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Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - 2005 Year in Review - 1/7/2006Thisw Because the news never stops aan www.thisweek-online.corn City aims to resolve hot topics Controversy over housing developments, airport noise continued in 2005 by Erin Johnson ThISWEEK NEWSPAPERS Open space concerns re- mained at the forefront for Eagan citizens as the city wrangled with lawsuits, new development and airport issues in 2005. Residents continued to enjoy their quality of life in Eagan, as indicated by a city-wide survey, and local residents, businesses and city officials reached out Y. it ill R(.-\ i(2\\ with their hearts and wallets to help those whose lives were dev- astated by Hurricane Katrina. The city decided in 2005 to hire its first full-time fire chief, and Juli Seydell Johnson was chosen to fill the position of di- rector of Parks and Recreation after it sat vacant for more than a year. Johnson is the former di- rector of Parks and Recreation for Coralville, Iowa, and began her new position in September. Here are some of the big sto- ries from 2005: New development Even though Eagan is consid- ered to be mostly built out, the city saw some notable new de- velopment in 2005. The former Eagan Cinema 9 and Red Robin Restaurant on Yankee Doodle Road and Town Centre Drive were tom down last fall to make way for Eagan Place, a 60,000 square foot of- fice/retail development that will be anchored by Best Buy. The new complex is expected to open See Review, 14A 2A January 7, 2006 THISWEEK c (R, 48 HJR SALE SIGN & DRIVE S LEASES MILES of FRE $2,367 Gas Card • 2 Years Maintenance • 5/ 2005 Year End Incentives Extended Call F�► Appnn rtment Until Monday At 9:00 PM Only! pOpGE di"B�aNSviu.E 2006 DODGE 1-888-790- DODGE OF BURN, 35W SOUTH AND CLIF GRAND CARAVAN SXT 3.8L, PW, PL, PS, Power Doors, CD, Quad Seats, Rear Heat & Air STOW 'N GO • 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SXT Loaded! -Free DVD, P. Sunroof, 6-Disc In -Dash CD/DVD. Heated Leather, Power (Liftgate, Doors, Wind., 2006 DODGE Air, Auto, AM/FM CD & Cass, 7-Passenger, OCS Air Bags #84055 C I4A January 7, 2006 THISWEEK EG Review/from 1A this spring. A new development called Diffley Marketplace was ap- proved near the corner of Diffley Road and Lexington Avenue and will include a 42,600 square -foot building to house Radermachers, a third -generation family grocery store. The 11-acre site, east of the existing Walgreens, will also include two multi -tenant retail buildings that will likely contain coffee and sandwich shops. Progress continued on the city's plans to revitalize Cedar Grove as the city acquired more properties and the master plan got initial approval from the City Council. The plan has been at least eight years in the making, and the project will take another seven to 10 years to complete. When it's finished, the city hopes Cedar Grove will resemble a vital urban center with retail, housing, transit and public open spaces. And the U.S. Postal Service announced it will relocate its St. Paul postal facility to Eagan, a move that is expected to bring about 1,100 jobs to the city. Open space vs. housing Two proposed housing de- velopments on valued parcels of open space, Carriage Hills Golf Club and the former Diamond T Ranch, made big news in 2005. Developer Toll Brothers emerged victorious in its battle with neighborhood activists to put a mix of 37 single family homes and 58 townhomes called Steeplechase on the 38-acre for- mer Diamond T Ranch. The development met ma- jor resistance from the start as neighbors voiced concerns about the site's history of pollution and the environmental impact of the project. Considerable amounts of debris had been.found on the site, including piles of manure and remnants of the former Met Stadium. The Carriage Hills saga con- tinued throughout 2005 as owner Photo by Rick Orodorf Eagan High School honor students were recognized during the 2005 commencement at the high school. Ray Rahn and developer Wens- mann Homes sued the city after it denied a land use change to al- low housing on the golf course, which Rahn said is no longer financially feasible. Wensmann is looking to build 480 units of housing on the 120- acre golf course, which is cur- rently guided for parks, open space and recreation. A judge ruled against the city, ordering it to either purchase the land or allow development. The city initially appealed the decision, but council members expressed concern that if the city were to lose the appeal, it could set a dangerous precedent with city and statewide repercussions. The city recently agreed to a lawsuit settlement that allowed Wensmann to submit a new proposal, which now includes a 9-hole, public golf course on 30 acres. The Eagan Advisory Plan- ning Commission voted 4 to 3 to recommend approval of the proposal on Dec. 27, a move that enraged local activists and mem- bers of the Carriage Hills Coali- tion who have been fighting de- velopment on the golf course for years. The City Council is expected to vote on the proposal on Jan. 17. If the proposal is approved, the lawsuit will be dropped. If it is not approved, the lawsuit will continue. Capon Art Park One open -space property that managed to guarantee it will never be developed is the Caponi Art Park. Anthony Caponi, a retired Macalester Professor and chair of the Art Department at Macal- ester College, has spent decades trying to preserve his Art Park and Learning Center for future generations. The city acquired 30 of the property's 60 acres for preser- vation in 2005, and the Caponi Art Park Board has mortgages with the Caponis for the other 30 acres. The Caponis have donated a portion of the land worth about $956,000. Capon, a sculptor, founded the park 50 years ago in an effort to make art accessible to every- one in a natural setting. The park is dotted with sculptures, and its "Theater in the Woods" regularly features public concert series and entertainment. The park will be managed by the Caponi Art Park Board, which has an operating agree- ment with the city. The deal required eight dif- ferent agreements and easements and five different funding sourc- es, including more than $2.2 mil- lion in public financing. Friends of the Eagan Core Greenway, a local group dedi- cated to the preservation of open space, has championed the park as an important part of the Eagan Core Greenway, a two-mile length of open space in central Eagan that Friends is working to preserve. Airport issues The aviation industry played a big role in Eagan in 2005. In March the city joined Rich- field and Minneapolis in a law- suit to "force" the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) to complete a noise mitigation pro- gram it committed to in 1996. The three cities claim that the MAC promised to insulate homes severely impacted by airport noise at no cost to hom- eowners. But in 2004 the MAC cut funds for its noise abatement program from $150 million to $35.4 million. The cuts affect about 5,700 homes in the three cities combined, and about 500. homes in Eagan alone, that were expecting noise mitigation. A trial date is expected to be set soon, but the trial will likely not occur for more than a year, according to Eagan's city attor- ney. The airport's new North - south runway finally opened last fall, introducing 160 additional departures and 130 additional arrivals per day directly over the city. Eagan hired private firm Wy- lie Laboratories to conduct base- line noise testing to allow the city to compare before -and -after noise levels now that the runway is operational. According to the MAC, the full noise impact of the new runway is expected to be more noticeable in the spring when people leave their windows open and spend more time outside. One of the country's larg- est airlines and the airlink that serves it, both headquartered in Eagan, declared bankruptcy in 2005. Northwest Airlines and Me- saba both announced they were filing for bankruptcy and down- sizing their companies. Northwest has three major fa - See Review, 15A District 196/from 1A Good grades In the spring of the year, it was reported that more than 80 percent of District 196 eighth - grade students passed the Min- nesota Basic Skills Tests in reading and math on their first attempts, according to results released April 2 by the Minne- sota Department of Education. • 91 percent of District 196 eighth -graders passed require- ments for the Basic Skills read- ing test on their first attempt, a 1 percent increase over last year and 6 percent above the state average pass rate, and; • 80 percent of District 196 eighth -graders passed require- ments for the Basic Skills math test on their first attempt, a 1 percent increase over last year and 6 percent above the state average pass rate. The Minnesota Compre- hensive Assessments results, released in September, showed the student performance was in great shape. The results showed an aver- age increase from 2004's results of about 4 percent in the total percentage of third-, fifth-, sev- enth-, and 10th-grade students performing at or significantly above their grade level. The MCAs also showed the percentage of students perform- ing at or above their grade level is around 10 percent higher than state averages. Building up A team of Black Hawk Middle School, Eagan, students placed first in the state "Future Cities Competition" and repre- sented the state in national com- petition in Washington. D.C. The 22-member team cele- brated their victory in February with an ice-cream cake courtesy of the second -place team from Valley Middle School, Apple Valley. Drumline The Eagan High School Drumline went to the World Championships in Dayton, Ohio, in April as one of the best high school drumlines in the nation. This trip was the team's third in four years. It has competed as part of the most competitive "World Class" category each time and made it to the finals the first two. Director Barry Peterson said his students' ex- pectations are no lower this year, despite facing ever more talented competition. "These kids want to be part of something successful," Pe- terson said. "[To do that,] you have to have a common goal and they have to be teachable and coachable. We can get pret- ty intense, and these students are willing to learn and get bet- ter." Top speakers Eagan's Kevin Troy, East - view's James Hohmann and Co- rey Stewart, and Apple Valley's Laura Roehl each took top hon- ors in their speech categories at the National Forensic League National Tournament in Phila- delphia from June 12 to 17. With only six speech catego- ries at the tournament, District 196 students represent two- thirds of the winners. Conversations A group of 30 mostly School of Environmental Studies stu- dents gathered May 3 to discuss issues that teenagers face. Organized by teacher Sara Vemig and Apple Valley May- or Mary Hamann -Roland, the discussion was conceived as a positive response to several tragedies which befell District 196 students over the last year, including the shooting death of 17-year-old Shawn Ferber. Jeff Achen is at ay.thisweek@ecm-inc.com. ENTAL County/from 1A According to Dakota County Treasurer Auditor Carol Leon- ard, Harris is the county's lon- gest -serving commissioner since at least the 1950s. Hams said this year he will resume his role as the county's Legislative Committee chair- man, a position held in 2005 by Commissioner Nancy Schouwei- ler, who has been elected chair of the Association of Minnesota Counties. Because 2006 is a state bond- ing year, several of the county's projects that progressed in 2005 will need further funding in this year. Among the county's bonding requests are support for a wild- life management area and an affordable housing program for seniors who need assisted living accommodations. Also proposed to be funded through state bonding money is a study to investigated whether ad- ditional Mississippi River cross- ings are needed between Wash- ington and Dakota counties. The study would be a joint effort including the two counties, the state and Metropolitan Council. But of prime concern, said Harris is continued state funding for Cedar Avenue and the central dispatch center. In 2005, county and city of- ficials worked feverishly to meet federal funding deadlines to hammer out agreements regard- ing the establishment of a joint dispatch center. The building will be located in Empire Township, and dis- patchers will recieve emergency calls countywide. Local emergency personnel will be able to communicate through an 800 megahertz radio network, with transmission tow- ers placed strategicaly through- out the county to allow strong signals. Also last year, the county re- EG ceived $10 million from the state to continue the Cedar Avenue transit plan and has also been promised about $9 million for the project in federal funds as well, said Communications Di- rector Jane Vanderpoel. In 2005, Dakota County bonded for $16.8 million to build a central dispatch center, an 800 megahertz radio network and the county's jail expansion, expected to be completed in 2007. An investigative story by Thisweek Newspapers in late 2005 revealed concerns by jail staff that forced 16-hour shifts and failing communications equipment were resulting in un- safe working conditions. Dakota County Sheriff Don Gudmundson said a worker shortage was causing the prob- lems, and Chief Deputy Dave Bellows reported changes were made to improve equipment. Deputies were also offered to help ease staffing shortages un- til additional workers could go through the extensive review and training process. A review by the state Department of Corrections found no statute violations. And there were no security is- sues at the county's court house in Hastings, where the county's first constant security checkpoint began operating in 2005. As this year begins, Vander- poel said the Sheriff's Depart- ment is focused on reducing the number of alcohol -related traffic deaths and crashes through in- creased patrol and educating the public. A report regarding last year's findings by the Wilder Founda- tion that a greater number of black juveniles are held in de- tention than reflects the county's black population will be brought before commissioners in early 2006. The county continues to work on establishing a library in Rose- mount, which is planned to also house a license center service CE FAMI THISWEEK January 7, 2006 1 3A desk, a concept approved by commissioners last year. During the board's first meet- ing of 2006, commissioners are expected to approve a plan for voting equipment that will work together and comply with both state mandates and the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA). For most of last year, Leonard was monitoring the regulations and funding questions associ- ated with HAVA, which requires machines in all polling locations that allow disabled voters to in- dependently and privately cast their ballot. As is now proposed, federal funds will cover the county's equipment costs, but not its on- going maintenance expenses, amounting to about $25,000 an- nually. "Communicating value" to Dakota County citizens is one of the county's goals; with that in mind, the county hired a public relations firm last year. Although Vanderpoel said she anticipates the firm will recom- mend the county revamp its Web page, the county has already tak- en the initiative to do so. She said the county's technical department has been researching award -winning government Web sites and is planning to unveil an easier to use site this year. "We are completely reorga- nizing it, so it will have a com- pletely new look and feel," said Vanderpoel. Among its features will be an interactive job application system that allows all correspon- dence to be electronically com- municated. Vanderpoel said it will be a secure system. Harris said the he is looking forward to the board's first meet- ing of the year, set for 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Dakota County Administration Center in Hast- ings. Laura • Adelmann is at dceditor@frontiernet.net. Review/from 14A cilities in Eagan — its corporate headquarters, data processing fa- cility and flight simulator train- ing facility. It is the city's third largest employer, behind Thom- son West and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Mesaba, which operates as an airlink for Northwest and re- lies on payments from the air- line, said the bankruptcy filing of Northwest and turmoil in the airline business have hurt its rev- enues and left it with a cost struc- ture that is not sustainable. Mesaba also plans to restruc- ture itself, and both companies said the bankruptcies will not directly affect customers. Charter Commission When the Eagan Charter. Commission announced it would try again to pass a city charter, a former member sued to force it to disband. The city was also named in a lawsuit brought by former com- mission member Tom King, who claims that the commission vio- lated its own bylaws by not dis- banding after voters defeated a charter. Eighty percent of Eagan vot- ers struck down a proposed char- ter in 2004 that would have sepa- rated the city into four political wards, each represented by an individual council member, two "at large" council members and a mayor. A provision in the charter would have allowed citizens to challenge council action by peti- tioning for a referendum. Dakota County District Judge William E. Macklin ruled in fa- vor of the Charter Commission, writing that although the major- ity of Eagan voters voted against the charter, the 20 percent that voted in favor of it — twice as many as required to initiate a charter commission — believe a change in the structure of gov- ernment is desirable. But there is still some dis- agreement over whether the commission is part of the city or a separate entity. Macklin dismissed the city from the lawsuit, noting that it has "no dogs in this fight" and "no power to oversee the com- mission, affect its decisions or Photo by Rick Orndort State Rep. Tim Wilkin, R-Eagan, (left) was sworn in for another term at the Capitol in 2005. State Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farm- ington, (right) is serving his first term. discharge it." The city and op- ponents of the charter believe the judge's ruling proves the com- mission is not a part of the city, but commission members still maintain they are indeed a city entity. The commission plans to bring a revised charter proposal back to voters sometime in the future. Katrina Even though Eagan is no- where near the Gulf Coast, its residents showed their generos- ity and spirit of community by reaching out to those whose lives were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The city of Eagan and Eagan High School (EHS) partnered to aid a Mississippi high school that was destroyed by Hurricane Ka- trina, and they are seeking help from the community. Pass Christian, Miss., lost most of its homes, businesses and schools during the storm. The city had a population of about 6,800 before the storm. Now only 500 homes remain habitable. Eagan businesses, civic or- ganizations, community groups and churches were asked to help purchase audio-visual equipment for 50 classrooms in Pass Chris- tian, including TVs, DVDNCR players, overhead projectors and carts. The cost to outfit one class- room was about $1,500. City employees who donated their time included two Eagan firefighters, Doug Selby and Lee Sonderup, who spent three weeks as FEMA volunteers in a small Alabama shrimping vil- lage shortly after Katrina hit. Selby and Sonderup used their experience evaluating structures to check homes for inhabitable conditions, and helped get peo- ple out of their homes and into temporary shelters. Eagan Police Officer Jennifer Ruby spent two weeks in Ala- bama as a FEMA public infor- mation officer, where she helped get information out to the public through the media about FEMA programs, registration and hous- ing. Local nonprofit groups also got into the act. Feed My Starv- EG ing Children (FMSC), a non- profit, non -denominational Christian organization with a facility in Eagan, sent 142,560 meals to New Orleans, one of the areas hardest hit by the storm. Local volunteers packaged the meals, which were sent to feed- ing stations being established on the Gulf Coast by Operation Blessing, a partner of FMSC, and distributed by a coalition of relief workers. Eagan -based Cheerful Givers, a nonprofit organization that pro- vides toy -filled birthday gift bags for children living in poverty in Minnesota, provided "care bags" for displaced children in Louisi- ana ages 3 to 12 years old. The bags included toys, a stuffed ani- mal, a book, puzzles and games. And one Eagan business did not forget about the other victims of Katrina — pets. Miller Manufacturing Com- pany, headquartered in Eagan, donated over 1,400 Pet Lodge wire dog crates, 2,700 pet bowls, and other related animal care products to aid with Hurricane relief efforts. The wire crates were used to safely transport animals being evacuated from disaster areas in the affected Gulf States. Other Miller items such as Little Giant buckets were used in the clean up efforts near Jackson and Hat- tiesburg, Miss. Photo by Rick Orndort Carriage Hills Golf Course continued to create controversy in 2005. THISWEEK January 7, 2006 I5A Survey says ... A 2005 city survey showed that residents love the quality of life in Eagan, and most believe that the city is headed in the right direction. Respondents said that loca- tion is the thing they like best about Eagan, followed by their specific neighborhood and the city's parks and trails. The most serious issue facing the city is growth, they said, fol- lowed by airplane noise. Eaganites continue to cham- pion green space and said they would like the city to purchase more land for preservation. The majority of respondents said they are even willing to pay for it, at a rate of roughly $3.54 per resident per month. Fifty-eight percent of resi- dents said they are so pleased with their quality of life in Eagan that they would be willing to have their taxes increased to maintain its current level. The year ahead The city will get a new fire chief in 2006, but it will say goodbye to its current mayor, former Police Chief Pat Geagan. Geagan announced that he will not seek re-election next year, but two City Council members, Cyndee Fields and Mike Magu- ire, have said they will look to fill his seat. Next year will likely bring res- olution to the Carriage Hills Golf Club development controversy, and redevelopment plans for Ce- dar Grove will begin to pick up speed after the City Council ap- proves the plans in January. The full impact of the new runway is expected to become clear this spring and summer, but the city's lawsuit against the MAC for noise abatement issues will probably not see a conclu- sion until 2007. Erin Johnson is at eagan. thisweek@ ecm-inc.com. Proud to be one of the "Best of the Bunch!" 16A January 7, 2006 THISWEEK Fr; Reii'n Annual chili supper Mary, Mother of the Church is hosting its annual chili supper Saturday, Jan. 21, following 4 p.m. Mass in the church Mary Center. Tickets are $6 per per- son or $20 per immediate fam- ily. The church is located at 3333 Cliff Road in Burnsville. Call Kathy Berger at (952) 890-0045 extension 240 for more infor- mation. Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. The Metropolitan Male Cho- rus of Minnesota will perform a free concert in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. on Saturday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m. at Prince of Peace, 13801 Fairview Drive, Burnsville. The Metropolitan Male Cho- rus crosses cultural boundaries by their special spirit of love and unity in the midst of their own diversity. A freewill offering will be taken. For more information about the concert or directions to Prince of Peace, call Everett Vass at (952) 212-9702. Author's book signing event An author's book signing event will be held at Mary, Mother of the Church in Burns- ville on Saturday, Jan. 14, and Sunday, Jan. 15, after all Mass- es. Kathleen Groh, a Mary Mother staff person and editor of the book, "Homilies for the Whole Community: Wisdom from a Pastor's Heart," has as- sembled a collection of homi- lies originally delivered by the recently deceased Rev. Michael Hayes. Serving in the Duluth Dio- cese for 43 years, Hayes was I or more information call Rachel at 952-846-2013 IMMO AMMON MOM. - - ateellaelaa•PaMee ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CATHOLIC CHURCH 4625 West 125th Street, Savage 952-890-9465 www.stjohn-savage.org Located 2 blocks south of Hwy. 13 on 125th St. & Lynn Ave. Masses: Saturday 5 p.m. Sunday 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m. Steppingstones Preschool (952) 846-4663 Kindergarten - 8th Grade (952) 890-6604 PEACE CHURCH A Caring Community and an Uplifting Worship Experience FRIDAY SCHEDULE 6:O0pm Celebrate Recovery — Barbeque. Worship & Small Groups "Shining the Light ... 16165 KENWOOD TRAIL WEST • LAKEVILLE 1/2 mile west of I-35 on Co.Rd. 46 Sunday Worship Services born in Lahinch in County Clare, Ireland, and proved to be a delightful, brilliant, and wise pastor. This book, filled with humor, wisdom and poetry. Masses are at 4 p.m. Jan. 14; 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Jan. 15. The church is located at 3333 Cliff Road. Call (952) 890-0045 for more information. ADHD education and support Shepherd of the Valley Lu- theran Church offers education and support opportunities for people who are affected by or who help care for someone who is affected by ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). On Monday, Jan. 23, Sally Tamplin, registered classical ho- meopath, will present "Alterna- tive Treatment of ADHD." Cost is $10/person or $15/per family. This session will be held from 6:45 to 9 p.m., with registration at the door. Child care is avail- able for a nominal charge. For more information about this or any other ADHD course offering at Shepherd of the Val- ley, check the church's Web site at www.sotv.org, or contact Brenda Brookman, (952) 322- 2176, bpbrookman@aol.com or Connie Simonson, (952) 431- 5667. Shepherd of the Valley Lu- theran Church is located just east of the Minnesota Zoo at 12650 Johnny Cake Ridge Road in Apple Valley. DivorceCare Shepherd of the Valley Lu- theran Church offers weekly Di- vorceCare sessions. DivorceCare is a 13-week video series and support group for those who are separated or are in the process of divorce. The next session will be held on Monday evenings, beginning Jan. 16, and will meet from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the church. Cost for the session is $15 and includes the workbook ma- terials. Child care is available for a nominal fee. Pre -register online at www.sotv.org in the online registration section of the Web site or at the church office by calling (952) 432-6351. Shepherd of the Valley Lu- theran Church is located just east of the Minnesota Zoo at 12650 Johnny Cake Ridge Road in Apple Valley. •••••••••....�......••.�:���.....�,.. ...••••'•' ........... g in this coup on Jan. 9tb an� receive your Value) Bring in this coupon sive item FREE SUP to $1 ' most expert Eagan Thrift Store 3990 Sibley Memorial Hwy. PC FAMILY PATH WAY S WALdNG CONMMrtR3 ONE MASON AT 11101E Eagan, MN 55122 Hours: Mon. -Fri. 9am-7pm; Saturday 9am-5pm Offer only good Jan. 9, 2006 One coupon per customer Must purchase an item also AM980 KKMS debuts new talk show Eagan's AM980 KKMS Christian Talk Radio an- nounces a new afternoon talk show beginning Tuesday, Jan. 3. "KKMS Live!" is hosted by Minnesota natives Jeff Schell and Lee Michaels. The new show airs daily, Monday through Friday, from 3 to 6 p.m on KKMS (980AM). Schell, originally from Still- water and now an Eden Prairie resident, recently spent eight 'years producing and hosting a Christian outreach program on local cable television. He has a business and sales background by vocation, but has over 20 years of local church ministry involvement, including 10 years on the Board of Elders at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie. Michaels, from Brooklyn Park, has worked in radio for over 18 years in the Twin Cit- ies at stations such as WLOL, KS95, and most recently as the evening personality on old- ies station Kool 108. He has a strong background in radio programming and will assist the station in the programming department as well as co -host the afternoon show. "KKMS Live!" will . be an interactive local talk program covering a wide range of local topics and issues mixed in with national news, politics, and family -centered themes that service the Christian commu- nity in the Twin Cities. God's Discovery Kids accepting registrations God's Discovery Kids Pre- school at Rosemount United Methodist Church will start accepting registrations for the 2006-07 school year on Feb. 5. Year in review ilowle, LM4 Yv9 1998 brought many changes as city prepares for the new millennium By SARA THOMALLA-BLOOD 1998 brought changes to the Eagan community as it laid the groundwork for the next mil- lennium. It was a time of preparation as old buildings made way for new ones. Some Tong -term city employees and elected offi- cials said good-bye. 1998 was no stranger to hot debate. City officials were greeted with packed council chambers filled with citizens ready to discuss Cascade Bay, the city's aquatic center. The same was true for council dis- cussions on whether elections should be held on even or odd years. It was also a year of anticipa- tion. Community leaders planned to celebrate the city's upcoming silver anniversary. Residents practiced dialing their new area code. Following is a look at some of the biggest stories that shaped the year. Hello and good-bye Eagan welcomed more resi- dents as its population contin- ued to surge. City officials es- timated that, in 1998, popula- tion in Eagan. was 61,407 — double what it was in 1985. The city predicts growth through the year 2020, with an. estimated population of 71,000. With 34 square miles and close to 270 miles of roadway, Eagan has 15 to 20 percent of, (See Review, p.6A) Review (Continued) residential and commercial property owners in the class action lawsuit against the city say they plan to appeal the de- cision to the state Supreme Court. A decision made by the Min- nesota Supreme Court in Octo- ber will result in changes for "GENTLE CARE FOR ALL AGES" Scott Bjerke, DDS Family Dentistry • Eagan • Cosmetic Dentistry • Prompt Emergency Service • Life -Like Crowns, • New Patients Welcome Bridges and Dentures • Visa/MasterCard Accepted • Nitrous Oxide • Open Evenings • Caps Provider and Most Insurance Accepted 452-3112 1977-1/2 Silver Bell Road Eagan Hwy. 13 v a U r, Yankee Doodle WE EMPHASIZE INFECTION CONTROL! (IPLRY F flGflflfl SPOIPTSJ Eagan's ordinances regarding city water connection fees. The Supreme Court reversed a de- cision made by the Appellate Court regarding the Robert D. Johnson and Patricia J. Johnson vs. the city of Eagan case. Jus- tice James H. Gilbert ruled the city can't impose additional fees in an attempt to make up for portions of assessments that were disallowed in court. Election years In a last-minute special City Council meeting Dec. 29, city council members voted 3-0 to revert back to even -year elec- tions. They also canceled a special election to be held in February 1999 for the voters to decide whether they want odd or even year elections. Budgets, levies School District 197 mobi- lized task forces to examine ways to cut up to 10 percent from its $31 million general fund. Following a fall audit, school officials learned the district had a negative fund balance that could swell to $3.1 million by the end of the 1998-99 school year if cuts aren't made now. In December, the school dis- trict suffered another blow. Teenage vandals allegedly broke into Somerset Heights Elementary School in Mendota Heights, . causing more than $150,000 in damage. Technological firsts The Eagan Police Depart- ment made its first arrests with the force's "bait" car in Octo- (See Review, p.15A) 2010 was a year of celebration, loss in Eagan Carriage Hills, Cedar Grove battles see resolution, Lockheed says goodbye as city reaches 150-year milestone by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS The year began with Eagan celebrating its 150th anniversary, and ended with one of its largest cor- porate citizens announcing its departure. While the sluggish econ- omy remained one of the top stories of 2010, there were some signs of devel- opment progress in the city, as well as a great showing of community spirit to cel- ebrate the city's sesquicen- tennial. Here's a recap of some of the top stories of 2010. Major milestone Eagan spent the year celebrating its 150th anni- versary as a township, rem- iniscing about the city's Na- tive American roots and its early days as Onion Capital of the United