Public Access, Muslim Brotherhood and a Drunk Teen: Feedback Friday

Each week, Patch users contribute numerous insights, opinions and observations. The following is a collection of the most thoughtful, moving, controversial or just plain funny comments that appeared on Patch sites in Edina, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Minnetonka, Richfield, Shakopee, Plymouth, St. Louis Park and St. Michael. Click on the headline to read the full story and join in the conversation.

(The comments below are not meant to reflect the opinions of Patch or its staff.)

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A handful of citizens showed up at Monday's City Council meeting in Minnetonka to try to persuade the council to stop the closing of the public access studio in Eden Prairie. Likewise, the reason for the studio's closure would be that only a handful of residents use it. A new agreement with Comcast was before the city and will return Aug. 6 for the council's final consideration. The same process is happening in Edina, Hopkins, Richfield and Eden Prairie.

Karen J Anderson wasn't happy to hear the news:

There MUST be a provision for a public access studio, if not the present one, then a good alternative. It makes no sense for each city to run it's own. I've used the studio and watch the programming. Posting on You Tube is like sending it off to Never Land.

More redevelopment projects will soon be underway in Richfield. The Richfield Housing and Redevelopment approved the sale of approved the sale of 301 77th St. W., commonly referred to as the Candlewood Suites hotel out-lot, to Monday night. and rebuild its facility to make room for 's expansion.

While HRA commissioners were excited the businesses were able to work together and stay in Richfield, a representative said the company was concerned about parking, noise and whether hotel guests would be met with visions of wrecked vehicles. The out-lot is adjacent to the hotel and there would be a shared parking structure.

Joe Hoover thought Candlewood should've taken a more proactive roll in the process, but was also excited to see two businesses stay in town:

Hopefully LaMettry and Candlewood Suites can work it out. However, if Candlewood was truly concerned then they should have taken a more active role in getting a business that they felt fit better for them in the spot.

It is good to see a local business like LaMettry's choose to stay in Richfield and Richfield Bloomington Honda choosing to expand their business here. Richfield is a great place to do business.

Congressman Keith Ellison urged Congresswoman Michele Bachman to reveal the sources that she claimed proved the Obama Administration had been infiltrated by the Muslim Brotherhood. Bachman backed off this claim later, but the comments still bothered Carolyn Kaehr who said:

This is the first year (since I've been eligible to vote) that I probably won't cast any votes; people I've voted for in the past have "changed their ways" after elected, & I've concluded that I can't trust any of them. I request anybody's suggestions on how to regain the trust that I once had.

A 15-year-old boy was arrested for underage consumption and a curfew violation after officers found him lying in the grass outside of  in Edina.

David F wondered if the recent arrest was part of a larger trend:

It is unfortunate that there appears to be this boredom problem and teens resort to underage drinking. Not sure what the parents are doing to keep their kids from getting alcohol and making sure they don't violate curfew. I view this as a parental issue not a boredom or police issue.

M Wison agreed, wondering if teenagers in Edina couldn't find better things to do with their free time:

Funny, there is not enough to do in town........... A teen can take a bus or lightrail to many healthy activities in many different cities. There is far more to do then there ever was in the 50's, 60's and 70's. The big difference is we spent our time outside not in front of a TV, computer, or playing video games. We were not tethered to our parents and micro-managed. Also, teens do not always get alcohol from their parents home. Teens manage quite well to get alcohol and drugs on their own.

On June 26, to let Hopkins use the county dispatch center, allowing the closure of the city’s own dispatch center Aug. 26. After police Sgt. Michael Glassberg detailed some of the changes residents could expect, Mark Purdy said he had faith the city would get the transition right:

I have faith it will be smooth transition. Hopkins 911 Dispatch has done a Great job and I have no doubt Hennepin County will also do a very professional job.

Both Police and Fire Chiefs in Hopkins are doing a Very good job and I am sure will make sure we get the continued coverage.

For the first time, moms with high-risk pregnancies who live in Shakopee can receive care close to home. Marie Drees is happy about it and wishes the services would have been available long ago.

This is wonderful, I wish they would have had this for me at one point in my life. I know people who go to other clinics for problems because they don't have this here. Welcome Dr. Leslie Pratt!

To address the troublesome Beltline Boulevard bike crossing, St. Louis Park City Council on Monday voted to curve and veer the crossing toward the north, which will force bikers to naturally slow down as they approach Beltline. In addition, the Beltline median will be widened, allowing bikers to more easily stop and wait for traffic to pass before they finish crossing the road. 

Emily B said this fix won't help at all:

We need a traffic light, like on parts of the trail in Minneapolis. This curve is the worst solution. Slowing down bikers is NOT going to fix this. And a wider median? Who are they kidding? Cars will just stop, even though they shouldn't, when they see a bike in the middle.