for other uses will trigger taxes and penalties, similar to misuse of a 529 plan. The article notes that Michael and Susan Dell have separately committed $6.25 billion to add a $250 seed for some lower‑income children age 10 and under in qualifying ZIP codes, which include parts of Minneapolis and St. Paul, but those seeds are distinct from the $1,000 newborn accounts. It walks through how Twin Cities parents actually claim the benefit (which institutions are participating, what documents they need, and basic deadlines) and highlights fine print around income‑tax treatment and what happens if parents fail to open an account during the eligibility window. The context makes clear this is not an automatic mailed check but an opt‑in long‑term asset program that could meaningfully affect wealth‑building for new metro families who understand and use it.

Business & Economy Local Government

Big Minnesota firms fund $3.5M relief for Twin Cities small businesses

Jan 27 Breaking TC 1

The Minneapolis Foundation has launched a $3.5 million fund backed by 28 major Minnesota corporations — including Target and Best Buy — to support small businesses in the Twin Cities that are facing urgent operational disruptions. According to the Business Journal preview, the money will begin flowing in the coming weeks through community organizations that already work directly with affected entrepreneurs, rather than being handed out by the corporations themselves. While the article doesn’t spell it out, the timing and structure clearly track current reality on the ground: immigrant‑serving shops and restaurants along corridors like Lake Street, Nicollet and the West Side have been reporting 50–80% revenue drops amid ICE’s Metro Surge and the federal crackdown, on top of winter weather and the usual post‑holiday slump. This fund is corporate Minnesota’s attempt to patch that hole and buy some stability without publicly confronting the federal operation that helped cause it — a lifeline for some businesses, but nowhere near enough to fully offset the damage if the surge drags on.

Business & Economy Local Government

Eat Street businesses became triage hubs after federal killing

Jan 27 TC 1

Restaurants and shops along Minneapolis’ Nicollet Avenue “Eat Street” corridor opened their doors as makeshift warming centers and medical triage sites after federal immigration agents killed a resident there, according to business‑owner accounts. In the chaos that followed the shooting, staff pulled shaken people in from the cold, tended to injuries and let bystanders shelter inside while squads and ambulances swarmed the street. Owners now say they’re physically and emotionally depleted and are unsure how to operate a neighborhood dining district that keeps doubling as a front‑line response zone whenever federal operations turn violent. Their experience underscores how Operation Metro Surge is not just a law‑enforcement story but a direct blow to a key commercial corridor’s ability to function, on top of years of construction, COVID and civil‑unrest damage.

Public Safety Business & Economy

GAF closing north Minneapolis plant, cutting 120 jobs

Jan 27 Breaking TC 1

Roofing manufacturer GAF Materials will shutter its north Minneapolis manufacturing plant, eliminating roughly 120 jobs at a long‑time industrial site just south of the massive Upper Harbor riverfront redevelopment, according to a Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal report. The facility sits along the Mississippi near where the city and developers are building an amphitheater, health center, park space and housing, making the closure a significant shift for that corridor’s remaining industrial footprint. The article previews the closure but, behind a paywall, is expected to detail timing, severance and whether any production or workers will be shifted to other GAF locations. For north‑side residents, it’s a hit to one of the few remaining blue‑collar plants inside city limits at the same time nearby land is being repositioned for higher‑end mixed use. The combination of job loss and changing land values will bear close watching as Minneapolis weighs what replaces GAF on a riverfront that’s rapidly moving away from industry.

Business & Economy Housing Environment

Courts, AGs and DOJ clash over evidence in Renee Good, Alex Pretti ICE shootings

Jan 27 Developing TC 10

The fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good and a subsequent Border Patrol shooting that killed Alex Pretti have set off protests, an "ICE Out" strike, federal grand‑jury subpoenas to state offices, the staging and limited activation of the Minnesota National Guard, and the resignation of several federal prosecutors amid sharply escalated tensions over a large federal agent surge in Minneapolis. At the same time Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and local officials have sued for court‑ordered preservation, independent custody and disclosure of video and other evidence while DOJ warns such broad orders would impede criminal probes and is resisting, setting up a likely appellate fight over who controls and must produce the evidentiary record.

Public Safety Local Government Legal

3M says it has stopped making PFAS chemicals

Jan 23 TC 1

3M told FOX 9 it has met its pledge to stop manufacturing PFAS by the end of 2025, ending more than 70 years of production of the so‑called 'forever chemicals' that contaminated east‑metro groundwater and helped fuel a global pollution crisis. The Maplewood-based company, which began making PFAS in the 1950s for products such as Scotchgard, has already paid nearly $14 billion to settle PFAS lawsuits and paid Minnesota nearly $900 million in 2018 to fund east‑metro drinking‑water cleanup — money that is now running down even as contamination and lawsuits continue. 3M says it has invested $1 billion in water‑treatment systems at its largest water‑using facilities and will keep operating those to handle legacy pollution, but it has recently questioned some state and local remediation projects, raising fears in affected suburbs about who will pay to finish cleanup when settlement dollars are exhausted. The article also points readers to a FOX 9 documentary and timeline showing internal 3M research and company decisions that, according to plaintiffs and regulators, delayed public disclosure of PFAS dangers.

Environment Business & Economy

Jan. 23 ‘ICE Out of MN’ general strike closes hundreds of Twin Cities businesses, culminates in Target Center rally

Jan 23 Developing TC 10

Hundreds of Twin Cities businesses closed as thousands joined a Jan. 23 “ICE Out of MN” general strike — a nonviolent work stoppage organized by immigrant‑rights groups, faith leaders, unions and supportive lawmakers that asked people not to go to work, school or shop to protest ICE’s Operation Metro Surge and recent shootings. Despite an Extreme Cold Watch, demonstrators gathered at The Commons at 2 p.m., marched about a mile to a rally at Target Center, with organizers emphasizing mutual aid, safety planning and acknowledging participation would be uneven due to legal and economic constraints.

Public Safety Business & Economy Local Government

Chanhassen council debates ICE raid; member plans local cooperation rules

Jan 21 Developing TC 4

Chanhassen’s city council will address a weekend ICE operation and protest after Council Member Mark Von Oven criticized the lack of coordination with local law enforcement, called for process, transparency and constitutional protections, and said he will draft locally focused rules for how the city should cooperate with federal immigration agents. DHS identified the targets as Marco and Edgar Chicaiza Dutan; ICE tried to arrest two construction workers on Avienda Parkway, one man was taken by ambulance for cold exposure and later released to ICE custody while the other stayed on a roof to evade arrest and Edgar’s attorneys are challenging his detention, and workers’ group CTUL — citing multiple recent actions at a D.R. Horton site — plans to press the builder to bar ICE from worksites unless agents present a judicial warrant.

Legal Local Government Public Safety

Workers press D.R. Horton to block warrantless ICE raids

Jan 21 Developing TC 1

Twin Cities construction workers organized through Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha (CTUL) plan to confront homebuilding giant D.R. Horton at its regional office Wednesday, demanding the company bar ICE agents from its jobsites unless they present a judicial warrant. CTUL says ICE has already 'raided and harassed' crews three times this year at a D.R. Horton development in Shakopee and previously hit another Horton site in Chanhassen, sparking a highly visible December standoff that drew neighbors and police. The group wants the nation’s largest homebuilder by volume to publicly condemn ICE’s escalated worksite tactics in Minnesota and call for the agency to pull back its Twin Cities operations, arguing the raids are 'unlawful' and are scaring immigrant workers off the job and destabilizing the construction labor market. CTUL says it has repeatedly offered Horton resources and model language to keep federal agents off private construction property without a proper warrant, but has received no response. In the context of Operation Metro Surge, this pushes a new front: holding prime contractors publicly accountable for whether they stand up to or quietly accommodate federal worksite sweeps on metro building sites.

Public Safety Business & Economy

U.S. freezes immigrant visas from 75 countries, citing 'public charge' risk

Jan 21 Breaking TC 2

The U.S. State Department will suspend processing of immigrant visas from 75 countries beginning Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, saying the move is intended to prevent entry of people who would “take welfare and public benefits” and to end “abuse of America’s immigration system.” The freeze applies only to immigrant visas (non‑immigrant tourist and business visas are exempt and expected to surge ahead of the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics) and affects countries including Somalia, Iran, Russia, Nigeria and Brazil, with Somalia’s inclusion explicitly linked in administration messaging to Minnesota’s Feeding Our Future–related benefit fraud scandals.

Immigration & Legal Local Government Business & Economy

Twin Cities doctors say ICE surge is driving patients from hospitals and clinics

Jan 21 TC 2

Twin Cities doctors say a surge in ICE activity — including visible raids tied to Operation Metro Surge and the law‑enforcement response after the killing of Renee Good — is driving immigrant and mixed‑status families to avoid or delay emergency and routine care, even when seriously ill. Clinicians report patients sometimes discharge themselves early or refuse to give accurate registration information out of fear, which complicates diagnosis, follow‑up and continuity of care and, hospital leaders warn, could undermine public health and lead to preventable deaths.

Health Public Safety Business & Economy

Twin Cities child‑care centers say ICE raids traumatize kids

Jan 20 TC 2

Child‑care providers across the Twin Cities say recent ICE enforcement actions are traumatizing the children in their care. In response, community leaders have used social‑media mobilization — including a coordinated "Taco Tuesday" campaign urging residents to eat at immigrant‑owned restaurants — to shore up businesses hit by the raids.

Education Public Safety Legal

Union: ICE detaining vetted MSP airport workers

Jan 20 Developing TC 2

A union says ICE has detained vetted workers at Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport, prompting hundreds of airport employees to fear coming to work. MSP airport workers plan a 1 p.m. Tuesday news conference to publicly push back against ICE operations, part of a coordinated day of press events alongside educators, students, families, clergy and physicians.

Public Safety Business & Economy Transit & Infrastructure

St. Paul’s Intercontinental and DoubleTree hotels close temporarily after ICE threats, pulling 600+ rooms offline

Jan 20 Breaking TC 2

Two downtown St. Paul hotels—the Intercontinental and DoubleTree, owned by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe—have temporarily canceled rooms for ICE agents and closed citing safety concerns after threats linked to an immigration crackdown. The simultaneous shutdowns remove more than 600 rooms from downtown St. Paul’s lodging inventory.

Business & Economy Public Safety Local Government

Major Minnesota employers stay largely silent as ICE surge hammers Twin Cities immigrants and small businesses

Jan 16 TC 3

Many of Minnesota’s biggest employers — including Target, Best Buy, U.S. Bank, Medtronic and Cargill — have largely stayed publicly silent or issued only generic statements as ICE’s Operation Metro Surge ramps up enforcement that is hammering Twin Cities immigrants and small businesses. Statewide business groups warn of labor shortages, chilled consumer activity and reputational risk but aren’t openly confronting the administration, and communications experts say the corporate silence is itself becoming a leadership and reputation problem as companies weigh fear of political backlash against their reliance on immigrant workers and customers.

Business & Economy Public Safety Local Government

Big Minnesota employers stay quiet on ICE surge

Jan 16 TC 1

The Reformer piece reports that as Trump’s immigration crackdown and Operation Metro Surge rattle Minneapolis–Saint Paul neighborhoods, most of Minnesota’s largest employers are either silent or speaking in vague generalities about the situation. Companies like Target, Best Buy, U.S. Bank, Medtronic and Cargill — all deeply tied into the Twin Cities economy and dependent on immigrant workers and customers — have avoided directly criticizing the raids, even as small immigrant‑serving businesses report sales plunges of 50–80% and unions at MSP airport and Hennepin Healthcare warn of fear‑driven staffing problems. Business groups such as the Minnesota Chamber and Hospitality Minnesota concede the enforcement wave is bad for labor and local commerce, but they’re hedging their language, clearly wary of provoking the White House. The article situates that caution in the broader political climate, where Trump has already shown he’s willing to use tariffs, contracts and public attacks as weapons, leaving big employers to quietly lobby behind the scenes while letting smaller neighborhood shops take the public risk. Online, that posture is drawing growing anger from Twin Cities residents who see corporate logos all over immigrant corridors like Lake Street but almost no corporate backbone as ICE and Border Patrol flood those same streets.

Business & Economy Local Government

House Republican formally files impeachment articles against Gov. Walz over fraud oversight

Jan 16 Breaking TC 2

A Minnesota House Republican has formally filed articles of impeachment accusing Gov. Tim Walz of failing to stop and fully disclose widespread fraud in state programs, breaching his oath and mishandling audits and oversight tied to Operation Metro Surge. The sponsor says the resolution will be introduced when the Legislature convenes Feb. 17, with a House majority required to impeach and a two‑thirds Senate vote needed to convict and remove, and both the lawmaker and DFL leaders have offered on‑record statements framing the partisan and constitutional stakes.

Local Government Legal Elections

Federal SAMHSA cuts slash Minnesota addiction and mental‑health funding

Jan 14 TC 2

The Department of Health and Human Services has formally implemented cuts to SAMHSA, sharply reducing state mental‑health and substance‑abuse block grants and trimming or eliminating multiple grant lines, leaving Minnesota facing a substantial drop in federal behavioral‑health funding for FY2026. State and county officials and providers say the reductions have prompted hiring freezes, program closures and expanded wait lists across Twin Cities treatment and crisis‑response programs, and critics warn those service cuts could jeopardize progress during Minnesota’s current overdose plateau or early decline.

Health Government/Regulatory Business & Economy

Woodbury realtor says ICE held him 9 hours after he filmed agents across Twin Cities

Jan 14 Developing TC 3

A Woodbury realtor says he followed and filmed ICE agents in public — including a grocery‑store parking lot and his cul‑de‑sac — and was detained by ICE for more than nine hours, alleging agents pulled him from his car, put him in a headlock, threw him to the ground and left him with a black eye and facial abrasions though he was never formally arrested or charged. ICE declined to explain the legal basis for the detention, First Amendment experts say recording law enforcement in public is protected, and the account comes amid DHS’s Operation Metro Surge — a deployment of roughly 2,000 ICE officers (with plans for 1,000 more) that has sparked lawsuits, protests and business community concerns in the Twin Cities.

Public Safety Legal Civil Rights

Target silent after ICE detains two U.S. citizen employees

Jan 13 Developing TC 1

A Minneapolis-area Target store became the scene of another controversial ICE operation when federal agents detained and dragged away two Target employees who are both U.S. citizens, according to a Business Journal report. The retail giant has not issued any public statement or internal explanation about the detentions, even as business groups and local officials warn that visible immigration raids at stores, gas stations and malls are chilling consumer traffic and destabilizing workplaces across the Twin Cities. The incident adds a new flashpoint to Operation Metro Surge, the Trump administration’s deployment of hundreds of federal immigration agents to the metro, and deepens questions about how accurately ICE is identifying its targets and what responsibilities large employers like Target have to protect or at least inform their workers. The case is already being cited by legal-technology startup TurnSignl, which reports a spike in sign‑ups from people worried about encounters with law enforcement and ICE, and by business advocates who say this kind of enforcement inside or just outside major retailers is bad for both worker safety and the regional economy.

Business & Economy Public Safety Legal

Ellison vows lawsuit over Minnesota‑only SNAP cut

Jan 12 Breaking TC 1

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says he will sue the Trump administration over what he describes as an unlawful, Minnesota‑specific cut to SNAP funding that would reduce or jeopardize benefits for low‑income residents here while other states continue to receive full payments. Ellison argues the administration is targeting Minnesota punitively, not based on neutral eligibility rules, and says his office is preparing a federal complaint to block the reduction before it hits families’ February and March benefits. The threatened cut comes on top of shutdown‑related delays and earlier USDA fights over work rules and data‑sharing, and food‑shelf operators in the Twin Cities are already warning they cannot absorb another wave of displaced demand. The lawsuit, once filed, would join a growing list of legal clashes between Minnesota and federal agencies over SNAP and child‑nutrition funding and could determine whether roughly 450,000 Minnesota recipients — many in Minneapolis and St. Paul — see their grocery money slashed in the middle of winter.

