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Apple Valley | Rosemount November 2, 2012 | Volume 33 | Number 37
Voters go to the polls Nov. 6
OPINION Election Day approaches The ECM Editorial Board offers its roundup of endorsements as voters prepare to go to the polls Nov. 6. Page 4A
Apple Valley woman honored 360 Communities honors the life of an Apple Valley woman who worked to help others escape abusive relationships. Page 4A
THISWEEKEND
City Council members, two county commissioners, many more to be elected by Tad Johnson and Andrew Miller SUN THISWEEK
Apple Valley and Rosemount voters will go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 6, to elect two City Council members, Dakota County commissioners for two districts that cover the cities, state House and Senate lawmakers and a whole lot more. Information about the candidates for the Apple Valley and Rosemount races have run in past Sun Thisweek print editions and have been posted online at
SunThisweek.com. Last week’s print edition carried the candidates’ responses to Sun Thisweek’s election questionnaire. Now it is time for the voters to choose who will represent them in public office. Apple Valley City Council candidates Michael Holsten, Wilma Ruppert, Nicholas Stepka and incumbents Tom Goodwin and Ruth Grendahl are vying for two, four-year terms. The current terms of council members Goodwin and Grendahl expire at
the end of this year. Newly elected council members will begin their terms in January 2013. Rosemount City Council candidates Vanessa Olson Demuth, Joseph P. Zanmiller, Joe Kurle and incumbent Council Member Jeff Weisensel are vying for two, four-year terms. The terms of council members Matt Kearney and Weisensel expire at the end of the year. Kearney, who was selected to fill former council member Kurt Bills’s term two years ago, did not file.
Newly elected council members will begin their terms in January 2013. Rosemount council member salaries are $6,396.30 annually. Voters will be able to select two council candidates in both the Apple Valley and Rosemount races. Most Rosemount voters will choose between County Board District 4 incumbent Nancy Schouweiler and Bill Klein, a five-term Inver Grove Heights City Council member. District 4 previous to 2012 did not dip into Rose-
mount, but now covers the entire city except for the west Precincts 3 and 5. Those precincts are still in District 7, for which there is an open seat created by the retirement of Willis Branning. State Sen. Chris Gerlach, who announced his retirement from the Senate this year, is running in District 7 against Vicki Swanson. District 7 also includes all of Apple Valley. Both County Board seats are four-year terms. ComSee ELECTION, 12A
Turning up roses
Trail offers spooky delights
Rosemount High School to perform in ‘world’s largest parade’ by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK
Holiday comedy in Lakeville “The ReGifters,” a stage comedy presented by Expressions community theater, comes to the stage of the Lakeville Area Arts Center. Page 10A
SPORTS
Eastview boys soccer on a roll Lightning boys advance to the state final for the second season in a row. Page 15A
ONLINE Look for election results at SunThisweek.com on election night and the following morning for a wrapup of all the local and state races. Those looking for voter information can read candidate responses to Sun Thisweek questionnaires online.
INDEX Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Announcements . . . . . . 8A Public Notices . . . . . . . 13A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15A Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . 17A
General Information 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
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Photos by Tad Johnson
More than 2,300 young people and their parents flocked to Central Park in Rosemount for the 30th annual Haunted Woods Trail on Saturday night. While the chilly weather was a challenge for costume assembly, the children didn’t seem to mind as local businesses and service groups handed out treats along the trail route. More photos are at SunThisweek. com.
Apple Valley woman one of two suspects in Northfield robbery While Campana was arrested without incident in the traffic stop, Forcier allegAn Apple Valley womedly fled the scene, firing sevan was booked into the eral shots from a handgun Rice County Jail on Monat a Minnesota State Patrol day as one of two suspects trooper and a Rice County in an armed robbery of a sheriff’s deputy. Northfield hotel. Julie Ann This prompted a massive Julie Ann Campana, 23, Campana hours-long search by law was arrested during a traffic stop in Northfield following the enforcement that included a Minneearly-morning robbery Oct. 29 of sota State Patrol helicopter, 12 area the America’s Best Value Inn on SWAT teams and members of the Dakota and Rice county sheriff’s ofRiverview Drive. According to the Northfield fices, the Northfield News reported. Forcier was eventually found hidNews, an adult male – identified by police as Eric Wade Forcier, 26, of ing in the bed of a pickup truck in Northfield – entered the hotel wear- a parking lot just blocks from the ing a black ski mask at 2:47 a.m. and America’s Best Value Inn. He was robbed an employee with a silver taken into custody without incident. Both Campana and Forcier rehandgun. About $140 was taken in the robbery, a Northfield police of- mained in the Rice County Jail as of Tuesday afternoon. ficial said. Campana, who the Star Tribune identified as Forcier’s ex-girlfriend, Andrew Miller can be reached at anwas the driver of the Pontiac Grand drew.miller@ecm-inc.com or facebook. Prix police stopped at about 3 a.m. com/sunthisweek.
The Rosemount High School Marching Band has been invited to perform in the biggest parade in the world. The band was chosen from among more than 50 groups that applied for 16 openings in the 125th annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., Jan. 1, 2014. “It has taken a great deal of dedication and hard work to achieve the excellence necessary to even be considered for participation in this prestigious event,” said band director Steve Olsen in an email. “We ‘stand on the shoulders’ of many past alumni and current senior RHS marching band members who have worked extremely hard, and dedicated much time and effort to reach this level of success. We owe all of them a great deal of respect and thanks for making the Rosemount band program what it is today.” Bands are selected approximately 14 months in advance to give the chosen groups time to raise the money needed for the trip to Pasadena. More detailed information regarding this trip will be available soon, according to Olsen, including cost, fundraisers, itinerary, family/fan “Shadow Trip” to
Photos by Rick Orndorf
Rosemount High School marching band member Brittany Majeski performs during the Youth In Music marching band festival. accompany the band and more. The anticipated trip dates are: Dec. 27, 2013, to January 2, 2014. An estimated U.S. audience of 47 million people and an estimated international audience of more than 300 million in over 220 countries see the parade on television. The Pasadena Police Department estimates that approximately See BAND, 14A
Turning up the heat
by Andrew Miller SUN THISWEEK
Photos by Rick Orndorf
Dozens of women firefighters from departments throughout Minnesota practiced their skills at the training grounds of Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend Refinery on Saturday. The North Star Women’s Firefighter Association ran through an array of drills at the site where Flint Hills has provided free training for area fire departments and organizations for more than 21 years. More photos are at SunThisweek.com.
TOM GOODWIN CITY COUNCIL Prepared and paid for by the Tom Goodwin Volunteer Committee, Co-Chairpersons Larry Rivers, 13336 Huntington Drive, Apple Valley, MN 55124 Ruth Erickson, 14299 Garland Avenue, Apple Valley, MN 55124
RETURN TOM GOODWIN TO THE APPLE VALLEY CITY COUNCIL