Author: Greg Olson

If you had recently moved to Eden Prairie, Bloomington, Richfield, or Edina from another country, where would you go to learn to speak and read English? For almost every newcomer to the United States, literacy in English is crucial for achieving the better life they sought by coming here, particularly for finding employment. One school that many of these folks have sought out is Metro South Adult Basic Education. Operated by the public school districts of Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Richfield, and Edina, Metro South offers adults a wide range of opportunities. These include acquiring fundamental skills in English and math,…

State Sen. Steve Cwodzinki speaking on the Senate floor during the recently concluded legislative session. Submitted photo The Minnesota State Legislature last month concluded its 2023 session, passing the largest spending budget in the state’s history, amounting to $72 billion. To provide context, this figure represents a 32% increase compared to the $53.3 billion allocated in the 2022-2023 budget. According to the state Senate’s Annual Fiscal Review report, state expenditures have grown by an average of 2.3% per year over the past 20 years, based on the $33.6 billion spent in the 2002-2003 biennium. As Minnesota contemplates the significance of…

Onward Eden Prairie’s program manager Corey Sentieri (left) and executive director Tricia Wright discuss the organization’s mission of providing stable housing for young adults experiencing homelessness in the nonprofit’s Eden Prairie house. The house offers a collaborative and supportive environment for its residents. Photos by Greg Olson A few years ago, a young woman in Eden Prairie experienced homelessness. Because of the time and effort it took to find a safe place to live, it was difficult for her to find work and complete her professional training to become a nurse. She then learned about Onward Eden Prairie, a nonprofit…

Laura Karow, the president of Gunnar Electric, showed former Minnesota Vikings player Adam Thielen and his wife Caitlin the completed installation of stadium lights at Brooklyn Center High School during the summer of 2021. The Thielen Foundation spearheaded the project. Photos courtesy of Gunnar Electric When light rail trains finally roll into Eden Prairie’s transit station for the first time along the Metro Green Line Extension, it will be due in no small part to an Eden Prairie-based electrical contractor, Gunnar Electric. Gunnar Electric is a family-owned company established in 1969 by Clay Gunnarson. Siblings Laura Karow and Terry Walters…

Ikran Omar, the owner of Kifaax Coffee Shop, serves customers behind the counter at the shop’s location at 8789 Columbine Road in Eden Prairie. The coffee shop opened last December. Photo by Greg Olson As the population of Eden Prairie continues to become more diverse, businesses are also expanding to cater to the community’s growing multiculturalism. One example is the Kifaax Coffee Shop, which opened in December near the Eden Prairie Post Office in Anderson Lakes Center. Besides coffee and other African and Middle Eastern beverages, Kifaax Coffee Shop also features a unique array of East African foods, drinks, and…

Apprehension was high in the lead-up to the Nov. 8 election, as rumors circulated on social media about potential issues with the integrity of the vote. Some state-level candidates even raised concerns without any evidence to back them up. However, the city official responsible for overseeing Eden Prairie’s election was determined to ensure a smooth, secure and controversy-free process. With the results officially finalized on Nov. 15, that’s just what happened. During a recent interview, Eden Prairie City Clerk Nicole Tingley reported that 42,953 ballots were cast in the city, which was 72% of Eden Prairie’s eligible voter population. Nicole…

These days seem to be interesting times for many. Young, growing families in need of a new bed or clothing for the kids are looking for something to fit their budget. Where can people go to buy cheap goods? Others who have reached a new phase in life as empty nesters are looking to downsize. Where can people go to get rid of stuff no longer needed? In times such as these, The PROP Shop in Eden Prairie has become a timely resource for everyone. Rändi Flagstad heads up The PROP Shop’s housewares department. The PROP Shop opened its doors in 2007…

Reports on the effects of climate change are popping up daily in the media. Most of the time, though, stories involving historic drought, wildfires, flash flooding and excessive heat come from parts elsewhere in the U.S. and worldwide. It may be easy to think that climate change is happening “out there,” but not here, or at least not yet. Locally, though, the Nine Mile Creek and Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek watershed districts have a front-row seat in witnessing the effects of climate change. Nine Mile Watershed District manages water resources draining into its namesake creek from about 50 square miles…

A newspaper advertisement heralds Flying Cloud Drive-in Theater’s gala opening in 1956. Pictured on the right is Otto Kobs, the theater’s original owner. Photos courtesy of Steven Kobs The growth of an economy or a community is like building a fire. In an earlier time, one would start a fire by striking two elements together – flint and steel. In Eden Prairie’s case, two factors accounting for the city’s rise in the latter 20th Century were cornfields and cars. Along came Otto Among the people who could see the steel of the one and flint of the other was Otto…

Mark Weber during the EP Gives annual fundraising event in May organized by the Eden Prairie Community Foundation. It was Weber’s last as the Foundation’s executive director. He is retiring from that role on June 30. Photo by Sarah Morreim of Sarah Morreim Photography Mark Weber is retiring as executive director of the Eden Prairie Foundation on June 30. For over 40 years, Mark has been active both professionally and personally in Eden Prairie, first as a reporter for the Eden Prairie News, then as its editor, publisher and general manager of its owner, Southwest Newspapers, before entering his current…