The following obituaries are from the Nov. 20, 2008 print edition of the Jordan Independent newspaper:

Bob Mertz, 87, of Shakopee, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008 at St. Francis Regional Medical Center.

Visitation will be held Friday, Nov. 21, from 4-8 p.m. at Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, 833 South Marschall Road, Shakopee, and also 9-10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22, at the funeral home.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at Church of St. Mark, Shakopee.

Funeral arrangements by Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, Shakopee, 952-445-1202. www.ballardsunderfuneral.com

Marie Grieg, 46, of Savage, passed away at her home on Monday, Nov. 17, 2008.

Visitation is Friday, Nov. 21, from 9:30-11 a.m. at Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, Prior Lake, with the Celebration of Life service to follow at 11 a.m.

Funeral arrangements by Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, 952-447-2633. www.ballardsunderfuneral.com

Seventy years ago, the Jordan Commercial Club formed, among others, committees focused on: special days; street decorations; music; Mudbaden; roads; the farm bureau; improvement of civic affairs; telephones, railways, and buses; and the bathing beach and sports.

For more information, read the Looking Back column in the Nov. 20 issue of the Jordan Independent. Read it online in the Print Edition section, or subscribe by going to www.jordannews.com/subscribe.

A
public informational meeting will be held Nov. 18
at the Scott County Law Enforcement Center, located in the same
building as the Scott County Jail, starting at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the
legal changes to the Gren Acres program and answer questions you might
have regarding
them. 

The amount of money the city of Jordan collects from taxpayers will not increase 20 percent next year, compared to this year.

During a work session last night, the Jordan City Council told the city staff to propose a budget that eliminates $225,000 in expenditures from its previous proposal.

In September, the council passed a $3.3 million preliminary tax levy that, if passed next month, would've increased the amount of taxpayer money collected in 2009 by an estimated 20 percent, compared to the $2.7 million tax levy in 2008.

Rita Norling, 68, of Prior Lake, passed away at her home on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008.

Visitation will be on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 4-8 p.m. at Ballard–Sunder Funeral Home in Prior Lake.

Mass of Christian Burial will be on Thursday, Nov. 20, 11 a.m. at the Church of St. Michael in Prior Lake.

Funeral arrangements by Ballard–Sunder Funeral Home, Prior Lake. 952-447-2633.  www.ballardsunderfuneral.com

Ray Hawkins, 89, formerly of Jordan, passed away Friday, Nov. 14, 2008, at the Sunset Manor Nursing Home in Brush, Colo.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Nov. 22, at 12 noon at the Dingman Funeral Chapel in Kimball, Minn. Visitation will be at the Dingman Chapel on Saturday from 11-12 noon.

Todd Abeln, sports editor for the Jordan Independent, has posted all of his state volleyball tournament photos online at:

- http://jordannews.smugmug.com/gallery/6579937_FzoBr#419060525_FqaiY

- http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/6527443_GNnPd#414966283_jxDaL