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Lakevillewww.SunThisweek.com

February 6, 2015 | Volume 34 | Number 50

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INDEXOpinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A

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Public Notices . . . . . . 14A

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 15A

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THISWEEKEND

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Page 10A-11A

PUBLIC NOTICEMeeting minutes from the Lakeville Area School Boards meetings of Jan. 13 and 20 are inside this edition.

Page 12A

Fund special educationThe ECM Editorial Board urges Congress to finally live up to its Special Education funding obligations.

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Spotlight on Civil RightsAuthor Susan Follett will be joined by two Civil Rights Movement veterans at a Feb. 17 panel discussion in Rosemount.

Page 19A

The puck stops hereLakeville hockey teams are back in action on the ice in pursuit of conference titles and playoff position.

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by Laura AdelmannSUN THISWEEK

DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

A local couple grap-pling with health challeng-es will have an easier time getting around, thanks to the fundraising efforts of a group of workers at Mid-west Veterinary Supply in Lakeville. The groups efforts re-sulted $10,290 being raised for their co-worker Peggy Evans and her husband, Lee Petersen, to purchase a used accessible van to im-prove Petersens opportu-nities for more comfortable mobility. Petersen and Evans have struggled for years since Petersen was struck with ankylosing spondylitis, a

progressively degenerative form of arthritis that was first diagnosed in 2006. Petersen undergoes monthly infusions for the disease, which is incurable and has irreversible effects, to reduce joint inflamma-tion to make it easier for him to walk. Petersens mobility has also been compromised as his legs swell from lymph-edema, a disease that now affects both of his legs and requires leg wraps. Evans has become the couples primary bread-winner and also a care-giver as Petersen has been sidelined by chronic pain, swelling and fusing of

Lee Petersen and Peggy Evans smile from inside their new accessible van. (Photo submitted)



The Dakota County Community Develop-ment Agency plans to construct a 62-unit senior housing building in Lake-ville in 2016. Argonne Village is planned as a three-story independent living senior

housing building for peo-ple ages 55 and up with one- and two-bedroom units to be located on 3.22 acres northeast of Junelle Path and south of 175th Street. Project plans include a parking lot that would contain 29 spaces with an additional 58 spaces to be located in an under-

ground parking garage at the buildings southern end. The Lakeville City Council unanimously ap-proved the preliminary plat and planned unit development at its Feb. 2 meeting. Construction of the

New senior housing building planned in Lakeville

Construction anticipated to start in 2016

The Dakota County Community Development Agency is proposing to build a three-story independent living senior housing building off Junelle Path in Lakeville in 2016. (Photo submitted)

All Lakeville fire stations and Apple Valley Fire responded to a Jan. 28 garage fire at the 7500 block of a twin home on Upper 167th Street in Lakeville. Crews ar-rived to discover heavy smoke and fire from the tuck-under garage that had spread to the second floor and attic. There were no serious injuries reported, but one police officer was treated and released for smoke inhalation that occurred while evacuating residents. The second floor was heavily damaged in the fire. People liv-ing in two units were displaced as a result of the fire and received assistance from the Red Cross, according to the city. (Photo submitted)

Fire displaces Lakeville residents

Olson: Commercial development surges Lakeville tops list of suburban metro

housing permits issued last year by Laura Adelmann

SUN THISWEEK


Five years after the Great Recessions 2009 bottom, statistics indicate Lakeville is on a growth trend, which is anticipated to continue in 2015. Community and Eco-nomic Development Di-rector Dave Olson re-ported that Lakeville continued a three-year growth trend in commer-cial and industrial permits in 2014, coming in at near-ly $13.8 million, up from $11.1 million in 2013 and

$10.1 million in 2012. Five-year trends showed only 2011 ended higher than 2014 in com-mercial and industrial per-mit values, which totaled almost $18 million that year because Wal Mart was included. Olson said permit valu-ations issued by the city for commercial and resi-dential properties totaled $144.3 million last year. While that total was down about $500,000 from the citys 2013 year-end valuation, it rang in

Lakeville co-workers fundraiser allows couple to buy van

Organizers to be recognized with award by U.S. Rep. John Kline

See VAN, 10ASee HOUSING, 14A

See OLSON, 8A



Lakeville Area School Board members unani-mously agreed at a Jan. 3 study session to estab-lish a Long-Term Facili-ties Planning Committee that will begin meeting in March. The committee will cre-ate and oversee an Impact Academy Site Selection Subcommittee charged with exploring options for Impact Academy with the goal of creating a recom-

mendation to the School Board for locating the dis-tricts first choice school. At the suggestion of Board Member Jim Skel-ly, the subcommittee is to complete its recommenda-tions for Impact Academy by August so work can be done to move forward with implementation by the next school year. Among the issues to be reviewed by com-mittee and subcommit-tee members are facility

Committee to envision districts future

Subcommittee to focus on Impact Academy choice school

See ACADEMY, 13A

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Lakeville officials were all smiles after Assistant City Administrator Allyn Kuennen was presented with a surprise token of appreciation for serving six months as interim city administrator last year after Steve Mielke left the post to work for Dakota County. Lakeville City Administrator Justin Miller gave Kuennen a restaurant gift certificate at the end of the Feb. 2 City Council meeting. Mayor Matt Little thanked Kuennen for his service, calling him a class act and a talented guy. Also pictured is Executive Administrative Assistant Judi Hawkins. (Photo by Laura Adelmann)

Surprise thanks

School Board may broadcast study sessions Some concerned cameras will impede discussions



Lakeville Area School Board members are con-sidering televising and we-bcasting study sessions, less formal public meetings where issues are discussed before being presented for a vote at a regular board meeting. Board members consid-ered the potential of video recording the meetings, which are rarely attended by the public, at a Feb. 3 study session. Advocates included Board Member Jim Skelly and Board Chair Michelle Volk and most other board members were open to the idea, but expressed con-cerns. Volk said she has no problem with the public hearing anything she would say in a study session. Skelly said just because people do not regularly attend the study sessions does not mean they are not interested in the topics dis-

cussed. He said televising or webcasting their discus-sions could be a tool to help bring the public along with School Board decisions that are made. Volk added that many people are put off when they attend regular School Board meetings because they feel like the decisions have already been made. She said many people may not understand they have already discussed many of the issues and asked the questions the public would ask during those study sessions. Options include televis-ing the study sessions live, running taped video or live-streaming them online. Volk and Skelly said playing the study sessions would improve communi-cations with the public, pro-mote openness and help the public understand board actions. Concerns were raised that having their less formal discussions video recorded

may keep a member from asking a question for fear of how they may be per-ceived by the public. Some were also uncom-fortable with the idea of moving the study sessions back to City Hall where the video equipment is avail-able, which some felt does not provide the best setting to allow a more free flow of conversation. Also cited were concerns that televising or webcast-ing the boards study ses-sions could ignite rumors, as the things they discuss in the study sessions are often ideas being considered that are not necessarily going to happen. A suggestion to try it for a while and stop if it did not work out also drew concerns that such an ac-tion would be negatively perceived by the public. School Board members will revisit the idea at its Feb. 17 study session.

Laura Adelmann is at [email protected].

