Jane Horn's Prior Lake gardens are featured on the "Better Homes and Gardens" Web site, the Internet home of the popular lifestyle magazine. The self-taught gardener offers tips on a range of issues, including plant choice and how to cultivate a luscious landscape.

The "Better Homes and Gardens" feature isn't the first time Horn, a Scott-Carver Master Gardener, has shared her yard space with the public. In July 2009 she hosted a public viewing of her garden, with proceeds going to support the Piper Breast Center at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.

By Meryn Fluker, Staff Writer

A standing-room-only crowd of about 50 people filled the room Monday during a public hearing on the Prior Lake-Savage Area School District’s recently proposed budget cuts for the 2010-11 school year.

Some attendees wielded band instruments while others wore bright, yellow stickers proclaiming “Synergy is important.” Many members of the audience did both.

By Lori Carlson, Editor
A Haitian pastor who worked closely with Prior Lake church missionaries was killed Friday in a confrontation with burglars in his Port-au-Prince home, Holy Cross Lutheran Church Rev. Robert Nowak confirmed on Monday.

Nowak – president of the Haiti Lutheran Mission Society – had worked with the Rev. Doris Jean Louis during mission trips to Haiti, including the January trip in which the Holy Cross missionaries got caught amidst that country’s Jan. 12 earthquake.

Prior Lake City Council members will meet today at 4:30 p.m. for a workshop on fund balance reserves.

Finance Director Jerilyn Erickson will ask city leaders to consider adopting policies for minimum fund balances and classifications of different fund types.

Members of the community will have a chance to voice their concerns tonight at the Prior Lake-Savage Area School Board meeting, where the board will host a public hearing regarding the district's proposed budget cuts for the 2010-11 school year.

At the board's February 22 meeting, Director of Business Affairs Margo Nash unveiled a list of planned budget cuts totaling $3.7 million. These reductions include cutting 22.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) teaching positions and eliminating the Synergy program for gifted and talented students at Prior Lake High School.

By Meryn Fluker, Staff Writer

On March 4, less than two months after applying for the program, Minnesota was left off the U.S. Department of Education’s list of finalists for Race to the Top, a $4.35 billion effort to re-shape America’s educational system.

To receive the funds if their states were selected, local school districts were asked to submit a memorandum of agreement to their state departments of education. The Prior Lake-Savage Area School District was among the Minnesota districts to sign on for Race to the Top.

The Scott County Historical Society invites post-secondary students to apply for two summer internship positions at the Stans Museum in Shakopee.

The unpaid positions run for approximately 12 weeks with flexible hours.

Send resume, letter of interest and two references by April 15, 2010 to: Scott County Historical Society, executive director, 235 Fuller St. S., Shakopee, MN 55379, or e-mail to info@scottcountyhistory.org.

By Kristin Holtz, Correspondent
When Jim Wiebusch began planning for his first Man Cave party, he admits some of his best buddies weren’t so sure about it.

One of them texted him: “Is this like a Tupperware party, for men?”
“No, it’s like a Mary Kay party,” Wiebusch replied.

Call it what you will, but Man Cave Worldwide is a growing business of men selling to men. Similar to other direct-selling companies, like Tastefully Simple or Pampered Chef, Man Cave sells products related to beer, grilling and other manly pursuits.

The Prior Lake Fire Department responded to the following fire and medical calls from Feb. 28 to March 6:

Sunday, Feb. 28

Firefighters responded to:

The Prior Lake Police Department responded to the following incidents between March 3 and 10. This is not a comprehensive list of all incidents to which the department responded.

Accidents