As 2020 began winding down in early December, the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District began celebrating its 60th Anniversary. The party favor for folks from Carver to Eden Prairie and Mendota is a 12-minute video with spectacular aerial and still photography of the river woven together with informed perspectives on the history, mission and and future of this low profile environmental agency. “They’ve come a long way since 1960,” says Ron Harnack in the video. The water resources consultant applauds the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District (LMRWD) for engaging a range of industries, businesses, agencies and citizens to improve water…
Author: Jeff Strate
Jeff Strate
An Eden Prairie resident since 1994, Jeff has served as an organizer for local open-space initiatives and get-out-the-vote parks referenda. He has also served on the Eden Prairie Human Rights and Diversity Commission, conservation area task forces, the Southwest Light Rail Community Advisory Committee and the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Land Trust. Jeff studied journalism and mass communication at the U of MN and has been a producer/writer and occasional on-camera figure in the Twin Cities, New York, Boston, and Trenton. Jeff has written for websites and magazines and has produced award-winning access programing through Southwest Community Television (SWTV).
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“Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered powerful speeches and wrote compelling letters and essays,” states a December 28, City of Eden Prairie news release. “His words continue to be quoted decades later as guideposts for racial equality and social justice.” To enable Eden Prairie youth to share their thoughts about the great Civil Rights leader, author and preacher, the City of Eden Prairie is sponsoring the Words in Action contest. Participants 18 years of age and younger are invited to select a Martin Luther King, Jr. quote and express what it means to them through art, writing or audio/video. “Youth…
If you take delight in fishing, boating or wading about with your kids in Eden Prairie lakes or creeks – or if you have been alarmed by goose poop, milfoil and carp – you can make a difference by joining one of the advisory committees that serve local watershed districts. Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek, Nine Mile Creek and Lower Minnesota River Watershed Districts are accepting applications for their respective Citizen Advisory Committees (CAC). Members are appointed for a year by each district’s Board of Managers; the size of and openings on each committee varies with the district. Meetings are held…
The City of Eden Prairie has declared a snow event. The snow event pertains to streets and sidewalks for today, Wednesday December 23, and Thursday, December 24. The announcement was prompted by a warning from the National Weather Service in Chanhassen for much of western Minnesota that includes the west metro and Eden Prairie for December 23 and 24: “An arctic cold front and strong northwest winds gusting to 50-60 mph will bring a sharp drop in temperatures to the single digits by Wednesday evening. Snow accumulations will reach 3-6″ area-wide with a heavier band of 6-9” likely along I-35.…
From the elevated Speaker’s Podium in the Minnesota House of Representatives, Secretary of State Steve Simon leaned down toward a clerk. They inaudibly talked through Covid-era masks. She wore bright blue sanitized gloves. As the clerk returned to a desk, the amplified metallic noise of an un-muted microphone reverberated through the stately and nearly empty chamber; a grand space legislators, civics teachers and cynics alike call “The People’s House.” Secretary Simon activated his podium mic and spoke, “Congressional District Three. Elector Poling. Please read your vote for President of the United Sates.” Cheryl Poling of Eden Prairie responded, “Joseph R.…
The food collection drive at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post #425 on Shady Oak Road in Hopkins reopens Saturday December 19th from 10am to 2pm. VFW Post Service Officer Tommy Johnson says that the VFW drive for local food shelves at People Reaching Out to People (PROP) and the Intercongregation Communities Association (ICA) was suspended when Minnesota state pandemic orders closed restaurants and bars. When the food drive reopens this Saturday, VFW volunteers will collect food and other items drive-though fashion in the VFW Post parking lot. “We’ll be wearing Covid masks and keeping safe distances,” says the…
Senate District 48 legislators Sen. Steve Cwodzinski (SD 48), Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn (HD 48B) and Rep. Laurie Pryor (HD 48A) have slated a virtual town hall meeting via Facebook on Thursday, December 17th at 7pm. The town hall will be hosted online simultaneously on each member’s Facebook page: Rep. Laurie Pryor – https://www.facebook.com/replauriepryor Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn – https://www.facebook.com/repcarliekw Sen. Steve Cwodzinski – https://www.facebook.com/senatorcwodzinski/ Those wishing to ask questions, are encouraged to submit them ahead of time via the following link – https://forms.gle/Veye8urbEjFVFZHc8
Minutes before the start of the Tuesday December 1st City Council Workshop, Eden Prairie Mayor Ron Case had a question for State Representative Steve Elkins, “Are you sitting on a porch or something? It looks pretty cool.” “Yeah,” Elkins replied, “we’ve got kind of a three season porch but now that we’ve completely replaced the sliding doors with energy efficient models we can use it longer.” Hybrid model for public forum debuts The Mayor and other officials were looking at Elkins projected on a large screen in a lower level, City Center meeting room. Elkins was in his West…
According to a Southwest Light Rail Transit project bulletin, full closure of Highway 62 (the Crosstown) between Shady Oak Road and Highway 212 is planned for 8 pm Thursday, December 10 through 6 am Monday, December 14. The closure will enable crews to advance tunnel construction work under the highway between the City West Station in Eden Prairie and the Opus Station in Minnetonka. Lane restrictions in both directions are expected to begin early Thursday prior to the 8pm full closure. Work will be ongoing during night times.The upcoming roadwork allows crews to continue tunnel construction on the south side…
Former Congressman’s Memorial Service will be live-streamedSunday November 29 at 4pm. Wayzata Community Church has announced that the family of Congressman Jim Ramstad has invited the public to watch the former Congressman’s memorial service online via the church’s website. The service begins at 4pm Sunday November 29.Jim Ramstad served in the Minnesota Senate from 1981 to 1990 and 9 terms in Congress retiring in 2009. Ramstad was considered a moderate Republican representing voters in Minnesota Congressional District 3 which includes Eden Prairie. Many of Ramstad’s well attended town hall meetings were held in the Eden Prairie City Council Chamber. He…