St. Joseph Newsleader – Sept. 25, 2015 by The Newsleaders

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Newsleader St. Joseph

Friday, Sept. 25, 2015 Volume 26, Issue 38 Est. 1989

Town Crier

Millstream Arts Festival set Sunday in St. Joseph

Millstream Arts Festival will be held from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27 in downtown St. Joseph. Experience more than 60 juried artists and authors, live music, fantastic foods, children’s art, historical exhibits, trolley rides, street performances and much more. Even get holiday shopping done – art is the perfect gift for the person who has everything.

YMCA throws event, groundbreaking Sept. 26

Come celebrate the new St. Cloud and YMCA Community and Aquatic Center groundbreaking family event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 at Whitney Park, 1527 Northway Drive, St. Cloud. Fun for all ages includes inflatables, AirMaxx Launch Pad, face painting, Kids Zumba, clowns and more.

St. Scholastica Convent hosts walk-in interviews Sept. 30

St. Scholastica Convent is hosting walk-in interviews from 1-7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 at St. Scholastica Convent, 1845 20th Ave. SE, St. Cloud. The convent is hiring for various part-time positions, with many shift times available. St. Scholastica Convent is an assisted-living community for Benedictine Sisters located on the southeast side of St. Cloud. Call to set up an interview time at 320-251-2225.

Postal Patron

Council takes next step toward government center by Logan Gruber operations@thenewsleaders.com

While the planning process isn’t complete yet, the St. Joseph City Council is moving to the next step on the plans for a government center between Colts Academy and College Avenue. “The original plan was to take the site plan we had in 2013-14 and do minimum changes to fit it on the Colts site,” Mayor Rick Schulz said. The site is still being surveyed and the layout may change slightly, but the images you see with this story will be the basic layout of a new government center, which is planned to be connected to the community center in the Colts Academy building. With the council moving forward, Hagemeister and Mack Architects Inc. will start to prepare plans at a cost of no more than $20,000. If everything goes smoothly, the plans will be ready so the project can be bid out by the city council in January or February, which is the prime bidding season. The city plans to close on the Colts Academy purchase today, Sept. 25. Open houses should be set in the near future.

POLICE OFFICES

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image courtesy of the city of St. Joseph

This is a close-up view of the possible government center layout, between Colts Academy and College Avenue.

Ulik pleads guilty to April hit-and-run by Logan Gruber operations@thenewsleaders.com

On Sept. 18, Jeremy Ulik pleaded guilty to the hit-andrun crash which killed 5-yearold Cody Nuckolls on April 13. Ulik, 32, was charged with two counts of failing to stop at a collision causing injury

or death. He p l e a d e d guilty to one of the two counts in exchange for receiving no more than 75 days in jail Ulik and the dropping of the other

charge. “It was very emotionally exhausting all week leading up to the hearing,” said William “Ryan” Nuckolls, Cody’s father, during a St. Joseph Newsleader interview. Nuckolls said reliving the incident is tough. “I still believe it was an

accident, up until the point he drove away,” Nuckolls said. At the hearing, Nuckolls said he wasn’t sure if Ulik was remorseful. He said he may have been, but it didn’t really show on his face. He added that by the time the hearing was done, they Guilty • page 4

Millstream Arts Festival features Poff drawings

Hydrant flushing set Sept. 29-Oct. 2

The Public Works Department will flush fire hydrants TuesdayFriday, Sept. 29-Oct. 2. During this maintenance process, property owners may experience discolored water and pressure differentials. It’s not uncommon to see discoloration after the fire hydrants are flushed in your area. If you notice discoloration, please bypass your water softener and open all your cold water faucets in the home. After the water clears up in a short period of time, shut all faucets off and put the water softener back in service. Maintenance staff flush the fire hydrants spring and fall of each calendar year. Flushing of hydrants helps remove stale water and natural sediment from the system. During this process fire hydrants are exercised to help ensure the proper operation for emergency use.

POLICE GARAGE

SALLY PORT

by Logan Gruber operations@thenewsleaders.com

contributed images

Above: This watercolor, titled Sagatagan Afternoon, captures the Stella Maris Chapel on Lake Sagatagan at St. John’s University. Below: This watercolor, titled Deadly Beauty, captures the deadly Amanita mushroom. In his description of this painting, Poff recalls hunting for mushrooms in the woods near his home in 2006.

Jim Poff is entering his third year at the Millstream Arts Festival and his first year of retirePoff ment. Poff was a biology professor at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University for a number of years. “A lot of my students know me as a biology professor . . . it’s kind of fun to show them this side of me,” Poff said. Poff’s art is both drawings and water-color paintings. One might wonder how biology plays into his artistry, but Poff taught a class on biological illustrations, which are used to demonstrate the

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anatomy of a living thing, distinguish between species and other uses. While he has been drawing his whole life, he didn’t start painting until about 15 years ago. He said several pieces he will display at the festival this year will be influenced by his time chaperoning a study abroad trip to Greece and Italy in his final year at CSB/SJU. Poff said he sees lots of alumni and students at the festival every year, but his favorite part of the festival is checking out the musicians, as well as the potters like Joel Cherrico. “It’s fun to see people come back year after year, and see how they and their art change,” Poff said. Poff tries to be in his booth for the entirety of the festival. He said, if someone makes a Festival • page 3

St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

Fall clean-up scheduled for Oct. 1, 8 and 10 Customers who are enrolled in the city refuse program can place additional refuse on the curbside for collection at no extra charge by 6 a.m. on Thursdays, Oct. 1 and 8. Items

which cannot be placed for collection include but are not limited to: appliances, tires, pollutants, yard waste, computer monitors and televisions. On Oct. 10, the city will hold

an appliance and electronic collection in the city offices parking lot, at 25 College Ave. N. This is limited to any combination of two appliances or electronic items per household.

