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Farmington | Lakeville August 10, 2012 | Volume 33 | Number 24

North Park becomes Steve Michaud Park

Lakeville honors its recently retired long-time parks director by Aaron M. Vehling Sun Thisweek

DFL primary set in District 57 Mike Germain and Greg Clausen are campaigning for primary votes in Senate District 57, which includes Rosemount, Apple Valley and a portion of Lakeville. Page 5A

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On Monday, Aug. 6, the Lakeville City Council renamed North Park and North Park Conservation Area as Steve Michaud Park and Steve Michaud Conservation Area, honoring the long-time Parks and Recreation Department director who retired this summer after almost 40 years with the city.

“I kind of feel like I was on the podium getting my gold medal,” Michaud said. Michaud started out as an intern with the department in 1974, living in cityprovided housing in a cabin at Antlers Park, said City Administrator Steve Mielke. Michaud proceeded to become the first and only director of the department, overseeing the expansion

of the system to include 432 acres of conservation land, more than 100 miles of trails and more than 62 public areas such as parks, playgrounds, greenways and athletic fields. But he not only provided the areas for pastimes, he also created an organized means for using them. “(Michaud) started the See Michaud, 11A

Photo by Aaron Vehling

Steve Michaud (left) accepts a plaque from City Administrator Steve Mielke, commemorating the renaming of North Park to Steve Michaud Park. Michaud was honored Aug. 6 at a City Council meeting for his nearly 40 years of service to Lakeville as a Parks and Recreation Department staff member and director.

Dakota County Fair returns

Laurie Rieb announces run for mayor

Council member promotes community collaboration in government processes by Aaron M. Vehling

Olympic games inspire athletes

Sun Thisweek

Area athletic swimming, gymnastics and other clubs are seeing many new members thanks to the Olympics. Page 6A

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Photo by Rick Orndorf

Dakota County Dairy Princesses Beth Donnelly, Maggie Stiles, and Janna Sorg were tasting judges during the Dairy Cooking Contest at the Dakota County Fair on Tuesday night.

All jazzed up in Burnsville The free-admission Art & All That Jazz festival returns to Burnsville’s Nicollet Commons Park Aug. 18 with headliner Randy Brecker. Page 12A

Online Follow SunThisweek. com for primary election results and reaction from the candidates. Check out the website for more photos from the Dakota County Fair in Farmington. To receive a feed of breaking news stories, follow us at twitter.com/ SunThisweek.

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Laurie Rieb, a 12-year Lakeville City Council member and one-time mayoral candidate, has announced she will run for mayor this year. “I am proud to call Lakeville my home and I am excited to be running for mayor,” Rieb said in an Laurie Rieb Aug. 8 press release. “I have always made my decisions based on what is best for the community. I do not have any political machine behind me and I don’t represent special interest groups. I work for the voters of Lakeville.” Rieb joins incumbent Mayor Mark Bellows and Council Member Matt Little in the race for the position. See rieb, 11A

Farmington home daycare shut down Farmington police help investigate infant’s death by Laura Adelmann Sun Thisweek

Farmington police are working with state investigators in the July 31 death of a 3-month-old boy that temporarily shut down a Farmington in-home childcare operation. Owner Rebecca Lynn Wilson’s license for 12 children was issued an immediate suspension by the

Minnesota Department of Human Services and her childcare closed Aug. 1, according to a Minnesota Department of Human Services spokesperson. Wilson has appealed the suspension, the most serious action the state can take against a licensed childcare provider. The action does not indicate Wilson was at fault

in the child’s death, and no similar orders have ever been placed on her business. The temporary suspension will continue until investigations are completed and a determination is made whether there will be a final sanction issued, according to a DHS spokesperson. Wilson did not respond

to messages seeking comment. Little information is being released about what caused the infant’s death. Farmington police said officers responded to a 911 call of a baby unconscious and not breathing at Wilson’s Locust Street home July 31 around 3 p.m. Allina Medical paramedics also responded, and

the baby was pronounced dead at the scene. According to Dakota County, Wilson has been a licensed childcare provider in the county since 1997. The county stated she was sent a correction order for one incident that she exceeded her license capacity in 2005, and in 1999 was See daycare, 11A

Active volunteer may be finance director Farmington’s top prospect would need training

by Laura Adelmann Sun Thisweek

A Farmington resident, active volunteer and education advocate and former homeschool parent may be the city of Farmington’s next finance director. Robin Hanson, former deputy commissioner and finance director for the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency from 1987 to 2000, is the only finalist out of four selected by City Administrator Dave McKnight to continue to the next step in the interview process for

the position that Mayor Todd Larson referred to as McKnight’s “right arm.” Hanson, a 20-year Farmington resident and 1983 Luther College, Iowa, graduate, has spent years volunteering and is reentering the workforce after raising three sons with husband Scott Hanson. Zach is a senior at the University of Minnesota; Sam, a sophomore North Dakota State, and Jacob, a freshman at Marquette University in Wisconsin. McKnight said he is introducing her to council

Photo by Laura Adelmann

Robin Hanson and staff members and department heads before he

makes a decision whether to offer her the job. He expects to make an employment recommendation by next week. The council would have final approval of the hire and would likely consider it by the first part of September, McKnight said. If Hanson is hired, it will take time for her to learn what has changed in the years she has been out of the paid workforce and will need training from the employees she would oversee, McKnight said. “The past professional

experience was very impressive,” McKnight said. “Her volunteer experience was not to be minimized, but there’s a lot that’s changed in 12 years. She’s got a lot of work to do with her peers, our financial professionals, et cetera to get caught up to speed. That’s going to take a while.” If hired, McKnight said he would also work with her, as would some of the city’s neighboring peers. Hanson, a self-deSee Hanson, 15A

August 10, 2012 Sun Thisweek - Farmington - Lakeville

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Man sentenced for his role in ‘bee crash’ deaths by Aaron M. Vehling Sun Thisweek

Truck driver Jason Styrbicky of Buffalo was sentenced July 31 to one year in Dakota County Jail for his role in a May 24, 2010, multivehicle crash on Interstate 35 in LakevJason ille that reStyrbicky sulted in the deaths of two drivers and an unborn child and the release of millions of bees, according to the Dakota County Attorney’s Office. On May 23, 2012, Styrbicky, 38, was found guilty of three counts of criminal vehicular homicide and one count of careless driving. Pamela Brinkhaus, 50, of Elko New Market, Kari Rasmussen, 24, of St. Anthony, and Rasmussen’s 8-week-old fetus were

killed in the crash. Styrbicky was driving a semi truck and trailer when he encountered traffic stopped because of construction in the area. He smashed into two cars, which caused them to crash into another semi that was hauling millions of bees. Styrbicky admitted that he had taken his eyes off the road to look for an energy drink, according to media reports. Evidence suggested he had taken his eyes off the road for between 16 seconds to one minute. No drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash, according to the Dakota County Attorney’s Office. Styrbicky testified at the time that he did not see any construction signs, though reports indicated that the first warning sign was posted eight-tenths of a mile before the construction.

This would mean that he was not watching the road for a long while before the crash, the report said. In addition to the year in jail, Styrbicky received a stayed prison sentence of 144 months (48 months for each count of criminal vehicular homicide), will be on probation for up to 10 years and will be required to pay restitution (to be determined later), according to a release from Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom. Styrbicky will also serve 40 hours of community work service each year he is on probation and is not allowed to have a Class A (commercial) driver’s license. Aaron Vehling can be reached at aaron.vehling@ecm-inc. com or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

Sun Thisweek - Farmington - Lakeville August 10, 2012

Burnsville chamber selects new president The Burnsville Chamber of Commerce has selected Bill Corby, currently president of the Hutchinson Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, as its new president. Corby will assume Bill Corby his new duties on Sept. 4. “We are very excited to welcome Bill to the Burnsville Chamber and community,” said Dennis Diessner, chairman of the board and

executive vice president/ chief operating officer of Kraus Anderson Insurance of Burnsville. “Daron left a strong platform for Bill to operate from and similarly he brings with him a strong reputation in the chamber industry,” Diessner said. Corby succeeds outgoing president Daron Van Helden who is departing after 10 years to join Burnsville-based Pawn America. As Burnsville Chamber president, Corby will manage the 47-year-old, 575-member organization,

help it continue to grow and be the voice of the local business community. Corby brings five years of chamber leadership experience in Hutchinson to Burnsville, along with previous years of small business ownership. “I am ecstatic about the opportunity to serve Burnsville businesses and community through the Burnsville Chamber of Commerce,” Corby said. “My enthusiasm is building as I look forward to the new challenge and building new relationships.”

Opinion

August 10, 2012 Sun Thisweek - Farmington - Lakeville

Farmington’s investigation is proper step Farmington officials are right to hire a law firm to investigate raises some senior city staff received over the years. A review by this newspaper has revealed some Farmington senior staff and former City Administrator Ed Shukle received some raises and promotions based on a 2002 compensation study that found senior staff were already earning more than similar positions in other cities. The raises and promotions were authorized by senior officials who signed off on each other’s raises without full knowledge of then-Farmington City Council members, according to meeting minutes and interviews with then-City Council members. Shukle, Farmington Human Resources Director Brenda Wendlandt and former Finance Director Robin Roland received raises based on the compensation study that raised questions because the study did not appear to support the raises. Previous stories reported that then-Farmington City Council members were never shown the complete study findings, despite City Attorney Joel Jamnik recommending in an email that Wendlandt share the full compensation study with council. Wendlandt presented a brief overview of the study and mentioned some positions would receive raises and new titles as a result of it.

