Lake Minnetonka, MN

Another Season without Zebra Mussels (knock on wood)

2009-10-04T19:01:00.000-07:00

Despite being one of the busiest lakes in all Minnesota, Lake Minnetonka survived the 2009 boating season without a zebra mussel sighting. It will be interesting to see if they are any larve in the lake with a first sighting in the spring--that's how it happened in Prior Lake this year. Keep your fingers crossed. I spent several hours cleaning the hull of my boat this afternoon, and don't know what I would have done if it had been caked with zebra mussels.

2009 Lake Minnetonka / Excelsior Fireworks Finale

2009-07-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

Clap and cheer as you watch the Finale of the Lake Minnetonka fireworks!

KSTP: Flowering Rush Discovered in Lake Minnetonka

2009-07-13T21:25:00.000-07:00

Wayzata Yacht Club sailboat race held Thursday, June 25

2009-06-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

The weather was perfect Thursday evening for members of the Wayzata Yacht Club to compete in a sailboat race on Lake Minnetonka.

Dan from LakeMinnetonka.MN captured this photo of the race while enjoying the Young Professionals Boat Cruise.

For more information about the Wayzata Yacht Club and upcoming sailboat races, visit their Web site.

City of Plymouth Police Blotter: June 18-June 24, 2009

2009-06-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

(09027251) Theft
Reported: 06-18-2009 1932
RP had received a FedEx package and had put it on the roof of her vehicle, then accidentally drove off with it still on the roof. Now they are unable to locate it and believe it might have been taken. Value of loss $1,000.
Addresses Involved: 105xx 33rd Ave N, Plymouth, MN

(09027246) Theft
Reported: 06-18-2009 1825
RP was getting gas and put his wallet down on the topper, then forgot and drove away. He was contacted by a female who found and returned the wallet, but several cards were missing from inside.
Addresses Involved: 99xx Rockford Rd , Plymouth, MN

(09027244) Theft from Vehicle
Reported: 06-18-2009 1755
Theft of golf clubs from unlocked motor vehicle while parked in parking lot. RP did not have information on make, model, and value of clubs at time of report.
Addresses Involved: 14xx Co Rd 101 , Plymouth, MN

(09027236) Criminal Damage to Property
Reported: 06-18-2009 1711
Complaint of 5 juveniles in the area picking flowers from two yards. RP advised one of suspects pulled a flower from her yard from the roots. No dollar damage amount.
Addresses Involved: 108xx South Shore Dr, Plymouth, MN 55441

(09027223) Burglary-Residential
Reported: 06-18-2009 1310
RP went to leave this morning and noticed her garage door was open and that both cars inside had been gone through, but didn’t notice anything missing. Now realized golf clubs were missing from garage. Value of loss $1,200.
Addresses Involved: 115xx 51st Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55442

(09027217) Burglary-Residential
Reported: 06-18-2009 1237
Victim accidentally left garage door open overnight. Could tell someone had entered and gone through several boxes inside. Only thing apparently missing was old laptop valued at $100.
Addresses Involved: 57xx Annapolis La N, Plymouth, MN 55446

(09027436) Burglary-Residential
Reported: 06-19-2009 1841
Victim found golf clubs missing from garage and iPod missing from inside vehicle. No signs of forced entry and unknown how entry made. Value of loss $1,200.
Addresses Involved: 30xx Quaker Ln N, Plymouth, MN 55441

(09027427) Criminal Damage to Property
Reported: 06-19-2009 1618
RP reported graffiti on the bridge that goes over the train tracks. RP said the graffiti can be seen from the walking path and is just some black symbols. RP stated it has been there for quite some time.
Addresses Involved: 5000 block of Northwest Bl , Plymouth, MN 55442

(09027315) Criminal Damage to Property
Reported: 06-19-2009 0202
RP’s vehicle had eggs thrown at it in the vicinity of Co Rd 101/26th Ave. RP was unsure whether there was any permanent damage to vehicle and was advised to wash it as soon as possible.
Addresses Involved: Co Rd 101 & 26th Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55447

(09027623) Burglary-Residential
Reported: 06-20-2009 1537
Victim had been gone for a week with his parents staying at his home watching his children. Golf clubs are missing from garage and overhead door may have accidentally been left open. Value of loss $1,000.
Addresses Involved: 115xx 40th Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55441

(09027578) Theft from Vehicle
Reported: 06-20-2009 1125
Report that unlocked vehicle entered and gone through while parked in driveway overnight. Nothing apparently missing or damaged at time of report.
Addresses Involved: 473xxVagabond La N, Plymouth, MN

(09027547) Burglary-Residential
Reported: 06-20-2009 0653
Victim accidentally left overhead garage door open. Vehicles inside had been gone through, but nothing apparently missing.
Addresses Involved: 174xx 46th Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55446

(09027773) Burglary-Residential
Reported: 06-21-2009 1633
Victim came home and saw two young males standing by her garage and when they saw her they fled. The two 12-year old males were identified and admitting forcing open the window and taking fishing rods from garage. Both boys being sent to diversion.
Addresses Involved: 101xx 36th Pl N, Plymouth, MN 55441

(09027742) MV Theft
Reported: 06-21-2009 1039
RP’s vehicle was stolen from the secured garage of the apartment building sometime overnight. All of his property was removed and placed in a black garbage bag, which was left in the stall. Turned out to be repo – unfounded.
Addresses Involved: 3301 Hwy 169 , Plymouth, MN 55441

(09027902) Theft
Reported: 06-22-2009 1547
Victim never received his Social Security check and believes it may have been stolen from his mailbox.
Addresses Involved: 40xx Lancaster Ln, Plymouth, MN 55441

(09027889) Fraud
Reported: 06-22-2009 1310
The victim received an email offering him a job as a purchasing agent. He had never applied for the job. The job was to purchase electronic equipment for the company’s European offices. The suspect was instructed to purchase items using his own credit card and then ship them. They were making money transfers into his account to cover the costs. Today he found out the company had frozen the account because of fraudulent activities stating the transfers were all no good and that money had been removed. Victim had already purchased and shipped two digital cameras and two GPS units. Value of loss $5,008.
Addresses Involved: 2500 Nathan Ln N, Plymouth, MN 55441

(09027882) Theft from Vehicle
Reported: 06-22-2009 1238
The victim reported the theft of his golf clubs from unlocked vehicle that was parked in the driveway over the weekend. There was no damage to the vehicle. Value of loss $800.
Addresses Involved: 162xx 44th Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55446

(09028175) Arson
Reported: 06-23-2009 1758
Witness reported playground equipment was burning when she and her children arrived at park approximately 5 minutes earlier. Plastic tube slide had hole burned in it.
Addresses Involved: 14800 block of 46th AVE , Plymouth, MN 55446

(09028161) Burglary-Residential
Reported: 06-23-2009 1633
Victim came home and found couch, chair, TV, vacuum, and cash missing from apartment. No evidence of forced entry. Victim believes suspect, who stayed with her for a while, may have had a duplicate key made without permission. Value of loss $1,950.
Addresses Involved: 154xx 18th Ave N, Plymouth, MN

(09028157) Theft
Reported: 06-23-2009 1545
Victim’s son had friends over on Friday evening. On Saturday, they noticed two iPods missing from home. Value $700.
Addresses Involved: 131xx 35th Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55441

(09028143) Criminal Damage to Property/Vandalism
Reported: 06-23-2009 1510
Rear window of vehicle shattered. Lawn care company for the complex was out mowing earlier and may have thrown an object from the mower. No items found in or around the damaged vehicle.
Addresses Involved: 145xx 34th Ave N, Plymouth, MN

(09028123) Fraud
Reported: 06-23-2009 1405
The victim was selling furniture on Craig's List. A party wanted to buy the item and sent a check for $2,000 over the asking price requesting that the victim send the additional $2,000 to the mover that would pick it up. The victim called on the check and found it was a forgery.
Addresses Involved: 176xx Co Rd 101, Plymouth, MN 55447

(09028013) Theft
Reported: 06-23-2009 0755
Boat was taken while parked in lot overnight. Value of loss $3,500.
Addresses Involved: 36xx Lancaster La N, Plymouth, MN

(09028395) Criminal Damage to Property
Reported: 06-24-2009 1422
Mailbox damaged overnight. Value of loss not listed on report.
Addresses Involved: 46xx Cottonwood La N, Plymouth, MN

(09028382) Criminal Damage to Property
Reported: 06-24-2009 1317
Sometime past 0530 today unknown suspect hit victim's mailbox with bat. They hit is so hard that it broke post. Total damage was about $100.
Addresses Involved: 37xx Rosewood Ln N, Plymouth, MN 55441

(09028378) Theft from Vehicle
Reported: 06-24-2009 1305
Unlocked vehicle parked in the driveway had two pair of sunglasses and sports equipment taken out or it. Total value of loss $307.
Addresses Involved: 160xx 44th Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55446

(09028319) Criminal Damage to Property
Reported: 06-24-2009 1008
RP reporting damage to mailbox overnight. Value of damage $100.
Addresses Involved: 127xx 42nd Pl N, Plymouth, MN

(09028313) Criminal Damage to Property
Reported: 06-24-2009 0906
RP reporting damage to mailbox overnight. Value of damage not listed.
Addresses Involved: 125xx 11th Ave N, Plymouth, MN

(09028295) Criminal Damage to Property
Reported: 06-24-2009 0810
Sometime during the night the victim’s mailbox was smashed with a bat. The wooden box was completely destroyed. The value of the box is $100.
Addresses Involved: 123xx 29th Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55441

(09028282) Criminal Damage to Property
Reported: 06-24-2009 0713
Unknown suspect damaged Victim’s mailbox with a bat. Value of damage $25.
Addresses Involved: 46xx Goldenrod La N, Plymouth, MN

(09028297) Criminal Damage to Property
Reported: 06-24-2009 0635
RP reporting damage to mailbox overnight. Value of damage $50.
Addresses Involved: 123xx 12th Ave N, Plymouth, MN

Plymouth Police will Sponsor a New Workshop for Parents, “MySpace, Whose Space?”

2009-06-24T07:52:00.000-07:00

From the Plymouth Police Department:

The workshop will be held on Thursday, July 16, 7 p.m. at the Plymouth Creek Center, Black Box Theater, 14800 34th Avenue North.

The workshop is designed to give parents a better understanding of social networking sites and teenagers use of them. These sites provide great opportunities for young people to meet and share experiences, but with this freedom come a degree of risk and the need to act responsibly. Whenever kids go online, so do those who seek to abuse them.

The workshop will be taught by Officer Mike Passig. Passig began his law enforcement career in 1997. Since then, he has worked in a variety of capacities such as patrol operations, SWAT, Recreational Enforcement (boat and water patrol), and rescue diving. After working numerous years as a School Resource Officer for the Wayzata School District, Passig is now assigned to Plymouth’s Patrol Division.

Officer Passig is well versed in Internet safety and is a certified trainer. He has used his experience to identify the online issues that families deal with and has worked with parents and students on the risks associated with the internet.

Registration for “MySpace, Whose Space?” is being taken by phone at 763-509-5198 and through the Police Department’s residential E-mail Alert Network at scwayna@ci.plymouth.mn.us. There is no fee for the workshop, but parents will be encouraged to purchase a $15 AMBER Stick (www.amberstick.com) at the end of the workshop. Space is limited.

The Lake Minnetonka Song

2009-06-23T10:21:00.001-07:00

This is absolutely one of my favorite videos on Youtube! These young girls lip-synch to the KS95 Lake Minnetonka Song.

"South Lake Minnetonka Blog" to become "LakeMinnetonka.MN"

2009-06-21T12:30:00.001-07:00

Hello South Lake Minnetonka Blog readers! Thanks so much for stopping by. If you didn't know, this blog is now under new management, as South Lake Blogger has turned it over to the crazy people who run Wayzata.com. Rest assured that South will still be contributing to it from time to time, but he felt it was better to turn it over to someone who was more passionate about keeping this collection of info fresh.