States. The celebration includ- ed creating a 50-year time capsule, which will be filled with contributions from the community and sealed in the floor of .the new fire station. The celebration also included a much -needed drive for area food shelves. The whole community got in on the act and helped the city exceed its initial goal of 150,000 pounds of food within the first three months. The city then raised the bar, aiming to collect 300,000 pounds of food by the end of the year. Again, the community came through — residents, Photos by Erin Johnson and Rick Orndorf Above: Eagan City Council members Gary Hansen, Cyndee Fields, Paul Bakken and Mayor Mike Maguire help paint fire hydrants green at the site of the new eco- friendly fire station, which began construction in July Below: Lockheed Martin announced in November it would close its Eagan facility by 2013. business, schools and or- Even so, donations bare- ganizations donated a jaw- ly kept up with demand. dropping 400,000 pounds Food shelf use continued of food to the effort. See Eagan, 7A - 2nlb Eagan/from 1A to grow this year, prompting the Eagan Resource Cen- ter to expand into a larger space and open a food shelf in Lakeville. New faces, new places While" Eagan residents re-elected Mayor. Mike Ma- guire and Council members Paul Bakken and Gary Hansen, the city's incum- bent legislators didn't fare as well. Mirroring the mood of the nation, voters swept in a wave of Republicans in No- vember as they ousted their Democratic incumbents. Ted Daley was elected to Sen. Jim Carlson's seat, while Rep. Sandra Masin and Rep. Mike Obermueller lost their seats to Diane An- derson and Doug Wardlow, respectively. user A& Photo by Rick Orndort Eagan firefighters salute fellow volunteer Roy Prudencio, who died from liver cancer in February. and the Fire Administra- tion Building, located on the corner of Pilot Knob and Wescott roads. The new station is ex- pected to cut response times nearly in half; Fire Station The city also saw some Two is hard to reach and far new development in 2010, from where most volunteer including a major post of— fice expansion that brought said. 900 new employees to Current and former fire - Eagan. fighters — along with police The USPS moved its St. officers and soldiers — were Paul sorting facility and honored in 2010 with a il- new Tribute and Memorial Minneapolis hub fac ity operations to the Eagan Plaza in Eagan. Installed bulk mail facility, which sits in Central Park, the plaza on 95 acres at Lone Oak gives the city an official site Road and Lexington Av- at which to hold Memorial Day services. enue. Spearheaded by the The move also connected Eagan Lioness Club and a 2,300-foot gap in Den- American Legion Post 594, mark Avenue, which previ the plaza is a tribute to ously came to an abrupt end those who serve and a me next to Home Depot and morial for those who have picked up again near Sams died while serving. Club. The two life-sized bronze Construction on a new statues, one of a police offi- fire station began this year cer and one of a firefighter, on a portion of the former will eventually be joined by Carriage Hills golf course. a third statue of a soldier as The rest of the property was more donations are raised. approved as a housing de The Cedar Grove rede- velopment that also began velopment area saw some construction in 2010. movement with a new $4.2 Located at the corner of million, park -and -ride tran- Yankee Doodle and Road sit station at Nicols Road and Wescott Woodlands, and Cedar Grove Parkway the $6.3 million fire station that will anchor one end of is slated for completion the planned urban village. next April and will include The opposite end of the numerous environmen- redevelopment area saw a tally friendly features. The first -of -its -kind housing de 38,000-square-foot facility velopment for young adults will replace the current Fire in transition, called Lincoln Station Two, which sits in Place, built on the -corner of the middle of an industrial Cedar Grove Parkway and park on Lone Oak Road, Gold Trail. The facility features 24 affordable efficiency apart- ments for 18- to 25-year- olds who need supportive services, are leaving foster care, or are at risk of be- coming homeless. Both Cedar Grove prop- erties were built with mul- tiple eco-friendly" features, and the Eagan Civic Arena got an eco-friendly over- haul of its own using some funds from the Federal Re- covery Act. The facility now uses geothermal energy and was expected to save about $135,000 on energy costs this year alone. Sad Goodbyes Eagan lost a few institu- tions this year, including Tesseract School, which was so beloved by parents they bought it back in 2001, the first time it nearly closed. The school, which served students from pre-school through sixth grade, filed for bankruptcy in April. The city also lost the Minnesota Valley Humane Society, the only animal shelter in the south metro, which was in the process of relocating from Burnsville to Eagan. Founded in 1981, the organization announced in December it would close its doors for good by the end of the year due to fi- nancial troubles. But perhaps the most major institutional loss came with the announce- ment that Lockheed Martin would be closing=its= Eagan facility as a cost -saving measure. The company announced in November it will close the Eagan location by 2013, resulting in about 350 lay- offs and 650 job transfers to other facilities throughout the country. Lockheed Martin opened its 623,000-square- foot Eagan facility in 1964; at the time it was called Univac. Now part of the MS2 division of Lockheed, the facility provides surface, air and undersea applica- tions for the U.S. military and other clients, includ- ing radar, surveillance and combat systems. Layoffs and transfers are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2011 and contin- ue over the next two years. The city said untimely goodbyes to' more than just institutions in 2010; it also lost one of its most dedi- cated citizens, Terry Davis. Davis died unexpectedly THISWEEK December 31, 2010 7A from pancreatic cancer July 29 at the age of 63, just a week after being diagnosed. Known for being incred- ibly devoted to his commu- nity and its people, Davis had served as a volunteer in some capacity with the city for the past 20 years. Friends said he was pas- sionate about the environ- ment, progressive politics, and Eagan. Davis was memorialised with a bench in his name at Patrick Eagan Park. An Eagan firefighter was also taken before his time in 2010. Roy Prudencio died Feb. 19 at the age of 50 after a nearly year -long battle with liver cancer. Friends and fellow firefighters describe Prudencio as a dedicated firefighter who "lived and breathed fire service." Prudencio had been with the Eagan Fire Department since 2001. A lieutenant with Fire Station No. 1 on Rahn Road, Prudencio was the department's equipment manager for several years. Tragedy A home on the 1300 block of Berry Ridge Drive was the scene of a horrific tragedy in August as three people were shot to death in an apparent double murder - suicide. Robin Bhattacharyya, 29, of Minneapolis shot and killed Charles Hanson, 42, and Svetlana Hanson, 25, around 10 p.m. He then shot himself Bhattacharyya was Svet- lana Hanson's ex-husband. He shot the couple while their three children slept in another room, police said. Svetlana Hanson's father. was also inside the home at the time of the shooting and was unharmed. Moving forward The year ended with the city emerging victorious from a court battle with three property, owners in the Cedar Grove redevelop- ment area (see story in this issue). According to Mayor Mike Maguire, the ruling removes the legal uncer- tainty so that the redevelop- ment in Cedar Grove can now move forward as the economy -recovers. Officials also hope to move forward in 2011 on the fmal phase of the "ring road," a long -planned fix for Eagan's busiest intersection. The ring road would con- nect existing streets to form a loop around the Yankee Doodle/Pilot Knob/35E intersections, providing lo- cal traffic with alternative routes. And as the forecasts pre- dict freezing rain and even more snow to start the new year, residents can look for- ward to warming up with a hot cup of joe at Wescott Library: the new cafe is scheduled to open in Janu- ary. Erin Johnson is at eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc com. Page 6A -3 Qyv 01—O zc \J 1 1 1 1 1 tJ 1 '1 Thursday, Jan. 9, 2003 These pages are provided as a forum to debate ideas of interest and importancefmunities. Signed letters should be no longer than 450 words. Include daytime and evening and address for verification purposes. Submitted letter n.t rn7,..,, a� �} gY ng phone numbers nS oper a ers, which reserves the right to edit and publish them in any format, including online. New Year brings resolutions for Eagan community "Should auld acquaintance the swearing in of a new mayor Resolution 2: in 2003. be forgot, and never brought to in Pat Geagan and a new coun- Continue to be However, given the tough fi- mind? cil member in Mike Maguire. careful when it nancial times, the best thing the Should auld acquaintance be The city will open its new Com- a ,.. comes to spend-- city can do is continue to keep a forgot, and days of auld lang munity Center This spring and ingtax dollars. tight lid on the city's coffers at syne?" will continue to redevelopthe g y Auld LangSyne.� ° Eagan has ahis- least until things improve. Many peo- Cedar Grove area. ,., tory of beingfis- Resolution 3: Pay more than ple have sung the words to that With all the changes that are JOSHUA cally conserva- just lip service to affordable song, or more likely mumbled coming about, perhaps it is time tive, one outgo- housing issues. The city is to be those they didn't know But how for the city to make its own New NICHOLS ing Eagan commended for its dedication many people actually know Year's resolutions for 2003. Mayor Pat to affordable housing for se what they are singing? Now, the city doesn't have to Eagan Awada is right- niors. The council has also con - Auld lang syne translates vow to stop smoking, lose • community fully proud of. tinually said it isn't against of into "old long ago." Eagan isn't weight or give up caffeine for editor The city has to fordable housing, but it isn't the a city that has much "old long the new year like many of the continue that city's place to encourage it. ago" in it when you get right rest of us are doing, but here mission partly Often, that didn't seem to be down to it. are some possible suggestions. out of necessity and partly be- the case over the past year. One It has officially been a city Resolution 1: Listen better to cause it's a good plan. council member said the coun- only since 1974 and when you what the community has to say. As the state Legislature goes cil treated a project featuring of • talk to long-time Eagan natives, This was a big issue during the through its newly opened ses- fordable housing differently you hear stories about corn- last election and both new coun- sion, one area legislators are than other projects. fields, lots of open land and a cil members along with incum- likely to look at in fixing the Other cities in the metro very different kind of life. bent Peggy Carlson, who was budget deficit is aid to cities and area have dedicated themselves Eagan has seen a lot of de- re-elected this November, have other local government units. to finding ways to encourage de- velopment over that time and vowed to listen to the public. Eagan is better off than most velopers to build below -market currently stands at a point at That was one of the main is- other cities because it relies rate housing in their communi- which it is mostly developed yet sues in Maguire's campaign as less on state government aid. ties. To not at least consider ex - still will experience great he said the council was not pay- The city is scheduled to receive amining that option in Eagan is change. ing enough attention to resi- $126,794 in Local Government shortsighted. This week saw the makeup of dents on issues like Mary Jo Aid revenue and about $1.13 Resolution 5: Continue to the City Council change with Copeland's children's home. million of Market Value Credit keep providing residents with quality public services. In the city's recent community survey, 95 percent of Eagan residents surveyed labeled the quality of life in Eagan as either excellent or good. In addition, more than 90 percent rated police protection, fire protection, recycling, park maintenance and recreation programs as either excellent or good. A majority of the respon- dents to the survey even went as far as saying they would sup- port a tax increase if it meant maintaining those services. The city should be proud of those results and the fact that many Eagan residents seem happy with what the city pro- vides them. The new City Coun- cil should keep that in mind as it starts what is sure to be an in- teresting 2003 for a still -chang- ing city. 1-111 Nc-C dmtiory LI-3 )00g 1997 brings new faces into public eye, finds county dealing with growth By BRENDA HAUGEN 1997 was a year of change. New faces were found on area councils and boards. Several old friends said goodbye. The year was no stranger to controversy. From County Road 42 and a proposed Wal- Mart in Apple Valley to the District 197 superintendent's position, the District 194 School Board election, and a new facility for emotionally and behaviorally disordered students in District 196, it was at times tumultuous. But 1997 mainly was a year of change as the county con- tinued to grow. New schools opened and old ones got face- lifts. The Minnesota Zoo added new attractions, and movie theaters continued to spring up around the county. Dakota County also is expected to get a new area code as the metro, area as a whole quickly uses up the phone numbers pres- ently available. Following is a look at some of the biggeststories that shaped the year. " New faces Apple Valley Mayor Will Branning took his place on the Dakota County Board of Commissioners. Branning de- feated incumbent Steve Loed- ing in a close race for the Dis- trict 7 seat the previous fall. Apple Valley City Council Member Gary Humphrey was appointed mayor in a strange selection process. All four council members wanted to be mayor, but according to state law, were unable to vote for themselves. With Branning re- signing from the position with less than two years left in his term, the council was prohib- ited from holding a special election. When the four council mem- bers tied between nominations for Virginia Sterling and Tom Goodwin, making the appoint- ment fell to acting mayor Ster- ling. Not able to vote for her- self, Sterling chose Humphrey as mayor. (See Year, p.9A) :Continued from front page) Ruth Grendahl was appointed o the vacant council seat left )y Humphrey. Michele Jennings, Judy Kell - her and Clinton Kennedy were lectcd to the Lakeville School Board May 20. Follow- ing the election, a complaint was filed by several people concerned with the conduct of several district employees as well as candidates. Among the concerns raised were union use of employee mailboxes and campaign activities on school property. The district had the concerns investigated and developed policies to deal with the issues. Kennedy ended up resigning and was replaced by Kathy Larson. Jim Nikolai and Max Saucedo were elected to seats on the District 197 School Board. Newcomer Randy Cirksena was elected to a seat on the District 191 School Board, but ended up resigning after taking a job outstate. He was replaced by Debra Pitton, who hadn't sought re-election after serving a three-year term on the board. Capt. Dave Farrington, a 26- year veteran of the Burnsville Police Department, was named the city's new police chief. He replaces Mike DuMoulin, who is retiring after 25 years as chief and more than 30 years with the department. The Rosemount City Council selected Gary Kalstabakken of Eagan as its new police chief._ The 15-year veteran of the Richfield Police Department replaces Elliel "Lyle" Knutsen. Tom Ryan will be a new face on the Lakeville City Council come 1998. He was elected to the position in November. Referendum after referendum Apple Valley voters approved an $8.37 million park bond ref- erendum. Voters gave the go- ahead to a $3.6 million outdoor family swim center; $1.65 mil- lion to complete ballfields at Eastview High School and to add a teen center to the shel- ter/control building there; $1.3 million for two gymnasiums and three volleyball courts at the Apple Valley Community Center; and other parks addi- tions and improvements. Voters also approved expansion of Lebanon Cemetery. District 191 voters narrowly approved an eight -year, $3.6 million excess -levy request in November. The measure re- newed a five-year levy ap- proved in 1991 and restored a portion of levy authority the Legislature removed from dis- tricts with excess levies after the 1991 election. District 194 voters approved a $48 million bond referendum. Projects to be funded by the referendum include expansion of Lakeville High School; con- struction of a third junior high and ninth elementary; im- provements at Kenwood Trail Junior High; the purchase and update of technology; and ac- quisition of land for a future high school. Goodbye Farmington . Public Works Director Tom Kaldunski re- signed. He had served the city for 11 years. Minnesota Valley Humane Society Executive Director Dean Weigel resigned to be- come director of the Como Park Zoological Society in April. Weigel, of Burnsville, was hired in 1989 by Minne- sota Valley board members intent on opening an animal shelter south of the river. James Rickabaugh, District 191 superintendent, resigned to become Midwest region presi- dent of Voyager Expanded Learning Center Inc. The dis- trict has narrowed the field of candidates for the superinten- dent's position to five. A deci- sion on Rickabaugh's replace- ment is expected Feb. 5. District 192 Business Man- ager Mark Beltz resigned to take the position of director of governmental consulting serv- ices for a private company. Stella Johnson of District 196 was hired to replace him. Eagan Administrative Assis- tant Liz Witt, a fixture at Ea- gan City Hall for 15 years, re- tired. New and/or better facilities Eastview High School in Ap- ple Valley opened to District 196 students in the fall. The $25.8 million facility is the dis- trict's fourth full-scale high school. Construction was completed on Dakota Ridge in Apple Val- ley.. -The new , facility, found adjacent tb the District 196 office building, is expected to house 200 emotionally and be- haviorally disordered students when it reaches capacity. The school's location, across the street from an elementary school, wasn't a hit with all of its neighbors, but district offi- cials incorporated concerns into forming different start and end times for the two schools. Remodeling at the Dakota County Library -Wescott in Ea- gan began in February and was completed before the end of the year. The $1.65 million pro- ject was designed to update the facility and make it more user-friendly. The Minnesota Zoo delayed the spring opening of Discov- ery Bay after the death of six sharks. Four sandtiger sharks (See Year, p.1OA) (Continued) died May 9, apparently from toxins in their new 218,000- gallon shark exhibit. Two sandbar sharks died May 14 in the same tank despite tests that indicated acceptable wa- ter quality. The facility opened June 1. A conditional use permit for a Catholic school was ap- proved in December by the Eagan City Council. The school, slated for the area north of Yankee Doodle Road and east of Lexington Avenue, is a joint venture among the congregations of St. Thomas Becket of Eagan, St. John Neumann of Eagan and St. Pe- ter's in Mendota. District 197 opened two mid- dle schools to replace Grass Junior High — Heritage Mid- dle School in West St. Paul and Friendly Hills Middle School in Mendota Heights. After years of waiting, plans were underway for a Dakota County library to be built in Lakeville. The site of the new facility is behind City Hall on the newly named Heritage Drive. Still well short of its goal, the Burnsville Senior Center ended its campaign to raise $370,000 for renovation of a new headquarters. Farmington Elementary School and North Trail Ele- mentary were celebrating in 1997. Renovation at Farming- ton Elementary included add- ing a new media center, gym- nasium and performance area as well as a classroom, art room, expanded kitchen and new lobby to the 43-year-old building. North Trail opened its doors to students for the first time in the fall. Going to the movies On April 5, the Minnesota Zoo's Imation IMAX Theatre opened. It is one of the largest 3-D theater screens in the Midwest. In a special session, the Lakeville City Council ap- proved plans for the city's Muller Family Theatre. The theater will have 18- screens and a seating capacity of 3,383, making it the state's largest theater. Resolutions After a year of division, the District 197 School Board qui- etly = and unanimously — voted to approve Superinten- dent Robert Monson's contract for two years. A new evalua- tion process was implemented, giving board members who previously may not have been in favor of extending Monson's contract, more comfort. Edward Kraemer and Sons agreed to pay the county $822,000 and the city of Burnsville $246,847 in unpaid surcharges stemming from a web of corruption surrounding the dumping of oarhaoe- The money was for unpaid sur- charges on garbage dumped in the landfill from' 1991-96. For- mer landfill manager Robert Miller, who had already been punished in federal court for a landfill kickback scheme, was charged in June with defraud- ing the county, city and state out of more than $1.4 million in unpaid dumping fees. Also charged was Edward Ristow, the landfill's former scalemas- ter. The state Supreme Court ruled against the city of Eagan in the Country Joe lawsuit. The court indicated statutory cities don't have constitutional or legislative authority to use road -unit charges. The city's road -unit charges were chal- lenged in court by a. group of home builders who maintained the city lacked authority to impose the charges. The Apple Valley City Council approved a Wal-Mart store on the corner of County Road 42 and Pennock Avenue despite months of opposition from area residents. District 191 lost a pregnancy discrimination suit in Novem- ber. The judge ruled a female employee's layoff from a site coordinator position in the dis- trict's Preschool Project Kids program violated the Minne- sota Human Rights Act. Heidi Kunst of Eagan was awarded $138,567 for lost wages and benefits and emotional harm. The district, which is appeal- ing, was ordered to pay her le- gal fees and a $10,000 'civil fine. District 192 used its power of condemnation to obtain a site for a second middle school, which would be adjacent to the first. The district is planning a February 1998 bond referen- dum to pay for the school. The city of Burnsville agreed to provide stopgap financing for the purchase of land in Ter- race Oaks Park should a $100,000 community fund drive fall short. Along with money from the fund drive, the purchase price of the land is being covered by additional funding from the city, a $200,000 donation from an anonymous nature lover, and a $200,000 grant from the state Department of Natural Re- sources. The District 196 School Board overturned the Recon- sideration Review Commit- tee's recommendation to ban the book "All But Alice" from district elementary schools. Parents Bruce and Julie Yates of Rosemount first requested the book be removed from elementary libraries after their 8-year-old daughter checked out the book, and they discov- ered portions inside they found objectionable. Law enforcement The suspect in the 1994 Burnsville High School arson, Jeffrey Scott Gartner, was charged with six counts, in- cluding two counts each of first -degree burglary and first - degree arson, in connection with the fire, which caused $15 million in damage. Gartner is expected to be tried as soon as he's declared competent. Cletus Schneider was in- dicted on two counts each of first- and second-degree murder in connection with the death of his estranged wife. Dorothy Sandburg's body was found June 13 in the entryway of the couple's former home in Burnsville. In July, Charles Ray Wright of Minneapolis was sentenced to 13 years and seven months in prison for attempted murder, along with a concurrent one- year sentence for aiding an of- fender to avoid arrest. Wright was involved in a gangland - style shooting outside a Burns- ville movie theater, but wouldn't reveal the name of the gunman. •CGOt V) 11(1 i S Via it&t(r ) I0q� Firsts On March 6, Eagan and Burnsville residents gathered at St. John Neumann Church in Eagan to learn about a repeat sex offender who was moving into their neighborhood. Those who attended the meeting heard about Mandell Louis Stamper, 19, a level - (See Year, p.11A) (Continued) three sex offender. He was the first level -three offender to be released in the state since the passage of the Community No- tification Act, a law allowing law enforcement to share in- formation with the public about an offender. Republican endorsements. raised eyebrows in the District 196 School Board race. In a first for Dakota County, the party endorsed two board can- didates, raising the question of whether partisan politics be- longs in local elections. Nei- ther of the party -endorsed can- didates was elected. Open enrollment was closed at Farmington Middle School as of April 14. Because of the growing population at the school, the School Board de- cided not to allow additional students from outside the dis- trict to enroll at the school. Deaths Judge George Hoey, 55, of We 1SL Juutciai District to Hastings, died April 22. He had served as prosecuting attorney for the city of Eagan from 1970 to 1981 when he was appointed a judge by Gov. Al Quie. Former Farmington Mayor Eugene "Babe" Kuchera died Dec. 9 after a long battle with cancer. Kuchera served with the Farmington Fire Depart- ment for 34 years, on the City Council for 17 years, and as mayor for eight years. Good news Farmington Middle School was named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, a pres- tigious national award. Rosemount landed a $214,000 Youth Initiative Grant from the Department of Children, Families and Learn- ing to construct the Family Resource Center. The grant accounts for about two-thirds the cost of the facility. Growth issues Meetings on the future of County Road 42 drew large crowds. The road's designation as a principal arterial designed to carry many vehicles long distances at brisk speeds with relatively few interruptions in- flamed the local business community, 'concerned about possible loss of access points along the roadway. . • $ A residential snowmobile bes was denied in the : dty Lakeville. ' According to 'City., Council discusslon,.,a ban ma be part of the;cltj!.:a;Qi� 1"ontinues to -develop. Dakota County will get a new area code in 1998. The Public Utilities Commission determined the 612 area code should be split into two regions to address a projected number shortage. 0 co 3 1. cr a 0 to X x a. to O 3 ua O (o 5. O 3 3 rela Eagan Igs o From Page 3A Samuel Lamont Seals was arrested July 1 hours after the body of Nathan Golden, 27, also of St. Paul, was discov- ered outside the Residence Inn in Eagan. Seals allegedly killed Golden by putting him in a chokehold while fight- ing with him outside the hotel. Seals is being held in the Dakota County Jail on $250,000 bail. •Eagan Police also found themselves dealing with a series of car break-ins over the last half of 2002. The two most recent occurrences of break-ins were in October and September. In both groups of incidents, the person or persons com- mitting the crime smashed a window while the vehicles were parked in the vic- tims' driveways and then took laptop computers and business briefcases. The majority of the break-ins were on several streets to the southeast of the in- tersection of Lexington Avenue and Dif- fley Road. Other car break-ins occurred along Braddock Trail less than a mile away. The break-ins are similar to other thefts from motor vehicles that had hap- pened over the previous six months in the same area of the city. Eagan Police are still seeking sus- pects in the incidents. If anyone has in- formation related to these thefts, call the Eagan Police Tip line at 651-686-1111. •The fall of 2002 brought around an unhappy anniversary as the community and the whole country remembered Sept. 11, 2001. Members of the Eagan Po- lice and Fire departments found them- selves on the receiving end of all types of public appreciation this year. Almost from the time the Eagan Po- lice Department opened Sept. 11, 2002, people kept coming through its doors to drop off gifts to show their appreciation. "It was so amazing and a lot of it was done anonymously," Police Chief Kent Therkelsen said. "It was continuous through the whole day. As we perform our duties, you never expect people to personally acknowledge what we do in the community to that degree." While the donations and gifts dropped off at the departments ranged from cards and baked goods such as pies, cook- ies and cakes, to balloons and flowers, the departments also received many cash donations. The cash donations that came in from the public will be going toward a good cause. The Police Department plans to put the donations toward the Eagan Cit- izen's Crime Prevention Association, which provides cash rewards for crime tips and also provides other crime pre- vention efforts. The Fire Department's donations will go to help support the confined spaces rescue program, which is designed to train firefighters to deal with highly technical rescues. Religion •The year saw a well-known religious leader in Eagan moving on after years of serving his congregation and the com- munity. The Rev. Bob Schwartz moved to another assignment in August after being pastor of St. John Neumann Catholic Church for more than 11 years. Schwartz, who was a major affordable housing advocate, is now the pastor at Our Lady of Grace Church in Edina. The move was the result of a requirement in the church that pastors serve 12-year terms at a church and then move to an- other church. Schwartz saw St. John Neumann undergo change during his time at the church. For one thing, the church's congregation has grown by about a thousand families. Schwartz said he always believed in pursuing social justice causes at the church, not because of any political reasons, but because it is based in values found in the gospel. The Rev. Charlie Lachowitzer, who previously was pastor at Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Maplewood, took over as pastor of St. John Neumann after Schwartz left. •Over the course of 2002, Eagan's Cedar Ridge Church and Bloomington Assembly of God merged into one church. The final step in merging the two churches took place March 10. The senior pastor of Cedar Ridge, the Rev. Tim Ruden, became part of Bloom- ington's staff and the Rev. Darin Poli, an associate pastor at Bloomington, moved over to Cedar Ridge to become its cam- pus pastor. The merger was a natural fit for Bloomington Assembly because most of its congregation lives in the same area and out of the 11 pastors on staff at Bloomington Assembly, 10 of them live south of the river, Poli said. I_ tudent ana start satety anal revention measures taken by the dis- rict. At its most recent meeting on Dec. 9, the District 196 school board approved spending these additional categorical rnds in ways that we believe benefit stu- dents, families, schools and the commu- nity. The additional money will be used to support the following programs: Ele- mentary social worker program, and al- locations to middle schools and high schools to fund additional police liaison officers, campus security and/or social workers, as determined by each school. 