Minneapolis, MN
With Minneapolis medical center’s survival threatened, staff and leaders call for state action
As a dire financial outlook has pushed Minneapolis’ Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) to the brink of closure, health care workers and union leaders are calling for legislative action, which could be introduced at the state Capitol as soon as Tuesday.
HCMC, part of the larger Hennepin Healthcare provider system, is Minnesota’s busiest Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma center. It is also a safety-net hospital, meaning it accepts patients regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay, and has been a training site for more than half of Minnesota’s practicing physicians. In 2025, the hospital saw nearly 115,000 patients, including more than 94,000 emergency department visits.
“HCMC is not just a Minneapolis hospital. It’s Minnesota’s safety net. It is Minnesota’s last line of care,” said Jeremy Olson-Ehlert, a registered nurse at HCMC and second vice president of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA), at an April 1 press conference at the Capitol.
The hospital is also in financial straits, facing up to $50 million in operating losses in 2026 and staring down $1.7 billion in losses over the next 10 years, according to projections shared in March with the Hennepin County Board’s budget committee. Right now, the hospital can’t even make its $33 million biweekly payroll and must rely on the county to cover the overdraft, Hennepin County Commissioner Jeffrey Lunde told MinnPost. Lunde chairs the Hennepin Health Board.
The hospital’s financial hardships can be attributed to multiple factors over many years, including the shutdown of Minnesota-based health insurer UCare, which owes HCMC $115 million, and the running cost to treat uninsured or publicly insured patients, who make up the hospital’s majority.
Massive changes to Medicaid eligibility under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, set to go into effect in 2027, are expected to exacerbate HCMC’s challenges. About 140,000 Minnesotans are at risk of losing their health coverage in the coming decade, according to an analysis by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Lunde said that without action from lawmakers by the May 18 end to the legislative session, HCMC would begin closing in June.
No other place to go
The impact would be catastrophic and felt throughout the state, several speakers said at the April 1 press conference.
“Patients will wait significantly longer in emergency departments, and hospitals across Minnesota will lose a partner that they rely on,” Olson-Ehlert said. “There is no backup plan, there is no extra capacity, and there is no other place for these patients to go.”
Lunde echoed those concerns, saying HCMC’s closure would overwhelm places like Regions Hospital in St. Paul and North Memorial in Robbinsdale, the only other Level 1 trauma centers in the Twin Cities. He also warned that wait times for the ER could skyrocket from one to two hours to up to 10.
Some cost-saving measures are already underway. In February, HCMC cut its beds by 100, to 390 total. In January, the hospital stopped accepting most non-emergency transfers from outside of Hennepin County, putting a strain on rural hospitals.
“We’re not only a safety net hospital for patients, we’re also a safety net hospital for other hospitals,” Lunde said.
The current solution being eyed is to repurpose the county’s 0.15% sales tax used to pay off bonds for the Minnesota Twins stadium into a 1% tax that would generate about $340 million annually for HCMC.
Lunde said he expects a bill in support of the tax to be introduced Tuesday in the House when the Legislature reconvenes after the Easter/Passover break. It will be introduced by a member of the DFL Party, he said, with a Republican co-signer.
“We’ve met with the speaker, the senate minority leader, the senate majority leader, leadership in the House, because we’ve been very focused on we need a bipartisan bill, and we need bipartisan support,” Lunde said.
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This story was originally published by MinnPost and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Minneapolis, MN
Water Main Break Floods Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis – Minneapolis Today
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A water main break at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in south Minneapolis sent water pouring through multiple floors on Thursday, disrupting normal operations and forcing delays and cancellations of some scheduled surgeries. Hospital staff and utility crews worked quickly to contain the leak and assess the damage in clinical areas.
Why it matters
As a major teaching and referral hospital in south Minneapolis, any disruption to Abbott Northwestern’s operating rooms and emergency services is significant, especially given the hospital’s heavy surgical caseload. The incident comes as Allina Health is in the midst of a campus revitalization project to boost operating capacity later this year.
The details
According to KARE 11, water flowed through three floors of the hospital and ‘the issue is impacting portions of the ER and OR,’ with some scheduled surgeries delayed or canceled. Crews were on site working on repairs, but it was not yet clear how long those repairs might take or whether any patient care had been moved off-site.