You can expect to see some big things coming in the future, as we roll out a number of improvements in the coming months. The biggest of these is that we will be changing the name of this blog to LakeMinnetonka.MN from the South Lake Minnetonka Blog.

We have some technical kinks to work out, so please stay tuned. That being said my team and I look forward to working with the Lake Minnetonka community in a collaborative way.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please don't hesititate to contact me personally at 952-473-5800.

Kind regards,

Dan Gustafson

Check out the guys surfing Lake Minnetonka

2009-06-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks to mur25ry for putting together this YouTube video that shows DL surfing on Lake Minnetonka behind a boat!

Youtube Video from Lake Minnetonka Triathalon 2009

2009-06-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

Check out the swimming portion of the Lake Minnetonka Triathalon that was held yesterday!

Lake Minnetonka Triathlon - Success

2009-06-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

Today's Lake Minnetonka Triathlon couldn't have occurred on a better day. Racers were greeted by blue skies, comfortable temps, and a slight breeze. Congratulations to winner Brett Lovaas as well as the 450+ other participants.

We've written before, but we'll say again, that these active events bring a great crowd to Excelsior. Whether it is the 4th of July run, this triathlon, the Wells Fargo half marathon, or others, we welcome racers with open arms and open they make these races a regular destination on their summer circuit.

Lake Minnetonka Triathlon

2009-06-19T13:09:00.000-07:00

The Lake Minnetonka Triathlon will kick off at 7:30am on Saturday morning. For those who haven't spectated before, it can be alot of fun to see polished athletes compete as well as first-timers complete their first triathlon.

The best place to watch is from the Excelsior Commons, as that is where the swim starts, ends, and all of the transitions take place. Final finishers will start crossing the finish line anytime after 8:45am, but there will be steady action to watch anytime from 7:30 to 10am or so.

Blog Becoming Part of Larger Network

2009-06-19T13:01:00.000-07:00

The South Lake Minnetonka Blog is becoming a part of the Wayzata.com network beginning next week. Wayzata.com, operated by Dan Gustafson, has been online for several years and has a great track record of keeping fresh, current, local content on the site.

Dan will take over primary authorship of the blog, but the current contributor(s) to the South Lake Minnetonka Blog will continue to post occasional columns. The transition has two primary purposes: First, to ensure that a more full-time focus can be given to the blog resulting in more frequent and relevant posts, and second to help create a larger network of information as the Lake Minnetonka area is really one large community.

We have full confidence in Wayzata.com to take this blog and the entire network to the next level. Thank you for your readership thus far.

Excelsior Art on the Lake - June 13 and 14

2009-06-07T17:31:00.000-07:00

Excelsior's annual Art-on-the-Lake, the premier Lake Minnetonka Art Fair, is next Saturday and Sunday, June 13 and 14.

The official link, including participating artists and a schedule of events, and be found here.

Mason on Chrysler's "Close" List

2009-05-15T20:05:00.000-07:00

According to a list found at the Huffington Post and a story in the Star Tribue, Mason Motor Company of Water Street in Excelsior is on "the list" for dealer terminations. Keep in mind that Jeep is an owned brand of Chrysler as well.

More to come.

Active Events in the South Lake Area

2009-05-15T17:43:00.000-07:00

The recent Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon which concluded in Excelsior reminded me of the many upcoming active events that occur in our backyard.

In case you are interested in participating or spectating, here is a listing for the near future:

Lake Minnetonka Triathlon, June 20. Registration is long full, but it is still a great spectator event.

Wenmark's Legends ALARC Run, June 6. Fun family event, recognizes running legends after the race. Can also include breakfast. Deephaven.

4th of July Firecracker Run, July 4. 2 mile or 10K run on the morning of the 4th. Downtown Excelsior. A very popular event.

Tour de Tonka, August 1. Bike ride with choice of 16, 38, or 62 mile ride. Becoming a major statewide draw for cyclists, a great event.

New Bike Trail is Open

2009-04-20T19:12:00.000-07:00

If you didn't think that residents of the Lake Minnetonka area had enough recreational amenities, there is now one more to enjoy. The Dakota Bike Trail is complete from Navarre west past Mound and Gale Woods Farm to St. Bonifacious, and is nearly complete from Navarre east to Wayzata. It is a paved trail that runs through wooded areas and city centers. The paved piece is nice for those who ride road bikes or like to rollerblade. While I'll always be partial to our "home" trail, the north leg of the LRT trail that cuts through Tonka Bay, Excelsior, Greenwood, and Deephaven, the Dakota is nice to have as an option.

You can catch the trail by cycling on Hwy 19 (wide shoulder) 4 miles north of Excelsior, or about 3 miles north of where the LRT trail intersects with Hwy 19 in Tonka Bay. You'll meet the trail just before the Lord Fletcher's turnoff.

2009 Tour de Tonka: Aug 1

2009-04-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Tour de Tonka will be on August 1st. More information can be found here.

The Tour de Tonka has gained incredible popularity in its short history, boasting 4,000 riders in three years (despite some ugly weather). It has perenially been one of the most searched topics on this blog.

We encourage you to participate, volunteer, or cheer the riders on.

Shorewood Community Center To Be Sold

2009-04-04T06:26:00.000-07:00

The Sun Sailor did a nice job of covering the developments regarding the Shorewood Community Center. The City Council of Shorewood voted, in a 3-2 vote, to buy out the ownership shares from other cities, and then put the Center up for sale.

Regardless of how one feels on the matter, it is hard to argue that this development was surprising and abrupt. I've written before about my purely personal preference that governments not be involved in businesses that the private sector could provide, but this case bleeds over into community amenities and service. Either way, it all seemed to occur so quickly that it has been hard to digest and analyze the issue well.

Next Up!

2009-03-26T20:00:00.000-07:00

After 18 months of publishing this blog and creating a decent following (at least according to my analytics software), I'd love to hear from others who may be interested in maintaining it for a while. I truly see this as a community portal, one that rotates its authorship (a word?)

If you are interested in maintaining it next, just drop me a line at southlakeblogger@yahoo.com. All I ask is that whoever keeps it try to do so without being too slanted, and that they do a better job than I've been doing of late of making relevant updates.

If I don't get any takers, I'll continue to maintain it, but I'd love to let someone else take the reigns and see what they can do with it.

Patisserie Margo Open in Excelsior

2009-03-22T07:02:00.000-07:00

According to signs on the storefront, Patisserie Margo will be open for business as of Monday, March 23 in downtown Excelsior. This french bakery occupies a prime location near the corner of Water and 3rd, where the Color Center was located in the past.

If you drop in, please post a review.

Spring Clean-Up Days in SouthShore Communities

2009-03-16T07:59:00.000-07:00

The spring rite of passage, the annual community trash pick-up days, are on the schedule for most area communities. Check with your community's city office for directions on how to dispose of items and when to have curbside items ready for pickup.

Shorewood - Saturday, May 16
Deephaven - Saturday, May 2
Excelsior - Saturday, May 9 (to be confirmed)
Tonka Bay - none (fall clean-up only)

Excelsior Comprehensive Plan Open House

2009-03-14T06:53:00.000-07:00

Excelsior will be holding an Open House to present and take input on the Comprehensive Plan and Master Park Plans, intended to provide input to the plan that will help mold the activities and initiatives for the next decade.

It will be held at teh Southshore Center in Shorewood on Thursday, Mar 26, from 6pm - 9pm.

If you have an interest in Excelsior's future direction, this is a great chance to be educated and provide input.

Excelsior Library Project May be Delayed

2009-03-13T18:45:00.000-07:00

The economic climate is hitting home on many fronts, one being uncertainty over the Excelsior library remodel.

http://www.weeklynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=10&SubSectionID=10&ArticleID=5871

A Few Fun Sites

2009-02-17T16:19:00.001-08:00

Getting away from the topic of local happenings for a minute, here are a few sites worth checking out when you have a chance:

http://www.pogo.com/ - online, interactive games for the entire family
http://healthharbor.com - information to help you with the money side of healthcare
http://www.kidshealth.org/ - what you would expect, health info for kids
http://www.cookingforengineers.com/ - a great cooking and recipe site, "dummed down" for people like me. you'll love this one.

A Fee to use Lake Minnetonka? Point / Counterpoint

2009-02-10T06:08:00.000-08:00

The Lake Minnetonka Association (LMA) has recommended spending $600,000 per year to fight zebra mussels in Lake Minnetonka. According to the LMA, Minnetonka doesn't yet have zebra mussels, but it could only be a matter of time unless the right prevention steps are established.

The money would be generated by assessing a $5 to $10 fee on every boater who launches in Lake Minnetonka. It would be the first approach of its kind in the state. More information here - StarTrib Article.

On the flip side, critics say that the biggest benefit of such a policy would be to lakeshore homeowners who would love the reduced traffic, and that other lakes in the state would adopt the fee requirement quickly. See this opinion letter from a local Shorewood resident.

Excelsior Library in the East Lot

2009-02-03T06:32:00.000-08:00

During its December meeting, the Excelsior City Council passed a resolution demonstrating its willingness to sell part of the East parking lot to accomodate a new library. The library currently is adjacent to the West Lot, in the building that also houses City Hall.

While few details have been shared regarding how the East Lot was selected as the preferred site in the resolution, coverage by the Sun Sailor can be found here.

So, readers, where do you think a new library should be placed? Is it necessary to keep it in downtown Excelsior? How far should the city go to accomodate the improved library?

Parking in Excelsior, again

2009-01-29T08:06:00.000-08:00

If there is a chronic city issue in Excelsior, it is the discussion of parking. According to the Lakeshore Weekly News, the issue has been on Council agendas again, in November, December, and January.

http://www.weeklynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=10&SubSectionID=10&ArticleID=5692

The two big questions as of late have pertained to the proposed hotel at the Pizza Hut building, and what parking requirements exist for a hotel/restaurant (note that the ordinance was amended to require one space per four seats at the restaurant.) Discussion also exists around what the parking requirements should be for a Library.

Thoughts? Do readers have any new and different points of view on the Excelsior downtown parking topic? Is parking a problem?

A Happening Corner: 7 and 41

2009-01-18T17:09:00.000-08:00

The southwest corner of the Hwy 7 and Hwy 41 intersection in Shorewood seems to play second fiddle to the Cub / True Value / Caribou complex across the highway. It could be the lack of destination retail and restaurants, or it could be that getting to that complex isn't as direct from east Highway 7 as going to Cub.

That may change with the addition of some new anchor tenants. First, a successful New Hope pizza place, B. Grizzly's (952-470-0641), has expanded to that strip. While Tonka Bay's Joey Nova's offers a pizza, pasta, and sandwich lineup, B. Grizzly's appears to focus exclusively on pizza. We'll be trying it soon and hope it provides another good dining and delivery option to the area.

The building going up where the video store used to be will now be a Walgreens. After unsuccessfully attempting to get in to the Hwy 7 and Hwy 19 corner, it now has a home in the South Lake area. While there is no shortage of places in the general area to get a prescription filled, Walgreens is a good chain with excellent stock, and it is sometimes more convenient to run into a real drug store than to try to get a prescription or personal care product at Target, Cub, or Byerly's.

We'll do a more thorough roundup on new area businesses in a future post.

Pond Hockey on Lake Minnetonka

2009-01-16T20:31:00.000-08:00

Pond hockey tournaments will find Lake Minnetonka this weekend. The games will be played on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday just off the shore from Bayview and Maynards.

While Friday is forecasted to be bitterly cold, Saturday and Sunday should be ideal days to go to Bayview and watch some good, old-fashioned hockey played on lake ice.

Full, updated information is posted at this link:

http://www.pondhockeynac.com/

Jan 1 Ice Thickness: 10-12"

2009-01-03T11:57:00.001-08:00

In a very unscientific measurement of the Lake Minnetonka ice thickness, the depth measured approximately 10-12" just out of Excelsior near Gideons Bay. This measurement was done on January 1, 2008.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recommends 8-12" of ice to support a small car, and 12-15" to support a medium truck. While you see several vehicles on the ice this time of year, use caution when venturing out in a vehicle.

