The city of Savage and the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District will be holding a Rain Garden Education Workshop for local residents on Wednesday, May 21 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Savage City Hall (6000 McColl Drive). The workshop will be taught by Metro Blooms with local landscape ecologist Rusty Schmidt.

By Jim Kakalios

U of M News Wire 

Although summer vacation for most students is weeks away, the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) suggests teens and parents begin discussing summer employment now.

On Monday, the U.S Postal Service will be adjusting prices for mailing and shipping services, including first-class mail, standard mail, periodicals, package services and special services.

As of Monday, a first-class mail stamp will be 42 cents. (Customers can continue to use the “Forever Stamps” that they purchase prior to May 12 at 41 cents, even after the price change.) To accommodate increase demand, the USPS will have 5 billion “Forever Stamps” in stock before the price change.

Although summer vacation for most students is weeks away, the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) suggests teens and parents begin discussing summer employment now.

The Valley News once again plans to publish a special keepsake graduation section for this year’s Shakopee High School seniors. Parents should have received a mailing from the newspaper. It includes a form with information about the graduate that can be included in the graduation section.

By Shawn Hogendorf, Correspondent

Avis Johnson, 74, said she was sleeping soundly when she was awoken by a man digging through her dresser drawers. Johnson said when she awoke, she made eye contact with the man, who was wearing a bandana over his face and had “a crazed look in his eye.”

When Shakopee's Chase Hentges takes the mound expect the stands to be full.

The stands are full of scouts with radar guns trying to decipher whether Hentges is ready to be a professional baseball player

The senior pitcher is getting a lot of interest from Major League Baseball these days.

In his most recent start on Thursday, more than 20 scouts where in the stands, including former Minnesota Twins general manager Terry Ryan, watching Hentges.

Are you a high school senior in need of volunteer credits to graduate or to beef up your college applications? Are you a young professional looking to give back to the community? Are you a senior citizen looking to stay active?

Why not be a summer camp volunteer in Three Rivers Park District? Help children explore nature, outdoor recreation, farming and history.

The Three Rivers Park District Board of Commissioners will meet at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 15 at St. Anthony City Hall, 3301 Silver Lake Road in St. Anthony (Note change in location).

By Shannon Fiecke

It almost seemed too good to be true when a provision allowing consideration of commuter rail on the Dan Patch Line sailed through the state Legislature this session.

Given the substantial support for the provision, neighboring state senators Kevin Dahle and Claire Robling were not happy when the proposal was pulled from a transportation policy bill this week.

The following are selected initial-complaint reports filed by Shakopee police.

A follow-up from Thursday’s print edition report.

May 6

The Shakopee baseball team split a doubleheader with Red Wing on Wednesday at Tahpah Park.

The Sabers won the first game 4-2 behind a strong pitching performance by senior Chase Hentges. Hentges pitched seven innings giving up only one earned run and striking out 13.

In the nightcap, Red Win scored two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to top Shakopee 4-3.

Shakopee freshman pitcher Ashley Walker gave up no-hits in the Sabers 6--0 victory over Red Wing on Thursday afternoon.

Walker struck out eight in seven innings and only allowed three baserunners total. All three baserunners reached base by error.

Shakopee scored four runs in the first to give Walker all the support she would need.

The win improves the Sabers record to 10-5 and 7-3 in the Missota Conference.

Postal employees in the Twin Cities area, including Shakopee, will be collecting nonperishable food items Saturday as part of the nation's largest annual one-day food drive.

Customers should put the items in bags next to their mailboxes before their letter carrier delivers the mail. Letter carriers will take the items to the post office, where they will be sorted and delivered to a local food bank or pantry.

I'm never one to shy away from a physical challenge. I've completed seven running marathons, an 87 mile inline race, countless inline marathons, a triathlon (even though I still can't swim), and many more challenging races. Today though, I am training to participate in a 100 mile "Century" bike ride called "America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride" as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training. Many of my other races have been rewarding but there is an extra incentive with this one as I'll be racing for a cause.

Open attachment below to read a Q&A on the issue from City Administrator Mark McNeill.

By Shannon Fiecke, Staff Writer

The Shakopee City Council took questions from firefighters Tuesday in a special meeting to address how candidates were vetted for the city’s first full-time fire chief job.

There’s Ole:

“Ole got a job in the fertilizer factory. The boss tried to determine the extent of Ole’s abilities. ‘Tell me, do you know anything about nitrates?’ Answered Ole… ‘All I know is dey are cheaper dan da day rates.”

And then there’s Lena:

“Ven ve ver datin’, Ole and I almost froze to death at da drive-in movie. Ve ver vatchin’ Closed for da Season.”

Faith Lutheran Church, 150 130th St. W. in Shakopee, is hosting a special afternoon for you that includes lunch for moms and kids, childcare, a gift for moms and games for the children. Those interested in attending should RSVP to (952) 491-3126 by Friday, May 16.

Holy Cross Lutheran Preschool, 14085 Pike Lake Trail in Prior Lake, is hosting an open house from 3 to 6 p.m. for those interested in enrolling for the 2008-09 school year. There are openings in the 3-year-old program, the 4-year-old morning program and the 5-year-old kindergarten readiness program. For more information, call (952) 445-1779 or visit www.holycross-pl.org.