Author: Stuart Sudak

A 16-year-old boy from Minneapolis was charged last week with two felonies: fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and theft by taking or driving a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent. The charges stem from an incident on Aug. 12 in Eden Prairie and other locations, during which the teen allegedly led officers on a high-speed chase along Highway 212. Eden Prairie Local News does not publish the names of minors charged with crimes. Based on a criminal complaint from Hennepin County’s 4th District Court, Eden Prairie police, informed by the Carver County Sheriff’s Office, were actively searching…

Eden Prairie police have decided not to recommend filing criminal charges in connection with a dog attack last month on the exit ramp from westbound Interstate 494 to Flying Cloud Drive. Sgt. Scott Mittelstadt, who conducted the investigation, confirmed last week that the department wouldn’t be pursuing charges. “We don’t really have substantial evidence either way to charge anybody with this,” Mittelstadt said on Aug. 30. “Now, can the victim (pursue civil action) against the dog owners? Yes, absolutely. But, legally and criminally speaking, we don’t have substantial evidence to charge anybody on this.” Investigators examined whether a man from…

Hennepin County has scheduled a special election for Tuesday, April 9, 2024, to address the upcoming vacancy in Commissioner District 6. If a special primary is deemed necessary, it is slated for March 26, 2024. The impending vacancy comes in the wake of Commissioner Chris LaTondresse’s announcement earlier this month of his decision to resign, effective Sept. 21. Elected in January 2021, LaTondresse is leaving the County Board to become chief executive officer at the Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative. Hennepin County will hold the special election to complete LaTondresse’s term, which is set to conclude in December 2024. A county…

Four people from California were charged in Dakota County District Court for thefts totaling about $13,600 from Best Buy stores in Apple Valley, Eagan, and Eden Prairie. Those charged include Yessenia Polanco, 42, Jacquiline Pavon, 38, Layorny Feliz Flores, 39, all from Torrance, and Davis Antonio Rugama, 33, of Inglewood. Each of them faces a felony count of theft and could receive a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted. Following a series of thefts at metro-area Best Buy stores, the Eagan Police Department began investigating an organized group of retail thieves. On three occasions, the suspects were…

Hennepin County Commissioner Chris LaTondresse announced Thursday that he will resign from the board on Sept. 21, 2023, to become the chief executive officer of the Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative. LaTondresse, a resident of Hopkins, was elected in November 2020 and took office in January 2021. He represents District 6, which includes northern Eden Prairie. Hennepin County will hold a special election for District 6 to complete LaTondresse’s term, which ends in December 2024. The Hennepin County auditor will determine the special election date as per state statute. The county elections office will provide more details In his resignation statement,…

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…