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Thousands enjoy Town Crier church festival in Rice Friday, July 22, 2016 Volume 2, Issue 28 Est. 2015
Tips for staying cool in scorching temps
While storms and floods may get more attention, in a typical year, extreme heat kills more people in the United States than any other weather phenomenon. With that in mind, health officials urge Minnesotans to take steps to avoid heat-related illnesses during the unusually hot and humid conditions forecast in the coming days. Extreme heat can cause health problems ranging from heat rash and cramps to life-threatening conditions like heatstroke. Heat exhaustion is a common heat-related illness. Signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion include dizziness, thirst, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, weakness and confusion. Untreated heat exhaustion can lead to heatstroke. Make sure to stay cool, stay hydrated and stay informed and connected. For more information, visit thenewsleaders.com and click on July 22 criers.
Slight detour to occur on Lake Wobegon Trail
On Monday and Tuesday, July 25 and 26, there will be a short detour on the Lake Wobegon Trail. At milepost 111.5, a culvert is being replaced. The detour will run from “Memoryville” (just west of Melrose) onto CR 65 to 365th Avenue. For more information, visit thenewsleaders.com and click on July 22 criers.
Road work to continue from Heritage to CR 120
by Dennis Dalman editor@thenewsleaders.com
On a perfect breezy summer day, thousands of people attended the annual Immaculate Conception Parish Summerfest in Rice on July 17 to enjoy live music, games and food. The day began with a 10 a.m. outdoor Mass on the church grounds. That was followed by a hog roast with all the trimmings, plus homemade pies for dessert, in the air-conditioned dining hall. Outdoors, on the well-shaded grounds, there were fun activities for all ages, including a
tractor-pull competition, cash bingo, pull tabs, kiddie bingo and barrel-train rides, a cake walk, several raffles, a silent auction, ring toss and a nail lumberjack contest. Another perennially popular attraction was “Grandma’s Attic,” a sale of used items that took place in the church annex basement. The River Breeze Band, its members from Sauk Rapids and St. Cloud, played old favorites earlier in the afternoon. The grand raffle, with prizes totaling $6,500, attracted a large crowd at 5 p.m., which was the end of the festival.
photos by Dennis Dalman
Top right: Eileen and Joachim Jansky of Sauk Rapids kick up their heels to a rousing version of Hank William’s Jambalaya. Bottom right: Paul Goebel of St.Cloud fries burgers. He acts as “burger chef” at the event just about every year. For more photos, see the back page.
Konietzko – a mayoral candidate with a new perspective by Dave DeMars news@thenewsleaders.com
Background
The Newsleader caught up with Guy Konietzko early in the morning on June 28 at the Capital Coffee Shop in downtown St. Cloud to learn of his reasons for running for Sauk Rapids mayor and what he brings to the table in the way of leadership skills.
Having grown up in Rosemount, Konietzko made the military his first career, having served 26 years in service and retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel in 2014. It was army personnel rotation policy and circumstance that led Konietzko and his family to
by Cori Hilsgen news@thenewsleaders.com
Country Manor looking for game players
For additional criers, visit thenewsleaders.com and click on Criers.
running. “With deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and serving as military affairs officer my last three years, it was time to focus locally,” he said. “It was time to focus on my community, my family, and to spend more time here.” With three children under Candidate • page 3
Renegades football team on sure footing this year
This project consists of reconstructing to four lanes the section northwesterly of Hwy. 15 to just past Heritage Drive in northeast Sartell, including construction of a five-legged roundabout at Heritage Drive, and an added lane along northwesterly bound CSAH 1 southeasterly of Hwy. 15. Evergreen Drive will be extended and will become the fifth leg of the roundabout. For more information, visit thenewsleaders.com and click on July 22 criers.
Country Manor is looking for volunteers to sit with an individual resident or a group of residents and play their game of choice. Checkers, cribbage, Uno, Kings in the Corner, bridge and 500 are just a few to choose from. The residents love to visit and play games with volunteers. For more information on this and other United Way volunteer opportunities, visit thenewsleaders. com and click on July 22 criers.
choose to live and stay in the Sauk Rapids area. Currently, Konietzko works for GeoComm Inc. as a business development project manager. While Konietzko may be out of the military, he still has the military commander’s focus on objective and the belief one should serve the community he lives in. That is why he is
contributed photo
Granite City Renegades players compete in a game against the Twin City Sabercats. They will play them in their final home game on Saturday, July 23.
