Dakota County
Tribune
Farmington | Rosemount and the surrounding areas www.dakotacountytribune.com
NEWS Brownies give stuffed animals Farmington Brownie Troop 25277 collected stuffed animals to donate for children served by Dakota County child services. Page 2A
OPINION Teacher trust is book’s focus Joe Nathan highlights a book that explores common ground among many people who have disagreed in the past. Page 4A
March 21, 2013 • Volume 129 • Number 3
Local food shelves see record number of visits Goal to raise $60,000 and 70,000 pounds in March by Theresa Malloy SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Burnsville resident Jackie Butler came to Minnesota in July 2012 when her company transferred her from Baltimore. Butler and her 9-year-old daughter had settled in until Butler’s contract ended in November, and she was laid off without any
income. For the first time in Butler’s life, she was unemployed and unable to provide for her daughter. “I was down and embarrassed. I never thought I would find myself there,� she said. “I have adult children, and as a nurse, I was able to be a great provider to them.� Uncertain how to find or ask for help, Butler had
an unexpected call from “an absolute angel.� Nikki Johnson, a family support worker at Orchard Lake Elementary School in Lakeville, heard about Butler’s unemployment from her daughter. Johnson called Butler and offered to connect her with a Lakeville food shelf and See FOOD, 8A
Section title tension
THISWEEKEND
Who killed Edwin Drood? Audiences get to decide the identity of the killer in Chameleon Theatre’s latest production at the Burnsville Performing Arts Center. Page 15A
SPORTS
Rosemount’s Garrett Goetz looks for a place to pass the ball as Apple Valley’s Dustin Fronk moves in to defend during the Section 3-4A boys basketball championship game March 15. Apple Valley won 94-64 to earn a state tournament berth. Rosemount, which defeated two higher-seeded teams to reach the section final, finished 9-20. (Photo by Rick Orndorf)
Make way for chickens Farmington passes ordinance to allow by Theresa Malloy SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
After two years of debate, Farmington residents in urban areas can now raise chickens in their own backyards under an ordinance passed at the City Council meeting March 18. The initial draft of the ordinance allowed for a maximum of six chickens, but Council Member Christy Jo Fogarty and Mayor Todd Larson thought it was better to start out with three chickens, citing community concern. Fogarty said she had almost a dozen negative calls about the ordinance. “I am trying to balance what I heard,� she said. “I don’t care for it,� Larson said, “but I do understand the need the community is bringing forward. I am willing to try it for a year.� Not all supporters were squawking with excitement about the change. “I am disappointed, but at least it’s something� said Annabelle Randow, 15. Annabelle and her brother, Stefan Randow, 12, were two of a handful of Farmington youths who supported
the ordinance. “The original ordinance we drafted for the Planning Commission said five chickens,� Stefan said. “They said we can do six and were confident it was going to pass.� Lerew Kass, 14, another supporter, said he was surprised to hear about complaints. Besides one negative email sent to the city, he said he never heard from any dissenters. At the March 12 public hearing, only supporters showed up, said Tony Wippler, assistant city planner. The ordinance passed unanimously with the three-chickens limit, but council members Doug Bonar and Jason Bartholomay thought six chickens was an OK number. Bartholomay said he did not think three chickens was enough for people who wanted to get eggs. Bonar, who worked on the Planning Commission in past years reviewing the ordinance, said, “I’m confident that this has been thoroughly vetted in the last two years.� He agreed to three chickens “in the interest See CHICKENS, 7A
Thompson considers 2014 run for governor Dakota United third in tourney Dakota United made a run at the state PI Division adapted floor hockey title but came up just short in the championship game. Page 9A
seems as though some doors have opened, and I am exploring my options.� whether to mount Thompson, asa campaign within sistant minority the next several leader, said he has weeks. Dave been encouraged “I am giving Thompson to challenge Gov. it consideration,� said Thompson whose Mark Dayton in 2014 by District 58 includes Lakev- many business leaders and ille and Farmington. “It constituents.
He says ‘Minnesota is hungry for leadership’ by Laura Adelmann SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
State Sen. Dave Thompson, R-Lakeville, told Sun Thisweek on Tuesday he is seriously considering running for governor and will make a decision about
“I have talked to my family about it,� Thompson said. “I am serious, but I’m not ready to make a decision yet.� Thompson has been a rising star in Republican leadership since winning the Senate seat vacated by Sen. Pat Pariseau, RFarmington, in 2010 with 63 percent of the vote. The former conservative
radio talk show host was re-elected in District 58 in 2012. A married father of two, Thompson said education would be a top priority in a potential campaign for governor. “We have a significant gap in the quality of education available depending See THOMPSON, 11A
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Rosemount artist celebrates the lives of her mother, sister by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
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Rosemount resident Rita Corrigan’s “Resurrection� won third place in the Maplewoodbased Benedictine Monastery’s recent Juried Art Show. (Photo submitted)
‘Resurrection’ colors the light After a lifetime of painting and 25 years as an art teacher, Rosemount resident Rita Corrigan nearly stopped creating altogether after the unexpected death of her sister in November 2010 to lung cancer and then the death of her mother in February 2011. “Every May for over 10 years I had greatly anticipated and attended an art retreat through (the Minneapolis College of Art and Design) in Grand
Marais,� she said. “In 2011, I really had no desire to go because I was afraid these two deaths would influence my work and I just wanted to forget. I tried to go back to familiar images and work on images of the rocks and Lake Superior, but could not get into the work.� A conversation with a friend during the retreat changed all of that. The evening talk turned to Rita speaking about her mother and sister. “The next morning we had breakfast together and (my friend) wanted to tell
me something, but was unsure how to say it,� Rita said. “She told me that the night when I had spoken about my mom and sister, there was a bright light behind me and that a figure was laughing and smiling. She was sure that it was my sister or mom.� Abandoning her previous creative process, Rita said she put away her photographs and “started applying color randomly and intuitively to the paper with my bare hands, inspired by the light my See ARTIST, 7A
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