Author: Mike Wilkinson

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Eden Prairie has elevated radon levels in its soil, a common issue in southern Minnesota. “The southwest metropolitan area and, in fact, most of southern Minnesota has higher-than-normal amounts of radon,” said Dan Tranter, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Research indicates that radon levels from north of the Twin Cities to the Iron Range and northwest toward the Canadian border are lower compared to the rest of Minnesota. The state’s average radon level is three times the national average, a condition linked to long winters that result in extended periods of closed, heated homes, thereby contributing…

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Eden Prairie police will soon test drivers they suspect have been using marijuana. The city will be one of several Minnesota municipalities testing a new kit that utilizes a saliva swab. The test reveals how recently a person ingested marijuana or opioids but does not indicate the level of impairment. The Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), under the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, is launching the statewide pilot project. An OTS spokesperson stated that the units for this project have been ordered but are not yet in use, with their arrival anticipated in mid-December. The saliva test screens for six…

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Hazing, defined as initiating someone into a college fraternity by demanding humiliating performances or playing rough practical jokes, is an escalating concern on college and university campuses across America. This issue has led to fatalities and, in the case of Danny Santulli of Eden Prairie, life-long bodily harm. Minnesota U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat, and Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana, are co-sponsoring a bipartisan bill in the Senate to tackle this crisis. A similar bill is progressing through the House. The proposed legislation known as the “Stop Campus Hazing Act” mandates that hazing incidents be included in…

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It might be hard to imagine that the oldest cemetery in Eden Prairie dates back to the Civil War. After all, when one thinks of Eden Prairie, it’s typically associated with the post-World War II or early 1950s context. However, the Eden Prairie Cemetery was first established in 1864 and opened the following year. Located at 8810 Eden Prairie Road, it has been owned by the City of Eden Prairie since early 2022. It is steeped in history. That’s where the Lake Minnetonka Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) comes in. The DAR is over 130 years…

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Curious about artificial intelligence (AI)? Afraid of it? Hopeful? The emerging technology known as generative pre-trained transformers (GPT), or chatbots, has become a hot topic, raising more questions than our society can answer. In response, Eden Prairie Local News (EPLN) and its partner, the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce, will host a special town hall meeting titled “AI: Hype, Harm, or Hope?” to discuss the local impact of artificial intelligence on Eden Prairie. The meeting will take place from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, at the Performing Arts Center in Eden Prairie Central Middle School, 8025 Old School…

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“The business of America is business,” once quipped Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States. So far, Eden Prairie Mayor Ron Case isn’t on record as saying, “The business of Eden Prairie is business.” Nevertheless, he is continuing and even expanding a long-standing tradition whereby the city maintains regular communication with the local business community. Case stated that it began years ago during prior mayoral administrations. Specifically, Case said it was the mayors’ keen interest in building closer relationships with businesses that led to the initiation of annual town hall meetings on a weekday morning, usually in the…

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Ever since he was a kid, Eden Prairie resident Mike Weinberger dreamed of taking a bicycle trip across the country. So, when his wife of 37 years, Nancy Jo, died in February 2017 from ovarian cancer, he decided it was time. Nancy Jo — affectionately called Jo-Jo, thanks to a nickname given to her by one of the couple’s grandchildren — had for many years made care baskets to welcome new people into the neighborhood or to give to someone known to be going through hard times. In honor of his late wife, Weinberger set a goal of making 250…

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