Reaching Everybody!
Presorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid St. Joseph Newsleader St. Joseph, MN 56374 Permit No. 21 ECRWSS Postal Customer
Newsleader Sartell
Friday, May 23, 2014 Volume 19, Issue 21 Est. 1995
Town Crier Farmers’ Market open Memorial Day
Sartell’s Farmers’ Market will be open from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Memorial Day at Sartell City Hall, 125 Pinecone Road N. Come for the food, stay for the fun.
DNR lifts burning restrictions
Burning restrictions have been lifted in 18 central Minnesota counties, including Stearns and Benton, due to decreased fire danger because of wet conditions and green-up moving northward, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Although the state burning restrictions are lifted in these counties, local areas, counties or municipalities may have specific regulations or restrictions that affect burning operations. Please check with local authorities to obtain proper permits before burning. Because fire danger can change quickly, DNR foresters are able to turn off burning permits in individual counties whenever conditions warrant. This could occur if there is a dry, windy day where fires could start easily and burn quickly. For more information, visit www.thenewsleaders.com and click on Criers.
Auditions set May 27, 28 for GNTC’s Fiddler on the Roof
Tryouts for the the Great Northern Theatre Company’s summer-show production of Fiddler on the Roof will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, May 27 and 28, with call backs on Thursday, May 29 at the Rocori High School, Cold Spring. The production runs Thursday-Sunday, July 31-Aug. 3 and Wednesday-Friday, Aug. 6-8 with a Sunday matinee on Aug. 3. For more information, visit www.thenewsleaders.com and click on Criers.
Postal Patron
A bit of old Metrodome graces SHS lobby by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com
Many people upon entering Sartell High School’s lobby will get a rush of nostalgia when they see a row of five seats that were once part of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Who knows? They might be the same seats they once sat in when they enjoyed a Twins game or other event. The dome was torn down several years ago, and a new stadium, Target Field, was built. Many of the old dome’s fixtures, including its seats, were sold or given away as nostalgic souvenirs. Cori Schneider of Sartell managed to secure a row of seats and donated them to the Art in Motion program in the Sartell School District. Industrial-technical education instructor Joe Schulte and two of his advanced-welding students soon had a good idea. Transform the seats to become fixtures in the high school’s
lobby. After a lot of brainstorming, they came up with a way to make their idea work. After securing the seats with a solid sitting platform, they put the final flourish on it – the Sartell Sabre logo on each end of the row of seats. Recently, the school hosted an “unveiling” of the refurbished seats. Schneider is the mother of two students in the Sartell school system. She is also an artist who began the Art in Motion program two years ago. It was, she said, “a vision to bring more art into the everyday school environment by collaborating with teachers, working with students and area artists to create fun projects that promote art, goodwill and enhance the sense of community.” Art in Motion is possible due to funding from the SartellSt. Stephen Education Foundation, the Central Minnesota Lobby • page 4
INSERT: Quiznos
Dalton Foss (left) and Adam Dullinger, both advanced welders in Joe Schulte’s technology class, put together a row of five seats that once held fans in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Their creative work was one of the school’s Art in Motion projects.
State gives more money for Sartell park by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com
The Sartell city staff, council and administrator were elated to hear the Minnesota Legislature will give the city a grant of $500,000 for acquisition of more land for the development
of Sauk River Regional Park. The money for the park is part of nearly $1 billion the legislature a p p r o v e d Degiovanni
Great River Chorale to hold auditions May 28, 29, June 4, 5
Great River Chorale, a select, auditioned 45-voice choral ensemble based in St. Cloud, will hold auditions for the 2014-15 concert season from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, May 28 and 29 and June 4 and 5 at Salem Lutheran Church, 90 Riverside Drive SE., St. Cloud The chorale rehearses Sunday nights and holds extra rehearsals prior to concerts. Members are skilled professional and avocational musicians and choral enthusiasts who desire to sing high-quality repertoire at the highest level of excellence. To schedule an audition or for more information, visit www.thenewsleaders.com and click on Criers.
contributed photo
photo by Dennis Dalman
Guest of honor U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar prepares to cut the ribbon during a ceremony May 16 at the Metro Bus Operations Center in southeast St. Cloud. The event was held to celebrate the bus company’s conversion to compressed natural gas fuel for its fleet of buses. To Klobuchar’s left is St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis, a member of the Metro Bus Commission. Other members of the commission are Sartell City Council member Amy Braig-Lindstrom (second from left); Waite Park Mayor Rick Miller, fourth from left; and (behind Klobuchar) Carolyn Garvin of Sauk Rapids. The president of Metro Bus, Ryan Daniel, is second from right.
