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From the page to the stage: Chameleon Theatre presents its New Play Festival. See Thisweekend Page 9A.
Thisweek Burnsville-Eagan SEPTEMBER 2, 2011 VOLUME 32, NO. 27
A NEWS OPINION SPORTS
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Science scores stay above state average in District 196 Fifth-graders performing better than last year, eighth-graders and high school students’ scores are slightly worse by Jessica Harper THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Students in the RosemountApple Valley-Eagan School District once again exceed the state average in science test scores. The percentage of District 196 students who were scored as proficient or better on the science portion of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments-Series II is higher than the statewide average, according to results released on Aug. 12 by the Minnesota Department of Education. The standardized test assesses whether students are proficient in reading, math and science. The science portion is given to students in fifth and eighth grade, and in high school. With 56.6 percent of fifthgraders meeting or exceeding state standards, District 196 outperformed the state average of 46
percent. The district’s fifth-graders also performed better in 2011 than in 2010, when 53.4 percent of its fifth-graders met or exceeded the standards. The district’s two science and technology magnet schools both did exceptionally well on the test. At Cedar Park Elementary, 57.8 percent of students met or exceeded the science standards. This is a great improvement from four years ago when 36.3 percent of students at the school did so. Glacier Hills Elementary students also made great strides with 73 percent of students meeting or exceeding the standards in 2011. Four years ago, 52 percent of Glacier Hills students met or exceeded the standards. Administrators and teachers within these schools will be shar-
ing their techniques with others in the district to help boost achievement districtwide, said Steve Troen, director of teaching and learning. Eighth-graders and high school students in the district also performed better than the state average, but fewer of these students met or exceeded the standards in 2011 when compared with the previous year. Slightly more than 46 percent of eighth-graders in District 196 met or exceeded the standards in 2011, which is 3 percentage points lower than the year before. Students still scored better than the state average of 46 percent. The percentage of high school students in the district fell as well from 66.9 percent of students who met or exceeded the standards in 2010 to 64.7 percent in 2011. See District 196, 16A
Off to a ‘roaring’ start
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Gas from chemical in sewer drain caused explosion, city says Public meeting on incident is Sept. 12 City officials think an explosive gas ignited by a basement water heater or furnace caused a July 8 explosion in a sanitary sewer line in northeast Burnsville. The gas likely came from an unknown chemical that entered the system through a sewer drain at a home or business, officials said in an Aug. 25 news release. “It is suspected that the gas from this unidentified chemical traveled through the sanitary sewer system and entered the basement of a nearby home through a dry sewer trap,� the release said. “City officials believe the flame from a gas water heater or furnace then ignited the gas, which traveled back through the sanitary sewer system.� In the wake of the investigation by public works, fire
and police officials, the city will hold a community meeting to answer questions about the incident on Monday, Sept. 12, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at River Hills United Methodist Church, 11100 River Hills Drive. The explosion blew off three manhole covers on West River Hills Drive in the area of Ridgewood Court. About 100 homes were evacuated for eight hours after the explosion, which was reported at 1:35 p.m. Crews have frequently monitored gas levels in the sanitary sewer system in the River Hills area since the explosion. So far, there have been no new unordinary readings. Based on those results, and a robotic camera investigation of nearly two miles of sanitary See Explosion, 16A
A sign of the times Lakeville man cites unemployment, foreclosure in child abandonment that led to his arrest in Calif. by Aaron Vehling THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Owning a home and holding a good job that pays well enough to afford it all are among the Cross cornerstones of the American Dream. But what happens when a person loses those? The home, the one that was to bring equity and house a family, enters foreclosure. The job, the source of income behind all of this, dissipates into the ethers of recession. Sometimes the obliteration of a certain way of life can push people to extremes of desperation, as apparently was the case with Steven Alexander Cross, 60, of Lakeville, who was arrested Monday afternoon in Cambria, Calif., on charges that he abandoned his 11-yearold son with a neighbor in Lakeville and fled town. “This is an unusual and disturbing case,� said Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom, “the likes of which we simply haven’t seen before.� Backstrom said his of-
Photos by Vista View Elementary (above) and Rick Orndorf
Vista View Elementary principal Susan Risius (left) is joined by other staff members to practice their ROAR p r o g r a m PHOTOS introduction ONLINE For more photos, for the go online to first day thisweeklive.com of school. The practice kicked off a preparation week for teachers. ROAR stands for respectful, on-task, achieving, and responsible. At right: Neill Elementary third-grade teacher Suzanne Hayden assigns supply cubbies in preparation for the school open house Aug. 31.
