Fungal Infection Killed Teen, Pulltabs for The Purple, Turtles in Traffic and More: Pick of Our Patches

Editor's Note: Every week we provide a recap of the top stories from the following Patch sites: Edina, Fridley, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Lake Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Southwest Minneapolis, St. Louis Park and St. Michael.

The stories were as heartbreaking as they were predictable after four years of tough economic times. Homeowner after homeowner stepped before the City Council to detail how business had stopped, how they’d lost their jobs, how they just didn’t have anything left. While Hopkins has unfailingly kept up its streets, doing so isn't always easy on homeowners.

St. Michael Teen Who Collapsed on Run Died from Fungal Infection
After waiting for more than two months for results, the Olson family has answers as to why 16-year-old Michaela Olson collapsed and died during a morning jog July 1.

Bass Lake Road and the Blanding’s Turtle
How a threatened species living near the busy Maple Grove roadway prompted a few curbing modifications in the reconstruction project.

'Fabulous' First Day for Electronic Pulltabs in Spring Lake Park
Monte's is one of the first five bars to offer e-pulltabs, and the Spring Lake Park Lions said the Tuesday rollout went well. A Fridley-based pulltab supplier says they'll start selling the devices soon.

Marriage Amendment Opponents Speak Out in SLP
Erin Keyes said she wants people to know that her family isn't really any different from anyone else's. Keyes, a St. Louis Park resident, lives with her partner, Liberty Lucken, and their young daughter, Ivy. Keyes spoke Thursday night at an informational session hosted by the the St. Louis Park Human Rights Commission that looked at the proposed constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage in Minnesota.

Police Find Man Hiding Under No-Contact Order Victim's Sheets
Police say they found Scott Vincent Lodermeier in the home of a woman who has an active no-contact order against him. Officers said they found two “extremely intoxicated” people who said they had been arguing about "how much they loved each other."

Memorial Service Set for Danielle Brousseau

A service will be held at the end of September in memory of the Plymouth woman who died in a Golden Valley pond on Sept. 6.

Wayzata Nice Twitter Account Uses Social Media For Good
Tweets from the account are all about saying nice things about students at Wayzata High School picking up from where a previous Twitter account had left off.

Mel Gibson Spotted Last Week Around Lake Minnetonka

Movie star was reportedly in Minnesota with his daughter on a family vacation.

Two SW Minneapolis Spots Named "Best Bars" in the Metro

Anyone walking around Southwest Minneapolis on a Friday night would be hard-pressed to confuse it with Uptown. Yet, two local establishments just won Minnesota Monthly's nod for "Best Bar" in their October issue, which hits the newsstands this week.

Richfield Makes Scott Stadem's Take-Over of Basketball Program Official

the Richfield High School Athletic Department officially announced Scott Stadem as her successor Wednesday. Stadem takes over after an historic season for the team and the school.