Sun Thisweek Editorial Wendlandt, who has had 25 raises in her 15 years with the city, was given raises and two promotions, one based on the compensation study, without the specific knowledge or approval of then council members. Roland approved Wendlandt’s first promotion, from human resources coordinator to human resources manager, in April 2001 while acting city administrator; it came with a retroactive raise and brought her salary to $60,000. The next year, Shukle authorized two more raises for Wendlandt before promoting her to a director, based on the compensation study, although the study stated she was earning $10,000 more than her counterparts when her position was classified as a manager. Shukle authorized five raises for Roland in the 22 months he led the city. Roland went from earning a salary of $65,453 in September 2001 to $78,419 by July 2003, according to city records. Two of the raises were based on the compensation study, which found her $71,811 salary 2.4 percent higher than the market median for finance directors. When Roland left Farmington in November 2009, she was earning $101,795 plus ben-

efits; she had started as finance director in November 1996 at a salary of $49,000. Shukle’s salary increased from $80,000 in September 2001 to $93,383 when he was asked to resign in July 2003. According to Shukle’s employment contract, his salary was to increase to $83,000 if the council gave him a satisfactory job review. His contract also allowed him another raise after a year, again providing he earned a satisfactory job performance evaluation from the City Council. Shukle wrote a Dec. 16, 2002, memo to council members stating the city administrator is eligible for cost-of-living raises, and should receive them at the same time as nonunion employees; it was approved by the thenCity Council. Current City Administrator Dave McKnight has said raises for the administrator are approved by a separate resolution by the City Council, and are not part of negotiated raises for non-union employees. Former City Council Member Lacelle Cordes said then-council members expressed concerns, but were discouraged from asking questions. “It was like ‘How dare you question us? This is how it is.’ ” Cordes told the reporter who started investigating salary histories after an April workshop that focused on the city’s former merit-pay program instituted by

Wendlandt, but frozen three years ago by the Farmington City Council. This newspaper recognizes that the job of a public official is tough, and the fact that their salaries are public records compounds scrutiny. The newspaper takes no issue with raises that are justified by increased responsibility or exceptional performance when approved by supervisors and the City Council. As elected officials, City Council members are ultimately the ones who have to answer to taxpayers about how money is spent, and should have be provided clear, accurate and detailed information about every aspect of the budget, including salaries. This newspaper has reviewed documents, reports, City Council meeting minutes and conducted interviews that have raised questions about the procedures followed for some salary increases. The effort to determine whether the raises and promotions were justified and followed a process that meets standards is a worthy endeavor for the city to embark upon, and as Farmington’s leaders, McKnight and the current Farmington City Council deserve praise for authorizing an investigation into those practices. This is an editorial from Sun Thisweek.

Progress but big questions about Minnesota’s high school math test by Joe Nathan Sun Thisweek

There’s “promising progress” in Minnesota’s just released elementary and middle school test results. However, would it be acceptable for about 40 percent of Minnesota students not to graduate from high school? The question arises since 42 percent of Minnesota’s high school juniors did not pass Minnesota’s soon to be required math test. That was part of the Minnesota Department of Education’s new report about spring 2012. Compare that 42 percent failure rate to only 8 percent of ninth-graders who did not pass Minnesota’s writing test currently required for graduation. Last year’s juniors don’t have to pass that math test to graduate. But as Commissioner of Education Brenda Cassellius told me in an interview last week, under current law Minnesota students who want to graduate in spring 2015 will have to pass this math test to graduate. Here are area passage rates (rounded to the nearest percent) for 11th-graders (the statewide average was 58 percent): Farmington, 69 percent; Lakeville North, 69.3 percent; Lakev-

Sun Thisweek Columnist

Joe Nathan

ille South, 69.8 percent, and Burnsville, 56 percent. The 10 high schools with the highest percentage of students passing included suburban, rural and urban district and charter public schools: Eagle Ridge Charter (Eden Prairie), 93 percent; Kittson Central, 92 percent; Math and Science Academy Charter (Woodbury), and Nova Academy charter (St. Paul), 86 percent; Edina, 85 percent; KassonMantorville and Mounds View, 84 percent; Minnetonka, 83 percent; and Eagan and Orono, 82 percent. Minnesota students currently must do three things to graduate from high school. First, pass courses that give them 21.5 credits with each credit equivalent to a one-year-long class. Those credits are in English, math, so-

cial studies, science, art and physical education, plus courses students select. Second, students must pass any requirements that school districts add. Third, students must pass statewide reading and writing tests. Students don’t have to pass the math test to graduate. But in three years, they will. As with the reading and writing tests, students will have several chances to pass the math test, which they currently take for the first time in the 11th grade. I asked the commissioner if she thought significantly more students would pass the math test if it was required for graduation? She answered, “no.” We agreed that at least some would take it more seriously. However, Cassellius believes that there is a “fundamental flaw in the way we are using graduation tests.” She thinks we are “trying to do too much” with one test. “We have to decide how we want to hold schools accountable, how to make sure that students are prepared for college, and how to insure that diplomas are meaningful,” she said. She has appointed a statewide, 34-member Assessment and Accounting Working Group to provide her, and the Legislature with ad-

vice. The task force includes parents, teachers, principals, testing experts and representatives of business and community groups. This task force will consider Minnesota’s entire testing program, not just the assessments currently required and projected for use as part of the high school graduation. They also will review testing in grades 3-8. At those grades, as the commissioner noted, there is “promising progress” in both reading and math. For more results, see the MDE website, education.state.mn.us. The department will be releasing additional results later in August. As we consider test results, Minnesotans must consider what’s appropriate to require? When should we test students, and how? Graduation for thousands of Minnesota students may depend on our answers. Joe Nathan, formerly a Minnesota public school teacher and administrator, directs the Center for School Change. Reactions welcome at jnathan@centerforschoolchange.org. Columns reflect the opinion of the author.

Bridging raised from one baby crib 25 years ago by Mike Hanks Special to Sun Thisweek

Fran Heitzman, 87, of Bloomington is living proof that one man can make a major difference in the lives of the needy. This month, Bridging, which he founded, is celebrating its 25th anniversary of connecting the haves who have gently used furniture and household items to those who need them in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Sixty thousand families have received beds, chairs, pots, pans and lamps through this amazing bridge, involving 6,000 volunteers who help with the day-to-day operations. Those in need of household items apply through 140 agencies that process their requests and direct them to the two warehouses from where the items are delivered for the clients without charge. (The agency pays the delivery charge.)

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For example, last year the Salvation Army referred 784 clients to Bridging in 2011. After the tornado hit North Minneapolis, Bridging helped 94 households. Volunteers, who are the equivalent of 39 employees, make this network of receiving and giving work. Donors can either bring household items directly to the warehouse, or volunteers will pick up the furniture at a charge of $75 for an outside pickup and $150 for an inside job. Twenty-three paid employees drive 11 trucks and move around five semi-trailers where people can donate furniture. This operation has a budget of $2 million, funded with grants, corporate donations,

charges for service, from individuals and fundraisers like the Bedrace for Bridging at Buck Hill in Burnsville. Heitzman, who had a quintuple bypass 16 years ago, is the founder and the inspiration for Bridging, which he says bridges the haves and the have-nots. He says he hasn’t any money but is the richest man on the earth. His reward is seeing families, particularly little children, get the furniture they need. Heitzman began Bridging when as a maintenance man at Pax Christi Catholic church in Eden Prairie someone brought a used crib and he found a use for it. From that simple beginning, Bridging has become the largest furniture bank in North America, and that’s cause for a celebration. People can help celebrate the 25th anniversary by sponsoring 25 families by collecting

household essentials or start a dresser-building project. Donations are accepted at Bridging trucks as they travel to 25 locations throughout the area from July to December. The organization’s Silver Anniversary Gala for Bridging will be held Oct. 5 at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. People also are encouraged to donate $25 or $250 in honor of Bridging’s 25th birthday. More information is at www.bridging.org, at the warehouse locations: 201 W. 87th St., Bloomington and 1633 Terrace Drive, Roseville. Donation drop-off hours: Monday-Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mike Hanks is editor of the Bloomington Sun Current. Columns reflect the opinion of the author.

Letters Ask students about physical education To the editor: Guest columnist Joe McCarthy recently wrote about reversing the childhood obesity trend (July 27). “Physical education and movement is the centerpiece for learning, fitness and academic achievement,” he stated. My nephew has used the word “torture” when talking

about gym class. I can’t disagree with him. Phy-ed class played a big role in teaching me that exercise is meant to be painful, unpleasant, and something to be dreaded. Five years ago, I took my own approach and decided that doing 20 push-ups and running a mile wasn’t the best option. I learned that exercise didn’t have to be painful, unpleasant, and something to be dreaded. I did seven pushups that day and eventually

worked up to 200 in one day. Everybody raise your hand if you were part of the nopain, no-gain generation. Or is that still going on? Ask your kids if they think exercise is supposed to be painful and unpleasant. When my nephew exercises with me, I have to tell him not to strain himself. He seems obsessed about doing as many curls as he can and then is sore afterward and has to wait a few days before re-

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suming or that he’s turned off from exercising for a month. Patience is a virtue I told him. With regard to brain education, it seems there’s been some changes since I was a kid. It doesn’t seem like common sense that all kids are treated the same in phy-ed class and expected to accomplish the same activity. It’s common nonsense to push kids to the point of pain and then wonder why they have a negative view of exercise. I’m not writing about coddling kids. It’s far better to encourage them to exercise in a way that suits them. We should avoid giving them negative feelings about exercise. It would be challenging to tailor phy-ed to every child. Perhaps talking with kids and finding out what their ideas on exercise are might be a starting point. I hope no phy-ed teachers will want to beat me up for writing this. I suggest people considered how kids are

taught at school as only one Chicago mayor, radical Rahm factor in obesity prevention. Emanuel, bloviates that Chick-fil-A values are not Chicago values. That comAndy Alt ing from the murder capital Lakeville of America. Thank the good Lord, Chicago values are not Chick-fil-A the values of We the People. controversy One wonders what the oldtime Democrat boss of ChiTo the editor: It has been very interesting cago, Richard J. Daley, would following the recent Chick- have to say about homosexual fil-A controversy. The Chick- marriage, the racist that he fil-A CEO simply stated that, was. How long before The based on his Biblical beliefs, radical left perpetrates its own marriage should be between symbolic version of “Kristallnacht” against Chick-fil-A? one man and one woman. Wow, did the radical left become apoplectic with that CHUCK ERICKSON one. It exploded with indigna- Burnsville tion and, as per usual, showed its true colors of its brand of Correction tolerance and inclusion, “You are only allowed to express In the Aug. 3 story, “A your thought if you agree levy referendum in 2013,” it reads that the elemenwith us.” The comments of the may- tary art program was cut ors of Chicago and Boston in 2011. In fact, the art and officials of who knows specialists were eliminated. how many other cities be- The program still exists. Sun speak of fascist censorship. Thisweek regrets the error.

