Inver Grove Heights Week in Review June 20-26

A new sit-down Mexican restaurant may open as soon as July 15 in Inver Grove Heights. Alex Gomez, the co-owner of El Loro Mexican Resturant in Burnsville, plans to open another El Loro eatery in a strip mall off Blaine Avenue, if the Inver Grove Heights City Council OKs a liquor license at a public hearing scheduled for June 27. The restaurant, Gomez said, will feature a full bar and a number of classic Mexican American dishes, including fajitas, enchiladas, carne asada and more.

An shows that Inver Grove Heights' Democratic incumbents, Rep. Joe Atkins and Sen. Jim Metzen, outraised and outspent their Republican challengers in the 2010 election. Atkins spent $96,390 over the course of 2010, compared to the roughly $10,200 spent by opponent Terry Pearson. Metzen spent $37,474, nearly twice as much as his opponent, Robb Soleim Jr.

On Monday, Patch as part of "Secrets to Success"—a series of profiles of longtime local businesses. Despite dealing with a slow economy and a major road construction project, Jersey’s Bar and Grill will celebrate its 10th anniversary in September.

The city's park system is starting to show its age. Inver Grove Heights, hit by budget cuts, has for years deferred park maintenance, repair and replacement, according to city officials. Now, the city’s park system to fully address its maintenance needs.

Inver Grove Heights-based in a handful of days if the charter school can't find a new, state-approved authorizer. But the embattled school filed a constitutional challenge against the Minnesota Department of Education, alleging that a state law requiring the school to have an in-state authorizer unfairly singles the school out.

This week, Simley High School in the nation. It is the fourth year the high school has received the recognition, and this year's ranking is a marked improvement from the ranking the school received in 2010, when it placed 800th on the list.

The Inver Grove Heights Parks and Recreation Department that course instructor Nick Tolsma says fosters discipline and fitness. It’s no surprise that the course has captured interest of a number of teens in the community. The full-combat sport is one of the fastest growing activities in the world—in number of participants and in popularity, especially among young people.