Golden Valley & West Metro

A quick-thinking house worker is being hailed as a "true hero" after diving into a lake in Robbinsdale to save a 4-year-old child who had gone underwater 50 feet from shore. The Robbinsdale Police Department is commending the man and several other bystanders who sprang into action to assist in the harrowing rescue.

Minneapolis

Swimmers encountered broken glass in the pool at Jim Lupient Water Park in Northeast Minneapolis on Thursday, forcing the popular summer destination to close indefinitely. State health protocols require the pool to remain closed until it is thoroughly cleared and deemed safe for visitors.

Abbott Northwestern Hospital has officially opened its new 10-story, $1 billion expansion tower in south Minneapolis. The new Richard M. Schulze Surgical Center will provide patients with state-of-the-art technology and expanded care spaces.

In local development, the Minneapolis City Council is set to vote next week on the contentious Hennepin County-led Lyndale Avenue reconstruction project. Business owners continue to voice growing concerns about how the prolonged roadwork might impact their operations.

The Minneapolis City Council is also weighing a new drone first-responder pilot program, though the proposal is facing significant pushback. Much of the public opposition centers on privacy rights and the drone manufacturer Skydio's relationship with Israel.

In a fascinating historical discovery, crews restoring the Basilica of Saint Mary have uncovered stunning architectural designs that had been hidden away since the 1950s.

St. Paul

The West St. Paul Police Department is urgently asking for the public's help locating 13-year-old Amarielle Kirven. She was last seen near the 1500 block of Allen Avenue around 8 p.m. Thursday, and authorities are deeply concerned for her well-being.

St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her announced the city will begin clearing out homeless encampments citywide, starting with Pig's Eye Park on August 5. The city cites severe public safety and health concerns, noting recent sexual assaults, fires, thefts, and two overdose-related deaths at the sites.

Josie Lewis, an artist preparing to open a new gallery in St. Paul, is starting over after a 12-year-old caused six figures in vandalism damage, leaving behind a trail of destructive paint footprints. Police say accountability has yet to follow for the juvenile, despite a history of similar incidents.

Local Sports

The Minnesota Twins fell to the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 on Friday night at Target Field. Los Angeles snapped a five-game skid thanks to Vaughn Grissom, who went 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs.

Over in the WNBA, the Minnesota Lynx are celebrating head coach Cheryl Reeve, who just became the winningest coach in league regular-season history. Reeve secured her historic 380th career victory this week.

Despite currently working through recovery from right elbow surgery, Twins pitcher Pablo López is still giving back to the community. López and teammate Josh Bell teamed up with Target to treat local kids to a back-to-school shopping spree.

Weather

We are looking at a classic mid-July weekend across the Twin Cities metro, with warm temperatures and moderate humidity expected to stick around. Golden Valley residents heading out to local parks or pools should prepare for mostly sunny skies, but keep an eye on the radar as isolated pop-up thunderstorms are always a possibility on humid summer afternoons.

Minnesota Statewide

The Department of Public Safety reports a troubling 50% increase in motorcycle fatalities compared to this same time last year. Thirty-seven riders have lost their lives on Minnesota roads so far this year, prompting state officials and local groups to plead for heightened driver awareness.

Hennepin County is now the only unit in Minnesota actively reviewing claims of wrongful conviction. Attorney General Keith Ellison was forced to suspend the state’s Conviction Review Unit after the federal government declined to renew the grant that funded the vast majority of the program's work.