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April 13, 2012 | Volume 33 | Number 7

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OpiniOn

ThiSweekend

SpOrTS

Schools battling to come to grips with athletic funding issues

Families are getting tapped outBoosters, fees, equipment, volunteering drain on parents

by Mike ShaughnessySun ThISweek

The winter of 2010-11 might have been the most trying period of neil Strad-ers career. As activities director at Lakeville South high School, its his responsibil-ity to find ways to encour-age students to participate in co-curricular events. But with the Lakeville School District staring at a $15.8 million budget deficit, he was faced with the possibil-ity of telling students some of those opportunities would be taken away. Strader and his counter-part, Lakeville north high School activities director Bob ertl, helped create a plan that would eliminate several activities, including both high schools gymnas-tics, golf and lacrosse pro-grams. The School Board was reluctant to cut activities,

by Andy RogersSun ThISweek

The ever-increasing cost of high-school sports participation has put a strain on many families in the south metro. I think that cost does come into play, a lot, said Patrick Lavelle, an active parent in the Burnsville lacrosse community who has a daughter on the girls team.But, I feel that a lot of parents will do whatever they can to see that their child can have the

experience to try a new sport or a sport they find interesting. who knows? They may come to love the sport. School districts, such as 194 in Lakev-ille, have increased sports-participation fees dramatically over the past two years in order to cover budget shortfalls while booster clubs have increased their activity with hopes of making sure no child goes

Photo by Rick Orndorf

Not only are sports participation fees at high schools rising, but the cost of equipment can be a black hole for families dollars.


Families are paying more money to participate in high school sports despite the efforts of booster clubs and school districts in trying to keep costs down.

If you play, be ready to pay

See Funding, 20A See cOST, 22A

by Tad JohnsonSun ThISweek

Chris Gerlach says his decision to not seek re-election after serving at the State Capitol for 14 years probably wont set in until he is watching the Apple Valley Freedom Days Parade with his family. Gerlach has been an annual participant in the parade since he was elected to the house in 1998 and won five more elections after that three to the house and three to the Senate. he said after he an-nounced his retirement in March that he had to make his family and his business his priority. every election we all make a decision, Gerlach said. You work so hard to get here, but you have to ask how long do you stay continue to stay? with his children at ages 10 and 8, he said he is just getting into the in-tensive stage of parental involvement. I dont want to be an absent father, said Gerlach who has served Apple Valley and Rose-mount as senator for the past eight years. his seat is up for grabs this year after new district maps were created as Sen-ate District 37 was altered slightly and given a new number 57. when asked if the tim-ing was right to leave the Capitol with a sense of finished business, Gerlach said the work is never done. There are plenty of things to work on, he

gerlachs final session nears endState senator talks about his political career

by Andrew MillerSun ThISweek

Andrew erickson is a Boy Scout with a big heart. Though the 13-year-old Apple Valley resident barely got to know his baby brother, Jack, who died in December 2005 seven days shy of his third

birthday, erickson is looking to keep Jacks memory alive. For the service project required to earn his eagle Scout award, erickson is organizing the Fun Run/walk for Chromosome 18. Proceeds from the event at eastview high School on April 29 will be donated to the Chromosome 18 Registry and Research Society, a nonprofit that offers advocacy and

Andrew Erickson plans Fun Run/Walk to benefit Chromosome 18 nonprofit


For his Eagle Scout service project, Andrew Erickson is organizing the Fun Run/Walk for Chromosome 18, which will be held April 29 on the track at Eastview High School. More about the event is at www.funrunfor18.eventbrite.com.

Scouts eagle project honors the brother he lost

See ScOuT, 2A

Obermueller enters race for congressional dFl nominationCandidate is former Eagan state

representativeby Jessica Harper

Sun ThISweek

After a year-long break from the political realm, Mike Oberm-ueller will once again throw his hat into the ring. The former Minnesota rep-resentative said last Friday he intends to seek the DFL nomi-nation in the 2nd Congressional District. I think washington has become too partisan, and its time for someone to represent the voters, the 39-year-old eagan resident said. Obermueller joins Pat-rick Ganey, a city council member in northfield, and

kathleen Gaylord, a Dako-ta County commissioner, in the endorsement race. I think I match up well

against both those other individuals from a DFL per-spective, Oberm-ueller said. he said his experience serving as rep-resentative in an electorally tough district (a swing district) makes him a better

choice than Gaylord of South St. Paul, who comes from a traditionally DFL area. Obermueller noted that Gaylord wouldnt even be running if the district hadnt been redrawn to in-

See Obermueller, 8A

See gerlach, 5A

Mike Obermueller

Chris Gerlach

Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A

Announcements . . . . . . 7A

Public notices . . . . . . . . 8A

Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14A

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . 16A

apple Valley sprints to topThe eagles track and field teams will try to recapture the form that led them to sprint success last year.

Page 14A

Look for a photo slideshow and more from the Minnesota Supreme Courts visit to eastview high School.

Spring sports action kicks into high gear with stories and photo slideshows from area competitions.

Like the Sun Thisweek Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sunthisweek.

lakeville shows its characterThe recent death of eddie wallin reminds us of the important role people can play in creating community.

Page 4A

True love at burnsville pac Greek tragedy gets a dose of Jerry Springer in True Love, the latest production from Burnsville-based Chameleon Theatre Circle.

Page 12A

2A April 13, 2012 Sun ThiSweek

support to people with chromosome abnormalities. Erickson, a member of Apple Valley-based Boy Scout Troop 205 and an eighth-grader at Falcon Ridge Middle School, said he wanted to help the Chro-mosome 18 Registry be-cause the nonprofit helped his family through its online support groups as Jack battled a rare chromo-some disorder and spina bi-fida. Ericksons donation will be used to rent out an amusement park for one

evening at the Chromosome 18 Registrys annual confer-ence later this year in San Antonio, so that families dealing with disabilities can have easy access to the rides. A lot of times you cant just get on a ride if youre in a wheelchair, Erickson said. Erickson is receiving help from about 30 volun-teers, mostly other scouts, as he organizes the Fun Run/Walk. The event will raise mon-ey through registration fees, concessions and donations, but its also about raising awareness about chromo-

some disorders and handi-cap accessibility issues, he said. Ericksons mom, Kar-en, will be hosting an educa-tion booth at the event. The event, he added, is also a way to honor Jack. He changed my life, Erickson said. I learned a lot from him and am still learning. More information about the Fun Run/Walk is at www.funrunfor18.event-brite.com.

Andrew Miller can be reached at [email protected] or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

Scout/from 1A


More than 600 students filled the auditorium at Eastview High School on Wednesday to watch the Minnesota Supreme Court hear oral arguments. The visit was part of a Minnesota Judicial Branch program that aims to teach students about the work of the states highest court. The justices heard arguments of an actual case, State of Minnesota vs. Christian Chi Ndikum, and afterwards the justices answered students questions and visited classrooms.

Court is in session at Eastview

Arrests follow front-yard hammer fight Five men were arrested April 1 after they used their fists and a hammer to attack an 18-year-old Apple Valley man in the front yard of his home, according to police. Police say the five 18- and 19-year-olds were at a late-night bonfire in Apple Valley when one of them got into a dispute with the victim during a phone con-

versation, and they decided to drive to his home on the 12600 block of Fairgreen Avenue to confront him. There, they allegedly punched the victim and hit him with a hammer. Six of-ficers arrived on the scene at about 12:30 a.m. on a re-port of a fight. Though four of the sus-pects fled on foot when po-lice arrived, officers were

able to identify and eventu-ally track down those who fled because theyd left their billfolds in their vehicle. The victim was not hos-pitalized and did not appear to be seriously injured, ac-cording to police. Police say criminal charges are pending for all five men for second-degree assault and riot.

Andrew Miller

Sun ThiSweek April 13, 2012 3A

Original full length production of the familiar classic tale.

Tickets: In person at the Burnsville Performing Arts Center Box Office,via Ticketmaster at 800.982.2787 or at ticketmaster.com

FRIDAY, MAY 11TH, 7PMSATURDAY, MAY 12TH, 2PM & 7PM

SUNDAY, MAY 13TH, 2PM BURNSVILLE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!Original full length production of the familiar classic tale.

Tickets: In person at the Burnsville Performing Arts Center Box Offi ce,via Ticketmaster at 800.982.2787 or at ticketmaster.com

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Golf cart joyride ends with arrest A joyride on a stolengolf cartendedwiththear-restofa21-year-oldmanattheKingstonGreenApart-mentsinAppleValley. Kingston Green man-agement contacted policetheafternoonofMarch28toreportthetheftofagolf cart that employees use asa maintenance vehicle atthe apartment complex at15601FoliageAve. AsAppleValleyofficers

were en route, KingstonGreen employees locatedthecartbeingdrivenaroundthegroundsbythreemales. Employees detained thetroublemakers two menfromAppleValley, ages 19and 21, and a 17-year-oldBurnsvillemaleandwhenpolice arrived on the scenethe21-year-oldwasarrestedand jailed on outstandingwarrants. Thoughapolicespokes-

man described the triosrecklessrunonthegolf cartasidiotic,thevehiclesuf-ferednodamageintheinci-dent. Police say a report hasbeen forwarded to theDa-kotaCountyAttorneysOf-ficeandvehicletheftcharg-esarepending forall threeinvolved.