SUN THISWEEK - Lakeville February 6, 2015 3A

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Start with transportationTo the editor: Any discussion about mental health must in-clude the topic of trans-portation. With the popu-lation of Lakeville nearing 60,000, I wonder when the discussion of implement-ing an expanded public transportation system will begin. I suggest a transit initiative needs to take place, a coalition simi-lar to the one Northfield formed in 2008. We need community leaders, citizens, and mem-bers from several different organizations to unite and attempt to determine the benefits of an expanded public transportation sys-tem in Lakeville, and how to make it a reality. Questions will need to be answered: Would regular bus routes be used and by how many people? Where would the routes run? Where will the mon-ey come from? Would lo-cal businesses voluntarily kick into a donation fund in exchange for some positive publicity? How can we prevent creating an extra tax burden, or would the socio-economic ben-

efits to the community as a whole outweigh a small tax increase? Would it be more financially feasible to start with one bus route, then gradually, over a pe-riod of several years, in-crease the number of bus routes? How does limited public transportation af-fect seniors, youth, people seeking or maintaining employment, people who need ongoing physical and mental health services? Would it create more social opportunities? Is having a better-connected com-munity a good idea or bad idea? Could we cooperate with Farmington and oth-er neighboring communi-ties to ensure an efficient and cost-effective public transit system throughout Dakota County, and cre-ate a system that would be well-managed, lack waste, and have support from Democrats, Republicans, and all those in-between?

ANDY ALTLakeville

Improving education To the editor: I recently introduced legislation to allow more

high school juniors and se-niors to take college-level classes right at their high school through partner-ships among high schools and state colleges. Expan-sion of this existing pro-gram has many benefits to students and school dis-tricts. Under my bill, stu-dents will not have to leave their high school to take college-level classes and receive college credits. The courses and college credits are free, and students can maintain their involve-ment in school activities. Students can save thou-sands of dollars in tuition by earning college credit during high school, and many participating stu-dents feel more equipped to succeed in college fol-lowing graduation. While I was a princi-pal at Rosemount High School, we had a very successful College in the Schools dual enrollment program that helped high school students begin col-lege early, and provided students with college cred-its and skills for a success-ful transition to post-sec-ondary education. I hope we can expand this pro-gram to more schools so

more students can partici-pate in this great program. Another advantage of high school students tak-ing college classes at the high school is that school districts do not lose state funds for students who participate in the pro-gram. When high school students take classes at a college through programs such as PSEO, the higher education institution re-ceives most of the state funding the school district would otherwise have re-ceived. Some schools face financial hardship when large numbers of their stu-dents attend college dur-ing their junior and senior years of high school. We must pursue all av-enues to help prepare a skilled workforce for the 21st century. I join an in-creasing number of poli-cymakers, educators, and researchers in promoting dual enrollment as an av-enue for building a work-force with the knowledge and skills needed for the emerging globalized econ-omy. With almost 80 per-cent of the nations fast-est-growing jobs requiring some postsecondary edu-cation, there is a growing

recognition that a college education is necessary to prepare a workforce for the present and future eco-nomic realities. This is a great piece of legislation that will help students, parents, and high schools. I am hopeful this bill becomes law.

Sen. GREG CLAUSENDFL-Apple ValleyDistrict 57

Do as Scott County did, reject trail plan To the editor: Dakota County offi-cials have put a plan out that has a miles long de-velopment that will slice through the hills creating ditches sometimes 30-50 feet deep, up to 100 feet wide along with high berms and side cut slopes. This development will have a paved 10-foot wide ribbon at the center for high speed biking along with anyone else who wants to risk being run over on an isolated strip of pavement. This devel-opment, misnamed as a greenway, wipes out many

of the existing ski and hik-ing trails. It also wipes out thousands of trees directly and probably even more trees later due to root damage and the road salt to keep this mini freeway open in the winter. This plan was soundly rejected by over 90 percent of residents over a year ago when commentary was given. There was then a panel methodology to try to greenwash the flop which was manipulative and dishonest. The method is best described by Steve Yaeger, District 3 repre-sentative in panels report. First, meeting agendas were set and dominated by staff and by the countys paid consultants, who have a financial interest in the continued development of Lebanon Hills. The gre-enway as envisioned is an expensive boondoggle that duplicates trails and de-stroys parks including the destruction already visited on Dodge Nature Center. Scott County has rejected this unpopular and dumb greenway trail into Mur-phy Hanrehan Park. Resi-dents of Dakota County

Letters

OpinionFind ways to fully fund school special education

Lebanon Hills: To be, or not to be, Forever Wild

The number of students who have spe-cial needs in Minnesota schools continues to grow. State and federal governments need to fund federally mandated programs as promised to avoid using local operating school district funds to subsidize the pro-gram. To its credit, the 2012-13 State Legisla-ture appropriated an additional $40 mil-lion to fund special education for 112,000 students. The federal government came up with $167 million in new money. In the 2013-14 school year, the cost of educating disabled learners was $1.955 billion, with the state contributing $1.049 billion that was designated for students with special needs. That means that during the 2013-14 school year local school districts will have to use $611 million out of their general funds to subsidize special education pro-grams. General funds are intended for the education of all students, including those with special needs.

U.S. Rep. John Kline, R-Burnsville, chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee, intends to find more funds for special education, but he contends the Obama administration keeps coming up with new programs that take away scarce dollars that could go to students in Min-nesotas classrooms. When the federal government in 1975 mandated the special education program it promised to fund it up to 40 percent. Its now approximately 18 percent. Meanwhile, the number of students eligible for special education under Min-nesota law continues to climb, while the total enrollment continues to decline. Part of the answer may be more funding for high quality 3- and 4-year-old early child-hood programs from low-income families. Some research shows this helps reduce the number of students with special needs in

elementary and secondary schools. Each student with special needs has an individual education plan that by law must be funded. All children, including those with special needs, have an equal right to an education as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Consti-tution. They also have a right to the same funding as all children. According to the Minnesota Depart-ment of Education, in 2012 it cost $1.8 billion to fund these individual education plans. State and federal governments cov-ered $1.2 billion, forcing local school dis-tricts to bolster special education funding by almost $600 million from their general operating funds. State legislators would rather spread any new funding to their local districts, rather than give more to districts that have disabled learners. Advocates for children with learning disabilities contend that a local school dis-tricts subsidy of the funding gap is part of the communitys responsibility to edu-

cate all children. They note that students with special needs also lose opportunities when districts cut operating budgets. School superintendents from all over the state say their No. 1 priority for the federal government is full funding of spe-cial education. People need to rise up, contact their state legislators and members of Con-gress, and demand that federal and state governments live up to their promises of full funding. Until federal and the state govern-ments feel the heat, they will be content to let local school districts spend general op-erating funds intended for the education of all students to provide deserved special education programs for those students with special needs.

This is an opinion of the ECM Publishers Editorial Board. Sun Thisweek and the Da-kota County Tribune are part of ECM Pub-lishers Inc.

by Christie SoderlingSPECIAL TO SUN THISWEEKDAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

Dakota County and the Metropolitan Council are headed in the wrong direc-tion regarding proposals for the Lebanon Hills Greenway Hub and the most recent (Jan. 26) Draft Master Plan for Lebanon Hills Regional Park. It is distressing that there has been no apparent change in the official attitude that no longer places a primary value on the unique natural re-sources at Lebanon Hills. The proceed-ings of a tightly-controlled citizen panel convened to study controversial plans for significant development in the park have failed the people in this county. The aspect of the plan most damag-ing to the integrity of Lebanon Hills and its most prized resource is the paved trail proposed through the interior of the park, acquiescing to Met Councils policy that combines bicycle commuting with recreation. Established 40 years ago, the domi-nant theme of Lebanon Hills has been restoration, preservation, education, and recreation in a high-quality natural set-ting until now. The proposed greenway corridor planned through the park up to 80 feet wide, graded to flatten the hills, with pavement not less than 10 feet wide, and plowed in the winter would forever

