LLE LAKEVITIVAL S ART FiaEl Section
Chameleon Theatre Circle presents its 10th annual New Play Festival on Sept. 11 at the Burnsville PAC. See Thisweekend page 9A
Thisweek Farmington-Lakeville SEPTEMBER 10, 2010 VOLUME 31, NO. 28
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Funeral service held for Lakeville police officer Sgt. Brigham Strole, a 20-year veteran of Lakeville force, died in a motorcycle crash on Sept. 1 by Derrick Williams THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Funeral services were held for Lakeville Police Sgt. Brigham Scott Strole, a 20-year veteran of Lakeville’s Police Department, on Wednesday, Sept. 8. Strole was killed in an off-duty motorcycle crash near his home on Wednesday, Sept. 1. Most of the Lakeville Police Department’s officers and staff were at the funeral for Strole, held at Hosanna! Church in Lakeville. A number of officers from other agencies also attended the service. Following the funeral, 18 Lakeville Police cruisers escorted the hearse carrying Strole’s body back to White Funeral Home in Lakeville, stopping for nearly a minute in front of the Lakeville Police Station as a memorial. Lakeville Police Chief
Sgt. Brigham Strole Thomas Vonhof said Strole, 46, was the only victim of the one-vehicle incident which occurred in a residential neighborhood of Lakeville at 9 p.m. “We’re still in shock,� Vonhof said. “You just can’t prepare for something See Strole, 12A
Lakeville police officers and officers from other law enforcement agencies salute Sgt. Brigham Strole following his funeral at Hosanna! Church on Wednesday, Sept. 8. Strole died in an off-duty motorcycle crash near his home on Sept. 1.
Farmington will become state model Lakeville’s proposed for upcoming Yellow Ribbon summit 2011 budget calls Summit will prepare communities for 2011 deployment of Minnesota soldiers by Kara Hildreth THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
A daylong Yellow Ribbon Summit will take place Sept. 22 in the Little Theatre at Boeckman Middle School in Farmington. Farmington was chosen as the host site because the city was the first in the state to earn the Yellow Ribbon community distinction, said Annette Kuyper, director of Farmington Warrior to Citizen and organizer of the Yellow Ribbon proclamation summit. Gov. Tim Pawlenty is scheduled to address the group that afternoon. The goal of the Yellow Ribbon Network is to offer support to military service members and their
families. “We want to reach deeper into neighborhoods and communities to ensure military service members and their families are not alone before, during and after a deployment, or anytime throughout their service to our country,� Kuyper said. Part of the reason for the summit is the state’s preparation for a large deployment of Minnesota soldiers in the spring of 2011, Kuyper said. City leaders and legislative representatives will be invited to take part in
the dialogue. Armory representatives from different cities across the state will also be present, Kuyper said. “City leaders are coming to Farmington to learn about being a Yellow Ribbon Network community, and we are hoping for 70 to 100 cities from across the state to be represented,� Kuyper said. Many cities and organizations invited to participate in the summit have already earned a
Yellow Ribbon Company status, Kuyper said. These groups of volunteers have adopted action plans for supporting military service members and their families. “We want to talk about what the Yellow Ribbon program has done in a community, and how it can support the military service members and their families,� Kuyper said. Kuyper said the Pentagon is interested in what’s going on within Yellow Ribbon networks in Minnesota. “And now, Minnesota is receiving national attention, and Farmington is receiving national attention, and other states are calling on us,� See Summit, 12A
Pulled pork has given Brian Wheeler a chance to redeem his past, as well as his present THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Brian Wheeler’s past and present met at an unlikely crossroads in his life: a pulled pork sandwich. It’s an interesting story, too. Teenager with a criminal history meets church and family man looking to launch a new business. The meeting took place in the Lakeville City Council chamber in the fall of last year. Wheeler was seeking a liquor license for his new restaurant, Baldy’s BBQ. His pulled pork sandwich is killer, he said. But Wheeler of the present never figured his past self would be such a hindrance. “The things I did – they weren’t good, but I was a General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
kid,� Wheeler said. “Now, I’m a husband, a dad, a football coach.� The license was denied in part because of his criminal history and, at the time, Wheeler, now 31, thought it was a death sentence for a business barely off the ground. “I knew it was going to be a big challenge – a barbecue joint without beer,� he said. “I wasn’t sure what the future would hold.� Wheeler has never been afraid to tell people about his former life. In fact, he tries to use it as a way of steering kids away from the mistakes he made as a teenager. “I don’t know if those drugs I dealt killed people, ruined lives,� he said. “I have to live with that.
