Community Corner

An Oak Tree, Gun Restrictions and Free Speech: Feedback Friday

The most thoughtful, moving, controversial or just plain funny comments from around the west metro between July 20 and July 26.

Each week, Patch users contribute numerous insights, opinions and observations. The following is a collection of the most thoughtful, moving, controversial or just plain funny comments that appeared on Patch sites in EdinaGolden ValleyHopkins, Minnetonka, Richfield, Shakopee, Plymouth, St. Louis Park and St. Michael. Click on the headline to read the full story and join in the conversation.

(The comments below are not meant to reflect the opinions of Patch or its staff.)

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Find out what's happening in Hopkinswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

St. Louis Park City Council members seem generally supportive of a plan to turn the vacant Eliot School building into a 144-unit apartment complex. The roughly 100-year-old building has been vacant since February 2010.

Find out what's happening in Hopkinswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Tom Obinger for one hopes some of the school's history is preserved:

I attended Elliot and it is sad to see what has happened to the school. I look at the big oak tree in the front of the school which has been there since I attended and I would hope the tree could be spared in any new plans for the property. I remember sitting in class and looking out of the window at that beautiful tree. Please, if we can't spare the school, save the tree as a symbol and remembrance of all the students who attended Elliot.

In the wake of the Aurora theater massacre, Patch asked how Twin City area residents feel about gun ownership vs. public-safety concerns. Many responded to the question weighing many different options and providing a plethora of opinions.

rob_h78 looked at the issue as something that must be tackled differently than what is being done now:

While we can institute stronger background checks (it wouldn't have made a difference in the CO and plenty of other cases), and we can limit magazine and clip sizes (which at least gives the victims a chance when the guy has to reload), in reality the problem is that these guys and need mental help before they go off the deep end and grab an AR-15 and a Glock.

We allow guns to be owned and we have a lot of them so we have to just accept the occasional mass murder that comes along as the "price of admission" because nothing can really stop them from happening more often here than in other first tier countries.

So other than trying to limit the carnage once it starts the only real safety net we have to try and intercept these guys is to make mental health care more accessible and try to get rid of the stigmatization around it. (Of course plenty of people would say "Not with my tax money").

And if we don't want to try to do something via mental health then honestly we have to just stop freaking out every time someone decides to kill and main a bunch of people because we set up the field and then complain after the obvious happens - again and again and again.

Scott County Board Chair Tom Wolf caused a stir Tuesday by attempting to unilaterally restrict what residents can say during the time for public comment. After some heated discussion, the board voted 3-2 to restrict public comment through the November elections.

Josh D. Ondich wondered why those who voted to restrict it became public servants.

This was a political gaffe to silence civil dissent. I want to thank my commissioner Barbara Marschall and Commissioner Jon Ulrich for voting against this resolution. Commissioner Tom Wolf acted childish and inappropriate for a elected official by cutting off Lloyd Erbaugh in a disrespectful manner. If commissioners Wolf, Menden and Wagner do not like public criticism, then why did they become public servants.

Family Resources and Child Care Center withdrew its application to build a controversial extended-hours day care center in Hopkins, citing the cost of a traffic study and neighbor objections. “I’ve been in this business some time, and it was just unprecedented,” the attorney representing the company said. “I wouldn’t recommend anybody—whether immigrants or anybody—do business in your community.”

Trevor objected to the attorney’s characterization of Hopkins:

I disagree with Ms. Sampong’s characterization of the neighborhood concerns at the July 10th Hopkins City Council meeting. I was in attendance, and am a friend/neighbor to all who spoke at the meeting. I’m frankly offended by her comments. Her opinion that the requirement of a traffic study was a ploy to kill the project is simply false. A review of the Hopkins City Council archives shows that the requirement of a traffic study in the case of a proposal such as this is not uncommon.

The implication that our neighborhood didn’t want the child care center in our community, and further, that the primary reason for concern had anything to do with the center catering to immigrants, is offensive. Not one resident stated that they did not want the center in Hopkins. In fact, several voiced that it would be an asset to our community, yet questioned the viability of the proposed location. To suggest that the neighborhood concerns were unique to this request, or in any way related to the fact that the center would cater to workers of non-traditional hours, be they immigrants or not, is offensive and irresponsible.

Ms. Sampong’s statement that the center is unlikely to consider an alternative Hopkins location due to the response of residents puzzles me. Would you rather build a business in a community with unconcerned and uninvolved residents? Or in one that is engaged, informed, and eager to make it a better community for all?

A $3.65 million expansion at —dubbed the Hornets' Nest—has been given the go-ahead by both the Edina City Council and School Board.

The 26,450-square-foot addition will be located just north of Braemar Arena's west rink. In addition to creating permanent locker rooms for 's boys and girls varsity and JV hockey teams, the two-level building is set to feature dry-land training facilities and 3,000 square feet of retail space.

Reader David F said it seems like the construction project moved a bit too quickly for his taste:

Was this project put out to bid per state law and was there a public hearing? Seems this project moved unusally fast through the system.

Jeff thought the City Council would have been better off focusing on a project that would benefit everyone in Edina rather than just hockey players:

Why this project that benefits maybe 80 hockey players instead of a sports dome that could benefit at least 4000 athletes and possibly every Edina resident (if there was an internal walking track)?

After nearly 20 years as Richfield Chamber of Commerce president, Steve Lindgren, is retiring Aug. 1. While Lindgren spent two decades working with local businesses, developers and investors in Richfield, he was also born and raised here.

Joe Hoover thanked Lindgren for his dedication:

Thanks for all of the great work you have done. You really help show what being a community citizen is all about.

We have multiple categories up for St. Michael Patch's Readers' Choice awards, and one of the most hotly contested categories is "Best Veterinarian." 

Martha Caroll weighed in for her pick:

We are blessed to have so many great choices, but my little herd visits Dr. Lisa Sell!

The Summer Olympics begin on July 27, but how well do you know the Games? All this week, Patch will post trivia questions to test your knowledge.

Kate Rivard appreciated the challenge:

Thanks and nice topic. I have never followed the Olympics and it's trivia that will come into play if and when I live to and remember that I'm 80. 2 outta 3. Waiting for the next...Kate


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