In today’s paper: Stretch
Season ends for Saber girls
Tax tips, credit scores, Frugal Foodie and more
Jefferson scores twice in final 7 minutes for victory
Inside
Page 15
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012
SHAKOPEE
VALLEY
$1
news Divided board OKs upgrades of schools At issue: $18.5 million in building fund BY KRISTIN HOLTZ kholtz@swpub.com
PHOTO BY SHANNON FIECKE / REPRINTS AT PHOTOS.SHAKOPEENEWS.COM
Shakopee artists have their eye on the downtown fire station at the corner of Second Avenue and Scott Street. Firefighters moved out Saturday. Pictured from left: Marla Estenson, Adam Jurewicz, Franklin Haws, Jocelyn Jourdan (of Chaska), Jason Huntzinger, Mike Haeg, Tammy Dahlke, Todd Jacobs and Autumn Haeg, 7.
The Shakopee School Board agreed to spend up to $4.2 million on improving three mid-level buildings Monday over the protests of two longtime board members. “I can’t see how signs on the building and more parking lots improve the educational experience of students,� Board Member Steve Schneider said. Schneider and Board Member Mary Romansky voiced issue with the scope of the project, which transitions Pearson Elementary into a sixth-grade center and Shakopee Junior High and Shakopee Middle School into two equitable 7-9 junior high buildings for 201213. Schneider and Romansky said
Mary Romansky
Steve Schneider
the list includes a lot of “nice to have improvements� unnecessary to student learning. “Part of the reason we have money in [the building] fund is because we looked at ‘what do we need,’ not ‘what do we want,’� Romansky said.
School Board to page 14 ÂŽ
City gives arts group a shot Council holds off on downtown fire hall sale for now BY SHANNON FIECKE sfiecke@swpub.com
The downtown fire station that Tammy Dahlke loved to tour as a child is officially vacant. She’s now on a mission to save it, along with her husband, fellow Shakopee native Mike Haeg, and a slew of other local artists. Last week, city councilors agreed on a 4-1 vote to hold off selling the property so the group can spend more time developing an alternative proposal for the 1955 fire station.
MORE ONLINE FIND A LINK TO THE ENTIRE MEETING, PROPOSAL AND FACEBOOK PAGE AT
www.shakopeenews.com
The council plans to revisit the topic in April. “It’s a historic civic building,� Haeg told the council on Feb. 8. “It would be great to keep it alive as a
public space. It has great character.� A few weeks ago, Haeg f loated the idea for a community arts and coffeehouse/gathering space that caught the ear of Shakopee Mayor Brad Tabke and others. A group of supporters has since coalesced to vie for grant funding to establish an arts center. Not only do they see such a space mixing well with the nearby Shakopee Trading Post, occasional craft boutique and Tupelo Gift Shop, the
Arts to page 14 ÂŽ
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Parks staff believe the residence’s exposed beams, Minnesota River Valley views and natural woodwork make it an ideal lodge for a future park. More photos at shakopeenews.com.
SHAKOPEE PRISON
DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY
County buys foreclosed property for park BY SHANNON FIECKE sfiecke@swpub.com
BY SHANNON FIECKE sfiecke@swpub.com
To the anger of some prison neighbors, the Shakopee City Council voted 4-0 last week in favor of state funding for a $5.4 million security fence at the Minnesota women’s prison. “Previous fence proposals have met with mixed local reactions. Although many residents wish to see a new corrections facility built outside of a residential neighborhood and therefore regret the need for the construction of a security
A great deal — but is the timing right?
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Dads and their daughters dance to “YMCA� at the seventh annual Daddy-Daughter Dance at Shakopee High School last Saturday night. Some 400 dads and their daughters attended the event. Grandfathers were also welcome. The event is hosted by Shakopee Community Education. It features a dinner, a DJ, music and dancing, door prizes and other fun activities.
Fence to page 13 ÂŽ
By anyone’s token, a county agency’s fast-tracked purchase of a gorgeous 84-acre homestead in the bluffs of Blakeley Township was a steal of a deal. The nearly 4,0 0 0 -square-foot residence has the makings of a country retreat and overlooks the Minnesota River Valley. Located in the heart of an envisioned 2,400acre Blakeley Bluffs Park Reserve, it would make an ideal lodge for park visitors. Initially offered for $1.5 million in 2009, the property came avail-
Blakeley Blus property Address: 17475 250th St. W. (rural Belle Plaine). Area: 84 acres on top of the Minnesota River bluffs with a southwest view overlooking the river valley. House: 3,955-square-foot lodge-style residence accompanied by two 40-by-80foot pole sheds. Original list price: $1.5 million  County’s bid: $550,000
Blakeley to page 13 ÂŽ
INSIDE OPINION/4 OBITUARIES/6 CALENDAR/8 HAPPENINGS/11 SPORTS/15-16 CLASSIFIEDS/27-29 TO REACH US SUBSCRIBE: (952) 345-6682 EDITOR: (952) 345-6680 OR E-MAIL EDITOR@SHAKOPEENEWS.COM.
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Council supports fence
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