Good morning. We'll say it again, nothing beats spring nights.

A one-time property tax refund boost is in store for thousands of qualifying property owners across the state. The state’s homestead property tax credit refund will rise by around 15 percent this year as part of legislation approved by the Legislature and governor. The one-time refund increase should boost refunds to those in the homestead program by around $213. Those homeowners who have already filed for the program should automatically get the increased refund. If you have not filed, but qualify for the income-based property tax program, you can do so until August 2027. For those who qualify for the refund this year, the rebates should be sent out in late September or early October. 

The Star Tribune broke down the law enforcement response to the fatal shootings of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and the shootings of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. The investigation found that some faster responses and thinking by law enforcement could have both prevented more violence and could have led to the capture of Vance Boelter — the man charged with the shootings — more quickly. The story breaks down the timeline of the shootings and Boelter’s arrest , following his path on the lam in what was one of the largest manhunts in state history. Reporter Jeff Day spoke with MPR News Host Nina Moini about the story. “The main reason that we decided to dig into it was because we felt that there were questions that were unanswered from things like the federal indictment against Boelter, from the information that was shared by law enforcement in the immediate wake of these attacks,” Day said. “I think that has proven out that the more string that we pull, kind of the more questions we find.” Among the bigger questions Day said, was why the State Patrol declined to launch a helicopter after the Hortmans were shot, which he says gave Boelter a much better opportunity to flee the area and be on the lam for nearly two days.

The woman charged with threatening House Speaker Lisa Demuth appeared in court yesterday. Earlier this year, Rachel Marie Welsch of Hugo allegedly left angry voicemails for House Speaker Lisa Demuth and Republican Rep. Patti Anderson. The messages were about their political stances on immigration and other issues. State troopers say the messages to Demuth escalated and allegedly included threats that Welsch would find Demuth in person and that Welsch knew how to shoot a gun. During a short, virtual hearing yesterday in Washington County District Court, Welsch's lawyer said the parties are working toward a pretrial resolution. Welsch faces a felony charge for the messages to Demuth. It carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a ten thousand dollar penalty. Demuth appeared to attend the Zoom hearing, but didn’t speak. Welsch is expected to next appear in court on July 6.

The Minnesota Board of Pardons will hear a request today for the release of a man who has served 31 years in prison for a triple murder. Gov. Tim Walz and State Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson will decide whether 50-year-old Adrian Riley should be released from prison. According to court documents, Riley was convicted on three counts of first-degree murder in 1996 for killing Jimmy Walters, Troy Tholkes, and Treesa Woods at a farmhouse in Carver County. He is serving a life sentence. KARE 11’s Lou Raguse reports that families of the victims are hoping Riley’s request will be denied. Raguse says Attorney General Keith Ellison, who through his work at the Legal Rights Center was Riley’s trial attorney, recused himself from the case before the board. 

Vice President JD Vance is urging the DOJ to investigate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison, after a GOP-led congressional report on fraud in Minnesota. The report, from the Republican-led House Oversight Committee, says Walz, Ellison and other Walz administration leaders failed to take action to stop fraud when it was first reported and claims they did not do enough to combat it. “Minnesota state officials are not above the law,” Vance wrote in a post on X. Fraud has been an issue the Trump administration has been hammering as the midterm elections near. Walz and Ellison say the committee’s report is political in nature. The Associated Press says the Justice Department didn't immediately respond to questions Tuesday about whether it would open an investigation. It was unclear what, if any, potential violations of federal law could support a probe into the Democratic Minnesota officials 

There are 20 August primaries to determine nominees for state House seats. A handful of incumbents must get by candidates from their own party before defending their seat in November. They’re noted below with asterisks. DFLers have 12 of the primaries to eight for the GOP. None of the incumbents facing primaries are in what each party would consider a swing district, so the eventual nominee will be the favorite to hold the seat. But some of the open-seat primaries do fall in competitive districts.

The Legislature saved HCMC, but other hospitals are in critical condition. Lawmakers dedicated $205 million to prevent HCMC’s imminent closure. Keeping HCMC’s doors open benefits the whole state’s healthcare system because the hospital trains doctors and provides specialized care to patients from across the state. However, other hospitals desperate for funding got very little direct help out of this legislative session. Lawmakers approved a $30 million stabilization fund for critical access facilities and healthcare centers that provide disproportionate levels of uncompensated care. But dozens of hospitals could be eligible for that limited funding and the Minnesota Hospital Association counts at least 31 in financial distress. Brian Arola at MinnPost explains the different types of funding lawmakers approved for hospitals this year and how the Trump administration's so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act will make providing care more costly in 2027.

In more hospital news, the University of Minnesota, Fairview Health Services and M Physicians have finalized a deal after months of negotiations. The deal secures a $1 billion investment from Fairview in its medical facilities on the U’s campus and additional millions in annual funding. It also ensures M Physicians are the only faculty practice group at the U’s medical school and that faculty, students, residents and fellows can research and teach at Fairview facilities. Erica Zurek has more on the tumultuous path to an agreement and next steps to set the deal in stone.