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Thisweek Apple Valley-Rosemount march 9, 2012

VOLUME 33, NO. 2

NEWS OPINION SPORTS

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Opinion/4A

Announcements/5A

A new kind of mac truck

Public Notices/7A

Sports/8A

Classifieds/9A

Eagles claim another state title

Rosemount-based R.A. MacSammy’s offers new twist to food truck trend by Andrew Miller THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

Like a lot of chefs, Kevin Huyck toyed with the idea of opening his own restaurant. He ended up buying a big yellow truck instead. The Apple Valley resident is adding a new twist to the burgeoning Twin Cities food-truck scene with R.A. MacSammy’s, which opened in January. Described by Huyck as “comfort food on wheels,” R.A. MacSammy’s offers soups, sandwiches, desserts and, Huyck’s specialty, macaroni and cheese. “I wanted to have something different and I kind of came to, ‘Who doesn’t like mac and cheese?’ ” he said. Huyck, who has 17 years experience as a chef, adds a gourmet touch to the macaroni dishes R.A. MacSammy’s offers. In addition to classic mac and cheese, there’s more esoteric fare such as Greek mac, topped with olives and feta cheese, and Cape Cod mac, featuring artichokes and lobster. After debuting his food truck at the St. Paul Winter Carnival in January, Huyck

has been serving his specialty lunches on weekdays, mostly at high-traffic spots in downtown St. Paul such as Rice Park and Mears Park. Like other food trucks, he gets the word out about his daily location through social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as his website, www.ramacsammys.com. As for the business’ name, the letters R and A are the initials of his children – Randall, 13, and Avery, 16 – while “Mac” denotes his signature dish and “Sammy’s” denotes sandwiches, he said. Based in Rosemount, the business is licensed through the Minnesota Department of Health and the city of St. Paul. His licensing gives him leeway to operate anywhere in Minnesota except Minneapolis. Thus far he’s logged one day of lunch service in Dakota County – a few weeks ago he set up shop in Burnsville at County Road 42 near Judicial Road – but plans to expand his service at south-of-the-river sites to one or two days a week once Truck, 6A

Photo by Andrew Miller

In January, longtime chef Kevin Huyck of Apple Valley opened R.A. MacSammy’s, a food truck specializing in macaroni and cheese dishes. In addition to classic mac and cheese, Huyck offers more esoteric fare such as Greek mac, which includes olives and feta cheese.

Photo by Rick Orndorf

Apple Valley’s Dayton Racer wrestles at the Class 3A state tournament last weekend. The Eagles won their 20th state team title last weekend, beating St. Michael-Albertville in the final. The team also had four individual state champions – Maolu Woiwor, Seth Gross, Brandon Kingsley and Mark Hall. For coverage of the state meet, turn to Sports.

Longtime Apple Valley County jail distance resident seeks DFL nod tests video visits Gibbons has history in local politics, schools

of the senate district in 2003, she said she helped enhance the organization’s Roberta Gibbons can trace her po- email and website communications. litical aspirations to a State Capitol Gibbons and her husband lived in Eagan and Inver Grove field trip when she was only a Heights for seven years prior sixth-grader. to moving to Apple Valley Now that school child is in 1992, in large part to be in embarking on a campaign to School District 196. be the state representative of She said one of the major an area of Dakota County reasons she is running for elecshe’s called home for the past tive office is that School Dis20 years. Roberta trict 196 has fallen from No. 1 Gibbons is the only DFL Gibbons in the state to No. 37, accordcandidate to file to seek the House District 57A endorsement (the ing to one school-rating organization. old 37A), which will be handed out at Gibbons said the main reason the the March 17 convention. She would district has fallen in the rankings face Rep. Tara Mack, R-Apple Val- is that its state funding has been reley, who has served two terms in the duced in recent years and that has necessitated program cuts and teacher House. Gibbons said she plans to tell the layoffs. delegates that her message is about “There is some kind of disconfairness, from tax policy to transpor- nect,” Gibbons said. “We are not tation options and job opportunities placing as much importance on education as we did in the past.” to access to education. Gibbons has worked on political She points out that the financial campaigns and with the local DFL situation in District 196 could have senate district for about the past 10 been much worse this year if it hadn’t years. She’s knocked on doors, served received one-time stimulus money of as associate chair and chairperson of $5 million from the Federal Education Jobs Fund. the old Senate District 37. While serving as the chairperson See Gibbons, 14A by Tad Johnson

Thisweek Newspapers

Rosemount brings home the gold

Photo by Rick Orndorf

Jacob Stern won the state 100-yard breaststroke title at the Class 2A state swimming and diving meet last weekend at the University of Minnesota. The Irish won two events at the meet – the 400-yard medley relay of Braden McCormack, Stern, Luke Dowell and Conor Manning broke the Class 2A state tournament record with a time of 1 minute, 33.37 seconds. Stern won the state title in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 57.46, beating Burnsville’s Ben Albert by a second. The Irish finished with the fourth-best all around team score behind Eden Prairie, Maple Grove and Minnetonka. For coverage of the state swim meet, turn to Sports. General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000

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Technology could expand to other jails by Laura Adelmann Thisweek Newspapers

Friends, families and children may never have to enter jail to visit an incarcerated relative in Dakota County again. Under the first pilot program in Minnesota that may become permanent this spring, the Dakota County Jail has installed an electronic visitation system that allows people to visit jail inmates from home. Visitors call the jail on computers at home using Skype, a free online video telephone program, and inmates receive calls through a video system in the jail developed by TurnKey Corrections, the company that operates kiosks at the jail where inmates can purchase snacks and toiletries. The video calls cost 35 cents per minute, are limited to 15 minutes per hour and are monitored by TurnKey. If adopted permanently, corrections officers would also monitor calls on a screen, said Dakota County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Lawrence Hart. “We need to maintain security,” Hart said. “Two sets of eyes are better than one.” Concerns include inmate access to graphic images or behaviors, or video visitors wearing inappropriate clothing or sharing criminal information. If a violation occurs, the inmate and caller can be blacklisted from the system. Since distance video visiting started in January, there has only been one infraction, said Todd Westby, TurnKey’s general manager. “The response has been overwhelmingly positive,” Westby said. “Kids can visit with mom and dad in jail and not have to come into the jail environment.” He said families have passed around a laptop at the dinner table to interact with an inmate, show them a holiday meal and bake cake while on the call. “One couple even got married,” Westby said. Dakota County Sheriff Dave BelSee Skype, 6A

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March 9, 2012 THISWEEK

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Few remain at Country Village Apartments by John Gessner Thisweek Newspapers

Contrary to some officials’ expectations, almost no one was home at Country Village Apartments in Burnsville on Monday morning. Only five units at the 138unit complex were clearly occupied when inspection teams knocked on doors Monday morning, Deputy City Manager Tom Hansen said. Another few units may still be occupied, Hansen said. Sixteen more units contained some furniture and other leftovers that were likely abandoned by tenants who moved out, he said. March 1 was the cityimposed deadline for vacating Country Village, whose

rental license the city revoked on Jan. 19 after owner Lindahl Properties failed to meet a deadline for fire code improvements. The fire code improvements were the first in a series of required improvements at the troubled complex, which the city has wrestled with for nearly a year over disrepair, mold and pests. “I was thinking 30 or 40” units might remain occupied, Hansen said. “This far exceeds my expectations.” Eric Grumdahl, housing manager for Dakota County Community Services, fretted last week that up to 75 units might remain occupied. Hansen said last week that Lindahl would be cited for each unit still occupied

at the time of the city inspection. Each citation carries a $1,000 fine, he said. A team including the county’s housing services and several nonprofits has worked to help relocate Country Village residents, many of whom are lowincome and faced potential barriers to finding new housing. The fact that few remained on Monday shows that the city was “patient” and “measured” and that residents were well-informed of their options, Hansen said. Meanwhile, Lindahl Properties is working to fix all code violations — an easier task when the units aren’t occupied, Hansen has suggested — in hopes of being re-licensed.

Nine-day schedule remains on the table District 191 eyes big cost-saving changes

by John Gessner Thisweek Newspapers

Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School Board members began sifting March 1 through a menu of cost-saving options that could bring big changes to District 191. And they’re not averse to discussing perhaps the biggest change of all – a “nineday schedule” that would lengthen the school day by 36 minutes while cutting the school calendar by 17 days. The measure would save an estimated $796,000 per year. “A nine-day schedule is intriguing to me,” Board Member Dan Luth said during a board workshop. It’s one of more than a dozen big-picture options administrators put on the table after soliciting ideas from employees and budgetlevel bosses in the district. Eying an estimated $15 million in shortfalls over the next three years, the district is looking for ways to permanently cut costs. One that didn’t find

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board support is putting all ninth-graders at Nicollet Junior High. The idea is part of a larger proposal to include ninth grade in the Burnsville High School program. The plan would save about $207,000 while reserving Metcalf and Eagle Ridge junior highs for seventh- and eighth-graders. Board members agreed to explore an employee self-insurance plan that would save about $800,000. But achieving similar savings by increasing walking distances and eliminating special bus routes for hazardous crossings was rejected. “You cannot do something that violates a child’s safety on the way to school,” Board Chair Ron Hill said. Increasing class sizes by an average of one student at both the elementary and secondary levels also met resistance. Estimated savings are $700,000 and $336,000, respectively. “I think they need to stay on the table, personally, both

of them,” Luth said. Board Member Paula Teiken said she’s not keen to raise class sizes. Board members also objected to eliminating stipends for athletics and activities coaches and supervisors. The district could save an estimated $641,575 by eliminating athletics and activities stipends in junior and senior high. Senior high stipends alone cost $440,245. Smaller savings are available at the elementary level. Two options involving school closings remain on the table. They are closing an elementary school, maximizing space in the junior highs by adding grade six, and making the nine remaining elementary schools grades kindergarten through five. That would save an estimated $403,120. The other is closing one of the three junior highs, for a savings of $666,950. John Gessner is at john.gessner@ecm-inc.com.

A license application will have to pass muster with a City Council clearly angered by the condition of Country Village and its owners’ slow progress on fixing the problems. “The property’s got a long history,” Hansen said. “I feel confident in saying the council is very unlikely to approve any piecemeal licensing of the property. They really want the thing to meet code.” Teams that knocked on doors Monday morning included police, fire and building inspectors, as well as representatives from the county and the Scott Carver Dakota CAP Agency, Hansen said. John Gessner is at john.gessner@ecm-inc.com.

