Clover Field Community Room

If lines are any indication, Chaska is experiencing a high voters turnout during this presidential election.

At the Clover Field Community Room, which services Ward 2, Precinct 2, the line wrapped around the building at about 7:30 a.m. At City Hall, which services Ward 1, Precinct 1, the line stretched from the building, across the city hall plaza, to Highway 41.

"This is the ultimate," exclaimed voter Jean Weber. Weber, who broke her leg a few weeks ago, was awaiting curbside voting assistance from an election judge. She explained that she would be out voting even if everything was in a cast but her pinky finger.

Note: This story was first published on Sept. 28, 2006.

In the 1970s, former Democratic Vice President Hubert Humphrey drove out to a political rally in Carver County. The organizers of the event, held at Lake Riley, had placed signs by the road to direct Humphrey to the event, recalled Chanhassen attorney/Humphrey friend Miles Lord.

Elmer Kelm’s political insider legacy has continued for generations, onto his great-grandchildren.

Kelm’s sons Doug and Tom were both involved in politics.

Doug worked for the DFL under future governor and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Orville Freeman. He also worked on a number of Hubert Humphrey’s political campaigns and was appointed chairman of Minnesota’s Metropolitan Transit Commission in 1971.

President Harry Truman meets with Elmer Kelm.

(Photo Courtesy Michele Kelm-Helgen)

This April, an historic Chanhassen house was torn down.

Perhaps fittingly, there was little fanfare to mark the home’s demise. The fact that it was a Sears Roebuck kit home (an early form of manufactured housing) was of more interest to many than its original occupant, Elmer Kelm.

Perhaps it’s fitting. Kelm cared little for publicity anyway. He was always the guy operating the limelight.

The Evan Rapp state representative campaign has announced the YES WE CAN(NED) Food Drive, a district-wide effort toward helping stock the new CAP Agency food shelf in Chaska.

During the coming weeks, grocery bags will be delivered to homes throughout Chaska and Chanhassen, according to a Rapp campaign press release. Rapp, the DFL-endorsed candidate, is running for state representative in District 34B.

Minnesota employers dropped 3,100 jobs in August, according to figures released recently by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

Over the past 12 months Minnesota has lost 8,200 jobs, a decline of 0.3 percent, equal to the national pace for that period. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the state stands at 6.2 percent for August; the national rate is 6.1 percent, according to a DEED press release.

Rep. Joe Hoppe, R-Chaska, aligned with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s position on 13 of 15 votes scored in the 2008 Legislature.

Rep. Paul Kohls, R-Victoria, aligned with the chamber on 11 of 15 votes.

The filing period for county and state offices closed Tuesday.

At the state level, incumbent state legislators Joe Hoppe, a Chaska Republican, and Paul Kohls, a Victoria Republican, will face Democrat challengers. Evan Rapp, a Chanhassen resident, filed for the District 34B seat currently held by Hoppe. Marcia Krueger, of Norwood Young America, will challenge Kohls for the District 34A seat.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of four members to the Chicano-Latino Affairs Council, including the reappointment of Maricruz Hill of Chaska.