Wilcock Gallery host “Giving Thanks” Artist Show and Reception

2008-11-10T20:18:00.000-08:00

(Press Release) November Excelsior Mn.: Local Minnetonka artist Ashley Dull will be at Wilcock Gallery in Excelsior on November 29th from 10:00am to 12:00pm for an artist reception, to launch her new art show “Giving Thanks”. Ashley’s art show will include original oil paintings and giclees (computerized prints), and will run at the Wilcock Gallery until December 6th.

Giving Thanks is a theme that reflects the appreciation Ashley has as an artist for the mentors that have influenced her throughout her life.
“Without positives mentors in my life, I would not be where I am today” says Ashley.

For this reason Wilcock Gallery and Ashely Dull are donating a portion of the art show sales to Kinship of Greater Minneapolis. Kinship is a non-profit organization that partners children ages 5-15 with positive adult mentors. Mrs. Minnesota Wendi Russo will be making a special appearance during the reception to support Ashley, and answer any questions about becoming an adult mentor with Kinship.

Every painting of Ashley’s contains a hidden spiritual message that the viewer is encouraged to find. “I want my art to bring joy and touch people’s lives” says Ashely. “It’s important to me that people see the spiritual message within my art.”

Guests will be treated to European Pastries by the soon to open “Patisserie Margo on Water Street” during the reception from 10:00am to noon on the 29th of November. For more information on the artist reception and show contact Wilcock Gallery at 952-401-8118.

Barack Obama

2008-11-05T18:38:00.000-08:00

Mario Cuomo, the former governor of New York and an insightful and effective public servant, once said “You campaign in poetry, but you govern in prose.”

Barack Obama put together the best campaign I’ve ever seen. His ability to connect with audiences is god-given. His ability to navigate his positions and messages in a way that steers clear of trouble shows a highly skilled and calculated politician. The fact that so many people – from the majority of major newspaper columnists, to the working poor in metro areas, to Warren Buffett – jumped on board his campaign is a testament to his charisma and ability to connect. That he received a clear mandate (53%)from the American people in the popular vote is good for the country. It is time to move forward from this hard-fought campaign.

And for a moment last night, I stopped thinking about all the little policy things that I like or dislike about his platform, and enjoyed the fact that we had elected a candidate who could not have been elected a generation ago because of their race.

On January 21, Obama will take an oath to “protect and uphold” the Constitution of the USA. When he does, a new era will begin in America. Will it be great? Will it be a disaster? I don’t know, and neither does anyone else. What I do know is that Obama, while highly intelligent and articulate, is a leap of faith. I know that he is a great campaigner. But campaigning is to governing what interviewing is to performing on the job. Let’s hope we just hired a great worker, not the guy who has spent his time simply becoming an expert interviewer.

A leap of faith is not a bad thing. Americans decided yesterday that they didn’t want the known quantity. They decidedly said that they wanted freshness and excitement in office. Obama has engaged many people in politics, and that is good no matter which side of the aisle you are on. Obama has proven he learns quickly, and adapts to his constituency. This should help him govern from the center, something he will need to do if he truly wants to end the partisan bickering as he promises he does.

So here’s to wishing our President-elect luck and success. I hope he is the right person for these times. And I hope his prose is as good as his poetry.

Excelsior Parkland Initiative

2008-11-05T18:36:00.000-08:00

Excelsior residents voted overwhelmingly -- by 84% to 16% -- to preserve the Excelsior Parkland, next to the Commons, as a space devoted to City-operated uses and never to be developed privately.

Local Races Decided

2008-11-05T18:19:00.001-08:00

Election Night is over, and here are your local results, starting with Ramstad's Congressional Seat (I'll always fondly call it his seat).

3rd CD Congressional: Erik Paulsen (R). Paulsen won by 7.5 points - a much larger margin than I expected.

State House Dist. 33b: Connie Doepke (R). By winning 59-41, Doepke keeps 33b a safe Republican district.

Hennepin County Commissioner, ward 6: Jan Callison, 59-41

Deephaven: Paul Skrede, Mayor. Keith Cask and John Wheaton, Council.
Excelsior: Nick Ruehl, Mayor. Greg Miller and Mary Jo Fulkerson, Council.
Greenwood: Deb Kind, Mayor. Thomas Fletcher, William Rose, and H. Kelsey Page, Council.
Shorewood: Chris Lizee, Mayor. Jeff Bailey, Laura Turgeon, Dick Woodruff, and Scott Zerby, Council.
Tonka Bay: William Labelle, Mayor. Anthony Marceau and Gerry De La Vega, Council.

No Endorsements

2008-11-02T07:29:00.000-08:00

I had considered the idea of endorsing candidates in this election. I then asked myself, "Who am I to suggest who you vote for?" As the anonymous author of a harmless community blog, the least I could do is tie my identity to endorsements and stand behind my choices.

But since I wish for this blog to remain anonymously authored with the focus on community dialogue, I won't sit here and tell you who to vote for.

I will, however, leave you with an excellent article on how a divided government (one in which both or all major parties share power) is the best for our nation and is how our government was designed to run. Good reading, and as close to an endorsement as I will write on this page.

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/11/02/2008-11-02_heres_my_dream_ticket_why_divided_govern.html

South Lake Minnetonka Community Voter Guides

2008-10-23T17:19:00.000-07:00

Two local newspapers have printed their annual voter guide issues. I would strongly encourage anyone to read them and learn more about their candidates. My post from a couple weeks ago regarding candidates for local elections was incomplete, so I'll defer to these voter guides to summarize the races.

Excelsior Sun Sailor - They have done a nice job of doing their voter guides in an article style that included candidate interviews. This makes the candidate assessment much more personal and less about simply cutting and pasting a website bio, as some candidates do with more of a straight Q&A.

Lakeshore Weekly News - More of a Q&A style which doesn't allow for the same insight, but a broader guide that includes county and Congressional races.

The Next President Has It Made

2008-10-13T18:24:00.001-07:00

I don't want to diminish the global credit crisis that we are in. It will certainly take effort and patience to get everything back to where we can feel confident in our markets again.

With that said, as I think about what is going on, I keep coming back to one theme: The next President is going to look like a superhero.

The Fed, the Treasury, the IMF, and worldwide regulators have already taken signficant action to mitigate this crisis. Over the coming months, more than a trillion dollars will pour into our banking and financial systems, and that number is likely to grow. Bankers and lenders are beginning to adjust to a new (or returning to the old) reality of lending with a higher degree of scrutiny. Investors have adjusted to a 5-year low in the stock market, one that is hopefully exploring a bottom.

Additionally, the average bear market lasts about 16 months, and we are between 5 and 12 months into this one, depending on how you look at it. More importantly to the average American, the average recession lasts 11 months, and we will probably find that we entered one around October 1 when the official numbers come out. Because the stock market moves in advance of the economy, the market may very well recover before the recession officially ends.

The next President will be elected as we are ab0ut month into a recession and people are feeling bad about things. The market and regulatory forces have already been put in place to begin the process of pulling out of it, but we probably will not see the recession end until late 2009 or early 2010. That President, regardless of if it is McCain or Obama, will very likely enjoy a strengthening economy during the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years of his term. When running for re-election in 2012, he will be able to say that he inherited a financial crisis, bear market, and recession, and that he heroically pulled the country out of it.

What initially looks like a difficult situation to inherit is actually a can't-lose scenario for a President Obama or a President McCain.

Weekly News: Election Calendar, 10/16

2008-10-13T18:06:00.000-07:00

The Lakeshore Weekly News has created an election calendar with useful dates and times of candidate forums and other election information. It is here.

Economic Crisis

2008-10-10T09:44:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you are watching the stock market and realizing that a bunch of wealth that you had on paper has dried up in the past month. With the market plummeting, it is easy for widespread panic to set in.

I'm not a financial advisor, but I have been following the markets pretty closely ever since a college internship convinced me that I didn't want to be a stockbroker. Calling people at home and asking them if they wanted to send their money to a stranger to manage wasn't for me. In the process during, and since, the internship, though, I've learned a few valuable lessons.

1. It is all about when you need the money. If you have money in the stock market that you need next year for college tuition, or for a house down payment, the damage may be done. You should call a fee-based financial advisor. If the money you have in the market won't be needed for 5, 10, or 15 years, you can sit back and determine if this is a blue light special on stocks.
2. Markets usually move in the opposition direction of emotion. Several contrarian indicators suggest that the best historical buying opportunities have been when people are devastated and depressed about the market. The same indicators suggest that the market usually reaches its peaks and peters out when everyone thinks that the market can only go up, up, up.
3. Pro's can't pick a bottom. Neither can you or I. Dollar-cost-averaging into a market like this, or any market, is the smartest approach. Invest $50, $250, $1,000 each month, whatever you can afford to invest. You may not pick the bottom of the market, but you'll buy more shares at the lower prices.
4. Don't sell at the bottom. I don't know if this is the bottom. But if you don't have to, don't panic and cash out. That would be stupid.
5. Live frugally. Times like this remind me that having a surplus in your checking account after the bills are paid, be it large or small, is the best way to hedge against financial downturns. Over time, the surest way to become financially independent is to live below your means. It helps to win in the stock market, but is not required.

Good luck. Hang in there.

Sarah Palin

2008-10-05T07:51:00.001-07:00

What does Sarah Palin have to do with the South Lake Minnetonka area? Besides the fact that she wants to be our next VP, not much, but I wanted to write a post about her anyway.

I can't recall a time, with the ironic exception of Barack Obama's 2004 Democratic National Convention speech, when a political figure came from nowhere and became such an instant buzz in the news world. The core difference though, between Obama in 2004 and Palin in 2008, is that Obama was able to back out of the limelight after giving his speech and focus on a lower-profile Senate race, while Palin was pushed further into the spotlight.

If you read what journalists, commentators, and bloggers say about Palin, they act as if she is either a throwback to what is good and great about rising in American politics, or that she sadly represents someone unfit to be involved in public life, much less a run for the Executive Branch of the United States. Whatever they think, they think it very passionately. While we've known McCain and Biden for 35 years, and Obama for about four years, America has in five weeks formed a stronger and more passionate opinion, for better or worse, of Palin than of the other three.

People may say that McCain is the ultimate American loyalist or that he makes rash decisions and is volatile. People may say that Obama is the most intelligent person to run for higher office in generations, or that he is untested and we still don't know who he is. People could say that Biden is so safe because he has more experience than anyone else on either ticket, or that as a 35 year Senator, he is part of the DC problem. Whatever people think, they tend to be measured and generally rational. Not so with peoples' feelings about Palin.

With Governor Palin, it is no longer an examination of her public service record or stance on issues, but it rather becomes about her integrity, character, and competence as a human. I haven't see that type of strong and passionate reaction in any other candidate this election season. It begs the question -- can we effectively evaluate someone based on a four or five week PR tour, or should we ask the people who can speak to her actual performance as a public servant.

Governor Palin has the highest favoribility rating of any governor in the nation, having reached an enviable 80% at times. I would submit that at the state level, the decisions that are made, the things that are said, and the policies that are implemented by a Governor are examined more closely and more intimately than they are in the office of Senator. I would venture to guess that as a Minnesotan, you have a much more informed opinion of Tim Pawlenty's effectiveness than you would if asked about Joe Biden's or even Obama's or McCain's as a sitting Senator.

The people of Alaska have formed a more informed and intelligent opinion of Palin's effectiveness as a public servant than any of us could through one speech, two interviews, and one debate.

Which is why, even with a couple rough interviews, Palin deserves a fair look to me. These people are applying for a job, and we're the ones who do the hiring. She may not interview as well as Obama and Biden, but she has excellent references from her constituents. The ability to execute is sorely missing in DC, and I think the strong reference people of Alaska makes Palin a legitimate VP candidate on the GOP ticket.

