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Westonka seniors get $344K in community scholarships
Mound Westonka High School hosted the annual Scholarship Awards Night on May 15, when 75 scholarships worth over $344,000 from 52 different donors were awarded to 67 members of the 2024 graduating class. Students and their families gathered in the Westonka Performing Arts Center to accept their scholarships, which came from both the local community and from donors across the country. “The evening was a wonderful moment to honor the stories and passion of our donors while creating a moment to highlight our current seniors,”...
Crown College kicks off major renovation project
Crown College is beginning a $1.7 million project to renovate its East Wing classrooms. This project is possible largely due to two $500,000 gifts from generous anonymous donors newly associated with Crown. While fundraising is continuing for portions of this project, the Crown College Board of Trustees approved the project start. The East Wing project will finalize classroom renovations and include a new classroom layout, adding a student lounge area,...
Ridgeview announces names of scholarship recipients
Ridgeview is pleased to announce the 2024 recipients of a $2,000 Health Care Scholarship. Scholarships were awarded to the following high school students who are pursuing a health-care related degree or career: Jenna Adamietz, Belle Plaine; Maleah Wishnack, Central (NYA); Hanna Taha, Chanhassen; Halle Browning, Chaska; Veronica Shaer, Delano; Katelyn Beranek, GFW (Gibbon, Fairfax, Winthrop); Callie Klabunde, Glencoe-Silver Lake; Adia Patterson, Holy Family (Victoria); Selah Streachek, Holy Trinity (Winsted); Gabriel Michels, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted; Evelyn Menden, Jordan; Ava Heimerl, Lester Prairie; Madison Horsch, Mayer Lutheran; Kiah Helget, New Ulm; Elisabeth McCallum, Minnetonka; Averie Zealley, Mound-Westonka; Emily Archambault, New Prague; Karcyn Dose, Sibley East; Livia Bengtson, Southwest Christian (Chaska); Gabriella Dahlke, Try-City United (Montgomery); Ellana Keaveny, Waconia; Kayla Schutte, Watertown-Mayer; Emma Eckstein, Child of Ridgeview Employee; Leena Taha, Diverse Ethnicity (Minnetonka). This year, Ridgeview awarded $48,000 in scholarships to west-metro students. Funding for the Ridgeview Health Care Scholarship Program is generously provided by Ridgeview Foundation’s Friends & Family Committee and anonymous community donors.
Mound mulls plan for proposed Halstead Bay development
Pine Financial Group Inc., a property investment company based in Colorado, has put forth a concept plan for a proposed development called “Halstead Estates” that straddles Mound and Minnetrista. The proposed development site occupies a 1.66-acre parcel located at 6639 Bartlett Boulevard. During the May 15 Mound City Council meeting, Rita Trapp, the city’s planning consultant, detailed the proposal, which comprises eight row houses, two duplexes, and one single-family home, totaling 13 units on the Mound side of the project. Additionally, the concept plan encompasses...
West Hennepin Public Safety seeks applicants for officer training
The Intensive Comprehensive Peace Officer Education and Training (ICPOET) Program is an opportunity to become a West Hennepin Public Safety Police Officer and join the team of dedicated police officers. West Hennepin Public Safety Department is a police department serving the small communities of Maple Plain and Independence. Our communities and elected officials have strong support for their police officers and the honorable work police officers perform every day. Even though the agency is a smaller police department in Hennepin County there are many opportunities for success and career development such as: ...
Vitalist brings Mediterranean flavor to Spring Park
Westonka residents with a taste for gluten-free, organic, real food will find their cravings satisfied at Vitalist by Sarah H, a newly opened restaurant on Shoreline Drive in Spring Park. It debuted with a soft launch and celebrated its grand opening on May 9. “We have something for everyone,” said Sarah Haugen, creator, founder and CEO of Vitalist. “Our menu is plant forward with a Mediterranean flavor and contains no seed oils or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). I’m a strong believer in the Mediterranean diet...
White Hawks golfers prep for final conference meet
The Mound Westonka boys golf team had three days of competition last week, including the Bash at B’s on the River and the Oakdale Invitational. The boys are showing improvement each week, and posted some of their best rounds of the season. The White Hawks hosted a conference meet at the Bash at B’s on the River in Watertown on May 13. Sophomore Luke Sunnarborg shot a 36, good for third place, missing first by only one stroke. Sophomore Dillon Peterson finished with a 42,...