People The College of St. Benedict was recently ranked 97 among the top 150 best colleges for your money nationwide by College Factual, a trusted resource out of Troy, New York, that uses customizable tools and outcomes-based rankings systems to guide students through the college selection process. In addition to CSB’s ranking as an institution delivering top value for your educational dollar, the school was also ranked well in several other categories. All of these reflect the college’s high quality of education as compared to other schools on the list, which includes both research universities and liberal arts colleges. A number of outcomes-based factors were used to determine these rankings, including how well the institution retains and graduates students, the

average loan debt per student, the boost in expected earnings, the percentage of full-time teachers and the average student-loan-default rate. These rankings include the following: Highest paid grads in psychology - No. 9 or 903; and most focused for English language and literature- No. 14 of 1,347. You can view all of CSB’s rankings at www.collegefactual.com/ colleges/college-of-saint-benedict/ rankings/badges/. “We publish a variety of college rankings to get students and parents focused on key factors they need to consider when choosing a school,” says Bill Phelan, CEO of College Factual. “How long it will it take you to graduate – four or six years? What will your expected earnings be, and how does that

compare? What’s the risk of student-loan default? These are tough questions any prospective student should be asking and we highlight these factors throughout our ranking process.” With a focus on providing sought-after data and unique decision-making tools, College Factual puts the college rankings process in the hands of students and parents and not those of institutions or national publications. College Factual’s ranking system is based on a series of algorithms that include information from the Department of Education, nationally mandated data reporting for institutions, and Payscale. For more information about College Factual’s rankings, visit www.collegefactual.com or contact media@collegefactual.com.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY AUTO BODY REPAIR Auto Body 2000

(behind Coborn’s in the Industrial Park)

St. Joseph • 320-363-1116

BEAUTY Mary Kay Cosmetics Joyce Barnes St. Joseph • 320-251-8989

DENTISTRY Drs. Styles, Cotton & Milbert 1514 E. Minnesota St. St. Joseph • 320-363-7729

MASSAGE Alexander Method Massage Coin Laundromat Complex, Ste. 3 St. Joseph • 320-249-2531

Laser Dentistry 26 2nd Ave. NW St. Joseph • 320-363-4468

Justina Massage Young Living Distributor 33 W. Minnesota St., Ste. 102 St. Joseph • 320-492-6035

CHIROPRACTOR Dr. Jerry Wetterling College Ave. • 320-363-4573 jlwchiro.com

ELECTRICAL HI-TEC Electric • St. Joseph Residential • Commercial Remodeling • General Services 320-363-8808 • 320-980-0514

CHURCHES Gateway Church - St. Joseph Saturdays at 7 p.m. • Heritage Hall 320-282-2262 • gatewaystjoseph.org

EYECARE Russell Eyecare & Associates 15 E. Minnesota St., Ste. 107 St. Joseph • 320-433-4326

PUBLISHING Von Meyer Publishing 32 1st Ave. NW St. Joseph • 320-363-7741

610 N. CR 2, St. Joseph 320-363-4232 www.rlcstjoe.com

YOUR INDUSTRY Your Business Address City • Phone • Website

REAL ESTATE Wendy Loso Century 21 First Realty Inc. 320-980-5920

St. Joseph Catholic Church

Call the

TECHNOLOGY Computer Repair Unlimited 24 W. Birch St. St. Joseph • 320-492-2814 www.computerrepairunlimited.com

Resurrection Lutheran, ELCA

Sunday Worship 8:30 & 11 a.m. WoW! (Worship on Wednesday) 6:30 p.m.

Masses: Tuesday-Friday 8 a.m. Saturday 5 p.m. Sunday 8 & 10 a.m.

St. Joseph • 320-363-7505 www.churchstjoseph.org

St. Joseph Newsleader at 320-363-7741

if you would like to be in the Business Directory.

Friday, Sept. 25, 2015

Blotter

for training.

If you have a tip concerning a crime, call the St. Joseph Police Department at 320-363-8250 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 320255-1301 or access its tip site at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for crimes.

Sept. 10 1:36 p.m. Trespassing. Iverson Street W. The manager of an apartment complex gave notice to police of two individuals who are now considered trespassers. 10:01 p.m. Theft. CR 138. While investigating a theft, an officer found the suspected vehicle outside of a home. Inside the home, the officer found a male with a felony warrant. The male was arrested and transported to jail.

Sept. 7 11:11 a.m. Theft. College Avenue S. Sometime in the past few weeks a 6-gallon red plastic gas tank went missing from a resident’s boat. There are no suspects. The tank is valued at $25.

Sept. 11 5:44 p.m. Animal complaint. College Avenue N. Officers responded to a call of a stray dog, without tags or a collar. The officer took the female black lab to a local animal shelter. 10:56 p.m. Intoxicated person. First Avenue NW/Elm Street W. A female had a warrant for her arrest and wanted to turn herself in. Police identified her and took her to jail.

Sept. 8 12:27 a.m. Medical. 10th Avenue SE. A male was having a severe headache caused by an ear infection. He was transported to the hospital by Gold Cross Ambulance. 11:14 p.m. Loud music. Morningside Loop. Upon arrival, police could not hear any noise coming from the garage, but did while driving past. Police made contact with the resident, who agreed to turn the music off. Sept. 9 2:32 a.m. Fake ID. Minnesota Street W. Several fake drivers’ licenses, along with real ones, were given to police from a local bar. The real licenses were released back to the owners, while the fake ones were given to the bar to use

Sept. 12 2:20 a.m. Motorist assist. CR 75/Old Hwy 52. A driver had a flat tire. Police provided emergency lights for safety. 4:23 p.m. Medical. College Avenue S. A male was having severe back pain. Police administered oxygen until the St. Joseph Fire Department and Gold Cross Ambulance arrived. The male was transported to the hospital.

In the Sept. 18 St. Joseph Newsleader, a story entitled "Dog Park meeting set Sept. 28 in St. Joseph" inadvertently stated the St. Joseph City Council will discuss and hear comments about locations for a

possible dog park at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28 at City Hall. Actually, the meeting will be held at 6 p.m., and it will be the St. Joseph Park Board who will hold the hearing.