The Granite City Renegades semi-pro football team has a good combination of team chemistry and is performing well this season. On July 9, they beat the West Central Broncos, 40-6. Currently, the team is in the No. 3 seed in the Northern States Football League. Their final game is Saturday, July 23 against the Twin City Sabercats. Playoffs are not set yet, but could be after the Sabercat/ Patriots game on July 23. If the Sabercats win, the Renegades secure the No. 3 seed and will face the Sabercats again Aug. 6 in North St. Paul. If the Patriots
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win, the game will determine the Renegades playoff spot. If the Renegades lose, they will host the Broncos on July 30. If the Renegades win, they will face the Sabercats on Aug. 6. The Renegades, who are in the West Division of the Northern States Football League, began their season in April and will finish in August. Owned by Brett and Danelle Weaver of Sartell, the team has 80 players signed up to play. Weaver said 52 of those players are currently game-day ready. “This is one of the best (teams), if not the best team, we have had since we began,” Weaver said. “We have a solid core of veteran players and a Team • page 2
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Team from front page strong quarterback to build off of. We have a great combination of leadership, skill and loyalty. The chemistry between the players is the best I have seen since 2013 when we won the division championship.” Players are an average age of 24 and are recruited from local schools, social media and by word of mouth from current players, which Weaver said is the most effective. Home-field games are played at St. John’s University Clemens Stadium. “We are so much more than a ‘football team,’” Weaver said. “We are based on solid core values of family, leadership and community. Our players come from all walks of life. We have players right out of high school to our oldest player in his upper 40s. We have fathers, veterans, active military, students, teachers and many other professions on this team.”
People
Jacqlyn Braun, Sauk Rapids, was recently named to the spring high honor dean’s list at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Students must earn a minimum 3.75 gradepoint average to qualify for this honor.
He said their players are all local athletes who do not get paid, which he said he feels demonstrates their passion for the game is greater than most paid players. “Our long-term plans for this team are great,” Weaver said. “For those we have shared it with, there is one thing in common. It gives us all goose bumps and an adrenaline rush all at the same time. It’s a great feeling to have that kind of excitement.” Some local area players include Anthony Matheny, Rice; Shane Raden, Sartell; Nate Hofman, Sartell; and Anthony Carpenter, St. Joseph. Coach Tommy Middagh is also from Sartell. Matheny, who is the father of three children, enjoys spending time with family, the outdoors and helping others. He is a health-and-wellness coach who helps others create income by converting their spending into earning through a shopping annuity. Matheny said he joined the team because he wanted to grow as a person not only physically but also mentally while being held accountable in a team setting. “The family vibe and bond between the players is amazing and drives me to be a better person and player for myself and them,” Matheny said. Weaver said, “Chemistry building is a crucial key to our
success both on and off the field. Our diversity reflects our community and we make it work every day.” Raden is married and has three children and said he spends as much time with his family as possible. He is a technical analyst for RBC Wealth Management in Minneapolis. Raden said he joined because he loves the game of football and wanted to learn how to play the game. “Having no previous experience, this has been an interesting ride so far,” Raden said. “I love this team because of how close everyone is. We treat each other like brothers and we all share the same passion for this game. It’s amazing to me the dedication everyone has to this team, despite the other parts of life that tend to get in the way. I can honestly say I have grown as a person since joining the Renegades.” Hofman said he is busy raising a family and driving truck. He loves football and wants to win a championship. “The last two seasons, I didn’t know what to think about semi-pro football,” Hofman said. “I didn’t have a lot of fun. This season has helped me remember why I love football so much. The chemistry of this team is amazing this year. The camaraderie, trusting your teammate next to you on the
field and just having fun out there – I love this team.” Carpenter is a stay-at-home father with two children and said he is enjoying every moment he gets to see them grow up. He said he joined the team to build friendships, brotherhood and to play the game he loves so much. Carpenter said he’s impressed with the chemistry built with every player. “I also respect how this program is run on and off the field with the great volunteering opportunities it brings back to the community,” he said. “Oh, and I can’t lie, the winning is good also.” Coach Middagh is a substitute teacher, coaches softball and football and works at the YMCA, while searching for a full-time job in educational or business leadership. Originally, he joined the team to build his resume as a coach for his dream career. “I love this team because it gives me an opportunity to coach the sport I love and build relationships with other guys my age,” Middagh said. “I also love this team because of the camaraderie and brotherhood between (both) coaches and players.” Renegades players and coaches try to give back to area needs. They have partnered with the American Cancer Society, March of Dimes and more.