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(952) 392-6852 Fax: (952) 392-6802 E-mail: lbarker@mnsun.com ...It is an INVESTMENT for your business! EJ's Sunglasses www.ej-sunglasses.com 952-927-4090 Every style and type of sunglasses brought to you through the Internet! Mega Mall Of The Internet www.maliforall.com/80104 Over 400 Stores! Over 100 Product Categories! tion rear dominated by Copeland, change Highlights include Sept. 11 memorial, storm sewer efforts, Olympians winning silver BY JOSHUA NICHOLS Sun Newspapers For the city of Eagan the year 2002 was a year of changes, development and even Olympians. The year kicked off with Eagan residents watch- ing two of their own compete for the gold medal in Salt Lake City and with Mayor Pat Awada inviting Mary Jo Copeland to look into Eagan. It ended with Copeland's children's home project clearing the last hurdle in city government and Awada preparing to take on a bigger role. In between were a lot of other activities and events that made 2002 a year to remember. Andy Blenkush/Sun Newspapers A crowd waves to Olympian Jenny Potter as hundreds turned out in Eagan in February to catch of glimpse of her and fellow Olympic medal -winner Natalie Dar- witz. ✓ uM C rrt s J De. 3/ soi� EA AN: To Page 3A City News •Toward the end of January after Copeland's pro- ject for children's group homes was turned away by Chaska, Awada invited her to look at a plot of land in Eagan. That invitiation set off a process that lasted almost the entire year and included some hotly con- tested issues along the way. The Chaska City Council unanimously voted against her proposal Jan. 28. Copeland introduced her plan in the spring of 2000 and had since had ef- forts fall through in Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center and Victoria before coming to Eagan. Even before the proposal had reached a point for official city action, it raised the attention of peo- ple in the city, either for it or against it. Councilmember Paul Bakken formed a group aimed at giv- ing the children's home an opportunity to make Eagan its home while other groups sought more information about the project. By March Copeland had se- cured the land neces- sary to build the pro- ject, which calls for a complex of 20 homes, each housing up to 10 children with a specially trained married teaching couple and a family assistant. The children living in the homes would attend a K-12 private school on the site. The school would be part of a main building that includes administrative offices, a gym, a chapel and a library, among other things. Over the course of two contentious public hear- ings a little more than a week apart, the project first got approval from the Eagan Advisory Planning Commission and then the Eagan City Council. Andy Blenkush/Sun Newspapers The city considered a golf course for Patrick Eagan Park before abandoning the possi- bility in February he primary theme for 2002 in School Di ey - this topic in ney was t or how t seek in e down rting fi- ed to be ucation ork ses- cussions eet the - from chools. ttended Febru- ard an- nounced its cuts. By May, 83 teachers were laid off. Board Director Dan Luth called the pro- gram cuts "one of the darkest days in the history of this district." The district also faced teachers cur- tailing their work schedules last spring. Teachers took the action due to the lack of progress in employment contract ne- gotiations. Teachers did not participate in their volunteer activities and discon- tinued hourly paid work that displaced preparation time. By April 24, still with- out new contracts, the teachers adopted the "work to rule." Teachers no longer conducted school business outside the eight -hour day. By the end of May, the board and teacher resolved their contract differ- ences and negotiations were resolved. Teachers had a new contract through June 2003. By June, the board was continuing its 1 • d the Town •i g ••. •t- -•t HIP sphere Ls 0.95 $15.95 to, salad. legs. salads. IIs. ervations •• •. I. • •• •� • • ••.•.•• • WEAVER SPtGIA& if dilarates fort li,/ml eirer • Onsite restaurant • Hot tub • Heated Pool • Video Arcade • Pool Table $50 Standard $60 Poolside • $70 Suite Winter Special excludes New Year Eve. Rates are per night + tax Offer exp 1131/03 gum SUPER 8 MOTE LAIEVILLE • • • • • discussions about money. The board was deep into discussion over the need to pass a levy referendum this November. The board wanted the public to increase the district's referen- dum authority by $277.09 per pupil unit, which would raise aboutt$3.6 million an- nually. Combined with the renewal of the existing authority of $560.29, the dis- trict would have the legislated maximum per -pupil school levy of $837.38 for the 2003-04 school year. In a record voter turnout, the levy passed in November. The vote was 13,607 yes, 12,214 no. Other "happy" news for the district included: • The 2001-2002 high school competi- tion cheerleading squad earned first place honors for co-ed varsity at the Min- nesota 2002 State Cheerleading Competi- tion. The state championship is the team's first since it began competing in 1991. • The Bu dance team state champi competition category of School Leagu nament Feb. • Burnsvill Junior High S ed their titles ment March three years in • Burnsvil band receive highest rating gion competit' the band has r since 1995. In students recei the region's s DI Please join us for cAlev leans may? Wednesday, Jan 1st 10A Adults:s1495 • Seniors: '12'T • • Omelette, Waffle & Carving • Assorted Muffins, Salads, Fruit Call to make Reservations: (952) 435-6624 or (952) 435-2100 , / Located at the HOLIDAY INN BURNSVILLE Weat .19 eee cDe//k4f612 • Choose a Glass of Beringer White Zinfandel or • Your choice of 2 Filets or 2 Surf `n Turf (Lobster/Prime Rib) •: ad • Caviar Rice F Di T Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Thursday, Dec. 26, 2002 3A 2.002 - A YEAR IN REVIEW Eagan From Page IA But not before more residents eager to either voice their support of the propos- al or let the city know they were against it spoke their mind. The project went on to pass its final two steps within the city in December, with the City CounGil,approving the pro- ject's wetland replacement plan and ap- proving street and utility improvements necessary to build the homes. Although the city of Eagan may be done having its say on the project, Copeland still needs to raise the $30 million necessary to build and run the home as well as seek licens- es and approval from state departments before moving forward with the project. •The beginning of the year also saw the city closing the book on another po- tential major development that often led to contentious debates. As the city was waiting to hear from its Golf Course Ex- ploratory Committee in early February regarding whether to build a course in the area around Patrick Eagan Park, it received word that another group was looking at a development that would in- clude a golf course along Interstate 494 and Dodd Road. The 64-member golf course commit- tee had been meeting since the summer to weigh community support for a new city golf course, the need, locations and operating guidelines. However, in the end the committee recommended that building a golf course on the Patrick Eagan Park land wouldn't be financially feasible. Since then there has been little public development regarding the other poten- tial site for a golf course as developer, D.R. Horton, an Arlington, Texas -based developer with a Lakeville office, contin- ues to work on details for the project. Other big projects that ran through- out the year included traffic improve- ments to the Town Centre area approved by the council following a public survey over the summer and continued redevel- opment efforts in the Cedar Grove area. • The year also almost saw Lebanon Hills Regional Park, which straddles the Eagan and Apple Valley border, nearly go to the dogs. During a masterplan process that included a stakeholders task force, the idea of putting an off -leash dog area in the park was tossed aside as incom- patible with the park. However, after several dog owners brought the issue to the county's atten- tion, the County Board asked staff to re- view possible locations for an off -leash dog park, including Lebanon Hills. After reviewing the locations, the county even- tually decided in August to go ahead with a pilot dog park in Empire Township near Rosemount. County commissioners gave their ap- proval to the site as a pilot program to be evaluated annually for the first three years it is open. The park could be ready as early as 2003. If the park succeeds, the County Board could look at creating ad- ditional dog parks through a public hear- ing process, including one at Lebanon Hills and other county parks. •Most of 2002 found the city of Eagan working to complete nearly $9 million worth of storm sewer system improve- ments made necessary by the July 2000 floods. By the end of the year, all the pro- jects had been completed and the city had won an award for the way it went about fixing the problem. The American Public Works Associa- tion (APWA) presented the award to the city in September during its conference in Kansas City, Mo. Eagan won the pub- lic works project of the year in the disas- ter or emergency construction/repair in the $2 million to $10 million category. Names in the News •While many in Eagan spent the span a of two weeks in February cheering on the United States women's hockey team i_ from afar, two women with ties to Eagan Submitted Photos A 9/11 salute Above, Eagan Police Chief KentTherkelsen (far left) stands in line with other Eagan Police officers watching the Sept. 11 Eagan Remembers ceremony at the Eagan Mu- nicipal Center. At right, Eagan Police officers, firefighters and representatives of the Marines, Navy, Air Force and Army stand saluting the flag during the ceremony. More than 200 people attended the morning ceremony at the Municipal Center. got a close up view of the action. Eagan native Natalie Darwitz, 18, and Edina na- tive Jenny Potter, 23, who lived in Eagan at the time, were part of the women's hockey team that won the silver medal in Salt Lake City. The two were honored March 16 by the city of Eagan with a parade and a special presentation. The two took very differ- ent paths hi coming to the 2002 games. Darwitz, a 2002 graduate of Eagan High School, was playing in her first Olympics and Potter, formerly Jenny Schmidgall before her July 2001 marriage, played in the 1998 games. Since the games, the two have also taken different paths. Darwitz is cur- rently playing for the University of Min- nesota women's hockey team and Potter is playing for their WCHA rivals Univer- sity of Minnesota -Duluth, where she played prior to taking some time off for the birth of her daughter, Madison, in 2001. •Eagan resident Linda Cullen spent January 2002 in Pakistan taking photos of a refugee camp in the northern city of Peshawar. Cullen was in the country when Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was abducted from the southern Pakistan city of Karachi. Pearl's abduction and eventual murder made a tense situation more nerve racking. Cullen got the chance to go to Pak- istan because a friend of hers who runs anti-terrorist training programs was going to the country to do security as- sessments on the roads going into Afghanistan. Cullen concentrated most of her time in the refugee camp taking photos of the free clinic that served the camp. •Apple Valley resident Patrick Dolney was watching the aftermath of Sept. 11 in New York City and felt the need go be- yond the call of duty in helping out. More than a year since that day, he is well on the way to doing just that by raising money for a Patriots Plaza in Eagan. The plaza is a memorial for veterans, police, firefighters and other "patriots" who serve their community. The plaza will be built next to the Eagan Commu- nity Center, which is under construc- tion. Dolney, who grew up in Eagan, has already had a bowling fundraiser at Cedarvale Lanes in August as part of the effort to raise the nearly $300,000 esti- mated for the project. Schematic drawings for the site show a raised memorial surrounded by a knee- high wall with benches and three flag- poles in the center. While the details of the plaza have not been worked out, pre- liminary plans call for using concrete and etched granite panels and with flowerbeds incorporated into the design. • Former Eagan Mayor Thomas Egan was selected in May to fill the Metropoli- tan Council seat left open due to the death of Carolyn Rodriguez. Egan will represent District 15, which includes the cities of Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Lilydale, Mendota and Mendota Heights. Egan was mayor of Eagan from 1990 to 1998 and a member of the Eagan City Council from 1978 through 1989. The relationship between the City Council and the Met Council has been strained in the past, especially on the issue of affordable housing. Although his term will end with Ven- tura's, Egan is hopeful that Gov. -elect Tim Pawlenty, who as a state representative for Eagan urged him to seek the spot on the Met Council, will appoint him to a new term once he begins his term as governor. Politics The year also saw some big changes and big state-wide developments when it comes to politics. Eagan Mayor Pat Awada was elected state auditor in No- vember after serving on the City Council since 1991. She has been mayor since 1998. Replacing her on the council and as mayor is former Eagan Police Chief Patrick Geagan. The council will also be getting a new member in Mike Maguire, who won along with incumbent Peggy Carlson in the Nov 5 election. Councilmember Paul Bakken, who was elected to the council in 1998, did not run for re-election. And Eagan found one of its own in an even higher office after the Nov 5 elec- tion. Eagan resident and South St. Paul native Tim Pawlenty, who previously represented part of Eagan as the Repub- lican state representative for House Dis- trict 38B and before that served as an Eagan City Council member, won elec- tion as the state's new governor. Business Some bus riders in Eagan also saw a big change at the corner of Pilot Knob and Yankee Doodle roads. Over the last part of 2001, work began on the Eagan Transit Station and several businesses began opening up in the new station starting in 2002. The Eagan Transit Station features six retail shops such as Starbucks, Boston Market and Premier Cleaners as well as a two -level ramp with parking for 900 cars and a sheltered area for passen- gers waiting for buses. Public Safety The year saw Eagan have two homi- cides, although one of them is still a very much open case with little details known in the public forum. Joseph Il Woo Kim, 4, died Sept. 18 after events that took place at an Eagan home Sept. 14. A final autopsy report issued in De- cember confirmed that Joseph's death was a homicide as a result of serious head injuries, but did not mention whether the death was intentional or ac- cidental. Other details on the case have been kept confidential because the per- son suspected in the incident is a 13-year- old boy. That boy returned home to South Korea in December and Dakota County is waiting for the full autopsy results be- fore deciding whether to file charges. •In another homicide case, a St. Paul man is awaiting trial on one count of un- intentional second-degree murder in connection with the death of his first cousin outside an Eagan hotel in July. EAGAN: To Page 8A 4A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•CurrentlThursday, Dec. 26, 2002 www.mnSun.com 2002 A YEAR IN REVIEW New year brings different results in District 197 West St. Paul -Mendota Heights - Eagan district settled teacher contract, had levy pass in 2002 BY JOSHUA NICHOLS Sun Newspapers For the West St. Paul -Mendota Heights -Eagan school district, much of 2002 played like a photo negative of the previous year. Where 2001 saw the district experi- encing a strike by its support workers and its learning levy turned down by vot- ers, 2002 was marked by avoiding a teachers' strike and a successful levy ef- fort. By February 2002, the district was still in mediation with its teachers' union without a contract in sight. That might have seemed strange in previous years, but the state requirement that districts settle their teachers' contracts by mid - January was waived for this year. "We would like to get this settled and resolved because we recognize during negotiations it's a very frustrating time for all parties involved," Superintendent John Longtin said at the time. "We cer- tainly want to get this finished as soon as possible." But that was not to be the case. Medi- ation sessions and contract negotiations for both sides would stretch into spring without a settlement. District teachers went to work -to -rule measures April 29 and a settlement was reached in the long contract process in May. By settling the contracts, the district was able to avoid a strike like the 2001 strike by support workers. After coming close to a teachers' strike in 2000, the dis- trict went through the work stoppage in 2001 when bus drivers, paraprofession- als and cooks striked for 12 school days in March and April. Another reversal from the 2001 year was the November success of the dis- trict's levy effort, which will bring in an additional $1.5 million starting in 2004. Voters approved the levy by a 10,222 to 7,816 vote margin. That 57 percent support level for the levy was a change from the previous year's levy request, which would have provided an additional $1.4 million an- nually over six years. That levy failed narrowly, 2,834 to 2,645. "This is evidence of the strong sup- port for education in the district com- munity," Longtin said. "Along with this victory for students comes the expecta- tion that the district will continue to be fiscally responsible in providing the best possible educational programs." The rest of the year was marked by an initial attempt to look at building a new ice arena on the Henry Sibley High School campus and budget adjustments in the face of tough financial times. The ice arena issue began developing in District 197 when Sibley Activities Di- rector Matt Kraft delivered a letter from Longtin to the Mendota Heights City Council during a Jan. 15 council meet- ing. In that letter, Longtin invited the council to consider the Sibley campus as a possible location for an ice arena in- stead of a proposal advanced by St. Thomas Academy in which the arena would be built on land donated by the academy. However, over the next few months, the district expressed the desire to move cautiously on the arena issue, first de- laying a proposed resolution regarding its support for looking at the issue and then passing a newly worded resolution in March. However, since that time talks with Mendota Heights on the issue stalled and the city is moving ahead with the St. Thomas Academy project. Efforts at reducing the district's bud- get began in March as the district out- lined possible reductions. Preliminary 2002-2003 budget figures for District 197 showed the district spending $1.1 million over projected revenues. With a projected balance in the dis- trict's undesignated general operating fund showing $1.5 million as of June 30, 2002, that would have drawn the fund down. Instead, the district spent several months working out budget reductions totaling $1.3 million. The board approved those final cuts May 20. Since then the financial picture for the school district has brightened thanks to the reductions and the success of the 2002 levy referendum. The district's audit recently showed the district's un- designated general operating fund had $2.2 million as of June 30, 2002, a im- provement over the earlier projected bal- ance. "While we are in a lot better financial shape than a year ago, we are no means out of the woods," Board Chairperson Jim Nikolai said as the year was wrap- ping up. "The operational levy provides us with assistance, but it won't be enough long range. The question is what happens down the road." Audit From Page 1A Those changes made the state respon- sible for a larger portion of school dis- tricts' funding. "Your overall funding isn't unrelated to where the financial situation of the state is," Eichten said. Board Chairperson Jim Nikolai asked Eichten if the district should be con- cerned that the reserve fund as a per- centage of the district's total general fund expenditures slipped. That percentage for the district was down slightly to about 9 percent. The measurement is a standard measure of financial health for districts, Eichten said. Eichten said the statewide average is 7.4 percent so that even with the slight decrease, the district is still in good shape. Nikolai praised the district's staff for helping turn the district's financial pic- ture around over the past several years. "The due diligence of the staff and the board have done a lot to turn this around," Nikolai said. "While we are in a lot better fmancial shape than a year ago, we are no means out of the woods." The district also approved its final 2003 property tax levy during the meet- ing. The district will levy $11.09 million, less than the maximum levy limitation of $11.19 million. The difference between what the dis- trict will levy and the maximum is the re- sult of a reduction for debt service sav- ings of $98,440 the district received after refinancing general obligation school building bonds earlier this fall. The property tax amount is a 15 per- cent increase from the $9.64 million the district levied in 2002. All of that in- crease is the result of the $1.45 million the district will start receiving from the new levy. p.FrACE C Vn CHURCH A Caring Cotmnunitp and Uplifiting Worship Experience SUNDAY WORSHIP for rates and information, caCC 952-392-6875 HOLY EMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH 201 East 104th St., Bloomington brnccen Portland & Ni:ollct) 952-888-2345 day Worship ditional 8:00 am mporary 10:30 am unery Available) tion Hour 9:15 am olvemmanuel.mn.org krms Christian Early Center. 952-888-5116 re for a:es 6 wks-5 yrs ecket pm St 11:00 am Eagan, MN Diffley on Hwy. 3) 583.9808 tl ii ashcckct.ort } Christ Church A Church Where You Can Find... Worship That's Alive Faith That's Real - Love That's Shared IV WORSHIP SERVICES:Sundays 8:30 & 10:30 AM 12925 Johnny Cake Ridge Road Intersection of Cty. Rd. 38 & Johnny Cake Ridge Rd. (across from Falcon Ridge Middle School) 952-432-8855 MESSIAH LUTHERAN CHURCH One Church - Two Locations Summer Worship Schedule MESSIAH'S HOME 16725 Highview Ave 6:30 pm Saturday 7:55, 9:15 & 10:35 am Worship 9:15 & 10:35 am Education MESSIAH'S HOPE Lake Marion Elementary Dodd Blvd. & Hwy 50 9:00 am Sunday Worship 10:15 am Education Hour For seekers ... We are a little different on purpose 952-431-5959 OR messiahonline.org EVANGELICAL F6tEE CHURCH 1610 KEN WOOD TRAIL•WEST• IAKEV ILLE. MN 1/2 Mile West of 1-35 on Cty. Rd. 46 Sunday Worship Services 8:25 am • 9:45 am • 11:05am and 6:00 pm Nursery during all hours. Education classes available. Come, Encounter God! Phone: 952-435-5548 dnn.,4.71a 10 am Sundays at Eagan YMCA West entrance Hwy. 149 & Opperman Dr. 651.405.0710 www.rollinghillsefc.org Open & Growing C14K GROVE 4 ks PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Old Shakopee Road at Penn Ave. S. Bloomington -- phone: 952/888-4621 Pastors: Mark Bayert, Shirley H. Cox Sunday: worship 8:00 & 10:30 am education hour all ages 9:15 am Wellspring alternative service 5:30 pm Wednesday: programs 6:00 pm evening vespers 6:30 pm www.oakgrv.org 1 Superintendent Berenz congratulated: • Kathy Erickson, Highland Elementary School and Jim Peterson, Scott Highlands Middle School, who received TIES Excep- tional Teachers Awards; • Kathryn Petri. Rosemount High School, who was named Secondary Teacher of the Year for the western region of the National Art Educators Association; • Zach Vraa, Rosemount High School. and Zach Zenner, Eagan High School, who are finalists for the Minnesota Mr. Football Award; and • Members of the Dakota United Hawks adapted soccer tearns and the gids' swim- ming and diving teams from all four high schools for their participation in state tour- naments. There was no Special Communication Request. There was no request to speak during Open Forum. Motion by Coulson, seconded by Mag- nuson and carried, with seven members voting in favor, no members voting in op- position and no members abstaining, to ap- prove the following Consent items. Minutes of the November 9, 2009 regular School Board meeting (Exhibit A1); Claims for November 4 through Novem- ber 17, 2009 (Exhibit B1); Electronic Funds Transfer Schedule for October 31 through November 13, 2009 (Exhibit B2); Schedule of Investments for October 31 through November 13, 2009 (Exhibit B3); Treasurer's Report for the month ending October 31, 2009 (Exhibit B4); Student Teacher Agreement with Ham - line University School of Education through June 30, 2010 (Exhibit C2); Agreement for an additional .125 FTE with an individual teacher without the ad- ditional FTE becoming part of the teacher's continued contract (Exhibit D1); and Agreement with the University of Wis- consin -Stout for food and nutrition student intern experience (Exhibit D2). Student Information Supervisor Kim Reis presented five-year district enrollment pro- jections (Exhibit D), focusing on projected numbers for the 2010-11 school year. An Enrollment Projections Committee reviewed key assumptions and results from the census -based and cohort survival (grade progression) models to determine the projections through the 2014-15 school year. Assuming all factors that affect enroll- ment stay the same, the projections show enrollment continuing to decline slowly over the next four years and increasing slightly in the fifth year. The total district enrollment for 2010-11 is projected to decrease by 40 students to 27,407. The 2010-11 projections for grades K-12 show the following: • Elementary school enrollment increas- ing 133 students to 11,543; • Middle school enrollment decreasin• eo that showcased some Young Scholars activities and fea- tured student and staff interviews, Thomas stressed the positive impact this program has had on our students and their fami- lies, on academic growth and on student achievement. Last year, over 700 students received small group instruction with a YS specialist. Over 100 students have been identified for the G/T services who were missed through traditional identification methods. Thomas reported that 11 Cultural Fam- ily Advocates, or cultural liaisons, work at all 31 sites in the distract to assist families with linguistic and cultural differences in a manner that supports academic growth. They help families register for school, serve as a budge between home and school, and often diffuse conflict caused by cultural misunderstandings. This program began in 2001 to assist new immigrant families who were enrolling their children into our schools and expanded in 2005 as part of the Integration and Educational Equity Plan to further support academic achievement and parent involvement. Their work focuses on student success and family engagement by: • Helping families understand and navi- gate the school system; • Assisting and supporting with cultural adjustment and social/emotional develop- ment; • Enhancing communication through lin- guistic and/or cultural interpretation; • Working together with school counsel- ors or social workers and other profession- als to provide cross-cultural counseling; • Working cooperatively with school - based staff; and • Communicating expectations and poli- cies. Thomas introduced each advocate and related experiences they have had in the district. Superintendent Berenz asked the board to approve the 2008-09 Audited Compre- hensive Annual Financial Report outlined in Exhibit F and presented at the Novem- ber 9 School Board meeting by Bill Lauer, principal at Malloy, Montague, Karnowski, Radosevich & Co., PA (MMKR). Lauer re- ported the district general fund is in sound financial condition, ending the fiscal year June 30, 2009 with a general fund balance of $39.6 million, general fund revenues of $289 million and general fund expenditures of $319.6 million, Motion by Sampers, seconded by Duch- scher and carried, with seven members voting in favor, no members voting in op- position and no members abstaining, to approve the audited comprehensive annual financial report. Director of Teaching and Learning Steve Troen asked the board to approve the 2010- 11 High School Course Revisions outlined in Exhibit G and presented at the November 9 School Board meeting. agnus and carried. with seven members voting in favor, no members voting in opposition and no members abstaining, to approve the two-year agreement, effective July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011, with DCUE. Pederstuen highlighted terms from the collective bargaining agreement with the Support Staff Association of Independent School District 196, representing custodial, grounds, maintenance and warehouse em- ployees (Exhibit I). These terms include: • Increasing salary schedule cell by $.15 per hour effective July 1, 2009 and by $.14 effective July 1, 2010; • Increasing longevity schedules by $.10 per hour at each of the three levels each year; • Effective July 1. 2010 employees with 27 years of experience or more will receive a tax deferred matching contribution of $100 per year; • Distract contributions to health insur- ance increased to proportionately share the increased cost of coverage with employees; and • There were also some other minor lan- guage modifications in the contract. Pederstuen noted the total cost of the contract is within the ,parameters set by the School Board. He again recognized the hard work and long hours bargaining teams put in to reach this agreement. Motion by Sampers, seconded Duch- scher and carried, with seven members voting in favor, no members voting in op- position and no members abstaining, to approve the two-year agreement, effective July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011, with the Support Staff Association of Indepen- dent School District 196. Albright explained he pulled Exhibit C1, Personnel, from Consent since one of the items on that exhibit was an unpaid leave of absence for his wife and therefore he will abstain from voting on the exhibit. Motion by Coulson, seconded Schutte and carried, with six members voting in fa- vor of approving the personnel exhibit, no members voting in opposition and Albright abstaining. Joel Albright expressed his appreciation for all the District 196 community, especially Eastview and Diamond Path, did for his farn- ily while they dealt with his wife's illness. Berenz announced that District 196 stu- dents who participated in the College in the Schools program during 2008-09 earned 4,721 college credits valued at more than $1.5 million according to the University of Minne- sota. There were 1,034 students from all five high schools who took advantage of College in the Schools courses at our high schools. Roseen wished everyone a nice Thanks- giving and start of the holiday season. Motion by Magnuson, seconded by Schutte and carried, with seven members voting in favor, no members voting in op- positi.