By Forrest Adams

Bahram Akradi has an ambitious goal to change school lunches before his 2-year-old son is old enough to enroll.

Last Thursday afternoon, the founder and CEO of Lifetime Fitness unveiled the plan that could start the change he wants to see. It targets food ingredients, including high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, food coloring, trans fats and artificial sweeteners.

Guest Commentary by Doug Schanzenbach

After 14 months of unemployment, I recently went to work as an engineer. Before my memories fade, I would like to share some thoughts about living without a paying job:

By Kristin Holtz

Most of the heads in the back corner of Saks Salon on First in Shakopee are white.

“This one here is a really progressive gal,” hairdresser Mary Lou Sinnen says, motioning to the 98-year-old in her chair. “She’s never going to be gray. …

“I’m giving your secret away, Margaret,” Sinnen says, speaking a little louder since Margaret took out her hearing aids. “She knows darn well you don’t have brown hair normally.”

Editor’s Note: Barrie Anderson works for Chaska Farm and Garden, where a lawn ornament baby goat was stolen. Anderson wrote this poem on behalf of “Momma Goat, Papa Goat and Auntie Goat” who “asked to have this poem submitted to the Herald in an effort to have our goat returned.”

By Barrie Anderson

Please return our darling goat,

As she needs her winter coat

The days are darker, the air is cooler,

And we miss our baby goat.

The Chaska City Council approved a liquor license for Chaska Liquor Monday night. The action paves the way for owner/operator Kevin Do to open his new business as soon as possible.

Chaska Liquor will be located in the Gateway Plaza next to Napa Auto Parts, Caribou Coffee and Papa Murphy’s Pizza.

In other city news:

By Unsie Zuege

Things are rocking and rolling over at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres these days.

“All Shook Up” is the featured musical on the Main Stage; the record-setting CDT hit, “I Do! I Do!” has returned after a 17-year absence, retooled for a new generation of audiences in the Fireside Theater; and Stevie Ray’s Comedy Club has reinvigorated the former Playhouse Theater.

Realtor Dave Philp, a broker with Coldwell Banker Burnet in Chaska, is one of five winners chosen by the National Association of Realtors as REALTOR Magazine’s 2010 Good Neighbor Award winners.

Philp was selected for raising millions of dollars to fund state-of-the-art medical care at Ridgeview Medical Center. “This year’s Good Neighbor Award winners are extraordinary examples of how Realtors value service and are committed to improving communities,” stated NAR President Vicki L. Cox Golder, in a press release.

Consumers and businesses in the southwest suburbs of Minneapolis are signing up for a new website that’s a part of the “group-buy” social media and e-mail discount trend currently popularized by sites such as Groupon.com.

DailyDeals.mn offers consumers a chance to sign up to get exclusive, half-off or more deals from merchants in the southwest suburbs of Minneapolis.

Kris Arneson of Chaska was the winner of a $200 shopping spree in historic downtown Chaska. Her name was entered at Mill House Gallery & Gifts during the Spooky Night on the Town event held Thursday evening, Oct. 28.

Eight participating merchants each contributed a $25 gift certificate from their establishment. The adult event is one of four annual events sponsored by locally owned downtown Chaska businesses.

The SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce, along with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, Minnesota Precision Manufacturer’s Association and the Minnesota Department of Trade and Economic Development celebrates the contributions of manufacturers during Minnesota Manufacturing week, Oct. 25-29.

Minnesota has a wide range of manufacturers, exporting goods to countries such as Canada, China, Ireland and Japan. These exported goods brought more than $14.8 billion into the Minnesota economy in 2009, alone, according to a SouthWest press release.