Live, from Chicago, comedy comes to Burnsville on Saturday night.
Thisweek Apple Valley-Rosemount APRIL 29, 2011
VOLUME 32, NO. 9
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District 196 Rosemount woman sues clinic over prescription to lay off nontenured teachers by Jessica Harper THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Decision result of budget reductions by Jessica Harper THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Due to budget reductions, the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School Board unanimously approved on April 25 laying off 93 nontenured teachers next school year. School District 196 has a history of giving layoff notices to nontenured teachers and then rehiring them. However, with the current budget constraints, it is “highly unlikely” they will be hired back, said Tony Taschner, communications director for the district. “There are always exceptions, though,” he added. The School Board unanimously approved in March slashing $3.5 million from the district’s 2011-12 budget, which resulted in 48 job cuts. A recently approved retirement incentive could prevent additional layoffs because it resulted in a higherthan-average number of retirements, Taschner said. The total approved budget adjustments for 2011-12 of $8.5 million also include cutting funding for high school figure skating and increasing fees by $10 for all high school sports and fine arts. This will be the third consecutive year District 196 will face budget reductions, which officials say are due to years of flat state funding combined with accounting shifts. The state has withheld $68 million in funding over the past two years, according to district officials. As a result, the district had to impose $10 million in budget adjustments for the 2008-09 school year and $15.3 million for the 2010-11 school year. Although District 196 will face cuts next school year, officials will be able to avoid cutting another $5 million by using federal education jobs funding that became available last year. E-mail Jessica Harper at: jessica.harper@ecm-inc.com
A Rosemount woman filed suit earlier this month against Park Nicollet Clinic Burnsville Urgent Care. In the April 12 malpractice suit, Mary Lee Thompson of Rosemount alleges that in June 2007 she was over-prescribed an antihistamine called Hydroxyzine by a Park Nicollet doctor, whom she is also suing, and that the high dose caused her to have a seizure. Thompson is seeking slightly more than $138,000 for medical expenses, lost wages, court fees and mileage. “More or less, his mistake took my life – it’s taken everything I’ve worked for and put it in the trash,” she said in an
interview with Thisweek Newspapers. Thompson alleges that she continued to have seizures years later and struggles with side effects of anti-seizure medication. These medical issues, she said, caused her to lose her job with a health care center in West. St. Paul. Additionally, Thompson said she is facing foreclosure. Thompson said she will seek damages if she loses her home. In court documents, Thompson admits she has had seizures in the past, but stated that she had not suffered from one in 30 years prior to the 2007 incident. Park Nicollet’s legal counsel, Victoria Wagner, states in
Photo by Jessica Harper
A Rosemount woman filed a malpractice lawsuit last week against Park Nicollet Clinic Burnsville Urgent Care on 14000 Fairview Dr. for allegedly over-prescribing her a mediation that she claims caused her to have a seizure. court documents that, “We do not believe that prescribing Atarax (a brand of Hydroxyzine) was inappropriate or that it was the cause of your seizure.” Representatives from Park
Egg hunt a hit
Nicollet declined to comment further. E-mail Jessica Harper at: jessica.harper@ecm-inc.com
Man charged after groping incident at Apple Valley Target by Andrew Miller THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Photo Ph h by b Rick Ri k Orndorf O d f
Sara Holste of Rosemount made a quick grab for some treats at the Rosemount Lions Club’s Spring Easter Egg Hunt held at the Ames Soccer Complex on the Dakota County Technical College campus. Despite the chilly weather, the Rosemount Parks and Recreation Department confirmed a solid turnout at the April 23 event.
