Author: Frank Malley

In an Eden Prairie doctor’s office, a sign reads, “Russian Spoken Here.” A random list for a community door-knocking campaign yields a sprinkling of names like Svetlana, Vera, Yury, Olga, and Leonid. It turns out that the administrative office for the Russian Educational Center of Minnesota is (where else?) in Eden Prairie. Established in 2002, the center is a non-profit organization offers classes to anyone on Russian language, culture and traditions. Maria Luzhansky, the center’s director, provides insight on the Russians who now call Minnesota home. According to Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota’s Russian population is about 12,500, with more…

Though only a medium-sized town, Eden Prairie has a big-idea institution on Martin Drive. Founded in 1986, Pride Institute, 14400 Martin Drive, specializes in treatment of addiction in LGBTQ+ patients. Terri Hayden, who has a master’s degree in psychology and many years in treating addiction, is the chief executive officer of Pride Institute. Hayden answered questions about her facility, its programs, and its patients. On why treatment is restricted to gay addicts, Hayden said that gives patients a chance to focus on themselves and feel safe. The patients do not have to explain themselves to non-gay patients. She said that…

There are Americans who loudly complain that their culture is being stolen from them. There are also Americans who want their ethnicity or religion or family country of origin to be trumpeted as their very identity. This article is not about any of the foregoing. It is about three people in Eden Prairie who describe feeling, at times, like a stranger in their birth culture—as if they are on the outside looking into their heritage. At the same time, they describe feeling vitally American with all the unique individuality that entails. Walk like an Egyptian? Scot Adams is a professor…

Like a game of Monopoly, seeking health assistance can, at times, be a roll of the dice. In one scenario, phoning the main number at Eden Prairie City Hall to find out about health care that is governmentally provided for Eden Prairie residents results in a response that the city is not responsible for health care of residents.  Further, it is indicated that Hennepin County is responsible for residents’ health care.  Also, a Hennepin County phone number is provided – just not the one for health care or human services. Instead, the incorrect phone number connects you with Hennepin Environmental…

On April 26, 2021, the 2020 census data facilitated US reapportionment of congressional seats, with Minnesota retaining eight congressional districts. Most folks assume that all census data were released at that late April date. They were not. Just enough information was released to make congressional reapportionment possible. Demographic numbers—pertaining to gender, race, age, ethnicity, and a snapshot of our human relationships—are still to come. Minnesota district maps for Congress, the Minnesota House, and the Minnesota Senate cannot be drawn without the essential demographic details. State Senator Mark Johnson, head of the Minnesota Senate Redistricting Committee, projects that the demographics will…

Support group members encourage each other, pray for each other, and share experiences, solutions, and Parkinson’s medical news. Support groups can somewhat remedy caregiver burnout and are a positive force in getting patients out of their home cocoon.

The Pax Christi Catholic church building in Eden Prairie is low and, well, rambling. Not a cathedral. Not an imposing fortress of spirituality. It is complete with a Latin name that means “Peace of Christ”. The seed from which this article grew was the historical fact that years ago when Muslims were new to Eden Prairie, Pax Christi followed its philosophy of being welcoming. For several years it allowed the Muslim faithful to use some of Pax Christi’s facility for their worship. It turns out that this action is emblematic of Pax Christi’s ethos of community service. According to Pax…

This is a story about a mall. It is also a story about perceptions. The perceptions at play at this mall are those of consumers, those who manage consumer perceptions for a living, and finally, those seeking to understand this mixed soup of perceptions — at the mall. The challenge of doing a story on Eden Prairie Center—complete with comments from some anchor tenants and from the business community—is that potential interviewees seem to be running away down the road and disappearing over distant fences. J C Penney’s manager is not permitted to speak to the press. The manager suggests…

The story begins in 2006, during a plane flight to the other side of the world. At that time, Eden Prairie’s Habitat for Global Learning had financed an opportunity for Eden Prairie schools Superintendent Melissa Krull to join a State of Minnesota Trade Commission trip to China, according to Dave Lindahl, Eden Prairie’s Economic Development Manager. Midair, Krull met Richard He. He was a Chinese-American drumming up international business for Chinese cities, including Hunan Province’s Loudi (pronounced “LOH-dee”). Contrary to the recollections of some, there was never any intent to have a “sister city” relationship with Loudi. Eden Prairie Chamber…

Babar (pronounced “bobber”) Khan is a Pakistani-American resident of Eden Prairie and a director of the Senate District 48 DFL. Recently he sat for an Eden Prairie Local News interview to discuss the Pakistani-American community in Eden Prairie and to help EPLN showcase EP’s growing diversity. He and EPLN are quite conscious that he does not speak for all Pakistani-Americans. Khan is a mechanical engineer working as a consultant in quality management systems. Many Pakistanis in Eden Prairie, he noted, are working professionals—physicians, people in finance, clinicians. Many Pakistanis who come to the United States have higher levels of Pakistani education,…