Remembering Minnesota's Casualties of the Iraq War

The Iraq War claimed the lives of nearly 70 Minnesotans, among them Nathanael James Doring from Apple Valley and Todd Willis Selge from Burnsville.

The 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began 10 years ago this week—on March 19, 2003—and although officially "over," violence continues with discouraging persistence. By one count, the war is directly responsible for 189,000 deaths, not including those who died from hardship caused by the fighting. In all, 4,802 Americans and allies have died in the war, according to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count, including nearly 70 Minnesotans. CNN has a stunning map of all casualties in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Among them are Nathanael James Doring from Apple Valley and Todd Willis Selge from Burnsville. Use the search box above to remember the service members who died in Iraq. Feel free to leave a message of remembrance in the comments or share …

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Lakeville, Burnsville Students to 'Speed-Date' Future Careers

Students in Burnsville and Lakeville will be checking out potential careers by "speed-dating" with representatives from vocations such as marketing, sales, human resources and law.

Speed dating meets high school, and it's not what you think. Dozens of students from Lakeville North and Burnsville high schools on Dec. 14 will be taking part in a program that offers them glimpses into their future careers—speed-dating style. The program from BestPrep, called Classroom Plus, offers career day events, which bring students into major local corporations where they are exposed to a variety of career fields and gain an awareness of professional skill building. “The Career Day events allow students to hear firsthand about an array of career fields from employees at these major corporations,” said Bob Kaitz, President and CEO of BestPrep. On Dec. 14, Lakeville and Burnsville students taking part will head to U.S. Bank at their …

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Letter to the Editor: Vote No on Roz Peterson

Letter writer: "It doesn’t seem that Roz Peterson has the temperament or the desire to work with those she disagrees with to find common ground."

To the editor, Ending the political gridlock in St. Paul is a critical issue of this election year. Because I want to elect someone who will not further feed into this political standoff, I cannot cast my vote for Roz Peterson.  In the past week I have seen on multiple outlets, both local and national, the way that Peterson deals with those she disagrees with. The video of her calling the Governor “mentally unstable” was not only disrespectful but is not fitting of the kind of person I want representing me and the community I call home.  I believe that if Peterson were serious about serving our district, rather than furthering her political career, she would have thought twice before hurling such personal attacks. She was willing to …

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REPLAY: Lakeville South Dominates Burnsville to Get Back on Track

Lakeville South beat up on Burnsville, 35-10, to get back in the win column.

Lakeville South beat up on Burnsville Friday night, beating the Blaze 35-10 and getting back in the win column. The home game was exactly what South must have needed as they came into the game with a 1-3 record. For a full recap of the game, head to Minnesota Football Hub or watch our reply of the game here. ORIGINAL STORY The Burnsville Blaze (3-1, 3-1 South Suburban) travel to Cougar Stadium in Lakeville to take on Lakeville South Cougars (1-3, 1-2 South Suburban) for a Week 5 South Suburban Conference game tonight at 7 p.m. Through a partnership with the Minnesota Sports Broadcast Network (MSBN), Burnsville Patch is proud to bring you live streaming broadcasts of local high school sports for the 2012-2013 season. Allen Lica and Duane …

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Letter to the Editor: Vote Against Roz Peterson and 'Extreme' Politics

Letter writer: Vote "no" on Roz Peterson’s brand of extreme politics.

To the editor, I think we can all agree that with this election the stakes are high. Our schools are strapped for money. Our economy has not fully recovered. And we have a government whose extreme partisan politics have left it broken. I’m looking for someone to represent my family and community in the legislature who will work in a civil, bi-partisan way to meet the challenges that face our state. We need someone committed to end the legislative gridlock and extreme partisanship we’ve seen over the past two years that led to the longest government shutdown in Minnesota history, holding our economy back from further progress.   Looking into our state house candidates, I came across a YouTube clip from Roz Peterson’s speech at the local …

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smitty

10:59 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2012

Lenny, I agree wholeheartedly when you say "When all you have is personal attacks on a person it shows your petty politics in action." That's what Roz Peterson does on the video -- pointing that out does not constitute a personal attack on her, instead its just reporting on her actions. I don't know who her opponent is. It is not my district. But we would all benefit from increased civility in …   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Morgan Will Protect Education, Schools

Letter writer: Will Morgan is a teacher at Burnsville High School and has an outstanding record protecting our schools at the state legislature.