Decrease coming for both residential and commercial property owners on city portion of property taxes by Derrick Williams THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Times are tough. And Lakeville’s City Council says it’s trying to balance the community’s desire to maintain service levels, and yet reduce taxes. For 2011, the mission looks accomplished, though not everyone is happy. On Tuesday, Sept. 7, the council approved the city’s preliminary 2011 budget. While the budget calls for a tax decrease for 97 percent of Lakeville’s residential and commercial property owners, one City Council member called
that claim “disingenuous.� “I think the residents of this community are very concerned about taxes,� council member Mark Bellows said. “And we’ve taken debt and spent money in 2011 and pushed payment off to 2012. I can’t support that.� The proposed $24.04 tax levy for 2011 is flat when compared to 2010. But because of growth in the tax base, and other factors, Dennis Feller, the city’s finance director, said the proposed budget will result in a $32 decrease in the city portion of propSee Decrease, 13A
Farmington Rotary hosts second annual Rocktoberfest on Sept. 25
Barbecue offers unlikely path to redemption by Derrick Williams
for tax decrease
Great White, Border Patrol to perform after polka music by Kara Hildreth THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Photo by Rick Orndorf
Brian Wheeler, 31, owner of Baldy’s BBQ, has been so successful with his yearold Lakeville location he’s expanded to Minneapolis, opening on the University of Minnesota’s West Bank. That’s my guilt.� But Wheeler’s trying to make things right. In his own mind, at least. Last year Wheeler coached football at LakevSee Baldy’s, 11A
Rocktoberfest 2010 will feature 80s hair band Great White on Saturday, Sept. 25, at the Dakota County Fairgrounds in Farmington. The Farmington Rotary Club is hosting the event, with headliner Great White set to take the stage at 9 p.m., and 80s rock band Border Patrol opening at 7 p.m. “If you are a fan of those 80s hair bands, it should be fun,� said Lisa Dargis, Farmington Rotary Club vice president. The public can buy discounted tickets early from a Farmington Rotarian or online at www.rocktoberfestrocks.com. The Rocktoberfest
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party begins at 5 p.m. with food, beer and polka music from Carol and the Country Dutchman. The first Rocktoberfest in 2009 saw 80s rock band Hairball perform outdoors in cold and rainy weather. Organizers decided to bring Rocktoberfest indoors this year. “We are still looking for volunteers because it’s a pretty big event,� said Dargis. Since Jack Russell, the lead singer of Great White, has taken ill, Dargis said he is being replaced by the former lead singer Jani Lane of the band Warrant. “Fans will be able to hear songs from Great White and Warrant,� Dargis said. Free parking will be offered. The audience target
range is 16 years and older. “This is our only fundraiser that supports all of our activities,� Dargis said. Annual local charity events include serving a holiday luncheon at the Rambling River Center, scholarships for students, and Armful of Love where the Rotary Club adopts five families during the holidays. Free bus transportation to and from Rocktoberfest will be provided by Marschall Lines Inc. in Farmington. For pick up times and routes in Farmington, Lakeville and Rosemount, visit www. farmingtonrotarymn.com. Kara Hildreth is at farmington.thisweek@ecm-inc. com.
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