Pinball on a stick, anyone? A Farmington man is sharing his passion for all things pinball with guests at this year’s Minnesota State Fair. SEE THISWEEKEND PAGE 9
Thisweek Apple Valley-Rosemount AUGUST 20, 2010
VOLUME 31, NO. 25
www.thisweeklive.com
Opinion/5A
Sports/6A
Announcements/8A
Puzzle Page/10A
Real Estate/11A
Classifieds/13A
‘We have to fix this’ Flooded Apple Valley residents promised action from city by Laura Adelmann THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Rows of sandbags couldn’t keep some Apple Valley homes from flooding after torrential downpours filled reservoir ponds on Aug. 13. Some residents on and around Upper 163rd Street, just east of Cedar Avenue, were horrified as rains drove water levels so high, it exploded reservoir banks. Water rushed into yards and began filling basements, marking the third time in a decade that many homeowners in the area have suffered flooding from the storm water overfilling city-built ponds. In addition, some Apple Valley businesses off 145th Street had flooded parking lots, inconveniencing customers and employees.
APPLE VALLEY Lia Montesinos-Ess, fitness technician at Curves for Women, was on her way to work when her front hood was suddenly under water, and her car stalled on 145th Street. She ended up swimming out of the vehicle, which was rendered useless from the water and had to be towed away. Heartbeat Dance Studios owner Deb Lysholm said flooding in the area has been a problem for years, and the water has damaged the parking lot. “My studio becomes like an island,� Lysholm said, adding that she worries about her business’ wood floors and the building’s lower-level furnace and air conditioning units.
“We have to fix this. It’s terrible,� said City Council Member Tom Goodwin, referring to the city’s “Galaxie Pond,� the large storm water pond connected by culverts to other nearby basins, which likewise filled and flooded the homes. “What the city’s doing is they’re using our property and our basements for storm management,� said Bob Nelson, who five years ago ripped out the back wall of his house, completely rebuilt it and sealed it up to save it Photo submitted from flooding again. Last week, Apple Valley residents on and around Upper 163rd Street saw water rush into “This time the water yards and begin filling basements, marking the third time in a decade that many homelapped up, but hardly any owners in the area have suffered flooding from the storm water overfilling city-built ponds. See Flooding, 19A
White Castle opens in Apple Valley Grand jury indicts City leaders tout long-awaited burger joint on Cedar Avenue as economic asset by Andrew Miller THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
The wait is over. Apple Valley has its White Castle. The fast-food chain with its signature Slyder burger and ubiquitous “What You Crave� marketing campaign opened Sunday, Aug. 15, at the former location of Boston Market at 15101 Cedar Avenue. City officials and business leaders touted the new restaurant as an asset to the commercial district at Cedar Avenue and County Road 42. “It’ll be a draw,� said City Council Member John Bergman, who actively campaigned to bring White Castle to Apple Valley following the announcement of Boston Market’s closing two years ago. “My understanding is once they open, they never close.� Ed Kearney, president of the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce, said the restaurant’s popularity among fastfood consumers will create a “spillover effect,� drawing residents of surrounding communities to the city. Factor in the relative paucity of White Castles in Minnesota (Apple Valley’s is the 17th), combined with the already high traffic flow at County Road 42 and Cedar
Photo by Andrew Miller
Wayne Olsen of Apple Valley, a World War II veteran who says he’s been enjoying White Castle burgers since the 1940s, was presented with the first Slyder off the grill at the newly opened restaurant on Cedar Avenue. Olsen is pictured with City Council Member Ruth Grendahl. Avenue, and you’ve got a winner. “This business corner, this is one of the two busiest corners in all of Minnesota with 78,000 cars daily,� Kearney said. The Columbus, Ohiobased company, which bills itself as “the first fast-food
hamburger chain ever� as well as the first to sell a billion hamburgers, announced its plans to open an Apple Valley location more than a year ago, and the buzz had been building. “During construction, we had people coming through every five minutes and asking
when it was going to open,� said Robert DeYoung, White Castle’s regional director of restaurant operations. Wayne Olsen of Apple Valley, who was on hand for the restaurant’s ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Aug. 13, numbers himself among the restaurant’s legions of devoted customers. A World War II veteran, Olsen says he’s been a fan of White Castle burgers since the 1940s, back when the burgers sold for a nickel. As city leaders waited in line to sample the Slyders following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, White Castle management presented Olsen with the first burger off the grill at the new restaurant. The verdict? “They still taste the same,� Olsen said with a smile as he munched on the inaugural Slyder. The Apple Valley location is the second White Castle in Dakota County and only the third south of the river, with restaurants at 4515 S. South Robert Trail on the Inver Grove Heights/West St. Paul border, and at 8011 Old Carriage Court in Shakopee.