Letters to the editor policy Sun Thisweek welcomes letters to the editor. Submitted letters must be no more than 350 words. All letters must have the author’s phone number and address for verification purposes. Anonymous letters will not be accepted. Letters reflect the opinion of the author only. Sun Thisweek reserves the right to edit all letters. Submission of a letter does not guarantee publication.

Senate District 57 Candidates Clausen, Germain on primary ballot Winner will face Pat Hall in general election by Tad Johnson Sun Thisweek

Voters will have a choice to make in the DFL Senate District 57 race in the Aug. 14 primary election. Greg Clausen, former Rosemount High School principal, and Mike Germain, who has run in the Senate district previously, are vying to face Republican Pat Hall in the general election. Clausen was endorsed by DFL delegates at the Senate District 57 convention. Germain finished second in the endorsing contest. The two candidates took time out recently to respond to Sun Thisweek’s questionnaire in advance of the primary election. Tad Johnson can be reached at tad.johnson@ecm-inc.com or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

Greg Clausen Age: 64 Occupation: Educator Education: Bachelor of arts degree social sciences, Augsburg College; master of arts degree - education curriculum and instruction University of St. Thomas; education specialist

degree - educational administration University of St. Thomas 1) Why should people vote for you? I have spent over 40 years in public service as a classroom teacher, coach, Apple Valley assistant principal, Rosemount High School principal and district office administrator. I currently secure federal and state program funding for District 196 by writing and administering grants. In the community, I am a member of the Dakota County Affordable Housing Coalition and the Heading Home Dakota Committee to end homelessness. I also serve as board of directors vice chair of Dakota Woodlands homeless shelter. My experience as an educator, community involvement and related background will bring leadership, consensus building and experience to the Legislature. As an educator and community member, I have worked hard to earn the public’s support and trust. I will bring these same beliefs of public service, sense of community responsibility and work ethic to the Minnesota Senate. 2) Why did you decide to run for this office? I would like the opportunity to continue serving my community. My message is Greg Clausen: a life of service and dedication … building Minnesota’s future. I have always held the belief as an educator that my first responsibility was to serve others. My entire life as an educator and community

member has been devoted to building a better tomorrow for future generations of Minnesotans. Moving this vision to the Minnesota State Senate is a natural extension of my life’s work. I believe that I can make a difference in the lives of Minnesotans and the future of our community. 3) What experience do you have in working with a decision-making group? What is your decision-making style? I have served on or directed numerous committees, boards, and projects within the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools, Minnesota State High School League, the University of Minnesota College in the Schools Advisory Committee and nonprofit groups. Establishing group norms and procedures, identifying goals, working within timelines and reaching productive and results orientated outcomes through group consensus have been a major part of my professional and personal life. My decision making process is based on a thorough assessment of options following the gathering of factual information and data, knowledge of the implications, thorough discussion allowing for transparency and creative solutions. The involvement and ownership of all stakeholders is also critical in building consensus and supporting the outcome.

the belief that government and elected representatives must work for the “common good” of citizens by developing common sense policies to address Minnesota issues. My belief in creating and supporting legislation for the “common good” to move Minnesota forward will guide my work in the Senate. Honesty, respecting the views of others and creating relationships will build trust and bring about legislation in the best interests of Minnesota citizens.

Michael J. Germain

Age: 48 Occupation: Staff editor at opednews.com; freelance editor/writer; litigation support professional Education: Bachelor of arts Hamline University, international relations/political science. 1) Why should people vote for you? People should vote for me because I can help make a difference, making positive changes that are real and long-term. Minnesota cannot continue down the path it is on and blindly believe that we are still the leaders in education and infrastructure we once were. Those days are gone. We owe it to our children to 4) What is the best way to leave things better for them address the severe partisan- than what we had. We have been doing the opposite and ship in the Legislature? One of my core values is that must change. We need a

Sun Thisweek - Farmington - Lakeville August 10, 2012

state senator who is willing to say the unpopular thing: to say “no” to short-term solutions that sound good but do long-term harm (that is not a solution). We need someone who is willing to think outside the box, to bridge gaps, and to work hard to start fixing things. That person is me. As your state senator I will take your voice and concerns with me to work daily. 2) Why did you decide to run for this office? I decided to run for the State Senate because I believe I can help make a difference for the better. Daily, I listen to and talk with people from all walks of life, from truck drivers to attorneys, teachers to doctors, construction workers to business owners, nurses to police officers. I know what the voters’ concerns are, what is important to them, and what they don’t care about. I am an average voter. I want to represent my community in state government and help everyone’s voice to be heard. I don’t like top down government, where government tells the voters what they are concerned about. Voters know what they are concerned about, they live it daily. I want to bring their voices to the Senate floor and help make positive changes for all Minnesotans. 3) What experience do you have in working with a decision-making group? What is your decision-making style? I have many years of significant experience working with very diverse groups from coaching multiple community sports teams as

head coach to being both a member and chair of numerous boards and committees. My decision making style is multi-dimensional. I take a very collaborative approach when working within groups toward common goals. With an open mind, I listen to and look at what is presented, ask questions, do my own independent research, weigh the pros and cons of all sides of an issue, and consider the future repercussions of each particular decision. When in the position of final decision maker, I am unafraid to make the hard decision. 4) What is the best way to address the severe partisanship in the Legislature? First, state senators need to consciously represent the real needs of constituents, the people who elect them. Second, the influence of ideologically driven special interests must be limited. State senators need to both represent the individual voters and the long-term best interest of our state. We need to leave our differences at the door, treat one another with respect, and really listen to what the other person is saying. We need to look at the many ways we are the same rather than the continued focus on the few ways that we are different. As your State Senator, I will go to work each day with an open attitude and will work to build relationships that will connect and benefit us, not separate us and be detrimental to us. If we do all that, we will be able to do great things for our community and the state of Minnesota.

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Sports

August 10, 2012 Sun Thisweek - Farmington - Lakeville

Olympics emboldens athletes of all kinds Area athletic clubs experience surge in interest following games

by Andy Rogers Sun Thisweek

Olympians invigorate the spirit in many ways. They bring out a sense of national pride and a whirlwind of entertainment for a few weeks. For many, they inspire potential athletes to get off the couch and participate. Every four years, a new crop of contestants blooms thanks to a little watering from the Olympics. Area athletic clubs generally see a rise in interest around this time of year for gymnastics and swimming along with the less mainstream activities like table tennis and rowing. “It is a safe bet to say that the Olympics will help boost enrollment this year,” said Katia McNamara from IGM Gymnastics in Burnsville. “We are optimistic that the Olympics will inspire more kids.”

With many of the girls wearing Olympic-themed leotards while participating in Olympic-themed camps throughout the summer, eyes were glued to the TAGs gym television when the women’s team won on July 31 for the first time since 1996.

Dive in

Michael Phelps alone has likely inspired the sale of thousands of swimming goggles in Minnesota. That’s good news for the economy. Black Dog Swimming Club out of Burnsville has experienced a dip in participants in recent years, which Brenda Robrock, coach and business manager at Blackdog, attributes to the Great Recession. “The numbers have been down the last few years and more people are asking for scholarships,” Robrock said. “Although, we saw a slight increase last year. Typically, though, when we have regisMore somersaults tration in the fall we usually Watching Gabby Douglas see more interest in years folwin an individual gold medal lowing the Olympics. In the along with the US Women’s past we’ve hired more coachteam tends to stimulate in- es and made more practice times available.” terest in the aerobatics. swimming “We have seen a notice- Minnesota able increase in enrollment in general saw a 12 percent at both locations this sum- increase in 2005 and a 10 mer,” said Julia Thompson, percent increase in 2009 folowner and director of TAGs lowing the Olympics. In off Gymnastics in Apple Valley years, sometimes the rate and Eden Prairie. “The last amounts to a decrease. major increase was in the The Storm Swim Club spring of 2005, following the out of Lakeville and Prior 2004 Summer Olympics in Lake has been growing steadily through the past Athens.” TAGS plans on having a decade, but in 2009 it saw a packed gym when the new bump of 25 percent in regisseason starts on Sept. 4 and tration after the 2008 Olymwill hire additional coaches. pics. Elite Gymnastics Acade- “The better the athletes my in Burnsville also noticed do, the more excited they new families coming aboard, get,” Chuck Smith from so they added more classes Storm Swimming said. “If we get a bunch of bronze and additional class times. “Olympic fever has defi- medals or something, (the nitely spread among our kids) might be like ‘whatevgymnasts,” said Sara Spur- er.’ ” lock from Elite Gymnastics. But it is nice to see your “It’s a lot of fun to see our sport get some attention for gymnasts watch the Olym- once. pics gymnasts compete “The kids really enjoyed and exclaim ‘I can do that.’ watching their sport on the ‘That’s amazing!’ and ‘Will big stage,” Smith said. “It’s not like football in fall where we learn that in practice?’ ”

Swim clubs across Dakota County generally see a boost in participation following the Olympics. it’s all anybody talks about. Every four years it’s nice to see your sport become popular. It’s something to be proud of. It’s nice to hear their buddies on the football team or girls come up to them and say ‘You’re a swimmer? That’s really cool.’ ” It’s not just Phelps doing the inspiring either. “Three of my own kids swim on the team and they’ve been glued to the TV,” Robrock said. “Especially having Rachel Bootsma (from Eden Prairie) qualify who literally they’ve rubbed elbows with.”

Rock the boat Not all of the summer Olympic sports are as popular in the United States as swimming and gymnastics. But every four years, interest grows in those less mainstream sports. In the Land of 10,000 Lakes, it’s not surprising there’s an active rowing community. “There is a slight upswing in rowing interest during the Olympics,” said Ann Schley, the “Learn to Row” coor-

Photo by Rick Orndorf

dinator at the Minneapolis Rowing Club. “In general though, people contact us all year long about learning to row.” They offer 10 sessions each summer. With 300 people on the mailing list, classes fill quickly. If you’re interested in trying rowing, there are five rowing clubs in or near the Twin Cites including the Minneapolis Rowing Club, the MN Boat Club in St. Paul, Twin City Youth Rowing Club (juniors only) in Eden Prairie.