Friday, July 22, 2016 The Weavers formed the team in 2009. The two met at a St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce event when Brett was the general manager of the Minnesota Fightin’ Scots semi-pro football team and Danelle was the new team cheer captain. When the Scots disbanded, the Weavers decided after they started a family, they would build their own football franchise. “We believed by building this team and forming a strong foundation, we could make the area a better place,” Weaver said. According to their website, the mission statement of the team “is to provide a family-oriented form of entertainment and inspire athletes with a passion for the game of football the opportunity to continue playing the game they love.” Their company vision “is to become a top-rated semi-pro football team with talent-driven men on the field, and leaders and heroes off the field.” Brett is employed as a business development manager for Masterson Staffing Solutions, and Danelle is a registered nurse through CentraCare. They have three sons – Landon, 7; Raider, 4; and Major, 1. For more information, visit the RenegadesFootball.org website.
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Friday, July 22, 2016
Candidate from front page the age of 14, Konietzko felt it was time to retire, so his children remember him simply as “Dad,” not “dad the soldier” or “dad being gone to war.”
Governing philosophy
Konietzko says he is a firm believer people elect politicians to represent them, and he has no special pet issue or project to accomplish. Politicians should be trying to make it better for everyone rather than a small elite group, he said. “I like to go out and listen to the people’s issues and then help to find ways to alleviate whatever those issues are for them,” he said. “I think I am best postured to do that because I’ve been working with state and federal levels of government and foreign governments for the last many years.” His said his perspective on problem-resolution is different from past mayors. He has a different understanding of state and federal governments and how to leverage his contacts to bring things back to Sauk Rapids and improve the community. K414onietzko said he is not familiar with the particulars of many plans already in place. That is the job of people like Police Chief Perry Beise and City Manager Ross Olson. “What I would be best postured to do is to support them in those plans,” Konietzko said. “I don’t know (if) the answer is more cops to the crime issue, but I would normally do an assessment to identify the issue before I start throwing things at the problem.” Konietzko said he brings a different perspective to the job. He said he deals with problems related to police, fire and emergency service all the time in his job. He tries to make those service agencies better by providing them with more efficient tools of mapping and automation. To do that, he said he interviews members of the various agencies to best determine the kinds of tools they need to do the job. Konietzko provided an example of a police unit in Oslo, Norway, that had to change its perspective on policing, so they could respond to a new directive requiring them to respond
to any call for help within 10 minutes. The plan called for pre-positioning individual response units in areas of most crime or activity since those were areas most likely to be affected.
Issues
“With any issue the city faces,” Konietzko said, “let’s take an analytical approach to it, figure out what the actual problem is, and then come up with multiple resolutions and then come up with the best one for that issue.” Asked to provide a more specific, local issue the city faces, Konietzko said in the planning and implementation of parts of the “Up-the-Hill Project,” several residents whom he talked with were unhappy with how it was presented. Konietzko admits he wasn’t present when the project was laid out, but says he was told by several residents there were water surges in their homes. “Apparently the water system was shut down, and now there is air in the system affecting the water pressure and the pipes in their homes,” Konietzko said. From his perspective, residents along the path of the project should have been better informed as to what might happen with their water pressure, so they knew what to expect. It’s being open and transparent with the people about what to expect. Konietzko went on to say he thought the “Up-the-Hill Project” was a good project for the city. As Sauk Rapids grows, especially on the east side of Hwy. 10, that corridor (Second Street/Golden Spike Road) will be used more and more, especially giving access to the hospital for employees and emergency services, Konietzko said. On taxes, Konietzko said it’s obvious some residents believe they are over-taxed already, but it’s important the school district, city and county come together and talk about their levies so the population is not overburdened with taxes at any level. “You are going to have to tax,” he said. “Taxes is what provides safety, security, schools, education – all those things for the community.” On policing and crime, Konietzko said he has had personal experience with some unwanted persons showing up on his door step in the middle of
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the night a few years ago. Last year, several of his neighbors were affected when a garage was broken into. “And I’m not saying more cops is the answer,” Konietzko said. “I would want to do a study to figure out where the crimes are happening, what time of day and how we can better attack that problem.” Konietzko said he feels the present planning and design does not make use of the river as effectively as it could. “I think a study of the area would tell us more,” Konietzko said. “You have to do the research, you have to do the analysis, you have to figure out how to go about things from a logical aspect.”
