Thisweek Burnsville and Eagan

Page 1

A

Chameleon Theatre Circle is taking audiences back in time with ‘1940s Radio Hour.’ See Thisweekend Page 5A

NEWS OPINION SPORTS

Thisweek Burnsville-Eagan DECEMBER 3, 2010

VOLUME 31, NO. 40

www.thisweeklive.com

Opinion/4A

Puzzle Page/6A

Sports/7A

Legal Notices/8A

Classifieds/9A

Announcements/12A

Eagan’s time capsule will hold memories, predictions Residents, businesses, schools contributed to 50-year capsule by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

Photos by Rick Orndorf

Crews clean up the media center after a flood at Nicollet Junior High in Burnsville caused significant damage to the main floor of the building. Below, students returned to school Dec. 1 and found classrooms with concrete floors where water-soaked carpeting used to be.

School cleans up after flood Students returned to Nicollet Junior High after burst pipe dumped 120,000 gallons of water inside school by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

A total dollar amount has not yet been estimated, but officials say the damage to Nicollet Junior High in Burnsville is “fairly significant.” Students returned to the school Dec. 1 after a burst pipe flooded the building over Thanksgiving break, forcing it to close for two days. “People have been working around the clock” to clean up the school, said Principal Renee Brandner. Brandner said at least half of the main floor was covered in standing water during the flood, damaging carpets and walls, as well as bookshelves, cabinets and computers in the media center. Water also soaked through to several classrooms on the first floor, including art classrooms where some student art was destroyed. The main office, guidance office, auxiliary gym and music rooms were also damaged, Brandner said. Cleaning crews have already removed carpeting, sheetrock, ceiling tiles and some furniture from several classrooms and offices. “Staff did an excellent job by being flexible. They were well prepared and showed great teamwork,”

Brandner said of their first day back after the flood. “Students were appropriate and ready to learn. The day functioned as any other day except we had to move classrooms around.” The flood occurred Sunday, Nov. 28, when a frozen water pipe thawed and burst, flooding the school with about 120,000 gallons of water. Video from a security camera shows the pipe began to leak around 12:30 p.m. A neighborhood resident called police at 3:30 p.m. and reported seeing water coming out the front doors of the school. The pipe, part of the school’s sprinkler system, was located over the front office area on the main floor of the building.

Ruth Dunn, communications director for the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District, said an alarm that triggers when too much water comes through the pipe failed to sound, even though it passed inspection last June. Brandner said the shortterm goal was to reopen the school to students. Beyond that, officials don’t have a firm timeline for when the full cleanup will be complete. “There’s too many unknowns,” she said. A total estimate of the damage is expected within the next few days, she said. Jessica Harper contributed to this story. Erin Johnson is at eagan.thisweek@ecm-inc. com.

Eagan High School students have a pretty consistent vision of the city’s future, and that future includes gas-free hover cars zipping around town within the next 50 years. Several students said they think the city will be much bigger and will feature high rises, malls, and maybe even more restaurants. One 11th-grader predicted the city’s population will be mostly elderly, “but it will be a lively bunch of folks!” Predictions from more than 100 EHS students of what Eagan will look like in the year 2060 will soon be placed in the city’s time capsule, not to be opened for 50 years. The capsule will be stored in the floor of the new fire safety campus on Yankee Doodle Road and Wescott Woodlands beginning in January. In addition to the students’ predictions, the city collected a representative sampling of items from around the community to show what life is like in 2010. Residents, businesses, and schools all got in on

Photo by Erin Johnson

Eagan’s 50-year time capsule will feature a wide variety of donated items meant to show what life was like in 2010, including letters penned by city, business and school leaders to their successors 50 years into the future. the act, submitting hundreds of contributions to the project. “It’s so varied. Our challenge now is to look at all

of what’s here and then ask what’s missing,” said Tom Garrison, Eagan’s director of communications. “Is See Time Capsule, 14A

Eagan teen fine after her SUV falls from overpass 16-year-old Eastview student was on her way to school when she lost control of vehicle by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

A 16-year-old Eagan girl had quite a scare on her way to school Nov. 30 when her SUV careened off an overpass and landed on the highway below. Gwen Nelson, an Eastview student, was wearing her seatbelt at the time and managed to walk away with no major injuries, according to the State Patrol. “That likely prevented very serious injury or even death,” said Lt. Eric Roeske. “She’s very fortunate.” The crash occurred just

after 7 a.m. in Apple Valley. According to the State Patrol, Nelson was on an overpass in the process of exiting from southbound Cedar Avenue onto County Road 38 (McAndrews Road) at the time of the crash. Nelson said she lost control of her vehicle when it hit a patch of ice and slid, then went up a snowbank against the guardrail and over the edge of the bridge. Her SUV landed upside down in the southbound lane of the road below. The fall was likely about

20 feet, Roeske said. Nelson was not able to get out of the vehicle herself; a responding trooper had to break the window to extricate her. Roeske said she was fortunate her SUV didn’t land on another vehicle or get hit by a passing vehicle during morning traffic. Nelson was taken by ambulance to Regions Hospital and released the same day, he said. Erin Johnson is at eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc.com.

Students give thanks to troops by Jessica Harper THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

One local elementary school extended its appreciation beyond Thanksgiving this year by spending the past month putting together care packages for U.S. troops. Students at Echo Park Elementary in Burnsville collected 80 boxes full of items ranging from Girl Scout cookies to board games that will be sent to U.S. soldiers serving overseas. “This is our way to thank our soldiers who protect our country and to remind them they are being thought of when they are so far from home … especially during the holidays,” said Pam Keuler, Echo Park school social worker and one of the project’s organizers. The 700 students each wrote letters or drew pictures to include in the care packages as well. The project, called Operation

General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000

&

!""'! !

$

Troops Not Forgotten, was in cooperation with a care package drive organized by the American Legion and the U.S. Postal Service. On Nov. 29, Echo Park’s student council packed the boxes, which will be delivered Dec. 3-5 to a drop-off site at Rosedale Center in Roseville. The goal was to teach the students about patriotism and generosity, Keuler said “I hope it reminds (the students) how the military has helped us and protects us,” she said. Co-organizer and Echo Park instructional assistant Paula Kranz said she hopes the project opened up discussions in the classroom. “Being able to talk with teachers about it will broaden their world a little bit,” she said. E-mail Jessica Harper jessica.harper@ecm-inc.com

Photo submitted

at: Students at Echo Park Elementary packed 80 boxes of care packages on Nov. 29 to send to U.S. troops serving overseas. The project, called Operation Troops Not Forgotten, was in cooperation with the American Legion and the U.S. Post Office.

% off$ options

50

*

Up Too 40 40,000 000

RYLAND NDTWINCITIES.COM

*50% off options available on any combination of available options totaling not more than $40,000. Options vary by community and homesite. Not all options are available on all homes. This offer is valid on contracts for to-be-built homes written between November 29, 2010 and December 31, 2010 only. Availability of homes and homesites is subject to change. To receive 50% off incentive, buyer must obtain mortgage loan from Ryland Mortgage Company and close with Ryland Title Company. Buyer may finance with any other qualified lender but will not be eligible for the Ryland incentive offer. Promotion deductions taken at time of purchase agreement only. This program cannot be combined with any other Ryland Homes paid incentive. See sales counselor for details. Prices and plans are subject to change without notice. The home depicted is a model and the actual home, landscaping, lot size, floor plan and materials may vary. © 2010 The Ryland Group, Inc. MN Builder License number 20035443. 12/3•2434695R•ABF


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.