• .1. no members abstaining, to PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CITY OF EAGAN, DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA Project No. 1020 - Thomas Lake Woods Street Overlay NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Eagan, Dakota County, Minnesota, will meet at the Eagan Municipal Center at 3830 Pilot Knob Road, Eagan, Minnesota 55122, on Tuesday, January 19, 2010, at 6:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as possible. The purpose of the meeting will be to hold a public hearing on the improvements, known as Project No. 1020. The proposed project is in accor- dance with the preliminary engineering report dated December, 2009, prepared by the City Engineer. The estimated cost of the foregoing improvement is as follows: $156,000 The area proposed to be assessed for said improvements is described as follows: South Yx Section 28, Township 27, Range 23, West of Thomas Lake Road, in the City of Eagan, Dakota County, Minne- sota. All persons who desire to be heard with respect to the question of whether or not the above improvements should be made shall be heard at said time and place. Dated December 15, 2009 BY ORDER OF THE CITY COUNCIL /s/ Maria Petersen By: Maria Petersen Eagan City Clerk 2025588 1/1-1/8/10 PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursu- ant to Minn. Stat. § 103B.227, Subd. 5, the Black Dog Watershed Management Corn - mission is soliciting letters of interest for legal, auditing, and engineering services. Letters should be submitted to the Com- mission in care of: Mr. Daryl Jacobson Black Dog WMO Administrator Burnsville Maintenance Facility 13713 Frontier Court Burnsville, MN 55337 Written letters must be received on or before January 30, 2010. Dated: December 17, 2009. BY: Roger N. Knutson Attorney for the Black Dog Watershed Management Commission 2019720 1/1-1/8/10 ISD 196 Review/from 4A for the past 10 years, which works out to about 0.6 per- cent of the total population each year. According to the district, the losses have mostly been offset by new students moving into the district, officials said. The decline in enrollment is projected to continue for the next five years, and then begin to climb again in the 2014-15 school year. At that point, the district is expected to begin gaining about nine students each year. District 196 enrollment peaked in the 2003-04 school year at just under 29,000 stu- dents. Officials expect it to drop to a low of 27,000 before the shift begins. Enrollment numbers mat- ter because schools are funded based on the number of stu- dents they enroll, officials said. Estate listings kLive.com? eds, video and a fantastic today and ou are at it! M today! A pox on Pinewood Elementary Pinewood Elementary par- ents were alerted in March about an unusually high num- ber of chicken pox cases re- ported at the Eagan school. Pinewood counted 37 cases of chicken pox between Janu- ary and March. The outbreak prompted the Dakota County Public Health Department and Min- nesota Department of Health to recommend a second dose of the varicella (chicken pox) vaccine to students who have had just one dose. According to the school, the majority of cases involved students with one or no chick- en pox vaccinations. Of the 37 cases, 25 had al- ready received one dose of the vaccine. State health officials said they have seen a waning im- munity in children who have only had one dose, resulting in a resurgence of the disease in older children. However, at least four of the Pinewood cases involved students who had already been vaccinated twice. Those cases were less severe, accord- ing to the school's nurse. AYP and accolades Eighteen of the 32 schools in District 196 failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress in 2009, according to the Min- nesota Department of Educa- tion. . The state's AYP measure sets minimum standards that public schools and districts must meet for all students un- der the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. To make AYP, a school or district must have 100 percent of its students — regardless of ability — score proficient in both reading and math by 2014. This is the third year in a row the district failed to meet the federal standards, even though test scores improved overall compared to last year. "Our scores went up, it's just that our targets went up faster," said John Lindner, as- sessment specialist for District 196. Only about half of 2,300 Minnesota schools made Ad- equate Yearly Progress this year. While District 196 students as a whole scored above state averages in reading and math, all students and subgroups must meet the proficiency targets of those tests to make AYP. The district must now de- velop a new AYP plan and submit it to the Minnesota Department of Education. On a brighter note, two district schools were national- ly recognized when Newsweek magazine ranked them among the top 6 percent of U.S. pub- lic high schools in its annual report. The report names the 1,500 best high schools in the na- tion, 26 of which were in Min- nesota. Eastview High School was ranked 604, while Eagan High School came in at 1,324. Rankings are based on the number of students enrolled in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate coursework. Teachers, nurses sign contract The district ended the year by unanimously approving a two-year contract with its nurses and teachers. The new contract will provide both groups with a 1 percent raise for the current school year and a 1 percent raise in 2010-11. According to the district, a first -year teacher with a bachelor's degree will earn $36,230 this year under the new contract, and an experi- enced teacher with a master's degree will make $65,087 plus longevity pay. The new contract also splits the cost of health insur- ance premiums equally be- tween the district and DCUE members, and includes mi- nor improvements in longev- ity pay and dental reimburse- ments. The agreement is retroac- tive to July 1, 2009, and runs through June 30, 2011. Erin Johnson is at eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc.com. Eagan Review/from 3A The roundabout replaced four stop signs at the inter- section, which sees about 24,000 cars a day. Another major project included a $2.2 million ren- ovation for Wescott Library that debuted in January. The makeover included a brighter, more open layout, new carpeting, furniture and more efficient lighting, a new computer lab, a space dedicated to teens/young adults, and a reading nook in the children's area. The renovation also in- cluded space for a cafe, for which Dakota County is currently seeking a vendor to operate. Eagan got its own local cable television studio this year, replacing a joint studio formerly shared with Burns- ville. Called E-TV, the new stu- dio is located at Thomson Reuters headquarters on Opperman Drive. It brings with it a new lineup of lo- cal public access channels for Eagan residents, one of which is entirely devoted to citizen -generated content. Interested citizens can check out a camera from the studio and produce their own segments for the new station on Channel 20. Finally, some Eagan homeowners most affected by noise from the Minneap- olis -St. Paul Airport began seeing relief this year. Construction started on 62 homes in 2009, and work on the remaining 418 homes will begin in 2010 and be completed by 2012, according to the Metropoli- tan Airports Commission (MAC). All of the homes will receive noise insulation up- grades that could include central air, new windows, doors, and insulation. The noise insulation measures are the result of a lawsuit settlement between the cities of Eagan, Minne- apolis and Richfield and the MAC. Sad goodbyes Eagan saw its first mur- der in several years after Marianne Fogolin, 69, was killed by her 48-year-old son, Robert Ament, in an apparent murder -suicide in April. Their bodies went undis- covered for about two weeks until their neighbor at the View Pointe apartment complex on , Valley View Drive reported a foul smell. Police found Fogo- lin's body in her bed, and Ament's body was found in the living room. Both had been shot. There was no note and no sign of a struggle. Police said that while interviews with friends and family have yielded some theories, Ament's motive remains a mystery. Another Eagan resident, 19-year-old Kathryn Rose Anderson, was, killed after being stabbed more than 100 times and left in a ditch near Owatonna on Dec. 3. Anderson's boyfriend, 22-year-old Ryan Stanley Hurd, has been charged with second-degree mur- der in connection with her death. A 20-year-old Eagan man died March 7 after falling from a frost -covered roof in downtown Winona while smoking a cigarette. Kellen Donald Coatney, a former Winona State Uni- versity student, died of a head injury after falling about 10 feet from the roof of a metal garage. Eagan resident Amber L. Frandrup, 25, died after being thrown from a motor- cycle Memorial Day week- end, and Alexandria Jane Mardell, 20, was killed Nov.. 9 after being struck by a car while crossing the street in St. Paul. And Capt. Thomas J. Gramith, of Eagan, was killed when his fighter jet crashed in Afghanistan on July 17. • Gramith, 27, was piloting an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle when it crashed near Ghazni Province in eastern Afghanistan around 3:15 a.m. Kabul time. Military officials said they do not believe the crash was caused by enemy fire, describing it as a "non -hostile" crash. Good news An Eagan Marine who was awarded the Navy Cross was named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in 2009. Lance Cpl. Brady Gus- tafson was chosen for the annual issue's "Heroes and Icons" category, joining such recognizable names as Michelle Obama, Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, Rick Warren and Oprah Win- frey. Gustafson received the Navy Cross, the nation's second -highest award for valor, for his actions during an ambush in Afghanistan last summer. A member of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment based at Twentynine Palms, Calif.; Gustafson lost the lower part of his right leg in the battle. On March 19, Eagan neighbors united to find a missing '11-year-old special needs child within hours of his disappearance. Michael O'Hara was reported missing after he failed to come home from school that afternoon. He was found safe around 10 p.m. by a citizen, one of more than 100 who par- ticipated in the search af- ter receiving a phone alert through the police depart- ment's Emergency Pre- paredness Network. Eagan resident Tim Mc- Mahon had luck on his side when he competed on the game show "Deal or No Deal." He walked away with an extra $13,000 burning a hole in his pocket as one of five players to compete during the show's "Lottery Week," held July 13-17. And Brooke Kilgarriff will be the third woman from Eagan since 2005 to represent Minnesota in a national pageant. Kilgarriff was crowned the new Miss Minnesota June 20. She will now go on to compete in the Miss America Pageant, held in Las Vegas on Jan. 30. Erin Johnsonis at eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc.com. cember, the City Council ap- proved spending $173,700 on granulated activated carbon to filter the water. Further treatment recommendations are expected in January. Four dickens, 3 dogs The City Council voted in March to change the city's animal ordinance to allow homeowners to keep chick- ens. Four chickens are al- lowed, provided the owners pay a $50 permit fee per bird and meet a host of shelter and setback requirements. The ordinance change also raised the number of dogs per residence from two to three. The chicken amendment was prompted by a request from the Remund family on Myrtle Drive, which had been ordered to remove its chick- ens. Liquor licenses Two large retailers re- sponded quickly after the City Council voted in Sep- tember to allow more liquor licenses in Burnsville. The council approved a license for Byerly's at 401 E. County Road 42 on Dec. 22, Deputy City Manager Tom Hansen said. The store plans to replace its restaurant with a liquor store, he said. And the Costco chain has a pending application, Han- sen said. Costco has an agree- ment to buy the Grossman Chevrolet Cadillac property at 1200 W. 141 st St., he said, adding that the city isn't privy to the status or details of the agreement. The city has yet to receive a development application from Costco, Hansen said. Grossman Chevrolet Cadillac has been targeted for closure by General Motors. Costco's public expression of interest in a Burnsville lo- cation preceded the change in the liquor ordinance. Without it, the national chain, which includes liquor sales in its re- tail model, would have been frozen out of Burnsville. The change, which reduces spacing requirements be- tween liquor stores, would al- low five more off -sale licenses. The city now has seven liquor stores. Soldier Idled in Iraq Army Staff Sgt. Todd Sel- ge of Burnsville, who turned down the offer of a stateside recruiting job to serve a sec- ond tour in Iraq, was killed Sept. 3 in a vehicle rollover in the city of Baqubah, about 30 miles northeast of Baghdad in Diyala province. Selge, 25, was command- ing a Stryker armored ve- hicle that drove off the end of a bridge at night. Selge's platoon was returning from investigating the source of a rocket attack. The married father of two came from a military fam- ily and was a Burnsville High School graduate. Notable crimes • Brittany Marie Givens Copeland, 24, was either as- phyxiated or drowned in a murder -suicide on Jan. 25 at the Woods of Burnsville apartments, 14745 Portland Ave. S. The man renting the apart- ment, 23-year-old Adam Keith Williams, committed suicide by smoke inhalation, the Dakota County coroner said. • Tina SanRoman, 35, died of a stab wound on April 14, a week after she was assaulted at her townhouse on the 1600 block of Riverwoods Drive. Taylor James Pass, 19, of Eagan, was charged with two counts of second-degree mur- der. A jury acquitted him in November. • Michael Cody Schwartz, 25, allegedly shot and killed 25-year-old Logan Daniel Ahlers of Burnsville in the early -morning hours of Nov. 21 at Schwartz's apartment at 2700 Selkirk Drive. Schwartz's loaded pistol went off as he and Ahlers tussled over it after a night of drinking at a nearby bar, ac- cording to the criminal com- plaint. Schwartz was allegedly holding the gun. "That's my best friend," he allegedly told responding officers. Schwartz was also charged with reckless disre- gard of a firearm in a munici- pality, a felony, and two mis- demeanors: reckless handling or use of a gun and intention- ally pointing a gun at another. Apartment pests The owners of Charles - wood Apartments on County Road 5 in Burnsville faced litigation and continued pres- sure from city and Dakota County authorities over al- leged pest infestations and property code violations. The police Community Resources Unit assembled an extensive file on the complex, owned by brothers Hyder Ja- weed and Asgher Ali, after hearing a report of bedbugs. "The quality of life these people are living is just not right," said Sgt. Jeff Witte, who heads the unit. Restaurants The long -shuttered Bench - warmer Bob's Sports Cafe on Burnsville Parkway east of Interstate 35W was replaced in September by Anthony's Parkway Grille, owned by Burnsville bar owner Tony Marvets. The Mediterranean Cruise Cafe, which was dislodged by redevelopment in Eagan's Cedar Grove area, reopened in June in a new, $2.5 mil- lion building next to Nicollet Commons Park in Burns- ville's Heart of 'the City. The owner is Jamal Ansari. The vacant Romano's Macaroni Grill building next to Burnsville Center got a new occupant in October. bd's Mongolian Grill, which specializes in do-it-yourself stir fry, opened in October. John Gessner is at burnsville. thisweek@ecm-inc.com. Under the new policy, a student caught with a weapon or other dangerous object "may" be suspended and rec- ommended for expulsion. MIR A one-time board chair, Johnson was remembered as a man of deep faith and a strong advocate for public ed- ucation. He was also involved in jail ministry. Johnson was the Republican nominee for ville High School teacher and theater director was memo- rialized Dec. 5 at a service in the theater that bears his name. Mraz, 75, died Nov. 28 at St. Mary's Hospital in ochesiar 4A January 1, 2010 THISWEEK ISD 196 Review/from IA Dakota Hills Middle School Principal Steve Troen was chosen to replace Berenz as the new director of teach- ing and learning. Trevor Johnson was picked to replace Troen as the new principal of Dakota Hills Middle School. Johnson, an Eagan resident, was a middle school principal in the Edina and South St. Paul school dis- tricts. Voters showed their satis- faction with the direction of the district by re-electing three incumbents to the School Board on Nov. 3. Eight candidates filed to compete for the three open seats. Voters re-elected Art Coulson, Mike Roseen and Kevin Sampers to serve four- year terms from January 2010 through January 2014. Sampers will serve his fifth consecutive term on the board, while Roseen will be- gin his sixth term. This will be Coulson's first full term on the board — he was originally ap- pointed to serve the remain- der of the term vacated by Bruce Endler. Budget adjustments The School Board ap- proved $10 million in budget adjustments for the 2009-10 school year in the face of a possible $18 million deficit. Officials said s they an- ticipate little to no funding increases, and possibly even cuts, from the state over the next biennium. The district was already planning to draw down about $9 million from its fund bal- ance for the 2009-10 school year. Additional adjustments will come from about $4 mil- lion in cuts and $6 million in new revenue. The new revenue includes $2.5 million from the federal economic stimulus package. Cuts include reductions ' in school supplies, teacher train- ing, and fuel costs. They will also include the loss of 35 jobs, both teacher and admin- istrative positions The School Board in Sep- tember also approved a $79.4 million preliminary property tax levy for taxes payable in 2010. The proposed levy limit represents an increase of 5.71 percent, or about $4.3 million, over last year. This is the first time in re- cent years the district has seen a levy increase, officials said. Bye-bye birthday treats, hello local lunches The district's elementary students began the 2009-10 school year with a ban on bringing treats or small gifts to share with other students on their birthdays. The birthday -treat ban is part of the district's wellness policy that aims to promote and protect the health and well-being of students. The district cited child- hood obesity rates, food al- lergies, and sensitivity to the economic struggles of some families as reasons for the ban. The ban doesn't just fo- cus on food, but any kind of birthday treat, such as toys or pencils. Officials said there were often inequities in what stu- dents would bring to share, which could make it difficult for some students. According to the district, Pay ONLY $20.10 Joining Fee when you become a YMCA member. Save over $225 with a FREE fitness consultation and assessment to start your New Year off right! New Year: 2010 students will still be recog- nized on their birthdays, the recognition just won't focus on food and gifts. The district also began of- fering students a new locally grown food item each month in 2009 as part of a nation- al program called Farm to School. So far, district students have munched on Honeycrisp apples, corn on the cob, but- ternut squash and grass-fed beef hot dogs, all from area farms. About 20,000 students participate in the district's lunch program. late starts and increased enrollment Schools in District 196 will begin the next two school years after Labor Day. The School Board made the decision after lawmakers rejected a bill that would have allowed pre -Labor Day starts in 2009-10 and 2010-11. Labor Day comes late the next two years, falling on Sept. 7 this year and on Sept. 6 in 2010. That pushes the end of the school year out later into June. The district would have preferred a pre -Labor Day start, officials said. • Current Minnesota law prohibits public schools from starting before Labor Day, but the Legislature has approved exceptions in previous years when the holiday fell late. District 196 announced last month it could see its stu- dent population increase in 2014 after 10 years of small declines. The district has been losing about 200 students each year See ISD 196 Review, 8A Ken Nelson COULD THE TIMING BE BETTER? Automobiles have either timing belts or timing chains that control the timing of the engine's valves. While timing chains are constructed of metal and can be expecte Announcements Engagements Kadrlik- Vanderveren Scott and Pamela Kadr- lik of Apple Valley would like to announce the engagement of their daughter Krista to Brad- ley Vanderveren of Pulaski, Wis. Krista was a 2005 gradu- ate of Apple Valley High School. She received her bachelor's degree in exer- cise science and sports sci- ence from the University of Wisconsin River Falls in May 2009. Bradley is the son of Luke and Christine Vanderveren of Pulaski. Bradley graduated in 2004 from Pulaski High School. He attended the Univer- sity of Wisconsin River Falls where he received his bachelor's degree in con- servation in May 2008. A July 2, 2010, wedding is planned at The Church of the Risen Savior in Burnsville. Weddings Harvey -Olson Rianna Harvey and Bar- rett Olson, both of Savage and formerly of Lakeville, plan to marry. Rianna, daughter of Heike and David Harvey of Lakeville, is a 2002 graduate of Lakeville High School and a 2006 gradu- ate of the University of Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in nutri- tion science. She is cur- rently employed by Gen- eral Mills in Minneapolis. Barrett, son of Sherry and Marc Olson of Lakeville, is a 2002 gradu- ate of Lakeville High School and a 2009 gradu- ate of the University of St. Thomas with a bachelor's degree in entrepreneurship. He is currently employed by Automotion in Minne- apolis. A destination wedding is planned on Jan. 25, 2010, at the Barcelb Palace, Riviera Maya, Mexico. A reception will be held Ma} 14, 2010, at The Wilds Golf Club in Prior Lake. Congratulations Eagan Review/from IA As the land continued to sit empty, the city began negotiations with the Rahn Family Partnership to buy a four -acre site for a new fire safety campus, which would include replacement build- ings for an existing fire sta- tion and the fire administra- tion building. While the city awaited the Rahn Family's signature on a purchase agreement for $450,000, the 120-acre prop erty fell into foreclosure. Unable to reach an agree- ment with the bank, the City Council authorized the use of eminent domain to ac- quire the parcel. That move seemed to jump-start an- other round of negotiations, and on Dec. 29 the city pur- chased the parcel from the bank for the original price of $450,000. The fate of the property's remaining 116 acres is still unknown, but Rahn Fam- ily attorney Richard Gabriel said his clients have been in negotiations with a develop- er interested in purchasing the property and closing on it this spring. Progress on the Cedar Grove redevelopment area also stalled in 2009 as the city and three property own- ers continued to battle it out in court. Eagan decided to appeal the case to the Minnesota Supreme Court after a rul- ing that its Economic Devel- opment Authority exceeded the scope of its powers by condemning the three busi- nesses. The businesses — Larson Automotive Repair Ser- vices, Competition Engines and U-Haul — sued the city when it attempted a quick - take condemnation of their properties for a planned ur- ban village. An initial court ruling sided with the city. An ap- peals court reversed that decision, claiming the city council limited its EDA's power of eminent domain by requiring a binding de- velopment agreement before any property could be ac- quired. No such agreement was Photo by Rick Orndorf Construction on Eagan's second roundabout, located at Diffley and Rahn roads, was completed in October. in place at the time of con- demnation. Mayor Mike Maguire said in a statement that the appeals court reached that conclusion on "narrow tech- nical grounds." In September the Su- preme Court agreed to hear the case, but no court date has been set. The economy also im- pacted the Cedar Grove project as original plans un- derwent a major revision to accommodate the changing housing and retail markets. Located east of Cedar Avenue along Highway 13, the Village at Cedar Grove has long been planned as a mix of commercial retail space, life -cycle housing, office buildings, and open space. The new concept divides the area into two phases, with the east half of the redevelopment area — bor- dered by Silver Bell Road and Cedar Grove Parkway — being developed as phase one. Phase one, which encom- passes' about 60 percent of the land, will include 150 units of senior housing, 250 apartment units, two four- story hotels, a retail build- ing with three or four ten- ants, and a building for child care/commercial use. Plans for a future phase have yet to be determined and could be affected by the outcome of the court deci- sion. Signs of progress There were some signs of life in the Cedar Grove area as more buildings were de- molished and construction began on a transit station that will eventually anchor the west side of the urban village. The park and ride is the first phase of a future Bus Rapid Transit system planned along Cedar Av- enue. The project will in- clude a bus shelter, a park- ing lot with 143 stalls, and a 21-stall pick-up/drop-off parking area. The station will begin by offering traditional bus ser- vice when it opens in late 2009 or early 2010. Construction also be- gan on a youth transitional housing development in the Cedar Grove area that will open this spring. Located on the corner of Cedar Grove Parkway and Gold Trail, Lincoln Place will feature 24 affordable efficiency apartments for 18- to 25-year-olds who may have nowhere else to go. The facility will serve young adults who need sup- portive services, who may be leaving foster care or are at risk of becoming homeless, according to the Dakota County's Community De- velopment Agency, which is overseeing the project. A long-awaited round- about was completed at the intersection of Rahn and Diffley roads in October af- ter a year -long delay. The $1.3 million joint project between the city and Dakota County is Eagan's second roundabout, but the first with multiple lanes. See Eagan Review, 11A THISWEEK January 1, 2010 3A THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATRONAGE IN 2009... WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU IN 2010 SINCERELY, Nearly twenty years as the area's finest designer jewelry and diamond gallery Authorized Lazarre Diamond retailer Dazzling engagement rings from A. Jaffe, Dianna Classic and more American Gemologist Society member Custom designs, professional consultation, accurate appraisals, and guaranteed satisfaction repairs Incredible expanded selection for the holidays Something for every budget Southport Centre in Apple Valley SE corner of County Road 42 & Cedar Call 952-432-9595 Tues 10-5, Wed & Thurs 10 - 7, Fri 10 - 5, Sat 10 - 3 Visit www.JayFJeweler.com IL T H E LAZARE DIAMOND ( )19 jg-.),- VIVANT 111‘ 14-)71/2_,,, Photo by Erin Johnson Tables set up for filling out applications were packed, as were two seminars on job search skills offered at a job fair in March at the Eagan Civic Arena. Economy dominated in 2009 Development stalled, the city struggled with budget issues, and battles over Carriage Hills, Cedar Grove continued by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS The economy was the biggest story ev- erywhere in 2009, and Eagan was no ex- ception. The impact was seen in stalled develop- ment, crunched budgets, job losses and de- creasing home values. • The city spent the year continually tweaking its budget as it dealt with infla- tion and lost state aid, resulting in the loss of 9.2 employee positions and some cuts in city services. A job fair at the Civic Arena in March saw its highest turnout in nine years, draw- ing nearly 4,000 people. Northwest Air- lines put its Eagan headquarters up for sale as it began moving operations to Atlanta, Thomson Reuters laid off 120 workers, and demand at food shelves continued to outpace supply. Despite of all the economic doom and gloom, some projects did move forward in Eagan, including a renovation of the Wescott Library, relief for the first round of homeowners affected by airport noise, a new roundabout, and some new construc- tion in the Cedar Grove redevelopment area. Here's a recap of some of the top stories of 2009. Stalled development The year began with a green light from voters to develop the former Carriage Hills golf course into housing; but no developer was interested in taking on the job. The original developer, Wensmann Homes, went out of business shortly af- ter the November 2008 referendum. With housing sales slumping and new construc- tion slowing to a halt, the property failed to attract another buyer. See Eagan Revi A o Iiiii;ilmigL 1fli • Water's Edge CHC offers a multidisciplinary treatment team including psychologists, dietitians, chaplain, yoga instructor, and an integrative medicine physician. • Individualized care allows each client to personalize their treatment team and treatment plan. • Local, state-of-the-art treatment in a comfortable, home -like environment. • Multiple levels of care including an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), individual, family and group therapy. • Multiple evening groups offer meal support, mindful eating experiences, skill teaching and support. • Also treating depression, anxiety, social anxiety, trauma, grief, adjustment issues, OCD, sexual health, couple issues, and more. Imme RECLAIM OUR LIFE. WE CAN HELP. COUNSELING ca'zt� Southcross 952.898.5020 HEALING 0 Burnsville, MN 55306 www.watersedgechc.com B� rim District 196 sees new super, same school board in 2009 Budget cuts, chicken pox, and a ban on birthday treats also made news last year by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS The Rosemount -Apple Valley -Eagan School District hired a new superintendent in 2009 as officials dealt with an $18 million budget deficit, an outbreak of chicken pox, and a ban on birthday treats. 2009 also saw the re- electioh of three incumbent School Board members and a new two-year contract with teachers and nurses. Following is a recap of the year's top stories. New faces, returning favorites The year began with a search for a new superinten- dent after John Currie an- nounced he was retiring June 30 after more than six years with the district. Twenty people applied to replace Currie as head of the state's fourth largest district, which serves approximately 27,500 students. The School Board ulti- mately chose Jane Berenz, the district's director of teaching and learning. Berenz, who has worked for the district for 22 years, began her association with District 196 as a kindergar- ten student at Rosemount El- ementary School. A graduate of Apple Val- ley High School, Berenz held several positions in the dis- trict over the years, including as a teacher, principal and ad- ministrator. See ISD 196 Review, 4A 16A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005 www.mnSun.com Eagan From Page 1A The groups also worked most of the year to come up with a way to protect an- other piece of the greenway, the Caponi Art Park directly to the south of Patrick Eagan Park. Those efforts resulted in a memorandum of understanding in De- cember that could ultimately lead to the park being preserved. Airport noise With the scheduled opening of the new north -south runway at the Min- neapolis -St. Paul International Airport set for late 2005, airport noise is an issue that will not be going away any time soon for Eagan. The year that just concluded saw city officials and residents raising their con- cerns over not only existing airport noise, but also the chance of increasing noise once the new runway opens. At the heart of much of the commo- tion was a September decision by the Metropolitan Airports Commission to scale back its proposed extension of noise mitigation efforts. The amended plan covers only air conditioning installation for some homes further out from the airport than had been included in the past. The earlier noise abatement plan called for more extensive insulation choices, including window and door treatments, acoustic storm doors and windows, and wall and attic insulation, just as homes closer to the airport re- ceive. By the noise level contours that deter- mine who gets into the mitigation pro- gram, Eagan would have only 492 homes that fall into the new boundary. Accord- ing to Eagan officials, all but 100 of those homes already have air conditioning. "What really bothers me is that they made a commitment to the communities in 1996 and they really reneged on that in my opinion," Eagan Mayor Pat Geagan said. "They've really let us down and I'm trying to be nice there." Since the MAC's decision, Minneapo- lis has announced it intends to sue over the changes. Several other communities surrounding the airport, including Rich- field and Eagan, signed an agreement in December that allows them to share in- formation with Minneapolis and consid- er joining the suit at a later date. "It's kind of sad that to get them to live up to what was promised we may have to go to court," Geagan said. "Litigation is certainly one option, but I'm not sure if anybody wants to go that way if we don't have to." Development As Eagan moves closer and closer to Andy Blenkush/Sun Newspapers The site of the former Diamond T Ranch remained vacant in 2004, as the City Council deliberated over the development of the site. build out, development of its remaining undeveloped areas will always be a big issue. Proposals that came before the City Council in 2004 were no exception. Eagan -based Wensmann Realty pro- posed a housing development for Car- riage Hills Golf Course toward the be- ginning of 2004. The developer hoped to transform the 120-acre course into an up- scale subdivision. However, in August the Eagan City Council declined to change the city's comprehensive guide plan to allow the development to proceed. Since then, Wensmann Realty and the Rahn family, which owns and runs the course, have sued the city seeking to have the decision reversed. The suit accuses the council of de- priving the failing 18-hole course of an "economically viable" future by refusing to change the land -use designation from park to low -density residential. Another controversial development, the proposed luxury home development for the former Diamond T Ranch proper- ty, also finished 2004 up in the air. The Eagan City Council voted in Au- gust to require an environmental assess- ment worksheet for the development be- fore the process can move along. That EAW has since been completed and the public comment period for it wrapped up in December. The property is on the west side of Pilot Knob Road, south of Cliff Road and across from Lebanon Hills Regional Park. Toll Brothers' plans for the site in- clude 36 luxury single-family homes on the northern portion of the property and 73 townhouses on the southern part. Based