last week in its bonding bill for many projects throughout the state, including many others in the greater St. Cloud area. Sartell City Administrator Mary Degiovanni said the grant was the result of an ongoing partnership with State Rep. Tim O’Driscoll (R-Sartell),
who worked hard on behalf of getting the grant for the park. Degiovanni also praised landowners Ralph and LaVerne Dehler, brother and sister, who sold the city the 44-acre site; and Ernie Wollak, who sold a smaller parcel of land to the Park • page 8
by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com
CNG that will be better for the environment and make the nation more energy-independent. Many dignitaries from the greater St. Cloud area attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, including Sartell Mayor Joe Perske and Sartell City Council member Amy Braig-Lindstrom, who is vice chair of the Metro Bus Commission. St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis, also a member of the commission, served as master of ceremonies at the ribbon-cutting. Kleis noted Metro Bus is the first public-transportation agency in Minnesota to have a fleet of buses fueled by CNG. The conversion, Kleis said, was an ambitious collaborative effort among Metro Bus, Xcel Energy, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the Bus • page 3
Klobuchar guest of honor at Metro Bus ceremony Calling it a “major part of a big puzzle,” U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar cut the big red ribbon May 16 to introduce the new fleet of CNG buses at the Metro Bus Operations Center’s CNG fueling pump in southeast St. Cloud. CNG is short for compressed natural gas – the clean and efficient gas that will fuel the new buses. The conversion is expected to save Metro Bus $300,000 on fuel costs during the next 10 years. The buses previously ran on diesel fuel. Klobuchar noted the natural gas is derived from the oil-and-gas production area of North Dakota, another part of the “big puzzle” that will help America develop fuels such as
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Birth
People
Rochelle and Jeremy Matthews, Lakeville, Minn., announce the birth of their son, Briggs Richard Matthews, born at 12:59 p.m. Thursday, March 13, 2014 in Fairview (Minn.) Ridges Hospital. He weighed 7 pounds 5 ounces and measured 20.5 inches. He joins a sister, Scarlett, 1. Grandparents are Jane and Rich Matthews, Sartell, Jean and Scott Wensmann, both of Lakeville. Great-grandparents are Norma and Fred Demuth, and Dick Wensmann, all of Lakeville.
Tuesday, May 27 Blood drive, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., American Red Cross, 1301 W. St. Germain St., St. Cloud. 1-800-7332767. Blood drive, 1-7 p.m., St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, 2405 1st St. N., St. Cloud. 1-800-733-2767.
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contributed photo
The American Legion Post 277 from Sartell was honored May 6 by Central Minnesota Boy Scouts Council as Charter Organization of the Year for their sponsorship of Troop 11 from Sartell. Pictured (left to right) are the following: Bob Reuter, district director of Central Minnesota BSA; Florian Mastey, Sartell, Legion commander; John Burnett, Sartell, scoutmaster Troop 11 and Legion member; and Dick Clemens, Sartell, Legion member. Michelle Miller of Sartell from Troop 11 was also honored with the District Award of Merit for her contributions to scouting and the St. Francis Xavier Church community.
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seventh-and eighth-graders, 7 p.m., Sartell Middle School multi-purpose room.
Friday, May 30 Blood drive, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., American Red Cross, 1301 W. St. Germain St., St. Cloud. 1-800-733-2767. Friday Enrichment: Farmers’ Markets, 10-11 a.m., discover benefits, find local markets. Whitney Senior Center, 1527 Northway Drive, St. Cloud. 320-255-7245. St. Joseph Farmers’ Market, 3-6:30 p.m., near the Wobegon Trail Center, C.R. 2.
Thursday, May 29 55+ Driver Improvement program (eight-hour first-time course), 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Life Assembly of God, 2409 Clearwater Road, St. Cloud. 1-888-234-1294. Coffee and Conversation, a senior discussion group, 9 a.m., Country Manor, Sartell. Blood drive, noon-6 p.m., American Red Cross, 1301 W. St. Germain St., St. Cloud. 1-800-733-2767. Honors musicians’ concert,
Saturday, May 31 Hotrod Cookoff, noon-11 p.m., car show, cook off, live music, food stands, sponsored by Working Together for a Cure, Sauk River Park, Melrose, Minn. www.hotrodcookoff. com or 320-256-5656.
If any readers have tips concerning crimes, they should call the Sartell Police Department at 320-2518186 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 320-255-1301 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.
9:53 p.m. Amber Avenue S. Lost dog. A report was made regarding a missing dog. It was found the dog was located inside another residence and the owner would return the dog.
Sunday, June 1 Musician’s Swap Meet, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., new and used gear to sell or trade, St. Cloud Armory. riffcityguitar.com/swapmeet.