destroy the continuous natural habitat of the park interior. Development of this type quite simply cannot co-exist with the experience of the natural landscape that visitors treasure (as the countys own sur-veys demonstrate). Recognized as a premier destination for cross-country skiers, hikers, trail run-ners, mountain bikers, birders, natural-ists, snowshoers, and equestrians, a paved and plowed trail would hugely degrade the experience of park users. Safety con-cerns will be a factor for families with young children, elderly and mobility dis-abled are mixed with high-speed bicyclers and inline skaters. There would be no way to protect the many wetlands and lakes from oily as-phalt run-off or chemicals used for ice control. Root systems damaged by heavy construction would be extremely det-rimental toward efforts to manage the spread of oak wilt through park. Dis-rupted soil will provide ideal conditions for further spread of buckthorn. Any visitor can attest to the fact that maintenance and restoration programs have been severely lacking. Financial commitment to these critical aspects of park funding in the past decade have

been skewed 3:1 in favor of develop-ment over ecological stewardship. The proposed plan aggravates this trend by eliminating even previously stated goals of equalization. Increased development (the paved trail is only a part of the ambi-tious expansion proposed) will stretch the marginal maintenance dollars even more thinly, to the detriment of visitor experi-ences. As a critical example, the even-tual and predictable replacement costs of paved trails far exceed budget capacities. The plan needs to realistically account for the stated, but underfunded, aims regard-ing maintenance and resource manage-ment. It seems that Dakota County is no longer in the business of what is best for its own parks. It would appear that we are now playing catch-up with Three Riv-ers Parks, as indicated by the side-byside comparison, really apples-to-oranges comparison at best, as justification for additional development. Planners asked how many miles of paved trails does Lebanon Hill have? How many visitors? What can we build to draw more people? These are the wrong questions for Da-kota County. Commissioners should be asking if we have committed the resourc-es to teach visitors of all ages about the natural resources at the park. How do we encourage our visitors to engage with

the natural setting? To be a buckthorn control volunteer? How do we all benefit from a healthy ecosystem? How can we provide a true comparable experience for all ages and abilities? The county got it right on the last Management Plan (2001) where, with in-clusive citizen input, the stated emphasis was on restoration, keeping the unde-veloped areas natural, and providing a unique experience for visitors. Commis-sioners should not cede their longstand-ing goals for Lebanon Hills to planners who see an empty swath of land as a convenient place to put a paved trail. Lebanon Hills chief asset is its unde-veloped landscape. The proposed paved trail through the interior of the park, in particular, is markedly inconsistent with this vision. Tipping the balance away from pertinent park services, manage-ment, and restoration, and focusing in-stead on development defeats the objec-tive of wise stewardship of this unique resource. Our elected commissioners should remind themselves that by far the best course of action would be to heed the Dakota Parks moniker, Forever Wild, and preserve the land that was set aside for its inherent value as a natural area.

Christie Soderling is an Eagan resident. Columns reflect the opinion of the author.

ECM Editorial

Guest Columnist

PUBLISHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julian AndersenPRESIDENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marge WinkelmanGENERAL MANAGER . . . . . . . . . . . . Mark WeberLAKEVILLE/DISTRICT 194 EDITOR . . Laura Adelmann

SPORTS EDITOR . . . . . . . . . Mike ShaughnessyNEWS ASSISTANT . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Darcy OddenTHISWEEKEND EDITOR . . . . . . . . Andrew MillerSALES MANAGER . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Jetchick

Laura Adelmann | LAKEVILLE NEWS | 952-894-1111 | [email protected] Shaughnessy | SPORTS | 952-846-2030 | [email protected]

Mike Jetchick | AD SALES | 952-846-2019 | [email protected] Johnson | MANAGING EDITOR | 952-846-2033 | [email protected]

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See LETTERS, 5A


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are doing their best to tell our county government the same for Lebanon Hills.

MIKE FEDDEEagan

Help the homeless children To the editor: I am a community health care worker, and I volunteer at a safe and sober living home. In see-ing homelessness in many different areas of my daily life and in talking about it with co-workers, peers, and clients, I have made a conclusion about how to begin to end homelessness. We need to stop believing the stereotype of home-lessness. Most people who com-mute especially to the city have seen them the di-sheveled middle aged men standing on the side of the inner city street hold-ing signs that say things like homeless vet or anything helps. I once believed that all homeless-

ness looked like this was a result of drug problems, alcohol addiction and poor decisions. For some this is true, but for many others suffering homeless-ness it is not. What many of us dont know is that these middle aged men only make up a small portion of the homeless population in the Twin Cities area. In Minnesota children and youths under 21 make up half of the homeless pop-ulation. A total of 13,000 public school students were identified as home-less or highly mobile in the past two years. Homeless-ness is not a childs fault and if we are to end home-lessness, we should start with the population who is hit the hardest: children.

MARGARET BENSONRosemount

There is no honeymoonTo the editor: Lest U.S. Rep. John Kline, R-Burnsville, think that there is post-election exhaustion, he can retire that thought. His recent actions in the House are

being closely scrutinized. He continues to vote against the interests of this district and the country. For example: Save American Workers Act: He voted to increase to 40 hours the definition of full-time employment before an employer is re-quired to provide health insurance under the Af-fordable Care Act. As a result, many employees will be removed from the rolls of the insured. We, the taxpayers, will bear the burden of this decision. Keystone XL Pipe-line: He voted to autho-rize the construction of the pipeline. No oil flow-ing through this pipeline will remain in the United States. Only approximate-ly 30 permanent jobs re-sult from its construction. And, it encourages the production some of the worlds dirtiest oil from the Canadian tar sands. Regulatory Account-ability Act: He voted to create many of new hur-dles for the EPA, the FDA, and other science agencies, while allowing for endless court challenges from spe-cial interests. This could delay protections from

current and emerging threats for years. Homeland Security: He voted to defund all immigration reforms un-dertaken by the president. This results in continuing insecurity for workers and students who have and will contribute to our economy and society. Job Creation and Re-ducing Burdens on Small Business: This bill weak-ens the Dodd-Frank leg-islation, giving renewed power to Wall Street to impose its will on Main Street. Before he retires or is voted out of office, he should stop doing damage to his beloved country.

RON GOLDSEREagan

Pot calling the kettle blackTo the editor: After my letter, Leba-non Hills Park Master Mis Plan, was published on Jan. 16, I uncovered three additional related stories and letters. One was published in the Star Tribune on Oct. 2, 2014, titled, Dakota

County, Met Council clash over parks plan. Following are excerpts: A Metropolitan Council plan that would guide the development of parks in the metro area over the next 30 years has irritated Dakota County officials, who say it would under-mine the control of local leaders who know resi-dents needs best. A letter from the county commissioners to the Met Council criticizing several of the plans proposals, stated, Their input was disregarded during its cre-ation. County Commissioner Tom Egan was quoted as saying, They are trying to top-down dictate how we operate our parks. It continued, Com-missioners bristled at the suggestion that the Met Council should help de-cide which park improve-ment programs to pur-sue. The countys letter said, It is important that the Metropolitan Council does not usurp the author-ity of local elected officials in the improvement of re-gional park systems. I would appreciate being informed of the

difference(s) between what our commissioners stated the Met Council was do-ing to them and what they are attempting to do to county citizens. The Lebanon Hills Cit-izens Advisory Panel, sup-posedly established to ad-dress citizens objections, was rather, it appears, used to enable the commission-ers to impose their plans on the people the parks belong to, doing just what they were complaining about the Met Council do-ing. What is that old say-ing about the shoe pinch-ing when its on the other foot? My tally of 39 articles and letters relative to the Master Plan published over the last 20 months is 31 nays and two yeas, six being strictly infor-mative or neutral com-mentaries. A couple of other old sayings I like: Recognition of reality is the beginning of wisdom and/or, alternately, When illusion dies, wisdom is born. If the shoe fits, wear it.

