Author: Stuart Sudak

Eden Prairie Lions Club member Barbara Hanson is not only counting on a good time this Sunday but also counting heads. The Lions Club will host its annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser from 8 a.m. to noon on April 16 at True Friends Camp Eden Wood, 6350 Indian Chief Road, Eden Prairie. Hanson, chair of the pancake committee, is excited to coordinate the event for the first time. “I’m the one herding the cats,” she said. “Everybody does everything and I’m relying heavily on people have done this many times before.” Hanson said this year’s event won’t be much different than…

Eden Prairie High School is looking to hire a new varsity boys basketball coach by May 1. According to Russell Reetz, the school’s associate principal of student activities, he and Trevor Mbakwe, the assistant activities director, will lead the hiring process. Former coach David Flom resigned on Friday, March 31, after a tumultuous season that included his suspension for reading a racial slur to players and subsequent reinstatement, which sparked protests. The controversy surrounding Flom’s actions resulted in division among some players, parents, and community members. Reetz and Flom separately informed families in the basketball program of Flom’s decision to…

As the spring thaw takes hold in the Twin Cities, potholes are popping up on roads, forcing drivers to be on high alert for hidden hazards that can cause damage to their vehicles and wallets. Despite potholes causing chaos in many other cities, the roads in Eden Prairie are holding up relatively well this season. “There are truly some roads that I have driven around the metro that are busting tires,” said Robert Ellis, the public works director for the City of Eden Prairie. “Some cars might not be able to traverse [those], but truly, I don’t see that around…

An Eden Prairie man has been charged in connection with two incidents of vehicle theft that occurred over the weekend in the parking lot of Scheels, located at 8301 Flying Cloud Drive. Abdulahi Ahmed Abdi, 32, has been charged with one felony count of theft of a firearm without consent and two gross misdemeanors: one for theft and the other for financial transaction card fraud, according to a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court. The felony charge of theft of a firearm carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine, while the gross…

The towering snowbank in the parking lot of Eden Prairie Center has gained internet fame in the past week. Dubbed “Mount Target” by some and “Mount Eden Prairie” by others, it has become a popular spot for visitors to take photos. Even the Eden Prairie Police joined the fun by posting a photo of a squad car in front of the snowbank on Monday with the message “Happy first day of spring from Mount Eden Prairie.” One image, in particular, has captured the attention of social media users: a Target shopping cart perched atop a massive snowbank. The photo has…

An Eden Prairie man was struck by an eastbound vehicle while “walking against traffic” in the crosswalk on Highway 5 near Eden Prairie Road, according to the State Patrol. The accident occurred at 7:08 a.m. Monday. The patrol website posted information at 6 p.m. Monday, identifying the pedestrian as John Thomas Nordeen, 80. Jolene Lorraine Santema, 59, of Eden Prairie, was identified as the driver of the vehicle involved in the accident. She was driving a 2008 Mazda 6, was wearing her seat belt, and was not injured. No other vehicles were involved in the accident. When asked to clarify…

Bud Grant, legendary Minnesota Vikings coach, was remembered with touching words from his son, Mike, and two former players at a memorial service at Grace Church in Eden Prairie on Saturday afternoon. Grant, 95, died on March 11. Mike, the longtime Eden Prairie High School football coach, began his eulogy with a humorous anecdote about his father’s habit of carrying multiple red handkerchiefs. “[I] have to get prepared here like only my dad would,” Mike said before taking out three red handkerchiefs from different pockets to wipe his face. One handkerchief, Mike said, was not enough when Bud would get…

Starkey CEO Brandon Sawalich is not only the head of the company that makes hearing aids for millions of people every year, but he also participated in testing its latest product. Last month, Eden Prairie-based Starkey unveiled Genesis AI, its newest hearing technology system. Starkey describes it as a completely redesigned hearing technology that features a new processor, sound, industrial design, fitting software, and patient experience, marking a breakthrough in the hearing industry’s efforts to redefine the future of hearing health. After wearing Genesis AI for six months, Sawalich gives the product an enthusiastic endorsement, stating that it delivers high-quality…

The mystery surrounding the whereabouts of Sheldon’s wrench, the prize of the 15th annual treasure hunt hosted by Smith Coffee & Café in Eden Prairie, has been solved. An Eden Prairie family discovered Sheldon’s wrench just outside Ballfield No. 5, near the fishing pier in Miller Park, on March 5. As a result of finding the wrench, the family won the grand prize, a $200 gift card to the cafe. Steve and Alison Stoick and their children Alex, 9, Leila, 7, Everly, 5, and Ben, 4, spent that weekend hunting for the wrench. Alison praised the cleverness of the clues,…

Small business owners and entrepreneurs can voice their needs and ideas at a town hall listening session hosted by the Eden Prairie City Council. It will take place from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8, at Eden Prairie High School’s Innovation Sandbox meeting space, accessible from the southwest entrance. The event’s goal is to gather attendees’ insights about the local support necessary to grow their businesses in Eden Prairie. The Innovation Sandbox is a communitywide collaboration between the city, schools, and businesses launched in 2021 with the intention of making Eden Prairie more entrepreneur-friendly. Mayor Ron Case is…