March 20, 2025

Spring is arriving in Prior Lake, and that means an already busy calendar will be bursting at the seams with community events! The News Compass has added an events section to our newsletter to help highlight the goings on in Prior Lake. If you have an event to submit, you can submit it through the contact form on our homepage, or send it to [email protected]. You can find a full listing of events on our website at https://plnewscompass.org/category/events/

March 20, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

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TOP STORY

Susie Williams (left), from the Toy Corner in Prior Lake, accepted book donations from PL Junior Optimists Cece Albrecht and Mackenzie Henning. Submitted photo

Book drive outperforms the most optimistic goals

Rachel Thibault set her sights last summer on collecting at least 500 books that could be donated to local nonprofit organizations.

She is a member of Prior Lake Junior Optimists, who along with other local students, attended the international organization's convention in July. It was there that clubs were challenged to create a children's literacy project on the local level, according to Dan Steger, an advisor for the JO group.

Thibault, a junior at Prior Lake High School, headed up the book drive and recruited six others who helped secure collection box locations at various places throughout the city.

Five hundred books turned out to be an easy mark to top for the group.

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NEWS

City, community explore lake access

Some residents along Upper Prior Lake have enjoyed lake access through a city-owned property, but expanding demand has them looking to the city to formalize the arrangement.