To the editor: Education is crucial to a healthy economy. As such, it's crucial we have some one with first-hand experience representing our kids at the Capitol. Will Morgan's experience comes two fold: not only has he taught Physics for the past 20 years at Burnsville High School, but he also has an outstanding record protecting our schools at the state legislature. Who better to advocate the interests of our children's education than Will?  As a teacher he sees first hand the effects of education cuts, like the more than $2 billion borrowed from schools by the current legislature. And after teaching for 20 years he's survived the ridiculous unfunded big government mandates (like the Profiles of Learning and No Child Left Behind) that do …

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POLL: What's the Best Breakfast Spot in Central Dakota County?

Which breakfast joint is your favorite for omelettes and flapjacks? Support local business and weigh in on this poll.

See all the categories for the 2012 Readers' Choice. It’s the restaurant that makes a perfect omelette. Or perhaps the perfect pancakes and sausage. Maybe it just has the best early-morning crowd.  Where’s the best place in central Dakota County to go whenever you’re craving a hearty breakfast?  What makes a restaurant a great place to grab breakfast? Does your favorite place serve mouth-watering food? Or do you visit primarily for the friendly neighborhood atmosphere?  Nominations ended on July 9. The contenders are Valley Diner in Apple Valley, Suzie's Kitchen in Rosemount, Buckboard in Lakeville, Jensen's in Burnsville, or Ernie's Pub & Grille. Voting will be from July 23 to Aug. 17.

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For This Lakeville Couple, Love is a Class Act

For Lakeville residents Ross and Briana Benson, romance bloomed in the footlights of the Mraz Center during an annual variety show with the school district where they worked together.

Ross Benson left quite a first impression. When his wife-to-be noticed him, he was bobbing about onstage to Ennio Morricone's theme from "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly." He cut a striking figure that day: He was shirtless and his chest was covered in grease paint, with a huge cowboy hat pulled low over his face to complete the effect.  Briana Benson (nee Lovering) was impressed, but then again she was clad in babushka garb, waiting in the wings for her turn in the limelight. Both can still vividly recall their first real meeting during Class Acts—an annual comedy variety show put on by the teachers of Burnsville's Independent School District 191 to raise scholarship money for graduating seniors. "I thought he was pretty cute," Briana …

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Terry McCall to Challenge Roz Peterson for House District 56B Seat

Longtime GOP activist Terry McCall, of Burnsville, is the third local politician to enter the race for the new House District 56B.

There will be at least two candidates seeking the Republican nomination for the soon-to-be-vacant Minnesota House District 56B seat at the party's March 17 convention. Just a day after Lakeville School Board Member Roz Peterson announced her intention to seek the nomination for the seat, Second Congressional District Republican Party Chair Terry McCall has declared his intention to run. McCall, fresh off a campaign to replace Tony Sutton as chair of the Minnesota Republican Party, and who lives in Burnsville, said he hopes his connections in the party will pay off during the county convention. "I think (Peterson) is a very attractive candidate. I wouldn't hold her inexperience against her," McCall said. "(But) I think her challenge will be…

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Warrant Issued for Burnsville Man Charged with Swindling Lakeville Man

Andrew Christian Luostari is accused of swindling a Lakeville man out of more than $2,000 in July.

A nationwide arrest warrant has been issued for a Burnsville man accused of swindling a Lakeville man out of more than $2,000 in July. Andrew Christian Luostari, 27, faces a felony charge of theft by swindle, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. According to the criminal complaint, a friend of the victim asked him to help Luostari get a check cashed on July 25.   Luostari told the victim that he had received a check for $2,859 from an insurance agency for an accident claim, according to the complaint. He told the victim that he needed the money fast because he wanted to buy a new motorcycle, and his bank was closed, the complaint says. The victim took Luostari to a TCF Bank branch in Lakeville and …

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