Andrew Miller

Dakota County renovation may expand court screeningConstruction may start by 2013

by Laura AdelmannSunThiSwEEK

Millions may soon bespent upgrading DakotaCountysJudicialCenter inhastings,inparttoaddresssecurityconcerns. Sheriff Dave Bellowssaidhisprioritiesaretoaddsecurityentrancechecksforvisitors to the in-custodycourtroom, located nearthe jail entrance, and tothe courtrooms inwestSt.Paul. Aplanbeingconsideredfor the renovation workwould address both issueswithout the ongoing ex-penseofadditionalstaffing,Bellowssaid. At the jail now, visitorsobserve proceedings frombehindaglasswall,butdonot go through the metaldetectorandX-rayprocess. Renovation plans maymove the in-custody court-room so visitors wouldgo through the regularcourtroom screening areaand prisoners would enterthrough a secure hallwaythroughthejail. As sheriff, id like toseethatnobodygoesintoacourtroom without point-of-entryscreening,Bellowssaid. At the hastings screen-ing point, the only one inany of the three DakotaCounty courthouses, offi-cersdailyconfiscateobjectsthatcouldbeusedasweap-ons. Amongitemsthescreen-

ing has kept from DakotaCounty courtrooms inhastings: crochet needles,box cutters, screw drivers,knivesandscissors. Somepeoplecallthemself-defense items.DeputyArturo herrera said. wecallthemcontraband. Courtroomsecurityisofparticular concern in fam-ilycourt,saidFirstDistrictChiefJudgeEdwardLynch. Many of those cases,which include orders forprotection and child cus-tody, are heard inwest St.Paul. Renovation of the in-custody courtroom wouldfree up a deputy to staff front-entry screening inwestSt.Paulwithoutadd-ingpersonnel expense,Bel-lowssaid. Adding screening to thecourtrooms is a changeLynchsaidhesupports. Anyfamilylawareahasthe potential for emotions

to run high, Lynch said.when you read throughenough petitions of ordersfor protection, you under-stand how volatile thoseproceedingscanbe. herrera said entryscreening requires visitorstopassthroughametalde-tector and empty pocketsandremoveshoesandbeltsforX-ray. Anything found thatcouldbeconsideredaweap-oncaneitherbereturnedtothepersonsvehicleorcon-fiscated. People can become agi-tatedgoingthroughscreen-ing and also in the court-room,herrerasaid. The last time he was ina courtroom proceeding,a man became upset afterthe judgeorderedhim intocustodyfornonpaymentofchildsupport. he started taking off hisshirtandhadbothfistsclenched like he was goingtofightus,herrerasaid. Despite warnings to co-operate,themancontinuedto resistandwoundupbe-ing subdued with a Tasersodeputies couldhandcuffhimandtakehimintocus-tody. Sometimes people dogethurt,butwedoasmuchaswecantocontrolthesit-uation,herrerasaid. Lynch said another as-pectoftherenovationproj-ect being considered is toaddress other issues in thecourtsystem.

in the juvenile courtarea, officials are consider-ingrenovationstoaddcon-ference rooms and a sepa-ratehallwayforjuvenilestoentercourthearings. Juveniles are not sup-posed to have their casesknown to the public,Lynchsaid.Butwhentheyaremarchedthroughpublichallwayswithhandcuffson,itsprettyobvioustheresanissue. Dakota Countys reno-vationprocessisinitsearlystages, with officials meet-ingtodetermineneeds,butBellows said constructioncould start by early nextyear. Thecountyhasbudgeted$3 million for the renova-

tion,butthatnumbercouldchange as the process con-tinues,saidDakotaCountyFacilities Manager Kenharrington.

Laura Adelmann is at [email protected] or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

Photosubmitted

Security workers at the Dakota County Courthouse use scanners to check bags brought into the building.

Photosubmitted

Visitors to the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings are screened before they are allowed to enter courtroom areas.


Opinion

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

You can judge a communitys heart by the way it treats its Eddies by Larry Werner

Sun ThiSweek

The easter ham and kolatchky were go-ing down easily at my brother-in-laws holi-day gathering. Before Auntie Jan served up the strawberry-rhubarb pie, i mentioned the death of eddie wallin, and the stories start-ed. im told the same thing happened at Babes sports bar in downtown Lakeville af-ter eddies funeral last month. Jeff Reisinger and his buddies exchanged eddie stories over beer at Babes, laughing and recalling the times they shared with a guy youd remem-ber seeing if you spent any time in downtown Lakeville. Reisingers sister found eddies body when she checked on his apartment after he missed two straight bingo nights at the VFw. Jeff asked his sister to check on eddie because he hadnt received a call from this gentle man wed refer to these days as developmentally disabled. Reisinger, who runs a Lakeville lawn service, said he might have been more inclined than others to watch over eddie be-cause he had an older sister who was men-tally retarded the way we used to describe people with intellectual handicaps. But while his family might have been sen-sitized to eddies special needs by their own experience, Reisinger said he and others sim-ply enjoyed banter with the big guy who rode through town on his three-wheel bike loaded up with cans he collected and sold for spend-ing money. he called a lot of people in town, Reis-inger said. Actually, if i was having a hor-rible day, id call him. But you couldnt get him off the phone. At Babes, or the VFw, or at the ball fields in Lakeville, eddie would spot one of the guys he knew since high school, and hed

shout out a nickname he had devised. hed say, wheres Squirrel Brain? Reis-inger said. i was Oscar. Sure, the Lakeville gang would make some fun of eddie, who was 54. But he gave as much guff as he got, and the locals would regularly pass the hat at Babes to collect funds theyd dole out to eddie. They grew up with him and assumed responsibility for someone who was as much a part of down-town as the bars or the Ben Franklin or the park. when i moved to Lakeville, i was cor-rected more than once when i referred to the city as a suburb. Technically, a city on the outskirts of a big city is a suburb. But some burbs have elements others dont. Among those elements are historic downtowns and, as someone said at our easter dinner, history. Lakeville, which was founded as a village to serve the surrounding farms, has history in a way Apple Valley and eagan, for example, dont. And one of the people who will always be part of that history is eddie wallin. After moving to Lakeville in 1999, i en-countered eddie many times while he was collecting his cans, chatting with customers at Moens Barber Shop, lining up for food at the wednesday on Main events in the down-town park. My wife, Ann, had grown up on a farm near Lakeville, and her father, LeRoy Zweber, worked for many years as director of buildings and grounds for the schools. Ann

said her father used to let eddie help him when he worked on the school buildings. One day, LeRoy couldnt find eddie until eddie fell through the ceiling of a room where Le-Roy was working. exploring the spaces above ceilings can be great fun. Then theres the story about the time ed-dies car died on the way to a softball game in Mankato. The lesson to be drawn from that incident is if the engine starts when your bud-dies are towing you, dont keep going.

Reisinger likes to tell about the time Rich wensmann tossed a $10 bill on the floor at Babes to see if eddie would pick it up. when he did, Rich said the money was his, Reis-inger recalls. i dont see your name on it, eddie said, stuffing the bill into his pocket. Oscar, Squirrel Brain and the others who grew up with eddie made sure he had money, especially at holiday time. They dropped their cans off for him and passed the hat at Babes or the VFw. when eddies three-wheeler was stolen in 2008, it was replaced by an anony-mous donor after Lakeville police officers asked the media to write a story about the stolen bike. As the father of a son with special needs, i salute those who understand, as Reisinger and many others in Lakeville did, that eddie might have biked to a different drummer, but he did so with a smile on his face and a song in his heart. One of the many messages left on the white Funeral home online guest book was this one from Loren McCaghy of east hampton, Conn.: eddie will be forever inseparable from the memories of Lakeville for those who grew up there. whether it was at the store, beach, pool or just around town, eddie had a special way of making every day just a little bit brighter. Thanks, eddie, for being Lakev-illes eternal sunshine. Ok. i promise ill try to avoid calling Lakeville a suburb.

Larry Werner is editor and general manager of Thisweek Newspapers and the Dakota County Tribune. He can be reached at [email protected]. Columns reflect the opinion of the author.

by Kevin F. MarkSpeCiAL TO Sun ThiSweek

Your son, on a dare from his new college friends, slips a candy bar from the store rack into his pocket and walks out without pay-ing. The next time the game escalates. its a video game at wal-Mart, except wal-Mart has security people watching, and your son is caught and arrested. A simple charge of theft results in a conviction, a fine and, hopefully, a valuable lesson. Your child sincerely tells you it was a stupid mistake and will never happen again. A few years pass, and your son, gradu-ated from college, has applied for the job hes really wanted, a position in a high-tech security firm. The interview goes well, and the job should be his, except theres a glitch. Through its electronic search of records, the firm discovers a criminal record showing a theft conviction. Your son is disqualified un-less the theft conviction can disappear. You talk to your lawyer to see if something can be done. After all, this is the only blemish on his application, on his life. hes a great kid. hes hardly a criminal. we all make mistakes. Your lawyer tells you that you can ask a judge to have the conviction expunged. To expunge something is to erase it, as if it didnt happen. The process to expunge a criminal conviction is set out in our state statutes. A petition is made to the court with notice being sent to various parties, typically the prosecuting attorneys office and law enforcement agencies. The petition is then

heard in open court allowing for those par-ties to object if they deem the expungement to be unwarranted or unlawful. These types of requests come before the district court regularly. To explain all the standards and excep-tions pertaining to court-ordered expunge-ment of records would exceed the limitations of this article. Our state statutes authorize the expungement of certain records as a mat-ter of course and allow expungement under the courts inherent authority under other limited circumstances. The district court has more authority to expunge its own records than the records held by outside agencies, such as a police department or the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). As to the latter, the court, among other criteria, is limited in its expungement authority over non-court re-cords where it is necessary to prevent serious infringement of an individuals constitution-al rights, and those benefits to the individual outweigh the disadvantage to the public from the elimination of the public record. Lets go back to our original scenario, ex-