Legal Health Business & Economy

Allegiant–Sun Country merger: CEO says more budget MSP flights coming

Jan 12 Breaking TC 3

Allegiant is buying Sun Country in a $1.5 billion cash-and-stock deal, with the combination framed as a 2026 merger that will keep a significant presence at MSP’s Terminal 2. Sun Country CEO Jude Bricker says the tie-up is a growth opportunity that will bring more budget flights out of Minneapolis–Saint Paul and expand routes — including new international destinations — from the airport.

Business & Economy Transit & Infrastructure

Minnesota freezes new providers in 13 Medicaid programs amid fraud probe

Jan 09 Developing TC 1

Minnesota’s Department of Human Services has imposed an immediate freeze on new provider enrollment across 13 Medicaid-funded programs it deems at high risk for fraud, saying current clients should keep receiving services while the state and federal government audit billing and tighten oversight. The move, announced Jan. 8, 2026, follows the shutdown of Housing Stabilization Services and CMS’s decision to defer payment on billions in claims, and will slow or block new providers and some service expansions in programs heavily used by Twin Cities residents, including disability, personal care and housing supports.

Health Local Government Business & Economy

Lakeville Hampton Inn stripped of Hilton branding; exterior signage removed after ICE booking refusals

Jan 09 Breaking TC 7

Hilton has removed its branding from the Hampton Inn in Lakeville and the property's exterior Hampton signage was taken down after ICE and DHS said the hotel refused to book immigration‑enforcement agents. DHS provided emails showing reservations were canceled because of "immigration work," and after Hilton apologized and initially pledged corrective action, the company cut ties and began removing the property from its system following undercover video showing staff still denying ICE/DHS bookings; the hotel will continue operating under its current ownership without Hilton/Hampton branding while the situation is reviewed.

Public Safety Business & Economy Legal

AG Pam Bondi sends more DOJ prosecutors to Minnesota fraud cases, vows severe consequences

Jan 08 Developing TC 2

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the Department of Justice is sending additional prosecutors to Minnesota to temporarily augment the U.S. Attorney’s Office and help handle a surge of fraud cases, with staff pulled from other DOJ components. Bondi described the deployment as a major escalation in enforcement and warned those convicted in the Minnesota fraud prosecutions should expect "severe consequences."

Legal Local Government Business & Economy

St. Paul Downtown Development Corporation completes full acquisition of U.S. Bank Center

Jan 08 Breaking TC 4

The St. Paul Downtown Development Corporation has completed the acquisition and closed on full fee ownership of the U.S. Bank Center at 101 E. 5th St., finalizing a process that began with a late‑2025 mortgage purchase and closed Dec. 30, 2025, using only private funding. The 25‑story, roughly 516,000‑square‑foot tower (with a 348‑stall parking ramp) will now be directly controlled by SPDDC for leasing, redevelopment and tenant recruitment, a move Mayor Kaohly Her and SPDDC say will help bridge the entertainment district and Lowertown and stabilize the downtown core.

Business & Economy Real Estate Housing

Anoka-Hennepin teachers, district reach tentative deal, avert Jan. 8 strike

Jan 07 Breaking TC 1

The Anoka-Hennepin School District and Anoka-Hennepin Education Minnesota reached a tentative contract agreement around 5 a.m. Wednesday after a 20-hour mediation session, preventing a teacher strike that had been set to begin Thursday, Jan. 8. The deal, which still must be ratified by union members and approved by the School Board, covers about 3,200 educators across 52 schools and ensures classes and activities will continue as scheduled while detailed terms have not yet been released.

Education Business & Economy Local Government

Audit finds widespread oversight failures in Minnesota substance‑abuse grants

Jan 07 TC 1

A new report from Minnesota’s Office of the Legislative Auditor finds the DHS Behavioral Health Administration failed to adequately oversee millions in substance‑abuse grants between July 2022 and December 2024, with systemic compliance problems in 63 of 71 audited grants and documentation issues in 11 of 18 tested payments. Auditors highlight a $672,647 one‑month payment a grantee could not support with invoices or participant records, steep mid‑stream grant increases (including one from $600,000 to $5.6 million), and a grant manager who approved the large payment, then left DHS days later to consult for that same provider. In response, BHA says it is restructuring oversight, creating a Central Grants Office and tightening monitoring of contracts and grants, changes that will affect Twin Cities treatment providers and clients who rely on these services.

Health Local Government Business & Economy

Feds freeze Minnesota child-care funds; state launches added on‑site checks at 55 providers

Jan 06 Developing TC 2

Federal officials have frozen Minnesota’s child-care funds amid allegations from senior HHS leaders — echoed by increased congressional scrutiny — that scammers and fake daycares siphoned millions over the past decade. In response, Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth and Families says its Office of Inspector General, working with BCA agents, will begin immediate on‑site compliance visits at 55 providers now under investigation (including four featured in a viral video), and that DCYF and providers learned of the HHS freeze at the same time as the public while the state has until Jan. 9 to provide additional information.

Legal Local Government Business & Economy

Gov. Tim Walz won’t seek third term; fraud fallout and Trump attacks shape 2026 field

Jan 05 Breaking TC 7

Gov. Tim Walz announced he will not seek a third term in 2026, reversing earlier intentions and saying 2025 has become "an extraordinarily difficult year" — citing a statewide fraud crisis and sustained political attacks from President Donald Trump and allies that he says have left him unable to mount a full campaign; Walz defended his administration’s fraud response, including seeking new legislative tools, firing staff, prosecuting offenders, cutting funding streams tied to criminal activity and hiring a statewide head of program integrity. His exit reshapes the 2026 race: Democrats have no clear frontrunner though Sen. Amy Klobuchar is reportedly considering a run (with Secretary of State Steve Simon also floated and Rep. Dean Phillips saying he won’t run), while a crowded GOP field — including House Speaker Lisa Demuth, Mike Lindell, Rep. Kristin Robbins, Minneapolis attorney Chris Madel, former Sen. Scott Jensen, Brad Kohler, Kendall Qualls, Jeff Johnson and Phillip Parrish — has already formed amid sharp reactions from DFL leaders blaming Trump-era attacks.

Elections Local Government Business & Economy

U.S. House Oversight Committee calls on Walz to testify in Minnesota fraud probe

Jan 05 Developing TC 12

House Oversight Chair James Comer has asked Gov. Tim Walz to testify at a Feb. 10, 2026 hearing (with an initial session Jan. 7) into alleged large‑scale fraud in Minnesota social‑services programs, accusing state leaders of being “asleep at the wheel or complicit.” Federal prosecutors and the FBI say fraud in 14 high‑risk Medicaid programs — roughly $18 billion in spending since 2018 — could be in the multi‑billion‑dollar range, while the Walz administration and state auditors say they’ve only documented tens of millions to date and are coordinating cross‑agency audits and investigations amid mounting political pressure.

Legal Local Government Business & Economy

SBA suspends 6,900 Minnesota PPP/EIDL borrowers, flags $400M for fraud review

Jan 02 Breaking TC 2

The SBA’s internal review flagged roughly 7,900 PPP and EIDL loans in Minnesota totaling about $400 million as suspected fraud and has suspended 6,900 borrowers from all SBA programs. Under current SBA policy those suspensions amount to permanent bars to future SBA participation, and the agency said it will refer the cases to federal law enforcement for potential prosecution and recovery, coordinating with a broader federal fraud probe of Minnesota-administered programs.

Business & Economy Legal Local Government

Half of Skyline Tower residents return; St. Paul adds loan program as west tower repairs continue

Jan 02 Breaking TC 7

About five days after a Sunday fire and resulting power outage at the 24‑story Skyline Tower in St. Paul, roughly half of the building’s 773 residents have returned — all 141 households in the east tower — after the city cleared the structure, while the west tower remains closed for repairs following significant sprinkler water damage. St. Paul has added a loan program to help residents displaced or financially affected by the evacuation with housing and recovery costs, supplementing aid from CommonBond, the Red Cross and other supports; investigators say the blaze activated sprinklers on the 12th–14th floors, knocked out heat, water and elevators, no injuries were reported, and the cause remains under investigation.

Utilities Local Government Housing

Somali-run Nokomis Daycare vandalized and burglarized as Trump administration freezes Minnesota child-care funds

Jan 01 Breaking TC 2

Somali-run Nokomis Daycare in Minneapolis was reportedly broken into and vandalized in a burglary. The incident occurred as the Trump administration has frozen Minnesota’s child‑care payments and stepped up federal fraud scrutiny, and operators say they feel singled out, deny wrongdoing and point to their inspection history.

Public Safety Legal Business & Economy

Ex‑treasurer charged with $110K theft from Plymouth–Wayzata youth softball group

Jan 01 Breaking TC 1

Hennepin County prosecutors have charged Kristin Allyenne Williams, 52, of Maple Grove with felony theft by swindle, alleging she stole more than $110,000 from the Plymouth Wayzata Youth Softball Association between August 2020 and February 2025. According to the criminal complaint, Williams was the only person with online access and a debit card for the nonprofit’s U.S. Bank account and is accused of making unauthorized ATM withdrawals at Mystic Lake and Little Six casinos and falsifying financial reports to the volunteer board, which later learned the IRS had revoked the group’s tax‑exempt status after three years of unfiled returns and vendors and coaches went unpaid.

Public Safety Legal Business & Economy

New 2026 federal tax rules for tips, overtime, seniors

Jan 01 TC 1

A FOX 9 guide outlines how President Donald Trump’s 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act changes 2025 federal income tax filing for 2026, including temporary deductions that can effectively shield up to $25,000 in tips and $12,500 in overtime pay ($25,000 for joint filers), a new $6,000 senior deduction for qualifying older adults, and deductibility of up to $10,000 in car‑loan interest on U.S.-assembled vehicles. The law also raises the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 to $2,200 per child and ends the IRS Direct File pilot for 2026, meaning Twin Cities filers must use other e‑file or paid-prep options by the April 15, 2026 deadline.

Business & Economy Local Government

Minnesota paid family leave, break rules begin Jan. 1

Jan 01 TC 1

Minnesota’s Paid Family and Medical Leave law took effect Jan. 1, 2026, allowing most workers statewide to claim up to 20 weeks of paid leave per year—12 weeks for their own medical needs and 12 for family or safety reasons—with wage replacement generally between 55% and 90% of normal pay, capped at about $1,423 per week. Eligibility requires at least $3,900 in prior‑year earnings and excludes certain groups such as federal and tribal employees, postal and railroad workers, seasonal hospitality workers, independent contractors and the self‑employed, while a separate new law now guarantees at least a 15‑minute rest break every four hours and a 30‑minute meal break every six hours for Minnesota employees. Employers can withhold up to 0.44% of wages to help fund the program, leave can be taken in blocks or intermittently, and most workers are entitled to return to the same or an equivalent job after 90 days on the job, with retaliation prohibited.

Local Government Business & Economy Education

GOP collaboration with YouTuber heightens fallout from viral Minnesota day-care fraud video

Dec 31 Developing TC 4

House Republicans acknowledged working with YouTuber Nick Shirley on a viral video alleging roughly $110 million in Minnesota day‑care fraud — a piece that drew federal attention (DHS/HSI) and comes amid an HHS freeze on about $185 million in child‑care payments and door‑to‑door state investigations; GOP staff said they provided some information while DFL leaders called the effort a political stunt. State child‑care officials say the 10 centers named have been inspected at least once in the past six months and are being re‑reviewed, reporting children present and headcounts matching licenses with no findings of fraud so far, while some centers are closed and providers have publicly denied wrongdoing.

Public Safety Local Government Legal

Minneapolis distributor recalls hundreds of items over rodent contamination

Dec 31 Breaking TC 1

The FDA has ordered Minneapolis-based Gold Star Distribution, Inc. to recall all regulated products—including drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, dietary supplements and shelf-stable foods—after inspectors found rodents, rodent urine and bird droppings in warehouse areas where items for humans and pets were stored. The recall, which affects hundreds of products such as JIF peanut butter, Pringles, rice and ramen distributed to more than 50 stores statewide, warns of potential Salmonella and other contamination and urges consumers and retailers to destroy affected items; frozen and refrigerated products shipped directly from manufacturers are not included, and no illnesses have been reported so far.

Health Public Safety Business & Economy

St. Paul bans cryptocurrency kiosks; Bitcoin Depot sues to overturn ordinance

Dec 30 Developing TC 3

On Nov. 19 the St. Paul City Council adopted a 6–1 ordinance, led by Council President Rebecca Noecker, banning cryptocurrency kiosks citywide — a move Council Members Saura Jost and Cheniqua Johnson said was prompted by presentations on scams, with the city home to at least 32 kiosks and Minnesota reporting 51 kiosk-related scams totaling about $700,000; Council Member Anika Bowie cast the lone dissenting vote, saying a ban would simply shift the problem to neighboring cities. Bitcoin Depot, which had spoken at the St. Paul hearing and previously sued over Stillwater’s similar ban, has now filed suit seeking to block enforcement of St. Paul’s ordinance, arguing it is preempted by state or federal law and unlawfully interferes with its business.

Legal Local Government Public Safety

St. Paul grocer adds free delivery amid ICE fears

Dec 25 Breaking TC 1

Bymore Mercado, a grocery store in St. Paul, says it lost about 75% of its customers within days of the federal immigration crackdown that began Dec. 1 in the Twin Cities, after many patrons — including U.S. citizens and legal residents — became afraid to leave home and risk encountering ICE agents. In response, the store launched a free delivery service with volunteer drivers and is using roughly $8,000 raised on GoFundMe to cover groceries for customers who cannot pay, pledging to continue the program as long as needed.

Business & Economy Public Safety Housing & Immigration

UnitedHealth to cut MN Medicare Advantage counties from 72 to 27 in 2026; UCare exits; Blue Cross maintains statewide coverage via MA/Cost

Dec 23 Developing TC 4

UnitedHealth will sharply scale back Medicare Advantage in Minnesota in 2026 — cutting its footprint from 72 counties to 27 as part of a national exit from 109 counties that may affect up to 180,000 members — while Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota will continue to offer Medicare options in all 87 counties through MA plans in 66 counties and Medicare Cost plans in the remaining 21; UCare is exiting Medicare Advantage entirely. Affected beneficiaries may revert to original Medicare A/B and lose MA benefits such as prescription drug coverage, but options include guaranteed-issue Medigap for those whose MA plans are terminated and standalone drug plans with premiums cited roughly $0 to $101–$117; UCare’s abrupt, court‑ordered wind‑down after large losses has left about 2,500 Medigap members scrambling to secure replacement coverage on short notice.

Business & Economy Health

UCare collapse forces 2,500 Medigap members to switch plans by Jan. 1

Dec 23 Developing TC 1

UCare’s financial freefall has led the Minnesota Department of Health to place the Twin Cities‑based health plan into court‑supervised receivership, and about 2,500 of its Medicare Supplement policyholders now have only days over the holiday season to secure new coverage or risk a gap starting Jan. 1, 2026. After a record surplus in 2022, UCare lost roughly $500 million by the end of 2024 and told regulators it could not pay its debts without a merger, but members say they were initially assured their Medigap policies would be unaffected by the planned transition to Medica before receiving last‑minute cancellation notices.

Health Business & Economy

98 Minnesota mayors warn state that fraud, mandates and cuts are driving 2026 levy hikes

Dec 23 TC 7

Ninety‑eight Minnesota mayors sent a joint letter to the governor and legislative leaders warning that “widespread fraud,” unfunded state mandates, cuts and broader fiscal mismanagement are forcing cities into higher 2026 property‑tax levies, constraining public‑safety staffing and delaying infrastructure projects. Preliminary Department of Revenue data and local reports show proposed 2026 levies could rise roughly $948 million statewide (preliminary increases up to about 6.9%, with average city proposals around 8.7% and county proposals up to 8.1%), every county proposing increases (some double‑digit), with truth‑in‑taxation meetings set for Nov.–Dec., final levies due Dec. 29 and final statewide totals released after the February forecast.

