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Music in the Park brings twilight tunes to Mound
Minnesotans eagerly anticipate warm summer nights all year long, and what better way to spend them than enjoying local music with friends and neighbors? The Northwest Tonka Lions, Mound-Westonka Rotary Club, the City of Mound, and Westonka Community Education are proud to sponsor monthly a Music in the Park summer concert series at Surfside Park. The series kicked off on June 13 with Chris Kelly Live and the opening of...
Long Lake Rowing competes at Minneapolis regatta
The Minneapolis Rowing Club once again hosted the Minneapolis Sprints Regatta on beautiful Lake Nokomis. While it was a rainy day, the lack of lightning allowed races to run the entire day. The race course was 1380 meters extending from the north to the south shore of Lake Nokomis. There were 12 clubs from the US involved in the regatta with Juniors (under age 19), Masters (over age 21), and Open (age 19+) races. Races took place in the sculling format where each rower holds two oars, and the sweeping format where each rower has one oar and competes with...
Orono council gets report on city’s financial status
The city of Orono’s accounting firm, Abdo, presented its 2023 comprehensive financial report at its June 24 meeting. Orono’s General Fund expenditures were $232,971 over budget but were counteracted by the Fund’s end-of-year revenue being $327,552 higher than originally budgeted. The General Fund also lost $1,580,000 in outgoing transfers, mostly towards the Capital Improvement Fund for the Public Works Facility and the Parks Fund. The city’s budget planned to transfer...
Orono speech team members take skills to nationals
Four members of the Orono Speech Team are competing at the National Speech and Debate Association’s 2024 National Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. Orono senior and team captain Madeleine Dore and sophomore McKenna Monger qualified to compete at nationals by placing in the top three in their categories at the NSDA district qualifying tournament in March. Dore will compete in Humorous Interpretation and Monger in Dramatic Interpretation. In addition, sophomore...
Westonka board adopts 2024-25 school budget
Westonka School District is poised to levy over $40 million next year, following the approval of its adopted budget for the 2024-2025 school year at its June 10 meeting. According to Kathy Miller, finance director, there is an anticipated slight decrease in enrollment next year with a total of 2,386 students, including 170 in the kindergarten class. However, she says the district expects to reverse the five-year downward trend in the coming years with future enrollment growth. ...
Haven Homes gets ‘deficiency-free’ survey from state health department
Haven Homes Skilled Nursing Facility in Maple Plain recently achieved a deficiency-free survey from the Minnesota Department of Health. The community’s survey followed a comprehensive review of the care and services provided at Haven Homes. Minnesota Department of Health surveyors evaluated the processes, procedures, general operations, and physical plants, as well as information submitted by Haven Homes’ staff. Surveyors also interviewed staff, residents and family members of residents to gain...
Long Lake Rowing heads to Florida for championship
Long Lake Rowing Club was proud to compete in the 2024 US Rowing Youth National Championships on June 6-9 in Sarasota, Florida. National titles in 41 boat classes were up for grabs in this National regatta. This year’s youth nationals was the largest ever with 854 boats from 225 clubs across the country bringing in just over 4,000 athletes to Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Fla. Long Lake Rowing Crew sent three boats to this regatta and had an impressive showing including: ...
Orono board OKs revised budget, looks to next year
Now that school is no longer in session and the sun has set on Orono’s High School– and kindergarten– graduations, the Orono school board finalized its 2023-24 revised budget and approved the 2024-25 preliminary budget. Orono remains in fine financial shape, according to officials. Last May, Moody’s Investor Service affirmed the district’s Aa2 rating, meaning the Orono Independent School District No. 278 has a stable tax base, strong enrollment demand, and a solid financial profile. ...
Orono to improve plumbing at temporary fire station
The Orono city council voted June 17 to improve plumbing at its temporary fire station, Navarre Garage, and to hire a new part-time firefighter, Stephanie Erven. The plumbing improvements include standard plumbing, floor drain installation, and concrete work. These additions are intended to allow for a laundry facility to be installed at Navarre Garage. Erven has three years of firefighting experience and has completed firefighter I and II and EMT...
Orono’s new public works site gets aspen trees
The Orono Garden Club is donating two quaking aspen trees for Orono’s new Public Works building and two apple trees for Orono Orchards Golf Course. Orono city council accepted these donations at its June 10 meeting. Some of the funding for the public works building, which was open for public viewing from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on June 13, will come from the city’s water, stormwater, and sewer funds. City council approved the transfer of $1,000,000 from each of these funds to the city’s...
