Silver lining in the pool
Spirit in a glass
Lakers second at Up North Invitational
Hot drinks for cold nights
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PRIOR LAKE
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2011
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AMERICAN Women’s prison fence issue returns New state plan has college-campus look BY SHANNON FIECKE sfiecke@swpub.com
A fence with barbed wire encircles the water tower across from the state women’s prison in Shakopee. A plain chain-link fence lines the Catholic cemetery. But five years after local opposition to a prison fence made for national comedy on “The Daily Show,” the Minnesota Correctional
Facility in Shakopee continues to be protected by a hedge. “The water tower is more secure than the prison,” said John Schadl, a spokesman for the Minnesota Department of Corrections. The prison’s 2006 request for a fence failed to receive funding after drawing opposition from neighborhood residents and some Shakopee City Council members. Without community support, later bonding proposals gained little traction at the Legislature.
Prison to page 3 ®
Dakota Liquors to shut its doors after 30 years Owner cites effects of intense competition BY LORI CARLSON editor@plamerican.com
A longtime member of the local business community will close its doors at the end of January. After 30 years in the liquor industry, Kevin Bresnahan said he will liquidate his stock and close Dakota Liquors due to fierce competition from “big box” liquor retailers. He anticipates that the store’s last day will be Jan. 31, but it may close sooner if the merchandise is cleared more quickly. The most immediate competition came in 2009, when the franchise MGM Wine and Spirits opened just 340 feet from Bresnahan’s store at the southwest corner of Highway 13 and County Road 42. Bresnahan appealed a Prior Lake City Council decision to allow MGM to open, saying the city should have an ordinance limiting how close liquor stores can be to one another. The state Court of Appeals affi rmed the City Council’s approval of a liquor license for MGM. This week, as he prepared for his
going-out-of-business sale, Bresnahan urged customers to buy from local shops. “Please support your small local businesses,” he said. “If you don’t, there aren’t going to be any left.” Once Dakota Liquors closes, Prior Lake will have just two locally owned liquor stores – Village Liquor near South Lake Village Mall, and Viking Liquor at Highway 13 and County Road 21. Bresnahan said he contributed to community groups over the years through fi nancial and in-kind donations. “I have been lucky and had the opportunity to build long-lasting business and personal relationships with many customers and suppliers,” he said. “I really enjoyed the daily interaction with the wonderful people who reside in our community.” In addition to 30 years of operating Dakota Liquors, Bresnahan owned a liquor store of the same name in Burnsville from 1977 until he sold that shop in 2004. The Prior Lake building has been sold to a local orthodontist.
PHOTO BY MERYN FLUKER/ REPRINTS AT PHOTOS.PLAMERICAN.COM
Sheila Mattson talks about the photo montage she created to commemorate her grandfather’s service in World War II.
Local artist donates work to VFW BY MERYN FLUKER mfluker@swpub.com
E
ight World War II veterans gathered at VFW Post 6208 on Dec. 22, but they had more than drinks and conversation on their minds. The men – all from Prior Lake, with the exception of one hailing from Lonsdale – sat around one of the establishment’s tables while local artist Sheila Mattson presented them with an original creation, “Tribute to
If you are a World War II veteran or have photos of one, e-mail Sheila Mattson at customphotomojo@gmail.com to have your images included in her re-creation of “Tribute to Grandpa – Memorial Flag.” Grandpa – Memorial Flag.” “It’s a montage of different images from Hawaii,” is how Mattson described the piece, which features
original depictions of the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial as well as an American flag, both of which can be seen at Pearl Harbor, on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. P rior L a ke resident M at t son worke d wit h Club M a n ager Ed Speiker to coordinate the afternoon gathering. Mattson donated “Tribute to Grandpa – Memorial Flag” to the VFW, but Speiker said he hasn’t yet decided where he’ll hang the art.
Mattson to page 3 ®
UPDATE
Boy home after weeks in hospital BY ALEX HALL ahall@swpub.com
SUBMITTED PHOTO
As Kevin Bresnahan prepares for his going-out-of-business sale, he says he hopes people will more regularly support local businesses.
Seth Ratliff, the 14-year-old Prior Lake boy who was struck while crossing Highway 13 on his bike last month, left Hennepin County Medical Center late last week after spending more than three weeks in the hospital. Ratliff continues to undergo outpatient physical and occupational therapy, and his father Todd Voth said he expects Ratliff to possibly return to school sometime in the second week back from winter break. Voth said Ratli f f wi l l be slowly worked back into a regular schedule at school.
Ratliff, a freshman at Prior Lake High School, was airlifted to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis on Nov. 28 after he was struck by an SUV traveling south on Highway 13 while riding his bike to school. Ratliff was crossing Highway 13 near Oakland Beach Avenue just before 8 a.m. when he was hit. The driver of the SUV, 76-year-old Prior Lake woman Janice Miller, suffered no apparent injuries, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. The boy was wearing a bike helmet, according to paramedics. According to the Minnesota State Patrol accident report, several witnesses said that there was nothing Miller could have done to avoid the collision.
INSIDE OPINION/4 OBITUARIES/8 SPORTS/9-10 AMERICAN SLICE/13 CALENDAR/17 CLASSIFIEDS/19-21 TO REACH US SUBSCRIBE: (952) 345-6682 EDITOR: (952) 345-6378 OR EDITOR@PLAMERICAN.COM
Seth Ratliff
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