July is traditionally seen as one of the duller months of the year for news, but not this time around! Here are the top stories in Southwest Minneapolis from the last month.

1. Naked Bathers in the Lakes - Were you really surprised? Early this month, during that awful heat wave, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department caught two separate groups of bathers skinny-dipping in Lake Calhoun and in Lake Harriet. In a follow-up story, many of you said you wanted Minneapolis to bring back a public nude beach.
2. The Return of Linden Corner - Well, not the original Linden Corner Development. Mark Dwyer, the developer who proposed the first, controversial project at the corner of 43rd and Upton announced he was bringing a half-sized version of the proposal, to be called 4250 Upton, back to the neighborhood for input.
3. Garage Burglaries - Late this month, scores of garages were broken into over a few nights. The thieves seemed chiefly interested in high-end bicycles. Police have since upped their marked and unmarked patrols in Southwest Minneapolis.
4. Kyle's Market Charges Brought - County prosecutors charged a CARAG resident in one of the many vandalism incidents where the windows of Kyle's Market and Calhoun Pet Supply were smashed. The accused told police he thought Kyle's Market was selling him "poisoned" cigarettes.
5. Bachmann, Ellison Trade Broadsides Over Muslim Brotherhood - As many of you know, Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) accused Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) and a top State Department aide of being part of a radical Muslim conspiracy to infiltrate the US government.
6. More Details Emerge About The Lynn - The soon-to-open restaurant at 50th and Bryant sat down with us for a sneak peek at the hotly anticipated eatery. "I like the idea of a bistro, of a cafe" chef Peter Ireland said. "It's really a European diner."
7. Will City Decision Make Toppers Close? - A newly-opened Windom pizzeria is nervously eyeing its financial future after the Minneapolis City Council—at neighbors' request—barred it from keeping its dining room doors open past 10 p.m. It will still deliver to 3 a.m. to most of Southwest Minneapolis.
8. Bayers Do It Best Hardware to Close - Linden Hills stalwart Bob Bayers decided to retire after being out-competed by Settergren's Ace Hardware.
9. Salt Cave Opens in Tangletown - An ancient European alternative treatment for asthma and other illnesses comes to Tangletown.
10. Priest's Sermon Against Marriage Amendment Goes Viral - A short sermon by a priest who told Minneapolis and Edina residents why a good Catholic can still vote "no" on the marriage amendment garnered thousands of hits on Youtube in a few weeks.