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Ellison clears Sanford-North Memorial merger with conditions
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison approved the merger of Sanford Health and North Memorial Health on August 28, 2026, clearing the deal to proceed with conditions intended to protect jobs and services in the state. Business Journal
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Wells Fargo moves to foreclose on 1.5M sq. ft. of southwest metro offices
Wells Fargo, acting as trustee for commercial mortgage investors, filed a foreclosure action Aug. 13, 2026 in Hennepin County District Court against affiliates of Workspace Property Trust. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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Minnesota drought worsens; 4% now in extreme category
Minnesota's drought worsened this week as the U.S. Drought Monitor and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reported the area in extreme drought jumped from 1% to 4% of the state. FOX 9
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More defendants sentenced in Feeding Our Future fraud, ordered to repay funds
Three more defendants in the Feeding Our Future fraud were sentenced in federal court in Minnesota and ordered to repay millions in stolen child nutrition funds. FOX 9
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Minneapolis boosts Heritage Park funding after HUD-subsidized neglect exposed
On Thursday, August 27, 2026, the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority Board voted to approve an additional $6 million investment in Heritage Park Apartments, pending approval from the city's Board of Estimate and Taxation. FOX 9
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Walser settles tax-evasion case for $490K, dodges charges
Walser Automotive agreed to pay $490,000 to the State of Minnesota and court documents say all criminal charges tied to a Hennepin County tax-evasion case will be dropped. FOX 9
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Minneapolis money transmitter charged in $750K cartel laundering
Christopher A. Bravo Marin, 46, of Minneapolis, was indicted on a federal charge accusing him of laundering at least $750,000 in drug proceeds for Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel. FOX 9
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Developer seeks early demolition at Arden Hills TCAAP site
Maplewood Development asked the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board on Aug. 6 to demolish about 60 abandoned buildings at the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant parcel in Arden Hills, citing safety concerns. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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Canada's $20B tariffs threaten Minnesota farm exports
Canada is imposing $20 billion in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods effective Sept. 8, a move that threatens Minnesota's farm exports and raises costs for local growers. FOX 9
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Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation pledges $15M for downtown
Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation is committing up to $15 million to redevelop downtown St. Paul, using investment capital officials say could steer which projects get financed and tackle lingering office vacancies. Bizjournals
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CDC, FDA tie 15-state E. coli, salmonella outbreak to Minneapolis sprouts firm Everything Sprouts; lawsuits now target company
The CDC and FDA tied a multistate E. coli and salmonella outbreak to alfalfa sprouts grown by Minneapolis-based Everything Sprouts. FOX 9
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Trump tariff-free beef plan alarms Minnesota ranchers
President Donald Trump's plan to import 660 million pounds of foreign beef tariff-free and sell it at 25 percent below market has alarmed Minnesota ranchers, who say it could bankrupt operations. FOX 9
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Allina hospice nurses OK 7-day strike amid stalled talks
Roughly 60 Allina hospice nurses in the Twin Cities metro voted unanimously to authorize a seven-day unfair-labor-practices strike, the union said. FOX 9
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Twin Cities gas climbs to $4.19 as Russian refinery attacks squeeze supply
Twin Cities average gasoline price rose to $4.19 per gallon on Monday, August 24, 2026, an 18.2-cent weekly jump that tightens household budgets as refinery disruptions squeeze supply. FOX 9
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Federal hemp-THC ban delay collides with Minnesota hemp industry collapse
The U.S. Senate on Aug. 8 passed a bill delaying a federal ban on intoxicating hemp-derived THC until Dec. 11, 2026, a temporary lifeline for Minnesota producers who say the market is collapsing. FOX 9
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NASA taps Minnesota as Midwest aerospace workforce hub
NASA named Minnesota State's Transportation Center of Excellence one of seven national aerospace skilled technical workforce State Hubs, making it the only hub in the Midwest. FOX 9
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State job growth cools in July after strong year
Minnesota lost about 1,900 nonfarm jobs in July, a 0.1% monthly decline that cooled a recent run of gains in the state's labor market. FOX 9
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Minnesota, Minneapolis minimum wages set for 2027 jump
Minnesota's statewide minimum wage will rise to $11.87 per hour on Jan. 1, 2027, and Minneapolis' minimum will increase to $17.02 per hour. FOX 9
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Minneapolis 2027 budget fight: Frey, Park Board spar over $3.1M gap and consolidation push
Mayor Jacob Frey proposed a 2.5% increase to Minneapolis park funding on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, while the Park Board voted unanimously to seek 5.86%, creating a $3.1 million gap. FOX 9
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Blue Line trains resume; extension cost jumps to $3.58B
Blue Line light rail trains between Target Field and the Mall of America will resume service Thursday after a months-long construction shutdown, Metro Transit said. FOX 9
