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Dakota County

Tribune

Farmington | Rosemount and the surrounding areas www.dakotacountytribune.com

February 13, 2014 • Volume 129 • Number 50

New school concept gets green light

Taking a fun spin

NEWS Rosemount woman honored A Rosemount woman was honored for her work with young adults at Lincoln Place in Eagan. Page 3A

Board members still want more financial detail by Jennifer Chick

OPINION

SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

Notices should stay in paper The publishing of public notices in newspapers is the best way to ensure transparency in government. Page 4A

THISWEEKEND

The Family Fun Fest treated children and their families to plenty of entertainment Friday night in the Rosemount Community Center gymnasium and in the ice arena. The gym was filled with games, music and activities. Children got a chance to try their hands at many games for the opportunity to win prizes, sing along with the Alpha-Bits and jump around in one of three inflatable play structures. More photos are online at SunThisweek.com and inside this edition. (Photo by Tad Johnson)

Now that the Farmington School Board has approved the district’s new school concept, district administrators will begin hiring teachers and registering students for the project-based school. The board approved Farmington New School at its regular board meeting Monday night. Farmington New School is touted as a project-based, continuous progress,

multi-age learning center. The vote was originally set for the Jan. 27 meeting, but with no school that day due to subzero temperatures, the board shortened its agenda that night, pushing the decision back to Feb. 10. “This is not just a green light to go all the way forward, it’s a green light to take the next steps,� Board Chairwoman Tera Lee said. “I wanted to make sure that was very clear toSee SCHOOL, 11A

Bellows will not seek re-election Sheriff’s 35-year career in law enforcement started as a city of Lakeville patrol officer by Laura Adelmann SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

Hometown history “Rosemount: From the River to Space� author Maureen Geraghty Bouchard is featured next week at a Robert Trail Library event. Page 17A

After 35 years in local law enforcement, Dakota County Sheriff Dave Bellows said he will not seek re-election in November. He is recommending Chief Deputy Tim Leslie run for the position, a decision Leslie said he is considering and discussing with his family. Leslie added he expects

to announce his decision by next week. Bellows, 58, started as a Lakeville patrol officer in 1980, moved up ranks and then joined the sheriff’s office as commander in 1999. A year later, he was named chief deputy by former Sheriff Don Gudmundson, who then appointed Bellows sheriff when he retired in early 2010. Bellows was elected to the position that fall.

Dakota County’s most tenured employee, Bellows said retiring from law enforcement was a difficult decision because he still loves what he is doing and is eager to come to work, but he questioned whether he would still feel that same level of excitement in another four years. “I wasn’t sure about that,� he said. “Four years from See BELLOWS, 15A

Dave Bellows

Taking the chill off

SPORTS

Farmington Wine Club offers an escape from the ordinary by Jennifer Chick SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

Girls hockey playoff time The Farmington girls hockey team won its first-round game in an upset, while Rosemount was eliminated in the play-in game. Page 10A

ONLINE To receive a feed of breaking news stories, follow us at twitter.com/ SunThisweek.

Cold temps outside are the perfect excuse to gather inside for a chance to try some of the newest and trendiest wines with the Farmington Wine Club. The Farmington Wine Club, established in the mid 2000s, is a chance for Farmington municipal liquor stores to showcase some of the latest wines in a social setting. More than 40 people gathered Thursday, Feb. 6, at Celts Pub and Grill in Farmington to try more than 20 wines and a handful of craft beers. “I wanted to show our wines and craft beers, to showcase the hot spots that are up and coming in the liquor industry,� said Blair Peterson, liquor operations manager for Farmington. Farmington operates two municipal liquor stores and a portion of the proceeds from the

Joe JerLoff, wholesale account manager for Cannon River Winery of Cannon Falls, said local wines are gaining popularity in the state as customers try the wines at events like Farmington Wine Club’s wine tasting night Feb. 6. (Photo by Jennifer Chick) stores help support Farmington’s municipal pool, Schmitz-Maki Arena, the Veterans Memorial, and parks and recreation improvements. Just recently, $10,000

Joe JerLoff, wholesale account manager for Cannon River Winery, pours a glass of red wine for Kim Lomas at Farmington Wine Club’s wine tasting Feb. 6 at Celts Pub and Grill. More than 40 people attended the event, looking for new wines to try while visiting with friends. (Photo by Jennifer Chick) from the city’s liquor operations was given to finish the Veterans Memorial this spring. In 2010, Peterson said the city was considering dropping the municipal liquor stores because sales were disappointing. Out of 17 municipal stores in the county

metro area, Farmington ranked 17th. But by 2012, sales had rebounded and Farmington was ranked 10th, according to a Minnesota state auditor report. Peterson said 2013 was an even better See WINE, 11A

Frozen filmmaking plunge Rosemount graduate produces ‘The Polar Bear Club’ in Minnesota

Discuss stories with us at facebook.com/ SunThisweek.

by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 10A Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 13A Public Notices . . . . . . 15A Announcements . . . . 16A

News 952-846-2033 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000 Delivery 952-846-2070

Four years ago, Rosemount High School graduate Ben Zschunke and his college buddy had a cinematic vision of an old man running across a frozen Minnesota lake wearing ski goggles, a bath robe and not much else. The image flickering in Zschunke and Brett Price’s mind was the nugget that drove them during the past four years as they wrote the screenplay for the feature-length film “The Polar Bear

See FILM, 12A

INDEX

Club,� which began shooting on Lake Chisago last week. “We knew we wanted to shoot it when we graduated,� Zschunke said during a production break on Friday. “I like telling stories and using narrative to tell a story,� he said. “I like to make people laugh or have them feel sorry for a character.� Zschunke started making movies with a Handycam his parents bought him when he was in sixth

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Rosemount High School graduate Ben Zschunke (center) cowrote and is co-producing “The Polar Bear Club� with fellow 2011 University of North Carolina School of Arts graduates Brett Price, director and co-writer, and Spencer Goodall, director of photography. (Photo submitted)

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