Search Continues, Child Porn Conviction and 'Civil Marriage': Pick of Our Patches

This week's selections include a new Buddhist monastery, 100-meter dash record, Southdale Center on TV, hospital milestone and a record-breaking betting day.

Editor’s Note: Every week we bring you a sampling of stories from Patch sites in the west metro: Eden Prairie, Edina, Fridley, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Lake Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Shakopee, Southwest Minneapolis, St. Louis Park and St. Michael. Police Release Maps in Search for Mandy Matula Eden Prairie police have released maps of the areas where Mandy Matula, the missing Eden Prairie woman, might be located. The areas are in Benton, Carver, Sherburne, Stearns and Wright counties.  3 Years, 3 Months Behind Bars for Ex-City Staffer on Child Porn Conviction Scott Andrew Bradley of Oakdale, who once worked as communications coordinator for the City of Richfield, got the maximum sentence. MN Same-Sex Marriage…

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Man Drowns in Pond, Governor Heckled and Book Burning: Pick of Our Patches

This week's compilation includes a Red Cross Hero, 'unemployment is a very boring existence,' MCA issues, profitable liquor store, superintendent search and light rail.

Editor’s Note: Every week we bring you a sampling of stories from Patch sites in the west metro: Eden Prairie, Edina, Fridley, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Lake Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Shakopee, Southwest Minneapolis, St. Louis Park and St. Michael. Brooklyn Park Man Pulled From Maple Grove Pond Dies The 20-year-old man was pulled from the pond near the 12300 block of Elm Creek Boulevard. Freshwater Society Officially Declares Ice Out on Lake Minnetonka The call came at 1:30 a.m. Thursday morning; Hennepin County Sheriff’s Water Patrol uses a different standard. Dayton Heckled in Shakopee, Calls Audience 'Rude' and 'Juvenile' Gov. Mark Dayton told a Shakopee audience that "I’ve been all over the state and I’ve …

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Teacher Dies, House Fire and Pedestrians Play Frogger: Pick of Our Patches

This week's selections include a racetrack's end, a resident still in danger of losing her home to foreclosure and all-day, everyday kindergarten.

Editor’s Note: Every week we bring you a sampling of stories from Patch sites in the west metro: Eden Prairie, Edina, Fridley, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Lake Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Shakopee, Southwest Minneapolis, St. Louis Park and St. Michael. Memorial Service Scheduled for Eden Prairie Teacher Jodi L. Heyman died March 23 at the age of 45 after a battle with cancer. Multi-Level House Fire on Oxford Road in Shakopee Multiple fire departments were called to the scene of a house fire in the Dean Lakes area. Pedestrians Play Frogger at Moore Lake Beach Bus patrons are clashing with speeding cars. Pedestrians deserve more respect. Yorktown Park Community Garden Gets Council Approval Registration for garden …

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Met Council: Hopkins LRT Stations Would Need Over 800 Parking Spots

The Southwest Light Rail project needs park and rides so commuters can use the trains.

Early parking projections for the Southwest Light Rail Transit project estimate that Hopkins’ three stations would need to provide about 835 spots between them, the Metropolitan Council told Patch. Parking is among the City of Hopkins’ biggest concerns about the project. Officials’ response to the Southwest LRT’s draft environmental impact statement, the primary review document, focused heavily on the prospect of park and rides at the three stations—Blake, Downtown and Shady Oak. They worry that parking could create traffic problems and take land that could be used for redevelopment. The city has had particular worries about parking at the Downtown Station. Planners have long envisioned the station as a so-called “kiss and ride” that would…

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Woman Begs for Help for Parents and 'Jeopardy' Streak Ends: Pick of Our Patches

This week's selection includes a conversation with a First Lady, bike lane experiment ends, Minnesota native and football player heads to Pittsburgh, and trash talk continues.

Editor’s Note: Every week we bring you a sampling of stories from Patch sites in the west metro: Eden Prairie, Edina, Fridley, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Lake Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Shakopee, Southwest Minneapolis, St. Louis Park and St. Michael. Local Woman's Plea for Help for Elderly Golden Valley Parents Nets Outpouring of Support "Michelle" said she was stuck out of town. Maple Grove Native Ends Winning Streak on ‘Jeopardy’ Maple Grove Senior High graduate Drew Horwood won eight straight games before it ended. Meet the First Lady! (Of Fridley) Fridley Patch Blogger Mandy Meisner sat down with Cindy Lund to find out about life at the top, raising a child with special needs, and learning more about the …

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LRT Study: Trains Boost Property Values

Study ordered by National Association of Realtors found that homes with access to transit weather downturns better.

Here’s What Hopkins Needs to Do Before Southwest LRT Starts Running

Planners are identifying the improvements that are necessary to make the light rail transit project successful from day one.

The Southwest Light Rail Transit project doesn’t just need tracks, trains and stations to be successful. It needs roads, trails and sidewalks to get people to the platform. It needs planning and zoning to maximize development potential. It needs infrastructure upgrades that mesh well with all the new changes. In order to ensure everything is ready when the line opens in 2018, officials are undertaking “Transitional Station Area Action Planning” (TSAAP) to “promote opening day readiness by bridging the gap between current conditions and future needs.” Officials discussed how that planning is going at Tuesday’s City Council meeting—and noted some of the steps that still need to be taken. Plans are still in draft form and could change. …

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Missing Man Found Dead, Billionaires and Best Buy Deadline: Pick of Our Patches

This week's selection includes a new conference in the west metro, SimCity, parking planning, a new Which Wich and students celebrate a snow day.

Editor’s Note: Every week we bring you a sampling of stories from Patch sites in the west metro: Eden Prairie, Edina, Fridley, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Lake Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Shakopee, Southwest Minneapolis, St. Louis Park and St. Michael. Community Mourns: Body of Robbinsdale Man Found in Mexico According to an article published by KARE 11, the body of Mark Stoneberg was found after almost a week-long search. Three of the World's Billionaires Come From Minnetonka Forbes magazine released its list of billionaires. Who do you think has ties to Minnetonka? After Lull, Neighborhood Corner Poised for More Growth Once a destination for antiquing shoppers from across the metro 50th and Xerxes is coming into…

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Support Builds for Gov. Dayton's Quarter-Cent Tax Increase

The Counties Transit Improvement Board voted to support a local sales tax increase for transit funding.

The following was released by Hennepin County: The Counties Transit Improvement Board voted at its February meeting to support Gov. Mark Dayton’s proposed quarter-cent local sales tax increase for dedicated transit funding in the region.  “Not only are we competing for scarce federal dollars to build transit investments like the Southwest Light Rail Line, we are also competing with other regions to attract companies and talent," said Counties Transit Improvement Board Chair Peter McLaughlin.  "Using the metro area sales tax as a long-term funding source allows the region to plan ahead and build the kinds of transit investments Minnesota needs.”  The proposed quarter-cent increase in the regional transit sales tax would be imposed across …

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What Historic Hopkins Properties Are Near Southwest Light Rail?

Hopkins has a handful of notable properties within a short distance of the proposed line.

The Southwest Light Rail Transit planning process isn’t just about ridership numbers and costs; it’s about minimizing the impact that’s inherent in any project of this size. Part of that process involves surveying historic buildings on and near the routes being considered. A team examined properties within a so-called “area of potential effect”—an area-within 300 feet of the railroad corridor’s centerline—to see if they met National Register Criteria for Evaluation. For the areas around the proposed stations, they broadened their search to sites within a quarter mile. In Hopkins, surveyors examined 143 total properties. Of those, they selected five properties and a potential historic district for further review. Only one historic site and …

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