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Brooklyn Park medtech FastWave wins FDA trial green light
FastWave, a Brooklyn Park medtech founded in 2021, has won FDA clearance to begin a pivotal clinical trial of its peripheral intravascular lithotripsy system. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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Target pours $1B into grocery push, chases new niche
Target is investing more than $1 billion in its U.S. grocery business in 2026, a move that represents about 20% of its capital budget as it chases a new niche in food retail. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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St. Paul Gnome pub owner decries repeat break-ins, questions prosecutions after latest suspect charged
A suspect was arrested and charged in alleged burglaries at The Gnome pub and a Lexington business in St. Paul. FOX 9
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Walz mining ban near Boundary Waters deepens rift with labor allies
Gov. Tim Walz signed Executive Order 26-10 on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, banning new nonferrous mining near the Boundary Waters and targeting the Rainy River Headwaters Watershed. FOX 9
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Twin Cities housing inventory hits 7-year high
Minnesota's housing inventory hit a seven-year high in July 2026 as new listings and sales rose in the Twin Cities and across the state. FOX 9
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Minneapolis panel renews Reign club liquor license after mass shooting
The Minneapolis City Council's Business, Housing & Zoning Committee unanimously approved renewal of Reign Event Center's liquor license. FOX 9
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Minneapolis, St. Paul mayors propose 2027 budgets with double-digit tax hikes, service cuts
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her proposed 2027 budgets that would raise property taxes by 11.3% and 6.8%, and force cuts to libraries and safety programs. FOX 9
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Record-turnout primary sets Flanagan-Tafoya U.S. Senate matchup
Michele Tafoya won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Minnesota's primary on August 11. FOX 9
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Minnesota sets primary turnout record as Flanagan, Demuth advance
Peggy Flanagan won the DFL nomination for Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat in the August 11 primary, putting her on the ballot for the November general election. FOX 9
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Activist investor bids $1.2B for H.B. Fuller unit
Activist investor Ancora Holdings Group offered roughly $1.2 billion for H.B. Fuller's building adhesive solutions unit, targeting the St. Paul-based company's construction business. Bizjournals
Local
Niron Magnetics wins up to $150M federal loan
Niron Magnetics has been approved for a federal loan of up to $150 million to expand production of rare-earth-free permanent magnets at facilities in Minnesota, a move that could boost local jobs and investment. Bizjournals
Local
AG settles with lender over illegal home-equity loans
Minnesota Attorney General settled with Unlock Partnership Solutions for $944,626 over unlawful home-equity loans and barred the company from lending in Minnesota without a mortgage license. FOX 9
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Revol Greens warns of Medford plant closure, 89 layoffs
Revol Greens warned it will close its Medford, Minnesota greenhouse on Oct. 4, 2026, a move that would eliminate 89 jobs if no buyer or investor is found. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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Dakota County weighs 16-21% property tax hike, staff cuts
Dakota County is weighing a 16% to 21% property tax levy increase and planned staff cuts to close a budget shortfall, county officials announced. FOX 9
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MPD overtime blows past budget, tax hike on table
Minneapolis officials say police overtime has surged far beyond the department's budget, and Mayor Jacob Frey warned a tax increase may be needed to cover the gap. FOX 9
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State awards $2.8M to support Minnesota student-parents
The Minnesota Office of Higher Education awarded $2.8 million in Student-Parent Support Initiative grants for fiscal year 2027 to 24 colleges and community organizations across the state. FOX 9
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Lindell plan ends income tax, slashes schools and health care
Mike Lindell released a campaign plan calling for the elimination of Minnesota's state income tax, a proposal he says would be funded by deep cuts to education and health care. Minnesotareformer
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Study: Minneapolis venues fuel $2B economy, few profit
A report released Thursday by the National Independent Venue Association found Minneapolis independent music venues generate more than $2 billion in annual economic impact while only 20% reported a profit. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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Sun Country blames Delta as pilot losses force 20% MSP cuts
Sun Country Airlines said it has cut more than 20% of its August and September 2026 schedule at Minneapolis-St. Paul after losing pilots to other carriers and shifting aircraft into cargo flying. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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MDH jalapeño-linked salmonella outbreak now spawns Roseville Chipotle lawsuit
A federal civil lawsuit has been filed on behalf of a Minnesota woman who says she was hospitalized with salmonella after eating a chicken burrito bowl from the Roseville Chipotle at Fairdale Shoppes on June 24, 2026. FOX 9
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UCare to cut 102 HQ jobs in Minneapolis as Medica takeover nears
UCare will lay off 102 employees at its Minneapolis headquarters at 600 Stinson Blvd., the company told state officials. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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Target Field concession workers strike during Noah Kahan show
