Delayed Bierman sworn in later after hospitalized
Apple Valley SunThisweek.com
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Jan. 18, 2019 • Volume 39 • Number 46
Established 1975
Suspect in Aquatic Center incident found incompetent to stand trial
Coming full circle
Woman who was once a mentee is now a mentor by Patty Dexter SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Apple Valley’s Melissa Wikstrom isn’t sure how her mother learned about Kids ‘n Kinship, but she’s glad she did. Wikstrom, a 39-year-old mother of two boys, ages 7 and 5, was matched with a mentor, Barb Ostlund, when she was a child, around age 7. Prior to that, life had been difficult for her, her older sister, younger twin brothers and their single mother. Wikstrom’s siblings were also matched with mentors through the organization. “I think it showed me a different life that I didn’t know, that I wasn’t experiencing in my own family. My mom was very loving and she tried her best, but it was hard on her,” she said. “(Ostlund) was married, so I would see her husband every once in a while and see a healthy marriage and a loving home.” The mentoring experience has come full circle for Wikstrom. For the last year and a half, she’s mentored an 11-year-old girl named Aryana Swisher, a student at FIT Academy in Apple Valley. “It’s a lot easier than I expected,” Wikstrom said of the experience. Kids ‘n Kinship, an Apple Valley-based nonprofit serving children ages 5 to 16 in Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Farmington, Lakeville and Rosemount, started in
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by Patty Dexter SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Photo by Patty Dexter
From left, Melissa Wikstrom, Aryana Swisher and Sandy Gibbens pose for a photo in Gibbens’ home on Jan. 4. 1972 as an affiliate of risky behaviors.” ille while she was grow- recalled. National Kinship. The In the community- ing up and graduated Ostlund often took organization serves based program, men- from Lakeville High Wikstrom to her home youth from mostly tors spend time with School. to make crafts with single-parent homes, their matched child doShe later attended her or they went out but children from two- ing different activities. Hamline University to dinner or a movie. parent families or who Additionally, Kids ‘n and Roosevelt Uni- Wikstrom accompaare being raised by Kinship sponsors four versity. Wikstrom and nied her on a few trips. their grandparents or seasonal activities for her family have lived “She was a really other relatives can also all participants. in Apple Valley since good listener,” Wikbe accepted into the Volunteers mentor 2013. strom said. “She’s a program. a child at school each After her mother very calm and quiet The organization week in the classroom signed her and her sib- personality, which I offers opportunities in the school-based lings up to be mentored think was good for me for community-based program. “Mentors in Kids ‘n Kinship, because I was a very and school-based men- work on literacy issues, Wikstrom found that quiet kid, very shy.” toring. According to support class work and Ostlund was an adult In a speech given at Kids ‘n Kinship, the build trust in the rela- with whom she could a recent Kids ‘n Kingoal is that “children tionship,” according to have a calm and under- ship gala, Wikstrom will form a long-term the organization. standing relationship. said over 30 years later relationship resulting “It was kind of her life is more wonderin our successful out- Being mentored chaotic at home, so it ful than her 5-year-old comes of reduced isoWikstrom was born was really nice to get self could have imaglation, sustain a posi- in Peoria, Illinois, and one-on-one time which ined. She’s thankful to tive adult relationship her family later moved was rare for me to get, Ostlund for providing and experience a re- to Minnesota. She one-on-one time with See Mentor, 9A duction or absence of mainly lived in Lakev- any adult,” Wikstrom
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A Maple Grove man accused of pushing an 8-year-old boy off a 30-foothigh slide platform at the Apple Valley Aquatic Center last year has been found incompetent to stand trial. Judge Timothy McManus ruled on Jan. 8 that Roman Alexander Adams, 19, is incompetent to stand trial due to “reasons of mental illness.” The issue of Adams’ competency to proceed was addressed in a report Dr. Adam Gierok filed with the court on Jan. 3, according to court documents. The Dakota County Attorney’s Office said in a statement that it “will now be determining whether Mr. Adams Roman meets civil commitment Adams criteria” under state statute. A review hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. March 4 in Dakota County District Court. Adams had been charged with firstdegree assault and third-degree assault after the July 31, 2018, incident. The boy, who was identified as Sawyer Warner and landed on the concrete sidewalk below, was treated at an area hospital. He’s now 9 years old. The investigation found that Sawyer was standing on the platform at the top of the waterslide when Adams allegedly picked up Warner and threw him over the 3.8-foot high railing that was around the platform, according to the criminal complaint. It was determined that Sawyer sustained numerous fractures to both his feet, a broken femur in one leg and shattered bones in a shoulder. Sawyer was required to undergo about 15 hours of surgery for two procedures within the first few days of the incident, according to an amended criminal complaint filed on Dec. 10. “As a result of these injuries the child was confined to a wheelchair for the months of August and September 2018 and a portion of October 2018,” the See Aquatic Center, 9A