Chaska_020212

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Crappie Day

Creative Cupid

Annual ice fishing contest reels them in

Valentine’s Day ideas that fit the couple

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ww www.chaskaherald.com ww.chaskaherald.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012

CHASKA

HERALD

Requiem for the Rex

C

haska’s first movie theater opened in 1914. Now, 98 years later, the city’s only theater has closed. The Rex Cinema’s end came Wednesday, Jan. 25. Diagnosis: Lack of cash. “It’s a fi nancial decision. We’ve never made money ever since the day we opened. It got to the point where we just couldn’t do it anymore,� said Glenn Baird, who has owned the cinema for the past seven years. Following a $2 million remodeling in 2005, the Rex Cinema reopened as a six-auditorium theater, near the corner of Walnut Street and County Road 61. It was part of Baird’s Five Star Cinemas group, which includes theaters in Chanhassen, Excelsior and Buffalo. “Financially, it was the weak sister,� Baird said. There were a number of reasons Baird decided to pull the plug. “The downtown Chaska area is struggling and that doesn’t help matters, and the combination of [new Highway] 212 opening up and the economy in general is challenging for everybody,� Baird said. “Another factor in our decision to close was the housing development to the west of downtown failing to be a reality. We anticipated customer growth from that area and it came up a bit short,� Baird said.

DIGITAL MOVIES

FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE REX CLOSING AT

www.chaskaherald.com

Hooked on Books‌ and the arts, too Featuring: Minnesota author Mary Casanova and New York Times bestselling illustrator Ard Hoyt Mary Casanova

When: 9 a.m.Noon, Saturday, Feb. 11

Where: Chanhassen High School, 2200 Lyman Blvd., Chanhassen Ages: Geared toward preschool – Grade 5 Cost: Free and open to the public More info: www.ce4all.org

books and novels. Casanova’s work is geared toward children of all ages from picture books like “Utterly Otterly Day� for young kids up to historical fiction novels like “The Klipfish Code� for older kids. Her catalog also includes a small, but growing, selection of “American Girl� books.

Books to page 2 ÂŽ

PHOTO BY MARK W. OLSON

Rex Cinema, with its landmark marquee, closed last week in downtown Chaska.

“It’s a financial decision. We’ve never made money ever since the day we opened. It got to the point where we just couldn’t do it anymore.� Glenn Baird Owner, Rex Cinema

PHOTO BY MARK W. OLSON

With the bulk of the newspaper indexing project completed, Carver County Historical Society Executive Director Wendy Petersen-Biorn is ready for the next project – indexing and scanning over 11,000 photos in the society’s collection.

For the record

Cinematic love aair 1914: Chaska’s first movie theater, the “Rexâ€? opens in 1914. Feb. 11, 1994: Theater owner Mike Deluhery opens Chaska Cinema, at Walnut Street and Highway 41, replacing his other theater in the original Rex building. August 2004: Chaska Cinema closes for renovation.

JOIN THE CHAT

Featured author took unique path Hooked on Books organizers Mary Erickson and Lori Kendall feel like they’ve hit the jackpot. While they’ve always managed to bring in successful and interesting authors for their annual event, this year they’ve not only snagged a Minnesota author, but a Minnesota author who just happens to be tackling timely topics with her latest books. “We got really lucky, to tell you the truth,â€? said Erickson, who m manages community development and se services for District 111 2 . “ Hooke d on B Books ‌ and the A Arts, tooâ€? will take p place at Chanhasssen High School ffrom 9 a.m.–noon, Saturday, Feb. 11. T h i s y e a r ’s event features the work of Mary Casanova. A native of St. Paul, Casanova n now lives with her h husband, Charlie, iin the small town o of Ranier, just outsside of International F Falls. She is the auth of 19 children’s thor

BY MARK W. OLSON editor@chaskaherald.com

Rex to page 2 ÂŽ

Inspiration station BY MOLLEE FRANCISCO mfrancisco@swpub.com

Downtown theater closes

Baird also considered the upcoming industry-wide conversion from 35 millimeter fi lm to digital cinema – which will take place by the end of 2013, Baird said. “You’d better be digital or you’d better not be around,� he said. The cost of switching over each auditorium to digital cinema is $ 80,000, Baird estimated. Hollywood will assist with some of the costs, Baird said, “but there are marginal movie theaters that are going to be going by the wayside as time goes on if they don’t convert to digital.� Baird owns the cinema, but not the building, which is owned by Properties of Chaska, LLC. “Our current plan is to repurpose the furniture fi xtures and equipment then put the building up for sale.

$1

March 2005: Chaska Cinema re-opens, under new Five Star Cinemas ownership, with six screens (up from four) stadium seating, and an oldfashioned movie marquee. It soon renames itself the “Rex� as an homage to the town’s original theater.

Historical Society newspaper project hits benchmark BY MARK W. OLSON editor@chaskaherald.com

Birth, death, and everything in between. The Carver County Historical Society recent ly completed its newspaper indexing project, total-

Jan. 25, 2012: Chaska Rex closes. Source: Herald archives

INSIDE OPINION/4 OBITUARIES/6 CALENDAR/9 VICTORIA/13 SPORTS/15-17 CLASSIFIEDS/28-30 TO REACH US SUBSCRIBE: (952) 345-6682 EDITOR: (952) 345-6574 OR E-MAIL EDITOR@CHASKAHERALD.COM.

ing 310,000 facts. Well “caught up� might be a better term than “completed.� “If you want to fi nd any information about any time in Carver County, it’s available now. Before it wasn’t,� said Wendy PetersenBiorn, historical society executive director. For the past 23 years, the historical society, with help from volunteers, part-time workers and federal grants, has been hard at

Newspaper to page 14 ÂŽ

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