Growth, development
Consult with the citizens more and find out what they want is what Konietako emphasized, and use the river to greater advantage, as well as finding something that brings people downtown. While the governor’s fishing event next year is a good thing, Konietzko said, it’s a one-time event that involves other locales. What is needed, he said, is an event like the Little Falls’ craft sale each year – a recurring event that draws people to downtown to trade. “The economic development in the community is really the businesses in the community. Talking to them and getting their ideas – they are the subject-matter experts. They are the ones doing this today,” he said. Konietzko hearkens back to his military training, explaining he was trained to use effects-based targeting to examine what’s wanted, what effect would be achieved and how to achieve that objective. Konietzko said he believes something like that would be good for government. Asked whether trying to attract a large retail or box store, or other industry would be a good idea, Konietzko said he believed there would be two conflicting answers from the community. One answer is a store like Walmart brings in cheaper prices and allows people to do more with their dollar. The other is we ought to keep the town small, maintain the small-town feel and keep the big stores out. Small businesses are key to the downtown area, Konietzko
contributed photo
Guy Konietzko left the military after 26 years and came to live in Sauk Rapids with his family in 2014. Now, Konietzko is running for mayor of Sauk Rapids and hopes to bring a fresh new perspective to the job. (Front row, left to right) Aden, grade 2, and Amber, grade 4; (back row) Ashley, grade 8, and Guy Konietzko and wife Brenda. concluded. “Small businesses are too heavily taxed for what they are. They are a growth organization and they need to be able to provide that growth and provide those jobs,” he said. Konietzko said he believes in small businesses and small towns, and that we are losing too many of them, but he also believes in growth. “How does one maintain the small-town atmosphere and still manage to grow?” he asked rhetorically. His answer: It starts with education and using the expertise within the town to solve that problem. He suggests visiting
other cities to see what approaches they use and what can be learned from those approaches and perhaps imitating their success. “What’s important is I’m not someone who is doing local government for a long time,” he said. “I’m a guy who has experiences from serving all over the world, serving at the state and federal levels of government, and having connections throughout, and I believe leveraging those next higher levels of government will make us successful in building the community in the way the community would like it to go.”
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Friday, July 22, 2016
photos by Carolyn Bertsch
Below: One of the highlights from last year’s event was the several stunts performed by SquidWheelies Motorcycle Stunt Team member Jason Larson of Sauk Rapids.
photo by Carolyn Bertsch
Above: The parents of Cody Nuckolls, Lorraine Hipp and Ryan Nuckolls, joined the Ride for Cody event in May 2015. This photo was taken shortly after the bikers arrived at Trobec’s Bar in St. Stephen.
‘Spider-Man red’ will dominate at Ride for Cody fundraiser by Dennis Dalman editor@thenewsleaders.com
When motorcyclists sport red bandannas and T-shirts on July 23, thoughts of Cody Nuckolls will be on their minds.
Cody the lively kid with the big laugh. Cody the boy who was so eager to start kindergarten. Five-year-old Cody was struck and killed in a hit-and-run accident on April 13, 2015, in front of
his St. Joseph home. At the second annual “Ride for Cody” event, participants will wear red because Cody was wild about Spider-Man. Bikers (and people driving cars) will gather at Stoney’s Bar in Rockville on
Saturday, July 23, between 10 a.m. (registration) and 11:20 a.m. (take-off time) to begin the fundraising trek that Cody will take them through Farming, New Munich and St. Stephen, then back to Stoney’s, where the band Midnight Radio will play. There will also be a food truck. The first 180 people to sign up for the ride will get “We Ride for Cody/Brandin” wrist bands. Brandin because this year all funds raised in the Ride for Cody event will go to Heather Welker, who recently gave birth to a premature baby, Brandin, at only 23 weeks. Welker, who lives in the Annandale area, is a surgical technologist at Unity Hospital in Fridley. At first, Ride for Cody organizers had planned to give all the proceeds from the event to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. But when they heard about Brandin’s premature birth and the medical expenses involved, they decided to make Welker the beneficiary of the fundraiser. A man named Benny Christen got the ball rolling for Ride for Cody in May 2015 shortly after Cody’s death. Cody’s father, Ryan Nuckolls, is assistant manager at Casey’s General Store in St. Joseph. Christen, a regular customer at Casey’s, learned about the death of Nuckolls’ son and wanted to help out. He and others put their heads together and started Ride for Cody. Nuckolls and his significant other, Cody’s mother Lorraine Hipp, will both help out at Ride
for Cody and will likely hitch rides for the biking route. They will, of course, wear something red. Nuckolls recalls how Spider-Man was the “theme” at Cody’s funeral. “There was a Spider-Man semi-truck funeral procession,” he said. “Cody was wild about Spider-Man. He was a very lively little boy. He loved playing with mom during the day, and he was so excited about when he’d be old enough to go to kindergarten. He loved to greet his sister when she’d get off the school bus.” That is when the unthinkable happened. On the afternoon of April 13, 2015, the school bus stopped outside of Cody’s house in the mobile-home park in St. Joseph. Cody’s mother walked to the bus to greet Cody’s sister, Hannah (now 8), who was about to get off of the bus. She told Cody to go back in the house. He did, got his coat and came back into the street toward the bus when he was hit by a vehicle. After being rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead. The driver who struck Cody and left the scene later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 60 days in jail, 120 hours of community service and restitution to Cody’s family in the amount of $19,875. Cody’s parents, naturally, think of him often, missing him dearly. “Anything I did, Cody wanted to do,” Nuckolls said. “We loved disc golfing together. We played a lot of that. What I miss most about him is his laugh. He loved to laugh. He was a goofball. Like me.”
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Sauk Rapids-Rice Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
Friday, July 22, 2016
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Rice City Council approves joint-powers agreement by Dave DeMars news@thenewsleaders.com
photo by Dave DeMars
Jonathon Fleck of Bollig Engineering’s Sartell office presents and explains to the Rice City Council at its July 18 meeting how the wellhead-protection plan helps to keep the city water supply safe from contamination.
‘Take a Day Off’ set for July 30 by Dennis Dalman editor@thenewsleaders.com
An annual family-fun event, dubbed “Take a Day Off at the Mississippi River,” will again take place Saturday, July 30, at Stearns County Mississippi River Park. The free event is set for 10 a.m.-4 p.m. rain or shine. The park is located seven miles north of Sartell along the River Road (CR 1). There are many activities scheduled, including canoeing, a kids’ 1k trail run/walk, paddlesports, birdhouse-building, fishing, face-painting, archery and many educational booths where participants can learn about animals, insects and
other critters, shoreline buffers, groundwater, invasive species and more. A bus will be provided for anyone who wants or needs a ride to Stearns County Mississippi River Park. The bus will depart from the YMCA parking lot at 10:30 a.m. and return to the Y at 2:30 p.m. The bus is limited to 50 people, so call the Y at 320-253-2664 to reserve your spot. Food will be available on-site to buy from the Axle Grill, but we encourage you to pack a healthy lunch. For more information about the event, visit www. stearnscountyswcd.net/pages/ TakeaDayOFF/.
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The Rice City Council at its July 18 meeting voted without discussion to approve a joint-powers agreement between the city, the firm of Kelm and Reuter, and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for handling of electronic information. Kelm and Reuter will assess and send that information on behalf of the city, Mayor Dale Rogholt noted. The electronically-sent data includes information concerning citations, warrants and other crime- and police-related business. The threeway agreement is expected to save the city money and time in postage costs and personnel tasks in handling such information in paper form. “The agreement is technically between Kelm and Reuter, the BCA and the city since they (Kelm and Reuter) will be assessing information from the BCA on behalf of the city,” Rogholt said.
Wellhead protection
The council heard a wellhead-protection update from Bollig Engineering. The majority of the report was presented by Jonathon Fleck. He explained the purpose of the wellhead-protection plan was
to anticipate and chart potential well-contamination sites in order to avoid contamination of drinking water from other private wells. Should contamination occur, the plan provides for quickly and efficiently dealing with the contamination to ensure a usable, safe water supply for the city. Contamination can occur from a variety of sources. Fleck also noted there were grants available to help with contamination plans and wellhead protection to help cities in maintaining wellhead safety. Brian Bollig then presented a short overview of Bollig Engineering, its history and the services it could provide to the city. Bollig Engineering is based in Willmar and provides a variety of services to municipalities throughout the area.
Liquor license
The council also approved a request from the Rice Fire Department for an on-sale liquor license at two locations during the Aug. 20-21 Rice Family Fun Days.
Reports
The council received the following reports: • City Clerk Stephanie Fischer highlighted various parts
of the new welcome packet for incoming residents. She also presented information on a data-collection software module designed for monitoring water usage and for providing data for making water-rate decisions. Council member Paula Kampa moved to purchase the software upgrade and the council voted to approve. • Council member Brian Skroch updated the council on improvements made in city parks. • Council member Chris Scheel updated the council on street conditions. On dust-control costs for the road leading to the compost site, the estimate is $1,425. Grading that same stretch of road is estimated at $700. Assessment of the north railroad crossing was done, and it was recommended no repair work be done on the crossing as previous work was holding up well. Assessment of a drainage ditch/pond near Mark Sauer’s residence revealed it was in need of major repairs. Another street-repair project is the street leading to Rice Elementary School. • Scheel also reported the water treatment plant had developed a major leak in the roof that required immediate attention. Cost of repair was about $675.
