Chaska Herald - Comments

This calls for a

LandonF — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:07:48 -0500

This calls for a celebration. July 4 is one of the significant event that USA should never fail to commemorate.You can expect a lot of fun activities. This is a day for all of the Americans, one of the important date in the history of USA.For the past few months America had been controversial with the arise of global recession and because of this people can never scape from bothering the financial obligation. Why can't I get my cash now?" Well, if you're that person, asking themselves "Why can't I get my cash now?" then ask yourself what happened. If you can't get the amount of your cash now that you'd like, because you had to spend more than you thought on an unexpected expense, and you need some budget support, then you can apply for a faxless loan through a payday lender, as many take applications over the phone or over the internet, and use direct deposit to wire the funds. It's not a reward, it's a cash advance to tide you over until pay day, if you ask how to get "my cash now?"

The Carver County

Mark Olson — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:16:08 -0500

The Carver County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release stating that repairs on the emergency severe weather sirens in Chanhassen resulted in sirens going off in Chaska, Victoria and Watertown on the morning of July 2.

The release states:
“The city of Chanhassen was conducting a repair of the emergency severe weather sirens in their city. This resulted in the sirens being sounded in the communities of Chaska, Victoria and Watertown.

“This was a false alarm and apologize for any inconvenience this may have created. The repairs are needed so that the system is functioning correctly to ensure the safety of our citizens in the case of a real emergency.

“It has been determined that there was a malfunction and the city of Chanhassen and Carver County Emergency Management are working to repair the system. All areas will still have emergency severe weather coverage during the repair time. It is unknown when the repairs will be completed.

“Again we apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding in this matter.”

Another siren/noise that is

rhagelstrom — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:03:34 -0500

Another siren/noise that is an all clear signal from the same location of the emergency siren.

It was a great movie. (It

Mark Olson — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:05:50 -0500

It was a great movie. (It almost washed the taste of "Transformers II" out of my brain -- almost)

The movie has you following Dillinger on his race to oblivion, with little time for drawn-out plot lines or character development.

The settings (gritty prisons, Midwest main streets, and glistening banks) bring the 1930s to life in grand fashion. The cast of characters is terrific (see my blog post on the topic here: www.chaskaherald.com/community/mark-olson/fanfare-ugly-man).

The action sequences, eschewing soundtrack in favor of silence and gunfire, are tense. (There’s one moment when Dillinger escaped jail and is stuck at a traffic light that is particularly effective.)

By the end of the film, I was left with less of a feeling for the characters than I did for a time and place.

Unfortunately, Minnesota doesn’t have a role in the film (Other than a reference to the Edward Bremer kidnapping in St. Paul.)

That makes me wonder what

Greg Boe — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:49:03 -0500

That makes me wonder what sort of mechanism(s) is/are (or should be) in place to allow emergency management to communicate directly with the (concerned) populace when such an event occurs. Perhaps a cable over-ride, an informational web site, an email or text blast, or an automated telephone information line? That is a tough call, since not everyone has access to cable or the internet. The days of the "local radio station" that everyone could turn to are kind of a thing of the past...

Yes, I do have that

Greg Boe — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:34:47 -0500

Yes, I do have that link...but it is at home, so I'll have to post it later. In addition, I also have a great book full of nothing but rhubarb recipies, so I suppose I could post a different recipe from time to time...

I bought that rhubarb book a while back, because I like rhubarb and I always seem to have a lot of it to use...so it is nice to have choices of different ways to make it (so the family doesn't get tired of the same old thing).

You don't suppose someone

HawkEye — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:53:52 -0500

You don't suppose someone "butt-dialed" the remote to sound the alarm?

Do you have the link for

colifis — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:07:49 -0500

Do you have the link for that recipe Greg? I love rhubarb anything!

