Today (Thursday), the Eden Prairie American Legion baseball team opens sub-district play off play. Eden Prairie, the No. 2 seed, plays the highest remaining seed of two play-in games. Edina is the No. 1 seed. Today's game, at Round Lake Stadium, begins at 6 p.m.

Today (Thursday), the Eden Prairie American Legion baseball team opens sub-district play off play. Eden Prairie, the No. 2 seed, plays the highest remaining seed of two play-in games. Edina is the No. 1 seed. Today's game, at Round Lake Stadium, begins at 6 p.m.

The ramp from westbound Highway 12 to southbound Interstate 494 is closed from 5 a.m. Thursday, July 24, until Tuesday, July 29, for a pavement rehabilitation project, according to a news release from MnDOT.

"MnDOT reminds motorists to slow down in work zones and never enter a roadway that has been blocked with barriers or cones. For statewide traffic, construction and travel information visit www.511mn.org or call 511."

A free new Web service was unveiled today by Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie to make it easier for all military personnel and Minnesota voters overseas to participate in elections this fall, according to a news release. The Military and Overseas Voter Service provides easy-to-follow instructions to assist eligible military and overseas voters register and request absentee ballots.

A missionary from Eden Prairie's Wooddale Church was also present for the announcement.

By Karla Wennerstrom
Former Eden Prairie Mayor and Red Wing City Council Member Gary Peterson died at home at age 71 with his family on July 11, his wife Mary said.
She turned to Red Wing Mayor Donna Dummer, who was visiting her, when asked to describe why public service was so important to her husband.
Dummer said Peterson loved Red Wing – and he loved people.
“He loved people and he had a real mission for justice and the underprivileged and the poor,” Mary continued. “He cared about everybody.”

Sandra Rydeen, 70, of Fountain Hills, Ariz., died Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at her daughter’s home in Eden Prairie.

A memorial service will be held at St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Eden Prairie, on Friday, July 25, at 2:30 p.m.

Washburn-McReavy Eden Prairie Chapel, 952-975-0400.

Ashley Larson and Zachary Baranowski of Eden Prairie announce their engagement and upcoming wedding.
Ashley Larson is the daughter of Bradley and Colleen Larson of Eden Prairie. She attended Eden Prairie High School and Bethel University. She recently received her degree in international business and marketing.
Zachary Baranowski is the son of Carl and Ellen Baranowski of Kansas City, Kan. He attended Eden Prairie High School and the University of Minnesota and is an engineer at BKBM Engineering.

The Eden Prairie News received the following letter from Julianna Anderson regarding the train at Miller Park: “I’m writing about the changes to Miller Park. Please don’t get rid of the train. You can put ramps on the train, but please don’t get rid of it.”
We asked the city of Eden Prairie’s Parks and Recreation Director, Jay Lotthammer, “What will happen to the train in Miller Park? What are the next steps in the Miller Park playground project?” His response follows:

By Marie Wittenberg
The Rev. Buck Day officiated at the celebration of Martha E. Bren’s life on Monday, July 14, 2008, at Faith Presbyterian Church.
On behalf of the family, Martha’s grandson, Jerry, gave a humorous reflection of Martha’s very full life and the many, many happy times they all experienced with her.
Joni Teschner, granddaughter of Martha, read the most appropriate scripture from Psalm 23.
Music was provided by organist and pianist Pat Wischnewski and vocalists Tim and Karen James.

Feel free to let us know how you feel about campaign signs in Eden Prairie in the comment section.

He hopes to use the film to raise money for orphans in Uganda

By Forrest Adams

Orphans in Africa are the subject line of countless fundraisers, the images of many infomercials, the topics of many church missions. Alex Fournier, 30, of Eden Prairie decided to take a few steps further.

The former Chanhassen resident went to Uganda and experienced it himself. During several trips over one-and-a-half-year time period, he wrote a story and filmed a full-length feature film starring the orphans themselves.

By Mollee Francisco

Neighborhoods wanting to register for this year’s Eden Prairie Night Out should send in their information by this Friday. This year’s event is set to take place the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 5, in neighborhood block parties around the city.

We visit Garden No. 2 on the Eden Prairie Lioness Club's annual Garden Tour, Sunday, July 20, in this video:

When Eden Prairie emergency responders rushed to the scene of a construction accident last Thursday, they were not without help. That included access to highly trained personnel from a number of agencies in the metro.

Such access can make the difference in an accident as precarious as the one that happened on Picha Place at around 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

A number of options remain open for the J.R. Cummins house, a historic Eden Prairie home just off of Pioneer Trail. And, with that same road’s reconstruction plan delayed until 2009, there remains plenty of time to settle on which one of those options is most viable.

Twenty-five years into the future, planners envision an Eden Prairie Town Center complete with shops, entertainment, restaurants and office all mixed together in a walkable, connected space.

“There’s been a lot of work since 2004 on this whole Town Center planning and it has included a lot of public input,” said Community Development Director Janet Jeremiah.

The following items occurred during the July 15 City Council meeting: