SCENE The mission of Scott County is to advance safe, healthy, and livable Vol. 29, No. 4 communities through citizen-focused services. August/September 2017

Doing her part More foster families needed to Prior Lake sixth grader works to help those in need provide care, love to children When Connie and Steve Schoenbauer of New Prague Page 3 move across town into LeSueur County, Scott County will lose some of the most experienced foster care providers in their program, and they’ll need to be replaced. In fact, Scott County is seeking more than one new foster care family to provide care and love to children. “We’d like to sign up multiple new providers,” said Julie Malecha, a Scott County social worker who focuses on child and adult family and corporate foster homes. “The need is significant.” During the 33 years the Schoenbauers have been serv- ing as foster care providers, they have cared for over 120 children. Connie learned early on that the best way to re- member them all was to keep a photo album with the dates of their stays. “I always thought we’d quit when the book was filled, Focus on agriculture but I guess that didn’t happen,” she said as she held up all the extra photos that were tucked into the back of the Autumm Fare set for Oct. 7 at book. “But it’s time to slow down. Our home will sell, the Scott County Fairgrounds when it’s the right time, and then we’ll move to a new townhouse.” Connie and Steve Schoenbauer of New Prague have Page 5 The Schoenbauers need to be replaced by people like cared for over 120 foster children in the past 33 years. Brittany Blackford of Shakopee, who signed up to be- come a foster parent in October 2015. By February 2016 Student health concerns she was licensed, and in May 2016 she received her first Survey reveals unhealthy trends long-term placement, preceded by a weekend when she provided respite care for a child. Although she was hoping Pages 5 to care for elementary-aged girls because she is a single mom with a eight-year-old daughter, she agreed to take an older teen. “It worked out great,” said Brittany, who still frequently sees her first foster daughter, even though she now lives in her own place and is attending college. “She comes and visits us all the time,” said Brittany. Blackford said she always had the impression that fos- ter parents had to be two-parent households “with a home with a white picket fence and a perfect family.” But one day when she was picking up coffee at a local coffee shop, she noticed a flier from Scott County about the need for Enjoying our parks foster homes. It indicated that single individuals were en- couraged to apply. “I was divorced and living in a rented Plenty to do outdoors apartment, but I decided to call,” she said. Two of her co- Pages 8-10 workers had been involved with foster care programs, one providing respite care and the other providing foster care with the intention to adopt, and she said she was always interested in it. Her phone call was soon followed up by a visit from Brittany Blackford and her daughter Isley of Shakopee FOSTER CARE to page 13 began welcoming foster children 16 months ago. PAID 55379 ScottGIS3 PRSRT STD PRSRT U.S. POSTAGE PERMIT No. 155 PERMIT SHAKOPEE, MN provides wealth of information Current, historical property info and mapping now available online Ever wondered what an aerial view of your neighborhood looked like in 1964? Which watershed dis- trict you live in? How much finished square footage you have in your ECRWSS basement? Needed mailing labels of all properties within a mile of your business? Where on your property is a suitable place for an outbuilding or POSTAL CUSTOMER POSTAL Scott County Fair fun septic system? Thousands of visitors to the Scott County Fair enjoyed traditional and Starting this summer, more prop- new Fair activities during its five-day run in July. A lumberjack show that erty information and mapping data included a camp for kids was a big hit, especially for the youth who tried log rolling. A classic car show and the Monster Truck Thrill Show were like this will be available online – other new attractions. Other popular activites included the Draft Horse any time, and on any device -- to all Show and the Miracle of Birth Center in the cattle barn. See more photos residents, businesses, contractors,

Scott County Government Center West 200 Fourth Avenue Shakopee, MN 55379-1220 on page 8. SCOTT GIS3 to page 11 Page 2 Scott County SCENE August/September 2017 Find Scott County’s home page at www.scottcountymn.gov

Top of the SCENE Commissioners’ Corner By Gary Shelton County Board Meetings through October 2017 Scott County Administrator August 15 – County Board meeting August 22 – no meeting August 29 – County Board workshop

September 5 – County Board meeting Property tax system is September 12 – no meeting September 19 – County Board meeting complicated; let me explain it September 26 – no meeting Over the next few months, local governments will be setting the maximum property tax levy for their respective bodies. The tax levy is one of the factors in October 3 – County Board meeting determining the local governments’ tax rate, and the tax rate will eventually be October 10 – no meeting applied to every taxable property as part of the calculation of that property’s actual October 17 – County Board meeting property tax. The maximum levies must be set by the end of September and, once October 24 – no meeting established, can be lowered but not increased. Confused? You’re not alone. October 31 – County Board workshop While other states’ local governments set a standard rate (referred to as a “mill rate”) to apply to values, Minnesota devised a “tax capacity” system wherein local The Scott County Board meets at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesdays (except if indicated governments set levy (budget minus all non-property tax revenues equals the levy), above) at the Government Center in Shakopee. Visit the Scott County website and then this number is part of the calculation of the rate. Our state’s more com- at www.scottcountymn.gov to view streaming video of Board meetings, Board plicated system often leaves people scratching their head trying to understand why agendas, and minutes of previous meetings. The Board proceedings may also be their tax may have increased – even when the levy was raised minimally. rebroadcast on your local government access cable channels; refer to your weekly Minnesota’s property tax system is a continuous cycle that begins with the mass newspapers for broadcast dates and times. For further information about County appraisal of properties by the assessors to determine the estimated market value. Board meetings, contact the County Administration office at (952) 496-8100. This part of the cycle is based upon market conditions; this means assessors do not control the value of your property, the market does. Valuations are determined as Citizen Committee Vacancies of January 2 each year, and are based upon sales using historical sales of similar The Scott County Board of Commissioners is looking for interested citizens to properties between October through September of the previous year. Taxpayers serve on the following advisory committees. Members of advisory committees are receive their valuation notices in March, and have through the first part of June to provided with a per diem and mileage reimbursement for attendance at meetings. appeal if they believe the value and/or classification established for their property is If you have any questions or are interested in serving on one of these committees, not accurate. After the time to appeal has expired, the only way to change a value contact Deb Brazil at [email protected] or at (952) 496-8601. For more in- is through the Tax Court. formation regarding a specific committee, visit the Scott County website at www. While the assessors are establishing a value for each property, they are also scottcountymn.gov; click on “Government,” then “Citizen Advisory Boards, Com- determining a property use class to assign to each parcel of property based on the missions, & Committees.” primary use of the property – also as of January 2 of each year. The “use class” is important because the Minnesota system, in effect, assigns a specific weight to each Community Corrections Advisory Board (1 vacancy). There is currently one class of property. Each class of property (residential homestead, agricultural, com- vacancy on this Board in Commissioner District 4. This Board is responsible for mercial, seasonal, et cetera) has a different classification rate. These rates are set making recommendations to the Scott County Board of Commissioners as they by the Legislature, and are designed so that some property types pay a greater share relate to community corrections. The Board is comprised of law enforcement staff, of the property tax than others. The property classification system defines the tax corrections staff, judges, attorneys, social services personnel, educators, and citi- capacity of each parcel as a percentage of each parcel’s market value. Your share zens. There are five citizen members, one from each Commissioner District. Ad- of the overall property tax levy is determined by the market value and classification visory Board members are appointed to serve two-year terms, and are eligible to of your property. serve three terms. Persons of color and from various ethnic groups are particularly This then brings us back to the setting of the property tax levies. As noted encouraged to apply. This Board meets every other month on the fourth Thursday above, local governments generally must set their maximum levies by the end of at 7:30 a.m. September. This maximum levy amount will then be used to prepare an estimated tax notice that must be sent to each payer between November 10 and November Extension Committee (1 youth at-large). Currently, there is one youth at- 25. These notices show the new valuation and current classification information large vacancy on this Committee. In partnership with the University of Minnesota, on a property; an estimate of how your taxes may change based on this valuation, the Extension Committee assists in formulating programs, establishing budgets, classification, and the proposed levy for the following year; and the ate,d time, and and selecting and evaluating professional staff to improve the quality of life and to location for public input into the budget and levy process. These meetings are held enhance the economy and environment through education, applied research, and to give taxpayers an opportunity to voice their thoughts and any concerns over the the resources of the University of Minnesota. The Committee meets four times per proposed budget and levy. (These meetings are not forums for taxpayers to ap- year (Wednesday evenings, 5:15 p.m.). peal their market value, classification, or their individual proposed property tax amounts.) After these public meetings, local governments must then establish, by Human Services Resource Council (2 vacancies). The Resource Council con- December 28, a final budget and levy for the following year. sists of three representatives from each Commissioner District. Currently, there Only after this entire process is completed can the Auditor then calculate the are two vacancies on the Council in Commissioner District 3. Members serve two- actual property tax payable by your parcel. To make this determination, the Audi- year terms, and are eligible to serve three terms. The Resource Council partici- tor will: pates in development of the Strategic Plan for Health and Human Services; makes 1. Determine the tax capacity (market value * class rate = tax capacity) recommendations concerning the annual budget of Health and Human Services; 2. Take the levy (local budget - all non-property tax revenues = tax levy) makes recommendations related to human services programs, needs, priorities, 3. Determine the tax rate (local levy/taxable tax capacity = tax rate) goals, and objectives to the County Board; and receives, reviews, and comments 4. Determine the property’s tax bill (parcel tax capacity * local tax rate = tax on special interest group and community at-large input regarding Human Services bill) plans, programs, services, and performance. Professional providers and consumers And if all of this wasn’t complicated enough, levies established by voter-ap- of Human Services programs are particularly encouraged to apply. The committee proved referenda are applied to the market value of each parcel for bond referenda meets quarterly, on the third Monday at 6 p.m. (not the tax capacity); and, to the tax capacity for operating levies. And some prop- erties – including commercial/industrial and seasonal cabins – are also subject to a state-imposed property tax and/or the metro wide fiscal disparity tax, which is also Commissioner Districts: • District 1, Commissioner Barbara Weckman Brekke: The Cities of added to obtain the final tax bill. The total bill for all jurisdictions is then prepared Belle Plaine, Jordan (precincts 1 and 2), New Prague (precinct 2), and by the County and mailed to each taxpayer. Whew. Shakopee (precinct 5); and Belle Plaine, Blakeley, Helena, Jackson, The intricacies of Minnesota’s property tax system can make it difficult to un- Louisville, St. Lawrence, and Sand Creek Townships. derstand. Due to market forces and changes in valuations, some properties over the • District 2, Commissioner Tom Wolf: The Cities of Elko New Market past several years have experienced situations where taxes have risen faster than the and Prior Lake (precincts 2 and 3); and Cedar Lake, Credit River, New increase in the levies by local units of government. Even without any change in lo- Market, and Spring Lake Townships. cal levies, a property owner can experience a tax increase due to valuation changes • District 3, Commissioner Michael Beard: The City of Shakopee, in their or other properties, or by legislative changes to the classification system (as precincts 1-4, 6-8, 12A, and 12B. these changes can shift property tax burdens from one type of property to another). • District 4, Commissioner Dave Beer: The Cities of Prior Lake The money raised by property tax levies are a major source of funding for coun- (precincts 1, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, and 7) and Shakopee (precincts 9, 10, 11 and ties, school districts, cities, and townships. Local property taxes help fund many 13). programs and services, including county roads and city streets, law enforcement • District 5, Commissioner Jon Ulrich: The City of Savage. and other emergency services, libraries, parks and trails, other public infrastructure, and much more. A key benefit of the property tax system is that the revenue it raises tends to remain stable and is less susceptible to up or down economic cycles. In preparing for this article, I reviewed a variety of properties throughout the County Editorial Policy and their total property tax burdens spanning the last ten years. While taxes ebbed The purpose of this publication is to provide the public with in- and flowed from year to year, I found that during the last decade (with few excep- formation about Scott County Government and the opportunities it tions) the total tax increase averaged less than two percent a year – just slightly under the rate of inflation. offers its citizens. If you have questions or suggestions, contact Lisa Our local elected officials have been very successful – across the County – in Kohner, Public Affairs Coordinator, at (952) 496-8780 or lkohner@ their ability to keep taxes relatively stable over time. As I’ve said and written many co.scott.mn.us or Claire Robling, Communications and Legislative times before, by working together, we are creating better, more efficient, orem ef- Coordinator, at (952) 496-8597 or [email protected]. fective, and less costly local government for all the citizens of Scott County. Find Scott County’s home page at www.scottcountymn.gov August/September 2017 Scott County SCENE Page 3 Prior Lake student works to help those in need Even though Minnesota is consid- ered a relatively prosperous state, more than ten percent of our families of four Scott-Carver project to live in poverty or near-poverty levels. Many of them are children. And despite being one of the wealthiest nations in the help homeless, people in world, one in seven American house- holds grapple daily with food insecurity. poverty set for Sept. 13 And the global needs are even starker: The Scott-Carver Project Commu- of community resources will be offered About 896 million people in developing nity Connect (PCC) is an annual event at this year’s PCC. countries live on the equivalent of $1.90 designed to provide as many direct The local Project Connect was devel- a day… or less. services as possible at one location to oped in response to the Heading Home It would be all too easy to become County residents who are homeless or at Scott-Carver “Plan to End Homeless- overwhelmed by such needs, and it risk of homelessness. This year’s PCC ness” approved by the Carver and Scott would be tempting to give in to a “cri- event will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 County Boards in 2010. It reinforces sis-a-day” fatigue. But not so for Sanya p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13, in the the plan’s goal of raising awareness by Pirani, a soon-to-be sixth grader at Prior Canterbury Park Expo Center (1100 engaging the community in efforts to Lake’s Hidden Oaks Middle School. Canterbury Road, Shakopee). address the challenges of poverty and At the ripe old age of 11, she’s already The local event is based on the na- homelessness in the two counties. Last made quite a name for herself in the tional Project Homeless Connect model year’s PCC event helped 436 guests, philanthropic community… and quite used to minimize bureaucratic red tape from 297 households, who came to the a difference in the lives of hundreds, if to connect those in need with commu- event to connect with services provided not thousands, of people in our com- Sanya Pirani will be a sixth grader at nity services. Health care services, em- by 80 community agencies. munity and beyond. Hidden Oaks Middle School. ployment assistance, education resourc- Project Community Connect is fund- It all started with a generous com- ing to the CAP Agency, they can trans- es, legal assistance, veteran services, ed entirely by donations, and donations bination of inspiration, dedication, and form each $1 into $60 worth of food). housing information, free haircuts, ID to PCC are 100 percent tax deductible. social awareness that Sanya developed Certainly, she is one busy young cards, birth certificates, other types of Please visit www.ScottCarverPCC.org early in life, who suddenly had a flick- woman, playing piano and clarinet as assistance, and access to a wide variety for more information. er of an idea: Why not make and sell well as participating in swimming and bookmarks to raise funds for a local skating athletics. But she draws on the need? With the enthusiastic blessing strength and compassion of her own in- of her mother, Dilshad, the enterprising spirational heroes, Mother Theresa and seven-year-old contacted then-County Mahatma Gandhi, to keep moving for- Commissioner Barbara Marschall to ward… to a career, she hopes, in pedi- determine where the need was greatest. atric medicine “… to help impoverished So thus began “Book Mark for Help,” children locally and worldwide,” she with all profits going to the Crisis Nurs- said. ery and the CAP Agency -- $500 in the first year alone. Interested in helping? But she didn’t stop there. • Donate! You can donate online Now involved with the CAP Agen- at www.sanyashopeforchildren. cy’s July Food Drive, August Coat org, write a check to “Sanya’s Drive, September School Supply Drive, Hope for Children,” or help fill her and annual Hope for the Holidays cam- “Compassion Jars” (e-mail or text paign – not to mention “Feed My Starv- to receive a jar). Your donations ing Children” among other national are tax deductible, and 100 and global initiative – Sanya is a regu- percent goes to local impoverished lar speaker at local churches, schools, children. clubs, and events about community em- • Speak! Tell five or more friends powerment, youth service engagement, and family members about Sanya’s and other youth service-related topics work, and consider inviting her on behalf of her organization, “Sanya’s to speak at an organization or Hope for Children.” “Every child de- association in which you are a serves the basic human rights like food, member. shelter, clothes, safety, and education,” • Share! “The power of one is her non-profit posits as their abiding something you can be proud of, mission. participate in, and donate to,” This year, her goals are as significant states one of her documents. as the need: Sanya wants to help facili- • tate the donation of 100 new or gently- For more information about Sanya, used coats (for people of all ages), assist “Sanya’s Hope for Children,” or any in the donation of 500 school bags filled of her local charitable efforts, visit the with school supplies and a toy, and to website at www.sanyashopeforchildren. help raise nonperishable food items and org or contact Dilshad Pirani at (952) $1000 for the Food Drive (and accord- 201-1920. Public shooting offered at SCALE training facility With deer hunting rapidly approach- ing, public shooting hours are again being offered at the SCALE Regional Training Facility in rural Jordan. Range use will be monitored by trained range safety personnel during the public shooting times. Public rifle and shotgun slug shoot- Dial-A-Ride bus service expanded ing dates and times are: to weekends, evenings Saturday, Oct. 21: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Weekends (Saturday & Sunday), 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29: 12 noon – 4 p.m. Hunters can sight in their guns at the Weekday evenings until 9 p.m. The fee to use the facility range is SCALE training facility. Reservations number: 952-496-8341 Ext. 1 $15 for 20 minutes of shooting time. Reservation hours: 7a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (M-F) Reservations are not required. Check mation. For questions or more info, Reservations accepted up to 7 days in advance the RTF website at www.scottcoun- contact Mike Briese, Facility Manager, tymn.gov/833/Regional-Public-Safety- at (952) 496-8948 or via email at mbri- Fares based on distance each way: Training-Facility for additional infor- [email protected]. Service must be in Scott County ONLY Page 4 Scott County SCENE August/September 2017 Find Scott County’s home page at www.scottcountymn.gov Environmental SCENE Local businesses help By Kate Sedlacek Environmental Health and boost recycling efforts Thanks to the recycling and report- Waste Programs Supervisor ing efforts of Scott County businesses, additional state funding is available to further educate the public on solid waste Where does your trash go? issues. Like clockwork, the garbage hauler picks up your trash weekly and, like clock- The amount of recycling voluntarily work, the decision must be made to bury (landfi ll) or to burn (processing facility) reported by just 15 businesses, added to that trash. Once the garbage truck is full, your hauler must decide to drive that residential recycling efforts, resulted in load to the landfi ll, a processing facility, or to a transfer station such as Dem-Con 75,928.80 tons of waste being recycled Companies in Shakopee. in Scott County during 2016, for a re- Total municipal solid waste Generally, the garbage (not the recyclables in your recycling bin) from Scott cycling rate of 58.2 percent. A total of collected in Scott County in County is taken to either the Burnsville Landfi ll or Dem-Con’s transfer station be- 130,525.05 tons of municipal solid 2016 cause they are the closest waste facilities. Dem-Con transports the trash to either waste was collected in the County last 130,525 tons a landfi ll, usually the Pine year. Bend landfi ll or Burnsville Scott County Environmental Servic- Total reported recycled landfi ll, or to a processing es would like to acknowledge the fol- 75,929 tons facility (waste to energy). lowing businesses that submitted data Until recently, some of on what they recycled in 2016: Scott County’s waste B.F. Nelson Corporation; Canter- Scott County’s was going to the process- bury Park; CHART, Inc.; Dunham 2016 recycling rate ing facility in Newport, Bros Wood Processing Facility; Fre- where metals such as alu- mont Industries Inc.; IMAGINE! minum and steel cans are Print Solutions; Johnson Anderson; 58.2% removed from the trash. Miratech Prior Lake; Quad Graph- The trash, including re- ics; Rosemount, Inc.; Shakopee Mde- cyclables like paper and wakanton Sioux Community; Shut- plastic, are shredded into terfl y; Silgan Containers Corp.; and businesses to submit any information, refuse derived fuel (RDF). Toro Company. but the data are valuable to calculate the The RDF is then hauled to In 1989, the Legislature adopted recycling rate for Scott County. Red Wing and Mankato comprehensive legislation based on the The information provided by busi- to be burned in converted recommendations of the Governor’s nesses becomes part of an annual coal plants to produce Select Committee on Recycling and the SCORE report the County is required to electricity. Environment (SCORE). This set of laws submit to the Minnesota Pollution Con- The decision to burn or initiated state funding for programs trol Agency (MPCA). The state pro- bury is a business decision made by your service provider, unless otherwise stated on recycling, as well as waste reduc- vides funding to counties from dedicat- in a contract. Generally, haulers and transfer stations are considering cost when tion and the improved management of ed solid waste tax revenue that provides deciding where to take your trash. If your hauler has a contract with city or some household hazardous wastes and prob- a stable funding source for recycling other public entity, the waste needs to be delivered to a processing facility as re- lem materials. The legislation provided and waste reduction programs. Funding quired by Minnesota law. the basis for programs that are long- from the SCORE program can be used Currently, Minnesota law prioritizes burning over landfi lling in accordance with term and fl exible within the scope of for a wide range of activities at the local what is generally referred to as the “waste management hierarchy,” with “reduce waste reduction, recycling, and problem level, including recycling, efforts to re- and reuse” at the top of the hierarchy and “landfi lling” at the bottom. It is also state material management. duce waste (source reduction), operate a law that all public entities, such as schools, cities, and counties, must process their In early January of each year, Scott household hazardous waste (HHW) fa- waste, unless the processing facilities are at capacity. County Environmental Services con- cility, and educational programs. Each In 2015, Ramsey and Washington Counties purchased the processing facility tacts local businesses to determine how county uses various tools they feel are in Newport, now named the Recycling & Energy Center (R&E Center). Recently, much they recycled during the previous appropriate for their population and the those counties approved a “designation plan” that requires all trash generated there year. A form is sent out that requests challenges of the local waste stream. to go to the R&E Center; that will ensure the R&E Center receives enough waste recycling information, including paper If your business would like to submit to work at optimal capacity. As a result, there is uncertainty as to where some of products (such as cardboard and offi ce information about your recycling activi- the waste from Scott County will go if the R&E Center is full. There are other paper) and other recyclables such as ties, please contact Steve Steuber in the processing facilities in the area, such as the HERC in Minneapolis and Great River metals, glass, and plastics. For some Environmental Health Department at Energy in Elk River, but those facilities are farther away and this may mean higher businesses, it also may include elec- (952) 496-8473 or at [email protected]. transportation costs. tronic equipment (e-waste) and appli- mn.us. During this time of “burn or bury” discussion about where Scott County trash ances. There is no obligation for these will go in the future, I recommend residents turn to the waste hierarchy for guid- ance. Reduce your waste by reusing and recycling. Recycling reduces the amount of waste sent to landfi lls and combustion facilities, conserves natural resources, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and helps create new jobs here in the recycling Grants available to help and manufacturing industries. seal abandoned wells Fairgoers make use of new Since drinking water is a vital neces- grant money set sity in everyone’s lives, it is of utmost aside for sealing importance to protect and ensure its wells. Therefore, if recycling bins on grounds quality. It’s easy to assume that, due you have a well that In past years, the Scott County Fair to the abundance of water resources in needs to be sealed Board heard numerous requests for re- Minnesota, our groundwater just takes but are hesitant to cycling on the grounds during the event. care of itself. However, there are plenty do so because of the In 2016, these requests were met when of pollutants that can still make their cost involved, there the Scott County Fair received a grant way to our drinking water. High nitrate may be some help for for 60 labeled recycling carts to disperse levels, which can come from fertilizers Seal abandoned you. If you know or across the Fairgrounds. or septage, are a common pollutant seen wells. believe you have an This grant allowed the Fair to mini- in wells in Minnesota. When wells are unused/abandoned well on your prop- mize its amount of waste produced by unused, they provide a direct line to erty and would like more information a large percentage. Fairgoers were pollute the groundwater. Because pol- regarding the sealing process (or would pleased when they were able to recycle luting groundwater can happen through like to inquire about the County’s well certain items, saving energy, reducing an unused well, Minnesota state law re- sealing grant), please contact Jonathen the need for resource extraction and quires abandoned wells to be sealed, or Hess at (952)492-5418 or via email at manufacturing, and reducing air and otherwise be repaired and put back to [email protected]. water pollution. use. Sealing abandoned wells protects For any concerns regarding the qual- The Scott County Fair is proud to say the groundwater from pollution sources. ity of your drinking water, the County that it now takes this tremendous step By sealing a well, you are perma- offers well test kits which can test for to benefi t the environment, all thanks nently closing a well that is unused or a few different contaminants. The test to Scott County’s recycling grant. For unsafe. A licensed professional must kits that we offer can separately test for more information on possible assistance complete this process. Because aban- coliform and nitrates (found in fertiliz- and funding to improve recycling at doned wells can often be very diffi cult ers or septage), fl uoride, arsenic, manga- County Board Chair Mike Beard uses your city, business, place of worship, or to locate, it’s important to take care of nese, or lead. If you have any questions other institution, contact Steve Steuber one of the new recycling bins placed on the fairgrounds. the sealing process before the well be- or if you would like to purchase one of at Scott County at (952) 496-8473 or comes lost over time. The longer a well the kits, contact Scott County Environ- consult the recycling business grant in- Funding for these grants to businesses sits unused, the greater the potential for mental Services at (952)496-8475 or formation on the Scott County website comes from SCORE and/or LRD funds polluting the groundwater. (952)496-8361, or by emailing jkrzen- at http://www.scottcountymn.gov/1398/ provided to the County from the State Scott County has a set amount of [email protected]. Business-Recycling-Grants. of Minnesota Find Scott County’s home page at www.scottcountygov.mn,gov August/September 2017 Scott County SCENE Page 5

