West metro news briefs: Eastern Carver County school board identifies site for elementary school

The Eastern Carver County school board has identified a property in the city of Carver, known as the Ironwood Site, as the preferred location for a proposed new elementary school.

The elementary school will be part of a larger referendum presented to District 112 voters Nov. 3.

The development plan would combine the proposed new elementary school site with a city park on 30 acres north of Ironwood Drive and west of Jonathan Carver Parkway. The city will spend the next several months creating a detailed development plan should the referendum be approved.

Wayzata is seeking proposals for the top project of its lakefront improvement plan.

Until July 10, the city is accepting requests for proposals from design teams with schematic designs for the "signature project," which the city says will be a "unifying destination project" on the waterfront. The city will announce which team will be selected on Sept. 2, followed by City Council approval Sept. 15 and construction. For more information, go to wayzatalakeeffect.com.

The St. Paul nonprofit Maritime Heritage Minnesota, which is investigating and identifying dozens of wrecks on Lake Minnetonka, is continuing to raise money to fund the work this summer.

So far, the archaeologists behind it, Chris Olson and Ann Merriman, have raised about $5,000 of the $10,000 they are trying to raise to back the work of investigating three wrecks and 22 so-called anomalies that could either be human-made or something as insignificant as a large tree that sonar picks up underwater.

This is the third year the couple, the only underwater archaeologists in Minnesota, have worked on Lake Minnetonka, but for the first time, they were rejected for limited state Legacy funds.

For the fourth year, the Minnetonka Power Squadron brought kids to Big Island as part of a partnership with Hope Kids.

The event, which took place June 19, brought about 140 children who face life-threatening medical conditions to Lake Minnetonka with their family members to boat, fish and spend time on the island. The event, supported by the American Legion in Wayzata, was put on by the Minnetonka Power Squadron, which advocates for safe boating and owns about nine acres of Big Island. The organization got more than $2,500 donations from local marinas on Lake Minnetonka to support the event.

For more information on the Minnetonka Power Squadron, go to minnetonkaps.org.

Join the fun and be ready for a plunge into Lake Minnetonka at Family Log Rolling from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 8, at Lake Minnetonka Regional Park.

Rooted in the history of the logging era in the Midwest, log rolling is both safe and fun. Improve balance, agility, concentration and core strength. Check out this exciting sport that is on a roll. Dress to get wet.

Cost for the event sponsored by Three Rivers Park District is $15; reservations are required. Call 763-559-6700 to make a reservation; reference activity number #326201-00. There is a 20 percent discount for groups of four or more. This program is for ages 5 and older, and children 17 years and younger must be accompanied by a registered adult.

The annual cleanup on Minnehaha Creek will take place July 26.

The ninth-annual event aims to collect 3 tons of trash from the creek and area lakes. Volunteers will get a free breakfast, T-shirt, water bottle, trash bags and gloves, followed by a free barbecue lunch at Lake Hiawatha Park and, for those 21 or older with a valid ID, a free Leinenkugel's beer.

The event is sponsored by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company's "Canoes for a Cause" campaign, Metro Blooms, the Freshwater Society and Target.

For a full list of the cleanup locations, details and to RSVP to attend the event, go to minnehahacreek.org/cleanup.

Deer Run Golf Club will be the site of the second-annual David K Open Red, White & Blue/Purple Golf Tournament July 3.

The event will raise funds for Upstream Arts, an organization that helps kids and adults with disabilities communicate through theater and the arts. The Minnesota Vikings are the main sponsors, offering autographed NFL balls by quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and No. 1 draft pick Trae Waynes. An evening auction will feature an NFL jersey autographed by Adrian Peterson.

The event starts at 11 a.m. The price to golf is $125 and includes a round of 18 at Deer Run, golf cart, boxed lunch, happy hour, grill-out dinner, silent and live auction, and after party headlined by Dr. Fink. The cost for nongolfers is $55 and includes the dinner and after party.

For more information, call David K at 612-998-5253 or e-mail Dave@LakeGuy.com.

STAFF REPORTS