Cash lifted from a pair of pants lying on the bleachers. iPods snatched out of backpacks. Cell phones swiped from the tops of lockers.

Over the last month a dozen thefts at Chaska High School have been reported to police. The bump in thefts at the school was recently reported by the CHS newspaper, Hawk Herald, and is keeping school resource officer (SRO) Mike Kleber busier than usual.

“Theft is a problem up there,” said Chaska Police Detective Sgt. Jon Kehrberg. “Not just this year, but for whatever reason, our SROs have been making a lot of reports in the last 30 days.”

Auburn Manor became the focus of an investigation by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) after a patient suffered facial burns while smoking last fall. The care facility in downtown Chaska was ultimately cited for neglect.

Wayne Ward, administrator at Auburn Manor, said that they had been working to implement changes following the incident. “It was really unfortunate,” he said. “We felt really bad.”

A public meeting has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, March 15, to provide information to the community about a Level III sex offender who has recently moved to Chanhassen, according to a release from the Carver County Sheriff’s Office.

The individual who is identified has been convicted of criminal sexual conduct, which requires registration with law enforcement pursuant to Minnesota Statute 243.166. The Risk Level of III has been assigned to this offender based largely on his potential to reoffend and his previous criminal behavior.

Lucas Matthew Rasset, 28, of Buffalo, has been identified by the Carver County Sheriff's Office as the snowmobiler who died in an accident near New Germany on Saturday, Feb. 20.

According to the Sheriff's Office, Rasset died after colliding with a guide wire extending from a power pole along County Road 33.

Chaska Police Chief Scott Knight recently received an e-mail asking about who is responsible for digging fire hydrants out of the snow and issued this reply:

“We always remind folks to ‘watch over their’ hydrants. In fact I have put out a reminder in our CPD 411 newsletter in the past.

The Chaska Police Department has restarted its Citizen Academy. The academy is a six-session program, in which people learn about police work in Chaska by experiencing police work. Lectures and actual hands-on experiences are combined for a unique insight into the police department. The classes are held on Tuesday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. and are free.

With the sun shining and the temperatures more tolerable than in previous years, the masses flocked to Firemen’s Lake for the 53rd Annual Chaska Fire Department Fishing Contest.

Firemen spent the morning drilling 1,500 holes around the lake. Most of those holes would later be occupied by the 1,200 in attendance at the two-hour event.

According to police, for the second week in a row there has been a collision between a vehicle and a school bus.

A text message alert sent out at 3:20 p.m. reported that the accident occurred just before 3 p.m. at the intersection of Engler Boulevard and Highway 41.

A car turning from Highway 41 west on to Engler slid into a school bus.

There were no children on board at the time of the crash. Neither driver was injured, police reported.

The Chaska City Council approved the candidates for the Chaska Fire Department’s elected offices Monday night. The department elects officers annually.

The new fire chief is Dan Anderson. He succeeds Tim Wiebe.

First Assistant Chief is Blair Malmbren. Second Assistant Chief is Kevin Trebiatowski.

First Captain is Kevin Morrisey. Second Captain is Jesse Davey. Third Captain is Cory Trebiatowski.

First Lieutenant is Jason Buntin. Second Lieutenant is Mike Johnson. Third Lieutenant is Chad Merriam. Secretary is Dave Peterson.

According to Chaska Police, there was a minor car/school bus accident that occurred at 2:36 p.m. at the intersection of Engler Blvd and Brandondale.

The text message alert sent by police stated that "the car slid into the intersection and struck a rear tire of the bus. The collision was low speed and there were no injuries."

The students have reportedly already left the scene and are on their way home.