Correction

Cedar Street Salon & Spa

PLUMBING & HEATING St. Joseph Plumbing, Heating & Irrigation St. Joseph • 320-363-7224

Free Brow Wax w/haircut purchase Valid Sept. 28-Oct. 3

320-363-0200

Business Hours: Monday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday 8 a.m.-6 p.m. • Saturday 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

235 E. Cedar St. • St. Joseph • www.cedarstreetsalonandspa.com

Guess who’s turning

55 Oct. 2?

Published each Friday by Von Meyer Publishing Inc. Publisher/Owner Janelle Von Pinnon Editor: Dennis Dalman Admin. Assistant Cady Sehnert

Newsstands Casey’s General Store Coborn’s

Holiday Kay’s Kitchen

Local Blend St. Joseph Meat Market St. Joseph Newsleader Office SuperAmerica

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Operations Manager Logan Gruber Contributing Writers Cori Hilsgen Steven Wright

Production Manager Tara Wiese Delivery Bruce Probach Greg Hartung

Newsleader staff members have the responsibility to report news fairly and accurately and are accountable to the public. Readers who feel we’ve fallen short of these standards are urged to call the Newsleader office at 363-7741. If matters cannot be resolved locally, readers are encouraged to take complaints to the Minnesota News Council, an independent agency designed to improve relationships between the public and the media and resolve conflicts. The council office may be reached at 612-341-9357.

P.O. Box 324 • 32 1st Ave. N.W. • St. Joseph, Minn. 56374 Phone: (320) 363-7741 • Fax: (320) 363-4195 • E-mail: news@thenewsleaders.com POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ST. JOSEPH NEWSLEADER, P.O. Box 324, St. Joseph, MN 56374.

Friday, Sept. 25, 2015

St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

Festival from front page photo by Logan Gruber

The mayor and council members work on a compromise regarding the 2016 budget at the Sept. 21 city council meeting. Pictured (from left to right) are the following: council member Dale Wick, Mayor Rick Schulz, council members Matt Killam and Bob Loso. Council member Renee Symanietz was not present at the meeting.

Council reaches compromise on city budget by Logan Gruber operations@thenewsleaders.com

The city council finished its preliminary budget on time during their Sept. 21 meeting by compromising and finding a way to reduce the budget by approximately $55,000, or just under 2 percent. Renee Symanietz was the only council member not in attendance at the meeting. The council received a presentation on the first draft of the budget at the Aug. 17 meeting and the second draft on Aug. 31; Sept. 21 was the final day the budget could be raised. The 2016 budget can only be lowered from this point on. Discussion was lively about the cost to hire a community development director – with a salary of between $55,620-75,692, not including benefits – and whether it’s truly worth it. The Economic Development Authority is currently served by a contractor who is hired one-day-per-week at a cost of around $30,000 per year. Cynthia Smith-Strack, the current contractor, has resigned her position for 2016. Council member Loso felt a replacement wasn’t needed, and that anything current staff

couldn’t handle could be hired out to SEH or some other firm to do on an as-needed basis. “Even if we hired someone, I don’t think it’s enough work for a full-time position. And we can’t afford it,” Loso said. “But right now you’re just telling us to cut it, and you don’t know what it will cost [to hire it out],” council member Dale Wick said. “It’s bad timing,” council member Matt Killam said. “I can’t support [hiring a community development director] at this time, but maybe we could budget it to start in October.” A compromise was eventually reached to not cut the community development director position at this time, but to research what it would cost to hire out the role on an as-needed basis as Loso suggested. The council also agreed to find a way to lower the budget by around 2.5 percent, instead of the 5 percent Loso originally wanted. To make the $55,000 or about 2-percent cut, the city council and staff were able to settle on $5,000 being cut from the Greater St. Cloud Development Corp. fund, $2,500 which was budgeted for an Economic Development

St. John’s Parish Center Collegeville Take-out available!

German Buffet and Silent Auction Fundraiser Friday, Oct. 2 from 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Live Music by Nathan Neuman of Nathan’s Oldtime Band!

German Buffet including: country-style ribs and kraut, St. Joseph Meat Market sausage, German potato salad, beans, dinner roll, pickled beets, rhubarb/ apple crisp, coffee or water.

Tickets will be sold at the door Adults: $10 Children (ages 5-10): $5

Authority intern, $26,000 which would have been used to hire an extra police officer if a federal grant had come in, which it did not, and the rest from the police, administrative and public-works capital-improvement plans. A truth-in-taxation hearing is set for 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7 at the city council chambers.

special trip there just to see him, he wouldn’t want to disappoint. To see more of Jim Poff’s art, head to www.mnartists. org/user/8770.

Festival

Millstream Arts Festival in downtown St. Joseph is an outdoor art show which is held annually from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on the last Sunday in September, rain or shine. The festival always has a large array of visual art, music, dance, hands-on art activities for children and great food. This year, 59 artists will

3 be at the festival, including 17 new and 42 returning. St. Joseph has contributed three artists to the festival, including: Mary Bruno, printmaking; Joel Cherrico, ceramics; and Poff’s paintings/drawings. Musicians will be on stage during the festival and additional performers will be in the street, including cloggers and street artists. Other activities include horse-drawn trolley rides, a children’s art area, history tours of the Art and Heritage Place at St. Benedict’s Monastery and of the St. Joseph Area Historical Society along with a vintage car-andtractor show. For more information on the festival, head to www. millstreamartsfestival.org.

St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

Friday, Sept. 25, 2015

A READERS’ GUIDE TO THE

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SportsCenter will be at Clemens Stadium on St. John’s University campus for the Johnnie-Tommie game Saturday, Sept. 26.

SportsCenter comes to Johnnie-Tommie game by Logan Gruber operations@thenewsleaders.com

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ESPN’s “SportsCenter on the Road” is already in Collegeville, setting up for Saturday’s football game between St. John’s University and the University of St. Thomas. While the game itself won’t be broadcast on national television, SportsCenter will air the pre-game show from 6-8 a.m. at Clemens Stadium at SJU. According to a press release from the university, attendance at the broadcast is free and open to the public. One-way bus service will be provided beginning at 5 a.m. from the Gorecki Dining and Conference Center on the campus of the College of St. Benedict to take fans to SJU. Clemens Stadium gates open at 5 a.m. Fans are encouraged to wear CSB/SJU attire to the broadcast.

Kwik Trip coming to El Paso location by Logan Gruber operations@thenewsleaders.com

Kwik Trip plans to expand into St. Joseph after a recent spate of announcements regarding St. Cloud area properties. According to St. Joseph City Administrator Judy Weyrens, the planning commission will consider a special use/variance and platting during the Oct. 12 meeting for the development.

