AAA projects decline in Thanksgiving travel

AAA forecasts a small decline in the number of Americans traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Approximately 41 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home, a decrease of 600,000 travelers (1.4 percent) from last year’s total of 41.6 million. This is the first decline in Thanksgiving holiday travel since 2002 and is the fourth consecutive travel holiday this year with a year-to-year decline in the number of travelers.

Ah, the aroma of a freshly cut Christmas tree

St. Paul, Minn. - From balsam trees to freshly baked cookies and holly berry candles - there are so many scents that can spark our holiday memories. For some, the purchase of a freshly cut Christmas tree represents the start of the holidays and Minnesota’s Christmas tree growers have an abundance of beautiful, real trees available this holiday season. About 500,000 trees are expected to be harvested this season by just over 500 Minnesota tree farmers.

The Carver County deputies assigned to the cities of Chanhassen, Victoria, and Carver and the townships of Chaska, Laketown, San Francisco and Dahlgren responded to the following calls from Nov. 3 – Nov. 9:

By Richard Crawford

An improperly placed ballot and the luck of the draw resulted in Al Franken netting two coveted votes in the hotly contested U.S. Senate race with Norm Coleman.

Recently, I went rock climbing and here's a clip of the experience, and a couple I met from Duluth/Superior.

A visual history of the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres--40 years of music theatre, food and fun.

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS — The public is invited to the monthly meeting of the League of Women Voters of Eastern Carver County Thursday in the Thornton Wilder Room in the Chanhassen Library. Dessert is offered at 6:45 p.m. with the program at 7 p.m., which will focus on a Civic Education Student Panel: What Citizenship Means to Me. Students from Chaska High School and Holy Family Catholic High School will participate in the panel moderated by Laura Helmer, LWVECC program chair.

ST. PAUL — Seasoned Minnesotans may tell you that nothing about Minnesota weather would surprise them, but statistics say otherwise. That’s the reason for Winter Hazard Awareness Week, sponsored annually by the Department of Public Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM).

District 112 Superintendent David Jennings has submitted his resignation, effective June 30, 2009.

He stated in a letter of resignation, included in this Thursday’s school board packet: “My decision is reflective of my belief that the district’s interest would be well-served, at this point, by the search for and selection of a new leader for the 2009-10 school year, who can spend the next few years consolidating and institutionalizing the many changes we have begun to make.”

City of Carver to have its own recount

By Mark Olson

Most of Minnesota’s attention is now focused on several hundred votes separating the two U.S. senatorial candidates in what’s sure to be a heck of a recount.

However, there’s going to be another recount, right under our nose.

Greg Osterdyk requested a recount in the Carver City Council race, where he lost to Carrie Newhouse by 12 votes – 626 to 614.

Snow in forecast mix

Entegris, one of Chaska’s largest employers, has announced planned cuts of 200 employees at its Chaska plant.

The downsizing impacts about 7 percent of the company’s overall workforce, and will bring Entegris’s Chaska employment down to 550 jobs. All of the jobs will be in manufacturing. Employees will know their status by Nov. 14, according to Chief Financial Officer Greg Graves.

The Carver County deputies assigned to the cities of Chanhassen, Victoria, and Carver and the townships of Chaska, Laketown, San Francisco and Dahlgren responded to the following calls from Oct. 28 – Nov. 2:

 Oct. 28

At 8:47 a.m., responded to the 600 block of Carver Bluffs Parkway in Carver for the theft of an iPod and CDs from a vehicle.

Halloween can be memorable, but Holy Family Catholic's football team will always cherish this one.

The Fire reached the program's first-ever state football tournament with a 38-16 victory over Pine City in the Section 5-3A championship game, played at St Cloud State University.

The Fire went up by two touchdowns in the first quarter, as John Westerhaus scored on a 17-yard run, and fullback Jay Roane punched it in from the 1-yard line. Alex Smith kicked both extra points.