CSM to hold neighborhood meeting about Lockheed Martin site

CSM Eagan LLC, a subsidiary of CSM Corporation, will hold an informationalneighborhood meeting 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, at the Eagan Community Center, 1501 Central Parkway. The meeting, which will be in the South Oaks Room, is open to all interested parties to discuss plans for the redevelopment of the Lockheed Martin property located at 3333 Pilot Knob Road in Eagan. This neighborhood meeting is being held in advance of CSM’s formal submittal to the city of Eagan for its request for a Comprehensive Guide Plan change and rezoning of the property. Representatives of CSM and its consultants will be at the meeting to provide a presentation and answer any questions.

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THISWEEK March 9, 2012

Police suspect Eagan woman in home arson Officer taken to hospital following fire by Jessica Harper Thisweek Newspapers

homeowners, but found no one. One officer was transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation and has since been released. Eagan firefighters quickly extinguished the small blaze. An investigation by the Eagan police and fire departments and the state fire marshal determined arson caused the fire. The woman has since been taken into custody and transported to the hospital for a psychological evaluation, police say.

An Eagan woman is a suspect following a morning fire in her home, police say. The woman called police around 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 2, to report a domestic dispute between her and her husband. Upon arrival, officers noticed the home on the 1200 block of Deerridge Court was on fire and ran Jessica Harper is at jessica. inside to search for the harper@ecm-inc.com.

Photo submitted

Molly Goin is congratulated by Eagan High School representatives Matt Moore and Dr. Polly Reikowski at a Feb. 8 program honoring 4-H Key Award recipients.

Goin receives 4-H Key Award Molly Goin, a Dakota County 4-H Ambassador and a five-year youth leader with the Dakota Ramblers 4-H club in Eagan, has been awarded the Minnesota 4-H Key Award. The award is the highest honor a 4-H member can receive.

A junior at Eagan High School, Goin is the secretary of the 2011-12 Dakota County 4-H Federation and is a leader in community service for her club. Goin received the award Feb. 8 at the Southview Country Club in West St. Paul.

Dakota Electric celebrates 75 years Dakota Electric Association will celebrate 75 years of service to its members at its annual meeting on Thursday, April 12, in the social hall at St. Michael’s Catholic Church,

22120 Denmark Ave., Farmington (next to Dakota Electric’s office). The meeting begins at 7 p.m.; doors open at 6 p.m., and refreshments will be served before the meeting.

Foundation 191 accepting grant applications

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Foundation 191 will offer grants of up to $8,000 to selected projects for 201213 in the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage school district. This marks the third year Foundation 191 has offered grants for projects in the schools. To be considered, applications must be submitted by May 1. Applications and grant criteria are available at the Foundation website at www.foundation191.org.

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Community Food Day is March 10 Community Food Day will be held Saturday, March 10, at Echo Park Elementary School, 14100 County Road 11, Burnsville. Hosted by Valley Natural Foods of Burnsville and Homegrown South, the free event will include: • Community food dialogue, 10 to 11 a.m. Learn about Homegrown South and other healthy local food initiatives, explore individual and community needs and help determine future steps. Discussion will be led by Lisa Horn, executive director, Eagan and Lakeville resource centers. • Open house, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meet local farmers, gardeners, food producers and activists representing Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), community gardens and others committed to a healthy food network in the Twin Cities south metro. Sign up for CSA shares and community garden plots. For more information, contact Gary Johnson, community relations developer, Valley Natural Foods at (952) 891-1212, ext. 236, or community@valleynaturalfoods.com.

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March 9, 2012 THISWEEK

Opinion Thisweek Columnist Backed into a corner, District 191 board may have made the best decision by Tad Johnson Thisweek Newspapers

Everyone seems to have opinions about the separation agreement between the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District and Tania Chance, the district’s former human resources director. My opinion is that this was the best move for the future of the district and its human resources department. More than 160 district teachers and parents aired their frustration at last week’s District 191 School Board meeting over the lack of disclosure in the settlement agreement of the “reasons” for Chance’s departure and about the amount she was paid to leave – $254,815. After Thisweek Newspapers obtained an unredacted version of the agreement and published its contents with an online story Thursday, it shed light on the nature of those reasons, but questions still remain and probably will never be answered. The new information revealed that Chance had filed charges with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and/or

the Equal Opportunity Commission and a complaint with the Minnesota Board of School Administrators. We do not know the nature of the charges or the complaint. Were they frivolous or did they have merit? We do know that the complaint filed with the Board of School Administrators was regarding Superintendent Randy Clegg. That complaint could be anything from a question about his qualifications to something he said or did. Some have concluded that Clegg was the target of the Human Rights/EOC charges, but the agreement does not name him or any party that the charges are against. Because both actions were dropped as part of the settlement agreement, their contents will not officially enter the public record. It is unfortunate that this disclosure will not come to light because it may inform our opinions of Clegg, Chance and other people in the district. The public body that knew the nature of

those complaints, the School Board, rendered the only decision that matters in this case. It decided to pay Chance and avoid litigation, which could have cost as much as or more than the settlement amount and still leave the district on the hook for monetary damages. It also effectively cut off disclosure of the nature of the complaints. While the board members’ choice will mean they will face more questions at reelection time, this may have been their best decision. The school board separated immediately with Chance, who apparently had concerns with the district and its leadership. Chance reportedly also had her share of detractors, and there was a level of distrust between teachers and her department. The opportunity to hire a new human resources director can bring a new climate in this regard. The separation, though, will still continue to dog Clegg and the School Board. Many have questioned the amount of money the district paid. The board’s decision to enter into a twoyear contract with the kind of severance

provisions included is hard to defend for an employee with only one year of service. The severance provisions are typical for top-level administrators, and $250,000 (of which about 30 percent could be taken out in taxes) is on par with other buyouts. School boards and city councils know that signing such contracts have met with public outcry. They should use that leverage to push back against administrators on severance issues during negotiations. Regardless, the cloud of the separation agreement between the district and Chance will continue to hang over the district because there is not satisfactory closure. One thing is for certain: The fallout from this episode will continue to be felt until all those involved move on in one way or another for the good of the district and its core mission to educate young people. Tad Johnson is managing editor of Thisweek Newspapers and the Dakota County Tribune. He is at editor.thisweek@ecm-inc. com. Columns reflect the opinion of the author.

Guest Columnist Demand accountability from District 191 by Mark Nesvig Special to Thisweek Newspapers

ment Data Practices Act if the amount paid out exceeds $10,000 of taxpayer money. Ms. Chance had filed a claim with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and another against Superintendent Randy Clegg with the Minnesota Board of School Administrators. One of the terms of the settlement was that she drop all existing claims and agree not to bring future claims. The district has offered its own comment suggesting the claims were without merit, but they chose to settle rather than defend the claim, which could prove costly in and of itself. This shows more bad judgment. The board has set a dangerous precedent. If they believed the claims were without merit, why would they agree to such a large settlement? What happens now when the next district employee makes a similar claim? Are they going to hand out quartermillion-dollar checks to anyone who asks for one? Of course, this comes at the expense of the students’ enormous needs at a time when budgets are being slashed and more is being asked of teachers, parents and local taxpayers. The board members have breached the public trust and stained the reputation of the district. This misstep has served to give credence to the “anti-school” forces, those who vilify teachers and their union at every opportunity and feel that all public schools willfully waste taxpayer dollars and are accountable to no one. It’s time to hold accountable those truly responsible for this fiasco. The continued presence of the current leadership will only serve to further harm the district’s reputation and delay the necessary repair of the damage done. I encourage all residents of the district to attend the next board meeting Thursday, March 22, and demand accountability.

In the wake of the recent controversy surrounding the quarter-million-dollar buyout package given to former human resources director Tania Chance, I attended the March 1 Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School Board meeting hoping for, if not expecting, some forthright answers from our superintendent and the rest of the board. Unfortunately, those answers did not come. In spite of the fact that hundreds of concerned residents were expected to and attended the meeting, the board chose to not put the issue on the agenda. Instead, all public comments were relegated to the board-created “listening hour,” which precedes the official meeting, only has two board members in attendance due to the Open Meeting law, and is not placed in the official record. Many people, myself included, spoke up, offering pointed comments or asking specific questions, all of which were met with mostly silence, as is the custom at all listening hours – which, of course, is why they were created. Board Chair Ron Hill acknowledged prior to the start of the listening hour that he had a pretty good idea why so many people were there. Yet, even armed with that knowledge, Hill and the rest of his colleagues didn’t see the need to allow a formal question-and-answer session at the official meeting. I don’t question the board members’ integrity, but I do question their judgment. The judgment that led to the hiring of Ms. Chance, led to giving her an unnecessary and ultimately costly contract extension this past summer, and that led to giving her more than a quarter of a million dollars of taxpayer money without any explanation to the citizens who are now forced to foot the bill. As they say, the cover-up is worse than the crime. Local news outlets are challenging the district over their refusal to provide the Mark Nesvig is a resident of Savage. Col“specific reasons” for the severance pack- umns reflect the opinion of the author. age, as is required by the state’s Govern-

Letters Bullying should be against the law To the editor: Did you know that the main cause of preteenteenage deaths is because of bullying? Well it is. Bullying has increased drastically since 2008. So here is some important information about this life-threatening harassment. On many different social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and My Space, you can see that a big number of the comments are cruel and terrorizing. This is a form of bullying called “cyberbullying.” It is like bullying someone over the phone, Internet, or any other technological device. But, it causes just as many suicides as regular bullying. It can take people’s lives away … and it will. Fifty-six percent of students have been cyberbullied at least once, if not on a regular basis. So, bullying is practically like a death sentence to someone who didn’t deserve it. Also it’s

like a long and painful murder. Murder is against the law, isn’t it? Why shouldn’t bullying be? Now here are some of the bullying situations that happen at school. When at school a student can be physically, verbally, and even in some cases, sexually harassed. Each type of bullying is as effective as the next. When you are being bullied, you feel like there is no way out. The bullies use that weakness against you. Statistics show that every teen has either been bullied or was a bully at least once in their life. These days harassment can spread around like a disease; like a disease that we need to find a cure for. Every day we are losing lives that can never be found again. If you have ever been bullied, speak up. Don’t be silenced by voices that don’t know what it is like. Every fight is a battle but in the end, no one wins the war. Bullying should be against the law so that

all the victims can rest in peace. CARRIE WAGNER Apple Valley

Litigation could have turned out worse for district To the editor: I can understand the people of Burnsville are upset about the recent settlement that was given the human resources director and as much as they want an explanation the one as noted by the School Board should be the end of it. Can you imagine if the real reason came out and the school district was sued for $1 million and in the end the verdict was in her favor. If the district did not have to issue her a contract then shame on them. Based on how court settlements are done these days “I would be careful of what you want as you may not like the outcome.” RICHARD DANIELS Rosemount

