Author: Staff Reports

Eden Prairie Local News is proud to periodically recognize Eden Prairie post-secondary students who are honored by the colleges and universities they attend. EPLN relies on schools to send us this information. If you don’t see your student’s school listed, please send your student’s name, the school’s name and location, award (e.g., dean’s list), year in school, and major, to editor@eplocalnews.org with the subject “Student Recognition.” Dean’s List College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph, MN Rachel DeCesare, senior, nursing Coastal Caroline University, Conway, SC Aaron Peterson Emerson College, Boston, MA Reagan Sissel, Class of 2026, media arts University of Maryland Global Campus,…

Michael Dean Bakken, 66, of Mound, formerly of Eden Prairie, passed away unexpectedly at home on March 28, 2023. Mike (known as “sto” to many) had a great passion for cooking and was excellent at it! He was fun-loving with a contagious personality that drew people to him, and a true kid at heart. He enjoyed fishing, spending time at the cabin near Crosslake, fireworks, and he especially loved spending time with his family. Mike was very proud of his three granddaughters. Left to cherish his memories are his wife, Lori (Reiser); daughter, Tami (Greg) Pint; mother, Pauline (Nelson) Bakken;…

Starting Monday, April 10, the eastbound off-ramp of Highway 212 that leads to Prairie Center Drive will be closed for up to three months. The closure is connected to the ongoing construction of the Metro Green Line Extension project. Eden Prairie officials announced on Tuesday that the closure will allow construction crews to replace the off-ramp concrete. Motorists who typically use this route are advised to take note of the detour signs as traffic will be rerouted (see the below map). The 14.5-mile light rail extension project that will run from Target Field in Minneapolis to Eden Prairie received federal…

Eden Prairie resident Gretchen Haynes captured stunning photos of the aftermath of a spring snowstorm that blanketed the city on April 1. The snowfall dumped 8.5 inches at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, making it no April Fool’s joke. Haynes took the photos at Staring Lake Park, where the heavy snowfall created a stunning scene. According to KARE 11, the snowstorm pushed the total 2022-23 snowfall in the Twin Cities to 89.7 inches, securing the title for the third-snowiest season on record. In 1983-84, the Twin Cities received its highest recorded snowfall of 98.6 inches.

Among the items on the Eden Prairie City Council’s meeting agenda on April 4 is the approval of safety improvements at the intersection of Prairie Center Drive and Singletree Lane, near Bachman’s and the Life Time Eden Prairie Athletic club. The $591,655 contract with New Look Contracting, Inc. that’s on the meeting agenda would add a left-turn lane on Prairie Center Drive to Singletree Lane, a flashing yellow arrow to the traffic-signal system, and make other changes needed to smooth traffic flow and increase pedestrian safety. State aid would help fund the project. The item is on the council’s consent agenda,…

The City of Eden Prairie is inviting residents of all ages to participate in its upcoming Park Clean-Up Day scheduled for April 15-16. Volunteers can gather family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues to brighten the city’s parks this spring. The event offers flexibility by allowing volunteer groups to conduct park clean-up at any time during the weekend according to their availability. Participants can view the interactive map to find accessible areas for cleaning and sign up by Thursday, April 13. Multiple groups may work in designated areas in larger parks, with groups spaced accordingly. The city will provide necessary cleaning materials,…

The seasonal off-leash dog exercise area at Staring Lake Park is now open to the public. Dog owners can bring their pets to the park for outdoor exercise and playtime. Eden Prairie officials remind pet owners to ensure their dogs are properly licensed before bringing them to the off-leash area. Additional information on dog licenses can be found on the city’s website. Also, on its website, the city provides guidelines and regulations for using the off-leash dog exercise areas. Dog owners are encouraged to review these rules before visiting Staring Lake Park or any other off-leash area in the city.

Eden Prairie High School will hold an informational meeting for the 2023-24 Eden Prairie Dance Team tryouts on Tuesday, March 29, at 6 p.m. The meeting will take place in the East Commons at the high school. Tryouts, open to all current eighth to 11th graders, will be held April 3-5 at the EPHS Small Gym. Those who wish to sign up or have questions about the tryouts can email epdtcoach@gmail.com. The latest updates regarding tryouts can be found on the Eden Prairie Dance Team’s Instagram page @EPDT.

Eden Prairie Police responded to a report of a theft from an automobile in the parking lot of Scheels, 8301 Flying Cloud Drive, at 4:15 p.m. Sunday, March 26. According to a police statement, the vehicle owner witnessed the theft and chased the male suspect on foot across Prairie Center Drive to Eden Prairie Library, 565 Prairie Center Drive, while officers were responding to the call. The vehicle owner told the officers that the suspect had taken a gun. Officers flooded the area and immediately recovered the discarded gun. Later that evening, at 8:43 p.m., the police arrested a 32-year-old…

Caitlin O’Leary is the new head dance team coach for Eden Prairie High School, replacing Jessica Howells, who recently resigned from the position. The EPHS Athletic Department made the announcement in a Monday news release. O’Leary has a strong connection to the Eden Prairie dance team, having served as an assistant coach for five years. She has over 20 years of dance experience, having started her training as a studio dancer. As a member of the EPHS dance team, she competed at the state tournament four times and earned second place in kick during both her junior and senior years.…