Minneapolis

City audit flags MPD failures in two high-profile cases. A Minneapolis city audit reviewed the police department's handling of the 2024 shooting of Davis Moturi and the death of Allison Lussier, raising serious concerns about response protocols. Lussier's family reacted to the findings two years after she was found dead in her apartment — her case among a broader review of how MPD handles domestic violence investigations. (KARE 11, Family reaction)

Basilica Block Party is done — permanently. After more than 25 years as a summer staple in downtown Minneapolis, organizers announced the Basilica Block Party will no longer be held. No specific reason was detailed, but the beloved music festival near the Basilica of Saint Mary has been a major fundraiser and cultural event for decades. (KARE 11)

Minneapolis expanding community safety ambassadors to Uptown. The city announced a new cohort of community safety ambassadors with a focus on the Uptown neighborhood, though officials say the new ambassadors won't start until November to allow time for proper hiring and training. (KARE 11)

Operation Metro Surge cost local businesses over $600M, lawsuit claims. An amended lawsuit filed by the state of Minnesota cites survey data showing Minneapolis and St. Paul businesses reported losing more than $600 million in revenue during the federal immigration enforcement operation. (MinnPost)

HCMC down to 7.7 days of cash on hand. Hennepin County Medical Center, the state's largest emergency department and trauma center, is facing a deep financial crisis — its cash reserves have dwindled to roughly 7.7 days, compared to a national hospital average of 119 days. (KSTP)

George Floyd Square reconstruction to begin in June. City plans call for reconstruction work at the intersection of 38th and Chicago to start this summer, according to notes from a recent local government meeting covered by MinnPost's Documenters program. (MinnPost)

Cannabis farm and training facility coming to Near North. A cannabis growing operation and workforce training facility is planned for the Near North neighborhood, as detailed in a recent city planning meeting. (MinnPost)

Five arrested after gunpoint robbery in Brooklyn Park. Brooklyn Park police arrested five male suspects near Brookdale Drive Wednesday night around 9:14 p.m. after a victim reported being robbed at gunpoint. (KSTP)

St. Paul

City rescinds TikToker's six-month ban from St. Paul parks. A social media personality who had been prohibited from entering any St. Paul park property since April 6 had the ban reversed by the city. (KARE 11)

One seriously injured in Highway 52 crash near Plato Boulevard. A three-vehicle crash involving two semis and an SUV shut down northbound Highway 52 in St. Paul shortly after 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, leaving the SUV driver with serious injuries. (KARE 11)

Grammy-nominated singer works with St. Paul kids. A Grammy-nominated artist visited St. Paul to participate in ComMUSICation, an after-school program where professional musicians lead music education for local youth. (KARE 11)

Local Sports

Wild fall in double OT — Dallas leads series 2-1. Wyatt Johnston scored on a power-play deflection at 12:10 of the second overtime to give the Dallas Stars a 4-3 win over the Wild early Thursday morning at Xcel Energy Center. Dallas now leads the first-round playoff series 2-1. (KSTP)

Wolves host Nuggets tonight in Game 3 at Target Center. The Timberwolves return home for Game 3 Thursday after their dramatic comeback win in Denver evened the series at 1-1. Coach Chris Finch and guard Bones Hyland addressed media at Wednesday's practice. (KSTP, MinnPost)

NFL Draft tonight — Vikings pick 18th overall. The first round kicks off Thursday evening on Channel 5 at 7 p.m. Minnesota holds nine total picks, with analysts eyeing several potential directions at No. 18. (KSTP)

Twins split with Mets. The Twins beat New York 5-3 Tuesday night when Luke Keaschall delivered a tiebreaking RBI single in the ninth off struggling Mets closer Devin Williams. The Mets bounced back Wednesday, snapping their 12-game skid with a 3-2 win on a Mark Vientos bloop single in the eighth. (KSTP)

Lynx star Collier likely out first month of WNBA season. Napheesa Collier will miss approximately the first month of the regular season as she continues rehab from left ankle surgery, the team announced. (KSTP)

Loons win in Dallas, now unbeaten in six straight. Minnesota United earned a gritty 1-0 road victory over FC Dallas on Wednesday, with Anthony Markanich's first-half rebound finish the lone goal. (KSTP)

Weather

⚠️ Forecast First Alert: Severe storms possible this afternoon and evening. Storms are expected to develop later Thursday across Minnesota, with the main threats being high winds and hail. An isolated tornado cannot be ruled out. Plan accordingly if you're heading to Target Center for the Wolves game or have evening plans — keep an eye on conditions through the night. (KSTP)

Minnesota Statewide

State Sen. Matt Klein fined for betting on his own race. Sen. Matt Klein (DFL-Mendota Heights) was suspended and fined by prediction market site Kalshi after placing bets on his own congressional race, along with two other candidates nationwide. Klein apologized, saying he was "curious about how it worked." (KSTP)

Lawmakers weigh new State Patrol unit for political threats. Sen. John Hoffman introduced a bill Wednesday that would create a dedicated unit within the Minnesota State Patrol to investigate threats against elected officials. (KSTP)

Earth Day rally targets copper-nickel mining. Hundreds of environmental advocates and tribal leaders rallied at the State Capitol Wednesday, speaking out against copper-nickel mining and its potential impact on Minnesota's freshwater resources. (KARE 11)

Another Twin Cities charter school closing. The Academy for Sciences and Agriculture (AFSA) Charter School announced it will shut its doors at the end of this school year due to financial troubles — the latest in a string of charter school closures in the metro. (KSTP)

Edina shelves $20M pedestrian tunnel. City leaders in Edina halted plans for a $20 million pedestrian tunnel project after public pushback outweighed support. (KSTP)

Lakeville pauses new housing construction. One of the state's fastest-growing suburbs is tapping the brakes on new residential development as rapid growth strains schools and infrastructure. (KSTP)

New AI-powered app aims to boost civic engagement. CivicLoon, a new app using artificial intelligence, is designed to make Minnesota's legislative process more accessible to everyday residents by simplifying how people track and understand bills moving through the Capitol. (MinnPost)