Who's running in local elections this year?

Your local newspaper is watching and will be reporting on several races in the upcoming elections to governmental positions representing the city of Jordan or Helena, Sand Creek, St. Lawrence, or Spring Lake townships.

- Scott County County Commissioner District 2 (no incumbent): Anthony D. Albright, Spring Lake Township; Chris Olson, Spring Lake Township; Tom Wolf, Savage

- Minnesota House of Representatives District 35B: Mark Buesgens (incumbent), R-Jordan; Taylor Kristoffe-Jones, Savage; Tom Rees, Elko New Market

Ruth Anne Maddox of the Shakopee Valley News reports:

The long-awaited arrival of the bronze sculpture to be placed at Shakopee High School is near and the public is asked to “Save the date” for the unveiling and dedication at 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23.

The life-size sculpture of city founders Samuel W. Pond, educator and missionary, and Chief Shakopee, leader of the Mdewakanton Tribe of the Dakota Sioux, meeting at the Mill Pond in Shakopee, will be placed just inside the entry at the high school.

Ten years ago, after an estimated $500,000 of public losses occurred due to Sand Creek and other rivers flooding, residents of Scott County asked the president for a federal disaster declaration.

For more information, read the Looking Back column in the July 17 issue of the Jordan Independent. Read it online in the Print Edition section, or subscribe by going to www.jordannews.com/subscribe.

An error was published in the City Politics, County Politics, Helena Township, National Politics, Next Door, Sand Creek Township, Spring Lake Township, St. Lawrence Township, and State Politics sections of the Jordan Independent Web site. Those who filed in Scott County Commissioner District 2 are running as nonpartisan candidates and are not listed as affiliated with a political party.

The Independent takes pride in providing accurate reports of the news.

Today, seven candidates filed for elections to governmental positions representing the city of Jordan or Helena, Sand Creek, St. Lawrence, or Spring Lake townships, according the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Web site.

During his fifth re-election bid to represent Minnesota House of Representatives District 35B at the Minnesota Legislature, state Rep. Mark Buesgens will face Tom Rees and Taylor Kristoffe-Jones.

Buesgens, a Sand Creek Township resident who was first elected in 1998, has won the previous five elections, building a stronghold in the past four re-elections. The recent filings make for a rematch of the 2006 election, when Buesgens fought off Rees in the primary and beat Kristoffe-Jones in the general election.

Tom Rees, a Republican from Lakeville who last year lost the primary election to state Rep. Mark Buesgens, filed for office today in Minnesota House of Representatives District 35B. Taylor Kristoffe-Jones, DFL-Savage, will run again for the House District 35B seat held by Buesgens, R-Jordan. Kristoffe-Jones, who filed for the election on July 1, lost to Buesgens in the general election two years ago. Buesgens has not yet filed for re-election, according to the Minnesota secretary of state’s Web site.

As expected, Steve Sarvi, a Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party-endorsed candidate from Victoria, filed for office in Minnesota's Second Congressional District, which includes Jordan. Sarvi filed today, according to the Minnesota secretary of state's Web site. He will run against U.S. Rep. John Kline, who filed on July 2 for re-election. Kline is a Republican who was elected in 2002 and is serving his third term in Congress.

Yesterday, Chris Olson of Spring Lake Township filed in the race for a Scott County Board seat that will be left vacant by Commissioner Bob Vogel.

Vogel announced his intention not to run for re-election. He is the chairman of the board. Tom Wolf of Savage filed on July 1 for election in Commissioner District 2, which includes Spring Lake Township. Wolf lost to Vogel in the last election for that seat. To see the story about Vogel, go to www.jordannews.com/news/county-politics/vogel-not-seek-re-election-8079.

Here's what's been going on in and around New Prague lately, according to the New Prague Times:

- Mayor W.A. "Wink" Bender of New Prague followed his own neighborly
advice. After advocating that city residents help out their neighbors
in need, Bender mowed the lawn of the vacant home next door to his own
home. Bender's photo on a riding lawnmower was printed on page 7B of
the June 19 issue of the Times.

- Joe Shuster of New Prague wrote the book "Beond Fossil Fools: The Roadmap to Energy Independence by 2040."