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I Love Burnsville Week Inside this section is a special edition devoted to activities slated during I Love Burnsville Week from June 2-9.
Opinion Question the candidates Sun Thisweek wants to know the questions readers would like candidates for various elected offices to answer. Page 4A
thisweekend
by Laura Adelmann Sun Thisweek
The Minnesota Supreme Court reversed on Wednesday a murder conviction because of interference by Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom and other “state actors.” In the May 23 ruling, the Supreme Court found “multiple state actors unquestionably interfered with the legislatively mandated independence of medical
Dakota City Heritage Village becomes a battle zone during the third annual World War II re-enactment. Page 14A
Sports
examiners” and put Backstrom threatdefendant Nicole ened to withdraw Beecroft’s constituhis support for tional rights at risk. Thomas’ reappoint Beecroft, of Oakment as coroner dale, was on trial when the Dakota for murder in 2008 County Board was in the death of her James considering whether newborn baby, and Backstrom to renew her conDr. Susan Roe, then tract with the couna staff member with the ty. Dakota County Medical Backstrom was later Examiner’s Office, was pre- fined $900 and publicly reppared to testify to her find- rimanded by the Minnesota ings that the child was still- Supreme Court for attemptborn. ing to discourage medical Backstrom sent Roe’s examiners from testifying at boss, Dr. Lindsey Thomas, the trial. a series of emails opposing In the ruling, the Suany member of her staff tes- preme Court found the contifying for the defense. duct of several prosecutors In one of his emails, and certain law enforcement
officials had “fallen short of what we expect it to be.” Named were attorney offices in Dakota County, Nicollet County, St. Louis County, and Washington County as counsel for the Minnesota Sheriff’s Association “all engaged in conduct that either explicitly or implicitly undermined Beecroft’s access to the assistance of certain medical examiners.” According to the ruling, the St. Louis County attorney testified at Beecroft’s post-conviction hearing that prosecutors in her office were receiving calls from prosecutors around the country indicating dis-
pleasure that St. Louis County Medical Examiner Dr. (Janice) Ophoven was testifying for the defense. Tuesday’s ruling reversed Beecroft’s conviction and concluded Beecroft is entitled to a new trial in the interest of justice. In ruling, the Supreme Court stated medical examiners must be allowed to complete death investigations “without interference or the appearance of interference, by other state actors including law enforcement officials and prosecutors.” Laura Adelmann is at laura. adelmann@ecm-inc.com or facebook.com/sunthisweek.
Teacher of the Year finds her place ‘GEOGRFY’ says it all for rigorous Metcalf teacher by John Gessner Sun Thisweek
War comes to Farmington
May 25, 2012 | Volume 33 | Number 13
Court reverses murder conviction Backstrom’s conduct cited in ruling
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Burnsville | Eagan
Sharon Shelerud’s customized license plates, a gift from her husband, say it all: “GEOGRFY.” School District 191’s newly named 2012 Teacher of the Year is an expert in geography, a subject she’s taught almost exclusively for the last two decades. Shelerud is a statewide leader among geography educators. Lessons she’s written have been adopted by the Minnesota Department of Education and published in an international journal. An adjunct professor at Augsburg College, Shelerud co-teaches Introduction to Human Geography, a requirement for all Augsburg education majors.
At Metcalf Junior High in Burnsville, where she’s taught for the last 16 years, Shelerud’s 100-point test on locating countries has become legendary. Kids get a world map and fill in the blanks for points and bragging rights. “Every kid who’s had Shelerud,” the teacher said, “has learned where the countries are.” Ignore geography at your peril, says Shelerud, who was instrumental in making the Burnsville-EaganSavage district one of the first in Minnesota to offer a high school human geography course based on state academic and Advanced Placement standards. The course is taught in ninth grade, both regular and AP.
Photo by John Gessner
Metcalf Junior High geography teacher Sharon Shelerud has been named 2012 Teacher of the Year in District 191. “We are the most geographically illiterate country in the industrialized world,” said Shelerud, who’s teaching five sections of human geography this
year. “And with the U.S. now being part of a global economy and a global community, that will not do us well in the future.” Shelerud came to Dis-
trict 191 in 1981, as a University of Minnesota student teacher at Burnsville High School. See Shelerud, 9A
Burnsville, Eagan legislators say ‘no’ to stadium Daley, Anderson, Wardlow discuss hot button issues expressed similar sentiments saying the stadium deal The 2012 legisunfairly forces evlative session was eryone to pay for an as divisive at times amenity used by a as the Vikings staselect few. dium, bonding and “I don’t think we omnibus tax bills Diane should increase dominated the last Anderson taxes for handouts few weeks. But in for the wealthiest the end, both Demamong us,” Wardocrats and Republow said. “It’s unforlicans were able to tunate for the state.” check a few items Anderson said by off their wish lists opposing the staand in some indium bill, she folstances, meet in the lowed the wishes of middle. Ted Daley the constituents she The Vikings starecently surveyed on dium was a hot butthe issue. ton issue toward the “I support the Viend of the session. kings and didn’t Though the stawant them to leave, dium bill passed but wanted a betthis month, it didn’t ter deal where the move forward with Vikings paid more,” the blessing of area Doug she said. Republicans. Wardlow All three agreed the “I think the vast majority of people want state could have gotten a to keep the Vikings here in better deal by waiting until Minnesota,” Sen. Ted Daley next year. said. “But my concern was Daley and Wardlow preferred a measure that would the funding mechanism.” Daley said he worries have levied a 10 percent fee that tax increases and chari- on suites and parking withtable gaming revenue are in a half-mile of the stadium unsustainable ways to fund and imposed a 6.875 percent fee on sales of Vikings the stadium. State Reps. Doug WardSee Eagan, 9A low and Diane Anderson by Jessica Harper Sun Thisweek
Blaze softball advances The Burnsville softball team is in the section final four along with Eastview, while Eagan falls to Apple Valley in first round. Page 16A
Index Opinion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Announcements . . . . . . 10A Thisweekend. . . . . . . . . 14A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16A Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . 18A Public Notices. . . . . . . . 22A
General Information 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
Submitted photo
Rep. Pam Myhra and Sen. Dan Hall, right, both sponsored data disclosure legislation in response to the Tania Chance controversy in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191. The Burnsville lawmakers attended the signing when Gov. Mark Dayton signed the final version of the legislation. At left is Rich Neumeister, a citizen activist for greater government transparency.
Burnsville’s Hall, Myhra responded to Chance controversy by John Gessner Sun Thisweek
State Rep. Pam Myhra of Burnsville may have faced a tougher choice than most legislators when voting on the Minnesota Vikings stadium deal earlier this month. “Before I went into session this year, my mom said, ‘Pam, build a Vikings stadium,’ ” said the first-
term Republican, who represents District 40A. “ ‘You know how much your dad loved the Vikings.’ ” In the end, Myhra voted against the stadium deal, which relies first on tax revenue from expanded charitable gambling (electronic pulltabs and bingo) to fund the state’s share of the $975 million stadium. Myhra said she stuck to
her 2010 campaign pledge not to use money from the state’s general fund — including charitable gambling taxes — to fund a stadium. “My dad loved the Vikings,” said Myhra, whose father died of cancer last August, “but he also taught me to be a woman of integSee Burnsville, 24A
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