Year in Review: A year for the record books in Apple Valley – ECM Publishers

2020 has been one for the record books for Apple Valley and its neighbors.

The year began with some of the typical annual activities like Mid-Winter Fest and the Frozen Apple Concert series along with the anticipation of others to come, like Freedom Days over the July 4 holiday.

But with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, Freedom Days, summer concerts and more never happened. Public buildings, schools, some businesses and public city pools closed. Some reopened with restrictions and closed again later. People have been encouraged to social distance, wear face coverings and take other precautions.

In the midst of the pandemic, stories of community members, businesses and others helping each other have emerged. Organizers got creative and changed the format of their events from in-person to virtual or scaled back on in-person activities. The city of Apple Valley grappled with how to use just over $4 million in federal coronavirus relief dollars for COVID-19-related expenses.

The community also experienced the sudden death of a parks and recreation leader, financial uncertainty for the Minnesota Zoo, social unrest related to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and two fatal shooting incidents.

Heres a recap of some of the news from the year.

COVID-19 response in Apple Valley

The pandemic affected all facets of government and peoples everyday lives. The city of Apple Valley, like many other governmental entities, moved from in-person meetings to holding public meetings virtually from March to June. Since the Municipal Center reopened during the summer, the city has held in-person meetings with the option for the public to comment virtually.

Apple Valley High School sophomore Sydney Hooppaw loads food into the back of a car during a May 4 food distribution hosted by The Open Door and Minnesota Valley Transit Authority at the Apple Valley Transit Station.

The City Council took other actions in an attempt to bring some relief to residents and businesses including waiving utility late fees, approving temporary beer and wine takeout sales and approving temporary outdoor service areas. The council also allocated $400,000 of the federal relief funding for a business relief grant program to help certain businesses with COVID-19 expenses.

The City Council and the Freedom Days committee decided to cancel the event because of COVID-19 concerns. The council also voted to close the Apple Valley Aquatic Center and Redwood Pool for the season.

The Apple Valley American Legion canceled its usual Memorial Day ceremony with members of the posts Color Guard/Honor Guard conducting honors for Memorial Day with a small, nonpublic ceremony. The Apple Valley Arts Foundation canceled its annual Music in Kelley Park concerts. One of the singers originally scheduled to perform later offered a virtual concert.

The city made several changes for the primary and general elections in 2020 due to COVID-19, including city officials responding to an influx of absentee ballots being cast. City Clerk Pam Gackstetter said over 50 percent of Apple Valleys registered voters requested an absentee ballot for the general election. Training for election judges was done virtually. The city implemented several safety measures including having judges wear masks and other protective equipment, erecting sneeze guard shields between voters and judges, using disposable secrecy sleeves and regularly sanitizing equipment.

Multiple local restaurants offered free meals to community members after schools were ordered to close in March because of the pandemic. The Free Book Buggie, a local nonprofit, worked with some of those restaurants to offer free books to residents during the free meal times.

Other examples of people helping each other include the property manager at the Legends of Apple Valley apartment complex starting a food pantry for its senior residents; an Apple Valley family putting up a Christmas lights display in their yard in April to offer residents free, distanced entertainment; and the Open Door Pantry partnering with the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and local schools to offer food distribution events to the broader community. There was also a birthday parade for a 12-year-old boy who collected food and cleaning products to help the community and a surprise car cruise to lift a terminally ill veterans spirits.

Minnesota Zoo affected by pandemic

The finances of the Apple Valley attraction have been affected by the pandemic. The zoo, a state agency, temporarily closed to the public from March 14 to July 19 in response to COVID-19. Even after it reopened the zoo operated at reduced capacity, offering a socially distant experience for visitors. It has been closed for a second time since Nov. 21.

The closures have led to the zoos revenue taking a hit. The zoo took several cost-cutting measures including a hiring freeze, staff reductions and delaying or canceling major projects.

The zoo receives one-third of its operating budget from state appropriations and the rest is generated through earned revenue and contributions.

Zoo officials told the newspaper in November the zoo earned $2.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020-21 (July to September), which is about 57% less than it earned in the same period last year. The zoos budget projected earned revenue of $18.3 million for the fiscal 2020-21 biennium compared to the pre-COVID estimate of $33.4 million. Based on this, the zoos outlook was about the same as it was over the summer: a $15 million revenue loss as anticipated at the start of the pandemic. On average, the zoos yearly general operating budget is approximately $28 million.

The zoo has received financial support through a $6 million appropriation from the state and a new drive-thru fundraiser called Beastly Boulevard. Other annual events that support the zoo including Beastly Bash and the Tiger Tracks 5K Walk, Run, and Roll were held virtually this year. A second new drive-thru fundraiser, Nature Illuminated, started Dec. 3 and runs through Jan. 17.

The zoo is continuing to move forward with some of its planned capital improvements. The bonding bill passed by the Legislature this year includes $13 million for the zoo, of which $11 million is allocated for the new Treetop Trail project and $2 million for asset preservation.

Zoo spokesman Zach Nugent has said the zoo anticipates a long-term recovery period and will continue to evaluate its ability to build back and redevelop staffing and programming opportunities. As a state agency its part of a statewide hiring freeze.

