The Wayzata City Council has approved a substantial expansion of the outdoor patio at Eloise, allowing the downtown restaurant to add seating along Broadway Avenue for the remainder of the 2026 season.
The council voted 4-0 on July 21 to approve a new outdoor sidewalk café permit for the restaurant at 332 Broadway Avenue South. The plan adds 468 square feet to Eloise’s existing 165-square-foot patio and provides seating for approximately 28 guests.
The expansion will extend south from Eloise into the public right-of-way in front of neighboring retailer Chico’s. That feature made the application different from other sidewalk cafés previously considered by the city.
Community Development Director Alex Sharpe told the council that Wayzata has not previously approved a sidewalk café extending beyond the storefront of the business holding the permit. He said the decision could also establish a reference point for future applications from businesses sharing downtown buildings or commercial frontage.
Although the patio will extend in front of Chico’s, it will not obstruct an entrance to the store. The proposed seating and planters may, however, partially obscure a window display. Property owner Jimmy Beltz submitted a letter supporting the expansion, while city staff encouraged Eloise and the property owner to make sure Chico’s was informed of the plans. Staff had not received a response from Chico’s before the meeting.
Growing Demand for Outdoor Dining
Eloise owner Lindsay Pohlad told the council that the restaurant’s original patio was constructed when Eloise opened in 2024 and was intended primarily for cocktails and casual appetizers.
Customers quickly began asking to eat full meals outside.
Lindsay Pohlad speaks to the Wayzata City Council. Image courtesy City of Wayzata.
“Everyone wants to take advantage of every opportunity they have to sit outside,” Pohlad said.
The restaurant added several small dining tables this summer, but Pohlad said the original space does not comfortably accommodate diners.
“It is very, very tight on that patio,” she said.
Pohlad said the additional space would allow Eloise to provide more dining tables and create greater separation between customers. She also said the property owners supported the idea and had spoken with local Chico’s employees, who enjoy the restaurant’s presence and the activity it brings to the area.
Plan Meets Sidewalk and Accessibility Standards
Sharpe said the proposal meets the city’s requirements for fire access, pedestrian circulation and sidewalk clearance.
The plans maintain a walkway approximately 6 feet, 1 inch wide between the patio and an existing city planter. Wayzata requires at least five feet of clearance for pedestrian and accessibility purposes.
The project will also require an existing bicycle rack to be relocated. Public Works reviewed the proposed location and did not identify concerns with the move.
Plans submitted to the city show tables and seating arranged along the building, with planters helping define the patio area. Changes to the existing patio include removing part of a landscaping bed, extending the patio decking and modifying a portion of the existing banquette. The design also includes new steps, railings and an outward-opening bifold window.
Public Works has reviewed and approved the improvements within the public right-of-way. Additional council action could be required later if the more permanent improvements require changes to the property’s existing encroachment agreement.
Additional Seating Not Included in Parking Calculations
The expanded patio will bring Eloise’s outdoor capacity to approximately 28 to 32 seats, compared with about 97 seats inside the restaurant.
Sharpe noted that Wayzata does not currently include seasonal sidewalk café seating when calculating a business’s parking requirements. The city therefore did not require Eloise to provide additional parking or make a payment through the city’s fee-in-lieu-of-parking program as part of the patio expansion.
Staff acknowledged that the additional seating could increase parking demand during restaurant hours but recommended treating the application consistently with other sidewalk cafés in the city.
The permit applies to the 2026 season. Sidewalk café permits must be renewed annually by the City Council.
As a condition of approval, Public Works recommended that furniture and planters associated with the expanded portion of the patio be removed by Nov. 1 each year so they do not interfere with snow removal and winter maintenance.
Council Discussion
Councilmember Alex Plechash asked what would happen if the Chico’s space changed tenants or became another restaurant in the future. Sharpe explained that the sidewalk café permit applies only to the year in which it is issued. Because the patio occupies city right-of-way, the council could reconsider, amend or decline the arrangement during a future permit cycle if circumstances changed.