8 1. By clicking on the Business Directory you can view a listing of businesses containing phone numbers, addresses and links to their websites. 2. Each respective area name will take you to a listing of stories relating to that area, while Events, Opinion and Notices have drop-down menus with multiple options. Extra Extras are bits of information which are generally exclusive to the website. 3. Click on any of these stories to see what the top news was for the week in our five communities. 4. These three upper buttons will open up the paper as if you had it in your hands. Flip left and right by clicking the arrows on either side. The black archive button will take you to a list of all our publications for the last three years.

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All on-campus parking lots will be open to the public. Once they are filled, attendees will be shuttled to the inner campus, similar to home football games. Once the broadcast is finished, the stadium will need to empty and ticket booths will then open at 8 a.m., with gates opening at 10 a.m., for the 1 p.m. game. “Our football program is excited to have ESPN’s SportsCenter on the Road on our campus Saturday,” SJU head football coach Gary Fasching said in a statement. “We are proud of our university, our campus and the great tradition of our football program. This event will give the country a chance to see what is so special about Saint John’s.” SportsCenter has tapped some students from CSB/SJU to be on-site production assistants. The show will construct its sets today.

were through a box-and-a-half of tissues. “We’re doing OK though,” Nuckolls added. “We’re moving forward, in a positive direction.” Cody was struck by Ulik’s vehicle on April 13 while Cody’s mother, Lorraine Hipp, waited across the street for his sister to get off of a school bus.

Shingobee Builders, based out of Loretto, purchased El Paso and is reselling the space to Kwik Trip. El Paso will closing Sept. 26 after 70 years in business. The bar and grill is at 200 Second Ave. NW. The building will eventually be knocked down. This would be the fifth Kwik Trip store in the greater St. Cloud area. Kwik Trip plans to open two stores in St. Cloud, one in Waite Park and another in Sartell. Cody was declared dead at the hospital. Police used video from the school bus to identify the Nuckolls vehicle. Ulik told police he knew he had hit Cody, but believed he was OK because he saw him standing as he drove away. Ulik has been scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 12.

St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

Friday, Sept. 25, 2015

Some residents take issue with dog park location by Logan Gruber operations@thenewsleaders.com

Dan Streit isn’t too interested in having a dog park in his backyard, and neither are some of his neighbors. “We’ve lived here for 21 years, and had a gentleman’s agreement with the city that we could use the space,” Streit said. He and his family have planted trees and flowers and even mow their yard which extends onto city land – city land which is within the boundaries of what may become a dog park. Streit first realized something might be happening when red stakes appeared on his lawn. “I came home from work one day, and they had staked

out where the edge of the city land was,” Streit said, which is about halfway up the yard space he currently uses. Streit and others are worried a fence will be put up basically in their backyards, and that dogs will be present in a wooded area where wildlife live and neighbors go for walks or use ATVs and snowmobiles. “We don’t plan to fence in the whole plot,” said MaryBeth Munden, a main proponent of the dog park. Munden said it would be prohibitively expensive to fence in the whole area. She also said the dog park likely would not cross any of the drainage ditches and so would be set back from anyone’s backyards, at least for the time being. Streit said he hadn’t heard

the group didn’t plan to fence the entire area. Everything he had heard indicated they wished to fence off the whole area. Streit also says he and others he has talked to aren’t against the idea of a dog park; they just don’t want one in their backyard, especially if it means cutting down trees and scaring away wildlife. “We’ll need to clear some land for shelter, tables and other reasons, but dogs love variety in landscape. Dogs love trees and hills,” Munden said. If you’d like to have your voice heard about the dog park or just learn more about it, the St. Joseph Park Board will discuss and hear comments about it at the 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28 meeting at City Hall, 25 College Ave. N.

photo by Logan Gruber

Dan Streit gestures to the high-water line on some trees in the area desired for a dog park. Streit says due to the three drainage ditches in the area, a lot of the land floods in the spring.

Student spotlight: Take time to understand others by Cori Hilsgen news@thenewsleaders.com

24, and Ted, 20 – and one sister Mary, 22.

Kate Bechtold said she believes people should take time to get to know and understand one another instead of thinking they know others and then label them and/or put them in categories they think others fit into. Becthold, a senior at Cathedral High School, is the daughter of Pat and Bruce Bechtold. She has two brothers – Sam,

Fun Facts about Bechtold

Favorite subject: “My favorite subject is English because I really enjoy reading and being able to express myself through writing,” Bechtold said. Activities she is involved with: Bechtold plays volleyball and softball, is a member of the CHS Optimist Club and

contributed photo

Kate Bechtold is a senior at Cathedral High School. She wants to study abroad and hopes to spend a lot of time traveling.

Johnnie football draws crowds

photos by Cori Hilsgen

Sunny, 60-degree temperatures encouraged people to visit downtown St. Joseph Sept. 12. Pictured are St. Joseph Lion’s Club brat-sale customers in front of the St. Joseph Meat Market before the St. John’s University vs. Beuna Vista University football game. Others visited local parks, playgrounds and businesses.

CRAFT-VENDOR SALE Saturday, Oct. 3 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. VFW 4847 104 Franklin E., St. Cloud (off Hwy. 10)

Additional shows Nov. 7 & Dec. 5 Watch for future ads.

