Thisweek Burnsville and Eagan

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Family Night at Eagan Market Fest offers music and more. See Thisweekend Page 7A

A NEWS OPINION SPORTS

Thisweek Burnsville-Eagan JULY 1, 2011

VOLUME 32, NO. 18

www.thisweeklive.com

Opinion/4A

Sports/5A

Announcements/6A

Public Notices/6A, 11A & 12A

Classifieds/8A

Scoutmaster sentenced to 21 years in prison Four victims were heroes for disclosing abuse at hands of trusted scoutmaster, police detective says by John Gessner THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

Burnsville police investigator Jeff Pfaff isn’t sure how many boys were victimized by Peter Stibal II, the former Burnsville scoutmaster and convicted child molester who was sentenced June 24 to 21 years in prison. But four of them are heroes in Pfaff’s eyes. They’re the young men who told authorities about their sexual

abuse at the hands the lead detective of the once-trusted on the case. “I think leader of Boy Scout we have other vicTroop 650. tims out there that One in particular just were not ready — the first to come to tell us. But these forward — was deguys were. They termined to stop the Peter were ready to talk. abuse he’d experi- Stibal II Somebody broke enced years earlier, the ice and they which he feared was con- said, ‘Yep, it happened to tinuing with a new genera- me, too.’ � tion of Scouts. On May 3 a jury convict“I interviewed many kids ed Stibal, 46, of two counts from the troop,� said Pfaff, each of first- and second-

degree criminal sexual conduct involving the first victim. The crimes occurred from 2003 to 2005, when the boy was 13 to 15. On June 24 Stibal pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct for abusing three other boys, ages 11 to 14, from 2003 to 2008. Stibal maintained his innocence but acknowledged he’d probably lose jury trials in each case, according

to Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom. Judge Edward Lynch sentenced Stibal to 253 months in prison, along with a concurrent sentence of 60 months for possessing child pornography. Raised in Burnsville, Stibal was one of the first Eagle Scouts in Troop 650, which meets at River Hills United Methodist Church. Stibal was more comfortable around children than

adults, but he cultivated trusting friendships with parents of troop members as well as the boys themselves, Pfaff said. Stibal served as assistant scoutmaster of Troop 650 from 2000 to 2003 and scoutmaster from 2003 until his removal on Oct. 16, 2009, by the Northern Star Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He was hired in 2007 by See Stibal, 11A

Blaze baseball wins state title Eagan’s July 4th Funfest to celebrate ‘Hometown Heroes’ New this year: Patriotic Day, wellness festival, Ferris wheel by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

Photo by Rick Orndorf

Burnsville’s Bo Hellquist, No. 5, celebrates after his game-winning two-RBI hit in the Class AAA final June 22 at Target Field in Minneapolis. The two-out, twostrike hit in the bottom of the seventh inning helped defeat Maple Grove 6-5 for the state title. Burnsville trailed 5-0 before the inning started. To read more about Burnsville’s experience, turn to the Sports section. For more photos, check out www.ThisweekLive.com.

Eagan’s annual July 4th Funfest, now in its 45th year, will include old favorites and new features as it celebrates “Hometown Heroes.� Missing this year will be the Miss Eagan ambassador event, which typically kicks off the festival. The director of the program retired last year, said Cory Hilden, secretary of the Funfest Committee. “We’re taking this year off and hopefully coming back in 2012 much stronger,� she said. The event will instead begin Saturday, July 2, with a new Health and Wellness Event at the Community Center Pavilion from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Several fitness organizations will be on hand to lead a marathon exercise event, with instructors and classes changing every 20 minutes for four hours. Classes will include Zumba, yoga, kick-

JULY 4 SCHEDULE The following activities will be featured Monday, July 4: • Ambassador farewell reception: 8 to 9 a.m. • Parade: 10 a.m. from Yankee Doodle and Blue Cross roads to Community Center • Carnival and food vendors: Noon to midnight • Royal Brain Freeze Contest: 1 p.m. • Children’s games: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. • Texas Hold ‘em tournament: 6 to 10 p.m. • Concert with The Dweebs: 8:30 p.m. • Fireworks display: 10 p.m. All events take place at the Eagan Festival Grounds, 1501 Central Parkway, unless noted. For a complete listing of events, visit www.eaganfunfest.org. boxing, belly dancing and more. Children will get their own classes, from dancing to basketball. A variety of health and wellness exhibitors will offer information on topics such as nutrition and den-

Eagan High School speech coach Joni Anker was inducted into the National Speech Hall of Fame during the national competition in Dallas from June 12 to 18. Anker (left) holds her award with students Garrett Luken, Tom Dyke, and Andrew Friedman and debate coach Chris McDonald.

EHS speech coach inducted into national hall of fame Team takes home armful of trophies by Jessica Harper THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

For 22 years Eagan High School speech coach Joni Anker has witnessed her students take home one national speech trophy after another, and now she’s the one to receive top honors. Anker was one of two Minnesota speech coaches to be inducted into the Lincoln Financial Group National Forensic League Speech and Debate Hall of Fame during the league’s national competition in Dal-

tal health, and participants can try the Xbox 360 with Kinect for a fun way to be active. The Red Cross Blood Mobile will also be at the event accepting donations. The Funfest Carnival See Funfest, 11A

las from June 12-18. “I was pretty overwhelmed by it,� Anker said. “I’m so honored to be a part of that prestigious group.� The award — which has been bestowed upon the nation’s top speech and debate coaches since 1925 — was given to 158 coaches this year. Anker has coached high school speech teams for 34 years and has spent the past two decades at Eagan High School where she is a speech teacher. See Coach, 14A

Photo by Jessica Harper

Best Buy eyes move to former Circuit City space Company’s sign requests may be sticking point by John Gessner THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

Consumer electronics giant Best Buy plans to move its north Burnsville store across town to the former site of a Circuit City store. Best Buy is seeking a lease for the old Circuit City space at 14141 Aldrich Ave. S. in the Burnsville Marketplace shopping center. Photo by Rick Orndorf Circuit City vacated the buildBest Buy wants to relocate its Burnsville store from the Highway ing in 2009 after the former No. 2 13 corridor to the former Circuit City space along County Road 42. electronics retailer behind Best Buy General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000

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ter. I believe the relocation really is market-driven based on what Best Buy feels is best for their location.� Best Buy officials have indicated the company would keep its current building south of Highway 13 on the I-35W west frontage road and may use it as a product staging facility, Brixius said. Best Buy’s sign requests could be a sticking point when the matter goes before the council July 5. The company wants a freestanding pylon sign to increase visibility from I-35W, which is east of Burnsville Marketplace. The city’s See Best Buy, 14A

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declared bankruptcy and shuttered all its stores. Best Buy is seeking City Council approval of extra signage and other concessions at Burnsville Marketplace before it swaps its current site in the Highway 13 corridor for the more retail-friendly spot along County Road 42. Best Buy is a “major retailer� that would “fit nicely into the County Road 42 retail corridor,� said a city planning report. “I think this is an excellent location for it,� said Alan Brixius, a consulting planner for Burnsville. “I think the center is a beautiful cen-


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