CARL BILL IRELANDApple Valley

LETTERS, from 4A

A blueprint for bipartisan success in 2015by Amy KlobucharSPECIAL TO SUN THISWEEKDAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

In 2014, Minnesotas unemployment rate sank to its lowest level in more than a decade at 3.7 percent, state exports reached a record $5.5 billion this past quarter, and our manufacturing indus-tries continued to surge. Nationally, the economy added 321,000 jobs in Novem-ber the largest monthly gain in nearly three years and gas prices continued to drop with the U.S. overtaking Saudi Ara-bia as the No. 1 oil producer in the world. With the economy improving, we are no longer governing from crisis we are governing from opportunity. Especially as we head into a new year with a new Con-gress, Washington must put governing over gridlock and get things done that will move our economy and country forward. I have always prioritized working with members of both parties and know prog-ress is possible. Whether it has been pass-ing legislation with Roy Blunt of Missouri to boost tourism or partnering with John McCain to reduce prescription drug costs, two-thirds of the bills I have led include Republican co-sponsors. This blueprint of working across the aisle has proven

to be successful. This past year, I passed eight bipartisan bills into law. Starting this month, I will be taking on a new leadership position as chair of the Democratic Steering and Outreach Com-mittee. This position will give me a chance to reach out to members across aisle, as well as community leaders, businesses, and policy experts, to identify areas of common ground and work together for the benefit of all Americans. When it comes to priorities, we should start with rebuilding and revitalizing our infrastructure. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, inefficiencies in infrastructure are expected to drive up the cost of doing business by an estimated $430 billion over the next decade. Traffic congestion alone costs the economy $121 billion per year. We need a 21st century transportation network that meets the de-

mands of our 21st century economy. One idea with bipartisan support: creating in-centives for companies to bring back some of the money theyve got parked overseas and linking it to infrastructure improve-ments here in America. This is the kind of common-sense solution that we need to move forward. With manufacturing continuing to grow, we should also take steps to ensure students and workers have the skills need-ed for the jobs of tomorrow that our busi-nesses are creating today. In one recent survey, 67 percent of Minnesota business-es said it was difficult to find workers with the right skills and experience up from 40 percent in 2010. To help close the skills gap, we need to look at creating partner-ships between our community colleges and local businesses, as well as expanding access to apprenticeship programs for our students and workers. I will also be put-ting forward a bipartisan bill with Repub-lican Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota which would fund 100 new STEM high schools across the country and support promising scientific research to keep us competitive in the global economy. Congress also needs to take steps that will make college more affordable. Out-

standing student loans now total more than $1.2 trillion, surpassing total credit card debt and affecting 40 million Ameri-cans. To combat this problem, I am work-ing to reform our student loan system and make college more affordable so that all our young people have the opportunity to succeed. Despite the fact that the economy is picking up steam, a lot of families are still feeling pinched. Thats why, in addition to tax reform, I will work to protect families pocketbooks by fighting to lower costs on everything from cell-phones to cable TV to prescription drugs. Lowering costs for these kind of everyday items can make a real difference for families in Minnesota and across the country. With the election behind us, the Amer-ican people expect Congress to end the gridlock and get back to the business of governing. That will be my focus in 2015 to do whats right for our state and coun-try and get things done that will move our economy forward. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is a Democrat from Plymouth. Columns reflect the opinion of the author.

GuestColumnistAmy Klobuchar


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by John GessnerSUN THISWEEK


Ronald Reagan: 100 Years, a hardcover vol-ume commemorating the former presidents centen-nial birthday, is promi-nently displayed on an end table in state Rep. Drew Christensens new office. Reagan left the White House four years before Christensen was born, but the 21-year-old is inspired by his example. I like that he was a joyful warrior, said Chris-tensen, the youngest mem-ber of the Minnesota Leg-islature and the youngest allowed by state law. He was never rude or abrasive. He had strong disagree-ments and he was passion-ate, but he wasnt abrupt or abrasive. And I think he knew how to compromise,

too. He had strong convic-tions but knew that getting 80 percent of what you want it still getting 80 per-cent of what you want. Christensen represents District 56A, which in-cludes northwest Burns-ville and all of Savage. He won the local Re-publican endorsement to replace Rep. Pam Myhra, who didnt seek re-election to a third term. Christensen comfort-ably defeated Burnsville DFLer Dan Kimmel in November. He was born in Burns-ville to Scott and Julie Christensen, raised in Sav-age and graduated from Prior Lake High School in 2011. He now lives in a Burnsville apartment and is a senior political science major at the University of Minnesota. Christensen

Its about community service, youngest House member says

State Rep. Drew Christensen, a Burnsville Republican and the youngest member of the Minnesota Legislature, is pictured in his new office at the State Office Building in St. Paul. (Photo by John Gessner)

by John GessnerSUN THISWEEK


The mini-fridge is new, but a sofa and chair that state Rep. Roz Peterson brought in to complement her legislative office come courtesy of her in-laws. Basically its just hand-me-down furniture I nabbed from our basement, said Peterson, one of the rook-ies on the fifth floor of the State Office Building, home of Republican House mem-bers. The Lakeville resident, 49, is serving her first term in the House after unseating former Rep. Will Morgan in November. Peterson defeat-ed the Burnsville DFLer in a rematch of their first contest in 2012. Her seat in District 56B, which includes a large swath of southern and cen-tral Burnsville and a smaller piece of northern Lakeville, is one of 11 Republicans captured from Democrats last year while winning back a House majority. A mother of two children in college, Peterson said shes learning to juggle an endless stream of legislative meetings with family obli-gations and her career as a commercial realtor. After serving for eight years on the Lakeville Area School Board, Peterson is adjusting to a new partisan environment in the Legisla-ture, which went into session last month. Her first bill, co-sponsored by another ex-school board member, DFL Rep. Yvonne Selcer of Minnetonka, renews the use of sales taxes collected on tickets at high school events to help defray participation fees for needy students. Peterson will put her experience to work with appointments to two edu-cation committees: finance

and innovation policy. From that standpoint, its very much a continua-tion of the work that I have done on the School Board, said Peterson, who was also appointed to the Health and Human Services Reform Committee. She criticized DFL Gov. Mark Daytons education budget, which calls for fund-ing preschool programs for all Minnesota 4-year-olds an extension of his suc-cessful push in the last bien-nium for universal all-day kindergarten. Im not supportive of additional mandates right now, Peterson said. Most districts are really struggling adapting to all-day kin-dergarten, adapting to the (state-mandated) teacher evaluations, and when Gov. Dayton presented his all-day pre-K for 4-year-olds, I can only imagine how dif-ficult that would be, to up-heave everything when we havent even had a full year of all-day kindergarten. School business manag-ers warn that districts could face budget cuts under Day-tons proposed general fund-ing increase of only 1 per-cent a year, Peterson said. It wouldnt sit well with parents to see fine arts or other programs cut while a new preschool program is funded, she predicted. She favors other ap-proaches to preschool, such as a voucher-type system that directs money to par-ents of at-risk students to spend on a preschool pro-gram of their choice. I do think there will be something done on an early-childhood program, Peter-son said. I think (Daytons plan) might be a little too fast, too furious. She and her Republican caucus support changing the

law to end the teacher-layoff practice known as Last In, First Out. Theres really only a handful of states left in the country that only take se-niority into account, Pe-terson said, adding that the new teacher-evaluation plans give districts added in-formation for making better personnel decisions. An admitted policy wonk, Peterson said shes eager to dive into work on the Education Innova-tion Policy Committee. She cited the Lakeville school districts Impact Academy, which blurs grade-level dis-tinctions to help students progress at their own pace, as an example of innova-tion. Our kids learn differ-ently than they did 50 years ago, she said. Her caucus has proposed a four-year, $750 million outlay for transportation infrastructure, a smaller plan than Daytons, which includes a gasoline-tax in-crease. The Cedar Avenue bus rapid transit line has been great for the south metro area, Peterson said. But its time to focus on roads and bridges, she said, pointing to the Interstate 35W crossing over the Minnesota River as a congestion point worthy of state attention. I think theres still some talk about what our true needs are, Peterson said of the dueling transportation plans. The numbers seem to be all over the board. Lets at least start out with a number and see how we can come to some consensus.