REAL ESTATE PLAT BOOKS with 911 addresses, legal descriptions. Stearns County. Other counties available by order. Available at the Newsleaders, 32 1st Ave. NW, St. Joseph. Regular price $40; $30 spiral bound. NO REFUNDS. tfn-f

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helped co-found the Cathedral Ice Cream Social Club, a group for juniors and seniors to meet to socialize and enjoy ice cream together. She also volunteered at the St. Cloud Children’s Home through the Special Friends program, where she spent time weekly with a friend, assigned her through the program. Favorite leisure activity: “I spend a lot of time listening to music, watching Netflix or hanging out with my friends,” Bechtold said. Favorite movie: “The Breakfast Club”

“I like the message it shows of how you can’t put labels on people and assume you know them,” Bechtold said. “You may find you have a lot in common with someone you never took the chance to know before.” Favorite music: “I have a pretty wide range of tastes in music,” Bechtold said. “I listen to a lot of Indie pop/rock or alternative types of music. I really enjoy Mumford and Sons because their music always makes me feel good, and Ed Sheeran because he can take an ordinary sentence and Spotlight • back page

St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

Our View

Why does dog park raise red flags? Several concerns have surfaced from residents neighboring the proposed 5-acre dog park planned near the Wobegon trailhead. The main consensus seems to be “not in my backyard.” Though some valid points have been raised, none seem to be cause for alarm or extreme opposition. The two residents’ opinions (featured in one of this week’s articles and a letter to the editor) seem rather weak. The main points they make are as follows: • Residences bordering the proposed site will not have use of the land. • Dogs will be present in a wooded area where wildlife live and neighbors go for walks or use ATVs and snowmobiles. • The assumption a dog park would mean cutting down trees. • The land is currently being used for drainage. • Expenses for adding a freshwater source, fencing, adequate lighting, additional parking, stairs and/or a ramp for handicapped accessibility and cleaning would be costly. • Lack of parking would deter visitors and affect the local economy. A few of these issues can be addressed as follows: the city land will be available to all residents, not just a few; the noise and movement of ATVs and snowmobiles is no better or worse for wildlife than a few dogs barking at any given time; the land may still be used for drainage; there’s no reason to cut down trees to add a dog park – many dog owners and their dogs go to dog parks to enjoy trees as much as space; and adding a dog park could potentially boost the economy. St. Joseph is growing and with its growth comes more pet owners. According to humanesociety.org, pet ownership in the United States has more than tripled from the 1970s with 62 percent of American households now owning at least one pet. While some pet owners have yards, some yards may not be adequate or safe for pets. And more and more landlords and property management companies are relaxing rules to allow for pets, though most still require an extra damage deposit to house Fido or Fifi. The most valid reasons not to create a dog park in the proposed location include pet owner and pet safety, costs and parking issues. But a little imagination, fundraising and some sweat equity would go a long way toward accomplishing the goal. In the past, St. Joseph residents and businesses have worked together to accomplish what some deemed “nearly impossible” – a new fire hall; beautifying downtown with lighting, benches and flower baskets; and building a Wobegon trailhead center, to name just a few. Either way residents choose to look at it, voice your opinion during the Park Board meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28 at City Hall, 25 College Ave. N.

Friday, Sept. 25, 2015

Opinion Compassion must be tempered by realism Compassion, the ability to feel sympathy with someone else, is perhaps the most crucial human quality of all, but sometimes, sad to say, it can bring unintended consequences. And that is what is happening right now in Europe. Wave upon wave of immigrants is surging into Europe, too many – far too many – for those countries to handle. There is no doubt the problem will become even worse in the next decade or two, if not sooner – to the point of social, economic and political catastrophes. Images like the one of the little boy, drowned, washed up on shore, can melt even the stoniest heart. It is horrifying to see and to read about the anguish, pain and longsuffering desperation of those immigrants from chaos. Most, apparently, are Syrians fleeing the vicious situations in that blooddrenched country, ripped apart by civil war and a barbaric ISIS rampage against civilians who happen to be so-called infidels, such as Christians. To stay in Syria is to risk one’s life hour by hour as barrel bombs fall on neighborhoods or marketplaces, ripping human beings to shreds. Innocent people in that killing field are trapped between tyrant Bashir al Assad’s army, anti-Assad insurgents and ISIS’s acts of kidnapping, rape, torture, mass killings and terror of every description. According to news reports, many of the refugees clamoring for safety in Europe have already long been refugees languishing miserably in camps in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon. Some had been living as long as four years in hellish, crowded refugee camps, hanging on day to day merely to survive. Meanwhile, the insane violence in their homeland, Syria, kept getting worse. The estimated number of refugees in those camps was as high as four million. You have to be a rock not to feel compassion for such hurting human beings. Some European countries have already

Dennis Dalman Editor begun to accommodate the refugees, with France willing to accept as many as 32,000 for now. In the past four years, after the horrific Syrian violence began, the United States has accepted about 1,500 Syrian refugees. President Obama suggested last week we should allow 10,000 more of them into this country this year, 70,000 next year and 100,000 in 2017. These awful exoduses have happened all too often throughout history. Jewish people, for example, were constantly on the move because of vicious persecutions, tormented and slaughtered village to village, and we all know – or should know – what happened to them during WWII. They were butchered throughout eastern Europe, along with other ethnic minorities, and not just in Nazi death camps. The world, mostly, turned a blind eye to such monstrous crimes and massive suffering. That is why it’s heartening to know so many countries are trying to help these refugees, these homeless people stranded miserably between the thin border line of hope and despair. Yes, this compassion is a good thing, but it also presents problems. It poses many more questions than solutions, and they are questions we should all ponder: • How many millions of refugees can any country absorb before social, economic and political break-downs start to happen? • How many of the people scrambling to Europe are, in fact, bona-fide refugees? Countries claim they will screen them to determine

which are refugees and which are opportunists or even possible terrorists? How will that be accomplished when most of them probably don’t even have any documents and arrive with little more than the clothes on their backs? How many of them are not escaping persecution and death but fleeing poverty and other problems in their countries – countries that include Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan and Egypt, among others. As people in those countries hear about Europe’s compassionate acceptance, will they too join the rush for a chance at a better life? When will it ever stop? • Will these people return home if and when conditions stabilize in their countries of origin? • Will refugees be capable of assimilating into the societies they move into? Will there be jobs for them? Or will an inability to adapt or lack of employment lead to festering resentments that are vented in social disorder and violence? Such resentments and some resultant violence have long been happening in England, France and Germany. The ultimate answer, obviously, would be a restoration of some kind of stability and safety in those cruel countries. That’s not likely to happen, especially with terrorist groups on the prowl, on the rampage. It’s no accident Donald Trump’s comments about illegal immigration have touched a chord in many Americans. Even though Trump was wildly off-base and insulting, many Americans are fearful of what might result from unrestrained illegal immigration. Many are pondering questions similar to the ones listed above. Many are asking what are the limits to compassion? Does there come a point when compassion translates into a “free ticket” for anyone who decides they want to leave their own country for whatever reason? These are unpleasant questions, but we must ask them and then try to come up with reasonable and – yes – compassionate but realistic compromises, policies and solutions.

