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2001 remembered - January 5, 2002 the Burnsville Sun/Thisweek News looks back over the top stories of the year 2001.
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2003 was the last year of Orchard Gardens - Golf course, amphitheatre, new leaders make news this past year 2004January 3, 2004 the Burnsville Eagan Sun/Thisweek News looks back at Burnsville events during 2003 such as the end of Orchard Garden's Golf Course, the amphitheatre discussin, Craig Ebeling the new city manager replacing Greg Konat, An update on the Heart of the City, Budget blues, Church arson at Grace United Methodist, a tobacco fight, Should there be more fire fighters? A crackdown on speeding.
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Opposing views of amphitheater project 2001January 3, 2001 the Sun Current Newspaper reports: A 19,599 seat amphitheater on the edge of the Minnesota River was not music to the ears of many Burnsville and Bloomington residents this past year.
In turn, the sound of citizen groups clashing with city leaders throughout the approval process was less than harmonious to those who sought a simple resolution.
Residents on both sides of the river resisted a proposal to construct the amphitheater next to the site of a former landfill, while city leaders clamored to tell residents how the project would benefit their community...
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Burnsville reaches out to Russian speaking population 2000January 8, 2000 the Burnsville Sun/Thisweek News reports: The Russian speaking immigrants who received a guided tour of Burnsville's Fire Station 2 in November returned the favor December 21. They brought firefighters a pre-Christmas meal...The visits were part of a new city push to welcome and assist Burnsville's growing population of Eastern European immigrants....
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Year in Review (continued) 2008byJohn Gessner
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS Jan 8, 2009
Editor’s note: This portion of the Burnsville 2008 year in review story was mistakenly omitted from the Dec. 26 edition.
Sports theft
A former youth sports commissioner who said he had a gambling problem was charged in February with embezzling more than $43,000 from the Burnsville Athletic Club.
Douglas Jay Jahnke allegedly diverted registration fees and other money from the girls in-house basketball program while serving as commissioner from 2005 to 2007.
Jahnke allegedly altered checks or had players’ families make checks to him. Police say they documented 378 altered or forged checks and eight fraudulent cash transactions.
The 47-year-old Burnsville resident was charged with six counts each of theft by swindle, check forgery and offering a forged check. His trial is scheduled to open Jan. 27.
Vehicular homicide
Armando Velasquez, 20, of Faribault, was sentenced in October to 57 months in prison for the hit-and-run that killed a man on April 5 outside the former Event Center at the Towne and Country Square mall. Velasquez had pleaded guilty to criminal vehicular homicide in the death of Carlos Eduardo Noriega, 32, of Prior Lake. The crime stemmed from an altercation at the Event Center. Martina Narvaez pleaded guilty to aiding an offender for helping Velasquez try to avoid arrest. Similar charges were pending against Fran cisco Javiar Velasquez.
Attack, arson
Three men await trial in the May 11 break-in, attack and arson at a Burnsville man’s townhome. Paul Traub, 13603 Knox Drive, was stabbed and beaten by intruders who also stole his car and set the townhouse on fire. “These were nasty people,” said a neighbor, Wanda Trousil. “Nobody deserves to have that happen to them. He’s such a nice man.” Traub, 52, was in bed in the early-morning hours intruders entered through his open garage door. Charged with attempted murder, burglary and arson are Shaquen Perril Whitfield, 19, of Prior Lake; Irvin Scott Cook, 18, address unknown; and Lance Dwayne Wilkins, 21, of Prior Lake.
Stock swindle
Burnsville resident Eldon Anderson was sentenced Nov. 20 to 97 months in prison for defrauding investors by selling stock in a business he called EPCOM Wireless Corp.
The 56-year-old, called a “consummate con man” by federal prosecutors, pleaded guilty in March to one count of securities fraud. Anderson was ordered to pay more than $1.4 mil lion in restitution for frauds committed since 1994. “He invested a lot of time in friendships,” said Richard Hatcher of Burnsville, a former neighbor of Anderson’s who lost $3,000 investing with him. “His part-time job was taking your money.”
Ex-mayor dies
Burnsville’s second mayor was a devout Mormon who didn’t like noisy bars or raunchy radio. Alfred E. Hall’s morals may have propelled him into politics. But Hall’s legacy is his stewardship of a village and city rapidly changing from rural to suburban. Hall, 80, died March 30 in Dallas, Texas, where he moved his family in 1976. He was mayor from January 1966 to January 1970. A Mormon bishop, Hall thought liquor sales should be limited to municipal stores, though he never achieved that goal. He made news in the early 1970s for tangling with a youth-oriented AM radio station, U100, whose content he found offensive.