- The water main break occurred on Thursday, April 9, 2026.
The players
Abbott Northwestern Hospital
A major teaching and referral hospital in south Minneapolis that handles a heavy load of surgical cases.
Allina Health
The healthcare system that owns and operates Abbott Northwestern Hospital, which is in the midst of a campus revitalization project to boost operating capacity.
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What’s next
Further updates are expected as repair work continues and damage assessments wrap up. KARE 11 reported that it has reached out to Abbott Northwestern and plans to share additional details once they are available.
The takeaway
This incident highlights the critical importance of maintaining a hospital’s infrastructure, as even an unseen water main break can disrupt vital medical services and patient care. It also underscores the need for healthcare systems to invest in resilient facilities that can withstand unexpected infrastructure failures.
Minneapolis, MN
Price of prestige? Minneapolis paying $750K for Michelin Guide spot
The world-famous Michelin Guide will feature Minneapolis in its next edition, but the inclusion isn’t free.
The city will pay Michelin Guide $750,000 — $250,000 per year over three years — Meet Minneapolis confirmed.
Officials with the tourism and market organization said the deal, which runs from 2027-2029, is an initiative of the Minneapolis Tourism Improvement District, a hotel-led group focused on attracting more visitors to the city. MTID’s website says it generates roughly $7 million per year for supplemental tourism marketing and events.
‘Defining moment’: Minneapolis earns seat at culinary table with Michelin Guide inclusion
Minneapolis is one of six cities to join the next “American Great Lakes” edition from Michelin Guide, the organization revealed Wednesday.
Meet Minneapolis called the announcement “a defining moment” for the city that can move the City of Lake from a “best-kept secret” to a part of the international food scene.
Michelin says its anonymous inspectors have already started scouting throughout Minneapolis city limits and will reveal its inaugural selections in 2027.
READ MORE: Minnesota hospitality industry ‘needs major reform’ to survive, report says
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis nightclub shooting: Mother seeks answers in son’s unsolved murder
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The family of Gabriel Mendoza is still searching for justice more than three years after he was killed while working security outside a nightclub in Uptown.
Remembering a night that changed everything
What we know:
Mendoza was working security outside the Firehouse Restaurant and Lounge in Uptown when he was shot just before midnight on a Saturday in October 2022.
He was in the back of the building, surveying the area and making sure things were safe when shots were fired.
“He’s surveying the ground making sure things are safe and secure, gets caught in crossfire, gets hit in the neck and is still able to usher people inside who were out here into safety,” said Katrina Mendoza, Gabriel’s mother. “That’s what I believe, I don’t know for sure though.”
Police and Mendoza’s family believe there were many people outside the club that night who may have seen or heard something important.
Investigators think it’s possible some witnesses have not come forward, either because they believe their information is not significant or they assume someone else has already spoken to police.
The club where Mendoza worked is no longer there, but for his mother, returning to the area is still painful.
“I get a physical reaction when I come into this area like right now as I’m talking to you I feel completely nauseous. This is where somebody took my son’s life, and he was such a light in the world, not just our family but in the community,” said Mendoza.
A mother’s determination and community outreach
Why you should care:
Mendoza’s family has never stopped seeking justice. His mother, Katrina, has rented an LED billboard in hopes of getting answers and calls the investigator on the case weekly. She has also started a nonprofit called The Blue House to help other families dealing with unsolved murders find support and resources.
“I’m hoping the reason that people haven’t said anything is because they don’t think they have enough information, but they might have the missing piece of the puzzle,” said Mendoza.
When asked about her determination to find justice for her son, Mendoza said, “Until my last breath. I’ll be out here telling his story.”
Gabriel Mendoza was known for his serious, protective energy at work, but those who knew him personally remember his sense of humor, love for break dancing and music, and his talent in sports. He was a protector, especially for those who needed it most.
Mendoza’s family and police continue to ask anyone with information to call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Callers can remain anonymous, and every detail could help bring closure to a family and a community still searching for answers.
What we don’t know:
Police have not identified any suspects, and it’s still unclear who fired the shots that killed Mendoza.
It’s also unknown if any new leads have come in as a result of the billboard or nonprofit outreach.
The Source: This story uses information gathered by FOX 9’s Karen Scullin.
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