Changes in city leadership

Apple Valley Parks and Recreation Director Barry Bernstein died suddenly March 21. Bernstein had worked for the city since 2012.

Superintendent Mike Endres has been working as acting interim parks and recreation director since late March. Endres indicated his desire in August to return to his previous position by the end of the year.

The council hired Huelife to help with the search for a new parks and recreation director. After interviewing five finalist candidates in November, the City Council formally approved the hiring of Eric Carlson on Dec. 10. Carlson has been Inver Grove Heights parks and recreation director for over 13 years and will start his position in Apple Valley on Jan. 19.

The City Council will see a change in early 2021 as Apple Valley Mayor Mary Hamann-Roland resigns her position to take her new seat on the Dakota County Board of Commissioners. Hamann-Roland defeated incumbent Chris Gerlach for the seat during the general election.

The council is scheduled to discuss the process of filling Hamann-Rolands position during the Jan. 14 meeting.

Seven people filed to run for two City Council seats during the general election. Incumbents Ruth Grendahl and Tom Goodwin were reelected for another term. Grendahl has been on the council since 1997 and Goodwin has served since 1987.

Two apparent murder-suicide incidents occurred in the city.

On Feb. 22, police say Alexander Petrovich fatally shot his younger brother and mother before taking his own life. Alexander reportedly suffered from untreated health symptoms for most of his adult life.

Officers responded to the home owned by Janice Petrovich at 13640 Upper Elkwood Court at 12:18 p.m. Feb. 22, after a 911 caller found three people who had been shot inside the home.

Police found the bodies of two men and one woman, who were later identified by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner as Janice Petrovich, 60, and her sons, Alexander Petrovich, 27, and Jonathan Petrovich, 23. The manner of death was listed as homicide for Janice and Jonathan, and suicide for Alexander. The Police Department said it believes Alexanders mental health challenges likely contributed to the violence in the home.

According to the department, Janice, Alexander and Jonathan all lived at the home. Officers responded to the house for different calls but nothing involving violence. According to court records, Jonathan had a history of mental illness but similar records cannot be found for Alexander. Alexander had previous criminal convictions for dogs at large and fourth-degree criminal damage to property in Dakota County, as well as minor traffic infractions, court records show.

On Nov. 4, Raymond Ronald Rosenbaum, 51, was suspected by police of shooting two people before taking his own life. Rosenbaum died of a gunshot wound to the head on Nov. 4. Police believe Rosenbaum used a .40-caliber handgun to shoot 52-year-old Faye Elizabeth Brown, who died of a gunshot wound to the torso on Nov. 4 and a 56-year-old man who survived and was hospitalized. The three of them all lived at the Morningview condominium complex at 7600 157th Street W.

Apple Valley Police Capt. Nick Francis said while Brown called police multiple times in 2020 reporting that Rosenbaum was harassing her, Rosenbaum never committed any crimes.

Court records indicate Rosenbaum has no criminal history in Minnesota other than convictions for petty misdemeanor seatbelt and texting while driving violations in 2017 in Dakota County. Francis said the departments coordinated response team, which includes an officer and a mental health professional, reached out to Rosenbaum prior to the Nov. 4 incident but he did not accept any services.

Unrest filters into Dakota County

The violence, break-ins and looting from the riots in Minneapolis and St. Paul filtered into some parts of Dakota County following the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody on May 25.

The first three nights of protest in the Twin Cities left burned-out buildings, smashed-out windows and stores robbed.

The evening of May 28, West St. Paul police reported that 18 businesses were damaged and items stolen during quick strikes, and two men allegedly smashed windows to break into the Dakota Countys Western Service Center in Apple Valley in the early morning hours of May 29. Fire and significant water damage was done to the judges chambers and court areas.

Arrests were made in connection to both incidents, including charges in U.S. District Court against the Apple Valley suspects.

Fornandous Cortez Henderson was sentenced on Dec. 9 to six and a half years in prison for aiding and abetting arson in connection to the arson at the Western Service Center. He entered a guilty plea on Aug. 26 in U.S. District Court in St. Paul. Hendersons sentence also includes a three-year supervised release and an order to pay $205,873 in restitution.

According to Hendersons guilty plea and documents filed with the court, Henderson and Garrett Patrick Ziegler, co-defendant, constructed multiple Molotov cocktails, and in the early morning hours of May 29 broke multiple windows at the Western Service Center with baseball bats and threw in multiple, lit Molotov cocktails.

Some of these devices successfully ignited and caused the fire damage.

Henderson and Ziegler also attempted to start other fires at the Western Service Center by pouring ignitable liquids and throwing unlit Molotov cocktails in and around the broken windows, then attempting to start the fluids on fire.

The attack caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, according to a U.S. Attorneys Office. The Western Service Center houses state and local agencies and organizations, including Dakota County court facilities, as well as a U.S. Passport center.

Other incidents linked to the rioting were reported in Burnsville, Eagan, Inver Grove Heights and Mendota Heights, including some burglary and firearms charges.

A peaceful protest also took place on Cahill Road in Inver Grove Heights. Dakota County Sheriff Tim Leslie said an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew that was implemented May 29 through June 1 in Dakota County was effective in quelling potential lawlessness.

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Year in Review: A year for the record books in Apple Valley - ECM Publishers