Triathlon brings athletes to lake
Over 420 athletes competed in the 20th annual Lake Minnetonka Sprint Triathlon June 22 at the Excelsior Commons. According to event organizer Mike Rogers, the event draws participants from all over the west metro and is popular with veteran and first-time competitors alike. Rogers and his wife, Anne, took over ownership of the Lake Minnetonka Triathlon in 2018, after many years as lead sponsors, volunteers, and race participants. The couple added a charitable giving component to the race, and this year 75 percent of the proceeds were donated to Interfaith Outreach’s Neighborhood Youth Scholarship Program and 25 percent of the proceeds were donated to Community for the Commons, a non-profit organization dedicated to the long-term enhancement and improvement of the Excelsior Commons park.
Sunnarborg competes at state golf tournament
The Minnesota State High School League AA golf championship was held June 11 and 12 at the Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan. Rain was in the forecast for both days and played a major part in the tournament. Sophomore Luke Sunnarborg of Mound Westonka returned to the state meet this year after qualifying for the first time last year. He wasn’t happy with his 85 on day one, but he bounced back on day two to finish the season strong. ...
‘Wake the Lake’ returns to Lord Fletcher’s in Spring Park
River Valley Marine hosted its 8th annual Wake the Lake event on June 14-15. They continued the decade-old festivities (they took two years off during the COVID-19 pandemic) once again at Lord Fletcher’s Old Lake Lodge in Spring Park. John Gooden, owner of River Valley Marine, said his plan for Wake the Lake over 10 years ago was to put the fun back in the boat business. “We had just ground through the recession. It was over in 2012 and one of the OEMs said...
Community puts finishing touches on memorial playground
The community turned out to Surfside Park on June 13 for a “community build” event to finish the Eli Hart Memorial Playground. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on July 20, following the annual Spirit of the Lakes Festival parade. The playground is located adjacent to Surfside Park at 2670 Commerce Blvd, Mound. Hart was 6-years-old when he was murdered by his mother in May 2022.
Gillespie Center unveils new vision for engagement
Over the past six months, the Gillespie Center has undergone a strategic overhaul under the leadership of a new board and interim director, Rhonda Nelson. This period of rebranding and revitalization has culminated in the rollout of a new mission, vision, and set of values designed to ensure the center remains a focal point of the community. The center is embracing its new vision of “a thriving community” by dedicating itself to a mission of providing a prosperous and supportive environment, culture, and space to...
Stigma still surrounds mental health issues in men
June is National Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. For years, June has been a month for learning and raising awareness about the unique challenges men face pertaining to mental health. Mental health issues, like anxiety and depression, have grown in prevalence as a whole across the United States, but men traditionally deal with an additional stigma surrounding mental health. This stigma can push fewer men to consider seeking help. The...
Business owner to run in District 45
Kathleen Fowke announced her intention to run for Minnesota’s Senate in District 45 in the fall. The announcement followed the resignation of incumbent State Sen. Kelly Morrison who has filed to run for the U.S. House to represent Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District. There will be a special election to fill the Senate District 45 seat on Election Day. “Minnesotans are looking for balance amidst political disarray in Washington and Saint...
Former state senator announces run for District 45 seat
Former State Senator Ann Johnson Stewart announced June 6 that she will be seeking election to the Minnesota State Senate in District 45. Johnson Stewart is seeking the seat that is being vacated by Kelly Morrison (DFL-Deephaven) as she campaigns for U.S. Congress in Minnesota’s Third District. Johnson Stewart, a civil engineer, small business owner and teacher, said she is ready to use her experience to serve the people of District 45. “I’m thrilled to once again bring my passion and expertise in building and...
WAAMfest set to bring bass to the lake
After selling out in its inaugural year, WAAMfest returns to Wayzata Beach to host another weekend of high-energy, techno-pop DJs on June 21-22. The two-day show features Swedish DJ and dance music producer Allesandro Lindbald, better known as Alesso, and Dillon Francis, also known as DJ Hanzel. Lindbald and Francis follow last year’s performers, Steve Aoki and Gryffin. Aoki has finished as high as 7th in DJ Magazine’s Top 100 list, finishing in the top ten eight times. While Minnesota and Minneapolis in particular is...
Minnetrista OKs farm winery, with restrictions
Minnetrista is set to welcome a new farm winery, though visitors won’t have the opportunity to purchase wine on-site. Following a lengthy discussion, the Minnetrista City Council narrowly approved a conditional use permit (CUP) for a farm winery at 3330 Highland Road during its June 3 meeting. The applicant, Barry Trebil, had requested permission to conduct two activities on his property: 1) To produce and bottle wine year-round for sale to local liquor stores and restaurants; and 2). To open the winery to 25 people...
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Laker Pioneer serves the Mound, Minnetrista, Spring Park, Navarre, Long Lake, Orono, Maple Plain, Independence and Minnetonka Beach communities. Published Saturdays by APG of East Central Minnesota since 1974. 24/7 local coverage found online at www.lakerpioneer.com
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