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If roughly 40 percent of Americans avoid the news, what does that mean for political engagement?
About 40 percent of Americans avoid the news at least some of the time, and the reasons for doing so are complicated. As one expert points out, some news avoiders are put off by scary headlines, and others have a hard time making sense of the news, especially when it comes to politics.
Emergency responders use drone to rescue man from drowning in Sauk Lake
Around 2:26 a.m. a caller said the man swam toward the middle of the lake where he appeared to struggle, and by the time the Sauk Centre Police arrived, officers couldn’t see the man from the shore. They then launched a drone. 
U.S. women’s basketball team opens the Olympics with dominant win over Japan
The U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team cruised over Japan 102-76. The U.S. squad, which now boasts a 56-game Olympic winning streak, is on the hunt for an eighth-straight Olympic gold medal.
In 7th District, a conservative Republican faces a primary challenge — from the right
U.S. Rep. Michelle Fischbach has significant name ID and fundraising advantages over political newcomer Steve Boyd in Minnesota’s Republican 7th Congressional District primary. Still, Boyd is campaigning regularly in the district hoping for an upset in the Aug. 13 contest.
Smith Foundry announces shutdown
Over a year after federal regulators launched an investigation into Smith Foundry, the facility announced it’s shutting down in August. The Minneapolis iron foundry said environmental regulations will make it impossible to get a new permit.
St. Paul’s Kellogg Boulevard bridge closes for 3-year construction project
The project is expected to last three years with a cost of roughly $91 million dollars. Funding for the project comes from a federal grant, state bonding and transportation legislation, municipal state aid and the city’s local capital investment program.