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‘I live in a haunted house.’ See Thisweekend Page 14A
Thisweek Apple Valley-Rosemount SEPTEMBER 9, 2011 VOLUME 32, NO. 28
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A decade later, memories of 9/11 remain fresh for local officials Some Dakota County clergy, firefighters provided relief at Ground Zero by Laura Adelmann THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
After the second plane exploded into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, then-Dakota County Commissioner Mike Turner grimaced and said it was the start of World War III. County commissioners, staff and others had gathered around a television outside an Apple Valley conference room where they were meeting, staring somberly in disbelief as America was attacked on her own soil. National news anchors changed initial reports that a plane may have accidentally crashed into the North Trade Center Tower, the first struck, and began reporting America was under attack. Shattering glass, explosions, flames, screams, panic, sirens, bodies, horror and collapse all played out for the world to witness. “My blood ran cold,” said Dakota County Sheriff Dave Bellows, who at the time was chief deputy and
driving to work, listeningg to radio news reports. “I was thinking about ut the number of people in n the World Trade Cenn nds ter and the thousands of people who would be killed,” Bellows said. at I “You can’t print what was thinking,” said Davee Gisch, Dakota Countyy emergency preparednesss coordinator and a Viet-nam War veteran, who o described his feelings of anger, frustration and revenge. “I know it doesn’t sound right, but if you hit ou me, I’m going to hit you back,” Gisch said. Later that day, thenPresident George W. Bush said: “Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward. And freedom will be defended.” Mary Like so many Ameri- HamannNealon cans, several Dakota Roland Thompson County leaders said they wound up watching their day, one at the Pentagon television sets for most of and another in a barren the day, looking on in hor- Pennsylvania field after ror as eventually two more brave passengers stormed crashes would happen that the cockpit and foiled hi-
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People throughout Dakota County responded to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in a variety of ways – (clockwise) a sign outside Eagan Fire Station No. 4, Burnsville firefighters wore black bands on their badges, a person paused to watch news coverage at Best Buy in Burnsville and a blood drive in Rosemount. jackers’ plans to fly the plane into the White House or the Capitol. Apple Valley Fire Chief Nealon Thompson was a sergeant in Kuwait on that day, Sept. 11, 2001. He and fellow soldiers watched the destruction on a big-screen television in
the mess hall. “We went from routine daily business on an air base to a heightened level of security… into highthreat level with high security,” Thompson said. “Post-attacks, the U.S. military around the world took proactive measures to pro-
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tect themselves.” He was able to send a quick email to his family telling them he was safe, but communication would be limited or nonexistent, and he worried about citizens at home. “It’s hard to be halfSee Remembering, 12A
Uponor sued for alleged toxic pipes by Jessica Harper THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
The gymnasium roof collapse at Apple Valley’s Heritage Lutheran Church in February temporarily rendered the entire church building unusable. Seven months later, the church is marking the completion of its new gymnasium with a dedication service this Sunday.
A class action lawsuit was filed this week against Uponor Inc. in Apple Valley for allegedly selling plastic drinking water pipes that contained high levels of toxins. The suit filed by Larson King alleges that Uponor and Weil-McLain – another heating and cooling manufacturer – sold plumbing equipment under the trade names Multicor and AlumiPex for drinking water systems despite knowing they contained “high levels of toxins.” “These systems should never have been sold,” said Shawn Raiter of Larson King. Larson King is seeking punitive damages on behalf of several homeowners who purchased the pipes. The suit alleges that Uponor obtained approval to use the pipes in drinking systems through a “bait and switch” scheme. According to court documents, the company allegedly sent “specifically produced” pipe samples to the National Sanitation Foundation – a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that develops safety and public health standards for various industries. The company then allegedly manufactured pipes that did not meet the NSF’s standards. The NSF made an unannounced visit to one of Uponor’s manufacturing facilities in Germany and tested a pipe from the production line. The suit alleges that the pipe failed NSF’s toxicity testing because it emitted unacceptable levels of chemicals the organization deems toxic and potentially dangerous to humans. NSF subsequently removed its approval for the pipes to be used in drinking water systems. “Uponor Inc. – which is here in the United States – denies involvement in the sale and distribution of the subject MLC pipe,” said Ingrid Mattson, spokesperson for Uponor in Apple Valley. “Uponor Inc. will move to dismiss all the claims in the complaint.”
gym and ceiling, and church staff had closed the gym a day before the collapse as a safety
Jessica Harper can be reached at jessica.harper@ecm-inc.com.
Photos by Rick Orndorf
Students at Westview Elementary in Apple Valley (above) are all smiles as they arrive at school for the first day of classes on Sept. 6. At right, kindergartners wait to start classes on the first day of classes Sept. 7 at Parkview Elementary in School District 196. For more photos, log on to ThisweekLive.com.
After disaster, Heritage Lutheran rebuilds Dedication service for new gymnasium is Sept. 11 by Andrew Miller THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
At an outdoor service in the bone-chilling winter cold last February, just days after the gymnasium roof collapse that temporarily rendered the entire Heritage Lutheran Church building unusable, Rev. Karl Anderson called on the congregation to hope, pray, get to work and watch as the building rises from the grave. Now, seven months later, it’s time to celebrate. The Apple Valley church at 13401 Johnny Cake Ridge Road is marking completion of its new gymnasium with a dedication service this Sunday, General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
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Sept. 11. While workers were still putting the finishing touches on the gym this week, major work is complete and the church had occupancy of the gym last Thursday, according to church staff. It’s a world of difference from the disaster zone that was the church gymnasium last February. The collapse occurred around 12:30 a.m. Feb. 4 when the building was unoccupied, and no one was injured. The gymnasium, built in 2009 as an addition to the church, had been showing structural defects, including cracks in the
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precaution. The church weathered chalSee Church, 5A
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