Gov. Tim Pawlenty today announced a proposal to more than double prison time for sex offenders and a new comprehensive Internet education program to help protect children from online predators.

Under the governor's proposal, an offender convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct would receive a 25-year sentence, more than doubling the current presumptive sentence.

By Meryn Fluker, Correspondent

The Prior Lake-Savage Area School Board voted unanimously Monday night (Feb. 8) to close open enrollment at Prior Lake High School.

Superintendent Sue Ann Gruver updated the board on the high school's enrollment situation and said the district had received 21 open-enrollment applications for the 2010-11 school year. She then asked the board to accept those applications and vote to close open enrollment.

Burnsville High School’s Dance Team is heading to state Feb. 12 and 13 at the Target Center.

The Blazettes finished second in high kick/precision and second in jazz funk the Section 1AAA competition Feb. 6 at Bloomington Kennedy High School. Eastview High School finished first in both high kick/precision and jazz funk at the sectional meet and Faribault finished third in high kick and Lakeville North finished third in jazz funk.

Are you in the Feb. 6 edition of the Savage Pacer? If so, you can buy photographs that appear in the newspaper at http://savagepacer.smugmug.com/. Look below to see the slide show:

By Nancy Huddleston, Editor

Now more than ever, people are having a tough time finding hope in their lives.

So a coalition of eight area churches have come together to help find hope and battle depression with monthly information talks by health care professionals and clergy. The South Suburban Depression Support Coalition has scheduled five seminars – each dealing with a different aspect of depression.