Healthy SCENE By Lisa Brodsky Public Health Director

2016 Student Survey raises concerns about substance abuse, mental health The Minnesota Student Survey (MSS) is an anonymous, voluntary survey con- ducted every three years. The MSS is a major source of information about the thoughts and experiences of Minnesota’s young people. In 2016, 85 percent of Minnesota school districts with nearly 169,000 students in regular public schools took the survey. In Scott County, 6,169 surveys were completed by 5th, 8th, 9th, and 11th graders in every school district. By identifying both positive findings and areas of concern, we can better re- A wool fleece contest and auction, one of only two such events held in the spond -- as a community -- to the changing needs of our youth. Many of the trends state, will be one of many activities taking place at Autumn Fare on Oct. 7. revealed by the 2016 survey appear to be moving in the right direction… but some are not. Some indicators of emotional health problems appear to be dramatically increasing. Social and economic conditions continue to shape the health of young people. American Indian, African American, and Hispanic students; low-income Autumn Fare focuses students; and gay, lesbian, and bisexual students are more likely to have worse out- comes for several health indicators. Some particular trouble spots for Scott County on County agriculture youth include substance use and mental health. Alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and other drug use Overall, alcohol and Event set for Oct. 7 at fairgrounds marijuana use among middle and high school students appear to be down or stayed the same. However, compared to the state, Scott County youth are doing worse in The Scott County Agricultural So- There will be demonstrations sched- these measures. ciety’s Fifth Annual Autumn Fare is uled on the grounds throughout the day • In 2016, 15 percent of 11th graders reported binge drinking in the past scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 7. Mark by local artists, local farmers, and the 30 days, where they had five or more drinks in a row within a couple of your calendars for this free event that Master Gardeners. The Scott County hours. connects participants to the County’s Sheriff’s Office Mounted Patrol Unit • Although seeing a decrease since 2010, 15.9 percent of 11th grade girls agricultural sector. will be demonstrating how they train to and 11.2 percent 11th grade boys report drinking one or more drinks in the The Scott County Ag Society will perform their duties. And there will be past 30 days. be hosting a hearty Farmer’s Breakfast a Dutch oven demonstration by Tim and • Only 65 percent of boys and 62 percent of girls reported they have never from 8 to 11 a.m. Other food vendors Terrance Halloran. had a drink of alcohol. will be available throughout the day. Autumn Fare’s mascot, Doolittle, • Eighty-three percent of white students reported they have never tried The event will feature its always suc- will be around the cattle barn.. There marijuana or hashish, compared to 61 percent of Native Americans, cessful pie contest and pie auction. This will be livestock to look at and farmers 54 percent of African Americans, and 79 percent of Asians Americans. year, it will feature apple, pumpkin, and that you can speak to about the animals. Seven percent of students reported that they were 10 or younger when “any other” category. Please plan to en- The Creative Arts Building will be they first tried marijuana or hashish. ter for a chance to win cash and ribbon full of vendors, mostly fiber artists, but • Smoking is down, but e-cigarette use has increased. awards! Autumn Fare 2017 will also also wood and a variety of other artists. be holding its second wool fleece con- There will be many demonstrations go- Mental and emotional health test and auction, one of only two such ing on, some planned, some spontane- The results of the survey raise concerns about increasing mental and emotional events held in the state. Local wool pro- ous. Wendy Wustenberg will teach you health issues facing young people in Scott County. ducers, please bring your best fleeces to how to make an angel out of wool that • The percentage of students reporting mental health issues in the past two show and sell. you can take home. For additional fun weeks rose to 31.7 percent in boys and 56.1 percent in girls in 2016. • th The Belle Plaine and Jordan FFA The percentage of 9 grade girls who reported that they did something to at Autumn Fare, you can ride the Ferris purposely hurt or injure themselves dramatically increased from 5.3 to 28 Chapters will be in attendance with Wheel and Carousel, or take in a per- percent. the FFA trailer, providing agricultural formance by the Gypsy Vanner Horse • The percentage of 9th grade students who reported long-term mental education and entertainment for every- Association. health, behavioral, or emotional problems (lasting six months or more) one, particularly families with children. There will be locally produced lamb, rose from nine percent in boys and 14 percent in girls (in 2013) to 12 Friends from “The Landing” in Shakop- beef and produce to purchase. Bring a percent of boys and 27 percent of girls in 2016. Similar increases were ee will be at Autumn Fare in period cos- shopping bag and a cooler to shop.. seen in other grades. tumes of the late 1880s, demonstrating More information on the breakfast, • The percentage of 9th grade students who reported seriously considering and talking about pioneer life, farming, becoming a vendor, and the contests suicide rose for both males and females to 13.5 percent. For white campfire cooking (Julia’s famous corn- are on the Scott County Fair website students alone, this rate is 13 percent; African Americans, American bread!), and gardening. at www.scottcountyfair.org. Indians, Asian Americans, or Native Hawaiians (and those reporting as multiracial), these rates are even higher. For those who identified themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning, this rate is dramatically higher at 38 percent. 4-H offers after school • The percentage of 11th grade girls who said they seriously considered committing suicide in the past year nearly doubled from eight percent in robotics, cooking skills 2013 to 15 percent in 2016. 4-H Robotics class is for K-5th graders. Health and safety are fundamental to students’ well-being and ability to learn Join 4-H after school for a series that Week 1-- Secret Pizza Party and thrive. Engaged students perform better academically, and supportive school will explore the world of circuits, ro- Join us after school to make homemade environments and caring relationships can foster student motivation. “There are bots, and programming. Each week, we pizza dough. many factors outside of school that can prevent children from succeeding,” said will learn about building and program- Week 2 -- The Doorbell Rang Minnesota Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius. “That is why the Minneso- ming using the “Lego We Do 2.0 Ro- We will be making some delicious ta Student Survey is so valuable. Schools, districts, community organizations, local bots.” Working with partners, kids will cookies just like Grandma. and state agencies rely on MSS data to identify the issues young people are facing, complete multiple challenges to build Week 3 -- If You Give a Big Pancake so that we can address those issues to strengthen student achievement.” and program robots. This is a beginner We will mix up some fun pancakes and The full report on results can be found on the Minnesota Department of Health website at http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/mss/. class for 2nd- 5th graders. pile them high with toppings. Jackson Elementary, Shakopee, Week 4 -- The Runaway Wok Tuesdays, Oct. 3, 10, 17, and 24. We will read Runaway Wok and make Register at Shakopee Community some of those famous recipes. Burning garbage is illegal Education. Did you know it is illegal for most food can cause serious health problems. Red Oak Elementary, Shakopee, Oct. Minnesotans to burn or bury household Take action today to protect the health Five Hawks Elementary, Prior 2, 9, 16, and 23. Register at Shakopee Lake, Tuesdays, Oct. 31, Nov. 7 and wastes, and has been so for nearly 50 of your family, neighbors, and the envi- Community Education. years? And in the 1980s, 33 Minnesota ronment in Scott County: stop burning 21. Register at Prior Lake-Savage Sweeney Elementary, Shakopee, Oct. counties (including Scott County) banned garbage. There are many other options. Community Education. 4, 11, 25, Nov. 1. Register at Shakopee the burning and burying of all solid waste All Scott County residents have access to Sweeney Elementary, Shakopee, Community Education. everywhere -- this includes buildings, garbage and recycling pickup services; Tuesdays, Nov. 28, Dec. 5, 12, and Jeffer’s Pond Elementary, Prior construction, and demolition materials in many businesses offer drop off locations 19. Register at Shakopee Community Lake, Oct. 30, Nov. 6, 13, and rural areas or on farms. for waste and recyclables; and residents Education. 27. Register at Prior Lake-Savage Here’s why: garbage burning releases can bring household hazardous waste to 4-H Cookin’ with Books Community Education. toxic chemicals into our air. These chemi- the Scott County HHW. Contact the Scott Join 4-H for this wonderful class Sun Path Elementary, Shakopee, cals then settle into our environment, and County Environmental Services Depart- that enhances both reading and cooking Nov. 8, 15, 22, and Dec. 6. Register at eventually poison our food. Breathing ment at (952) 496-8177 for more infor- skills. Supplies included in the fee. This Shakopee Community Education. these pollutants can lead to serious lung mation about proper disposal options or and heart issues. Eating contaminated to report garbage burning. Page 6 Scott County SCENE August/September 2017 Find Scott County’s home page at www.scottcountymn.gov Law Library News Legal SCENE Free family law, divorce, By Ron Hocevar Scott County Attorney ID theft clinics offered Here are some of the free clinics of- In other news… fered through the Scott County Law Li- Watching the 2017-2018 Legisla- Acquaintance rape is too common brary that are coming up: tive session was a bit confusing, and Editor’s note: This feature contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault * Every Monday, a volunteer lawyer the special session threw another twist that may be upsetting to some readers; caution is advised. from Southern Minnesota Regional Le- into the mix. Of the over 2000 bills gal Services (SMRLS) is in the Govern- introduced, there might be some bills ment Center (room 102) and is available On June 7, 2017, a jury convicted Angel Torres Jr. of Criminal Sexual Conduct that have an impact on your life. For from 9 to 11 a.m. to provide consulta- in the First Degree. Torres asked a woman he was friends with to leave the class- a summary of what did actually pass tion regarding any crime victim rights. room at Shakopee High School and go get a drink of water in the hall. After get- you can check the Minnesota Senate He can assist with Orders for Protection ting a drink, Torres grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into the handicap stall Bill Summaries at https://www.senate. Forms (OFPs), Harassment Restraining inside the boys’ locker room. Then he forcibly raped her. At one point, Torres was mn/departments/scr/billsumm/index. Orders (HROs), Restitution (making holding her cell phone over the toilet and telling her to cooperate or he would drop php?summary_type=bill. good or giving an equivalent for some it. The victim told Torres “no” several times during this assault. During his trial, There are a few that address issues injury), or Reparation (giving satisfac- a second girl testifi ed that Torres had also taken her cell phone from her, and used that are frequently seen at the Law Li- tion for a wrong or injury, it can include it to make her follow him to an isolated area of the school. Torres tried to kiss her brary, but haven’t gotten much press. pain and suffering). The attorney can several times. He took her hand and put it on top of his pants over his privates. All Here are just a few: discuss any questions that you have these advances were rejected. He was told “no.” But once they were far enough * SF151 Forfeiture. Forfeiture and about being a victim. No appointments away from other people, he took her hand and shoved it down the front of his pants. forfeiture paperwork is very confusing. are necessary. Both these women knew Torres previously. In fact, one of them even had a brief Forfeiture is when property (usually * The second Monday of the month, relationship with Torres. This is not uncommon – this is what is commonly called a vehicle) is taken as a result of some the Law Library offers a free Family “acquaintance rape.” criminal activity. Before SF 151, when a Law Clinic. This is a brief advice clin- Acquaintance rape is when an individual is forced to have sexual contact with vehicle was seized as a result of a driver ic that offers a 30-minute consultation someone he/she knows. Commonly this involves boyfriends, ex-boyfriends, co- driving while intoxicated, the co-owner with a Family Law Attorney regarding workers, friends, ex-spouses, and recent acquaintances, to name only a few. Ac- had no standing in asking the judge to issues such as divorce, child custody, quaintance rape is the most common form of sexual assault in America, with 87.1 order the return of the vehicle. The co- and child support. Appointments are percent of female rape victims reporting that they knew the person who raped them.1 owner can now petition the court for the required. For more information and/or Acquaintance rape victims may hear comments such as “you asked for it,” and release of the vehicle if they can prove to make an appointment, please call the “you should have known better.” And victims often blame themselves, telling by clear and convincing evidence that Law Library at (952) 496-8713. themselves they drank too much, put out the wrong signals, et cetera. But rape is they didn’t know the vehicle would be * On Aug. 16, Southern Minnesota never the victim’s fault. With acquaintance rape, the perpetrator uses the familiar- used unlawfully -- or that they tried to Regional Legal Services (SMRLS) will ity with the victim to his – and most perpetrators are male -- advantage in order to stop the offender from using the vehicle. offer a free Divorce Clinic. At this clinic, make the victim comfortable, trusting, and even less likely to fi ght vigorously or The new law became effective Aug. 1. participants will complete all the paper- cry out for help either during or after the assault. And the victim is often less likely * SF 49 Real Estate. There were work to start a divorce. The clinic is de- to report the sexual assault to law enforcement. over 20 changes made to real estate stat- signed to assist low-income people who During the Torres trial, the defense attorney made a big deal about the fact that utes. E-signatures are now valid for re- cannot afford an attorney. Registration neither girl cried out during the assault, or yelled for help, despite being in a school. cording real estate documents. Bound- is required. To fi nd out if you qualify The second victim didn’t even report the assault until over a year later when she ary line disputes where one property and/ or register for the clinic please call heard about the more recent sexual assault. The defense’s theory was that it didn’t is recorded in Torrens and the other in SMRLS at 651-222-4731. happen and the victims cannot be believed because “real victims” would have be- Abstract can now go to simple Judicial * On Sept. 27, there will be an Iden- haved differently. They would have fought harder; they would have screamed, or Reference using the Torrens System. tity Theft Clinic from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in screamed louder; they would have reported the assault immediately. These are all This became effective Aug. 1, 2017. the Government Center. This class will too often effective arguments with a jury if they share the misperception that rape * Limited Liability Compa- explain what identity theft actually is, victims should react exactly as the defense attorney was portraying. But this is nies. Chapter 322B has been revised and what to do if your identity has been completely wrong. to 322C. This change will occur au- hijacked. Participants will learn how to Individuals react differently during and after a sexual assault, depending upon tomatically without any action of make identity protection part of their their personality, the relationship with the perpetrator, the location of the assault, the LLC, but may change your gov- regular routine. This class is presented and feelings of shame, to name just a few factors. Some victims may cry, and may erning documents, operation and by Twin Cities Media Alliance and is be hysterical, while other victims may appear calm and very controlled. But even your tax status. Visit www.sos.state. funded by the Metropolitan Library Ser- if a victim appears calm and controlled, they are not. Experts refer to this as rape mn.us/business-liens/business-help/ vice Agency (MELSA). Registration trauma syndrome, which is how the body and mind cope with a trauma as power- upcoming-llc-law-change. is required. You can register by calling ful and damaging as being raped.2 Simply stated, there is no “standard reaction” For information about clinics and re- the Law Library at (952) 496-8713. to being raped. sources regarding your legal questions, Check the Scott County Library So don’t believe the common perception that the reaction to being raped is to please call the Scott County Law Li- website at www.scottlib.org for more fi ght back and run to the police. Everyone reacts differently, and this is especially brary at (952) 496-8713. Check out our exciting free technology classes that are true when someone is raped by someone they know – fi ght-or-fl ight is often re- website for law forms, statutes, case re- being offered this fall! placed by shock and freezing up. And don’t believe the common perception that cords and more at [email protected]. rapes are only committed by strangers in back alleys. While stranger rapes do hap- pen, they are comparatively rare. Library News

1.) Matthew J. Breidling, Prevalence and Characteristics of Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization-National Intimate Partner Solar eclipse viewing glasses and Sexual Violence Survey, United States, 2011, (Atlanta, GA: Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014) Table 3. offered; party set for Aug. 21 Excited for the eclipse this month? 12, 6 - 7:30 p.m. at Club Prior (16210 2.)Samantha Gluck, Date Rape Victims and the Effect of Date Rape, 2016, Thanks to a grant from StarNet Eagle Creek Ave SE, Prior Lake, 952- Healthy Place For Your Mental Health. Healthyplace.com (Science Technology Activities & Re- 447-3375). Dress up your baby or tod- sources for Libraries), you can pick up dler in their fi nest formal wear and bring eclipse viewing glasses at any Scott the whole family for music, dancing, a 4-H Cloverbud program County library beginning Tuesday, Aug. photo booth, activities, mocktails, and 8 (while supplies last). These glasses more! All are welcome and registration will help people safely view the solar is not required. geared for K-3rd graders Babies and their grownups are also rd eclipse that will be visible in our area The University of Minnesota Exten- • K-3 Grade Clover Morning; on Monday, Aug. 21. Kids and families invited to our brand new early litera- sion in Scott County offers 4-H pro- Saturday, Oct. 14 – Scott County can join the fun during peak viewing cy classes at three locations: Savage, grams that are open to all kids in grades Extension Offi ce, Scott County time at a special Solar Eclipse Viewing Shakopee, and Prior Lake. Babies will kindergarten through one year past high Fairgrounds, Jordan. At Clover Party and Picnic on Monday, Aug. 21, make friends, share books, and enjoy school. But within the 4-H program, Exploration Mornings, we play from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Sha- fi ngerplays and songs for 20 to 30 min- there is a special program just for kin- games, make treats, sing songs, kopee Library (235 S. Lewis St, Shako- utes. All classes are free and registration dergarteners through third graders: make crafts, and much more. pee, 952-233-9590). The event is free, is not required. Cloverbuds. The Cloverbud program is Space is limited, so reserve your registration is not required, and the fi rst Savage: Tuesdays at 10:15 a.m., Sept. geared for kids to learn, grow, and have spot early. Cost is $5 for 4-H 150 attendees will receive free eclipse 19 – Nov. 21; and every other Saturday fun! The 4-H Cloverbud Program fea- members; $10 for non-members. viewing glasses! For more information, at 11 a.m. starting Oct. 14 tures fun, age-appropriate activities that To fi nd out more about signing up for visit http://bit.ly/2ueWWa5. Prior Lake: Wednesdays at 6 p.m., focus on cooperation, not competition. a 4-H club in your area or about signing Sept. 29 – Oct. 25 4-H welcomes boys and girls from all up for a listed 4-H event, call the Scott Hey, babies! Shakopee: Thursdays at 10:3 0a.m., backgrounds into Cloverbuds. County Extension Offi ce at (952) 492- The library is kicking off a brand Sept. 28 – Nov. 9 (no class on Oct. 19) The 4-H Program will be offering 5410 or email Sara Wagner dunc0088@ new season of events for babies and For more information on Baby Fall several activities throughout the fall for umn.edu or Ian Marquez marqu350@ Formal and baby early literacy classes, rd their grownups with a Baby Fall Formal youth in grades K-3 grade. umn.edu. Drop-In Event on Tuesday, September visit http://bit.ly/2tJruQD. Find Scott County’s home page at www.scottcountymn.gov August/September 2017 Scott County SCENE Page 7

Businesses wanting to Safety SCENE By Luke Hennen grow can apply for free Scott County Sheriff assistance program Applications are now open for the operating in Hennepin, Ramsey, Enjoy our waters safely Economic Gardening Program in Scott Carver, or Scott Counties. One of the best parts of summer is enjoying the great outdoors. The outstanding County, a free program aimed at cul- • Have between $1 million and weather, sunshine, and abundant natural beauty draw most of us out of our homes tivating “second stage” business and $50 million in annual revenue during our warmest season. Scott County is home to great parks, trails, and bodies helping local businesses grow and or working capital in place from of water, and for many of us, these resources play an important part in our summers. thrive! The program is designed to help investors or grants. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office has jurisdiction on all public waters within the growing companies make better deci- • Employ 10 to 99 full-time County. Sheriff’s Deputies receive specialized training to enforce laws and respond sions while maneuvering through all equivalent W-2 employees, to emergency calls on the water, and have equipment to assist with responses on of the many challenges associated with including the owner. our water bodies. Scott County has one full-time Deputy assigned to this task of growth. It will also help to foster growth • Maintained its principal place of Recreational Safety. Other Deputies and Reserve deputies also assist with water of seasoned businesses through strategic business in Hennepin, Ramsey, patrol, respond to calls for service on the water, manage the placement of buoys, research, facilitated CEO discussions of Carver, or Scott Counties for at and do equipment maintenance. relevant issues, and interest forums. least the previous two years. Before a Deputy is assigned to work on the water, he or she must first undergo The best part — all of the fees as- • Demonstrated growth in either a lot of training. Typical training for our Deputies includes launching, landing, sociated with the Economic Gardening revenue or employees in two of the and operation of patrol boats. Additional training includes water survival, aquatic program are covered by Scott County. last five years. invasive species (AIS) enforcement, boating while intoxicated detection and en- Over the course of eight months, ac- • Provide product(s) and/or services forcement, drowning victim recovery, and watercraft inspections. All this training cepted companies will participate in beyond current service area to helps us enhance your safety on the water while also protecting the lakes and rivers CEO roundtables and forums, as well regional and/or international of our community. as receive approximately 50 hours of markets. The responsibility to help provide safety and security on our bodies of water research specific to their business needs • also requires us to have several pieces of equipment. Currently, the Scott County through collaboration with a dedicated If you’re interested in applying or Sheriff’s Office uses four patrol boats that can be towed behind any of our squad research team. If you are able and will- learning more, please contact Stacy cars. We also have a side-scan sonar unit and an underwater camera for locating ing to devote time to the program, Eco- Crakes, Business Development Director objects beneath the water. nomic Gardening may be the answer with the Scott County Community De- While most of us view boating as a fun outdoor activity, we can’t forget that it you’re looking for to take your business velopment Agency at (952) 496-8613, can be dangerous. Two of the biggest issues on our lakes are ignorance of the law to the next level. [email protected], or visit online and poor judgement. Minnesota does not require any training for those 18 and over at https://economicgardeningmn1718. to operate watercraft, and while this makes it easier for all of us to enjoy our waters, To be eligible, businesses must meet nationalcentereg.org. Applications it also means there are many on the water that do not have the knowledge or skills the following criteria: will be accepted in August -- don’t de- to safely operate a boat or personal watercraft. lay and don’t miss out on this exciting Even though you don’t need a license to boat, you are still required and expected • Be a for-profit, privately held opportunity! to follow all laws and rules of navigation. Just like driving a car, ignorance of company headquartered and the law is not a defense. The Minnesota DNR Boating Guide covers most of the laws relating to boat operation. If you will be operating a boat, we recom- mend taking a full boating course. The DNR’s Boating Guide can be found at Deadline is Aug. 15 for http://10.4.51.1:8181/http:/files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/boatwater/boating- guide.pdf. It’s also important to remember that some activities, while legal, might put you FAST-TRACK Challenge in a dangerous position. For example, if someone decides to go paddle boarding or Applications for the Scott County October. kayaking on a very busy day and they venture into an area where boats are operat- FAST-TRACK business competition A judges’ panel is being confirmed, ing at a high speed, the paddle boarders/kayakers may have the right of way, but are available on the Scott County First and the prize package(s) for FAST- they’ve also just put themselves into a dangerous situation. Like any activity you Stop Shop (FSS) website at: www. TRACK Challenge winner(s) is also are involved in, when you are on the water you should always make safety your top scottfss.org/FAST-TRACK, along in the process of being developed with priority. with other FAST-TRACK Challenge assistance from the Technology Vil- Without a doubt, one of the most dangerous things you can do on the water is information. But don’t wait -- appli- lage Board of Directors and FSS. Over to be impaired while operating a watercraft. The laws relating to impaired boat- cations are due by August 15, 2017. $5,000 in legal and accounting ser- ing are the same as the laws relating to any other motor vehicle. If an impaired Start-up businesses and entrepre- vices, graphic design and web devel- boater is stopped, they can expect to be arrested and jailed. BWI (Boating While neurs with a business concept are en- opment, and business training services Intoxicated) convictions can have an impact on a person’s driver’s license, and can couraged to apply. An interest survey, are among the professional services do- include fines and jail time. Please think before you drink and drive a boat. If you posted during the month of May, drew nated thus far. The winner(s) will also need a ride, call for one. responses from 19 businesses/entre- receive access to shared office space Sheriff’s Deputies are also responsible for the rescue and recovery during a preneurs in six Scott County cities. and meeting facilities, media exposure, drowning. Being able to quickly locate and recover a victim is important to fami- Submittal of the interest survey was free educational programs, and oppor- lies and also to our investigative process. The most important piece of information used to gauge potential participation tunities to network with other business that we need to get quickly in order to conduct a timely water recovery is the exact levels. If businesses did not submit entrepreneurs. location where the victim was last seen. The accuracy of the location along with their interest, they may still submit The Challenge, which will be held our special equipment helps us find the missing person quickly. a formal application to the FAST- in October 2017, is free to enter and More importantly, we can all take steps to prevent a drowning. Wear life pre- TRACK Challenge. there is no minimum age requirement. servers, don’t overestimate your swimming skills, and make safety a priority. It’s Focus areas for the competition In order to be eligible, individuals must vital to remember, especially with children, that drowning is often silent. It is usu- include, but are not limited to, health reside within Scott County, have a ally not the splashing, gasping, and yelling scene we see in movies. This is why it and personal care solutions, profes- start-up business in Scott County or be is extremely important to keep a constant eye on swimmers. sional and business services with a willing to locate their business in Scott The waters of Scott County belong to all of us, and each of us has a responsibil- technology component, educational County, have a viable product or service ity to keep those waters safe and enjoyable for all. Do your part: Know the rules of products, and apps/software publish- idea, and be willing to participate in the boating, wear your life preserver, and do not operate any vehicle, including a boat, ing. A category for 501(c)3 organiza- FAST-TRACK Challenge live event. if you’ve been drinking. Please enjoy your summer, and we’ll see you on the lake! tions is also included for non-profits Businesses interested in serving Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @ScottCoSheriffOffice with new products or services that as sponsors of the event or interested meet the evaluation criteria. Appli- in providing a service as a part of the cations will be reviewed in August, prize package(s) are asked to contact Jo with the top five or so business ideas Foust, Business Development Special- to present their “pitch” to a panel of ist, Scott County FSS at (952) 496-8830 esteemed judges at a live event in or via email at [email protected]. SWCD to host cover crop field days The Scott SWCD is hosting a Cover Crop Aerial Seeding Field Day later this summer. This field day will show the aerial seeding of cover crops into soybeans. There will be a followup field day in the fall to view the cover crops. The exact date of the event will depend on field conditions. The date and time will be posted at scottswcd.org once the schedule is finalized. You can also email Sarah Gossman at [email protected] or call the Scott SWCD office at (954) 492-5425 to receive a notice with the date and time.

Recreational Safety Deputy Spencer Autenrieth helps patrol Scott County waters. Page 8 Scott County SCENE August/September 2017 Find Scott County’s home page at www.scottcountymn.gov

Fairgoers visited the new 4-H Food Stand.

The Minnesota Old West Society set up camp and provided Volunteer Lloyd Friske showed fairgoers a Donors make new 4-H demonstrations throughout the Fair. chick hatched at the Miracle of Birth Center. Food Stand a reality Another successful County Fair! A brand new 4-H Food Stand greeted visitors to this year’s Scott County Fair. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held July 26 with a welcoming speech given by Kendra Klecker, 4-H Leader’s Council President. Kendra recognized businesses, donors, and volunteers for the funds, materials, and labor donated to bring this project to fruition. The accomplishment of this goal was a huge en- deavor for 4-H. After many years of wear and tear on the old 4-H Food Stand, it was decided it was not practical to make updates to the old structure. This news was devastating, as the food stand is one of 4-H’s primary fundraisers. And it’s staffed by 4-H members, so it’s an opportunity for them to learn life skills through helping run a business and customer service. A number of businesses, contractors, and volun- teers worked together to provide funding, material, and labor to construct the new building and equip it with a new range, fryers, and exhaust hood. Major Fairgoers participated in hands-on pottery contributors were Rahr Malting of Shakopee, Siwek demonstrations, attended horse and cattle Lumber of Jordan, and Ames Construction of Burns- shows, enjoyed the exhibits in the Creative Arts ville. Scott County 4-H again thanks everyone for building, and watched and listened to many their contribution to accomplishing this goal. entertainers at this year’s Scott County Fair. A Mid-Summer Festival at Cedar Lake Farm Park Summer is a great time to visit Scott County parks, ty’s partnership wtih Three Rivers Park District. The the trails, beaches, paddle boarding, kayaking, canoe- and hundreds of people attended the Mid-Summer Credit River Antique Tractor Club also held its three- ing, picnicking, fishing opportunities, and more at the Festival at Cedar Lake Farm Regional Park on July 15. day show in the park during the Mid-Summer Festival. parks in Scott County. To find out about more activi- Numerous activities were offered through the Coun- There’s still plenty of nice weather left to enjoy ties visit www.ThreeRiversParks.org and see page 10.

Fishing instructions that included free bait and the use of fishing equipment The Credit River Antique Tractor Club held a three-day show in conjunction attracted some park-goers, while others tried out the free use of watercraft. with the Mid-Summer Festival. It included a parade of tractors each day.

The warm weather attracted many beach-goers and riders on the “Let’s Go Free archery lessons were offered at the Mid-Summer Festival. Fishing” pontoon. Outdoor Recreation August/September 2017 Scott County SCENE Page 9

in partnership with

Fall in the Parks Milder temperatures, lower humidity, changing colors, and migrating birds: Fall is a great time to explore outside in Minnesota. Parks and trails in Scott County offer ample opportunities to stay active as the region begins to cool.

Fall Trails Getting on the trail after dark is no problem at Cleary Lake Regional Park — the turf loops have lights on until 10 PM for evening hiking. With sensitive habitat trails opening on August 1, all trails in Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve are open until March 31. The paved trail loop in Spring Lake Regional Park includes a new regional trail connection in partnership with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.

Boating and Paddling Launch a watercraft at Cedar Lake Farm Regional Park (carry-in only), Cleary Lake Regional Park, and Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve. No boat? No problem. Boat rentals are available at Cedar Lake Farm Regional Park and Cleary Lake Regional Park through Labor Day.

Golf and FootGolf The spectacular days of fall are a great time to hit the links at Cleary Lake Golf Course. Gather a foursome for 9 holes of golf or FootGolf. Check out the “Fall Special” below.

Transportation Dial-a-Ride offers expanded hours and weekend service through December 2017. Call 952.496.8341 for more information and to book a ride. Joint Powers Agreement Under this agreement, Scott County and Three Rivers Park District combine resources to collectively operate all regional parks and trails in Scott County.

parks

Cedar Lake Farm Regional Park 25875 Juniper Avenue, New Prague, MN 56071, Phone: 763.694.7777 Hours: 5 AM–10 PM Located on the south shore of Cedar Lake near New Prague, Cedar Lake Farm Regional Park has family and group picnicking, catered events, swimming, fishing, a 1-mile paved trail to the lake, canoe launch and beach.

Cleary Lake Regional Park 18106 Texas Avenue, Prior Lake, MN 55372, Phone: 763.694.7777 4-for-3 Fall Special Hours: 5 AM–10 PM Cleary Lake Golf Course This park is one of the most popular year-round recreation spots in the south metro. With Bring a foursome, mention this Fall Special, and get rounds of amenities including a 9-hole golf course, campground, picnic area, swimming beach, cross- country ski trails and more, this beautiful park has something for everyone. • Golf for $45 ($60 value), or • FootGolf for $30 ($40 value) The Landing Offer valid September 5 – October 31. Does not include tax or rental of clubs, cart or ball. 2187 Highway 101 East, Shakopee, MN 55379, Phone: 763.694.7784 Hours: May 28–October 31: Mon-Sat: 10 AM–5 PM, Sunday: Noon–5 PM Nestled on the Minnesota River near Shakopee, The Landing – Minnesota River Heritage Park interprets how people have connected with the Minnesota River Valley and the surrounding cultural and natural resources. Discover how 19th-century Minnesotans established their lives on the frontier, farmsteads and in villages. Historical buildings are laid out as a timeline from the pre-territorial era through the late 1800s. Explore the grounds by yourself using interpretive media or while costumed interpreters bring the past alive at living history days and events.

Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve 15501 Murphy Lake Road, Savage, MN 55378, Phone: 763.694.7777 Hours: 5 AM–10 PM The peaceful wilderness at Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve in northeast Scott County features glacial ridges, hilly terrain and an extensive lush forest. This is one of the most challenging cross- country ski areas in the Twin Cities and a favorite spot for mountain bikers. With the exception of the trails and the new 3-acre dog off-leash area, the park reserve remains undeveloped, making it the best park in Three Rivers for birdwatchers to spot woodland songbirds. This park has also been designated an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society.

Spring Lake Regional Park 15851 Howard Lake Road, Prior Lake, MN 55372, Phone: 763.694.7777 Hours: 5 AM–10 PM Scott County’s newest regional park includes 3.5 miles of paved trails, a 9-acre fenced dog park, and 1-acre small dog park. Rolling hills, woods, and meadows provide a great experience for walkers, bikers, and in-line skaters. scottcountymn.gov • ThreeRiversParks.org Page 10 Scott County SCENE August/September 2017 Outdoor Recreation

º FAMILY ARCHERY THE LANDING event calendar Learn archery basics and elements of safety. Shoot at stationary targets and compete in MINNESOTA RIVER games. Equipment provided. Reservations HERITAGE PARK CEDAR LAKE FARM CLEARY LAKE required. $10. Ages: 8+. September 1 — Friday #4REC5001-21 SHAKOPEE REGIONAL PARK REGIONAL PARK 5–7 PM NEW PRAGUE PRIOR LAKE September 9 — Saturday #4REC5001-22 1889 HARVEST FESTIVAL 1–3 PM Immerse yourself in 1800s Minnesota October 15 — Sunday #4REC5001-23 River Valley life and visit with costumed º FAMILY CANOEING STAND-UP PADDLEBOARD 1–3 PM characters living in the frontier, farmstead, Learn safety, entering and exiting a canoe, (SUP) LESSON and village. Celebrate the harvest with a and paddle strokes while having fun on the Try the fast-growing sport of stand-up STAND-UP PADDLEBOARD town fair and participate in cooking and water. Equipment provided. Reservations paddleboarding, an exciting way to explore food preservation demonstrations. Trolleys required by two days prior. $15. Ages: 5+. the water that offers a full body workout. (SUP) LESSON provide transportation through the site. Food August 12 — Saturday #3CLE5725-02 Equipment provided. Reservations required by Discover the fast growing sport of stand-up concessions available. Walk-ins welcome. Visit 10 AM–Noon two days prior. $35. Ages: 14+. paddleboarding, an exciting way to explore ThreeRiversParks.org/events to register. $8 August 12 — Saturday #3CLE5760-12 the water that offers a full body workout. ages 18-64; $5 ages 2-17 and 65+; children º ORIENTEERING CHALLENGE 2–3:30 PM Equipment provided. Reservations required. under 2 free. Ages: All. Practice using a compass, measuring distance, $35. Ages: 14+. September 2 — Saturday September 9 — Saturday #4REC5760 -11 and reading a topographic map. Go on º FAMILY ARCHERY 10 AM–5 PM 9–11 AM a scavenger hunt in the park. Equipment Explore the basics of archery and elements September 3 — Sunday provided. Reservations required by two days of safety. Shoot at stationary targets and Noon–5 PM prior. $15. Ages: 8+. compete in games. Equipment provided. º CANOE WHEN THE MOON September 4 — Monday August 12 — Saturday #3CLE5550-01 Reservations required by two days prior. $10. IS FULL 10 AM–5 PM 2–4 PM Ages: 8+. Canoe under the full moon. Listen for wildlife August 12 — Saturday #3CLE5000-12 while enjoying the night sky. Equipment FALL WEEKENDS FAMILY KAYAKING 10 AM–Noon provided. Reservations required. $8. The past comes alive with costumed Create memories of fun on the water. Ages: 5+. interpreters and interactive demonstrations. Learn kayaking safety and proper paddling º FAMILY FISHING September 8 — Friday #4REC0220-01 Join scheduled tours, hands-on activities, and techniques. Equipment provided. Reservations Learn about types of fish, preparing 7–9 PM more. Call 763.649.7784 for daily schedules. required by two days prior. $20. Ages: 8+. equipment, bait, and handling the fish once Walk-ins welcome. $8 ages 18-64; $5 ages August 19 #2CLE5745-02 they’re caught. Equipment and fishing license FALL COLORS KAYAK TOUR 2-17 and 65+; children under 2 free. Ages: All. Saturdays, 9–11 AM provided for class only. Reservations required Enjoy the crisp air while taking in views of September 9–October 29* #4LAN2555-01 by two days prior. $6. Ages: All. wildlife and beautiful fall colors. Previous Saturdays, 10 AM–5 PM º FAMILY ARCHERY August 19 — Saturday #3CLE5400-12 paddling experience required. Equipment Sundays, Noon–5 PM Explore the basics of archery and elements 2–4 PM provided. Reservations required. $40. *Excludes October 14 & 15 of safety. Shoot at stationary targets and Ages: 14+. compete in games. Equipment provided. º FAMILY CANOEING September 24 — Sunday #4REC5755-01 MY PRESCHOOLER & ME: Reservations required by two days prior. $10. Learn safety, entering and exiting a canoe, 1–4 PM EARLY EXPLORERS Ages: 7+. and paddle strokes while having fun on the Discover the magic of historic Eagle Creek August 26 — Saturday #3CLE5000-02 water. Equipment provided. Reservations with your child. Play, sing, read stories 10 AM–Noon MURPHY-HANREHAN required by two days prior. $15. Ages: 5+. and explore outdoors as new themes are August 19 — Saturday #3CLE5725-11 PARK RESERVE investigated each month. Reservations º FAMILY STAND-UP 10 AM–Noon SAVAGE required. $5/person. Ages: 2-5, plus adult. PADDLEBOARDING (SUP) Tuesdays, 10–11:30 AM Embark on a casual paddle around the lake. º BIRDING BY CANOE DIRT CUP MOUNTAIN Busy Bees Listen and watch for wildlife. Children ages 9 Count how many bird species you see and September 12 #4LAN0100-01 and younger must ride on an adult’s board; hear while on the lake. Beginners welcome. BIKE SPRINT maximum one child per adult. Reservations Reservations required by two days prior. $15. Test your speed and skill by competing in a required by two days prior. $20 ages 10+; Ages: 5+. time trial format on a 10+ mile singletrack children under 10 free. Ages: 5+. August 26 — Saturday #3CLE1550-01 loop. Awards, door prizes and good times at August 26 — Saturday #3CLE5765-02 8–10 AM every race. Divisions include men’s, women’s 2–3:30 PM and U-17. Additional races at Elm Creek Park º GEOCACHING FOR S’MORES Reserve and Lake Rebecca Park Reserve; º FAMILY FISHING Yummy, gooey s’mores! Learn geocaching weekly competitors add their top four finishes Learn about types of fish, preparing basics and search for delicious treasure. for a chance at being the Dirt Cup Champion. equipment, bait, and handling the fish once Equipment provided. Reservations required by Registration starts at 6 PM; race start is 7 PM they’re caught. Equipment and fishing license two days prior. $8. Ages: All. (rain dates: 6:30 PM). Check ThreeRiversParks. provided for class only. Reservations required. August 26 — Saturday #3CLE5500-12 org for updates, race changes, and weather $6. Ages: All. Noon–2 PM concerns. Sponsored by Maple Grove Cycling NEW REGISTRATION SYSTEM September 16 — Saturday #4REC5400-01 and Freewheel Bikes. $12 pre-registration; $15 1–3 PM day-of; $50 for all six races. Ages: 14+. Three Rivers has a new online August 23 #3REC5155-22 experience and registration system. Wednesdays, 7–8:30 PM º FAMILY ARCHERY Explore your home to the outdoors Rain dates: August 30 and September 6. Learn archery basics and elements of safety. at ThreeRiversParks.org/programs Shoot at stationary targets and compete in and create a new account to register games. Equipment provided. Reservations for programs. required. $10. Ages: 8+. September 23 — Saturday #4REC5001-11 FOR ASSISTANCE CALL 9–11 AM 763.559.6700

REGISTRATION INFORMATION 763.559.6700 ThreeRiversParks.org/programs Mon. – Fri. 8 AM–4:30 PM

Scholarship Information Applications are considered on the basis of financial need and funds available. Call for details. Refunds Pre-paid registrations canceled at least 15 days in advance are 100 percent refundable; less than 15 days and more than 5 days are 50 percent refundable; and 5 days or less are not refundable. Programs will take place rain or shine. If a program is canceled by park staff, you will be notified and a full refund or credit will be issued upon your request.

º GROUP PROGRAM DISCOUNTS Groups of four or more individuals can receive a 20% discount on any program with an asterisk ( ) in the title. To receive the discount: * • Entire group must pay related fees at the same time. • If reservations are not required, ask for the discount when you arrive at the program. Find Scott County’s home page at www.scottcountymn.gov August/September 2017 Scott County SCENE Page 11 Watch for turtles on the road For millions of years, turtles survived EmergenSCENE by hiding in their shells until danger is By Captain Scott Haas gone. However, this tactic can be lethal on busy Scott County roads. Three out Emergency Management of nine turtle species in Minnesota do and Communications Director not have stable populations, and at least two of these threatened species can be found in Scott County. Monitoring the weather In the fall, both adult turtles and A Blandings turtle prepares to cross In Scott County, the most frequent cause of large scale emergencies is the weath- some of this year’s hatchlings migrate the road. It is one of three threatened er. Severe weather can quickly disrupt our lives. Extreme weather events lead to to their wintering grounds. This means species that live in Scott County. long term power outages, destruction of property, and even evacuations. In fact, that from August to October, some of (Photo by Jeff Dankert, Associated Press.) to date, every Presidential Disaster Declaration in Scott County has been due to a the most vulnerable of these slow-mov- afterwards. weather event. The Emergency Management Division of the Sheriff’s Office uses ing (and slow-reproducing) reptiles will Contact DNR’s Nongame Wildlife a variety of methods to prepare for and monitor weather events. be crossing roads. Now, you might be Program staff if you encounter any of Emergency Management regularly communicates with our partners at the Na- asking yourself: “What can I do if I see these three species of turtle: Blandings, tional Weather Service (NWS). We regularly review updates from the Storm Pre- a turtle in the middle of the road?” The Wood, or Smooth Softshell. diction Center, meteorologists from the Chanhassen NWS office, and monitor river Minnesota Department of Natural Re- • Staff contact information is and weather gauges. sources (DNR) has a few tips you can available online at http://www.dnr. During a severe weather event, Emergency Management gets notified of poten- follow on their website. state.mn.us/eco/nongame/central. tially dangerous weather from NWS. The weather service also passes on warning Please do not put yourself or others html. information through the statewide 800MHz radio system to Scott County’s 911 in danger to save turtles. If it is safe, • Let them know where you saw the dispatch center. When dangerous weather is predicted in Scott County, we activate pull your vehicle over to the side of the turtle and if you assisted it across the trained spotters from our SAFCOM volunteer unit. road and turn on the hazard lights. This the road. The SAFCOM spotters are positioned throughout the County to monitor and should be enough to let other drivers Help document turtle crossings: report changing weather conditions. They are each assigned a portable radio and know to slow down. DNR and Scott County have an inter- anemometer which they use to report measured wind speeds in excess of forty If the turtle is not in danger, please est in knowing where these reptiles are miles per hour, hail, and tornadic cloud formations. The SAFCOM spotter team let it cross unassisted. crossing. Contact either Scott County reports on a talkgroup that is in every police, fire, and public works radio in the If the turtle is in danger: Natural Resources at (952) 496-8475, or County. Volunteer dispatchers from the SAFCOM unit collect the weather reports • Pick it up gently by its shell. Be log turtle crossings on HerpMapper. and locations from the spotters in the field while monitoring radar feeds, weather careful, turtles can bite. • Guidance for using HerpMapper stations, and radar indicated wind direction and velocity. Our emergency managers • Always move the turtle in the can be found online at http://www. communicate directly with the weather service through a forecast area radio chan- direction it was traveling in. herpmapper.org/content/pdf/mn- nel, weather chat program, and monitor calls to the 911 Center. Gathering informa- • Remember to wash your hands turtles-and-roads-project.pdf. tion from all of these sources helps us to quickly direct appropriate warning and resources to areas receiving damage. The Emergency Management Division is constantly looking for ways to improve ScottGIS3 Continued from page 1 this critical service. We are currently reviewing the use of a Mesonet, a network of developers, realtors, or anyone seeking automated weather stations, to fill gaps in our spotter coverage. Many other states spatial information with the release of in the country have invested in statewide Mesonet networks. These networks al- the County’s new flagship mapping ap- low the timely transmission of accurate weather information to meteorologists, first plication called ScottGIS3 (or coined responders, and emergency managers to assist in decision making during emergen- “SG3”). GIS (or Geographic Informa- cies. Other partners include highway departments, agriculture, and education. tion Systems) is a system designed to In Scott County, we strongly believe that one of the best things we can do to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, minimize the impact of a weather event in our area is to keep our citizens informed. manage, and present spatial and geo- For this reason, we have taken several steps to assure the public has access to graphic data. timely and accurate information on our local weather. One example of the mea- The new SG3 is an interactive online SG3 is an easy way to look up sures we’ve taken to keep our citizens notified is CodeRED. Those who have mapping tool that allows users to search property information for every parcel signed up for CodeRED’s weather alerts at https://public.coderedweb.com/cne/en- for property information using an ad- in Scott County. US/EA5343CC0ED6 get severe weather alerts whenever they are issued at their dress or parcel number. Users also have location. If you like to sign up for CodeRED but don’t have access to a computer, the option of viewing over 100 data lay- did not work on their phone or tablet,” please call (952) 496-8181 during regular business hours and we’ll register you for ers, such as elevation contours, parks he said. The County’s online mapping CodeRED over the phone. and trails, zoning data, mailing ad- application is typically one of the most Those who follow the Scott County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook or Twitter dresses, and many others. Once a prop- used services on the website. know that our social media sites get local weather notifications posted immediately erty has been searched for and identi- Another new enhancement for SG3 after they are issued by the National Weather Service. Beyond this, we often share fied, access to additional information is is the ability to view spatial information the forecast from the National Weather Service when they are predicting severe available, such as taxation and building beyond the County’s boundaries. Be- weather in our area. By following the Scott County Sheriff’s Office on their social information. cause SG3 was built using a customized media sites, you will likely increase your ability to be notified of potential weather “We are excited to launch this new, version of ESRI’s Web AppBuilder, the events. Please stay weather aware -- and enjoy the rest of the summer! up-to-date online mapping tool,” said mapping tool allows users to zoom out Patrick Thorsell, a senior GIS analyst to the entire region, state, or nation and who helped bring this new service to the access ESRI’s national mapping fea- County’s website. “It will have all of the tures. “We are no longer an island,” said same data layers, measuring tools, and Monsour, referring to the older version searching capabilities of the old appli- that just showed spatial information cation, but enhanced with a lot of great within the County’s jurisdiction. features,” he added. SG3 offers several The Scott County GIS team has al- advantages over its predecessor: ready been providing training sessions • Compatibility with all of the main for its GIS user community, but there web browsers (Internet Explorer, will also be five drop-in training ses- Safari, Chrome, and Firefox) sions available to the public, hosted at • Viewable on mobile devices such several of the local libraries throughout as your smartphone, iPad, or tablet the County. “These drop in sessions will • House photos show up in search be a great chance for the public to see a results demonstration of the new mapping ser- • Square footage information for vice, and then jump on the site and try homes is now included in search out the new application with help from results County GIS staff,” said Thorsell. See SAFCOM volunteers Glady Pauly and Aaron Renneke monitor weather radar • New locational search options by below for dates, times and locations for feeds while also receiving information from local spotters. street intersection or coordinates these public sessions: Sept. 6: Savage Libary, 6:30 - 8 p.m., SG3 replaced ScottGIS2.0 and Sept. 12: Prior Lake Library, “Tee it Up” golf event seeks sponsors the Half Section Mapper, which were 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.. The 11th annual Tee It Up For The Task Force golf fundraiser will be held phased out in late July. These older ap- Sept. 20: Jordan Library, 5:30 - 7 p.m. on Sept. 8 at Stonebrooke Golf Club. Registration begins at 7 a.m., and the plications were simply not compatible shotgun start will begin at 8 a.m. There will be a delicious barbecue luncheon, with today’s more commonly used web Sept. 26: Shakopee Library, a raffle, and a live auction. Funds raised help fight drug abuse in Scott County. browsers. “It was time to move our on- 8:30 - 10 a.m. Sponsorships are available as follows: Platinum: $1,250 (includes four line mapper to a platform that worked Oct. 4: Belle Plaine Library, golf registrations); Gold: $1,000 (includes three golf registrations); Silver: better for our residents and users,” said 10 a.m. - noon. $750 (includes two golf registrations); Hole: $300. GIS principal analyst Tony Monsour. To view the new mapping applica- All sponsors will receive recognition on individual signage on the golf “We were hearing more and more from tion, visit https://gis.co.scott.mn.us/ course, on Facebook, on ChooseNotToUse.org, and in Scott County newspa- our customers that the old application SG3. pers. Individual golf registrations are $125. Please contact Kathy Welter at did not work on their web browser, or [email protected] or (952) 239-6885 to register or to sponsor. We hope to see you there! Page 12 Scott County SCENE August/September 2017 Find Scott County’s home page at www.scottcountymn.gov News you can use...

You’ve probably heard of it, and maybe even read the District wants to recognize examples of good water about it already, but we’re going to try and make the stewardship and demonstrate that anyone can install Scott County Association for Leadership and Effi- best management practices (BMPs) that will protect ciency (a.k.a., SCALE) a little more relevant to you our water resources. The deadline for the application and your neighbors by bringing you SCALE “news is Sept. 15, 2017. For more information, an applica- you can use” – updates on road projects, local events, tion, and to read about projects awarded in 2016, go to community developments and programs, and other the District’s website at www.plslwd.org and click on things you might want to know – such as how your “Get Involved—and then Water Quality Improvement tax dollars are being put to use. After all, SCALE’s Award.” mission statement is pretty clear: “To forge new and innovative ways in which government entities can col- laborate to provide outstanding service while making From Savage: the most of limited resources.” So watch this page for Annual shredding event Aug. 12 current and future information from us and our many Mark your calendar! The City of Savage is host- SCALE partners! A new aquatic center is part of the expanded ing the annual shredding event on Saturday, Aug. 12 Shakopee Community Center. from 9 a.m. to noon at Savage City Hall, 6000 Mc- Coll Drive. Bring your personal and confidential docu- refreshments. ments and have them shredded and destroyed securely. The Community Center is open daily and offers This event is free and open to all Savage residents; memberships and daily admission. For more informa- limited to the equivalent of two banker boxes. Accept- tion, visit www.ShakopeeMN.gov/communitycenter. ed items include white and colored paper, and folders. Staples, paper clips and rubber bands do not have to be removed. Unaccepted items include cardboard, tapes/ CDs/DVDs, 3 ring-binders, large binder clips, and medical waste. Questions can be directed to Assistant City Administrator Brad Larson at 952-882-2641 or [email protected]. DoggiePalooza, Sept. 9

