Pinball on a stick, anyone? A Farmington man is sharing his passion for all things pinball with guests at this year’s Minnesota State Fair.
Thisweek Burnsville-Eagan AUGUST 20, 2010
VOLUME 31, NO. 25
www.thisweeklive.com
Opinion/5A
Sports/6A
Announcements/8A
Real Estate/11A
SEE THISWEEKEND PAGE 9
Classifieds/13A
Legal Notices/18A
Majority support District 196 operating levy Community survey suggests interest in providing Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan with more money by Aaron Vehling
numbers, but he cautioned board members they should not “want to rest on your laurels.�
DISTRICT 196
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
It is official: The Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school board voted 6-0 (with Joel Albright absent) at its Aug. 16 meeting to put an operating levy question on the ballot this November. If a survey conducted in July by Springsted Inc. of 400 randomly selected community members is truly representative, then the district can expect support for its efforts to stave off (but not prevent) budget cuts in the next few years. About 60 percent of those surveyed favored a tax in-
crease (in the form of the operating levy); 37 percent opposed it and 3 percent were undecided. Board chairperson Jackie Magnuson attributes the response to the district’s communications arm. “We have clear, transparent communication,� she said. Don Lifto, Springsted’s senior vice president, said at a board workshop on Aug. 16 that the results are “outstanding.� He said the district was in a good position based on the
Empty nest gap When the respondents were broken down into three groups, parents of students, parents of alumni and nonparents, the numbers show that the middle group was actually the least supportive of the levy. A tad more than 74 percent of parents support a levy increase compared to 49 percent support from parents of See Levy, 19A
Two decades of Mega Sale Prince of Peace’s legendary garage sale reaches milestone by John Gessner
BURNSVILLE
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
My, how they’ve grown. The first Mega Sale at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burnsville exceeded expectations by raising $5,000 in 1990. Ashley Gruhlke was in second grade when she became a Mega Sale volunteer. Now a 23-year-old math teacher, Gruhlke still works every year at the mostly usedgoods extravaganza, which will have its 20th run Thursday, Aug. 26, through Saturday, Aug. 28. Originally held in a single room, the Mega Sale now occupies swaths of the church’s two buildings and overflows into eight outdoor tents. Sponsored by the Prince of Peace Women’s Ministry, the Mega Sale has raised more than $1.4 million over 20 years, with half going to church projects and half to outside causes such as local women’s shelters, disaster relief and domestic and international hunger programs. Dozens of volunteers make it happen, many returning year after year. “I’m the youngest old person, is what they like to call it,� said Gruhlke, a Prince
of Peace member who grew up in Burnsville and has been a Mega Sale volunteer for 15 years. “I’ve been there my entire childhood and teen years. It’s definitely the community that I know I’ll always need.� Organizers say no church garage sale in the Twin Cities area matches the volume of Mega Sale. “It’s the biggest areawise and dollarwise, to the best of my knowledge,� said Linda Olson of Apple Valley, the Women’s Ministry team leader on the project and a Prince of Peace Photos by Rick Orndorf member since 1985. Olson said the sale was Right: Linda Olson of Apple Valley, a longtime Prince of Peace member and volunteer, is in her second launched by Women’s Ministry year at the helm of the annual Mega Sale sponsored by the Women’s Ministry. Left: Books await buymembers Shelby Pittman and ers at the Prince of Peace Mega Sale. Pat Olson (no relation). The thing they expected,� said Olson, a 17-year holds only our households department.� idea was to raise a little money for church Mega Sale volunteer in her second year The sale has become a staple destination needs, such as seeing that every child had a at the helm. “When they first started out, for many local bargain-hunters and, Olson Bible, Linda Olson said. the entire sale was held in one room at our says, even a few out-of-state vacationers. “The first one went well beyond any- church, the teen center. Now that room See Sale, 19A
Smoldering fire pit blamed in Eagan fire Sky Oaks Elementary on the road to recovery
by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
A portable fire pit left smoldering overnight is being blamed for an Eagan house fire that displaced a family of five, officials said. The Eagan Fire Department responded to the fire on the 2000 block of Zircon Lane shortly before 1 p.m. on Aug. 15. Arriving crews found heavy flames in the back exterior of the house that had spread to the kitchen and part of the attic. The residents were not home at the time, but firefighters did enter the house to rescue a dog before extinguishing the flames. The Eagan fire marshal determined the flames were started by a portable fire pit that had been used the previous night and placed under an overhang area at the back of the house. Officials estimate the ashes were smoldering for about 12 hours before high winds reignited and spread them, causing them to catch the side of the home on fire. The homeowners said they had used a hose to wet the ashes down before putting the fire pit away, said Fire Chief Mike Scott. There were no injuries reported, but the homeowners and their three children have been displaced, Submitted photo officials said. Fire officials believe a portable fire pit is responsible for an Eagan house fire that displaced a family of five. The homeowners wet the Erin Johnson is at eagan.thisweek@ecm-inc.com. ashes down with a hose, but high winds reignited them the next day.
