Apple Valley www.SunThisweek.com NEWS Writers Festival in Rosemount The Rosemount Writers Festival & Book Fair will include workshops and scores of authors Saturday at the Steeple Center. Page 18A
OPINION Affordable housing The ECM Editorial Board offers the first in a series of commentaries about the state of affordable housing in the region. Page 4A
THISWEEKEND
A Division of ECM Publishers, Inc.
March 23, 2018 | Volume 39 | Number 3
Beyond the Yellow Ribbon celebrates six years Hard work continues to connect military members with the community by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
In 2005, the son of Farmington resident Annette Kuyper volunteered her to serve as the family readiness leader for the Rosemount-based Red Bulls 34th Infantry Division the night before its deployment in the Iraq War. Little did Kuyper know at the time, that passive volunteer effort started a journey that led her to create the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Network in Minnesota. On Thursday, March 15, the Apple Valley network celebrated its sixth anniversary with Kuyper as a guest speaker. During her talk to former and current military members and their families at the Apple Valley American Legion, Kuyper related
Photo submitted
Gathered at the sixth annual Military Appreciation Dinner at the Apple Valley American Legion were Minnesota National Guard Director of Military Outreach Annette Kuyper, Legion Cmdr. Carla Tappainer, Mayor Mary Hamann-Roland, Apple Valley network president Paul Chellsen, Rosemount network president Karl Xavier III and City Council Member Tom Goodwin. that while there has been great work that’s been done in the past, there is much more that needs to be done in the future.
When Kuyper’s 19-yearold son was deployed to Iraq for what would become the longest deployment by a U.S. Guard unit
at the time (22 months), she saw a lack of support for the families left behind. She said she saw no system of support, as many
Lightning strikes at state Two new endangered Amur tigers were introduced to visitors at the Minnesota Zoo recently. Page 19A
SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Photo by Mike Shaughnessy
The Lightning girls basketball team became state champions on Saturday, March 17. Eastview’s state championship in girls basketball is the second in school history and the second in the last five years.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Youths from local churches gather to discuss school shootings
INDEX Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 12A Public Notices . . . . . . 14A Announcements . . . . 18A
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A L a ke v i l l e resident and former investment adviser spent more than David $ 7 2 0 , 0 0 0 Thomas of other Rougier p e o p l e ’s money according to a federal indictment. David Thomas Rougier, 45, spent money given to him by mostly seniors to buy gold and silver beSee FRAUD, 14A
Students raise Dreaming of dog days Local family concerns at raises funds youth summit for service dog
Sun Thisweek Apple Valley is an official newspaper of the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District. Page 14A
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 15A
Lakeville man involved in fraud
by Kayla Culver
SPORTS
The Apple Valley boys basketball team hopes to close out the Jones era with a successful state tournament. Page 12A
See RIBBON, 7A
Used seniors’ money for personal expenses
The eyes of the tigers upon us
Eagles have work to do
spouses didn’t know how to carry on their daily lives with their husbands and wives overseas. Kuyper, who said she missed her son desperately, started talking with leaders in the National Guard and the University of Minnesota to see what could be done to help service members and their families during a deployment cycle. When her son came home for a two-week leave in December 2006, Kuyper was happy to have him home, but the feeling didn’t last long as it was announced Jan. 18, 2007, that the Red Bulls’ deployment would be extended. A Target executive at the time, Kuyper put her experience in putting together detailed plans into action by working with the
Photo by Amy Mihelich
Kalease Smith, program coordinator of Ramsey Country Sexual Offense Services, facilitated a discussion about school shootings with local youths, parents and community members. The discussion was part of the youth summit hosted by Lily of the Valley AME church in Apple Valley under the leadership of the Rev. Bill Smith. by Amy Mihelich SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
On Sunday, March 18, around 6 p.m., several young people gathered in the fellowship hall of Lily of the Valley AME Church to talk about a topic that has been on many people’s minds: school shootings. The youths weren’t carrying signs, shouting or giving prepared speeches. Instead, they were eating pizza — partaking in a community meal — and engaging in dialogue with one another.
They talked about their experiences and their concerns while their parents and members of their churches listened. The Rev. Bill Smith and his congregation, Lily of the Valley AME Church in Apple Valley, organized, sponsored and hosted the discussion. People from Christus Victor Lutheran Church in Apple Valley and their pastor, the Rev. Kent Claussen Gubrud, joined in the conversation, as did people from Spirit of Life PresSee SUMMIT, 11A
by Amy Mihelich
SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Merlin, come home. Shelley Beaumont and her 14-year-old son, Pierce, are rasing funds to bring a 9-month-old labradoodle from North Carolina to their home in Apple Valley. Although the dog has never been to Minnesota and they’ve only met him once, the Beaumonts already consider him part of their family, and they are determined to find a way to bring him home. Merlin is currently training to be Pierce’s service dog. Pierce is a middle school student with autism. Sometimes he experiences intense feelings of anxiety, anger and negativity that make it difficult to navigate his world. Pierce’s family has been
Photo submitted
Pierce Beaumont met his future service dog, Merlin, in North Carolina in February. His family is working to raise the $20,000 needed to bring Merlin to their Apple Valley home. working with an organi- will physically and figurazation called Assistance tively walk alongside him Dogs for Autism to provide as challenges come his way. him with a companion who See DOG, 10A
Student leadership recognized Two District 196 juniors win ExCEL Award by Amy Mihelich SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
The Minnesota State High School League’s ExCEL Award celebrates some of the state’s finest juniors, and two local students were among the 36 out of 298 nominees to receive the 2018 award. On Saturday, March 17, Eastview High School junior Sanjana Molleti and
Sanjana Samuel Moletti Hauser Eagan High School junior Samuel Hauser were recognized for their participation in school activities, demonstration of leader-
ship qualities and community volunteer work, as they accepted their awards during ceremonies at the Girls State Basketball Tournament at Target Center in Minneapolis. Molleti is a member of the speech team, captain of the debate team and a student council officer. She’s also a member of the National Honors Society, See LEADERS, 7A