fice has dealt with parents under stress and a threat to their children, “but it is rare for someone to pack up and leave the state like this.� Unemployed architect Cross, in a letter to his son, cited this dissolution of the American Dream as the motive behind his decision to leave his son. According to court reports, the letter to his son read: “If this paper is wet it’s because I am crying so bad. You know your dad loves you more than anything. This economy got (illegible) there are no jobs for architects so I have to go because the sheriff (sic) will take the house July 27. “There will be no more for me. Some good news is your mother is alive. Though I do not think it is for the best. Give these letters to (the neighbor). Do not open them. I hope they get to give you a chance. There are many great years ahead for you. Not so for me.� In addition to the loss
Larry Werner, editor and general manager of Thisweek, shares some thoughts on crime coverage in a column on page 4A. of his home and a lack of income, Cross also faced about $25,000 in judgments against him, according to court records.
Abandonment On the morning of July 18, Cross was gone and his son was – note in hand and crying – was at the doorstep of neighbors John and Joanne Pahl, who called the Lakeville Police Department a couple hours later when it was clear that Cross was really gone. The Pahls declined to offer Thisweek any comment on the case. Cross’s son had letters to the Pahls as well. In them, Cross asked the family to take guardianship of his son. With $1,000 in his pocket, Cross was driving westward toward San Luis Obispo County on the Central Coast of CaliforSee Times, 14A
‘The Rabbit’ returns to Minnesota State Fair
by Jessica Harper THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
The fiber of Tony Caponi’s inner being is filled with sculptures, paintings and poetry. Where he begins and his craft ends remains to be seen. The same principle apGeneral 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
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plies to many of his sculptures. The material he uses, and the figure he’s creating, often seem to melt into one another. “When people think I didn’t touch it,� said Caponi, founder of the Caponi Art Park in Eagan, “I know it is a success.� This style is evident in his granite sculpture, “The Rabbit,� which is currently on display at the Minnesota State Fair. The 90-year-old Eagan resident is among 38 prominent Minnesota artists who were asked to display their
work in a special exhibit for the 100th anniversary of the fair’s Fine Art Exhibition. The exhibit runs through Sept. 5. Caponi carved “The Rabbit� in 1949 while he was finishing his master’s at the University of Minnesota and mentoring at Macalester College. The piece earned first prize at the Minneapolis Institute of Art and was entered into the Fine Arts Exhibition of the 1949 Minnesota Territorial Centennial State Fair. Stone was rarely used by
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local artists at the time, and Caponi taught himself how to carve directly into the medium. Though they may appear ordinary to the untrained eye, Caponi is fascinated by the beauty and potential of stones. Each time Caponi has worked with the medium, he finds something new, such as a fossil or a mineral deposit. “It’s always an adventure,� he said. Whether he’s using stone or bronze, Caponi tries to See Caponi, 16A
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Photo by Jessica Harper
“The Rabbit,� a granite sculpture by Tony Caponi, is on display in a special exhibit at the Minnesota State Fair in celebration of the fair’s Fine Arts Exhibition’s 100th anniversary. The exhibit runs until Sept. 5 when the fair closes.
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Granite sculpture by Eagan artist Tony Caponi featured in special exhibit for Fine Art Exhibition’s anniversary