Plechash also asked whether the landscaped area near the patio could eventually be removed or replaced to create additional pedestrian space. Staff said the idea could be explored with Public Works, although a permanent change would require consideration of maintenance and other site conditions.
Councilmember Ken Sorensen said the proposal was unusual because the patio would extend in front of a neighboring tenant’s storefront, but he viewed the annual permit process as an appropriate safeguard if unforeseen issues arise.
Sorensen said Eloise is a vibrant, successful and locally owned business, and he placed significance on the property owner’s support for the expansion. He noted that the council could revisit the arrangement if the neighboring space changes tenants or if the expanded patio creates problems.
He also said the city was treating parking consistently with other seasonal sidewalk café permits and supported approving the request.
Councilmember Dan Koch said he generally supported the expansion but expressed concern about crowding near one of Wayzata’s busiest pedestrian intersections. He asked that the relocated bicycle rack not interfere with the gathering and crossing area south of the planter if another location is available.
Koch described the remainder of the 2026 season as an opportunity to test the arrangement and identify any problems before the permit returns for renewal.
“I love the idea,” Koch said. “I’m totally supportive of outdoor seating and maximizing the benefits of being outside and being able to eat outside.”
Mayor Andrew Mullin said the city should support locally and independently owned businesses. He expressed support for the permit and thanked staff and Pohlad for attending the meeting and answering the council’s questions.
The expanded patio is expected to open toward the end of August, depending on the timely arrival of its tables, chairs and other furnishings. Once installed, the new seating area will remain open through the balance of the outdoor dining season.
Two seats on the Wayzata City Council will be on the ballot this fall, including the seats currently held by Councilmembers Molly MacDonald and Dan Koch. Each carries a four-year term beginning in January 2027.
The general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
Wayzata residents interested in running for City Council must file an affidavit of candidacy with the city clerk by 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 28. The filing fee is $5.
Candidates must be eligible voters, at least 21 years old when assuming office and residents of Wayzata for at least 30 days before the general election.
Candidates who file but later decide not to run may withdraw their candidacy until 5 p.m. Thursday, July 30.
Councilmembers Molly MacDonald and Dan Koch have each filed an affidavit of candidacy seeking election to one of the two available seats. At present, they are the only candidates listed by the City, leaving two filed candidates for two positions. The filing period remains open until 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 28.
Competitive local elections give residents an opportunity to hear different perspectives, ask thoughtful questions and make a meaningful choice about the future of their community. Other qualified Wayzata residents with an interest in public service are encouraged to consider stepping forward and placing their names on the ballot.
The Wayzata Police Department’s June activity report reflects a busy start to summer, with officers responding to traffic complaints, medical calls, juvenile incidents, property damage crashes, fraud reports and several arrests across Wayzata and Long Lake.
One of the month’s most significant incidents occurred June 24 near Wayzata Boulevard and Bushaway Road, where a driver allegedly fled from officers during an attempted traffic stop.
According to the report, the vehicle spun out and the driver continued fleeing on foot. Officers from multiple agencies conducted an extensive search but were unable to locate the driver. Police determined that the vehicle had been stolen in St. Louis Park and impounded it for processing. The incident remains under investigation.
On June 30, officers responded to a crash involving a vehicle and a juvenile riding an e-bike at Highway 12 and Central Avenue. The juvenile received aid at the scene before being transported to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
Police noted that the juvenile was wearing a helmet. The driver cooperated with investigators and was not believed to be impaired.
Earlier in the month, an appliance fire damaged an apartment unit in the 100 block of East Wayzata Boulevard. Multiple fire departments responded June 4 and extinguished the fire. One person was transported for treatment of smoke inhalation.
Traffic Enforcement and Arrests
Wayzata police issued 283 traffic citations during June, along with 169 verbal warnings and 47 written warnings — a total of 499 citations and warnings.
A 22-year-old Bloomington man was arrested June 6 near Highway 12 and Central Avenue on suspicion of fourth-degree DWI. Police reported a blood-alcohol concentration of .09. He was booked at the Wayzata Police Department and released to a responsible party.
