The Minnesota Department of Transportation will temporarily close some Snelling Avenue travel lanes in both directions next week as it removes 34 trees between St. Clair and Grand avenues in St. Paul. The tree removal will run from Monday through Friday, Jan. 12.

The trees are being taken out to make room for road improvements next spring and summer, or because construction impacts to their root system will make it unlikely they’ll survive long-term, or they’re diseased or in poor condition, according to MnDOT. Snelling Avenue is a state highway — Minnesota 51 — in St. Paul.

State officials said they will reseed the area after construction and plant new boulevard trees in 2025.

Work next season will include resurfacing the half-mile of Snelling Avenue between St. Clair and Grand avenues, replacing the signal system at Snelling and St. Clair and building bump-outs and ADA-compliant crossings at all intersections between St. Clair and Grand avenues.

Construction, which is scheduled from spring through next August, also will involve reconfiguring Snelling Avenue between Montreal Avenue and Ford Parkway with a center median, reconstructing the traffic signal at Montreal Avenue and reducing traffic to one lane in each direction in that segment with dedicated left turns at the median breaks at Bohland Avenue and Saunders Avenue.

MnDOT also plans to remove street parking along Snelling between Montreal Avenue and Ford Parkway and add a new 10-foot multi-use trail on the east side of Snelling.

— Frederick Melo

Kreger will step down as school district leader

After six years at the helm of the state’s third-largest school district, Superintendent Mary Kreger announced Tuesday that this school year will be her last.

Under Kreger, District 196, which includes Rosemount, Apple Valley and Eagan, established an Equity and Inclusion Department, won voter approval for $493 million of facility improvements, approved an operating levy to provide funding to support students’ mental health and navigated challenges brought on by budget cuts and the pandemic.

Before taking over as superintendent in 2018, Kreger worked for 13 years as the district’s director of special education. Kreger’s 35 years in education have spanned Minneapolis, Lakeville, South Washington County Schools and District 196, according to a news release from the district. An Apple Valley resident, all three of her children graduated from District 196 schools.

“I look forward to reflecting on our many achievements together and the challenges we overcame in the past six years, but there will be time for that when I retire,” Kreger said in a message to the school board and district employees.

“Until then, I intend to continue actively leading the important work we are doing to implement a new literacy program and multi-tiered system of supports that will improve outcomes for students for many years to come,” Kreger said.

The school board will request proposals to assist in hiring Kreger’s successor before the end of this school year.

— Maraya King

County library system ending overdue fines

The Dakota County Library system will no longer charge customers who return items past their due date.

As of Jan. 2, there are no overdue fees on items for any age group and those who were previously blocked from checking out items can use the library once again, the county said in a news release.

The county is currently home to nine libraries, said Scott Wente, Dakota County communications specialist, and will add a 10th next month with the opening of the new Kaposia Library in South St. Paul.

In 2022, the county removed youth fines and as a result, “more items were checked out, more youth received library cards and items were returned at a similar rate,” according to the county.

Items should still be returned to the library by their due date and most items overdue by 42 days or more will be considered lost and billed to the account. Accounts with charges of $50 or more cannot check out items.

“Everyone, no matter their circumstances, should have access to library resources,” the release said.

— Maraya King

Peers elect Atkins as board chairman

Joe Atkins, who represents District 2 on the Dakota County Board of Commissioners, will serve as the board chair for 2024.

Elected on Tuesday by his fellow commissioners, Atkins said his hope for the county’s work in the upcoming year is to reflect the Dakota language word Wódakota, which describes the Dakota way of life and symbolizes respect, courtesy, humility and compassion, according to a county news release.

Atkins, who succeeded Commissioner Liz Workman, has served on the board since 2017. Commissioner Mike Slavik, who represents District 1, was elected vice chair.

Priorities highlighted by Atkins for 2024 include social service improvements, the opening of the Kaposia Library in South St. Paul, transportation safety projects, improvements to the Lake Byllesby Dam and the board’s strategic policy issues of housing, economic development and county finances.

The county will celebrate its 175th anniversary this year and Atkins said such milestones are a reason to pause, look back and think about the future.

— Maraya King

Affordable apartment project advances

Development company Schafer Richardson is moving forward with an affordable housing complex in Rosemount.

The Minneapolis-based developer announced the completed acquisition and financing for a 164-unit affordable housing complex, called Croft at Rosecott, that will sit at the intersection of Akron Avenue and Connemara Trail in Rosemount.

Of the 164 units, 25 will be set aside for households at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income and the remaining units will be available for those earning no more than 60 percent of the AMI, according to the developer. The median household income for Rosemount was $127,252 in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Designed by Minneapolis’ UrbanWorks Architecture, the four-story building will have one, two and three-bedroom units, a club room, multi-purpose space, work-from-home space, a fitness center, a kids zone and a teen lounge.

Funding for the project, which will be constructed by Bauer Design Build, came from the Dakota County Community Development Agency, Colliers Securities, Huntington Community Development Corp. and the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund.

Construction will begin this month with summer 2025 occupancy.

— Maraya King

Charges: Man killed wife with kids present

A rural Dassel man who last week surrendered himself to law enforcement at his central Minnesota home after reporting that he shot his wife is now charged in the homicide, alleged to have been witnessed by their two children, ages 8 and 11.

Bryan William Demarais, 35, made his first court appearance Tuesday in Meeker County District Court on a second-degree murder charge and two felony counts of child endangerment.

The Dec. 28 death of his wife, Kayla Demarais, 29, was ruled a homicide resulting from multiple gunshot wounds.

According to the criminal complaint, Bryan Demarais suspected his wife was having an affair and was arguing with her about his suspicions as well as the couple’s financial difficulties.

A search of the residence in the 22000 block of 713th Avenue yielded multiple .22-caliber rounds near Kayla Demarais’ body in the living room.

Neither child was physically harmed, and the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office said they have been placed in protective custody.

– Forum News Service