Letters to editor

Reader disagrees with possible location of dog park Paula Eich, St. Joseph The Park Board would like to create a 5-acre dog park on two parcels by the Wobegon trailhead. A dog park has benefits for both the dogs and owners. However, as a St. Joseph resident and taxpayer, I am concerned about using this area for a dog park. Here are some facts about the area the Park Board is looking at: This 5-acre area is currently being used as street drainage for several city streets and has less than one acre of grass. The rain and spring thaw water is made up of oil, antifreeze, salt and many other contaminates which are harmful to a dog if ingested. To add a fresh water source (drilling a well and hooking up to city water) could likely cost more than $5,000. The area has an extremely uneven ter-

rain and is full of brush, trees, garbage, large rocks and debris. Adding fill will not work since the area’s intended use is for street drainage. Cleaning such an area, providing adequate lighting for safety and adding additional parking spaces would be expensive and time-consuming. Fencing around the area is another expense. Separate areas of fencing would need to be established for large and small dogs. Adding a double-gated entrance (about 3,400 feet of 6-foot fence at $16-per-foot, uninstalled) could cost taxpayers $54,000. Installation increases the cost exponentially. The terrain of the area would require a set of stairs and possibly a handicap ramp so pet owners could get to the bottom of the hill safely. The parking lot on the trailhead is usually full from individuals using the trail. Parking overflows onto neighborhood streets.

This includes winter when snowmobile trailers are present. With a lack of parking, families will go to other towns to access the Wobegon Trail, affecting local businesses. In 2014, the City of St. Joseph licensed 337 dogs. The majority of those dogs belong to homeowners who have their own personal park, also known as a yard. Why do the few animals that do not have a yard require a specialized park when existing dog parks are within a short drive? Is spending tax dollars on a small percentage of the population the best use of funding? You do the math. I encourage you to attend the Park Board meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28 at City Hall, 25 College Ave. N. If you cannot attend, please contact our mayor, city council and park board members to let them know what you think about a dog park by the Wobegon trailhead.

Reader encourages others to answer transportation survey Jim Graeve, St. Joseph We all got a survey for transpor-

tation in our water bill. We have a chance to get public transportation in our city.

Please return the survey, and answer it positively to get bus service for St. Joseph residents. It is long overdue.

Hope is built one cookie at a time Joan Schramm, St. Joseph

The ideas expressed in the letters to the editor and of the guest columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of the Newsleaders.

Hope. If you’re fortunate you feel it often and deeply in your lifetime. It’s much more rare to “see” hope, but when you do it’s a precious gift. One day, when I was watching the evening news, I received that gift. A train, carrying Syrian refugees,

pulled into a station in Germany and when they debarked they were greeted by a huge crowd of German citizens clapping, cheering and waving welcome flags. As I looked at the faces of those refugees I then understood what a tough substance hope is. It takes real courage to believe there’s a way out. Then the camera fo-

cused on a German woman handing a Syrian child a cookie. Now that small hand was quite dirty and the cookie wasn’t very big, but neither seemed to notice. My gift was to see the hopeful smiles that slowly spread across both their faces. My prayer for this world is that every child be given a cookie – a cookie of hope.

Friday, Sept. 25, 2015 Is your event listed? Send your information to: Newsleader Calendar, P.O. Box 324, St. Joseph, MN 56374; fax it to 320-363-4195; or, e-mail it to news@thenewsleaders. com. Friday, Sept. 25 Brat sale, sponsored by the St. Joseph Y2K Lions, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., St. Joseph Meat Market, 26 First Ave. N.W., St. Joseph. Parkinson’s Tae Guk Kwan Do, 3-4 p.m., Independent Lifestyles, Inc., 215 N. Benton Drive, Sauk Rapids. 320-267-7717. Friends of Two Rivers Lake FunDrazer, silent auction, spaghetti dinner and live music, 4-11 p.m., The Landing, 18527 CR 154, St. Anna. Saturday, Sept. 26 Living Waters Lutheran Church Fall Festival, including a 5k walk/run, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Living Water Lutheran Church, 1911 N., Fourth Ave., Sauk Rapids. lwlcmn. org. Fall Fest Run, sponsored by St. Joseph Jaycees, 5K begins at 9 a.m., Kids’ 1K begins at 10 a.m., Colts Academy, 124 First Ave., St. Joseph. jayceesfallfest5K.zapevent.com. Sneakers and Wheels Run, Walk and Roll, 9 a.m. registration, 10 a.m. start, CentraCare Health Plaza, 1900 CentraCare Circle, St. Cloud. centracare.com. Central Minnesota Market, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 1480 10th Ave. NE, Sauk Rapids. 320-251-2498. Brat sale, sponsored by the St. Joseph Y2K Lions, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., St. Joseph Meat Market, 26 First Ave. N.W., St. Joseph. Aquatic Center Family Event, AU T O M O B I L E S / M O T O R C YC L E S WANTED MOTORCYCLES: TOP CASH PAID! For Old Motorcycles! 1900-1980. DEAD OR ALIVE! 920-371-0494 (MCN) EMPLOYMENT/HELP WANTED TEAM DRIVER WANTED: Dedicated run from St.Paul, Minnesota to Frankfurt, Indiana. Tuesdays through Saturdays, Competitive Wage. CDL required. Call 563-580-6648 (MCN) VACATION/TRAVEL Join us in Texas! Would you like to get away from the cold snowy winters? Why not hook up your RV and come on down to J-5 in Mission, TX. We are a small park with a country setting yet we have lots of shopping nearby. Lots of activities in the park. We have specials for 1st time residents. Call us at 956-682-7495 or 515-229-1540 or email us at tdtuttle@hotmail.com (MCN) FOR SALE Trailer Sale! 6’x12’ V-nose ramp door $2,750.00; 7’x16’ V-nose ramp door $4,063.00; 7x14 14k Dump w/tarp; 500 & 990 gallon Fuel Trailers: GPS trailer tracking $12.99/month. 515-972-4554 www.FortDodgeTrailerWorld. com (MCN) ADOPTION *ADOPTION: *Adoring Financially Secure Family, Outdoor Adventures, Travel, Music awaits 1st baby. *Expenses paid *1-800-3525741* (MCN) ADOPTION. California couple promises baby secure future. Grandparents, cousins, education, travel, outdoor sports, arts and crafts. Expenses paid. Call Angela/Nicholas 1(619) 357-5862 or attorney 1(800) 242-8770 (MCN) A UNIQUE ADOPTIONS, LET US HELP! Personalized Adoption Plans. Financial Assistance, Housing, Relocation and More. Giving the Gift of Life? You Deserve the Best.

