Students Protest, Principal Out and Restaurant Unexpectedly Closes: Pick of Our Patches

Editor’s Note: Every week we bring you a sampling of stories from Patch sites in the west metro: Eden Prairie, Edina, Fridley, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Lake Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Shakopee, Southwest Minneapolis, St. Louis Park and St. Michael.

(UPDATED) Washburn HS under Code Yellow as Students Protest AD Firing

Students taking part will be suspended, school administration said. The Star Tribune reported that Athletic Director Dan Pratt was or will be fired in connection with the purchase of a new playing-field scoreboard.

• Students Talk Washburn HS Walkout on Twitter
• Dan Pratt Supporters Begin Online Petition

UPDATED: SW Journal Reports Principal Carol Markham-Cousins Out at Washburn HS

Robert McCauley is now substitute principal at Washburn, a Minneapolis school district spokesman told the newspaper. The move came three days after students staged a walkout protest in support of embattled athletic director Dan Pratt.

Updated: Pubhouse 19 in Albertville Closes

Owners: “We would like to thank all who supported us over the years, we met a lot of great people.”

Gerald "Jerry" Paulsen, creator of the iconic Jerry's Foods group of stores and longtime Edina resident, died late last week at the age of 89.

Chelsea Clinton Presents Plymouth College Student Top Prize for Autism Project

Melissa Diamond's project—"A Voice for Autism"—will train mothers of children with autism in Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy techniques and provide a support group for those mothers.

Fire Strikes Fridley Terrace Manufactured Home

Firefighters doused area below home Friday evening but fire rekindled early Saturday, according to scanner reports.

Blindsided: Wayzata Business Owners Scramble to Prepare for Unexpected Road Closure

An unexpected audible called by the Metropolitan Council has downtown Wayzata businesses scrambling to prepare for what could be a nearly three-week shutdown of a key commercial artery.

Governor Takes Another Run at Proposed Prison Fence

On Monday, Gov. Mark Dayton unveiled a $750 million bonding proposal, which includes $5,187,000 for a perimeter fence around the women's prison.

New Boys Head Hockey Coach Named at Maple Grove Senior High School

Maple Grove Senior High alumnus Tom Starkey will assume the role of head coach of the Crimson boys hockey program.

Local Rabbi: One of America's Most Inspiring

Rabbi Harold J. Kravitz of Adath Jeshurun Congregation was given the honor by the Jewish Daily Forward.

Scott Co. School Official Passed Over for Burnsville Superintendent

Wednesday night, the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Board of Education offered the job of superintendent to a finalist from Madison, Wisconsin, though the executive director of two Scott County educational cooperatives was a close second.

Council Members Give OK to Exploring McGarvey Coffee Development

The proposed site plan includes a mixture of commercial space and more than 150 apartment units in several buildings.

Eden Prairie Crime Decreases From 2011 to 2012

There's good news for Eden Prairie residents who worry about crime in their neighborhoods: it's gone down statistically in many categories from last year. 

General Mills Among '38 Things Minnesotans Are Too Nice to Brag About'

The list singled out the Golden Valley-based company’s cereal.

QUIZ: How Well Do You Know Hopkins?

Test your knowledge on the community and compare your score with your friends.

BuzzFeed: Best Buy Among '38 Things Minnesotans Are Too Nice to Brag About'

Richfield-based retailer has been 'giving you an excuse to cut out of Thanksgiving early, since 1983.'