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Thisweek Burnsville-Eagan APRIL 22, 2011
VOLUME 32, NO. 8
A NEWS OPINION SPORTS
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As snow finally ends, road construction season begins Eagan has a few major projects planned this summer, but none is likely to cause big headaches for public by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
While it may seem the snow will never end, Minnesota’s other season – road construction – is expected to begin as soon as next week. The city of Eagan has a handful of major projects planned this summer, but none is likely to result in major traffic headaches for the general public. The project with the biggest potential impact will be the completion of the last leg of Eagan’s ring road, which will extend Duckwood Drive over In-
terstate 35E and connect it with Federal Drive on the other side. The majority of the work will take place over the highway with no interruption to traffic, said Eagan City Engineer Russ Matthys. There may be temporary lane closures during the reconfiguration of the Pilot Knob Road/Duckwood Drive intersection, he said. “If we do have any lane closures they will be done during off-peak hours, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.,” he said. And some roads will be reconfigured during construction on the west side
of I-35E so businesses can remain open and residents will continue to have access. Work on that project is expected to begin May 2. Improvements to Cedarvale Boulevard will begin in early July courtesy of a $560,000 grant from the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). A final plan for the project will be approved by the City Council next month, but work is expected to upgrade and realign the road, which will be renamed Cedar Grove Boulevard. Plans may include a landscaped
Diversity doubles in District 196
median and a connection to Cedar Grove Parkway. Because Cedarvale Boulevard is not heavily trafficked, and Jensen’s Supper Club is the only business that fronts it, the project shouldn’t cause much of an inconvenience, Matthys said. A project on Ames Crossing Road – located in the very northeastern corner of Eagan – will connect the north and south portions to provide a continuous street connection between Lone Oak Road and O’Neill Drive. The work will take place
over farm fields and serve the development and surrounding area in northeast Eagan. “It’s not going to have a lot of impact on people,” Matthys said. An overlay project that begins Monday, April 25, will bring lane closures to Blue Cross Road, which will affect employees, but work will predominantly take place on Saturdays, he said. Lanes will also be closed during an overlay project on Wilderness Run Road, expected to begin next month, which will affect some residents.
Hoppy Easter!
by Jessica Harper THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Diverse is not typically how people describe the Rosemount-Apple ValleyEagan School District. However, District 196 has transformed over the past decade into quite a melting pot. The school district doubled in diversity over the past 10 years, according to the 2010 U.S. Census. “Oftentimes, this is congruent with increases in more affordable housing,” said Tony Taschner, communications coordinator for District 196. “This is consistent with what we are seeing around the country.” Currently, students of color make up 24.7 percent of the school district’s population. This falls in line with the state average of 24.3 percent. At 9.8 percent, black students make up the majority of students of color. This population grew at the fastest rate at 0.8 percent between the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years. Asian-American students make up 8.2 See Diversity, 14A
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
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Voters will decide replacement for Charlie Crichton on July 26 THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
by Erin Johnson
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Burnsville sets date for special election The Burnsville City Council voted April 19 to hold a special election to fill the vacancy created by the death of Council Member Charlie Crichton. The special election will be held Tuesday, July 26 with no primary. The election is estimated to cost about $30,000. Holding a primary would have approximately doubled that amount, according to the city. The winner of the election will serve the remainder of Crichton’s four-year term, which will end December 2014. Crichton died March 13 at age 83, just months after being reelected for a record sixth time. His death followed a brief illness. Residents interested in running for the vacant seat can file an affidavit for candidacy May 13-27 at the City Clerk’s Office, which is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Burnsville City Hall, 100 Civic Center Parkway. Affidavits must be returned to City Hall by 5 p.m. on the filing deadline. Candidates must be eligible to vote in Minnesota, be at least 21 years of age when assuming office and be a resident of Burnsville. A $5 filing fee will be assessed. Absentee balloting for the special election will begin Friday, June 24, at Burnsville City Hall. For more information, visit www. burnsville.org/elections or contact City Clerk Macheal Brooks at (952) 8954490 or macheal.brooks@ci.burnsville. mn.us.
Improving water quality, stormwater pollution prevention plan will be discussed
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Erin Johnson is at eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc.com.
by Erin Johnson
Blackhawk, Thomas lakes topic of forum
The city of Eagan wants to help residents get informed about – and involved in – the health of its lakes. The water quality of Eagan’s two largest lakes, Blackhawk and Thomas, will be discussed at a public forum Wednesday, April 27. The city has received a grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to study the watersheds of both lakes and evaluate their health. Those who attend the forum will learn about the project and what they can do to help. “It’s important for people to understand the challenge we collectively have to keep them in nice shape so people can enjoy them in the long term and into the future,” said Eric Macbeth, Eagan’s water resources coordinator. Phosphorous from stormwater runoff remains a top concern, he said. “High phosphorous in lakes comes See Lakes, 14A
Both roads will remain open throughout their construction, he said. Possible county road projects this summer include work on the Yankee Doodle/Denmark Avenue intersection, as well as intersection reconfigurations along Cliff Road at Johnny Cake Ridge and Nicols roads. But the county may postpone those projects until next year, Matthys said.
Photo by Rick Orndorf
One-year-old Taylor Gordon of Eden Prairie studies the giant rabbit holding her during her visit to the Easter Bunny at Burnsville Center on Wednesday, April 20.
Erin Johnson is at eagan.thisweek@ecminc.com.
Earth Day: Help clean up Eagan parks Two events planned this Saturday by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Residents can celebrate Earth Day this year by helping clean up Eagan’s parks at either of two planned events Saturday, April 23. For the ninth year in a row, Friends of the Eagan Core Greenway will hold its Earth Day clean-up project at Patrick Eagan Park. “It’s an opportunity to do our meaningful part for Earth Day, and it’s an opportunity to meet with like-minded, caring citizens in our community,” said Jack Conrad of Friends of the Eagan Core Greenway.
Participants can help pick up trash found along the two miles of trails within the park from 10 a.m. to noon. Ambitious participants are encouraged to bring waders to help clean up the edges of the lake, Conrad said. “All the good stuff is in the reeds down there. That’s where it accumulates,” he said. After the clean up, refreshments will be served and participants will receive vouchers from Cuqui’s Cafe, located at Diffley Road and Highway 3 in Eagan. The park is located behind the Eagan Art House on Lexington Avenue between Diffley and Wescott roads. Participants should bring gloves and work clothes; trash bags will be provided. For more information, visit
www.eagancoregreenway.org. Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan will celebrate a “healthy earth and a healthy you” with its free Earth Day event, which begins at 10 a.m. Participants can stop by the Jensen Lake, Holland Lake or Schulze Beach trailheads for some family-friendly spring cleaning. “Each family that fills up a bag of trash will receive a free coupon for a one-hour kayak or canoe rental,” said Dakota County Parks Education Coordinator Krista Jensen. Gloves and trash bags will be provided, although gloves are one-size-fits-all and may not be suitable for small hands, she said. Participants are encouraged to pack a healthy lunch or enjoy some light refreshments – pretzels, apples, gra-
nola bars – at the Lebanon Hills Visitor Center beginning at noon. A free raffle will feature earth-friendly prizes such as refurbished birdhouses, gardening baskets and nursery gift cards. The drawing will be held at 3 p.m. From 1 to 3 p.m., visitors are invited to stay and play with hands-on kids’ activities, free pre-season canoeing and kayaking, fitness walks and more. The event will culminate with Rachael Kroog and Kid Power performing around a campfire from 2 to 3 p.m. For more information, call the Lebanon Hills Visitor Center at (651) 554-6530. Erin Johnson is at eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc.com.