Sauk Rapids-Rice Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
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Our View
Stop bad-mouthing cops Those two words “Breaking News” instill instant dread these days. “Oh no! What now?!” we wonder, quaking, afraid to hear. It seems every day there is “Breaking News” about one atrocity after another, the next worse than the last. The latest, as of last Sunday, was the awful news of yet another mass shooting of police officers – this one in Baton Rouge, La., the city where a black male driver was killed by a police officer a couple of weeks ago. The vicious gunning down of officers in Baton Rouge (three of them dead as of Sunday) follows just days after the other atrocious massacre of officers in Dallas, Texas where five were shot dead. The ruthless killings of police officers and deputies is nothing new, unfortunately, as we in central Minnesota know all too well after the cruel, unprovoked murders of officers Brian Klinefelter in St. Joseph (1996) and Tom Decker in Cold Spring (2014). The self-protective, cozy rationale that the murder of lawenforcement personnel happens mainly or only in high-crime metro areas is simply not true. And that is why law enforcement everywhere, even in the smallest towns and rural areas, are in danger. The risk is always there, and every officer knows that injury or death can lurk just around the corner: at a traffic stop, on the scene of a domestic flare-up, during or after a robbery or other serious crime or (increasingly) at the hands of an unstable hater lying in wait with a gun. The controversies surrounding the deaths of black men by white officers have been used by hate-filled ambushers as “excuses” for their attacks against officers. Such controversies were merely the “triggers” that set these madmen’s rages exploding, the same way deranged individuals “copycat” other “homegrown” terrorists, using ISIS propaganda as their “triggers.” The fact remains, there is no excuse, none whatsoever, for such acts of insane mayhem. If there are officers who have killed black people or others with no justification, let justice take care of it, case by case, and yes, we should be vigilant that justice is served. Most importantly, we should all remember the overwhelming majority of law-enforcement employees are topnotch, highly trained professionals who risk their lives every day and night to protect the public. What a tragedy the guncrazed killers of cops can’t realize that. What is worrisome after these recent vicious assaults is there seems to be more and more sick individuals just itching for a reason to kill officers – or to commit other unspeakable terrorist acts. And attacks against officers, make no mistake, are acts of terrorism. Such murders, over time, can destabilize our daily civic stability by bringing fear and suspicion into our streets and public venues, not to mention the anxieties they bring to officers and to their families. What to do? Many commissions have made recommendations (assault-weapon bans and expanded background checks, more treatment for mental illness, community-policing programs and more), but we have to demand legislators adopt the recommendations. In the meantime, here is something everybody everywhere can do: Stop bad-mouthing cops.
The ideas expressed in the letters to the editor and of the guest columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of the Newsleaders. Letters to the editor may be sent to news@thenewsleaders.com or P.O. Box 324, St. Joseph, MN 56374. Deadline is noon Monday. Please include your full name for publication (and address and phone number for verification only.) Letters must be 350 words or less. We reserve the right to edit for space.
Opinion
Friday, July 22, 2016
Trees, trees, long live trees! Imagine living in a place with no trees. I’d up and move immediately; rather, I wouldn’t move there to begin with. About 10 years ago, a large dying birch tree in my side yard had to be chopped down. I still miss that tree. There are magnificent trees in this neighborhood, some of them 80 feet tall. There are maples, cottonwoods, birches, oaks, willows, pines. Just before I bought this house 13 years ago, I walked into it, looked out the large windows, saw all the trees in every direction and made up my mind on the spot: “Yup, I’m buying it.” Later, I discovered quite a lot of these large, stately trees were planted as seedlings 40 years ago by my neighbor, Richard Dubbin, after he and his wife moved here when this mobile-home site was pretty much a featureless prairie. Thank you, Richard. Trees are very much part of my memories of the old South St. Cloud neighborhood, by the college, where I grew up. The boulevards along Fifth Avenue were lined with elm trees. There were oak trees everywhere, including in Barden Park where we often played. My brothers and I, like hairless monkeys, loved to climb the big old oak trees in our yard. At the Stotkos’ yard on our block, we built a nifty tree house in one of the oaks. We loved to climb up there to read comic books and smoke snitched cigarettes on breezy summer days. So many housing developments these days are tree-less. Driving by them creates a feeling of desolation, one boxy house after another, side by side on flat ground with no greenery in sight. Eventually, the seedlings
Dennis Dalman Editor now planted will grow tall and beautiful, and those neighborhoods will have plenty of charm and character, but it will take some time. Some small-town main streets are also nearly tree-less, giving them a stark, unwelcoming look, especially in summer when the sun is glaring down and radiating in heat waves off of asphalt and from the sides of old brick buildings. What sparked this rumination about trees is a Care2 website posting headlined as “50 Ways Trees Benefit Our Health, Community and Environment.” After reading it, I realized – again – how trees have been such an important part of my life and everybody else’s life on Planet Earth. Here are some of the 50 benefits of trees: • According to a study in London, fewer people who live in areas with more trees have anti-depressant prescriptions. • Trees can separate and define space, which can give people a sense of privacy and create a feeling of relaxation and well-being. • Workers are more productive when they can see trees or plants from their office windows. • Trees are carbon “sinks,” meaning they can absorb more carbon than they release. Trees take in carbon dioxide and through photosynthesis
release oxygen into the atmosphere. Thus, trees help fight climate change. • Trees can absorb odors and potentially harmful gases. • Trees are natural “air conditioners,” helping to keep air indoors and outdoors cooler and acting as wind breaks to keep winter blasts off houses, helping houses retain heat. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the net cooling effect of a young healthy tree is equivalent to 10 room air-conditioners operating 20 hours a day. If the United States had 100 million trees living around city spaces, we would save about $2 billion each year in energy costs. • Trees prevent erosion and absorb or prevent harmful chemicals from getting into waterways. • The habitats for wonderful creatures and organisms, most obviously birds and squirrels, are trees and even decaying trees. • Trees can screen ugly views such as moldering vacant houses, weedy lots and heaps of junk in unkempt yards. • Shoppers linger longer – and spend more money – in downtowns or malls landscaped with trees. • Trees contribute to so many products, including some vitamins, medicines, paper products, books and – yes – newsprint. But as we use trees, we should be replanting them constantly. A world lacking in trees would be a cheerless world, indeed. Next time you hear the suggestion to “Plant a tree,” take it seriously. For a good place to learn more about how to plant trees or how to contribute to the effort, visit the following Nature Conservancy website: www.plantabillion.org.