John Gessner can be reached at (952) 846-2031 or email [email protected].

Peterson putting her education expertise to work

State Rep. Roz Peterson, R-Lakeville, is pictured in her new office at the State Office Building in St. Paul. (Photo by John Gessner)

Rookie Class of 2014

said hes taking only one online course while con-centrating on the 2015 leg-islative session and expects to graduate this summer. His mother was a long-time speech-language pathologist in the Prior Lake-Savage School District and involved in school affairs, Christensen said. The family attended Illumination Church in Burnsville when he was growing up. They were very in-volved in the community, my parents were, but not necessarily politically, Christensen said. It was always important for me to be involved in the com-munity and serve the com-munity, and politics was just kind of an outlet. He was a paid field staffer for U.S. Rep. John Kline during his 2012 and 2014 campaigns. Klines 2014 campaign manager was Tim Commers, who served three terms as a state representative from Eagan during the 1990s. I kind of always had a fire, Christensen said of running for office, but I think he had a lot of po-litical experience and he was elected to the House at a fairly young age, 26. I think that was an inspira-tion for me. And his guid-ance was certainly helpful in the process. Christensens commit-tee work will focus mostly on education. He was ap-pointed to three House education committees: education finance, educa-tion innovation policy and higher education policy and finance. Theyre fairly young

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communities with a lot of families with school-age kids Savage, especially, but Burnsville, still, too, Christensen said of his district. When I would go out knocking on doors, thats what people would want to talk about, mak-ing sure our kids really get a great education. While door-knocking, he said he heard from peo-ple that we need to make sure theres a great teacher in every classroom. His and his caucus 2015 edu-cation priorities include changing law that gives the most senior teachers job security when teachers are laid off. Christensen noted that legislation to end Last In, First Out is sponsored in the Senate by a DFLer, Terri Bonoff. Were receiving bi-partisan support for it, Christensen said. The governor hasnt seemed overly supportive. But hopefully, he can come around. Theres a lot of support in the DFL-con-trolled Senate. Christensen has intro-duced his first bill a measure affecting school funding shifts, which have been part of past budget-balancing deals. His bill would require a two-thirds vote in both houses to pass a shift that provides less than 90 percent of the agreed-upon funding to school districts, according to his office. Christensens fourth committee assignment touches the other end of the age spectrum. He was appointed to the Aging and Long-Term Care Poli-

DREW, from 6A cy Committee. He said hes disappoint-ed that DFL Gov. Mark Daytons budget doesnt offer needed funding in-creases for nursing homes and their workers. Nursing-home admin-istrators say they cant even afford to pay their employees enough to keep them around, Chris-tensen said. Their nurses are there for a little while, and then they bolt to the hospital where they can make $5 more an hour. The funding formula for nursing homes is out-dated and based on cost calculations from the 1990s, he said. Were really going to try to take a look at that and try to direct more funding toward nursing homes and care facilities, he said. Christensen and his caucus oppose Daytons proposal to raise the gaso-line tax to fund transpor-tation infrastructure proj-ects. Dayton and House Republicans opened the session far apart on their proposals for transporta-tion spending. When I go out in the district and talk to folks, they dont want to raise

the gas tax, Christensen said. Its a pretty regres-sive tax, and its really not something that I think families in Savage and Burnsville could afford right now. He opposes the pro-posed Southwest Light Rail project and said the state should direct the $120 million needed to complete the funding to road and bridge projects. We can spend the money a lot more effec-tively and get a lot more bang for our buck in spending it on roads and bridges, Christensen said. He called for invest-ments in the Highway 169 and Interstate 35W Min-nesota River crossings. One large project in his district the new High-way 13-County Road 5 interchange was com-pleted before Christensen took office. I get a smile on my face every time I go through that intersection, he said. That was horrible. That had to have been the worst intersection in our area by far.

John Gessner can be reached at (952) 846-2031 or email [email protected].

Belland isnew presidentof FairviewRidges Hospital Patrick Belland has accepted the position of president of Fairview Ridges Hospital. He be-gins Monday, Feb. 2. Belland replaces Beth Krehbiel, who was president of the Burnsville hospital for seven years. Patrick has great skill and experience in strategic planning, operations and physician relations, said Bradley Beard regional presi-dent, for Fairview Health Services south re-gion. I am confident he will help ensure Fair-view Ridges Hospital continues to deliver the exceptional clinical care, patient experience and commitment to the community for which the hospital is known. Belland spent the last 14 years in senior lead-ership positions with Allina Health. He most recently served for eight years as vice president of operations for Unity Hospital. Belland also served as vice president of Home Oxygen & Medical Equipment and Pharmacy and as vice president of finance, payer relations and contracting both with Al-lina. He received his master of business adminis-tration with a health care emphasis from Con-cordia University and a bachelors degree in accounting from the College of St. Thomas. Krehbiel, who left Fairview Ridges in No-vember, was named the hospitals president in 2007. She was previously chief operating offi-cer of Fairview Health Services in Red Wing. Under her direction, Fairview Ridges re-cently opened the 133,000-square-foot Fair-view Ridges Specialty Care Center on its Burnsville campus. Fairview Health Services, headquartered in Minneapolis, is a nonprofit, academic health system. In partnership with the University of Minnesota, Fairview has 21,000 employees and 2,300 aligned physicians.

John Gessner

Franken nominates Lakeville students to U.S. Service Academies U.S. Sen. Al Franken has nominated Lakeville students Taylor Flaherty and McCabe Wartick for admission to a U.S. Service Academy. Flaherty has been nominat-ed to the U.S. Military Acad-emy at West Point. Wartick has been nominated to the U.S. Air Force Academy. If chosen for an appoint-ment they will enter this sum-mer and be part of the class of 2019. Flaherty, the daughter of Michael and Patricia Flaherty, is currently a senior at Lakeville North High School. She par-ticipates in varsity hockey, the Student Leadership Associa-tion and Student Council. She also volunteers as a mentor for youth hockey. Wartick, the son of Kari and Kevin Wartick, is currently a senior at Apple Valley High School and participates in both varsity hockey and ultimate Frisbee. He also as a volunteer with the Apple Valley youth hockey program. Each year, Franken nomi-nates qualified young Minne-sotans to the four U.S. Service Academies. The individual ser-vice academies make the final admission decisions and begin notifying nominees of their sta-tus in February.


