🌱 Police Search For Missing Man + Free College Plan Passes Senate

Good morning! The Patch Daily is back in your inbox, with a five-minute guide to what's making headlines in the Twin Cities. In today's edition:

• A former Minneapolis Police officer pleads guilty to assault.
• Amazon is "abandoning" plans to open grocery stores in the Twin Cities area.
• State lawmakers are naming chemical ban bills in honor of a late activist.

But first, today's weather: Mostly cloudy and very warm. High: 78 Low: 61.

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Here are the top 4 stories today in Minneapolis:

1. Minneapolis police are searching for a "vulnerable" man who has been missing since April 28. Stephen Gerard Preston, 62, was last seen near Broadway and University Avenue NE. (MPD)

2. Gov. Tim Walz is expected to sign a "groundbreaking" free college tuition bill this week, Patch reports. The "North Star Promise" program is part of a larger education bill which has already passed the State House and Senate. (Patch)

3. Former Minneapolis police officer Justin Stetson pleaded guilty Wednesday to assaulting Jaleel Stallings in the aftermath of George Floyd's killing in 2020, NPR reports. Stetson was charged with felony assault and misconduct. He will be sentenced in August. (NPR)

4. Axios reports Amazon Fresh stores will no longer open in the Twin Cities area as originally planned. Locations were in the works for grocery stores in Arden Hills, Burnsville, Coon Rapids, Eden Prairie, Eagan and Lakeville. (Patch)

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Today in Minneapolis:

• Mental Health Connect presents "Stories of Hope" breakfast. (8 a.m.)
• Marilyn Maye takes the stage at Crooners Supper Club. (7 p.m.)
• Bright Eyes and Maya Hawke perform at First Avenue. (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Lawmakers will name a series of chemical-ban bills after activist Amara Strande, who died last week at the age of 20 after lobbying for regulation of the toxic "forever" chemicals which caused her cancer. (Reformer)
• Uber and Lyft drivers gathered outside the Capitol Wednesday, seeking "significant wage increases, better insurance coverage and protections against being fired." (Reformer)
• Infielder Kyle Farmer will rejoin the Twins after spending more than 20 games on the injured list. He was hit in the face by a pitch in mid-April. (CBS)
• Minneapolis Parks and Recreation is hiring seasonal workers for the summer. (Park and Recreation Board)

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You're all caught up, Minneapolis! See you tomorrow for more local stories.

— Georgi Presecky

About me: Georgi is a 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.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Minneapolis Patch newsletter? Contact me at georgi.presecky@patch.com.