Author: EPLN Staff Reports

Our hearts are heavy as we announce the passing of Karen A. Olsen, 81, on Friday, Jan. 21. Olsen graduated in 1958 from Elcho High School. She then earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a master’s degree in industrial psychology from the University of Minnesota.  Olsen began her profession in 1963 at General Mills in the personnel department. Later, she was a principal consultant and partner of Labor Relations Associates. She was considered an early female leader in industrial relations in Minnesota and related professional organizations. For those who knew her personally, she was…

University of Iowa, Iowa City The following Eden Prairie residents were named to the fall semester 2021 dean’s list: Felicia Adeniran-Ogunsanya Margaret Belongie Ethan Bley Matthew Deavan Kevin Dodge John Enck Frances Murphy Layne Olson Ryan Pokrzywinski Hallie Roach Sydney Shields Justice Sullivan Amelia Thoreson Missouri State University, Springfield The following Eden Prairie resident was named to the fall semester 2021 dean’s list: Michelle Nelson University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa The following Eden Prairie residents were named to the fall semester 2021 president’s list: Sophia Klein Rachel Ray Kutztow University (PA) The following Eden Prairie resident was named to the fall…

Kenneth Gerald Bollig, age 87 of Bloomington passed away Jan. 15, 2022. Preceded in death by wife, Beverly Bollig, parents, Peter and Rose Bollig, brothers, Marvin and Richard, and grandson Peter Bollig. He is survived by sons Bruce (Cindy) Bollig, Todd (Harriet) Bollig; grandchildren, Kevin (Jessie) Bollig, Kelly Forster, Laura Bollig, Blair (Allie) Bollig, Alexa (Cody) Lambert; great-grandchildren, Colton and Bryce Bollig, Conrad, and Jameson Lambert. Ken was born March 18, 1934, in Wayzata, Minn., grew up in Hopkins and graduated from Hopkins High School. Ken served in the Army Reserves for four years. Ken met his wife, Beverly, at…

Three local state legislators will host a town hall from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25 at Eden Prairie City Hall. Senate District 48 legislators Sen. Steve Cwodzinski (DFL-Eden Prairie), Rep. Laurie Pryor (DFL-Minnetonka), and Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (DFL-Eden Prairie) will preview the 2022 Legislative Session. Constituents will then have the opportunity to raise concerns or ask questions. The town hall will be conducted in-person and streamed online here. The meeting will be held in the City Hall Heritage Rooms. In-person attendees will be required to wear a mask. Constituents are encouraged to submit their questions ahead of time here.

Trails on the west side of Round Lake will be temporarily closed beginning Jan. 24 for ash tree removal, according to a posting on the city’s website. Crews will be removing ash trees infected with emerald ash borer. The popular trail is expected to reopen the following week. The tree removals are part of the Round Lake Park Ash Tree Replacement Project. Each removed tree will be replaced with one of a variety of tree species. New trees are scheduled to be planted later this year. The project is funded by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The project’s…

EPLN photographer Juliana Allen captured a sun dog over Staring Lake Wednesday morning Jan. 19. Also known as a mock sun or parhelion, sun dogs are an atmospheric optical phenomenon appearing in the sky as luminous spots 22° on each side of and at the same elevation as the sun. Sun dogs occur when the sun shines through a thin cirrus cloud composed of hexagonal ice crystals.

The following Eden Prairie residents were named to the dean’s list at their respective college or university for fall semester 2021: Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL Lilliana Coyle Isabella Girthofer Sydney Jones Natalie Nichols James Ocenasek David Solfelt Michael Walmer Eleanor Watson Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester Shane Flaten Michael Altieri College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, MN Shelby Benkofske Bradley University, Peoria, IL Alexander Kutscher Coastal Carolina University, Conway Aaron Peterson

Both Eden Prairie High School varsity hockey teams posted shutout wins this week. The Eden Prairie boys’ hockey team beat Hopkins 9-0 on Thursday, Jan. 13, at the community center. They next play an away game at 7 p.m. (tonight) on Jan. 15 against St. Michael-Albertville. The Eden Prairie girls’ hockey team beat Prior Lake 3-0 on Tuesday, Jan. 11, at the community center. They next play at home against Buffalo at 3 p.m. (this afternoon) on Jan. 15. Story update: Both hockey teams won Saturday. The girls beat Buffalo 4-2, while the boys beat St. Michael-Albertville 7-2.

Eden Prairie Schools’ staff members do not need to report their vaccination status following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Jan. 13 that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had overstepped its authority by seeking a vaccine-or-test rule for large employers. “As a result, Eden Prairie Schools is not expected to collect proof of employees’ vaccination status,” according to an email sent to employees Jan. 13 by the district’s human resources department. The email said the system will remain open, and employees may submit proof of vaccination but are not required to do so. “Eden Prairie Schools also will…

After more than eight years as the executive director for the Eden Prairie Community Foundation, Mark Weber has decided to retire. The announcement was made in a Thursday, Jan. 13, press release. According to that release, Weber was the first full-time executive director for the foundation and has guided the organization through years of record growth and expanded impact on the community. He is known as a trusted leader who excels at bringing people together to solve a problem or address a need. “Mark’s leadership has helped the foundation support and address so many people and organizations in our community,”…