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$15 million higher than the $129.3 million permit valuations Lakeville is-sued in 2012. Several major business expansions and devel-opments contributed to Lakevilles 2014 commer-cial growth trend, which Olson highlighted during his economic development annual report at the Feb. 2 City Council meeting. Menasha Packaging ex-panded its Airlake Indus-trial Park manufacturing facility by 12,000 square feet, creating 15 new jobs and retaining 221 existing ones. BTD Manufacturing received final approval at the meeting to utilize tax increment financing for expanding its facility this spring by 200,000 square feet, which Olson said will add 100 new jobs and re-tain 215 jobs. Olson called the BTD and Menasha plans two great projects that are

textbook examples of eco-nomic development that will create livable-wage jobs with great benefits and long-term employees. Those two develop-ments alone have put Lakeville two-thirds of the way toward meeting its goal that existing busi-nesses expand by 500,000 feet by the end of 2016 as identified in its 2014-2016 Strategic Plan, Olson said. He added the jobs cre-ated by those develop-ments have also put the city one-third of the way to meeting its goal that ex-isting businesses add 300 jobs by the end of 2016. Employment trends in Lakeville closely reflect those of Dakota County, according to Olson. He presented statistics showing unemployment rates in Lakeville have dropped from 6.2 percent in 2010 to 3.1 percent in 2014. The number of jobs available in Lakeville also rose from 13,219 in 2005

to 15,953 last year, accord-ing to Olson. More Lakeville busi-nesses that grew last year include Dicks Sanitation, which remodeled to open a new recycling facility dubbed Recycle Minne-sota. Olson also highlighted NPL, a pipeline construc-tion company which is building a 15,000-square-foot warehouse along County Road 70 that is ex-pected to be finished this year. Other new commer-cial projects in Lakeville include FedEx Freight, which will build a 94,000-square-foot facil-ity at County Road 70 and Dodd Boulevard and add 125 new jobs. Olson said the final plat for that proj-ect is expected to be on the agenda at the Feb. 16 City Council meeting. The citys first Hy-Vee Grocery store is planned to be built at County Road 46 and Pilot Knob Road this year and will in-

clude a drive-thru grocery and pharmacy window. That development is also planned to include an ac-cessory convenience store, car wash and a Caribou Coffee shop with drive-thru. City officials antici-pate it will open this sum-mer. New businesses that opened in 2014 include Park Dental at County Road 50 and 175th Street, Title Boxing, located in the Lakeville Crossings Shop-ping Center at Cedar Av-enue and County Road 46, El Parian Mexican Res-taurant in the Crossroads Shopping Center by Cedar Avenue and Dodd Bou-levard and Kaleidoscope Boutique, which opened in the citys historic down-town and sells a variety of home decor, gifts, baby and vintage items. Ballet Royale Minneso-ta opened a new commer-cial building on Kenrick Avenue off County Road 46 as did SuperAmerica, which built a new gas

and convenience store off County Road 70 just west of I-35.

Housing strong Data compiled by the Keystone Report for the Builders Association of the Twin Cities show that Lakeville led the metro area (not including Min-neapolis) for the number of residential housing per-mits issued in 2014. The report found Lakeville issued 329 resi-dential permits, 19 fewer than the city says was ac-tually issued. Olson said the discrep-ancy is because the city calculates all permits is-sued for the year through Dec. 31, while the BATCs statistics do not. Following Lakeville with 306 residential per-mits issued last year was Plymouth, according to the BATC statistics, and Blaine rounded out the top three cities for residen-tial growth with 304 resi-dential permits issued in

2014. Olson said most of Lakevilles development is occurring inside the Lakeville Area School District, with 209 residen-tial permits issued within its boundaries last year. He reported 109 of the residential permits issued in Lakeville were located the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School Dis-trict 196 boundaries, and 30 of Lakevilles residen-tial permits were for hous-ing in the Farmington School District boundar-ies. Olson also noted Lakeville recorded 429 single family platted lots in 2014, a five-year record and up by 32 from 2013s 397 platted lots. It was certainly a good year, Olson said.


OLSON, from 1A


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District 196 parents asked to share interest in school choice options Parents of preschool and elementary-aged chil-dren in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Pub-lic Schools are being asked to complete a survey to measure interest in differ-ent academic themes and alternative school calen-dars that may be used to create additional school choice options in the dis-trict. The school choice sur-vey opened Feb. 3 and will remain open through Feb. 27. Parents can access the survey with a link provid-ed by their childs elemen-tary school or the districts early childhood program. The 12-question survey asks parents to rate their interest in several magnet themes being considered by the district, including environmental sciences, fine and performing arts, international studies, lead-

ership, Montessori, STEM and world languages. Re-spondents are also asked to rate their interest in different school calendar options, including an ex-tended school year with more days than the regular calendar, a year-round cal-endar with the same num-ber of school days spread throughout the year, and a year-round calendar with additional days for academic support and en-richment during scheduled school breaks. District 196 currently has 18 elementary schools, including three magnets: Cedar Park Elementary Science, Technology, Engi-neering and Mathematics (STEM) School in Apple Valley; Diamond Path El-ementary School of Inter-national Studies in Apple Valley, and Glacier Hills Elementary School of Arts

and Science in Eagan. All three have proved popular with parents and students, and have earned state and national recognition mul-tiple times since they were converted to theme-based magnet schools in 2007. Three years before they opened as magnet schools, Cedar Park and Glacier Hills were determined to be racially identifiable schools under the states Desegregation Rule, meaning they had enroll-ments of students of color that were more than 20 percent higher than the average for elementary schools in the district at that time. That designa-tion required the district to develop a plan to ad-dress the racial imbalance at these two schools. The resulting integra-tion and educational eq-uity plan called for Cedar

Park, Diamond Path and Glacier Hills to become magnet schools as a strat-egy to improve the racial balance at Cedar Park and Glacier Hills, and to pro-vide parents throughout the district with additional school choice options. The strategy has proved suc-cessful on both counts. All three magnet schools have ongoing waiting lists, Glacier Hills is no longer considered a racially iden-tifiable school and Cedar Park is close to having the designation dropped as well. The districts current effort to survey parent in-terest in possible magnet school themes comes in response to a November 2014 letter from the Min-nesota Department of Education which classifies Echo Park Elementary in Burnsville and Oak Ridge

Elementary in Eagan as ra-cially identifiable schools. This year, 56 percent of students enrolled at Echo Park are students of color, which is 20.6 percent high-er than the district average of 35.4 percent. At Oak Ridge, students of color represent 56.6 percent of enrollment this year. Given the popularity of the magnet schools and the success in improving racial balance at Cedar Park and Glacier Hills, district lead-ers have started the pro-cess of developing plans to improve the racial bal-ance at Echo Park and Oak Ridge, which may involve converting them to magnet schools. Results of the parent survey will be reported to the School Board this spring. If the board decides to move for-ward with additional mag-net schools, the soonest

Echo Park and Oak Ridge could open as magnets would be in fall 2016. Elementary students who live in the attendance area of a magnet school are guaranteed enroll-ment in that school. Stu-dents who do not live in the attendance area of a magnet school may ap-ply for enrollment, which is determined by a lottery of applicants conducted in January each year. Trans-portation is provided for students who are selected for enrollment and live more than one mile from the magnet school they will attend. For more information about the school choice survey, contact any Dis-trict 196 elementary school or Stacy Wells in the districts Teaching and Learning Department at 651-423-7914.


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Focusing on the fun of wedding plans Small steps can help alleviate stress

by Tad JohnsonSUN THISWEEK


When it comes to plan-ning a wedding, theres plenty of advice out there. While individual tastes guide couples in different directions when it comes to the tangibles food, venue, attire, etc. the advice that resonates the most is that for whats be-tween our ears. Keeping a mind thats focused on being happy and enjoying the moments as an engaged couple is what matters most to many people. Following is a roundup of advice gathered from bloggers and advice col-umnists who take into ac-count the psychology of wedding planning from the profound to the off-beat. Engaged couples are encouraged to be gentle with one another, says the Newlywed Project. Wedding planning can be incredibly stressful and overwhelming, no matter how laid back your atti-tude, or how committed you are to enjoying the process, NP says. You will likely have moments of nuclear meltdown. NP encourages couples to take deep breaths in moments of stress and be patient with each other. Think before you speak, hug before you crit-icize. Choose your words carefully. Another blogger of-fered this piece of advice: You cannot yell at any-one while you are wearing your wedding dress. She says this is hilarious and serious at the same

time, and it helped her to maintain her composure on her wedding day. The morning of my wedding, I felt calm, cool and collected, she said. Sandy Malone wrote in Brides magazine that its important for engaged couples to take time for themselves in the run up to the wedding day. She said they should do something that doesnt involve the engagement or the wedding. That could be a no wedding talk night, a get-away weekend or taking on a fun project around the house. She suggests that time away from each other might not be the worst thing as separate girls or boys nights out could be a fun outlet.

