ING WEDD E D I U G issue
Included
The Dakota Valley Symphony is celebrating 25 years with a concert and dinner at the Burnsville PAC. See Page 12A
A NEWS OPINION SPORTS
Thisweek Farmington-Lakeville FEBRUARY 4, 2011
in this
VOLUME 31, NO. 49
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Opinion/4A
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No Eden Prairie for Steve Mielke Lakeville city administrator says he has deep roots here
views, he said: “I was not as excited about the job (in Eden Prairie) as I need to be.� Mielke called Eden Prairie by Aaron Vehling and Lakeville officials yesterTHISWEEK NEWSPAPERS day to inform them of his deLakeville City Adminis- cision. trator Steve Mielke notified Earlier this month, the city leaders Tuesday that he city of Eden Prairie apwill not pursue the proached Mielke to Eden Prairie city encourage him to apmanager position any ply for a city manager further. opening. He was one “As I contemplatof three finalists for ed the good things the position. happening here (in Mielke met with Lakeville), I decided Mielke the Eden Prairie City this is where I want to Council, staff and be,� Mielke said. community members in a An executive position at a series of interviews and meetcity is a difficult job that re- ings over the past month. quires a huge investment of The council was to interone’s self, he said. view Mielke one last time this “You have to be passion- week before making a hirate about where you’re work- ing decision in the next few ing,� he said. “It’s a lot of weeks. hours and you make a lot of E-mail Aaron Vehling at aarrelationships.� After a series of inter- on.vehling@ecm-inc.com.
Teachers survey a center of conflict State Sen. Dave Thompson, EML President Don Sinner differ on approach to information gathering by Aaron Vehling
to gauge their opinions on what Thompson wrote were A teachers survey from “the various issues of the newly elected state Sen. Dave day.� The questions on Thompson of Lakethe survey vary. Some ville has resulted in ask the surveyed some conflict between teachers to discuss him and Education opinions on the “steps Minnesota Lakeville, and lanes� incentive District 194’s teachsystem of promoting ers’ union. teachers. Others ask Last week, about opinions on Thompson, who sits Thompson the current level of on the Senate Education Committee, approached federal involvement in MinEML president Don Sinner nesota’s education system. There are questions askwith an idea: send out a survey to the district’s teachers See Survey, 11A
Photo submitted
The Dakota County Community Development Agency plans to begin construction of this senior housing apartment building at the Vermillion River Crossing property this spring. It will be the CDA’s first senior housing project in the city.
Spring construction planned at Farmington’s Vermillion Crossing Dakota County CDA’s senior housing development to open in 2012 by Laura Adelmann THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Construction of a 66-unit senior apartment building will begin in Farmington’s Vermillion River Crossing development this spring. The three-story building, to be located south of McDonald’s on the southeast corner of Spruce Street and Dushane Parkway, will be the Dakota County Community Development Agency’s first
senior housing project in the city. “We’re really excited to be in Farmington,� said Sara Swenson, CDA communications coordinator. Likewise, Farmington officials are hopeful about the potential impact of the project on Vermillion River Crossing, an expansion area that has not grown as the city expected. “Our hope is that as develop-
ment occurs it will spur additional development,� said Assistant City Planner Tony Wippler. The building will feature a brick facade and cultured stone exterior, and comprise about two acres of the 40-acre development. Its construction will be funded through unused CDA project funds and $13.8 million in federal Recovery Zone bonds, said Kari See Construction, 10A
So the activities can stay, but at what cost? Community asked to pay greater share of costs; plans set for a Feb. 8 vote
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
by Aaron Vehling THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
First, the good news: Activities and sports slated for elimination from Lakeville schools will avoid such a fate. The bad news: Participation costs will rise. What those fees will be is much more of a concrete set of figures on the middle school side than the high school side. Lakeville schools superintendent Gary Amoroso
