-PROG PAN-ecO on ial Secti
A Lakeville musician is celebrating one year of being cancer free with Jug Jam, a June 27 concert to raise funds for breast cancer patients SEE STORY IN THISWEEKEND ON PAGE 7A
A NEWS OPINION SPORTS
Thisweek Farmington-Lakeville
Sp is issue inside th
JUNE 25, 2010
VOLUME 31, NO. 17
www.thisweeklive.com
Opinion/4A
Announcements/6A
Puzzle Page/8A
Real Estate/9A
Sports/11A
Classifieds/12A
Lakeville to celebrate Pan-O-Prog for 44th time Weeklong summer festival kicks off July 4
Annua
th
44
LAKEVILLE
l
lakeville
by Derrick Williams
Pan-O-Prog
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
In many ways for Lakeville, nothing is bigger than the community’s summertime festival, Panorama of Progress. For organizers, more than nine months of work and preparation go into the week-long celebration whose events attract tens of thousands to the community. This year’s Pan-O-Prog, the 44th annual, begins July 4 and runs through July 10. “It’s an amazing thing,� See POP, 3A
JULY
4-10, 2010
Photo by Rick Orndorf
Lakeville’s 44th annual Pan-O-Prog kicks off on July 4, and features more than 50 events, contests and attractions, Photo by Rick Orndorf including a pet show. Seven-year-olds Dean Cardis, left, Pan-O-Prog is capped off each year with the Grand Parade, which organizers tout as one Sam Enebak, right, and their dog Lucy won the best dressed of the premier parades in the state. Local leaders, such as Mayor Holly Dahl, above, often award during last year’s Pan-O-Prog pet show. ride in the parade with more than 130 other parade attractions.
It’s a College City files for bankruptcy company College City Design-Build to remain grand day Sisteroperating in Lakeville under family ownership Photo by Rick Orndorf
Farmington High School’s Tiger Dance Team marches in the Grand Day Parade during Dew Days. The parade had a new route this year through downtown Farmington. For more photos from Dew Days, see Page 16A and go online at www. ThisweekLive.com.
by Derrick Williams THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
The housing boom and subsequent bust have forced another Lakeville-based homebuilder into bankruptcy. College City Homes Inc., a family-owned business that has been in Lakeville for more than 40 years, recently filed for Chapter 7 liquidation. “With the new home industry the way it’s been, it’s been really hard,� said College City Homes president Darin Pavek. According to the filing, College City is saddled with $4.6 million in debt and only $2.3 million in assets. The company’s revenue had fallen from $11 million in 2008 to $100,000 for the first half of 2010, according to the filing.
LAKEVILLE Last year, Lakevillebased M.W. Johnson, a nationally recognized homebuilder, filed for bankruptcy and closed. Pavek said College City had a number of loans with a number of banks and managed to work things out with most of them. “But we couldn’t work things out with one, and that’s all it takes,� Pavek said. One of those banks is Farmington-based Premier Bank, which College City owes more than $3.6 million. Some of the other banks settled for accepting millions of dollars worth of foreclosed properties, but Premier pressed on with lawsuits seeking judgments
for the money, the filing says. But not all is necessarily lost, Pavek said. Despite College City Homes closing, the family continues to run College City’s sister company, College City Design-Build Inc., Pavek said. “We’re still around here in Lakeville. We still have our remodeling division we started seven to eight years ago,� Pavek said. That company provides custom new home and home remodeling, Pavek said. “We have a lot of optimism,� Pavek said. “Consumer confidence is starting to rise and we’re still doing a lot of good projects. We’re just doing six to eight new homes a year instead of 100.� See Bankruptcy, 3A
First responders help deliver baby boy in the bathroom of Lakeville home Photo by Kara Hildreth
Baby came before mother could get to hospital
The Miss Farmington royal court for 2010 includes second princess Haley Luhman (left), Miss Farmington Keri Pietsch, and first princess Kristy Maguire.
by Derrick Williams
Miss Farmington crowned
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Ambassadors selected to represent city for the coming year by Kara Hildreth THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
To kick off Farmington’s Dew Days festival, the 2010 Miss Farmington pageant crowned Keri Pietsch as its 2010 scholarship winner in front of a packed auditorium on Wednesday, June 16. Kristy Maguire was crowned first princess and Haley Luhman second princess. Nicole Sasso was voted Miss Congeniality by her fellow candidates. Ellie Seyfert was crowned Little Miss Farmington. Sophie Seegar was crowned first princess and Breishen Peterreins second princess. The nine Miss Farmington candidates shared their talents and spoke about an important social issue. The pageant also included a fashion show, a group dance presentation and coronation. The winners of the pagGeneral 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
Photo by Kara Hildreth
Ellie Seyfert was surprised to hear her named called when she was crowned Little Miss Farmington 2010 at the Miss Farmington pageant. their efforts. FARMINGTON For more photos from eant will go on to represent the pageant, go online at the city of Farmington at www.ThisweekLive.com. other festivals and events. They also earned scholar- Kara Hildreth is at farmingship money and prizes for ton.thisweek@ecm-inc.com.
Brianna Gunderson was in labor for 26 hours when she gave birth to her daughter, Ava, two years ago. That doesn’t count another 12 hours of false labor beforehand. So when she woke up at 4:45 a.m. on May 13 experiencing contractions, she wasn’t worried that the newest member of the family was on his way. “I wasn’t convinced I was in labor,� she said. “The contractions were pretty irregular so I had myself thinking he wasn’t ready yet,� said Brianna, 29. Little did she know that just three hours later, she would be giving birth on the floor in her bathroom to a healthy baby boy named Liam. “I’m a big planner and in my head, that’s not how we had planned it,� she joked.
Photo by Derrick Williams
Brianna and Michael Gunderson, with baby Liam, were awarded Golden Stork pins by the city of Lakeville on June 21 along with first responders who helped Brianna deliver Liam in her home on May 13. Mindy Kaltenhauser, and LAKEVILLE of course, the parents, Michael and Brianna, were But emergency respond- awarded Golden Stork ers prepare for it, and pins by the city of LakevLakeville Police officers ille during the June 21 City Kevin O’Neill, Jeff Han- Council meeting. son and Chris Gartzke, Michael said he knew Allina paramedics Casey things were getting serious Haggstrom and Tom about an hour later when Svihel, DCC dispatcher See Baby, 2A
!" # $%% & '" (' )$$% # * + , - . ( /
&
!""'! !
$
0 & 12&210 !!!3 4 - ! 3-$5