Early School Start, Freezing Children and Love Stories: Feedback Friday

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 Eden Prairie, Edina, Golden Valley, Hopkins, 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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Community Voices Concern About Dangerous Intersections in St. Michael and Albertville

When Patch asked users about the most dangerous intersections in their neighborhoods, St. Michael-Albertville residents pointed out several problem areas, from driving the wrong direction on one-ways to blind spots and running red lights.

Angela S. wrote:

Case in point. The Stop sign @ 19 and Heights W was taken out by a motorist as a result of the last snow/ice fall. South bound on 19 turning right onto Heights without a turn lane and vehicles behind bearing down @ 45 miles per hour, makes this turn a bit tricky with the US postal services bank of mail boxes at this corner vs using the next quiet corner one block west. To add to the mayhem; the resident on the NW corner has decided to park his toy haler trailer between his home and cr-19 making it nearly impossible to see traffic coming south bound on 19 without sticking the nose of your vehicle inches from crossing traffic. I'd like to know the name of the city official who allowed this house on the corner a build permit in the first place. It used to be a vacant lot, with great sight lines. I'm sure the previous owner sold the lot when the market was strong. an investor with strong pull in the city got a build permit. Built a spec home and sold it to the first unsuspecting new home owner who took the bate. The home has changed hands 3-4 times since. Poor ethics in my book.

Edina School Board Pushes Back Pre-Labor Day Start to 2014

Classes at Edina Public Schools will not begin until after Labor Day, at least for the coming school year.

The Board of Education unanimously approved revised academic calendars for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years, tweaking those reviewed earlier this month. While classes will be pushed back to Sept. 3 in 2013, the school year will stillstart prior to Labor Day—on Aug. 25—in 2014.

Reader Carol Kaiser Milan was not a fan of the earlier start:

I always believed Edina was most progressive when it came to school issues, ie: later morning start for high school students, early release and late start dates for teachers to have more effective planning time. However, cutting an already short summer (we DO live in Minnesota, not Kansas) does not make sense. Trim a day here or there during school year vacations, folks. My three children are out of school now...a post Labor Day start was a most valuable (for families and students) and appreciated start date.

Meanwhile, Patch user Todd D believes an earlier start to the school year would be better for students:

The proposed changes would not make summer break any shorter, it would just start earlier. I have yet to hear one legitimate reason to not change to an earlier start date. The kids are more tuned in at the beginning of the year and in many cases the last few weeks of school (after testing is done) are a waste. Why not cut out the waste, have more time in class before testing, and start summer break earlier?

In the early hours of Jan. 16, a resident of a condo building in the 5900 block of Oxford St. called St. Louis Park police about her neighbor. Around 10 people in the man's apartment were making a racket, she said, and this wasn't the first time. The man habitually brought home noisy groups after bar close, she claimed, and she would have none of it this time.

In response to the story, Woodsen wrote:

"Libel! Slander! If I had to write an article about you Mr. writer man, it would say that you're very negative. The headline might read 'Most wrongest writer in the world writes story that shouldn't be a story. Tax payer money not being well spent on the boys (and girl) in blue.'"

Dennis Gergerson wrote:

You left out the part where you tell us how many cats this very watchful neighbor has. My guess is 10+. Mr. investigative journalist, please find this out so we can save these poor kitty's!

Toddlers Abandoned By Aunt May Have Been in Car Close to Two Hours

Two toddlers allegedly forgotten by their aunt at Lindee’s Sunday may have been left in the vehicle for up to two hours without jackets, hats or gloves at a time when the temperature was 25 degrees. The woman reportedly ordered an iron butterfly and Long Island ice tea at the bar and then left in a cab. When she returned to the bar and officers asked her about the children, she answered, “I have two dogs.”

Fabuladico thought there was more to the story:

That Iron Butterfly must be some drink! I mean, "I have two dogs"? My guess is that Lindee's wasn't her first stop. She'll probably get off pending rehab, but it's a pretty pretty safe bet that she won't be babysitting those little "dogs" anytime in the near future again.

Patch Begins Search for 'Greatest Love Story' in Minnesota

With the holiday of love coming up in just a few weeks, metro area Patches have asked readers to share their love stories for a chance to win a night out to dinner on us.

One of this week's entries was submitted by Richfield resident Steve Sander:

Steve and Kelly from Richfield. Kelly and I lived on the same street growing up. Our families were friends but Kelly is a couple years younger so we never considered dating. Nearly 10 years after moving from the neighborhood I got on Eharmony. Longer story shorter we got matched and started dating. We've now been married for almost three years and been together for five years. We also now have a beautiful daughter.

The cornerstones of our relationship is communication and team work. We always make time to have dinner with each other where no TV is allowed, have regular date nights so that we don't become detached from our relationship and talk about about any disagreements we may have. While marriage is not easy we seem to have found a way to make it as fun and easy going as possible. I couldn't think of a more perfect sole mate and can't believe how lucky we are to have found the life we have.

Enter your love story on your home Patch site: Richfield, St. Louis Park, Fridley, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Edina or Southwest Minneapolis.