Dakota County
Tribune
Farmington | Rosemount and the surrounding areas www.dakotacountytribune.com
NEWS KIDSPO is this Saturday Sun Thisweek and the Dakota County Tribune’s KIDSPO Kids & Family Expo will be 10 a.m. 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Eagan Community Center. See KIDSPOmn.com
OPINION Research on the Internet Columnist Joe Nathan offers advice to students who are researching projects on the Internet. Page 4A
September 25, 2014 • Volume 129 • Number 30
Audit targets DARTS transit services Met Council terminates two contracts with Dakota County nonprofit by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
The future of DARTSprovided transit services in Dakota County was delivered a blow last week as Metropolitan Council senior managers terminated its current contracts for DARTS to provide Transit Link and Metro Mobility services. The Met Council reported that it is contacting customers of both services as it replaces DARTS with other providers by Nov. 9, the date set for the council’s 25-year relationship with DARTS to end. DARTS president and
CEO Greg Konat and other staff and board members of the nonprofit argued strenuously against this decision, according to a release from DARTS. He suggested the council put DARTS on a threemonth probationary period during which time issues could be addressed. The council rejected the idea. “We’re stunned by this decision, which seems like a sudden, harsh step in light of our long track record and recent, successful MnDOT inspections,� Konat said. The Met Council reported that Metro Mobil-
ity service will be provided by Transit Team and First Transit by Nov. 9, while Transit Link service will be transitioned to Midwest Paratransit Services. Transit Team will serve Burnsville, Apple Valley, Rosemount, and the portion of Eagan south of Diffley Road. First Transit will serve northern Dakota County and the portion of Eagan north of Diffley Road. First Transit will also provide all group trips to ProAct and Lifeworks Services. Konat stated that DARTS is committed to re-building its transporta-
tion division with its own community fleet and personalized ride service. He said DARTS’ main priority is to provide support for staff and clients during this transition. DARTS reported it would work individually with those affected. A report presented to the Met Council’s Audit Committee on Sept. 18 found DARTS was deficient in five of 12 areas reviewed. Falsification of performance records and improper maintenance of vehicles were among the deficiencies found to be non-compliant. Met
THISWEEKEND
Council staff said these findings revealed significant safety risks to passengers. The Aug. 11 and 13 inspection of buses found several serious safety hazards or issues related to the Americans with Disabilities Act, resulting in a request to remove seven of the 18 buses inspected from service, according to the report. Among the issues cited were a lift door that wouldn’t open without excessive force, three buses that had wheelchair lifts that would not deploy See DARTS, 8A
Investigation of suspicious materials continues No charges are expected by Laura Adelmann SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Cowboy tales in Lakeville “In the Company of Legends,� featuring characters from the Old West, takes the stage of the Lakeville Area Arts Center this weekend. Page 19A
SPORTS
A 20-year-old Farmington man had to be airlifted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul after suffering serious injuries in a crash at the intersection of Highway 3 and Connemara Trail on Tuesday night. (Photo by Tad Johnson)
Farmington man injured in Rosemount crash by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Irish in South Suburban lead The Rosemount High School football team is undefeated midway through season. Page 13A
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PUBLIC NOTICE The Dakota County Tribune is a legal newspaper for the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District.
INDEX Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Announcements . . . . . 8A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 13A
A rush-hour, head-on, twovehicle crash at the intersection of Highway 3 and Connemara Trail in Rosemount resulted in serious injuries to a 20-year-old Farmington man who had to be airlifted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul on Tuesday night. The crash occurred about 4:43 p.m. when Kyle L. Tribbitt was driving a 2003 Chevy Cavalier north on Highway 3 (South Robert Trail). Brenda K. Zender, 37, of Rosemount, was driving south on Highway 3 and turned her 2008 Honda Odyssey to go east on Connemara Trail when the two cars collided. The State Patrol reported that Tribbitt’s vehicle was going through the intersection with a green light and Zender’s vehicle failed to yield. Tribbitt had to be extricated from the vehicle by Rosemount Fire Department personnel while Rosemount police and Dakota County deputies directed traffic around the two vehicles that ended up in the northbound lane of the twolane Highway 3 and blocked the westbound lane of Connemara Trail. The State Patrol reported that Zender did not have any apparent injuries. No alcohol was detected in either driver. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts. The air bags deployed in both vehicles. Road conditions at the time of the crash were reported as dry.
Kyle L. Tribbitt, 20, of Farmington, had to be airlifted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul on Tuesday night after a crash at the intersection of Highway 3 and Connemara Trail in Rosemount. (Photo by Tad Johnson)
Rosemount police and Dakota County deputies directed traffic around the scene of a crash when vehicles ended up in the northbound lane of the two-lane Highway 3 and blocked the westbound lane of Connemara Trail. (Photo by Tad Johnson)
Local police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding a Sept. 17 discovery of suspicious materials found in a Lakeville home of a Rosemount High School student that were believed to be components for an incendiary device. Lakeville police Chief Jeff Long said no laws were violated and no charges are expected related to the incident. He said the mother of the Rosemount High School student was called by school officials regarding some behavioral issues, and police responded after she reported finding suspicious materials in a bedroom. Long said the Lakeville home on the 16000 block of Flagstaff Court was evacuated and a bomb squad from Bloomington was dispatched after police investigated and concluded the suspicious materials could be used to make an explosive. The materials were safely removed from the home without incident, and Long said calling the bomb squad was a precautionary action. Long said police were also being precautionary by holding Rosemount High School students in their third-hour classrooms 15 minutes past the normal release time to allow police an uninterrupted search of the building. School officials said the school was never threatened and no evidence was found that connected the materials in the student’s bedroom to the school. Long said the type of materials discovered in the home could be purchased in a hardware store “or even a store like Target.� Police did not find any writing or any kind of information on any computer in the home that indicated any kind of threat. Long said police have not had any previous contact with the student but will continue to investigate the purposes of possessing the materials. Long said one resident complained that the police had “overreacted� to the incident and unnecessarily scared students. “Much better that than the other way,� Long said, “underreacting and then finding out that we missed something.� Laura Adelmann is at laura.adelmann@ecm-inc.com.
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