Ping pong The Olympic sports see a spike in interest, but it’s not always positive for table tennis. The difference in ability from the average Joe to the Olympians seems drastic with their flips and smashes. “There’s always been a challenge for people to take that step into organized play,” said Minnesota Table Tennis Association’s Mitchell Seidenfeld, who lives in Lakeville and won two gold medals at the 2007 Parapan American Games. “We

Photo by Rick Orndorf

Area gymnastics clubs generally experience a surge of interest and registration following the Olympics. Clubs plan on adding extra classes and staff during the fall sessions. know there’s millions playing in their basement and

See olympic, 7A

Notebook: whistle blows for fall sports practices Monday by Mike Shaughnessy Sun Thisweek

At approximately 8 a.m. Monday, high school athletes and coaches from across Dakota County begin a new season. It’s the first day for coachsupervised fall sports practices, and the new season presents plenty of storylines. One of them is the football playoff shakeup. This is the first year of the Minnesota State High School League’s seven-class playoff format. The major change puts the state’s 32 largest high schools in their own class (6A). Seven of the South Suburban Conference’s 10 schools – all but Apple Valley, Bloomington Jefferson

and Bloomington Kennedy – will be in Class 6A. Apple Valley and Farmington fell just below the enrollment cutoff for Class 6A and are now in Class 5A, where they will be in Section 3 along with Bloomington Jefferson, Bloomington Kennedy, Minneapolis Southwest and St. Louis Park. The other seven South Suburban schools – Burnsville, Eagan, Eastview, Lakeville North, Lakeville South, Prior Lake and Rosemount – will be in Section 3 of Class 6A. But under the MSHSL’s new format for the Class 6A playoffs only, it will be possible for two teams from the same section to reach the Prep Bowl. Af-

ter the first playoff round, cross-section matchups will take place. Once eight teams are left, they will be seeded in a format similar to what the MSHSL uses in other sports, such as hockey and basketball. There should be plenty of intrigue in volleyball, particularly in Lakeville, where Steve Willingham takes over as head coach at Lakeville South. He was head coach at Lakeville North last season. North, which has finished first and second in the last two Class 3A state tournaments, had longtime Apple Valley head coach Walt Weaver come out of high school volleyball retirement to take over the program.

Girls cross country should be strong in the South Suburban, with Lakeville South and Eagan returning plenty of runners from teams that finished in the top 10 at state last season. The South Suburban also likely will be a force in girls soccer. Three teams from the league teams were in the state tournament last season with Burnsville finishing second, Lakeville North taking fourth and Eastview reaching the quarterfinal round.

Wrestling notes Apple Valley High School wrestlers Mason Manville and Seth Gross each had first- and second-place finishes at the USA Wrestling

Junior and Cadet National championships last month in Fargo, N.D. Manville, wrestling at 145 pounds, took first in the Greco-Roman competition and second in freestyle. Gross was first in freestyle and second in Greco-Roman at 126. Both earned All-American status at nationals, as did AVHS wrestlers Dayton Racer, Gannon Volk and Jackson Graham. Mark Hall, who won individual state championships as a seventh- and eighth-grader at AVHS, won the Cadet 152-pound freestyle title. Meanwhile, Destin McCauley, Apple Valley’s only five-time state high school

individual champion, announced he would remain at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., for at least one more year. He had been scheduled to enroll at Iowa State University this fall. After McCauley won his fifth state high school championship in March 2011, he went to Colorado to continue training, with the goal of making the 2012 U.S. Olympic team. That didn’t happen, and he’s now aiming for the 2016 Olympics. Mike Shaughnessy can be reached at mike.shaughnessy@ecm-inc.com or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

Youth lacrosse team from Lakeville wins state by Andy Rogers Sun Thisweek

Lakeville 5/6A won the Youth Lacrosse of Minnesota state championships last weekend by defeating Eagan 6-2 at Eden Prairie. Entering the tournament with the No. 3 seed after going 8-1-1 during the season, the Lakeville boys defeated No. 14 Bloomington, No. 6 Woodbury and No. 2 Mahtomedi leading up to the finals. The team members live in both Lakeville North and South districts, so the uniform reflects the dual nature of their allegiances. The jerseys are red, white and gold for South, and the shorts are red and black for North. The shorts also include a Cougar paw on one leg and the Panther scratch mark on the other, along with a compass highlighting both North and South. Two other Lakeville

Photo submitted

Front row left to right: David Byers, Connor Bennett and Steven Goutierez. Middle row: Jordan Knuth, Nick Scheer, Jake Mills, Zack Bonjean, Charlie Dickie, Carter Hennen, Nick Gregg, Tyler Johnston, Luke Williams and Joe McKernon. Back row: Assistant coach Steven Goutierez, Brent Hauck, coach Josh Schwartz, Tyler Lewko, Pete Bercich, Connor Tangen, Peter Rohrbach, assistant coach Kyle Johnston, Jack Workman, coach Shawn Knuth, Michael Buckingham and assistant coach Sam Hauck. teams participated in the Rosemount in the first rie in the quarterfinals. state tournament. Lakeville round but lost to eventual Lakeville 7/8B went 2-1 in 7/8A upset No. 2 ranked state runner-up Eden Prai- pool play and lost in bracket

play. For a sport that’s still relatively new in Minnesota – it was added as a high school varsity sport in 2007 – most of the fifth- and sixth-graders grew up with the sport. A strong youth program has helped make the varsity teams at the high school level competitive in the South Suburban Conference. “I was really proud of the boys and the way they dedicated themselves to the team,” co-head coach Shawn Knuth said. “In my eyes, what is even better than a state championship is the amount these boys learned about the game and how to play it,” Former varsity player from Lakeville South Josh Schwartz is helping complete the circle as a co-head coach with Knuth. Schwartz plays collegiate lacrosse for Mercyhurst University in

Pennsylvania. “His knowledge really gave the boys the skills and the ability,” Knuth said. “Besides being the most skilled team I’ve ever had, they were also the most intelligent.” Lakeville has one of the largest youth lacrosse associations in Minnesota, providing boys and girls ranging from grades three to eight, the opportunity to play lacrosse every spring and summer. The Lakeville Lacrosse Association welcomes players at any skill level and provides developmental opportunities to learn the sport, interact with experienced players as well as connect with the high school programs. More information can be found at www.lakevillelacrosse.org. Andy Rogers can be reached at andy.rogers@ecm-inc.com or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

New Ulm Gold eliminates Lakeville North Legion at state Baseball team finishes season ranked No. 8 in state by Andy Rogers Sun Thisweek

The Lakeville North American Legion baseball team was one of seven teams left playing at the state tournament last weekend in Chaska. Lakeville North defeated Monticello 7-0 and Minneapolis Giant Valley 12-2 before heading to the losers bracket on Saturday with an 11-1 loss to Edina, who went on to win the state title and play at the Central Plains Regional American Legion tournament in North Dakota. Lakeville North’s season came to an end on Sunday morning in the losers bracket by New Ulm Gold. After trading jabs all morning, Lakeville North lost 12-10 to New Ulm Gold. Lakeville North had 14 hits in the loss. Erik Rutt was 4-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI in the olympic, from 6A garages across the country regularly, but there’s only 8,000 registered U.S. table tennis members. “The Olympics may attribute negatively in that respect when they see them play so fast.” The Minnesota Table Tennis Association counters that with leagues for the novice and handicaps for the uninitiated. Having table tennis an official Olympic sport also seems to legitimize the activity. “It provides a longterm goal,” Seidenfeld said. “When parents are looking for something for their kid to get involved with, it helps when they see it’s an Olympic sport. And parents know their kid isn’t going to get hurt.” The Minnesota Table Tennis Association has leagues at the Bloomington National Guard Armory on

loss. Rutt hit .538 during the tournament. TJ Evanson, Austin Streit and Zach Creighton each had multiple hits and RBI. But after four games in three days, Lakeville North’s pitchers’ arms were tired. Lakeville North was down 3-0 in the first inning after pitcher AJ Moore walked six straight to open the game. Lakeville North chipped its way back into contention while pitchers Jordan Jacobson and Joel Kinkhammer, who already threw at state tournament in the previous two days, kept New Ulm Gold contained for the next eight innings. Sam Petrick was charged with the loss giving up one hit, one earned run and one walk in the final inning. Lakeville North cruised through the first two rounds at state. Nearly everyone got a hit against Giant Valley. Brandon Morgan had three

hits and five RBI and Dalton Lehnen had two hits and three RBI. Jacobson got the complete-game win allowing six hits and none of the runs were earned. Streit and Lehnen each had two hits and two RBI against Monticello. Klinkhammer had 11 strikeouts in the complete-game shutout victory on the mound. Evanson hit home Brandon Morgan for the team’s run against Edina. Lakeville North was the third seed coming out of the District 3 tournament behind Burnsville and Eastview. The team finished the season ranked No. 8 in the Minnesota American Legion coaches poll. Last season Lakeville North went 2-2 at state as well. The team went 0-2 in 2010 and 1-2 in 2007.

Monday nights. More information is available at www. tabletennismn.com. Newcomers should have plenty of people to play with. “The Olympics have definitely increased awareness and gotten people excited to

go out and play,” Seidenfeld said. “I’ve gotten some calls from new players looking to get involved.”

Andy Rogers can be reached at andy.rogers@ecm-inc.com

Andy Rogers can be reached at andy.rogers@ecm-inc.com or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

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Sun Thisweek - Farmington - Lakeville August 10, 2012

August 10, 2012 Sun Thisweek - Farmington - Lakeville

Frozen yogurt topped with philanthropy Yotopia founders aspire to help schools, community

by Aaron M. Vehling Sun Thisweek

Casandra Ha, 19, spoke excitedly about her family’s recent entrepreneurial foray. Yotopia, a new frozen yogurt bar in Lakeville, is the latest offering from the Ha family – Ruth, John and Casandra, who have owned and managed the Lakeville Chinese Restaurant for about 20 years. “I told my parents I wanted to do something for Lakeville,” she said. Yotopia’s grand opening celebration is Friday, Aug. 10. All profits will be donated to Lakeville’s two high schools to help them maintain extracurricular programs. Ha said budget cuts have left schools with a real need for support. “This community made me what I am today,” she said. But on top of that, Ha said, she and her family also wanted to add some excitement to the mix. “I wanted to create something that was healthy and affordable... A place where people can have fun,” said Ha, a 2011 graduate of Lakeville North High School and current chemistry student at the University of Minnesota. The yogurt shop is located a couple doors down from Rainbow along County Road 50 in Lakeville. Certain aspects of the store feature the help of members of the community.