Two additional motorists were arrested during the month for driving after cancellation deemed inimical to public safety. In both cases, automated license-plate reader notifications alerted officers to the registered drivers’ license status.
Officers also responded to reports of drag racing, loud motorcycles, exhibition driving, vehicles going around barricades and juvenile e-bike riders operating in the roadway.
On June 23, police located four juveniles riding off-road motorcycles near Lake Street and Manitoba Avenue after receiving a complaint about riders popping wheelies. Parents were contacted and warned about the alleged equipment and licensing violations.
Juvenile and Trespassing Complaints
Trespassing was a recurring issue during June, including several reports involving juveniles entering an abandoned building along Wayzata Boulevard.
Four juvenile males were identified following a June 9 trespassing complaint on private property in the 200 block of East Lake Street. The case was referred to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
On June 28, police reported finding 11 males, ranging in age from 13 to 19, trespassing in the 100 block of East Wayzata Boulevard. Parents were contacted.
Officers also confiscated and destroyed an Orbeez-style toy gun after locating juveniles near Lake Street and Manitoba Avenue on June 13. Another complaint involving juveniles with Orbeez guns was reported June 29 in Long Lake, although the group was gone before officers arrived.
Theft, Fraud and Property Complaints
June reports included a fraudulent AT&T account opened with an iPhone purchased in a victim’s name, unauthorized Amazon and PayPal transactions and an alleged $152 debit-card purchase possibly made by a roommate.
Police also received a report of $900 in cash stolen from a vehicle parked in the 600 block of East Wayzata Boulevard. The case was listed as inactive pending additional investigative leads.
Other property reports included slashed tires valued at approximately $1,500, a vehicle keyed on both sides and damaged residential window screens.
At the Wayzata Bar & Grill, officers responded June 30 to a report involving an intoxicated customer with two unpaid tabs. The individual was evaluated, issued a trespass notice and advised to pay the outstanding amount to avoid possible theft charges.
June Activity Totals
The department’s statistical summary included 62 medical calls, 53 assists to other departments, 36 public-assistance calls and 31 property-damage motor vehicle crashes.
Police also recorded 31 driving or traffic complaints, 23 parking complaints, 23 animal complaints, 20 house or business checks, 15 business alarms and 15 home alarms during the month.
The report’s criminal summary included two domestic assault cases, two fourth-degree DWI offenses, a domestic abuse no-contact order violation, two property damage offenses, trespassing, possession of stolen property, theft and two financial transaction card fraud cases.
The City of Wayzata has welcomed Jared Voto as its new Deputy City Manager, adding a seasoned public administrator to City Hall at a time when the community continues to manage growth, public investment, and the daily work of local government.
City Manager Aurora Yager introduced Voto to the City Council during a recent meeting, inviting him to share more about his background and early impressions of Wayzata.
“I’ve had about 20 years of experience in the public sector,” Voto told the council.
Voto said his most recent work was with Washington County, where he served in property records, tax services, and the county administrator’s office. His work there included strategic planning, continuous improvement, and data analysis. Before that, he worked for the City of Richfield, with experience in the city manager’s office and public works.
Voto said he holds a Master of Public Administration degree and developed a strong interest in city governance through his work in local government.
“I’m really excited to be back,” Voto said, noting that city government has been a professional passion of his.
Council members welcomed Voto and asked about what drew him to Wayzata. He pointed to the community itself, the opportunity to work across different areas of city operations, and the chance to both use his prior experience and learn in a new role.
Asked for his first impressions after about a month and a half on the job, Voto said the City’s internal culture had stood out.
He said Wayzata had been described to him during the interview process as “really tight-knit,” adding that his experience so far has been even better than expected.
Voto also shared that he is not a Minnesota native. He spent time in Illinois, including at Northern Illinois University, interned in St. Charles, Illinois, and later lived in Chicago before making his way to Minnesota.
Council members offered a warm welcome, with one noting that Wayzata is “a gem of a place to be working.”
