SHS Snowball royalty crowned
Sabers open against Jaguars
Shakopee High School crowned its Snowball king, queen Friday
Girls hockey team starts playoffs on Friday night
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012
SHAKOPEE
VALLEY
$1
news
Shelton target of probe
Santorum is local choice
Outside attorney to look into allegations
It’s a slow night for DFLers
BY SHANNON FIECKE sfiecke@swpub.com
Scott County has hired an outside investigator to look into a complaint lodged by an unidentified county employee against County Ad m i n i s t r at or Gary Shelton. At le a st t wo county commissioners have been inter viewed by the investigator, Gary an attorney who Shelton is unfamiliar with Scott County, but came recommended by two labor relations attorneys known to the county. The investigation has been going on for six weeks. County Commissioner Dave Menden of Shakopee, who said he learned
Investigation to page 15 ®
JUNIOR HIGH BOUNDARIES
Parents OK with plan BY KRISTIN HOLTZ kholtz@swpub.com
If Shakopee School Board members were expecting a mob of angry parents upset with how they drew attendance boundaries for the proposed junior highs, what they found instead was nodding heads. “I think what they came up with makes the most sense,” said Sun Path Elementary parent Lisa Friesen. About a dozen parents attended the School Board’s Feb. 2 presentation regarding the preliminary attendance boundaries, which will split the district into two 7-9 buildings beginning next fall. The board will vote on fi nal approval of the boundaries at its Monday board meeting. The dividing line will send 789 students to the “East” junior high building, the current Shakopee Middle School, and 804 to the “West” building, Shakopee Junior High. (The board has yet to name the schools, which are informally being referred to as East and West.)
Boundaries to page 5 ®
BY SHANNON FIECKE sfiecke@swpub.com
selected in about two weeks. “You’re positioned pretty well in that competition,” state Transportation Commissioner Tom Sorel told a gathering of around 50 civic and business leaders from Carver and Scott counties. If 101 is successful, another $12 million in funding would be required
With a CNN reporter hovering outside a packed classroom at Shakopee High School, precinct leader Erik Radtke shared with neighbors how he attended his fi rst caucus four years ago and now is deputy chair of the congressional District 2 Republicans. Radtke encouraged the 40 assembled from Rick his political preSantorum cinct to get more involved and then opened the floor for a lively discussion, asking supporters of each political candidate to speak before voting in the presidential preference poll. Although former Sen. Rick Santorum took the Shakopee straw poll like he did the state, more than half of those in Precinct 12 supported U.S. Rep. Ron Paul from Texas, sparking a debate on Paul’s foreign policy views. “We need to get out of meddling in other people’s business,” Doug Davis, a father and video production student, who recounted that the CIA helped overthrow the Shah of Iran. “We’re a target,” countered Ben Johnson, a young engineer dressed in an Aeropostale hoodie, who was torn between Santorum and Newt Gingrich. “A good offense is a phenomenal defense.” More than 300 people showed up at the high school to participate in the straw poll and elect delegates to the nominating convention, where candidates for state Legislature are picked. These delegates also have the chance to go on to the state and national party conventions. Rick Santorum came in fi rst in the Shakopee Republican straw poll on Tuesday night with 125 votes. Ron Paul placed a strong second with 89. Mitt Romney was third with 52 and Newt Gingrich fourth with 38. CNN reporter Chris Welch gave live dispatches to anchor Wolf Blitzer from the high school. The straw poll was unbinding, so it’s really the delegates selected who count. But despite the great turnout in Precinct 12, only 11 of the 40 attendees ran for a delegate spot. Although Paul got about 50 percent of the vote here, his passionate supporters captured four of the five delegate spots. Like the rest of the country,
Dayton to page 5 ®
Caucus to page 15 ®
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Engagement photo of John Clay and Nikki Solie.
This is burning love Their flame can’t be extinguished BY SHANNON FIECKE sfiecke@swpub.com
O
ther than the occasional rescue from a burning building, Shakopee firefighters don’t have a chance to meet women often on the job. It’s been a while since the 43-member department attracted a female recruit, so the answer to the city’s single-plagued firemen may be
more mutual aid calls with neighbor communities. Shakopee firefighter John Clay — a city native — married Nikki Solie, a Prior Lake firefighter and Chetek, Wis., native, on Sunday at Sanibel Island, Fla. Since two firefighters falling in love would seem to be a rare occurrence (though in Prior Lake it’s more common than one may think), we asked Nikki to share their story in this e-mail exchange. How long have you been firefighting? “John has been a Shakopee firefighter for the past five years and
I have been a firefighter for two and one-half half years.” Are you the only woman on your department? “We have two others — Jackyln (Carlson) Hayes and Kate Schommer Yurko, both who are also married to firefighters.” How did you and John meet? “We were introduced by our fellow firefighters at the Prior Lake Fire’s annual chicken barbeque two years ago. I remember thinking he was really cute and seemed accomplished. We started dating three months later.”
Couple to page 5 ®
Dayton boosts 101 crossing ‘We’ll do all we possibly can’ BY SHANNON FIECKE sfiecke@swpub.com
Gov. Mark Dayton pledged his support Friday for raising the County Road 101 river crossing and making it four lanes from the get-go, as local leaders prefer. “If the first $ 25 million comes through, I’ll be glad to work with your legislators on the other $10 million,” Dayton said. New estimates show that raising 101, along with improvements to the Highway 169 bridge for f lood purposes, would cost nearly $31 million. It’s just another $6 million to widen the County Road 101 crossing to four lanes, which could also possibly limit closures during road construction. The state’s current two-lane pro-
River crossing options Two options Construction of new Co. Rd. 101 river crossing Highway 169 bridge enhancements Engineering/administration Total cost
2 Lanes-101
4 Lanes-101
$24.2 M
$28.2 M
$1.4 M
$1.4 M
$5.1 M
$7.1 M
$30.7 million
$36.7 million
Source: Scott County
posal would require a 12-month closure. That would be “devastating” to merchants who’ve already endured three flood closures in 15 months, plus three road construction projects,” said former Shakopee Mayor John Schmitt. Only $25 million is available in competitive metro bridge funds for flood mitigation. The winner will be
INSIDE OPINION/4 OBITUARIES/6 CALENDAR/11 HAPPENINGS/14 SPORTS/17-18 CLASSIFIEDS/27-29 TO REACH US SUBSCRIBE: (952) 345-6682 EDITOR: (952) 345-6680 OR E-MAIL EDITOR@SHAKOPEENEWS.COM.
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