Local Government Business & Economy

Anoka-Hennepin teachers set Jan. 8 strike date

Dec 23 Developing TC 1

Anoka-Hennepin Education Minnesota has filed a formal intent-to-strike notice with the Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services, setting Jan. 8 as the earliest possible date for a teachers’ strike if no contract agreement is reached. The union, representing educators in the Twin Cities’ largest district, says rising health-insurance costs and pay are the main sticking points, while the school board says it remains committed to negotiating through mediation and will hold a special meeting to discuss the labor situation.

Education Business & Economy Local Government

Ninety‑eight Minnesota mayors warn state on fraud, mandates and rising costs

Dec 22 Breaking TC 1

A coalition of 98 Minnesota mayors sent a joint letter to state leaders Monday warning that widespread fraud, unfunded mandates and rising costs are driving up local property‑tax levies, limiting public safety staffing and delaying infrastructure work, and citing the swing from an $18 billion surplus to a projected $2.9–$3 billion 2028–29 deficit as evidence of poor fiscal management. The mayors say many cities face 2026 levy hikes averaging 8.7% and counties up to 8.1%, and urge the state to change course to avoid 'taxing our families, seniors, and businesses out of Minnesota.'

Local Government Business & Economy

Knight Foundation gives $2M to St. Paul library nonprofit

Dec 21 Breaking TC 1

The Knight Foundation awarded a $2 million grant to the Friends of the St. Paul Public Library, according to a Dec. 21 report. The funding supports the nonprofit partner of the city’s public library system in St. Paul; details on specific uses were not included in the report.

Business & Economy Education

Menards pays $632K in Minnesota settlement

Dec 20 Breaking TC 1

Minnesota reached a $632,000 settlement with Menards resolving state allegations tied to the company’s rebate program and pandemic‑era pricing practices. The agreement, announced Dec. 19, 2025, applies statewide — including Twin Cities stores — and concludes the state’s consumer‑protection investigation into the retailer.

Legal Business & Economy

Trump secures drugmaker deals to cut Medicaid prices

Dec 19 Breaking TC 1

President Donald Trump said Friday his administration reached agreements with nine additional major drugmakers — bringing 14 of the 17 largest firms on board — to a 'most‑favored‑nation' pricing initiative aimed at keeping Medicaid drug costs at or below prices in other high‑income countries. The deals also include a combined $150 billion in new U.S. investment commitments and contributions of active pharmaceutical ingredients to a federal reserve, with a new TrumpRX.gov site set to launch in January 2026.

Health Business & Economy Local Government

Roundhouse buys 158-unit North Loop apartments

Dec 19 Breaking TC 1

Boise-based Roundhouse acquired a 158-unit apartment building in Minneapolis’ North Loop for at least $47 million, according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal on Dec. 19, 2025. The deal underscores continued investor interest in the North Loop amid strong rent growth.

Business & Economy Housing

MSP expects 4% holiday travel increase

Dec 18 Breaking TC 1

The Metropolitan Airports Commission says Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport will see about a 4% year-over-year rise in holiday traffic, with roughly 763,000 passengers expected to clear security and about 1.8 million total travelers from Dec. 19, 2025 to Jan. 5, 2026. The busiest pre‑Christmas day is forecast to be Friday, Dec. 19 (nearly 43,000 screenings; 445 departures), with even higher post‑holiday screening volumes topping 50,000 on Dec. 26 and Dec. 28; travelers should expect busy roadways, ramps and terminals.

Transit & Infrastructure Business & Economy

Developer seeks $3.5M St. Paul loan for Grand/Victoria project

Dec 18 Breaking TC 2

A developer has asked the City of St. Paul for a $3.5 million loan to help finance a mixed-use housing and retail project at Grand Avenue and Victoria Street. On December 18, 2025, the St. Paul City Council approved creation of a $9 million tax-increment financing district for the same area, a larger public-financing step than the earlier loan request.

Housing Business & Economy Local Government

FTC settles with Instacart; pricing probe continues

Dec 18 Developing TC 1

The FTC reached a settlement with Instacart over alleged deceptive practices, and the company is also facing a separate investigation into its pricing. Announced Dec. 18, 2025, the actions apply nationwide and could affect Instacart users in the Twin Cities through potential policy changes, refunds, or pricing adjustments.

Legal Business & Economy Technology

Trump orders marijuana reclassification to Schedule III

Dec 18 Breaking TC 2

President Trump signed an executive order to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. Experts say Schedule III status would formally recognize accepted medical use and expand federal research, allow cannabis businesses to claim standard federal tax deductions (mitigating IRS 280E impacts), and could reduce certain criminal penalties, though political opposition remains.

Business & Economy Health Legal

Anoka-Hennepin teachers vote on strike

Dec 17 Developing TC 1

Teachers in Minnesota’s largest district are voting through Saturday on whether to authorize a strike after working without a contract since June 30. Union leaders cite no agreed pay increase and an average 22% jump in health insurance costs that could cut take‑home pay by $95–$400 per paycheck; if approved, more than 3,000 teachers and licensed staff could strike in early January, as talks stalled after a Dec. 3 mediation session.

Education Business & Economy

After Senate rejection, House Speaker rules out ACA subsidy vote; 2026 lapse more likely

Dec 17 TC 8

After the Senate voted down both a Democratic plan to extend enhanced ACA premium subsidies and a Republican alternative—and with Senate Republicans unveiling a plan that does not include the extensions—the likelihood the enhanced subsidies will lapse for the 2026 plan year has risen, threatening steep premium increases for millions nationally (including about 89,000 MNsure recipients and up to 24 million exchange enrollees). House Speaker Mike Johnson said Dec. 16 the House will not take up a subsidy-extension vote and will instead press a GOP health‑care plan, closing near‑term congressional paths despite a White House draft to extend subsidies for two years with eligibility caps and minimum premiums.

Government/Regulatory Local Government Health

Minnesota jobless rate rises to 4.6%

Dec 17 Breaking TC 1

A delayed Minnesota jobs report released Dec. 16 shows the state’s unemployment rate ticked up to 4.6% while total employment increased by 64,000. The update provides the latest snapshot of statewide labor conditions that directly affect the Twin Cities job market.

Business & Economy

Washington County adopts 2026 levy at 6.95%, lowest in metro

Dec 16 Breaking TC 2

On Dec. 16, 2025, the Washington County Board approved the final 2026 property‑tax levy at a 6.95% increase. That rate is the lowest levy increase among counties in the Twin Cities metro area.

Business & Economy Local Government

MSP reassesses disadvantaged business programs after rule change

Dec 16 Developing TC 1

The Metropolitan Airports Commission says it is reevaluating which firms qualify for its disadvantaged business programs at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport after a federal rule under the Trump administration eliminated race and gender as factors for determining economic disadvantage. The review could affect certification and future contracting opportunities at MSP; updated criteria and timelines were not immediately disclosed.

Business & Economy Local Government Transit & Infrastructure

Dakota County adopts 2026 budget with 9.9% levy increase

Dec 16 Breaking TC 3

Dakota County scheduled a Tuesday meeting to serve as the public hearing/Truth‑in‑Taxation step on a proposed 9.9% increase to the 2026 property‑tax levy. At its Dec. 16, 2025 meeting the County Board approved the final levy at 9.9% and adopted the 2026 budget.

Business & Economy Local Government

Ramsey County adopts 8.25% final levy, trims operating budget

Dec 16 Breaking TC 3

Ramsey County initially set a preliminary 9.75% property-tax levy and scheduled a truth-in-taxation hearing to take public comment and provide information. After that process the county board adopted a final 2026 levy increase of 8.25% and approved a reduced operating budget, replacing the earlier preliminary levy.

Local Government Business & Economy

Kia, Hyundai AG settlement: free ignition protectors, immobilizers going forward, up to $4,500 for MN theft victims

Dec 16 Breaking TC 2

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a settlement with Kia and Hyundai requiring the automakers to repair millions of vehicles to fix anti-theft technology, include industry-standard engine immobilizers on all future vehicles, and offer eligible owners a free zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protector installed at authorized dealers; the companies will also pay up to $4.5 million in consumer restitution and $4.5 million to states to offset investigation costs. Victims of qualifying thefts occurring after April 29, 2025 (or before protector installation but by March 31, 2027) can seek up to $4,500 if the car had received the software upgrade or had a scheduled appointment, a settlement announced amid a surge in Twin Cities Kia/Hyundai thefts — 3,293 in 2022 with Minneapolis and St. Paul seeing 836% and 611% year-over-year increases.

Business & Economy Public Safety Legal

Feds to review Minnesota benefits programs over fraud

Dec 16 Developing TC 2

Federal officials have announced a targeted review of Minnesota benefits programs amid concerns about fraud in unemployment and nutrition assistance. As part of that review, the U.S. Department of Labor is sending an on‑site team to investigate potential unemployment insurance fraud.

Business & Economy Local Government Legal

Hennepin County to pay $370K in back wages

Dec 15 Breaking TC 1

Hennepin County is paying $370,000 in back wages to security guards employed by a subcontractor on county contracts after determining they were underpaid under county labor standards. The county said the payout will make affected workers whole for work performed at county sites; details on the vendor and the number of workers were not immediately disclosed.

Local Government Business & Economy

Minnesota sets new rest, meal break minimums Jan. 1

Dec 15 TC 1

Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, Minnesota law requires employers to provide at least a 15‑minute rest break (or enough time to reach the nearest restroom, whichever is longer) within each four consecutive hours worked, and a minimum 30‑minute meal break for every six consecutive hours. The change, part of several laws taking effect statewide, also coincides with other updates noted by officials, including higher watercraft surcharges and an end to shotgun‑only deer hunting zones.

Local Government Business & Economy

Walz appoints statewide fraud‑prevention director and launches program‑integrity push

Dec 12 Breaking TC 2

Gov. Tim Walz on Dec. 12, 2025, formally appointed a statewide fraud‑prevention director and announced a program‑integrity initiative. The effort is intended to strengthen anti‑fraud oversight and coordination across state agencies.

Legal Business & Economy Local Government

Judge OKs asset pursuit in Normandale debt case

Dec 12 Breaking TC 1

A judge ruled MidWestOne Bank can pursue the personal assets of a New York real‑estate executive who guaranteed $36 million in loans tied to a Normandale Lake office tower in Bloomington. The decision advances the bank’s recovery efforts in the high‑stakes commercial real‑estate dispute involving a prominent Twin Cities property.

Legal Business & Economy

Andersen to pay $52.2M in profit sharing

Dec 12 Breaking TC 2

Bayport-based Andersen Corp. will pay $52.2 million in profit-sharing payouts for 2025. The 2025 checks are smaller than in 2024, when Andersen paid an average of $3,923 per worker.

Employment Business & Economy

House votes to void Trump federal union order

Dec 11 Developing TC 1

The U.S. House on Dec. 11 voted to nullify a Trump executive order that curtailed collective‑bargaining rights for federal employees, a step that would restore bargaining rights if enacted. The measure now heads to the Senate and, if it becomes law, would directly affect thousands of federal workers in the Twin Cities at agencies operating in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro.

Legal Business & Economy

DOT: No hotel/meals owed for recall disruptions

Dec 11 Breaking TC 1

The U.S. Department of Transportation said Dec. 11 that airlines are not required to cover passenger expenses like hotels, meals, or ground transportation when flights are disrupted by manufacturer aircraft recalls or groundings. The clarification, following recent Airbus A320-family issues, still leaves passengers eligible for refunds on canceled flights under federal rules; Twin Cities travelers at MSP should expect airlines may offer goodwill aid but are not obligated to pay incidental costs in recall situations.

Transit & Infrastructure Business & Economy

SPDDC buys Empire & Endicott; tenant search set for 2026

Dec 11 Breaking TC 2

St. Paul Downtown Development Corp. has purchased the Empire Building and the Endicott Arcade in downtown St. Paul. The organization says it will reutilize the Empire Building as part of a downtown stabilization strategy and will begin work in 2026 to identify commercial and retail users for the Endicott Arcade.

Housing Business & Economy

30‑year mortgage rate edges up to 6.22%

Dec 11 Breaking TC 1

Freddie Mac’s weekly survey shows the average U.S. 30‑year fixed mortgage rate ticked up to 6.22% as of Dec. 11, 2025, while remaining close to this year’s lows. The move influences home affordability and refinancing for Minneapolis–Saint Paul households heading into the winter housing market.

Business & Economy Housing

Andersen to buy 1,000‑employee Bright Wood

Dec 10 Breaking TC 1

Bayport-based Andersen Corp. said Dec. 10 it will acquire Bright Wood Corp., a Pacific Northwest window‑component manufacturer with about 1,000 employees that has been family‑owned for more than six decades. Andersen also plans to bring in a former competitor’s CEO to lead the operation, signaling integration and leadership changes tied to the deal.

Business & Economy

Daikin Applied building $163M Twin Cities R&D facility

Dec 09 Breaking TC 1

Daikin Applied Americas announced plans to build a $163 million research-and-development facility in the Twin Cities, focusing on advanced cooling needs driven by the growth of artificial intelligence and cloud computing. The project adds a major corporate investment to the metro’s tech and manufacturing ecosystem; further details on site, timeline and hiring were not disclosed in the preview.

Business & Economy Technology

Boston Scientific buys Maple Grove facility for $188M

Dec 08 Breaking TC 1

Boston Scientific has purchased a newly built facility in Maple Grove for $188 million, further expanding its presence in the northwest Twin Cities metro. The deal underscores continued investment by the medtech giant in its local operations; additional details about the building and any staffing plans were not immediately available.

Business & Economy Real Estate

FAA eases nationwide flight cuts to 3%; MSP still under limits

Dec 06 Developing TC 32

The FAA has scaled back its mandated flight‑capacity reductions at 40 major U.S. airports from a planned 10% ramp (held at 6%) to 3% as controller attendance improved, but the order — in effect since Nov. 7 amid unpaid air traffic controllers, staffing shortages and missed paychecks — remains in place and continues to limit operations at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International (MSP). The cuts and earlier staffing shortfalls have caused widespread delays and thousands of cancellations nationwide (dozens at MSP), prompted airlines to offer refunds and waivers, and spurred an FAA probe into carriers’ handling of the reductions.

Government & Politics Transit & Infrastructure Government

AG Ellison to mediate UMN–M Physicians–Fairview talks; parties resume negotiations

Dec 05 Breaking TC 6

The University of Minnesota, Fairview Health Services and M Physicians agreed to resume talks over the medical school’s future funding and clinical partnership with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison managing the negotiations and naming a team to assist and help select a mutually agreed mediator. The move follows a contentious standoff — Fairview and M Physicians had announced a roughly $1 billion, “foundational and binding” framework they aim to finalize by end of 2025, while UMN regents unanimously criticized the pact as an overreach (calling it a “hostile takeover”), passed a resolution directing negotiations with the university and prompted the removal of M Physicians leader Dr. Greg Beilman from a UMN vice president post.

Local Government Health Business & Economy

$1,000 'Trump Accounts' for 2025–2028 newborns

Dec 04 Breaking TC 1

A new federal program will deposit $1,000 into investment accounts for all U.S. babies born 2025–2028 once parents open an account, with funds invested in low‑fee U.S. stock index funds and accessible at age 18 for restricted uses such as tuition, a home down payment or starting a business. Michael and Susan Dell also pledged $6.25 billion to add a $250 seed for some children age 10 and under in lower‑income ZIP codes who don’t qualify for the $1,000, changes that directly affect eligible Twin Cities families.

