Golden Valley Daily Digest — Friday, May 8, 2026

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Golden Valley & West Metro

No hyperlocal Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, Crystal, New Hope, or St. Louis Park stories made the wire today — but several metro-wide stories below directly affect West Metro residents, including the Xcel Energy refund and proposed Metro Transit fare changes. Keep an eye on your Xcel bill in the coming months.

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Minneapolis

Council Again Rejects Community Safety Commissioner — The Minneapolis City Council voted down Mayor Jacob Frey's renomination of Toddrick Barnette as Commissioner of Community Safety for a second time. Frey had previously vetoed the council's first denial of Barnette's reappointment, setting up the latest clash between the mayor's office and council.

Mayor Frey Nominates Police Chief O'Hara to New Term — Mayor Frey is nominating Police Chief Brian O'Hara to another four-year term, praising O'Hara's willingness to continue serving Minneapolis. The nomination now goes to the City Council for approval.

Street Renamed for Fallen Officer Jamal Mitchell — Minneapolis is honoring fallen officer Jamal Mitchell by officially renaming a street in his memory. The ceremony commemorates Mitchell's service and sacrifice to the city.

Minneapolis Schools Recover $20M After Budgeting Error — Minneapolis Public Schools discovered a budgeting mistake in special education funding that, once corrected, recovered approximately $20 million and saved around 100 jobs. District leaders say the error could have preserved programs and positions sooner had it been caught earlier.

Metro Transit Proposes Express Bus Fare Changes — Metro Transit is seeking public input on proposed changes to express bus fares, which could affect commuters across the West Metro. Residents have until May 26 to weigh in on the proposals.

Apartment Fire Near Saint Anthony Park — Minneapolis fire crews responded to an apartment blaze near 5th Street and 7th Avenue in northeast Minneapolis around 3 a.m. Friday. Residents were seen evacuating the building; no fatalities have been reported.

Burglary at LGBTQ Bar Lush — Surveillance footage shows three people breaking into Lush Theater & Lounge in Northeast Minneapolis overnight, dragging out a safe in a brazen theft. The entire burglary was captured on camera, and police are investigating.

Shooting on West Broadway — One man sustained life-threatening injuries after a shooting on the 700 block of West Broadway just before 4 p.m. Wednesday. Minneapolis police responded to reports of gunfire in the area.

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St. Paul

Wentworth Library Reopens After Renovation — West St. Paul's Wentworth Library near Robert Street is open again after a year of renovation work. The refreshed space is ready to welcome back visitors with updated facilities.

Minnesota House Passes Inspector General Bill — Almost exactly one year after the Senate passed its version, the Minnesota House approved a bill to create a statewide Office of Inspector General to fight fraud. The bill is now one step closer to reaching Governor Walz's desk.

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Local Sports

Vikings Sign WR Jauan Jennings — The Minnesota Vikings added depth to their receiving corps by signing wide receiver Jauan Jennings to a one-year deal as they continue reshaping their offense ahead of the 2026 season.

Nationals Rout Twins 15-2 — It was an ugly one in Washington as CJ Abrams crushed a grand slam with a career-high five RBIs, and three other Nationals homered in a 15-2 blowout of the Twins. Washington set its season high for runs in the lopsided contest.

Timberwolves Split with Spurs — The Wolves picked up a split in their second-round playoff series against San Antonio but couldn't maintain sweep momentum after dropping Game 2 on Monday night. The best-of-seven series continues with plenty of basketball left to play.

Frost Fall Behind in PWHL Semifinals — Montreal took a 2-1 series lead over the Minnesota Frost after Maggie Flaherty and Hayley Scamurra scored 24 seconds apart early in the second period of a 2-1 Game 3 victory Thursday night. Ann-Renée Desbiens made 27 saves for the Victoire.

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Minnesota Statewide

Xcel Energy Ordered to Refund $40.6 Million — The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission ruled that Xcel Energy improperly passed along costs from a 2023 nuclear power plant outage to customers and must refund $40.6 million plus interest. West Metro Xcel customers should watch for credits on upcoming bills.

Minnesota Outlaws AI Nudification Technology — Governor Tim Walz signed a bill Thursday banning consumer access to AI-powered nudification tools, calling the technology "unacceptable." Minnesota is among the first states to directly target this category of AI misuse.

Bloomington Police Launch State's First Executive Protection Unit — Bloomington Police have created Minnesota's first Executive Protection Unit, designed to address growing national concerns about political violence. The specialized unit is the first of its kind in the state.

Families Struggling as Costs Outpace Wages — A new Minnesota Chamber of Commerce poll shows 53% of lower-income Minnesotans are struggling to keep up with rising costs. The survey highlights a widening gap between wages and the cost of living across the state.

Man Sentenced to 39 Years for Toddler's Death — Erik Adrian Blanco, 43, of Little Falls was sentenced to 39 years in prison after being found guilty in March of second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter in the death of a 14-month-old child.

BCA Identifies Man Fatally Shot by Virginia Officer — The BCA reported that a man fatally shot by a Virginia, MN police officer was holding a torch lighter that officials said was "consistent with the appearance of a firearm." Both the man and the officer involved have been publicly identified.

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Have a great Friday, Golden Valley. Enjoy the weekend ahead! — Your Local Digest