It's February: The only logical way to spend the day is ice bowling on your favorite frozen lake.
The “old fellows club” of Mitchell Lake gathered for their fourth annual afternoon of Ice Bowling recently. Photos of the event are below.

The City of Eden Prairie has issued a Snow Emergency effective Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 3:30 a.m.
The following is a news release:

The National Weather Service in Chanhassen, Minn. has determined a snow accumulation of 2 inches or more and parking will be restricted on all Eden Prairie streets from 3:30 a.m. until the street has been plowed to the full width of the roadway (Eden Prairie City Code 8.15).

Any vehicle parked on a City street which has not been plowed to the full width of the roadway will be subject to citation and possible impound by the Eden Prairie Police Department.

It was the first time participating in a caucus for Adam Liter, 18, of Eden Prairie.

“I feel like it’s an obligation as an American,” he added.
Liter, who was attending the District 42 DFL precinct caucus at Central Middle School Tuesday evening, noted that there have been times where he started to feel cynical.

“Even so, I do feel like that you might as well try.”

Though nowhere near approaching the major crush of people attending the last presidential year caucuses, there was a steady flow of participants over at Central Middle School.

Barbara Kaerwer has seen Eden Prairie grow up all around her since she and her husband first built their home on what was pasture land just off Gerard Drive.

“I just am so in love with Eden Prairie,” she notes. But Kaerwer is facing a frustrating situation in the city she has called home for approximately 60 years.

She would like to leave her property to the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District, for the woods surrounding her home to remain an open space and her house to be used as a resource center for the district. But, such a plan faces a number of regulatory hurdles.

The Hollywood Video near Cub Foods in Eden Prairie may be evicted in the next few weeks. The store leases space owned by the city of Eden Prairie, at 8020 Den Road, adjacent to the municipal liquor store. According to City Manager Scott Neal, the store stopped paying its rent sometime in the fall and now owes the city over $70,000 in back rent.

Neal said that the city’s concern is that, with the changing technology and the chain’s business model, the store has a “limited ability to offer us payment.”

Eden Prairie put the finishing touches on the 2010 budget during the last City Council meeting held in late January. But, due to the nature of the past year’s budget challenges, planning for the 2011 budget should be just around the corner.

“I know the council is interested in getting an early start on the budget this year,” said City Manager Scott Neal in an interview.

It took two rows of risers to fit them, but 20 candidates for governor squared off Wednesday in the largest showing yet for a 2010 gubernatorial debate.

Five days remain to gather support from the politically minded. The field will dwindle after the Feb. 2 party caucuses, grassroots gatherings where eligible voters can cast ballots for their top choice for governor. (Debate video below)

Delegates will select party nominees at state conventions in coming months. Twelve of the candidates at the debate plan to abide by the endorsement process and not make a primary challenge.

The Jan. 27 forum, sponsored by media organizations and the League of Women Voters, included Democratic-Farm-Labor, Republican and Independence Party hopefuls who've filed papers with the Campaign Finance Board.

By Karla Wennerstrom

The Eden Prairie School District signed on this month to be part of the state’s application for Race to the Top funds.

A news release from the Minnesota Department of Education said that the 1,000 page application to be part of the Race to the Top program was submitted. In Minnesota, “300 school districts and 116 charter schools, representing over 93 percent of the students in the state” signed memoranda of agreement. The state’s grant request was for $330 million.