St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

Community Calendar

groundbreaking, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Whitney Park, Soccerfield 1, St. Cloud. 320-253-2664. scymca.org. Lindbergh and the World at War, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site, 1620 Lindbergh Drive, Little Falls. 320-6165421. St. John’s Bible pages on display, now through mid-December, noon-4 p.m. Saturdays, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, Hill Museum and Monastic Library, St. John’s University, 2850 Abbey Plaza, Collegeville. 320-363-3351. 320-3633514. Sunday, Sept. 27 Millstream Arts Festival, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., downtown St. Joseph. millstreamartsfestival.org. Monday, Sept. 28 Market Monday, 3-6:30 p.m., parking lot of Hardware Hank, Seventh St. N., Sartell. marketmonday. org. St. Joseph Park Board, 6 p.m., St. Joseph City Hall, 25 College Ave. N. 363-7201. cityofstjoseph. com. Performance, Body and Self workshop, 7-10 p.m., Headly Hall, St. Cloud State University, 720 Fourth Ave. S. scsu.mn/creativeseries. St. Joseph Township Board, 8 p.m., St. Joseph Township Hall, 935 College Ave. S. Tuesday, Sept. 29 ACT on Alzheimer’s-Sauk Rapids, 10 a.m., Sauk Rapids Government Center, 250 Summit Ave. N. 320-259-9364. Out of Poverty: Sweatshops in the Global Economy, 11 a.m., Atwood Memorial Center Theatre, 720

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Fourth Ave. S., St. Cloud. Central Minnesota Market, 3-5:30 p.m., VA Hospital, 4801 Veterans Drive, St. Cloud. 320-2512498. Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction, 6-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Dec. 1, CentraCare Health Plaza, 1900 CentraCare Circle, St. Cloud. 320-290-2155 or patsymurphy@mac.com. Performance, Body and Self workshop, 7-10 p.m., Headly Hall, St. Cloud State University, 720 Fourth Ave. S. scsu.mn/creativeseries.

traCare Health Plaza, 1900 CentraCare Circle, St. Cloud. 320-2522422. St. Joseph Planning Commission, 6 p.m., St. Joseph City Hall, 25 College Ave. N. 320-363-7201. cityofstjoseph.com. Great River Regional Coin Club, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Miller Auto Marine Sports Plaza, 2930 Second St. S., St. Cloud. Performance, Body and Self workshop, 7-10 p.m., Headly Hall, St. Cloud State University, 720 Fourth Ave. S. scsu.mn/creativeseries.

Wednesday, Sept. 30 Certified Nursing Assistant Walk-In Interviews, 1-7 p.m., St. Scholastica Convent, 1845 20th Ave. S.E., St. Cloud. 320-251-2225. sbm.osb.org. Private Investigation: Tips and Tricks, 3-4 p.m., Whitney Senior Center, 1527 Northway Drive, St. Cloud. Plato’s Republic Book Group, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Central Perk Coffee Shop, 906 W. St. Germain St., St. Cloud. Performance, Body and Self, 8 p.m., St. Cloud State University, 720 Fourth Ave. S., St. Cloud. scsu.mn/ creativeseries.

Friday, Oct. 2 Rummage Sale, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 14241 Fruit Farm Road, Collegeville. 320-363-2569. stjohnthebaptistparish.org. St. Joseph Area Historical Society open, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Old City Hall, 25 First Ave. NW. stjosephhistoricalmn.org. Oktoberfest Fundraiser, 4:307:30 p.m., St. John the Baptist

Thursday, Oct. 1 Rummage Sale, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 14241 Fruit Farm Road, Collegeville. 320-363-2569. stjohnthebaptistparish.org. Coffee and Conversation, a senior discussion group, 9 a.m., Country Manor, 520 First St. NE, Sartell. Family Farmers’ Market, 2-6 p.m., River East parking lot, CenAU T O M O B I L E S / M O T O R C YC L E S WANTED Cash paid for Harley Davidson, Indian or other motorcycles and parts from 1920’s thru 1960’s. Any condition. Midwest collector will pick up anywhere. Phone 309645-4623 (MCN) MISCELLANEOUS Oxygen Concentrator InogenOne – Regain Independence & Enjoy Greater Mobility. NO more Tanks! 100% Portable Long-Lasting Battery. Try It RISK-FREE! For Cash Buyers Call 1-800-370-2186 (MCN) Instant $100,000 Life Insurance Coverage. Rates from $12 per month! No exam required. Call 1-888-506-0012 today for FREE info. (MCN) $14.99 SATELLITE TV. Includes free installation. High speed internet for less than $.50 a day. Low cost guarantee. Ask about our FREE IPAD with Dish Network. Call today 1-855331-6646 (Not available in NE) (MCN) DISH NETWORK - $19 Special, includes FREE Premium Movie Channels (HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, and Starz) and Blockbuster at home for 3 months. Free installation and equipment. Call NOW! 1-866-820-4030 (MCN) GET HELP NOW! One Button Senior Medical Alert. Falls, Fires & Emergencies happen. 24/7 Protection. Only $14.99/mo. Call NOW 1-888840-7541 (MCN) ADT Security protects your home & family from “what if ” scenarios. Fire, flood, burglary or carbon monoxide, ADT provides 24/7 security. Don’t wait! Call Now! 1-888-607-9294 (MCN) 19.99/mo. for DIRECTV - HD Channels + Genie HD DVR + 3 months FREE HBO, SHOW, MAX & STARZ + FREE NFL Sunday Ticket! Call Now 1-888-552-7314 (MCN)

Catholic Church, 14241 Fruit Farm Road, St. Joseph. 320-363-2569. stjohnthebaptistparish.org. Body Maps, 8 p.m., St. Cloud State University, 720 Fourth Ave. S., St. Cloud. scsu.mn/creativeseries. Saturday, Oct. 3 Central Minnesota Market, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 1480 10th Ave. NE, Sauk Rapids. 320-251-2498. Craft Fair, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., St. John’s Catholic Church, 21 First St., Swanville. 320-573-4271. St. John’s Bible pages on display, now through mid-December, noon-4 p.m. Saturdays, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, Hill Museum and Monastic Library, St. John’s University, 2850 Abbey Plaza, Collegeville. 320-363-3351. 320-3633514. Sunday, Oct. 4 Collegeville Colors, 1-4 p.m., St. John’s University, 2850 Abbey Plaza, Collegeville. 320-363-3136. outdooru@csbsju.edu.

