Quick Hits

• Weigh in on Minneapolis' next police chief: The City Council has scheduled three listening sessions this week as part of its previously announced selection process — a rare direct chance for west-metro residents who work and spend time in the city to shape the pick. (KARE 11)
• $11M public housing audit approved: Minneapolis' Audit Committee signed off Monday on a City Council-requested audit of Public Housing Authority spending, as questions mount over conditions at Heritage Park in north Minneapolis. (5 Eyewitness News)
• Lynx stumble in Golden State: The Valkyries beat Minnesota 80-66 Monday — their first win over the Lynx in franchise history — costing the Lynx a chance to lock up the WNBA's top seed.
• Car-window vandalism climbing: Smashed vehicle windows continue to pile up in northeast Minneapolis, with police still working to count the growing number of incidents. (5 Eyewitness News)
• Trade war watch: President Trump is threatening 50% tariffs on Canadian autos after a weekend round affecting roughly $20 billion in Canadian goods; KARE 11 reports Minnesota leaders fear the economic fallout if escalation continues.

Minneapolis

The police chief listening sessions come as part of the selection process the council announced earlier; three sessions are on the calendar for this week. Separately, the Audit Committee on Monday approved council members' request to audit $11 million in Public Housing Authority spending, with Heritage Park's conditions driving the scrutiny.

On the budget front, Mayor Jacob Frey is urging cuts across city departments to lower taxes but is clashing with the Park Board over his 2027 proposal. Homeowners take note: proposed property tax increases vary significantly by area, with some facing hikes above the citywide number under Frey's plan.

Public safety: Three people were injured in a stabbing brawl near a McDonald's over the weekend, part of a violent stretch that included two other stabbings — among them a club security guard stabbed overnight after reportedly refusing entry to two women. Police continue to investigate. In northeast Minneapolis, car-window smashings keep rising, and police are still tallying the total.

Lighter fare: Chef Laura Bonicelli shared a farmers market pizza demo on KARE 11, and Minneapolis musician Nick Elstad brings fresh Americana tunes to the KARE 11 Barn on Aug. 29.

St. Paul

The Flock Safety camera debate reaches a decision point this week, with both the St. Paul and Dayton city councils set to act on the license-plate readers. Flock says it has changed some policies as more Minnesota communities question the privacy impact of the program, according to a 5 Eyewitness News interview with the company.

From MinnPost's ThreeSixty Journalism program: a feature on a St. Paul center offering Indigenous youth "the healing power of community and culture," reported by students including Sadie Fonfara (Roosevelt High School) and Janya Dieringer (Johnson Senior High).

Also making the rounds on Reddit: "Good Sport," a Minnesota-made film with West St. Paul roots, has landed at an Edina theater.

Local Sports

Lynx: Cecilia Zandalasini scored eight of her 18 points in the fourth quarter and Gabby Williams added 15 as Golden State beat Minnesota 80-66 Monday — the first Valkyries win over the Lynx in franchise history. The Lynx had won six straight and 16 of 17, and KARE 11 noted a win would have secured the WNBA's top seed; Minnesota sat five games ahead of Golden State with six to play.

Twins: Fernando Tatis Jr. homered twice and drove in four as the red-hot Padres completed a three-game sweep with an 8-1 win Sunday in San Diego — a rough showing in a matchup of contending teams.

Loons: Kelvin Yeboah scored twice and Minnesota United rolled past the San Jose Earthquakes 5-1 on the road, snapping a nine-game winless streak and improving to 7-7-7.

Vikings: The Sept. 13 opener against the Packers is under three weeks away; LB Blake Cashman and OL Will Fries spoke to reporters after Monday's practice — No. 17 of camp — about the building excitement.

Gophers: Coach P.J. Fleck told reporters Monday he likes his team's makeup heading into the Sept. 3 season opener.

Minnesota Statewide

The tariff threat is the big economic story: after the weekend round covering about $20 billion in Canadian goods, Trump's 50% auto-tariff warning has Minnesota watching closely, with KARE 11 reporting fears of economic damage if the trade war escalates.

Closer to home, U of M Medical Center workers — nearly a year after unionizing — rallied to demand their first contract, with one doctor describing an "antagonistic bargaining battle" with the university.

In tragic news: a passenger died after a vehicle lost a tire and rolled into the median on northbound Highway 169 in South Bend Township (Blue Earth County) just after 1:30 p.m., per the State Patrol. And in Normanna Township in northern Minnesota, one person died after several propane tanks reportedly exploded at a home, sparking an active fire discovered by a neighbor who called 911.