cept now you are the prospective employer. Youve worked hard to create a company in a highly competitive field. To succeed you assure your clientele that everyone who works in your company has been extensively screened to ensure that those employees han-dling sensitive and secretive material are be-yond reproach. You vouch for each and every one of them. They can be trusted. Dont you as the employer deserve to know the entirety of an applicants former criminal record? weighing these competing and conflict-ing interests is core to a district court judges function. As to this hypothetical, the court could decide to expunge the courts own re-cords (they arent shredded or destroyed, but sealed from public access) on the grounds of its inherent authority. however, an order to expunge outside records held by police or the BCA would probably not stand. under cur-rent precedent (appellate decisions reviewing lower court rulings) the inability or difficulty in gaining employment is not a sufficient ba-sis to obtain the expungement of all records held by public agencies. Another point is essential to understand here. i have discussed the potential erasure of only public records. not that long ago, a criminal background check was conducted almost exclusively within court and law en-forcement records. That is no longer the case. information regarding criminal records can now be obtained via the internet from many sources, most compiled by commercial ser-vices, and some are more accurate than oth-

ers. none of these private sources is within the jurisdiction of the court system. The re-cords kept by wal-Mart are private as are the agencies with whom they want to share that information. So then, what is the value of an expungement of a public record in todays world? Record-keeping is, and always has been, a vital concern of the court system. with the advent of electronic records and scanning of paper documents, records can now be kept forever in large quantities and yet be in-stantly and accurately accessed. in our daily lives we gain information from a number of sources be it television, radio, newspaper, the internet or our regular personal contacts. Younger generations rely on sources different and foreign to their senior counterparts. Re-gardless, each of us develops our own habits and practices in determining what informa-tion is sound and reliable. This process of gathering and filtering in-formation will continue to evolve in both our personal and professional lives. As we decide where to look, the records held by public en-tities will continue to be a trusted source, and for that reason, expungement of any of these records will remain an important process. is the disappearance of any of these records from the public view a good idea? That may depend on how it affects you or those near to you.

Kevin F. Mark is 1st Judicial District judge. Columns reflect the opinion of the author.

Sun ThisweekColumnistLarry Werner

GuestColumnistKevin Mark

File photo by Sun Thisweek

Eddie Wallin and the three-wheel bike he received from an anonymous donor after his old one was stolen in 2008.

Expunge? It all depends (and does it really matter?)

by Don HeinzmanSun ThiSweek

A survey of area school superinten-dents revealed that all educational oppor-tunities for each Minnesota student are not equal. Joe nathan, director of the Center for School Change at Macalester College and an education columnist for eCM publish-ers, contacted superintendents to see what their priorities were for this legislative ses-sion. while top school officials dont hold out much hope for positive changes this session, they agree the school aid formula is broken. The biggest complaint is that while the basic state aid per pupil is the same for each student, the formula and the state laws enable some districts to provide more aid per student. The range of revenue per

student in Minnesota can be anywhere from $7,000 to $11,000. For example, those districts that can pass levy referendums where the tax base is substantial, have more money than dis-tricts like north Branch that cannot pass such a levy referendum. So the formula for state aid allots north Branch students less money than students receive in Minneapolis and St. paul. Superintendent Vern koepp of Rush City says that: The inequality of the

current funding formula has created an educational system in which some schools struggle to provide basic educational opportunities for students while other schools provide extras. in the Lakeville Area School District ipad technology is being introduced and is being strongly considered in the Farming-ton School District. Many other students dont have that opportunity. As nathan points out: nations around the world with the highest average achieve-ment dont make funding dependent on which community a youngster lives in. Another major problem for school dis-tricts is the Legislature held back over $2 billion in state aid, 40 percent, to be paid this year. This means many districts bor-rowed money and paid the interest costs in order to operate until the state pays them the held-up money. Superintendent Bruce novak of Cam-bridge-isanti notes: it is very difficult for school districts to operate on 60 percent of the revenues during the current fiscal year without borrowing money to meet the ev-eryday operational expenses. The Legislature this year at least should fix the law so that charter schools have the same access to borrowing money for the holdback as the regular schools have. Lisa hendricks, director of partnership Academy in Richfield, said: Our school

will have to spend nearly $30,000 in fees to cover the holdback. (Legislators provided $50 more per pupil to pay for the borrow-ing costs, but thats not enough for some districts.) Legislators at least should pay more for special education, because school districts are taking millions out of their general funds to subsidize the cost of this man-dated education. Legislators complain that not even they can understand the complex formula to aid students. They dont have the will to tackle a formula that gives more money to districts losing students and poverty aid to urban schools. Meanwhile, students in schools like north Branch attend school for four days each week and hope for better days. Their superintendent, Deb henton, says the formula has created winners and losers in public education. As a state we need to make sure all students receive the same opportunity to grow and succeed, she said. Don Heinzman is chairman of the ECM Publishers Inc. Editorial Board. Thisweek Newspapers and the Dakota County Tri-bune are part of ECM. He is at [email protected]. Columns reflect the opinion of the author.

Find way to fix broken school state aid formula

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said. You close up some things then 10 more open up. There are always things left over that you dont get done. Gerlach said he ran for the House originally be-cause he saw local, state and federal governments taking too much from the private sector and government get-ting too big. He said his major accom-plishments focused on limit-ing government in this re-gard, including his current work on an occupational licensing bill that would re-move some barriers to busi-nesses operating in various ways because of licensing requirements. I really feel good about everything I have done over the 14 years to that end, Gerlach said. As for other successes, the Apple Valley senator also cited his work as chair of the Senate Commerce Committee. It was a real honor and

an opportunity to be able to do that, he said. It is a big job. Gerlach has served in both the majority and mi-nority party and was major-ity whip and assistant ma-jority leader. He said you dont need a title or a position to be in-fluential at the Capitol, cit-ing his work on campaign reform as a minority mem-ber. The election reforms in-cluded new administration procedures, absentee bal-lot reforms, an earlier pri-mary election and changes to campaign finance and reporting rules in the wake of the Coleman-Franken U.S. Senate race recount of 2008. As for the future, he said he plans to focus more en-ergy on his direct-mail busi-ness, Eagan-based Capitol Direct. Gerlach, who is a University of St. Thomas graduate and earned a mas-ters degree in business ad-ministration from the Uni-versity of South Dakota,

bought the company in the mid 2000s. Gerlach said he will con-tinue to be involved in poli-tics in some way. For the past several years he has trained prospective Republican candidates in campaign pools. He said during the ses-sions he has imparted what he has learned in his years serving the area where he grew up and went to school. One of the aspects of politics he talks about is that experts can tell you about the technical nature of bills, but it comes down to how it affects people and their lives. Politics above all else is about people, Gerlach said. You are surrounded by issues and offices and votes and positions and elections and campaigns but when you get to the core, it is about people. You need to understand people.

Tad Johnson is at [email protected].

Gerlach/from 1A

Photo submitted

Seven Girl Scout Brownies from Troop 53739 partnered with the Apple Valley Seniors military support group at Hayes Community and Senior Center on March 28 to package and send 86 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to U.S. service women and men serving in Afghanistan. The troop asked their cookie customers to purchase additional boxes to donate throughout the 2012 cookie season as part of River Valley Girl Scouts Cookies for Community program. The Westview Elementary third-graders also wrote personal letters to include with the cookie care packages.

Girl Scout cookies heading to troops in Afghanistan


Finance and fashion Edward Jones financialadvisorStaceyBartelsonwillhostaninformationseminaron finance and fashion atnoonand6p.m.Wednesday,May9,at3420150thSt.W.,Suite103,Rosemount.RoryCowlingofMFSInvestmentManagement will speak onHowMenandWomenDif-ferAboutMoney.MaryVi-ereck, owner of Home Ac-cents,Etc.,willsharespringfashion ideas. Space is lim-ited.RSVPforasessionbyMay1at(651)322-2905.

Book sale is April 19-21 The second annualFriends ofRobert Trail Li-brarybooksalewillbeheldApril 19-21 at the library.PreviewDaywill be 4 to 8p.m. Thursday, April 19.AdmissionwillbelimitedtopaidmembersofFORT,orwith a paid admittance fee.

Both the membership feeandthepaidadmittancefeeare $10. Friday and Satur-day,April20and21,thesalewillbeopen10a.m.to5p.m.Hard cover books will sellfor$1each.Paperbackswillbe priced at 50 cents each.CDs andDVDswill be $2.VHS tapeswill be $1 each.AbagsalewillbeheldthelasttwohoursofthesaleonSaturday.Thecostforabagofbookswillbe$3.

Bike donations needed The Rosemount Fam-ily Resource Center and aRosemount neighborhoodareseekingdonationsofbi-cyclesfortheirbikedrive. To donate a bike, emailRosemount .BikeDona-tion@gmailbyApril21withbikesizeandcolor(gender)sodonationscanbematchedtoneeds.Dropoffbikesfrom8to11a.m.Saturday,April28, at Rosemount FamilyResource Center, 14521 Ci-

marron Ave. W. Call (952)686-1161 to make otherdrop-offarrangements.Bikehelmets, locks and wagonsare also needed. Monetarydonationsappreciated.

Library programs Robert Trail Library,14395S.RobertTrail,Rose-mount,hasplannedthefol-lowingprograms: BabyStoryTime,10:30to 11:15 a.m. Wednesday,April 25. Stories, bounces,songsandplaytimeforchil-drennewbornto24months. YoungPoetsWorkshop,2:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday,April 28. Read, write andsharefunnypoetry,concretepoetry and poetry rhythms,word games andmore. Forages 9-12. Register at (651)480-1202. RainyDaysStoryTime,7 p.m. Monday, April 30.Enjoyastorytimeandcraftabout everything wet andmuddy.Forages0-6.

