Author: EPLN Staff Reports

Lynne Shonts of Eden Prairie passed away early in the evening of July 4 from complications from her year-long battle with lung and brain cancer, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Lynne was born in Manhasset, New York, to Irving Gerb and Rhoda Zeigler, moved to Rochester, New York, where she met her husband Dave Shonts, and lived in Clearwater, Florida, and the San Francisco Bay area before settling in Minnesota and having three children, Peter, Michael and Steven Shonts. Lynne was a compassionate advocate for animals and for the special needs children with whom she worked at the Eden…

Eden Prairie Local News received second place awards in feature reporting and sports photography from the Society of Professional Journalists’ Minnesota chapter.

Bob Reller, a Minnesota native and United States Naval Nuclear Power veteran, opened Mister Sparky of Eden Prairie in late June. The locally owned and operated franchise provides residential electrical services to residents of Eden Prairie, Hopkins, Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, Edina, and the surrounding area. “I am honored to join the Mister Sparky franchise family and have an opportunity to work alongside talented technicians to help residents worry less about electrical issues and have higher quality of life knowing their homes are safe in our hands,” said Reller. “I am so excited to turn the lights on at Mister…

TCC Eden Prairie hosts School Rocks Backpack Giveaway TCC Eden Prairie, an authorized Verizon retailer, will be taking part in the national School Rocks Backpack Giveaway on Sunday, July 30. Starting at 1 p.m., while supplies last, local families may visit the retailer to pick up a backpack filled with pencils, paper, a pencil box, folders, a ruler, and glue. One backpack per child present will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. Any leftover backpacks at the School Rocks Backpack Giveaway event will be donated to local schools of the store’s choice. The School Rocks Backpack Giveaway is…

Eden Prairie High School’s Eagle Marching Band typically travels to five competitions in the fall. Each time, they transport instruments, equipment, and large props in two trailers, and one of those trailers has reached the end of its road. The Band Parent Organization (BPO) is hosting a fundraiser next week called the Band Bash, to raise $10,000 to buy a new trailer. This party will feature dinner and beverages, music by the School of Rock House Band, a cornhole tournament with cash prizes, a silent auction, and a wine pull.  “We are really excited about the Band Bash,” said event organizer…

Eden Prairie residents will gather after dark to celebrate at the annual neighborhood “Night to Unite” festivities on Tuesday, Aug. 1. A sense of community will be on full display as revelers continue the tradition of collecting non-perishable food to donate to the PROP Food Shelf. Every year on the first Tuesday night in August, Eden Prairie holds Night to Unite, which the city describes as a summer celebration dedicated to fostering a safe and connected community. According to the city’s website, neighborhoods that register their parties with the city and donate more than 200 pounds of food will be entered into a…

Beth Wojahn Wright passed away peacefully on June 2, 2023, in Ogden, Utah, after a valiant battle with kidney disease as she awaited the completion of the new home she and her new husband, Steven Wright, were building in Layton, Utah. Beth was born on January 24, 1957, to Carl John and Esther Christina (Dixen) Wojahn. Beth and Steve married on February 21, 2023, and fully enjoyed the last few years they were able to share together. Beth was born in Savage, Minnesota, and moved with her military family to Georgia, Michigan, and California before returning to her home state…

The non-profit Wings of the North (WOTN) hosted its 25th annual AirExpo this past weekend at the Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie, drawing crowds with an impressive display of historic aircraft. AirExpo 2023 featured 30 to 40 vintage aircraft, including the C-130 Hercules cargo plane from Minnesota’s 133rd Airlift Wing. It is touted as the largest aircraft ever to land at Flying Cloud Airport. Visitors also had the chance to see several World War II-era planes. These included the “Sierra Sue II,” a P-51D Mustang, the F4U-4 Corsair, and the N2S-1 Stearman, a training biplane once piloted by President…

Young performers added costumes to their rehearsals as they prepare for next weekend’s productions of “The Princess King.”

Kathleen Ann Knutson, 75, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Thursday, July 20, 2023, at her home in Eden Prairie. Kathy was born to John and Agnes (Budde) Lynch on Jan. 9, 1948, in Shakopee. She was raised in Shakopee and graduated from Shakopee High School in 1966, where shortly after, she met the love of her life, Gary Knutson. They married on July 15, 1967, and had one daughter, Jennifer, and two sons, Erik and Brian.  After brief homesteads in Minnesota and North Dakota, Gary’s occupation brought the family to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where Kathy made…