Workers hurt when scaffolding collapses

Workers hurt when scaffolding collapses Two construction workers helping to build a new city hall in Farmington were hurt when scaffolding they were on gave way, Farmington Police Chief Brian Lindquist said Friday.

The workers were doing block work on the east side of the two-story building when the scaffolding collapsed and fell into the street just before 1 p.m. Thursday, Lindquist said.

One man was transported by an ambulance to the hospital. The other drove himself. Several other workers who were on the scaffolding when it went down "were shaken up but not injured," Lindquist said.

No word on what caused the scaffolding to collapse, but winds were gusting at 40 to 44 miles per hour at the time of the accident, Lindquist said.

The city hall is being built at 3rd and Spruce Streets at a cost of $9.1 million. The two-story building with 42,200 square feet is set to open in May or June.

TIM HARLOW

Edina school official to lead Wayzata district Wayzata school board members have passed on Prior Lake-Savage Superintendent Tom Westerhaus and selected Edina Assistant Superintendent Chace Anderson to replace retiring Superintendent Bob Ostlund.

"I thought Dr. Anderson did a great job with communicating with all of our stakeholder groups the day he was in the district," said Wayzata Board Member Pat Gleason. "We had two strong candidates. We were lucky. They both did a great job of connecting with people in the district."

Westerhaus announced last month that he was leaving the Prior Lake-Savage district after fired employee Chris Lind, a high school campus supervisor, was elected to the school board.

At the time, Westerhaus wrote a letter to staff saying he "can no longer work in this district. The election to the board of a former employee, whom I had progressively disciplined and ultimately recommended for final dismissal ... confirmed for me that it was time to move on."

PATRICE RELERFORD AND emily johns

Eatery raises cash for staff killed in collision A Chanhassen restaurant is raising money for a Burnsville father and daughter who were killed when their sport-utility vehicle collided with a pick-up truck earlier this month.

Fernandez said Manuel died at the scene and Karla, who was six months pregnant, died a few hours later. They were on their way to work Dec. 7 shortly before 10:30 a.m. when their SUV collided with a pick-up on the Lewis Street Bridge in Shakopee, he said. Manuel worked as a waiter and assistant manager; Karla was a waitress and cashier. Manuel is survived by a wife and three children.

The money collected in a box at the restaurant -- about $1,500 as of Friday -- will be given to the family, which is planning to return the bodies to the family's homeland of El Salvador.

The State Patrol is investigating the accident.