I'm not taking a side on this, other than that a little more civility when examining our candidates wouldn't hurt. Palin is not some random person chosen from a small-town PTA meeting. She is the Governor of a State, and her constituents believe she is doing a better job than the constituents of the states run by Arnold Schwarzaneggar, Kathleen Sebelius, Bill Richardson, or Tim Kaine think they are doing theirs. That counts for something.

Filing Period Closes: City Council Ballots Emerge

2008-10-02T20:23:00.000-07:00

The filing date for local city council races has passed, creating clarity and some surprises around what the upcoming Council ballots will look like.

Excelsior will, for the first time in recent memory, have an uncontested election for Mayor and the two Council seats. Nick Ruehl is the lone mayoral candidate. Greg Miller and Mary Jo Fulkerson are running for the two open Council seats. This is a major change from the past two (at least) elections, when multiple candidates ran in what ended up to be very close elections.

Paula Skrede is the lone candidate for Deephaven Mayor, while Keith Kask and John Wheaton are running for the two open Council seats.

Greenwood will have some contests in November. Deb Kind and Bob Quam are running for Mayor, and William Rose, Kelsey Page, and Lake Bechtell will vie for two 4-year Council terms. Tom Fletcher will run unopposed for the two year term.

In Shorewood, Dick Woodruff, Bob Edmundson, and Scott Zerby will run for the two open Council seats in the newly reformatted at-large system. Chris Lizee will be the lone Mayoral candidate.

William Labelle is the lone Mayoral candidate in Tonka Bay, while Gerry De La Vega and Anthony Marceau are running for the two open Council seats.

There you have it -- 18 people running for 15 open seats. A big departure from two years ago when, with the SLMPD funding issue looming, the seats were much more hotly contested.

Old Color Center Building Gets a Facelift

2008-09-27T06:14:00.001-07:00

A highly visible Excelsior intersection will soon have two new street-level businesses.

The old Color Center building at the prominent corner of Water and 3rd is being renovated to house two new businesses. Taglio Salon will use part of the storefront, presumably moving from their current location on Lake St. The other half of the storefront appears to be dedicated to a new french bakery called La Patisserie. A quick call to the La Patisserie on Grand Ave. in St. Paul indicated that there is no relation between the two.

In addition to being on one of the heavier traffic corners of town, this location has the advantage of direct access to the West Lot, and presumably the spaces for these businesses are grandfathered in.

While that building at Water and 3rd seems underutilized by just having one story, it is exciting to see a new business come in and another relocate to it. A french bakery should have a very good chance of success given the genre of customers who make Excelsior a destination.

Twin Cities Housing Market: Bottomed?

2008-09-12T07:29:00.001-07:00

Everyone knows that the housing market has been in a recession since 2007. While housing markets are highly regional, this bear market has hit the entire nation. The Twin Cities have been no exception, with prices down about 17% since the local market peaked in fall of 2006.

According to the most trusted index out there, S&P's Case Schiller Index, the Twin Cities market may have bottomed in April. Granted, it has only risen 1-2% since then, but market bottoms are a good thing.

I don't have data on how the Lake Minnetonka area market has fared in relation to the Twin Cities metro area, but would love to hear if anyone out there has access to that information.

9/11

2008-09-07T20:22:00.000-07:00

(Note: This is a reprint from my post written last year -- I felt it appropriate to recognize the anniversary of 9/11)

----------------------------

As the anniversary of 9/11/01 approaches, people seem to have mixed opinions on how to properly recognize it. Some believe it is time to move on, that the 5th anniversary last year provided a sense of closure for Americans, and that it is pointless to dwell on the past. Others believe that, given the magnitude of our loss on that day, we must always do something to remember the victims.

I side with the "recognize the day" camp. While we don't necessarily need to re-live all of the grief from that event, remembering the emotion and the victims of that day in whatever way one sees fit seems more than appropriate. I consider one person dying before their time a tragedy; 2,974 dying in one day from a series of willful attacks is still an unfathomable tragedy. Even though it happened before our eyes, it is still difficult to comprehend how many people 2,974 is, and by multipication how many millions of lives were directly affected by it.

Maybe a better way to recognize the day is to think about the survivors, particularly the people who the victims left behind. A number from 9/11 that has always hit close to home for me is 102. In addition to that being the number of minutes between the first plane crashing and the last tower falling, it has another meaning. 102 fathers of unborn children died on 9/11. 102 fathers went to work that morning, some knowing that their mate was pregnant and others still awaiting the good news, but never came home. 102 children were born in the nine months following 9/11 who would never get to meet their father. While 9/11 is six years old this week and the memories are slowly fading, and the perished are more gently resting in peace in our minds, many things about that day live on. Those 102 children are perfect examples.

It is poignant and fitting that this time of year, maybe on the very day of the anniversary of their fathers' passing, most of those 102 children are going to Kindergarten for the first time. Their mothers are packing their backpacks, the children are joining the other neighborhood kids at the bus stop, and these little tykes are boarding the yellow bus for their first ever school day. It is a shame their fathers won't share in the day. They weren't there to give the kid a pep talk on what school would be like, they won't be there to see the child step onto the bus, and the won't be there at dinner to ask how the day went. The children may realize their fathers would have been there if they could, but maybe it is too early in life for them to comprehend all of that.

This routine will happen 102 times. To us, 9/11 has largely become reduced to numbers, statistics, in addition to political rhetoric. But to that father who wasn't there on the first day of school, and to the mother who didn't have the father's active involvement preparing for it, and to the child who only knows that something unfortunate happened to their father and he isn't there, 9/11 was everything.

To me, that is why we should never forget 9/11. As these Kindergartners who are taking a big step forward demonstrate, 9/11 will always be part of our identity. Like those children, we move on to a brighter day knowing all the while that what happened will always be part of our personal and national fabric.

My Endorsement for President

2008-09-06T18:04:00.001-07:00

After watching both party conventions during the past two weeks, I am optimistic that people are as engaged in the political process as they have been in recent history. Both candidates have compelling qualities to be admired by Americans.

John McCain is an American hero who has devoted his entire life to serving the country. After spending time in a POW camp, he could have easily drifted in to a quiet life and he still would have been considered a hero. Instead, he devoted the next 30 years of his life to public service in Washington DC. Regardless of what MSNBC wants you to think, McCain's lifelong record in DC is truly that of a maverick, and he has led some of the most critical reforms of our day.

Barack Obama is electric. He is a once-in-a-generation communicator who has the incredible ability to inspire people and provide a message of optimism. His gift of being able to engage people who had otherwise been apathetic toward the political process is extremely valuable. If a President needs charisma, he has it in droves. And regardless of what FoxNews wants you to think, Obama's experience in the Senate does count for something.

But my endorsement isn't for a specific candidate, but rather for an idea. I feel strongly that the President of the United States should be a true third branch of Government. The Executive Branch must be strong and able to rise above the partisan shouting match that permeates Washington. If it is simply an extension of the Congress or Senate, it isn't truly a third branch. It needs the ability to push forward an agenda that is that of the American people, not the GOP or Democratic leadership.

That is what I'll be watching these next eight weeks -- which ticket proves to me that it will be a true Executive Branch of Government, not just the leader of his party. You may arrive at a different conclusion than I do, but I'd encourage you to consider this as a primary criteria as well.

Local Elections at a Glance: Greenwood

2008-09-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

Greenwood's council seats are normally up for election every four years, and the mayoral seat is open for election every two years. This year, due to a vacancy, there is also a two-year Council seat available.

Open Seats: Four. Two councilmembers (two 4-year terms and one 2-year term for council) and the two 2-year term for Mayor.

Candidate Filing Deadline: Tuesday, Sept. 9, 5pm

More Info: Greewood City Offices, at phone number 952-474-6633.

Major Issues, incumbents announcing re-election plans, etc.: The massing ordinance (a.k.a. McMansion issue) is likely to be visible in 2009 even as the current council is putting new regulations in place.

Local Elections at a Glance: Deephaven

2008-09-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

Deephaven's council seats are up for election every four years, but the mayoral seat is open for election every two years.

Open Seats: Three. Two councilmembers (two 4-year terms for council) and the two 2-year term for Mayor.

Candidate Filing Deadline: Tuesday, Sept. 9, 5pm More Info:
www.cityofdeephaven.org

Major Issues, incumbents announcing re-election plans, etc.: Tell us what you're hearing in the comments area!

Local Elections at a Glance: Tonka Bay

2008-09-03T17:49:00.000-07:00

Tonka Bay's council seats are up for elections every four years, but the mayoral seat is open for election every two years.

Open Seats: Three. Two councilmembers (two 4-year terms for council) and the two 2-year term for Mayor.

Candidate Filing Deadline: Tuesday, Sept. 9, 5pm More Info: http://www.cityoftonkabay.net/

Major Issues, incumbents announcing re-election plans, etc.: Tonka Bay offers a link to see who has filed for the election. As of Aug 27, William Labelle had filed for Mayor, and Gerry De La Vega had filed for Council.
Tell us what you think the major Council issues will be for the 2008 - 2010 Council.

Local Elections at a Glance: Excelsior

2008-08-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

Excelsior's council seats are up every four years, but the mayoral seat is open for re-election every two years.

Open Seats: Three. Two councilmembers (two 4-year terms for council)and the two 2-year term for Mayor.

Candidate Filing Deadline: Tuesday, Sept. 9, 5pm

More Info: 952-474-5233 - Excelsior City Offices.

Major Issues, incumbents announcing re-election plans, etc.: Nick Ruehl announced in the Sun Sailor his intent to run for a third Mayoral term. Among others, development of downtown (specifically, renewal of the Pizza Hut building) promise to be major issues.

Local Elections at a Glance: Shorewood

2008-08-16T09:14:00.000-07:00

(This is the first in a series of pieces regarding the upcoming November 4 local elections. For each South Lake municipality, we will outline the open seats, candidate registration deadline, and any other relevant information).

After a brief, four-year "ward" system of City Council elections, Shorewood will return to an at-large approach where the entire city population can vote for any of the candidates regardless of precinct.

Open Seats: All. Four councilmembers (two 2-year terms and two 4-year terms) and the 2-year mayoral post.

Candidate Filing Deadline: Tuesday, Sept. 9, 5pm

More Info: Shorewood's election page

Major Issues, incumbents announcing re-election plans, etc.: You tell us! Post a comment and dialogue with your neighbors.

Comment Moderation Off

2008-08-11T06:01:00.000-07:00

In an effort to encourage more comments, I'm turning the moderation function off. If you post a comment, it will appear immediately. No review from me.

I think that, in the one-year history of the blog, I've rejected one comment. This should be a low-risk proposition for the blog.

If this change leads to excessive Viagra ads or once-in-a-lifetime business opportunities taking over the comments, I'll need to turn moderation back on.

Independence Party: who are they helping?

2008-08-08T08:36:00.000-07:00

Some of Minnesota’s most popular politicians – Paul Wellstone, Tim Pawlenty, and others have won their offices without ever having a majority of votes in an election. Why? Minnesota is fortunate to have a true three party political system. Granted, that third major party, the Independence Party (IP), doesn’t wield the same influence that the GOP or DFL do, but it still is a presence in each major election. Still, a third party who can boast a recent Governor (Ventura), Legislator (Kiscaden), and US Senator (Barkley) – ok, Barkley is a reach – is one that is a factor in local politics. It may not be a heavyweight, but it is a factor.

The name “Independence Party” implies a certain maverick quality. Think of Jesse Ventura, one of the ultimate political mavericks in our state who was so dedicated to being a maverick that it actually got in his way when it came to effectiveness. When you think of the Independence Party, you might be inclined to think of the one-third of the political spectrum in between the left 33% and the right 33%. You might be inclined to think “Independence Party = moderate.”

Not true. The past two Gubernatorial candidates to come from the Independence Party were former Democrats. Former DFL Congressman Tim Penny ran in 2002, and a former Perpich assistant Peter Hutchinson ran in 2006. Both had platforms that diverged from but were rooted in DFL philosophy, although it should be noted that Penny is supporting John McCain for President.

