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Local Dakota County musician Joshua Kloyda is among the performers at Dakota City Heritage Village during the Dakota County Fair. SEE STORY IN THISWEEKEND PAGE 7A
Thisweek Burnsville-Eagan AUGUST 6, 2010
VOLUME 31, NO. 23
A NEWS OPINION SPORTS
www.thisweeklive.com
Announcements/5A
Opinion/6A
Puzzle Page/8A
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Classifieds/11A
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Supreme Court sides with city in eminent domain case Battle over Cedar Grove properties will now go back to appeals court EAGAN
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
The state’s highest court has sided with the city of Eagan in an eminent domain case involving three businesses in the Cedar Grove area. In its decision, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that the city’s Economic Development Authority “did not exceed the scope of its authority when it acquired the property owner’s property.� It also said the Court of Appeals failed to weigh in on two other issues brought up in the case: the issue of the public purpose
of using eminent domain, and the issue of the city’s quick-taking of the properties. The case will now go back to the appeals court, which is expected to make a final decision on those remaining issues within 90 days. “The city is confident that the Court of Appeals will affirm the District Court’s findings that the city had a valid public purpose to acquire the properties,� said Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire. Eagan remains committed to working
Eagan man wins Fulbright scholarship
What is the Fulbright? by Aaron Vehling THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Award allows Alex Schmidt to travel to China to learn from minority groups in western regions by Aaron Vehling THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Imagine what it would be like if Census workers, upon knocking on a door in your neighborhood, were treated by a homeowner to a lavish meal and allaround bank-busting hospitality. Such was the experience of Alex Schmidt of Eagan as he conducted interviews for research on minority groups in the rural villages of western China as a St. Olaf student last summer. “They are very poor,� Schmidt said, “but they gave us so much.� Thanks to a Fulbright scholarship that will pay for most of his travel and living expenses, the recent university graduate and anthropology/Asian studies major will return to China later this month. For him, it is not soon enough. Fueled by empathy, a deep faith in God and a profound interest in China, Schmidt will seek to study untapped aspects of western Chinese culture while serving as a type of ambassador for the United States.
Magnanimity
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Alex Schmidt of Eagan received a Fulbright Scholarship to study minority groups in western China. He is pictured here last year in the Gobi Desert during a previous research trek for the National Science Foundation. on cooking a lavish meal (well beyond their means) for Schmidt and his accompanying Chinese professor. “It was the best meal I’ve ever had,� Schmidt said, “because of the emotional component.� When Schmidt and his professor were leaving the house, the professor attempted to leave some money for the family, which was having none of that. “They refused (the money),� Schmidt said, “although (the professor) did finally manage to get them to take it. “The story is like the poor widow in the Bible, who gave a little but it was all she had.�
One memory that sticks out for Schmidt is of a family in a hilltop village in rural Qinghai, the western province to which he is heading. The village was so poor, he said, there was no running water — no wells or city water connection. Instead, the family collected rainwater. This family was very poor, but insisted See Schmidt, 16A
toward an amicable resolution with the property owners in the meantime, he said. The legal battle with the three businesses began in 2007 when Eagan initiated a quick-take condemnation of several properties for a planned urban village. Larson Automotive Repair Services, Competition Engines and U-Haul sued the city to prevent the move. An initial court ruling sided with the city. An appeals court reversed that decision, claiming the city council limited its Economic Development Authority’s power of
Alex Schmidt of Eagan was awarded recently a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct research in western China (see related story). But what exactly is the Fulbright Program and what does it mean to receive the award? The Fulbright is actually several different awards administered by the U.S. Department of State and funded by the United States and other participating nations, according to State Department documentation. The Fulbright Program awarded Schmidt a Student Program scholarship, but there are also awards that allow foreign scholars to come here as professors and researchers, as well as American scholars and professionals to go abroad. Started from legislation sponsored by the late Sen. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the program was designed to foster mutual understanding between different people and nations around the world. “Given the increasingly close ties between the United States and China, such connections are vitally important,� said Thomas Williamson, associate professor of anthropology at St. Olaf College, who helped Schmidt with his Fulbright application. According to the Fulbright Program, it has sponsored about 300,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists and scientists since its inception in 1946. A committee of professors See Fulbright, 17A
Terry Davis dies at 63 Longtime city volunteer, community activist and former Eagan Parks Commission member had pancreatic cancer by Erin Johnson
EAGAN
