by Megan Germundson, MinnPost
June 11, 2026

Minneapolis officials say Operation Metro Surge cost the city, residents and businesses nearly $700 million from December through April, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported Wednesday. The updated estimate is a sharp increase from the initial $203 million estimate city officials announced in February.

During a press conference Wednesday, Mayor Jacob Frey highlighted the city’s small-business resiliency fund, which sent out license fee refunds to 1,200 businesses, WCCO-TV reported.

Gauging the cost of Operation Metro Surge across the state is a work in progress, but some numbers are emerging

“Minneapolis is resilient, we’re compassionate, we’re tough and we have consistently shown grit,” Frey said on Wednesday.

A Minnesota administrative law judge ruled that a Montevideo-based electric cooperative cannot shut off power to the Upper Sioux Community’s casino after the tribe built its own solar power system, MPR News reported Wednesday. 

Judge Joseph Meyer’s ruling found that because the co-op’s own policies do not prohibit customer-owned solar generation, it has limited authority to stop co-op members from installing their own systems that reduce their reliance on the co-op’s electricity. The decision could influence how utility co-ops across the state deal with customers who want to generate their own power.

In an effort to increase agritourism in Greater Minnesota and celebrate agricultural history, a group of seven women in Douglas County launched a barn quilt tour, a scenic drive or hike guiding visitors past hand-painted quilt blocks on barns, the Bemidji Pioneer reported Wednesday.

Douglas County’s Painted Pathways trail was made possible by a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board and opened to the public June 1.

The Minnesota State Fair announced a new cookbook, its first in 50 years, that shares 100 blue ribbon winning recipes, MPR News reported Wednesday. The new book, “50 Years of State Fair Recipes: A Collection of Minnesota State Fair blue ribbon winners from 1976 to 2025,” will be available to purchase online after June 14.

Operation Metro Surge cost local businesses more than $600M, court filings say citing survey

“One of the most endearing things is how much it means to them to be a part of a State Fair competition,” Christine Noonan, the fair’s advertising director told MPR. “The stories, the memories, the connection to the fair and capturing this moment in time was especially important.”

Saturday, June 13, is one of four Free Park Days in Minnesota where all state parks and recreation areas will be free for the public, the Jackson County Pilot reported Wednesday. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will waive entrance and vehicle permit fees at all 72 state parks and recreation areas. 

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MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A man has died after he was shot in Minneapolis Wednesday morning. 

Fatal shooting on Chicago Avenue

What we know:

According to Minneapolis police, officers responded around 11 a.m. to reports of a shooting on the 1900 block of Chicago Avenue. 

Police say that a man in his 20s was shot outside a building on Chicago Avenue. He was taken to the hospital where he later died. 

What we don’t know:

Police did not say what led up to the shooting, and they did not share any suspect details. 

Police did not say if any arrests have been made. 

Operation Metro Surge cost Minneapolis nearly $700 million in lost wages and business closures, according to an updated assessment city leaders released Wednesday.

The report looked at figures from December 2025 through April 2026. Previously, the city had released data showing that the federal immigration enforcement action cost the city $203 million in January alone.

The Whittier and Central neighborhoods were the most impacted, the analysis says, as those areas reported the most Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity during the surge.

Colonial Market’s Daniel Hernandez said he was selling just 15% of his stock during the surge at his south Minneapolis location. He had only just opened the grocery store in November 2024, and despite a strong start, revenue only declined as community members faced uncertainty about immigration policies. He said he’s forced to shut down his Lake Street location after losing $3 million.  

“I might be in the floor right now but I know I’m going to go up again,” said Hernandez. “Because our community deserves a place that cares about them, and that place is us, Colonial Market.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey touted the city’s small business resiliency fund, which last week sent license fee refunds to 1,200 businesses. 

“Minneapolis is resilient, we’re compassionate, we’re tough and we have consistently shown grit,” Frey said, while encouraging residents to patron restaurants and stores.

According to new research from North Star Policy Action, the state’s leisure and hospitality industry was the most deeply impacted sector across the state. The sector also represents 8.7% of the state’s workforce and is on average one of the lowest-paid industries, with most employees working paycheck-to-paycheck.