Man to be retried in deadly hit-and-run
Giving comfort through quilts
Crash killed 26-year-old Apple Valley woman who was deaf
Apple Valley quilting group donates blankets for victims to Eagan Police Department
by Jessica Harper
and 153rd Street. She died a week later at a Minneapolis hospital. A 42-year-old RoseLeVasseur, who was mount man will be redeaf, had been running tried this fall on charges in a crosswalk, against a of leaving the scene of red light, when she was a hit-and-run that killed struck. an Apple Valley Hunter’s driver’s woman two years license was susago. pended in October Eric James 2008 and remained Hunter was suspended at the charged with two time of the incifelony counts of dent, according to leaving the scene of an accident in Eric Hunter the complaint. Judge David connection with Knutson declared a misthe March 2009 collision trial in October 2010 that killed Joan LeVasafter the jury informed seur, 26. him it was deadlocked LeVasseur, of Apple after three days of deValley, was struck by liberation. According Hunter’s vehicle while to one published report, crossing Cedar Avenue the jury couldn’t decide if Hunter, who drove off General 952-894-1111 without reporting the acDistribution 952-846-2070 cident to police, knew he Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000 had struck someone. Hunter’s new trial is set to begin Oct. 3.
edly asked the woman a question about her bra and then rubbed his hand against the breast area of her shirt. The woman tried to get away and asked another shopper to get security, the complaint said. Police located Abdelmalak in the Starbucks portion of the store after the woman pointed him out. He was arrested there and booked into the Dakota County Jail. Abdelmalak has been charged with fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct, a gross misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and/ or a $3,000 fine. His next court appearance is July 11 in Dakota County District Court in Hastings.
A Farmington man has been charged with criminal sexual conduct after allegedly groping a female shopper in the Target store at 15150 Cedar Ave. in Apple Valley. Nachaat Erian Abdelmalak, 60, was arrested in the store by Apple Valley police at 8:20 p.m. April 20 after a 38-year-old woman reported that Abdelmalak had touched her breast. The woman told police that a man, later identified as Abdelmalak, had followed her around the store for 15 to 20 minutes, “asking questions about the name of various body parts that he was pointing out,” the complaint said. She said Abdelmalak told her he liked her, pointed at her chest and said, “so Andrew Miller is at anthose are called breasts.” drew.miller@ecm-inc.com. Abdelmalak alleg-
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
E-mail Jessica Harper at: jessica.harper@ecm-inc. com. Andrew Miller contributed to this report. &
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by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
The littlest victims at crash or crime scenes are often scared, cold, or in need of comfort, said Eagan Police Chief Jim McDonald. Something as simple as a warm, soft blanket can make a big difference, he said. “Every kid likes a blanket to hold onto,” he said. “It gives them support and comfort.” With that in mind, a quilting group from River Valley Church in Apple Valley recently donated a pile of handmade quilts for Eagan officers to carry in their squad cars. The group has donated 27 quilts so far, with a goal of supplying two for each of the department’s 22 squad cars. Each quilt is hand made of new material donated by church and group members, and each features an Eagan Police Department patch. “It’s kind of heart-
warming that they’re thinking of us and thinking of others in the community that could use those blankets,” McDonald said. The quilting group has met every week for the past four years and is one of many “life” groups within River Valley Church that focuses on different interests, said member Maggie Cedarberg. “It’s not just us old folks that do it, it’s a mixture. We have quilters that are every decade from 20 to 70,” she said. “And it’s so fun for the old and young to get together. We learn from each other and share our lives.” The group so far has made 120 quilts that have been given to about 17 different organizations and individuals. “It’s not just making the quilts, it’s helping each other out,” she said. “It’s really good medicine for all of us.” Cedarberg said members got the idea for do-
Photo by Erin Johnson
Eagan Police Chief Jim McDonald (center) and Lt. Steve Bolluyt accept a donation of blankets from Maggie Cedarberg, left, and other members from a quilting group from River Valley Church in Apple Valley. The quilts will be kept in squad cars to be given to victims. nating the quilts to police when speaking with a pastor in St. Paul. The pastor said she had heard about a police officer giving a wounded victim his coat because the victim was cold. “She said that’s not good, the caregiver cannot get cold because then they can’t give care,” she said. Inspired, Cedarberg called the Eagan Police Department and asked if they could use blankets. McDonald said the blankets are not only helpful for children, but also for victims of medi-
cal emergencies and those who may be in shock. “We can leave the blankets at scenes when we need to,” he said. Cedarberg’s daughter Emily is already in talks with Shakopee police about donating quilts, she said. “I guess our deal is, (we give to) whoever needs a lift, whoever needs to feel loved and cared for. That’s really our main goal, is to make people see that people care,” she said. Erin Johnson is at eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc.com.