Chanhassen, Minnesota |  5 November, 2011 | (952) 934-5045
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Catch Up
Been away? Use this Catch Up section to read all the news, reader submissions and recently posted events that happened while you were gone. All content is sorted from the top of the page from newest to oldest. Just read until you're caught up.
WALMART PROPOSAL Thanks, but no thanks
by Richard Crawford
If it were a prize fight, this one should have been stopped early. After taking a beating from many of the several hundred Chanhassen residents who overflowed the City Council chambers on Tuesday, Walmart was unanimously counted out by members of the Planning Commission. Although the Planning Commission denial recommendation is expected to be forwarded to the City Council later this month, it’s tough to imagine how anything resembling the pr...
Funeral notice for Steven D. Molenaar
Steven Molenaar, 45, of Chanhassen, passed away peacefully after a courageous five month battle with cancer on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011, surrounded by his family. Memorial service Thursday, Nov. 3, 3 p.m. at Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church West Campus, 7150 Rolling Acres Rd., Victoria. Visitation one our prior to service at the church. Arrangements with Washburn-McReavy Edina Chapel. 952-920-3996.
Funeral notice for Viola Olson
Viola “Vi” Olson, 82, of Eden Prairie, formerly of St. Louis Park. Visitation was Tuesday, Nov. 1 from 4-7 p.m. at the Washburn-McReavy Edina Chapel. Service was held Wednesday, Nov. 2, 11 a.m. with visitation one hour before at Spirit of Christ Lutheran Church, St. Louis Park. Arrangements with Washburn-McReavy Edina Chapel. 952-920-3996.
Plaid Tidings at Chan Dinner Theatres
by Unsie Zuege
S'long Halloween, hello Christmas. Get into the holiday mood with those four adorable men from "Forever Plaid," in their holiday show, "Plaid Tidings." Come and hear "Smudge," "Sparky," "Jinx" and "Frankie" sing holiday favorites and cut up on stage! "Plaid Tidings" opens Friday, Nov. 4 and runs through Dec. 31. Click here to see their preview from earlier this year.

Westwood Community Church Pastor Joel Johnson pictured at the recent Kim Kardashian-Kris Humphries wedding
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Update: Kardashian files for divorce
by Forrest Adams | [email protected]
Update: Kardashian files for divorce story here . Original wedding story Aug. 23: Last weekend and early this week, entertainment news outlets around the world went into overdrive when reality-TV star Kim Kardashian got married. Kim Kardashian, 30, was the story, but as images of the wedding leaked to the press the whole world saw Pastor Joel Johnson from Chanhassen’s Westwood Community Church standing before the celebrity bombshell and her...
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Obituary for Earl Joseph Holasek
Earl “Shorty” Holasek, 63, of Waconia, died Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011, in Chanhassen. The visitation was Wednesday, Nov. 2, 4-8 p.m. at the Bertas Funeral Home, Chaska. There will be a private family service later. Honorary Casketbearers were Nathan Holasek, Marcus Holasek, Dylan Young, Maverick Edmunds, and Sam Grausam. Memorials may be given to the Frauenshuh Cancer Center, c/o Park Nicollet Foundation, 6500 Excelsior Blvd., St. Louis Park, M...
Gasoline prices up in past week
Average retail gasoline prices in Twin Cities have risen 6.9 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.50/gallon yesterday. This compares with the national average that has fallen 0.6 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.46/g, according to gasoline price website TwinCitiesGasPrices.com. Including the change in gas prices in Twin Cities during the past week, prices yesterday were 72.3 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ...
Legislation costs county $1.4 million
A legislative change that was expected to cost Carver County around $1 million will actually cost closer to $1.4 million, County Administrator David Hemze said Tuesday. As part of a state budget fix, lawmakers revamped the Market Value Homestead Credit Program, which will cost Carver County about $1.4 million in state aid. The County Board has been planning a 2012 budget that will keep the county portion of property taxes flat for a home value...

Workers install the 7-1/2 inch panels on top of Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church in September.
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Raising the roof to save energy
by Mark W. Olson
It started with an ice dam, and water leaking into Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church. But what started as a mission to keep the church dry, evolved into a mission espousing the church’s “green” responsibility. About a month ago, the church removed existing shingles and insulation and added “structural insulated panels” to its roof. The skintight foam plastic panels are about 7-1/2 inches wide, sandwiched between boards. The panels ...

Noah Coon and Steve Henderickson play the roles of Oliver Twist and Fagin in Park Square Theatre’s “Oliver Twist.” The show will be performed through Nov. 6. Photo by Petronella Ytsma.
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Let's Go: 'Oliver Twist' is a Dickens' classic
A young orphan in London escapes the workhouse only to fall in with a band of pickpockets. This theatrical adventure is told by a chameleon cast of 13, who combine Dickens’ original text with Victorian music hall tunes. Time: Evening and matinee showtimes through Nov. 6 Cost: $20-$60 Location: Park Square Theater, Historic Hamm Building, 20 W. Seventh Place, St. Paul Info: parksquaretheater.org or (651) 291-7005 Read more about local things ...
Chanhassen Yellow Ribbon campaign kickoff Nov. 19
Representatives from Minnesota’s Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Recognition Program and members of the Chanhassen Steering Committee will have a kickoff event for a local Yellow Ribbon program on Saturday, Nov. 19. Beyond the Yellow Ribbon is working with Chanhassen as well as other Minnesota cities and counties to create local networks of support for service members, military families and employers before, during and after a military deployment. T...

