South metro briefs: Shakopee tribe re-elects Vig, Anderson to council

Tribe re-elects Vig, Anderson to council

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community has re-elected Chairman Charlie Vig and Vice Chairman Keith Anderson to the tribe's business council. According to a news release, they will be joined on the three-person council by secretary/treasurer-elect Freedom Brewer, who is chairwoman of the tribe's Gaming Enterprise board of directors. Brewer replaces Lori Watso, who has served since 2012 and did not seek re-election. Vig has been chairman since August 2012, following the death of Chairman Stanley Crooks. Anderson started as vice chairman at the same time, after serving as secretary/treasurer for eight years. The business council is responsible for tribal government operations. Vig, Anderson and Brewer will be sworn into their four-year terms Jan. 31.

A $68 million expansion last year at Rahr Corp. in Shakopee earned the city an award from the Economic Development Association of Minnesota (EDAM). The 2016 Business Retention and Expansion award, which recognizes projects that retain or expand existing businesses, was presented Jan. 22.

Rahr produces and distributes malt and other brewing supplies. It was founded in 1847 and has been based in Shakopee since 1936. The expansion, which is expected to be fully operational by spring 2017, makes it the largest single-site malting facility in the world, the city said.

Shakopee has been the site of major business growth in recent years. In 2014, the city won EDAM's Business Recruitment Initiative Award for bringing Shutterfly Inc. to town.

Ice skating, a medallion hunt and a bonfire will be part of Apple Valley's 39th annual Mid-Winter Fest from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6 at Hayes Park.

Indoors at the park's community center, the Teddy Bear Band will play at 10 a.m. Kids will also find a bouncy house and indoor soccer, and a kids' pizza lunch will cost $5.

The Rosemount City Council will host an open house Monday for the new expansion to the Steeple Center community center. A ribbon-cutting will take place at 5 p.m., with the open house to follow at the center, at 14375 S. Robert Trail.

The city bought the property from the Church of St. Joseph for the Robert Trail Library. The City Council also wanted to preserve the church building as a community meeting space.

After the attached school was demolished, the city built an addition to the former church building that would connect to a privately developed senior housing project, known as the Rosemount, that will have its own opening ceremony later in February.

Hwy. 13 between Wachtler Avenue and Sylvandale Road in Mendota Heights has reopened after being closed while a contractor stabilized a slope near the road.

The road reopened Monday, but another closing is expected this summer as the work continues on private property along the highway, the city said.

Burnsville Mayor Elizabeth Kautz will give the annual State of the City address on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at the Ames Center.

The event is open to the public. The speech also will be shown live on Burnsville Civic Channel 16/HD Channel 859 for cable subscribers and online at www.burnsville.org.

Attending the address is free, but a luncheon to follow is $25. Registration for the luncheon is required at least 24 hours in advance with the Burnsville Chamber of Commerce at www.burnsvillechamber.com.

West St. Paul officials and staff are scheduled to attend the second in a series of neighborhood meetings to hear residents' concerns. The next meeting is Monday at the Dodge Nature Center Farm Education Building, 1701 Charlton St. Two more meetings are scheduled: Tuesday, Feb. 16, at the Harmon Park neighborhood center, and Monday, Feb. 29, at City Hall.