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Managing Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tad Johnson / John Gessner Publisher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julian Andersen President. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marge Winkelman General Manager/Editor . . . . . . . . . . Larry Werner Apple Valley/Thisweekend Editor. . Andrew Miller Burnsville/District 191 Editor . . . . . . . John Gessner Eagan/District 196 Editor. . . . . . . . . . . Jessica Harper

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THISWEEK March 9, 2012

Postal Service sues union over lockers at Eagan location

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by Jessica Harper Thisweek Newspapers

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Drees - Springer Brianna Lynn Drees, daughter of Troy and Kim Drees of Apple Valley, and Steven Jeffrey Springer, son of Jeff and Lynda Springer of Cresco, Iowa, announce their engagement. Brianna is a 2005 graduate of Apple Valley High School and a 2009 Graduate of University of Wisconsin-Madison. She currently is employed as a Scientific Services Specialist with National Marrow Donor Program in Minneapolis. Steve is a 2004 graduate of Crestwood High School and a 2008 graduate of University of Wisconsin-Madison. He currently is employed as a Senior Marketing Specialist with Target Corporation in Minneapolis. A June 23 wedding is planned at Mayo w ood Sto n e B arn i n Rochester.

disregards the applicable regulation.” It contends that the facility’s lockers abided by federal regulations, but the arbitrator said those regulations didn’t apply to the plant in Eagan. The suit states King also failed to properly consider the collective bargaining agreement between the Postal Service and the union when forming his opinion. APWU spokeswoman Sally Davidow said she has not yet seen the lawsuit, and declined to comment further. Peter Nowacki, spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service, also declined to comment on the litigation. The Postal Service announced in late February it plans to move mail processing to the Eagan facility from Duluth and Rochester in Minnesota, and La Crosse and Eau Claire in Wisconsin. Its consolidation plan is aimed at reducing the Postal Service’s growing deficit, which is predicted to be approximately $12 billion in 2012. Jessica Harper is at jessica. harper@ecm-inc.com.

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Age 57 of Rosemount passed away unexpectedly Feb. 26, 2012. Survived by his children; Leslie (Brian) Hanley, Christopher (Katy) LaBonne, 5 grand-children, mother Evelyn LaBonne, sisters Bonnie (Peter) Noll and Deborah LaBonne. Services March 9th, 11:00am at Cremation Society, 7110 France Ave S. Edina, MN.

The U.S. Postal Service has taken its union to court over employee lockers in Eagan. A lawsuit was filed this week in hopes of overturning an arbitration ruling that requires the Postal Service to install larger lockers at its processing and distribution center in Eagan. Though it may seem inconsequential, the expense of installing larger lockers would be $200,000, according to a Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal report. The issue surfaced two years ago when the American Postal Workers Union filed a work-condition grievance against the Postal Service. In it, the union claimed employees’ existing lockers were too narrow and short to accommodate winter gear. In December, arbitrator Hamah King ordered management at the center to install lockers at least as large as those at the facilities the new center replaced. The postal service argued it would create too great of a financial burden. The federal lawsuit filed March 2 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges King’s ruling “ignored relevant contract language and …

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Joseph J. LaBonne

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March 9, 2012 THISWEEK

Rosemount sees surge in economic development Mayor highlights accomplishments in the past year ing its “main street” location. “Giving those businesses our support The city of Rosemount is emerging will ensure that they are present and able from the Great Recession with an eco- to support our community,” Droste said. Much of the suburban economy relies nomic development surge. Mayor Bill Droste highlighted this on a strong housing market. While Roseburst of new businesses moving to or ex- mount still has vacant homes due to forepanding in Rosemount during his State closure, there are signs that the housing of the City Address on Tuesday at the market is rebounding. “We are hearing from Realtors that Steeple Center. The event, organized by the Dakota there is an uptick in their business,” BatuCounty Regional Chamber of Com- lis said. “Rosemount has a great location, which is a few merce, served as miles from the a way for Droste airport, Minto emphasize the neapolis and positive gains, people still love which includes the small-town p l a s t i c - p ro t o feel.” type manufac From a city turer Proto Labs government perprojecting to spective, Droste add 300 jobs to noted the city’s a Rosemount efforts to reduce Business Park the tax levy, location. which has fallen The gains over the past also listed are a four years, as projected 82 new residents have housing units felt the effects of this year from the sour econothree different my. home builders; “We’ve held plans continuing that line – acfor a new senior tually, we’ve housing building moved that line and a park-anddown – while ride location; still funding a and other new prudent list of jobs at Hawkins added items,” Inc., Rosemount Droste said. Clean Energy, He also pointOrigination Inc. Photo by Tad Johnson ed to the future and the Federal Aviation Admin- Rosemount Mayor Bill Droste talks with as he says the attendees after the State of the City Address city could be a istration. prime site for a Ruthe Batulis, on Tuesday at the Steeple Center. hotel developchamber presiment, according dent, said Rosemount has been a quiet hotbed and that to a recent market study. Droste’s speech was a way to highlight In addition to that, he said, the city’s goals include bringing recreational facilithat positive news. “It is a touchstone of the times,” Batu- ties downtown and into other neighborlis said. “It shows that Rosemount has a hoods. Droste will record the speech for business-friendly environment.” Other businesses that have reinvested broadcast later this month on governin the community in the past year include ment access cable television channels. TOPS Pizza, which roughly doubled the size of its restaurant, and Terry’s Hard- Tad Johnson is at editor.thisweek@ecmware, which is in the a process of renovat- inc.com. by Tad Johnson

Thisweek Newspapers

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Dakota County wetland program is seeking volunteers Dakota County is seeking people to help monitor the health of community wetlands through the Wetland Health Evaluation Program. Volunteers work with a community-based team to monitor and collect information that is used to help protect area wetlands. A science background or previous monitoring experience

is not required. All training and equipment is provided. Volunteers commit between 10 to 30 hours, including training, field work and lab analysis. For more information about volunteering, visit www.mnwhep.org or call the Dakota County Water Resources Department at (952) 891-7000.

Senior Day at IMAX Theatre Senior Citizen Day is Tuesday, March 13, at the Great Clips IMAX Theatre at the Minnesota Zoo, 12000 Zoo Blvd., Apple Valley. Complimentary coffee and refreshments will be served at 9 a.m. The film, “Sea Monsters 3D,” will begin at 10 a.m. Cost is $6.50. For questions or group reservations, call (952) 9979714 or email cpurfeerst@ imax.com.

Photo by Andrew Miller

After debuting his food truck at the St. Paul Winter Carnival in January, Kevin Huyck has been serving his specialty lunches on weekdays, mostly at high-traffic spots in downtown St. Paul such as Rice Park and Mears Park. Based in Rosemount, the business is licensed through the Minnesota Department of Health and the city of St. Paul; his licensing gives him leeway to operate anywhere in Minnesota except Minneapolis. Truck/from 1A the weather improves. “It went OK,” he said of his first foray into Dakota County. “I don’t think people are really accustomed to looking for food trucks out here, especially this time of year. Because I live down here I really want to develop a presence here.” When it’s not in operation, Huyck stores the truck at parking lot space he rents from a real estate office in downtown Rosemount. He does his kitchen prep work at Rosemount’s Fireside Restaurant, which charges him an hourly rate. The advantages of owning a food truck, as opposed to a restaurant, are many, according to Huyck, who is

the business’ sole employee. “I’d been thinking about a restaurant of my own, but the financial outlay was too much for where I am right now,” he said. “The food truck is a more inexpensive way to get into owning my own business. … Before (the food truck), I had done real estate for four years, and I really liked the idea of being my own boss.” Unlike with a restaurant, “you’re not married to a location. If one place isn’t working I can just drive to another place.” One drawback, he said, is the effect inclement weather can have on business, especially in a state as subzeroprone as Minnesota. Last week’s flurries kept Huyck at home all but one day.

“Weather’s a big factor, but once we get into the 40s I’ll be out every day,” he said. Huyck’s vehicle, originally a DHL delivery truck, is fitted with a full kitchen that includes a four-burner stove, charbroiler and fryer. As a chef who likes meeting the people enjoying his culinary creations, Huyck said a food-truck business is ideal. “It puts me in touch with my audience – I’m taking their order and then cooking their food right here,” he said. “I’ve got to say, I’m not making money at it yet, but this is the best job I’ve ever had.” Andrew Miller is at andrew. miller@ecm-inc.com.

Skype/from 1A lows said video visiting saves jail staff from having to escort inmates to visitation areas, and keeps visitors from having to find transportation to see their friend or family member in jail. To use the system, visitors register at Inmatecanteen.com, set up an account and provide a credit card to call the jail. During daytime hours, inmates are allowed to receive calls in their housing unit, unless they are in a class or on lockdown. Inmates are limited to one call per hour, and if behavioral issues arise, phone privileges are taken away. Funds raised through the phone and canteen system are shared between the jail and TurnKey. Hart said the jail’s canteen funds are used for rehabilitation programs intended to expand inmates’ options once released from jail. “I’m not one that is going to spend a lot of money on cuisine, but I’m going to put it into programs,” Bellows said. Since the system went live, the jail has received between $2,800 and $3,300 per month, according to Westby. He said visitor traffic is down at the jail, while 44 percent of visitors are using the system, and monthly

Photo submitted

A kiosk, like this one, is used by Dakota County Jail inmates to order commissary, request services, receive messages and conduct video visitation. spending on phone calls more than tripled from $30 per month to $100 to $120 per inmate. “The inmates love it, because it’s not 9 to 5 Sunday only,” Westby said. Bellows said the jail will continue to offer on-site visitation, which also takes place using video screens. The 20-year-old system is being updated at a cost of about $12,000 to $15,000. Whether the distance video visiting remains a part of the upgrade is still undecided, Bellows said. “I want to make sure the technology is working right for us,” he said. TurnKey President Patrick McMullan said technology is eliminating older modes of communication,

and predicted Skype-like systems will appear in other jails across the state and country. “You’ll never have ‘Jailbook’ like ‘Facebook,’ ” he said. “But if you look, inmates only have the ability to communicate by the U.S. Postal Service and telephone. Five years from now, the desk phone won’t exist anymore.” Bellows said at a jail administrator’s meeting that Dakota County’s distance video visiting experiment drew a lot of interest. “Sherburne County is coming here to look at the system tomorrow,” he said. Laura Adelmann is at laura. adelmann@ecm-inc.com.