Ice time
In June, a judge dismissed claims that Burnsville’s allocation of ice time is unfair to Burnsville youths who play in the Apple Valley Hockey Association. A suit filed by six AVHA parents who live in Burnsville challenged the city’s policy of giving “legacy users” priority in renting ice at the Burnsville Ice Center. The suit followed a bitter dispute that erupted in 2006 when the AVHA, a nonlegacy user, was negotiating with the city for ice time. The AVHA, which must accept Burnsville youths who live in Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District 196, wanted prime- season ice time to be allocated based on the number of its Burnsville members as a percentage of total ice time users.
Hotels, problems
Burnsville’s hotels and motels came under in creased scrutiny in 2007 and 2008. Worries about prostitution, other crimes and cleanliness prompted the City Council to look into — but ultimately reject — city licensing of Burnsville’s 10 lodging properties. Sting operations from June 2007 through March 2008 showed prostitution to be a lingering problem. Sev en stings netted 40 arrests at five lodging properties and two apartment complexes, Police Chief Bob Hawkins said. The Red Roof Inn at 12920 Aldrich Ave. S. was not part of the sting operation, but had significantly more police calls from June to December 2007 than neighboring lodging properties, according to police.
Banquet center closes
The International Chefs’ Culinary Center, a banquet hall whose October 2004 opening helped inaugurate Burnsville’s Heart o f the City, closed Oct. 8. Located in the Grande Market Square building in the Heart of the City, the 440-seat center was the brainchild of Burnsville resident Ron Achterkirch, a former Control Data executive and software-company founder whose worldwide travels inspired a love of fine dining. Achterkirch said his in ability to renegotiate his lease with building owner Sherman Associates and skyrocketing food prices doomed the business. “I’ll bet I’ve been to 100 events in his place in the last couple of years,” City Council Member Dan Gustafson said. “It was getting a lot of support from a lot of groups, but just not enough.” Some of Achterkirch’s booked weddings and other events were moved to the new Applewood Event Center, which opened recently in the Towne and
Country Square mall at Highway 13 and Cliff Road.
Garbage zones
Garbage collection in Burnsville’s single-family neighborhoods will be limited to one day a week in each of five zones. In May, the City Council unanimously approved a “day-specific” collection system. Collection of trash, recyclables and yard waste will be limited to one week day in each zone. The. five licensed haulers doing business in the city agreed to the change, which takes effect Jan. 1. Day-specific collection is the tightest regulation to emerge from years of peri odic debate over clamping down on trash-collection nuisances in Burnsville neighborhoods.
Minnesota
River Quadrant
City officials and local legislators held a news conference in April to tout a tax measure that could net Burnsville up to $80 million to prepare its vast riverfront
for redevelopment. The law, approved by the 2007 Minnesota Legislature, allows the city to create tax-increment financing districts in the 1,700-acre area west of Interstate 35W and north of Highway 13 and pool the revenue for use throughout it.
Cops at risk
The Police Department held a news conference in July to raise awareness of roadside dangers cops face when stopping vehicles. Over the previous two and a half years, there were
eight incidents in which officers’ vehicles had been hit or officers had been injured in traffic-related incidents, most of them traffic stops.
Apartment rehab
Chancellor Manor, Dakota County’s largest subsidized housing complex will be acquired and rehabilitated for $24.2 million, in an effort to deter crime and improve the property.
Final funding approval was announced Oct. 23 for the 200-unit apartment and townhome development built in 1972 and housing 493 low-income residents. The nonprofit Community Housing Development Corporation (CHDC) will own and manage the complex, located near County Road 42 on Irving Avenue South. Renovation is ex pected to begin next year and be completed in 2010. The Dakota County Community Development Agency is contributing $2.5 mil lion to the project.
Mediterranean Cruise Cafe
The Mediterranean Cruise Cafe, formerly in Eagan’s Cedarvale redevelopment area, is moving to Burnsville. The City Council approved the sale of .6 acres of city-owned land between Nicollet Commons Park and Red Lion Liquor in the Heart of the City. Mediterranean Cruise owner Jamal Ansari paid $165,000 for the land and will build a pump room where the city will house pumps feeding the artificial stream in the park. The city will pay $165,000 for an easement granting access to those facilities.
Ansari plans to open in late January.
John Gessner is at burnsville. thisweek@ecm-inc. com.
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Census 2002 delves into detailsJune 6, 2002 Burnsville Sun Current reports: Burnsville and Shades of Gray (population getting older) and Commuters challenged in the County - Transportation issues.
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Census 2002 -June 26, 2002 - Burnsville Sun
Details on the census 2002.
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Burnsville High opens doors to displaced fire victims 2008December 23, 2008 Savage Pacer reports: Burnsville High School opened its doors while staff and students opened their hearts to those displaced by a fire at a nearby Burncliff Manor Apartments December 22. About 80 residents were transported to the school after the fire and 29 spent the night in the gym and used the locker rooms. Local businesses, civic organizations and individuals have donated food, blankets, pillows, clothing and many other items to assist the displaced apartment dwellers...
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Festival celebrates Burnsville's Diversity 2007The June 30, 2007 St. Paul Pioneer Press reports on Burnsville's FIRST International Festival at the Nicollet Commons Park in Burnsville.
