Property tax increase would pay for cops, firefighters: The levy increase was a departure from last year, when he held property taxes flat in the face of a taxpayer revolt. But Mayor R.T. Rybak claimed the rise in the levy would have been doubled had it not been for recent Vikings stadium legislation that directs less property tax revenue to the aging Target Center. (Eric Roper and Maya Rao)
Football's still a tough sell at U: Student season-ticket sales have steadily dropped from 10,000 in the first year at the 50,800-seat TCF Bank Stadium, to 7,800 the second year to less than 6,000 last year. Now, with the team's first home game on Sept. 8 less than a month away, roughly 2,000 student season tickets have been sold for the $288 million on-campus stadium that was seen as a key to rekindling passion and attendance after almost three decades in the Metrodome. (Mike Kaszuba)
Housing need, rail line bring development near U campus: The latest project comes from the Opus Group, which said Wednesday that it plans to build a six-story apartment building with first-floor retail space in the heart of the campus. (Jim Buchta)
Ash borer scourge spreads south: The discovery at Fort Snelling Golf Course raises concerns about the potential for the pest to spread to neighboring Dakota County. (Kevin Duchschere)
Great chefs: The wonder women of Chef Shack: Chef Shack owners Lisa Carlson and Carrie Summer are the dynamic duo who kick-started the Twin Cities street food scene. (Rick Nelson)
Bored gunman who shot at cops gets 26 years in prison (Abby Simons)
Obituary: "Big John" Pritchard was a South High basketball standout (Paul Walsh)
In heated western Minn. GOP congressional primary, outsiders challenging incumbent
Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame: A class-by-class list of all members
This retired journalist changed professional wrestling from Mankato