Mayor Mary Hershberger Thun is running unopposed for re-election. City councilors Kim Roden and Rick Tieden are running for re-election. They are being challenged by Tom O'Connor, Tom Strigel, Mikal Dean  and Jay Swenson. Go to this link -- www.lmcc-tv.org -- to hear all the candidates from a recent candidates forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Eastern Carver County. 

Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 4. Go to this link to meet the candidates running for seats on the Victoria City Council. Mayor Mary Hershberger Thun is running unopposed. There are two seats up for election currently held by Kim Roden and Rick Tieden. Both are running for re-election and there are four challengers.

Go to this link -- www.lmcc-tv.org -- to hear all the candidates from a recent candidates forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Eastern Carver County. 

Local legislative candidates Evan Rapp, Joe Hoppe, Marcia Krueger and Paul Kohls explain why they should be elected at a forum sponsored by CASE in Minnetonka.

A revenge game is sweetest when your team does the avenging.

The Holy Family Catholic football team got back at Mora for a playoff loss last season with a back-and-forth 35-24 victory in the Section 5-3A semifinals on Saturday at the Fire stadium.

Fire senior tight end Colin King of Chaska and junior John Westerhaus of Chanhassen scored two touchdowns apiece in the final home game of the season, and the last one played at the current version of Holy Family's field.

SHERIFF

The Carver County deputies assigned to the cities of Chanhassen, Victoria, and Carver and the townships of Chaska, Laketown, San Francisco and Dahlgren responded to the following calls from Oct. 20 – Oct. 26:

 Oct. 20

At 7:19 p.m., responded to the 300 block of Broadway North in Carver for a theft of money report.

 By Richard Crawford

With a backdrop of falling home prices and a wobbly economy, Carver County commissioners are putting the squeeze on the 2009 budget.

The city of Victoria is offering a $150 award for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for slashing tires on more than 30 vehicles in the city between the night of Oct. 22 and the morning of Oct. 23.

 Sheriff Byron ‘Bud’ Olson reports that on Wednesday evening, October

Victoria is in the midst of changes that fairly boggle the mind. The most talked about change is the new Fresh Season Market. Everyone I’ve spoken to is absolutely thrilled to have this particular market come to town. For those who are concerned that the prices may a little higher than Cub, I suggest that the money saved in gasoline and time will far outweigh any expense.

Councilor Jim Paulsen noted at last Thursday’s city council meeting that under the direction of Field House /Park and Recreation Director Ann Mahnke, Field House revenues have increased from $254,743 to $281,749 from last year, and memberships are up 17 percent. “It shows that someone is working over there and getting the job done,” Paulsen said. Councilor Tim Amundsen pointed out in light of the current economy, the Field House memberships are even more of a deal to residents than ever. “It’s a cost saving measure they could take advantage of,” Amundsen said.

Developer Terry Hartman presented for council review a concept for a retail/office building complex on the site of the former cold storage area formerly owned by C.H. Carpenter Lumber. The concept has two buildings; the large one on the west side would be built first. There would also be a public plaza on the west side of the property. Hartman is seeking feedback from the Planning Commission and the city council.

Bruce Chamberlain of the planning and landscape firm HKGi, presented an overview of the  updated Downtown Master Plan, which addressed several concerns: greater connection with Carver Park Reserv and Stieger Lake, strong pedestrian connections with the LRT trail and redevelopment along the LRT, and incorporate Highway 5 improvements.

It seems everywhere you look in Victoria, earth is being moved, old buildings are coming down, and plans are being drawn up. On Tuesday, the Acorn House was torn down; last Friday, the last house on Quamoclit was razed to make room for the Fresh Seasons Market grocery store; Holy Family Catholic High School unveiled its plans to build a stadium and a performing arts theater; and Terry Hartman of Hartman Communities presented a concept plan for a retail/office development on the cold storage site of the former C.H. Carpenter Lumber Company, along Stieger Lake.