Food came from Outback Steakhouse, Baker's Square and Dino's with international entertainment. Admission was free.
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Burnsville Golf Course is aced out 2003July 8, 2003 - Minneapolis Star Tribune reports: Developer buys landmark site to build homes.... by Monday night a reluctant City Council agreed to let a developer build 28 executive style homes on the site...
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Grand Opening Celebration Burnsville Performaning Arts Center 8 pagesThe Ames Center, formerly Burnsville Performing Arts Center, opened in January 2009. The center has two theatres, a 1,014 seat proscenium stage and an intimate 150 seat Black Box Theatre. The Lobby is two stories tall, all glass, with a sweeping view of Nicollet Commons Park, The Minnesota River Valley, and the Minneapolis Skyline.
In addition to the Theatres, the center has a 2,000-square-foot art gallery, meeting rooms and a large rehearsal room. There is additional space for banquets, special events and receptions. Presentations at the Ames Center include cultural events, dramas, comedies, dance and musical acts from local arts organizations and national touring artists.
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Looking back: A century of Burnsville History 2000January 8, 2000 the Burnsville Sun/Thisweek News publishes this history of Burnsville, as a new decade begins. It also coincides with the publication of Burnsville 2000 A Community History.
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I Love Burnsville 2008the March 6, 2008 Dakota County Tribune reports on the first of what will become an annual event in Burnsville. It featured a community garage sale, spring clean up activities and children, family and senior events. Deputy City Manager Tom Hansen said "It's a celebration of Burnsville and reconnecting neighborhoods."
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MPR report on December 2008 fireMinnesota Public Radio (MPR) news report on the 2008 apartment complex fire at Burncliff Manor Apartments December 2.
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Oakleaf Townhouse rental housingLocated at 12213 17th Ave South, provides rental options for residents wishing a townhome.
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Orchard Gardens Golf closed 2004Orchard Gardens Golf Course is a Semi*Private, t hole golf course located in Burnsville,Minnesota.
The course opened for play in 1967. The course designer was Martin Auto.Orchard Gardens Golf Course had four holes that are extremely hilly. Their website said: "Be prepared for the ball to be either above or below your feet at any given time. The course has tree-lined fairways. Several sand bunkers corne into play on every hole. The ladies tee off from the same set of tees as the men on this 9-hole course. The course plays to 1,570 yards and is a par-27 challenge for men and par-30 for ladies."
Orchard Gardens Golf Course closed in ?004 and has been replaced with residential homes.
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Orchard Garden StationAnother photo of Burnsville's National Historic site - Orchard Garden Station.
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Parkwood housing 2017 photoHousing development on Burnsville Parkway.
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The Rivers Senior Housing, South River Hills.Located at 11111 River Hills Drive, Burnsville, the Rivers is an assisted living facility in Burnsville, MN. The Rivers offers activities at their location for residents. These activities generally allow residents to maintain healthy lifestyles by encouraging movement and socializing with their peers. Photo 2017.
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Rural Burnsville - a step back in time 2009A Star Tribune article which appeared online June 2, 2009 - Reporter Dean Spiros talks with residents of Orchard Gardens described as a suburban neighborhood that time forgot where tire swings compete with video games for kids' attention. Where lot sizes are measured in acres rather than feet. Where childhood friends and neighbors remain that way 40 plus years later. Interviews include Dan Callahan and Dave Geary.
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Second International Festival 2008After a successful debut in 2007, the International Festival returned to Nicollet Commons Park June 28, 2008. The first year an estimated 2500 people attended.
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Secret donor gives $1 million to Burnsville Fire Victims 2008The December 23, 2008 Pioneer Press reports that dozens of families left homeless after a fire at a Burnsville apartment complex have an early Christmas present awaiting them - $1 million dollar donation. An anonymous donor contributed the money to a fund to aid those in the Burncliff fire.
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Burnsville 2000October 16, 2000 - Minneapolis Star Tribune description of Burnsville...
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Site of proposed amphitheaterDuring 2000 efforts were made to create an amphitheater in Burnsville. This graphic July 2, 2000 shows the proposed site.
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Minneapolis Star Tribune opens office in Burnsville 2006November 22, 2006 Minneapolis Star Tribune: Star Tribune South opens office in Burnsville.
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Burnsville residents look to the future 2000January 5, 2000 the Burnsville Sun Current: Where are we going? Burnsville predicts how our lives will change in the future.
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Chronology of key events in Burnsville during 2000January 3, 2001 the Sun Current features a 12 month overview of events in Burnsville durng 2000.
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Secure your spot inside the Burnsville Centennial Time CapsuleThe Community is invited to submit entries for box to be opened in 2064. Get creative with your entry: Write a letter to your grandchidlren, enclose photos, make a prediction, or pursue any other creative idea. The submissions will be professionally bound and preserved to stand the test of time...The capsule will be opened on the event of the city's 100th Anniversary.
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