PHOTO BY JOHN WAGNER

By Mark W. Olson & Mollee Francisco

The past decade in Chaska has been a rollercoaster.

A 2000 Chaska High School graduate who moved away might hardly recognize the place. The past 10 years witnessed a rapid evolution of the city – in who we are and how we live.

For much of the past decade, city growth continued to explode – with more housing (including vast numbers of townhouses and condos, which scarcely existed before 2000), more “big box” retail and more schools.

With just days left until Chaska voters choose their next mayor, City Hall is a whir of activity with election preparations. Heading up the efforts is City Clerk Margo Steffel.

“She’s done a great job,” said City Administrator Matt Podhradsky. “She really is a one-woman show.”

Though Steffel has worked on numerous elections in her decade with the city of Chaska, she got her first chance to coordinate an election in 2008. Steffel would be the first to admit that she would have gladly waited until this November to tackle a second.

There are a few different ways to offer input on the search for the new District 112 superintendent.

The superintendent input form is online through Jan. 15. The form is accessible at the district Web site: www.district112.org. Click on the headline “Board invites staff, community to offer input as superintendent search begins.”

Are you interested in reading the public notices published in the January 14, 2010 print edition of the Chaska Herald newspaper? The page or pages on which those notices were printed are attached to this item, in the form of .pdf’s that can be opened with Adobe Acrobat.

By Mark W. Olson

It could be mistaken for the Klondike Gold Rush.

Thickly dressed masses pull hundreds of sleds across the snowy terrain in the early freezing temperatures, ready to mine for treasure beneath their feet.

But it’s trout, not gold, these die-hards are after.

For the past several years, Courthouse Lake – the aptly named three-acre lake behind the Carver County Government Center, has become home to a one-day fishing frenzy.

Mark Johnson, 57, of Chaska, died Tuesday, Jan.12, 2010.

Memorial service is Friday, Jan. 15, at 1 p.m. with visitation one hour prior at Washburn-McReavy Eden Prairie Chapel, 7625 Mitchell Road; 952-975-0400.

The Carver Lions and Carver Parks & Recreation are co-sponsoring the “Soggy Bottom Open” Saturday, Jan. 23.

The event is a golf tourney in the snow, and for ages 12 and up. (Under 18 years requires parent/guardian supervision.)

To compete, a press release advises participants to “bring one golf club, hockey stick, or whatever else you would like to hit a tennis ball with, on our 18-hole snow-golf course.”

The course will set up at Riverside Park, 300 Main Street East in Carver. Check-in begins at 11:30 a.m., with a noon start.

Most days of the week, Ben Theis is just your average 20 year old. He goes to school. He goes to work. He plays with the family pug Phantom. He’s a regular Clark Kent, if you will.

But come game day, the 2007 Chaska High School grad transforms from a regular guy into a caped crusader. Donning royal purple and gold spandex, Theis becomes Superfan, ready to engage crowds and cheer his Minnesota Vikings onto victory at a moment’s notice.