More than 500 concession workers at Target Field staged a one-day strike during the sold-out Noah Kahan concert on Aug. 5, 2026, aiming to press contract demands and disrupt stadium service. FOX 9
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Lindell quits MyPillow CEO post to run for governor
Mike Lindell resigned as MyPillow CEO on Aug. 4, 2026, reduced his stake to a minority and will remain on the company's board to focus on Minnesota's Republican gubernatorial primary. FOX 9
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ICE and CoreCivic set 2026 opening for 1,600-bed Appleton immigration lockup
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and private prison operator CoreCivic plan to open a 1,600-bed immigration detention center at the former Appleton, Minnesota, prison before the end of 2026, and ICE says it will put the facility into active use rather than holding it in reserve. Minnesota Reformer
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North Loop Star Tribune plant data center plan faces Minneapolis moratorium debate
Legacy Investing plans to convert the former Star Tribune printing facility in Minneapolis' North Loop into a data center, a proposal that has sparked a City Council debate over a downtown moratorium. FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul
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Minnesota stiffens prison terms for big Medicaid fraud
Minnesota has raised the penalty for Medicaid fraud over $1,000,000 by placing those offenses at Severity Level 8 on the state sentencing grid, creating a presumptive prison sentence effective August 1, 2026. FOX 9
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145-unit apartment project planned on Franklin Avenue
A Minneapolis developer plans to demolish an office building on Franklin Avenue to build 145 apartments, converting commercial office space into multi-family housing along the corridor. Bizjournals
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MPCA fight forces shutdown of St. Paul iron foundry
Northern Iron, a St. Paul iron foundry, will close in December after a fight with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency over air pollution. FOX 9
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Minnesota keeps Paid Leave payroll tax at 0.88% for 2027
On Friday, July 31, 2026, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development set the 2027 Minnesota Paid Leave premium at 0.88% of covered wages, unchanged from 2026. FOX 9
Local
nVent adding 200+ jobs with new Blaine plant
nVent is opening a new liquid-cooling manufacturing plant in Blaine, leasing 160,000 square feet at 3705 and 3745 Pheasant Ridge Road. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal The plant will employ more than 200 people and is expected to begin production in the first half of 2027. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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Feeding Our Future No. 2 extradited, pleads not guilty
Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, pleaded not guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in Minnesota to 31 counts tied to the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme after being extradited from Somalia on July 16. FOX 9
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Wells Fargo mortgage campus sold for 1,000-unit remake
Novarum Development Partners bought the 25-acre former Wells Fargo Home Mortgage campus at 2701 Wells Fargo Way for $8 million cash and plans a more-than-1,000-unit redevelopment called Iconic Plaza. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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Pearson's closing St. Paul candy plant Sept. 28; union alleges bad-faith bargaining
Pearson's Candy Co. will close its St. Paul plant at 2140 W. 7th St. on Sept. 28, 2026, laying off about 80 workers, a WARN notice shows. FOX 9
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AG shuts down Blaine nonprofit over stadium wage scheme
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has reached a settlement that orders Blaine-based MN Fundraising Initiative to stop operating in Minnesota and to dissolve. FOX 9
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Owner of St. Paul Athletic Club enters bankruptcy
The landlord of the historic St. Paul Athletic Club building has filed for bankruptcy protection to restructure its debt, putting the downtown commercial property into court-supervised reorganization while it remains open. Bizjournals
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Boston Scientific cuts outlook, plans $500M cost reduction
Boston Scientific lowered its 2026 organic net sales growth outlook to 5-6% and announced a restructuring designed to cut about $500 million in annual costs. Business Journal
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New York investor buys 336-unit Burnsville complex
Osso Capital, a New York private equity real estate firm, bought the 336-unit Twelve 501 Apartments in Burnsville, marking the firm's entry into the Minnesota market. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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Plymouth couple charged in $2M-plus tax fraud case
Scott and Angel Hill of Plymouth were charged with six felony counts of failing to file individual returns and six felony counts of failing to pay individual income tax, prosecutors said. FOX 9
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Four plead guilty in $2.25M Medicaid housing fraud via Brilliant Minds
Four men have pleaded guilty in Minnesota to a scheme that bilked Medicaid of about $2.25 million by billing housing services under the company name Brilliant Minds. Alphanews
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After St. Paul leasing-office triple murder, property managers push safety and faster evictions
Twin Cities property managers said Friday they are stepping up leasing-office safety measures and backing faster eviction tools after a triple homicide at a St. Paul apartment complex that left three leasing employees dead. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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Shakopee orders troubled hotel to shut down
