Dakota County
Tribune
Farmington | Rosemount and the surrounding areas
www.dakotacountytribune.com
SPECIAL SECTION
Fa emw Di ayton D
JUNE 13-17
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farmingtondewdays.com
PUBLISHED JUNE 8, 2017
Ready for summer fun? Inside this edition is a special section devoted to Farmington Dew Days including a roundup of events. Inside this edition
OPINION State leaders fail trust test Last-minute actions marred the recently completed special session of the Legislature, the ECM Editorial Board writes. Page 4A
June 8, 2017 • Volume 132 • Number 15
Music highlights ArtBlast lineup Rosemount Area Arts Council event has 10 bands on the slate by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
The city of Rosemount will be filled with music, art and laughter June 19-25 during the fourth annual ArtBlast. The weeklong celebration of all things artistic will take place at a variety of venues aiming to attract people who are interested in being spectators or participants. Each year since 2014, the Rosemount Area Arts Council has worked with community partners to stage a slate of events in an effort to exhibit the profound amount to artistic talent in the local area. Since the outset, the Bluegrass Americana Festival has been a
featured event. It will be bookended by two other nights of music in Central Park by the decidedly different genres of rock and concert band. Variety has long been a goal of organizers who endeavor to give a little bit of something for everyone. Also on the slate are two nights of evening theatrical performances and a steel drum concert on another night. Familiar faces return to Bluegrass Americana Festival with Rosemount presences in two of the acts. Two Rosemount-raised brothers form half of Sawtooth Brothers, which released its debut album “One More Flight� last year. The band features two sets of brothers — Clint and Luke Birtz-
er, of Rosemount, and Ethan and Jesse Moravec, of Rochester — and combines traditional and contemporary bluegrass, classic country and gospel. Sawtooth Brothers perform originals along with covers of bluegrass standards and overlooked gems. Rosemount resident Craig Evans plays hammer claw banjo in Eelpout Stringers, which play “old time� music defined as that dating back to the 1800s. The band says on its website: Think of music from the movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou?� They tend toward ballads, Civil War-era songs or square dance music. The two bands will share the stage from 5-9 p.m. Saturday, June 24, with the King Wilkie’s Dream and Roe Family Singers. King Wilkie’s Dream is a Twin Cities-based band that plays bluegrass, blues, swing, Americana,
100th class graduates at RHS
country, tin pan alley, old time and just a little pop. The Roe Family Singers are a good-time, old-time hillbilly band from Kirkwood Hollow, Minnesota. Led by wife and husband Kim Roe and Quillan Roe, the band blends characteristic old-time sound with rock and roll urgency and influence. More about the bands is at http://sawtoothbrothers.com, http://www.eelpoutstringers.com, http://www.kwdream.com, and http://www.roefamilysingers.com. Rosemount’s Guitar Shop owner Brad Wegner will take to the stage with Radio Active 7-9 p.m. Friday, June 23, at the Central Park Amphitheater. The band was started in 2014 with the idea of playing classic rock and country songs that aren’t typically covered. See ARTBLAST, 9A
Safety Zone aims to teach Dew Days addition for people young and old
THISWEEKEND
by Maren Bauer SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Zoo welcomes new additions The Minnesota Zoo and its foundation have recently hired three key positions to lead the state-run institution into the future. Page 15A Photo by Andy Rogers
SPORTS Lacrosse victory is sweet The Farmington High School girls lacrosse team has won its first section title in school history. Page 10A
More than 500 members of the class of 2017 received their diplomas Rosemount High School June 3. It was the 100th class to graduate from Rosemount High School. Former Principals Greg Clausen, J. Richard Dewey and Thomas Wilson gave a historical perspective to the graduating class.
Beyond a title: Turning young women into leaders Farmington Ambassadors share their thoughts on Dew Days by Maren Bauer SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
PUBLIC NOTICE The Dakota County Tribune is an official newspaper of the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District.
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With the school year wrapping up, children and families yearn for those summer days of freedom. With that freedom, also comes the knowledge that Farmington Dew Days approaches. The food, the games, the music, the food, the sunshine, the community members and the food. Dew Days brings the community together in a joyous celebration, while also allowing folks a brief glimpse into the lives of local royalty. MaKayla Ford, Emma Ulrich, and ReAnn Eidahl all share their thoughts on ambassadorship and Farmington Ambassador Royal Coronation, which will be held this year at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 13, at Boeckman Middle School. Ford looks forward to
the event because she loves “seeing the community come together as a whole to celebrate the same thing.� She likens it to the Minnesota State Fair, calling it “the great Farmington get-together.� She also shares that she loves how little girls look up to them as role models, and see them as real-live princesseses. What Ford appreciates most about the program is that it goes beyond the tiara and flashing lights. “This program has taught me how to be a better leader, enhance my communication skills and public speaking, and has shaped me into a mature young woman,� she said. “Being an ambassador gave me the opportunity to strengthen my leadership skills, boost my confidence, and meet life-long friends,� Eidahl said. In order to accomplish their dreams, the ambas-
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Farmington Ambassadors at Farmington Dew Days in 2016. MaKayla Ford, Emma Ulrich, and ReAnn Eidahl are reflecting on Dew Days and ambassadorship this week. sadors recommend to potential applicants, and all students, to just do it. Whether they might be interested in the ambassadorship program, or any goal, the ambassadors encourage young people to set goals, step out of their
comfort zone, and be sure to prioritize. “Never give up; you can accomplish anything,� Ford said. Even with goal-setting, though, Ulrich reflects that participating in the ambassadorship program
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has also had its challenges. The time commitment and necessity for efficient timemanagement have forced her to manage the tasks at hand and stay focused. She says that learning See LEADERS, 9A
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With a jovial, clear, Minnesotan accent, Dan McNulty is happy to talk about the new Safety Zone at Farmington Dew Days. HE’S EXCITED ABOUT THE SUMMER AND BRINGING A NEW FEATURE TO DEW DAYS TO TEACH PEOPLE YOUNG AND OLD ABOUT BEING SAFE. McNulty is a second-generation retired firefighter who has a passion for teaching youths the art of firefighting. With his wife Theresa, a 911 dispatcher, they have been working with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America in teaching young people how to be safe in case of an emergency. At Farmington Dew Days, the McNultys will hold demonstrations with fire engines. He’ll also have some of the fire equipment he’s collected over the years, including an engine McNulty purchased from St. Anthony Village, where he started firefighting in 1978 and See SAFETY, 8A