Photo by Aaron Vehling

Casandra Ha’s new yogurt shop, Yotopia, will celebrate its grand opening Aug. 10 by donating all profits to Lakeville’s two high schools. She said she sees this as the start of a trend for the store. The inside of the shop sugary offerings such as sprinshowcases artwork contrib- kles and chocolate chips. uted by Lakeville North art It’s all sold by the ounce. teacher Kitty Soderberg. A Ha sees Yotopia as a potentree, teeming with fruits and tial hangout, not just a place birds, adorns one wall, sug- to briefly grab a yogurt fix. She gestive of the cornucopia of offers free Wi-Fi and a variety flavors available in the yogurt of soda and juice beverages. dispensers and toppings ar- Patrons can sit inside or on the ray that adorn the other sides sidewalk out front. of the shop. The logo was de- “I want (customers) to feel signed in part by Rachel John- welcome,” she said. “We’re a fun, happy place.” ston, a student at LNHS. Standard choices, such In addition to building on as vanilla and chocolate, are their own experience running available; but also are cake a restaurant, the Has tapped batter and Yotopia exclusives Corinna and Tom Cheng, such as black raspberry sur- Ruth’s extended family, for prise and Hawaiian coconut help with some of the particulars, such as kitchen arrange(infused with chocolate). Toppings range from fruits ment and layout, Ha said. The such as strawberry, kiwi, blueSee yotopia, 9A berry and peach to syrups to

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Tech support firm to move to Eagan by Jessica Harper Sun Thisweek

A Boston technology support firm that previously said it would move its world headquarters to Apple Valley now plans to call Eagan home. Stream Global is expected to bring between 340 and 400 jobs to its relocated headquarters and call center at 43,000-square-foot building at 3285 Northwoods Circle. In a July 27 letter to city officials, Vincent Mottola, vice president of Stream Global, said it plans to spend between $1.5 million and $2 million to renovate the building, for which work is expected to begin by Sept. 1. Stream Global, which has a temporary corporate office in Bloomington, is seeking financial assistance from the Department of Employment and Economic Development, but the amount is unknown. Company representatives could not be reached in time for this story. Eagan City Administrator Tom Hedges said the company has indicated it plans to lease an adjacent building, which would provide another 300 to 400 call center jobs. The final plan would likely yotopia, from 8A Chengs originally owned the Lakeville Chinese Restaurant and sold it to the Has in the early ’90s. “They were very supportive,” Ha said. “They helped us a lot.” Ha feels confident about her business, somewhat because she has essentially been in business since she was about 3 years old. She was eager to help her parents and so she started out slow – taking tickets to the kitchen – and ended up with some hosting duties, all while learning the particulars and intricacies of business from her parents. But even with all of that experience, opening a new business was quite the challenge. “I have worked at LCR, but opening a new business has so many things I cannot imagine doing without everyone’s help,” she said.

Photo by Jessica Harper

Boston technology support firm Stream Global has said it plans to move its world headquarters and call center to a 49,000-square-foot building at 3285 Northwoods Circle in Eagan. The move is expected to bring between 340 and 400 jobs. be confirmed about three months after Northwoods opens. If the company secures the second building, it could spend about $2 million in renovations. In his letter, Mottola describes Stream Global as a provider of sales, customer service and technical support services for Fortune 1000 companies worldwide. The company has 33,000 employees in 49 locations across 21 countries. It currently manages millions of voice, email and chat contacts each year from customers around the globe, he said. In March, Stream Global said it intended to move its They worked for about a year to prepare for the opening of Yotopia. Ha still has a couple years left in her undergraduate studies, but she already has a plan for the future of Yotopia. She wants to continue the marriage of entrepreneurship and local philanthropy that Yotopia’s grand opening will employ.

headquarters to Apple Valley where the company’s CEO Kathy Marinello resides. But the company abandoned that plan in June when it announced it was unable to find a large enough building to meet its needs. About $2.4 million in forgivable loans had been offered to assist the firm in relocating to Apple Valley. That included a $1 million loan that is still available from the state Department of Employment and Economic Development, according to a Star Tribune report. Jessica Harper is at jessica. harper@ecm-inc.com or facebook.com/sunthisweek. “Although my current goals are local, I would like to go statewide, then nationwide,” Ha said. “I would help the communities in which the stores open.” The grand opening runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Aaron M. Vehling can be reached at aaron.vehling@ ecm-inc.com.

Sun Thisweek - Farmington - Lakeville August 10, 2012

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August 10, 2012 Sun Thisweek - Farmington - Lakeville

Farmington mayor might run unopposed City, School Board candidate filings close Aug. 14

by Laura Adelmann Sun Thisweek

As of Wednesday, Farmington Mayor Todd Larson is running unopposed for reelection, and two have filed for open City Council seats. The mayor and council are both four-year terms. Doug Bonar, a Planning Commission member, and Kirk Zeaman, co-owner of the Farmington Dunn Bros. restaurant, have filed to fill two spots up for election on the council, now held by Council Members Julie May and Terry Donnelly. Donnelly has not indicated if he will seek office again. As this newspaper last week reported, after one term, May will not seek reelection. May read a prepared statement at the end of the Aug. 6 council meeting calling being on the council a good experience that has also been very frustrating for her at times.

A banker, May expressed frustration that government does not take more immediate steps to make changes and cut spending. “That is certainly not the case in government,” May said. She said those paying the bills are taxpayers, many who are struggling. “Let the cities in California declaring bankruptcy be a wake-up call to all of us,” May said. “That there will come a point that the bills just can’t get paid if they keep rising, because the taxpayers can only pay so much.” May called it difficult to have meaningful workshop dialogue to bring up new ideas, and implementing them “just doesn’t seem to happen a whole lot.” “At a recent workshop, just the mention of asking if a budget number is too high for the Rambling River Center has literally inundated me with calls and emails

from angry seniors in our community,” she said, adding there was no suggestion of closing the senior center or eliminating its budget. “All we asked was is it too much to spend?” she said, adding, “If we don’t ask the question, the expenses will just go up every year.” May urged council to consider the day when taxpayers will say they just can’t pay any more, and said creative ideas are needed to address the city’s financial challenges. She said a new dynamic on the council could inspire new dialogue and move creative ideas forward.

Farmington School Board None of the incumbent Farmington School Board members whose terms will expire have filed for re-election as of Wednesday. School Board Member Tim Burke has announced

he will not seek another term, but neither board members Julie Singewald nor Julie McKnight have announced if they will seek re-election for another fouryear term. Four Farmington men who announced their candidacy earlier this year have filed for the three open seats: Eric Bartosh, Rob Carpentier, Jake Cordes and John Guist. Bartosh, a District 196 teacher, has emphasized his communication skills, committee experience, passion for teaching and classroom expertise as things he could contribute to the board. He has emphasized fiscal responsibility and prioritizing spending to focus on improving the classroom and favors increased options for all-day kindergarten and stronger emphasis on preschool literacy. Carpentier, the Farmington girls varsity head soccer coach and teacher with 20 years of experience, said he wants to help Farmington

schools become a magnet for families seeking excellent educational experiences by making high-quality education a priority. He said he supports the district’s move toward individualized learning, and has emphasized the need to retain District 192’s best educators. Cordes has championed classroom innovation and supports the district’s iPad initiative; he has suggested the district could save money by using electronic textbooks. He also has emphasized the importance of encouraging input from the district’s teachers to attract and retain the best in the profession, and said he will work to avoid budget deficits, emphasizing the need for fiscal discipline. Guist has called for “fundamental change” in the district, supporting Farmington’s move toward iPads in the classroom. He said school should become a culture where stu-

dents can discover and build upon their natural talents, and wants students to learn how to learn, not “just spit stuff back for a test.” Guist has cited concerns about district finances, and emphasized the need to use its limited resources to provide a high-quality education with available resources. Residents interested in serving on the Farmington Area Public Schools Board of Education have until 5 p.m. Aug. 14 to file their candidacy at the District Service Center, 421 Walnut St. There is a $2 fee to file. To file for City Council or mayor, residents pay a $5 fee and file at City Hall, 430 Third St. There is no primary for the School Board and City Council seats; the names of all candidates who file will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot. Laura Adelmann is at laura. adelmann@ecm-inc.com or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

Sun Thisweek - Farmington - Lakeville August 10, 2012

Patrolling the fair

rieb, from 1A

Calls for law enforcement can include runaway livestock by Laura Adelmann Sun Thisweek

Cooper proved he had the right stuff during the Rosemount Leprechaun Days parade when a table umbrella blew 50 feet and landed between the horse’s rear legs. “My horse just stopped, turned his head and looked at it,” Cooper’s owner, Catherine Snyder of Rosemount, said with pride. When people from the crowd ran out and pulled the umbrella out, Cooper reacted as if that kind of thing happens to him every day. “It was a huge, stimulating event,” Snyder said. “He reacted remarkably.” Cooper and Snyder are one of the multiple Mounted Patrol volunteer teams assisting the Dakota County Sheriff’s Department in patrolling the Dakota County Fair this week. daycare, from 1A sent a correction order for toxic or hazardous items accessible to children in her care. Another corrective order was issued in 2001 for the area around her hot water heater being accessible to children in her care, and a child without a current immunization record on file. The county stated a child fell and suffered an injured elbow at Wilson’s child care in 2001, and a child was hit on the head while at her child care and required

michaud, from 1A recreation program, which boasts now over 100,000 people a year,” Mielke said. Both Mielke and former City Administrator Bob Erickson applauded Michaud for an area in which he has become a bit of a local legend – fundraising – both in his capacity with the city and with local organizations. Mielke said Michaud had secured “$2 million in grants for parks and trails.” Erickson cited the Miracle Field at King Park as an example of Michaud’s fundraising prowess. “There’d be no Miracle Field without Steve Michaud,” he said. Erickson listed about 26 different highlights of Michaud’s career, illustrating an array of public amenities that Lakeville’s neighbors

�� PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE OF SCOTT COUNTY Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization (VRWJPO) Public Hearing on the Preliminary VRWJPO 2013 Budget Notice is hereby given that the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization (VRWJPO) will hold a public comment period on Thursday, August 23, 2012, at the Dakota County Western Service Center, 14955 Galaxie Avenue, Apple Valley, Minnesota, Conference Room 334, for the purpose of receiving comments on the Preliminary VRWJPO 2013 Budget and Special Tax District Levy. The Preliminary VRWJPO 2013 Budget and Special Tax District Levy can be v i e w e d o n l i n e a t www.vermillionriverwatershed.org in the "News" category after Friday, July 27, 2012. Paper copies of the Preliminary VRWJPO 2013 Budget and Special Tax District Levy, can be obtained by contacting Katherine Carlson at 952-891-7086. Prior to the public hearing, written comments may be addressed to the VRWJPO, 14955 Galaxie Avenue, Apple Valley, MN 55124, or emailed to VRWJPO administrat o r M a r k Z a b e l a t mark.zabel@co.dakota.mn.us. 3095208 8/3-8/10/12P

Photo by Rick Orndorf

Mounted Patrol volunteers are a common sight at the Dakota County Fair. Snyder said the volunteer riders train their horses to remain calm in crowds by simulating the kinds of sights, sounds and distractions that occur at the fair. “When you’re riding in public, you don’t know what

could happen,” Snyder said. “You could have someone throwing bottles. Objects and missiles may come flying from anywhere.” Mounted Patrol volun-

staples to close the injury in 2008. In both situations, an investigation did not result in any violations. Dakota County social worker Becky Elrasheedy, who works in licensing Dakota County child care facilities, said a daycare that has been suspended has to stop all child care, and has five days by which to appeal the suspension. The county will work with the state on these types of investigations and will make a recommendation to the state, she said. Further negative action

could be taken, such as a revocation or indefinite suspension, depending on the severity of the findings. The appeals process includes a hearing before an administrative law judge at the state’s Office of Administrative Hearings. All information will be forwarded by the judge to the commissioner of human services who makes an order regarding the childcare.

do not have. These included the many parks, but also the senior center organization, Pioneer Plaza in downtown, fireworks and frisbee golf at Kenwood Trail Middle School. City Council members praised Michaud as well. “Lakeville has become an envy for communities around us,” Council Member Colleen LaBeau said. “I do appreciate your passion, not just for the community, but also for the Lions, the

Rotary... You simply don’t stop until you see the product to its best. It’s very admirable.” The park, one of Lakeville’s largest, is bounded by Ipava and Highview avenues to the west and east, and 165th Street West and 175th Street West to the north and south.

Rieb also served on the Planning Commission for six years in the 1990s. She has been acting mayor since 2006, a position that fills in for the mayor when he or she is not available to carry out the duties required of the position. “I have been through the booming growth of the city, and also the economic downturn,” Rieb said. “Both have had their challenges. As the city starts to grow again, we have a great opportunity in front of us, and I want to help lead Lakeville into the future.” Rieb said she has pushed for a community visioning process for the last two years, believing that the citizens of Lakeville need to have a greater voice in planning

the future of their city. “I believe in collaboration,” she said. “We need to work more closely with our three school districts, our neighboring cities, the county and the state to find ways that we can work together to maximize our resources and reduce costs for the citizens of Lakeville.” The City Council and city staff members have been working on the community visioning process for months. It is currently in its early stages with a request-for-proposal sent to potential consultants. Rieb’s 2006 run for mayor was unsuccessful. She ran against Holly Dahl, who served two terms before Bellows defeated her in 2010. Little and Bellows are, as of press time, the only other declared candidates for mayor.

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Laura Adelmann is at laura. adelmann@ecm-inc.com or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

Aaron Vehling can be reached at aaron.vehling@ecm-inc. com or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

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Aaron M. Vehling can be reached at aaron.vehling@ ecm-inc.com or facebook. com/sunthisweek.

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Little, a first-term council member elected in 2010, announced his run in November 2011. Bellows, a long-time council member before being elected mayor in 2010, announced his run for reelection this summer. Rieb’s council term expires this year, so with her mayoral candidacy her current seat becomes an open one. This is a risk, but she said she felt 2012 was the right year to run again for mayor. “I’m in or I’m out,” she said in an interview with Sun Thisweek. The filing period for city and school district offices ends at 5 p.m. on Aug. 14.

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August 10, 2012 Sun Thisweek - Farmington - Lakeville

Thisweekend All jazzed up in Burnsville

Photo submitted

Five-time Grammy Award winner Randy Brecker is set to headline this year’s Art & All That Jazz festival in Burnsville.

Art & All That Jazz festival returns to Nicollet Commons Park Aug. 18

bo; nine-piece salsa ensemble Charanga Tropical; and jazz-rock fusion band The Super Pilots. This will be the second year the Super Pilots have taken the stage in Nicollet Commons Park. The group features drummer JP Bouvet of Lakeville, who last year was crowned champion in the national Guitar Center Drum Off, and guitarist Mike Linden of Apple Valley. They’re joined in the Super Pilots by two of their Berklee College of Music classmates. The music at Art & All That Jazz runs from noon to 10 p.m. and admission is free. Food, beer and wine will be available from vendors throughout the day, and the stretch of Nicollet Avenue adjoining the park will be closed to traffic as it plays host to an art fair, an annual feature at the festival, which this year will see more than 40 artists with work for sale. More about the festival, including the performance schedule, is at www.burnsvilleartjazz.com.

by Andrew Miller Sun Thisweek

The headliner at this year’s Art & All That Jazz Festival brings an impressive resume to the stage. Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan, Parliament Funkadelic, Frank Zappa – trumpeter Randy Brecker has appeared on albums by all of them. The five-time Grammy Award winner best known for his work in the Brecker Brothers is set to close this year’s festival scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 18, in Burnsville’s Nicollet Commons Park. Securing Brecker for the festival began with what basically amounted to a cold call, according to Dan Gustafson, event founder and lead organizer. “We were thrilled that not only did (Brecker) respond, but he was willing to perform,” Gustafson said. “It is a testament to our nine-year history of presenting acts of escalating quality.” Photo submitted Also set to perform at this year’s Art & All That Jazz The Super Pilots, featuring drummer JP Bouvet (far left) of are the Dakota Combo, featuring youth jazz talent from Lakeville and guitarist Mike Linden (second from right) of Andrew Miller can be reached at andrew.miller@ecm-inc.com or facebook.com/sunthisweek. across the Twin Cities; swing-jazz band Hot Swing Com- Apple Valley, return to Art & All That Jazz this year.

family calendar To submit items for the Family Calendar, email: darcy.odden@ ecm-inc.com.

Friday, Aug. 10 Outdoor movie, “Gnomeo and Juliet,” 7:30 p.m. seating, dusk showtime, part of Burnsville’s “Flicks on the Bricks” series at Nicollet Commons Park in the Heart of the City. Summer Fresh Friday Film, “Farm to School: Growing our Future,” 6 to 8 p.m. at Valley Natural Foods, 13750 County Road 11, Burnsville. Information: (952) 8911212, ext. 221. Saturday, Aug. 11 Breakfast with Minnesota Twins players, 9 to 10 a.m. at the Chart House Restaurant in Lakeville. Register to win autographed Twins merchandise, bid in a live auction. Proceeds benefit Cheerful Givers birthday gift bag program. Breakfast/admission tickets are $30. VIP/breakfast tickets are $60. Space is limited. Register at http:// cgtwinsbreakfast12.eventbrite. com/. Monday, Aug. 13 NAMI Dakota County meeting at 7 p.m. at Mary, Mother of the Church, 3333 Cliff Road, Burnsville. This is an informational meeting including registration for the NAMIWalk in September. All are welcome. Information: www.nami.

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Tuesday, Aug. 14 Family Fun Tuesday – Minnesota Bluegrass for Kids with the Okee Dokee Brothers, 10 to 11 a.m. in the Sculpture Garden at Caponi Art Park, Eagan. $4 per person donation is suggested. Information: (651) 454-9412 or www. caponiartpark.org. Tuesday Evenings in the Garden – Hypertufa Garden Art with Cheryl Mann, 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the garden at UMore Park, 1605 160th St. W. (County Road 46), Rosemount. Create a garden mushroom that has an aged, concrete appearance and is light weight. Fee: $25. Questions or to register by phone, call University of Minnesota Extension: (651) 480-7700. Wednesday, Aug. 15 Eagan Market Fest, 4 to 8 p.m., Eagan Festival Grounds. Health & Wellness Night featuring free health screenings and information, fitness try-it stations, cooking demo, free kids’ art, family games and more. Information: www.cityofeagan.com/marketfest or (651) 675-5500. Power Divorce event, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Summit Executive Suites, 1500 McAndrews Road W., Burnsville. Spend 15 minutes one-on-one with each of six different experts in the family law profession. Free. Sponsored by Divorce Financial Directions of Burnsville. To reserve a spot, call Terryl Johnson at (952) 431-0805. Thursday, Aug. 16 Thursday Rockin’ Readers – Edward Neill Principal Elizabeth Vaught, 11:15 a.m., Nicollet Commons Park, 12600 Nicollet Ave., Burnsville. Free.

