The Mound Westonka Blog - around Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota: Recent Comments

Comment on Thank you for not running into me...

DG — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:32:44 GMT

I'd say it doesn't occur more often than not. In one of my recent entries about traffic and cross-walks, I was writing because someone didn't make the slightest effort to slow down when my son and I were using the cross-walk where the Dakota Trail crosses Shoreline. I thought when people were in a cross-walk, traffic is supposed to stop.

Every once in awhile, I'll see someone driving in a way that I consider wreckless. But we all have our own opinions about how to use public roads.

I'll just agree with you, I am partially at fault. Mound's streets belong to the people wanting to get somewhere in a hurry, and there isn't anything I can do about it. I'm sorry.

Comment on Dakota Rail Regional Trail

Ron Keagle — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:34:36 GMT

I absolutely think the best policy is to never trust a car when you are a pedestrian. The worst policy is to rely on the crosswalk law, because it is full of ambiguity and widely misunderstood. The crosswalk law is not intended as a means to stop traffic so you can cross a busy street as is commonly believed. Traffic must yield to a pedestrian once they enter a crosswalk, but they must not enter a crosswalk if traffic closely approaching. Yet the law is promoted in such a way as to lead pedestrians to believe that they have the right of way over cars unconditionally. Yet the basic truth is that they have the right of way over cars only if no cars are there. So what is the point of the crosswalk law other than to falsely embolden pedestrians to risk their lives stepping into traffic because they think they have the right of way?

Drivers are not suppose to stop for pedestrians who appear to be waiting to cross, but are not yet in the crosswalk, yet you see them doing this all the time. They believe it is an act of courtesy to pedestrians, but it is a violation of the law, and potentially places the pedestrian in the highest possible danger. This is because it is very distracting for a pedestrian to accept this personal offer of courtesy from a driver. It is indeed a kind gesture, and people are quick to respond to such kindness with an expression of gratitude, which amounts to accepting the offer of right of way from the driver and heading right into the crosswalk.

Yet in the distraction of this personal exchange, a pedestrian is liable to accept the right of way from the courteous driver and forget to look for other cars. So the pedestrian thanks the courteous driver and then steps right out in front of a second driver who correctly does not intend to stop because no pedestrian is in the crosswalk. So all of you drivers who think you are being kind to pedestrians by stopping because you believe they want to cross had better realize that you are doing the worst possible thing for them.

Comment on Thank you for not running into me...

BB — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:15:57 GMT

If this problem occurs more often than not when you're driving you may want to look in the mirror and place at least part of the blame on the person staring back at you.

Comment on Westonka Horticulture Day

Barbara Blaha — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:09:57 GMT

I have just discovered your blog -interesting, however, if you could update the information for the Westonka Horticulture Day, that would be great.

Our website is www.westonkahort.org. We are now an independent nonprofit educational organization striving to bring knowledge of sustainable gardening and landscaping to our community.

The next Westonka Horticulture Day will be held on April 5, 2008 at the Mound Westonka High School. This is one event you don't want to miss. Keynote speaker Jeff Gillman will dispel all those gardening myths and give you the answers you need to solve your garden problems. Over 16 workshops with topics such as lakeshore restoration, planting with annuals, beekeeping, septic mound plantings, native plants, and many more topics. We gather the best speakers available to bring a quality educational program.

Check us out, it is worth a look see at our website. You may even want to join one of our upcoming Garden Gab sessions. Great way to learn from others and share your experiences.

No need to be a professional gardener. The Westonka Horticultural Society and the Westonka Horticulture Day are both for learning and sharing for all gardeners~ from the novice to the professional and every one in between.

Thoughts in gardening!

Comment on Police Squad Car Auction

gml4 — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 00:31:29 GMT

Ugly news in the Star Tribune today about the schools.

Westonka district faces a new financial deficit
http://www.startribune.com/local/west/12190611.html
"Less than a month after Westonka School District voters approved an $877,000-a-year, 10-year operating levy, an annual audit has revealed that the small west-metro district has a $1.1 million deficit"

Westonka school board seat opens
http://www.startribune.com/local/west/12190436.html

"Westonka school board Vice Chairman Chuck Walerius will resign after the board's Monday meeting. He told Superintendent Kevin Borg of his plans in a letter Borg received on Tuesday... Walerius is moving out of the district ... His term ends in January 2010."

Comment on Emerald Lake

gml4 — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 17:32:23 GMT

Interesting issues for lakeshore owners in the city of Minnetonka...

http://www.startribune.com/west/story/1579821.html

Comment on Mound Greenway

gml4 — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 18:30:11 GMT

I haven't been buy there for a couple weeks, but aren't they starting the office building next to the depot now?

Comment on Levy For Learning

Shirley Spraguer — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 18:29:45 GMT

The levy passed, and it was the height of irony to receive in the mail a joint marketing effort from the school and Domino's Pizza. Don't they know I can't afford to get pizza now that the levy passed? My money is being contributed to the $877,000 (base line, mind you, before inflation increases) and it isn't in my budget to contribute to the school in yet another form via pizza.

Comment on Westonka Levy Approved

gml4 — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:48:47 GMT

If people made an issue of that, then it strikes me as even more appropriate to ask the question here.

If his children don't go to the school he runs, then what's at stake for him?! What will be running through his mind as the board makes decisions? Is he going to think about my daughters?

Comment on Westonka Levy Approved

DG — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:36:47 GMT

There are other people whose children do not attend public. Wikipedia has Chelsea Clinton attending a private school during her High School years. I am only using her as an example of similar politicians children, and trying not to make her mother the issue.