Author: Frank Farrell

Miromatrix relocated to its current Eden Prairie headquarters in March 2022. Photo by Frank Farrell Miromatrix, a bio-engineering company based in Eden Prairie, focuses on addressing one of the most significant challenges in the healthcare system: the shortage of available organs for life-saving transplants. Miromatrix CEO Jeff Ross states that tens of thousands of potential transplant patients in the U.S. alone do not receive organs annually, which is a matter of life and death for them. Miromatrix approach The Miromatrix solution to the problem involves using organs from a nonhuman source and implementing two patented processes. The first process, perfusion…

Eden Prairie-based cybersecurity company Arctic Wolf, a rising star in the fast-growing cybersecurity business, is currently facing rumors of layoffs circulating on social media. EPLN contacted Arctic Wolf on Wednesday and received a statement from Ilina Cashiola, the company’s Vice President of Global Corporate Communications. Arctic Wolf’s Eden Prairie headquarters. Cashiola refuted the claims of layoffs and characterized the information as a “bit of misinformation.” She explained that the company was going through a reorganization as part of its acquisition last year of incident response company Tetra Defense based in Madison, Wisconsin. She then provided a formal statement from Arctic…

The Eden Prairie Police Department warrant service team on Jan. 12 walking on the street toward 11631 Welters Way (not pictured). Photo by Frank Farrell Residents of the neighborhood of Welters Way in Eden Prairie were startled awake in the early hours of Jan. 12 as a group of heavily armed police officers descended upon a home located at 11631 Welters Way. The officers were serving a search warrant as part of a federal investigation being run by the United States Postal Inspection Service. When asked why the SWAT team was necessary, Eden Prairie Police Chief Matt Sackett stated that…

Residents on Welters Way were awakened shortly after 6 a.m. Thursday to see the Eden Prairie Police Department (EPPD) SWAT team forming up in silence in front of a home on Welters Way in the Olympic Hills neighborhood. The SWAT team was silent and stealthy but clearly prepared for action. They were fully equipped with weapons, tactical gear and shields. The team proceeded up the street to a home on the 11600 block of Welters Way. They surrounded the home, shouted that they had a search warrant and entered the home. It appeared the SWAT team was able to secure the…

Eden Prairie Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthun, District 49B, is the lead author of sweeping new abortion rights legislation in Minnesota, H.F. No. 1. Designating the bill as number 1, are legislative code words for “very important legislation.” Representative Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn. Provided photo The Bill The bill is short (less than 300 words), simple, and addresses a broad range of reproductive health care services, including abortion. The bill states that “Every individual has a fundamental right to make autonomous decisions about the individual’s own reproductive health.” “The bill addresses reproductive freedom and what that means,” Kotyza-Witthuhn said. “Everything from counseling, fertility challenges,…

David Hann is the current chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party. Previously, he served as a Minnesota state senator and an Eden Prairie School Board member. Hann and his wife have four grown children and have lived in Eden Prairie for almost 40 years. He is known for his soft-spoken demeanor, which differs from the bombast so often seen from politicians. In a recent interview, Hann, 70, shared his thoughts on the 2022 election. He also provided insight on several other topics, including the role of financing in elections, the polarization of the abortion issue, and his perspective on the…

Minnesota candidates were required to file their final pre-election campaign finance reports last week. This is the last look the public has at their fundraising and cash positions ahead of Election Day on Nov. 8 According to a Nov. 2 Star Tribune story, a review of these reports paints a picture of “cash is pouring into Minnesota races for statewide office and critical legislative battlegrounds, as candidates enter the final days of an election season that will decide control of state government.” The required financial reporting for state candidates is detailed and extensive. It is available on the Minnesota Campaign…

Arctic Wolf’s Eden Prairie headquarters at 8939 Columbine Road. Photo courtesy of Arctic Wolf Eden Prairie-based cybersecurity company Arctic Wolf just celebrated its 10th anniversary. The company was founded in April 2012, and its approach to cybersecurity has proved to be a winning formula. I recently had the opportunity to interview Arctic Wolf’s Chief Marketing Officer Dan Larson, who told me the story of the company’s past, present and plans for the future. Cybercrime is a global criminal enterprise Larson said that cybercrime became bigger than the global drug trade during the last 20 years. In 2009 Google was hacked…

Rep. Carlie Kotzya-Witthuhn greeting a voter. Photo courtesy of the Kotyza-Wittuhn campaign Thomas Knecht greeting voters. Photo courtesy of the Knecht campaign Door-knocking by political candidates is a time-honored tradition in Minnesota politics. That is especially true this campaign season, as the high-stakes battle for control of the Minnesota Legislature could hinge on just a few hundred votes in a small number of competitive districts. The Republicans door-knocked through the 2020 election; the Democrats took a hiatus due to the pandemic. Door-knocking is back with a vengeance on both sides in 2022. According to the Oct. 7 issue of Axios,…

The three living generations of Petersons. Photos provided by Peterson Farms Thanks to a significant change in the law, the Eden Prairie-based Peterson Farms can now add THC-infused food and beverages to Verist, its full line of farm-crafted CBD remedies. This new law took effect on Aug. 1 and allows the sale and consumption of certain THC-edible products to those age 21 and older. The product must contain no more than five milligrams of THC in a single serving and no more than 50 milligrams of THC per package. The Petersons maintain their vertical or “farm to table” business…