Last Thursday, the Victoria City
Council met as the EDA to review the grocer development’s request for TIF
assistance and donation of city-owned land. The council voted 5-0 to approve TIF
financing for the proposed grocery store and parking lot development. The
following is additional discussion that took place.

This is Fresh Seasons Market in Glen Lake. Grocer Dale Riley pointed out that the size of the Victoria parking lot is equal to the parking lot at the Lunds at 50th and France in Edina, which does twice the proejcted volume expected at the downtown Victoria store. PHOTO by Unsie Zuege

By Unsie Zuege

The city is one more step closer to gaining a downtown grocery
store.

Talk about being a good neighbor. Andrew Schultz can’t help it.
Not only is it part of his job description—well, in fact, it’s a huge part of
his job description—but growing up in a small community like Cambridge,
Minn., makes it second nature.

 Parker Tannin's Wine Beer and Spirits is going out of business. Owner Ryan Dussault announced his store in the Notermann building is closing, and thanked the community in an email that was distributed by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce.

The Chaska River City Days Triathlon attracted nearly 300 athletes to Firemans Park in Chaska on Saturday, July 19, 2008.

Enjoy this selection of photos from the event.

Pastor Stephen Cornils of Mt. Olivet West Campus talked about the tradition of music in worship, while being interviewed for the news brief on the upcoming appearance of classical pianist Marc Peloquin. Cornils passed along this background information on the three composers whose music will be showcased Sunday, July 27 at both the 9:15 and 10:30 a.m. services.

"Johann Sebastian Bach, 1750; Heinrich Schutz, 1672; George Frederick Handel, 1759, musicians.

World-class concert pianist and recording artist Marc Peloquin
will play at both the 9:15 and 10:30 a.m. services on Sunday, July 27 at Mt.
Olivet West Campus. Peloquin of New York, is in the Twin Cities, visiting
relatives and accepted the invitation to play as part of the church’s commemoration
of three influential church musicians: J.S. Bach, George Frederick Handel, and
Heinrich Schutz. Also playing will be the Gilded Lily Ensemble comprised of oboe,
flute and bassoon. Learn more about Peloquin at www.marcpeloquin.com.

Kara Ann Galuska, age 20, of Victoria,
died, Thursday, July 17, in Billings Mont.
due to complications from an automobile accident. Galuska was one of three
people involved in a single-vehicle rollover that occurred about 8:15 a.m.

Carver County Commissioner Tom Workman, who represents Chanhassen, will run uncontested for re-election this fall.

The filing period for county and state offices closed Tuesday.

Emergency repairs require weekend closure

of Highway 5

By Linda McNulty

By Unsie Zuege

Once again, the city of Victoria
is meeting with a potential downtown developer who envisions bringing a grocery
store downtown. That grocery store would be located on the property between
Quamoclit and the one-way street—simply known as the alley—that meets with Tower
Boulevard.

Do you think Carver County should pursue a fiber optic ring to bring high speed communication to the area? Carver County is in the early stages of exploring a high-speed fiber optic ring. Here's a letter on the topic from Randy Maluchnik and Tim Lynch, Carver County commissioners:

Fiber optic

ring considered

By Unsie Zuege

The backhoe looked like a mechanical tyrannosaurus, its metal
bucket head  dipping menacingly at  the roof of the blue house on Quamoclit
Street. And then it struck, clumsily but
effectively, crushing the worn leaky roof and then the walls. Within a half
hour all that was left was rubble and piles of splintered walls, concrete and
brick.

A city grocer--How much longer?

Bob Asmus, a 20-year Victoria
resident, addressed the city council. “When are we going to get a grocery
store?” he asked.

Mayor Hershberger Thun told Asmus that the city is continuing to
work on the issue through a developer, and that city staff has met with someone
with some ideas. “We realize the community is asking for a grocery store,”
Hershberger Thun said. “It’s high on our priority list.”

Victoria seniors
will have a picnic Wednesday, July 16 at the Victoria Lions Shelter 1. Card
playing begins at 4 p.m. and a pot
luck follows at 5:30 p.m. Bring a
dish to share; stay for the Concert in the Park featuring the Minnesota Valley
Community Band at 6:30 p.m.

Chaska Valley Family Theatre offers Dragon Fly Theater Arts Camp,
Aug. 12-22. Join the Chaska Valley Family Theatre for nine days of creative play, acting exercises, technical
instruction, set and costume design, games and more! On the final day, campers
will hold two public performances at the Chaska Community Center Theater.

Want to learn to play basketball from professional basketball players? If so, then join former Timberwolf John Thomas at the Victoria Field House in August. Thomas and Clifford Morgan will run a basketball camp. Each participant will learn basketball fundamentals, and received a T-shirt, water bottle and camp picture. The camp is Aug. 11-15 from 8 am. to noon Cost is $15 per person. To register, call the Field House at (952) 443-4255.

  The city of Victoria General Election is Tuesday, Nov. 4. The following city council offices are up for election:

  Mayor—One (2) term beginning Jan. 1, 2009 and ending Dec. 31, 2010. Current mayor is Mary Hershberger Thun whose term ends Dec. 31 of this year.

Personal wellness coaches say you can do it!

By Linda McNulty

Roseville band Matchpoint hopes to wow the judges at a musical battle June 14 and win a spot at the Battle of the Bands/Grand Music Melee at Huber Park in Shakopee June 25.

Minneapolis, Minnesota (June 11, 2008) – There are fewer homes on the market today than there were a year ago, according to the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® (MAAR) based on data from the Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc.

A long-anticipated benchmark and harbinger of calmer seas ahead, the downward year-over-year inventory movement is a sign that the seemingly never-ending market shift in the buyer's favor is now slowing its pace.

Do you want to receive tips on container gardening…..visit with the mounted posse…. or see the Arboretum’s latest exhibit - Treeology? Well on Thursday June 26, you will have the opportunity to do all of this and more!  Plus, admission for all County residents will be free. 

Grand opening for the new Highway 212 between Highway 41 and old 212 is Tuesday, July 1, 12:30 p.m. A ceremony will be held on the new Highway 212.