Business & Economy Education

30-year mortgage rate falls to 6.19%

Dec 04 Breaking TC 1

Freddie Mac’s weekly survey on Thursday, Dec. 4, reported the average U.S. 30-year fixed mortgage rate dipped to 6.19%, near its low for 2025. The move could modestly improve affordability for Minneapolis–Saint Paul buyers and refinancing prospects for some homeowners as the housing market heads into winter.

Business & Economy Housing

St. Paul sets hearing on 5.3% 2026 levy

Dec 03 Breaking TC 2

The St. Paul City Council scheduled a Truth in Taxation hearing on a proposed 5.3% increase to the 2026 property‑tax levy. On Dec. 3, 2025 the council voted to adopt that 5.3% levy and approved $6.7 million in budget changes.

Local Government Business & Economy

St. Paul approves 5.3% 2026 levy, $6.7M budget changes

Dec 03 Breaking TC 1

The St. Paul City Council on Dec. 3, 2025 approved a 5.3% increase to the city’s 2026 property‑tax levy and adopted $6.7 million in changes to the municipal budget. The vote finalizes next year’s tax rate and spending plan, directly impacting city services and property‑tax bills for St. Paul residents.

Local Government Business & Economy

BAE wins $22M Navy deal; Twin Cities work

Dec 03 Breaking TC 1

BAE Systems secured a $22 million U.S. Navy contract that could grow to as much as $317 million, with engineering and program support to be performed in the Twin Cities. The award brings new defense-related work to the metro and could impact staffing and operations at BAE’s local facilities.

Business & Economy Technology

Trump student-loan overhaul: DOE drops IBR hardship test in December; caps grad borrowing next July

Dec 03 Developing TC 2

The Department of Education/Federal Student Aid will finish implementing changes in December that remove the “partial financial hardship” requirement to enroll in Income‑Based Repayment (IBR), a move that can let higher earners newly qualify, while also eliminating the SAVE plan and phasing out PAYE and ICR. IBR payments remain capped at the equivalent of the 10‑year standard plan with existing calculation percentages unchanged (generally 10% for new borrowers after July 1, 2014; 15% for older loans), and borrowers with eligible loans before July 1, 2026 can access IBR/ICR/PAYE on or after that date — FSA urges consolidations be completed at least three months prior.

Education Business & Economy Health

Wren Clair, KSTP seek dismissal of lawsuit

Dec 02 Developing TC 1

Meteorologist Wren Clair and KSTP-TV jointly asked a judge on Dec. 2, 2025 to dismiss her lawsuit against the station, according to a TwinCities.com report. The filing signals a potential end to the legal dispute pending the court’s decision; details of the request were not immediately disclosed.

Legal Business & Economy

GN Group adds 100 jobs in Shakopee

Dec 02 Breaking TC 1

Copenhagen-based GN Group has converted Shakopee’s former Shutterfly facility into an advanced medical-device manufacturing and distribution center and plans to add about 100 jobs, the company told the Business Journal. The project brings new production and logistics activity to Scott County after a year-long retrofit of the building.

Business & Economy Health

Costco sues to block emergency tariffs

Dec 02 Developing TC 1

Costco Wholesale Corporation filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of International Trade seeking to invalidate President Trump’s emergency tariff orders, block U.S. Customs and Border Protection from collecting such duties going forward, and recover tariffs already paid. The filing cites an imminent Dec. 15 deadline to “liquidate” import entries, after which duties become final, and argues the emergency‑powers statute used does not authorize creating or raising tariffs on goods from China, Mexico, Canada and other countries.

Legal Business & Economy

Metro Transit E Line BRT launches this weekend

Dec 02 Breaking TC 1

Metro Transit will debut the E Line bus rapid transit this weekend, replacing Route 6 and providing faster, more frequent service between Southdale and the University of Minnesota with upgraded stations and security features. The agency expects about 3,000 riders per day, and business groups at 50th & France and in Linden Hills—hit hard by construction—are cautiously optimistic the new service will boost foot traffic.

Transit & Infrastructure Business & Economy

Ex-Mpls Chamber CEO Jonathan Weinhagen pleads guilty to mail fraud; faces nearly 3 years, >$200K restitution

Dec 02 Breaking TC 7

Jonathan Weinhagen, the former CEO of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber who had been a Mounds View school board member (he has resigned), pleaded guilty to mail fraud and could face nearly three years in prison and more than $200,000 in restitution. Prosecutors allege he diverted Chamber funds — including about $30,000 earmarked as Crime Stoppers rewards for unsolved 2021 Minneapolis child shootings — through a sham consulting firm called Synergy Partners and an alias “James Sullivan,” opened a Chamber line of credit and drew over $125,000, signed sham contracts generating more than $100,000 for himself, and attempted a fraudulent SoFi loan in a scheme said to have run from December 2019 to June 2024.

Local Government Education Legal

Associated Bank buying American National Bank

Dec 01 Breaking TC 1

Associated Bank announced a $604 million deal to acquire American National Bank, adding six Twin Cities branches and bringing its metro footprint to 24 locations. The merger will elevate Associated Bank’s ranking among the region’s largest banks and expands its presence across the Minneapolis–Saint Paul market.

Business & Economy

December Social Security and SSI payment dates

Nov 30 TC 1

The Social Security Administration set December 2025 payment dates: SSA benefits will be paid Dec. 3 for those on rolls before May 1997 and on Dec. 10, 17, or 24 based on birthdate; SSI will be paid Dec. 1 and again Dec. 31 because Jan. 1 is a federal holiday. Twin Cities recipients who don’t see an expected direct deposit should contact their bank first, then call SSA at 1-800-772-1213.

Business & Economy Government/Regulatory

Rep. Morrison proposes Small Business tariff rebates

Nov 29 Breaking TC 1

U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison announced on Small Business Saturday that she has introduced the Small Business RELIEF Act to exempt small firms from Trump‑era tariffs and refund those that already paid them. Morrison, a member of the House Small Business Committee, made the announcement while touring local Minnesota shops to highlight tariff impacts on Twin Cities businesses.

Business & Economy Government/Policy

$3.6B federal heating aid released to states, tribes

Nov 29 Breaking TC 2

The Department of Health and Human Services released $3.6 billion in LIHEAP heating assistance to states and tribes to help families pay to heat their homes, a move NEADA executive director Mark Wolfe called "essential and long overdue." HHS had not yet issued a formal announcement when NEADA confirmed the release; a bipartisan group of House members had urged the funds be released by Nov. 30 amid NEADA projections that winter heating costs will rise about 10.5% (electricity +13.6%/~$1,208, propane +7.3%/~$1,442, natural gas +7.2%/~$644) and noting that roughly 68% of LIHEAP households also receive SNAP, with shutdown-related delays increasing hardship.

Business & Economy Utilities Economy

Dakota County to host 2031 horticultural expo

Nov 28 Breaking TC 1

Organizers announced that Dakota County will host Expo 2031 Minnesota USA, the first international horticultural exposition ever held in the United States. The 2031 event, set within the Twin Cities metro, is expected to drive significant tourism and regional planning activity; next steps include formal coordination with local and state agencies on site planning, transportation, and permitting.

Business & Economy Local Government

Shutdown ends: Feds back Thursday; back pay by Nov. 19 as LIHEAP restarts

Nov 28 Developing TC 25

President Trump signed a stopgap funding bill ending the 43‑day shutdown, OPM directed federal employees to return Thursday and agencies will issue back pay in four tranches beginning by Nov. 19 while the measure reverses shutdown‑era firings and bars new layoffs through January. The package restarts programs including SNAP, releases $3.6 billion in LIHEAP heating aid to states and tribes, and extends funding through Jan. 30, though SNAP and other benefits may take days or longer to reach recipients and a separate vote on ACA premium subsidies is expected in December.

Government/Regulatory Elections Government

Feds cut Medicare prices for 15 drugs

Nov 26 Breaking TC 1

On Nov. 26, 2025, the Trump administration announced that Medicare will pay lower prices for 15 prescription drugs, projecting 'billions' in taxpayer savings. The change would affect Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro, though specific drugs and implementation details were not provided in the headline.

Health Business & Economy

Average 30‑year mortgage rate dips to 6.23%

Nov 26 Breaking TC 1

Freddie Mac’s weekly survey shows the average U.S. 30‑year fixed mortgage rate fell to 6.23% as of Nov. 26, 2025, ending a three‑week climb. The move directly affects Minneapolis–Saint Paul borrowers and sellers by influencing monthly payments, refinancing decisions, and housing demand heading into the holiday season.

Business & Economy Housing

FHFA raises conforming loan limit to $832,750

Nov 25 Breaking TC 1

The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced it is increasing the baseline conforming loan limit for single-family mortgages to $832,750, raising the maximum size of most loans that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can back. The change applies in the Twin Cities’ seven-county metro in the upcoming loan-limit year, meaning more buyers can use conforming financing instead of higher-cost jumbo loans; higher limits may apply in designated high-cost areas elsewhere.

Housing Business & Economy

MSP food-service strike averted with HMSHost deal

Nov 24 Breaking TC 1

The union representing hundreds of food-service workers at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport called off a threatened strike after reaching a labor agreement with HMSHost, avoiding disruptions during a busy travel week. The tentative deal means airport restaurants and concessions can continue operating without a walkout while details are finalized.

Business & Economy Transit & Infrastructure

Minnesota Chamber unveils growth plan as report shows GDP, tech, innovation lag

Nov 23 TC 3

At an Economic Summit in Eagan, the Minnesota Chamber released its 2026 Business Benchmarks report and unveiled an "Economic Imperative for Growth" multiyear campaign to unite lawmakers and business leaders after finding the state's economy has fallen behind on nearly every measure of growth. The report cites about 1% per‑capita GDP growth versus 1.8% nationally, a slide in state rankings into the 30s (as low as 38th since 2019), weak tech job growth (44th in 2024), high patents per capita but poor patent growth, and warns employers that taxes, regulations and new mandates — including a paid family and medical leave program starting Jan. 1 — are deepening competitiveness concerns.

Business & Economy

Palace Theatre sues Wrecktangle for $1.6M

Nov 22 Breaking TC 1

The Palace Theatre’s operators have sued Wrecktangle Pizza in Hennepin County District Court, alleging the company owes more than $1.6 million on a loan tied to their short‑lived joint venture, Wrestaurant at the Palace, which opened in 2023 and closed a year later amid water damage. Wrecktangle’s response admits no payments were made but counters that the Palace failed to dissolve the joint LLC, is using joint‑owned equipment for the new Palace Pub without crediting Wrecktangle, and disputes the claims; both sides tentatively agreed to a November 2026 trial if no settlement is reached.

Legal Business & Economy

Minnesota employers must send PFML notices Dec. 1

Nov 21 Breaking TC 1

Minnesota’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program starts Jan. 1, 2026, but employers statewide—including in the Twin Cities—must individually notify workers of their benefits and rights by Dec. 1, 2025, in each employee’s primary language, with acknowledgment. New hires must be notified within 30 days, and workplaces must display required posters; the Minnesota State Council of SHRM warns missed deadlines can trigger complaints, investigations, and penalties.

Local Government Business & Economy

90-unit senior housing planned in Maple Grove

Nov 21 Breaking TC 1

A developer plans a 90-unit senior housing building on a city-owned site in Maple Grove, Hennepin County, aiming to provide affordable options that help residents on fixed incomes age in place. The plan, reported Nov. 21, 2025, would add new senior housing capacity within the Twin Cities metro; further city reviews and approvals are expected as the project advances.

Housing Business & Economy

St. Paul OKs 2 a.m. service, unveils World Juniors fest

Nov 21 Breaking TC 1

St. Paul approved temporary ordinance changes allowing bars and restaurants with liquor licenses to apply for 2 a.m. service and noise variances during the Dec. 26–Jan. 5 World Junior Hockey Championship, while launching the free Bold North Breakaway fan festival around Rice Park and Grand Casino Arena. The 10‑day downtown festival adds ice bumper cars, ‘glice’ skating, street hockey, kids’ zones, 40 indoor vendors and New Year’s Eve fireworks as the 29‑game tournament is split between St. Paul and the University of Minnesota’s 3M Arena at Mariucci.

Local Government Business & Economy

Judge hears closing arguments on Google ad-tech remedies

Nov 21 Breaking TC 2

After an April ruling that parts of Google's ad‑tech business constitute an illegal monopoly, Judge Leonie Brinkema held an 11‑day remedies trial this fall and heard closing arguments Friday in Alexandria, Virginia, with a ruling expected early next year. The DOJ urged structural divestitures, calling Google a "recidivist monopolist," while Google called such remedies legally unprecedented and risky for a system that handles roughly 55 million ad requests per second, citing AI‑driven market changes as a reason for caution and DOJ witnesses warning about subtle algorithm manipulation; for context, a separate search case saw Judge Amit Mehta reject a proposed Chrome divestiture and order reforms seen as relatively lenient.

Business & Economy Legal Technology

Solventum to buy Acera Surgical for $725M

Nov 21 Breaking TC 1

Solventum, the 3M health-care spinoff, said Friday it agreed to acquire regenerative wound care maker Acera Surgical for more than $725 million. It is Solventum’s first major deal since separating from 3M last year and signals expansion in advanced wound‑care products with potential impacts on the company’s Twin Cities operations.

Business & Economy Health

PHS West leases 91,000 sq. ft. for new HQ

Nov 21 Breaking TC 1

Manufacturer PHS West signed a 91,000‑square‑foot lease at Brockton Business Park in Corcoran, where it will establish a new headquarters, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports on Nov. 21, 2025. The company said expansion needs, driven by growth in the data‑center industry, prompted the move within the Twin Cities metro.

Business & Economy Real Estate

SNAP work rules expand; USDA weighs mass ‘reapply’ review, cites standard recertification

Nov 21 TC 3

The USDA under Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is moving to expand SNAP work requirements to additional groups — including people ages 55–64 and some parents of 14–18‑year‑olds — and will fully enforce the three‑month time limit for adults who don’t meet work rules starting in December after a waiver was lifted in November. Rollins has said the agency plans to have all SNAP recipients reapply now that the government has reopened, citing “standard recertification processes” and further regulatory and state‑data reviews, but details for a mass reapplication of roughly 42 million beneficiaries are not yet formalized; analysts warn it could create backlogs and loss of benefits for eligible families (about 40% of recipients are children), while the CBO estimates expanded rules could reduce enrollment by about 2.4 million on average per month over 10 years.

Health Business & Economy

Home insurance costs spike across Minnesota

Nov 21 TC 1

FOX 9 reports Nov. 20 that Minnesota homeowners — including in the Twin Cities — are seeing hazard insurance premiums jump as much as 40% and significant increases to wind and hail deductibles (often from $1,500 to $5,000 or to a percentage of home value), driven by severe weather losses and claims. The Minnesota Department of Commerce urges consumers to shop policies and consider weatherproofing for discounts, while State Farm says it paid out $1.30 in claims/expenses per $1 in Minnesota premiums over the past five years.

Business & Economy Housing

White House expands tariff relief to Brazilian coffee, fruit and beef

Nov 20 Breaking TC 3

The White House said it will extend tariff relief to Brazilian imports by excluding certain products from both April’s global rollback under Executive Order 14257 and the punitive July tariffs on Brazil, covering coffee, fruit and beef as well as related items such as tea, tropical fruits and juices, cocoa, spices, bananas, oranges, tomatoes and some fertilizers. The move — framed as easing grocery-price pressures (roasted coffee and ground beef have shown large year‑over‑year CPI gains) — resolves a gap Brazil had flagged, draws industry praise, and comes as President Trump and Brazil’s President Lula negotiate further trade steps.