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St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

Friday, Sept. 25, 2015

Luethmers joins police department, reunites with Chief Klein by Logan Gruber operations@thenewsleaders.com

Jason Luethmers, Albany, currently of the Avon Police Department, will soon be sitting inside a St. JoLuethmers seph police vehicle, once he finishes all of his paperwork. Luethmers first day is Oct. 1, but he’ll spend his first few days filling out paperwork, getting a uniform and tagging along on a few shifts. Eventually, he will be taking the 5 p.m.-3 a.m.

Spotlight from page 5 turn it into a work of art.” Favorite restaurant: Noodles and Company “Because of their Pesto Cavatappi and flatbread,” she said. Favorite food: Strawberries dipped in Nutella.

shift, which formerly belonged to officer Shane Vernier. Vernier recently left to work for the DNR. Luethmers, 34, graduated in 2002 from Vermillion Community College in Ely for wildlife law enforcement, where he developed an interest in standard law enforcement. He worked in construction for a short while until he joined the Albany Police Department in May 2004. He served there for two years and then worked for the Avon Police Department from August 2006 until now. He married his wife, Brenna, in December 2013. Brenna attended the College of St. Benedict. In Avon, officers are required to work weekends. Luethmers

wanted to make the move to St. Joseph because it is a 24/7 police department. Chief Joel Klein was also a draw for him. “Klein was my field training officer at the Albany Police Department,” Luethmers said. “I know how he works, and I like how he approaches policing.” In March of this year, Luethmers was given an award by Avon Police Chief Corey Nellis. Luethmers was involved in the pursuit of a vehicle which ended in the apprehension of two persons with extensive criminal backgrounds. Luethmers said he is looking forward to keeping St. Joseph a safe place to live and visit.

Favorite thing she likes to help other people do: “I like to help other people laugh when they are in a bad mood,” Bechtold said. Favorite quote: “The happiest people don’t have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything.” -Anonymous What is one of the hardest obstacles you have had to overcome in the school envi-

ronment? “Learning not to stress about the little things,” she said. “One bad test won’t mean you aren’t going to get into college, or one mean comment from someone doesn’t change how you think about yourself.” Have you ever witnessed bullying at school? “I don’t see much face-toface bullying at school, but sometimes you’ll hear people talking bad about others be-

Area cities meeting to be held Sept. 29 by Logan Gruber operations@thenewsleaders.com

The city of St. Joseph will host the next St. Cloud Area Joint Cities meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29 at Roll-

ing Ridge Wedding and Event Center, 31101 CR 133, St Joseph. Elected officials from the cities of St. Joseph, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, St. Cloud, St. Augusta and Waite Park will

be present. On the agenda are a regional human rights update from St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis as well as a presentation by the St. Cloud Greater Development Corp. on the airport.

photo by Logan Gruber

Officer Luethmers takes his oath from Mayor Rick Schultz at the Sept. 21 city council meeting. hind their backs,” Bechtold said. “Sometimes I ignore it or I will tell them to stop. It just makes me feel bad for the people doing it that they don’t have anything better to talk about.” What is your favorite technology device? Laptop. Do you like using technology at school? “Yes, our laptops are very nice because we do not have to carry textbooks around school and it’s a lot easier to communicate with teachers,” she said. “It also saves a lot of paper being able to do most of our assignments online.” What do you want to do when you graduate? “I want to go to college, but not sure where,” Bechtold said. “I want to study abroad. I’m not sure what I want to do for a

career yet, but I hope to spend a lot of my time traveling.” What do you want to be doing five years from now? “Five years from now, I hope I will know what I want to do for a career, otherwise I would like to be in a foreign country doing something cool,” she said. What would you change if you could? “I would end world hunger,” Bechtold said What’s something unique about you? “I can lick my elbow,” she said. What do you like best about St. Joseph? “It’s a quaint and quiet town I feel safe in,” Bechtold said. “I’ve lived here my whole life and it will always feel like home.”

Phony ‘IRS’ phone calls target area residents Phone-scamming crooks posing as law-enforcement agents for the Internal Revenue Service are at it again, scaring and threatening innocent people, this time in the Benton County area, although such calls are likely to pop up anywhere at any time.

The Benton County Sheriff’s Department is warning all residents to be on guard against such crooked calls. The caller, who claims to be with the Benton County Sheriff’s Department, claims there is an arrest warrant for the phone-call recipient. If he or she doesn’t send a certain

sum of money immediately to a certain place, deputies will come and arrest the person. In fact, it’s a crock of crooked. The sheriff’s department does not call people about IRS-related arrest warrants and never asks people for money via telephone.

If any residents receive the bogus calls, they should hang up the phone and report the calls to the sheriff’s department or local police.

A similar scam has been reported in many other counties and cities, including some in St. Joseph a few years ago.

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT ...

Join our team! Von Meyer Publishing seeks a full-time, experienced advertising sales representative for three local, weekly newspapers and one website serving the greater St. Cloud region. A successful candidate will be: a self-starter, highly motivated and excited to be on the bleeding edge of print and digital advertising. Qualifications include: 3-5 years in advertising sales, extensive experience in the greater St. Cloud region and previous experience selling digital advertising. Resumes and cover letters can be addressed to Logan Gruber, operations manager, at operations@thenewsleaders.com. For any questions, call 320-363-7741.