St. Louis Park WWII Vet Dies at 92

Kenneth Raymond Abrahamson served on a battle-damage repair ship from 1942 to 1945.

St. Louis Park WWII Vet Dies at 92

Kenneth Raymond Abrahamson served on a battle-damage repair ship from 1942 to 1945.

Kenneth Raymond Abrahamson, the son of a Swedish immigrants and a World War II vet, died May 8 at the age of 92, according to a Washburn-McCreavy obituary. He was raised on his parents’ farm in Silver Creek Township, Wright County, attended the one-room Enfield school and Monticello High School. After the Pearl Harbor attack, he enlisted in the Navy and served on the battle-damage repair ship USS Oceanus (ARB-2) from 1942 to 1945. After he left the Navy, he attended the University of Minnesota then transferred to the Dunwoody Institute. Following graduation, he joined the Minneapolis contractor Hauenstein & Burmeister. He married Kathryn Stover in 1946, and the couple made their home in St. Louis Park. Abrahamson was preceded in death by …

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'The Voice' Contestant, No-Hitter and Data Center News: Pick of Our Patches

This week's selection includes a new Islamic U of M, a malt shop's anniversary, Lyndale Gardesn final plans, a new church, a city's surplus and I-94 headaches on the way.

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. VIDEO: Meet Mark Andrew, Contestant on NBC's 'The Voice' From Eden Prairie  On Season 4 of the hit show "The Voice," Eden Prairie's Mark Andrew breaks onto the scene. Tom Windle of Maple Grove Throws U of M's First 9-Inning No-Hitter Since 1931 The former Osseo High pitcher told gophersports.com why he chose to stay close to home for college and the support he gets from his hockey-playing twin brother, Sam. Shakopee Considers $400,000 Enticement Package for Data …

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BSM Graduate Part of Historic U of M Women's Hockey Team

Jordyn Burns of Chanhassen helped the Gophers to a second straight title and a 49-game winning streak.

Benilde-St. Margaret's graduate Jordyn Burns of Chanhassen finished her sophomore year in the University of Minnesota women's hockey program in a big way Sunday, as the Gophers won a second straight NCAA title, capping off an unprecedented, undefeated season. The team's 49-game winning streak extended past the 2012–13 record of 41-0, to include eight wins from the end of the 2011–12 season. Here's more on Burns from a January interview: Q: Why did you end up deciding to come back to your home state? A: I went out to Syracuse for a year, and it was an experience. I grew up a lot, but the culture out there was really different, the people (were different). The hockey was a lot different than I’m used to. Coming home, being closer to the …

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St. Louis Park Native Marc Trestman Picked to Lead Chicago Bears

The University of Minnesota grad and former quarterbacks coach for the Vikings had been in the CFL until one of the NFL’s top franchises came calling. Now, the 57-year-old joins a fellow Gopher in Chicago.

St. Louis Park Native Marc Trestman Picked to Lead Chicago Bears

The University of Minnesota grad and former quarterbacks coach for the Vikings had been in the CFL until one of the NFL’s top franchises came calling. Now, the 57-year-old joins a fellow Gopher in Chicago.

After waiting literally years to get his first head coaching shot in the National Football League, St. Louis Park native Marc Trestman will have a chance to lead one of pro football's storied franchises. Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times, himself a one-time Minnesotan, announced at 4 a.m. Wednesday the Chicago Bears had offered the head coaching job to Trestman, who now was most recently the head coach of the Montreal Allouettes in the Canadian Football League.  The franchise won Grey Cups (the equivalent of the Super Bowl in the CFL) in 2009 and 2010. Trestman, a quarterback for the Minnesota Gophers and Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons in his college career, graduated from St. Louis Park High School in 1974. He broke into …

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How Much Will Southwest LRT Really Help Hopkins Students?

With Hopkins High School so far from the planned light rail line, School Board Director Kris Newcomer questioned whether students would actually be able to use LRT to travel to courses offered at the University of Minnesota.

One of the benefits of the proposed Southwest Light Rail Transit line, promoters say, is that west metro high schoolers could use the line to take college classes at the University of Minnesota. School Board Director Kris Newcomer was skeptical, though. Hopkins High School is about four miles from the nearest station. At a joint meeting with the City Council on Tuesday, she wondered how the students are going to get there. The discussion centers on Southwest’s green line extension,which would allow riders to get all the way from Eden Prairie to the University of Minnesota and on to St. Paul. That’s a perfect fit for the state’s Post-Secondary Enrollment Options program, light rail advocates say. That program allows high school juniors and …

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Grace Coughlin Makes a 'Golden' College Choice

BSM guard Grace Coughlin has committed to the University of Minnesota women's basketball team.

Grace Coughlin, a 5-foot-8 sophomore guard from Benilde-St. Margaret’s, has committed to the University of Minnesota women's basketball team. The Edina resident averaged 6.6 points per game as a freshman as she helped lead the Red Knights to a 26-6 mark, finishing third in Class 3A state tournament. Coughlin talked to Patch Thursday evening about her decision and the upcoming season. She said there are plenty of things to like about her future school. "I decided to commit to the Gophers today because I love the coaches and the coaching staff," Coughlin said. "I love the recruits that they have had commit in the last year, like Mikayla Bailey (senior from Osseo), Shayne Mullaney (senior from Eden Prairie), Jackie Johnson (senior from Eden …

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The Fifth District Report

Ellison to Speak at U of M on Humanitarian Issues in Libya

St. Louis Park's congressional representative will speak about issues affecting Libyans as they endure civil war.

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) will join Libyan-American businessman Jamal Tarhuni and president of Medical Teams International Bas Vanderzalm to speak about humanitarian issues in Libya on Oct. 10 at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, according to a university press release. The raging civil war in Libya has left many people there in need of medical help. The special forum will examine immediate and long-term issues, as well as talk about how people can help Libyans. The forum is organized by Medical Teams International and co-sponsored by the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Minnesota International Center and the Minnesota International NGO Network. Those interested in attending can RSVP by Oct. 6 by emailing …

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