Government & Policy Government/Regulatory National Policy

Ramsey County names deputy manager, reorganizes services

Nov 20 Breaking TC 1

Ramsey County appointed CFO Alex Kotze as deputy county manager and chief operating officer effective Dec. 1, 2025, and outlined an internal restructuring that creates an Operations Service Team and sunsets the Strategic Team and Information and Public Records Service Team as of Jan. 1. Kotze, who has overseen the county’s $870 million budget since 2020 and previously served as interim deputy for Health and Wellness, will lead strategy for property management, finance and information services as the county streamlines operations.

Local Government Business & Economy

Target cuts prices on 3,000 everyday items

Nov 20 Breaking TC 1

Target said it will reduce prices on 3,000 food and household items to boost value during the holidays and help reverse a sales slump. The company also narrowed its 2025 earnings outlook, cited continued traffic softness, and outlined a $5 billion 2026 investment plan for store remodels, new large-format locations, and supply chain/tech upgrades.

Business & Economy

Average 30-year mortgage rate ticks up to 6.22% after four-week slide

Nov 20 Breaking TC 3

Freddie Mac said the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 6.22% from 6.17%, the first uptick after a four-week slide, while the 15-year fixed rate climbed to about 5.50%. The rise coincided with a roughly 4.09%–4.10% 10-year Treasury yield midday Thursday and comes amid mixed Fed signals — recent rate cuts but Chair Powell’s caution that a December cut isn’t guaranteed and tariff-driven inflation risks — with traders pricing roughly a 44% chance of a December cut.

Housing Business & Economy

30-year mortgage rate edges up to 6.26%

Nov 20 Developing TC 1

Freddie Mac said Thursday, Nov. 20, that the average U.S. 30‑year fixed mortgage rate rose to 6.26% from 6.24% a week earlier, the third straight weekly increase, while the 15‑year average rose to 5.54%. The update, which influences homebuying power in the Twin Cities, comes as the 10‑year Treasury hovered near 4.10% and markets trimmed expectations for a December Fed rate cut.

Housing Business & Economy

THC drink startup cofounder charged with theft

Nov 20 Breaking TC 1

Minnesota-based Crooked Beverage Company co-founder Richard Schenk has been charged with two felony theft counts, accused of taking tens of thousands of dollars from the THC beverage startup. Court documents and co-founder Ryan Winkler say Schenk spent company funds on personal expenses (including mortgage and luxury items), allegedly faked an email to dodge a $300,000 debt to his ex-wife, resigned when confronted, and then allegedly withdrew another $48,000; the company says it remains in operation with products in hundreds of Minnesota locations and 10 states.

Legal Business & Economy Cannabis

Starbucks Red Cup Day strike includes Minneapolis

Nov 19 Developing TC 3

A nationwide Starbucks strike that has indefinitely shuttered more than 65 stores in about 40 cities coincided with the company’s busy Red Cup Day after bargaining broke down in April. Two Twin Cities locations — the unionized St. Anthony store at 3704 Silverlake Rd (unionized 2022) and the unionized Chanhassen store at 190 Lake Dr (unionized 2024) — remained closed after Thursday’s walkout, and there are currently no remaining unionized St. Paul locations while employees at Seventh & Davern have petitioned the NLRB. At the St. Anthony site police arrested a man and woman after super glue and expanding foam were found in the locks and demonstrators later blocked the drive‑through; Starbucks said it was on track to meet or exceed same‑day sales, touts its wages and benefits, and accused the union of walking away from talks.

Public Safety Business & Economy Legal

Trump move extends acting CFPB chief, signals shutdown

Nov 19 Developing TC 1

President Donald Trump nominated OMB associate director Stuart Levenbach to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a step the White House acknowledges is intended to pause the vacancies clock and keep Budget Director Russell Vought as acting CFPB chief while pursuing plans to shut the agency. The administration also said it will not draw Federal Reserve funds to operate the CFPB beyond Dec. 31, relying on a disputed legal theory, a move that could curtail federal consumer‑finance oversight for Twin Cities residents and institutions.

Government/Regulatory Business & Economy

Target Q3 profit falls 19%, warns on holidays

Nov 19 Breaking TC 1

Minneapolis-based Target reported third-quarter profit of $689 million, down 19% year over year, with adjusted EPS of $1.78 on $25.27 billion in sales (-1.5%). Comparable sales fell 2.7% and the company expects the sales slump to extend through the holiday season; Target also plans to invest an additional $1 billion next year to remodel and build stores (total makeover now $5 billion) and said Michael Fiddelke will succeed CEO Brian Cornell on Feb. 1.

Business & Economy

Bird flu drives MN turkey losses, prices higher

Nov 17 TC 1

A Chicago Tribune/Pioneer Press report says Minnesota has accounted for over a third of recent U.S. bird‑flu turkey cases, with more than 716,000 commercial turkeys affected since August and over 1 million since the start of 2025, contributing to higher wholesale and fresh‑bird prices ahead of Thanksgiving. Experts note national turkey production is down nearly 10% year over year, labor costs are up, and fresh birds are most affected while frozen supplies are less impacted; officials expect the fall surge to ease but warn spring migration could renew risks and breeder‑hen losses may tighten supply into 2026.

Health Business & Economy

St. Paul foundations launch $23M housing initiative

Nov 17 Breaking TC 1

The St. Paul & Minnesota Foundation, with the F.R. Bigelow and Mardag foundations, announced a five‑year, $20 million “Our Home State” initiative on Nov. 17 to expand access to safe, stable and affordable housing across Minnesota; St. Paul–based Ecolab added $3 million, bringing the total to $23 million. Early investments will focus on eviction prevention, shelter capacity, affordable housing production and policy/narrative work, with leaders emphasizing support for community‑led solutions that include the Twin Cities.

Housing Business & Economy

Novo cuts Wegovy list price to $349

Nov 17 Breaking TC 1

Novo Nordisk said Monday it reduced the list price for higher-dose Wegovy to $349/month (from $499) for cash‑paying patients and launched a temporary $199/month offer for the first two months of low‑dose Wegovy and Ozempic, aligning with a recent federal drug‑pricing framework. The price changes apply nationwide via pharmacies, home delivery and some telemedicine providers; clinicians and surveys still cite affordability challenges for patients without insurance.

Health Business & Economy

Congress passes shutdown bill with 0.4 mg hemp‑THC cap; 1‑year phase‑in alarms MN beverage industry

Nov 15 Developing TC 5

Congress has passed a stopgap funding bill that includes a national cap of 0.4 mg hemp‑derived THC per container, taking effect in one year and overriding higher state per‑serving limits (Minnesota currently allows ~5 mg), a measure pushed to close a 2018 Farm Bill looph and intended to block unregulated intoxicating hemp products. Minnesota brewers, retailers and hemp beverage makers warn the cap would effectively ban most THC edibles and drinks and devastate a roughly $140–200 million local market — though regulators say licensing and oversight remain unchanged until the cap’s effective date and industry groups urge business as usual in the interim.

Legal & Regulatory Local Government Business & Economy

Disney, YouTube TV end blackout, restore channels

Nov 15 Breaking TC 2

Disney and YouTube TV reached a new carriage agreement that ended a blackout that began the night of Oct. 30 and lasted just over two weeks, with ABC, ESPN and other Disney‑owned channels including NatGeo, FX, Freeform, the SEC Network and ACC Network restored over the course of Nov. 14, the companies said. The sides traded public accusations during negotiations — Disney executives Alan Bergman, Dana Walden and Jimmy Pitaro said YouTube TV refused fair rates and was leveraging its dominance, while YouTube TV said Disney's terms were costly and would reduce consumer choice — after a prior 2021 disruption that lasted less than two days.

Business & Economy Technology

MLS shifts to July–May season; Apple changes access

Nov 13 Breaking TC 1

MLS owners voted Nov. 13 to move to a late‑summer‑to‑spring calendar starting in 2027, aligning with international leagues and adding a long winter break—changes that will affect Minnesota United’s home schedule at Allianz Field. Separately, Apple said all MLS matches will be available to Apple TV subscribers without the separate Season Pass starting in 2026, changing how Twin Cities fans access broadcasts.

Business & Economy Technology

IRS raises 401(k), IRA limits for 2026

Nov 13 Breaking TC 1

The IRS announced on Nov. 13, 2025, that the maximum employee contribution to 401(k), 403(b) and most 457 plans will rise to $24,500 in 2026, with the age‑50 catch‑up increasing to $8,000. The agency also set the 2026 IRA limit at $7,500 and the IRA catch‑up at $1,100, while keeping the special age 60–63 catch‑up at $11,250. The nationwide changes directly affect Twin Cities workers and retirees saving in tax‑advantaged plans.

Business & Economy Government/Regulatory

Hospitals join suit alleging insurer price fixing

Nov 13 Breaking TC 1

A coalition of hospitals and health systems has joined or expanded a federal lawsuit alleging a cartel-like scheme to depress out‑of‑network reimbursements, describing a third‑party repricing firm as a 'mafia enforcer' working for major insurers including Minnetonka‑based UnitedHealth Group. The case accuses the parties of antitrust violations that harmed providers and patients by fixing prices below competitive levels; Twin Cities impact stems from UHG’s role and potential effects on local health systems and consumers.

Legal Health Business & Economy

U.S. Mint strikes final penny Wednesday

Nov 12 Breaking TC 2

The U.S. Mint in Philadelphia will press the final penny Wednesday, and U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said those last coins will be auctioned. Each penny costs roughly four cents to make, and the Treasury estimates ending production will save about $56 million a year in materials, even as tens of billions of pennies remain in circulation and banks and retailers may round cash transactions to the nearest five cents.

Business & Economy Government/Regulatory

Visa, Mastercard propose card-acceptance changes

Nov 12 Breaking TC 1

Visa and Mastercard proposed a national class‑action settlement that would let merchants refuse higher‑tier rewards cards or add surcharges to cover their higher fees, a shift from the networks’ long‑standing “honor all cards” rule. The deal also includes a temporary 10‑basis‑point cut to swipe fees for five years and sets standard transactions at 1.25% for eight years; major retail groups oppose the proposal, which still requires court approval, meaning Twin Cities shoppers with premium rewards cards could eventually see declines or surcharges at checkout if it’s finalized.

Business & Economy Legal

Centerspace reviews options, sells Minneapolis portfolio for $76M

Nov 12 Breaking TC 1

Minot-based apartment REIT Centerspace said Wednesday its board has begun a review of strategic alternatives that could include a sale or merger, and separately announced it sold its Minneapolis-area portfolio for $76 million, including properties in Minneapolis and New Hope. The moves signal a potential change in ownership and strategy affecting Twin Cities multifamily real estate.

Business & Economy Housing

MSP airport retail unit spins off, new CEO

Nov 12 Breaking TC 1

The Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport retail operations of St. Paul-based Airport Retail Group are being split into a standalone business, with investor Megan Bender buying a stake and becoming CEO. The new entity plans to nearly double sales, including by opening a new travel convenience store in MSP’s Terminal 2.

Business & Economy Transit & Infrastructure

Sonder abruptly closes Twin Cities locations

Nov 12 Developing TC 1

Sonder, which operated extended‑stay hotels in downtown St. Paul and multiple Minneapolis sites, shut down operations Monday night after Marriott Bonvoy said its licensing agreement with Sonder was terminated for default. A sign at The Fitz (77 Ninth St. E., St. Paul) states operations ceased Nov. 10, 2025; Marriott directed customers to seek refunds through their credit‑card issuers and rebook within its portfolio as reports indicate Sonder plans a Chapter 7 filing.

Business & Economy

St. Paul keeps staff-led review for reparations study

Nov 12 Developing TC 1

The St. Paul City Council voted 6–1 on Nov. 5 to stick with a staff‑led procurement process for a reparations 'harm study' budgeted up to $250,000, rejecting a proposal from Council Member Anika Bowie to restart the evaluation with a community‑driven review panel. The RFP, extended in September and closed Oct. 3, drew three research firms; a preferred vendor has been identified but not yet finalized, and the contract will come back to the council for approval amid objections from some Black elders and split views among the council’s two Black members.

Local Government Business & Economy

IRS cancels Direct File for 2026 season

Nov 11 Breaking TC 2

The IRS has canceled its Direct File free online tax-filing system for the 2026 season and, per an IRS email from Cynthia Noe, there is no relaunch date set; the program had been piloted in 12 states and was slated to expand to 12 more before the cancellation. Treasury Secretary/IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent said the private sector can do a better job and that Direct File “wasn't used very much.” The 2026 filing season will still include higher standard deductions under OBBBA: $16,100 for single filers and $32,200 for married filing jointly, with brackets adjusted for inflation.

Government & Policy Government/Regulatory Business & Economy

Appeals court orders full SNAP funding; Supreme Court to decide whether 65% cap remains

Nov 11 Developing TC 71

After the federal shutdown prompted USDA to pause SNAP disbursements and initially push a roughly 65% partial‑payment plan, a coalition of states sued and district judges in Rhode Island and Massachusetts ordered USDA to use contingency and other funds to provide full November benefits. The 1st Circuit upheld the lower‑court order requiring full funding (after a brief Supreme Court stay), leaving some states that already issued full payments in limbo as the Supreme Court prepares to decide whether the administration may enforce the 65% cap.

Legal Government/Regulatory Politics

Graco plans Dayton headquarters, leaving NE Minneapolis

Nov 10 Breaking TC 1

Graco said Nov. 10 it plans to build a new headquarters in Dayton, Minnesota, and relocate from its current Northeast Minneapolis riverfront campus. The move would shift the company’s corporate base within the Twin Cities and could open Graco’s high‑profile riverfront site to future redevelopment; project details and approvals will follow local review.

Business & Economy Housing

Minneapolis teachers deal adds 2% raise this year; class-size and special-ed caseload limits set; ratification Thu–Fri

Nov 10 Developing TC 8

Minneapolis Public Schools and the Minneapolis Federation of Educators reached a tentative agreement late Saturday covering three contracts for more than 4,300 employees that includes a 2% pay increase this year and enforceable smaller class sizes and special-education caseload limits. The deal, which averts a planned Nov. 11 strike, goes to union ratification votes Thursday–Friday and then the School Board for approval amid district warnings of a roughly $75 million shortfall this year and further projected deficits.

Business & Economy Education

State awards $69M from MN Forward Fund, including $50M for Rosemount 'North Wind,' $5M for UST and $4M for Hennepin Tech

Nov 09 Breaking TC 4

The state’s Minnesota Forward Fund awarded $69 million across four projects — including a $50 million forgivable loan for North Wind’s $1 billion, 250,000‑sq.‑ft. Minnesota Aerospace Complex at the UMore site in Rosemount, $10 million for Niron Magnetics in Sartell, $5 million for the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul and $4 million for Hennepin Technical College (Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie). The Rosemount project, which UMN sold 60 acres for and will partner on, will house three hypersonic wind tunnels, is backed by an additional $99 million U.S. Army contract and $85 million in company investment, targets completion in 2030–31, and has drawn some campus protests over military ties.

Technology Business & Economy Local Government

M Health Fairview, UHC talks risk 125K patients

Nov 09 Developing TC 1

M Health Fairview warns it could go out-of-network for UnitedHealthcare and UMR members on Jan. 1, 2026 if no new commercial contract is reached, potentially affecting about 125,000 patients in the Twin Cities. Fairview says UHC’s demands would force service cuts and reduced access, while UnitedHealthcare says Fairview is seeking a more than 23% rate increase that would add roughly $121 million in employer costs; the current five‑year contract expires this year.

Health Business & Economy

United Way reports 150% surge in food requests; $105K in grants distributed

Nov 08 Developing TC 2

United Way says its 211 helpline has seen a 150% increase in food-related requests since mid-October as Minnesota food shelves feel pressure from the federal shutdown, and the organization has distributed approximately $105,000 in emergency grants to local nonprofits, including funding Route 1 produce pop-up events. 211 is available 24/7 for food access and other services, and United Way is inviting donations and volunteers.

