Star Tribune
Eagan grants permit for church’s move to former Kowalski’s space
River Valley Church has received the necessary permit to occupy a former Kowalski’s grocery store in Eagan, despite objection from neighbors related to parking, traffic and other issues.
The area is zoned for “neighborhood business” but the conditional use permit allows the church to use the building. A renovation of the space is planned.
River Valley has 11 Twin Cities locations, with churches in Minnetonka, Apple Valley and Chaska; and another Eagan location at 875 Gentian Road that will be replaced by the new site. A Maple Grove location will open this summer.
“We are super thrilled to continue our mission of serving the Eagan community from the new location,” said Kirk Graham, an executive pastor at River Valley Church.” We definitely remain committed to contributing positively to the city of Eagan.”
Kowalski’s closed in February “after seeing disappointing sales” due to several other grocery stores moving into the area, according to a letter to Eagan officials from Hempel Real Estate. Hempel owns the 39,000-square-foot property and it will remain privately owned “for the foreseeable future”, the letter said. The church, part of the Assemblies of God denomination, will accommodate 400 people, with services on Sundays and weekday Bible study classes.
The Starbucks that once operated inside the store will become a cafe open to the public, operated by a restauranteur. Another restauranteur will run the commissary kitchen on-site, preparing mostly school meals. The site provides 151 parking spots, meeting the requirement of 141 spaces for the church and cafe.
About 35 residents wrote emails against the church moving in; more than 140 people, more than half from Eagan, signed a petition voicing concerns. Some said they wished a new grocery store would replace Kowalski’s, while others said they wanted the new tenant to be a retail business that pays property taxes, rather than a church.
Others said the intersection at Diffley Road and Johnny Cake Ridge Road is already too busy.
“The continual flow and enormity of the increased traffic River Valley Church would bring will increase congestion, accidents, injuries and deaths,” wrote Kathleen Just-Bannigan and Brendan Bannigan in an email to the city.
Some took issue with the church’s teachings and stance on social issues.
“The space is very walkable and a mega church is not a welcoming space for most,” wrote Ryan McNamara in an email.
In response, Graham said the church teaches a “traditional Biblical theology”, adding that “anybody is welcome and will be loved.”
The only debate between DFL U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and GOP challenger Royce White started Sunday on the street outside WCCO Radio.
As White approached the building, he loudly called some two dozen flag-waving and cheering Klobuchar supporters a “whole lot of commies.” The 33-year-old provocateur and podcaster also told them to thank Republican former Vice President Dick Cheney — who endorsed Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris — because there was “no chance in hell” that Harris would defeat Republican former President Donald Trump on Nov. 5.
Klobuchar, 64, had arrived moments earlier, smiling and wishing “good morning” to her supporters. Once inside, the two took questions for an hour from moderator Blois Olson. Their tone was generally polite with White often interrupting a Klobuchar response with, “rebuttal,” indicated he wanted to respond.
The senator repeatedly raised White’s claims on X, formerly Twitter, that “The bad guys won in World War II” and that there were “no good guys in that war.” She called that stance offensive to veterans.
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar arrives at WCCO Radio for a debate with Royce White in Minneapolis on Sunday, Oct. 27. (Richard Tsong-Taatarii)
Klobuchar, who is seeking a fourth six-year term, portrayed herself as a pragmatist. She opened by saying that we live in “incredibly divisive times politically” but that she has listened and worked with Republicans to bring down shipping costs, drug prices for seniors and to help veterans and push for more housing and child care.
“Courage in this next few years is not going to be standing by yourself yelling at people,” she said, her opening allusion to White’s rhetoric, which she said is often vulgar.
White, a former NBA player, is a political novice, but a close ally of Steve Bannon, the jailed former chief strategist for Trump and right wing media executive. Last summer, White won the state GOP endorsement to run against Klobuchar.
“Our country’s coming undone at the seams. I think we can change that,” White said in his opening statement. He said he threatens the status quo, decried the “permanent political class” and referred to the two major parties as the “uniparty.”
Other buildings destroyed at Khojir and Parchin likely included buildings where Iran used industrial mixers to create the solid fuel needed for its extensive ballistic missile arsenal, Eveleth said.
In a statement issued immediately after the attack Saturday, the Israeli military said it targeted ”missile manufacturing facilities used to produce the missiles that Iran fired at the state of Israel over the last year.”
Destroying such sites could greatly disrupt Iran’s ability to manufacture new ballistic missiles to replenish its arsenal after the two attacks on Israel. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which oversees the country’s ballistic missile program, has been silent since Saturday’s attack.
Iran’s overall ballistic missile arsenal, which includes shorter-range missiles unable to reach Israel, was estimated to be ”over 3,000” by Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, then-commander of the U.S. military’s Central Command, in testimony to the U.S. Senate in 2022. In the time since, Iran has fired hundreds of the missiles in a series of attacks.
There have been no videos or photos posted to social media of missile parts or damage in civilian neighborhoods following the recent attack — suggesting that the Israeli strikes were far more accurate that Iran’s ballistic missile barrages targeting Israel in April and October. Israel relied on aircraft-fired missiles during its attack.
However, one factory appeared to have been hit in Shamsabad Industrial City, just south of Tehran near Imam Khomeini International Airport, the country’s main gateway to the outside world. Online videos of the damaged building corresponded to an address for a firm known as TIECO, which advertises itself as building advanced machinery used in Iran’s oil and gas industry.
Some take him up on it and fret when he’s not around.
“It is nice to be missed and be part of the school’s culture,” Arzola said. But mostly, he added, he wants kids to know that police aren’t around just for when the bad stuff happens. He’ll hand out his stickers and bracelets, even a trading card bearing his image. Then, they’ll talk about dogs and family.
School resource officer Al Arzola talks to students in his office at John Adams Middle School in Rochester on Oct. 11. (Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Two months ago, Rochester played host to a three-day training session for new SROs from across the state — an event organized by the Minnesota School Safety Center. On the final day, the 26 officers learned about surveillance challenges at the other school where Arzola works: Dakota Middle School.
It is a beautiful building with a scenic view. There is a lot of glass, too. Arzola, handling the role of instructor and tour guide, took the group outside and noted how one could look straight through the entrance to the large groups that gather inside. There were no curbs in front, either.
“There is nothing stopping any vehicle whatsoever from going through my front doors,” Arzola told the officers. “Law enforcement wasn’t talked to before this building was made. It was kind of like, ‘Here it is. You’re the SRO. Do what you do.’”
He showed them his office, too, which is separate from the main office and near those of other school support staff members. That makes sense, said Jenny Larrive, SRO coordinator for the Minnesota School Safety Center, given than SROs spend more time connecting with youth than on actual law enforcement.
