Author: EPLN Staff Reports

Robert Hennessey, age 85, of Eden Prairie, passed away on Oct. 14, 2022. Born Nov. 1, 1936, Bob grew up in Mankato. He worked as an engineer for Tennant Company for 25 years and served as a volunteer Golden Valley firefighter for 18 years, nine of which as fire chief.  Bob was preceded in death by his first wife, Barbara, and son, Charles. He is survived by his wife, Carol Jean, children Suzanne, Steven (Wendy) and Robert Jr., stepdaughters Karen (Larry) Henning and Paula (Ron) Diedrich, many grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. To support the advancement of science, Bob has donated…

Eden Prairie-based Starkey announced its new chief financial officer will be Kenny Landherr. According to a press release, Landherr is an industry veteran who prior to being named CFO, managed many finance functions at Starkey, including but not limited to, treasury, tax, credit, commercial finance, financial planning and analysis, and business development. “Throughout my career at Starkey, I’m proud to have worked with many talented professionals who are focused on helping the world hear better and live better. In my new role, I look forward to partnering with other leaders throughout the organization to achieve even more success!” Landherr, who lives in…

Eden Prairie police issued a crime alert on Wednesday afternoon, notifying the public of its investigation into multiple stolen vehicles and thefts from vehicles that have occurred in the city over the past several days. Five vehicles have been reported stolen in Eden Prairie since Sunday, Oct. 16, according to the crime alert. In all cases, the vehicles were parked in driveways or open garages and unlocked with keys located in or near the vehicles. During this time frame, 18 thefts from vehicles were also reported in various locations throughout Eden Prairie. In the majority of these cases, the cars…

The Eden Prairie Community Band is seeking percussion and bassoon players, as well as someone interested in video recording its Share the Warmth Holiday Concert on Dec. 4 at EP High School. If interested in playing in the band, email join.us@epcommunityband.com. If interested in video recording, contact Jes Schrom, City of Eden Prairie Arts and Events, at jschrom@edenprairie.org. The band is open to adult musicians from the Eden Prairie area and performs a wide variety of music year-round in the city and neighboring communities. It has two components: a Concert Band and the Jazz on the Prairie Big Band. Small subsets include the Prairie Ramblers…

Wolfgang Horst Penzel made his home-going on Oct. 7, 2022, after struggling with kidney and heart failure. He was 82 years old. Wolf served as mayor of Eden Prairie from 1976 to 1984. Wolf was born to Erika and Horst Penzel in Berlin, Germany, at the height of World War II. The family emigrated in 1959 to Minnesota, where Wolf attended the University of Minnesota. He met his beloved wife of 53 years, Alleene Elizabeth (né Sexton), who sat behind him in English class. Wolf went on to become a chemist for nearly 35 years. His utmost ambition in life…

If you or your neighbors are going all out with goblins and ghosts, pumpkins and potions, scarecrows and skeletons, we’re looking for you. Send an email to editor@eplocalnews.org by Tuesday, Oct. 25, with the address of your favorite, most creative Halloween display and a high-resolution photo if you have one. Include a brief description and any fun facts about the display. We’ll publish a list of the funniest, scariest, and most creative displays, along with as many photos as we can.

A former Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) teacher has been charged in Hennepin County District Court with one count of child endangerment in what experts in the field refer to as child grooming. Craig Lee Hollenbeck, 51, of Minneapolis, is not in custody but has been summoned to appear in court. According to the police complaint: Eden Prairie Police received a report in September 2021 from a mandatory reporter of an inappropriate relationship between a high school teacher and a former student that occurred during the 2020-21 school year. Mandatory reporters include healthcare professionals, law enforcement, teachers, and others who…

The Eden Prairie Lions and Lioness Lions clubs collected 2,343 pounds of food and about $1,700 in cash donations for the PROP Food Shelf during World Service Day on Oct. 8. The clubs did so at the Eden Prairie locations of Cub Foods, Lunds & Byerlys and Kowalski’s Market.  EP Lions men and women volunteer their time through various fund-raising projects and club organization roles to better Eden Prairie. All profits made during Lions Club fundraisers are donated to help such things as public safety, scholarships, social and community services, vision, hearing, diabetes and other foundations, and animal rescue and…

Although neither is on the ballot this fall, 5th District Commissioner Debbie Goettel and 6th District Commissioner Chris LaTondresse are on the job. Both co-hosted a coffee with commissioners meeting on Saturday, Oct. 8, where they discussed several county initiatives, ranging from affordable housing to health and human services. They also took questions from constituents. Goettel and LaTondresse’s districts share representation of Eden Prairie. “$246 million of federal funding for pandemic relief represents a monumental opportunity to strengthen safety nets and establish opportunity ladders with smart, long-term investments to build a better future,” LaTondresse said.  Some examples cited by the…

Plans to replace the restrooms and skating rink warming house at Round Lake Park are expected to be discussed Monday, Oct. 10, by the Eden Prairie Planning Commission en route to city council review on Nov. 15. Proposed to be built by the city is a 4,293-square-foot building, which would be much larger than the 1,800-square-foot building that has existed at Round Lake Park for about 40 years. According to a city staff report, that would allow the park building to be used for more than restrooms, warming house, and storage – including rental for community gatherings. Several sustainable features…