With The Cornerstone Group's announcement to revamp the vacant Lyndale Garden Center spot in mid-March 2011, multiple redevelopment projects around town seem to have found their legs as well this year. Lyndale Garden Center Colleen Carey, president of The Cornerstone Group, presented the company's initial plans for the seemingly dilapidated building at a special Richfield City Council meeting Monday, March 21, 2011. Currently, plans stand to rehabilitate the existing building, which will hopefully include a co-op grocer, other retail and common space. The city and Carey hope this will re-…

Richfield South Education Center Alternative (SECA) school students, and ametuer chefs, placed first in a national cook-off competition on July 25, 2011 in Grapevine, TX for their Porcupine Sliders creation. The competition was part of First Lady Michelle Obama's “Recipes for Healthy Kids Contest.” Richfield's submission was one of more than 300 submissions from around the country. “Prior to submitting the nutritious recipe, the Porcupine Sliders recipe was revised several times, removing fat by baking the meat instead of frying. Next, the students prepared Porcupine Sliders for the school,” …

The owners of Jun Bo Chinese Restaurant were ordered to immediately cease all liquor sales on April 12, 2011, after the Richfield City Council made its decision to not renew the restaurant and night club's liquor license that night. This restaurant had been a thorn in the city's side for many months and brought out some intense feelings from council members and city staff. “Never have I seen as bad of an actor,” Mayor Debbie Goettel said that April night. “There is no way that I want Jun Bo through this summer. … I will deny it immediately." "[The restaurant] is taking more of our resources……

With 15 Richfield School Board candidates to choose from and a new referendum, voters had quite a task on election night, Nov. 8, 2011. However, one voter got more than she bargained for. After casting her vote, Ellen Ruiters began a casual conversation with an election judge, an unnamed man, about the passing of the referendum. Ruiters said the man told her he felt the referendum shouldn't be passed and was quite vocal about it. “It was almost like an argument broke out in the middle of the precinct,” Ruiters told Richfield Patch. “I was shocked to be met with such strong opposition at the …

There were many memorable moments captured by Richfield Patch over the year, but we have a few favorites: No. 1: Man Suprises Richfield Woman With Proposal at Minnesota Zoo 5K Colin Macrafic surprised his long-time girlfriend, Stephanie Lubahn, with a marriage purposal as she neared the end of the finish link of the  Minnesota Zoo's Tiger Tracks 5K and Kids Run in August 2011. No. 2: Richfield Crowns Kiersti Phenow as 2011 Homecoming Queen The Richfield High School (RHS) senior class chose Kiersti Phenow as its 2011 Homecoming Queen on Sept. 15, 2011. She was visably shocked and excited. No. …

When a balanced budget wasn't in place at the end of the 2011 Minnesota State Legislature session in May 2010, the state saw a 20-day government shutdown beginning July 1. For one local couple, their dream wedding was almost ruined. Rachel and Adam Hanneman originally planned to have their ceremony at the Historic Fort Snelling Chapel. However, the grounds are run by the state. The couple had to find a new venue for the July 16 nuptials. "When you’ve planned your wedding for this long and something like this happens and [these legislators] decide that their opinions are more important, it's …