announced last Thursday, Jan. 27, at a school board work session, that activities and sports will stay . The audience members, several of whom showed up with signs expecting to advocate for their respective sport or activity,
cheered loudly. At the time this newspaper went to press Wednesday, Feb. 2, the School Board had a consensus about a plan to save middle school co-curriculars. The high school plan was still undecided. The Robbins Plan (“The 77-23 Plan�) is based on a presentation by middle school activities director Harry Robbins. A user’s share of the cost of activities is 77 percent and the
district’s share 23 percent. Some sports, including football and swimming, would be turned over to community groups. “The Lakeville Football Association beat my door down,� Robbins said. “They want it (middle school football) and I think we should give it to them.� Robbins, who is nearing retirement, offered to reduce his own compenSee Activities, 10A
Free library class could save a life Heart attack survivor is living example of CPR’s importance by Laura Adelmann
ran from her house, pulled Schwartz from the van and Bill Schwartz of Apple started CPR. Schwartz’ son, Evan, Valley said the fact he’s alive called 911, but in the is miraculous. frenzy only reported Almost two the car had hit Sieyears ago, at age 51, ren’s house. Schwartz suffered A fireman who cardiac arrest just as lived nearby was just he’d put his mini-van leaving his home into drive, his then when his girlfriend 9-year-old triplets in suggested they check the back. Bill out the call. Without warning, Schwartz He did, saw Sieren’s he collapsed in the rescue efforts, immediately driver’s seat. “From that moment called the situation in, and on, I was clinically dead,� took over CPR. Nobody knew if Schwartz Schwartz said. As his terrified children would survive. Cardiac arrest, which ocscreamed, the van coasted across the street and stopped curs when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beatat a neighbor’s house. In an uncanny set of cir- ing, can happen to anybody cumstances and actions, the of any age, in any physical people around Schwartz re- condition, without warning. Nationally, the cardiac sponded in exactly the right arrest survival rate is less way. His daughter, Lily than 5 percent, making it the Schwartz, assuming leading cause of death in the Schwartz had been stung by United States. Quick action is critical to a bee, administered a dose of the epinephrine shot he al- saving the life of someone in ways carries for his bee- sting cardiac arrest. In an effort to train more allergies. The neighbor, Sharon people in life-saving CPR Sieren, a registered nurse, techniques that don’t require THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Photo by Laura Adelmann
Danielle Bunn waved as she and brother Brodie Bunn of Farmington enjoyed a snowmobile ride, given by Farmington Sno-Tigers Snowmobile Club members.
Sno-Tigers’ rides spread smiles Farmington Sno-Tigers event may spur more in county THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Children’s delighted squeals and broad smiles revealed the Farmington SnoTigers were giving away more than free snowmobile rides Jan. 29. In the morning, volGeneral 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
unteer Sno-Tigers Club members gave special needs children free rides along a 1.3-mile trail near the Dakota County Fairgrounds in Farmington. Later that day, the snowmobile club’s free ride offers were extended to any-
one in the community who stopped by. For 12-year-old Adam Eisele of Rosemount, who has Down syndrome, the experience apparently made a big impression. “That was all he talked See Sno-Tigers, 11A
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by Laura Adelmann
mouth-to-mouth, several Dakota County libraries, including the Farmington Library, are holding free Heart Restart CPR classes this weekend. Two training sessions will be from 10:30 a.m.-noon Saturday, Feb. 5 at the Farmington Library, 508 Third St., and from 3:30-5 p.m. at the Galaxie Library, 14955 Galaxie Ave., in Apple Valley. A third session is from 2-3:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 6 at the Heritage Library, 20085 Heritage Drive, Lakeville. The events are sponsored by the Dakota County libraries and Take Heart Minnesota, a group dedicated to improving the survival rate of victims who suffer out-ofhospital sudden cardiac arrest. Rescuers worked on Schwartz for a half-hour before he was stable enough to transport; in the hospital, he was placed in a cold-induced coma for three days. Afterward, he remained unresponsive, and his wife was told to start looking for nursing home care as he was See CPR, 11A