The national debt: a young person’s perspective The general election season is upon us. Even with the start of the campaign already more than a year past, we still have much to come. The most brutal campaigning is unfortunately still ahead of us, as the crowded primaries yield to the one-on-one slugfest lasting until Election Day. Many issues have been discussed by both sides, but there is one I find disturbingly lacking. That, of course, is the national debt. The national debt can be a confusing subject, but it’s ultimately one that could really sink this country if we are not careful. The national debt of the United States of America at the time of this writing is about $19.3 trillion. That includes all outstanding securities owed by the United States. To put in perspective just how much money that is, one trillion is one thousand billion dollars, and one thousand million dollars make up each of those billions. On a more personal level, this debt is equivalent to $59,720 dollars of debt per U.S. citizen. “Why should I care?” is often the question I hear. The national debt doesn’t seem to affect us personally now – or does it? Interest on our existing debt makes up almost $248 billion of our current budget of $3.8 trillion per year. That is billions of dollars in tax revenue that doesn’t pay for schools, roads or defense. It instead goes straight toward paying interest on money our government has borrowed. That amount grows constantly larger because each fiscal period, the federal government spends much more money than it made in tax revenue. Our cur-
Connor Kockler Guest Writer rent budget deficit, money that we are borrowing to pay for our budget, is $521 billion per year. But who would want to provide funds for our federal government to borrow? The simple answer is investors. When you buy a treasury bond that matures over a certain amount of time, that money can be used for borrowing. Large investing firms both at home and abroad also invest in this debt, as they can get very favorable interest rates from the government. The problem is when we continue to rack up deficit after deficit without attempting to balance our budget. As more and more debt is accumulated, interest payments will continue to increase. This takes up money that could have funded other programs and therefore increases the amount of revenue we need merely to maintain current spending levels. Eventually, if we do nothing to stop this growth, we will be forced to borrow money to just pay interest on our existing debt. That would be the death spiral for our country’s finances. There are two main ways we could reduce the debt, and neither is popular. On one hand, we could raise taxes. Many are already against such
measures, and we would have to make sure we don’t increase spending to match the new income. On the other hand, we could cut spending. That would mean cuts to many programs such as the military and social services, which both sides of the aisle support. So what is the solution? That is up to what we are willing to do to get our finances back in order. However, every second we wait makes the problem harder to solve. On www.usdebtclock.org, you can watch in real time as the debt continues to grow. As a young person, stalling on this issue will affect my age group much more than any other, and in the end, perhaps 50 some years from now, we will have to end up footing the bill. It would be a crippling blow that this country might not survive. So for those of you who say this isn’t your problem, please reconsider the debt has grown tremendously during the last few decades, starting in the 1980s. It’s time for us to consider our future and demand we get our fiscal house in order. We as young people should not have to pay for the last generations’ inaction. Also remember, whenever politicians promise a massive new program, ask them just how they are going to pay for it. We are already $19 trillion in the red; we don’t need to make it any worse. Connor Kockler is a student at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School. He enjoys writing, politics and the news, among other interests.
Sauk Rapids-Rice Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
Friday, July 22, 2016
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Final approvals given for Manea’s Meats expansion by Dave DeMars news@thenewsleaders.com
The Sauk Rapids City Council took final action on agenda items related to the expansion of Manea’s Meats, also known as El Rosario in business dealings, at its July 11 meeting.
