editorials

Look around your neighborhood and the numbers might surprise you. The food shelf at the Rosemount Family Resource Center serves 500 people a month. Farmington’s food shelf serves more than 1,200 per year. That’s a lot of need, even in communities where that need is not always...

This is an exciting week at Farmington High School. On Thursday, the Tiger wrestling team will compete at the state meet for the first time as a whole. On Friday, an impressive seven members of the team will return to the Xcel Energy Center to compete in the individual state tournament. Also...

When the federal government swooped into Rosemount 63 years ago to acquire land for its Gopher Ordnance Works, it threw hundreds of local lives into turmoil. Some farmers lost land that had been in the family for generations. They were forced to relocate family, livestock and equipment...

Change has been an ongoing theme in the Farmington School District lately. From the introduction of iPads into the classroom to the opening of a new school of choice, teachers and administrators have made a habit of trying new things to improve student learning. Farmington’s two...

There is a quote that stands out in this week’s edition of the Independent Town Pages. It’s in a story about a resident’s effort to have a mural built at Farmington’s Schmitz-Maki Arena, and it’s essence is that you might be surprised what you can accomplish if you’re...

Technology is making its way into all parts of the school day. In Farmington, students carry iPads with them nearly everywhere they go, and Rosemount schools are in the process of rolling out their own iPad initiative. Students do more and more work on computers or tablets and less...

There was plenty of talk online last week about the Farmington School District’s plan to go on as scheduled with its school day Jan. 7. Parents jumped on Facebook to wonder why the district hadn’t announced its decision Tuesday night, as many other districts did. Students turned...

Rosemount city officials have long argued it’s a matter of when, not if emerald ash borers shows up in local trees. Now, with the insect spotted in nearby Lebanon Hills Regional Park, it appears that arrival date is nearer than ever. Farmington and Rosemount have already started...

It’s not entirely accurate to say the start of a new year brings a clean slate in Farmington and Rosemount. There are projects started in 2014 that will continue or conclude in 2015. Groundwork already in place will pay off in a few weeks or a few months. But the arrival of 2015...

The Vermillion isn’t exactly a big river, but it is a big part of life in Farmington. The trout that live there draw fishermen from all over the Twin Cities. Its waters provide a scenic backdrop for a summertime stroll, or a quick, cooling dip. It is a habitat for fish and insects...

A few weeks ago we ran a letter to the editor that suggested Farmington High School take drastic steps to secure the future success of its football team. The writer wanted the school to cancel other fall sports. To give male students looking for an athletic outlet no choice but to...

The news that the Minnesota Department of Transportation is considering improvements in the near future for Highway 3 in southern Dakota County — reported on page nine of this week’s edition — should come as a relief to anyone who uses or lives near the road. Highway 3 has...

The economy is showing signs of improvement in Farmington and Rosemount. But there are still people struggling to make ends meet. For evidence of that, you need look no farther than the case of the man found dead recently in a railroad building near downtown Rosemount. By all accounts,...

We have seen plenty of evidence over the years that Farmington and Rosemount are caring communities. There are well-used food shelves in both cities to help people who are having a tough time. There are organizations that offer free community meals. Residents pull together to hold...

For the past few years, Farmington’s annual homecoming week has been pretty successful. This year, though, one incident could have damaged that reputation. Thankfully, it didn’t. The 2014 homecoming week started off on a great note. On the first day, Sept. 27, the Farmington...