Creative Cupid
Down goes Tonka
Ideas to make Valentine’s Day fit the couple
Eagles upset No. 1 ranked Skippers
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012 THU
EDEN PRAIRIE
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news
It’s official
First couple signs up for city’s new domestic partnership registry BY LEAH SHAFFER lshaffer@swpub.com
F
or CeAnne Becker and Laura Kaczmarek, Eden Prairie’s domestic partnership registry is about more than fi lling out a form. “It makes me feel like Eden Prairie cares about us,” said Kaczmarek. She and Becker were the fi rst to sign the registry since it became available Thursday. The City Council approved an ordinance establishing a domestic partnership registry during its previous meeting. All council members voted for the ordinance with the exception of Brad Aho, who said the city should focus on public safety, infrastructure and parks, not social issues. The ordinance provides “a means by which unmarried, committed couples who reside in Eden Prairie and who share a life and home together may document their relationship,” according to the council documents.
Registry to page 10 ®
3 sign up As of Monday, three couples had signed up for the registry. Source: City of Eden Prairie
A certificate like the one pictured will arrive at the couple’s Eden Prairie address in a few days. Eden Prairie is the 18th city in Minnesota to offer a domestic partnership registry.
SERVING ABROAD
‘Did you ever know that you’re my hero?’
EP graduate works with elite group in Afghanistan Sarah Upton Cleveland is part of a Cultural Support Team in Afghanistan. She describes herself as “the officer in charge of an elite group of females that aide Special Forces in accessing 70 percent of a population that they would not normally be allowed to engage (women, children, families) due to gender and other cultural restraints.” Cultural Support Teams were created in 2010 to gain understanding of the culture and work with the Afghan women. Cleveland grew up in Eden Prairie. She attended Prairie View Elementary School, Central Middle School and Eden Prairie High School. She was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force in September and today works with Special Forces teams to “build rapport” with local women and children. Cleveland responded to questions via email from Bagram, Afghanistan, where she arrived in August 2011. She is expecting to leave there in spring 2012. Q: What made you decide to go into the Air Force? “After I graduated college I went over to Europe to visit my sister
PHOTOS BY LEAH SHAFFER
(From left) CeAnne Becker and Laura Kaczmarek sign up for the city’s domestic partnership registry. The couple, who married in Canada, wanted to be the first to sign up for the registry. The first day to sign up for the domestic partnership registry was Thursday.
EP Fire Department members find out they’re the wind beneath Jared Allen’s wings in NFL commercial BY KARLA WENNERSTROM editor@edenprairienews.com
Assistant Fire Chief Steve Koering said he got the message that “one of the Vikings is going to do a presentation.” Little did Eden Prairie firefighters at Fire Station 1 know that they would be serenaded by Vikings defensive end Jared Allen in his uniform – and a black cowboy hat. Chief George Esbensen got the call fi rst. “We’re doing this program,” he was told. “We’re surprising season ticket holders and we’d like to surprise a bunch of your fi refighters, too.” Esbensen said he had meetings so he delegated the secret-keeping to Koering. “The NFL came up with this idea of thanking their fans for supporting them,” Koering said. The NFL commercial with the theme “We Play for You,” features players from the Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs also serenading fans. Koering said he didn’t know
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Sarah Cleveland in her combat gear. “The gear (without backpack) weighs about 30 pounds,” she wrote. “The helmet alone is about seven pounds.” (Kathleen Upton Taylor) who was in the Army at the time. I didn’t spend a lot of time with her … but I did spend a lot of time just traveling around
Cleveland to page 10 ®
SUBMITTED PHOTO
At Fire Station 1 when Jared Allen made his surprise visit were (back row): Jessica Meuwissen, Matt Adie, Ward Parker, Jared Allen, Tony Liddell, Mark Vandenberghe; (front row) Kimberly Cox, Jeff Dezenski, Rik Berkbigler, Scott Taylor, Jake Savat and Steve Koering.
VIDEO ONLINE VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO. www.edenprairienews.com
how they picked the Eden Prairie Fire Department, although they have worked together with the Vikings on various events at the Winter Park facility. “I’m glad that they picked us.” Allen visited the fire station on Dec. 28.
‘SHOCKED AND AMAZED’ When the fire station doors opened,
INSIDE OPINION/4 OBITUARIES/6 SPORTS/8-9 CALENDAR/14 CLASSIFIEDS/19-21 LIVING IN EP/22 TO REACH US SUBSCRIBE: (952) 345-6682 EDITOR: (952) 942-7885 OR EMAIL EDITOR@EDENPRAIRIENEWS.COM.
Allen was outside. He sang Bette Midler’s “Wind Beneath My Wings.” “They were shocked and amazed,” Koering said of the EPFD. “It’s one of those things you really can’t believe. … Then as quickly as they came, they left.” Firefighter Tony Liddell added that it was almost as quick as the commercial itself. One version of the commercial on YouTube clocks in at about a minute, with Liddell shaking Allen’s hand at about the 56-second mark. Firefighter Scott Taylor called it Liddell’s one second of fame. “We were the only ones without
Jared Allen to page 10 ®
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