Eagan makes it easier for citizens to get answers ‌ and lodge complaints, and report problems with new online program by Erin Johnson
EAGAN
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Want to report a pothole, ask a question about permits, or complain about a neighbor’s weeds? The city of Eagan is making it easier than ever for citizens to do all three with its new Citizen Support Center. Found on the city’s website, the support center allows residents to communicate with city hall without the usual 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekday restrictions. “Now you can go online when you General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
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think of it 24/7 and submit your service request,� said Communications Director Tom Garrison. “That’s the big difference.� Citizens can use the program to ask a question, report a problem, register a complaint, or find answers to commonly asked questions. Users can also track their requests, much like tracking a package through the postal system. Each submission is assigned a reference number that, when clicked on,
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DISTRICT 191 have to make AYP again next year before the sanctions are lifted. So the school will still offer the tutoring (paid for from federal Title 1 funds) to students who qualify for free or subsidized lunch, as well as the transfer option.
The ďŹ x On the heels of last year’s second stage of sanctions, Fecke said she and staff set forth to analyze testing data and determine ways to help the students improve on the tests. “We just keep trying to be smarter about how to use the data and analyze what students really need, as opposed to a scatter gun approach,â€? she said. “We are able to look at each students’ strengths and areas of need.â€? Schools that do not make AYP and accept Title 1 funds are vulnerable to sanctions. If a school does not accept those funds, sanctions do not apply, according to the U.S. Department of Education. From that point, schools are divided into subgroups, and if even one subgroup does not demonstrate progress then the entire school is labeled as “not making AYP.â€? Sky Oaks has its challenges: 56 percent of its students receive free or reduced-price See Sky Oaks, 19A
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THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
For students who are watching the school year approach too quickly, August can be the Sunday of summer. It can be that way for school districts, too, as they prepare for the return of students. But August is also the time of the year that the Minnesota Department of Education releases Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) data, which assess how schools are performing based on test scores and a moving benchmark set by the U.S. Department of Education. The results do not always bring with them the best of news, but for Sky Oaks Elementary on East 134th Street in Burnsville, there is reason to celebrate. After reaching stage two of sanctions under the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law last year, Sky Oaks has once again made AYP. “We’re really excited about that,� said principal Kay Fecke, “but we still have our work cut out for us.� After three straight years of failure to make AYP, the school was hit with sanctions that required it to provide free tutoring upon request to lowincome students, and to offer parents the opportunity to transfer their kids to another school. Fecke said she is excited by the results, but Sky Oaks will
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by Aaron Vehling
The Dakota County Tribune is your source for Business information south of the river.
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shows the status and history of the request. Requests are routed to the relevant department and responded to within two business days, according to the city. Users will also be notified when their request has been received. Items can be submitted anonymously, but any follow-up from staff would require the user’s contact information. The new system will not only save time for citizens, but also for the city by streamlining the request process See Complaints, 19A
Elementary school makes AYP, District 191 making progress but not at pace feds would prefer
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