Golden Valley Daily Digest — Wednesday, April 29, 2026

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Golden Valley & West Metro

No hyperlocal Golden Valley stories today — but a few items from the broader west metro worth knowing:

Rockford High School Evacuated After Bomb Threat. Rockford High School was evacuated Tuesday after receiving a call around 11:20 a.m. with a bomb threat, according to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. The school serves families in the Rockford area west of our community. Authorities responded and investigated; no further details were immediately available.

North Dakota State Rep Killed in Brooklyn Park Plane Crash. North Dakota state Rep. Liz Conmy, a Democrat from Fargo, was killed in a weekend plane crash in Brooklyn Park. Her friend Joe Cass was piloting the small aircraft. Friends and political colleagues are sharing memories of both victims as the community mourns.

HCMC Funding Crisis — All Eyes on the Capitol. Hennepin County leaders say HCMC needs more state help as lawmakers debate taxpayer funding levels for the medical center that serves many Golden Valley and west metro residents. County commissioners met to press the case — this is one to watch, as HCMC is a critical safety-net hospital for our area.

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Minneapolis

More Than 30 Car Windows Smashed Overnight in South Minneapolis. Police report at least 14 vehicles were damaged on a single block of 24th Avenue South in an overnight vandalism spree. No arrests have been made. Residents are urged to report any information to Minneapolis police.

Minneapolis Renters Flood New Emergency Assistance Program. Community organizations are seeing an immediate surge in demand as the city's new emergency rental assistance program enters its second phase. The program aims to help tenants facing eviction or financial hardship amid rising housing costs.

Underground Transformer Failure Sends Smoke Plume Over Downtown. Crews responded to the area of 9th Street North and Hennepin Avenue after an underground transformer failure caused a large plume of smoke. No injuries were reported.

Federal Judge Challenges ICE Arrest Evidence. A U.S. judge said Tuesday he's giving the government one last chance to prove its case against a Minnesota woman, questioning the credibility of evidence presented in a federal immigration arrest case.

Feds Execute 20+ Search Warrants in Twin Cities Fraud Investigation. Federal agents carried out more than 20 search warrants across the metro in connection with an ongoing fraud probe. Sources say the raids are not linked to immigration enforcement operations.

Shaboozey to Headline the Armory. Country star Shaboozey, who rose to fame on TikTok in 2024 with "A Bar Song (Tipsy)," is set to headline a show at the Armory in Minneapolis. Tickets and dates are forthcoming.

Holy Angels Grad Emmett Johnson Drafted by Kansas City Chiefs. Minneapolis native and Holy Angels high school graduate Emmett Johnson spoke about his excitement after being selected by the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL Draft.

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St. Paul

Grand Old Day Returns to Grand Avenue. One of St. Paul's biggest street festivals is back, featuring dozens of bands across six stages, a 5K fun run, a pet pavilion, and the Grand Old Day Parade. Mark your calendars — it's one of the best free events in the metro.

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Local Sports

Wild Win Game 5, Lead Series 3-2. Matt Boldy scored the tiebreaking power-play goal late in the second period as the Minnesota Wild beat the Dallas Stars 4-2 on Tuesday night in Dallas. The Wild head home with a chance to clinch the series — Game 6 is at Xcel Energy Center. Coach Hynes may also get Mats Zuccarello and Yakov Trenin back in the lineup.

Timberwolves Face Must-Win Without Key Players. With Anthony Edwards and Ragu both out, the Wolves are in a tough spot heading into Game 6 against the Denver Nuggets at Target Center on Thursday night. The series is tied 3-2 in Denver's favor — it's do-or-die at home.

Twins Fall to Mariners 7-1. Julio Rodriguez punished Minnesota pitching with three doubles, and Josh Naylor added a homer and four RBIs as Seattle cruised to a 7-1 win Tuesday. The loss came a night after a promising 11-4 Twins win in which Kody Clemens homered and drove in five, and Connor Prielipp earned his first big-league victory.

Loons Eliminated From U.S. Open Cup. Minnesota United's Open Cup run ended Tuesday with a 4-2 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes in the Round of 16 at PayPal Park. San Jose scored three goals in a seven-minute flurry to put the match away.

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Weather

Cooler Week Settling In. Tuesday brought plenty of sunshine but a cooler feel across the metro thanks to a strong northwest breeze, with temperatures holding in the upper 50s to low 60s. Expect this refreshing, below-average pattern to stick around through the week — great weather for a walk around Brookview Park, but grab a jacket on the way out. No active warnings for the metro.

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Minnesota Statewide

Gov. Walz Delivers Final State of the State Address. Governor Walz entered the House chambers Tuesday night to loud applause from Democrats and polite applause from Republicans. The address touched on fraud, ICE impacts, and the state's policy agenda, drawing divided reactions along party lines.

Trump Lifts Mining Ban Near Boundary Waters. President Trump has lifted a federal ban on mining near Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, clearing the way for a Chilean mining company to seek permits. The decision is expected to reignite fierce debate over environmental protection in northern Minnesota.

Cryptocurrency Kiosk Ban Passes Both Chambers. The Minnesota House and Senate have passed a ban on cryptocurrency kiosks. The state currently has about 350 licensed crypto kiosks operated by roughly eight companies — the ban aims to curb fraud targeting vulnerable residents.

School Funding Fight: Compensatory Revenue at Risk. Minnesota school districts are warning that a proposed change to "compensatory revenue" funding could cost some districts millions and threaten support for low-income students. This formula directs resources to students living in poverty.

Charter School Funding Push. Lawmakers at the Capitol are considering directing up to $73 million more to Minnesota charter schools as some metro charters prepare to close due to financial strain.

Old State Flag Bill Would Cut City Aid. A new bill would penalize cities that continue to fly Minnesota's former state flag by reducing their state aid — another chapter in the ongoing debate over the flag redesign.

U of M Graduations Begin This Weekend. Commencement ceremonies across the five University of Minnesota campuses will recognize more than 12,000 students. Congrats to all our local graduates! 🎓

JFK Profile in Courage Award. Four Twin Cities community leaders have been chosen to accept the JFK Profile in Courage Award on behalf of metro residents at the end of May — a major national honor for our community.

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Have a great Wednesday, Golden Valley. Go Wild! 🏒