Business & Economy Local Government Health

Minnesota to correct SNAP payout overcount

Nov 08 Developing TC 1

The Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families said Friday it mistakenly included and double‑counted Pandemic EBT in federal FNS‑46 reports, inflating reported SNAP payouts from about $725 million in 2020 to roughly $1.9 billion in 2021. The agency said the reporting errors did not reflect improper payments and it will submit corrected figures to USDA after the federal shutdown ends; the correct totals are not yet known.

Local Government Business & Economy

Nonprofit buys condemned St. Paul parking ramp

Nov 07 Breaking TC 1

The St. Paul Downtown Development Corporation purchased the condemned Capital City Plaza parking ramp at 50 Fourth St. from Madison Equities and will begin work to address safety violations, aiming to reopen it by late 2026. The privately funded deal, near the Green Line’s Central Station, keeps the ramp and the adjacent Alliance Bank Center closed for now while skyway connections to Osborn370 and Treasure Island Center remain open.

Transit & Infrastructure Business & Economy

Nicolet to rebrand 13 Twin Cities branches

Nov 07 Breaking TC 1

Nicolet Bank will acquire MidWestOne Bank in an $864 million merger and rebrand MidWestOne’s 13 Twin Cities branches, significantly expanding its presence beyond its current two metro locations. The combined entity’s CEO said Friday that the Minneapolis–Saint Paul region will be a primary growth market, with potential for additional acquisitions.

Business & Economy

CFPB says FCRA preempts state medical‑debt credit-report bans; Minnesota law at risk

Nov 07 Breaking TC 2

The CFPB has issued guidance interpreting the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act as preempting state bans on reporting medical debt to credit reports, putting Minnesota’s law — one of 14 states that bar such reporting (and five that restrict it) — at risk. Credit bureaus and credit unions sued to block a January CFPB rule advancing that view, the incoming administration declined to defend it and a federal judge blocked the rule, leaving uncertainty for states even as Americans carry at least $220 billion in medical debt and roughly 6% of adults owe more than $1,000.

Legal Health Business & Economy

Minnesota Rusco bankruptcy spurs at least 10 lawsuits; recovery fund capped at $550K per contractor

Nov 07 Breaking TC 6

Minnesota Rusco, a 70-year-old New Hope home‑improvement company, abruptly ceased operations after parent Renovo Home Partners filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy for itself and 19 subsidiaries, leaving employees — who received only three days of health insurance — and customers with unfinished work and large prepaid sums; court filings list $100–$500 million in liabilities against $1–$10 million in assets, and at least 10 lawsuits have been filed. Because Rusco was DLI‑licensed, affected homeowners must first sue and obtain a court judgment to seek reimbursement from Minnesota’s Contractor Recovery Fund, but recoveries are constrained by limits of up to $550,000 per licensed contractor (and $100,000 per consumer), and state officials are urging consumers to file complaints and dispute charges.

Consumer Business & Economy Housing

Trump announces Medicare coverage for obesity drugs

Nov 06 Breaking TC 1

President Donald Trump said Nov. 6 the administration reached deals with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to expand Medicare coverage for GLP-1 obesity drugs Zepbound and Wegovy starting next year, while phasing in lower prices for some uninsured patients. The plan also sets a $149/month price for starting doses of new pill versions if approved, though officials cautioned consumer savings will vary by insurance and market competition.

Health Business & Economy

Stillwater denies cannabis shop near rec center

Nov 06 Breaking TC 1

The Stillwater City Council on Nov. 5 denied permits for two adult‑use cannabis retailers — including one at 1754 Washington Ave. near the St. Croix Valley Recreation Center and another near Chesterton Academy — while approving a third location. Council debate focused on how Minnesota’s buffer rules apply, including whether the recreation center is a 'public park attraction' regularly used by minors and how to measure distance; the city attorney said Curio Dance does not meet the state definition of a school for the 1,000‑ft buffer.

Local Government Business & Economy

Allina clinic providers hold one-day metro strike

Nov 05 Breaking TC 2

Clinic providers employed by Allina Health staged a one-day strike across metro-area clinics — a historic first for Minnesota that the Doctors Council–SEIU called the largest strike of its kind — and did not include hospital providers. Bargaining, which began in February 2024, continues after the union said it offered multiple proposals on pay, leaves and PTO while Allina made a single offer the union says would reduce pay and benefits and fail to address staffing and burnout; Allina cited rising costs and expected government funding cuts, said contingency plans kept more than 25% of represented providers working, and further bargaining sessions begin Dec. 5 with union members set to return Thursday.

Health Business & Economy

Plymouth industrial complex sells for $26M

Nov 05 Breaking TC 1

A California-based investment firm bought the seven-building Park Industrial Village in Plymouth for $26 million, more than triple what the seller paid in 2016. The deal expands the buyer’s Minnesota portfolio and marks a sizable industrial real-estate transaction in Hennepin County.

Business & Economy Housing

St. Louis Park Metropoint office headed to auction

Nov 04 Breaking TC 1

A Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal report says one of the Metropoint office buildings in St. Louis Park is scheduled for auction. The Hennepin County property is part of the multi‑building Metropoint complex, and an auction would mark a notable development in the Twin Cities office market affecting local tenants and tax revenues.

Business & Economy Housing

Dependable Home Healthcare to close; 406 layoffs begin Jan. 3 in St. Paul

Nov 04 Breaking TC 2

Dependable Home Healthcare, a St. Paul company located at 23 Empire Drive and in business since 1991, will shut down and suspend services at the end of January, laying off all 406 employees in six phases beginning Jan. 3 and running through Mar. 13, 2026; the workforce includes 368 caregivers and the remainder administrative staff. CEO Katie Fleury cited business challenges and upcoming regulatory changes affecting Minnesota home care, and the closure follows a recent DHS order pausing payments/audits for Medicaid-funded programs (including PCA/CFSS) that could delay payments up to 90 days.

Business & Economy Health

St. Paul proposes cannabis business manager post

Nov 04 Breaking TC 1

St. Paul plans to add a cannabis oversight position in its proposed 2026 budget to guide entrepreneurs through registration, zoning and local compliance, with pay between $73,000 and $102,000 funded by cannabis registration fees. City officials say they hope to fill the role internally, mirroring Minneapolis’ existing specialist, as the Office of Cannabis Management notes cities are still shaping oversight in the evolving market.

Local Government Business & Economy

Allina Doctors Council sets Nov. 9 one-day strike with rally at HQ

Nov 04 Developing TC 3

Allina Doctors Council SEIU has scheduled a one-day strike for Nov. 9 with a large rally at Allina’s Minneapolis headquarters, calling it “the largest strike of its kind” to protect primary care after earlier reports of a 10-day strike notice and a previously reported Nov. 5 date. Allina says two bargaining sessions are set before the walkout, will maintain safe patient care, argues the union’s compensation and benefits demands are unsustainable, and is closing four clinics on Nov. 1, 2025 (Inver Grove Heights, Maplewood, Nicollet Mall and Oakdale).

Health Business & Economy

Developers propose 181 apartments in downtown Rogers

Nov 03 Breaking TC 1

Developers Bader and Ebert plan a 181‑unit market‑rate apartment project on a former semi‑truck site in downtown Rogers, according to a Nov. 3 report. The Hennepin County proposal would add substantial new housing to the northwest Twin Cities suburb; further city review and approvals were not detailed in the report.

Housing Business & Economy

Walz directs $4M to Minnesota food shelves as SNAP cutoff nears

Nov 02 Breaking TC 8

Gov. Tim Walz this week formally directed $4 million to Minnesota food shelves as an emergency stopgap ahead of an expected Nov. 1 interruption to SNAP and other federal food and preschool aid if the partial federal shutdown continues. The one‑time allocation — small compared with roughly $73 million in monthly SNAP benefits that reach more than 440,000 Minnesotans — supplements relief from United Way, local governments and food pantries preparing expanded distributions, but advocates warn food shelves alone cannot close the gap.

Health Local Government Business & Economy

St. Paul decertifies Westminster Junction TIF early

Nov 01 Breaking TC 1

The St. Paul Port Authority board voted Monday to decertify the 26-year Westminster Junction TIF redevelopment district five years early, returning the East Side business center to the full tax rolls after outperforming projections. The 25-acre site along Phalen Boulevard and Cayuga Street has grown from a blighted rail yard with about 50 jobs to 15 companies with 913 jobs, lifting annual property taxes from $138,000 to $2.6 million, which officials say will help reduce the city’s levy.

Local Government Business & Economy

Pioneer Acquisitions buys two Washington Square towers

Oct 31 Breaking TC 1

Pioneer Acquisitions has purchased the 100 and 111 Washington Square office buildings in downtown Minneapolis, marking the investor’s first acquisition in the Twin Cities. The Business Journal reports the deal signals the company’s entry into the local office market and suggests more acquisitions may follow.

Business & Economy

MSP starts weekly food aid for unpaid feds

Oct 31 Developing TC 2

Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport has launched a weekly food aid program for unpaid federal workers affected by the government shutdown. AFGE leader and MSP TSA agent Neal Gosman said TSA employees took home donated food boxes after their shifts, and AFGE representative Mark Johnson said many workers cannot pay rent due Nov. 1 and face $50/day late fees.

Health Public Safety Business & Economy

MN Senate hears shutdown’s toll on TSA, WIC

Oct 31 Developing TC 1

At an Oct. 30 hearing of the Minnesota Senate’s Subcommittee on Federal Impacts, union leaders said MSP TSA agents are missing rent and taking home donated food boxes, while advocates warned Minnesota’s WIC funds (about $9M/month) will last only through the third week of November. State officials cited diminished communication with USDA and Attorney General Keith Ellison said a judge is expected to rule soon in the 25‑state lawsuit seeking to restore SNAP during the shutdown.

Local Government Health Business & Economy

US penny mint halt triggers shortages

Oct 30 Developing TC 1

AP reports the U.S. stopped producing pennies in mid‑2025 under President Trump, and with the last coins minted in June and distributed by August, banks are now rationing pennies and retailers nationwide are running out as the holiday season approaches. The Treasury placed its last planchet order in May; 2024 saw 3.23 billion pennies minted even as each cost 3.7 cents to make, and merchants are asking for exact change or rounding to avoid legal exposure—operational shifts that will affect Twin Cities cash transactions.

Business & Economy Government/Regulatory

After Trump–Xi meeting, China says it will work with U.S. on TikTok; no ownership deal yet

Oct 30 Breaking TC 5

After the Trump–Xi meeting, China’s Commerce Ministry said it would work with the U.S. to resolve TikTok-related issues but provided no details and said no ownership agreement was reached. That statement contrasts with U.S. reports — including Trump saying Xi approved a proposed U.S. ownership deal, the White House suggesting the transaction could be finalized in South Korea, and earlier plans for Oracle to manage TikTok’s U.S. algorithm — as negotiations continue under U.S. divestiture requirements.

Business & Economy Technology Legal

Cargill cuts 80 jobs at Minnetonka headquarters

Oct 30 Breaking TC 1

Cargill is laying off 80 employees at its Minnetonka headquarters, the company confirmed Oct. 30, 2025, citing a sales decline. The move affects corporate roles at the global agribusiness’s Twin Cities base and follows softer revenue performance.

Business & Economy

Trump, Xi deal trims China tariffs

Oct 30 Breaking TC 1

President Donald Trump said Thursday after a 100‑minute meeting with China’s Xi Jinping in Busan that the U.S. will reduce tariffs on Chinese goods, lowering one tranche tied to fentanyl-chemical sales from 20% to 10% and cutting the combined rate from 57% to 47%. China agreed to allow rare earth exports and resume U.S. soybean purchases, and Trump said Nvidia will hold talks on advanced chip exports as both sides work toward a trade deal.

Business & Economy Technology

Oak Park Heights OKs Mango Cannabis at Joseph’s

Oct 29 Breaking TC 1

The Oak Park Heights City Council unanimously approved a conditional-use permit Tuesday for Mango Cannabis to occupy the entire Joseph’s restaurant building at 14608 60th St. N. City officials said Joseph’s plans to relocate nearby, while applicants ABJKM Holdings and Boundary Waters Capital also seek a Stillwater site as both cities raise caps to four cannabis retailers. The Hwy. 36 corridor is drawing interest due to Wisconsin’s cannabis ban, and Oak Park Heights previously approved Oak Park Heights Canna for a 2026 opening.

Local Government Business & Economy

Fed cuts benchmark rate to about 3.9%

Oct 29 Breaking TC 2

The Federal Reserve made its second rate cut of 2025, trimming the benchmark to about 3.9%. Consumers should expect top high‑yield savings rates to drift lower as banks pare offerings, mortgage rates—which recently fell to their lowest in over a year—may decline further while auto‑loan rates are likely to ease only slowly; the Fed projects another cut before year‑end and advisers say borrowers may want to consider refinancing or consolidating debt as rates fall.

Consumer Business & Economy Housing

FDA proposes streamlined biosimilar testing

Oct 29 Breaking TC 1

The FDA released draft guidance on Oct. 29, 2025 to simplify studies for biosimilar versions of biologic drugs, aiming to remove what it calls unnecessary, resource‑intensive clinical comparisons. The proposal opens a 60‑day public comment period, with non‑binding final guidance expected in three to six months, and federal officials say the change is intended to spur competition, lower prices, and speed access to treatments such as those for autoimmune disease and cancer.

Health Business & Economy

Sun Country adds MSP–Tulsa route for 2026

Oct 29 Breaking TC 1

Minneapolis-based Sun Country Airlines will launch a new route between Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) and Tulsa, Oklahoma, and increase frequencies to other coastal destinations as part of its summer 2026 schedule. The expansion adds a new nonstop option for Twin Cities travelers and boosts flights to popular coastal markets during the peak summer season.

Transit & Infrastructure Business & Economy

United Properties plans 36-acre Newport project

Oct 29 Breaking TC 1

United Properties is proposing a 36-acre development in Newport, Washington County, that would include industrial buildings, apartments and a Kwik Trip, according to a report published Oct. 29, 2025. The project would add new housing and commercial uses in the east‑metro suburb, with city review and approvals expected as the plan advances.

Business & Economy Housing

Francisco Partners to acquire Jamf for $2.2B

Oct 29 Breaking TC 1

Private equity firm Francisco Partners will buy Minneapolis-based Apple device‑management software maker Jamf in a $2.2 billion deal announced Oct. 29, 2025. Jamf, which went public in 2020 at $26 per share, is a prominent Twin Cities tech employer; the transaction would transfer ownership of the company, with further details on closing and any local impacts not yet disclosed.

Business & Economy Technology

39 AGs urge Congress to ban intoxicating hemp

Oct 29 Breaking TC 1

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison joined 38 other state attorneys general in a letter asking Congress to ban intoxicating hemp products such as delta‑8 and delta‑10 THC by closing federal loopholes. The AGs cite consumer‑safety concerns and urge changes to federal law that allowed psychoactive products to proliferate since the 2018 Farm Bill. Any ban would immediately affect Twin Cities retailers and consumers who buy hemp‑derived THC products.

Legal Health Business & Economy

Hennepin Ave in Uptown reopens Friday after $30M, 1.5‑year rebuild

Oct 29 Breaking TC 2

Hennepin Avenue in Uptown Minneapolis reopens Friday after roughly 1.5 years of reconstruction between Lake Street and Douglas Avenue, a project that topped $30 million and added protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks and new bus shelters. Businesses along the corridor — some of which reported steep revenue losses (Autopia said a 60% drop) and closures such as Pizza Shark while the Uptown Art Fair relocated — received support from the city, which awarded grants to 36 businesses between Franklin and W. 36th Street through its business technical assistance program over the past two years.