Briefs


Stop SmokingTodays The day

Holden -MastersonJennifer Mar ie Holden and

Daniel Boyd Masterson weremarried August 6, 2011 in Isse-quah,WA.Jennifer, daughter of Clark and

L y n n H o l d e n , g r a d u a t e dLakeville HS in 2003 and Fur-man University in 2007. She is anEnvironmental Scientist.Dan i e l , son o f John and

Christie Masterson, graduatedOlympia, WA HS in 1999, Cali-fornia Polytechnic University in2004, and the Evans School ofPublic Policy-University of WAin 2012.The couple, who met while

serving as Peace Corp volunteers,live in Seattle,WA.Jennifers grandparents are the

late Donald and Lorraine Holdenof Minneapolis and Shirley andt h e l a t e J o s e p h Ma r e k o fLakeville.

Gambell, John A.John A l len Gambell , 67 , of

McK inney , TX , former ly ofLakeville, passed away on April6, 2012. Longtime businessman inLakeville,MN. Former owner ofImperial Plastics Inc. Preceded indeath by his parents, Doland andBerneta Gambell. Survived by hiswife, Janet; son, Anthony Gam-bell; daughter, Susan (Nathan)Frazier; grandsons, Jonathan andElliott Frazier; sisters, Judith(Wayne) Buckley and Kay (Paul)Sorensen; and brother, Charles(Sally) Gambell. In lieu of flow-ers, we would be honored if youbless either of these organiza-tions with your gift of remem-brance: Mayo C l inic CancerResearch or the Lodge HospiceFacility. Celebration of life ser-vice was held at St. Johns Luth-eran Church in Lakev i l le onTuesday, April 10th, 2012.www.Washburn-McReavy.comWerness Brothers, 952-884-8145

BeverlyP. SmyserAge 86, of Burnsville, passed

away April 4, 2012. Preceded indeath by husband, Frank andbrother, Gail Wein. Survived byher loving children, Frank (Ann)Smyser, Patrice (Jeff) Tormoenand Stefanie (Jeff) McDonald;brother, Keith (Pat)Wein; sister,Gloria Swanson; grandchildren,Alexa,Michaela, Lucas, Garrett,Kyle, Tony, Erika and one greatgrandson, Colten; also other lov-ing relatives and friends. FuneralService was held 10:30 AM Tues-day Apr i l 10 , 2012 a t GraceUnited Methodist Church 15309Maple Island Rd. Burnsville, visi-tation wasMonday from 5-8 PM,(4/9) at theWhite Funeral Home,20134 Kenwood Tr. Lakeville(Hwy 50) and one hour prior toservice at church. Interment, FortSnell ing Nat iona l Cemetery .Online condolences atwww.whitefuneralhomes.com

Wyman - KrogfusSamantha Wyman and Andrew

Krogfus announce their engage-ment and upcoming wedding.Parents of the couple are Kevin

and Lori Wyman of Burnsville.Meg and Steve May and the lateMike Krogfus of Prior Lake.Andrew graduated from Prior

Lake High School in 2007.Saman tha gradua ted from

Burnsville High School in 2007.Both will graduate from Saint

Cloud State University inMay.The Wedding will be held on

June 23,2012 in Myrtle Beach,South Carolina.

Screeden -MeverdenJu l ia Screeden, daughter of

John and Carla Screeden, Eaganand Ryan Meverden, son ofShelley & Larry Meverden, But-t e rnu t , WI announ c e the i rengagement.Ju l ia is a 2004 gradua te of

Eagan High School. She earnedher B.S. in 2008 from UW- EauClaire and is a 2010 graduate withher M.S. from St. Cloud. Julia isemployed as a speech languagepathologist forMayo Health Sys-tem.Ryan is a 1997 graduate from

Butternut WI High School. Heearned his B .S . in 2001 fromUW-Stevens Point and his M.S.at UW-LaCrosse in 2009. Ryan isa Physicians Assistant-certifiedfor the Mayo Clinic Health sys-tem.An October 20, 2012 wedding is

planned.

Blesener -De ClarkSteve and Diane Blesener of

App le Va l l ey announce theengagement of their daughterJennifer to Brian De Clark theson of R ichard and Janet DeClark of Edwards, Colorado. Thebride to be is a 2002 Graduate ofEastview High School and has adegree in Mass Communicationsfrom Winona State University.The future g room i s a 2004graduate from Battle MountainHigh School. Also a graduatefrom Polytechnic State Univer-sity in California and the Univer-s ity of MN . W ith a degree inFood Science and a Master ofScience degree in Flavor Chemis-try, Brian is currently employedby Frutarom in California, as aJr. Flavor Chemist. The couple isplanning a September 2012 wed-ding inMinnesota.

To submit anannouncement

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


clude South St. Paul; it also now includes West St. Paul. Shes a really good per-son, he said. I just think I have a better chance of beating John Kline and a better sense of what its go-ing to take to win in a re-ally competitive district like this. Obermueller, who grew up in rural Wisconsin, said he has an advantage in that he understands the needs of both rural and urban con-stituents in the district. Though Kine has held the seat for the past decade, Obermueller said he is con-fident he can defeat the Re-publican congressman. Obermueller said he be-lieves his prior experience and notoriety give him a competitive edge that previ-ous challengers lacked. Though the last few elec-tions have included large swings to the left or right, Obermueller said he believes the waves have calmed. Pointing to Klines sup-port for U.S. Rep. Paul Ryans budget proposal and cuts to Medicare, Oberm-ueller claims Klines deci-sions have contradicted voter opinion. Medicare is among the most important issues to voters, Obermueller said. Folks who have worked a lifetime deserve that, he said. Obermueller pointed to education and jobs as other key issues that Kline has fallen short on. Kline has vowed to re-peal Bushs No Child Left

Behind, but has failed to do this, Obermueller said. We gotta have a work-force that is ready to do the job of the 21st century, he said. This can happen, Ober-mueller said, by repealing NCLB and supporting local school districts. Though Kline considers himself a fiscal conserva-tive, Obermueller criticizes Congress management of the federal budget. We need to be more re-spectful with federal funds, he said. A Twin Cities attorney, Obermueller noted that he has prior business experi-ence and understands how to work within a budget. After graduating from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, with a bachelors de-gree in communication and political science, Obermuel-ler went to work as the di-rector of Campus Dining Services for ARAMARK Corporation at Mount Marty College in Yankton, S.D. While there, Obermuel-ler managed more than 30 employees, ran a full-service catering operation, and learned the ropes of operat-ing a small business. By 1999, he decided to shift careers and enrolled at the University of Iowa where he graduated with a law degree. If elected, Obermueller said he will advocate for small businesses. Obermueller also claims Kline is not doing enough to assist returning veter-ans.

I think theres a fo-cus from Kline on helping troops on the battlefield, but not on helping them once they get home, he said. We need a second GI bill and need to fig-ure out how to get troops home. Obermueller said he believes the United States must quit being the world police. But the greatest differ-ence between Obermuel-ler and Kline, Obermuel-ler said, is that he wants to help everyone achieve their dreams, not just the very wealthy. The American dream isnt just about one person getting success, its all of us becoming successful, he said. I want to get back in the American dream busi-ness. After moving around the Midwest for about a decade, Obermueller and his wife, Sara, settled in Eagan about six years ago. When he and his wife were first married they had a talk about what they wanted to be when they grew up. I really wanted to be in Congress. It must be about 19 years ago we had that talk, he said. The Obermuellers have two boys one a sopho-more and the other a senior at Eagan High School.

Jessica Harper is at [email protected] or face-book.com/sunthisweek. John Gessner contributed to this report.

Obermueller/from 1A

Undiagnosed medical condition contributed to March crash, police say

by Jessica HarperSUN THISWEEK

Eagan resident Ahsim Ahmed may have been driv-ing erratically at speeds ex-ceeding 100 mph when his car struck another head-on on Diffley Road last month, police say. Expert analysis and eyewitness accounts deter-mined that Ahmeds dan-gerous driving on March 17 may have been caused by an undiagnosed medical con-dition. Both drivers were killed in the crash. It was later learned that Ahmed had previously met

with a doctor for a fainting condition, but no diagnosis was made. Witnesses reported see-ing Ahmed swerve off the road on the north side of Diffley and hit a road sign as he veered back into the eastbound lanes. He ap-peared to be unconscious as drivers swerved to miss his car. The crash occurred shortly before 6 p.m. Ahmeds vehicle crashed head-on with a vehicle driven by 42-year-old Kelly Kristensen of Eagan. The crash left Ahmeds

car engulfed in flames. An autopsy determined that drugs and alcohol werent factors in the crash, nor were mechanical fail-ures. A police investigation determined Ahmed ended a cell phone call moments before the crash, but offi-cers say they dont believe either driver was distracted by electronic devices. Jessica Harper is at [email protected] or face-book.com/sunthisweek.


by Aaron VehlingSun ThiSweek

Lakeview Bank honored Boden Silberg, ed Delmoro and Linda Peterson in this years Legacy Awards. The sixth annual event on Thursday, April 12, rec-ognized a high school stu-dent, community volunteer and businessperson who give of themselves to better their community. we felt it was impor-tant to find and recognize people in our community who go above and beyond in virtually everything they do, said Tom Mork, CeO and president of Lakeview Bank. winners are selected after an in-depth process, Mork said. After people are nominated through a form on Lakeviews website, the

bank notifies suitable nomi-nees, who are asked to write an essay. A committee consisting of Lakeview bank employ-ees and customers selects a semifinal round of nomi-nees who excel at the banks core beliefs: integrity, hon-esty, professionalism, ser-vice, attitude and respect. Mork said all of those are written into the banks charter. weve had these from the day we started, he said. After that process is completed, a group of past Legacy winners chooses the finalists for each category. This years panel con-sisted of Lakeville Mayor Mark Bellows, Rotary pres-ident and Dakota County Tribune exceptional Busi-nesswoman Sheila Longie

and kelsey weisensell, who won the award as a senior in high school and is now a nurse at Mayo Clinic.