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THISWEEK March 9, 2012

Ex-Burnsville school administrator Bill would widen had filed charges and complaint net for disclosure by John Gessner Thisweek Newspapers

ernment Data Practices Act.” Elsewhere in the agreement, Chance relinquishes rights to any claims, “past and present, known or unknown,” against the district for a range of possible violations, including violation of the state Human Rights Act, the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and other civil rights laws. Discrimination was the charge in the Department of Human Rights case. Chance “contacted our office to begin the process of filing a charge of discrimination” with the department, Hernandez, the department’s legislative and communty affairs director, wrote in an email response to the newspaper. “Prior to the charge being filed, Ms. Chance decided not to pursue her charge of discrimination.” Stan Mack, executive director of the Board of School Administrators, said he couldn’t confirm or deny the existence of a complaint. He cited state data privacy law. Under the agreement, which the School Board approved in January, Chance resigned voluntarily on Feb. 1. She was paid $254,815 to sit out the last 18 months of a two-year contract, which the agreement says includes salary, leaves and other benefits due her. Interest in the already inflamed case was heightened by a stormy School Board listening session March 1 (see related story) attended by about 200 people, many of them teachers. Speakers blasted the board for making such a large payout without explaining the circumstances of the settlement. Some called for all board members to resign.

Hill, one of two board members conducting the session, told the crowd the board is seeking an advisory opinion from a state agency on whether it properly interpreted the Minnesota Data Practices Act when it redacted part of the agreement on the advice of its attorney. The district said on its website an opinion is forthcoming on or before April 17.

Tania Chance, the School District 191 administrator who was paid nearly $255,000 in a separation agreement, had earlier filed charges with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and a complaint with the Minnesota Board of School Administrators. The board of administrators complaint concerned district Superintendent Randy Clegg, according to the separation agreement. Chance, the district’s former human resources direc Hill’s letter of recomtor, withdrew the charges mendation, dated Jan. 13, and claim as a condition of said he “highly” recomthe buyout, the document mends Chance for “any said. leadership position in the Thisweek obtained an area of human resources.” unredacted copy of the She managed a “comagreement last week. Copplete overhaul” of the disies released earlier by the trict’s human resources opBurnsville-Eagan-Savage eration “with a great deal district had nine lines of professionalism. blacked out on the advice “This type of change of its attorney. can be difficult for staff and District-supplied copies employees to understand also didn’t include letters of and accept. She was able to reference for Chance supmove the district to a more plied by Clegg and School effective structure that will Board Chair Ron Hill. benefit employees, and also Thisweek has obtained the enhance the district’s abililetters. The agreement rety to provide more effective quired the two officials to service to our employees. write letters of recommenHer collaboration with the dation. school board, staff and the The redacted lines inutilization of outside reclude references to “charges sources were all part insurpending with the Minneing (sic) success.” sota Department of Hu Clegg’s letter, dated Jan. man Rights and/or Equal 16, also lauded Chance, Opportunity Commission” who came to the district in and “complaint(s) made July 2010, as an effective on or about Dec. 8, 2011 change agent. to the Minnesota Board of “Dr. Chance’s attention Administrators regarding to detail was evident as she Randall Clegg.” The agreesuccessfully managed rement doesn’t elaborate on structuring of the human the charges or complaint. resources department while The unredacted copy simultaneously supporting says: “Chance has submitmajor changes in the disted documentation to the trict health insurance plan, School District that she has changes in contracting withdrawn all charges pendsubstitute services, impleing with the Minnesota Dementing significant staff partment of Human Rights reductions due to budget and/or Equal Opportunity Commission, including but not limited to the Charge referenced in the e-mail dated Dec. 9, 2011 to Mario Hernandez at the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.” It continues: “Chance has submitted documentation to the School District that she has withdrawn complaint(s) made on or about Dec. 8, 2011 to the Minnesota Board of Administrators regarding Randall Clegg.” Another condition in the redacted portion of the agreement is that Chance withdraw “all data requests made to the School District NOW AcceptiNg cONsigNmeNts! under the Minnesota Gov- Call Jeff 952-220-3657 • 7060 143rd Ave. NW Ramsey, MN

Letters of recommendation

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 196 Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools Educating our students to reach their full potential PINEWOOD ELEMENTARY BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEM REPLACEMENT Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received for the Pinewood Elementary Building Automation System Replacement by Independent School District 196, at the Facilities and Grounds Office located at 14445 Diamond Path West, Rosemount, MN 55068, until 2 p.m., March 22, 2012, at which time and place bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. Complete instructions on how to obtain Bidding Documents can be found at: http://www.district196.org/District/LegalNotices/ index.cfm. If you should have any questions regarding this bid you may contact the Facilities Department at (651) 423-7706. Joel Albright, Board Clerk Independent School District 196 2924431 3/2-3/9/12

PUBLIC NOTICE

(Official Publication) In accordance with Section 346.37 of the Minnesota Statutes, South Metro Animal Emergency Care (SMAEC), located at 14690 Pennock Avenue, Apple Valley, MN 55124 is hereby providing notice that Lily, a female intact tan and white American Pitbull Terrier weighing 19 pounds which good Samaritan said was found at the intersection of Pennock Avenue and 143rd Street in Apple Valley was delivered to SMAEC's clinic on February 18, 2012 and will be deemed abandoned by the State of Minnesota if this animal is not picked up from our clinic (located at the address above) within ten (10) days of the publication of this Notice. If the owner does not pick up the animal and pay all expenses owing to SMAEC within ten (10) days of the publication of this Notice: (i) the owner is deemed to have abandoned the animal; (ii) the owner will have no further rights or claim to the animal; (iii) the animal will become the property of SMAEC; and (iv) SMAEC may dispose of the animal in the manner considered proper by SMAEC, without any liability for the disposal of the animal. Please contact us immediately to make arrangements to redeem this animal by stopping at our clinic at the address located above or by calling (952) 953-3737. 2925711 3/9/12

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reductions, and coordinating department software system upgrades,” it reads. When confronted with “a variety of challenging and unique employee situations,” Chance was “clear and forthright in addressing the specific situation while maintaining a sharp focus on the district’s educational mission.”

District responds to Thisweek story

The district said in a statement after a version of this story was posted on Thisweek’s website March 2 that it “cannot confirm or deny that the newspaper has printed redacted information from the separation agreement, because to do so would release private data.” “Complaints can be made to state agencies, and they must be accepted for processing regardless of whether or not there is any merit to the allegations. If fact, most complaints made to agencies are dismissed. “But to get a dismissal, the employer must spend significant money and time — even for claims that have no merit whatsoever. When employers are faced with potential litigation, they have to consider the cost of defense versus settlement — and that is especially true for a public school district. To do otherwise would be acting irresponsibly.” The district redacted part of the agreement to protect it from liability should the state or a court determine that the data is private, it said. In that case, the district’s liability would be “in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.” John Gessner is at john.gessner@ecm-inc.com.

by John Gessner and Tad Johnson Thisweek Newspapers

any dispute.” The bill makes public the terms of any agreement “or other arrangement” arising from an employee relationship, including a buyout. That phrase replaces one which says that the terms of any agreement “settling any dispute” must be public. The law already requires “specific reasons” for buyouts that exceed $10,000 in public money. That’s where disclosure becomes tricky, according to Mark Anfinson, general counsel for the Minnesota Newspaper Association. The law is ambiguous in setting forth what kinds of “reasons” should be disclosed in a separation agreement, he said. District 191’s lawyer, Maggie Wallner of Kennedy and Graven, maintains that, for example, the fact that Chance and the district “wish to terminate their employment agreement” constitutes a reason. It’s hardly the kind of “reason” angry residents and teachers in the district are clamoring for. But government bodies often cite reasons such as “save on legal fees” or “end the dispute” to dodge controversies in separation agreements, Anfinson said. “That way the public bodies don’t have to discuss the bad stuff,” he said. Strengthening the law to provide a wider definition of “reasons” is also tricky. That could violate data privacy law by disclosing employee information that is private under the law, according to Anfinson. Myhra’s bill passed the House Education Finance Committee on Tuesday and was headed for the Civil Law Committee, Anfinson said.

In the wake of the Tania Chance controversy, a Burnsville legislator has introduced a bill that expands the definition of government-employee separation agreements requiring disclosure. Rep. Pam Myhra, R40A, introduced the legislation amid an uproar over a separation agreement with Chance, the former head of human relations in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191. The agreement gives Chance $254,815 to essentially sit out the last 18 months of her two-year contract (see related stories). Under terms of the agreement, she resigned on Feb. 1. The district has come under fire for not disclosing the reasons behind the buyout. At the advice of its attorney, the district concealed nine lines of the document that exposes the existence, but not the nature, of charges Chance had filed against the district. “The point here is that people want to know what public funds are being used for,” Myhra said. “There is quite an outcry regarding the situation that’s happening in Independent School District 191, with over a quarter of a million dollars settlement. People want answers. They also really want education funding to go to pay for what’s happening in the classroom, for students to be learning.” The bill, which amends the personnel-data section of the Minnesota Data Practices Act, may not be lawyer-proof. It adds to the definition of public data “a settlement agreement for a lump sum payment made in lieu of sal- John Gessner is at john.gessary or other compensation, ner@ecm-inc.com. or any agreement settling

Sports 8A

March 9, 2012 THISWEEK

Eagles win seventh straight state title Four Apple Valley wrestlers earn individual titles by Andy Rogers Thisweek Newspapers

No surprises here. Apple Valley High School’s wrestling team brought home several pounds of hardware after winning its 20th state team title last weekend, and Eagle grapplers lined the podium at the individual tournament. The Eagles had four individual champions, one runner-up, three third-place finishes, one fourth and one sixth at the Class AAA state individual tournament. Few wrestlers were as excited after their wins as Brandon Kingsley, who claimed his fourth state title. As a senior, he knew this would be his last chance to go out on top in high school. “It’s what you train for,” Kingsley said. “All the years spent in the practice room to the point where you can barely walk out, it’s been worth it.” He defeated Eastview’s Mitch Rechtzigel, one of his best friends, by a score of 6-3 in the final. Mark Hall won his second state title. As an eighth