Voto joins the City’s administration team alongside Yager as Wayzata continues work on major civic priorities, public services, downtown vitality, infrastructure, and the long-term stewardship of the community’s lakefront character.
M.G. Gullixson. Image courtesy Lake Minnetonka Historical Society / Wayako.
M.G. Gullixson probably would not have described himself as a man behind the town. That would have been too much.
But there he was.
At the Minnetonka Herald office on Lake Street. At the Masons smorgasbord. Around the schools. Around the athletic fields. Around young people who needed a job, a little encouragement, or a push toward college.
Gullixson’s community life extended well beyond the Herald office. He was a member of the Wayzata Masonic Lodge and the Shrine, the Wayzata Lions Club, the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce, and the Minnesota Editorial Association.
He was woven into the life of Wayzata itself.
Image courtesy of the Wayzata Masons / Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.
Before Wayzata had websites, email newsletters, city updates, Facebook groups, polished branding, or the constant hum of social media, it had the Minnetonka Herald. And for much of the Herald’s defining era, M.G. Gullixson helped give that paper life.
The Herald was where the town saw itself. City business, school news, local sports, church suppers, military service, weddings, births, dinner parties, business openings, and the names of people who mattered because they lived here — all of it found its way into print.
That kind of newspaper did more than report the news.
It held the town together.
The Town Learned About Itself There
Gullixson came from the old local newspaper tradition, when a publisher’s work reached well beyond the printed page.
Image courtesy of Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.
The Minnetonka Herald carried the daily life of Wayzata in a way that is hard to fully appreciate now. Schools, churches, clubs, merchants, athletes, lake families, public officials, veterans, and neighbors all found their way into its columns.
The town learned about itself there.
Births, weddings, deaths, games, business openings, church suppers, council debates, school news, service members, local characters, and small victories were all preserved in print. Week by week, the Herald gave shape to community life.
Editorial courtesy of the Wayzata Sun / Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.
Gullixson seemed to understand the value of that work. A local paper could inform people, but it could also encourage them, challenge them, recognize them, and remind them that their lives were part of something larger.
For three decades, that was the Herald’s place in Wayzata.
And Gullixson helped make it so.
From the Classroom to The Foursome to the Herald
Gullixson came to Wayzata in 1929 after teaching in Maple Lake and New York Mills and earning a degree from the University of Minnesota.
Courtesy of the Minnetonka Herald / Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.
In Wayzata, he taught mathematics at the high school and later served as principal. He became part of a group of four schoolmen that included Michael Vukas, Joseph O’Connell, and Einar Ryden. They taught together, played golf together, and eventually went into business together.
In 1935, the group opened The Foursome, a men’s clothing store, after noticing that Wayzata had no proper place to buy a tie.
A year later, Gullixson, Vukas, and O’Connell bought the Minnetonka Herald from Palmer Holman. They also purchased a subscription list from Abe Brazman, publisher of the Minnetonka Pilot.
Their first issues came out of a room behind the Wayzata Theater. The paper started small, with the new owners barely clearing the subscription requirement needed to get going.
Wayzata Theater. Image courtesy Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.
From there, Gullixson’s life in Wayzata widened. The teacher became a publisher. The classroom gave way to the newsroom. And the town he had joined in 1929 became the town he would help chronicle for the next three decades.
Week by Week, the Town in Print
The Herald carried the everyday life of Wayzata and the North Shore.
City hall was there. So were the schools, the teams, the churches, the clubs, the merchants, and the families whose names filled the social columns week after week.
Image courtesy Minnetonka Herald / Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.
The paper recorded births, weddings, deaths, military service, college students home for the holidays, dinner parties, church suppers, school programs, business openings, lake-area visitors, vacation notes, and neighborhood news from communities beyond Wayzata.
It is easy to smile at some of that now. A dinner party. A student home from college. A family returning from a trip. A church group serving lunch.
But that was the town.
The Herald treated ordinary community life as worthy of record. It gave attention to the things people actually talked about in grocery stores, school hallways, church basements, barbershops, and along Lake Street.