Blotter
May 7 10:51 a.m. 5th Street N. Suspicious person. A report was made regarding an unknown male walking the parking lot of a school. An officer was able to locate the male and found he was playing on the courts. He was informed not to return.
May 8 5:28 p.m. Grizzly Lane. Suspicious person. A report was made regarding an unknown male parked on the roadway. An officer spoke with the male and found his vehicle had overheated and he was going to leave the area shortly. 11:02 p.m. Oak Pond Drive. Suspicious activity. A report was made regarding lights shining in a residence from an unknown loca-
Blotter • page 3
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P.O. Box 324 • 32 1st Ave. N.W. • St. Joseph, Minn. 56374 Phone (320) 363-7741 • Fax (320) 363-4195 • E-mail address: news@thenewsleaders.com POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ST. JOSEPH NEWSLEADER, P.O. Box 324, St. Joseph, MN 56374.
Sartell Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
Friday, May 23, 2014
Bus from front page federal government and the four Metro Bus cities of Sartell, St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids and Waite Park. Kleis also noted the local branch of the New Flyer company manufactured the fleet of the 23 brand-new buses. Kleis said he hopes someday to welcome St. Joseph back as a Metro Bus member city. St. Joseph contracted for Metro Bus service a couple years ago, but the city decided to end the service because ridership wasn’t up to snuff. Kleis gave a special thanks to Klobuchar. She is the one, along with former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who came to St. Cloud in 2012 to present a federal Clean Fuels grant of $3.3 million to help pay the costs of the CNG conversion. That is why Klobuchar was chosen to cut the ribbon at the ceremony. “I’m proud to be part of this,” she said, before cutting the ribbon. “It’s exciting.” Other speakers included
Blotter from page 2 tion. An officer arrived and was unable to locate the source. May 9 11:05 p.m. 7th Street N. Suspi-
Ryan Daniels, the new president of Metro Bus, who replaced the retiring Dave Tripp; Xcel CEO Dave Sparby; Wayne Joseph, executive vice president of New Flyer; and several other officials from Metro Bus, MnDOT and the Wendal Co. of southern California, which built the fueling station. “We at New Flyer are very proud of our products and our partnership with Metro Bus,” Joseph said, noting the company employs 700 people. Sparby said natural gas is “affordable, domestic and clean.” The total cost of the CNG conversion was about $20 million – $11.4 million for the new buses and $8 million for construction and renovation at the Metro Bus headquarters. The cost was covered by a $9.1-million Clean Fuels grant from MnDOT, the $3.3-million federal grant and from a local revenue bond. Each new CNG bus costs $445,000, which is $40,000 more than diesel-fueled ones. Metro Bus has a fleet of 67 buses. This year, 23 of them will be replaced with CNG buses, and eventually all of the cious vehicle. While on patrol, an officer saw an occupied vehicle parked at the school. The driver stated he was watching a movie on his phone and he would leave the premises. May 10 5:10 p.m. Walmart. Theft. An adult female was witnessed attempting to leave the store with
buses will be CNG-fueled.
How it works
Natural gas, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, is an odorless, nontoxic, gaseous mixture of hydrocarbons (mainly methane) that is drawn from wells or extracted during the production of crude oil for gasoline and other products. Because it is a gas, to store and use it, it must be stored compressed in a tank or liquefied in a storage tank by bringing the temperature down to -260-degrees F. The compressed gas is stored at fueling pumps, such as the fueling station at Metro Bus. When a bus stops for a refueling, it’s similar to refueling at a liquid gas pump, except a connection from the pump to the gas tank transfers the highly compressed gas into a very strong tank pressurized to several thousand pounds per square inch. CNG is safe, according to the U.S.D.E. It has a narrow range of flammability and dissipates very quickly if released. The storage tanks are very strong and are extremely
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puncture-resistant, the U.S.D.E maintains. Once compressed fuel is inside a vehicle’s tank, the vehicle works much the same as it would with regular gasoline or diesel fuel. The gas mixes with air in a carburetor, then is ignited by spark plugs, producing rotational forces that make the vehicle run. Natural gas amounts to about one-fourth of the energy use in the United States. About one-third of it is used for residential purposes and commer-
unpaid merchandise. She admitted to the theft. She was issued a citation and released without incident. 11:32 p.m. 18th Street N. Suspicious vehicle. While on patrol, an officer noticed a vehicle parked on the road, occupied by a crying female. The female stated she did not need assistance and her parents were on their way.
cial uses (mainly heating and cooking); one third is used by industry; and one-third goes for electric-power production. Only about one-10th – so far – is used for transportation fuel. New technologies are expected to make compressed or liquefied natural gas more common in passenger vehicles in the future. The U.S.D.E estimates about 100,000 vehicles in the United States and 11.2 million worldwide are NGVs (naturalgas-powered vehicles).