Westonka qualifies for state tennis tournament
The 16-1 Mound Westonka High School Boys tennis team qualified for the State Tournament on Monday May 20. They started the day with a 6-1 win over the Litchfield Dragons in the section semi finals and ended the day with a 6-1 win over the Southwest Christian Stars in the section finals. This earned them a place at the team Class A State Tournament on June 4 and 5. Every...
Long Lake Rowing has strong showing in Ohio
The Annual Midwest Junior Rowing Championship Regatta was held on Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19 on Lake Harsha approximately 40 minutes east of Cincinnati, Ohio. Twenty-four races were held in the sculling format (two oars per rower) and sweeping format (one oar per rower) in boats holding one, two, four, or eight rowers. Categories included novice (first-year rowers), under 15/16 or 17 years old, and 1st or 2nd Varsity. Top finishers from the heats qualified for the finals and the top 4 finishers...
Pair of events raise $71K for foundation
No one wants to travel far for health care, and the community showed its support for keeping quality care close to home by attending two Ridgeview Foundation events in two weeks, raising a total of more than $71,000. On Friday, April 19, more than 200 community members of all ages gathered at Bowlero in Eden Prairie for the annual Pins for a Purpose event. Attendees enjoyed unlimited bowling, Bowling Bingo and a 50/50 raffle. This family-friendly event raised money for Ridgeview’s Pediatric program, which includes...
Tonkabots bring home hardware from state
In a year of firsts, the Mound Westonka Tonkabots FIRST Robotics Team was one of 36 teams invited to compete at the Minnesota State High School League’s 2024 Robotics State Tournament on May 4 for the first time in program history. Not only did they compete, they won 11 of their 12 matches and emerged as state champions in an alliance with teams from Becker and St. Peter. The Tonkabots competed as alliance captains for the first time, which gave them the opportunity to choose...
Westonka looks back, forward to close school year
As the school year draws to a close in Westonka, a flurry of assessments, ceremonies, and the beginning of summer facilities projects are on the horizon. Mark Femrite, assistant superintendent for Teaching and Learning, reported at the May 6 school board meeting that the district has concluded state testing and is now conducting assessments in math and reading used by the district to measure students’ academic growth from fall to spring. ...
Tonka Vac/Tonka Tunes owner looks to liquidate collection
A vacuum cleaner sales and repair shop that also deals in record albums is not your classic business model, but it has worked for Shaun Gauld for nearly 25 years. Gauld is a Mound businessman – the owner of Tonka Vac/Tonka Tunes. He started selling Kirby vacuum cleaners after getting laid off from the railroad industry in 1977. Even before then, at age 12 he was collecting records. He didn’t...
Minnetrista 'State of the City' highlights progress, priorities
Minnetrista city council and staff gathered with residents on May 7 for the annual State of the City address against the verdant backdrop of Burl Oaks Golf Course. The event served as a forum to share achievements from recent years, recognize current planning and parks commissioners, and outline key focus areas for the future. Mayor Lisa Whalen presented an overview of the city’s six strategic priorities: Public infrastructure, public safety, community planning and development, community engagement, broadband expansion and budget. ...
Former mayors file as ‘friend of the court’ against Orono
On May 7, four former Orono mayors asked the Minnesota Court of Appeals for approval to file an Amicus Curiae (“friend of the court”) brief in support of the City of Long Lake’s Fire Department after the City of Orono filed an appeal of both the 2023 injunction order and the two contempt orders issued against it by Fourth Judicial District Court. The request and brief were written on behalf of the mayors by former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and Orono resident, attorney James H....
Westonka seniors dominate DECA Internationals
Mound Westonka High School sent a record 40 students to the 2024 DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) April 26-30 in Anaheim, California, where they competed against over 22,000 business and marketing students from around the world. Seniors Olivia Adam and Gabriella Larsen emerged as champions, taking first place for their Eli Hart Playground Chapter Project. This was the first time a Westonka chapter project has earned one of the coveted glass trophies at Internationals. Four other Westonka teams were recognized for high placement at...
Westonka golfers hit the greens in Jordan, Hopkins
The Mound Westonka boys golf team had two meets last week. The first was Lord Nelson’s Classic at the Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan on May 7. The team had the chance to play against some of the best players in the state, with seven of the top ten ranked teams competing. Maple Grove won the Classic, with Spring Lake Park taking second. Sophomore Luke Sunnarborg started the round near the top of the leaderboard with four pars, but fell behind after that, finishing...
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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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