Actor’s path to the silver screen began on an Apple Valley stage. See Thisweekend Page 7A.
Thisweek Apple Valley-Rosemount JUNE 24, 2011
VOLUME 32, NO. 17
A NEWS OPINION SPORTS
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Shutdown may delay road work in Dakota County Public health, domestic violence among services to be affected during special session by Jessica Harper THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Commuters who drive along Highway 13 or Cedar Avenue in Dakota County likely won’t see much road construction under way next month. Dakota County officials say they expect the state shut down beginning July 1 will stall most road work. Although the county may have the
funds to work on projects like Cedar Avenue, it cannot continue without state inspectors. Commissioner Willis Branning said the county may be able to hire a private inspector to move Cedar Avenue work along, but work on the Hastings bridge and Highway 169 will likely stop. “Things are going to be pretty slow around here,� Branning said. “The out-
look is not good for any county in the state.’ During the last shut down in 2005, county services were largely unaffected since the state passed portions of its budget, said Matt Smith, finance director for Dakota County. Officials expect to be hit much harder this time around as legislators and Gov. Dayton fail to agree on any budget proposals. Millions of dollars dedicated to public health, drivers licenses and domestic abuse services may not come after July 1.
Here come the Hot Rods
Dakota County faces a heavy financial burden: $71 million of its budget is comprised of state and federal aid distributed through the state. This money supports approximately 289 jobs within the county. It is unclear which specific services will be affected by the shut down, Smith said. “It’s a moving target,� he said. County officials will need to determine which services among those not specified by the state are essential. Those deemed nonessential will be temporarily cut off. The county’s goal is to comply with See Shutdown, 12A
OH, THE HORROR Bloody murder may be in the cards for local actor Landyn Banx this weekend by Andrew Miller
mantic weekend of camping that, sure enough, Odds are, Landyn Banx soon turns murderous. Comic relief or not, if will be getting hacked to Banx’s past inpieces this weekend. die-horror roles He’s all for it. are any indicaBanx will be in tion, there will northern Minnesota be blood. shooting his scenes in In the “Girl Scout Cookies,� 2008 film “Terthe latest in a string of ror Overload,� indie-horror film roles Banx’s character for the 31-year-old Landyn Banx does a hack-andApple Valley actor. The aspiring “scream slash job on a woman he’s king� – his play on the invited over for dinner. phrase “scream queen� The tables were turned in denoting a violence-prone 2009’s “Camp Kill,� in horror film starlet – is cast which his character gets in a supporting role in murdered while walking “Girl Scout Cookies.� He through the woods late at plays Ryan, a character he night. “The guy impaled me describes as the “overly with pruning shears and flamboyant� comic relief. The film, whose cast in- ripped my guts out,� said cludes noted indie scream Banx. “I look pretty good queens such as Monique for a dead guy.� Banx, whose horrorDupree, Jessica Cameron and Melanie Robel, fol- film resume also includes lows six couples who head “Tales of the Dead� and into the woods for a ro- See Horror, 12A THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
File photo
Hot rods, dune buggies and other vintage vehicles will converge on the parking lot of Bogart’s Place nightclub in Apple Valley tonight (Friday, June 24) for the annual Dancin’ & Cruisin’ classic car show and rock concert. The kickoff event to Apple Valley’s 11-day Freedom Days festival, Dancin’ & Cruisin’ runs from 6 p.m. to midnight and includes a business vendor fair, food concessions, music throughout the evening by DJ Sounds and a concert featuring local rocker GB Leighton and opening act Swag. Admission to the car show and vendor fair is free; there’s a $10 cover for the GB Leighton concert. More information about Dancin’ & Cruisin’ and other Freedom Days events is at www.avfreedomdays.com.
Stolen shoes are A ‘TOPS’ restaurant expands ‘dearly missed’ Apple Valley woman seeking to reclaim her custom-colored Vans THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
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Have you seen this shoe? Kelly Mellon would like it back. enough to wear those brightly colored, women’s size 8 1/2 shoes about town is sure to be conspicuous. “They are very flashy and bright, and you literally can’t miss them,� she wrote on Craigslist. Mellon is asking anyone with information as to the sneakers’ whereabouts to contact her by e-mail at kmellon11@gmail.com. In the meantime, Mellon is making do with other footwear. “I’ve been wearing some Nikes since (the theft),� she said, “but none of my other shoes live up to my custom Vans.� Andrew Miller is at andrew. miller@ecm-inc.com.
TOPS Restaurant & Bar (formerly TOPS Pizza & Hoagies) is one of the few family owned restaurants not only to make it through the recession, but to do a huge expansion during a time when most restaurants are struggling to keep their doors open. In January, the restaurant doubled in size by adding a full bar and a new seating area. During the renovation, it also modernized its look by adding new art on the walls and four large screen televisions. But the appearance wasn’t the only thing that changed — it also expanded its menu to include trendy new items such as sandwich wraps, six types of burgers and a complete bar menu with specialty drinks such as martinis, several new beers and many international wines. A patio is currently being put in as well. The restaurant opened its doors in 1990 by Rosemount residents Markos and Soula Chouliaris, who emigrated from Greece. It was Markos’s dream to open a restaurant. He had learned the restaurant trade as a child, and then became a chef at a Marriott Hotel. He wanted to be able to present food and expose Americans to Greek food. His wife Soula joined him in making his dream a reality. The original Rosemount TOPS,
Photo by Rick Orndorf
Markos and Soula Chouliaris started TOPS in 1990 and have their son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Joelle (above), helping them manage the operation. which stands for The Original Philadelphia Style (an eatery run by Markos’ uncle in Philadelphia), was a small operation, and the only staff was the husband and wife team. You can still see the original beams where the first wall was. There were only five or six tables. In the 1996, more seating and equipment was added. The current expansion took several years of planning, and most of it was done by taking customers’ suggestions. The couple’s son and daughterin-law – Steve and Joelle of Farmington – moved back to the Twin Cities from the East Coast to help
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with the new expansion. Joelle and Steve Chouliaris now run the dayto-day operations, but the elder Chouliarises are still very involved. “You need to reinvent yourself by modernizing and keeping up with the times,� said Joelle Chouliaris. “You need to listen to your customers.� Joelle said the expansion has allowed for existing customers to try new things, and it has brought in a lot of new customers that were looking for something different. The restaurant also has a new crowd — happy hour customers that come after work. See TOPS, 11A
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General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
by Stacey Ackerman SPECIAL TO THISWEEK
by Andrew Miller Someone stole Kelly Mellon’s shoes, and she’d like them back. The 18-year-old’s custom-colored Vans sneakers – adorned by an artistic friend with images of shamrocks, horses and watermelons – were stolen from her vehicle in the early morning hours of June 14. The culprit also made off with some clothes and an old purse from the car parked outside Mellon’s home on Elkwood Drive in Apple Valley, but nothing with the sentimental value of those sneakers. “I miss them dearly,� said Mellon, who paid $42 retail for the shoes about a year ago and another $40 for the markers used to color them. “They were designed based on my personality and interests, and they are one of a kind.� Mellon reported the theft to police, and in a bid to get the shoes back posted a message on Craigslist asking for the public’s help. She hasn’t received any calls based on that Craigslist post, but she’s holding out hope. Anyone brazen
Family-owned restaurant adds bar, staff at a time when other eateries are struggling