This year, something more interesting has happened – the IP has endorsed two DFL US House candidates, El Tinklenburg in CD 6 and Steve Sarvi in CD 2. This is no doubt great news in the short-term for the DFL. It is quite possible that the IP endorsement could swing four to eight percentage points to the DFL candidate, which in a year like this could be enough to beat the incumbents in those districts.

Upon further review, however, this could really hurt the DFL long term. The identification of the IP as bolt-on to the DFL – willing to endorse DFL candidates when they don’t have their own candidates and likely to run former DFLers in elections – hurts the DFL when there is a legitimate IP candidate. In a year like this, many Democrats might think “it is great that the IP and DFL are uniting like this behind Sarvi”. What happens in two years when the DFL has Sarvi and the IP has a legitimate candidate? Voters remember that the IP tends to act as a subset of the DFL, and the DFL votes are split between the two legitimate candidates. Meanwhile, the GOP candidates have little to lose since people have generally associated the IP as an alternative to only the DFL. Again, the IP party likely won’t win in that scenario, but it could be enough to cause the DFL to lose.

It would be great for Minnesota if the IP truly represented the moderate third of voters, and I believe that moderates represent at least a third of voters. Until then, what the IP is doing will help the DFL short-term but could come back to bite them in 2010 or 2012.

We Have a Race

2008-07-28T06:48:00.000-07:00

The 3rd Congressional District is fortunate to have three intelligent and serious candidates for Jim Ramstad's House seat. Republican Erik Paulsen of Eden Prairie, Democrat Ashwin Madia of Maple Grove, and Independent David Dillon of Shorewood are all putting their best feet forward in this race. While Dillon's status as a 3rd party candidate severely hampers his ability to raise funds, all indications are that he is in this to win, just like Paulsen and Madia.

While this blog may endorse a candidate at a later date, for now the objective will be to get the right information into voters' hands. With that, here are a few links that you might want to check out in an effort to better educate you on this major race.

Paulsen's website
Madia's website
Dillon's website
WCCO recent interview with Madia and Paulsen (here and here)
MPR coverage (best balanced local politics coverage available, in my opinion)
Info on upcoming debate by the TwinWest Chamber of Commerce

Of course, there are numerous blogs covering this race as well. I hesitate to link to them because of the skewed coverage you would receive on the candidates. However, if you are willing to spend some time researching and understand that most blog authors are strongly biased, I'd encourage you to Google many of the local politics blogs.

Summer Festival Season in Full Swing

2008-07-28T06:39:00.000-07:00

The South Lake’s festival season is in full swing. Already concluded is Art on the Lake, Crazy Day, the 4th of July Celebration, and the Fire Hall dance to name a few. The remainder of July and the months of August and September offer plenty additional opportunities to enjoy the area’s events. Among them (this is not a complete list) are:

August 9: Deephaven Days and Triathlon – http://www.cityofdeephaven.org/
August 4: Tour de Tonka Bike Ride: http://www.minnetonka.k12.mn.us/tourdetonka/Pages/default.aspx
September 6: Apple Days: http://www.southlake-excelsiorchamber.com/calendar.html

This is all in addition to regular happenings such as the Excelsior Commons Thursday evening concerts, Farmers Market, and County Fairs (Waconia has one in early August).

Tour de Tonka: August 2, 2008

2008-06-14T14:46:00.001-07:00

Here is a link to the Tour de Tonka bike ride. It will be starting from the Minnetonka High School this year due to the growing size of the ride and the need for more parking. Whether you want to ride for 15 miles (only about an hour at a modest pace) or go for the 65-miler, this is your chance to participate in one of the more popular and growing active events in our neighborhood.

www.tourdetonka.org

Best of Lake Minnetonka Awards

2008-06-14T14:42:00.001-07:00

I'm trying to find an online link, but many of you have probably already seen the hardcopy Lake Minnetonka Magazine circulated in late May. Several South Lake Minnetonka businesses did very well, including 318 Cafe (Best Kept Secret and Best Service), Gatherings of Excelsior, Maynards, and several others. My apologies -- I'm writing this from memory and don't have the details.

If you find a link, please let me know in the comments to this post.

Art on the Lake 2008 - Excelsior

2008-06-02T10:27:00.001-07:00

The 28th Annual Art on the Lake will be held this weekend, June 7 and 8, at the Excelsior Commons. Come and enjoy the art, the food, the kids activities, and the people.

http://www.excelsiorartonthelake.com/index.html

Entitlement Reform in Wall Street Journal

2008-05-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

Federal Entitlement Reform....... You sleepy yet?

Not a sexy topic, but one that should scare any American. Entitlements -- those programs which are gauranteed to Americans year after year such as Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare -- are growing at a rate that is unsustainable for the next generation and the ones after that. Think about these three sobering realities that adults in the year 2050 (not that far away) will face if these programs are left as they are today:

1. Raising tax rates by 57%, (in today's dollars, each American family would need to pay $11,000 per year more in taxes), or
2. Spending Federal money on nothing (no education, no defense, etc.) except for Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare, or
3. Increasing our federal debt, which is already too high, by about 13 times (this is already adjusted for inflation -- it will be way, way more than 13 times when you just look at the raw dollars)

Wow. I'm usually not a "sky is falling" type of person, but this is big. Nations don't survive this type of crisis. The demise of the Soviet Union was caused by... can you guess?.... spending too much of their GDP on one government expenditure. In their case, it was defense. In our case, it could be these entitlements.

The reason I'm writing all this is because it is my long way of telling you that Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin had a great OpEd in the Wall Street Journal on things we can do to fix this massive problem. Subscription is required to read it online, or you can find a copy of the 5/21/08 WSJ. I encourage anyone to read it. Kudos to Congressman Ryan for calling out the elephant in the room. Now let's start talking about how to fix it.

Three Properties For Which I'd Like to Choose Tenants

2008-05-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

As I make my way through the South Lake Minnetonka area, I invariably see commercial properties turning over or being developed. It is hard not to wonder what types of businesses would do well in those vacant storefronts. So here, with absolutely no bearing on what will actually happen to these buildings, is what I would do if I could snap my fingers and fill the storefronts:

1. Excelsior, corner of 3rd and Water (old Color Center building): The shop that moved in for just a few months has relocated across the street, leaving this building empty. I'm not sure what drove this decision, but I have an idea for how to refill the building. This location would make the perfect D'Amico and Sons Deli. I love that I can get fine Italian, Sushi, and an Irish entree with a pint in Excelsior, but I need more takeout options. 318 does a splendid job, but I find myself picking up food in Chan or Minnetonka when I'm in the mood for something different. A D'Amico in town would mean I bring more of that business back to Excelsior. (Author's note: I would also be able to snap my fingers and solve the parking ratio issue that could make this type of occupancy difficult under current rules).

2. Shorewood, strip mall along Hwy 7 near Holiday (former Minnetonka Outdoors): The operators of the well-run fishing store that used to inhabit this location were excellent. I just think that the location wasn't right for fishermen. If you think about it, there was no boat launch onto Minnetonka in the area, so they had to mainly rely on locals for all the business. They were onto something, however: Sports. Just change the focus from fishing to more of a sporting goods store -- running shoes, soccer gear, workout gear, hockey and baseball equipment, and you'd have good traffic. Right now, to buy a pair of non-Target workout shorts, I have to go to a mall. I'd rather keep that business in Shorewood. With the number of school-aged atheletes in the immediate area, and how active the area people tend to be, I think it would do well.

3. Deephaven, that brand new building going up at Chowen's Corner (the hard curve on Minnetonka Blvd): This one seems like a no-brainer -- the highly successful and always packed Beanhaven Cafe, in need of about 30 more seats, could be relocated just down the street and use the first floor of this new building. It would be the same neighborhood, so nobody would be put off when they realized their favorite breakfast joint had moved, because it would have only moved 1/2 a block. Some would argue that the smallish nature of the current cafe adds to its ambience. I say it would still have great, independent, single-proprieter ambience if it had 30 more seats.

John Berns not seeking reelection

2008-05-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

Rep. John Berns, the legislator representing House District 33b, announced earlier this week that he will not seek reelection. He cites personal, family, and financial reasons as the driver behind his decision. I first saw the news in the Sun Sailor.

Rep. Berns has represented the district well, in a moderately conservative fashion that suits the district's profile. It is understandable that the office's impact on income and the demanding peak period of legislative work doesn't capture a young family man like Berns. Berns served his district, did a good job for his term, and will now give someone else their chance at public service.

Thank you to Rep. Berns for his service, and I'm sure we'll provide plenty of coverage of this November candidate field as it becomes a bit clearer.

Washington Post ranks Pawlenty as #1 VP contender

2008-05-11T20:03:00.000-07:00

The Washington Post has ranked Tim Pawlenty as the top contender to be John McCain's VP nominee. I'd post a link, but subscription is required. Other names on the list include Florida Governor Charlie Crist and South Dakota Senator John Thune. There is a theme emerging -- youthfulness. It is clear that the VP nominee will need to balance McCain's more, shall we say "seasoned" quality.

On the Democratic side, the top ranking for the VP slot goes to Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas. In 3rd place is Hillary Clinton, so it is assumed that Obama is the nominee.

At the state level, one has to wonder if Pawlenty on the ticket would give coattails to local and congressional Republican candidates.

Is it still called property tax if it is tied to income?

2008-05-10T14:43:00.000-07:00

As we go through the month of May, we'll see several prominent bills discussed at the state capitol. One such bill is the effort to change the way property taxes are paid. http://www.twincities.com/ci_9165066

The bill, authored by Ann Lenczewski, a DFLer from Bloomington, would shift property tax relief to those earning under $200,000 and whose property taxes account for more than 2% of their income. Who pays for it? Those whose property taxes are less than 2% of their income, and those whose households earn more than $200,000.

I don't like this bill on two levels: First, property taxes, along with sales taxes, are one of the last taxes tied to a discretionary purchase. You buy a $500,000 house, you probably will pay a few thousand dollars a year in property taxes. Likewise, if you are frugal and buy a $150,000 condo, you will have a lower tax bill. Your choice.

This bill would create a disincentive to live below your means and save money. If you earn a healthy income but choose to live in a modest home, you would see your property taxes increase to help cover the taxes of the person who was not as frugal on the housing front. It essentially eliminates anyting resembling a property tax and adds to an already considerable income tax here in Minnesota.

The second reason I don't like this bill is because it includes a cap on the amount of increase for local taxes as a component of the property tax. Under the bill, local taxes could only increase by 3% or the rate of inflation. In fairness to Lenczewski, this was an addition suggested by Governor Pawlenty. As I've written before, I don't like the state telling the cities what to do. If Shorewood decides to build a state-of-the-art community center that will require property taxes to increase by 6% a year, they should be able to. (for the record, I would disagree with this type of spending, but I think the council should be the ones to veto the idea, not a state-set cap). I'm not a tax-and-spend liberal, but I also believe in local control of fiscal matters.

I don't like this bill. We already have a plenty progressive tax code in Minnesota, and the property taxes you pay are one of the last taxes determined by something other than how much you earn. I'd like to see property taxes continue to be tied to property values and local levies, not earnings.

Shorewood gets PR on Garage Logic

2008-05-08T20:38:00.000-07:00

Garage Logic, the Joe Soucheray drive-time show on AM-1500, spent a fair amount of time on Monday's show discussing the latest Shorewood city newsletter. Soucheray was skeptical that a city government needed to offer as many services as it does. He questioned if things like a city clean-up day, youth activities, or prairie grass planting was really something that a city government needed to offer.

He made the point that he was using Shorewood as an example, but many if not most state cities have become primary providers of many services which he clearly views as "fringe". It is worth a listen. Click on the Monday, May 5, 3pm-4pm hour to tune in.

http://www.am1500.com/podcasts/index.shtml#garage

(editorial) Pavilion Vote: Not an Indication of Anti-Development

2008-05-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

Excelsior has, rightly or wrongly, long had a reputation of being a difficult place to redevelop. Land use restrictions, historical preservation, and building codes have been cited as reasons why developers don't see Excelsior as a profitable place to invest.

