Author: EPLN Staff Reports

Tom Weiler was endorsed Saturday, April 23, by the Republican Party’s Third Congressional District delegates to take on U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips in the Nov. 2 election. The U.S. Navy submarine veteran is a 1996 Eden Prairie High School graduate. He lives in Plymouth with his wife Cynthia and two children. Weiler, born in Corpus Christi, Texas, but raised in Eden Prairie, graduated in 2000 from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor’s of science degree in civil engineering and was commissioned into the Navy in 2001. He served as a submarine officer for more than 20 years, retiring…

The family of a 19-year-old Eden Prairie man hospitalized after a night of drinking at a University of Missouri fraternity in October 2021 has settled with three people involved, according to media reports. Adult chapter advisors Jeff Wagoner and Chris Palmero and fraternity secretary Collin Clark settled with the family of Danny Santulli.  Santulli was found unconscious on Oct. 20, 2021, at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house with a blood alcohol content six times the adult legal limit. The suit, which names 23 defendants, alleges that pledges to the fraternity were expected to drink an entire bottle of alcohol as part…

In conjunction with Earth Day, the city is launching ReACT Eden Prairie, an online tool residents can use to understand their rooftop solar options. The new tool was developed as part of the Sustainable Eden Prairie initiative, an ongoing effort focused on education and implementing sustainable practices to protect natural resources. An interactive map showcases the solar power potential of every structure in Eden Prairie, including single-family homes and businesses. The site also helps the city recognize sustainability efforts and outlines other actions residents can take to help meet the communitywide climate goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.  Students can apply…

You can give back to Eden Prairie and help neighbors in need by attending the 2022 EP Gives gala fundraising event being held Saturday, May 14, by the Eden Prairie Community Foundation. By participating in this fun, entertaining event, you’ll be extending the Foundation’s long history of helping fill critical community needs because proceeds from EP Gives fund the nonprofit’s annual grants program. The Foundation has granted more than $2 million over the years to help residents facing food insecurity, domestic violence, homelessness, and other hardships. Plus, it’s been the fiscal sponsor for fledgling organizations that have done great things,…

Eden Prairie is looking for volunteers to help with its park clean-up day event from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, April 23. The event is suitable for kids and adults, and it’s an excellent outdoor activity for families and service groups. View the interactive map to locate an area that is accessible for cleaning, and sign up by Thursday, April 21. Some larger parks can have more than one group work the area, and groups will be spaced out accordingly. As in previous years, the city provides gloves and trash bags. A range of glove sizes will be available for youth and adults. Groups…

Eden Prairie Police are on high alert this month for distracted drivers. The department is designating specific shifts for officers to focus on looking for distracted drivers. This effort is being made in honor of April being Distracted Driving Awareness Month. An April 13 Eden Prairie Police Department blog reminds motorists that it is illegal to have their phones in their hands while driving. This includes sitting at a stoplight, stop sign or in traffic. Police say distracted driving continues to be a problem both locally and statewide. Preliminary figures show 26 distraction-related fatalities on Minnesota roadways and 101 serious…

Up to six entrepreneurs will be selected from a pool of applicants to compete for a chance to win thousands of dollars in cash and prize packages at the first Entrepreneurs Challenge. The “Shark Tank”-inspired showcase will occur at Center Court of Eden Prairie Center mall on Saturday, May 21. The deadline to apply has been extended to Friday, April 22. According to a news release, competitors will pitch their ideas/inventions/products/services to a panel of judges, including local celebrity “Erik the Bike Man” Saltvold, founder and owner of ERIK’s Bike Shop. It is free to attend. People from Eden Prairie and…

U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, Minnesota State Sen. Steve Cwodzinski and State Reps. Laurie Pryor and Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn were endorsed for re-election during the Senate District 49 DFL Convention on April 9 at Eden Prairie High School. Minnesota’s new political boundaries unveiled in February changed Senate District 48 into new Senate District 49, which now encompasses all of Eden Prairie and southern Minnetonka. House District 49A represents northern Eden Prairie and southern Minnetonka, while House District 49B represents southern Eden Prairie. U.S. House District 3, the seat Phillips currently fills, encompasses all of Eden Prairie. Cwodzinski, of Eden Prairie, has been…

A number of organizations in Eden Prairie collaborated on a Make-It Manufacturing Career Fair held Tuesday, April 12, to connect job seekers with Eden Prairie-area manufacturers with job openings. Thirteen local manufacturers participated in the three-hour event held in the Garden Room of the Eden Prairie City Center. Nearly all of them are located in Eden Prairie, including Danfoss Power Solutions, E.A. Sween, Anagram, MTS Systems, and Emerson. Eden Prairie has the fourth-most manufacturing jobs among Minnesota cities, behind Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Bloomington. With Eden Prairie’s unemployment rate at a low 1.6 percent, many of these employers need workers…

School of Rock Eden Prairie, which offers performance-based music education, recently announced its grand re-opening.  The event will occur at the music school, 6585 Edenvale Blvd., Suite 100B, from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, Apr. 22. Festivities include school tours, raffles, music from the house band, and food and drink.  School of Rock Eden Prairie is owned by Steve Davis and his wife, Becky Smith.  The two became owners of the Eden Prairie location in December 2021, giving it a makeover with new paint, carpet, soundproofing, and decorations. Both have a deep love and appreciation for music and often attend shows…