Friday, May 17, 2013
The local wedding industry is preparing for a flurry of same-sex weddings after the bill takes effect on Aug. 1.
Amy Zellmer wasted no time after the same-sex marriage bill passed the senate on Monday. The owner of Custom Creations Photography in Shakopee posted a jubilant blog post, then pledged to shoot one couple's same-sex wedding completely gratis. For Zellmer, the issue is deeply personal. Her own beloved sister has been in a committed relationship with another woman for 17 years and Zellmer would like nothing more than to see the two get hitched. "It's time," Zellmer said of the passage of the bill, which was signed by Gov. Mark Dayton on Tuesday. "This is very exciting." Evidently, others in the industry are enthusiastic as well. Zellmer posted her LGBT giveaway offer on Monday night. The next morning, a host of other vendors had contacted …
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Find movie reviews and showtimes for theaters in and around Shakopee.
Editor's Note: All reviews and information aggregated from Moviefone and RottenTomatoes. Want to catch a movie this weekend? Here's Patch's roundup of movies playing at theaters in the Shakopee area: Marcus Shakopee Cinema, Five-Star Cinema in Chanhassen and AMC Eden Prairie Mall 18. Star Trek into Darkness One sentence plot: When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis. Rotten Tomatoes viewer score: 89 Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 86 Reviews: "Abrams boldly goes into Star Trek Into Darkness, and crushes it again. It's more fun and more intense, without giving less…
This home on Mathias looks coy from the curb, but on the inside it is decorated with serious panache.
2123 Mathias Road: This four-bed, four-bath home has style to spare. It has been lovingly updated with sleek, modern decor that even Martha Stewart might envy—granite counters, new stainless steel appliances, mosaic accents in the kitchen, and a classy formal dining area. Built in 1999. Priced at $299,900.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Mayor Brad Tabke hopes to make Shakopee a haven for tourists and shoppers.
Last Thursday, Mayor Brad Tabke painted a glittering picture of Shakopee-to-be: He envisions an entertainment and retail corridor running all the way from Valley Fair to Mystic Lake. In his annual State of the City Address, Tabke boasted of the city's increasing economic might. According to him, the city has seen over $100 million in new investment as of late, with more to come: A deal with the global company Emerson is close to fruition and the council recently approved an incentive package for Compass, a technology company that hopes to build a data center in Shakopee. "In the five months since January 15 we've seen more economic development than we've had in the last five to seven years," Tabke said. "Word is getting out and it is …
Monday, May 13, 2013
The Savage American Legion and Neisen's Bar have petitioned the city for special permits for a summer event, which would require certain downtown streets to be closed off for a two-day period.
Savage Council Work Session: Savage American Legion and Neisen's have asked to close Princeton Avenue between 123rd Street and the city parking lot south of the Legion for the Greater Downtown Savage Music Festival, a two-day concert series. The event—which is scheduled for Sept. 20 and Sept. 21—would feature food, alcoholic drinks, outdoor and indoor concerts and dancing. The petitioners expect a crowd of 600 to 900 patrons per night. Neisen's has been the subject of noise complaints in the past. If the request is approved, the concert organizers would have to adhere to a noise limit (no more than 65 decibels in the areas 100 feet from the event site, about as loud as an alarm clock). In a memo to the council, City Administrator Barry …
Sunday, May 12, 2013
The development, known as Dakota Crossing, got approval to move forward at the council meeting on Tuesday.
A prolific building company will soon stake a claim in east Shakopee. Tuesday, the city ocuncil approved plans for Ryland Homes' newest venture in the south metro, Dakota Crossing. The proposed housing development is set to go up on a 40-acre property just north of Eagle Creek and west of Hilldale Drive. Ryland plans to build 66 single family homes on the spot, which is not far from the Dean Lake development. Ryland has 13 existing housing developments spread across the Twin Cities region, and several more in progress. However, it has only recently made inroads into Scott County. Its first project in the county was Dan Patch Trail in Savage, which began to take shape in 2011 and 2012. Homes in the Dan Patch development start at just under…
This week's selections include a new Buddhist monastery, 100-meter dash record, Southdale Center on TV, hospital milestone and a record-breaking betting day.
Editor’s Note: Every week we bring you a sampling of stories from Patch sites in the west metro: Eden Prairie, Edina, Fridley, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Lake Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Shakopee, Southwest Minneapolis, St. Louis Park and St. Michael. Police Release Maps in Search for Mandy Matula Eden Prairie police have released maps of the areas where Mandy Matula, the missing Eden Prairie woman, might be located. The areas are in Benton, Carver, Sherburne, Stearns and Wright counties. 3 Years, 3 Months Behind Bars for Ex-City Staffer on Child Porn Conviction Scott Andrew Bradley of Oakdale, who once worked as communications coordinator for the City of Richfield, got the maximum sentence. MN Same-Sex Marriage…
Thursday, May 9, 2013
This home in Savage boasts some truly spectacular, panoramic views.
8250 West 133rd Street: This brand new townhouse in Savage is perched over the Minnesota River Valley, with expansive views stretching out in all directions. The house in Trout Run Preserve also boasts a wet bar, billiards room, and close proximity to Lower Prior Lake. Built in 2013. Priced at $549,000.
Over 10,000 people flooded into Canterbury Park to sip mint juleps and bet on the "The Run for the Roses" at Churchill Downs.
Though opening day is more than a week away, the racing season at Canterbury Park got off to a brisk start this Saturday, thanks to a robust turnout on Kentucky Derby Day. "We don't take attendance per se, but we're guessing that around 11,000 people came out on Saturday," said Jeff Maday, media relations manager for Canterbury. "It was absolutely packed on all three levels." Canterbury's guests came armed with big hats, white gloves and cash to burn. The track posted a record-breaking handle number, the trade term for the amount of money wagered, Maday said. All in all, on Kentucky Derby Day Canterbury drew in $1.61 million in simulcast wagers, about $130,000 more than the previous record, which was set on Derby Day in 2004. Canterbury's …
Find movie reviews and showtimes for theaters in and around Shakopee.
Editor's Note: All reviews and information aggregated from Moviefone and RottenTomatoes. Want to catch a movie this weekend? Here's Patch's roundup of movies playing at theaters in the Shakopee area: Marcus Shakopee Cinema, Five-Star Cinema in Chanhassen and AMC Eden Prairie Mall 18. The Great Gatsby One sentence plot: "The Great Gatsby" follows Fitzgerald-like, would-be writer Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) as he leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz, bootleg kings, and sky-rocketing stocks. Rotten Tomatoes viewer score: 98 Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 40 Reviews: "Frenzied and overwrought, Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby is a glitz-filled folly." USA Today Full …
Clare Kennedy
12:27 pm on Friday, May 17, 2013
Oh come on. There are plenty of wedding giveaways for straight people. One of my own friends, who is straight, won a free wedding photography package too, which, by the way, wasn't available to gay couples. It isn't discrimination to offer a giveaway to a specific group of people: There are lots of giveaways aimed just at new moms or only at women. It would be discrimination if this photographer … more ›