In three separate actions and with little discussion, the council gave final approval of the planned-unit development agreement, the conveyance of the Downtown Impact Mitigation property to the Housing and Redevelopment Authority for the El Rosario expansion project
and conveyed a 4-foot strip of alley bordering Manea’s to El Rosario to facilitate the expansion. El Rosario is the name of the company that does business under the name of Manea’s Meats. The DIM property conveyance to HRA will allow for the formation of a different
L-shaped alley with an ingress and egress on Third Avenue and on First Street (see accompanying map). In its action, the council also allowed for further expansion of Manea’s Meats in the future should that need arise. The consent agenda dealing with election judge
schedules, police training, a software application system, plumbing and mechanical contractor licenses, and a feasibility study for Second Avenue South were approved without discussion. A budget workshop was scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday, July 25.
Community Calendar Is your event listed? Send your information to: Newsleader Calendar, P.O. Box 324, St. Joseph, MN 56374; fax it to 320-3634195; or, e-mail it to news@thenewsleaders.com. Friday, July 22 Benton County Historical Society, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.4 p.m., 218 First St. N., Sauk Rapids. 320-253-9614. mnbentonhistory.org. St. Joseph Farmers’ Market, 3-6:30 p.m., near the Wobegon Trail Center, C.R. 2 St. Stephen Car Show, 3-8 p.m., St. Stephen Church Parking Lot. 320-654-9511. Saturday, July 23 Sauk Rapids Farmers’ Market, 8 a.m.-noon, First Street and Second Avenue next to Manea’s Meats, downtown Sauk Rapids. 55+ Driver-improvement program (four-hour refresher course), 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Miller Auto Plaza, 2930 Second St. S., St. Cloud. 888-234-1294. mnsafetycenter.org. Sunday, July 24 Annual Pet Blessing, 10 a.m., outdoor service, Unity Spiritual Center, 931 Fifth Ave. N., Sartell. 320-255-9253. Monday, July 25 Benton County Historical MOTORCYCLES: TOP CASH PAID! For Old Motorcycles! 1900-1979. DEAD OR ALIVE! 920-371-0494 (MCN)
Society, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.4 p.m., 218 First St. N., Sauk Rapids. 320-253-9614. mnbentonhistory.org. Market Monday, 3-6:30 p.m., parking lot of Hardware Hank, Seventh St. N., Sartell. marketmonday.org. Sauk Rapids City Council, 6 p.m., Sauk Rapids Government Center, 250 Summit Ave. N. 320258-5300. ci.sauk-rapids.mn.us. Grandparenting: What has changed?, 6:30-8:30 p.m., St. Cloud Hospital (Women and Children’s Center Classroom), 1406 Sixth Ave. N. 320-656-7021. centracare.com. Tuesday, July 26 UMN Extension Learning Circles Summer Tour, 10 a.m.2:30 p.m., meet at Munsinger/ Clemens Gift Shop, Riverside Drive S.E., St. Cloud. Sauk Rapids Lions Club, 6:30 p.m., VFW, 901 N. Benton Drive, Sauk Rapids. e-clubhouse. org/sites/saukrapidslionsmn. Xcel Energy public hearing, 7 p.m., Lake George Municipal Complex, 1101 Seventh St. S., St. Cloud. 800-895-4999. xcelenergy. com/rates. Wednesday, July 27 Stearns County Fair, today through July 31, Stearns County Fairgrounds, Sauk Centre. 320248-5511.
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Sauk Rapids-Rice Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
Friday, July 22, 2016
Thousands enjoy church festival in Rice
photos by Dennis Dalman
Four men compete in a game of “Nail Lumberjack” July 17 at the Immaculate Conception Parish Summerfest in Rice. Each player antes up a buck, and the one who hammers his first, taking successive turns, wins the dollars-pot. From left to right are John Thompson (barely visible at left), his brother Mike Thompson (in white shirt), both of Rice; Tony Tabbatt of Rice (second from right) and his father, Roger Tabbat of Grey Eagle.
Top: Lori and Joe Skroch of Foley, sister and brother, put together a jigsaw puzzle they’d just purchased at the “Grandma’s Attic” used sale at the Immaculate Conception Parish Summerfest. The Skroches’ grandparents are members of Immaculate Conception Parish. Second from top: Aaron Gindely of Rice calls bingo numbers for the Kiddie Bingo activity. The children with winning bingo cards won a variety of children’s toys. Second from bottom: Festival-goers sit and relax with food and drinks and wander the grounds. Bottom: Mary Lepinski of Rice (left) and Jenny Emslander prepare cheeseburgers for hungry customers at the food tent during the Summerfest event.