Nice looking Holiday weekend

Greg Boe — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:31:02 -0500

Nice looking Holiday weekend -

After nearly a week of below normal temps, I think you'll like the weather this upcoming Independence Day Holiday weekend! Today should be our first day above 80 since we hit 90 back on June 27th (we should top out in the lower 80's today). The 4th will see a chance of a stray shower or thunderstorm, and a high around 81. The trend for next week looks to be warmer and more humid - definitely a return to more "summer-like" conditions around town.

Our high yesterday was just 74 degrees, and our overnight low last night was 57. Our averages for this time of year are 85 and 61, while our record temps for July 2nd are 99 (set in 1949) and 48 (1980).

6/29 City Council meeting -

Greg Boe — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:50:41 -0500

6/29 City Council meeting -

Our June 29th City Council meeting began with a workshop at 6:00 p.m. City Staff discussed a couple of items, including upcoming landscaping plans for the new Highway 212 corridor and Tiered Water Billing. MnDOT has received $750,000 in Federal Stimulus funding for final landscaping on the Hwy 212 project, and will allocate $250,000 to each city along that route (Chaska, Chanhassen, and Eden Prairie). The City is very excited, as this level of landscaping will exceed our original expectations. Workshop item #2 involved Tiered Water Billing. Most cities have already instituted such a plan, as a way to reduce water consumption by residents. Tiered water billing means that you will pay a certain amount per gallon (or per thousand gallons) up to a given volume (typically the "average" volume for an average house in that community), but you will pay a higher amount for water usage above that volume. Since water treatment and distribution is an expensive process, and water is a very valuable resource, maintaining our water usage at reasonable levels is a good idea. The City of Chaska will study this concept further.

Our regular meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Mayor Van Eyll. Councilmembers present were Boe, Businaro, and Ford. After the Pledge of Allegiance, Roll Call, and Adopting the Agenda, we opened the Visitor Presentation. Norm and Jan Kraus spoke before the council, bringing the good news that they are moving ahead with their project of providing a fine dining restaurant in the C.P. Klein Mansion in downtown Chaska. They also introduced former Best Buy executive Bob McGrath, who has signed on to help the Krauses with marketing efforts in the coming months. Construction should begin within the next 30-60 days, and is expected to be completed in 4-6 months... meaning a possible opening by Thanksgiving or Christmas. There has been some concern regarding progress and upkeep on the mansion, so this is very good news!

The Minutes from our June 15 meeting were approved, after Councilmember Businaro asked to be sure that my request for an amendment to Condition #15 on the Brickyard Villas concept plan was spelled out adequately. The Consent Agenda was next, with three items: (1) awarding the bid for the 2009 Overlay Program ($169,108.50) to Wm Mueller and Sons, for streets within the Liberty Heights Neighborhood, (2) authorizing a Letter of Support for SW Transportation Coalition Funding Efforts, and (3) approving Solicitor's Permits for Evergreen Sanitation and Chaka Ali. I asked about Chaka Ali, and verified that they are a non-profit - since they were given a permit (at no charge) to sell pens, notepads and candy citywide as a non-profit. I also asked how the numbers of Solicitor's Permits issued this year compares with last year at this time. City Administrator Mat Podhradsky explained that we are actually slightly behind last year's pace. Those three Consent Agenda items were approved.

The Council next considered a resolution ordering improvements to Hundertmark Road as outlined in the Hundertmark Road Reconstruction Project Feasibility Report. The good news with regard to this project is two-fold: (1) traffic should flow more smoothly through this area once the improvements are completed, and (2) the City will only pay a small portion of the total costs of the improvements, as the majority will be covered by the developers of the nearby Ridgeview Medical Center. This project may be completed in two phases, with the time-line for parts of phase two hinging upon necessary improvements on nearby Highway 41. Three actions were taken: ordering the improvements to be undertaken, approving a cost sharing agreement with Aurora Investment, and authorizing the purchase (and subsequent reimbursement for) MnDOT TH212 right-of-way for the construction of a drainage pond. Neighborhood meetings will be held as the process proceeds.