The City of Shakopee revoked the license of a local hotel and ordered it to shut down, citing repeated police calls and two deaths tied to an adult-themed event. Bizjournals
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$3.7M Medicaid housing fraud suspect pleads guilty
Muhammad Abdulqadir Omar pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, admitting he and a co-defendant fraudulently obtained millions from Minnesota's Medicaid Housing Stabilization program. FOX 9
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Feeding Our Future ringleader gets 10 more years for juror bribe
Abdiaziz Shafii Farah was sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to bribe a juror, to run consecutive to his 28-year Feeding Our Future fraud term for a total of 38 years behind bars. FOX 9
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New Minnesota laws take effect August 1
Minnesota will implement multiple new laws on Aug. 1 that ban "nudify" image software, require payment transparency in public contracting, broaden virtual-currency custody and change food-bank and veterinary rules. FOX 9
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UBS to abandon St. Paul tower, shift offices to Edina
UBS will leave its namesake UBS Plaza in downtown St. Paul when its lease expires in mid-2028 and consolidate Minnesota offices into new space in Edina. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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Twin Cities now 8th costliest U.S. metro to raise a child
SmartAsset ranked the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metro the eighth most expensive of 48 large U.S. metropolitan areas to raise a child in 2026. FOX 9
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Feds halt over $1B in Medicaid funds as Minnesota fraud fight escalates
Federal authorities have halted more than $1 billion in federal Medicaid funding to California and Minnesota, tying the move to fraud and program-integrity concerns and leaving Minnesota with hundreds of millions in lost funds. Minnesota Reformer
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Costco buys Coon Rapids TGI Fridays to expand gas, parking
Costco has bought the former TGI Fridays at 12519 Riverdale Blvd. in Coon Rapids for $5.5 million to relocate and expand its fuel station. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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Minnesota posts third straight month of job growth
Minnesota added 13,200 jobs in June 2026, marking the state's third straight month of job growth, state officials reported. FOX 9
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Twin Cities housing inventory, sales climb in June
Housing inventory and home sales in the Twin Cities climbed in June 2026, with pending sales and new listings rising and statewide inventory hitting a seven-year high. FOX 9
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Sun Country to cut 58 MSP routes this fall
Sun Country Airlines will cut 58 routes from its fall schedule out of Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, shrinking leisure service as the carrier reallocates pilots. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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Pentair slashes 2026 outlook; CFO exits after 4 months
Pentair cut its 2026 revenue outlook and said CFO Nick Brazis has resigned after roughly four months, with former CFO Bob Fishman returning as interim chief. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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23andMe breach hits 92,000 Minnesotans; state wins payout
Minnesota will receive $514,871 from consumer genetics firm 23andMe as part of an $18 million multistate recovery tied to the company's bankruptcy over a 2023 data breach. FOX 9
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Osseo residents blast $4M tax break for cannabis shop
Osseo residents blasted a proposed $4 million, 20-year tax abatement to help fund a city-owned cannabis dispensary and brewery at a Thursday night town hall, and the council chose to revisit the plan rather than approve it. FOX 9
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Day care owner admits $426K fraud of state pay program
Jillaine Mertens pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of wire fraud after admitting she stole $426,382 from Minnesota's Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program. FOX 9
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CVS pays Minnesota $850K in insulin billing fraud case
CVS agreed to pay Minnesota more than $850,000 as part of a national $36.5 million settlement over alleged Medicaid insulin billing fraud. FOX 9
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Minnesota jumps to No. 5 in CNBC business ranking
Minnesota jumped to No. 5 in CNBC's 2026 Top States for Business ranking, a five-spot rise that state leaders say strengthens the case for jobs and investment. Business Journal
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Workforce Pell Grants start at Hennepin Tech
Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park began offering Workforce Pell Grant-eligible short-term programs on July 1, 2026, making it one of only two Minnesota colleges to do so. FOX 9
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Minnesota paid leave: 75,000 approved so far, agency expects demand to taper
About 75,000 Minnesotans have been approved for payments from the statewide paid family and medical leave program during its first six months of operation. FOX 9
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Edina 50th & France Starbucks votes to unionize
Workers at the Starbucks at 50th Street and France Avenue in Edina voted 9-6 to unionize with Starbucks Workers United. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal
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Feeding Our Future defendant faces sentencing in Minneapolis
Mustafa Jama, 48, is set to be sentenced Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the federal courthouse in Minneapolis for his role in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. FOX 9
Local
Allina nurses stage one-day strike over contract
Nurses at Allina Health staged a one-day strike at Twin Cities hospitals and clinics, pressing stalled contract talks and prompting the system to activate contingency staffing plans. FOX 9