3/15/2012 - Dakota County Tribune Business Weekly

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Laura Adelmann Jessica harper T.W. Budig

Skype connects prisoners to loved ones 2A Postal Service, union in lawsuit battle 2A Bill would pay money back to schools 7A

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date ##, 2009 March 15, 2012

Volume 33, 30, NUMBER Number 3 # VOLUME

Dakota County Tribune Since 1884

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Holberg move opens up 56B for GOP Peterson, McCall to seek endorsement Dakota County Tribune

State Sen. Chris Gerlach, R-Apple Valley, cited a desire to spend more time with his family as the main reason he is retiring from his work in the Senate. Photo by Rick Orndorf

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inside biz news

Rosemount Mayor Bill Droste’s State of the City outlines the surge in local economic development in the past year. 2A

bill droste

by Aaron Vehling

Redistricting of state House and Senate districts late last month has caused a stir in Burnsville and Lakeville, as incumbents and challengers vie for seats in new territories. The changes sparked a scrambling in the local GOP with consequences that reach as far as the Lakeville school board. Rep. Mary Liz Holberg, RLakeville, the House Ways and Means chair, announced March 1 in an email to supporters, and obtained by Thisweek, that she was running in the newly created, Lakeville-centric House District 58A. “I grew up here and we raised our family in Lakeville,” Holberg wrote in an email to supporters. “It has been a true honor and privilege to represent such a great community that has so much to be proud of.” The new district, 58A, makes up most of Lakeville and has no incumbent. Redistricting split Lakeville into three House districts, meaning Holberg would have had to run for re-election in 56B, a primarily Burnsville district with the Orchard Lake area basically the only piece of Lakeville left for her to represent. The Valley Park neighborhood in Lakeville will be in a district with Apple Valley in 57A. Holberg’s move leaves 56B open for new candidates. Lakeville school board vice-chair Roz Peterson and GOP Second Congressional District chairman Terry McCall, both Republicans, are seeking their party’s endorsement on March 17. DFLer Will Morgan, a teacher

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360 Communities is prepared to take on the diff icult work of meeting the high demand for its nonprof it services. jeff 4A mortensen capitol commerce

Lakeville senator’s proposal for a so-called Right to Work constitutional amendment causes a Capitol stir. dave 6A thompson dakota arts Photo by T.W. Budig

Dan McCarty is a Rosemount native, Stats: 0 Lakeville MAG: 1.00resident BWA: 0.0020 andSymbol Eagan police Ordered By: Width: 1.4690 Polarity: Positive Up Symbol Height: 1.0200 off icer who has Date Run: 05/29/2002 Flexo Width: 0.0000 nouncement in a Facebook post written his f irst on Monday, March 5, indicating novel. dan that she had been asked to run for 36A mcCarty the seat. “I want to be able to address having a great working environment for jobs that is more conducive to job creation,” Peterson told Thisweek. She said that though she is a longtime Lakeville resident and Mary Liz Holberg Roz Peterson Terry McCall 8 34493 00023 6 has been involved extensively in the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage challenge,” Morgan told Thisweek in that community, she has sigschool district and former two- last week, discussing the need for nificant ties to Burnsville as well. term House member, announced him to introduce himself to the Peterson, who works in commerGeneral 952-894-1111 his bid last week to return to the Lakeville portion of 56B. cial real estate, is a member of Distribution 952-846-2070 Capitol. Peterson, 46, a school board Advertising 952-846-2011 See GOP, Page 35A “I’m looking forward to the member since 2007, made her anHouse Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, and House Ways and Means Committee Chairwoman Code Type: UPC Version A Mary Liz Holberg, R-Lakeville, study a document during a pause in the special session. Holberg plans to Customer: 3242-ECM Publishers Order #: P34915-017 P.O. #: run in a new House district that is currently unrepresented.

this week news

Gerlach to step aside for new senator

that he will retire, effective at the end of his term this year, according to a press release. Gerlach, who has served in the Minnesota Senate for eight years, preceded by by Tad Johnson DAkota County Tribune six years in the Minnesota Republican state Sen. House, said he wanted to Chris Gerlach of Apple Val- spend more time with his ley announced on Monday family and focus on his di-

Apple Valley resident has served the area for 14 years

rect mail business. Gerlach and his wife, Shelli, have two children, ages 10 and 8. The announcement comes six days before the Senate District 57 endorsing convention at which many expected him to be the new district’s candidate. “While serving in the

Legislature is truly an honor and privilege, the family and financial sacrifices are great,” he said in a press release. “Now is the time to reassess my personal priorities.” Recent reports regarding Gerlach’s ownership in Eagan-based Capitol DiSee Gerlach, Page 10A


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