We then paid bills for June, and moved on to the "Other Business" section of the Agenda. I reminded Chaska residents to have a happy Fourth of July, and urged everyone to watch the Chaska City Fireworks Display in the northern portion of Chaska (McKnight Park) at or around 10:00 p.m. on Saturday the 4th of July. We discussed the fact that the total cost of the fireworks show this year will be around $10,000. We are hopeful that half of that amount can be raised through donations from local businesses and organizations, while the City of Chaska will cover the remaining amount. I may publish a list of those who donated, at some point in the future, as a way of sending out a sincere "Thank You" for that support of this treasured Independence Day event within our community. Councilmember Ford next announced that the District 112 Foundation would be offering the chance to walk "inside the ropes" with a top-20 player at the upcoming PGA Championship at Hazeltine. Simply contact a member of the 112 Foundation to purchase your $5 ticket for a chance to enjoy that experience! Councilmember Businaro next asked about the two projects we were going to perform with Federal Stimulus Dollars (Birdie Lane and Hazeltine Bluff). Mat Podhradsky informed us that we had lost the federal $ to another more expensive project elsewhere...but we would work to find a way to fund these projects anyway. Both are necessary, and both are on a short time-line to be completed as soon as possible. The funding is still in place for the 2nd Street and Hwy 41 upgrade project. Next, Mat Podhradsky mentioned that Minnesota Monthly Magazine showcased Chaska and the PGA coming to Hazeltine, and highlighted events planned for our community during that week. It is going to be an exciting week in town, and all eyes will be on Chaska! Finally, our Assistant City Administrator Bart Fischer touched on some work he is doing looking into options for organizing how Solid Waste Haulers operate in our city. Some communities choose one hauler for the entire city, while others simply work to assure that all haulers pick up trash on just one day across town. Some Chaska neighborhoods have actually banded together and chosen one hauler...grabbing better pricing and reducing the number of garbage trucks traveling their neighborhood streets each week. There are many options on managing this necessary service, and there certainly are good and bad points with regard to "single hauler" plans, so I will be watching carefully as future discussions on this subject occur. The meeting was adjourned by 8:30 pm. Our next meeting will be held on Monday, July 6th.

Homemade cherry and rhubarb

Greg Boe — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:23:32 -0500

Homemade cherry and rhubarb jam - I found a recipe on-line and made some yesterday, and it was VERY good!

If you're looking for a

Mark Olson — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:12:00 -0500

If you're looking for a great summer read, pick up "John Dillinger Slept Here."

I recently finished the book and was fascinated/horrified at the close connection between corrupt St. Paul police officers and gangsters in the early 20th century.

It's also a bit disconcerting to see photos of, and read about, criminals enjoying themselves at Minnesota resorts and cabins. ("Land of 10,000 lakes, one for each gangster" our tourism industry could have once bragged.)

The author, Paul Maccabee, doesn't glamorize the gangsters, in some cases interviewing the children of their victims.

Be sure to share your

Mollee Francisco — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:22:39 -0500

Be sure to share your reviews of the movie here.

(Mollee Francisco is a staff writer for the Chaska Herald. She can be reached at mfrancisco@swpub.com.)

"Public Enemies" is out in

Mollee Francisco — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:21:37 -0500

"Public Enemies" is out in theaters today. It stars Johnny Depp as Dillinger. You can check it out at the Chaska Rex.

(Mollee Francisco is a staff writer for the Chaska Herald. She can be reached at mfrancisco@swpub.com.)

Another Cool Day in Chaska!

Greg Boe — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:41:04 -0500

Another Cool Day in Chaska! Our high temperature reached 71 degrees yesterday...a full 14 degrees below average. Today won't be a whole lot warmer, reaching into the middle 70's. However, we can expect to see the 80's again by Thursday, so hang in there!

Our weather statistics for today: record high 100 (1949), record low 45 (1969), average high 85, average low 61.