Thursday Rockin’ Lunch Hour – Hans Mayer Music for Kids, noon, Nicollet Commons Park, 12600 Nicollet Ave., Burnsville. Free. Saturday, Aug. 18 Open house from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Lexington Pet Clinic, 4250 Lexington Ave. S., Eagan. Bouncy house, tours of the clinic, animals from Sea Life Aquarium, Koi Club, face painting, Wags and Whiskers, and prizes. Dogs welcome. Free. Information: www.lexingtonpetclinic.com. Sunday, Aug. 19 Open house from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Lutz Railroad Garden, 2960 Egan Ave., Eagan. Free. Trains will not run if raining. Information: (651) 454-3534. Blood drives The American Red Cross will hold the following blood drives. Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-7332767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. • Aug. 10, 12:30 to 5:30 p.m., Easter Lutheran Church – By The Lake, 4545 Pilot Knob Road, Eagan. • Aug. 10, noon to 5 p.m., Culver’s, 17800 Kenwood Trail, Lakeville. • Aug. 11, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Dakota County Fair, 4008 220th St. W., Farmington. • Aug. 13, 1 to 6 p.m., Heritage Lutheran Church, 13401 Johnny Cake Ridge Road, Apple Valley. • Aug. 13, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Rosemount High School, 3335 142nd St. W., Rosemount. • Aug. 13, 12:30 to 6:30 p.m., Scott County Library, 100 J. Roberts Way, Elko New Market.

• Aug. 14, 1:30 to 6:30 p.m., District 191 Community Education Center, 200 W. Burnsville Parkway, Suite 102, Burnsville. • Aug. 14, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., CrossRoads Church, 4100 Lexington Way, Eagan. • Aug. 15, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Prince of Peace Community Life Center, 13901 Fairview Drive, Burnsville. • Aug. 15, 3 to 8 p.m., Eagan Community Center, 1501 Central Parkway, Eagan. • Aug. 16, noon to 6 p.m., St. James Lutheran Church, 3650 Williams Drive, Burnsville. • Aug. 16, noon to 5 p.m., St. Martha & Mary Episcopal Church, 4180 Lexington Ave. S., Eagan. • Aug. 17, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wings Financial Credit Union, 14985 Glazier Ave., Apple Valley. • Aug. 17, 2 to 8 p.m., Carmike 15 Theatres, 15630 Cedar Ave., Apple Valley. • Aug. 18, 10:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., Burnhaven Library, 1101 W. County Road 42, Burnsville. Ongoing Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS), a national Christian nondenominational program for mothers with children birth-kindergarten, will meet twice a month from September through May at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burnsville. MOPS moms need not be members of the church to join. The group offers participants a way to connect with other moms, form friendships, seek parenting advise, and learn more about Christian life. Registration is being accepted and on-site day care is provided for a small fee on a first-come, first-served basis. Information/registration: (952) 898-9356 or email MOPS@princeofpeaceonline.org.

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theater and arts calendar To submit items for the Arts Calendar, email: darcy.odden@ ecm-inc.com.

Books Mystery authors Marilyn Jax and Jim Proebstle from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, at the Apple Valley Barnes & Noble, 14880 Florence Trail. Comedy Matt Fugate with special guest Ron Lamprecht at 8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10, and Saturday, Aug. 11, at MinneHAHA Comedy Club, 1583 E. First Ave., Shakopee (lower level of Dangerfield’s), (612) 860-9388, www.minnehahacomedyclub.com. Tickets: $13. Concerts Rufus Wainwright with Adam Cohen, Krystle Warren, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, Subway Music in the Zoo, Minnesota Zoo amphitheater, Apple Valley. Cost: $39. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com. Tower of Power with Mick Sterling – Acoustic Soul, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 15, Subway Music in the Zoo, Minnesota Zoo amphitheater, Apple Valley. Sold out. The 4onthefloor with Charlie Parr, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, Subway Music in the Zoo, Minnesota Zoo amphitheater, Apple Valley. Cost: $20. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com. Monroe Crossing, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at Caponi Art Park, 1220 Diffley Road, Eagan. Suggested donation: $5. Rain location: Crossroads Church, 4100 Lexington Way, Eagan. Information: www.caponiartpark.org or (651) 454-9412. Summer Salon chamber concert at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, at Presbyterian Church of the Apostles, 701 E. 130th St., Burnsville. Suggested donation: $20. Information: (952) 890-7877 or www. ChurchApostles.org. The Suburbs, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 30, Subway Music in the Zoo, Minnesota Zoo amphitheater, Apple Valley. Cost: $34. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com. Little Feat with Tom Fuller Band, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 2, Subway Music in the Zoo, Minnesota Zoo amphitheater, Apple Valley. Cost: $34. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com. Exhibits/Art Shows Botanical art exhibit by The Great River Chapter of Botanical Artists at the Lakeville Area Arts Center, 20965 Holyoke Ave. Information: (952) 985-4640. Pilgrims and Passages, a joint exhibit featuring art by Anthony Donatelle and Jon Reischl, is on display through Sept. 8 in the gallery at Burnsville Performing Arts Center, 12600 Nicollet Ave. For more infor-

mation, call (952) 895-4676 or visit www.burnsvillepac.com. Summer art show by local artist Amie Kieffer from 4 to 8 p.m. Aug. 17-18 at 3245 145th St. W., Rosemount. The outdoor show will include about 60 original pieces; many will be for sale. Information: AK@AmieKieffer.com.

com or (651) 439-4219. The Eagan Art House offers classes for all ages. For a complete listing go to www.eaganarthouse. org or call (651) 675-5521. Dan Petrov Art Studio in Burnsville offers oil painting classes for beginners, intermediate and advanced skill level painters, www. danpetrovart.com, (763) 843-2734. Festivals Teens Express Yourself with The Dakota County Fair runs Paint, 5 to 7 p.m. Mondays at Aug. 6-12 at the fairgrounds in Brushworks School of Art in BurnsFarmington. Information: dako- ville, www.BrushworksSchoolofArt. tacountyfair.org. com, (651) 214-4732. Art and All That Jazz Festival, Drama/theater classes for noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, ages 4 and up at River Ridge Arts Nicollet Commons Park, Burnsville. Building, Burnsville, (952) 736Free admission. Information: www. 3644. burnsvilleartjazz.com. Special needs theater program (autism-DCD), ages 5 and Theater older, Burnsville, (952) 736-3644. Expressions Community The- Join other 55-plus adults at the ater will present “The Odd Cou- Eagan Art House to create beaded ple” at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 10-11 and jewelry. The Jewelry Club meets 17-18, and 2 p.m. Aug. 12 and 19 on the third Friday of each month at the Lakeville Area Arts Center, from 1 to 3 p.m. Information: (651) 20965 Holyoke Ave. Tickets are 675-5500. $12 and can be ordered at www. Savage Art Studios, 4735 W. lakeville-rapconnect.com or by call- 123rd St., Suite 200, Savage, offers ing (952) 985-4640. classes/workshops for all ages. In The Play’s The Thing Produc- formation: www.savageartstudios. tions will present “The Wizard of com or (952) 895-0375. Oz” at Burnsville Performing Arts Soy candle making classes Center, 12600 Nicollet Ave., at 10 held weekly in Eagan near 55 and a.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10; 7 Yankee Doodle. Call Jamie at (651) p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11; and 1 p.m. 315-4849 for dates and times. $10 Sunday, Aug. 12. Tickets are $14 per person. Presented by Making for adults and $12 for students and Scents in Minnesota. are available at the box office and Country line dance classes through Ticketmaster at (800) 982- held for intermediates Mondays 2787. 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Rambling River Center, 325 Oak St., Farmington, Workshops/classes $5/class. Call Marilyn (651) 463 Allegro Choral Academy is 7833. currently accepting registrations for Country line dance classes on its 2012-13 season for students in Wednesdays at the Lakeville Senior second to eighth grade. Classes Center, 20732 Holt Ave. Beginners, available in Rosemount and Lakev- 9-10 a.m.; Intermediate, 10 a.m.ille. Early bird discount if registered noon. $5/class. Call Marilyn (651) before Aug. 24. Registration infor- 463-7833. mation: http://www.allegroca.org/ or The Lakeville Area Arts Center nmarschall@allegroca.org. offers arts classes for all ages, DanceFit free preview class at www.lakevillemn.gov, (952) 9856:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 15, at 4640. Tapestry Folkdance Center, 3748 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis. Eight-week class begins Oct. 15. Information: www.insidertrainingfitness.com. Intermediate digital photography workshop from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 18, at Caponi Art Park, Eagan. Free, $5 suggested donation. Registration required. Information: www.caponiartpark. org or (651) 454-9412. The Eagan Art House Adult painting open studio will hold its seventh annual from 9 a.m. to noon the first and third Fridays of the month at the Harvest of Art Community Eagan Art House, 3981 Lexington Art Exhibit Sept. 9 through Ave. S. Fee is $5 per session. Infor- Nov. 2. All south-of-the-rivmation: (651) 675-5521. er artists, ages 8 and older, Music Together in the Valley may submit entries. All meoffers classes for parents and their infant, toddler and preschool chil- dia are accepted. dren in Rosemount, Farmington, Registration fee for up to Lakeville and Apple Valley. Informa- two pieces of artwork is $16 tion: www.musictogetherclasses. per person for ages 8 to 18

theater and arts briefs Harvest of Art call for artists

An evening of jazz

Photo by Lynn Goldsmith

Jazz musicians David Sanborn, above, and Brian Culbertson will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, at the Burnsville Performing Arts Center, 12600 Nicollet Ave., Burnsville. Tickets are $46 and can be purchased at the box office, by phone at (800) 745-3000 or online at ticketmaster.com.

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and $22 per person for ages 19 and older. Register by Aug. 20. Complete exhibit guidelines are available at www.eaganarthouse.org. For more information, call the Eagan Art House at (651) 675-5521.

Photo submitted

Local actors Brandon Holscher, left, and Scott Carson butt heads as mismatched roomies in “The Odd Couple.”

‘Odd Couple’ comes to Lakeville stage Classic Neil Simon play runs Aug. 10-19 at arts center

Felix and Oscar are at it again. Lakeville-based community theater group Expressions is bringing the mismatched pair of roommates to the stage of the Lakeville Area Arts Center this month with its production of “The Odd Couple.” Expressions’ presentation of the classic Neil Simon play opens Friday, Aug. 10, and runs through Aug. 19. Local actors Scott Carson and Brandon Holscher are cast in the title roles. Carson plays neat-freak

news reporter Felix Ungar, and Brandon Holscher is the slovenly sports writer Oscar Madison. After its debut on Broadway in 1965, “The Odd Couple” was adapted into a film starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, and later, a TV series. The Lakeville show’s director, Andy Wilkins, said the Expressions production will remain true to Simon’s original script. “It’s one of Simon’s best plays,” Wilkins said. “The great thing about ‘The Odd Couple’ is how timeless it is.