on the EAW results, the council could allow the development to proceed or it could decide the property needs the more thorough review provided by an environmental impact statement (EIS) before development could occur. That de- cision should come during the early part of 2005. "We need to keep at this until we have a project that we can all be proud of," Geagan said. Crime As it tends to be every year, 2004 was a quiet year when it came to crime for Eagan. However, the city did see its first murder in two years as well as a many at- tempted break-ins on the west side of the city. Lavora Arneca Galbert, 42, is facing three counts of murder in the Sept. 17 shooting death of the father of her 10- year-old son. Galbert allegedly shot Cleveland Nason in her Eagan apart- ment. As of the end of 2004, Galbert re- mained in the Dakota County Jail wait- ing her next court appearance on the charges. Eagan Police are also seeking a sus- pect in the attempted break-ins and one sexual assault that took place in a month's time frame starting in early Oc- tober. The incidents started with an Oct. 11 sexual assault in the 3800 block of Bal- lantrae Road. The victim in the attack awoke to find an unidentified male in her bedroom. The suspect fled the scene after sexually assaulting the woman. Since that initial attack, the Eagan Po- lice Department has fielded reports of four attempted break-ins all within a mile radius of the Cedar Grove neigh- borhood where the first attack took place. Grass fire Over the past four years something that's almost become a given for Eagan every couple years has been the possibil- ity of a grass fire along the Minnesota River. The area saw grass fires in 2000 and again in 2002 and 2004 was no different. A grass fire sparked by a passing train scorched more than 1,000 acres in the river bottoms along the northwestern edge of the city April 14. While the Eagan fire didn't damage any property or seriously injure any- body, it did cause other problems. Smoke from the fire affected several surround- ing communities and limited visibility on nearby roads and highways. Retiring The year also saw the retirement of one of the city's administrators that helped make Eagan into the green city it is today. Eagan Park and Recreation Di- rector Ken Vraa retired in March, dos- ing out a 24-year chapter in the city's his- tory. Vraa ended up in Eagan in 1979 after nine years working in the St. Louis Park Parks and Recreation Department. He started out in St. Louis Park run- ning the city's community cen- ter and ended up as director of the department for the last six years. Eagan is a far cry from what he came to those many years ago. Still in the ini- tial stages of development, Eagan had 13 parks, with only seven of them devel- oped, representing fewer than 300 acres. Today, Eagan has 58 parks representing 1,400 acres. Vraa oversaw the completion of sev- eral different large facilities during his time with the city. Besides the newly completed Eagan Community Center, the Cascade Bay water park and the Eagan Civic Arena were also built under Vraa's watch. "There were very few days that I did- n't look forward to coming to work," he said. "I have a passion for parks and peo- ple and the city gave me the chance to live that passion." Vraa ww.mnSun.com Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•CurrentfThursday, Jan. 6, 2005 15A Major Vacation Discounts 1 & 2 Bedroom Suites at Luxury Resorts, Cruises and All Inclusive Vacations: x Price: $299/wk Florida ur Price: $279 wk Las Vegas Our Price: $259/wk Our Price: $299 4- Hawai ;;;.. • * * Our Price: $329/w Arizona Our Price: Price: $299/wk Why So Inexpensive? Because of Excess Developer Inventory When a resort is developed, their number one goal is to fill up their rooms. This can sometimes take several years to accomplish. We help both the developer and the vacationer by securing large blocks of rooms from the developer at a major discount. We then pass that savings on to you! For exam- ple; a room at a 5-star luxury resort that normally costs $225+ per night, will cost you just $299.00 for the entire week. Eagan saw familiar issues, change Year marked by charter proposal, open space, airport noise, development issues BY JOSHUA NICHOLS Sun Newspapers Perhaps the year 2004 for the city of Eagan can be summed up best by the old saying: The more things change the more they stay the same. Eagan saw numerous develop- ments over the course of the year, yet most of them came in areas where Eagan residents were al- ready familiar. Controversy with city govern- ment? That made a reappearance with the Eagan charter proposal in 2004. Airport noise issues? Everybody knows that isn't going away any time soon. Preservation of open space? Always an impor- tant issue in Eagan and 2004 was no different. So, as we look back at what was 2004, let's take a quick look at ex- actly how things stayed the same while still seeing some changes. Charter proposal The year began with the Eagan Charter Commission working out the final details of the charter proposal it would soon put before voters. While the proposal did go be- fore voters in November, and was defeated by an 80 percent margin with the 'no' votes totaling 25,078 and the 'yes' votes coming in at 6,159, the issue hasn't been re- solved yet. The commission didn't vote on the next step for the proposal dur- ing its first meeting following the election. Instead, it plans to take Andy Blenkush/Sun Newspapers Rebecca Larson and Karrin Melton wear their patriotic colors for all to see at the Eagan Fourth of July Celebration parade. up the issue during its first meet- ing of the new year in February and could decide to either dis- solve the commission or write a new charter proposal for voters to consider. Commissioner Patti Hurd said the experience of putting togeth- er the first proposal and experi- encing friction with the Eagan City Council are things the com- mission needs to keep in mind if it continues with its work in 2005. "We need to work on that rela- tionship and continue to educate the voters," Hurd said. "We need to look at what we can learn from this process. That relationship has hampered us and we need to see if we can bridge that gap." Open space The Friends of the Eagan Core Greenway continued to work closely with the city and various other groups, including Dakota County, the state DNR and the nonprofit Trust for Public Land, to preserve the city's remaining green space. The high point of that effort came in July when a press con- ference marked the preservation of nine acres that were added to Patrick Eagan Park in central Eagan. The park is one of the main pieces in the Eagan Core Green - way, which stretches from the area around the park down to Lebanon Hills Regional Park at the Eagan/Apple Valley border. The various groups got togeth- er to raise the $900,000 to pur- chase the property, which the Friends of the Eagan Core Green - way saw as the first step in rais- ing funding to preserve the entire Greenway. EAGAN: To Page 16A up to 3/4 ton Free Lifetime Warranty L NM MIN J SAVE $37.00 FURY MOTORS MAINTENANCE CHECK-UP. OIL AND FILTER CHANGE, TIRE ROTATION, BRAKE INSPECTION $1295 most cars, light trucks slightly higher most cars, and light trucks up to 3/4 ton r 'SAVE $20.001 COOLANT SYSTEM FLUSH 1 $54.95 most cars, light trucks slightly higher r ADVISOR FOR DETAILS M-T 7:30-9PM FRI 7:30-5:30PM SAT 7:30-4PM 'SAVE $10.00 1 1 AN OIL AND FILTER CHANGE 4x4 DIFFERENTIAL, , FOR ONLY 12 . 95 ! .. 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Riding for a Dakota Trails plans 31st Annual Ride-A-Thon for Dakota Communities BY ERICA CHRISTOFFER Sun Newspapers erry and Rosie Schaack are hoping for snow - and one or two flakes won't do. The Schaacks are chairing the Dakota Trails Association's 31st Annual 100- Mile Snowmobile Ride-A-Thon Jan. 15. All proceeds from the event are do- nated to Dakota Communities Inc., an Eagan -based nonprofit organization pro- viding residential, in -home and respite services to adults with developmental disabilities. "We want to keep it close to home be- cause we know there is an awful lot of need out in our area," Rosie Schaack said. Integrating Christian Faith and Learning Eagan FROM PAGE 12A More new faces, events Eagan also got new leaders for both its public safety departments in 2006. Mike Scott didn't just become Eagan's new fire chief, he became the city's first, as he was hired as the volun- teer fire department's first full-time pro- fessional chief in February. Scott was a veteran firefighter and a captain with the Dakota County Sheriff's Office before he was hired. Another familiar face was hired to lead the city's Police Department when former chief Kent Therkelsen left to oversee Dakota County's new communi- cations center in May. The City Council named James McDonald, who had been with the department since 1988, as its police chief in September. Eagan also had its first Flag Day cele- bration June 14. The event featured a USO-Style show and an interactive "Fireside Chat" and was put on by the Eagan Seniors group and the Eagan Historical Society. The Caponi Art Park also played host to the Greenway Music Festival in September. The Friends of the Eagan Core Greenway put on the program and ticket sales went toward preserving the park. Parks and open space Issues concerning parks and open space also found their fair share of headlines in 2006 and received plenty of interest from residents. SCOTT THEISEN • SUN NEWSPAPERS Red Pine Elementary physical education teacher Andy Wilkins receives a buzz cut from Kelly Carney of Cole's Salon during a celebration Feb. 16 feting the students' raising $10,000 for the American Heart Association. (For more photos, visit our online Photo Gallery at www.mnSun.com.) The city received good news in May when the Minnesota Court of Appeals overturned a ruling made by the Dakota County District Court that would have allowed for the development of Carriage Hills Golf Course. The City Council voted to uphold an earlier decision to deny a zoning change EAGAN: TO PAGE 16A In the Community, With the Community, For the Community TECHNICAL COLLEGE 16A Apple Valley, Rosemount & Egan Sig:Current —Thursday, Dec. 28, 2006 — www.mnSun.com In the Community, With the Community, For the Co Eagan FROM PAGE 14A and block development at the park in January after the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in favor of the city of Mendota Heights in a similar case involving the Mendota Heights Par 3 Golf Course. The decision came much to the delight of about 80 residents. The city also developed a master plan for Patrick Eagan Park, a process that ran dur- ing much of the fall. The plan was approved by the City Council in November and is designed to keep the park as a rustic, natu- ral area. The non-profit group Friends of the Eagan Core Greenway had a large amount of input on the plan and continues to remain active in open space issues in Eagan. A new miniature golf course also opened at the Cascade Bay water park last summer. Making the list Eagan received attention in the national media in July when it waS named the 12th- best place to live in the United States by MONEY Magazine. The magazine chose from 745 cities with populations of more than 50,000 and published a list of the top 100 places to live. Eagan was chosen for its higher -than - average median household income and higher -than -average job growth, among other factors. The Metropolitan Council had announced earlier in the year that Eagan had the highest job growth of any city within the metropolitan area from 2000 to 2004. It was also noted that Eagan was above average in the percentage of residents with some college education and had better access to restaurants, movie theaters and libraries than most cities. Animals in the city While Eagan is mostly a fully developed urban suburb, animals received their share of attention in the city during the past year. A complaint by neighbors early in the year led the City Council to spend numer- ous meetings in the first half of the year on receiving input from residents and staff on licensing the harboring of pigeons before the final restrictions were adopted in July. Among those speaking to the council was Erik Drenckhahn, an Eagan resident who is a member of the Twin City Pigeon Racing Club. He and club members participate in pigeon races, where their birds are released simultaneously from one location and then the winners are determined by their aver- age speed on their trip back home. An unexpected guest visited residents walking in Patrick Eagan Park in October, when they spotted a black bear. Park staff also found bear footprints around the park near the date of the sighting. The City Council will also face a decision in the coming year on whether or not to allow egg -laying chickens in the city's resi- dential area. Currently the city allows them only in its few agricultural zones. The issue was brought up by 14-year-old Heather Goff, who wants to raise organic chickens for their eggs. Remembered After nearly a two-year battle with a rare form of bone cancer, Eagan High School senior Abby Szott, 17, died in March. A for- mer gymnast, Abby was remembered by friends for her contagious smile, energy and positive outlook. SCOTT THEISEN • stitg NEWSPAPERS Walkers from the Twin Cities Breast Cancer 3-Day flood the sidewalk along Diffley Road in Eagan. (For more photos, visit our online Photo Gallery at www.mnSun.com.) mmunity, With the Community, For the Community CHECK IT OUT Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Catch the NFL Action Mon. Night Football Texas Ho!d'em *Sign up today Karaoke Karaoke Fri & Sat 11am-2am cum www.mnSun.com—Thursday, Dec. 28, 2006 — Apple Valley, Rosemount & Eagan Sun -Current 15A SPECIAL EVENT ROOMS We have rooms for 20-200 people. Whether it's our main level event room, or our two lower level rooms, we have space for you. Let us make your next event memorable! Our main level event room offers seating for up to 65 people. This room is conveniently located off the main dining room, separated by French doors for your privacy. Our lower level East room features a dance floor and seating for up to 200 people. Dance the night away in this elegant setting! With the con- venience of your own private bar and lobby, you'll love the special atten- tion this room offers. Newly remodeled! Our lower level West room offers seating for up to 80 people. This beautiful room is perfect for your special event. No matter what room you choose, you get the same great service! Included with every room rental, you receive linen tablecloths, colored linen napkins, centerpieces, set-up, clean-up, and servers/bartenders for your event. CALL FOR DETAILS SCOTT THEISEN • SUN NEWS k°E t' Eagan resident Eric Drenckhahn, an avid pigeon racer, peers out one of the windows in a pigeon coop in his back yard. (For more photos, visit our online Photo Gallery at www.mnSun.com.) Eagan FROM PAGE 1A Councilmember Mike Maguire defeated his counterpart Cyndee Fields, and will take over as mayor in January. Fields will continue to serve the final two years of her term on the council. Councilmember Peggy Carlson easily won re-election and the council will also be joined by former council member Paul Bakken, who voters elected to take Maguire's seat. After the election, Eagan had both a new state senator and representative. Democratic challenger Jim Carlson defeated incumbent Mike McGinn in Senate District 38. Democrat Sandra Masin also unseated Rep. Tim Wilkin in a close race that required a recount in House District 38A. Three of Eagan's incumbent legisla- tors were able to win their races in an election that saw many incumbents thrown out of office statewide. Sen. Jim Metzen, D-39, and Reps. Lynn Wardlow, R-38B, and Rick Hansen, D-39B, won their races and will remain in office. EAGAN: TO PAGE 14A In the Community, With the Community, For the Community DAF TA CQUNTY TECHNICAL COLLEGE Anotheryear" on the books in Eagan i, The events, people, and, yes, even animals that made news in 2006 GRANT BOELTER • SUN NEWSPAPERS Another year has passed in Eagan, but not without its share of headlines. As 2006 was an election year, politics gar- nered many a headline. The November elections brought a number of new faces to leadership positions in Eagan. It was known early on that there would be a new mayor elected in Eagan, as outgoing Mayor Pat Geagan announced well before the filing period that he would not seek re-election. That left two council members to face off for the top position in Eagan. In the end EAGAN: TO PAGE 12A Eagan Apple Valley Rosemount curw URRE Dec. 29 2011 • V36.52 In the Community, With the Community, For the Communi 2011 Year in Review Another memorable year in Dakota County A look back at the stories that shaped the past year One year is about to end and another will soon begin. The past year, Sun - Current reporters dove head first into your communities to cover city, school, county and human -interest stories. For this year -in -review story, the Sun -Current staff compiled a round -up of the stories that shaped the past year. While this is not a "best of" or top ten list of stories, we hope that these are some of the stories are ones that you, the reader, eared about YEAR IN REVIEW: TO PAGE 4 The University of Minnesota's UMore Park in Rosemount is the site of a new wind research station. A 420-foot wind turbine and 425-foot weather tower will help the academic and wind industry consortium, EOLOS, conduct its research. (Photo by Matthew Hankey — Sun Newspapers) Eagan lowers tax levy, property taxes still increase New homestead exclusion puts added tax burden on business owners BY MATTHEW HANKEY SUN NEWSPAPERS Despite a lower tax levy, Eagan -property taxes are fore- cast to increase in 2012. At its Dec. 20 meeting, the Eagan City Council voted unan- imously to approve its 2012 budget and tax levy presented at the Dec. 6 Truth in Taxation hearing at the council cham- bers. The new 2012 city property tax levy will be $27,425,000, a decrease of 2.9 percent from this year's $28,247,000 levy. The council also approved a 1.3 percent increase to the city's general fund budget from $27,687,900 this year to $28,040,000 in 2012. City officials had planned for taxes to remain level from last year for the majority of homeowners. However, City BUDGET: TO NEXT PAGE e e k l y Super Savings 2 savecom Get your ad in print & online at zip2save com rti ,,fir nrrfrrr �rdty r r f:: w5 SeArrii sr'ru.a< Chef kout>s inniofatcon OUR NEWS CYCLE 1S ALWAYS RIJNN IC • EVERY THURSDAY AT YOUR DOORSTEP • NEWS UPDATES ONLINE AT MNSUN.COM www.Minnl.00411COm TOM HOMETOWN M YOUR HOMETOWN NEWS 2 Apple Valley, Rosemount & Eagan Sun -Current —Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011— www.minnlocal.com In the Community, With the Community, For the Community Nursing Home? Maybe Not a.. Se • 'or Ca ' Be t Home, L lying at home is usually possible. We pcwi do peisowliicri one-to-one cane and assistance at home. • Hourly or 24-hour care • Memory care • Personal care • Med administration • Meals; exercises • A+ BBB rating ,; e. 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"That credit, suppos- edly, was received by the city so that you would end up being the benefi- ciary of a credit," Hedges said. "The city was to receive, in 2011, a little over a million dol- lars. This is money that is supposed to come back from the state." The city did not receive the money from the state, but homeowners will still see some tax relief in the form of a mar- ket value exclusion, said Director of Administrative Services Gene VanOverbeke. "The market value credit and the market value exclusion have the same value relative to the property," VanOverbeke said. The exclusion program lowers the taxable market value of homeowner's properties. The lower the home value, the more exclusion is calculated for that home. As home values increase, the exclu- sion decreases, as does the tax relief for homeowners of higher -valued proper- ties. A home valued at $250,000 would have a taxable market value of $236,215. This takes into account the $14,485 exclusion. Since the state no longer funds the market value credit program, it has shifted much of the tax burden to busi- ness owners. The market value exclu- Mike Maguire click refresh \iitto get a boarding pass Paul Bakken sion applies only to residential property owners. "Since they do not receive the exclu- sion, more of the tax burden is shifted towards commercial, industrial," VanOverbeke said. Homeowners will also pay a portion of the increased taxes, but not as much as business owners. The value of an average -valued Eagan home is anticipated to drop from $241,744 this year to $237,696 next year. However, city taxes will be increased to $805 per property, an increase of $5. Compared to nine other Dakota County cities and eight comparably sized metro cities, Eagan's taxes are on the low end. The average for these 18 cities is $998 for the city portion of property taxes, nearly $200 more than the Eagan aver- age. "If we're low, we take great pride in that," said Hedges. At the Dec. 6 meeting, Eagan resident and business owner, Michael C. Gresser said it was unfair for the city to increase taxes in a tough economy, particu- larly for construction and building workers. "We decided early on that we were not ready to compromise the level of our services," said Councilmember Paul Bakken in response to Gresser's comments. Mayor Mike Maguire shared Gresser's frustrations with the higher taxes, particularly for business owners, because the city worked hard to limit tax increases, if any. Maguire said he wished it were man- dated that state legislators attended Truth in Taxation hearings, especially in a year when the change in homestead credit programs increased property taxes. "If not for the legislative action con- verting the homestead market value credit to an exemption, you would have gotten the same services at lower costs," Maguire said. K JANUARY 6, 2012 VOLUME 32, NO. 45 Th 111 www.thisweeklive.com Opinion/4A Free bluegrass concerts return to Rosemount. See Thisweekend Page 1A. Bpirnsside-ra Announcements/5A Sports/9A all Classifieds/10A 11/ A EWS N " P oS Public Notices/13A 2A January 6, 2012 THISWEEK Burnsville/from 1A north end of town. A long- awaited interchange project was finally approved. City officials prepared for future development while also spending hun- dreds of enforcement hours at an aging and ill -kept apartment complex. An ob- solete shopping center was torn down to make way for senior housing. And a lucky Burnsville couple won the biggest prize .rau city to help relocate resi- dents in the event of a mass exodus forced by a council decision to revoke. Help is still available, but "most of them want to stay," said Rebecca Bowers, the agency's vice president of development. "They want their apartments to be fixed up and they want to stay." The number of vacan- cies rose from 21 on Oct. 18, when the council barred Lindahl from accepting new possible office and retail de - Community Development Agency, in partnership with Presbyterian Homes, is redeveloping the site at Burnsville Parkway and County Road 5. There will be 140 units on the 13.4-acre property - 80 affordable, indepen- dent -living units owned and managed by the CDA, and 60 assisted -living and mem- ory -care units managed by Presbyterian Homes. There's land left over for Eagan finds progress and sorrow in 2011 by Jessica Harper THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS The Eagan community experienced many ups and downs in 2011 as it lost a prominent figure, welcomed economic growth and hon- ored some of its heroes. The year began with the long -overdue recognition of Vietnam War veteran Tim Callister. Callister received the Dis- tinguished Flying Cross in January more than 40 years after his service overseas. The award was presented by former Eagan state Sen. Jim Carlson at Callister's re- quest. The former Army pilot was honored for his acts of heroism on Aug. 24, 1970. That day, Callister flew See Eagan, 8A Photo by T. W. Budig Former Republican governor Tim Pawlenty made several stops in the Twin Cities during his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination. Pale Pale community and its young adults made last year's all night party a HUGE success and fun for all! BURNSVILLE SENIOR CLASS PARTY DONORS 2011 Abdallah Candies & Gifts Adventure Zone Al's Coffee, Savage Applebee's bd's Mongolian Grill Best Buy Blue Ox Sandwich Factory Brunswick Zone, Lakeville Buck Hill Ski Area Buffalo Tap Buffalo Wild Wings, Apple Valley Burnsville Eye Clinic Burnsville Performing Arts Center Byerly's Champps Chili's Chipotle Mexican Grill Costco Foot Locker Great Heritag Holiday Sta Jenson's Jimmy Juniors Sp Koh Kone Kwik Lehman's Gar Leo's Lion Louisvill LSI/Dick's Ma McDo McH Papa Johns Eagan/from 8A Private investors hope to develop a 138,000-square- foot data center called Connextion along Yankee Doodle Road west of Pilot Knob. Plans don't include the Lockheed Martin prop- erty. A task force comprised of representatives from some of Eagan's largest companies along with city and cham- ber of commerce officials has been studying Eagan's broadband challenges since 2005. The center, which will be owned and operated by North Carolina firm Five 9s Digital, will provide off -site data storage and disaster re- covery options for telecom- munications and Internet service providers as well as local and regional compa- nies. Minnesota currently has only one major data cen- ter, located in Minneapolis, which funnels all telecom- munications systems in the state. Building a second major data center will create addi- tional security for telecom- munications systems. If the City Council ap- proves it, the project will be completed in 2012. While several economic development projects came to a close, battles over an- other also ended last year. The battle over eminent domain in Cedar Grove came to a halt in April af- ter the Minnesota Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal by the last remain- ing property owner to fight Eagan's use of eminent do- main. U-Haul was the last busi- ness standing in a lawsuit brought by three property owners in 2007 over the taking of their land for a planned urban village. The other two busi- nesses, Larson Automotive and Competition Engines, reached settlement agree- ments in December of 2010. This brought an end to a lengthy court battle that began four years ago when Eagan initiated a quick - take condemnation of sev- eral properties in the Cedar Grove redevelopment area. Erin Johnson contributed to this report. Jessica Harper is at jessica.harper@ecm-inc. cons. t-846-2000 bOOpm for changes. epair 5-1881 " 3OPM M-F ' a Tune Up for g, Alignments, noises... JS 13 Year!, — .r MM. — — .I $15.00 i OFF 1 51 tion. r, free ucks. extra. 7 any service or repair over $100.00 No other discounts apply. Valid only with coupon. Offer ends III 2/29/2012 orb` i— ——. IIII odels of Cars! rs of Experience Repair Shop N 55337 am-5:30pm 8A January 6, 2012 THISWEEK Eagan/from 1A a Huey helicopter gunship to provide fire support for a transport chopper as it extracted a long-range re- connaissance patrol. As his helicopter was hit with small arms and automatic weap- ons fire, he stayed and con- tinued to fire at the enemy so the team could be safely extracted. He was awarded the Dis- tinguished Flying Cross more than 40 years ago, but never received the medal it- self. Callister had also been a recipient of a Bronze Star and a handful of other med- als, which he did receive back when they were origi- nally awarded. During that same month, Eagan received a bit of na- tional attention as former Republican governor and Eagan resident Tim Pawlen- ty sought the GOP presiden- tial nomination. Pawlenty — a former Eagan City Council mem- ber and state representative — entered the race in Janu- ary and dropped out a few months later after lagging in the polls. Though there were many joyous occasions in 2011, others were sorrowful events. The community went into mourning last summer after the death of former Eagan Fire Chief Bob Childers. Childers, a charter member of the Eagan Fire Depart- ment, died July 4 at the age of 77. He suffered a stroke in May and was hospitalized with complications until his death. Childers was known as a true public servant who do- nated a great part of his life to making sure others were safe. One of Eagan's origi- nal firefighters, he served as chief from 1977 to 1986, which was a tremendous growth period for Eagan. He oversaw the building of Station No. 3 and the addi- tion of 25 new firefighters, and he laid the foundation for stations No. 4 and No. 5 before he retired. A white fire chief's helmet was strapped to the side of Photo by Erin Johnson Hundreds of well-wishers gathered at Caponii_Art Park in Eagan in May to celebrate founder Anthony Caponi's 90th birthday, which coincided with the opening of the park for the 2011 season. Jenny, the department's first truck, to honor Childers during the Funfest parade. Justice served in September to 24 months in prison for harboring and concealing illegal aliens. Kim was indicted on March 28, 2009, and plead - The past year was also a ed guilty on Aug. 8, 2010. time for wrongdoers to re- In his plea agreement, ceive their punishment. Kim admitted to keeping A man who stabbed his five Mexican nationals — ex -girlfriend more than 100 who were in the country il- times and left her body in legally — in his basement. a ditch was sentenced in Kim also admitted to March to life in prison with- having the men work for his out possibility of parole. siding business. Ryan Stanley Hurd, 23, Authorities discovered was found guilty by a Steele the men on March 28, 2009, County jury of all five while responding to a distur- counts against him, includ- bance call at Kim's home. ing first -degree premeditat- ed murder, in the death of 19-year-old Katherine Rose Anderson of Eagan. Hurd stabbed Anderson 109 times and left her body in a ditch near Owatonna on Dec. 3, 2009. Her body, clothed only in a hooded sweatshirt and boxer shorts, was discovered by a passer- by early that morning. Anderson, a native of Morris, Minn., lived in Eagan and attended college in Mendota Heights. Police arrested Hurd in his hometown of Tulsa, Okla., on Dec. 6. Hurd ad- mitted to stabbing Ander- son during an argument in a car in rural Steele County and leaving her body at the scene, investigators said. Justice was also served to an Eagan man last year. Joo Ok Kim, 63, was sentenced in federal court Signs of recovery, hardship There were signs of eco- nomic recovery last year as several major businesses expanded and real estate development progressed in Eagan. Discount retailer Big Lots was among the largest retail- ers to expand to Eagan when it opened a 20,000-square- foot store in October on Town Centre Drive. The company, which op- erates 1,440 Big Lots stores nationwide and 88 Liquida- tion World stores in Canada, grew exponentially in 2011 by opening 90 new stores, in- cluding three in Minnesota. Prime Therapeutics, a client -owned company, was another business to an- nounce expansion plans this year. The pharmacy benefits Tuesday, January 10 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Tour the classrooms and meet the teachers! Open House Timeline and Activities 6-6:15: ... Self -tour 6:15-6:30:... Cardio Kim fun play time 6:30-6:40:... Cool down and move to next activity 6:40-7:10:... Kids! Art activities and more with teachers 6:40-7:1 0: ... Parents! "Play with a Purpose" presentation by Dr. Sue Starks, Assistant Professor in Early Childhood 7:10-7:30: ...Time to meet the teachers and ask questions Golden Ticket Popcorn Game! You may get a lucky bag with a discount towards tuition, activities, and more! Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy: Easter Preschool admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to at the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies and admissions policies. * 4200 Pilot Knob Road (Pilot Knob & Diffley) * * Eagan, MN 55122 * * 651-452-3680 * easterpreschool.org manager said in December it plans to add 300 informa- tion technology and busi- ness analyst jobs as part of a $5 million expansion near its Eagan headquarters. The company already added 300 jobs earlier in the year. The company currently employs 2,100 workers in. nine U.S. cities. Most of the jobs are in Eagan and Bloomington. The new employees, who will receive annual salaries of between $73,000 and $83,000, will work in the former Buffet Inc. head- quarters at 1460 Buffet Way. The national restau- rant chain moved out of the 100,000-square-foot build- ing two to three years ago after filing for bankruptcy. Prime Therapeutics plans to move employees into the building by the first quarter of 2012 after minor renova- tions are completed. The billion -dollar com- pany, which is owned by 12 Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans nationally, is among the 50 fastest -growing busi- nesses in the Twin Cities, ac- cording to reports. Although some compa- nies saw major growth last year, several others were crushed by the economy. Eagan Floral and Joe Sens- er's Restaurant and Sports Theater were just a few of the numerous businesses to permanently shut their doors in 2011. Eagan Floral had been in the community for 26 years before closing in February. During that time, owner Pat Thomas built a solid reputa- tion and loyal customer fol- lowing. Thomas's passion for her business, customers and employees was well- known. The floral shop was one of the first tenants of Town Centre, built in the mid-'80s. In 2009 Thomas was forced to leave her original location due to the downturn in the economy. She moved her shop to a smaller space at 1340 Duckwood Drive, across from Walmart. Thomas began to strug- gle as her rent went up and saw her business take a hit eight years ago when an out-of-state company pos- ing as a local florist began to poach customers. Thomas became a driv- ing force in the fight against such companies, and in 2010 the state passed a bill bar- ring such deceptive practices that take customers away from local businesses. By the fall, another well- known business, Joe Senser's, suddenly closed. A spokes- person for the bar and grill cited the tough economy as the reason for the establish- ment's closing. Joe Senser's opened in 1998 and was among four Twin Cities locations owned by former Vikings player Joe Senser. The closure followed re- cent criminal charges against Senser's wife. Amy Senser was charged. with vehicular homicide in a hit-and-run incident that killed a Roseville man. Delta Airlines also va- cated another Eagan site last year. The Atlanta -based air- line announced in July it will move its flight training jobs from Eagan to Atlanta, dos- ing its facility at 2600 Lone Oak Point. The company is already trying to unload the former Northwest Airlines head- quarters building in Eagan. The training facility near- by was built by Northwest Airlines in the 1980s and has about 279,000 square feet, according to the Metropoli- tan Airports Commission, which owns the property. Although the building is technically owned by the MAC, Delta could have bought it for $1 after paying off its outstanding loan to the MAC, but chose to va- cate the property instead. Delta sold the building to the MAC in 1992 to secure a loan package while the in- dustry was in a downturn. The deal included stipula- tions about employment lev- els in the Twin Cities. Once the loan is paid off, the airline is no longer bound by the employment commitments. Delta plans to pay off the remaining $114.4 million by early 2012. Delta was not the only airline to leave Eagan in 2011. Mesaba Airlines moved its headquarters in October from Eagan to Memphis, Tenn. The headquarters, locat- ed at 1000 Blue Cross Gen- tian Road, was purchased by Pinnacle from Delta for $62 million in 2010. Mesaba, which was founded in 1944 and went public in 1982, moved its headquarters from the Min- neapolis -St. Paul Airport to Eagan in 2003. In April 2007, Mesaba `-aou AY'e invited to tour our Jvkodet Apowtwtertt -Howse MARKET VILLAGE Opening March 1, 2012 Please call Camille at 952-461-1644 or 612-237-3256 to arrange for a personal tour of the model. Market Village 100 J Roberts Way, Elko New Market, MN 55054 y Sears 5/w wrooni ONE DAY ONLY Join us Sunday, Jan. 8111 as we Celebrate our Best Friends & Family Event! t: jj Oc tr 20% Cft�i E03 appliances! (D GBH "FRIENDS" GMfiCa savings CREW C 15% Kenmore OFF appliances! Gat) 5% OFF ZaailVC07 (.t,6J Sears 1294 Town Centre Dr. Eagan, MN Home Aooliance Showroom 651-454-2255 emerged from bankruptcy protection and was acquired by Northwest Airlines as a wholly owned subsidiary. Delta bought Northwest in 2008 and transferred em- ployees to Atlanta. Although the headquar- ters moved, Mesaba's train- ing center will remain in Eagan. Economic development progresses While the residential real estate market stayed slumped, construction con- tinued on municipal and commercial projects. A youth home in Cedar Grove was the first commu- nity project to be completed this year. The first -of -its -kind housing development, called Lincoln Place, opened in April for young adults in transition. The facility features 24 affordable efficiency apart- ments for 18-to-25-year-olds who may have nowhere else to go. Lincoln Place aims to help those young adults with some structure, oversight and direction as they plan their next move. After 25 years in the mak- ing, Eagan's new Fire Safety Center was completed in June. The $8.1 million building replaced two existing fire sta- tions and serves a multitude of purposes for both the fire and police departments. And it's eco-friendly: The facility is the first fire station in the country to be certified by Green Globes, an inter- nationally recognized cer- tification process aimed at reducing a building's overall environmental impact. But most important, the facility has improved re- sponse times in the area of Eagan that receives the most fire calls. Police also use the facility to conduct tactical training in close quarters. As construction on com- munity projects drew to a close, one Minneapolis de- veloper looked to turn a por- tion of the Lockheed Martin property into retail. CSM Equities LLC, an affiliate of CSM Corp., pur- chased the Lockheed Martin property in April and hopes to redevelop the property in the next few years. Although CSM owns the property, Lockheed Martin will continue to occupy the building under a lease agree- ment until it officially closes its Eagan operation in the spring of 2013. The developer asked city officials in August to amend the city's comprehensive guide plan to redesignate 41.2 acres of the 51-acre site as retail commercial. The plans also call for several freestanding restaurants and would keep the remaining 6.2 acres as office space. The site is at a prime lo- cation — the intersection of Pilot Knob and Yankee Doodle roads, Eagan's busi- est intersection — and is near major retail centers, Prom- enade and Town Centre. The project — which CSM calls Central Park Com- mons — is still in its infancy. Several steps will need to be taken before the develop- er's vision can come to frui- tion. The proposal is being considered by the Metropol- itan Council and will need final approval by the City Council before development can begin. The property would also need to be rezoned from re- search and development to retail before plans can be implemented. In addition to retail de- velopment plans, there are plans to build a data center in Eagan. See Eagan, 14A A variety of insurance for the variety in your life. Auto. Home. Business. Health. Life. Farm/Ranch. We offer it all under one root Cali me today for coverage that fits all your needs. Some products not available in every state. Judson J Phillips Agency 1365 Corporate Center Curve #110 Eagan, MN 55121 (651) 405-8225 jphilli5@amfam.com www.judsonphillipsagency.com AMERICAN FAMILY use eaSuernancan F.ob . uses. mily s„s, Cores.,arrears corn 0r 2008 002136 — Rev. 11 /08 THISWEEK January 6, 2012 7A Bluegrass.is back Bluegrass Americana Family Night returns to Celts Pub in Rosemount by Andrew Miller THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS Celts Pub & Grill in downtown Rosemount will once again resound with the quick-pickin', foot-stompin' sounds of bluegrass music when it plays host to the monthly Bluegrass Ameri- cana Family Night series. Co -sponsored by the Rosemount Area Arts Council, the free -admis- sion event offers a different bluegrass band the second Thursday of each month and runs through April. The down-home sounds kick off next week with a Jan. 12 concert by Switched at Birth, a fixture of the lo- cal bluegrass scene whom south -metro audiences will remember from the band's performance last summer during Rosemount Lepre- chaun Days. On Feb. 9, the event will feature Sawtooth, a bluegrass quintet that in- cludes three brothers of Rosemount's Birtzer family — Clint on guitar, Luke on fiddle, and Shane on banjo. The series continues March 8 with American Roots - music duo The Ditch Lilies, and concludes April 12 with The Eelpout Stringers. Funded with money from a Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund grant, the concerts are free Photo submitted Switched at Birth — including Mark Briere, left, and Rick Anderson — are set to perform Jan. 12 at Celts Pub & Grill in downtown Rosemount as the kickoff concert to this year's Bluegrass Americana Family Night series. The concerts run from 7 to 9 p.m. and admission is free. and open to all ages. All the shows run from 7 to 9 p.m. Celts Pub & Grill is locat- ed at 14506 S. Robert Trail. More information about the concerts is at www.bluegras- samericanaweekend.com under the "Family Night" link. Mystery theater The bluegrass kickoff concert at Celts next week is one of two events the Rose- mount Area Arts Council is sponsoring this month. On Jan. 28, the arts coun- cil will present its fourth an- nual Mystery Dinner The- ater event at Rosemount's Blues in Lakeville Steeple Center. This year's theme is "Cabin Fever" and guests are encouraged to dress in their best North Woods at- tire as they'll be assisting a county sheriff in tracking down a killer — during din- ner; no less — with prizes for the sleuths who solve the whodunit. Tickets for the event, which also includes a silent auction, are $38 and are available at www.rosemoun- taac.org under "Rosemount Area Arts Council." Andrew Miller is at andrew. miller@ecm-inc.com. Photo submitted Blues artist and digitally enhanced one-man band Noah Hoehn will combine acoustic instruments and percussion along with vocals in a performance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Lakeville Area Arts Center, 20965 Holyoke Ave. Hoehn is a winner of the McKnight Fellowship for Performing Musicians. Tickets are $15 and are available at the Lakeville Area Arts Center or by calling (952) 985-4640. AAA TRAVEL AGENCY PRESENTS DISNEY DAYS CELEBRATION SAVINGS • EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS • SPECIAL VALUES When the destination is Disney, nobody beats AAA Travel Agency. Join us for a special preview of AAA's Disney Days Celebration. January 9-13 from 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Burnsville AAA at 600 West Travelers Trail 952-707-4500 #0 West St. Paul AAA at 2A Signal Hills Center 651-292-0323 Complimentary Gift with Qualifying Purchase. 0.)41q t►epVtor t1. Disnegland. (QuIS[ LlF1[. ♦ovaNTuw•: As to Disney artwork/properties: ©Disnr\ Fi1 s Meet local authors at Galaxie Library IFTIM!T! Dakota County Library's first local author fair will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Satur- day, Jan. 21, at Galaxie Li- brary, 14955 Galaxie Ave., Apple Valley. Forty adult, teen and children's authors will be on hand to talk about and sell their books. Keynote speaker David Housewright, a mystery author, will talk about writ- ing and publishing at 1 p.m. The Loft Literary Center will present two workshops: "Tips for Publication" at 2 p.m. and "The Nuts & Bolts of Picture Book Writing" at 3 p.m. Refreshments will be provided and drawings for free books will be held. For more information, visit www.dakotacounty.us/ library, search local author fair, or call (651) 450-2918. Library starts adult reading program The 1 lth annual Winter Jackets reading program for adults runs Jan. 17 to Feb. 29 at all Dakota County libraries. The program en- courages adults to take time to enjoy the simple plea- sure of wintertime reading, write reviews and attend author programs. In addi- tion, for every book read and reviewed, participants are entered into a weekly prize drawing. Author programs in- clude: • Peter Geye, "Safe from the Sea" author, 7 to 8:15 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, at Wescott Library, 1340 Wescott Road, Eagan. • Ellen Baker, author of "I Gave My Heart to Know This" and "Keep- ing the House," 7 to 8:15 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, at Heritage Library, 20085 Heritage Dr., Lakeville. • William Kent Krueger, author of the Cork O'Connor series, 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 28, at Pleasant Hill Library, 1490 S. Frontage Road, Hastings. • John Reimringer, "Vestments" author, 7 to 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, at Burnhaven Library, 1101 W. County Rd. 42, Burns- ville. • Faith Sullivan, author of three novels including "The Cape Ann," .10:15 to 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, at Wentworth Library, 199 E. Wentworth Ave., West St. Paul. For more information, visit www.dakotacounty.us/ library and search "winter jackets." 1,I . FI. i .till I . To submit items for the Arts Calendar, email: reporter. thisweek@ecm-inc.com. Auditions Expressions! Lakeville Community Theater will hold auditions for the comedy "Mama Won't Fly" from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Jan. 9 and 10 and from 1 to 4 p.m. Jan. 14 at the Lakeville Area Arts Center, 20965 Holyoke Ave., Lakeville. Bring a current photo. Allegro Choral Academy is currently holding auditions for its second semester. Vivace (grades two -three, in Burnsville/ Rosemount), Prima Voce (grades four -six, in Lakeville/Rosemount) and Bel Canto (grades six -eight, in Lakeville/Rosemount). Con- tact: artisticdirector@allegroca. org or visit www.allegroca.org for more information. Comedy Scott Novotny with special guest Gordy Rutman at 8:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, and 8 and 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, at MinneHAHA Comedy Club, 1583 E. First Ave., Shakopee (lower level of Dangerfield's), (612) 860-9388, www.minnehahacom- edyclub.com. Tickets: $13 for a twin cities south -of -the -river lifestyle journal Now Online! Browse content and leave feedback at FocusTwinCities.com At home or on -the -go Featuring a smartphone and tablet -friendly RESPONSIVE DESIGN. facebook.com/FocusTwinCities 11/11.2813980R•ABF FocusTwinCities.com `Mama Won't Fly' auditions Expressions -Lakeville Community Theater will hold auditions for the come- dy "Mama Won't Fly" from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9, and Tuesday, Jan. 10, and from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Lakeville Area Arts Center, 20965 Holyoke Ave. Auditions will consist of readings from the script. Characters range in age from 30 to 70. Bring a cur- rent photo. Performances will be held April 13-15 and 20-22. For more informa- tion, contact Andy Wilkins at (612) 293-0173 or jan- drewwilkins@gmail.com. Allegro Choral Academy auditions The Allegro Choral Academy is currently hold- ing auditions for its second semester. Vivace (grades two to three, in Burnsville/ Rosemount), Prima Voce (grades four to six, in Lake- ville/Rosemount) and Bel Canto (grades six to eight, in Lakcville/Rosemount). Contact artisticdirector@ allegroca.org or visit www. allegroca.org for more in- formation. the early shows, $10 for the late show. Exhibits "XXL," a collection of over- sized art by the 20 member - artists of Rosalux Gallery, is on display through Jan. 14 at the art gallery at Burnsville Performing Arts Center, 12600 Nicollet Ave., Burnsville. Information: (952) 895-4685. Classes/workshops Music Together in the Val- ley offers classes for parents and their infant, toddler and preschool children in Rosemount, Farming- ton, Lakeville and Apple Valley. Information: www.musictogether- classes.com or (651) 439-4219. The Eagan Art House offers classes for all ages. For a com- plete listing go to www.eaganart- house.org or call (651) 675-5521. Dan Petrov Art Studio in Burnsville offers oil painting classes for beginners, interme- diate and advanced skill level painters, www.danpetrovart.com, (763) 843-2734. Teens Express Yourself with Paint, 5 to 7 p.m. Mondays at Brushworks School of Art in Burnsville, www.BrushworksS- choolofArt.com, (651) 214-4732. Drama/theater classes for ages 4 and up at River Ridge Arts Building, Burnsville, (952) 736- 3644. Special needs theater pro- gram (autism-DCD), ages 5 and older, Bumsville, (952) 736-3644. Join other 55-plus adults at the Eagan Art House to create beaded jewelry. The Jewelry Club meets on the third Friday of each month from 1 to 3 p.m. Fee is $3 and includes all supplies. Bring any old jewelry you would like to re -make. 3981 Lexington Ave. S., (651) 675-5500. January Special: Shrimp with (vegetables thru Saturday, am to9pt Dine -in Carry -Out Cater' D. ffQNG$ 4321 Egan Drive "Chinese Cuisine" SERVING WINE AND STRONG_ BEER (Cty Rd 42) Savage, MN 55378 www.dfongs.com I 952-894-0800 BEST WESTERN PREMIER NICOLLET INN Janurary 29th, 2012 1lam - 3pm M 14201 Nicollet Ave South Burnsville, MN RSVP on Facebook facebook.com/nicolletinn or call 952.646.3609 vendors 952.646.3612 www.nicolletinn.com Sponsored by: Best Western Premier Nicollet Inn Midwest Sound DJ Entertainment, Sonelle Couture James Ramsay Photography, Sitting Pretty City's growth evident in last year's events (Continued from front) rezoning of more land for com- mercial use. At the meeting developer Thorson Cornwell Klohs Company announced plans for a major commercial center to be located at Diffley Road and I-35E. The company indicated that the development would in- clude a Target store, Cub Foods, a Knox Lumber Co. and a Nor- thwest Raquet and Swim Club. The developers spent most of the fall months trying to convince residents and council and com- mission members of the merits of such a project. No decisions on the project have been made. October The Dakota County Board of Commissioners voted to seek legislation to move the county ad- ministrative offices out of the county seat, Hastings. Some com- missioners thoujht _ the offices should be moved to the popula- tion center of the county, which lies near the Apple Valley -Eagan border. No decision on whether to move the offices has been reach- ed and the issue remains a heated one. The city council voted Oct. 21 to proceed with plans for a fourth fire station in the city and to ac- quire land for that station and a subsequent one. The fourth sta- tion is proposed for a site at Dodd and Diffley roads. The issue will be decided by the citizens in the form of a levy referendum sometime in late spring 1987. November County and state elections were held Nov. 4. In county races, the incumbents won. Norman Marsh defeated Eagan Council Member Jim Smith for county auditor. The recorder vote went to James Dolan over Richard McCarthy. And Thomas Novak beat out Bill Martin and returned as treasurer. Incumbents also reigned in other races. Sen. Howard Knut- son, I-R defeated Dave Assendorf in District 38. In District 38B, Rep. Art Seaberg won over Ted Dreyer, DFL. And U.S. Rep. Bill Frenzel defeated Ray Stock in the Third District. Eagan resident Paulette Bosela sat atop a billboard in Minneapolis for 10 days in order to sell Strikers soccer ticket packages. The District 196 Board of Education decided to hold a $47.5 million bond issue in March 1987. The money from the largest bond issue in the district's history would go to fund a new high GARRY BORDEN, Eagan, holds his twin sons Michael and Alexander. The boys were the state's first in -vitro fertilization -- or test tube -- twins. Catherine Borden delivered her twins April 8. school, a new middle school and a new elementary, as well as other schools' rennovation. Interstate 494 from Highway 149 to South St. Paul opened. The roadway is part of an interstate project started 30 years ago and completes the circular freeway system formed by interstates 494 and 694. Northview Elementary celebrated its 25th birthday with a program on Nov. 25. December A public hearing was held as the city's amended comprehen- sive land use guide neared com- pletion. Revisions in the plan were called for in 1985. Most citizens supported the new plan and felt enough land was already zoned for commercial use. Dale Peterson celebrated his last day as chief building inspec- tor with the city. Eagan's first in- spector started 17 years ago. BURNSVILLE JUNIOR Miss Lori Bubash, left, and Rosemount Junior Miss Tera Johnson congratulated each other after the Minnesota Junior Miss pageant. Bubash was named first runner-up. Both are from Eagan. CEREMONIES TO open Interstate 494 from Highway 149 to South St. Paul were held in November. Meteorologist Paul Douglas, above, emceed the celebration, which was held right on the 14A JANUARY 5, 1987 THISWEEK freeway. The event marked the completion of the circular freeway system formed by interstates 494 and 694. (Continued) Charlynn Lipe, Richard Lisser, Adam Lowry, Brian Malecha, Mark Martin, Robert McCarthy, Christa McCoy, Michael McCracken, Daniel McRoberts, Joseph Michalski. Troy Miller, Christopher Moody. Scott Moritz, Jodi Morse, Richard Mossman III, William Mueller, Michele Murgic, Gregory Nelson, Michelle Novak. Duangchai Oden, Karin Olson, Nicole Olson, Teresa Olson, Gerald Pacholl. Erica Paulson, James Peak, Michelle Pedersen, Shawn Peterson. Jonathan Phillips, Timothy Pinkert, Christiane Porter, Linda Porter, Mardell Presler, Heather Quammen, Winona Quion, Michelle Rask. Mari Bassett, Timothy Roush, Chandra Ruehle, Michelle Sachs, Noe Saenz, Wendy Sauer, Stephanie Scholtes, Daniel Schultz, Tammy Sell, Leila Slinde. Jennifer Smith, Britt Soderholm, Traci Stoltz, Kari Strong. Suzanne Sullivan, Jason Sundberg, Amy Toombs, Kimberly Tourdot, Richard Tutewohl, Karen Virblas, Patrick Walsh, Vickie Williams, Todd Wold, Andrea Wolf, Deon Wolff, Kitty Yuen, Candice Zielie. Grade 12 Faysal Abraham, Michelle Arbour, Sallie Arendt, Julie Baasie, Melissa Babcock, Kristen Baumgart, Leza Becker, Lynda Begley, Mark Bergen, Noel Berkebile, Robert Braaten, Rosemarie Brandel. Cory Branden, Lisa Breiter, Stephanie Brooks, Jane Buffalow, Lisa Bukovich, Monica Carr, Ann Marie Clough, Rick Con- don, Karri Dick, Robert Dolan, Michelle Du- pont, Kelly Eastman. Steve.] Elbert, Sven Ellerkamp, Nicole Elvin, Kimberli Ernst, Sherry Fahleen, Ran- dy Feldsien, Dean Felmlee, Kurt Fondrick, Stacy Freiheit, Michael Geere, Anita Gib- bish. Christopher Gingrich. Cindy Goldenstein, Laurie Gott, Kristine Goulet, Catherine Grabau, Lyndee Gronfor, Sergio Guerra, Kristen Hallcock, Valerie Hanson. Jason Hepokoski, Lisa Hermann, David Hogan, Eric Hoglund. Michael Holmdahl, Ben Howe, Heidi Hud- son, Wendy Jacobson, William Jensen, Der- rick Johnson, Victoria Johnson, Lara Johnston, Michelle Kemmer, Timmothy Kenney, Stacy Kesti, Patrick Kill. Julie Klein, Lorien Knapp, Deborah Knut- son, Melanie Knutson, Kimberly Kronberg, Andrea Lacy, Victoria Lappi, Leanne Loebel, Kelly Lundell. Scott Lundquist. Melissa Matschiner, Marc Mayer. Lisa McCrady, Kevin McDonald, Jean McKay, Rick McKinley, Michael Merwin, Titia Miller, Tracy Mlynarczyk, Eileen Mooney, Wendy Mulder, Jennifer Nason, Tanya Nelson, Andrea Notvik. John Oberg, Kate O'Donnell, Troy Olson, Kirby Oren, Donna Otts, Shannon Parr, Julie Partlow, Christine Peterson, Christine Pfeifer, Mary Polensky, David Popehn, Susan Reschke. Scott Renisch, Elvira Requena, John Roux, Anne Sanders, Lisa Saunders, Dawn Schaffhausen, Thomas Schmeier, Sarah Schmidt, Dawn Schroers, Christopher Sirovy, Todd Skoda, Eric Skonnord. Douglas Small, Joan Smebakken, Paul Stadler, Anissa Steenson, Carrie Stene, Becky Swanson, Kimberly Swett, Brent Tait, Sheri Thompson, Julie Turner, Dean Uitden- bogerd, John Vanbellinger. Michael VonBank. Tasha Wade, Glen Wagner, Molly Watkins, Christine Wentzel, Rachelle West, Susan Weyrick, Christopher Williams, Victoria Williams, LoAnn Wolff, Michael Wynn, Lisa 'Lgodava. AVTI programs help The Dakota County Area Voca- tional Technical Institute has re- ceived federal funds to assist single parents and displaced homemakers in entering the job market. Displaced homemakers are women entering the job mar- ket due to death of the spouse, divorce or illness of the tradi- tional wage earner. Dakota County AVTI is offering two free programs for qualified participants. The first class, "Expanded Career Choices," is a 50-hour class divided in three sec- tions: personal development, career development and employ- ment preparation. The class will meet for eight weeks on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 9:30 beginning Jan. 20. The second offering, "Project Discovery," is designed to intro- duce women to technical, high - paying careers. The course is a 10-week program, scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday beginning Jan. 26. The course will outline career exploration and personal development. It will also include industry contact and pretraining for a variety of technical careers. The program offers a support Library schedules storytime sessions Two Tiny Tots storytime ses- sions for 2- and 3-year-olds are scheduled Mondays, Jan. 12 and 26, from 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. and Fridays, Jan. 16 and 30 from 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. An adult must attend with the child. Advance registration is necessary. Storytime sessions for 4- to 6-year-olds will be Thursdays, Jan. 15-Feb. 5, from 2 to 2:30 p.m. and Fridays, Jan. 16-Feb. 6, from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Registration for each session begins exactly two weeks in ad- vance. Call the library at 435-7177 to register. CARPET EXPRESS Mohawk Carpet Color Center YOUR COMPLETE DECORATING CENTER ✓ CARPET ✓ CERAMIC TILE ✓ VINYL v CUSTOM CABINETS ✓ COUNTER TOPS ✓ HARDWOOD ✓ WALLPAPER ✓ BLINDS SPECIAL DISCOUNTS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION 1975 SENECA RD. EAGAN FINANCING AVAILABLE Maale•co'd 452-9538 J r TRIAL LAWYER RICK E. MATTOX 16 Years Experience Civil - Juvenile - Traffic - Criminal Formerly Assistant Dakota County Attorney Formerly Assistant Hennepin County Public Defender Trial Advocacy Instructor - William Mitchell College of Law Author - Minnesota Legal Forms, Criminal Law Member Minnesota Criminal Justice System D.W.1. Task Force 454-8689 4635 Nicols Rd. #206, Eagan people find careers Day-care referral program available group for single parents and dis- placed homemakers as well. Eligible participants may qual- ify for child care and transporta- tion assistance. All classes meet at the Dakota County AVTI, located at 1300 145th St. E., Rose- mount. For more information call 423-8470. Community Action Council's day-care referral program has immediate, up-to-date computer- ized information available on day-care providers throughout Dakota County. Any county resi- dent can receive a listing of day- care providers in a specific area to help them select a suitable facility for their child, The detailed information in- cludes provider's training, types and ages of children accepted, in- fant care availability, planned activities, presence of smoking and pets in the home, and hours. The service is available week- days from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. by call- ing the Dakota Help Line at 431-2424. ***COMPARE! IBM° COMPATIBLE American PC/XT • 640K • 2 drives • 135 wotts power supply • 8 slots • 4-layer mother board • Graphics printer adopter card • Amber monitor • DOS 3.1 • Word processor • Mailing list • Introduction 10 DOS • User friendly manual • Data base manager • One-yeor parts and labor warranty $845 AMERICAN XT Business System above system 1 Dfi & 20 MB $1195 AMERICAN XT Executive System above system 1 DR & 30 MB s1295 American PC/AT • 512K memory • 1.2 MB floppy drive • 360K floppy drive • 16-bit 80286 microprocessor • 200 watts power supply • 8 slots • Graphic printer adopter cord • Amber monitor • Word processor • Meiling list • Introduction to DOS• User friendly manual • One-year ports and labor warranty. DOS 3.1 $1639 DR and 20 MB 30 MB 40 MB 80 MB '1875 '2175 '2295 '2795 _ MILO 4444 * ONE YEAR *WARRANTY* * PARTS & * LABOR Yf 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4° • INDIVIDUAL o OR GROUP o TRAINING ° : IN STORE ° ° OR a ON -SITE ° 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4° PC/XT ADD -ON CARD & ACCESSORIES Accessory P/N Price Monochrome/Graphic/Print Card A•101 $ 79.00 COLOR Graphics/Print Card A-102 $ 79.00 360K Drive .. A•103 S 99.00 SEAGATE 20MB wlcontroller/cable .. A-105 5.42900 SEAGATE 30MB w/controllerlcable for Kt A-106 $485.00 SEAGATE 40M8 A•107 $695.00 5151 Computer Keyboard for PC/XT A-108 $ 89.00 512 RAM Expansion Card OK A-109 $ 45.00 MULTI I/O Card ... A-110 $ 89.00 64K Chip A-111 $ CALL 256K Chip A-112 $ CALL Printer Cable ... .. A-113 5 1700 Multifunction Card with OK ..... A-114 $ 99.00 Surge Protector (Tnpplde) .. A•115 $ 28.00 AT Above Function Card (J RAM with OK) A-116 $249.00 XT Above Function Card (J RAM with OK) .. A•117 5235.00 Generic Diskette Box of 10 A-118 $ 7.95 SAMSUNG Monitor (TTL) HI RES A-119 5 99.00 RS232/Communication Card A-120 $ 39.00 Parallel Printer Card A-121 $ 39.00 XT Case w/135W Power Supply A-122 $159.00 Power Supply 135W A•123 $ 99.00 5150 Keyboard A-124 5 65.00 10MB Tape Back Up (IRWING) A•125 S399.00 Floppy Disk Control Card . .... . A•126 $ 49.00 ANCHOR EXPRESS Modem 300/1200 with Software . A-127 $199.00 HAYES Infernal Modem 1200 with Software (tm) A-128 $399.00 Computer Case A-129 $ 55.00 AT Style Keyboard for XT A-130 $ 99.00 Clock Card A-131 5 39.00 TATUNG RGB Color Monitor A•132 $36500 AT&T GW Banc A-133 5 75.00 8087 Math Co -Processor 1-134 $ CALL 8087.2 Math Co -Processor .. R•135 $ CALL 80287 Math Co -Processor A•136 $ CALL XT Mother Board with 128K A•137 $195.00 Moues System with Software A•138 5135.00 JANUARY SPECIAL AMERICAN BASIC XT - 128K Expandable to 640K 8 Slots 135 Watts Power Supply - 4 Layer Mother Board AT Style Keyboard - DOS 3.1 Software Package '475.00 * * * EXPRESSIm XT • 640K • 2 drives • 135 watts power supply • 8 slots • 4-layer mother board • Graphics printer adapter Card • Amber monitor • Word processor • Mailing list • Introduction' to DOS • User friendly manual • Data base manager • One-year parts and labor warranty $749 WITH TURBO'785 EXPRESS- XT Business System above system 1 DR 20 MB Complete $1145 30 MB Complete $1245. AMERICAN AT Basic • 512K memory • 1.2 MB floppy drive • 200 watts power supply • 8 slots•• AT keyboard, manual. DOS 3.1 Legend Widecarriage OKIDATA 182 192 193 292 293 OUME Letterpro 1 1 /40 11 /55 11/90 BROTHER Twinwriter 1509 J U KI 6300 GOLDSTAR DISK DS/DD Box of 10 $1475 $325 $CALL $CALL $CALL $CALL $CALL $CALL $CALL $CALL $CALL $CALL $CALL $ 5t95 Prices subject to change without notice IBM Registered Trademark of , International Business Machines CALL OR STOP BY FOR THE BEST PRICES IN THE MIDWEST VISIT OUR SHOWROOMS OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK M-TH 8:30 o.m. - 7 p.m. Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sot. 10:00 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sun. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. P.C•. milmSS, INC. Computers & Peripherals 218 River Ridge Circle Burnsville, MN 55337 (612) 894-9153 1HFSWEEK JANUARY ,.5,1987 13A MADD chapter slates meeting The Metro Tri-County Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driv- ing (MADD) will meet 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 12 at Augustana Lutheran Church, 1400 S. Robert St., West St. Paul. The MADD victims' support group will meet 6 p.m. that even- ing at the church. The grief counselor will be present. For more information call Priscilla Moody, 429-2812. MADD members are selling the 1987 Happenings and Enter- tainment books. For information call 454-4266. Photography club will meet Jan. 8 The Minnesota Valley Photography Club will meet Thursday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Sioux Trail Senior Center, 2801 River Hills Dr., Burnsville. Dr. Walter Breckenridge will present a program on still life photography and judging will be done on slides. Members shouldbring portrait study photographs for critiquing and black and white photographs for the February competition. For information, call Sue at 454- 2969. Suicide support group sets meeting A non -denominational support group of relatives and friends of those who have thought of, at- tempted or committed suicide will meet Monday, Jan. 5, at 7:30 p.m. at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 13801 Fairview Dr., Burnsville. Ongoing meetings are the first Monday of every month. Anyone may begin attending at any time. There is no charge. For information, call Marge Seklund at 435-7135. Sunlife TANNING of Eagan • Klafsun/Wolff Cosmos tanning beds - World's finest • Tancard computerized tanning • Complete tanning system • Convenient hours: 8 AM - 9 PM • Located at Lexington Place, corner of Diffley Road and Lexington Avenue GRAND OPENING JANUARY 6, 1987 ONE .TIME OFFER 5 SESSIONS $ 1 9" PLUS 2 COMPLIMENTARY SESSIONS CALL BY JAN. 31 st TO MAKE YOUR 1st APPOINTMENT 452-3483 4•0% •.. 