🌱 Bacteria Closes Cedar Lake Point Beach + Investigation Into Sheriff

Good morning, Minneapolis! Here's your Wednesday guide to the headlines.

First, today's weather:

Sunny and pleasant. High: 82 Low: 63.

👀 Attention local businesses & marketers: Attract more customers in Minneapolis by sponsoring this daily newsletter, which gets read by the same people you're trying to reach. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top 3 stories today in Minneapolis:

1. Investigators are looking into allegations that outgoing Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson “engaged in racist and homophobic behavior” and used taxpayer money for personal use. Sheriff’s Office officials told Bring Me The News that an outside investigation limits their ability to comment on the situation. (BMTN)

2. Cedar Lake Point Beach is closed after high levels of E. coli bacteria were detected in the water during routine testing. Lake Hiawatha Beach also remains closed due to blue-green algae. (BMTN)

3. Former University of Minnesota running back Marion Barber III died of heat stroke, according to the Collin County medical examiner. The 38-year-old NFL veteran was found dead in his bathroom on June 1, with the apartment thermostat turned up to 91 degrees. (Paid source: Star Tribune)

From our sponsor:

Hey Minneapolis, want to see only the best Prime Day sales in one place? We've got you covered! Click here to shop and save on TVs, Amazon devices, clothing, kitchen essentials and so much more.

Today in Minneapolis:

• Free music at Northrop Plaza. (Noon)
• The Twin Cities Mobile Jazz Project comes to Sumner Field Park. (4 p.m.)
• “Bike Rodeo” at Perkins Hill Park. (4 p.m.)
• Trivia Night at AxeBridge Wine Company. (6:30 p.m.)
• Bingo Wednesday at Lakes & Legends Brewing Company. (7 p.m.)
• Mary Chapin Carpenter performs at the Pantages. (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is simplifying its phone number to 988 beginning July 16. (Patch)
• A smoking ban will go into effect on all Ramsey County property beginning Aug. 26. (KARE11)
• The Minnesota Aurora finished the regular season undefeated. (MPR News)
• Minnesota State Fair organizers announced more than 30 new foods on the menu at this year’s event, including pickle pizza and cake on a stick. (Patch)
• Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will bring their tour to the Twin Cities next spring, they announced this week. (KARE11)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• ACR Homes Job Fair Week | July 18-21 (July 18)
• POWER: Drag Brunch (July 23)
• Add your event

You're all caught up on this Wednesday! See you tomorrow for more local stories.

— Georgi Presecky

About me: Georgi is a Chicago-based newsletter writer and partner content curator. She spent five years on the entertainment beat for FF2 Media covering film festivals across the U.S. Her feature articles have been recognized with awards from the Illinois Women's Press Association and National Federation of Press Women. As editor-in-chief of the Lewis University newspaper, she and her staff earned honors from the Associated Collegiate Press and American Scholastic Press Associations. She began working for Patch in 2019.