Over time, those small notices became something larger. They became the shared memory of the North Shore.
For Wayzata, the Herald was a kind of common table. Everyone did not sit at it every week, but everyone knew it was there. And when the town had something to say, celebrate, mourn, argue over, or remember, the Herald was often where it landed.
A Clear View of What Wayzata Ought to Be
Gullixson had a clear view of what Wayzata ought to be.
His editorials could be conservative, precise, civic-minded, and blunt. He cared about the appearance of the town, the conduct of local government, the strength of the schools, the health of the business district, and the way Wayzata presented itself along Lake Street.
He took positions.
Image courtesy MN Sun / Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.
He opposed the city getting into the liquor business, believing private licenses could help support stronger lakefront dining and a better commercial district. He criticized the “pumpkin tooth” look of Lake Street, where buildings were broken up by parking lots. He wanted storefronts facing the street and parking moved away from the front door.
Those were practical arguments, but they also showed a deeper instinct. Gullixson understood that the form of a town matters. Buildings, sidewalks, parking, restaurants, shops, schools, churches, and clubs all helped shape how people experienced Wayzata.
His paper also reflected an old-school belief in work, discipline, character, and service. He championed high school sports. He followed local students. He gave attention to service members and veterans. He supported young people with praise, jobs, responsibility, and help toward college.
Taken together, his positions formed a kind of civic worldview. Wayzata should look good. It should govern itself sensibly. It should support local enterprise. It should honor its schools, churches, volunteers, athletes, and service members. And it should remember the people who made the town work.
Long before “placemaking” became a planning term, Gullixson was already writing about the relationship between a town, its lake, its businesses, and its public life.
The Teacher Who Never Stopped Teaching
Gullixson’s roots in Wayzata began in the schools.
He taught mathematics at Wayzata High School and later served as principal. He also coached wrestling, and the habits of a schoolman stayed with him long after he moved into the newspaper business.
That showed up in the Herald.
The 1959 Wayzata Boys Basketball Team. Image courtesy The Minnetonka Herald / Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.
High school sports mattered to Gullixson. Games, teams, athletes, coaches, and school activities were part of the public life of the town, and he gave them space. In a smaller Wayzata, a student’s name in the paper meant something. A photo, a box score, a short item about a school program or athletic achievement — those were not minor things to the families who clipped them out and saved them.
His support for young people went beyond coverage.
Long before formal teen job programs became common, Gullixson gave students work in the Herald backshop after school and on Sundays. It was practical help. They learned responsibility, earned money, and in many cases used those jobs to help pay their way toward college.
That may be one of the clearest windows into who Gullixson was. He believed in young people enough to put them to work. He gave them a place in the paper, a place in the town, and sometimes a path to something larger.
The same impulse carried on after his death through scholarships, youth projects, and the local places that continued to bear his name. The teacher had become a publisher, but he never really stopped being a teacher.
The Publisher Who Kept Giving
Gullixson’s influence did not end with the newspaper.
The Wayzata Masons remembered him in a homespun way, with a memorial smorgasbord at Wayzata Junior High. It was fitting. Gullixson had organized the first Masons smorgasbord years earlier and helped turn it into a community event.
That seems to have been his way.
He did much for Wayzata without making much noise about it. Those who remembered him described a man who cared deeply about the town and the people in it. He was quiet, precise, conservative in his convictions, and deeply involved in the ordinary work of community life.
His help for young people may have been the clearest example. Gullixson gave students jobs in the Herald backshop after school and on Sundays, helping them earn money for college. Over the years, that practical help reached dozens of students from Wayzata and Orono.
Courtesy the Minnetonka Herald / Wayzata Motor Co. / Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.
He also made sure that work would continue after his death. His will established an annual scholarship fund as part of the M.G. Gullixson Trust. The trust later supported local projects, including a major gift to Wayzata ice hockey.
M.G. Gullixson donated $40,000 to the #284 Wayzata Youth Hockey Association to build the ice arena at what is now known as Central Middle School. Advertisement courtesy Vintage Minnesota Hockey.
