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Dakota County
Tribune
Farmington | Rosemount www.dakotacountytribune.com
and the surrounding areas July 16, 2015 • Volume 129 • Number 19
Road construction scheduled for Highway 3 in 2016
OPINION Auditor should retain duties The ECM Editorial Board says the Minnesota State Auditor’s Office should continue to have oversight of state funds to county governments. Page 4A
by Andy Rogers SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
THISWEEKEND
‘Beauty and the Beast’ in Eagan Eagan Summer Community Theatre presents the popular musical July 17-Aug. 1, singing candlestick and all. Page 19A
The Rosemount Leprechaun Days Grand Day Parade will start at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 18, as it will travel south on Chili Avenue, east on 145th Street and north on Cameo Avenue. (File photo)
Parade, Bathtub Races highlight weekend Leprechaun Days from sunrise to sunset this Saturday by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
With several new events on tap and old favorites returning, Rosemount Leprechaun Days starts tomorrow and includes possibly the most activities it has ever had. Leprechaun Days puts the emphasis on community during the festival July 17-26 with more than 50 of the 70-some events being organized by local organizations and businesses. “The committee works hard to plan the carnival, music, parade and fireworks, and we appreciate the effort the community puts into creating their own events,� said Steve Ball, Leprechaun Days Committee president, who added that volunteers are still needed for the parade and to help with other events. (See a link
SPORTS
to the SignUp Genius page at RosemountEvents.com/volunteer.html. The 100-unit Grand Day Parade is the featured event on Saturday, July 18. It will be highlighted by the Rosemount High School marching band, several school and community group floats and grand marshal longtime RHS English teacher Chuck Brooks, who has been the parade announcer for the past several years and retired from teaching this spring. The parade will be joined by several other activities to fill out the schedule. Also on that day will be the Run for the Gold in the morning, Lightin’ Up the Family Block Party after the parade and the Bathtub Races at 5 p.m. The races are being moved from their traditional Tuesday slot to the first Saturday this year.
The Petting Zoo at Fluegel’s Farm, Garden & Pet along with Super Awesome Free Youth Activities are planned in the afternoon and a movie in Central Park is slated to start after dusk. “It should be a great day of fun in Rosemount,� Ball said. Other new events in the following days are the Rosemount Pipers Family Day, featuring baseball games at Ames Field; a “drive-in� movie, and a punt, pass, kick competition for young and old. Specifics about these events and more is at SunThisweek.com/tag/ Leprechaun-Days-2015. “While Leprechaun Days already has great participation among local residents, we think these new events will encourage even more people to See DAYS, 7A
One of the major roads in Farmington will soon be under construction once again. Next year, the Minnesota Department of Transportation is planning a road construction project on Highway 3 between Highway 50 in Farmington and 170th Street in Empire Township. It won’t be nearly as disruptive as the current 195th Street reconstruction project, which began earlier this year, affecting traffic times for many motorists. Highway 3 won’t be completely reconstructed with this project. It will be resurfaced, which aims to provide a smoother road surface and extend the life of the pavement. The plan also includes improvements to pedestrian crossings and intersections. The bike trail between 194th and 195th Street will also be connected, completing an 8-mile trail throughout Farmington. See ROAD, 6A
Referendum requests lowered in District 192 Farmington School Board still weighing the numbers by Andy Rogers SUN THISWEEK
Farmington runner wins Pan-O-Prog races
DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Rosemount graduate returns to local stage Jason Perri continues to pursue music dreams in Nashville
Lauren Peterson, 14, was the top female finisher in 1- and 4-mile races in Lakeville last week. Page 12A
News 952-846-2033 Display Advertising 952-846-2019 Classified Advertising 952-392-6862 Delivery 952-846-2070
INDEX Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 10A Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 14A Announcements . . . . 18A
by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Jason Perri cherishes the time he spent growing up in Rosemount so much that it oozes through the song “My Hometown.� Perri, who lives in Nashville, Tennessee, returns to Rosemount next Saturday with his musical cohort Andrew Varner to perform that song and more as the featured act during the Rosemount Leprechaun Days Midsummer Faire. Perri moved his family to the country music mecca a few months after the last time he played at Leprechaun Days in 2006. Since that time, he has played 52 major label showcases for record executives in an attempt to garner a record deal. He’s hoping the pairing with Varner will bring Former Rosemount resident Jason Perri (right) has teamed up with Andrew Varner to form a new band that is attempting a breakthrough in the Nashville music scene. (Photo submitted) See PERRI, 6A
After months of discussion, the Farmington School Board plans to approve the final numbers on an operating levy and a facility improvement bond during Monday’s joint meeting with the Farmington City Council. The district plans to go to the voters on Nov. 3 to ask for additional property taxes to help fill a hole in the district’s budget and for facility improvement funds. District officials brought a lower levy target to the Farmington School Board on Monday than they did earlier this year. The board is pondering a combined operating levy and facility improvement bond that would either increase property taxes by $224 or $287 using the estimated home value of $225,000. The School Board was initially scheduled to vote on the final numbers during last Monday’s meeting, but the board tabled See 192, 7A
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