With the recent rejection of the lakefront Pavilion, I can envision that outside developers will add it to their list of examples of why Excelsior is not developer-friendly. I can hear it now: "Someone was willing to build a lakefront pavilion and a parking ramp for the city at no cost, but the residents didn't want change."

Wrong.

In dealings with residents of Excelsior, I find that people are very open to renewal. Be it a run-down home or a burned-down hardware store, there is more than enough support to redevelop the city in a tasteful and gradual manner. I can name several sites, probably a dozen, in the city limits of Excelsior where there would be near-unanimous support for redevelopment of an underutilized lot. The problem is that the lakefront isn't one of them.

This was a nice idea for the wrong site. Excelsior's identity is that of a lakefront village. If you take the lakefront or the village aspect away, residents will speak up. The pavilion proposal was akin to wanting to develop a building in Washington DC -- at face value, sounds great. But then we learn that the desired location is on the Mall, in between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Out of the question.

That example might be a bit extreme, but scale it down several times and you begin to understand the impact that lakefront development has on Excelsior's identity.

I hope more ideas come along that would make use of underutilized Excelsior lots, and do so with private developers being creative on how to enhance the city. They may not all be approved, but the ones that are will become part of Excelsior's identity for future decades and will be met with enthusiastic support from residents.

Pavilion Proposal Rejected

2008-05-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

The proposal for a pavilion on the Excelsior lakefront has been rejected by the city council. This is following a very lively public debate over the past four months, and examination by several Excelsior commissions.

A full story can be found here: http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2008/05/02/news/ex01cncl.txt

Look for an editorial to come soon, but for now we'll keep it to just the facts.

Erik Paulsen Endorsed by Jim Ramstad

2008-04-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

Erik Paulsen, State Representative from Eden Prairie, had a big weekend. First he was endorsed by the Republican Party. Then he was endorsed by Jim Ramstad.

“We have the right person to represent the Third District at this critical time in our nation’s history. Today, friends, it is my distinct privilege to pass the torch of leadership to a new generation… To a leader who has the integrity, energy, vision, experience and character… A leader who will serve the people of our district with distinction at this critical time in our nation’s history,” Ramstad said.

Paulsen definately has the endorsements that matter, with Ramstad giving the wholehearted endorsement and Ramstad's predecessor, Bill Frenzel, having already endorsed him. One had to wonder if Ramstad, who has grown disenchanted with the GOP in recent years, was going to hold anything back on the endorsement of his old aide, Paulsen. He didn't.

Paulsen is running against DFLer Ashwin Madia of Plymouth and Independent Dave Dillion of Shorewood.

The Meeting

2008-04-20T19:29:00.000-07:00

The long-awaited Excelsior City Council Meeting where public input was taken on the Pavilion proposal occured last Wednesday. The only information I can find on it is what was printed in the StarTrib, but I'm sure there will be news in the local papers soon.

If anyone attended the meeting and is willing to share your thoughts or observations, please do so for the benefit of the readers. Thanks.

Merger

2008-04-15T18:46:00.000-07:00

The Delta - Northwest merger appears imminent. While I hate to see a headquarters leave the Twin Cities for one of our competitor regions, maybe there is a silver lining. Northwest has been an erratic employer in the past decade. We all know someone who has been laid off, furloughed, or decided to leave because the pay was squeezed and the future was too uncertain. I am empathic toward the plight of Northwest employees, but lets weigh how much we need to fight and spend to keep a legacy airline headquarters in town.

First, let me clarify that the hub and the headquarters are two different things. The Twin Cities needs a hub for business reasons. Having a hub plays into company decisions on where to locate their operation, hold company meetings and conferences, or increasingly with the creative economy on where to allow its workers to live. Denver and San Francisco are two cities that don't house an airline headquarters but are closely identified with their United hubs. Minneapolis needs to be a key Delta hub for decades to come.

On to the money: If this merger happens, the State of Minnesota is due approximately $445 million in immediate loan repayments and forfeiture of future concession discounts. That, at this point, is the only leverage we have left. We can use that leverage to ensure that some high paying jobs are left in the region, that Delta continue to participate in local philanthropy, or even push for a dual headquarters. But I think I have a better idea.

The State of Minnesota should let the merger occur and use the $445 million to create a recurring revenue stream dedicated to developing and enabling private sector businesses which will carry the state deep into the new century. If invested, that amount of money could generate over $20 million per year which could help attract innovative knowledge businesses in creative fields such as medical technology, bioscience, environmental technology, and others. Those sectors would create desirable jobs which would be around for decades and help the region remain economically vibrant for generations.

Bolstering our medical technology success and attracting more biotech and environmental engineering businesses, in addition to other creative economy businesses, would do more to ensure an airline wants to keep a hub here (voluntarily) than any legislative actions could.

It is unfortunate that a merger is the most likely conclusion to the long Northwest saga, but the State should take this opportunity to energize our private sector economy for the next 50 years, not try to prolong an industry that is fraught with fundamental operating issues. Northwest was a 1900's company. We now have the opportunity to reinvest in companies that are perfect for the new century.

Race for Ramstad's Seat Becomes Clearer

2008-04-13T18:14:00.000-07:00

After a tight, eight ballot process yesterday at Wayzata Middle School, Senator Terri Bonoff stepped aside and cleared the way for Ashwin Madia be endorsed by the DFL for the 3rd district congressional seat. Madia was the least-known of the three initial DFL candidates, but gained steam after an early VoteVets endorsement and much campaigning in the 3rd CD.

Madia brings a dynamic to the race that previous DFL nominees have not had. He is a former Marine who spent time as a military lawyer in Iraq. He is young (30) and stays close to his talking points. Whereas Wendy Wilde and Deborah Watts were longshots who needed to be extreme in order to have a chance at competing, Madia will be able to fall back on his military experience to draw credibility to his candidacy. Here is this blog's quick and dirty take on his candidacy:

The Good: Madia's military experience brings an obvious strength to this race. He is succinct with his talking points and doesn't veer much from his script. Madia has good speaking skills and should perform well in debates. His youth could play will with a section of the 3rd district voters, and the fact that he spent time in Iraq could bring him much of the Veteran vote. He has proven that he can get union endorsements, something which plays well in parts of the 3rd but maybe not well in others. He doesn't have the disadvantage of his opponent, Representative Erik Paulsen, when it comes to previous voting records causing questions. Madia is starting his political career from scratch, outside of a stint as Student Body President at the U in the late 90's.

The Bad: Madia is an unknown to anyone outside of DFL circles in the 3rd. Whereas a Jim Hovland or Terri Bonoff were active in the community for a period of time prior to running for congress, many independents' first impression of Madia will be when he is asking for their vote for a huge job. He is not a typical 3rd CD resident -- he is 30, single, and really hasn't lived here much. He attended High School in Osseo, and moved back to the district to run for this race. Outside of defense issues, which he has an advantage on, there is no indication his experience prepares him more for other federal issues as much as Representative Paulsen's experience at the Capitol has.

Conclusion: Madia is in effective campaigner and will work hard to make himself visible. His lack of any track record and minimal exposure as a citizen in the 3rd CD prior to this run may turn skeptics off. His ideology is unclear -- we know he was a Republican in the past but some of his views in debates were the most liberal of the three candidates. Still, with Democrats having the momentum this year, Republicans need to take Madia seriously. All three DFLers who started the race, Hovland, Bonoff, and Madia, were stronger than any candidate the DFL has put up in the 3rd for a few years. I say this race will be won by less than 5 points. By whom? It is too early to tell.

Mrs. Excelsior Does Us Proud

2008-04-13T18:09:00.000-07:00

Natalie Hagemo, Mrs. Excelsior, made a strong showing at the Mrs. Minnesota International Pageant winning the Director's Choice, Peoples' Choice, and Best Interview awards.

More information on Natalie's activities and drug awareness platform can be found at her website, http://www.nataliehagemo.com/

A new foodie site

2008-04-13T18:06:00.001-07:00

A local site worth checking out is www.minnetonkadines.com. It links to the menus of several local restaurants, in addition to the Edible Express, a source for food delivery from places such as Big Bowl (a personal favorite).

MinnetonkaDines is a directory that is not directly affiliated with any of the restaurants it covers, to our knowledge. Check it out.

Excelsior Pavillion Meeting

2008-04-13T06:44:00.001-07:00

The meeting to hear resident input on the Excelsior Pavilion is fast approaching. It will be this Wednesday, April 16, at 7pm. The meeting will be held at the Excelsior Elementary School.

Reports will be given by each city Commission who studied the issue, and then public comments will be taken.

If you have a feeling either way regarding the Pavilion proposal that you would like expressed, the 16th would be the time to do it.

South Lake Minnetonka: An Active Place

2008-04-06T13:55:00.001-07:00

The South Lake area will once again play host to many active events this spring and summer. As we have noted on this blog before, these events are a nice change of pace for the community, and bring a respectful group of people to the area who may not otherwise come. Each summer, we can count on having the boating crowds, tour boat crowds, festival crowds, bar crowds, and wedding reception crowds in the area on a regular basis. Adding the active crowd to that list adds a new dimension of visitors, and uses the South Lake area in more of an off-peak manner (most of these events take place early on weekend mornings, when most people are still sleeping off the evening before).

Here is a partial list of active pursuits in the area, and we'll try to keep this updated:

Sunday, April 27: Excelsior Criterium Bicycle Race. This is a sanctioned bike event put on in conjunction with Excelcycle, the local bike shop. First event of its kind in the area.

Sunday, May 4: Wells Fargo Half Marathon. Begins in downtown Wayzata, runs along the western edge of lower Lake Minnetonka, through Navarre and Tonka Bay, and ends in downtown Excelsior. Registration Full.

Saturday, June 21: Lake Minnetonka Triathlon. Start / Finish line is at the Excelsior Commons. This event is fast becoming a premier Twin Cities Triathlon. Sprint distance - .5 mile swim, 15 mile bike, 3 mile run.

Saturday, June 7: Wenmarks ALARC Legends 5K and 10K run race, Deephaven. Annual event.

Wednesday, July 4: Firecracker 10K and 2 mile run. Excelsior. Popular, well-attended event.

Saturday, August 2: Tour de Tonka. 15, 33, and 65 mile bike ride, beginning at the Deephaven Education Center. In its 3rd year, it has become a very popular cycling event regionally.

55331 City Data

2008-04-05T19:06:00.000-07:00

For statistics junkies out there, you need to visit www.city-data.com. It is a great site with, you guessed it, data on cities. You can get down to the zip code level of data and dig in to the profile of your specific area. The "Top 100" lists are also great -- they compare zip codes across the nation in many interesting and obscure categories.

Among a few interesting items:

- Two age groups dominate the populus of the 55331 zip code: Early teenagers, and those in their mid-thirties to mid-forties.

- The average home value is about $460,000, a little over twice the state average

- The average resident of this zip code makes about 3 times the state average income, and pays about 4.5 times the state average tax amount

- On average, a resident of this zip code gives about 3.7% of their income to charity

- 84% of us drive to work alone

- The most common ancestry reported is 1) German (#1 by alot), 2) Norwegian, 3) Irish, 4) Swedish, and 5) English

I just can't get enough of numbers like this. I'd recommend the site.

CD3 Congressional Election Preview: What Color is Our District?

2008-03-15T08:18:00.000-07:00

This year promises to be one of the most exciting campaign seasons we have seen, and will probably have one of the highest voter turnouts in recent memory in the 3rd Congressional District. With contested Presidential, Senate, and Congressional seats, there is much reason to vote.

The 3rd has always been slightly Red. Several decades of representation in Washington have been served by moderate Republicans like Jim Ramstad and Bill Frenzel. While recent numbers show that the 3rd is still red, it is red by a sliver. Although the Democrats have fully controlled the House and the Senate since the last election cycle, bad economic news usually manifests in the Presidential vote. And then there is Iraq. The bottom line -- if ever a Democrat had a chance to pick up this seat, for the short or long term, it is this year.