Photo by Rick Orndorf

Apple Valley’s Maolu Woiwor celebrates after winnning the state title at 106 pounds. grader he’s well aware there’s potential to win six in Minnesota. He went 43-0 this season, finishing it off with a pin over a senior in the

state final. “I’ll wrestle bad if I get ahead of myself,” Hall said. “My coaches told me I can’t win six state titles this year. I can only win my second.” Two wrestlers won their first state titles for Apple Valley. Maolu Woiwor won at 106 pounds and Seth Gross was the champion at 120. Dayton Racer was the runner-up at 138, losing a close match by two points in the final. Dakota Trom placed third at 132 after losing to the eventual state champion, Forest Lake’s Ben Morgan, in the quarterfinal. Mason Manville (152) and Ben Sullivan (170) both brought home the bronze, and Shamar Williams wrestled to fourth at 126. Daniel Woiwor dropped to sixth as the result of two injury defaults. Apple Valley may not have reached the win total of the past two years when seven individuals won state titles in 2010 and 2011, but of the team’s 13 state entrants, just three (Trom, Kingsley, Sullivan) are seniors. The

Photo by Rick Orndorf

Apple Valley’s Mark Hall won his second state title over the weekend at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. rest of the team’s place winners were eighth, ninth and 10th graders along with junior Daniel Woiwor. “We’re a young team,” eighth-grader Hall said. “You never know what’s going to happen. People say that last year Apple Valley had the best wrestling team Minnesota has ever seen. Next year we have to work hard to become the best team the nation has ever seen. Even though we were young, we still wanted to be the most prepared team in the state.” While the atmosphere in the locker room was intense as ever, Kingsley noticed a difference this year in the youthful mood. “This was one of my fa-

vorite teams I’ve been on,” Kingsley said. “The energy is so much more. People say I talk so much. Having these kids with such high energy and keeping the mood up was great. I’ve had to be a leader this year. You’ve got the eighth and ninth graders walking in with high school kids. … They worked just as hard as everybody else.” Hard work was a common theme among all the Apple Valley wrestlers. Wrestlers often comment on how it’s steel sharpening steel. “You look left and there’s a three-time state champion,” Hall said. “Look right and there’s a four-time state champion. ... We work by far the hardest. One of the

hardest practices I’ve ever been through in my life. My first practice I cried.” The Eagles won their seventh consecutive state team title on March 1, defeating St. Michael-Albertville 49-24 in the final. In the final, Maolu Woiwor (106 pounds), Williams (126), Trom (132), Racer (138), Hall (145), Manville (152) Kingsley (160), Sullivan (170) and Daniel Woiwor (182) were victorious. Williams, Trom, Hall, Manville, Kingsley, Maolu Woiwor and Daniel Woiwor were named to the all-tournament team in Class 3A. Andy Rogers is at andy. rogers@ecm-inc.com.

Brotherhood of Wildcats hopes Irish win two events at state Stern champ at to make weekend special the breaststroke, 200 medley relay wins gold

Eagan boys hockey team qualifies for state for second straight season

by Andy Rogers Thisweek Newspapers

When the Eagan High School boys hockey team’s first line steps onto the ice this weekend at the Class AA state tournament at the Xcel Energy Center, friends will be watching from the best seat in the house: the bench. With several brothers on the team, the Wildcats often feel like one, big, supercompetitive family. “I feel like our team is one big brotherhood,” senior captain Will Merchant said. “We’re all so close. We hang out. We have two sets of twins. We feel like we’re all brothers.” The story of the boys’ hockey careers together is about to reach its climax. The senior-heavy Wildcats will play in the state tournament this weekend for the second straight season. It’s one last opportunity for the seniors to play the game they grew up with together and go out on top. “This group of seniors is so special,” head coach Mike Taylor said. “They are so tight. They are such good friends and they love to compete. Our small-area games in practice are way more hatchet fests than (games). They battle. They work hard at their skills. They love to compete.” Many of the Wildcats have been on the ice together since their youth hockey days in Mites. Taylor is also a middle school teacher in Eagan, so he knew what was in store as the head hockey coach years ago. “They were the rat pack of our whole school,” Taylor said. “Some teachers like that. Some teachers, it drives them crazy. They’ve been like this since they were 10.” The 2011-12 season has been their playing peak, with just three losses in the 2011-12 season. “It’s been the most fun season I’ve ever had,” senior captain Michael Zajac said. “These guys are unbelievable to play with. We’re all

Photo by Rick Orndorf

Eagan boys hockey players celebrate after winning the Section 3AA title last week for the right to play at the state tournament this weekend. such good friends. One thing Eagan also has this year is experience. Last March the Wildcats lost to eventual state champions Eden Prairie 5-1 in the semifinal. “Hopefully they’ve learned that the first one isn’t the only one,” Taylor said. “We threw all of our energy in that first one last year. I think we were flat against the second one and we got mad and played a team that was flat. I would hope they understand it takes three good performances, not just one big day.” Eagan bounced back to defeat Edina for third place. The experience was worth the effort to get back to state again this season with nearly every player back. “We get to play in front of 18,000 people,” Zajac said. “We just have to go in with full confidence. There’s so many people who want to play in the state tournament. I’m just lucky enough to get to play it twice.” The Wildcats advanced to the state tournament after winning the Section 3AA title on March 1 at the Coliseum at the Minnesota Fair Grounds. The section final was quite a bit different the past two years for the Wildcats. In 2010 and 2011, the Wildcats played two tight games against Apple Valley that

weren’t decided until either overtime or late in the third period. This time around, the outcome looked inevitable by the end of the first period. Eagan defeated Hastings 10-1. The Wildcats made quick work of the Section 3AA field, outscoring teams 29-2 in three games. “I think we’re playing our best hockey of the season,” Zajac said. “Everyone from the goalie to our fourth line are playing great.” Tommy Nowariak, Cody Mason, Derick Kuchera, Nick Kuchera, Eric Peterson, Cullen Willox, Will Merchant, and Zach Glienke all scored goals while Will Peterson had two. Tommy Muck had three assists, and Sam Wolfe and Nick Smallidge each had two. As the No. 3 seed, Eagan is scheduled to play Moorhead, the team’s same quarterfinal opponent in 2011, at 1 p.m. at the Xcel Energy Center on Thursday. Last season Eagan shut out Moorhead 4-0. With a victory, the Wildcats would move on to play the winner between No. 2 Maple Grove and Hill-Murray at 6 p.m. on Friday. Visit www.ThisweekLive.com for updates. Andy Rogers is at andy. rogers@ecm-inc.com.

The Rosemount boys swimming and diving team brought home gold medals in the 200-yard medley relay and 100 breaststroke from the Class AA state meet last weekend at the University of Minnesota. At the beginning of the season, Rosemount’s 200 medley relay had a goal of winning a state title. Last season the same four swimmers – Braden McCormack, Jacob Stern, Luke Dowell and Conor Manning – were second in the state behind Eden Prairie. “It was quite the storybook ending for a great season,” head coach Patti Wegner said. “The majority of our guys at the state meet were seniors, so I am happy that they could all end their careers on such a high note. All of their hard work really paid off.” McCormack, Stern, Dowell and Manning swam the relay in 1 minute, 33.37 seconds, breaking the Class AA state meet record set by Eden Prairie last year. Rosemount went in hoping for a rematch with Eden Prairie, but the Eden Prairie swimmers that set the Class AA record last season switched to the 200

Photo by Rick Orndorf

Rosemount’s Luke Dowell swims the butterfly at state. and 400 freestyle relays. The lineup change worked for Eden Prairie as the Eagles won the two freestyle relay events and took the state team championship by more than 100 points, but for one event it was all Rosemount. The relay was nearly stroke for stroke with Minnetonka at first, but Stern’s breaststroke ability gave the Irish the lead on the second leg, and Manning left everyone in his wake in the final leg. Their time nearly broke Minnesota’s all-time state meet record, missing by six hundredths of a second. Stern was also the star in the 100 breaststroke. He won the gold medal in 57.46 seconds, a lifetime best and one second ahead of Burnsville’s Ben Albert. “He really wanted it and went after it right away,” Wegner said. “He went out fast and then just kept going. He is the hardest worker I have ever met and I am glad that he could go out on top. He of course wished he could’ve gone faster, but it was his best time ever and he broke his

own school record again.” Stern was also 14th in the 200 individual medley. The 200 freestyle relay won the silver medal thanks to the efforts of Sheldon Hatlen, Dowell, Stern and Manning. Eden Prairie won the event and set the all-time state meet record. Hatlen, Urness, Braden McCormack and Dowell finished sixth in the 400 freestyle relay. Braden McCormack charged to third in the 100 backstroke. Manning earned another spot on the podium by finishing fifth in the 50 freestyle, about a half-second out of first. Hatlen swam in the 100 freestyle finals, finishing seventh. Urness was 16th in the 200 freestyle and 13th in the 500 freestyle. Dowell was 11th in the 100 butterfly and Matthew McCormack was 15th in the 100 backstroke. The team placed fourth overall, 28 points behind Minnetonka and Maple Grove, which tied for second. Andy Rogers is at andy. rogers@ecm-inc.com.

Rechtzigel brings home the silver medal Senior leaves high marks in the record books at Eastview by Andy Rogers Thisweek Newspapers

Mitch Rechtzigel is the highest finisher at the state wrestling tournament that Eastview High School has had in more than a decade. Rechtzigel left the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on Saturday night wearing the silver medal after coming in second in the 160-pound weight class behind Apple Valley’s Brandon Kingsley. It was Rechtzigel’s first trip to state. Last year he was third in Section 3AAA behind the eventual state

champion and state runner-up. “I worked hard to get up to their level,” Rechtzigel said. “I was hoping to close the gap a little more – get a little closer. “I have no complaints. It’s been a lot of hard work and it’s been worth it.” On his way to the state final, Rechtzigel defeated Centennial’s Blake Solberg 17-2, St. Cloud Tech’s Bryant Amundson 10-1 and Lakeville North’s Anton Kalista 6-0. It was nice for Rechtzigel to hear the announcer say Eastview at the state tournament for once. “People aren’t used to seeing somebody from the other side of Apple Valley in the finals,” he said. “It was nice to see. I hope it’s just the start.”

Kingsley, who won his fourth state title last weekend, said it was special to see Rechtzigel there. “We’ve wrestled together ever since we were five,” said Kingsley, who beat Rechtzigel 6-3 in the final. “It’s always been back and forth. I’m so glad he finally made it to state this year.” Rechtzigel went down as the career wins and takedowns leader at Eastview. He broke Adam Fokken’s record set in 2001 when he won a state title; Rechtzigel is the highest state place winner since then. Teammate BJ Groskreutz went 0-1 and Jacob Rukavina 0-2 at state.

