Author: Stuart Sudak

The fire that tore through Anne Armstrong’s Eden Prairie townhouse in the 6200 block of Saint John’s Drive near Baker Road last month was swift and devastating. Armstrong and her 6-year-old daughter, Gabriela Evans, escaped with their lives but not much more. Armstrong was sitting on her couch at about 10 p.m. on July 21 while Gabriela slept upstairs. The fire caught her eye outside her kitchen window, and she discovered the wooden wall separating her patio from her neighbor’s engulfed in flames. “I go in to grab her, and inside the curtains are already melting off the window, and…

When a fire broke out in a building containing four townhouses, located in the 6200 block of Saint John’s Drive on July 21, Eden Prairie resident Mary Almeida didn’t hesitate to respond. Despite facing ongoing health challenges, including scoliosis and fibromyalgia, she said she immediately alerted her family and neighbors of the danger. “Everything happened so fast,” recounted Almeida, who lives in one of the townhouses. “I did not have time to think about anything else but getting people out of their units.” After noticing an orange reflection off the units above her hill in the front yard, Almeida said…

The Eden Prairie Lions Club is swinging closer to home this year for its second annual Charity Golf Tournament, scheduled for Monday, Aug. 14, at Bent Creek Golf Club in Eden Prairie. The event was revived by the Lions Club in 2022 at Dahlgreen Golf Club in Chaska, 16 years after the tournament was last held there. “They always had it at Dahlgreen,” said Terry Eggan, the golf committee chairman. “But we were fortunate to move to Bent Creek. Dahlgreen is a great course, but having it in our hometown is important.” When Eggan became Eden Prairie Lions Club president…

The aroma of freshly steamed sweet corn will again fill Round Lake Park this Saturday, Aug. 5, as the Eden Prairie Lions Club hosts its annual Corn Feed from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. A typical Corn Feed means steaming 4,000 ears of sweet corn for a hungry crowd of about 750 people. “Schooner Days is our biggest fundraiser, but I would say the Corn Feed is the most family, laid-back oriented event,” said Gregg Fletcher, the event’s chair. “People just come and sit and get their food and visit and stay as long as they like.” For those attending,…

Eden Prairie’s annual PeopleFest! A Community Celebration of Culture launches tomorrow. The week-long cultural extravaganza, running until Aug. 4, kicks off with the PeopleFest! Party at the Staring Lake Amphitheatre, 14800 Pioneer Trail, from 3 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 30. “From the beginning, our main goal has been to create an event to make people feel welcome,” said Jay Lotthammer, the city’s parks and recreation director. “We also wanted to offer various performances and groups, providing them with a platform to showcase their traditions, be it through traditional games or artwork from their backgrounds. That’s something that people…

The nonprofit Wings of the North (WOTN) is set to take off with its 25th annual AirExpo this weekend at Eden Prairie’s Flying Cloud Airport, featuring 30 to 40 vintage aircraft and more than 20 aviation veterans. Gates open at 8 a.m. on both days. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 22, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 23. Tickets are $30 at the gate for adults, $25 when purchased online in advance, and $5 for children ages 6-17. Admission is free for children 5 and under. In addition to aircraft…

When Eden Prairie resident Duane Hookom suffered a heart attack during a community gathering at Nesbitt Preserve Park last month, the quick reflexes of a local woman and emergency personnel helped save his life. It happened on the evening of June 8 at the dedication ceremony for new playground equipment, a splash pad, and a cricket exhibition at the park. Molly Menton, who was there with her four-year-old twin boys, helped stop Hookom’s van after he became unconscious behind the wheel. The fire department, present at the event to provide an alternative to the unavailable splash pad with their truck…

After serving as the head baseball coach at Eden Prairie High School for 11 seasons, John Buteyn has left the district to become the activities director at Jordan Public Schools. Buteyn, who was raised in Eden Prairie but currently resides in Waconia, will be responsible for overseeing activities at both the high school and middle school in the Jordan district. He replaces Joe Perkl, who became the new EPHS director of student activities on July 1. Perkl replaced Russ Reetz, who is now the principal at White Bear Lake Area High School. A 2004 graduate of EPHS, Buteyn returned to…

Eden Prairie gathered at Round Lake Park on Tuesday to celebrate the Fourth of July with food, live music, games, and fireworks during the city’s annual Hometown Celebration. The event went smoothly, defying earlier inclement weather forecasts. “Based on the morning forecast for the day, I don’t think it could have gone any better,” said Jay Lotthammer, the city’s parks and recreation director, on Wednesday. “I was really bracing for a storm every other hour based on the weather report.” Lotthammer estimated that this year’s Hometown Celebration drew a crowd of 8,000 to 10,000 attendees, consistent with the turnout of…

Organizing the annual Eden Prairie 4th of July Hometown Celebration, which now spans two nights, requires careful planning. From picking bands and selecting a wide array of food trucks to fine-tuning the schedule, meticulous effort goes into every detail. Jay Lotthammer, the City of Eden Prairie’s parks and recreation director, explains the importance of booking bands well in advance, especially for such a popular date as the Fourth of July. “These bands are in high demand, so we have to secure them at least six months ahead to ensure we get the best ones,” he says. The culmination of all…