The 22nd annual Shakopee Area Musicians Thanksgiving concert is 7 p.m. Sunday at St. Mark’s Church in Shakopee.

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and St. Michael’s Catholic Aid Council in Prior Lake are sponsoring turkey bingo Sunday.

By Shawn Hogendorf, Correspondent

PRIOR LAKE - Police are investigating a report of ongoing “sexting” communications between a 31-year-old Maple Lake, Minn. man and a 12-year-old Prior Lake girl.

As a result of an Apple Valley Police Department investigation into a separate harassment complaint, Prior Lake police received information that the man was sending and receiving text messages with the girl, Detective Chris Olson said.

The Catholic Spirit has a great story about the seven seniors from Shakopee's championship volleyball team who have played together since their Catholic grade-school days. Before the state tournament, the girls
returned to SACS for Mass and a special blessing from the Rev. Peter Wittman.

Shannon Fiecke 

Drop off new toys at Shakopee High School for the annual Toys For Tots drive.

The Shakopee High School Student Council will be collecting toys beginning Monday. The last collection day is Friday, Dec. 11.

Toys can be dropped off at the high school's greeter’s desk during school hours. Toys for children age 10 and older are requested.

Community members are invited to submit naming suggestions for the Shakopee School District's new elementary school. The deadline to submit suggestions is Monday, Nov. 30.

Canterbury Park in Shakopee received approval from the Minnesota Racing Commission on Thursday to conduct a 62-day thoroughbred and quarter-horse race meet in 2010.

The meet, which will mirror the 2009 season, will begin Friday, May 14 and run through Sunday, Aug. 29 with Thursday and Friday post times of 7 p.m. and weekend and holiday post times of 1:30 p.m.

A traveling businessman lured the Mendez family to Minnesota to start a Mexican fast-food eatery. They found success in Shakopee and developed a cult-like following for their authentic burritos and tacos. Their unique drive-up store is closing at the end of the month after more than six years of business. The family will carry on at a new indoor space across town. Learn more about the family's history in today's Shakopee Valley News. Share your memories below. 

 Shannon Fiecke

By Kristin Holtz, Staff Writer

Lynda Otten laughs when she recalls her high school career counselor’s advice after announcing her career goal to show dogs.

“You’ll never make a living,” the counselor told her.

Fifty years after first stepping into the show ring, Otten, 60, continues to parade her beloved dogs at shows around the United States.

Are you interested in reading the public notices published in the November 19, 2009 print edition of the Shakopee Valley News newspaper? The page or pages on which those notices were printed are attached to this item, in the form of .pdf's that can be opened with Adobe Acroabt.

Shakopee police arrested an 18-year-old Prior Lake man early this morning for the armed robbery of Burger King late Tuesday night.

The man is also suspected of attempting to rob Payless Gas Station on Monday evening. 

The suspect was booked into Scott County Jail at 4:21 a.m. on suspicion of aggravated robbery. Formal charges are pending with the Scott County Attorney's Office.

No more information was immediately available from police. Check shakopeenews.com later for further updates.

Minnesota Wild hockey has gotten ugly lately.

No, it's not the team's 7-12-2 record. No, Derek Boogaard isn't making any nastier hits than normal.

It's the mustaches.

A number of Minnesota Wild players are growing mustaches during the month of November in honor of "Movember."

According to the Minnesota Wild Web site, Movember is "changing the face of men's health" by raising funds and awareness for prostate cancer research.

News this week that a federal advisory panel, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF), recommended reversing long-standing and widely promoted guidelines for when to screen for breast cancer has brought a wide range of responses.

Koda Energy, a partnership between the Rahr Malting Co. of Shakopee and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Dakota Community, was recently recognized for its corporate leadership on conservation issues in the Minnesota River Valley.

Because of Thanksgiving, next week's Valley News print edition will arrive in mailboxes and be available on newsstands on Wednesday.

Because of that, our deadlines for next week have changed. Submitted news items must reach us by 5 p.m. Friday.

Letters to the editor must arrive by noon Friday.

As Minnesotans know, winter offers a unique way to play, and the 2009-10 edition of the Minnesota State Parks Programs & Special Events catalog is now available to help families plan their winter outings.

The catalog lists more than 130 things to do now through the end of March, including candlelight ski and snowshoe events, Take-A-Kid Ice Fishing clinics, maple syruping demonstrations, and much more.

The following obituaries are from the Nov. 19, 2009 print edition of the Shakopee Valley News newspaper:

The Governor’s Residence, which has been decorated for the holidays, will again open to the public for holiday tours on three Tuesdays in December: Dec. 1, 8 and 15, from 1-3 p.m.

By Shawn Hogendorf, Correspondent

SAVAGE -- Students at Prior Lake High School were placed in “shelter in place” after a student experienced a medical emergency at about 10:30 a.m. today.

By Shawn Hogendorf, Correspondent 

A 41-year-old Prior Lake man who is the owner of a pharmaceutical company that collects and disposes outdated, recalled or excess prescription drugs was sentenced Tuesday in federal court for selling Xanax and OxyContin.

Mark Andrew Goetz was sentenced to serve four years in prison on one count of distribution of controlled substances by U.S. District Court Judge James Rosenbaum. Goetz was indicted on May 20 and pleaded guilty on July 28.