The popular Spring Lake public access will be Save the date! DoggiePalooza, hosted by the Sav- undergoing improvements beginning Sept. 6. age Chamber of Commerce, is back on Sept. 9 and better than ever. Filled with more waggin’ tails, belly Parking will not be available, and the ramp will be The new Shakopee City Hall is open for business. closed intermittently through Oct. 15. scratches, and treats than ever before! Mark your cal- endar now, and watch for more details to come. From Prior Lake: City Hall makes the move to Spring Lake boat access Savage Residents -- Watch for new facility on Gorman Street Shakopee city staff have recently moved into their closed Sept. 6 – Oct. 15 your water meter replacement new home at 485 Gorman St. The new City Hall fea- The Minnesota DNR will be shutting down the appointment postcard tures one-stop customer service for residents and busi- Spring Lake public access in Prior Lake starting Sept. nesses. Among the departments located in city hall are 6, and plans to have most work done and ramp open Water meter installations are underway! The City building inspections, planning, City Clerk, engineer- by Oct. 15. The project includes improvements to the of Savage is working with the contractor Utiliuse to ing, and general administration. City Hall is located storm water management, an Aquatic Invasive Spe- update or replace all residential and commercial wa- adjacent to the Shakopee Police Department and across cies boat inspection and cleaning area will be added, ter meters. Residents and businesses will receive a Gorman Street from Shakopee Public Works. new (night sky-friendly) lighting, new boat ramp, new postcard at least 30 days before installers will be in bituminous for the parking lots, and shoreline restora- their neighborhood. The postcard includes instruc- tion. During construction, they plan to keep the ramp tions on how to schedule your meter replacement. Big development projects open as much as possible, however it will be difficult Find more information, a list of Frequently Asked to predict which days will be open or closed so plan Questions, contact information, and a short video ex- coming to Shakopee accordingly. If you have any additional questions, you plaining the installation process at cityofsavage.com/ Development is booming in Shakopee after several can contact Nancy Stewart at the DNR: nancy.stew- water-meter-replacement-program. new projects were announced. [email protected]. The city is working with CPM Cos. to develop the Road construction in Savage old City Hall site into a mixed-use development, fea- From the Prior Lake-Spring Several roadways in the Savage area are being re- turing 70 units of market-rate housing and commercial surfaced this summer. Mid July – August, MnDOT space. The city and CPM are also looking at turning Lake Watershed District: will be resurfacing both directions of Highway 13 be- three parcels along the 300 block of First Avenue West Water quality improvement tween Hwy. 169 in Savage to Washburn Ave. in Burns- into an 110-room, boutique-style hotel with a full-ser- ville. Watch for slow-downs and single lane closures vice restaurant. The hotel would provide unique views awards raised to $500 in both directions Additional information on this proj- of the Minnesota River and could help build down- town Shakopee’s reputation as a wedding destination. The Prior Lake Spring Lake Watershed District, in ect is available online at http://www.dot.state.mn.us/ metro/projects/hwy13/. Canterbury Park also recently announced plans to conjunction with the Citizens Advisory Board, will be construct two luxury apartment buildings southwest awarding up to four $500 cash prizes to projects in the Resurfacing of Connelly Parkway is underway. Phase one is Dakota Ave. to Louisiana Ave; phase two of the current track. The first phase of the project in- watershed district that help improve the water qual- cludes a 304-unit apartment complex, clubhouse, and ity. Have you recently completed a water quality or is Louisiana Ave. to Hwy. 13; and phase three is Da- kota Ave. to Vernon Ave. The road will be open to lo- gate house. And earlier this year, the City Council stormwater management project on your residential approved two residential housing developments and or agricultural property? Do you reside in the Prior cal traffic but watch for short term lane closures. Work is expected to be completed before school begins. a multifamily apartment complex, intended to bring Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District? If so, you may more than 650 additional housing units to Shakopee. be eligible to win one of four Water Quality Improve- ment Awards for $500. Projects do not need to be on From Shakopee: the lake to qualify, as any area in the watershed district Register for Jack-o-Lantern can impact water quality -- so if you’re interested in Community Center Grand doing a project (or have completed a project recently), Re-Opening set for Sept. 10 5K, Kids 1/2 mile Pumpkin Run we welcome you to apply. It’s time to unveil the newly renovated Shakopee Registration is now open for the spookiest 5K Examples of winning best management practices Community Center! After months of construction, the around – the Jack-o-Lantern 5K to be held Saturday, (BMPs) last year include raingardens and shoreline new facility offers something for everyone, including Oct. 28 at the Community Center. Run in costume restorations. This year, the program is being expanded a two-sheet ice arena, indoor aquatic center, fitness because this family favorite 5K includes prizes for to agricultural practices, such as installing filter strips, center and studios, senior lounge, indoor playground, best dressed and top finishers. A Kids 1/2 mile Pump- cover crops, grassed waterways, or conducting vari- drop-in child care, and much more. kin Run follows the 5K. Register with program code able rate application and nutrient management. Check out the facility at a grand re-opening event “Jacko2017” at www.ShakopeeMN.gov/registration. According to Jodi See and Elizabeth Schramm, co- from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10. We’ll offer free Registration prices increase Oct. 1. founders of the Water Quality Improvement Award, a swimming, skating, open gym, and playground. Stick project of the District’s Citizens Advisory Committee, around for prizes, bounce house, kids’ games, and SCALE NEWS Continued on next page Find Scott County’s home page at www.scottcountymn.gov August/September 2017 Scott County SCENE Page 13 CAP Corner Storm drain stenciling CAP offers food, school opportunity available supplies, clothing, services Have you ever seen “Dump No By Joseph Vaughan Waste, Drains to Lake” or “No Dump- CAP Executive Director ing, Drains to River” painted next to a What a beautiful summer it has been! storm drain? This is called “storm drain Minnesota summers are made for days stenciling” and is used to remind every- on the lakes, trips to the cabin, and visits one to be mindful of what goes down to farmer’s markets and festivals. Un- the storm drain. The Scott Soil and Wa- fortunately, this is not a reality for all in ter Conservation District (SWCD) in our community. Jordan has a storm drain stenciling kit About eight percent of Scott County available for community groups across residents will visit a food shelf in the backpacks filled with supplies. How can Scott County to use. next year. To serve the needs of these you help? Drop off donations of school The SWCD provides everything individuals and families, Community supplies or backpacks at our Shakopee your group will need for the project, in- Action Partnership (the CAP Agency) office at 712 Canterbury Rd S. To make cluding stencils, paint, and traffic cones. has partnered with several organizations your money go even further, consider a They also provide door hangers that the Stenciling by storm sewer drains to remind residents not to dump waste over the summer. July saw the 2017 monetary donation! Donations can be group can distribute to residents in area made online at www.capagency.org/do- where they are working to explain the down them can be a good service Food Shelf Challenge, a matching do- project for local groups. nation drive in partnership with Open nate. Checks can also be mailed to our project to those in the neighborhood. Your Heart to the Hungry and Home- Shakopee address. This community service project teaches tions or to set up a storm drain stenciling less. Open Your Heart provided match- Community Connect group members about stormwater pollu- day. The City of Prior Lake has its own ing funds up to $5,000 for the CAP Looking ahead to September, I want tion and gives them a chance to share storm drain stenciling program, so if Agency Food Shelf. This campaign to remind you of our annual Project what they have learned with local resi- you are interested in stenciling in Prior was led by our incredible employees Community Connect event. This year’s dents. Please contact Sarah Gossman at Lake, contact Pete Young at pyoung@ and volunteers, and I couldn’t be more event will be held on Sept. 13 from 10 the Scott SWCD at [email protected]. cityofpriorlake.com. proud of their passion and dedication to a.m. – 6 p.m. at Canterbury Park’s Expo mn.us or (952) 492-5448 with any ques- the work we do. Center. This community event offers a Our partnership with Second Har- one-stop location for direct services to From page 1 vest Heartland allowed our food shelf residents of Scott and Carver counties Foster care to begin a new Fresh Produce distribu- who are “living on little,” those who are Nancy Brendt, who provided her with ago. Now 18, Ty is heading off to col- tion initiative. Thanks to this alliance, homeless, or those at risk of becoming lots of information about the Scott lege this fall. we’ve been able to offer our clients fresh homeless. These services include health County program. She was soon attend- “When we started providing foster fruits and vegetables on select Saturday care, employment assistance education, ing training sessions and filling out the care, we were told not to get attached mornings. Four more distributions are legal assistance, veteran services, hous- necessary paperwork. “They (County or think about keeping the kids, but coming up in the next several months: ing information, haircuts, and more. staff) helped a lot because they are eager that has changed over the years,” said Aug. 5 and 19, Sept. 16, and Oct. 7. On For more information or to volunteer to get new providers,” said Blackford, Connie. She and Steve, who is himself these dates, our Thrift Store will also be or donate to this incredible event, go to adding that she could have received her adopted, had two children of their own holding sidewalk sales! These sales of scottcarverpcc.org. license as quickly as a month or taken a when they first got licensed and weren’t clothing, household items, and more are Finally, I want to say thank you to year, it was up to her. thinking about adoption. But they ac- open to the public and all proceeds go our partners, donors, and volunteers. Last fall, Brittany and her daughter knowledged that it’s hard not to get directly back into CAP’s client services Without you, the work that CAP Agen- Isley Rood shared their home with an attached, and now attachment is recog- and programs. cy does would not be possible. As we elementary-age girl for about six weeks. nized as critical for children. Backpack program near the end of our fiscal year, I am She and Isley became friends, and Brit- “It can be painful to your kids too As we enter August, many fami- struck by the difference you have made. tany said she comes back for occasional when the (foster) kids leave and they are lies begin to think about the upcoming In the past year, we have helped more sleepovers and attended Isley’s birth- attached to them,” said Connie. “Parents school year. For some parents, though, than 11,000 households and more than day party. Since then, a sibling pair has need to prepare them for that.” these thoughts bring increased anxiety 29,000 individuals as they work toward come to stay with them. Training is provided through the and worry as the costs of school supplies self-sufficiency. If you would like to be “I did agree to take a little boy, al- County, and licensors and case manag- loom. Again this year, CAP Agency is a part of this movement, please go to though I grew up in a home with all girls ers are available to assist when prob- holding a school supply drive to offset www.capagency.org to donate or volun- and I only have nieces now, but I thought lems arise. “We get a lot of great sup- the back to school costs of families in teer. Thank you all. Remember, We Are it was important to try to keep the sib- port from the County,” said Connie. “I need. Last year, we distributed 1,150 All Connected. lings together,” said Brittany. Since she love my workers. No one could do this didn’t have much for a little boy, she without support.” posted on Facebook that she was look- Steve, an emergency room techni- Continued from page 12 ing for a few things, “and I could not cian at St. Francis Regional Medical SCALE News believe the response I got,” she said. Center in Shakopee, said they’ve also Show Off Shakopee groups, Native food vendors, and a Na- “I had people coming out of the wood- been blessed with supportive families tive American market. Grand entries are work giving me everything from toys, and neighbors, adding that Connie’s dad photo contest starts in Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and to bedding, to sippy cups, and more! A has been especially supportive. “People 7 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. You can couple of people even went on Amazon. in the community have been good, kind, September pick up a Wacipi button, which covers com and selected a few brand new toys and caring,” added Connie. Photographers who live, work, or admission for the entire weekend for and had them delivered to my house so The long-time foster parents encour- attend school in Shakopee are invited only $10, at Shakopee Dakota Con- they would be there before his first night age other families to try foster care. “I to participate in the city’s annual Show venience Store #1 and #2, Mazopiya, with me. I was in awe of how much my suggest they try respite care at first so Off Shakopee photo contest. Submis- Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, Little Six family and friends and community ral- they can do a few days at a time and sions will be accepted in September Casino, and the Mystic Lake Store at lied around me to help me prepare for see how it works,” said Connie, adding with winners announced in the Winter the Mall of America. Children under 10 him.” (Anyone who wants to provide that foster parents can place foster chil- years of age and adults over 60 receive Hometown Messenger in November. gift cards to help other foster parents dren in respite care when they need to free admission. A free meal will be pro- More information is available on the with special requests can donate them to take care of themselves or other family vided on Saturday from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. city website at www.ShakopeeMN.gov/ the Scott County Foster Care program.) members. showoffshakopee. The children go to daycare while Connie said caring for the 100-plus Indian Horse Relay she works, and their case workers pick children that have been in their home Experience speed, passion, and cul- them up at daycare for appointments, if has been fulfilling work. “I was born From the Shakopee ture at the fifth annual Indian Horse needed. knowing I had a purpose, and it was to Mdewakanton Sioux Relay. Head down to Canterbury Park While she acknowledges that there’s watch these children, and I want to go to Community: from Aug. 24-26 for high-speed Native work involved for the modest stipend my grave knowing I’ve done my job,” American bareback horse racing. While she receives, “You get a whole lot of she said. you’re there, be sure to check out the love out of it. These kids, all they want Melecha said the Schoenbauers have 2017 SMSC Wacipi is love, so if you have some to give, give done a tremendous job. “They’ve been Join the SMSC for the annual Waci- Indian Market, where you can find a variety of traditional crafts and jewelry. it to them. They soak it up like a sponge such an asset to our Scott County Foster pi! You’ll see colors swirl around the and they give it back a hundredfold.” Care system for so many years. We will Wacipi grounds as traditional Native Races take place between standard thor- oughbred races and begin at 6:30 p.m. As they conclude their years as foster miss them, and we’ll need to replace American dancers and performers com- providers, the Schoenbauers agree that them.” pete. This event has transcended genera- on Thursday, 6:30 p.m. on Friday, and 6 p.m. on Saturday. All race times are ap- it hasn’t always been easy. “Some kids To learn more about becoming foster tions, but today, the Wacipi is a celebra- come with a lot of baggage, and I’m not parents, you may call Scott County Hu- tion of life that brings together people proximate. Don’t miss the Mystic Lake Derby, featuring Canterbury’s largest just talking about the dirty laundry,” man Services at (952) 445-7751 and ask from across the country for a weekend said Connie. But they say they have also for foster care, email questions to fos- of culture, entertainment, and fun. purse of the season, on Saturday, Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. received many rewards for their work. [email protected], or visit www. Help the Community honor its cul- With four birth children of their own, scottcounty mn.gov/213/Foster-Care- ture, heritage, and ancestors throughout To learn more about the Shakopee the Schoenbauers rounded out their Licensing. One-on-one visits are also the Wacipi weekend. From August 18- family when they adopted one little boy available for anyone who is interested 20, the SMSC will host dancers, drum Mdewakanton Sioux Community, please visit shakopeedakota.org. they provided foster care for many years in finding out more about foster care. Page 14 Scott County SCENE August/September 2017 Find Scott County’s home page at www.scottcountymn.gov SCHS plans brewery tour, WWI talk, cemetery tour Wish You Were Here: Tourism in Sept. 30. Register online at http://bit. Scott County -- Scott County has ly/2tvAMOS. been a vacation destination for over a century! This exhibit explores the 4-H provides growth, friendships many tourist spots that have attracted The following summations were submitted by Juliana Ryburn, a 4-H graduate, visitors over the years, including and Anna Brekke, a soon to be 4-H graduate. We asked them to share how 4-H the resorts at Prior Lake, Mudbaden has helped shape their character. Sulphur Springs, the Renaissance Festival, Canterbury Park, Mystic Anna Brekke Lake, Valleyfair, Elko Speedway, As I graduate from my 14-year 4-H career, and more! See amazing photos and Walking Tour: Jordan Environmental one word sticks in my mind: gratitude. I am so artifacts, and share your favorite History, Thursday, Aug. 24, 6:30 - 7:30 grateful for the many varied opportunities that memories of these fun places! Exhibit p.m. Explore Jordan’s environmental 4-H has given me over the years. Because of open until August 2018. history up close with this unique 4-H, I was able to learn through real-life ex- walking tour! The tour will take periences that have shaped me into the person place primarily in downtown Jordan I am today. Showing pigs at the County Fair starting in Lagoon Park and will taught me about the importance of agriculture, last approximately one hour. Tour is even though I grew up in a suburb. Participat- open to participants ages 12 and up; ing in an Urban 4-H Cultural Exchange taught participants under age 18 must be me to embrace diversity in all areas, which is accompanied by an adult. Participation something that I did not experience in daily life. is $5 per person and advance Becoming a National 4-H Conference Youth registration is required. To register, use Leadership Team member in Washington D.C. this link: http://bit.ly/2sLrRLs. taught me to strive for my goals even if they seem unattainable. Competing in the 4-H Sci- Anna Brekke Museum Day Live! Saturday, Sept. ence of Agriculture Challenge with a focus on 23, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Enjoy a free visit water quality taught me about conservation and ignited my passion for sustain- to the Scott County Historical Society ability. Lastly, serving other youth as a Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador not only as part of Smithsonian Magazine’s taught me leadership and teamwork, but also the importance of giving back to this national “Museum Day Live!” organization that has given me so much. program. Get your free SCHS tickets As I continue college with a major in Sustainable Systems Management at at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/ the University of Minnesota, I am combining the passions that I have developed museumday/, then come on down for a through 4-H into a career: service, working with others, sustainability, science, and day of exhibits, make-and-take crafts, agriculture. Although I am sad to see my 4-H career end, I am also excited and and fun! prepared for the future. So after 14 years in this extraordinary program, here are my top three reasons to join 4-H: The diverse opportunities: Most extracurricular activities focus on one area. The Great War in Scott County -- This However, the dozens of projects offered by 4-H allows youth to determine their exhibit marks the 100th anniversary interests, passions, and strengths. of America’s entry into World War The combination of self-improvement and service: In 4-H, youth work to I. Explore the war’s impact on Scott better themselves through projects and events, but also work to give back to their County through the stories of those communities. This combination teaches 4-Hers confi dence and selfl essness at the who served abroad and those who same time. aided the effort from home. Exhibit The people: In 4-H, people of all ages work together towards a common goal: open through March 2018. Making the Best Better. The camaraderie in 4-H allows youth not only to build a valuable network for future careers, but also to build friendships that last a lifetime.

