🌱 Patch AM: How will Richfield’s 6.08% tax hike hit your 2026 bill?

What's up Richfield! Let's start this morning right by getting caught up on what's going on around town. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• How will Richfield’s 6.08% tax hike hit your 2026 bill?
• Why Richfield police say these water balloon attacks are no prank
• Why a Richfield church raid is central to a major ICE lawsuit

Also on today's calendar: Richfield Winter Market and 1 more event.

Today's riddle: My brother swallowed a box of firecrackers. - Is he all right now? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Snow and flurries at times, with a high of 38 and low of -3 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
• Friday: Colder; a bit of p.m. snow, temps: high: 21, low: 16.
• Saturday: Morning flurries, then breezy, with a high of 25 and low of 1 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Richfield City Council sticks with 6.08% tax levy increase (hometownsource.com) — Richfield homeowners can expect a 6.08% property tax levy increase in 2026, along with higher water, sewer, and stormwater rates approved by the City Council on Dec. 9. The budget boosts funding for public safety, public works, and housing programs, and includes new wage and benefit adjustments aimed at retaining and recruiting local police officers.
   

• 50-year-old man accused of attacking women with water balloons (azfamily.com) — Richfield police say a 50-year-old man has been charged after multiple women reported being struck by water balloons thrown from a car around town, including a jogger hit just before Thanksgiving. Investigators identified at least nine female victims and allege the pattern shows a bias against women, elevating the seriousness of the 14 charges now filed.
   

• Minnesota ACLU sues ICE, alleging agency violates constitutional rights of observers and protesters (northdakotamonitor.com) — Richfield residents may want to note that an ICE raid at Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Mary in town is central to a new ACLU of Minnesota lawsuit. The suit claims ICE agents violated protesters’ and observers’ constitutional rights during recent raids across the metro, including incidents in Minneapolis, Fort Snelling, Fridley, and Richfield.
   

📸 Around Richfield

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Richfield

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Saturday December 20

• Play Date: Mini Sports
  Richfield Community Center, 7000 Nicollet Ave, Richfield
  9:00 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Saturday December 20

• Stories & Crafts in the Gallery: December
  The Museum of Russian Art , 5500 Stevens Avenue , Minneapolis
  10:30 am
• Richfield Winter Market
  Richfield Community Center , 7000 Nicollet Ave , Richfield
  11:00 am

Tuesday December 23

• Drop-in Job Search and Résumé Assistance
  Washburn Community Library , 5244 Lyndale Avenue South , Minneapolis
  3:00 pm

📣 Richfield Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Thursday December 18

• Family Storytime
  Oxboro Library , 8801 Portland Avenue South , Bloomington
  10:00 am
• Zinghoppers Holiday Show - Entertainment Series
  Edinborough Park - Amphitheater , 7700 York Ave. S. , Edina
  10:30 am
• Open Skate
  Edina, MN Calendar , 7501 Ikola Way , Edina
  11:30 am
• Job Search Assistance
  Penn Lake Library , 8800 Penn Avenue South , Bloomington
  2:00 pm
• Linden Hills Book Club
  Linden Hill Community Library , 2900 West 43rd Street , Minneapolis
  7:00 pm

Friday December 19

• Pickleball Court Rentals
  Edina, MN Calendar , 7700 York Ave. S. , Edina
  6:30 am
• Twin Cities Trapeze Center - Edinborough Entertainment Series
  Edina, MN Calendar , 7700 York Ave. S. , Edina
  5:15 pm
• Bloomington Chorale: A Light in the Darkness
  Bloomington Center for the Arts , 1800 W Old Shakopee Rd , Bloomington
  6:30 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Richfield PatchAM possible:

• AnnapurnaBlue Heath and Wellness — (952) 405-0342
  You Are The Sun ~ Costa Rica Women's Retreat ages 35 - 70+

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Multiple reports indicate a large number of police cars with sirens blaring leaving downtown St. Paul, prompting speculation about a possible VIP visit.
  8:36AM on Dec 16: Police activity affecting vehicle at Twin Cities, Minnesota, per local source (Nextdoor )

🗞 Nearby News

Bloomington

• Wadena County Attorney Kyra Ladd is honored with statewide Johnson Distinguished Service Award (wadenapj.com)
• Mission Yearbook: Video shows how Minnesota church is answering the question ‘Is Racial Justice Possible?' (pcusa.org)
• Wiklund will not seek reelection to Minnesota Senate (hometownsource.com)

Edina

• POLICE REPORT: Noise protest held at Edina hotel allegedly hosting ICE agents (hometownsource.com)

Minneapolis

Ok Richfield! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don’t know. I haven’t heard the last report.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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