How much vote is out there to swing? I'm no statistician, but I'll try to make a case. In 2006, a year when Republicans couldn't buy a vote and the world was Blue, Mark Kennedy pulled 41% of the 3rd CD vote. With the name recognition and flawless campaign Klobuchar had, I'd say that 41% was pretty close to the rock-bottom Republican base. That equated to 118,000 votes.

Likewise, Wendy Wilde and Deborah Watts each pulled 35% against Ramstad in 2006 and 2004. The 35% by Watts in 2004 was in a year that wasn't yet at the Democratic period of electoral domination, so I'm pegging that as the low end of what they can pull. That 35% equated to roughly 100,000 votes.

With that imperfect logic established, that means that this district leans Republican, but only by about 6%. And that also leaves a healthy 24% of voters up for grabs.

In 2000, a year that had contested Presidential and Senate elections in the district, just under 345,000 votes were cast in the 3rd. Since Obamamania and the intensity of local races may get more out to vote, I'm going to say there are 350,000 votes out to be had. That would equate to voter turnout of about 79%, which is very very good. If we (again imperfectly) apply our "base" ratios to this race, that means Paulsen would start with about 144,000 votes, and the Democratic nominee about 123,000. Of the remaining 83,000, the Democratic nominee would need to swing 63% of them to win; Paulsen would need to pull 38% to win.

There is no huge student population to get out to vote in the 3rd, but the Democratic nominee could swing some votes based on their characteristic. Terri Bonoff could appeal to the female voter, a sizeable block. Ashwin Madia could pull some of the Veteran and Immigrant vote.

The bottom line: This is still a red district, but only by a sliver. A very strong showing from a Democrat could make this seat Blue for the first time in generations.

Public Meeting on Commons / Port Development

2008-03-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

The public meeting to discuss development at the Port of Excelsior is scheduled for April 16, from 7pm - 10pm at Excelsior Elementary School. The venue was secured because of the expected high public turnout. The city requests that any resident wishing to make a presentation contact them in advance so they can plan the time effectively.

Mrs. Excelsior

2008-03-15T07:54:00.001-07:00

For anyone wondering why all the buzz around Mrs. Excelsior, Natalie Hagemo, in the past year, I'll refer you to an editorial in the Sun Sailor. In it, Mike Hanks does a great job of explaining the signficance of it, and how it is different from your typical pageant competition.

3rd Congressional District Update

2008-03-06T18:27:00.000-08:00

We are entering an interesting two weeks on the local Congressional District scene. Each of the next two weekends will have a host of local Senate District DFL caucus activity. In those caucuses, delegates are earned toward the endorsement. It is very conceivable that after the 16th, we'll have a good idea of who is running in the general election.

Here is our summary on the candidates:

Erik Paulsen (R) - Eden Prairie: Paulsen is the Republican candidate for the seat. He is a longtime State Representative and a former Ramstad staffer. His voting record indicates that he is further to the right than Ramstad, but his campaign messages have painted a more moderate picture. Paulsen is known to be a student of the issues, well-prepared, and more measured than passionate. He has a strong start to his fundraising effort.

Terri Bonoff (D) - Minnetonka: Bonoff is a two-term State Senator from Minnetonka. She took the seat in a special election, where she upset the Republican candidate in a mostly red district. Her reputation at the capitol is as a fighter for children and education. Bonoff secured many of the prominent DFL endorsements through her campaign, such as that of Walter Mondale. While some view her as the establishment candidate, it is important to note that until her 2005 legislative run she was a citizen activitist with no public office.

Ashwin Madia (D) - Brooklyn Center: Madia is an attorney in Minneapolis and new to the local political scene. He is a former Marine with Iraq experience. It is tough to find alot of information on him other than what his campaign is disseminating. He brings youth (he is 30) to the race and is a polished debater. He is also running an impressively organized campaign. The fact that he moved from Minneapolis to the 3rd CD only after Ramstad announced his retirement may raise questions with some.

Jim Hovland (D) - Edina: The Mayor of Edina was a Republican for many years, but officially switched parties at the time of his Congressional announcement. He is an law firm partner and visible in the Edina area serving on several commissions, including the one focusing on the 494 transportation corridor. The buzz is that he could have some momentum but his campaign has been a bit disorganized in the important delegate race.

We would like to see a Paulsen - Hovland race, as we think it would give the voters of the 3rd a contest most closely mirroring the district ideology. Hovland is relatively moderate, maybe to the left of Ramstad, while Paulsen is further right, closer to Bill Frenzel (Ramstad's predecesser). We will keep you posted on DFL developments as they occur.

State Politics: Not a Week for Moderation

2008-02-28T15:24:00.000-08:00

This week at the capitol has had its share of drama and suspense. Earlier in the week, the legislature overrode Pawlenty's veto of the transportation bill with a narrow vote. Today, the Senate voted to reject Molnau's appointment as MNDOT head (yes, she had been on the job for five years).

If this week is any indication, political moderation is not a virtue in St. Paul at the moment. The veto override passed largely because of the "six defecters", the six Republicans who voted with the Democrats. They were promptly punished by being stripped of committeeship appointments and have been slammed left and right by partisan talk show hosts and some fellow legislators. Today's Molnau vote appears to have been along party lines, with Democrats getting the public "firing" that they've been drooling after for months.

One of my favorite books is "A Man's Reach" by late Governor Elmer Andersen and Lori Sturdevant. In it, Andersen talks about how politics didn't get so personal in his day. A shared interest in moving Minnesota ahead transcended the winner-take-all mentality that we see more of today. Sure, politics weren't squeaky clean back then -- Andersen's failure to get re-elected as Governor wreaked of his opponent sharing questionable information and effectively manipulating what was a long news cycle back then -- but you have to think it was more collaborative than it has been in the past decade. Moderates were viewed as the powerful bridge between the two parties, not a weakness within partisan caucus.

The irony of this week's situation is that Tim Pawlenty, a Governor viewed as some in the state as ultra-conservative and unbecoming of a Minnesotan on spending issues, was shot down with a thud at his National Governor's Association meeting in DC. His ideas for controlling greenhouse emissions were apparently much too radical for some of his more conservative peers. A Governor who is being labeled as too conservative here at home is being labeled as too moderate on the national scene.

While this week has been one of the more partisan-charged ones St. Paul has seen in a while, we can hope for a few more moderate developments during the remainder of this session:

1. Governor Pawlenty not being deterred by the poor response to his moderation in DC. That type of approach will certainly fall on a more receptive audience at home.
2. The "six defecting" Republicans continuing to be the difference on key votes during the session, continuing to vote for their district on every issue, and not being further punished by the Republicans if they vote to the left or being bashed by the DFL if they vote with the right.
3. A debate on how to treat the looming $1 billion deficit which is not simply a call to raise taxes again (from the DFL) versus a call to cut state investment to the bone (from Republicans).
4. A bonding bill which displays comprimise from both parties.

Here's to moderation.

Ice Fishing Houses Must Be Off Soon

2008-02-26T06:14:00.000-08:00

Although ice levels on Lake Minnetonka are in the 30-inch range, ice fishing houses must be off the lake this Saturday.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/15978687.html

Transportation Bill Passes

2008-02-26T05:56:00.001-08:00

In what was one of the more interesting vote sequences at the Capitol, the Legislature overrode Governor Pawlenty's veto of the transportation bill yesterday.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/02/25/veto/

Democrats felt that a cash infusion was needed, in addition to the bonding which Republicans supported, to accelerate the improvement and expansion of transportation in Minnesota. Republicans felt that bonding would allow for a better investment, and felt that the taxes in the bill were regressive.

In the end, we'll have the first gas tax increase in years and a small metro-wide increase in the sales tax.

Excelsior Commissions study lakefront development proposal

2008-02-21T10:30:00.000-08:00

All four Excelsior commissions -- Planning, Heritage Preservation, Finance, and Park and Recreation -- have studied and entertained opinions on the proposal to development the lakefront plot at the edge of the Commons.

We are interested in eyewitness accounts from anyone who attended: Were the meetings well attended? What was the tone? Was a strong case made either way?

George Will: "Fairness" in the Democratic campaign

2008-02-21T10:27:00.000-08:00

Interesting column by George Will in today's Star Tribune discussing such issues as Obamamania and the caucus system.

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/15821992.html

Shorewood to Tape Work Session Meetings

2008-02-12T18:36:00.000-08:00

Shorewood has made the decision to tape and broadcast work sessions. See the article in the Sun for details: http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2008/02/12/news/ex07shor2.txt

This is the first city in the immediate area that will take this step. While work sessions might not be the most exciting primetime viewing available on TV, we commend Shorewood for finding new ways to keep residents informed.

Report: Excelsior Planning Commission Hears Pavillion Proposal

2008-02-12T18:33:00.001-08:00

The Lakeshore Weekly News did a recap on last week's Excelsior Planning Commission meeting where they heard about the Pavillion proposal.

http://www.weeklynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=10&SubSectionID=10&ArticleID=4268

Excelsior Facing Future-Shaping Decisions (Editorial)

2008-01-28T06:49:00.001-08:00

The City of Excelsior is considering two proposals for prominent developments in its downtown. One is for the development of the Port of Excelsior into a Pavillion resembling what once stood there, and the other is for the redevelopment of the Pizza Hut building which is being rumored as a proposed boutique hotel.

Excelsior has a long reputation as a place where development and redevelopment of property can be a hassle-laden process. Relatively strict guidelines for things like building heights and a vocal base of residents who deeply value the history and character of the city create an approval process which requires patience. Over the years, some developers have walked away from the commissions or Council feeling personal design preference was too often injected into the debate.

With both of these projects, however, the developers are asking for alot. In the case of the Pavillion, there would be the loss of lakefront views and the selling of prime lakefront property that is currently open space. With the proposed hotel, although details are sketchy, we are hearing there would be a significant height variance requested (as much as 20 feet). The new Council, while showing signs of being redevelopment friendly, is faced with proposals that are anything but routine or incremental.

If one or both of these proposals are ultimately denied by Excelsior's Council, nobody can accuse them of being anti-development based on these projects alone. The developers are asking for much more than a nominal setback variance or a slightly unusual building facade. They are asking for the City to grant them the authority to make major changes that would redefine the city for generations, using major exceptions to agreed-upon development codes which have been guiding development up until now. While we are not advocating for or against either project at this time, we believe Excelsior's Council is well-served to tread carefully and gather all the input before moving ahead.

Shorewood Liquor Stores Sell For $720,000

2008-01-28T06:43:00.000-08:00

The Shorewood Liquor Store sale grossed approximately $720,000, before sales fees and severance to displaced employees. Part of that sale price also included existing inventory.

Assuming the profits from continuing operations would have been approximately $40,000 per year, the sale suggests that the stores had a return on equity of approximately 5.5%. The city can now use the sale proceeds to generate the same rate of return in a much more passive and predictable manner.

A Star Tribune article about the sale can be found here.

Recommended Listening

2008-01-23T19:10:00.000-08:00

Regardless of your political persuasion, I found today's MPR Midday broadcast on the "State of the Republican Party in Minnesota" interesting. As we've explained before, the South Lake area has been a microcosm of the Republicans' weakening trend in the state.

The underlying issue is the balancing of political principle (a Conservative thing) and campaign success (a Republican thing).

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/01/23/midday2/

Bridge Collapse: Litigation Begins

2008-01-22T11:00:00.000-08:00

Many victims of the Minneapolis bridge collapse are getting ready to sue the State, companies involved with bridge repair and oversight, and the City of Minneapolis.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080122/ap_on_re_us/bridge_collapse_legal

Press in the Sun Sailor

2008-01-19T07:31:00.000-08:00

This blog was mentioned in the Sun Sailor as one of Excelsior's "online street corners". We appreciate hitting the radar of established news sources like the Sun Sailor. The editorial can be found at http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2008/01/19/opinion/ex17mike.txt. The editorial also makes mention of another area blog which we didn't previously know about, http://excelsiorvoters.blogspot.com/.

