Flood clean up compromises trout stream; Needle sandwich; Walking the snake

Needles found in sandwiches on 4 U.S.-bound Delta flights

Reuters: "Delta Air Lines Inc said it was working with federal authorities after what appeared to be sewing needles were found in food on four U.S.-bound flights that left Sunday from Amsterdam, injuring one passenger."

St. Paul Police crime lab under scrutiny in drug case

MPR News: "Attorneys representing a Rochester man charged with drug possession asked a judge Monday to throw out evidence tested by the St. Paul Police Department's crime lab, arguing the lab's results are not reliable."

Naturalists up in arms over downed trees along Chester Creek

"The cutting was so extreme that it will take the stream two to three decades to recover," Deserae Hendrickson, area fisheries supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources told the Duluth News Tribune. Chester Creek is a designated trout stream, the tree-lined banks kept the water cool and provided excellent shade for the fish. The city hired a contractor to clean up the stream after the devastating floods on June 19.

'It's sentimental': Fallen trees brings mess, sense of loss after July 2 storm

Bemidji Pioneer: "Growing up, Erik Jensen liked to sit under the white pine tree that stood at the end of his family's driveway."

Minneapolis, St. Paul gain as growth shifts from burbs

Star Tribune: "Minneapolis and St. Paul are adding new residents by the thousands, reversing a decades-long trend of population losses to the suburbs and possibly reordering priorities for things like spending on highways and transit."

West Fargo denies request to allow constrictor snakes as pets

Robert Butts said "he only became aware of West Fargo's snake ban this year after the confrontation with other residents at the park. He said he was taking one of his snakes for a walk when he drew attention from onlookers at a softball game," reports the Forum of Fargo Moorhead.

Romney veep selection: Pawlenty, Portman or Jindal

Reuters: "Ohio Senator Rob Portman, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal all offer various strengths to Romney should he decide to pick one of them to join his battle to unseat President Barack Obama and his vice president, Joe Biden, in the November 6 election."

Op-Ed: The latest shameful attack on Voter ID

Heritage Foundation: "The LWV should be ashamed that it is trying to suppress the vote of Minnesota citizens. Let's hope the Minnesota Supreme Court is not taken in by this discreditable attempt to circumvent the democratic process."

Also on MN Today

Duluth police: 5 heroin overdoses over weekend, one fatal

Out-of-state money floods Minnesota political campaigns

Nolan gets lift from DFL in 8th District

Thief River food-shelf closed temporarily

Despite tragedy, divers not deterred at 'the cribs' in Duluth

Ron Paul's delegate insurgency ends in Nebraska

• Editor’s notebook: Covering the environment in 2014
• Best of Minnesota Scenes from 2014
• 50 years of memory making in the Boundary Waters
• ‘Fargo’ takes home two Emmys