Author: Stuart Sudak

Eden Prairie Local News (EPLN) is gearing up for its Third Annual Meeting on Monday, Oct. 16. Over the past three years, EPLN has posted more than 2,200 articles, and the momentum shows no sign of slowing. The meeting will occur from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Eden Prairie City Center, 8080 Mitchell Road, in the downstairs Heritage Rooms. On the agenda is the organization’s Annual Report, which outlines the key achievements of the nonpartisan, nonprofit news website over the last year. EPLN is devoted to sharing the stories, news, and events that shape Eden Prairie. Ken Stone, a…

Thuy Husmann transforms her anguish over her son Aaron’s tragic suicide into community-driven initiatives, raising funds for The Grief Club of Minnesota to support families navigating similar heartbreak and to bolster suicide awareness.

Eden Prairie High School’s annual Powderpuff games, taking place from 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at Aerie Stadium, aim to serve a cause beyond just school spirit. The school’s DECA chapter, which promotes leadership in marketing and entrepreneurship, spearheads the annual Powderpuff games. In this flag football event, female students compete and are coached by seniors on the football team. This year’s theme, “Huddle to Heal,” is particularly poignant in the wake of the tragic losses of student Aaron Husmann, a junior, and staff member Rob Becker, who was one of the school’s security monitors, last April. “I…

With fewer than a third of Minnesota students achieving grade-level proficiency in literacy and math, one Math Corps tutor and five Early Learning Corps tutors are being sought to serve in Eden Prairie area schools. The application deadline is Wednesday, Oct. 4, to begin serving in October, and Dec. 13 to begin serving in January. According to a press release, Reading Corps, Math Corps and Early Learning Corps are evidence-based AmeriCorps programs dedicated to helping all children become strong learners.  Tutors placed at local schools can choose to serve 35, 25 or 18 hours a week. Some locations also have opportunities for 10 hours weekly.…

The old bass drumhead tells a story that goes beyond its faded appearance. Adorned with “Eden Prairie School Band” in red around the edge and the word “Consolidated” centered in black, the drumhead caught the young Mike Flavin’s eye more than 50 years ago. Flavin stepped in just before it was tossed out and gave it a new lease on life. He cherished the drumhead from his childhood in Eden Prairie to his recent retirement as a youth pastor. Alongside his wife, Amy, he took the drumhead on a journey spanning thousands of miles — from California to Philadelphia, and…

Dalal Bayle Idd, the 27-year-old Eden Prairie man charged with the second-degree murder (without premeditation) of his seven-year-old brother Abdullahi Adod Gelle, made his first court appearance in a Hennepin County courtroom on Tuesday, Sept. 19. Dressed in an orange jumpsuit, Idd stood in a holding area adjacent to the courtroom, informally known as “the box,” before Judge Peter A. Cahill. During the hearing, Kevin C. Riach, Idd’s defense attorney, argued for lowering his client’s bail, which was set at $1.5 million unconditionally. He said the charging document “is pretty thin in terms of the allegations” against his client. Idd…

UnitedHealth Group is set to relocate its headquarters from Minnetonka to Eden Prairie in the first half of next year, a move hailed by city officials and business leaders for its potential impact on the local economy and community. One of the nation’s largest health insurers, UnitedHealth Group, will relocate its headquarters to the Optum campus, which is also home to Optum, a health services division of the company. The campus, located at 11000 Optum Circle just north of Shady Oak Road, is owned by the company. “UnitedHealth Group offers many ways for our teams to structure how and where…

Newly released Hennepin County court records indicate that the 7-year-old boy found unresponsive in an Eden Prairie home on Tuesday likely died from strangulation or suffocation. These records, including a search warrant issued on Thursday and a criminal complaint filed on Friday, provide detailed information about the incident. Dalal Bayle Idd, 27, of Eden Prairie, was charged with second-degree murder (without premeditation) for the death of his younger brother, Abdullahi Adod Gelle, in the criminal complaint filed on Friday. The incident occurred at their parents’ house in the 9900 block of Lee Drive. On Tuesday, at about 10:10 p.m., Eden…

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office on Thursday identified 7-year-old Abdullahi Adod Gelle as the child found dead in an Eden Prairie residence. Gelle was discovered unresponsive by Eden Prairie police officers at about 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12, during a welfare check at a home in the 9900 block of Lee Drive. He was subsequently transported to M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, where he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight on Wednesday. Dalal Bayle Idd, 27, Gelle’s brother, was arrested in connection with the incident on suspicion of second-degree murder. He is currently being held in…

Purgatory Creek Park is gearing up to “hop” into action this Saturday as the Eden Prairie Community Foundation presents its 9th annual Prairie Brewfest from 3 to 6 p.m. Greg Leeper, the Foundation’s executive director, said that 17 vendors will be showcasing their products at the craft brew festival. He described the festival as the centerpiece of “what we’re doing” and added that the event will be bigger this year. Attendees can expect a variety of beers, along with select wines and spirits. The lineup boasts a diverse selection of breweries, including Bent Paddle, Castle Danger, Excelsior Brewing, Utepils, and…