Editor Mike Hanks made a good point in his piece, that readers should use their judgment when reading posts from anonymous, upstart sources. Even though we are one of those anonymous, upstart sources, we concur with Hanks. The more of your reputation you put at stake when writing, the more accountable you are for your opinions. Being an anonymous blog puts little at stake for the blog publisher, except the internal conscience that what you are writing is true and accurate.

We have chosen to keep this blog anonymous for a couple reasons. First, the intention is for this to be a community forum, not a personal editorial outlet (although editorial element has snuck in to posts a bit more than was originally intended, but hey -- slow news days). Second, we've never thought it really mattered, as the author(s) hold a low profile in the area (non-business-owners, non-office-holders).

We appreciate making the printed word, and can appreciate Hanks' call to use judgment when reading online sources, or any news source for that matter. There is no substitute for watching a city council meeting for yourself, attending a candidate forum in person, or doing your own research on municipal and civic issues. Hopefully we give you one more angle to consider when arriving at your own conclusions.

Best Breakfasts on the South Shore

2008-01-19T06:27:00.000-08:00

Lake Minnetonka has several excellent breakfast spots surrounding it, but unfortunately for us on the South Shore they tend to be clustered in Wayzata. Sunsets and the Original Pancake House, just to name two, are reliable and high quality places that are sometimes worth the drive.

But for those of us who prefer to keep our business closer to home, there are a couple smallish breakfast places that have every bit the quality of our neighbors to the north. Here is the South Lake Tonka Blog's first ever breakfast joint honor roll:

1. Beanhaven Cafe, Minnetonka Blvd, Deephaven. This small eatery at near Chowen's Corner offers a creative breakfast menu with high quality food every time. The speciality seems to be omelettes (there are many to choose from) and other egg dishes, but you won't go wrong with something as simple as french toast. If the place has a downfall, it is the limited seating capacity -- there is room for 30-35 max and it is not oncommon to have quite a wait for a table. However, as with many neighborhood places, the small size is also what gives it its charm.

2. 318 Cafe, Water Street, Excelsior. In what was voted the Best Neighborhood Eatery in a recent Twin Cities publication, 318 continues to create tasty and unique dishes for all three meals. Breakfasts are excellent, with high quality and a step-up in thoughtfulness from your basic pancake and sausage menu. The scrambled egg sandwich and breakfast burrito are personal favorites. This author also believes they serve the best coffee in the area. They open a little late for early risers -- 8am Mon-Sat and 11am Sun -- but if that suits your schedule you won't be disappointed in the food.

Both are excellent choices!

While Beanhaven and 318 are the only two that make our honor roll as true breakfast places, there are a few places that serve good Sunday breakfast or brunch. Hazellewood Grill on Hwy 19 in Tonka Bay and Maynard's on Minnetonka Blvd. in Excelsior are both worth a Sunday try. Additionally, the Cottagewood General Store serves excellent cinnamon rolls on summer weekends, but can't be classified as a true breakfast place.

For those who prefer an economical if not exciting breakfast, Hilltop Restaurant just off Hwy 7 in Excelsior offers quick, basic, and cheap eats in the morning. In the same category is Perkins in nearby Chanhassen. These places are nowhere near the two that made our honor roll in terms of food quality, but will provide your breakfast fix in a pinch.

The bottom line? Beanhaven and 318 are excellent neighborhood places, but one has to believe there is also room for another choice in the South Lake area without taking business away from the established eateries. It might be a new entrant, or it might be a place like Hazellewood expanding their hours to become a daily breakfast place.

Five Questions in the Race for Ramstad's Seat

2008-01-15T05:23:00.000-08:00

The race for Jim Ramstad’s 3rd Congressional District House Seat should get more interesting in the next four to six weeks. As Minnesota wraps up its role in Super Tuesday (February 5), focus will shift from Presidential politics to local politics. For the first time in nearly 20 years, the 3rd District will have a wide-open race for voters to participate in. While the Democrats have gotten out of the blocks with three serious candidates, the Republicans have yet for anyone to officially enter the race, although it is said that Erik Paulsen, State Representative from Eden Prairie, is committed to the race and raising funds.

As this gets more interesting, here are my five questions as it pertains to this race. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Is Jim Ramstad Officially Out? He has announced his retirement and reiterated it at least once. However, more than one pundit watching the 3rd District just gets the feeling that he is not at peace with his decision. Call it collective intuition, but until he emphatically denies any interest in returning or endorses another candidate, there is going to be a buzz that he may not yet be out. Republican leadership in Washington would just as soon have a more conservative vote coming from the district, but if it is between a moderate Republican vote and a Democratic vote, they would jump at the chance of having Jim back.

When Will We See Activity on the Republican side? The answer to this may very well hinge on the answer to the first question. To-date, we know that Erik Paulsen is raising funds and working the Republican network for support. We also know that, while he hasn’t yet formally announced, Paulsen is scheduled to be on TPT’s Almanac in two weeks as a Republican candidate. While Paulsen has a history of effectively serving his Eden Prairie Constituents, he is hardly the only effective Republican public servant in the area and we would be surprised if there isn’t at least some behind-the-scenes activity from other potential candidates attempting to gauge if they could make a run.

If Paulsen Is The Only Republican Candidate, How Much Of a Money Advantage Does That Give Him? While the three Democrat candidates, Terri Bonoff, Ashwin Madia, and Jim Hovland split an estimated $400,000 of available funds in the most recent quarter (Hovland’s numbers aren’t yet in so we’re estimating), the rumor is that Paulsen collected that much himself. While you could argue that it is encouraging for Democrats to raise as much as Republicans in this historically right-leaning district, the spending side of the equation gives Paulsen a huge advantage if he has a non-competitive caucus and primary season. Campaign rules allow people to give once for the primary and once for the general, whether or not the candidate actually had to spend any money to get the nomination.

This Could Become a Blue Seat In 2008, But Could It Ever Be A “Safe” Blue Seat? There is no doubt that with the national anti-Bush sentiment, unhappiness with the Iraq situation, and strength of Democrat Presidential candidates giving the party a wave to ride, this could be a year that we see the 3rd District go Democrat. But could it ever be a “safe” seat for the Democrats like it has been for the Republicans? History would tell us that the 3rd likes a moderate Republican, but Ramstad didn’t lose much face in the district when his votes swayed to the left. Regardless of the temporary political environment, the 3rd likes a Congressperson who thinks for themself but is a “limited Government” person at heart. For that reason, this seat would be difficult for a Democrat to hold long-term unless he or she was extremely moderate, and we’re talking at least a 40 on the National Review’s 1-100 point scale (100 being the most conservative).

Does It Really Matter? As we’ve written before, there is a very good chance that Minnesota loses a congressional seat in 2010. That means that the new Congressperson would serve one term before potentially having to run against a popular incumbent from a neighboring district.

3rd Congressional District Fundraising

2008-01-11T05:41:00.000-08:00

The Oct-Dec 07 fundraising numbers are in, and two DFL candidates posted very strong fundraising. State Sen. Terri Bonoff and Attorney Ashwin Madia both raised in excess of $100,000.

No reports are yet available from the other two known candidates, DFLer Jim Hovland and the GOP's Erik Paulsen.

This confirms that there will be no shortage of Democratic money making its way into this race. It also confirms that the Republicans can't wait too long before a candidate or candidates become visible, or Congressman Ramstad officially changes his mind and gets back into the race.

This blog maintains its belief that a strong Independent candidate, particularly one who could be partially self-financed, could have a real chance in this district. This is especially true if the party bases decide to nominate candidates who are off-center on the issues. We hope more people come forward to get into this race, as it would be good for the voters for this race to open up even more.

Arctic Fever on Jan 19 in Tonka Bay, Excelsior, and Shorewood

2008-01-06T14:34:00.000-08:00

Shorewood, Tonka Bay, and Excelsior will host "Arctic Fever", a winter festival on January 19. Details can be found at http://www.arcticfever.net.

It is great to see a civic festival attempting to fill the gap that often occurs between Christmas and the May timeframe when things begin to pick up again around the lake. It is also nice to see three South Lake villages coordinating on a community event like this.

On It and In It: Lake Minnetonka New Year's Day Plunge

2007-12-31T12:46:00.000-08:00

One of the great things about living in Minnesota is how we embrace winter. Nothing exemplifies it more than the ALARC On It and In It Lake Minnetonka Run and Jump.

The run begins on New Year's morning at 9am at Bayview Event Center in Excelsior, with the freezing plunge into Lake Minnetonka immediately following. More information can be found here: http://www.alarc.com/Portals/2/Registration%20form.pdf

As of press time, the temperature at 9am tomorrow is expected to be 6 degrees above zero.

School Funding Challenges - How Will The Housing Market Complicate Matters?

2007-12-30T10:25:00.000-08:00

The Lake Minnetonka area has been very active with school funding topics lately. Minnetonka and Westonka both passed levy referendums in November, and the Hopkins school district recently exited statutory operating debt status just as Westonka announced that they had entered it. Statutory operating debt, in simple terms, occurs when the general operating fund balance falls below a certain threshold.

A question I haven't heard explored much recently is what impact, if any, the deteriorating housing market has on school funding going forward. Roughly 67% of school funds come from the State, while 18% comes from local property taxes. The remainder comes from school fee revenues and federal funds.

The 67% of State revenue is paid on a per-student basis, so it is fixed from the local school district's standpoint. There may be a budget crunch at the state level as they attempt to fulfill this obligation, but the localities can count on the money assuming they have accurately forecasted enrollment trends.

The levies that are paid from local property taxes come directly from a portion everyone's yearly tax bill. On your property tax statement, you can see what portion of your payment goes toward school funding.

The question isn't what the funding picture looks like in 2008 -- I think it is pretty well established. The concern is what assumptions have been made about property tax appreciation going forward? Are districts operating under an assumption that property taxes will continue to increase at a high clip, only to have actual revenue falls short of estimates? I understand there is still some room for tax valuations to grow based on actual market value and limited taxable market value, but there is less room to grow than there may have been in 5-year estimates done in 2006 or early 2007.

Does Minnetonka 2010 school district funding, for example, assume conservative or flat property tax revenue increases, or are the estimates based on the abnormally high rate of increase experienced in the 1st half of this decade?

With all of the financial specialists and auditors reviewing school finances, I'm sure this question has been actively explored. If anyone has insight into this, I'd appreciate the dialogue.

MinnPost -- worth a read

2007-12-29T20:44:00.000-08:00

For those of you news junkies who are looking for additional sources of local and national information, I'd recommend checking out MinnPost at http://www.minnpost.com/. MinnPost is a nonprofit news source whose mission is to "provide high quality journalism for news-intense people who care about Minnesota."

I had checked out the website a while back when they first kicked off, and was mildly intruiged and reminded myself to keep checking back. Over time I've seen the content become very thought-provoking and have been impressed with their news coverage. Definately worth a bookmark in your web browser.

2010 Loss of Congressional Seat

2007-12-28T07:13:00.001-08:00

The Star Trib reported today on what we've been writing about for a few months, that it is likely Minnesota will lose a congressional seat in 2010. Minnesota is growing, but not at the pace of places like Florida, Arizona, and Nevada.

http://www.startribune.com/local/12872346.html

An interesting new piece of information is that there could be momentum to combine districts 4 and 5, the Minneapolis and St. Paul districts. This would be much more likely if Republicans are in power at the state level in 2010.

Ramstad Reconsidering?

2007-12-19T16:44:00.000-08:00

A story covered in Roll Call this week and hitting the blogosphere circuit today is that of Jim Ramstad reconsidering his retirement.

We think Jim Ramstad is an excellent Congressman, one who represents the profile of the 3rd district nearly perfectly. We also think there will be a more natural time to step down -- in 4 years when redistricting, and the likely loss of one of Minnesota's 8 seats, may mean the person representing the 3rd has to go head-to-head with another popular incumbent.

While we would be thrilled if Ramstad decided not to retire, the most important thing is that his decision is clear soon. It will only be fair to Erik Paulsen and the other Republican prospects to know if Ramstad is in this race or not.