50% AND MORE! • • SEMI-ANNUAL • • • SHOE & BOOT CLEARANCE GREAT MARKDOWNS HAVE BEEN TAKEN ON FALL 8 WINTER SHOES & BOOTS. SAVINGS TO 50%. HURRY IN FOR BEST SELECTION — ion 5'ootwear CEDARVALE MALL LOEHMANN'S PLAZA GRANDA SHP. CENTER Eagan Roseville Apple Valley 452-3633 639-1077 432-1144 VALLEY CREEK MALL Woodbury 739-2666 Music faculty to give concert Members of the music staff from various District 196 schools will present the second annual Faculty Recital Sunday, Jan. 11 at 8 p.m. at the district theater in Apple Valley High School. This year faculty members from Rosemount, Northview, Diamond Path, Southview, Cedar Park and Westview elemen- taries, Scott Highlands Middle, Valley Middle, Rosemount and Apple Valley high schools will perform. Vocal and instrumental soloists and ensembles will per- form classical, contemporary and jazz selections. The public is invited to attend. There will be no admission charge; however, those who would like may contribute to a scholarship fund sponsored by the music faculty. The scholar- ships will be awarded to music students from Rosemount and Apple Valley high schools at the end of the school year. Refreshments will be served in the lobby following the perfor- mance. For more information, call Herb Dick at 431-8250. Valley Viewers to meet at Rahn The Valley Viewers 4-H Club will meet Thursday, Jan. 8, at 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of Rahn Elementary, 4424 Sandstone Dr., Eagan. A representative of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driv- ing) will speak. For information, call club reporter Jenny Carroll at 454-3567. Afton Alps trip set for Jan. 23 A trip to Afton Alps ski area has been planned for Friday, Jan. 23 by the recreation departments from Rosemount, Apple Valley, Eagan and Lakeville. The bus will pick up at Eng- gren's in Lakeville at 8 a.m.; Ap- ple Valley City Hall, 8:15 a.m.; Cedarvale Shopping Center, 8:30 a.m.; and Rosemount Mall at 8:40 a.m. The bus will return at approximately 4:30 p.m. Several price packages are available for youth and adults. For more information and regis- tration, call 423-4415 by Jan. 16. Research works. WERE FIGHTING FOR American Heart YOUR LIFE Association January Clearance • Sweaters • Cords • Blouses • Vests • Nightwear • Pants • Shirts • Skirts • Fleece • Big Shirts • Dresses 19.99 999 • Jackets 29.99 * * AND MUCH MORE * * SHOP EARLY — QUANTITIES ARE LIMITED `Earrings - 1" a pair Assorted Styles & Colors (Limit 2 per customer) BUY ONE, GET ONE Register For A 15000 *FREE ift Certificate 'Socks - basic cotton crew socks in many colors 149 each - compare at 4°° (Limit 2 per customer) WE PROMISE YOU — EXTRA SPECIAL: • SERVICE • MERCHANDIS • PRICES BECAUSE To each of us, you are EXTRA SPECIAL Large Sizes at Small Prices EXTRA SPECIAL MIDWAY ,St Poul) CEDARYALE (Eagan/ TERRACE MALL I Robbinsdalcl HUB CENTER SIGNAL HILLS CEDAR MALL (Richfield) (West St Paul) (Owatonna/ MILLER SHOPPING CENTER HAR MAR KNOLLW00D MALL THUNDERBIRD MALL ,St- Cloud, (St. Paull (St. Lours Park) (Menomonie, WO Mon. -Fri. 10-9 Sot. 10-6 Sun. 12-5 16A JANUARY 5, 1987 IHISWEEK Photos by Christy Clapp and Eugene Clay iNagehawal The Perils of Paulette.. "Chris won't let me c-1)._:) down until i sell 1000 ticket package STRIKER LIKER Paulette Bosela, Eagan, sat atop a billboard for 10 cold days and nights in November. ELEMENTARY STUDENTS voted on the name of District 196's new school. Deer - wood Elementary was chosen by children from 10 district schools. Construction of the facility began last year off Deerwood Drive near Pilot Knob Road. THE B. ROBERT Lewis House, a shelter for abused women and children, opened in August. Pictured above are, from left, Lewis House director Mary Ajax and Frank Brennan, executive director of the Com- munity Action Council. Bosela's stunt was aimed at selling a record number of Strikers soccer ticket packages. The community warmed up to the idea and she met her goal. THE ANNUAL Fourth of July celebration was held at Rahn Park despite rising insurance fees and dwindling sponsorship. James Lamberg rides above. CITY STAFF and local access television paired up in 1986 for the production of three programs: Eagan Report, Eagan Police Roll Call and Know Your Parks and Recreation System. The first segment of Eagan Report is being filmed above. THISWEEK JANUARY 5. 1987 15A The faces and places of 1985 (continued from front) was presented with the award Oct. 2 at the White House. An $8.7 million lawsuit was served against the city Oct. 10. The suit, which was the largest ever filed against Eagan, was based on a rezoning denial. The council denied rezoning in July for agricultural land proposed to be commercial. The 102-acre parcel, owned by R.J. and Grace O'Neil, is located near Interstate 35E, Lexington Avenue and Yankee Doodle Road. A referendum passed Oct. 29 in District 197. The district will gain $1.5 million a year for three con- secutive years. November Election day was Nov. 5 in cial aid based on population, city officials reported. September Ribbon -cutting ceremonies were held Sept. 14 for the Eagan Water Treatment Facility. The center, which became fully automated in March, treats 12 million gallons of water each day. The interchange at Highway 149 and Interstate 494 opened Sept. 17. The interchange lies on the Eagan -Mendota Heights border. October Rosemount High School receiv- ed the Excellence in Education Award and Principal Tom Wilson Eagan. Mayor Bea Blomquist was opposed by Michael Beard and won re-election. Incumbent Council Member Tom Egan also regained his seat. And newcomer Vic Ellison ousted Jerry Thomas from the council. Mac Carll and David Goodell also ran for city council. After years of construction, Eagan residents celebrated com- pletion of Interstate 35E from Cedar Avenue to Lone Oak Road. Snow and bitter temperatures didn't keep many away from the Nov. 16 opening ceremonies. Local city officials and others, in- cluding Sen. Dave Durenberger, addressed the crowd, and local OPENING CEREMONIES for Interstate 35E were Nov. 16. Above, Sen. Dave Durenberger and Mayor Bea Blomquist cut the ribbon. Photos by Christy DeJoy high school bands entertained. Travelers can now get on I-35E at Interstate 35W in Burnsville and drive to St. Clair Avenue in St. Paul. December Advent United Methodist celebrated the Advent Season this year with plans for a church building to be completed by Ad- vent 1986. The church currently meets at Northview Elementary and has purchased land for the new site off Lexington Avenue. Peace Reformed Church com- pleted its new facility this fall and held dedication services a month before Christmas. The new site is Road from the old church. Easter Lutheran Church, 4200 Pilot Knob Rd.. received preliminary plat for an addition to triple its size. Parkwood Presbyterian Church began this year, led br the Rev. Doug Lee. - Mount Zion Fellowship is also new to Eagan and is a in- terdenominational, charismatic church. And, Jesus People,) Church received preliminary plat this year for a 650-seat facility. The church will move from Min- neapolis to a location near Nicols and Cliff roads. MAYOR BEA Blomquist unveils a plaque made from the Lone Oak Tree at Interstate 35E opening ceremonies. FEDERAL LAND Company's 10-story Westview Office Tower Is the tallest office building south of the river. 6A JANUARY 6. 1986 THISWEEK COUNCIL MEMBER Ted Wachter, left, and City Administrator Tom Hedges display models of Northwest Orient Airlines Boeing 757 that were handed out at the groundbreaking ceremonies held for the airline's headquarters. RCOUPON ■ Cedar Pet • Bedding ■ Reg. 53.79 ■ SALE $2.79 � Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1 /12/86 \ne‘l Regular or Fashion Length ■ ■ ■ Lee Press On Nails Reg. S5.99 =uE $3.49 Limit 2, Coupon Expires 1/12/86 Reg 7 oz. & 6.4 oz. Gel Colgate Toothpaste .ALE$1.19 Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 • ■ ■ ■ ■ Bic 4 Pack i• Erasable Pens ■ Reg. 51.98 ■ SALE 89C min Limit 2, Coupon Expires 1 /12/86 32 oz. White or Yellow Bango Popcorn SALE 39C 1 1 a odk Kodak Your Chore- Ir.9a CL 110.24 � CP 135.24 rO�. ■ Film .$2.49 ■ 2 Pack CVR 15 Disc fAIE .29 a ■ Limit 2, Coupon Expires 1 /1 2/86 ■ •uiiu•s■ • • • ■ on • ■ i ■ Your Choice 2 pack C 2 pack D 9 Volt single Duracell Batteries Reg. 52.29 =At,: $1.59 4 pack AA Reg. 52.99 SALE $1.99 Limit2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/88 DrM 840 41111 Prices Good Thru Jan. 12, 1986 ERCOUPON Geisler 3 lb. Parakeet Seed Reg. S3.09 SALE $1.99 Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1 /12/86 PANTYHOSE FOR TALL OR FULLER FIGURES 0 Color Collection Just My Size Reg. S2.29 SALE $1.59 Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/88 Milton Bradley 2000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzles Reg. $8.69 .$3.99 Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1 /12/88 Bic 10 Pack Biro Pens SALE 89C Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/88 9.2 oz. Bonus Size Plain or Peanut •Il I Hi Dri Towels SALE 39C Limit 2. Coupon Expires, 1/12/88 SUPERCOUPON Geisler 3 Ib. Hamster Food Reg. $2.79 SALE $1.99 Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1 /12/86 SUPERCOUPON 111011111.1111111 ■ • • ■ ■ • • ■ ■ • • ■ i ■ 1 1 1 ■ • • ■ 14 Count ■ Atra Blades i SALE $3.99 ■ Limit 2. Coupon Expires, 1/12/88 (w 9 24, 60, 100 Piece Childrens Jigsaw Puzzles $1 .99 EA,E $1.29 Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 81/2 X 11 Legal Pads Reg. 89a SALE 3/99C Limit 8 Coupon Expires, 1 /12/86 COM►LETE COMPUTERIZED PRESCRIPTION SERVICE ON THESE INSURANCE DAMS • NM MNMMTA • NSNCAL SUBSTANCE • MAE CORM NUM EMU • INRICIANS NEALTN PAN Inn • mill CURER man PUS IEN 1 • MIN • rCS • TMnUERI • MYNA • MIN • CK CINM.AT9 NATO CAM SUPERCOUPON 61b. Giant 3 hour • Dur'af lame g ■ Rag. 111.59 SALE $1.49 II Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1 /12/86 111 Small Animal Pet Exerciser Ball Reg. $4.29 sAtE $2.99 Limit2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 SUPERCOUPON 5 oz. • ■ ■ • Flex 1111 • Mousse • Reg. $2.49 ■ SALE $1.59 111 • • Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 IN 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzles Reg. $2.69 e itALE $1.99 Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1 /12/86 11b. ■ Strawbeny ■ Twizzlers • 111 UU 89C ■ Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 ■ 16 2.6 oz. • Assorted y De Menthe 8 Cand■ _7 Andes • Bars Creme TIng/MLiny ■ • •ANTEE� HERSNEV'S • Ib DK'^ NlI. WT. I.b or. • Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1 /12/86 II Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1 /12/86 ■ Limit 4 , Coupon Expires, 1 /12/86 II Limit 10, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 ■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■ ■ ■ M&MPS Reg. S1.49 SALE 99C Reg. 69t II Rey. 354 SALE2/$1.00 Sly 5/$1.00 SOUTHDALE-927-7100 303 SOUTNDALE CENTER. EDINA MN LOEHMANN'S PLAZA-835-1722 5135 W 98th 5T BL00U946TON MN PENN LAKE-888-8811 8925 PENN AVE SO BLOOMINGTON MN APPLE VALLEY-432-7117 7541 W 1480, ST APPLE VALLEY MN TEXATONKA 938-2781 B024 MINNE TONKA BLVD ST LOUIS PARK MN FOUR SEASONS-559-1704 4132 LANCASTER LANE. PLYMOUTH MN TERRACE MALL-588-7551 3485 WEST BROADWAY. ROBBINSDALE. MN BROOKDALE-561-1 200 1296 RROOKDALE CENTER MPLS MN CHAMPLIN PLAZA-427-8110 12325 GAVEL AVE N CHAMPLIN. MN PIONEER VILLAGE-755-8180 12587 CENTRAL AVE BLAINE. MN SILVER LAKE ROAD-633-6440 2100 SILVER LAME RD NEW BRIGHTON MN BRIGHTON VILLAGE-636-5190 SILVER LAKE RD A 694 NEW BRIGHTON MN ST. ANTHONY-781-4809 2915 PENTAGON DR MPLS MN SHOREVIEW MALL-483-9556 HWY 96 AND LEXINGTON. SHOREVIEW. MN MARKET PLACE-484-3348 2900 RICE ST.. ST. PALIL MN SNYDER BROS POLICY It an adven,sed dem is available rot purchase due to an unto•seen ,..son Snyder Bros w.i ,ssue Rain Check on request for the merchandise 10 be purctased at the sale pace whenever available or .vo lll you a comparable quality item at a comp arable reduction in price HILLCREST-771-8803 1620 WHITE BEAR AVE 5T PAUL MN SUN RAY-735-3131 2157 IIUDSON.RD. ST PAUL MN ST. CROIX MALL-439-7692 HWY 212 & 481 5T . STILLWATER MN STILLWATER-439-1 /60 LIMN 201 SOUTH MAIN ST.. STILLWATER. MN SOME ITEMS NOT AVAILABLE AT ALL STORES WE HAVE AMERICAN EXPRESS MONEY ORDERS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO OUANTITIES AND CORRECT PRINTING ERRCRS THISWEEK 1 6,YANU14RY 6; ¶9861 • '5A• rtfo (�lt`5Wee -g'- The faces and places of 1985 (continued from front) was presented with the award Oct. 2 at the White House. An $8.7 million lawsuit was served against the city Oct. 10. The suit, which was the largest ever filed against Eagan, was based on a rezoning denial. The council denied rezoning in July for agricultural land proposed to be commercial. The 102-acre parcel, owned by R.J. and Grace O'Neil, is located near Interstate 35E, Lexington Avenue and Yankee Doodle Road. A referendum passed Oct. 29 in District 197. The district will gain $1.5 million a year for three con- secutive years. November Election clay was Nov.. 5 in cial aid based on population, city officials reported. September Ribbon -cutting ceremonies were held Sept. 14 for the Eagan Water Treatment Facility. The center, which became fully automated in March, treats 12 million gallons of water each day. The interchange at Highway 149 and Interstate 494 opened Sept. 17. The interchange lies on the Eagan -Mendota Heights border. October Rosemount High School receiv- ed the Excellence in Education Award and Principal Tom Wilson Eagan. Mayor Bea Blomquist was opposed by Michael Beard and won re-election. Incumbent Council Member Tom Egan also regained his seat. And newcomer Vic Ellison ousted Jerry Thomas from the council. Mac Carll and David Goodell also ran for city council. After years of construction, Eagan residents celebrated com- pletion of Interstate 35E from Cedar Avenue to Lone Oak Road. Snow and bitter temperatures didn't keep many away from the Nov. 16 opening ceremonies. Local city officials and others, in- cluding Sen. Dave Durenberger, addressed the crowd, and local OPENING CEREMONIES for Interstate 35E were Nov. 16. Above, Sen. Dave Durenberger and Mayor Bea Blomquist cut the ribbon. Photos by Christy DeJoy high school bands entertained. Travelers can now get on I-35E at Interstate 35W in Burnsville and drive to St. Clair Avenue in St. Paul. December Advent United Methodist celebrated the Advent Season this year with plans for a church building to be completed by Ad- vent 1986. The church currently meets at Northview Elementary and has purchased land for the new site off Lexington Avenue. Peace Reformed Church com- pleted its new facility this fall and held dedication services a month before Christmas. The new site is - '-- Road from the old church. Easter Lutheran Church, 4200 Pilot Knob Rd., received preliminary plat for an addition to triple its size. Parkwood Presbyterian Church began this year, led by the Rev. Doug Lee. Mount Zion Fellowship is also new to Eagan and is a in- terdenominational, charismatic church. And, Jesus People Church received preliminary, plat this year for a 650-seat facility. The church will move from Min- neapolis to a location near Nicols and Cliff roads. MAYOR BEA Blomquist unveils a plaque made from the Lone Oak Tree at Interstate 35E opening ceremonies. FEDERAL LAND Company's 10-story Westview Office Tower is the tallest office building south of the river. 6A JANUARY 6, 1986 THISWEEK COUNCIL MEMBER Ted Wachter, left, and City Administrator Tom Hedges display models of Northwest Orient Airlines Boeing 757 that were handed out at the groundbreaking ceremonies held for the airline's headquarters. RCOUPON We now fill SHARE Prescriptions Prices Good Thru Jan. 12, 1986 UURACELL SUPER000PON ��• �PERCOUPON • ! LL ■ ■ • ■ Cedar Pet • Bedding ■ Reg. $3. 9 ■ SUE $2.79 • • Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 ■ Regular or Fashion Length Lee Press On Nails Reg. 55.99 =ALE $3.49 Limit 2, Coupon Expires 1/12/86 Reg. 7 oz. & 6.4 oz. Gel Colgate Toothpaste .$1.19 Limb2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 Bic 4 Pack Erasable Pens Reg. $1.98 SUE 89C Limit2, Coupon Expires 1/12/88 32 oz. White or Yellow Bango Popcorn SUE 39C 1 1 UPERCOUPON VdYo , Cholc ,crO(M,A. >ac0 CL 11024 ���+ CP 1 35'24 Kodak Film tUE $2.49 2 ■ 2 Pack CVR 15 Disc SALE $4.29 . ■ Limit 2, Coupon Expires 1/12/86 ■ • IU•UII■ INI11111111111111 ■ ■ ■ MOON Duracell Your Choice Batteries 2 pack C 2 pack D Reg. S2.29 9 Volt single LLE $1.59 4 pack AA Rag. S2.99 SALE $1.99 Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/88 ERCOUPON Geisler 3 Ib. Parakeet Seed Reg. $3.09 SALE $1.99 Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 Color Collection Just My Size Reg. $2.29 SALE $1.59 Limit 2. Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 i • Milton Bradley 2000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzles Reg. $6.69 :uE $3.99 Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 Hi Dri Towels SALE 39C Limit 2. Coupon Expires, 1/12/88 SUPERCOUPON Geisler 3 Ib. Hamster Food Reg. $2.79 SUE $1.99 Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1 /12/86 14 Count Atra Blades SUE $3.99 Limit 2. Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 1 Bic 10 Pack ■ Biro Pens SUE 890 • ■ Limit2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 ■ 9.2 oz. Bonus Size Plain or Peanut SUPERCOUPON 24, 60, 100 Piece Chlldrens Jigsaw Puzzles S1 .99 uLE $1.29 Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1 /12/86 8'/2 X 11 Legal Pads Reg. 894 ULE 3/99C • • • • • • COMPLETE COMPUTERIZED PRESCRIPTION SERVICE ON TNESE INSURANCE PLANS • MA IINIESATA • MAUL ASSISTANCE • U CMS/ MEME MIA • PNTSICIAIS MULTI MAX IPMPI • MI 11619 sum PUII IICMPI • MIS • PCS • TRAILERS • MTNA • EARN • CK CREMSM ITES EIY1I CAM SUPERCOUPON 61b. Giant 3 hour Dura9ame Log ReB1.99 RASE $1.49 Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/88 SUPERCOUPON Small Animal Pet Exerciser Ball Reg. S4.29 MYE $2.99 Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 Flex El Mousse • Reg. $2.49 ■ Ulf $1.59 Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 • SUPERCOUPON Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 1000 Piece Jigsaw � Puzzles • Reg. 92.69 ■ RAE $1.99 III ■ 1 Ib. ■ Strawberry ■ Twizzlers • SUE 89C Limit 8 Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 ■ umlt2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 ■ Reg.896 ■ 8e0.354 ■ ■ '' 2 100 ■ ■ MMUT WAFEES tiUlf /$ i EI�E 5/$1.00 Ie P'hr e+ Nn. WT. I.b or. - ■ ■ Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 ■ Limit 2, Coupon Expires, 1 /12/86 ■ knit 4 , Coupon Expires, 1 /12/86 ■ Limit 10, Coupon Expires, 1/12/86 ■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ Reg. Si .49 SUE: 99C 1 • 1 M & M's ■ t 16 pc. 2.8 oz. • Assorted maCreme Coe Menthe &MCandy ■ Ting -Ling ■ _ — Andes • Bars In&l'U ■ \HERSI EY'S SOUTHDALE-927-7100 303 SOUTHDALE CENTER. EDINA MN LOEHMANN'S PLAZA-835-1722 5135 W 981h ST BLOOMlNGTON MN PENN LAKE-888-8811 8925 PENN AVE 50 BLOOMINGTON MN APPLE VALLEY-432-7117 7541 W 1481h ST APPLE VALLEY MN TEXATONKA-938-2781 8024 MINNETONKA BLVD ST LOUIS PARK MN FOUR SEASONS-559-1 704 4132 LANCASTER LANE. PLYMOUTH MN TERRACE MALL-588-7551 3485 WEST BROADWAY. ROBBINSDALE. MN BROOKDALE-561-1200 1296RROOKDALE CENTER MPLS MN CHAMPLIN PLAZA-427-8110 12325 CAVEL AVE N CHAMPLIN MN PIONEER VILLAGE-755-8180 12587 CENTRAL/LVE.. BLAINE MN SILVER LAKE ROAD-633-6440 2100 SILVER LAKE RD NEW BRIGHTON MN BRIGHTON VILLAGE-636-5190 SILVER LAKE RD 8694 NEW BRIGHTON MN ST. ANTHONY-781-4809 2915 PENTAGON DR MPLS MN SHOREVIEW MALL-483-9556 HWY 96 AND LEXINGTON, SHOREVIEW. MN MARKET PLACE-484-3348 2900 RICE ST 5T PAUL MN SNYDER BROS POLICY H nn advemsed aem .5 unavadable for purchase due ID an unlOrseen reason Snyder Bros I.,ii'ssue -Rau, Check On request IOr the merchandise 10 be purchased al the sale lance whenever avaaable Or ,v�Il se6 you a comparable qualay dem al a comp arable ,educl,On .1 once HILLCREST-771-8803 1620 WHITE BEAR AVE 5T PAUL MN SUN RAY-735-3131 2157 HUDSON RD ST PAUL MN ST. CROIX MALL-439-7692 HWY 21284th ST STILLWATER, MN STILLWATER-439-1760 LINSV: 201 SOUTH MAIN ST.. STILLWATER_ MN SOME ITEMS NOT AVAILABLE AT ALL STORES WE HAVE AMERICAN EXPRESS MONEY ORDERS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO OUANTITIES ANO CORRECT PRINTING ERRCRS THISWEEKI. ,iANlitARY li,1980 5A RIBBON -CUTTING ceremonies for the Eagan Water Treatment Facility were Sept. 14. Pictured above are, from left, utility department supervisor Paul Heuer, Public Works Director Tom Colbert. project engineer Jim Maland, utilities superintendent Joe Connolly, Mayor Bea Blomquist, Council Members Tom Egan LORI BUBASH of Eagan was named Burnsville Junior Miss. and Jerry Thomas, City Administrator Tom Hedges, consulting city engineer Bob Rosene and design engineer Tom Noyes. EAGAN CELEBRATED its 125th birthday during Fourth of July festivities. This cake was part of a float in the parade. MAYOR BEA Blomquist was re-elected. INCUMBENT TOM Egan regained his council seat. NEWCOMER VIC Ellison was elected to the council. WILLIAM FORCE resign- REYNOLD REHWALDT ed as District 196 super- was chosen to replace intendent. Force. SOME 170 social, financial and clerical human services employees in Dakota County went on strike in May over, primarily, hours of work and compensatory time. The strike lasted seven weeks. THISWEEK JANUARY 6, 1986 7A H39W2!11T met 811A1.10At` ur+ Shoe and Boot CLEARANCE Save up to 50% MARKDOWNS HAVE BEEN TAKEN ON FALL & WINTER SHOES & BOOTS. HURRY IN FOR BEST SELECTION! Stas/ilon tootwear Fashion For Less CEDARVALE Cedarvale Male Hwy. 13 & Cedar 452-3633 WOODBURY Valley Creek Mall 739-2666 All Credit Cards Accepted APPLE VALLEY Granada Shpg. Ctr. Apple Valley 432-1144 Best Wishes For A Prosperous And Happy New Year • ABC Kiddie Shop • Adventure World Travel • American Family Insurance • American Images Beauty Shop • Ben Franklin • Burton's Frame Shop and Gallery • Coast to Coast • Creative Hand Shoppe • Down to Earth • The Clothes Tree • IGA Dick's Foods • Cedarvale Snack Shop • Cedarvale Barbers • Cedarvale Tailor • Extra Special • Fashion Footwear • Hallulark..;ards • Hallmark Cleaners • John Alan Gifts • McGlynn's Bakery • Mag's • Mike's Shoe Repair • Mpls. Contact Lens & O • Nedved's Flowers • People's Natural Gas • Phones Plus • Quilter's Closet Ltd. • Sewald Jewelers • Snyder Drug • Tan Me • Toback Shack • Trail TV & Radio Shack • U.S. Swim & Fitness Cedarvale Shopping Center, 3910 Hwy. 13, Eagan lunches JANUARY 6-10 Milk served with all lunches. DISTRICT 191 (Burnsville -Eagan -Savage) Elementary MONDAY - Sausage pizza, peas, orange smiles, cowboy bread. TUESDAY -- Giant wiener on a bun or hamburger on a bun, bak- ed beans, tossed salad, Dream- sicle. WEDNESDAY -- Giant taco, fixings, corn, peach sauce. THURSDAY -- Chicken nug- gets, dip, potato rounds, mixed vegetables, dark bread, apple crisp. FRIDAY -- Meat in gravy or corn dog, mashed potatoes, car- rot sticks, M&M cookie. Secondary Alternate meals available daily./ MONDAY - Sausage pizza, peas, salad bar, dessert. TUESDAY -- Giant wiener on a bun, baked beans, salad bar, Dreamsicle. WEDNESDAY -- Taco, corn, salad bar, peach sauce. THURSDAY -- Chicken nug- gets, dip, potato rounds, salad bar, apple crisp. FRIDAY -- Meat in gravy, mashed potatoes, salad bar, M&M cookie. DISTRICT 196 (Apple Valley - Rosemount -Eagan) Alternate lunch available daily. i MONDAY -- French toast with sausage (elementary), pork riblet on a bun (secondary), au gratin hash browns (beef noodle sour). neannt Nutter and jelly HERS to offer career seminar Community Action Council's HERS program will offer "Where Do I Go From Here?" on Tuesdays, Jan. 14, 21 and 28, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Community Action Council, 14451 Co. Rd. 11, Burn- sville. The seminar will discuss writing a resume, interviewing skills and targeting job/career areas. Pre -registration is required by Jan. 10. There is a $20 fee, with .6 continuing education units.avail- able from Inver Hills Community College for $2. For information call HERS at 431-2112. sandwich), grape juice, apple- sauce. TUESDAY -- Egg roll with honey mustard sauce, rice (minestrone, submarine on a hoagie bun), pineapple tidbits, sherbet. WEDNESDAY -- Pizzaburger, lettuce and tomato salad (beef barley soup, egg salad in pocket bread, celery with peanut butter dip), peaches, fudge pudding on a stick. THURSDAY -- Chicken nuggets with dips, potato rounds, mixed vegetables, wheat rolls (vegetable soup, stacked beef sandwich, vegetable sticks), ap- ple crisp. FRIDAY -- Turkey a la king in pastry shell, cranberry sauce, parslied potatoes, green beans (chicken rice soup, ham and cheese on a bun, green beans, fresh fruit), peanut butter cookie, chocolate milk. DISTRICT 197 (West St. Paul) MONDAY -- Pizza, pear half on cottage cheese, corn, harvest bar. TUESDAY -- Fishwich, tartar sauce, tater rounds, lettuce salad, chocolate nut cluster. WEDNESDAY -- Italian spaghetti, cabbage salad, hot garlic bread, chilled fruit choices. THURSDAY -- Chicken nug- gets, potato rounds, mixed vegetables, freckle -faced roll, ap- ple crisp. FRIDAY - California ham- burger, french fries, broccoli, peanut butter cookie, orange smiles. County legislative committee to meet The Dakota County Legislative Committee will meet 8 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 9 at Rosemount City Hall, 1367 145th St. E. The topic is tax restructure, and speakers will be District 39A Rep. Bert McKasy and Glen Dorfman, executive vice presi- dent of governmental affairs for the Minnesota Association of Realtors. For more information call Elizabeth Anderson Holt, 431-6555. *-1 * g ,*. JANUARY 2* CLEARANCE CHILDREN'S CLOTHING 30 40 / OFF tMATERNITY O FASHIONS 3 /0 OFF 140- av, kiie Shop Cedarvale * Shopping Ctr. Hwy. 13 & Ceda►IEogan 454-8111 HOURS Mon. -Fri. 10-9; Sot. 10-5 Closed Sunday 411* 47jt ic**,-**g*Z* 8A JANUARY 6. 1986 THISWEEK „, Development issues cause frustration and celebration Staff Report Cities throughout Dakota County struggled in 1996 with meeting resi- dents' needs with limited budgets and weighing commercial proposals with the public sentiment. In Burnsville, the Livable Commu- nities Act set the stage for a moratori- um on multiple housing developments until two vacant land studies were com- plete. The studies aimed to give offi- cials a guide of undeveloped parcels as they studied whether current zoning for those pieces was appropriate. Meanwhile, a few development pro- posals erupted into controversy. At the end of 1995, the Burnsville City Coun- cil voted down turning Terrace Oaks Park into a golf course. To protect the park from any similar proposals, the council zoned the park as a conservan- cy district in 1996. A developer's proposal to construct a Holiday station and McDonald's restaurant on McAndrews Road en- countered extreme resistance from Burnsville residents concerned about the project's environmental impacts. At press time, the City Council had not voted on letting the development occur. On the lighter side, ground was bro- ken in Burnsville for the new Minneso- ta Valley YMCA building, pursued for more than a decade. The facility on the Fairview Ridges campus near Portland and McAndrews Road is set to open in one year. Also in Burnsville, a new post office opened on Nicollet Boulevard and McAndrews Road. After two years of negotiations and ardent public opposition, the Lakeville City Council approved the Gateway business development. The commercial business area will be 15.4 acres at County Road 5 and 172nd street. Residents fought the development in an effort to preserve the area's rural character, but the council said develop- ment west of Interstate 35 was long overdue and would, in the long run, benefit the entire community. Also in 1996, Lakeville placed a moratorium on the construction of gas/convenience store operations with- in the city limits. During the moratori- um, the city is creating architectural and aesthetic standards to provide a better picture of what officials seek in new construction. A common theme was heard from Eagan residents regarding develop- ment issues — No more multiple hous- ing projects. The first example began in January when Pulte Homes proposed purchasing Carriage Hills Golf Course for the construction of up to 500 single and multiple -family dwellings. The Carriage Hills Coalition became a pow- erful force of opposition, unprecedented in Eagan. Pulte was denied the needed amendment to the city's comprehensive guide plan and a Rosemount couple bought Carriage Hills and kept it as a golf course. - In June, residents flooded Eagan City Hall to oppose a two -hotel project at Nicols Road and Erin Drive. After the air cleared, Honey Tree developers scaled down their project and received approval to build both hotels, minus a restaurant. Pulte came back to the council in No- vember seeking approval for a 490-unit mixed -housing development, Rolling Oaks, at Deerwood Drive and Inter- state 35E. Representatives of more than 10 neighborhoods spoke in opposi- tion, mostly because of the density. The council rejected the Pulte proposal for the same reasons. Another developer, Mike Mogol, faces an uphill battle to develop 204 townhomes behind the Cedarvale Mall. The Eagan Citizens for Responsible De - YEAR IN REVIEW velopment took their objections to the Internet by designing a World Wide Web page, including a listing of more than 290 petitioners. Opus developers broke ground in March for Eagan Promenade, the city's newest and soon -to -be largest shopping plaza. Apple Valley saw a couple of "firsts” in development in the community. The long awaited senior center, built using a federal grant and money raised by the seniors, was dedicated. Also, the city's first hotel, the Americlnn, opened at County Road 42 and Cedar Avenue. While Apple Valley celebrated, Rose- mount struggled with a controversial proposal to turn a portion of land owned by the University of Minnesota into two golf courses. Golf club owners oppose it, as do some police depart- ments who fear the land's sale may re- sult in the loss of an explosive storage and training center. The University halted the sale in early December and is looking at ways to use the land itself. Plans for the golf course — a proposal from the Agricultural College — are moving ahead. Not all development in Rosemount, however, was wrapped in controversy. The city saw the first building break ground in the new business park on County Road 42, east of the railroad tracks. Cannon Equipment expects to open its 100,000 square foot corporate headquarters in the business park by the first quarter of 1997. Plans for Rosemount's new senior housing development also were ap- proved this year. The 44-unit develop- ment, which at one time had met with opposition, will be at the corner of Cameo Avenue and Lower 147th Street. As Rosemount's business park gets underway, Inver Grove Heights looks toward refurbishing Cahill Avenue. The Cahill Corridor Task Force pre- sented plans to the City Council for the area, suggesting banners, markers and vegetation be considered. The council vowed not to use taxes for the plan and is instead talking with business owners about funding the pro- ject. The city is focusing on upgrading Cahill Avenue between 64th Street and 71st Street. The first part of the project would cost about $370,000. Inver Grove Heights celebrated the opening of the Veteran's Memorial Community Center in January. The center includes two sheets of ice and is home to the Parks and Recreation De- partment. The City Council approved plans to build a water treatment facility to ad- dress Inver Grove Heights' "rusty" water problem. The council said it won't raise taxes to build the plant, es- timated to cost $6.4 million. In Mendota Heights, commercial proposals seemed to dominate discus- sion. Dakota Bank and SuperAmerica developers were granted approval for a bank and "community station" at High. - way 110 and Lexington Avenue. The project is scheduled to be finished late 1997, and includes cleanup of contami- nated soil from a defunct gas station. Also in Mendota Heights, Northern States Power officials and the City Council settled a dispute that allows NSP to improve its substation south of Mendakota Park while providing mea- sures to decrease the sound effects for surrounding neighbors. DEVELOPMENT: To Page 10 Sun-Cwrent'South/Monifay, Oes:.36, 1f996 WHOLE HOUSE HUMIDIFIERS 28 9 Model No. 560 (installed) 95 MARRKI1111 AIR CONDITIONING 890-6131 Serving the area for 20 years • LICENSED • BONDED • INSURED • APPLE VALLEY • EAGAN • BURNSVILLE • SAVAGE Riyl�� MOW, order ably DO' Super Value Meal at ifs regular price, and 9ei a Free suhdae! Plus 1-ke Double Cl+eeseburler Super Value Meal is available at a special price. At p.rn<patng Dory (Meer 9rarlet• stores. Prowl sponsor of the Chadren's Miracle Network O AM DC) Corp/1997 • Meg T M AM 00 Corp 'Tis the season tobuqflerlo mdttress. Forget the fruitcake. Give the gift of comfort with a handcrafted Verlo mattress. Buy one for yourself. Get a gift certificate for grandma. Or surprise your holiday guests with a Verlo futon sofa sleeper in your guest room. Every Verlo mattress is custom-built by hand to provide just the support you need. And because there's no middleman, you won't find a better mattress for a lower price. So, before you stuff the turkey and trim the tree, stop in to a Verlo Mattress Factory Store. Because 'tis the season to be jolly — and comfortable. 