Bo Silberg Bo Silberg is a senior at Rosemount high School, where his teammates voted him best lineman and foot-

ball player of the year. he earned those acco-lades through hard work, determination, and focus and by creating gaping holes for his football teams backfield, according to the bank. But it is the whole man who defines Silberg. Yet, even as he intends

to pursue playing football at a collegiate level, Bo pos-sesses a passion for help-ing others rarely seen in a young man his age. in addition to holding down a part-time job, he regularly volunteers at the Lewis house for abused women and children, where

through simple acts of kind-ness he finds joy in turning frowns into smiles and re-placing fear with trust, his award bio says. inspired by caring for his double-amputee step-father for 15 years, Silberg will start his pursuit toward a nursing degree next fall at Jamestown College in north Dakota. According to his award bio, Silberg has contributed to his community in a num-ber of ways: national hon-or Society, volunteering with football and basketball camps and running to raise money for breast cancer re-search. he has achieved this while taking college prep classes and maintaining a high GPA.

Lakeview Bank honors community builders Legacy Awards earned by Rosemount High School student, volunteer and businesswoman

Ed Delmoro Linda PetersonBoden Silberg

See Legacy, 19A


Graphic submitted by Dakota County

All but one Dakota County commissioner seat will be up for re-election this year, based on redrawn county district maps, which give Lakeville and Burnsville their own commissioner districts.

Lakeville, Burnsville to be independent county commissioner districts

Elections this year for six of the seven districtsby Laura Adelmann

Sun ThiSweek

All but one Dakota County commissioner seat will be up for re-election this year, based on redrawn county district maps. under the changes that go into effect next year, Lakeville and Burnsville will become their own com-missioner districts, now rep-resented by Commissioners Paul krause and Liz work-man, respectively. Apple Valley will no lon-ger be divided among three commissioner districts, but along with parts of Rose-mount will be included in District 7, currently repre-sented by Commissioner will Branning. District 3 will continue to primarily include eagan and will add precincts that include City hall and the wescott Library. Areas of inver Grove heights will no longer be included in the district. Commissioner Tom egan said he is pleased with the changes. i regret losing any part of eagan, but its nice to be picking up other areas, the former eagan mayor and City Council member said.

District 4, held by Com-missioner nancy Shouwei-ler, will see the most change of any district. That district, will include eagan precincts 8, 15 and 17 and Rosemount precincts 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7. District 1, the countys largest and most rural, was changed to eliminate Lakeville precincts 13 and 14, giving those instead to District 6. District 2, represented by Commissioner kathleen Gaylord, does not change more than 5 percent, so no election is required. Gaylord is seeking the DFL endorsement to chal-lenge u.S. Rep. John kline for Congress in november. To ensure staggered elec-tions, Dakota County com-missioners agreed the seats in Districts 1, 2 and 6 would be two-year terms this elec-tion cycle, and up for re-election in 2014, when they will again become four-year terms. County commissioners determined which districts would have the shorter terms at an April 10 meet-ing. The District 2 seat is in mid-term, harris is not running for re-election, and

krause volunteered to serve the third two-year term. in an interview, krause, 70, said he decided to take the shortened term be-cause someone had to. he said he plans seek re-election to the County Board this year, and if elected, he would evaluate whether to seek another term. Schouweiler, workman and egan have all said they are seeking another term, but Branning said in an in-terview he is waiting until May to announce whether he will run again. The filing period for county commissioner seats opens May 22. State statute requires county commissioner dis-tricts to be redrawn follow-ing a federal census and are to be as equal in population as possible. The county dis-trict boundaries are the last to be determined, because they are drawn to avoid splitting city and township precincts.

Laura Adelmann is at [email protected] or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

WESTST PAULMENDOTAHEIGHTS

LILYDALESOUTHST PAULMENDOTA

INVERGROVEHEIGHTS

SUNFISHLAKE

EAGAN

BURNSVILLENININGERTWP

HASTINGSAPPLEVALLEY ROSEMOUNT

RAVENNATWP

COATES

MARSHANTWPEMPIRETWPVERMILLIONTWP

LAKEVILLE FARMINGTON VERMILLION

DOUGLASTWPEUREKATWP CASTLEROCK TWP HAMPTONTWP

HAMPTON MIESVILLENEWTRIER

GREENVALETWPRANDOLPH TWP

SCIOTATWPWATERFORDTWPRANDOLPH

NORTHFIELD

WESTST PAULMENDOTAHEIGHTS

LILYDALESOUTHST PAULMENDOTA

INVERGROVEHEIGHTS

SUNFISHLAKE

EAGAN

BURNSVILLENININGERTWP

HASTINGSAPPLEVALLEY ROSEMOUNT

RAVENNATWP

COATES

MARSHANTWPEMPIRETWPVERMILLIONTWP

LAKEVILLE FARMINGTON VERMILLION

DOUGLASTWPEUREKATWP CASTLEROCK TWP HAMPTONTWP

HAMPTON MIESVILLENEWTRIER

GREENVALETWPRANDOLPH TWP

SCIOTATWPWATERFORDTWPRANDOLPH

NORTHFIELD

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W2P1W2P2

W3P1W3P2W4P1 W4P2

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W1P1W1P2W2P3 W2P4W3P5

W1P1W1P2

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W3P1W3P21 - Joseph A. Harris2 - Kathleen A. Gaylord3 - Thomas A. Egan4 - Nancy Schouweiler5 - Liz Workman6 - Paul J. Krause7 - Willis E. Branning

Current Proposal

Prepared by Dakota County Office of GIS - 4/6/2012

County Total Population: 398,552 Target: 56,936 (min) 51,242 (max) 62,630 Population Change Summary

Dakota CountyCommissioner District Comparison(Current and Proposal)District Current Proposal1 64,231 61,135 2 51,044 53,172 3 52,611 56,574 4 49,021 56,163 5 49,872 60,306 6 65,759 55,954 7 66,014 55,248


Rebuilding from the ashes Caspers Cherokee Sirloin Room to reopen in May

by Jessica HarperSun ThiSweek

Seven months after a fire destroyed much of the Cherokee Sirloin Room, the eagan restaurant will reopen with a slightly new name and look. The steakhouse will open May 7 under the name Caspers Cherokee Sirloin Room and feature a new patio and larger, more open bar area. So many people already called it Caspers that we de-cided to add it to the name, said co-owner Rick Casper. Casper said the restau-rant will have a single-level concrete patio instead of a two-story wooden deck like before, because concrete is more flame-retardant. The new patio will fea-ture an outdoor bar, seat-ing for 24 people and four bocce ball courts. Fire caused by an im-properly discarded cigarette destroyed the restaurants original two-story wooden deck on Oct. 9, 2011. it was reported that Cherokee bar employees said they used two pitchers of water to extinguish a fire that had started in a wood barrel flower pot on the sec-ond-floor deck before the end of their shift. But it is believed the fire continued to smolder af-ter the staff left early that Sunday morning, started the wood barrel on fire and spread to the deck. By the time crews from eagan and Burnsville fire stations arrived, the deck was engulfed in flames. Fire-fighters were able to contain

the blaze to the exterior of the building. no one was injured since the business wasnt occupied at the time. we are very grateful to the fire depart-ments, Casper said. Their quick action saved the barn. A replica of an 1880s barn that houses the bar area was se-verely damaged by the fire. Casper in-tends to thank firefighters with an invitation-only benefit May 6. Pro-ceeds will be donated to the eagan and Burnsville fire departments. Though the fire was lim-ited to the exterior of the building, much of the es-tablishments interior was severely damaged by smoke and water. Casper saw this as an opportunity to improve the look and feel of the bar area. The renovated space fea-tures an urban historic de-sign with exposed beams, an open floor plan and a second-floor loft area for a D.J. The bar itself is larger and contains a more expan-sive drink selection that in-cludes 16 craft beers, many of which are brewed locally. The restaurant under-went renovations that in-tegrated original elements

with new ones. Several doors and stained-glass windows, which were salvaged after the fire, are incorporated into the restaurants tradi-tional design. The building isnt the only thing to undergo changes at Caspers. its menu was changed slightly to include breakfast from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. new specials, such as the eagan FD no. 5 and the Blazing Barn Burg-er, were added to reflect the restaurants resilience after such devastation. Though Casper can now take it all in with a smile, re-building hasnt been easy. its been a long haul, he said. For months before insurance money came, it was a hard time with lots of uncertainty. The Cherokee Sirloin Room has been a part of the community for more than

four decades. its roots are in west St. Paul, where the first Chero-kee Sirloin Room stands. The establishment called Cherokee Tavern at the time was purchased in 1970 by Ricks parents, Bob and Dorothy Casper. The couple renamed it Caspers Cherokee Sirloin Room and turned it into a small neighborhood bar and grill. They sold the restaurant in 1987 to Rick and his brother, Jim. in 1991, a second restau-rant was opened in eagan. when building the estab-lishment, the brothers de-cided to create a replica of an old barn as a nod to the lands farming roots.

Jessica Harper is at [email protected] or face-book.com/sunthisweek.

Photo by Jessica harper

Caspers Cherokee Sirloin Room managed to restore its signature barn after a fire destroyed a two-story deck and severely damaged much of the building.