Andy Rogers is at andy. rogers@ecm-inc.com.

THISWEEK �� March��9,�� 2012 �� 9A ��

Blaze fall in the section final

Photo by Brian Nelson

Burnsville’s Tyler Sheehy, No. 22, gets physical against Edina in the Section 2AA final last week. The Blaze lost to Edina 6-3 in the Section 2AA championship game Feb. 29 at Mariucci Arena, marking the third time in five years a playoff loss to the Hornets has kept Burnsville out of the state tournament. Despite being outshot 37-14, Burnsville (17-10-1) pulled even at 3-3 when senior forward Cory Chapman beat Edina goalie Willie Benjamin with a sharp-angle shot at 4:46 of the third period. But the Hornets took control later in the period with two goals 33 seconds apart, then added an empty-net goal with 53 seconds remaining. Jake Maxson and Tyler Sheehy scored the other two goals. “I feel bad for the kids,” head coach Janne Kivihalme said. “They’ve been so close the last couple of years, worked so hard, but they haven’t been able to get past Edina. All we can do next year is work hard and hopefully we’ll get to this game again.”

Blaze wrestler just misses out on championship Andy Underhill battles for 120-pound title by Mike Shaughnessy Thisweek Newspapers

He was facing a wrestler who had beaten him just one week earlier, but Burnsville’s Andy Underhill went in with confidence in his game plan and ability. “You’ve just got to have confidence and have your head in the game,” he said. “Otherwise, you can’t really expect to win.” Underhill almost closed his high school career with the biggest victory of all. He had a three-point lead over Apple Valley’s Seth Gross in the second period before losing 5-4 in the 120-pound championship match at the state Class 3A individual tournament March 3. Gross and Underhill went into the tournament ranked first and second in that weight class by The Guillotine. Leading 2-1 in the second period and starting in the down position, Underhill narrowly avoided being put on his back, then scored a reversal for a 4-1 lead. Before the period was over, however, Gross escaped and then scored a takedown to tie the match.

his junior year – Gross escaped the first time he early in the third has done so – apperiod and held peared to pay off the lead until the for Underhill. He final whistle. Unfinished fifth in a derhill was trying loaded bracket at to lift Gross for a 130 pounds in the takedown attempt Underhill state junior freewhen time expired. One week earlier, Gross style championships in pinned Underhill in the April 2011. second period in the Class Sand, the Blaze’s first3A, Section 3 champion- year head coach, said “it’s really all about confidence ship match. In the rematch, “I with him. He’s the best thought I did OK, but it wrestler I’ve had in four could have been better,” years as a coach, and he needed to know how good Underhill said. “Even though he was he was.” pinned the last time they Although he came up wrestled, we knew if Andy just short in his effort to be was able to stay off his Burnsville High School’s back, he’d have a good first state wrestling chamchance to win this match,” pion since 1977, another Burnsville coach Sam Underhill has two more Sand said. “He believed he years to take a shot at it. was going to win, too.” Sophomore Billy Under This was Underhill’s hill had a 30-win season third trip to the Xcel En- and finished third in Secergy Center for the state tion 3 at 106. tournament but the first “I think he will be a time he has medaled. He state champion,” Andy was 31-12 as a sophomore Underhill said of his and qualified for state at brother. 112 pounds. Last year he Burnsville senior Harry was 29-10 and reached Bramley qualified for state state at 119. at 145 but lost his two “He’s only been wres- matches to finish 26-19. tling since eighth grade, which is later than a lot Eagan wrestlers of other kids (at the state fourth, fifth tournament) started,” Eagan senior Mitch Sand said. Wrestling in the high Johnson, making his third school off-season after appearance at the state

tournament, earned his first medal by finishing fourth at 220. Johnson, who went into the tournament ranked fifth in the weight class, defeated No. 1-ranked Nick Edling of St. Michael-Albertville 2-0 in the first round. He beat Justin Wheaton of Robbinsdale Armstrong 4-0 in the second round before losing to Hastings’ Isaac Eichmann 4-1 in the semifinals. Johnson, 31-3, won one wrestleback match before losing to Owatonna’s Coyte Kuefner for third place. The previous two seasons, Johnson wrestled at state as a heavyweight. This year Eagan junior Colin Fisher reached state in that weight class and finished fifth. Fisher (33-7) beat Tanner Lowe of Coon Rapids 3-2 in overtime in the fifth-place match. It was the last of three overtime victories for Fisher at the state tournament. He was 4-2 at state, with his losses by one and two points. Mike Shaughnessy is Dakota County sports editor for Sun Newspapers

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�� Organizational Notices Abraham Low Self-Help Systems (Recovery, Int'l)

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Dona: 612-824-5773 www. LowSelfHelp Systems.org

Organizational Notices Burnsville Lakeville

A Vision for You-AA Thursdays 7:30 PM A closed, mixed meeting at

Grace United Methodist Church East Frontage Road of 35W across from Buck Hill - Burnsville ��

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Organizational Notices ��

South Suburban Alanon ��

Ebenezer Ridges Care Center

�� Contact Scott

612-759-5407 or Marty

612-701-5345

If you want to drink that’s your business...

EAGAN/BURNSVILLE/SAVAGE AA

Call

Meeting Schedule

If you want to STOP that’s ours.

Alcoholics Anonymous Minneapolis: 952-922-0880 St. Paul: 651-227-5502

Find a meeting:

www.aastpaul.org www.aaminneapolis.org

3600 Kennebec Drive (2nd Floor) Eagan, MN (Off of Hwy 13)

• Sundays 6:30pm (Men’s) & 8pm (Mixed) • Mondays 6:30pm & 8pm (Mixed) • Tuesdays 6:30pm & 8pm (Mixed) •Wednesdays Noon (Mixed) & 8pm (Mixed) • Thursdays 6:30pm Alanon & 8pm (Mixed) • Friday 6:30 (Mixed) & 8pm (Mixed) • Saturdays 8pm (Open) Speaker Meeting

Questions? 651-253-9163

REACH NEARLY 1 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS! �� AUCTION: RV Consignment Auction. �� HEALTH: Canada Drug Center is your choice for safe and affordable medications. �� VIAGRA 100MG and CIALIS 20mg!! �� ATTENTION DIABETICS with Medicare. �� GENERAL HELP WANTED: Help Wanted!!! ��

MISCELLANEOUS: Ever Consider a Reverse Mortgage? �� MANTIS Deluxe Tiller. NEW! ��

�� Last Hope Pet Adoption Apple Valley Petco 11-3pm Every Saturday! Cats, Kittens, Dogs & Pups! Adopt or donate to your animal rescue:

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Box 114 Farmington, MN 55024 Beverly 651-463-8739

Looking For Good Homes For Puppies You Are Selling?

Place An Ad Here! Only $49 For 5 Lines + Picture Runs for 6 weeks! 952-894-1111

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DISH Network. Starting at $19.99/month �� SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS. ��

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Last Hope, Inc. (651) 463-8747

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Auctions ��

Craft Shows & Boutiques �� 80+ Vendors FREE Admission ��

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Garage & Estate Sales �� 22222 Dodd Blvd.

Misc. For Sale �� COURT RESOURCES- SAVE! �� start ��

Misc. Wanted

Vehicles

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Parts & Services

Trucks & Pickups

$ WANTED JUNK CARS $ Viking Auto Salvage (651)460-6166

$$ $200 - $7500 $$

Junkers & Repairables

More if Saleable ��

www.crosstownauto.net

612-861-3020 651-645-7715

2000 Ford Ranger �� 612-385-2465 ��

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Part-Time

Exper. Res. Cleaner, �� 612-987-1917

��

952-469-3972

Part-Time

Lakeville - �� Email: alice@southcedar.com

Advertise! Classifieds 952-846-2000

Call for details.

Rob

�� Community Assisted Living ��

��

Call 952-440-3955 for application address.

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� ��

��

� ��

Full-Time

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Administrative Assistant

��

Escali in Burnsville ��

�� e-mail resume ��

Email at mnirrsys@gmail.com or leave a msg at 651-592-4581

employ@escali.com

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� ��

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612-670-1380

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Work with children and adults in the South Metro area.

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952-898-4911 kris@

superiorhomecare.org ��

Monday - Friday, 5pm-9pm and available for other shifts, including days, weekends, and holidays. FT potential. $10/hr. Must be reliable and able to mulit-task effectively for a fast-paced office while working independently. Must be able to pass a drug screening and background check.

Please call 612-282-9330.

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Please apply at:

TRINITY CARE CENTER 3410 213th Street West Farmington, MN 55024 Or send resumes to:

mpomroy@sfhs.org ��

Full-Time

Full-Time Automotive Parts Sales

Unlimited Earning Potential ��

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Thomas Allen Inc.

Program Counselor or LPN Burnsville

PC: Tue, Wed, Fri �� LPN: Mon, Tue, Fri �� Contact: Jodyv@ thomasalleninc.com

www.thomasalleninc.com AA/EOE

Full-Time or Part-Time

Restaurant/Banquets

• Banquet Chef (Full Time) • Banquet Servers • Bartenders • Dining Room Attendants • Line Cooks • Pool Cooks (Part Time) Flexible Schedules - days, evenings, weekends and Holidays

Brackett's Crossing Country Club 17976 Judicial Rd., Lakeville, MN 55044 Apply within.

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or email

Office/Dispatch Burnsville location

Metro Auto Salvage, Inc. 11710 E. 263rd St. Lakeville, MN 952-461-8285

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Needed to Care for 5 elderly adults in Burnsville 24 Hr Sleep-over Shifts 8am-8am. Every

other Sat. & every other Sun. $170 per shift

PT Houseaides

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PT Caregiver

Full-Time or Part-Time

Part-Time

Full-Time OSTERTAG CEMENT, INC.

�� 14551 Judicial Rd. Suite 140, Burnsville 952-681-2053

Full-Time or Part-Time ��

� ��

Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District Visit www.isd191.org for more details and to apply.

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�� School Bus Drivers. What we offer: � �� Requirements: � �� To apply please contact: Jared Reid or Dale Clementson Jared.Reid@firstgroup.com or Dale.Clementson@firstgroup.com

952-894-3460

�� www.firststudentmn.com Equal Opportunity Employer

Join our Team...

