Michelle Leonard
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Michelle Leonard joined the Woodbury Bulletin staff in November, 2014, after 14 years covering news for the Bulletin's sister publication, the Farmington Rosemount Independent Town Pages. Michelle earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications: News-Editorial from Mankato State University in 1991. She is an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary Clifford Larson Unit 189 of Farmington, and served as the 2014-15 Third District President to the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Minnesota. Michelle is also the volunteer coordinator for the Minnesota Newspaper Museum which is open annually during the Minnesota State Fair. She has earned Minnesota Newspaper Association awards in Investigative Reporting, Local News Coverage, Feature Photography and Column Writing.
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The fourth grade pod at Meadowview Elementary School seemed more like a golf course and less like a classroom space last week, as all 115 or so students were busy playing mini-golf. Give it a second look, though, it was evident quite a bit of learning was going on. The 20-hole mini golf course students had constructed was the culmination of a recent geometry lesson. In recent weeks, students learned about geometric concepts like parallel and perpendicular lines, angles and shapes like triangles, rhombus, squares and trapezoids.
Farmington police are looking for information on a shooting spree, of sorts, that happened in the early morning hours of Oct. 25. The gun in question is likely a BB gun, Farmington police detective sergeant Jim Murphy said. And while a BB pellets are not as lethal as bullets, several property owners still had to file property damage reports last week. Murphy estimates that at least six properties received damage after someone shot BB pellets at several car windows, causing those windows to shatter.
Had there been only one seat open on the Farmington City Council, watching Tuesday’s election results come in would have been a real nail-biter. As each precinct reported, incumbent Jason Bartholomay and candidate Tim Pitcher were always just a handful of votes apart, with Bartholomay just barely edging past Pitcher in most precincts. But there were two open seats on this year’s Farmington City Council ticket.
50 years ago From the Oct. 29, 1964 edition of the Dakota County Tribune Postmasters begin “zip” code on parcels The post office department has begun the Zip code distribution of all parcels. At the present time, the larger offices are distributing out going parcels by Zip code.
Farmington veterans, and the rest of the community, are invited to a free concert by the 451st Army Band on Nov. 8. Under the direction of CW4 Daniel Eckhoff and 1SG Cheryl Wason, the 451st Army Band performs a number of songs as a concert band and a stage band. The 451st Army Band has been doing free concerts at the host site, the Farmington High School recital hall, for more than five years. “They have a formal concert every year,” said FHS band instructor Jeff Gottwig. “When our building opened up, they decided to come here to do it.
I couldn’t figure out, early Tuesday morning, why my cell phone kept buzzing at me. The alarm was set, but it wasn’t 7 a.m. yet. Still, the doggone thing kept going off every few minutes. I picked up the phone. I opened my Facebook app. And then I figured out what the problem was. It was my birthday. And I was getting messages from friends and family. Now, that’s not a bad way to start the day at all. I especially enjoy that part of the whole birthday deal — getting all of those nice, cheerful birthday wishes from friends I’ve not seen in years.
When Farmington voters go to the polls next week, one familiar name will not be on the city council ballot. Christy Jo Fogarty, a 12-year member of the Farmington City Council, has chosen to step down from her seat. “I think 12 years is enough,” Fogarty said. “I get to leave the same way I came, being really honored to serve my community.” Thinking back, Fogarty said she first chose to run for city council not because she felt there was something that needed to be fixed or that she was unhappy with the way the city was run. Her decision came more out of her own feelings about the Sept.
Farmington’s 2014 Patriotic Day ceremony theme might be a bit unusual for these days, but the intent to honor all of Farmington’s veterans is still the same. In fact, this year’s event focuses Farmington’s earliest veterans. “This year Patriotic Day is honoring the community’s Civil War veterans,” event secretary Barb Pierce said.
It might have come on different letterhead, depending on which building their children attend, but by now, all of the families in the Farmington School District should have received a letter addressing bullying in the schools. The letter is a way to make parents aware that District 192 schools are all following the guidelines and regulations laid out in the new Safe and Supportive School Act, signed into law by Gov. Mark Dayton last April. North Trail Elementary School counselor Lisa Sammlar said the letter that was sent home with students and sent out through each school’s email system.
Farmington Elementary School staff were surprised last week, when a parent of one student brought a framed, retired Flag of the United States of America to the school. This particular flag was flown over a US Army base in Afghanistan where the parent, US Army Major Benjamin Owen, was stationed for the past year. Last school year, Major Owen was one of two deployed FES parents on the receiving end of a care package project conducted by the FES students. Every year, Farmington Elementary counselor Jen Venz works with a group of fifth grade students to come up with an idea for a community outr