Golden Valley Daily Digest — Sunday, March 29, 2026

Your neighborhood news from Golden Valley and the Twin Cities metro

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Golden Valley & West Metro

Minnesota Lawmakers Debate READ Act Changes as Literacy Concerns Persist State legislators are weighing changes to Minnesota's READ Act amid ongoing concerns about student literacy rates across the state. The story, produced through ThreeSixty Journalism's 2026 Capitol Reporting Workshop for Minnesota youth with support from the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, highlights the debate over how best to improve reading outcomes. Golden Valley families with kids in District 281 schools will want to keep an eye on how any legislative changes could affect classroom instruction locally.

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Minneapolis

Fatal House Fire in South Minneapolis Claims One Life A man is dead following a house fire Saturday afternoon on the south side. Fire crews responded just after 1 p.m. to reports of smoke coming from a single-family home, and bystanders told arriving crews that someone may be trapped inside. The Minneapolis Fire Department is investigating the cause.

String of South Minneapolis Shootings Spark Fears of Spring Violence Uptick A deadly stretch of violence in south Minneapolis has shaken community members after three shootings in just a few days, including one that killed a man. Residents are voicing concern about a seasonal increase in gun violence as warmer weather arrives.

'No Kings' Rally Draws Thousands in Minneapolis and St. Paul Thousands of Minnesotans joined protests Saturday against what organizers call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. Minnesota was designated the flagship location for the national effort, with more than 3,000 events planned across all 50 states and abroad.

Blue Line Light Rail Shut Down After Stolen Vehicle Rolls Onto Tracks The Blue Line light rail was shut down for multiple hours after a vehicle ended up on the tracks. Minneapolis Police confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen. Commuters and riders were forced to find alternate transportation during the disruption.

Hennepin County Commissioner Questions Sheriff's Office Budget Commissioner Marion Greene publicly criticized the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office for going $11 million over budget and questioned the mandated role of the office. "I'm not willing to fund the sheriff to provide public safety," Greene said, signaling a potential political showdown over county law enforcement spending.

Bachman's 2026 Flower Show: Cirque de Fleurs Bachman's Flower Show is back at its Lyndale Avenue flagship location with "Cirque de Fleurs," a carnival-themed floral spectacular running through April 4. It's a great excuse to make the short drive from Golden Valley for a burst of spring color.

Suffs Makes Minnesota Debut at the Orpheum The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Suffs is coming to the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis from April 7–12. The show chronicles the women's suffrage movement and marks its first Minnesota engagement.

Ukrainian Easter Egg Festival in Northeast Minneapolis St. Michael's and St. George's Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Northeast Minneapolis is celebrating its 100th anniversary, kicking off with its traditional Ukrainian Easter Egg Festival. A wonderful cultural event just across the city.

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St. Paul

'No Kings' Rally Draws Estimated 100,000 to State Capitol The Minnesota State Patrol estimated 100,000 people attended Saturday's flagship "No Kings" rally at the State Capitol in St. Paul. Tens of thousands filled the Capitol grounds and surrounding streets in what organizers and police described as a peaceful march and demonstration. Streets around the Capitol were closed most of the day.

GOP Rep. Elliott Engen Arrested on Suspicion of DWI State Rep. Elliott Engen, a Republican candidate for state auditor, was booked into the Ramsey County Jail early Friday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated — just hours after speaking on the House floor. The arrest raises questions about his candidacy heading into the campaign season.

License Tab Fee Relief Bill Stalls Before Legislative Break A bill to ease the financial pain of Minnesota's license plate tab fees did not advance before lawmakers left St. Paul on Friday for their weeklong holiday break. The fate of the measure remains uncertain in the Minnesota Senate, leaving drivers waiting for potential relief.

Fatal Crash in St. Paul Park One person is dead following a crash Friday afternoon on Highway 61 between 70th Street and 80th Street in St. Paul Park. Cottage Grove authorities and the Minnesota State Patrol responded to the scene.

Dakota County Mayors Locked in Escape Rooms to Fight Hunger In a creative fundraising twist, local Dakota County mayors spent hours locked in escape rooms to raise money to end hunger in their communities. The "Free Mayors, Feed Neighbors" event brought attention — and dollars — to food insecurity in the south metro.

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Local Sports

Twins Pick Up First Win: Lewis Homers in 4-1 Victory Over Orioles Royce Lewis smashed a tiebreaking two-run homer in the fifth inning off Kyle Bradish, and the Minnesota Twins bullpen locked things down in a 4-1 win over Baltimore Saturday. It's the Twins' first victory of the young 2026 season.

Timberwolves Fall to Pistons 109-87 Without Edwards, McDaniels The injury-riddled Timberwolves were no match for Detroit on Saturday, falling 109-87 as Tobias Harris led the Pistons with 18 points. Minnesota played without Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels, and the loss comes at a tough time in the playoff push.

Wild's Playoff Clinch Bid Spoiled by Bruins, 6-3 Pavel Zacha scored twice — including a first-period goal and a late game-sealer — as the Boston Bruins beat the Wild 6-3 Saturday. Minnesota will have to wait for another chance to lock down a playoff spot.

Gophers Women's Basketball Season Ends in Sweet 16 Fourth-seeded Minnesota's run ended Friday night with an 80-56 loss to No. 1 seed UCLA. Kiki Rice led the Bruins with 21 points and Lauren Betts added 16 as UCLA pulled away in the second half to advance to the Elite Eight.

Boys State Basketball: Championship Saturday Results It was a thrilling day at Williams Arena. Chaska topped Apple Valley 63-55 for its first Class 4A title since 2004. Totino-Grace edged DeLaSalle 72-70 for its fourth championship in five years in Class 3A. Minnehaha Academy used a second-half surge to beat Goodhue in the Class 2A final. And Hills-Beaver Creek rolled to a dominant 64-33 win over Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton for its first-ever Class 1A crown.

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Weather

Spring-Like Warmth and Lighter Winds on Sunday Winds will gradually calm overnight Saturday, with gusts dropping to just 10–15 mph by Sunday morning. Expect clouds to give way to a pleasant, spring-like day with warmer temperatures — a nice stretch to get outside and enjoy the neighborhood.

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Minnesota Statewide

Evacuation Order Near Warroad After Train Derailment Residents near the Minnesota-Canada border were asked to evacuate early Saturday morning after a Canadian train derailed near Warroad in Roseau County just before 5 a.m. The Roseau County Sheriff's Office issued the precautionary evacuation order while crews assessed the situation.

Mark Cuban Pays for Minnesota Infant's Medical Flight After Insurance Denial Billionaire Mark Cuban stepped in to cover the cost of a medical flight for a Minnesota infant after the family's insurance denied coverage. A video of the denial call posted by the baby's mother went viral with millions of views, catching Cuban's attention just in time.

EagleCam Chick Spotted in DNR Nest The Minnesota DNR confirmed at least one eaglet has hatched in the popular EagleCam nest after viewers spotted the chick's head poking up around 6:30 p.m. Thursday. A sure sign that spring has truly arrived.

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Have a great Sunday, Golden Valley. Stay informed, stay connected.