Full Case Grocery Selector M-F 8am start $13.10/ hour Loading position M-F 11am start $13.10/hour Email resume to MNHR@mclaneco.com Fax resume to 507-664-3042 Stop by or mail to 1111W. 5th Street Northfield, MN 55057

�� Contact Huston's Tree Service 952-953-4859 ��

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�� www.cityof applevalley.org ��

��

�� Please see

www. cityofapplevalley.org

��

Lobby Hours M-F 8am -5pm

Full-Time

��

Full-Time

SOUS CHEF

Crystal Lake Golf Club & Catering

Is looking for an experienced, hands on Sous Chef. Full time position requires knowledge in banquet & line cooking, kitchen operation and management. E-mail résumé to

ryan@Crystallake golfcourse.com or Fax to: Ryan at 952-953-6462 16725 Innsbrook Dr. Lakeville, MN 55044

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Full-Time ��

�� Customer Service department. �� Please email resume to

sryerse@ jbomeara.com or mail to: Scott

J B O'Meara Co.

12301 Dupont Ave S Burnsville, MN 55337 No phone calls please.

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Elko New Market City �� Public Works Superintendent �� www.ci.enm.mn.us �� Application deadline is 4:00 p.m., March 23.

��

�� Apts & Condos ��

Apts & Condos

RENTS START AT 1BR $685

$250 OFF FIRST MONTHS RENT

Rosewood Manor

14599 Cimarron Ave

Rosemount

651-423-2299 �� NO PETS. �� 952-944-7983

Houses For Rent

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�� Palomino East Apts u � �� u & 2BR, 2BA! Avl. Now! Free Cable, W/D. $99 Deposit.

952-686-0800

Farmington

1 BR Apt. Avl 4/21

$595/mo. $500 Security

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fairviewapartments farmingtonmn@hotmail.com

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Houses For Rent

TH, Dbls Duplexes

Lakeville: Starting $800 per month 2 BR, Manufactured Home! No shared walls! Call Tanya 952-435-7979 W/D Hookups!

Real Estate For Sale

�� 651-437-8627

Roommates/ Rooms For Rent

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�� 952-469-3732

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Burnsville/Cliff Road

7 Days 7 Nights You Can Place Your Ad Online Anytime. www.marketplace minnesota.com

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Modular/ Mfg For Sale

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� � � � � � � � �� 612-581-3833

For Sale $5000

952-435-7979 2 BR, 1 BA.

�� 612-968-7487

TH, Dbls Duplexes

Real Estate For Sale

Lakeville: Manufactured Home!

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�� Don 952-898-2777

��

Commercial For Rent

� �

Warehouse Space 2000 sf w/office. 10’ overhead door

�

612-889-9162

�

�� 952-955-9118

� � � ��

New Market-Retail/Office �� 952-292-2323

��

�� Painting & Decorating

Child & Adult Care

Business Professionals

Burnsville� �� 952-894-3474

�� “George’s Painting” � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � *Int/Clean, Quality Work!* � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� 651-829-1776 ��

�� Misty 952-953-3933

Cleaning

�� 651-329-5783 �� 651-905-0356 �� EG: Reasonable Prices �� 651-330-8167 �� •Cleaning • Painting �� MVES. 651-463-4918 �� 952-890-7983 � � � � � � � � � � � � � Melissa’s Housecleaning �� 612-598-6950 �� Call Kelly 651-460-4226 �� D a y c a r e D e s i g n Tracey 952-239-4397 �� 952-432-8885 �� 651-357-0220

Flooring & Tile ��

Drywall ��

��

612-716-0590

Landscaping Lawn/Tree Care

Absolute Tree Service

NORTHWAY TREE SERV. �� Terry 952 461-3618

Lawn Care

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�� 612-644-1153

�� 952-758-7585 �� www.teamelectricmn.com

10% off w/this ad

�� 952-492-2440 �� • Gen. Help + Lic. Elec. • Low By-the-hour Rates 651-815-2316 ��

�� 612-270-4900

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Michael DeWitt Remodeling

u �� u �� u �� u �� u ��

651-261-7621

� ��

Don’s Handyman Service �� 952-882-0257

HOME TUNE-UP

Fix It•Replace It•Upgrade It ��

Ron 612-221-9480 ��

�� 952-380-6202

Benson Residential Services

�� Small job specialist �� 952-457-9419 �� www.bensonresidential.com

��

Waste Control We Haul Rubbish � � �� 952-894-7470

Miscellaneous �� 4 - 30 Yd Dumpsters ��

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PLATEAU DRIVE WOODSHOP LLC ��

plateaudrivewoodshop.com

651-303-9602

Living Spaces Plus

Decks & Outdoor Structures New, Replace, Repair Home Repairs-Inside & Out 952-738-1260/952-905-0963 Member BBB ��

��

�� Free estimates, no job too big or too small! ��

�� (651) 284-5069 or www.dli.mn.gov

��

Dave’s Painting & Wallpapering LLC

�� Glen Rautio 612-210-3112

��

absolutetreeservicemn.com

Handyman

Electrical & Plumbing

��

�� 952-607-1009/ 612-636-9501

��

�� 651-338-5881

PearsonDrywall.com �� 952-200-6303

�� • �� 651-324-4725

��

Int/Ext, Res/Comm. Free est, 29 yrs exp. Will meet or beat any price. Refs/Ins. 952-469-6800 BBB Member

• Ben’s Painting •

Will meet or beat prices! Int/Ext, Drywall Repair Paint/Stain/Ceilings ��

952-432-2605

Roofing & Siding

��

� ��

��

ADOPTION �� AUTOS WANTED �� BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES �� EDUCATION ��

� ��

��

Concrete & Masonry Daymar Construction Concrete:

• Driveways • Sidewalks • Steps • Patios • Exposed Aggregate New and Replacement Free Estimates www.daymarconst.com 952-985-5477 ��

EMPLOYMENT ��

��

�� REAL ESTATE �� WANTED TO BUY ��

��

HEALTH & FITNESS ��

��

MISCELLANEOUS ��

Reader Advisory: The National Trade Association we belong to has purchased the above classifieds. Determining the value of their service or product is advised by this publication. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply the readers with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses at home. Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or give the client your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to guarantee loans regardless of credit and note that if a credit repair company does business only over the phone it is illegal to request any money before delivering its service. All funds are based in US dollars. Toll free numbers may or may not reach Canada.

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12A

March 9, 2012 THISWEEK

Clint and Gloria Racine

Mary Doran

‘Stars of the North’ recognized U.S. Rep. John Kline, RLakeville, honored Eagan residents Clint and Gloria Racine and members of the United Methodist Church with Congressional Certificates of Special Recognition at his sixth annual “Star of the North” ceremony at the Lakeville Area Arts Center. Eagan Culver’s franchisee owners Clint and Gloria

Racine sponsor a number of blood drives each year to benefit the Red Cross. Additionally, they provide other incentives for people to give blood, including a “Pint for Pint” promotion. Kline honored members of the United Methodist Church who traveled to Haiti to help rebuild homes destroyed by the 2010 earth-

quake. A team has been making the trip since 2001. Team member Mary Doran accepted the award. To nominate a resident of the 2nd District for a “Star of the North” award, visit http://kline.house.gov and click on the “Star of the North Nomination” link under “Contact Us.”

Eagan Briefs

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Wedding workshop set March 18 The Eagan Community Center will host the eighth annual Wedding Workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 18. Admission is $2 at the door. The Eagan Community Center is located at 1501 Central Parkway. Call (651) 675-5550 or visit www.eagancommunitycenter.com for more details.

City seeks advisory commission members The city of Eagan is looking for applicants for several commissions that advise the City Council. There are up to 12 openings on Eagan advisory commissions and two openings on a multi-city watershed management board. Terms are for two years each. Applications are due March 28 for vacancies on the Advisory Planning Commission, the Advisory

Parks Commission, the Airport Relations Commission, and the Energy & Environment Advisory Commission. If interested, the same application form can be considered for appointment to the Gun Club Lake Watershed Management Organization. Application forms can be found on the city’s website at www.cityofeagan.com under the “About Eagan” tab or forms may be picked up at the Eagan Municipal Center, 3830 Pilot Knob Road. Descriptions of each commission are also available on the website. For questions, call assistant city administrator Dianne Miller at (651) 675-5014.

Home & Leisure Show is March 16-17 The Eagan Civic Arena will host its 13th annual Home & Leisure Show March 16 and 17. Admission and parking are free. There will be a variety of free seminars throughout

�

the two days. Show hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. More than 80 vendors will showcase their home and leisure products and services. Visit www.eagancivicarena.com for a complete list of vendors and a schedule of free seminars.

Peer support group offered in Eagan A NAMI Connection peer support group for adults recovering from mental illness meets weekly in Eagan. The free group is sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Minnesota. Trained facilitators who are also in recovery lead NAMI Connection groups. The group meets at 7 p.m. Mondays (except the third Monday) at Advent Methodist Church, 3495 Lexington Ave. S., Eagan. For more information, contact Cristina at (651) 283-4821, or call NAMI at (651) 645-2948.

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THISWEEK March 9, 2012

13A

Thisweekend Bach featured at Baroque Bash

Pop hits, sans instruments A cappella group Home Free plays the Lakeville arts center March 10

by Andrew Miller Thisweek Newspapers

Photo by submitted

The Dakota Valley Symphony will present Baroque Bash concerts at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, March 18, at the Burnsville Performing Arts Center, 12600 Nicollet Ave. Baroque music fans will have the opportunity to hear Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 4. Solo pianist Elise Molina, pictured above, will play Bach’s Piano Concerto in F minor. Tickets range from $5 to $15 and can be purchased in person at the box office, or via Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787 or Ticketmaster.com.

Shamrock Film Fest’s main event is Saturday, March 10 Top entries in this year’s Shamrock Film Festival will be shown Saturday, March 10, at the Steeple Center in Rosemount. The Best of Show event runs from 6 to 9 p.m. and features screenings of winning films in the festival’s various categories, followed by an awards ceremony. Admission is $5. The judging this year is being done by a panel of three local filmmaking professionals, and they’ll be present at the Best of Show event to give feedback on

their choices. The festival includes categories for amateur and professional films, local and foreign films, and movies by youths 15 and under. Money, movie tickets and filmmaker-association memberships are among the prizes that will be handed out to winning filmmakers, according to festival director Beth Adams. More about the festival, now in its fourth year, can be found at www.shamrockfilmfest.com.

