Medicaid Freeze: The Trump administration is pausing about $867.5M in California payments and $199M in Minnesota Medicaid dollars, saying it’s targeting suspected fraud and billing “outliers,” while Gov. Tim Walz calls it political punishment. Immigration Enforcement: A new report argues ICE deployments in Minnesota looked like “occupation,” tying recent federal raids to deadly outcomes and warning it won’t stop without voters pushing back. State Courts: The Minnesota Commission on Judicial Selection forwarded additional candidates to Gov. Walz for two seats in the Seventh Judicial District. Local Governance: Monticello’s proposed data center isn’t approved yet—city staff say the application was deemed incomplete and more info is required before formal review can proceed. Elections & Campaigns: At Farmfest, candidate forums are drawing record attention ahead of the Aug. 11 primary, with open governor and U.S. Senate seats boosting competition. New Laws Taking Effect Aug. 1: A roundup covers major 2026 changes across agriculture, business, civil law, education, energy, and health. Public Safety: Goodhue County completed a public accuracy test of election equipment for the Aug. 11 state primary. Business & Tech: Stripe signed on as a payments partner for the Ryder Cup, including Minnesota’s 2029 event at Hazeltine.