St. Paul will host the Transplant Games, an event where the transplant and donation community competes in Olympic-style sporting events, in August 2028. The games are intended to raise awareness for the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation.

“We’re heartened by the sense of community, by the sense of togetherness, by the sense of resilience, and by the spirit of new life that the Transplant Games are bringing to our community,” St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said at a news conference Tuesday.

The Transplant Games span six days and have three divisions. Organ recipients compete in division one. Living donors and cornea, tissue, bone marrow and stem cell recipients compete in division two. Donor families make up division three.

The games bring together about 10,000 people each year, according to Bill Ryan, president and CEO of the Transplant Life Foundation. There are 20 competitions for people to participate in, including a 5K run, golf, basketball, swimming and cycling.

— Kathryn Kovalenko

Man ‘randomly struck’ by shot outside home

A 61-year-old man was shot and injured in his St. Paul residence and police said they don’t believe he was the target.

Officers responded to the 400 block of West Maryland Avenue in the North End just before 1 a.m. Friday and found the man had been shot in the hand.

“Preliminary information indicates the round was fired outside of the home and the victim was randomly struck,” said Alyssa Arcand, a St. Paul police spokeswoman. “This investigation is active and ongoing.”

St. Paul Fire Department medics took the man to the hospital to be treated for a non-life threatening injury.

No one was under arrest as of Friday afternoon.

Shootings remain down in St. Paul this year, with 38 people injured by gunfire as of Sunday. That compares with 55 during the same timeframe last year, 68 in 2023 and 108 in 2022, according to the police department.

— Mara H. Gottfried

Aquatic center officially closes for season

After a delayed opening due to a leak in a pipe underneath the pool, a second leak was found and prompted the closure of the Bloomington Family Aquatic Center for the rest of the season, city officials said on Friday.

Officials made the decision after the leak was discovered during routine maintenance and after consultation with contractors, the city announced on its website. The pool was closed on Tuesday and then officially shut down for season on Friday.

“The repairs needed are significant and will take weeks to complete, leaving little remaining time in the swimming season,” the announcement read. “... All season pass holders will receive a full refund on their purchase.”

The pool opened late this season, on June 19, which was 10 days after its scheduled opening. At the time, city cited a leak as the cause of the delay.

— Kristi Miller