Dakota County
Tribune
Farmington | Rosemount and the surrounding areas
www.dakotacountytribune.com
NEWS Leprechaun Days returns Rosemount Leprechaun Days special section is inside this edition. It includes information about new or changing events and a full schedule. Inside this edition
Changing perspectives on suicide Pastor consecrates 19thcentury graves. Page 2A
THISWEEKEND
July 9, 2015 • Volume 130 • Number 18
Farmington pool given new life Residents make the case to keep it open at council meeting by Andy Rogers SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
The Farmington Municipal Pool was scheduled for demolition after this summer, but now it appears the city will keep it open. After hearing from several members of the community during Monday’s Farmington City Council meeting, Mayor Todd Larson said maybe the city should just let the pool ride its life out and let it die naturally with the understanding that there’s no money to replace it or fix it. “We may as well keep it as long as it’s willing to stay alive,� Larson said. Council Member Tim Pitcher compared it to
owning an old car, one that he wouldn’t put any major money into for repairs, but he would continue to drive. “It might surprise you and you get three years out of it,� Council Member Jason Bartholomay said. “You don’t know, but it doesn’t hurt to try. If we get two years out of it, it’s better than none.� Nothing was made official during Monday’s meeting. Seven members of the community spoke at the meeting in support of keeping the pool open and several more were in attendance. The speakers highlighted the benefit of giving the youth something inexpensive to do during the
summer, which keeps them out of trouble, something Pitcher agreed with. “We need kids to keep busy and healthy and off video screens as much as possible and get them outdoors,� Pitcher said. “Personally I’m in favor of keeping the pool open as long as possible without some major disruption until it’s deemed inoperable.� In its current condition, the pool’s life span is unknown. The council was told that it needed significant repairs due to mechanical and structural issues, and attendance has also slowly declined over the years from more than 14,000 in 2006 to a low of See POOL, 7A
The Farmington Municipal Pool located at 626 Heritage Way was given new life during Monday’s Farmington City Council meeting. Three members said their opinion was to keep it open as long as it’s usable with the understanding that there’s no money to replace it instead of closing it for good at the end of the season. The City Council initially planned to replace it with a splash pad in 2016, but it was deemed too expensive. (Photo by Andy Rogers)
Farmington man sentenced to 12 years in prison for coin fraud
Symphony in the woods The Dakota Valley Summer Pops Orchestra and Chorale is set to perform July 12 at Caponi Art Park in Eagan. Page 17A
Rambling River water park
With 4.61 inches of rain in Farmington on Monday, the Vermillion River overflowed and spilled out into Rambling River Park, putting the playground equipment in several inches of water. (Photo by Andy Rogers)
Rosemount student helps moms ‘one diaper at a time’ Kaitlyn’s Kloset shows model of community service by Hannah Gullickson
SPORTS
SUN THISWEEK
Hockey player readies for Gophers Emma May will bring her goalie stick to college. Page 10A
PUBLIC NOTICE The Dakota County Tribune is a legal newspaper for the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District.
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DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Kaitlyn’s Kloset, a local nonprofit that donates baby items, grew from the dream of a Rosemount High School student who wanted to give to families in need. Kaitlyn Stock, 16, has been running Kaitlyn’s Kloset for six months. With her family, she distributes baby clothes, food and items to families surrounding her hometown. She has more than 1,300 members from as far away as New England. Stock said she’s always been giving since her childhood. When she was 13, she bought a stroller with her own babysitting money, not knowing at first how she’d use it. “We shook our heads – not really sure where this was going,� said Stock’s mother, Kristen, on the blog Kaitlyn’s Kloset-MN. Stock said when she found a home for that stroller, for a baby whose mother had gone to prison, she found her desire to help others. Two years later, she launched Kaitlyn’s Kloset. “Kaitlyn’s Kloset grew from the dream of a young girl; who was hell-bent on saving the community one diaper at a time,� Kristen wrote on the blog. At Stock’s Grace Lutheran Church, band drummer Michael Miller said her selfless acts have helped him see how much she’s blessed her community. “She is a remarkable young lady,� Miller said. “To see every-
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thing she does at the age she’s at. ... She sees a need and does it – almost willpower not knowing any better.� Stock was encouraged to start her charity from her mentor who works at Pay It Forward, an international nonprofit that does “random acts of kindness� in communities worldwide. Stock and her mother were volunteering at Pay It Forward until Stock’s mentor saw that Stock
wanted to do more than what she was doing for Pay It Forward. She gave Stock the nudge she needed to start her own venture. At first, Stock and her mother bought used baby items and donated them. As Kaitlyn’s Kloset grew, they told their recipients to return the items once their children outgrew or didn’t need them. Then the See KLOSET, 7A
— Andy Rogers
A fee is charged at some locations to cover distribution costs.
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Kaitlyn Stock, left, and her younger sister Ashley host a lemonade stand for London, a baby diagnosed with leukemia, pictured with Kaitlyn. (Photo submitted)
Dennis Charles Helmer, 54, of Farmington, was sentenced to 150 months in prison and ordered to pay $1.3 million in restitution on Tuesday for orchestrating an elaborate coin fraud scheme that defrauded dozens of elderly victims, according to the United States Attorney’s Office. According to court documents, Helmer, who was also known as Dennis Diamond, Mr. Diamond and Jeff Jones to hide previous convictions, operated Wholesale Assets Worldwide and Best Price International, which would appraise, buy, sell and trade coins and precious metals. From 2009 to 2014, Helmer contacted dozens of individuals, mostly in their 80s and 90s, and persuaded them to entrust him with $1.3 million in money, coins and precious metals based on false promises. He told the victims he had 75 employees, $500 million in annual revenue and provided false documents pertaining to the credibility of his business. Instead of filling the orders, he sold the coins and used the money to fulfill other orders, make payments, pay personal expenses and attempted to fund start-up costs for another company. According to court documents, Helmer wrote in his guilty plea that he targeted elderly victims because it was easier to steal from them. He purposely targeted individuals who were suffering from dementia, in hospice care, legally blind and victims of a stroke. After discovering his operation was under investigation in 2013, Helmer moved his operation to Florida. He was indicted Aug. 5, 2014, and pleaded guilty on Sept. 25, 2014.
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