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Friends, family and coworkers are still reeling from the recent death of Terry Davis, who died unexpectedly July 29 at the age of 63. Davis, a longtime city volunteer and community activist, succumbed to pancreatic cancer just a week after being diagnosed. Friends said he entered the hospital July 16 with what he thought was pneumonia, only to find out five days later he had advanced pancreatic cancer. Davis chose to go into hospice care, where he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife, Joanie. “Emotionally, we are shattered,� said Vicki Wright, DFL chair of Senate District 38 and friend of Davis. “People just enjoyed him so much. He was one of the finest human beings I’ve ever known. There is no replacing Terry.� Davis is universally described by those who knew him as warm, kind, bright, and engaging. He was known for being incredibly devoted to his community and its people. “He was such a nice, honest, good-tothe-bone man,� said Julie Anderson, director of the Eagan Art House. “You just hate to lose somebody like that from the community.� General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
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But he was also “funny as heck,� Wright said. “He really loved a good joke. And a lot of bad ones, too,� she said. Davis served as a volunteer in some capacity with the city for the past 20 years. He began on the Solid Waste Abatement Commission, then went on to serve three consecutive terms on the Eagan Advisory Parks Commission, from 1997 to 2006. He was chair of the commission from 2002-06, after which he stepped down due to term limits. Davis was passionate about environmental issues, including water quality and open space. His intelligence, probing questions, and leadership skills earned him the respect of everyone on the Parks Commission, said fellow commissioner Dorothy Peterson. “It’s real startling that he’s gone. The last time I saw him at the arts festival you wouldn’t have known he was ill,� she said. For the past several years Davis has served on the board of Friends of the Eagan Core Greenway, a local environmental advocacy group. Board co-chair Jack Conrad said he was one of the most thoughtful, dedicated and effective members. “He cared deeply for this community, and his actions spoke as loudly as his
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Those who knew Terry Davis describe him as a warm, engaging man who was incredibly dedicated to his community and the people in it. He succumbed to pancreatic cancer July 29. words,� he said. “We will greatly miss him and all he so generously brought to our table.� Friends and colleagues at Travelers See Davis, 17A
eminent domain by requiring a binding development agreement before any property could be acquired. No such agreement was in place at the time of condemnation. The city appealed that decision to the Supreme Court. The new ruling is not expected to affect the first phase of the redevelopment project, which did not include the three properties in question, said City Administrator Tom Hedges. “We continue to work with our master See Court case, 17A
DFLers fight for right to take on well-funded Kline in November Burnsville’s Powers, Apple Valley’s Madore face off Aug. 10 by John Gessner THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Two area residents are battling each other for the right to run against a formidable foe, U.S. Rep. John Kline, in November’s election. Dan Powers of Burnsville, the endorsed Democratic candidate, is in a scrappy fight with former state Rep. Shelley Madore of Apple Valley, who is challenging Powers in an Aug. 10 DFL Madore Party prima- Powers ry. The winner will face Kline, a Lakeville Republican who’s had a lock on the 2nd District congressional seat since first winning in 2002. Both candidates sought endorsement at the 2nd District DFL convention in April. Powers, who had announced his candidacy 10 months before, beat Madore, who entered the race in January. Madore, 47, entered the convention saying she’d honor its endorsement. But days later, the former District 37A state representative broke her pledge, complaining that Powers’ first-quarter fundraising numbers were anemic and that many DFLers had asked her to stay in the race. Madore raised more before the convention than Powers, but he leads now, having raised $81,542 through July 21, according to the Federal Election Commission. Madore had raised $42,139. Kline? $1.13 million. Powers claimed political-action committee and DFL Party donations in addition to $34,301 in individual donations and $35,100 from the candidate himself. Madore claimed no PAC or party contributions. “We have (fundraising) goals. We haven’t quite been reaching them,� said Powers, 46, a former employee of Sela Roofing who has also worked as a private contractor and says running for Congress is now his full-time job. “It’s been slower because of the primary. A lot of (potential donors) were staying out until after the endorsement, and those people have been locking in.� After counting Powers’ PAC, party and personal funds, Madore claims that “his fundraising is worse than mine. I have over 240 people who have donated,� more than Powers, she said. Powers said the hard work he did to win convention delegates has continued in the primary race. “I’m doing these little town-hall meetings,� he said. “I’ve had over 40. I believe the number of parades now is over 25.� In coordination with the state party, his campaign has made “thousands and thousands of door-knocks and phone calls,� Powers said. “I think experience is the thing that separates us immensely,� said Madore, who won her state legislative seat in 2006 and was defeated in her first re-election bid by Republican Tara Mack. “It’s not just a little bit, it’s a lot.� Madore said that on July 1 she kicked off her “35 Cent Tour,� a shot at Kline for his stand against seeking congressional earSee Primary, 17A
by Erin Johnson