Transit & Infrastructure Business & Economy

Wayzata realtor charged in $397K tax case

Oct 29 Breaking TC 1

The Minnesota Department of Revenue says Wayzata real estate owner Kevin Patrick Mullen, 42, has been charged in Hennepin County with five felony counts of failing to file individual tax returns and five felony counts of willfully failing to pay income tax for 2019–2023, alleging about $397,000 is owed. Court documents say Mullen acknowledged missing returns in Dec. 2024, filed some in Feb. 2025, and has a first court appearance set for Nov. 12; his income came through Ideal Properties and Investments LLC, and investigators cite prior contacts about tax debts and additional unfiled years back to 2008.

Legal Business & Economy

Senate rejects Trump tariffs on Brazil

Oct 29 Breaking TC 1

The U.S. Senate voted in bipartisan fashion on Oct. 28, 2025, to reject the Trump administration’s proposed tariffs on Brazilian imports, a move that comes amid spiking coffee prices. The decision averts new duties that could have further increased consumer costs in the Twin Cities and nationwide; details of next steps now shift back to the administration and trade agencies.

Business & Economy Government/Regulatory

Target to eliminate 1,800 corporate jobs (8%)

Oct 28 Breaking TC 4

Target will eliminate about 1,800 corporate jobs — roughly 8% of its corporate workforce — by laying off about 1,000 employees and closing about 800 open roles, with impacted staff to be notified Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, and told to work from home next week. The cuts, concentrated at Target’s Minneapolis headquarters and not affecting in‑store associates, are described as a restructuring to simplify decision‑making and move faster rather than primarily to cut costs; those laid off will receive pay and benefits through Jan. 3 plus severance and support services.

Employment Business & Economy

Eastside Food Co-op restores operations after rooftop copper theft

Oct 27 Breaking TC 2

A rooftop copper theft knocked out refrigeration at the Eastside Food Co-op, leaving shelves bare and causing a large loss of food that management called a “massive hit.” The co‑op says it has largely bounced back, with affected departments reopened and products restocked as normal operations are restored.

Business & Economy Public Safety

Cigna to drop drug rebates in many private plans

Oct 27 Breaking TC 1

Cigna said Oct. 27, 2025 it will end drug manufacturer rebates in many private health plans, altering pharmacy benefit design for employers and members nationwide, including in the Twin Cities. The move affects plans administered by its pharmacy benefit operations; the company did not immediately specify which plans or the effective date.

Health Business & Economy

USCIS details $100K H‑1B fee: applies to overseas applicants; renewals exempt

Oct 25 Breaking TC 3

USCIS says a $100,000 fee will apply to H‑1B petitions filed on or after Sept. 21, 2025 for beneficiaries outside the U.S. who do not already hold a valid H‑1B visa, while exemptions include amendments, changes of status, extensions of stay and petitions tied to existing valid H‑1Bs submitted before Sept. 21, 2025; F‑1 graduates changing status inside the U.S. and current H‑1B holders traveling abroad are likewise not subject to the fee. The agency has set up an online portal for paying the fee, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has filed a major legal challenge, and employers—particularly Minnesota schools, retail and health‑care providers—warn of higher costs, potential hiring delays and adjusted recruiting plans.

Business & Economy Legal Government/Regulatory

Shutdown delays Social Security COLA announcement

Oct 24 Breaking TC 2

A government shutdown delayed the usual announcement of the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment, leaving recipients uncertain about next year’s benefit increase. Officials have now set the 2026 COLA at 2.8%, which will raise average monthly benefits by about $56 and ends the uncertainty caused by the earlier delay.

Business & Economy Government Government/Regulatory

Social Security sets 2026 COLA at 2.8%

Oct 24 Breaking TC 1

Social Security recipients will receive a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment in 2026, translating to an average increase of about $56 per month, according to a report published Oct. 24, 2025. The nationwide change directly affects beneficiaries in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro as monthly payments adjust in the new year.

Business & Economy Government

Alaska Airlines resumes after IT outage grounds flights

Oct 24 Breaking TC 1

Alaska Airlines said Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, that it has resumed operations after an IT outage grounded its flights for hours, causing delays and cancellations across its network. The disruption affected flights serving Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) before service restarted.

Transit & Infrastructure Business & Economy

Fridley man charged with two counts in Fletcher’s firebombings; community rallies

Oct 24 Breaking TC 4

Prosecutors have charged a Fridley man with two counts of first‑degree arson after two Molotov cocktail attacks on Fletcher’s Ice Cream in Minneapolis — one Sunday night that broke a window but was extinguished and a second in daylight Monday that failed to ignite when the wick fell out. A witness photo of a suspect in a minivan helped police make an arrest about a half‑mile away, and the community, joined by Mayor Jacob Frey and others, rallied at the shop Thursday while officials say motive — including whether it was related to the shop’s pride flag — remains undetermined.

Public Safety Legal Business & Economy

Secondary market emerges for MN cannabis licenses

Oct 23 TC 1

FOX 9 reports Minnesota recreational cannabis licenses are being listed and resold on secondary markets, with more than 80 licenses recently posted at combined asking prices once above $100 million. One local example is a former Wendy’s site in Roseville marketed with city approval and a lease, though any change in majority ownership would reset its place in the city’s queue for three retail licenses; all transfers require approval from the Office of Cannabis Management.

Business & Economy Local Government

US, EU sanctions lift oil; gas prices may rise

Oct 23 Breaking TC 1

The United States and European Union imposed new sanctions on Russian oil companies on Thursday, prompting a jump in global oil prices that could raise gasoline costs for Minneapolis–Saint Paul drivers in coming days. Analysts and industry watchers say higher crude and wholesale fuel prices typically flow through to the pump, with timing dependent on station inventories and supply contracts.

Energy Business & Economy

Legrand’s Minnetonka HQ building sells for $23M

Oct 22 Breaking TC 1

Buhl Investors has sold the Minnetonka office building that houses Legrand’s new headquarters for $23 million, marking a major markup on the asset. The transaction, reported Oct. 22, 2025, underscores investor demand for single-tenant, HQ‑anchored properties in the Twin Cities market.

Business & Economy Real Estate

Robins Kaplan downsizes, moves to Wells Fargo Center

Oct 22 Breaking TC 1

Robins Kaplan will reduce its Minneapolis office footprint and relocate to the Wells Fargo Center downtown, with a multimillion‑dollar build‑out planned, firm leaders said on Oct. 22, 2025. The move reflects a strategic shift in how the law firm uses office space in the Twin Cities’ core business district.

Business & Economy Real Estate

3M lifts outlook; shares jump nearly 8%

Oct 22 Breaking TC 1

Maplewood-based 3M raised its full-year earnings outlook on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, citing progress in its turnaround, and its shares climbed about 7.7% on the day. As one of the Twin Cities’ largest employers, the improved guidance and market reaction signal strengthening business conditions with potential implications for local operations and jobs.

Business & Economy

Funding secured for 600+ Twin Cities homes

Oct 21 Breaking TC 1

Emerging developers have secured financing to build more than 600 housing units in Minneapolis and St. Paul, according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal on Oct. 21, 2025. The funding advances multiple projects that would add significant new apartments/homes in both cities, marking a notable boost to the metro’s housing pipeline.

Housing Business & Economy

Xcel names Bria Shea regional president

Oct 21 Breaking TC 2

Xcel Energy has promoted Bria Shea to regional president overseeing its operations in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Shea brings more than 15 years of experience at Xcel Energy to the role.

Utilities Business & Economy

Walz, Prairie Island sign cannabis compact; wholesale to state dispensaries could begin in November

Oct 21 Breaking TC 2

Gov. Tim Walz and leaders of the Prairie Island Indian Community signed a tribal-state cannabis compact on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, establishing terms for the tribe to supply recreational cannabis to state dispensaries. If implementation proceeds as planned, wholesale deliveries to state-licensed retailers could begin as soon as November.

Local Government Business & Economy

Itasca Project leadership to end group

Oct 20 Breaking TC 1

The Itasca Project, a business-led regional development group in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area, is being ended by its leadership, the Star Tribune reports. The change affects a long‑running CEO and civic leader forum that has played a role in shaping metro economic strategy; details on timelines and how work may transition to other organizations were not immediately specified.

Business & Economy

Federal cuts slash Minnesota food aid

Oct 20 Developing TC 1

USDA funding reductions to The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) have removed roughly 1 million pounds of food from Minnesota’s supply, and state and nonprofit officials warn deeper cuts could follow. The shortfall affects food shelves statewide, including in the Twin Cities, forcing pantries to stretch resources as demand remains high.

Health Local Government Business & Economy

South St. Paul tannery strike ends with deal

Oct 18 Breaking TC 1

A weeklong strike at a tannery in South St. Paul ended after workers and management reached an agreement reported Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. Details of the pact were not immediately disclosed, but the resolution concludes a work stoppage affecting a Dakota County industrial employer.

Business & Economy

Census: Minnesota poverty rate second-lowest

Oct 17 TC 1

The U.S. Census Bureau’s latest figures show Minnesota has the nation’s second‑lowest poverty rate, though the rate has risen in recent measurements. Released this week, the new data provide a current snapshot of economic hardship that will inform policy and service planning for Minneapolis–Saint Paul and the rest of the state.

Business & Economy Health

Ford recalls 290,000 U.S. vehicles for camera issue

Oct 17 Breaking TC 1

Ford Motor Company announced a U.S. safety recall affecting more than 290,000 vehicles due to a rearview camera system issue that may impair the display of the rear image. The recall applies nationwide, including Twin Cities owners, with Ford indicating affected vehicles will be eligible for a no‑cost remedy at dealers and advising owners to check their VINs for recall status.

Public Safety Business & Economy

HistoSonics raises $250M for global expansion

Oct 16 Breaking TC 1

Minneapolis‑based medtech HistoSonics raised $250 million to scale its noninvasive ultrasound tumor‑treatment platform globally, according to the Twin Cities Business Journal on Oct. 16, 2025. Investors include Bezos Expeditions and Thiel Capital, and the company says the financing will accelerate commercialization and expansion of its histotripsy technology, with implications for its Twin Cities operations.

Business & Economy Health Technology

Meta expands land holdings in Rosemount

Oct 16 Breaking TC 1

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports that Meta Platforms, Facebook’s parent company, has purchased additional land near its prospective data center site in Rosemount, Minnesota. The acquisition expands Meta’s footprint in Dakota County and signals continued movement on the potential data center project.

Business & Economy Technology

Medicare open enrollment starts amid MA cuts

Oct 15 Breaking TC 1

Medicare open enrollment runs Oct. 15–Dec. 7, allowing Twin Cities Medicare members—especially those losing Medicare Advantage plans in 2026 due to insurer pullbacks—to join, drop, or switch plans. Enrollees in Medicare Advantage also have an additional Jan. 1–March 31 window to change MA plans, with coverage effective the month after enrollment; assistance is available via 1-800-MEDICARE and Minnesota Aging Pathways (800-333-2433).

Health Business & Economy

Report: Downtown St. Paul vacancies ease

Oct 15 TC 1

Greater Saint Paul BOMA’s 2025 Market Report, released Oct. 14, finds downtown St. Paul’s competitive office vacancy improved to about 31% from a peak above 32% last year, after rising from roughly 18% in 2020. BOMA president Tina Gassman says the district is stabilizing with public‑private efforts underway, while more than 1 million square feet left vacant by Madison Equities remains a major drag.

Business & Economy Housing

Commerce Dept. bans unlicensed insurer in Minnesota

Oct 14 Breaking TC 1

The Minnesota Department of Commerce announced on Oct. 14, 2025, that it has barred an unlicensed insurance seller from operating in the state. The regulatory action applies statewide, protecting consumers in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro and across Minnesota from unlawful insurance sales.

Legal Business & Economy

Downtown Council steps back from Holidazzle, Aquatennial

Oct 14 Breaking TC 1

The Minneapolis Downtown Council says it will stop directly producing the Holidazzle and Aquatennial festivals and is seeking another organization to take over, citing inconsistent sponsorship funding and evolving needs of downtown Minneapolis. MDC will continue to promote the events and says Holidazzle will evolve into “Winterapolis,” a season‑long campaign highlighting winter activities rather than a single festival.

Business & Economy

Target pilots THC beverages at select Minnesota liquor stores

Oct 14 Breaking TC 2

Target is piloting the sale of THC beverages at select Minnesota liquor stores, rather than in general store aisles. The move taps into what industry observers call the nation’s most competitive THC beverage market, with the pilot reported on Oct. 13, 2025.

Health Government/Regulatory Business & Economy

Nonprofit takes over Alliance Bank Center

Oct 13 Breaking TC 1

The Saint Paul Downtown Development Corporation has acquired the vacant Alliance Bank Center in downtown St. Paul from Madison Equities and will assume property management and security from the city, officials confirmed. The nonprofit, a subsidiary of the St. Paul Downtown Alliance, will keep the building and connected skyways closed while conducting a 12‑month redevelopment evaluation, with updated skyway maps coming before winter.

Business & Economy Local Government

UPS may destroy uncleared imports under new rules

Oct 12 Breaking TC 1

UPS told FOX Business Friday it has implemented procedures for imported packages that cannot clear U.S. Customs under newly tightened rules, saying parcels will either be returned to the shipper at their expense or, if customers don’t respond and clearance isn’t possible, disposed of in compliance with regulations. Citing Trump administration changes like suspended de minimis exemptions and stricter documentation, UPS said about 90% of shipments clear on day one and that it makes multiple contact attempts to obtain missing information, but a growing number of parcels are stranded at hubs nationwide.

Business & Economy Government/Regulatory

IRS shifts high-earner 401(k) catch-ups to Roth

Oct 12 TC 1

The IRS issued regulations implementing SECURE 2.0 that require workers who earned $145,000 or more in the prior year to make 401(k) catch-up contributions to after-tax Roth accounts starting with the 2026 tax year. For 2025, the standard 401(k) contribution limit is $23,500 with an additional $7,500 catch-up for ages 50+ (and $11,250 for ages 60–63), but high earners will lose the option to make pre-tax catch-ups in 2026; plans without a Roth option may need updates or affected workers could be unable to make catch-ups. This change affects Twin Cities employees and employers administering retirement plans.

Business & Economy Government/Regulatory

Minnesota exports fall 19% in Q2 2025

Oct 12 TC 1

Minnesota DEED reported Friday that state exports of agricultural, mining, and manufactured goods totaled $5.8 billion in Q2 2025, a $1.3 billion (19%) drop from Q2 2024, led by a 96% plunge in mineral fuel and oil exports to Canada (-$703 million). Exports to Mexico and China also fell more than 20%, while shipments to Ireland, the UK, Germany and Switzerland increased; officials completed a business mission to Ireland and plan a November trade mission to Germany and Switzerland.

Business & Economy Government

Mississippi Market, River Market co-ops to merge

Oct 10 Breaking TC 1

Member-owners of Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op in St. Paul and River Market Community Co-op in Stillwater voted to approve a merger on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, combining the two Twin Cities–area cooperatives. The vote paves the way for legal and operational integration affecting co-op members, shoppers, and staff in Ramsey and Washington counties; further details on timeline and branding were not immediately disclosed.

Business & Economy

UMN regents approve 9-2 transfer of Eastcliff to University Foundation

Oct 09 Breaking TC 2

The University of Minnesota Board of Regents voted 9-2 on Oct. 9, 2025, to transfer Eastcliff to the University of Minnesota Foundation. The approval clears a $2.2 million sale of the property to the Foundation.

Education Local Government Business & Economy

State settles sex-discrimination cases with two businesses

Oct 09 Breaking TC 1

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights announced Oct. 2025 settlements with Lakes Concrete Plus of Bemidji and Key Lime Air of Thief River Falls after finding both violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act through gender stereotyping. Each company will pay $45,000 to an aggrieved job applicant or former employee and must revise workplace policies to prevent future sex discrimination.

