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Dakota County

Tribune

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

March 27, 2014 • Volume 129 • Number 4

NEWS Public safety honorees Police Investigator John Winters and Fire Department Lt. Chad Ganfield are Rosemount’s public safety Employees of the Year. Page 3A

OPINION Students want equal grades Some Minnesota students are advocating that school districts give equal grade-point weighting for classes taken in the district or at a college. Page 4A

THISWEEKEND

Miss Minnesota Rebecca Yeh waves to the crowd during a parade in advance of the Miss America Pageant. Yeh, of Nisswa, visited with students in Eagan and Rosemount last week as an advocate of Autism Speaks. (Photo contributed by Sarah Morreim)

Helping young people understand autism Autism Speaks through Miss Minnesota at schools in Eagan, Rosemount

Rosemount High School teacher Michelle Betts (right) and her students are wearing safety goggles in her chemistry class. Betts’ goggles are adorned with jewels, which she says are another way she brings fun to the classroom. (Photo submitted)

Motivating students at the molecular level Rosemount teacher is semifinalist for state honor

by Tad Johnson

by Tad Johnson

SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

Squeeze-box splendor Fresh off its “A Prairie Home Companion� appearance, Cafe Accordion Orchestra is set to perform in Rosemount on April 9. Page 15A

SPORTS

When talking with children, a crown seems to command attention. That’s what Miss Minnesota Rebecca Yeh says about presentations she makes to students regarding an issue that’s near to her heart – autism. Yeh was at Northview Elementary School in Eagan and Rosemount High School on Wednesday, March 19, talking about her experiences growing up with an older brother who has autism. “It is extremely important to speak to students at those ages to show them that differences are good,� Yeh wrote in an email. “Our natural inclination is to gravitate toward those See AUTISM, 8A

A bountiful winter for South Suburban The recently concluded winter sports season might have been the South Suburban Conference’s best yet. Page 9A

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

INDEX Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9A Classifieds . . . . . 11A-13A Announcements . . . . 14A

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

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SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

Miss Minnesota Rebecca Yeh plays the violin during the talent portion of the Miss America Pageant. Yeh, of Nisswa, visited with students in Eagan and Rosemount last week as an advocate of Autism Speaks. (Photo contributed by Sarah Morreim)

Atoms are busy. While the nucleus of the cell is a constant, electrons rush about spinning round and round in constant motion. Rosemount High School teacher Michelle Betts’ classroom might be best described with this molecular example. Over the past four years at the school, she has been the stable center in her chemistry and physical science classes as students have zipped to places large and microscopic. It has engendered so much praise, her 2014 Teacher of the Year nomination impressed Education Minnesota enough to place her among the 35 semifinalists. “I couldn’t believe that I had been nominated,� said Betts, who is currently on

maternity leave. “I cried, which many of my students and colleagues know I do when I am touched. I couldn’t believe that a student had taken the time to show their appreciation for me.� It wasn’t just one student. Several of her “studentelectrons� spoke about how Betts inspired their interest in science to motivate them to do more than just experiment with the idea of turning to it as a college and career path. “Ms. Betts believed in me that first day of class, when I was so close to giving up on science completely, and now, because of her support and wisdom, I will be majoring in biochemistry after graduation,� said Amari Brown, an RHS senior who was the school’s See TEACHER, 10A

Everything’s coming up roses Gardens find new home at Dakota County Fairgrounds by Jennifer Chick SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

Plants and flowers in gardens within UMore Park in Rosemount are finding a new home this spring. In June 2011, the University of Minnesota and Dakota Aggregates signed a 40-year lease agreement for phased aggregate mining at UMore Park in Rosemount. Dakota Aggregates plans to mine nearly 200 million tons of gravel and sand from approximately 900 acres on the western edge of the 5,000-acre UMore Park in the Rosemount and Empire townships. While this gravel mining will bring in income to support the university and the park, it is also creating dust and safety concerns at the Master Gardener Education and Research Display Gardens housed within UMore Park so the gardenSee ROSES, 10A

The roses at the Master Gardener Education and Research Display Gardens at UMore Park in Rosemount will find a new home this spring. They will be moved to the Dakota County Fairgrounds where the master gardeners are planning a variety of exhibits with approval from the Dakota County Board and Dakota County Ag Society. (Photo submitted)

The Vettern College Choir will perform at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 29, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Rosemount. (Photo from Vettern College)

Swedish choir has an encore Group that performed in 2012 returns to St. Joseph prised of 24 women and 20 men, will perform at 6:30 p.m. from a repertoire that includes traditional choral works, A college choir from Sweden that Swedish ethnic music and hymns. performed at St. Joseph Catholic “It’s kind of lyrical,� Karen ArChurch in Rosemount in 2012 is return- landson said in 2012 when she and her ing Saturday, March 29. The Vettern College Choir, comSee CHOIR, 10A by Tad Johnson

SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

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