Rosemount Lions to celebrate 50 years of service

Residents invited to wind turbine open house Visitors can learn more about jobs in

the wind energy industry

Fourth- and fifth-grade students from Shannon Park, Parkview and Rose-mount elementary schools are learning how to think like engineers and scientists as they take field trips to the Science Museum of Minne-sota. Students are visiting the museum in April and May for engineering explora-tions, a new interactive pro-gram sponsored by Flint hills Resources that is de-signed to enhance student interest in engineering and fulfill new academic stan-dards. The program is an example of business and education working together to meet requirements set by the Minnesota Department of education. Minnesota schools are required to incorporate spe-cific engineering material into curricula in an effort to prepare students for jobs of the future. The standards are new this school year and reflect the states aim to educate students about the modern scientific world. engineering Field Days help schools fulfill the stan-dards in a way that organiz-ers say is fun and engaging for students. During their trips to the

museum, students from more than 30 elementary schools in the Twin Cities will learn how to combine math, science, creativity and curiosity to effectively think like engineers. while the typical mu-seum visitor focuses on the exhibit and its significance, students will be challenged to consider how the exhib-its were made, what materi-als were used to build them, and what problems were likely solved along the way. For example, students will observe dinosaur skel-etons, learn what holds the bones together, and deter-mine what keeps them from falling down. Students will view live theater programs that explain why all people are engineers to some ex-tent. engineering Field Days are designed to help spark kids imaginations in sci-ence and engineering, said Jake Reint, director of public affairs at Flint hills Resources. As a high-tech manufacturer that employs hundreds of engineers and skilled workers, we know how important it is to en-courage young people to take an interest in science.

Program helps students meet curriculum standards Flint Hills, Science Museum encourage

engineering, science learning

Mesabi Range Commu-nity and Technical College and the university of Min-nesota will have an open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 14, at the eolos wind energy Research Field Station at uMore Park in Rosemount to showcase wind energy technologies and careers in the field. The event will provide opportunities for informal discussion about wind pow-er with faculty and students from Mesabi Range College. Those interested in a career in the wind industry or high school teachers, guidance counselors and students interested in learning more about this growing industry in renewable energy are en-couraged to attend. The Research Field Sta-tion is a facility of the uni-versity of Minnesotas St. Anthony Falls Laboratory in the College of Science and engineering. The field station is a key outcome of a u.S. Department of en-ergy wind energy research grant in 2009. The univer-sitys $7.9 million award, funded through the Ameri-can Recovery and Rein-vestment Act, supports an academy-industry consor-

tium focused on wind en-ergy research and education activities. The field station features a u.S.-made, 2.5 megawatt Clipper Liberty wind turbine and a 426-foot meteorological research tower. Commissioned in October 2011, the facility is equipped with state-of-the-art instruments and sensors to measure weather condi-tions, wind speed and tur-bulence. Mesabi Range College wind energy Technology Program is one of two wind energy technician programs in the state. Last month, MRCTC completed installation of a Vestas V27 turbine that will be instrumented with nearly identical sensors as the eo-los turbine. This will allow technician and engineering students to compare and contrast op-eration and performance of turbines. More information about the eolos wind energy Re-search Consortium can be found at www.eolos.umn.edu and information about the Mesabi Range wind energy Technology Pro-gram can be found at http://mesabi.windenergy.project.mnscu.edu/.

The Rosemount Lions Club will celebrate its 50th anniversary at the Rose-mount Community Center on Friday, April 20. Special guests will in-clude keynote speaker and past director of Lions Clubs international, Debra was-serman of Faribault, mem-bers of the Farmington Li-ons Club, which sponsored the Rosemount Lions Club, and the two surviving Rose-mount Lions Club charter members, Paul Vorwerk and Ray Barton. On March 27, 1962, the Rosemount Lions Club was chartered with 30 members who were dedicated to the Lions motto: we serve. Today, the Rosemount Lions support Leader Dogs for the Blind, the Minne-sota Lions Vision Founda-tion, the Minnesota Lions eye Bank (a joint effort with the university of Min-nesota), Can Do Canines and by providing eye glasses for those who cant afford them. The Rosemount Lions are the sponsor of the an-

nual Spring egg hunt, participate in Rosemounts haunted woods Trail and Leprechaun Days. The Lions provide dic-tionaries for all the third-graders in Rosemount schools, scholarships for high school seniors, sup-port for Meals on wheels, the Rosemount food shelf, the CAP Agency and 360 Communities. Rosemount Lions clean 2 miles of County Road 42 between Dakota County Technical College and highway 52 twice per year. The group is always looking for ways to make Rosemount a bet-ter place to live and to help those in need, such as help-ing to purchase a van for Rosemount parents with a severely disabled daughter.

For information about joining the Rosemount Li-ons Club and its rich histo-ry of making Rosemount a

better place to live, visit the website http://e-clubhouse.org/sites/rosemountmn.


Thisweekend


A cross-dressing hairdresser, played by Scott Gilbert, is among the eccentric array of characters in True Love.

by Andrew MillerSun ThiSweek

Greek tragedy meets Jerry Springer in True Love, the latest produc-tion from Burnsville-based Chameleon Theatre Circle. The script by playwright Charles L. Mee puts a novel twist on an ancient tale the tragic, blood-soaked story of Phaedra and hippolytus, set against the backdrop of a mythical Minnesota trailer park. The driving force be-hind the show, said direc-tor Barbe Marshall, is the array of quirky characters, including a cross-dressing hairdresser (played by Scott Gilbert) and a transgender auto mechanic (Corinna knepper Troth). its also what makes the show ap-pealing to theater aficiona-dos already familiar with the hippolytus story. Spoiler alert: every-body dies, said Marshall.

You know how its going to end, but the fun is in how you get there. A trash-art aesthetic in-formed the costume and set design. Beer cans are used as hair curlers. Duct tape holds together a kiddie pool. A rolled-up pizza box serves as a microphone. The set sort of looks like the stuff you see on American Pickers. weve got a lot of what they call rusty gold, Marshall said. if you go, expect some mind-bending postmodern weirdness. The playwright described his script as a collage piece that in-corporates chunks of text from various sources: the writings of wilhelm Reich, Andy warhol and Simone de Beauvoir, among oth-ers, as well as the transcript of the Menendez brothers murder trial. Chameleons press re-lease for the show notes

that True Love is sug-gested for mature audienc-es. Although its enter-taining and fast-paced, its really not for children, Marshall said. its an ex-ploration of love and lust. Theres nudity and strong language. Parental discre-tion is advised. The show runs April 13-29 in the Burnsville Performing Arts Centers Black Box Theatre. Tick-ets are $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and students, and are available in person at the PAC box office and through Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787 or Ticket-master.com. More about True Love is at www.chame-leontheatre.org.

Andrew Miller can be reached at [email protected] or facebook.com/sun-thisweek.

Local actor brings Mark Twain to life Mark Twain will come to life on the St. Croix Lutheran high School au-ditorium stage at 7 p.m., Saturday, May 5, when Burnsville actor and writer Michael Bateson performs An evening with Mark Twain. As a Twain scholar, Bateson incorporates sto-ries and information about Twains life on the Missis-sippi, as a writer, a hus-band, and father. At the end of the per-formance, Bateson invites the audience to ask ques-tions of Twain about his life, opinions, books and family. in the past year he has performed at both the Lakeville Area Arts Center and Dakota County Fair in Farmington. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and are available by calling (651) 455-1521. All proceeds from the performance will support

the schools China trip. St. Croix Lutheran high School is located at 1200 Oakdale Ave., west St. Paul.

Info meeting on ADA grants An informational meet-ing will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, April 16, at the eagan Art house, 3981 Lexington Ave. S., eagan, to discuss ways of mak-ing the arts more acces-sible to children and adults with disabilities that can be made possible through grants of up to $15,000 for nonprofit arts organiza-tions. ADA Access improve-ment Grants are funded by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural heritage Fund approved by voters in 2008. They support pro-gram or facility-related ac-tivities that have potential for significant or long-term impact in involving more people with disabilities as

participants or patrons in arts programs. Grant dead-line is May 11. For more information, email [email protected]; download grant guide-lines and application form at www.vsamn.org/forms.html#adagrant.

Local musicians at Silver Tea A wide variety of mu-sical programs all free and specially created for adults 55 and older will be offered at Silver Tea programs at Dakota County libraries in May. in addition to the musi-cal events, staff will be on hand to describe library services and programs de-signed specifically for older adults. Refreshments will be provided. Tropics Steel Drum Band, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, May 3, wescott Library, 1340 wescott Road, eagan, (651) 450-2900.

Accordionist Dan newton, 1:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 8, heritage Library, 20085 heritage Drive, Lakeville, (952) 891-0360. impersonator Lo-ren wolfe, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. wednesday, May 9, Galaxie Library, 14955 Galaxie Ave., Apple Valley, (952) 891-7045. Charlie Maguire, 10:30 a.m. to noon Thursday, May 10, Farmington Li-brary, 508 Third St., Farm-ington, (651) 438-0250. Blue wolf, 1:30 to 3 p.m. Thursday, May 10, Robert Trail Library, 14395 S. Robert Trail, Rose-mount, (651) 480-1200. Dragonfly, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, May 10, Burnhaven Library, 1101 w. County Road 42, Burnsville, (952) 891-0300. Dakota County Li-brarys Silver Tea programs are presented with money from Minnesotas Arts and Cultural heritage Fund. For more information, call (651) 450-2918 or visit www.dakotacounty.us/li-brary.

