Dakota County
Tribune
Farmington | Rosemount and the surrounding areas
www.dakotacountytribune.com
NEWS Indian dance in the spotlight An Apple Valley resident will help a Twin Cities group take visitors on a journey through ethnic dance. Page 2A
OPINION Session 2017 preview The ECM Editorial Board says the 2017 legislative session should take care of old business first. Page 4A
January 12, 2017 • Volume 131 • Number 46
Rosemount extends agreement with RAAC Arts group will continue to use city facilities for free by Andy Rogers SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
The Rosemount City Council approved a service agreement with the Rosemount Area Arts Council last week to allow the group to use city facilities rent-free, but it wasn’t rubber stamped. Council Member Shaun Nelson asked to discuss whether the city should continue to allow RAAC to use city facilities rent-free during events that RAAC charges for and suggested adding a
user fee. He added the city charges youth athletic organizations fees to use city’s facilities and doesn’t give free space to youth groups. “Simply put, I want to be fair for all organizations and charge for events that the RAAC charges for,” Nelson said. “The city invested $3.8 million in the Steeple Center.” He said the ice rink covers about 80 percent of its costs through fees, while See ARTS, 10A
The Rosemount Area Arts Council’s Christmas at the Steeple Center 2013. (File photo)
THISWEEKEND
Helping hand has lasting impact
District 196 board member says a first-impression of American kindness motivates him today by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Author event in Rosemount Terry Kerber, coauthor of a book about champion cyclist Major Taylor, is set to speak Jan. 17 at the Robert Trail Library. Page 15A
SPORTS A mid-season report card Farmington and Rosemount high schools sports teams are heading toward an important stretch of the season. Page 9A
PUBLIC NOTICE The Dakota County Tribune is an official newspaper of the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District. Page 10A
INDEX Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9A Public Notices . . . . . . 10A Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 11A Announcements . . . . 14A
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When a 19-year-old Sachin Isaacs arrived at the Amtrak train depot in Winona, Minnesota, in 1999, the two suitcases he had brought from India had been jostled around so much during the ride from Chicago that they had burst open and scattered his clothes. Isaacs admits that it was a pathetic sight, which was compounded when the emigrating college student’s ride didn’t show up and he didn’t have anyone else to call. After Isaacs sat at the station for about an hour as the clock neared midnight, the only other person there – the station master ready to close up for the night – approached him. Isaacs explained as best he could, being fairly new to the English language, that he was in America for this first time on a student visa and his ride hadn’t arrived to take him to Winona State University. He said the only con-
Sachin Isaacs, the newest Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School Board member, was elected during the primary election in 2016. He plans to spend a day in all of the district’s 31 schools during the academic year. (Images by Tad Johnson) tact he had had with the Thorn drove their pickup enced the trajectory of my won the contest handily school was through dean truck to the station, placed life as a human being by as he earned 28 percent of Mary Thorn. The station Isaacs’ two tattered bags in that one act.” the vote. He outdistanced master cracked open local the back and ferried him Isaacs was among one his closest competitor – phone book, found seven off to the only dormitory of the top newsmakers in Wendy Brekken – by 9 Thorns, but no Mary. that was open at the time. Dakota County in 2016 as percentage points. The worker started “That one gesture has he won on Aug. 9 a sevHe said the fact that he with the first Thorn on the impacted me for a life- en-way race for a School ran the previous year was list and called four more time,” said Isaacs, the Board seat, vacated when a boost to his campaign as Thorns before finding newest member of the longtime Board Member people were familiar with Mary and her husband, Rosemount-Apple Val- Rob Duchscher moved out him during the second Buzz, on the other end of ley-Eagan School Board. of the district in March. campaign’s door-knockthe line. “She didn’t know me. She Isaacs, who was un- ing phase. In the middle of the picked me up at a very late able to gain a seat in 2015 See ISAACS, 13A night, Mary and Buzz hour and possibly influ- against three incumbents,
Lewis, Little win toss-up races National, state races supply election drama by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
The election of candidates for state and federal offices in Farmington and Rosemount offered a few surprises in 2016. Two toss-up races in the 2nd Congressional District and Senate District 58 offered all the drama needed on election night and into the next morning when the winners of both races were declared after a ballot-counting snafu in Dakota County. U.S. Rep. Jason Lewis, RWoodbury, captured the 2nd District seat to replace John Kline, who announced in September 2015 he wouldn’t be seeking re-election to an eighth term. The former conservative radio talk show host defeated former St. Jude Medical executive Angie Craig, of Eagan, 47.11 percent to 45 percent. By 387 votes, former Lakeville Mayor Matt Little became the first DFLer elected in Senate District 58 in about 30 years with a
victory over former Farmington City Council Member Tim Pitcher. Lewis and Craig debated four times over the campaign, including an ap- Jason Lewis pearance on Minnesota Public Radio when they traded barbs over health care, the federal deficit, budget cuts and taxes. Lewis appealed to voters with a smaller government approach, including a flat tax proposal and sequester budget cuts. He defeated the other Republican challengers in a primary. The candidates included Darlene Miller, owner and CEO of Permac Industries in Burnsville, who was endorsed by Kline. Lewis was named a senior freshman member on the House Budget Committee in January. “I’m honored to have been named to this prestigious committee and look forward to working with Dr. Price and Interim Chair (Diane) Black to do as I promised; repeal and replace Obamacare and make healthcare accessible
and truly affordable for all Americans,” Lewis said in a statement. “I’m excited to get to work with my colleagues to return fiscal reMatt Little sponsibility to our government and tackle the $20 trillion national debt that threatens our children’s future.” As for Little, when he was asked what his upset meant to the Democratic Party, he described it as a “huge victory,” not for Democrats, but to show the state of Minnesota winning does not have to be about party affiliation “if your issues are right and people know and trust you.” He said a post-victory email from a supporter best summed up his campaign: “She said you covered our house twice,” Little said. “And your campaign has been here three times, and I haven’t had anybody else come to my door, and so you’ve got my vote even though I’ve never voted for a Democrat before.” In the election, Little won all of Lakeville’ precincts, in addition
to collecting the most votes in two of Farmington’s six precincts, one township and the only precinct in Northfield.
Incumbents win On the House side, Republicans won in both districts that cover Farmington and Rosemount, while Sen. Greg Clausen, DFLApple Valley, won in District 57. Reps. Anna Wills and Pat Garofalo won handily in their bids to retain their seats. Wills, 31, who serves House District 57B (Apple Valley, Rosemount and Coates), defeated Rosemount real estate agent John Huot by a margin of 53.6 to 46.1 percent. Former Apple Valley and Rosemount high schools Principal Greg Clausen, of Apple Valley, won re-election to a second term by a 53.1 to 46.7 percent margin over financial services professional Cory Campbell, of Apple Valley. In House District 58B, Garofalo won with 64.9 percent of the vote to DFLer Marla Vagts’ 34.9 percent. It was the second Garofalo-Vagts matchup.
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