Juliana Ryburn I am grateful for the experiences 4-H gave me during my childhood and adolescent years. WWI Talk: Dennis Dvorak, New Growing up, I was a shy child and sought Prague Area Historical Society, Thursday, Sept. 28, 7 – 8 p.m. Guest friends that allowed me to be myself. 4-H Relax in the Stans Garden, every presenter Dennis Dvorak will discuss helped me develop authentic friendships and Friday from 12 noon to 1 p.m. through some of the fascinating WWI stories fi nd role models through many years of club Aug. 25. Take a break and enjoy some and items found in the New Prague meetings and activities. lovely local green space! Every Friday Area Historical Society’s collection. The silly camp songs and hands-on projects this summer, the SCHS will offer Light refreshments will be served. Free sparked my curiosity to look more into my spe- casual drop-in relaxation activities with museum admission: $4 per adult, cifi c interests. During the Scott County Fair, (cards, puzzles, board games, adult $2 per student, SCHS members free. I was able to discover and share my passions coloring, etc.) in the Stans Garden with the various projects I brought to the Fair. from 12 noon to 1 p.m., along with ice WWI Cemetery Tour, Saturday, Oct. For instance, my love for photography sprouted cold lemonade. during my early 4-H years. I found more con- 7, 10 - 11:30 a.m. Learn the stories fi dence in myself to pursue my interests, and I of Scott County WWI Veterans on a was not the very timid child any more. Juliana Ryburn special guided tour of St. Wenceslaus Ultimately, 4-H has given me a foundational sense of community that is still Cemetery in New Prague. Tour begins present today, which brings me back to 4-H as this summer’s Youth Development at the cemetery. Limited space; Intern for Scott County 4-H. Scott County 4-H has provided me an incredible op- registrations required. For ages 12 and portunity to learn about the importance of working with today’s youth of all back- up (under 18 must be accompanied by grounds. 4-H touched my life when I was young, and now as an intern, I am reliving adult). Cost: $5 per person. Register the value of 4-H to all Scott County 4-Hers. online at http://bit.ly/2vpnwdQ. I love meeting new kids and seeing the spark in their eyes when we do an activ- ity or learn a new skill. I also look forward to the Fair -- it is my favorite week of Scott County Crazy Quilters meet the the year! fourth Thursday of each month at 6 Juliana is a 4-H graduate and a senior at the University of Minnesota were she Former Shakopee Brewery p.m. All types of handcrafters, from is studying to be a teacher. As the summer intern for Scott County 4-H, Juliana is beginners to masters, are welcome. working closely with summer programing and County Fair prep. History Brewery Tour, Saturday, Aug. 19, 3 -5 p.m. Hop on a vintage bus and All Things Minnesota Book Club – tap into the fascinating history of Scott meets at 3 p.m. on the third Thursday County breweries. This one-of-a-kind of each month at SCHS. Looking for a few good youth tour takes us to Jordan and Shakopee brew pubs with a sneak peek into the Check the SCHS out on Facebook Scott County Youth Teaching Youth is seeking 9-12th graders who will historic Jordan Brewery building. remain tobacco, alcohol, and drug-free so they can serve as volunteer teach- at http://www.facebook.com/ Guided tour by SCHS Executive SCHSHistory and follow them on ers and mentors to younger students in our local schools.Training will be Director Kathleen Klehr. Cost: $30 provided to teach the following programs: Twitter @ScottCountyHist. Call per person; participants must be 21 (952) 445-0378, email info@ Character Counts Alcohol & Tobacco Decisions or older. Limited space; advance Internet Safety Building Up: Creating Community in the Classroom scottcountyhistory.org, or visit www. registration required. Register online scottcountyhistory.org for more For more information, contact Sara Wagner at the Extension Offi ce, (952) at http://bit.ly/2sRSLMX. A second 492-5388 or [email protected] information. The Scott County History Brewery Tour to Blakeley and Historical Society is located at 235 New Prague brew pubs will be held Fuller St. S. in Shakopee. Find Scott County’s home page at www.scottcountymn.gov August/September 2017 Scott County SCENE Page 15 Historical SCENE The story of America’s home-grown fashion By Amanda Roberts, SCHS Collections & Exhibits Intern There is an object on permanent display at the Scott County Historical Society. This piece of the collection greets visitors and researchers alike as they enter the library. The large, two-heddle loom sits adjacent to the microfilm machines, just out of the way of visitors. This piece of machinery is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to handmade clothing and homemade fashions. For the vast majority of human history, clothes were completely handmade. From shearing and pick- ing to spinning and weaving, the production of cloth and the clothing made of it were specialized fields. Textile work was the first sector to be mechanized during the first Industrial Revolution, since spinning thread and weaving cloth were among the most time- intensive tasks. This bridesmaid dress was handmade in 1945. Small items like booties were usually made out of fabric scraps. In the United States, mechanization began in Low- Appoline Glynn remembers the Depression quite ell, Massachusetts, though it quickly spread across the well, reminiscing that she “had a treadle sewing ma- 2 Victor Hilts and Patricia Hilts, “Not for Pioneers nation. By 1810, there were over twenty factories pro- chine and sewed up a storm recycling old coats [into] Only: The Story of Wisconsin’s Spinning Wheels,” The ducing woolen goods in New England alone.1 With booties for [her] children.”9 The handmade booties in Wisconsin Magazine of History 66, no. 1 (Autumn 1982): new access to manufactured cloth, many families -- the picture, part of the historical society’s collection, 3. especially in the north or along the eastern coast -- be- were likely made out of scraps, just as Glynn’s were.10 3 Maude Campbell, “Clothing Still Often gan to purchase fabric instead of making it themselves. A common source for patterned fabric was feed Homemade on Farms to Large Extent,” Yearbook of Handspinning and weaving were still commonplace sacks. The designs ranged from a gingham checker- Agriculture (1927): 184. along the frontier, however, and shortages of manufac- board to floral patterns in a variety of colors. Fran- 4 Sarah Gordon, “‘Boundless Possibilities’: Home tured cloth during the Civil War led many women to ces Brandl, a resident of Belle Plaine, remembers that Sewing and the Meanings of Women’s Domestic Work in again pick up the work of their grandmothers.2 “The sacks that flour and sugar came in were always the United States, 1890-1930,” Journal of Women’s History However, even after the necessity of the 1860s, treasured as yard goods to be bleached and made into 16, no. 2 (Summer 2004): 68. some women, especially in rural areas, continued to dish towels, bed sheets, pillow cases, and girls’ and 5 Art Dahle, “Hard Times of the Nineteen create their own clothing. In 1927, “Over 90 per cent ladies’ underwear. It took many washings before the Twenty’s,” As I Remember Scott County (1980), 17. [of families surveyed] gave lower cost as their reason lettering stamped in was finally, if ever, invisible. One 6 Appoline Glynn, “Depression Days,” As I for making clothing at home. More than 75 per cent only had to look at the girls’ bloomers billowing on the Remember Scott County (1980), 8. said that there is better material in homemade gar- washline to see if her mother used Seal of Minnesota 11 7 Frances Brandl, “Earliest Memories,” As I ments, over 50 per cent that the homemade garments or Gold Medal flour.” Remember Scott County (1980), 10. more nearly met their individual needs, and less than Even formal wear was sometimes homemade. 8 Skirt, 2003.058.0003, courtesy of the Scott 8 per cent that good stores for ready-made garments This bridesmaid dress pictured here was handmade in County Historical Society. 3 1945, when the shortages of WWII dictated the price are inaccessible.” Even when manufactured clothing 9 Glynn, 8. of clothing.12 A hundred years earlier, a woman would was available, many women still chose to sew clothes 10 Bootee, 1998.014.0027AB, courtesy of the Scott at home for their families. have dug out her spinning wheel in order to craft a new County Historical Society. It wasn’t just the grown women of the family who dress. Now, during the mid-twentieth century, enough 11 Brandl, 11. continued to craft homemade clothing. Historian fabric was readily available for new pieces to be craft- 12 Dress, 2005.031.0004, courtesy of the Scott Sarah Gordon describes the reasons a teenager might ed out of old or new pieces of cloth. still be making her own dresses well into the twentieth Handcrafting has continued to this day, passed County Historical Society. century: “Perhaps she did not have the cash to buy one down through esoteric hobbies like spinning and ready-made; it was an assignment for home economics weaving and more common ones such as sewing, knit- class; she wanted something unlike her friends’ outfits; ting, and crochet. Though factory-produced clothing or she enjoyed sewing. Most likely she made it for a has been increasingly affordable and accessible, it is combination of reasons.”4 comforting to know that the skills and work that went Within Scott County, making clothes by hand con- into creating homemade articles have not been entirely tinued for many of the same reasons. One Belle Plaine lost to the ages. resident recalled that “There were some real hard To learn more about this topic, visit or contact the times in the 1920s. Farmers couldn’t make ends meet Scott County Historical Society at 235 Fuller Street because prices were so cheap.”5 The solution was to South, Shakopee or online at www.scottcountyhistory. make clothes at home and reuse whatever was avail- org. able. “We recycled everything,” another Scott County resident remembered.6 (Endnotes) The reuse of old clothing into new was a commu- 1 David Jeremy, Transatlantic Industrial nity affair. At churches -- “the hub of social life for the Revolution: The Diffusion of Textile Technologies between local ladies” -- communal barrels were filled with old Britain and America, 1790-1830s (Cambridge, MA: The This skirt was handmade around 1920 and passed clothing: “coats, dresses, shirts, underwear, and what MIT Press, 1981), 126. have you.”7 Other community members could then down to several generations in one local family. take the used clothing to make new articles. Even if the clothing was heavily worn, it could still be used for quilts or rag rugs. Nothing was wasted. Reuse sometimes trickled down the family tree. The skirt pictured here, part of the SCHS collection, was handmade around 1920. The skirt is wool, with a faint green and purple check pattern. The pleats are made of a teal and brown striped fabric. Fashionable at the time, it was later worn by the maker’s daughter and granddaughter as well.8

This large, two-heddle loom is one of the SCHS artifacts and was important for making fabric. Page 16 Scott County SCENE August/September 2017 Find Scott County’s home page at www.scottcountymn.gov New online story map educates CH21 Downtown Prior Lake Reconstruction about watershed issues, projects Project design underway ESRI’s ArcGIS Story Maps: what are they? They Preliminary design are interactive online platforms that allow people to for the County tell stories using narratives, geographic information, Highway (CH) photos, videos, and more. Scott Watershed Manage- 21 Downtown ment Organization (SWMO) is pleased to present The Prior Lake Sand Creek Watershed Story Map. View the story map Reconstruction at https://gis.co.scott.mn.us/sandcreek/. Project is In this Story Map, you’ll learn: underway. The • What a watershed is; project includes • Where the Sand Creek Watershed is located; evaluating potential • Why the Sand Creek Watershed is a source of improvements for pollution to the Minnesota River; the CH 21 at Trunk • What the Watershed’s water quality issues are Highway (TH) 13, Main Avenue, Arcadia Avenue, and where they are located; and Duluth Avenue intersections. • What’s being done to clean the polluted waters, The TH 13/CH 21 intersection has been identi- and by whom (spoiler alert: our actions can fied for years as needing improvement due tomo- either contribute to the problems or become part An 80-foot tall eroded creek bank along Sand bility concerns, and has been studied multiple times of the solutions); and Creek needed to be stabilized. without an agreed-upon solution identified. The lack • What you can do to help keep our waters clean. of dedicated turn lanes on CH 21 creates inefficient operations, leading to traffic delays and back-ups that We invite you to learn how to become part of clean are only expected to worsen in the future. On CH 21, water solutions today. Together, we can do our part the closely spaced intersections of TH 13 and Main Avenue create additional challenges to safely and ef- to keep Scott County’s communities safe, healthy, and ficiently moving traffic through downtown. livable by adopting or installing practices that clean The project goals include: our water bodies. • Enhancing vehicle mobility • Safely accommodating all users These photos show an example of a spotlighted • Providing a comprehensive network for Capital Improvement Project (CIP) story featured in nonmotorized transportation that is compatible The Sand Creek Watershed Story Map. The first photo Conservation practices - including log jams, with the major transportation corridors shows stream bank erosion along the Sand Creek that erosion control blankets, and native vegetation - • Providing infrastructure improvements was over 80 feet tall. The second photo shows the were installed to stabilize the bank. compatible with the natural and human conservation practices installed to stabilize the same If you have installed a conservation practice that environment stream bank—log jams, erosion control blankets, and benefits water quality in the Sand Creek Watershed • Developing a financially responsible native vegetation. These practices are designed to and would like to showcase it, please contact Becky infrastructure implementation plan reinforce the stream bank and slow the water down, Groshens at (952) 496-8943 or [email protected]. • Preserving and enriching the character of reducing erosion. Check out the story map for more mn.us. We are looking for more Clean Water Champi- Downtown Prior Lake stories like this. ons to lead by example by sharing their stories. Those who were unable to attend the June 29 Open House on the project can review the presented materials and watch a short introductory video on the project website, www.movingforward13-21.com. Get buzzing with a Scott County bee group The second Open House will take place at the Are you curious about bees? Ever wonder what Who: Scott County bee hobbyists end of September/early October. All potential al- it takes to start a hive or provide a good habitat for What: Learning/sharing meetings ternatives will be on display and project staff will be bees? Come join a group of bee-curious people for Where: Prior Lake City Hall present to answer questions and listen to public input. All are encouraged to attend. Keep an eye on the proj- some informal learning and sharing sessions. Learn When: 6:30 p.m. on the third from each other, and share experiences and resources ect website and Facebook pages for updates. Tuesday of the month Want to weigh in on a few project topics to date? about bees and their honey. All levels of bee hobby- Next scheduled dates: August 15, Go to https://www.peakdemocracy.com/portals/165/ ists are welcome. For questions, contact Colleen Carl- September 19, October 17 forum_home and participate in a short survey or two. son, U of M Extension Educator, Scott County at (952) 492-5386.

Learn to can, freeze your food Embrace your “inner canner” with resources from the University of Min- nesota Extension. Many people enjoy having their own vegetable garden and fruit trees, and just as many people enjoy visiting their local farmers market, roadside stand, or orchard. “Put up” the bounty to enjoy throughout the year by reviewing the University of Minnesota food preservation mini modules. Topics include Jam and Jelly Basics; Pickling 101; Water Bath Method; Food Safety; Freezing Fruits and Vegetables; and Pressure Canning; along with preserving herbs, homemade jerky, and Dry It: You’ll like it. These updated mini modules are five to seven minutes long and are a great review to safe and proper food preservation methods. Gain confidence in your canning, freezing, preserving techniques… or try a new recipe at http://www. extension.umn.edu/food/food-safety/preserving/. If you have questions, or for more information, contact Colleen Carlson, University of Minnesota Extension Ag Educator, at (952) 492-5386.

Free “Stabilize your Shoreline” workshop offered this fall If wave action, ice heaves, and the lack of buffers along your shoreline are causing it to shrink, you can stop the de- struction. Come learn how to protect and stabilize the area between your lawn and your shoreline using a native buffer. In this workshop, you will also hear about financial assistance that is avail- able to help landowners stabilize their shorelines. The workshop will take place on Tuesday, October 24 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Prior Lake City Hall (4646 Dakota St SE, Prior Lake). The A restored shoreline. workshop is free, but registration is re- or call the Scott SWCD office at (952) quested. To register, visit scottswcd.org 492-5425.