Quick Hits

• Two charged in $1.5M Medicaid fraud cases. Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Monday that his Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has charged two separate cases alleging more than $1.5 million in fraud against the Medicaid program. (KSTP)
• Trafficking-fraud crossover alleged. Charging documents in the sprawling case tied to a former Anoka County assistant attorney show crossover between an alleged sex trafficking operation and Medicaid fraud schemes — and a law expert says some of the ex-prosecutor's past cases should be reviewed. (KSTP)
• Library cuts on the table. Hennepin County Library is preparing to cut hours and make other changes amid budget woes; the proposals are part of its requested budget and not yet final. (KARE11)
• State voter rolls stay put. A federal court rejected the Trump administration's attempt to obtain Minnesota's voter rolls. (KARE11)
• Twins win. Josh Bell's two-run double keyed a four-run first inning and the bullpen made it hold up in a 4-2 win over Atlanta. (KSTP)

Golden Valley & West Metro

The day's top West Metro story is the Medicaid fraud announcement: Attorney General Keith Ellison said Monday that his office's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has charged two separate cases alleging more than $1.5 million in fraud against Medicaid, according to KSTP. The charges land amid a running statewide debate over fraud in public programs — a debate playing out on opinion pages even this week (more below).

Minneapolis

The ex-Anoka County prosecutor case continues to widen. KSTP reports charging documents allege a sex trafficking operation involving the former assistant county attorney was tied to alleged Medicaid fraud — an unusual crossover prosecutors are still untangling, with the county attorney suggesting more victims are likely. A law expert told KSTP some of the ex-prosecutor's past cases should be reviewed, and advocates are using the high-profile case to stress that sex trafficking happens everywhere in Minnesota, not just in cities.

In city finances: Hennepin County Library says it's preparing to cut hours and make changes amid budget shortfalls — a proposal that would ripple through the countywide system Golden Valley readers rely on. It's not final; it's tied to the county's requested budget. Minneapolis leaders, meanwhile, are split over whether to consolidate Park Board services with the city to help close a $60 million budget gap, with the mayor and park board at odds (KSTP).

Also in Minneapolis: rising costs to develop affordable housing in the Twin Cities — a topic highlighted around July's Opportunity Crossing grand opening — are prompting new calls to "do better" (KSTP). Police say three people were wounded in two separate shootings Saturday night into Sunday morning, the first around 9:38 p.m. Saturday near 18th Avenue. And mark your calendar: the inaugural Midwest Black Book Fair, celebrating Black literature, runs Aug. 22 at 2001 Plymouth Avenue North.

St. Paul & East Metro

• Can you check if you've been "Flocked"? Yes — KSTP reports a website now shows whether your vehicle is in the database of Flock, the automated license-plate reader network that's become one of the biggest surveillance debates in the country.
• The Dakota County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help after a man's body was found in the Mississippi River near Inver Grove Heights on Friday; investigators want more information about who he was. (KSTP)
• The annual Monarch 5K in St. Paul raised more than $5,000 for cancer research, honoring the late wife of one of the event's organizers. (KSTP)
• Book lovers: the Book Bus by Citrus & Co., a rolling indie bookstore tour, is making stops around St. Paul. (KSTP)
• Burger Week wrap-up: a St. Paul Reddit reviewer closed out MN Burger Week at Mac's Diner in North St. Paul with a cheese curd burger — verdict: solid, though it "could've used a few pickles."

Local Sports

Twins 4, Braves 2. Josh Bell's early two-run double got the scoring started in a four-run first inning — the first six Twins batters reached — and the bullpen made the lead stand up the rest of the way. (KSTP)

Minnesota Statewide

On elections: a federal court in Minnesota rejected the Trump administration's lawsuit seeking the state's voter rolls (KARE11). Separately, Secretary of State Steve Simon addressed undercover recordings made at polling places on Primary Election Day — 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS learned the group behind the videos visited at least 15 poll locations — and defended Minnesota's voter vouching law. (KSTP)

On the roads: nearly 300 law enforcement agencies across Minnesota begin extra DWI patrols this week, running through Labor Day. One Minnesota man shared his personal story with KARE11 as officials announced the crackdown — a good reminder to plan a sober ride.

On the fraud debate: a MinnPost Community Voices counterpoint pushes back on a recent commentary titled "Hard data and context are missing in Minnesota's overblown fraud furor," arguing this isn't the time to dismiss the damage done by fraud in Minnesota.

Finally, fair season is nearly here — KSTP's Twin Cities Live has you covered with "5 Stress-Free State Fair Moves" and ideas for a nutritious breakfast before you dive into the deep-fried stuff, and Sunday's "At Issue" recapped the primary results with a look at the tough budget decisions ahead for Twin Cities governments.