The 2010 Chaska River City Days Triathlon went a lot like the 2009 edition.

But just a little bit faster.

A pair of Chaskans repeated as overall champions on a sunsplashed Saturday morning at Firemans Park, in the kickoff event for the upcoming River City Days festivities.

Chaska native Nick Madrinich repeated as the men's overall champion, finishing a second faster than his 1:10 time last year.

Madrinich, a 2009 Chaska High School graduate who swims for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, studied abroad in Milan, Italy last year.

“Gardens in Literature” at the Scott County Fairgrounds is this Thursday, July 15 between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.

The event is part of “Just For Kids” night, held by the Carver/Scott Master Gardeners in the fairgrounds gardens. Adults are welcome too, so be prepared to meet “The Cat in the Hat” and enjoy a garden scavenger hunt while learning interesting facts about the gardens and the various plants included within their borders.

By Mark W. Olson

River City Days, Chaska’s unofficial mid-summer mark, is coming earlier than usual this year.

The core of Chaska’s big city celebration will still be the last full weekend of July. However, in an effort to create more family and recreational events, organizers will also be holding activities in the events leading up to July 23-25, according to organizer Tim Sebenaler. It’s a way to get families “off the couch,” he said.

Ridgeview Foundation’s 25th Anniversary Golf & Taste Celebration, held June 21 at Island View Golf Club in Waconia, raised $951,000 for the new Marie Steiner Kelting Hospice Home in Chaska.

By Michelle Stevens

Many communities have felt the economic recession in everyday life; some have to rework budgets, others have cut spending. But for local parks and recreation coordinators, the economy hasn’t doused Fourth of July fireworks displays.

Chaska is preparing for a festive Fourth of July weekend.

For those who are all about the fireworks, the city will put on a “real similar show” to recent years, said City Administrator Matt Podhradsky.

All told, about $11,000 will go into Sunday night’s show, with the city getting 10 percent “more firepower” for buying early. Podhradsky expected 40 to 50 percent of the cost to be covered by donations.

“People tend to see the value in having a show like this,” he said.

By Mark W. Olson

The United States may have lost its chance for a World Cup title, but soccer fever is just getting started in one Chaska neighborhood.

“Let’s have fun. Let’s enjoy this moment,” volunteer coach Emmanuel Gutierrez told a group of young players as they began practicing.

Between 30 and 40 children and parents congregated at the Riverview Terrace Mobile Home Park picnic shelter Saturday morning for the inaugural meeting of “Scouting and Soccer.”