His name remained visible in town as well. The baseball field near the school administration building also carries the M.G. Gullixson name.
M.G. Gullixson Baseball Field at Gleason Lake Elementary. Image Dan Gustafson.
For a man who spent so much of his life putting other people’s names in print, there is something fitting about that. His own name stayed attached to the places where young people gathered, played, learned, and began making their way.
From Back Room to Lake Street Institution
The Herald grew with the town.
When Gullixson, Vukas and O’Connell took over, the paper was operating from a single room behind the Wayzata Theater. That room served as both office and shop. The subscription list barely met the legal minimum needed to publish.
Three years later, the partners needed more space. In 1939, they built a new Herald building on Lake Street, across from what later became Olson’s Bakery. By 1951, business had grown enough that an addition more than doubled the size of the building.
Image courtesy The Minnetonka Herald / Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.
The paper was no longer just a small weekly trying to survive the Depression. It had become part of the machinery of the lake area. The Herald made money from the newspaper and from publication printing. It added space for offices, shop work, paper stock, and even a street-side area for school and office supplies.
The reach widened, too. The Deephaven Argus had been started in 1939 to serve Deephaven, Groveland, Tonkawood, Croft and Cottagewood. In 1950, the Minnetonka Pilot was purchased from Abe Brazman, bringing the number of papers to three. A few years later, a new building was constructed in Mound to serve the expanding Pilot.
By 1965, the three papers had a combined circulation of about 10,000.
That year, Herald Publications — the Minnetonka Herald, the Minnetonka Pilot and the Deephaven Argus — was sold to Northland Communications, Inc., headed by Carroll E. Crawford. Gullixson remained with the Herald in an advisory role as editor emeritus. Vukas also continued his community work, taking a position with Wayzata State Bank.
The Herald had started as a teacher-led, owner-operated newspaper rooted in downtown Wayzata. After the sale, it became part of a larger newspaper operation that would eventually move toward the Sun name. The local paper that Gullixson helped build had grown strong enough to be absorbed into something bigger.
What the Herald Remembered
Some of that world is gone now.
The old Herald era was personal. It was intensely local. It was rooted in downtown Wayzata, in a building on Lake Street, with people walking in and out, bringing news, buying ads, asking questions, dropping off notices, or checking to see what made the paper that week.
The staff knew the town because they lived in it. They knew the families, the coaches, the merchants, the church ladies, the students, the council members, the veterans, the characters, and the people who quietly did the work.
That kind of newspaper is hard to recreate.
But the values behind it still matter.
Names matter. Accuracy matters. Showing up matters. Remembering matters. Small items matter. A student’s achievement, a local business opening, a church dinner, a council vote, a team photo, a neighbor’s service, a familiar face lost — those are the things that become a town’s memory.
Gullixson’s Herald understood that.
It treated Wayzata as a place worthy of careful attention. That may be the lesson that remains. A community does not remember itself automatically. Someone has to keep the record.
Wayzata Did
Walk down Lake Street today and the old newspaper world is not easy to see.
The presses are gone. The backshop is gone. The boys who came in after school to work for college money are grown old now, if they are still with us. The town has changed, as towns do.
But the places still carry echoes.
Image courtesy the Minnetonka Herald / Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.
There was the Herald office on Lake Street, where Wayzata passed through in notices, advertisements, arguments, photographs, and names. There was the Masons smorgasbord, where Gullixson’s quiet community work was remembered over a meal. There was the ballfield near the school administration building that carried his name, a fitting marker for a man who believed young people deserved attention, discipline, opportunity, and encouragement.
Gullixson spent much of his life helping Wayzata see itself in print.
Image courtesy Minnetonka Herald / Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.
He recorded the town, prodded it, praised it, corrected it, and gave ordinary lives a place in the public record. He was a teacher, merchant, publisher, Mason, benefactor, and, in his own plain way, a builder of community.
Not every town gets someone like that.
Wayzata did.
Editor’s note: Many thanks to the Minnetonka Herald and the Lake Minnetonka Historical Society for the information on M.G. Gullixson.
