Show Off Savage
Honoring a hero
Photo contest winners announced
Quick actions saved a bus full of children
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www.savagepacer.com
SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011
SAVAGE
PACER
CLASSIC CARS IN THE PARK
Savage couple wins Collector’s Choice award Bill and Janet Millette of Savage were the winners of the Collector’s Choice award for their yellow 1932 Ford Roadster, which was on display during the Classic Cars in the Park event Aug. 12 at Community Park. The car has been dubbed “Jan’s Ride,” and was restored by Janet and Bill 10 years ago while they were both battling cancer. Janet was recovering from lung cancer and Bill was undergoing chemotherapy for lymphoma. Now, they are both in remission and Janet attributes her recovery to working on the car with her husband. “It kept our minds focused on things,” Janet said. “It kept me going.” At the show, the couple also displayed a yellow and black 1927 Dodge Sedan taxi and a blue 1953 Chevy Sedan Delivery. The couple has lived in Savage for 36 years and will be married 45 years in September. “I knew Bill through school, he was a friend of my brother’s,” said Janet. “We went to a party one night and he had a ’62 Corvette convertible, and I thought, ‘Whoa!’” The rest was history and Janet’s love of restoration coupled with Bill’s knowledge make for classic cars worthy of awards. Bill and Janet Millette live off of McColl Drive where they have a large garage that stores their many cars, motorcycles and scooters. The retired couple display their cars in about 20 car shows each year. Right now, Bill is restoring a ‘67 Chevy short-box pickup truck.
Collector’s Choice: 1932 Ford Roadster (Bill and Janet Millette of Savage)
PHOTOS ONLINE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS OF THE CAR SHOW, VISIT
savagepacer.com People’s Choice: 1970 Chevy Chevelle (Misty Loranser)
City touted as one of the best places to live Money magazine searched for cities with qualities important to American families A new list released this week by Money magazine ranked Savage as one of the best places to live in America. In a list of 100 “terrific small towns … boasting(ing) great job opportunities, top-notch schools, safe streets, economic strength, and more,” Savage ranked number 51. The magazine said that the selected cities “stand out in the qualities American families care about most – great job opportunities, topnotch schools, safe streets, economic strength, nice weather, plenty to do, and more.” Money magazine also cites Savage’s strong growth since the 1996 construction of the Highway 169 Minnesota River bridge, and the fact that the city has retained its small-town feel
Best in Show: 1959 Cadillac 62 Series (Jeff Hurinenko)
while developing modern suburban qualities. Other features credited with contributing to the community’s quality of life include Savage’s affordable housing stock, protected wetlands and 22 parks. “How could you not be pleased with being ranked in the top 100 in the United States,” said City Administrator Barry Stock. “It’s a testament to the services, amenities and people who live in our community.” In 2010, Savage was ranked one of 10 U.S. cities determined to be the Best Affordable Suburbs in their state by Bloomberg BusinessWeek, and was the only city recognized from Minnesota. -Amy Lyon
Maddox to serve 20 years Murderer sentenced to a total of 30 years BY KRISTIN HOLTZ kholtz@swpub.com
OTHER WINNERS Overall, the first annual Classic Cars in the Park event drew 70 vintage cars and a steady stream of visitors. Awards were also presented for Best in Show and People’s Choice. The People’s Choice award went to Misty Loranser for her 1970 red Chevelle, and the Best in Show award went to Jeff Hurikenko for his red 1959 Cadillac. The car show was organized by the Savage Chamber of Commerce. -Photos and story by Amy Lyon
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Lois Lipka held a birthday card she had bought for what would have been her daughter’s 48th birthday Saturday while asking Scott County District Court Judge Jerome Abrams for the maximum sentence for Ruth Anne Maddox’s killer. Charles Anthony “Tony” Maddox Jr. will spend 20 years in prison for his estranged wife’s death. Maddox, 48, who was convicted of second-degree murder in June, was sentenced Wednesday in Scott County District Court to 30 years — 20 in prison and another 10 on supervised release. “You will have the next 20 years. I know where you’re going to be and I
know what you’re going to be thinking about,” Abrams told Maddox after pronouncing the sentence. In court, Maddox’s lawyer, Fred Bruno, said an appeal was imminent. He could not be reached for comment following the sentence. In June, a jury convicted Maddox of murdering Ruth Anne, likely by crushing her neck with a door following an argument in the early morning of Nov. 11, 2008. The Prior Lake woman died of blunt force injuries to her head and neck. Her body was found in the couple’s garage the next day. Maddox claimed self-defense. The couple was in the middle of a divorce at the time of her death. The sentence is seven months shy of the maximum allowed under state sentencing guidelines. The county attorney’s office had asked for an upward departure from
Maddox to page 11 ®
After 32 years, VonBank hangs up fireman’s hat Assistant chief has served Savage since 1979 BY ALEX HALL ahall@swpub.com
Since August of 1979, if you were in Savage and needed the assistance of the fire department, it’s a near certainty that you saw Assistant Fire Chief Bruce VonBank on the scene. “Bruce has achieved over 95 percent attendance at all fire calls each one of those years over the past 32 years,” Fire Chief Joel McColl said at the Monday, Aug. 15 city council meeting. “That’s phenomenal to be able to dedicate that amount of time and service to the community. It’s something we
don’t see very often.” Now, after 32 years, VonBank is hanging up his fireman’s hat. VonBank was honored at Monday’s City Council meeting by McColl and Mayor Janet Williams, and in typical, humble VonBank fashion, he wasn’t exactly thrilled about it. “I didn’t want to do it,” VonBank said, “but it was nice. It made me feel proud, especially when I saw all the guys that were there to support me.” The VonBank family is famous in Savage for their dedication to the fire department. VonBank’s father, Verdi, served on the department,
and Bruce VonBank served most of his 32 years alongside brothers Roger and Stan VonBank. And when Bruce retires at the end of the month, Roger’s son, Jake, will be the last VonBank in the department. Even so, it wasn’t family that pulled VonBank into the business. The fire chief at the time, who was the cousin of VonBank’s then-wife, asked him if he would join, partly because VonBank lived only a block from the fire station. “I really hadn’t thought about it much before that, but when he approached me, I thought, ‘Yeah, I’ll give it a try,’” said
VonBank to page 2 ®
PHOTO BY AMY LYON
Bruce VonBank (center) gathers with the rest of the fire department crew after he was honored at Monday’s City Council meeting.
INSIDE OPINION/4 OBITUARIES/6 POLICE/10-11 LET’S GO/12-13 SPORTS/17-20 CLASSIFIEDS/24-27 TO REACH US SUBSCRIBE: (952) 345-6683 EDITOR: (952) 345-6376 OR E-MAIL EDITOR@SAVAGEPACER.COM.
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