And it’s written in a rapidfire style – the lines just layer on top of one another. It’s so quick-witted.” The eight-actor cast also includes Beth Adams, Alan Davis, Keith Mattson, Michael Morningstar, Mike Reardon and Jana TackNorland. Show times for “The Odd Couple” are 7:30 p.m. Aug. 10-11 and 17-18, and 2 p.m. Aug. 12 and 19. Tickets are $12 and can be ordered at the www.lakeville-rapconnect.com or by calling (952) 985-4640. —Andrew Miller

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Phillips Pietruszewski Christy Ellen Phillips, daughter or Thomas & Mary Kay Phillips of Burnsville, and Michael Lee Pietruszewski, son of Terry & Betty Pietruszewski of Strandquist, announce their engagement. Christy is a 2001 graduate of Burnsville High School and a 2005 graduate of UW-Stout. Michael is a 2000 graduate of Stephen/Argyle High School and a 2005 graduate of Bemidji State University. An August 25th wedding is planned at Mary Mother of the Church in Burnsville.

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Cable-Heger Phil and Carla Cable of Apple Valley and Dave and Deb Heger of Menomonee Falls, WI, have announced the engagement of their children, Catherine Cable and Matt Heger. Catherine is a 2005 graduate of the Academy of Holy Angels and a 2012 graduate of Marquette University. She is a Physical Therapist at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee. Matt is a 2005 graduate of Menomonee Falls High School and a 2009 graduate of Marquette University. He is a CPA at Baker Tilly in Milwaukee. A September 2012 wedding is planned at The Church of the Risen Savior, Burnsville.

�� Jerry G. Kingrey

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Jake Gourley Junior Olympic Medalist EHS Junior Jake Gourley anchored Track MN Elite's 4 x100 relay to medal at the AAU Junior Olympics in Houston, TX. Hickman, Gourley, Blanchard, and Gillespie became All American's placing 7th out of 54 relay teams from across the country. Gourley also ran in the USATF Nationals in Baltimore, MD where he made the semi-finals of the 100m and 200m ranking 14th in both.

Age 77, of Apple Valley, MN, passed away on August 2, 2012 following a valiant fight with Multiple Sclerosis. Jerry was a man who put others before himself, and was known to make personal sacrifices to help people in his life. He was a man of honor and true to his word, with values forged on the farm and in small town America. He was a loving father, an accomplished athlete, and a caring coach. Jerry was a veteran of the Korean War, and was honorably discharged by the United States Army on March 31st, 1961 with the rank of Sgt. First Class. He is survived by his children, Dave (Cindy) Kingrey, Lisa Kingrey (Jeff) Johnson, Curtis (Mikki) Kingrey, and many grandchildren whom he loved dearly. Visitation will be held August 13th from 11-12, followed by a memorial service from 12-1, at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Eden Prairie. Jerry will receive military funeral honors at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on August 14 at 12:15 in Lane 2.

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Josh & Betsy (Booton) Mundahl Married August 12, 2011 Congratulations on your 1st wedding anniversary! Best wishes always. We’re so happy for you. With Love, Your Families

In Loving Memory

Darah Lynn Robertson

8/12/89

6/07/08

On your 23rd birthday A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again & again. By Maya Angelou

To submit an announcement

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Forms for birth, engagement, wedding, anniversary and obituaries announcements are available at our office and online at www.thisweeklive.com (click on “Announcements” and then “Send Announcement”). Completed forms may be e-mailed to class.thisweek@ecminc.com or mailed to Sun Thisweek, 15322 Galaxie Ave., Suite 219, Apple Valley, MN 55124. If you are submitting a photograph along with your announcement, please only submit photographs for which you have the right to permit Sun Thisweek to use and publish. Deadline for announcements is 4 p.m. Tuesday. A fee of $50 will be charged for the first 5 inches and $10 per inch thereafter. They will run in all editions of Sun Thisweek. Photos may be picked up at the office within 60 days or returned by mail if a self-addressed, stamped envelope is provided.

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Sun Thisweek - Farmington - Lakeville August 10, 2012

hanson, from 1A scribed “accountant by nature,” has used her skills as a volunteer, including treasurer of the Tiger Fan Club, Lord of Life Church and president and treasurer of the Farmington Youth Basketball Association. She also advocated for stronger academics in Farmington public schools and served on the District 192 Strategic Planning Committee. McKnight, Larson and Council Member Terry Donnelly said they know her from her community involvement; McKnight worked with her on the Tiger Fan Club. Larson said he had been impressed with her community involvement and self-confidence. During the Aug. 6 meet-and-greet with council members at City Hall, he asked her how she would handle it if her salary was scrutinized and made public by the press. “I think for the most part you just have to ignore it and move on,” Hanson said. “As long as I can go to sleep at night knowing that I did the best job I could and have a clear conscience, I’m not going to worry about it.” Council Member Ja-

son Bartholomay, whom Larson said “always asks the hard questions,” asked Hanson how the role would help her stretch her personal capabilities. She said she anticipates having to learn the Logos accounting system, getting back up to speed with government accounting standards and understanding benchmarks of Farmington compared to other organizations. “I’m very analytical, and that to me is what’s interesting, identifying those trends,” Hanson said. She said at the Housing Finance Agency, she loved the financial end of the position that focused on the organization’s mission and maximize the amount of money available for lowincome housing. Hanson said she would need continuing education to reinstate her certified public accounting license, and may do that, although a current CPA license is not required for the finance position. “It’s a level of designation, but I don’t know that it’s worth the money to the city to do that,” Hanson said. “I clearly can be open to do that. I may have to do some level of education anyway.”

McKnight said he was impressed with Hanson’s management style and the way she would prioritize issues. Hanson said she has not had experience with city government finance and needs to brush up on accounting standards. “I’m hoping over the longer term here that we work to develop strategic goals and a business plan with council,” Hanson said. “I think that will help us prioritize how time … and money is spent.” She said her management style is to support staff, ensure they have resources they need to perform their job and be there to answer questions, but generally “let them thrive and excel.” Asked why she wants to work for the city, Hanson said, “I live in Farmington, and this is a position of interest. It’s similar to what I’ve done in the past, yet it’s new.” Council Member Julie May called Hanson, her neighbor, “one of the most organized people I know.” May said that Hanson should not be judged by the fact that she has not been in a formal workplace because of the amount of volunteer work she has

done. “I’m treasurer for Rotary, and it’s a tremendous amount of work,” May said. “It’s different from managing a $10 million city, but the reason she wasn’t working in private sector is commendable: she raised her children, and she was extremely involved in our community. … I think we have to be smart in who we hire. It’s not just what’s on the piece of paper. You can have someone out in workforce that is job hopping, and is that person more qualified? Just because you’re not working, once I saw level of volunteerism she’s been doing, that’s pretty commendable, to do all that work for no pay.” Larson said he is not concerned about Hanson’s qualifications and is most focused on McKnight’s recommendation. “If he’s comfortable with her and believes with a little help from the finance realm of people willing to help her … then I am comfortable with her,” Larson said. Laura Adelmann is at laura. adelmann@ecm-inc.com or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

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August 10, 2012 Sun Thisweek - Farmington - Lakeville

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Fun abounds at the Dakota County Fair Photos by Rick Orndorf

A Ferris Wheel at dusk at the Dakota of rides and activities for the family. County Fairgrounds in Farmington. The fair offers up a variety

Above: Maggie Stiles coaxes her cow to line up for judging at the 4-H cow show on Monday, Aug. 6. Below: Katie Bjerke of Rosemountâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blue ribbon digital super print of a dog is on display at the photography exhibit at the Dakota County Fair.

Above: Enjoying the rides at the midway at the Dakota County Fair in Farmington. Left: A Temple Concession employee serves up an order of cheese curds at the Dakota County Fair in Farmington.

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August 10, 2012 Sun Thisweek - Farmington - Lakeville

Neighborhoods unite

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teers act as ambassadors for the department during the fair and at other events, said Dakota County Sheriff Deputy Capt. Joe Leko, who coordinates the department’s fair patrol. “They are great public relations for the department,” Leko said. “Those in Mounted Patrol take great pride in the work they do, and if something happens, on their horses, they can cover more ground than we can on foot.” Among the incidents law enforcement officials have encountered during past fairs are runaway cows, lost people and serious injuries. Last year, an adult suffered a separated shoulder injury during a sheep contest when trying to hold the sheep back. “The sheep took off with his arm attached, and pulled his shoulder out of the socket,” Leko said. Dakota County Sheriff Photo by Rick Orndorf Riley Wright and Ryann Wright serve snow cones at the FamilyHealth Medical Clinic in Dave Bellows said crowds at Lakeville during Night to Unite on Aug. 7. There were more than 60 registered Night to Unite events in Lakeville, according to police. Some hosted fire trucks and police squad cars, while others had petting zoos and cotton candy machines.

the fair have generally been well-behaved, and the event allows the public a glimpse into the services his department provides. Visitors watch and communicate with dive team members under water in a tank, and can learn about the Dakota County Jail, investigations and patrol work. During the fair, the Sheriff’s Department sets up its own 911 call center with a dispatcher in its fair headquarters – a mobile trailer. Farmington Police Chief Brian Lindquist said his department assists the sheriff deputies as needed. Local officers may walk the fairgrounds with deputies to identify individuals they have had contact with, assist breaking up minor fights between juveniles or direct traffic. There have been relatively few problems at the fair, Bellows said, and so the department does not search purses or wand people entering the fairgrounds, where guns are

banned. “Every so often, people come in carrying a weapon,” Bellows said. “We explain to them that the Fair Board has this policy … for the most part we never have a problem.” He said the department’s visible presence has helped keep incidents to a minimum. “For the number of people who come to the fair, the number of issues we have are relatively small and usually in the evening hours when the young adults start coming in,” Bellows said. “Even then, one of the things is our theme, if you look around and see a uniform every time, it kind of closes this notion of ‘Let’s start trouble.’ ” Laura Adelmann is at laura. adelmann@ecm-inc.com or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

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