A bit of the Irish

Don’t be surprised if some of the guys in Minnesota-based Home Free Vocal Band are sporting some very un-Minnesotan tans at their concert this weekend at the Lakeville Area Arts Center. As regular performers on Royal Caribbean cruise ships, they’ve been getting plenty of sun in recent months. Last week saw the band visiting Jamaica, Honduras and other tropical locales. “Every three of four weeks we’ll go out on a cruise – we perform two shows on one night, and the rest of the week we’re passengers,” said Home Free tenor Matt Atwood. “We get to kind of be tourists for a living. It’s a pretty good deal.” The a cappella group will be taking the Lakeville arts center stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 10, for an all-ages concert that features classic and contemporary pop hits, performed with only the human voice and microphones. Home Free’s set list includes songs by bands ranging from the Beatles and the Beach Boys to Jason Mraz and Train. “We try to do a show that appeals to everybody,” Atwood said. “We’ll take a song like ‘Rockin’ Robin’ – the parents and the grandparents love it, but because we’re a cappella we do it with a beat-boxer so it appeals to young people, too.” Home Free formed in 2001 when Atwood, his

Photo submitted

Home Free’s family-oriented concerts feature classic and contemporary hits, performed with only the human voice and microphones. The a cappella group covers songs by bands ranging from the Beatles and the Beach Boys to Jason Mraz and Train. Mankato East High School classmate Adam Rupp, and Rupp’s brother Chris decided to put together a vocal group in order to enter a church talent show. It’s snowballed from there. “Our first incarnation was just that church talent show thing, but after that we found people wanted to hire us for Christmas parties, nursing home shows and company events,” Atwood said. “We were like, ‘Wow, maybe we can make money at this.’ Now it’s a full-time gig for all of us.” Tickets for the Home Free concert are $15 for adults, $8 for seniors and students, and are available in person at the arts

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�� Photo submitted

Locklin Road will celebrate the cultural heritage of Ireland with live Irish music in a pub-like setting at the Lakeville Area Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 17, St. Patrick’s Day. The venue will provide an assortment of Irish-influenced appetizers, dessert, coffee, and a cash bar. Tickets are $15 and are available at the Lakeville Area Arts Center, 20965 Holyoke Ave. Advance purchase is recommended. Call (952) 985-4640 for more information.

theater and arts briefs ShamROCKS and Shenanigans music festival Best Western Premier Nicollet Inn, 14201 Nicollet Ave S., Burnsville, will present ShamROCKS and Shenanigans, an all-day rock ’n’ roll Irish celebration on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day. Performances will include Momentary Lapse of Floyd, Ipso Facto, Wishful Sinful featuring Jef Cerniak, Saints of Circumstance and more. A pool party will begin at 3 p.m. with a special musical guest. All-night music in the ballroom will start at 5:30 p.m. with doors opening at 5 p.m. Tickets are available at www.jambasetickets.com, $10 in advance, $15 at the show. Adults only. A special room rate will be available. Call (952) 4352100 for more information.

Art Fete opens in Burnsville The Burnsville Visual Arts Society will hold its 30th annual member art show, Art Fete, March 8 through April 14 at the Burnsville Performing Arts Center, 12600 Nicollet Ave. This year’s exhibit will feature the artwork of more than 65 BVAS artist members. Artwork on display at

the show can be purchased by calling (952) 895-4685. The exhibit is free and open to the public during gallery hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

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is at www.homefreevocalband.com. Andrew Miller is at andrew. miller@ecm-inc.com.

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center, by calling (952) 9854640 and online at www. ci.lakeville.mn.us under the “Lakeville Area Arts Center” link. More about Home Free

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14A

March 9, 2012 THISWEEK

Military, law enforcement work merges on paper Rosemount native, Eagan police officer writes first novel by Matthew Hankey Thisweek Newspapers

Rosemount native Dan McCarty has finally found a way to merge his military, police and writing experience into one. McCarty, who graduated in the first class at Eastview High School in 1999 – joined the Minnesota Army National Guard that same year and served out of West St. Paul, completing two full-time call-ups. McCarty worked at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for eight months following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, providing security augmentation for the airport. Afterward, he served an 11-month deployment in Kosovo in late 2003 and early 2004. McCarty was honorably discharged as a sergeant in 2005. In September 2005, McCarty was hired by the Eagan Police Department and has served there for more than six years. Through all his life experiences, McCarty has main-

tained a passion for creative writing, but did not always have the time to pursue it until recently. McCarty self-published his first novel, “A Soldier Reborn,” with the help of the Edina-based Beaver Press in November 2011. McCarty, 30, lives in Lakeville with his wife and two young boys. He took time recently to answer a few questions about his first novel. What made you decide to write your first novel? I began reading suspense novels at a young age. I loved the idea of getting engrossed in the story and following along with the twists and turns. After six years in the military and six years as a police officer I felt I had enough experience to try and fabricate a unique story and write it in the voice of someone who has lived through some amazing experiences. In a nutshell, what is the book about? The book is about a special forces soldier, William Connelly, who is mortally

wounded during a raid on a terrorist compound. His dying body is flown back to America where he undergoes a top-secret surgery that implants his brain into a donor body. Five years later a police detective investigates a murder that uncovers the top-secret program. With his life in danger, he must survive long enough to solve the murder and discover what really happened to Connelly. How did your experiences in law enforcement, the military and as an emergency medical technician shape this book? The book is a mix of military action, law enforcement action/investigation and medical science-fiction. As a former fire team leader in the Army infantry, I used my training and experience to shape the military action using real methods and language. As a crime scene technician and police officer, I employed basic crime scene techniques with investigative reality to create a realistic investigation and my time as an EMT helped

Photo submitted

Eagan Police Officer Dan McCarty shared some time with children in Lescovika, Kosovo, in early 2004 while serving with the Minnesota Army National Guard in the country in early 2004. me shape the lethality of certain wounds and some medical terminology used in the book. What has been the feedback so far from friends, family and other readers of the book? What has impressed me most about the feedback has been the general audience’s reaction to the book. I wrote the book for the enjoyment of fellow officers and military veterans, but I’ve had great response from both males and females from all walks of life. Most people have a hard time putting down the book

and my two biggest complaints are people getting engrossed in the book and people wanting more books. Do you have plans to write a second or follow-up novel? The story of William Connelly is only one-third of the way complete. When I started writing the story I had no idea how long the book would be. I knew most novels come in around 300 pages so I aimed to stop writing at that point and I feel like I have another twothirds to go. I believe this book will be the first of a trilogy about William Connelly and I plan to write ad-

Dan McCarty ditional novels after the trilogy is complete. “A Soldier Reborn” by Dan McCarty is available for purchase at local Barnes & Noble Bookstores and beaverspondbooks.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com. E-versions of the book are available on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. Matthew Hankey is a community editor for Sun Newspapers.

Taser used on man who pulled knife on police Service News Police say a 47-year-old Apple Valley man is facing possible criminal charges after pulling a knife on officers dispatched to his home on a report that he was suicidal. Police arrived at the home on the 8700 block of West 135th St. at about 3:30 p.m. Feb. 22 and confronted the man as he was exiting the

garage. He got into a verbal altercation with the officers when they ordered him to stop, and when he turned to face them he flipped open a knife, according to police. Officers used a Taser on the man, but it proved ineffective because he was wearing a heavy jacket, police said. After the Taser was de-

Gibbons/from 1A

working, Gibbons said, it reduces the tax burden on everyone, it helps support local businesses because people now have money to spend, and home ownership increases to fuel the property-tax base, which funds local governments. She said she supports Gov. Mark Dayton’s idea of funding road and other construction projects as a way to create jobs. In response to the criticism that such job creation is only temporary, Gibbons said construction work is already a cyclical kind of employment and the sector needs a bridge to when she says the economy will improve. Gibbons will be taking her message to the delegates of 57A, which now includes a south portion of Apple Valley and a northeast portion of Lakeville. It’s a demographic that is largely the same as the old 37A that she served as a Senate District party leader. She’s hoping that familiarity will help her as the campaign takes shape. Thisweek Newspapers will run a series of stories about local political candidates in the coming weeks, including Mack.

“(Education) is so important because they are going to be taking care of us when we get old,” said Gibbons, who directed fundraisers while serving on the Cedar Park Elementary School Finance Committee. She views stable funding for K-12 and higher education as investments in job creation as local employers get skilled workers. She is concerned about the rising cost of tuition as state funding has been reduced to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. “Every kid should be able to afford college and they shouldn’t have to break the bank to do it,” she said. Another focus of Gibbons’ campaign will be on job creation. She said the state needs to work with MnSCU colleges to make sure they are offering the kinds of programs and degrees that employers will require. “When I was on the door steps of people in the campaign, one overriding theme I heard from people is getting jobs,” Gibbons said. Job creation and retentionare keys to solving many current problems, according to Gibbons. Tad Johnson is at editor. When more people are thisweek@ecm-inc.com.

ployed, however, the man surrendered without further incident and was transported to Regions Hospital in St. Paul for psychological evaluation. Apple Valley police have forwarded the incident report to the Dakota County Attorney’s Office for possible criminal charges. —Andrew Miller

KCs host fish fry

The Rosemount Knights of Columbus will host fish fry suppers Fridays, March 16 and 30, at St. Joseph Church, 13900 Biscayne Ave. W., Rosemount. Start time will be approximately 6 p.m. The menu will include fresh fish and a variety of fixings. A free-will offering will be accepted.

Book drive starting Donations are needed for the second annual Friends of Robert Trail Library Book Drive to be held April 19-21. Books, CDs and DVDs may be dropped off through April 13 at the Robert Trail Library (lobby) and the following businesses: Fireside Restaurant, Suzi’s Kitchen Restaurant, Starbucks and Caribou. Receipts will be available.

District hosts fair District 196 high schools will host an Education Fair from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 22, in the Student Commons at Eastview High School, 6200 140th St. W., Apple Valley. Attendance is free and is open to all District 196 high school students and parents, as well as families from other area high schools.

Robertson Capt. Colin Robertson and his wife, Capt. Katherine Robertson, recently returned to Germany following a 12-month tour of duty in Afghanistan. Both are members of the U.S. Army’s 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team stationed at Baumholder, Germany. Colin Robertson is a 2002 graduate of Apple Valley High School and is the son of Frank and Tamara Robertson, Apple Valley.

Ingebritson to be deployed Lt. Jacob Ingebritson, an Apple Valley High School graduate, is an Apache pilot with the Utah National Guard. After a few more weeks at Ft. Hood, Texas, his unit will be deployed to Afghanistan until January 2013. Lt. Jacob Ingebritson