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Apple Valley | Rosemount October 5, 2012 | Volume 33 | Number 32
Monkey milestone at the zoo
Two-time national speech champion
Marriage amendment
AVHS senior Nader Helmy took home first place in original oratory
Today’s Opinion page carries the ECM Editorial regarding the proposed constitutional amendment regarding same-sex marriage and an editorial response. Page 4A
number of issues, hobbies and acSun Thisweek tivities rather than delve deep into a Each year, few things. hundreds of “It was really excithigh school ing to win again,” students comthe Lakeville resipete in the Nadent said. “I always tional Forensic strive to be my best League Nationand pour a lot of al Speech Tourmyself into the nament, but things I do.” only a handful Nader Helmy Helmy conquered the leave as champions. Apple Valley High same category last year at School senior Nader Helmy the national competition not only left the Indianapo- in Dallas with his speech lis tournament a champion “Tailor Made for the Ages,” in June, but did so for the which focused on the importance of valuing the second consecutive year. Helmy, 17, took first old — especially traditions, place in original oratory possessions and friendships. with his speech “Surfing That speech was inspired USA,” which drew atten- by his father, an immigrant tion to American’s tendency See speech, 7A to skim the surface of a by Jessica Harper
sports
Photo by Rick Orndorf
The Minnesota Zoo’s snow monkey “Nikko” celebrated his 29th birthday at the zoo on Thursday, Sept. 27. Nikko is believed to be the oldest male snow monkey in North America, and the fourth oldest of his species in the world. Treats and streamers marked the day at the zoo as Nikko, who was born in 1983 and arrived at the Minnesota Zoo in 2001, celebrated the birthday with the rest of his troop.
Shorn for a cause This time, it’s for hardware A traveling trophy has been created for the Apple Valley-Eastview football rivalry. The schools play for it Friday. Page 14A
thisweekend
Back from the jungle Rosemount author Craig MacIntosh gathered material for his latest novel while searching for World War II crash sites in Papua New Guinea. Page 12A
Paideia Academy’s Kim Klayum has head shaved for cancer fundraiser by Andrew Miller Sun Thisweek
Kim Klayum’s commitment to cancer research is evident from one look at her head. The business manager at Paideia Academy in Apple Valley devised a novel way to get students and staff involved in her fundraising efforts for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. The deal was, if they helped her reach a goal of $5,000, she’d shave her head and provide an ice cream party for the class that brought in the most money. The fundraising effort was part of Klayum’s work leading up to a 5K walk/run to benefit the multiple myeloma foundation held Sept. 30 in St. Paul. Klayum’s sister, Deb Jordan of Apple Valley, suffers from this form of blood cancer and recently lost her hair as a result of chemother- Andrew Miller can be reached at anapy treatment. Friends and family drew.miller@ecm-inc.com or facebook. of Deb Jordan who participated in com/sunthisweek.
Dakota County pulls out of Minnesota River Board Sun Thisweek
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Pollution in the Minnesota River upstream from Dakota County is so appalling that the county is pulling out of the organization charged with cleaning it up. The action is meant to send a message to legislators that the Minnesota River Board is so dysfunctional it is unable to fulfill its mission to clean the river. Despite Dakota County Commissioner Tom Egan’s pleas to reconsider, commissioners voted 5-2 to leave the Minnesota River Board joint powers organization. Egan is the county’s current representative on the board and next year’s River Board chair. Most commissioners have served on the River Board and experienced the early-morning meetings – filled with finger-pointing, disagreements and controversy – which are held hundreds of miles from Dakota County in inconvenient cor-
ners of the state. Minnesota River Board members argue about the board’s governance structure, where resources are directed, fees each entity pays and who is to blame for the river’s high pollution levels. “Some say the problem is soil erosion caused by development,” said Egan. “Others say it’s the industrial development that is occurring in southwest Minnesota, others say it’s farming or best management practices. Nobody can agree on anything.” The river flows through 15,000 miles of southcentral Minnesota through 38 counties, but only 23 of them are dues-paying members of the joint powers agreement to oversee the river’s environmental health. Only a northwest portion of Dakota County is included in the basin, but based on the county’s population annual dues are $2,500.
Photo submitted
Kim Klayum submitted to a shearing last weekend both as a way to raise funds for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and to show support for her sister Deb Jordan, who suffers from multiple myeloma and recently lost her hair due to chemotherapy.
Conflict contributing to river pollution by Laura Adelmann
Online
the 5K called themselves “Team Jordan.” Last week, Paideia students and staff collectively donated more than $1,300 – putting Team Jordan’s fundraising total at $6,500 – and true to her word Klayum submitted to the shears at a friend’s house over the weekend. Klayum said she intends to donate her hair to Locks of Love, the nonprofit that provides hairpieces to children suffering medical hair loss. Paideia students in Susan Sailors’ sixth-grade class brought in the most donations, and they had a class photo taken with the freshly depilated Klayum on Monday. More about the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, along with information about Team Jordan, can be found at Support. themmrf.org.
Money was not the primary concern from commissioners who said they want meetings to result in action for cleaning the river. Instead, Egan said he leaves meetings frustrated because “nothing but conflict occurred.” The arguments are similar to ones that occurred a decade or so ago in Dakota County with the Vermillion River Watershed, said Dakota County Commissioner Joe Harris. After years of controversy stalling action, Dakota County took over governance of the Vermillion River Watershed and conflicts were resolved. A governance structure was established, a fee structure was set and river cleanup activities have been accomplished. Similar action is needed by the state to clean up the Minnesota River, Harris said. See river, 7A
Man jailed after bizarre assault on party bus at the bar or just happened to be in the parking lot when peo A 24-year-old ple were boarding the man was arrested party bus. outside Wild Bill’s When police arrived Sports Saloon in on the scene, YankowApple Valley afiak was observed runter he allegedly Paul ning away from the attacked a man Yankowiak parking lot toward a boarding a party Jr. nearby hotel, and he bus outside the bar, causing the victim’s face to allegedly fought with an officer attempting to arrest him. gush blood. Paul G. Yankowiak Jr. of The police report notes Faribault was charged with that Yankowiak threw a felony assault following the punch at the officer and tried incident that occurred just to smear blood from the after midnight Sept. 22 out- earlier assault on him. Anside the bar at 15020 Glazier other officer used a Taser on Yankowiak, who was subseAve. Police say the attack was quently handcuffed and arunprovoked. The victim – a rested. 30-year-old St. Louis Park No officers suffered any man – did nothing more than injuries during the arrest, say hello and ask Yankowiak police said. Yankowiak was booked what his name was. Yankowiak responded by into the Dakota County punching the victim in the Jail in Hastings, where he remained as of Wednesday face, according to police. The victim, who didn’t when this edition went to fight back, reported that press. His next court appearhe’d never met Yankowiak ance is scheduled for Oct. 23. before, and a police spokesman said the attack was “to- Andrew Miller can be reached tally random.” It’s unclear at andrew.miller@ecm-inc.com if Yankowiak was a patron or facebook.com/sunthisweek. by Andrew Miller Sun Thisweek