Teen poetry programming in celebration of na-tional Poetry Month, Caponi Art Park and Learning Center, eagan, will host a poetry work-shop and spoken word slam for aspiring teen poets in collaboration with the School of environmental Studies and Dakota Coun-ty Library. The poetry performance workshop will be 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, April 30, at the wescott Library in eagan. The workshop is free, with a $5 requested donation. Call (651) 454-9412 to register. This year, Caponi Art Park and the Dakota County Library will com-bine their teen poetry slams into one event on Sunday, May 13, in Caponi Art Parks Theater in the woods outdoor amphithe-ater. All are welcome to watch the slam from 2 to 4 p.m. Teens ages 12-19 are invited to perform and can register from 1:30 to 2 p.m.

at the event.

Call for artists in Rosemount The Rosemount Area Arts Council is seeking crafters and artists to par-ticipate in the July 21 craft fair during Leprechaun Days. The fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. out-doors at Central Park and will be a juried craft show of handmade products. Those interested should contact heide Peterson at (952) 239-8870 or email [email protected] for additional infor-mation.

Youth in art at Eagan festival eagan Art Festival in-vites youth ages 13 to 17 to exhibit their work in Youth in Art! June 23-24. Free mentoring sessions will be included. Check it out at www.eaganartfesti-val.org or email [email protected].

Tale of ancient tragedy gets trailer park makeover Chameleon Theatre Circles True Love opens April 13

theater and arts briefs


To submit items for the Arts Calendar, email: darcy.

[email protected].

Comedy Marc Yaffee with specialguestRon Lamprecht at 8:30p.m. Friday,April 13, and Sat-urday,April 14, at MinneHAHAComedy Club, 1583 E. FirstAve., Shakopee (lower level ofDangerfields), (612)860-9388,www.minnehahacomedyclub.com.Tickets:$13.

Concerts Glen Campbells Good-bye Tour at8p.m.Friday,April13, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel,PriorLake.Pricesare$32and$39. Information: (952) 445-9000ormysticlake.com. The Minnesota Valley Mens and Womens ChoraleswillSingintoSpringwiththeirconcerts at 7:30 p.m. Friday,April 20, at St. Joseph Catho-lic Church in Rosemount, andSaturday,April21,atGraceLu-theran Church inApple Valley.Ticketsareavailableatthedoororfromanychoralememberfor$5. Three local handbell en-sembleswillpresentBell Fan-tasiaat7:30p.m.Friday,April27,attheBurnsvillePerformingArtsCenter,12600NicolletAve.Bellsof theLakes, theSt.OlafHandbell Choir and the North-ernLightsRingerswillperform.Tickets range from $15 to $25and can be purchased at theboxoffice,atTicketmaster.comorbycalling(800)982-2787. South Metro Chorale willpresent All Creation Sings at7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28,at St. John the Baptist Catho-lic Church, 4625W. 125th St.,Savage, and at 4 p.m. Sun-day,April 29, at St. Johns Lu-theran Church, 20165 HeathAve., Lakeville. Tickets are$10 for adults, $8 for studentsand seniors. Purchase ticketsby phone at (612) 386-4636or email [email protected]. Information: www.southmetrochorale.org. Violin concert by Chad Hoopes,MinnesotaPublicRa-diosArtistinResidence,7p.m.Saturday,April29,attheLakev-ille Area Arts Center, 20965Holyoke Ave. Tickets rangefrom$24 to$29andareavail-ableat thearts centerandon-lineatwww.lakevillemn.gov. Lorie Lines Live In The Sunshine performance, 7:30p.m.Tuesday,May8,atLakev-ille Area Arts Center, 20965Holyoke Ave. Tickets are $39and are available at the artscenter or by calling (952) 985-4640.

Exhibits The Burnsville Visual ArtsSocietywillholdits30thannualmember art show, Art Fete,March 8 through April 14 atthe Burnsville Performing Arts

Center,12600NicolletAve.Theexhibit is free and open to thepublic during gallery hours: 9a.m. to5p.m.Monday throughFriday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Saturday. AnexhibitofoilpaintingsbyartistHolly Stone isondisplaythroughApril 17 at the Lakev-ille Area Arts Center, 20965HolyokeAve.Information:(952)985-4640.

Poetry In celebration of NationalPoetryMonth,CaponiArt ParkandLearningCenter ishostinga poetry performance work-shop, Frankenstein: Bring Your Words to Life,onMon-day,April 30, from 4 to 6 p.m.at the Wescott Library, 1340Wescott Road, Eagan. Call(651)454-9412toregister.

Theater The Chameleon TheatreCirclewillpresentTrue Loveat7:30p.m.April13-14,20-21,23, 27-28 and at 2 p.m. April29at theBurnsvillePerformingArtsCenter,12600NicolletAve.General admission tickets are$20 ($17 for seniors, students,audio description andASL pa-trons) in person at the box of-fice, via Ticketmaster at (800)982-2787 or www.ticketmaster.com. Expressions CommunityTheater will present Mama Wont Fly at 7:30 p.m. April13-14and20-21andat2p.m.April 15 and 22 at the Lakev-ille Area Arts Centers, 20965Holyoke Ave. Tickets are $12and can be purchased by call-ing(952)985-4640. BurnsvilleHighSchoolThe-atre Guild will present Willy Wonka at 7:30 p.m.April 19-21and26-28andat2p.m.April22 at Mraz Center, BurnsvilleHigh School, 600 E. Highway13, Burnsville. Tickets are 8for students, $9 for seniors,and$10 foradults.Ticketscanbe reserved online at www.MrazCenterTickets.com or pur-chasedatthedoor. Easter Community TheatrewillpresentGodspellat7:30p.m.April 19-21 and at 1 p.m.April 22 at Easter LutheranChurch-OntheHill,4200PilotKnobRoad,Eagan.Ticketsare$8 for adults, $6 for studentsandseniorsandareavailableateaster.org/godspellorbycalling(651)452-3680. LakevilleSouthHighSchoolwillpresentThe Wizard of Oz at7p.m.April20-21,26-28andat2p.m.April28 in theschoolauditorium. Tickets are $10 foradults and $5 for students/se-niors. Ticket sales begin April16from11a.m.to1p.m.attheLSHS Commons, 21135 Jac-quard Ave. Information: (952)232-3322. Ole & Lenas 50th Wed-ding Anniversary and Vow Renewal performanceswillbe

at7:30p.m.Friday,May11,andSaturday,May12,attheLakev-ille Area Arts Center, 20965Holyoke Ave. Tickets are $15.Call(952)985-4640forinforma-tion.

Workshops/classes Music Together in the Val-ley offers classes for parentsandtheirinfant,toddlerandpre-school children in Rosemount,Farmington,LakevilleandAppleValley.Information:www.music-togetherclasses.com or (651)439-4219. The Eagan Art House of-fers classes forall ages.Foracomplete listing go towww.ea-ganarthouse.org or call (651)675-5521. Dan Petrov Art Studio inBurnsville offers oil paintingclasses for beginners, interme-diate and advanced skill levelpainters, www.danpetrovart.com,(763)843-2734. Teens Express Yourself with Paint, 5 to 7 p.m.Mondays atBrushworks School of Art inBurnsville, www.BrushworksS-choolofArt.com, (651) 214-4732. Drama/theater classes forages 4 and up at River RidgeArts Building, Burnsville, (952)736-3644. Special needs theater pro-gram (autism-DCD), ages 5andolder,Burnsville,(952)736-3644. Join other 55-plus adults attheEaganArtHouse to createbeaded jewelry. The Jewelry Clubmeetson the thirdFridayofeachmonthfrom1to3p.m.Fee is$3and includesallsup-plies.Bringanyoldjewelryyouwould like to re-make. 3981Lexington Ave. S., (651) 675-5500. Savage Art Studios, 4735W. 123rd St., Suite 200, Sav-age, offers classes/workshopsfor all ages. Information: www.savageartstudios.com or (952)895-0375. Soy candle making class-es held weekly in Eagan near55andYankeeDoodle.CallJa-mieat(651)315-4849fordatesand times. $10 per person.PresentedbyMakingScentsinMinnesota. Country line dance class-es held for intermediatesMon-days1:30to3:30p.m.atRam-blingRiverCenter,325OakSt.,Farmington,$5/class.CallMari-lyn(651)463-7833. Country line dance class-es on Wednesdays at theLakeville Senior Center, 20732HoltAve.Beginners,9-10a.m.;Intermediate,10a.m.-noon.$5/class. Call Marilyn (651) 463-7833. The Lakeville Area ArtsCenter offers arts classes forall ages, www.lakevillemn.gov,(952)985-4640.

To submit items for the Fam-ily Calendar, email: darcy.

[email protected].

Saturday, April 14 2012 Home Remodel-ing Show, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. atBurnsvilleHighSchool, 600E.Highway13.Freetoattend. Family Fun Fest by theLakevilleParksandRecreationDepartmentfrom5to9p.m.atAmesArena,19900IpavaAve.Concessionsand rental skatesavailable. The Lion King willbeshownon the turfat7p.m.Bringachairorblanket forsit-ting.

Sunday, April 15 Pancake breakfast from8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Mary,Mother of the Church, MaryCenter,3333CliffRoad,Burns-ville.Menu:pancakes,sausage,juice,milk and coffee. Freewilloffering.Allarewelcome.Infor-mation:(952)890-0045.

Monday, April 16 Family Night at the GreatClips IMAX Theatre at theMinnesota Zoo, Apple Val-ley. Guests who purchase oneadultadmissiontothe6:30p.m.showingofLewis&Clarkwillreceiveone freechildsadmis-sion to themovie aswell as acomplimentary sandwich anddrink(whilesupplieslast),start-ingat5:30p.m.

Tuesday, April 17 Aging Parent Care pro-gram by the Lakeville SeniorResource Coalition from 6 to7:30 p.m. at Lakeville SouthHigh School Lecture Hall,21135 Jacquard Ave. Learnhowtohelpyourseniorwithde-cisionsaboutcareand lifestyle

choices, and the signs that in-dicate changes are necessary.Freeandopentothepublic.