Burnsville man in Rosemount shooting Conviction could lead to life sentence without parole by Laura Adelmann THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
A Dakota County grand jury has indicted Jonas Gerald Grice, 27, in the July 12 murder of a 22-year-old Apple Valley man at a Rosemount car wash. Grice, of Burnsville, was indicted Monday, Aug. 16, on one count of first-degree premeditated murder and one count of seconddegree intentional murder in the shooting death of Anthony Adam Hartman. According to the criminal complaint, Hartman and his friend were at a car wash on Canada Avenue West when Grice tried to pick a fight with Hartman’s friend. After Hartman confronted Grice, witnesses reported hearing two gunshots, and called Rosemount police, who found Hartman dead at the scene. Andrew Miller is at andrew. Police issued descripmiller@ecm-inc.com.
ROSEMOUNT tions of the shooter, and two days after the event, Grice’s parents accompanied him as he turned Jonas Gerald himself in to Grice Burnsville Police. On Tuesday, Aug. 17, Dakota County Judge Mary Theisen set Grice’s bail at $1.5 million without conditions and $1 million with conditions. A mental competency hearing was scheduled, and his next court date was set for Nov. 9 at 9 a.m. in Hastings. The first-degree murder conviction could lead to life in prison without parole. Laura Adelmann is at dceditor@frontiernet.net.
Majority support District Does fair fun involve child endangerment? Mutton Bustin’ competition draws Prior Lake coach’s concern 196 operating levy Community survey suggests interest in providing Rosemount-Apple ValleyEagan with more money by Aaron Vehling THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
It is official: The Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school board voted 6-0 (with Joel Albright absent) at its Aug. 16 meeting to put an operating levy question on the ballot this November. If a survey conducted in July by Springsted Inc. of 400 randomly selected community members is truly representative, then the district can expect support for its efforts to stave off (but not prevent) budget cuts in General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
the next few years. About 60 percent of those surveyed favored a tax increase (in the form of the operating levy); 37 percent opposed it and 3 percent were undecided. Board chairperson Jackie Magnuson attributes the response to the district’s communications arm. “We have clear, transparent communication,� she said. Don Lifto, Springsted’s senior vice president, said at a board workshop on Aug. See Levy, 18A +&//: 800%4 $,&3." / 45"$&: " "/%3&8 .*--&3
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THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Is a Dakota County Fair tradition billed as family fun actually putting youngsters at risk of severe injury? After witnessing the fair’s popular Mutton Bustin’ competition Aug. 14, a Prior Lake father and Mighty Mites hockey coach was so disturbed, he wrote a complaint letter and suggested improved safety measures. In his letter, Rory Johnson, 31, described crowds cheering as children ages 4 to 6, wearing helmets, took turns clinging to an adult sheep as the animal raced around to get the child off its back. “I witnessed one kid,
DAKOTA COUNTY whom I estimate was 4 years old, get slammed into the far gate, precisely at the ‘turnbuckle’ vertical beam. ‌ I was one of the closest witnesses to the incident and saw, point blank, the pain (on) that the young child(’s) face as his hip rammed the sturdy, narrow steel beam,â€? Johnson wrote. “The pound-per-squareinch pressure on the child’s hip must have been enormous,â€? he wrote. “The child burst into tears and limped out of the arena.â€? In an interview, Johnson added that the next child up was a little girl who stood crying, afraid of the sheep.
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Laura Adelmann is at dceditor@frontiernet.net.
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injury, he said. Johnson also suggested stacking straw bales two layers tall around the ring. Dakota County Agricultural Society Chair Don Storlie said the organization will make safety improvements next year. He added that many people were excited about the event, and there have not been past complaints about Mutton Bustin’. “My grandson was in it and he had fun. ‌ Kids fall off their bike harder than they do off Mutton Bustin’,â€? he said.
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He said a man whom he assumed was the girl’s parent gently pushed her toward the sheep several times until the child finally ran away crying and the man relented. “She didn’t want to do it,� Johnson said. Fair officials said they appreciated Johnson’s comments and invited him to get involved to help improve safety measures associated with the event. Johnson suggested participants wear full hockeystyle gear, including helmets. The styrofoam helmets some children wore wouldn’t be enough to protect a child from severe head
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