Declaration of Independence (painting) 1818 by John Trumbull.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
Wayzata’s Fourth of July morning will once again bring families to the lakefront for one of the community’s most cheerful holiday traditions: flying pancakes at the Depot, children on decorated bikes, patriotic characters, and a Mini Olympics for kids.
Revolutionary Flying Pancake Breakfast
The 20th Annual “Revolutionary” Flying Pancake Breakfast will be held Saturday, July 4, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Historic Wayzata Depot, 402 Lake Street E. The lakeside breakfast has been held since 2005 and is hosted by the young teen members of The Lake Minnetonka Society of the Children of the American Revolution.
The event is known for its flying pancakes, with guests using their plates to catch pancakes tossed from behind the griddle. Walk-up service is also available. Breakfast includes pancakes, sausage, coffee and cold drinks.
The breakfast is designed as a patriotic service project. Proceeds are granted each year to a veteran service organization, and U.S. veterans and active-duty service members eat free of charge. In 2024, the group donated $5,000 to the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans to support housing for homeless veterans in Minnesota.
Flag Raising and Rifle Salute
File photo.
A 10 a.m. program will include a flag raising and rifle salute. The 7th Pennsylvania Regiment of Revolutionary actors, the Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard, and the Daughters of the American Revolution are expected to return for the celebration. Period-costumed participants will talk with visitors about uniforms, muskets, Independence Day history and the men and women who helped found the nation.
Children can also take part in a scavenger hunt around the displays, while families gather near the miniature railroad in the Depot Garden and enjoy views of Lake Minnetonka.
Declaration of Independence
And in honor of the founding document that gave rise to all this celebration, pick up a printed edition of Wayzata.com, available in select shops and our newspaper racks this week—it includes the full text of the Declaration of Independence. Take a moment to read the words that still echo across centuries and shorelines.
Wayzata Kiddie Parade
At 10 a.m., the annual Wayzata Kiddie Parade will begin at the corner of Broadway Avenue North and Park Street. The parade will include decorated bikes, free lemonade and popsicles, games, prizes and visits from familiar characters, including Minnie and Mickey Mouse, Uncle Sam, Lady Liberty and Betsy Ross.
Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Battery-powered, electric or motorized vehicles, bikes and scooters are not permitted.
Mini Olympics at Wayzata West
The holiday fun continues at 12:30 p.m., when the Wayzata Fire Department sponsors the annual Mini Olympics for kids at Wayzata West Middle School.
As night falls, many families take the short drive or boat ride to Excelsior for the region’s grand finale: Fireworks over Excelsior Bay, launched from The Commons at approximately 9:50 p.m. Bring a blanket and settle in for a spectacular show reflected in the lake’s dark surface.
Taken together, the Flying Pancake Breakfast, Kiddie Parade and Mini Olympics offer a classic Wayzata Fourth: civic pride, lakefront hospitality, children at the center of the day, and a reminder that Independence Day is both a celebration and a lesson in gratitude.
In anticipation of the Fourth of July, the Wayzata Police Department is reminding parents and young riders to use extra care when riding e-bikes and e-scooters around town.
The reminder follows a June 30 crash at Central Avenue and Highway 12 involving a vehicle and a juvenile riding an e-bike, according to a press release. Police said the juvenile was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and was wearing a helmet.
The crash remains under investigation.
Police are encouraging riders to slow down near intersections, driveways, trails, and pedestrians. Riders should never assume drivers see them and should travel at speeds that allow them to stop safely.
The department also reminded parents that some e-bikes can reach speeds up to 28 miles per hour. At those speeds, a fall or crash can lead to serious injury.
Parents are encouraged to talk with their children about where they may ride, who they may ride with, and how to follow traffic rules. Police also recommend riding with children to help teach safe habits.
The message is simple: wear a helmet, slow down, watch for traffic, and treat e-bikes and e-scooters like vehicles—not toys.