'Yedo — MATTRESS FACTORY STORES Han&rafted Quality at a Comfortable Peke" Manaernew7Z Apple Valles-9 ment Roseville 14690 Galaxie Avenue 1151 W. Larpenteur Avenue 432-6670 488-8727 0 1996 verb MMus. Company. Inc. • Appiwea to any Crafted Comfort'` or .bore. Over 15 models to choose from TWIN $59/pc. - $349/pc. FULL $99/pc. - $399/pc. QUEEN $268/set - $898/set KING $398/set - $1098/set FREE Pillows, Bed Frame or Mattress Pad One gilt per set purchase. Expires 12/31/96 FREE Delivery & Setup FREE 90-Day Financing (With Approved Credit) FREE 60-DAY Comfort Guarantee* FUTON SOFA SLEEPERS Now available Removal of Your Old Bedding & Exclusive Verlo Outcycling• AMERICA'S LARGEST FACTORY -DIRECT MATTRESS STORES Call for the store nearest you: 1-800-224- VERLO 10 Sun•Current South/Monday, Dec. 30, 1996 Development From Page 9 Places of recreation were routine topics for the South St. Paul City Coun- cil in 1996. A plan to add a second sheet of ice, a remodeled lobby and new lock- er rooms at Wakota Arena in South St. Paul got underway in October and should be completed by next Septem- ber. A viewing area and space for School District 6's Alternative Learn- ing Center will be included in the $2.9 million project as well. At the same meeting where South St. Paul's splash pool was awarded a state award of excellence, the council announced the year -old water park is crumbling due to a leak in the pool's bottom. Plans for rectifying the prob- lem have not been announced. The park is still under warranty. Amid neighbor outrage, Ted Trkla resurrected the Serbian Hall in July, renaming the 76-year-old South St. Paul building the Ethnic Cultural Cen- ter of Minnesota. The hall's weekend parties had long been a sore spot with neighbors. A conditional use permit prohibits alcohol from being served and limits events to 12 per year. Also affecting South St. Paul, the Minnesota Department of Transporta- tion in May dumped a plan to trans- form Wakota Bridge into a toll road after it was rejected by the City Coun- cil in May. The plan would have used toll dollars to fund repairs to the aging bridge. Recreational facilities played a part in West St. Paul activities over the past year as well. The city's first public golf course, Thompson Oaks was to open in September, but more turf trouble pushed back the opening for the third time since work began in 1994. The $970,000 course is now scheduled to open this summer. Meanwhile, the City Council spent the summer tweaking improvement plans for the West St. Paul Ice Arena. After two previous proposals, the City Council settled on a $1.2 million op- tion. The plan includes a meeting room, but does not provide space for a senior center examined after District 197 reneged on a promise to include se- nior space at Friendly Hills Middle School. The arena task force hopes to shave another $200,000 off the latest plan. Your Chi td's in Tyo u b fie... Where do you go from here? You need compassion, not condemnation. You need an experienced lawyer to help you steer through the legal maze. With ten years experience helping children in trouble, Chris Coleman understands the Juvenile Court System ...and he understands kids. Also Criminal Law & DUI. Chris Co(en'ian ATTORNEY AT LAW 2 24-2 219/ 337-9554 Serving the community for over 20 years Dr. Shirene Orandi, Dr. Jeffrey F. Luke, Dr. John M. Woell, Dr. David E. Kilber • QUALITY • COMFORT • CONVENIENCE tili Dental Health C C Care Center 4178 Knob Drive • Eagan Meet Dr. Shirene Orandi Dr. Orandi joined Dental Health Care Center nearly three years ago. She received her training at Marquette University School of Dentistry and is welcoming new patients of all ages and with all types of dental needs. CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT • 452-4111 Other notable events in Dakota County Mendota Heights • Hiring a full-time recreation program- mer, proposed to help meet demands for more recreational opportunities, was voted down 4-1 by the City Council. The council said it would favor using the city's general fund to help pay for an increased work load of the current part-time programmer dur- ing the city's softball and baseball seasons. Apple Valley/Rosemount • Apple Valley resident Ernest Owens, 54, was charged with shooting and injur- ing a Lakeville woman at Apple Valley Health Care facility. • Mueller Family Theaters filed a civil case alleging former Rosemount Mayor E.B. McMenomy used his position to in- terfere with its proposal to build a 10- screen theater in the city. The company contends McMenomy stalled the project, allowing rival Guetschoff Theater Inc. to build in Rosemount. McMenomy's attor- ney said the theater has yet to prove that his client did anything wrong. South St. Paul • After 53 years of reading children's stories and filing books, Carol Johnson ended her career at the South St. Paul Pub- lic Library. Johnson rose from children's li- brarian to co -director and finally head li- brarian during her time at the library. Burnsville • The Rudy Kraemer Nature Center opened Oct. 3, the result of an agreement by Kraemer & Sons Inc. to restore wet- lands and prairies lost in the expansion of the company's landfill. • Business people and residents joined hands to design improvements for the Burnsville Parkway area, which is still under consideration. • Sisters Cindy Russ and Sue Shannon of ADVERTISEMENT Swiss Scientists Discover New Energy Product Lugano, Switzerland —After 25 years of research Lightning 828 was developed with the help of Swiss Laboratories. After extensive testing with amazing results, Lightning 828 is now available in the United States. Scientists are amazed at Lightning 828's results on improved mem- ory, attitude and athletic performance. In a double blind cross -over trial on uni- versity students in Italy, Lightning 828 was given twice daily for 12 weeks. The results were astonishing. Students obtained higher scores in math, logic and physical education. This new discovery has been a windfall for working and active people that seem to run short of energy around mid -after- noon and need a little extra lift. Lightning 828 when taken in the morning gives a sustained, balanced form of ener- gy throughout the day. During an interview in Chicago, a beau- tician stated, "I used to go home exhaust- ed after being on my feet all day. Now it's just incredible. I go home with extra ener- gy and really enjoy my family more" Lightning 828 is a necessary boost for stu- dents, professionals and senior citizens. Lightning 828 is now available at most Pharmacies including... Drug Emporium: Brooklyn Center- 5900 Shingle Creek Pkwy. Richfield — 780 W. 66th St. ...or ask your favorite Pharmacy! Burnsville invented an oxygen tank carrier to give new independence to oxygen users. • A grassroots effort by area youth to build a skateboard park met with success when the City Council approved the pro- ject. Construction on the facility at Civic Center Park has yet to begin. West St. Paul • Long-time Assistant City Manag- er/City Clerk Dianne Krogh was hired as the city's first woman manager. She re- placed Bill Craig, who resigned in June after 11 years. Lakeville • The city of Lakeville was named as the top community in Dakota County and the fourth in the state for its encourage- ment of economic development in 1996. The announcement came after a survey by the Minnesota Real Estate Journal. Eagan • The city's first Lone Oak Days Heritage Festival was Sept. 21-22. Featuring games and events focusing on the "good of days." It is expected to become an annual event. • Kraig and Perri Kramer won a fight to have the Eagan Athletic Association pay for an interpreter for their son, Kole, 11. The association said it wasn't legally bound to provide an interpreter, but the Minnesota Department of Human Rights ruled otherwise. • Eagan -based West Publishing an- nounced plans in February to merge with Canadian -based Thomson Corp. to form the new West Information Publishing Group. • Another major employer in Eagan, Cray Research, announced a merger in March with Silicon Graphics, a California - based manufacturer of commercial and 3- D computing systems. Company founder Seymour Cray, 71, died Oct. 5 of injuries suffered in a car accident in Colorado. SEARS correction notice CLARIFICATION CLARIFICATION CLARIFICATION Currently your newspaper is receiv- ing the January 1, 1997 insert. The inserts has the incorrect ad code reflected on the back cover (incor- rect ad code = 1 /1 /97-1 P 1 A.) The correct ad code is on your sears purchase orders and a descriptive of the inserts is shown below: INSERT CORRECT AD DATE AD CODE 1/1/97 1P4A FRONT COVER MERCHANDISE Clearance Apparel and New Year's Day Specials We regret the error. BOB YANKOVICH Ours• • Sold 12 Years Experience Prompt Service Quality Information No Pressure Style Exceeding Your Expectations BLIRNET REALTY 690-8570 It Cr MLS 1t Y, 77- F'4-tier Checking out '87: «ti "Growth" continues to be the word in Eagan. In 1987 the city worked on more commercial developments and broke ground for two new schools, including a high school of its own. Citizens apparently saw some changing needs and worked to put new city officials in to accommodate those needs. Churches and businesses continued to grow and build new spaces for themselves. It would be impossible to tell all the interesting and important events that shaped Eagan's 1987, but a short review is in order: January To deal with airport noise, a new Noise Budget Working Group drafted a noise budget or- dinance for the Minneapolis -St. Paul International Airport. The ordinance established two caps on noise. The first cap would be the 1984 12-month noise average and would be in effect until 1990. The second cap would go into ef- fect at that point and would be the average of January to June 1984 levels. February Rezoning of an area on Diffley Road and Interstate 35E was denied by a majority of the Eagan City Council in February. A rezoning from agricultural to commercial was needed by the Diffley Center developers. This action led to a lawsuit brought by the developers, The Bieter Co., in March. The lawsuit moved into district court in late December, with talks also continuing. Unisys Corp. announced Feb. 6 that it planned to close the semi- conductor plant in Eagan to con- solidate it with the plant in Ran- cho Bernardo, Calif. About 870 employees were expected to be affected, with 100 of those being offered jobs in California. The plant closed in December. March Voters in School District 196 voted March 10 to approve a bond issue that would fund the building of a new high school and middle school to be located in Eagan. The $47.516 million bond issue was viewed favorably by 6,407 people, with 2,082 against. The schools officially broke ground in December, although some work had already begun. The schools will be at a location near Diffley Road and Braddock Trail and are expected to open in fall 1988. An Eagan citizen is the first woman to be elected to the Dakota Electric Association as a director. Margaret Schreiner was elected to the post March 30 and had experience in coopera tives, including membership in rural electric cooperatives. April It was reported in April that Eagan led the metro area in new housing starts. Nearly 10 percent of housing construction permits issued last year in the area were by the city of Eagan. In 1986, the city issued 2,100 permits, out of the Twin Cities' 25,556 permits. May To prepare for the new Eagan High School, District 196 named Tom Wilson as principal on special assignment to oversee construction and to be principal of the new school. Wilson was the principal at Rosemount High School for eight years. Nothing stays the same, and in District 196 school board elec- tions changed a face on the board. Nine-year member Bever- ly Albee, Eagan, was replaced by voters with Bob Schutte of Apple Valley. Residents saw a need for more fire stations, so they approved a referendum for two new facili- ties. This gave the city permis- sion to issue general obligation bonds not to exceed $1,850,000. The first fire hall is now under construction at Dodd and Diffley roads, and the second will be built in 1988-89 in the vicinity of I-35E and Galaxie Avenue. The issue was approved 712 to 78. August All the housing permits issued in the city had to add up to some- thing and in August residents saw what it was. The Metropolitan Council named Eagan a leader in the metropolitan area in terms of growth of populations and house- holds. The council estimated that in the last seven years, Eagan in- creased by 18,500 people for a total population of 39,225. A NEW school greeted some elementary students when they returned Sept. 8. About 730 students came to Deerwood Elementary that day. A tragedy in Detroit touched home when three Eagan resi- dents were killed in a plane crash. Flight 255 crashed Aug. 16 shortly after takeoff in Detroit, killing about 158 people. Bruce Elfering, 23, Michael Kahle, 34, and Roberta Rademacher, 35, A BOOST to a couple city departments came in april when the American Legion Post 170 donated $500 to both the police department and the fire department. The post has many members who live in Eagan. American Legion member Carvell Wright presented Fire Chief Ken Southorn and Police Chief Jay Berthe with the checks. were all Northwest Airlines flight attendants. September Eagan's newest school, Deer - wood Elementary, opened its doors to about 730 pupils Sept. 8. The $5.5 million school started construction in April 1986. The community is aware and in the forefront of social issues. In September, School District 191 learned that it was one of three U.S. schools selected to begin an AIDS education within the schools. The National Education Association picked it and schools in Camden, N.J., and Anne Arundel County, Md., to serve as an example of how schools can communicate with each other and the community about the disease. October ,. A new elementary will be add - OP EAGAN RESIDENT Jerry Thomas added his style to Eagan's July 4 parade. 12A JANUARY 4, 1988 THISWEEK business Thompson Academy opens Gymkids gymnastics program Thompson Academy of Gym- nastics recently opened GYMKIDS in Mendota Heights. It's a gymnastics and movement program for children ages 2 through kindergarten. Classes will be offered in Burnsville and Mendota Heights from Jan. 4-Feb. 27. Mr. D's Pizza remodels, reopens Mr. D's Pizza has remodeled its Lakeville restaurant, 17400 Kenwood Tr., and is ready to serve its old-style pizza. Pete Christensen and his father, Bob Christensen, pur- chased the Lakeville pizza rest- aurant in February 1987 and up- dated the menus. Pete Christensen said the rest- aurant uses all natural ingre- dients. Bob Christensen operated the Burnsville Dairy Queen for 10 years before entering the pizza business. Mr. D's Pizza is open in Lake- ville and Eagan, :3902 Beau De Rue Dr., for dine -in or carry -out. Both stores are open until 11 p.m. on weekdays, Sunday through Thursday, and until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Lake- ville's Mr. D's will be open for noon business. Pete Christensen lives in Lake- ville with his wife, Cindy, and their three children. Bob Chris- tensen and his wife Jeanne reside in Bloomington. For information about the classes and other locations, call 890-9020. The academy currently has more than 800 students, many of whom compete in the USGF system. The U.S. Olympic team is selected from USGF Elite com- petitors. Cures for cabin fever play-acted A cure for the inevitable cabin fever may be on the way. Several local and business organizations will present skits and demonstra- tions to show ways to beat the winter blues. The performances, which will be performed at Burn - haven Mall Jan. 7-10, will be in conjunction with the mall's cabin fever fixer sale. On Saturday, Jan. 9 at 11 a.m., the aerobic staff of a local health club will perform aerobic demonstrations to show how ex- ercise can be fun. At 1 p.m., karate demonstra- tors will present a program high- lighting the benefits of learning self-defense techniques. From 2-4 p.m., the Cedar Dodd 4-H Club will display projects and provide other children with sug- gestions on how to beat cabin fever this winter. On Sunday, Jan. 10 from 3-5 p.m., the Skyblazers 4-H Club will demonstrate a variety of things to do through 4-H. Burnhaven is located next to Target on County Road 42. JOHN P. McGREEVY LifeStyle names program manager John P. McGreevy, Eagan, has been named program manager of the LifeStyle Clinics of Minnesota facility in Apple Valley. The clinic opened Dec. 14 at 15025 Glazier Ave. in the Apple Valley Commons. McGreevy joined LifeStyle Clinics of Minnesota in March 1986. Since August of that year, he has served as program manager at the clinic in Shak- opee, which he will continue to manage in addition to the Apple Valley clinic. McGreevy has more than 10 years of experience in behavioral health care counseling and ad- ministration. His career includes administrative counseling posi- tions at residential facilities and outpatient facilities with an em- phasis on adolescent behavioral health care. LifeStyle Clinics of Minnesota is a Twin Cities -based network of clinics offering a wide range of outpatient mental health, chemical dependency, eating disorders and other behavioral health programs and services. "Get back to feeling good again!" EAGAN CHIROPRACTIC Dr. R.J. Reidt SERVICES COVERED BY: •Workers Comp. •BC 1 BS •Aware Gold •Medicare •Auto Insurance •Major Medical Complete Chiropractic Services PROMPT PERSONAL CARE •Day & Eve. Appointments •Open Saturday — 24 HOUR EMERGENCY CARE — 688-0462 At the crossroads of Diffley & Lexington �—soma------mNmmN Consultation and Spinal Examination 1 1 1FREE 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 L....._IIl000PON ..._U...._na — $40.00 DOLLAR VALUE — EAGAN CHIROPRACTIC DR. R. J. REIDT 688-0462 CUSTOMERS FLOCKED to Ben Franklin at Cedarvale Mall for its going -out -of -business sale. The store ex- pects to close in February, and R.C. Dick's IGA closed Dec. 26. Two stores' closings speed up renovation By BRENDA GUDERIAN Two businesses' closings at Cedarvale Mall are fitting in nicely with plans for remodeling the 20-year-old building. The closing of R.C. Dick's IGA and of Ben Franklin will allow re- modeling to begin earlier than planned. Dick's Foods closed its doors Dec. 26 after regular business hours. For the past 16 years, the mall has had a grocery store, in one name or another. Dick's Foods had been doing business for four years and employed up to 50 persons, manager Ron Baumer said. Another 16-year Cedarvale store is closing in February. Ben Franklin began its going -out -of - business sale after Christmas, according to� manager Carl Watrud. Mall manager Dave Brown em- phasized that the closings were not forced by mall management, despite rumors to the contrary. He said it was a mutual decision between the stores and the mall. "If they wanted to leave, it fit in with our plans," Brown said. He said that the mall is changing direction in its business ap- proach, with the emphasis being on stores providing home goods. "In order to accomplish that goal, we needed more space. But we never demanded that they leave." Ben Franklin had decided to leave even before remodeling plans were started, Brown said. The grocery store also agreed to end their business. "Business overall has been soft for the last several years," Baumer said, adding that com- petition and the general problems of today's economics contributed to that. "We appreciate the business of our customers over the years," he continued. "The mall has new plans for new shops. They plan to revamp the mall for a new type of setting and they have to have our space." He also pointed out there were no bad feelings from his business. "We have only the best wishes for the mall and for Eagan," Baumer said. If the businesses had not chosen to leave now, the mall would have waited for the three years to expire on their leases, and then they would not have been renewed, Brown explained. The early closings allow plans to start sooner. The mall has $2.2 million worth of updating plans. Beginning in January and conti- nuing until October, the mall's storefronts will be redone to ex- tend 4 feet farther, a new floor will be laid, skylights will be add- ed and other improvements are planned. Construction is ex- pected to begin Feb. 15, Brown said. Current stores will swallow up some of the extra space left on either end of the mall. Snyder Drug will expand its space from 10,000 to 13,800 square feet and will add convenience food items to the stock, Brown said. Coast to Coast Hardware will expand from 6,000 to 7,200 square feet. "I think they feel good about the change and being a part of it," Brown said. Mall management is also try- ing to lure 10 to 15 new businesses to the mall. Brown said there are interested parties, but he declin- ed to say who they might be. Another mall business is also leaving soon, but that is because of personal reasons, and is not related to the business they are doing, or plans the mall has, Brown said. THISWEEK• JANUARY 4. 1988 11/4�. Year is study in _ changes, growth ed to Savage as a result of a suc- cessful $6.98 million levy in Dist- rict 191. Voting in favor of the issue were 2,278, with 720 against. November Eagan city politics strayed from its usually smooth path when two veterans were defeated in the Nov.:3 election. Four -term Mayor Bea Blomquist will be re- placed in January by City Council Member Vic Ellison. Also defeat- ed was Jim Smith, a 15;year council member. Planning Com-. mission Member David Gustaf- son claimed Smith's seat. The election proved to be the most bit- ter and expensive in Eagan's his- tory. By Oct. 27 Ellison had spent $9,630 and had raised $11,013. Blomquist spent $4,722 and raised $6,174. Another 15-year veteran, Ted Wachter, was returned to his seat. December Developers on the controver- sial Cliff Lake Galleria shopping center project were given a bit of a go-ahead at the regular city council meeting Dec. 17. The council by a 3-1 vote decided not to press for an environmental im- pact statement after reviewing the environmental assessment worksheet. Mayor -elect Vic Elli- son threatened to review the deci- sion when he takes office in Janu- ary. The project had met a num- ber of delays coming from con- cerns over zoning, traffic and en- vironmental issues. Public hear- ings had brought out hundreds of concerned citizens. SCHOOL DISTRICT 196 had things to cheer about this year, especially when a bond issue calling for three more schools passed March 10. School Board Chairman Bill Smith applauded the decision. ON COLD winter days, it's nice to be reminded of the nice weather and fun Minne- sotans experience through much of the year. Eagan's Holland Lake is just one of the places to go play as this youngster did in July. Friends honor years of service to Eagan HONORING TWO long-time public servants was the duty of the evening Tuesday as friends and associates gathered to see Bea Blomquist. Eagan's four -term mayor, and James Smith. a 15-year councilman. Just as it usually is when friends get together, Tuesday, Dec. 29, was a time for reflection and for laughs. The night marked a time to honor two people who have given 29 years of combined service to Eagan: James Smith and Bea Blomquist. The two are leaving the Eagan City Council after being voted out of office. Blomquist has been mayor for four terms and had served on the Planning Commis- sion before that. Smith has been on the council for 15 years. Smith and his wife Jan look at the plaques that he and Blomquist were presented (left). Another councilman, Tom Egan, shows Blomquist her plaque while her hus- band Ed proudly looked on. Plaques recognizing their ser- vices were presented with affec- tion and with some humor thrown in. City Attorney Paul Hauge characterized the past 15 years as a time of "Eaganomics," and called Smith a "leveler" and Blomquist a "responder." Fellow City Council Member Tom Egan presented the plaque to Bea and said, "Jim and Bea have been a combination of men- tor and tormentor for me." Smith and Blomquist had their own messages to those gathered. Blomquist said she served out of "love for city, family and the en- vironment I wanted them to live in." She also thanked her hus- band Ed for his support over the years. Smith also injected some humor into the evening, by thank- ing his friends for "braving the political climate." But he also spoke of the sacrifices he and his family made while he served the city, and thanked his friends for the help and support they gave him. The two also received gifts: Blomquist, a crystal jar, and Smith, a gift certificate, which he said would probably buy a new depthfinder to aid the avid fisher- man. The two finished their official work with the city at a special ci- ty council meeting Dec. 30. 1 H1SWEEK --JANUARY 4;'1988 >`f3A New Year's resolutions will work with patience By ROXANNE KRUGER Christmas has passed, and with a little bit of luck, at least part of your wish list was filled. But have you found yourself making out a new list of sorts? Are you checking it once, then twice, and finding out that its con- tents are more naughty than nice? If so, it sounds like the tradi- tional New Year's resolution list is well under way. As another year draws to a close, most of us, whether we admit it or not, vow to take charge of our lives and change everything in it that's bad. This is the year to finally shed that extra 10 pounds, or to drop cigarette smoking. You vow to take that self -enrichment course for sure this year, and to become more organized to boot. Chances are, you're indulging in dessert every evening now, ex- tra topping included, because come Jan. 1, you intend to break the sugar habit for good. Sound familiar? If so, you're probably in the midst of yet another New Year's resolution routine. Ridicule we may, as we look back at our many resolution failures, but committing to change is no laughing matter — and no easy task. "New Year's resolutions are a healthy tradition in a sense that everyone can take stock, in essence, take inventory of what's happening in their lives," said Colleen Osier, administrator at Burnsville's Metropolitan Clinic of Counseling. "Resolutions are really a desire to have some control over the things that are causing stress and pain in our lives," she added. Despite the fact that many of us don't reach our resolution goals, each year we make them again; often times the very same ones. "Making resolutions is a type of ritual for most of us," Osier said. "The New Year represents a new beginning, a time to start fresh. January 1st is a symbol." Taking inventory of our lives is seemingly easy. We already know if we're overweight, or smoke or drink too much. By making resolutions, we promise ourselves, and sometimes others, to change the things in our lives we're dissatisfied with, Osier ex- plained. "Resolutions can be very im- portant, because human beings respond very well to ritual, and we tend to think of the New Year as just that," she said. "Not all people find them im- portant; they are important only to those who are sensitive to the need for more control," Osier said, "because resolutions lend more quality to life, or at least that's what people feel." To many, the turn of the year represents a new lease on life. It's a time for physical and emo- tional fitness. It's a time to get in- volved. Come January, Jazzercise in- structor Julie McWalter, of Apple Valley, will watch patiently as dozens of overweight, out -of - shape people march timidly onto the exercise floor. Many pro- bably haven't done a sit-up or leg lift since last January. Every year McWalter, who teaches several Jazzercise class- es in Apple Valley and Burnsville through community education, sees an influx of people vowing to get into shape. "Most succeed if they stay with the program," she explained. "A few will drop out because they're not really committed, but more and more, I see people sticking to their New Year's resolutions, if that's what brings them here." More often, McWalter sees her class numbers rise in February, because "some people want to lose 20 pounds before they even get here:" She added that people tend to be intimidated by their bodies, and instead of quickly re- solving their weight problem, "they battle it out on their own first." Educational Services Facili- tator Michelle Valk at Burns- ville's Fairview Ridges, said she notices "a bigger thrust of peo- Happy New Year 25% off ON ALL DRYCLEANING (WITH COUPON BELOW) Eagan Town Centre 452-3294 glr—• COUPON =mallllll l SHIRTS 1 PROFESSIONALLY LAUNDERED ON HANGERS 991¢ WITH THIS COUPON I EXPIRES JAN. 16, 1988 s ,,I 25% OFF SALE!4g444f 1111 CLEANERS And Laundered. ON ALL DRYCLEANING — NO LIMIT! — COWPOM wsr ntstma wm. WOW* 001111 ple" attending the community education classes offered at the hospital. "Because it's a new year, peo- ple think they're going to do something really big for them- selves," Valk said. "Many want to do something positive about their lifestyle, and that's wonder- ful." In an effort to become more "physically and mentally aware of themselves," people often enroll in the Stop Smoking, Body Shop, CPR, and nutrition and diet sessions offered to the public. "Our programs are very suc- cessful in this community, so it's not surprising to have so many take interest after the first of the year," Valk said. "Burnsville, Eagan, Apple Valley, Lakeville — all these communities are very aware of health issues, as well as their personal needs." Valk said class sizes range from 40 to 50 now, depending on the topic, but she expects enroll- ment to increase to more than 100 in January. Feeling re -energized and in charge of life can be a rewarding experience for many, but for others, it can bring defeat, accor- ding to Richard Obershaw, a therapist at Burnsville Counsel- ing Center. "People get the idea that be- cause the calendar is_ changing, they have to change with it," Obershaw explained. "Unfor- tunately, this sets everybody up, because they get it in their heads that they have to change, even though they really don't want to." Obershaw said that in actual- ity, nothing really changes. "Peo- ple will still have the same job, house and spouse on Jan. 1 as they did Dec. 31." "I will suggest that most people do not like to change," Obershaw continued. "They do what they do for a reason, and whatever they're doing that they perceive as failure is what they must do to meet their needs in some way." - Obershaw said that people have internalized reasons why they smoke or overeat. "Some people need these things to meet their needs, whether it's to soothe their stress or to relax them- selves with a full stomach." By trying to change them- selves, people are taking away these needs, Obershaw said, which can result in unhappiness and depression. Both Obershaw and Osier sug- gest that if people are committed to making a lifestyle change, do it slowly, and one step at a time. they will succeed. "People fail when they try to do it all; they don't set realistic goals or give themselves credit for the positive things in their lives, Osier said. "Too often people focus on the negatives, and that doesn't allow them to operate from a sense of strength." Obershaw contended that if people are to achieve their resolution goals, they should sit down and discover what is really causing them to smoke or over- eat. "It's important for someone to figure out why it is that they can go into a restaurant, swearing they will only order a salad, and end up eating a double bacon cheeseburger," he said. "They need to flesh out the real factor behind what is wrong." Though admittedly difficult, Obershaw said that changes are "important and people need to make them all the time." "The more change we experi- ence in life, the better able we are to handle it appropriately; some- one who cannot adjust to change may fail when he attempts change because he is unable to cope with something different in his life." Obershaw said that often peo- ple do not want to change, though they say they do. He said for those who want to change, they will achieve it eventually. "If change is so easy, people would have no problem with death, grief, the loss of 8 job, all the things that are focused on us," he added. "Most people han- dle these situations because they are forced changes that they have no control over. 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