Continuing to main-tain the friendships you have independently is important, and will not only keep things peaceful in the bride and grooms house, but it will also keep your friends from feeling neglected and ignored, Malone says. Mary Dann-McNa-mee of Inside Weddings magazine says exercising is another way to work off stress and clear ones mind. What outlet one chooses depends on their personality. For some, it could by yoga. For others, it may be kickboxing. She also says journaling about positive things can help. Malone also says that passing little love notes, emails or texts can be ways

in which to keep the focus on whats most important and demonstrate in this time when there is a lot of focus on wedding finances that love is free. Whichever way you choose, it is important that you take the necessary steps to alleviate stress in-stead of simply hoping the stress will go away on its own, Dann-McNamee writes. Managing your wedding planning respon-sibilities and the stress they can bring are vital to enjoying this extremely unique and priceless time in your life.

Tad Johnson can be reached at [email protected].

Keeping a mind thats focused on being happy and enjoying the moments as an engaged couple is what matters most to many people as they are undertaking wedding plans. (Photo submitted)

County offers plenty of places to wed local One piece of advice many engaged couples receive early and often in their wedding planning is to make the most of their special day because it zooms by so fast. Often with over a hun-dred of their family mem-bers and closest friends taking part in their mar-riage, there doesnt seem to be enough time in the day to connect with all of them on a personal level. That makes the time spent with family and friends all the more impor-tant to maximize. From a logistical stand-point, the geography of a wedding determines how much time couples can spend with their guests. If the hotel, ceremony location and reception hall are separated by miles of roadway, one can be sure precious minutes that could be spent with family and friends will be lost. Thats why couples planning to get married at a Dakota County church or other location south of the river shouldnt have to consider any other venues in the Twin Cities other than the ones around here. The county is home to a bounty of locations where couples can tie the knot, celebrate in style and sleep the night (or next morning) away in one of the many hotels. Some of those locations, along with other products and services that can help, are noted on this special page. With regard to a ban-quet hall, there are many factors to consider. The wedding is a cel-ebration, and the banquet hall is where the couple

and their guests will let their hair down and hope-fully enjoy a festive and memorable night. Because the reception is typically the most lengthy portion of a couples wedding day, its important to find a place where everyone can be comfortable and enjoy themselves. The following are a few tips for couples looking to find the ideal banquet hall to host their wedding reception. Ask around. Word-of-mouth is a great way to find the right banquet hall. Ask friends or family members who got hitched in Dakota County and if they can recommend a reception site. These friends or family members can provide a behind-the-scenes look at a reception hall, from how accommo-dating the staff was to how flexible the banquet hall was with regard to pricing to how open the staff was to suggestions. Wedding planning isnt easy, so if friends, family members or co-workers recommend a hassle-free banquet hall, that recommendation can remove a lot of the stress from planning a wedding. Consider the size of the facility. Some couples prefer an intimate affair with relatively few guests, while others will desire a large wedding party with lots of guests. Couples can find a banquet hall thats capable of catering to small or large wedding parties, but find one that fits your party specifically. If your wedding party is small, then avoid a larger facility that will appear

Venue continues next page

2015

& BRIDAL

some of the vertebrae in his spine. Evans colleague Jan Vo-limas organized an online fundraising site, and Mid-west Veterinarys corporate office held a drawing and bake sale that raised over $1,100 of the fundraising to-tal. With the funds generated, Mark Halverson at Apple Valley Autos helped the cou-ple purchase a Ford Freestar van, which the couple picked up on Saturday, Jan. 24. Volimas said Petersen, once housebound, and Ev-ans enjoyed a four-hour ride in the van the next day, stop-ping for hamburgers and talking about all the trips they would now be able to take together. News of the co-workers

generosity spurred U.S. Rep. John Kline to select Volimas and the Midwest Veterinary Supply team to be recipi-ents of Congressional Cer-tificates of Special Recogni-tion. They will be presented to them at the annual Star of the North Ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, at Kenwood Trail Middle School, 19455 Kenwood Trail in Lakeville. In a letter to Volimas, Kline said he selected her and the co-workers who participated for the award to recognize their selfless ef-forts and kindness in assist-ing others in need. He stated the ceremony will include a presentation honoring the outstanding acts of service taking place throughout our community. Volimas called the recog-

nition awesome. I just kind of started it, but it was a group effort on all of Midwests part, Vo-limas said. Im honored, and I think its awesome. Its as excited as them getting the van, actually. Both are very nice things, wonderful things.


VAN, from 1A

Co-workers at Midwest Veterinary Supply stand in front of the accessible van

that was purchased for Lee Petersen and Peggy Evans

with fundraisers. From left are Bayleigh Winzen-

burg, Joan Gishwiller, Jeff Burkhamer, Pam Koopman, Jan Volimas, Peggy Evans,

President Guy Flickinger, Shannon Kottke and Becky

Olsen. (Photo submitted)


empty. If the party is large, make sure theres adequate room so guests wont feel like theyre sitting on top of one another during din-ner and dessert. Dont downplay de-cor. A banquet hall with an attractive decor is not only aesthetically appeal-ing but can appeal to a couples finances as well. Such a hall likely wont need any additional deco-rations, while a banquet hall thats unadorned and lacks embellishments will, and those decorations can dip into a couples overall wedding budget. Compare the costs of the more dec-orated banquet hall with the one thats more plain in appearance, factoring in the cost to decorate the latter, and you might just realize the one with more aesthetic appeal is more affordable in the long run. Prioritize privacy. Few couples would be open to strangers having easy ac-cess to their wedding re-ception. When shopping for a banquet hall, look for one that gives you and your guests all the privacy you need. Many couples have taken to hosting the entire ceremony at a ho-tel, which may handle the bulk of the planning

and remove the hassle of transportation for out-of-town guests. However, couples considering a ho-tel should look for one that can promise privacy from other guests at the hotel who arent there for

the wedding. The recep-tion room should be se-cluded from the rest of the hotel so other guests walk-ing by arent tempted to walk in on the festivities.

Many people dream of a wedding in a church or synagogue before dozens of family members and friends, while there are others who prefer to forgo those venues and have a civil wedding instead at the Dakota County Court-house or other location. Civil ceremonies are often a choice for couples who may have different religious beliefs or do not belong to a particular re-ligious persuasion. In lieu of being presided over by a pastor, priest or rabbi, civil ceremonies are conducted by an authorized official, such as a judge or justice of the peace. The marriage also can be performed by a licensed wedding officiant. In terms of location, the most basic of civil cer-emonies take place at the county courthouse, where paperwork is immediately filed. Couples can choose to hire an officiant to go to another location to over-see the marriage ceremo-ny. The latter is the more expensive option and will be based on the officiants schedule. The structure of a civil marriage is much more lax than those which fol-low the more traditional course. Rather than being required to wear a certain wardrobe or meet with the requirements of a particu-lar church or other house of worship, couples often find flexibility with the

