Students at an Eagan school got the afternoon off yesterday due to a gas leak that was discovered near Faithful Shepherd Catholic School.

When Eagan police and fire personnel arrived at the school's parking lot around noon, it was discovered a natural gas line had been punctured. The entire school, which has 530 students, was evacuated for the rest of the day.

According to Eagan Fire Chief Mike Scott, the line was penetrated by tent stakes used during the school's annual Septemberfest function over the weekend.

Police and fire officials remained on the scene for several hours and the gas company confirmed the school was safe to occupy around 6 p.m. yesterday. Students returned to school today.



Two Lakeville women were awarded for their lifesaving efforts during last night's Lakeville City Council meeting. Officer Sandy Theony and Lakeville resident Karen Billings came to the rescue of Shane Johnson of Lakeville around 4 a.m. July 27, when his van went off the road and crashed into a tree near the intersection of Dodd Boulevard and 190th Street. Billings, who was driving by, stopped to drag Johnson away from the flames, and Theony pulled him up an embankment to safety.

For their efforts, Theony, an eight-year veteran on the force, was awarded a medal of merit. Billings was honored with an award of merit from Lakeville Police Chief Thomas Vonhof. In addition to their awards, they also earned something else - one man's gratitude. Johnson, who has three children, wrote a letter to Vonhof after the accident describing Theony as his "angel."

"She put her life in jeopardy for me, someone she didn't even know," Johnson wrote. "I feel she went well beyond the call of duty that morning, and without Officer Theony, I would not be here to tell my story."

In case you missed it Saturday, you can catch the episode of "America's Most Wanted" featuring an Apple Valley bank robbery and kidnapping online at amw.com.

The national TV program highlighting unsolved crimes included the September 2007 incident in which the son and mother of an Apple Valley TCF Bank employee were kidnapped from her Empire Township home in a plot to extort money.

The bank employee was instructed to take an undisclosed amount of money from the bank and leave it at an ice rink in Farmington. She complied and the hostages were released a short distance away at the Farmington District Kindergarten Center.

The Dakota County Sheriff's Office, working with Apple Valley Police and the FBI, have followed a number of leads but the case remains unsolved. "America's Most Wanted" flew Dakota County Sgt. Jim Rogers, the lead investigator on the case, to Washington, D.C., to assist with phone calls after the episode aired.

Your Weather Underground forecast for tonight is mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and lows 55 to 60. Wednesday will be partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers in the afternoon and highs around 75. Wednesday night will be partly cloudy with lows around 55.

Your Weather Underground forecast for tonight is mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and lows 55 to 60. Wednesday will be partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers in the afternoon and highs around 75. Wednesday night will be partly cloudy with lows around 55.