Tom Anderson quietly wiped a tear from his left eye as he told the story of how he had spread some of his wife’s ashes at the base of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem this past Easter. He and Lonnie had been there together on previous trips to Israel and it was important to him that she live on in that place. This day, the nattily-dressed 85-year-old was standing next to the crèche (pronounced “kresh”), a Nativity scene of the birth of Jesus Christ, that Lonnie had lovingly toiled over for nearly 20 years. This is the 23rd year that the…
Author: Jim Bayer
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Jim Bayer
Jim is a retired teacher currently keeping busy as a reserve teacher, tutor, and Eden Prairie High School softball coach. Jim’s career began as a journalist, photojournalist, and editor before working in healthcare public relations and later earning a master’s degree in special education. Jim and his wife, Sue, a registered nurse, have lived in Eden Prairie for more than 25 years. Their two children, Jen and Matt, graduated from EPHS and live in Eden Prairie. Jim and Sue have four grandchildren.
Isabella Ruiz and Avery Anslinger knew they had to come up with a DECA project that had strong meaning for both of them. For Isabella, it was Gonzo, Fozzie, Mr. Donuts, and Nimsy. For Avery, it was Winner and Oliver. For the record, Winnie is Anslinger’s cat, and Oliver is her dog. Gonzo and Fozzie are Ruiz’s dogs, and Mr. Donuts and Nimsy are her cats. Ruiz and Anslinger, both juniors at Eden Prairie High School (EPHS), are partners in Humane Haven, a business startup to benefit Secondhand Hounds, a Minnetonka-based nonprofit specializing in the adoption of dogs and cats.…
EPLN’s recently completed 8-part series on mental health and suicidal ideation aims to open the conversation around mental health and provide avenues for taking action.
Installation has begun on Eden Prairie’s first citywide, high-speed fiber internet system. Intrepid Fiber Networks, based in Broomfield, Colorado, has started the two- to three-year project. When complete, the system will serve 25,000 homes and businesses, according to the company. In a Nov. 7 press release announcing its expansion into Eden Prairie, Intrepid promised “reliable, ultra-fast, and symmetrical multi-gigabit Internet access.” “We are enthusiastic about the profound positive impact that our fiber will have on Eden Prairie and eagerly anticipate further expansions as we invest in communities across Minnesota and the nation,” said Jack Waters, Intrepid Fiber’s CEO. Installation is…
A 48-year-old Eden Prairie man has been charged in Hennepin County District Court with 41 gross misdemeanor counts of allegedly stalking, harassment and interfering with privacy in a series of offenses that began in February 2021 and continued until August of that year. Charges also include two misdemeanor domestic assault counts. The man is accused of installing a keylogging and device-monitoring software service on his ex-girlfriend’s computer and placing a photographic recording device in her bedroom. According to the charges: The victim, an Eden Prairie resident, went to the Eden Prairie Police Department (EPPD) on Nov. 9, 2021, to report…
Jason Mutzenberger, executive director of business services for the past nine-plus years at Eden Prairie Schools (EPS), is leaving the district to join the Center for Effective School Operations (CESO), a Minneapolis-based consulting firm that provides operational support services to more than 230 school districts in the U.S. and Canada. CESO announced on Nov. 1 that Mutzenberger will join the company early in 2024 as vice president of finance and operations. “As we continue to grow, Jason will be a key additional leader partnering with our current finance vice president, Lauren Syrup, to provide powerhouse finance support for K-12 districts…
A 22-year-old Eden Prairie man has been charged with the theft of more than $48,000 worth of jewelry from a husband and wife, both residents of Flagstone Terrace Housing in Eden Prairie. Walker Oliver Johnson is accused of stealing the jewelry during his twice-per-week visits to the couple’s residence. Johnson was employed by a private home health agency contracted by the residents for home care services. According to the complaint: The female resident reported the thefts to a staff member, who encouraged her to call the police. The resident identified Johnson as the aide who came to their residence twice…
A former bookkeeper for the Eden Prairie Bobby and Steve’s Auto World has been charged with swindling more than $87,000 from the business over a two-year period. Kim Marie Harris, 53, of Waverly, Minnesota, has been summoned to appear in Hennepin County District Court. She remains free without bail. If convicted of the felony theft by swindle charge, she could face up to 20 years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine. According to the complaint: The owner of Bobby and Steve’s, located at 8100 Flying Cloud Drive, reported the thefts to Eden Prairie police in 2022, claiming that Harris had…
Nancy Wagner talks about her family’s efforts over four months to help her son, Jonas, starting from when they first found out he was thinking of harming himself.
Beginning today, EPLN presents an 8-part series on the important issues surrounding mental health and suicidal ideation.