Thursday, April 19 Eleventh annual Wine Tasting and Silent AuctionbytheEaganFoundationfrom6to9p.m.attheEaganCommunityCenter, 1501Central Parkway,Eagan.Ticketsare$40atwww.eaganfoundation.comuntilApril12, when ticket prices rise to$50.

Friday, April 20 Kids consignment salebyFrom Yours To Mine from 10a.m. to 7 p.m. atAmesArena,19900 Ipava Ave., Lakeville.Admission: $2 (free admissionwith donation of nonperishablefooditem).

Saturday, April 21 Seventh annual pancake breakfast byBoyScoutTroop455from8a.m.tonoonat theRosemount American Legion,14590 Burma Ave. W. Menu:all-you-can-eat pancakes, sau-sage, juice and coffee.Ticketsare$5atthedoor.Childrenage5 and younger eat free. Therewill also be a bake sale andprizeraffle. Patrick Eagan Park clean-up bytheFriendsoftheEaganCoreGreenwayfrom10a.m.tonoon.MeetinthemainparkinglotbehindtheEaganArtHouse,3981 Lexington Ave. Childrenarewelcome.Bringgloves.Gar-bage bags provided. Refresh-mentswillbeservedafterward.Information: (651) 686-7006,www.eagancoregreenway.org. Kids consignment salebyFrom Yours To Mine from 10a.m. to 5 p.m. atAmesArena,19900 Ipava Ave., Lakeville.

Manyitemshalfoff. April Extravaganza Fund-raiserbySobrietyHighSchoolof Burnsville from 2 to 5 p.m.,12156 Nicollet Ave S., Burns-ville.Silentauctionendsat4:30p.m.,liveauctionfrom4:30to5p.m. Includes games and foodaswellasstudentperformanceand involvement. Free admis-sion. Information: Judi Hansonat(612)328-3973. Steak and shrimp feed bytheRosemount Knights of Co-lumbusat6p.m.atSt.JosephsChurchSocialHall,13900Bis-cayneAve.W.Freewillofferingaccepted.

Ongoing Bike donations are beingaccepted for a program spon-soredbytheRosemountFamilyResource Center and a Rose-mount neighborhood. [email protected] by April 21 withbike size and color (gender)so donations can be matchedto needs. Drop off bikes from8to11a.m.Saturday,April28,atRosemountFamilyResourceCenter, 14521 Cimarron Ave.W.,Rosemount.Call(952)686-1161 to make other drop-offarrangements. Bike helmets,locks, and wagons are alsoneeded. Monetary donationsappreciated. Y Summer Blast Off at allmetroYMCAlocationsApril13-15. Register now for summerprogramsandcamps. Informa-tion: (612) 822-2267 or ymca-twincities.org.

theater and arts calendar family calendar


Sports

Photos by Rick Orndorf

Rosemounts Sarah Jacobs takes the throw as Eastview runner Paige Palkovich tries to score during a South Suburban Conference softball game Monday at Rosemount High School. Palkovich was out on the play but Eastview went on to win 12-5.

Heres the play at the plate, and ...

by Mike ShaughnessySun ThiSweek

Sprinters compet-ing against Apple Valley might spend a lot of time noting the brown and gold colors on the backs of the eagles uniforms. Apple Valley swept the boys and girls 4x100-meter relay races at last years state Class AA track and field meet, and several runners from each of the winning teams are back this season. Juniors Quinn hooks and Steven wilson and senior Jalen Stewart re-turn from the state cham-pionship boys relay, while juniors Megan Maki and Jaryn Pipkins are back from the group that won the girls relay. The winning 4x100 re-lay helped the Apple Val-ley girls earn a team tro-phy for third place at last years state meet. Apple Valleys boys believe they are capable of moving up this year after finishing 13th at state.Boys Apple Valley com-peted against Burnsville and Prior Lake in a co-ed triangular April 5. it was the first outdoor compe-tition for the eagles, and scores werent as impor-tant as seeing where ath-letes could fit into the pic-ture in May and June. we have two or three weeks before the big invi-tationals and the (South Suburban) conference relays, Apple Valley boys head coach Rod Dirth said. So for now we have the luxury of using guys in different events. we also have 106 kids out, which is the most weve ever had, and wed like a chance to see them all compete. Stewart had to replace the since-graduated her-schel Brazell on the 4x100 relay at state at the last minute after Brazell was injured while running the

100 dash final. hooks, wilson and se-nior captain Mitch hech-sel ran on a 4x200 relay that finished eighth at state last year. Junior Dom McDew-Stauffer, one of the ea-gles best all-around ath-letes, could help out in sprints. hes running a lot better this year, Dirth said. hes also our no. 1 discus thrower and one of our top shot putters. M cD ew - S t a u f f e r threw the discus 153 feet, 4 inches in the eagles first outdoor meet last week. Several athletes in the sprint group likely will help in jumping events. hooks finished 10th at state in the high jump last season and already has cleared 6-6 this year. Stewart and hechsel also can do the high jump, and we have a group of young kids who were jumping 5-6, 5-8 right away, Dirth said. Senior captain Grant Christian is one of the eagles top hurdlers and can run a leg of the 4x400 relay. Zach Martens (shot put and discus) and Alex Brandel (middle distance and distance) also are se-nior captains. Dirth said one of the eagles goals is to be strong in all four relays. were looking at kids and trying to decide if we can have a respectable (4x800), the coach said. improving on last years 13th-place finish at state appears to be a defi-nite possibility. we hope so, Dirth said. Our goal is to im-prove on what we did last year. weve got some guys who are very talented. At the same time, anything can happen if you dont prepare the right way.Girls in addition to being one of the eagles girls

top sprinters, Pipkins also should score points in the triple jump. Maki, meanwhile, is the top re-turning hurdler. Apple Valley also should be tough to beat in the pole vault, with state qualifiers hannah Linder, emily Bonewell and kelsey harms all back. Linder was seventh, harms 11th and Bone-well 17th at the 2011 state meet. Senior Marissa Akin-seye reached state last season in the shot put, finishing 11th. Sprinter hallie Schliesing and distance runners Alexa nelson and Maddie ihrke, all se-niors, are among the ea-gles top runners. nelson, ihrke, harms, Schliesing and erin Callahan are

team captains. Girls head coach Geri Dirth said eagan, eastview, Lakeville north, Lakeville South and Prior Lake all should have strong teams the South Suburban Confer-ence. Apple Valley will hold its annual True Team invitational on Friday, April 20. Chanhassen, Mankato west, Roseville, Stillwater and Totino-Grace are scheduled to compete. The meet will use the True Team scor-ing format in which all athletes entered in an event score points for their teams.

Mike Shaughnessy is at [email protected] or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

Eagles have several returnees from state championship 4x100 relays

Apple Valley sprinters could be hard to catch

Photo by Mike Shaughnessy

Apple Valleys Mikayla Twiss throws the shot put at an outdoor meet last week.


Apple Valleys Quinn Hooks (right) hands off to teammate Herschel Brazell during the 4x200 relay at the 2011 state Class AA boys track and field preliminaries. Brazell has graduated, but Hooks is back to help the Eagles in sprints, relays and jumps.


if Rosemount is to repeat as state boys True Team track and field champion, it will be with some new ath-letes scoring big points. Many of the irishs go-

to athletes last year were seniors. But Rosemounts program had a Minnesota State high School League Class AA champion in 2008 and a state True Team runner-up in 2010, which indicates its capable of re-loading. Returning athletes for Rosemount include senior Chandler Dye, who finished fifth in the 800-meter run at last years MShSL Class AA meet, and senior Phong Dovu, who was 17th in the long jump. Dye also ran

on Rosemount 4x800 relay team at state a year ago. The irish have 24 seniors, but the roster is heavy on ninth-graders, sophomores and juniors. Senior nathan Rock was third in the 3,200 and fifth in the 1,600 at the Section 1AA meet last season. Cal-vin Lehn, also a senior, was fifth in the 3,200. Pole vaulter Ryan Vick and hurdler Conor Man-ning also could be key pieces of the puzzle for the irish, who also are defend-

ing South Suburban Con-ference champions. The irish will run in an invitational meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, at Farm-ington high School.

Rosemount girls Rosemount could make another run at a state championship in the 4x400 relay provided the irish can replace anchor leg run-ner Shade Pratt, whos now playing soccer at the uni-versity of Maryland. The other three run-

ners from the relay senior Thana hussein, sophomore hannah Grim and ninth-grader Rachel Schow are back this season. Seniors Laura Den-nis (Rosemounts Athena Award winner for 2012) and Tori Grund placed in the 800 at last years Sec-tion 1AA meet. They, along with Grund, ran on a 4x800 relay that finished second in the section in 2011. Senior natalie Busher (jumps) and junior ka-tie Duff (throws) will be

among Rosemounts top athletes in field events. Rosemount competed at an invitational meet at Pri-or Lake on Thursday and will be host of an invita-tional at 3:45 p.m. Tuesday, April 17. South Suburban Conference teams eagan, eastview and Prior Lake are among those scheduled to compete next week at Rosemount.

Mike Shaughnessy is at [email protected] or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

Defending SSC boys track champs lost many of their biggest point-

scorers

Irish reloading after successful 2011



Several of the most dec-orated athletes in eastview girls track and field history graduated last spring. So this season the Lightnings points will have to come from other sources. weve got some return-ing kids who have learned a lot in the last year, Light-ning head coach Jorjean Fischer said, and we have some new people we dont know a lot about yet. were hopeful. Two athletes the eastview coaches already know well are juniors eri-ca Bestul and Melita ware, both of whom qualified for the 2011 state Class AA meet. B

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