In 1968, the Vietnam War was in full intensity. Feb. 11-18 was the deadliest week in the war with 543 American casualties; 2,200 American soldiers died in the month. Photo courtesy the Minnesota History Center.
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Let's Go: The year that was 1968
by Pat Minelli
I wasn’t in high school quite yet in 1968, but as a history buff, I knew that was a year of significant events in U.S. history. What I didn’t realize was how many or how significant. A trip to the new “1968 Exhibit” at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul made me realize how pivotal that year was. In many ways Americans are affected still today by what occurred in 1968, which makes the exhibit appealing to more than those who were young f...
Autumn colors shine (slideshow)
by Mathias Baden
“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.” - Stanley Horowitz (Southwest Newspapers readers responded to reader callouts with beautiful fall colors photos of Jordan, Chaska, Chanhassen, Shakopee, Prior Lake, Savage and Eden Prairie.) Reader-submitted photos are not for sale. To buy other photos you see in the Jordan Independent, go to jordannews.smugmug.com ....
Mediacom offers digital converters for older TVs
Analog signals are being phased out later this year, which will affect cable TV customers using sets manufactured before March 2007, according to a news release from Mediacom. Starting Nov. 29 certain cable TV channels will have digital reception only. Mediacom residents with older TV sets can continue to receive reception on channels by obtaining a digital adapter. Mediacom is currently providing the adapters to customers free of ...
Unused medicine disposal on Oct. 29
The Carver County Sheriff’s Office is participating in the National Take Back Initiative Program. The Take Back Initiative Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration. According to the 2009 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, it is estimated there are more than 7 million Americans who currently abuse prescription drugs. According to the Partnership for a Drug Free Ame...

Edward Pauls invented the NordicTrack in the mid-1970s to allow for year-round cross-country ski training.
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Local NordicTrack exercise visionary dies
by Mollee Francisco
Terri Pauls was celebrating her 37th birthday with friends in Anchorage when she received a gift in the mail from her 70-year-old father. Opening the package, she found a pogo stick and a letter. “I can do it … and you can do it, too,” her dad wrote. Edward Pauls signed off with words Terri will never forget, “Keep the kid in you alive. Never stop goofing off.” Ed passed away Oct. 9. He was 80 years old. A celebration of his life will be hel...
Zebra mussel meeting Saturday
A public information meeting regarding zebra mussels is planned at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Chanhassen Recreation Cen-ter, 2310 Coulter Blvd. in Chanhassen. Representatives from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will provide a general background on aquatic invasive species and specifically zebra mussels, which were found last year in Lake Minnetonka but have yet to be identified in any Chan-hassen lakes. The meeting will...
County administrator releases final budget recommendation
Carver County Administrator David Hemze has released his recommended 2012 budget, according to a county news release. Highlights in the $99 million budget recommendation include: • $44.78 million tax levy, a $1.4 million (3 percent) decrease compared to 2011, to lower the county’s tax impact on the average-value home. • $76.7 million operating budget compared to $78.0 million in 2011. • $22.3 million for capital improvement projects compared ...
Chan woman receives STEM scholarship
Rachael Hernandez, 21, of Chanhassen, is one of 12 Hispanic college juniors in the nation selected to receive an "Obama" $5,000 teaching scholarship. Recipients are pursuing STEM education-related degrees. Hernandez is pursuing a double major in biology and Spanish at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn. To read the link, click here .
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Three Qs Lindsey Litrenta
Youth soccer season just ended and Lindsey Litrenta, 22, is looking forward to the youth basketball program at the Chanhassen Recreation Center. Litrenta is the Rec Center’s sports coordinator. She’s a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, with a degree in Recreation Management. She’s a native of Wausau, Wis., and first came to Carver County a year ago to intern with Carver County Parks. This past year she came to Chanhassen to com...
Don't break the bank on holiday decorating
Love the beauty of holiday decorating but not the bucks it takes to do a nice job? Join Becky Loe...
And the winners are...
Congratulations to Jennifer Bharucha, Sara Rohe and Jess Lundgren, winners in our latest Savvy.mn...
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Boys cross country: Blaze peeks again, finishes second at state
Once again, the Burnsville boys cross country team saved its best for last.   There's s...
Girls cross country: Lakers are little off their mark at state
The Prior Lake girls cross country team was a little off in its ninth straight appearance in t...
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« Crawford50 wrote on Wednesday, Nov 02 at 03:35 PM »
Feisty little town of Chanhassen: http://blogs....
« benbnewton wrote on Wednesday, Nov 02 at 12:39 PM »
I live within a mile of the proposed site and a...
« eyeawaguy wrote on Wednesday, Nov 02 at 12:05 PM »
The fact of the matter is that Wal-Mart came to...
« NOwalmart wrote on Wednesday, Nov 02 at 11:16 AM »
Just to state a few other interesting facts fro...
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Chanhassen Villager

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