The City of Wayzata and the Wayzata Fire Department have announced the appointment of Kevin Klapprich as Wayzata’s first full-time fire chief, effective June 29, 2026.
Klapprich has served with the Wayzata Fire Department since 1978 and has been fire chief since 2006. His move into the newly created full-time position marks a significant milestone for the department and reflects the expanding responsibilities of the role in serving Wayzata and the surrounding community.
“Chief Klapprich has exemplified dedication, integrity, and care for our community throughout his years of service,” said City Manager Aurora Yager. “His steady commitment made this an easy decision. We are thrilled to congratulate him on becoming our first full-time Fire Chief and look forward to the continued leadership he will bring to Wayzata and Woodland.”
For Klapprich, the appointment continues a lifetime of service rooted deeply in Wayzata.
“I am honored and humbled to be appointed the City’s first full-time Fire Chief. It is a privilege to continue leading the dedicated firefighters who give so much to this community,” said Chief Klapprich. “Wayzata has always been my home, and serving alongside generations of firefighters — including my father and brothers — has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I look forward to building on the department’s proud tradition of service, strengthening our partnerships throughout the community, and ensuring we continue to provide exceptional emergency response for the residents, businesses, and visitors of the community.”
The appointment recognizes both Klapprich’s long record of service and the evolving demands placed on the department. After nearly five decades with the Wayzata Fire Department, including 20 years as chief, Klapprich now steps into a full-time leadership role at a moment when emergency response, training, planning, equipment, inspections, and community partnerships continue to grow in importance.
Wayzata’s summer season will take another graceful turn toward the lake this weekend as the Wayzata Art Experience returns June 27 and 28 along the shores of Lake Minnetonka.
The two-day festival, presented this year by Walser Kia Minnetonka, will bring more than 150 juried artists to downtown Wayzata, along with food trucks, food artisans, live music, a beer and wine garden, family activities, free sailboat rides and a Saturday evening boat light parade on Wayzata Bay.
Submitted photo.
Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 27, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 28.
For generations, Wayzata has known how to gather people at the edge of the water. In earlier days, visitors arrived by train and steamboat. Today, they come by car, bicycle, boat and on foot, but the draw remains much the same: Lake Street, the bay, the shops, the restaurants and the particular charm of a town that still knows how to make a summer weekend feel like an occasion.
The Art Experience will feature work in ceramics, drawing and printmaking, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, recycled and green art, sculpture and wood. Many of the artists travel from across the country to exhibit in Wayzata, giving visitors the chance to browse, meet artists and purchase original work in a walkable lakeside setting.
Food will be part of the weekend as well, with a lineup of food trucks and local food artisans offering everything from savory meals to specialty goods. The artisan market is expected to include items such as gourmet sea salts, jerky, barbecue sauces, bundt cakes, oversized cookies, maple syrup, sourdough and other handmade offerings.
Submitted photo.
Live music will be featured throughout the weekend on the Island of Music, sponsored by Sandvold Financial Group. Scheduled performers include Monica Livorsi, Tom Hunter, Tom Paquin, Benny Weinbeck and Taylor Robert.
Saturday night will bring the festival onto the water. The Boat Light Parade, presented by the Wayzata Yacht Club, is scheduled for 9:30 to 10 p.m. on Wayzata Bay. Spectators will be able to watch decorated boats pass close to shore from east to west, with viewing areas along the new Wayzata lake walk, Panoway on Wayzata Bay and Depot Park.
Submitted photo.
Wayzata Sailing will offer free sailboat rides Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., giving visitors another way to experience the bay during the festival weekend.
Submitted photo.
Families will also find an Activity Zone with offerings for art lovers of all ages, including face painting, Urban Boat Builders, Art Buddies and aerial performances by Eureka Aerial.
The Wayzata Art Experience has become one of the community’s signature summer weekends, blending fine art with the everyday pleasures of a lakeside town: strolling Lake Street, lingering over food and music, stepping into a boutique, meeting friends near the water and watching the evening light settle over the bay.
Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead by viewing the artist gallery and full schedule at WayzataArtExperience.com.
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