civil route. Although some brides and grooms prefer to wear a tuxedo or suit and a wedding gown, it is not necessary to do so. There are many couples who have tied the knot in more casual clothing or even costumes. In order to participate in a civil ceremony, cou-ples must secure a mar-riage license. Dakota County offers three locations to obtain marriage licenses for cer-emonies that take place in Minnesota. Those loca-tions are the Administra-tion Center in Hastings, the Northern Service Cen-ter in West St. Paul and the Western Service Cen-ter in Apple Valley. After a license is issued, it is valid for six months. There is a five-day wait-ing period between the time the application is signed and the license is is-sued. More information about county marriage li-cense locations and PDF versions of Marriage Li-cense Application and of the Statement of Premari-tal Education is at www.co.dakota.mn.us. In the next six months, when the ceremony will take place is generally up to the couple and, if a member of the judiciary will be overseeing the wed-ding, the courthouse. Couples must contact the judges to make ar-

rangements for a wedding. On the day of the wed-ding, couples will need to bring along their marriage license and two witnesses, age 16 or older. A fee may be charged, which can be discussed when scheduling a wedding with a judge. Because there is no firm tradition with civil cere-monies, couples may need to be more hands-on when it comes to executing the wedding. Here are some tips to consider. An officiant may not organize the wedding, meaning it will be up to the couple to choose vows, arrange where people will stand, request any clerical blessings, or include any other special elements. Some officiants enjoy presiding over weddings, while others see it as just a part of public duty. Couples can try to find an officiant who meets with their approval and will keep with the tone that is expected of the ceremony. For those adding per-sonal vows, keep them brief and tailored to the occasion. Know how many people can attend the cer-emony in advance. Cou-ples should recognize that space could be limited and restricted to only a few people if the wedding is taking place at the court-house.

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SportsSigning day: Athletes putting it on the line for their new schools

Eight Lakeville North players headed to college football

by Mike ShaughnessySUN THISWEEK


College football pro-grams collected a truck-load of talent from high schools in Dakota Coun-ty, including eight play-ers from 2014 state Class 6A semifinalist Lakeville North. Wednesday was the first day high school se-niors intending to play football at the Division II level and above could sign a National Letter of Intent. Here are local ath-letes who were expected to sign: Apple Valley Matt Morse, a receiver and quarterback for the Ea-gles, signed with the Uni-versity of Minnesota as a preferred walk-on. The position assigned to him by the Gophers is ath-lete, meaning they will decide where he fits after he gets there. Burnsville offensive lineman Aaron Berg and running back Jahvonta Wilson will go to North Dakota School of Sci-ence. Defensive lineman Tahi Dixon signed with Southwest Minnesota State, where one of his future opponents could be Blaze linebacker Brett Shepley, who signed with Augustana. Southwest Minnesota State and Augustana both belong to the Northern Sun In-tercollegiate Conference. Shepley also played re-ceiver and punted for Burnsville. Eagan offensive line-man Noah Kuehn will be a preferred walk-on at Minnesota. Kuehn was a finalist for the Wendys High School Heisman award, which recognizes players for athletic ac-complishments, academic prowess and citizen-ship. Sam Zenner, the Wildcats quarterback in 2014, signed with South Dakota State, where he might play running back and possibly succeed his brother Zach, a record-setting back for the Jack-rabbits. Eastview offensive lineman Tommy Ander-son and running back Tommy Hutsell signed with Division II power Minnesota-Duluth. Trey Johnson, a running back, will go to Eastern Michi-gan of the Mid-American Conference. Lakeville North line-backer Tristyn Hanson signed to play Division I football at Air Force, while offensive line-man Boyd Draeger is headed to Wyoming as a preferred walk-on. Six other players signed with schools throughout the Midwest. Linebacker Jesse Cardenas will be at Northern Iowa, while his twin brother Jordan is go-ing to Augustana, which has strong connections to Lakeville football. De-fensive end Carl Engwall signed with North Dako-ta. Safety and kicker Stu Hamann will attend St. Cloud State. Linebacker Dakota Toedter signed to play for Northern State

University, a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Con-ference school in Aber-deen, S.D. Conner Melz, also a linebacker, signed with Southwest State. The Cardenas broth-ers are one of three sets of twins from Lakeville North to sign with col-lege athletic programs re-cently. Bobby and Freddy Thomas, who were spring 2014 graduates, are play-ing golf at DePaul. Nick and Jack Poehling, se-niors on the boys hockey team, have signed with St. Cloud State. Lakeville South Josh Corcoran, a workhorse linebacker and running back for the Cougars, will play in the Mid-Ameri-can Conference at North-ern Illinois. His team-mate, defensive end Ryan Kretzschmar, is headed to Augustana. Rosemount Dimitri Williams, who at vari-ous times played run-ning back, receiver and defensive back for the 2014 South Suburban Conference champion Irish, is headed to North Dakota State, which won its fourth consecu-tive NCAA Division I FCS championship last month. Williams is pro-jected to play wide re-ceiver for the Bison, who will be losing former Rosemount wide receiver Zach Vraa. Irish receiver Gavin Rudoll signed with Minnesota-Duluth and offensive lineman Zach Thissen will go to South-west State.

Thats not all Although most of the attention Wednesday was paid to football players, it also was the first day of the winter signing period for several other sports. Apple Valley soccer player Laura Edgren is headed to Minnesota-Duluth. Burnsville Scott Richardson signed to play baseball at Des Moines Area Community College. Eagan Karina John-son of the girls cross country and track and field teams signed with Grand View University. Eastview Claire Pueschner (Nebraska-Omaha), Lizzy Fontes (Minnesota-Duluth) and Katelyn Toner (South-west State) signed to play womens soccer in college. Also part of the schools signing ceremo-ny Wednesday was Keith Muehlbauer, who will play hockey at the Uni-versity of Maine. Farmington Kenneth Riley signed to play mens soccer at Western Michi-gan. Lakeville South Kay-tlyn Larson, for years one of the top performers on the Cougars girls track and field and cross coun-try teams, signed with Oklahoma State.

Email Mike Shaughnessy at [email protected].

Lakeville North seniors Boyd Draeger (left), Jordan Cardenas, Tristyn Hanson and Conner Melz keep the mood light during their schools signing day ceremony Wednesday morning. They are among eight Panthers football players to sign a National Letter of Intent to play college football. (Photo by Mike Shaughnessy)

Lakeville Souths Chloe Batta (20) battles Lakeville North players Katarina Seper (11), Taylor Flaherty and Riley Tousignant (10) for a loose puck in front of the North goal. Joining the play is Souths Halle Gill (21). Not visible in the photo but somewhere in the scrum is North goalie Abby Cooper, who made 26 saves in the Panthers 3-0 victory. (Photo by Jim Lindquist/sidekick.smugmug.com)

Playoff preview?North girls defeat

South in final regular-season

gameby Mike Shaughnessy

SUN THISWEEKDAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

Lakeville North isnt ready to give up its Section 1AA girls hockey champi-onship and is relying on a time-tested formula to try to get back to the state tournament. Good passing, good (defensive)-zone coverage, and goaltending, Pan-thers coach Buck Koche-var said. Especially goaltend-ing. If the Panthers have an edge over their section opponents, it might be in goal, where senior Abby Cooper is regarded as one of the states best. Cooper, one of 10 finalists for the Lets Play Hockey Senior Goalie of the Year award, has played all but 95 min-utes in goal for North and has a 0.93 goals-against average and .956 save per-centage. She earned her 10th shutout of the season Sat-urday when North defeat-ed Lakeville South 3-0 at Hasse Arena. Lakeville South out-shot us (26-18), but we did a good job of keep-ing them on the perimeter. They didnt have a lot of shots right in front of the net, Kochevar said. I think Abbys the best goal-ie in the state, but shed be the first to tell you its a team game and she gets a lot of help from her de-fense. Lakeville South lost for the first time in 18 South Suburban Conf

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