By Renee Stewart

Gathering around with friends and family.

Sharing offered foods.

Celebrating in thanksgiving.

By Leah Shaffer

During Tuesday’s council meeting, the Eden Prairie City Council approved a three-year lease with a Dunn Bros. franchise owner to operate out of the Smith-Douglas-More house.

Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie officially expands its ministry to Edina beginning Sunday, Nov. 16. On that date, the first public Wooddale Church worship services in Edina will be held in the former Colony Park Church building at 5532 Wooddale Ave., according to a news release.

Stroller Strides of Minneapolis is offering indoor classes at Eden Prairie Center, at 9 a.m. Thursdays. Classees started Nov. 6.
The Indoor Classes at Eden Prairie Center offer new moms a great activity for moms to do with their babies during these cold winter months. Moms new to the Stroller Strides program (and their babies!) are invited to attend, as well as those already enrolled in ongoing classes.

"Based on data from the Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc., there were 3,480 pending sales in October, a surprising 6.9 percent increase over October 2007," according to a news release from the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors. The group said closed sales were up 12.0 percent from last year for the same time period comparison.

It’s time to sign up your children for snowmobile classes at the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office Water Patrol. The classes are free and teach children about safety guidelines and state laws concerning snowmobile operation.
The classes will be held at Water Patrol Headquarters at 4141 Shoreline Drive in Spring Park. There are two sessions available: from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays, Nov. 15 or Dec. 6.

In honor of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Nov. 9 to 15, the Edina Realty Foundation is organizing its first cell phone drive to benefit the homeless. Used cell phones and phone adapters can be dropped off at Edina Realty’s Eden Prairie branch, 11800 Singletree Lane, No. 401.

Winter Hazard Awareness Week is sponsored annually by the Department of Public Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM).

An e-mail from the Hopkins School District:

Welcome to Hopkins E-News for Friday, Nov. 7, 2008.

Upcoming Activities, Deadlines, and Events

>From Hot Tamale Power Struggles to Cool Cucumber Parenting, Thursday, Nov. 13
Promoting Emotional Health in Teens, Thursday, Nov. 20
Bake & Take Holiday Cookie Bake, Friday, Nov. 21
Hopkins High School’s Royal Den Preschool accepting applications
Hopkins High School to celebrate 100 years of educational excellence, Dec. 8-9

Inside Hopkins Public Schools

Hopkins Votes engages students in learning about democracy

Now is the time to give your input on Southwest light rail. The scoping period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) ends at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7. You can still send public comments through the following methods:

Mail Southwest Project Manager, 417 North 5th Street, Suite 320, Minneapolis, MN 55401,

Fax comments to 612-348-9710, or e-mail swcorridor@co.hennepin.mn.us.