Legal Business & Economy

Duos raises $130M to expand aging-at-home care

Oct 09 Breaking TC 1

Duos, a Minnesota digital-health startup launched by a former Optum executive to help seniors age at home, announced Oct. 9, 2025 that it raised $130 million in a funding round led by investors including FTV and Forerunner. The infusion ranks among the largest investments for a Minnesota startup this year and positions the company to scale its senior-care technology and services from its Twin Cities base.

Business & Economy Health

Burnsville Meridian Pointe Apartments sold for $63M

Oct 09 Breaking TC 1

Meridian Pointe Apartments, a 339-unit complex in Burnsville (Dakota County), was sold in a $63 million transaction to a New York–based multifamily real-estate buyer, the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal reported on Oct. 9, 2025. The deal transfers ownership of a large metro rental property and could affect management, rents, or operations for the hundreds of tenants who live there.

Business & Economy Housing

Largest Twin Cities credit unions, 2025 rankings

Oct 09 TC 1

The Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal published a ranked list of the region’s largest credit unions on Oct. 9, 2025, reporting June 30, 2025 balances and metrics. The list names Wings Financial Credit Union as the largest with $9.48 billion in assets and provides assets, year-over-year asset changes, net income, membership counts and local executive contacts for the top institutions in the metro.

Business & Economy Banking and Finance

Evereve doubling Edina headquarters, plans hiring surge

Oct 08 Breaking TC 1

Evereve, a women’s fashion retailer headquartered in Edina, announced on Oct. 8, 2025 a multiyear plan to double its Edina headquarters footprint, double its corporate workforce, and triple its digital revenue as it expands operations in the Twin Cities suburb. The move signals increased local hiring and investment in digital channels tied to the company’s Edina base.

Business & Economy Jobs/Employment

L.L. Bean to open Maple Grove Arbor Lakes store

Oct 07 Breaking TC 1

L.L. Bean announced plans to open a new store at the Arbor Lakes retail complex in Maple Grove, Minnesota, scheduled for 2026. The store will consolidate space by replacing four former retail units at the development, marking the retailer’s expansion into the Twin Cities regional market and altering occupancy at a major suburban shopping hub.

Business & Economy Retail

Outdoor Retailer to move trade show to Minneapolis

Oct 07 Breaking TC 1

Outdoor Retailer announced it will relocate its major outdoor-industry expo to Minneapolis, scheduling a reimagined three-day trade show for Aug. 19–21, 2026 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Organizers say the move positions the show to focus on collaboration and innovation, and city leaders expect convention activity to bring measurable economic benefits to the metro.

Business & Economy Events

Tile Shop to Delist in $6.60 Cash-Out Deal

Oct 07 Developing TC 1

Minnesota-based retailer Tile Shop announced plans to exit public markets via a cash-out offer of $6.60 per share, a move the Business Journal reports is the company's second attempt to delist since 2019. The proposal would take the firm private, with the cash-per-share figure and the timing of the announcement provided by company filings and the Business Journal report.

Business & Economy Corporate

Wells Fargo raises checking fee 50%

Oct 07 Breaking TC 1

Wells Fargo announced Oct. 7, 2025 that it will increase the monthly fee on its common checking account by 50%, a change that will raise costs for customers in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro as well as nationwide. The change was reported by the Twin Cities Business Journal and stems from the bank’s pricing update communicated to customers.

Business & Economy

U.S. News ranks two Minnesota children's hospitals

Oct 07 Breaking TC 1

U.S. News & World Report's annual Best Children's Hospitals list (published Oct. 7, 2025) named Mayo Clinic and M Health Fairview among the top children's hospitals in the Midwest. The recognition highlights M Health Fairview's standing in the Twin Cities metro and Mayo Clinic's regional prominence in Rochester, information that may influence patient referrals and consumer choices.

Health Business & Economy

Loma Bonita Market to Open in Richfield

Oct 07 Breaking TC 1

Loma Bonita Market, a locally owned Mexican grocery chain, will occupy the long-vacant Rainbow Foods building at The Hub in Richfield and is set to open in the next few weeks. The store — the chain's largest at more than 50,000 square feet — will include a bakery, butcher shop, taqueria and tortilleria, and city officials say the project will revitalize the strip-mall area and expand grocery options for local residents.

Business & Economy Local Government

Toro buys Canadian vacuum truck maker Tornado

Oct 06 Breaking TC 1

The Toro Co., a Bloomington-based manufacturer, announced on Oct. 6, 2025 that it will acquire Tornado Infrastructure Equipment, a Canadian maker of vacuum excavation trucks, for $200 million to expand its construction product lineup and establish a manufacturing footprint in Canada. The deal aims to broaden Toro’s presence in construction markets and add specialized vacuum truck capabilities to its portfolio.

Business & Economy Manufacturing

Prep Network lands private equity investment in Plymouth

Oct 03 Developing TC 1

Plymouth-based sports-media company Prep Network announced its first private-equity investment Oct. 3, 2025, a deal the company says will fund expansion of its sports-media operations. The business, which began as a side hustle and now employs about 60 full-time staff, intends to use the capital to scale content, technology and distribution from its Twin Cities base.

Business & Economy Technology

North Loop building lands 50,000-s.f. Stagwell lease

Oct 03 Developing TC 1

A North Loop office building in Minneapolis has signed Stagwell to a 50,000-square-foot lease, the latest major tenant commitment downtown. The property, purchased last fall by Crowe Cos., has been rebranded and is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation that the owner says will reposition the asset for creative-office tenants.

Business & Economy Real Estate

Dunwoody College enrollment hits 17-year high

Oct 02 Developing TC 1

Dunwoody College of Technology in Minneapolis reports enrollment reaching a 17-year high as of an Oct. 2, 2025 report, with college leaders attributing the surge to strengthened industry partnerships and demand for technical-skills programs. The growth is presented as bolstering the Twin Cities skilled-trades pipeline and meeting employer needs for machinists and other technicians.

Education Business & Economy

Twin Cities suburbs face fierce apartment competition

Oct 02 TC 1

A RentCafe report cited by the Twin Cities Business Journal on Oct. 2, 2025, shows rental demand in Twin Cities suburbs has surged, with about 12 prospective renters competing for each apartment that hits the market—up from 10 a year earlier—outpacing competition in many large U.S. markets. The increase signals tightening supply and growing pressure on affordability for metro-area renters across the Minneapolis–Saint Paul suburbs.

Housing Business & Economy

Sylvan franchise owner files bankruptcy, closes multiple Twin Cities tutoring centers

Oct 02 TC 2

Paul Ripon, the franchise owner of multiple Sylvan Learning centers in the Twin Cities, filed for bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court and listed more than a dozen creditors after reporting debts exceeding $600,000 — including about $205,000 owed to Sylvan Corporation and an estimated $100,000 owed to individual customers. Sylvan revoked Ripon’s tutoring licenses, forcing closures of centers in Edina, Maple Grove, Roseville and Woodbury as the Minnesota school year begins; in an owner email he wrote, "There are no funds available at this moment."

Education Business & Economy

Weidner buys downtown Minneapolis apartments for $77M

Oct 01 Developing TC 1

Weidner Acquisitions purchased a 13-story apartment building in downtown Minneapolis for $77 million and has rebranded the property The Grand Mill District Apartments. The sale, reported Oct. 1, 2025, expands Weidner’s Twin Cities portfolio and follows the building’s recent summer listing.

Business & Economy Housing

U.S. Bank to spend $200M yearly renovating branches

Sep 30 Developing TC 1

U.S. Bancorp announced it will invest $200 million a year to renovate its retail-branch network, beginning with upgrades in five key markets and signaling a strategic reappraisal of physical locations as digital banking grows. The plan, announced Sept. 30, 2025, implicates branches in the Twin Cities—where U.S. Bank is headquartered—and could affect branch operations, customer access and local construction work.

Business & Economy Corporate

Nilfisk closing Brooklyn Park plant; 105 layoffs

Sep 29 Breaking TC 1

Nilfisk, a professional cleaning equipment manufacturer, will close its plant in Brooklyn Park, cutting 105 jobs. The shutdown affects Hennepin County workers in the Twin Cities metro; the company confirmed the closure and workforce reductions.

Business & Economy

Normandale 8500 Tower sells at steep discount

Sep 29 TC 1

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports that the 8500 Tower at Normandale Lake Office Park in Bloomington has been sold at a price nearly 94% below what the lender paid when it took the property at a 2024 foreclosure auction. The Sept. 29 report cites industry experts on factors contributing to the lower price, highlighting ongoing stress in the Twin Cities office market.

Business & Economy

Trump imposes 100% tariffs on foreign films

Sep 29 Breaking TC 1

President Donald Trump announced Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, that the U.S. will levy 100% tariffs on foreign-made films, a nationwide move that could affect how imported movies are distributed and priced in Minneapolis–Saint Paul. The White House framed the measure as part of its broader tariff policy; implementation details were not immediately available.

Business & Economy Government/Regulatory

Spirit Airlines to exit MSP in December

Sep 29 Breaking TC 2

Spirit Airlines will end all flights and service at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, exiting the market in December. The move follows the carrier’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing earlier this year and comes after it had already scaled back most of its MSP flights.

Transit & Infrastructure Business & Economy

MSP Airport $600M renovation nears completion

Sep 27 Developing TC 1

A Sept. 27 report says a $600 million renovation program at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport is nearing completion. The multi‑year capital project, overseen by the Metropolitan Airports Commission, modernizes facilities at the region’s primary airport and is entering its final phase.

Transit & Infrastructure Business & Economy

Essentia leaves UMN–Fairview health talks

Sep 26 Developing TC 1

Essentia Health said Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, it has exited negotiations with the University of Minnesota and Fairview Health Services over an 'All‑Minnesota' health solution intended to reshape the state’s academic health system. The move forces UMN and Fairview—operators of major Twin Cities hospitals and clinics—to reassess next steps for a Minnesota‑based model and the future governance of university‑affiliated facilities.

Health Business & Economy

Wild owner vows team will stay in St. Paul

Sep 26 Breaking TC 1

Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold said Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, that the NHL franchise will remain in St. Paul, affirming the team’s long‑term home at Xcel Energy Center. The pledge, reported by the Pioneer Press, addresses questions about the club’s future location and signals continued commitment to downtown St. Paul.

Business & Economy Local Government

Trump imposes tariffs on cabinets, furniture, trucks

Sep 25 Breaking TC 1

President Donald Trump announced new import taxes on kitchen cabinets, furniture, and heavy trucks that will take effect starting next week. The nationwide tariffs, announced Sept. 25, 2025, are poised to impact Twin Cities consumers, retailers, home contractors, and trucking-related businesses as prices and sourcing adjust.

Business & Economy Government/Regulatory

Minneapolis Fed orders full-time office return

Sep 25 Breaking TC 1

The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, one of downtown Minneapolis’ largest employers, has mandated a full-time return to the office, reversing hybrid or remote arrangements. The policy goes further than other large organizations that have recently tightened remote-work rules, signaling a notable shift for the downtown workforce.

Business & Economy Local Government Technology

Amazon settles FTC Prime case for $2.5B, averting jury trial

Sep 25 Developing TC 2

Amazon agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle the Federal Trade Commission’s lawsuit alleging it used deceptive tactics to enroll customers in Prime and made cancellation onerous. The deal resolves a case that a judge had ruled would go before a jury, averting a federal jury trial.

Legal Business & Economy Technology

Edina’s Mark Erjavec indicted in $975K COVID-relief fraud

Sep 25 Breaking TC 2

Mark Erjavec, 49, of Edina, has been indicted in Minnesota on five counts of wire fraud for an alleged $975,000 scheme targeting COVID-19 relief programs, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors say he reactivated dormant business entities dissolved between 2008 and 2013, opened new bank accounts, and submitted false EIDL and PPP applications with nonexistent employees and inflated revenues; he has appeared in federal court.

Business & Economy Legal

MyPillow to sell Chaska HQ, shift offices

Sep 24 Breaking TC 1

MyPillow has put its Chaska headquarters up for sale and will relocate office functions to Shakopee, according to a Star Tribune report. The move consolidates operations within the Twin Cities metro across Carver and Scott counties; details on timing and employment impacts were not immediately disclosed.

Business & Economy Housing

Oppidan sells Pillars of Prospect Park for $140M

Sep 24 Breaking TC 1

Oppidan sold the Pillars of Prospect Park senior living community near the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis to Ventas for $140 million, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports on Sept. 23, 2025. The deal is described as one of the Twin Cities’ largest real estate transactions of the year, with the property’s unique features and partnerships cited as drivers of the price.

Business & Economy Housing

Minnesota adds 5,900 jobs in August

Sep 19 Breaking TC 1

Minnesota’s August 2025 jobs report shows a net gain of 5,900 jobs while the statewide unemployment rate ticked up to 3.6%, according to data released Sept. 18. The update, from the state’s employment agency, reflects current labor-market conditions that directly affect Twin Cities workers and employers.

Business & Economy

Toyota, Hyundai recall 1.1M vehicles for defects

Sep 18 Breaking TC 1

On September 18, 2025, Toyota and Hyundai announced nationwide vehicle recalls totaling more than 1.1 million vehicles to address seat belt and panel display problems. The recalls affect owners in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro due to their national scope and will require affected vehicles to be serviced to remedy the defects.

Public Safety Business & Economy

FTC sues Ticketmaster over pricing practices

Sep 18 Breaking TC 1

The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit on Sept. 18, 2025, against Ticketmaster/Live Nation, alleging practices that force fans to pay more for concerts and events. The case seeks to curb alleged anticompetitive or unfair methods that raise ticket costs nationwide, which could affect Twin Cities consumers who buy tickets for metro venues.

Legal Business & Economy

Bluestem to close Eden Prairie HQ; 103 layoffs

Sep 18 Breaking TC 1

Eden Prairie–based Bluestem Brands is closing its headquarters and laying off 103 employees, including its CEO, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports on Sept. 18, 2025. The move follows prior layoffs and two bankruptcy filings; the company’s online shops reportedly have only a few items remaining.

Business & Economy Employment

Pentair acquires Hydra-Stop from Madison Industries

Sep 18 Breaking TC 1

Twin Cities–based Pentair announced on Sept. 18, 2025, that it acquired Illinois-based Hydra-Stop from Madison Industries. Pentair says the acquired business is expected to generate about $50 million in 2025 revenue with roughly a 30% return on sales, signaling strategic expansion of its water-related offerings.

Business & Economy Utilities

Amazon invests $1B to raise pay, cut health costs

Sep 17 Breaking TC 1

Amazon announced on Sept. 17, 2025, that it will spend $1 billion to increase pay and lower health care costs for U.S. employees, a change that applies to workers nationwide, including those in the Twin Cities metro. The company said the investment is aimed at boosting compensation and reducing out-of-pocket medical expenses.

Business & Economy Health

Illume Candles closing Maple Grove HQ, cutting 132 jobs

Sep 17 Breaking TC 1

Illume Candles will close its Maple Grove headquarters and manufacturing operations and lay off 132 workers, according to a Star Tribune report. The move affects employees at the Hennepin County facility and removes a local manufacturing and office footprint in the Twin Cities suburb.

Business & Economy

First metro recreational cannabis shops open

Sep 16 Breaking TC 1

Recreational cannabis sales began Tuesday at Green Goods locations statewide, including five shops in the Twin Cities, while RISE is opening five recreational dispensaries with 8 a.m. ribbon cuttings, three of them in the metro. Legacy Cannabis in Duluth is set to open at 4:20 p.m. Tuesday with flower grown by the White Earth Nation, after a tribal compact and new state licenses eased supply constraints that had delayed non-tribal openings.

Business & Economy Legal

Falcon Heights nets $49K from State Fair parking

Sep 15 Breaking TC 1

The City of Falcon Heights reports earning a $49,000 profit from on-street parking fees charged during the Minnesota State Fair in areas near the fairgrounds. The fees were enforced on city streets in Falcon Heights during the event, generating revenue beyond program costs.

Local Government Transit & Infrastructure Business & Economy