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Lobby from front page Arts Board and support from teachers and administrators at Sartell High School. In just two years, Art in Motion has made possible a wide variety of art projects. They include large-scale murals; mobiles; a master class for students; a performance by Heatbox, an acclaimed Minneapolis musician; and a metal-sculpture
Friday, May 23, 2014 collaboration with St. Cloud artist (and Sartell High School alumna) Heidi Jueb. The latter project was created as a “welcome” to the high school’s lobby. With the help of 80 students, the multi-paneled work was fashioned from recycled materials, photos taken of school students, welded panels and laser images created on a printer loaned from St. Cloud State University. Jueb led the project with students from three classes: photography,
multimedia and metals fabrication. Instructors who helped included Jess Boline, Angela Heckman, Nick Phillips and Joe Schulte. “Inspiring artful additions are being added to the school environment,” Schneider said, “to make it a hip, welcoming, thought-provoking place to learn and work in for students, staff and community members.” Thanks to additional funding, the Art in Motion will continue next year, Schneider noted.
contributed photos
Top: These are some of the panels in the “Welcome” lobby Art in Motion project. Far left: Art in Motion projects at Sartell High School most definitely involve collaborative, hands-on work, as this photo shows. Students in the photo are measuring one of the square panels for the “Welcome” project. Left: Five people at the unveiling ceremony try out the old Dome seats in the lobby of Sartell High School. From left to right are Pam Raden, school-board member; Cori Schneider, Art in Motion founder; Adam Dullinger, one of the welding artists in the Dome-seat project; Brenda Steve, high-school principal; and Joe Schulte, industrial-technical education teacher.
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Sartell Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
Friday, May 23, 2014
When renovatIng becomes profItable Are you thinking about selling your home? Whether they are short-or-long term projects, renovations are always a good way to increase the market value of your home. They will also make your home more comfortable and practical while you are still there to enjoy it.
According to the experts, making improvements to the kitchen and bathroom and refreshing the interior and exterior paintwork are the most profitable renovations to undertake. With a potential to recoup between 75 and 100 percent of your investment, these three golden renovation projects should cerA few well-planned renovation projects tainly be at the top of your list. in the kitchen and bathroom can boost The kitchen is probably the busiest area your home’s resale value.
Is It better to add a fIreplace or a pool? Several elements can affect the resale value of your home, starting with its surface area, location and its age. Renovating bathrooms, kitchen and paintwork are good resale investments, as are a wide array of other improvements that can increase market value.
Among the renovation projects that represent the best return on investment (between 50 and 75 percent), experts A finished basement, a fireplace, garage recommend replacing the heating sys- and hardwood flooring will usually increase tem, finishing the basement, adding a the market value of your home. have little effect on the resale value of fireplace and a garage, and installing solid wood flooring, new doors and win- your home include the addition of a pool or a skylight. Of course, work that is done dows, and good quality exterior siding. poorly or in bad taste will negatively affect Other projects include replacing the roof- the potential sales value of your property. ing shingles, adding a patio and a central Another thing to keep in mind is if you air-conditioning system (25 to 75 percent) entrust some of your renovations to a proand, to a lesser extent, the addition of a fessional, always insist on a written agreehome cinema and a fence as well as land- ment with a clear completion date. scaping and a paved or asphalted driveway Wherever possible, opt for eco-energy (25 to 50 percent). solutions that will allow you to sell more According to the experts, projects that quickly and at a higher price.
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of any home and should therefore be functional and provide sufficient storage space and work areas. The addition of a kitchen island is also bound to add value to your home. For the bathroom, the combination of a whirlpool bath and a separate shower ranks high on the list of criteria for potential buyers as well as a second complete bathroom or, at the very least, a powder room. The work involved in renovating a kitchen or bathroom is usually the most costly, so a complete overhaul in the latest style is sure to help potential buyers fall in love with your home at first sight. Last but not least, don’t underestimate the importance of a good paint job in order to give your home a stylish look. Choose light, neutral
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Our View
We can be proud of our legislature
If only the U.S. Congress could function like the Congress in St. Paul, many of the nation’s problems could be solved or on their way to being solved. During the last session of the Minnesota Legislature, many achievements were made, some of them with bipartisan support in a Democratically controlled House and Senate. The following are some of the major achievements: Raising the state minimum wage to $9.50 an hour by 2016 and then linking that wage to the inflation rate. This boost will help some of our hardestworking Minnesotans, many of them single mothers and young people, lift themselves somewhat above the poverty rate. It was long overdue. How anyone actually thinks anybody can live on $6 or $7 an hour is shameful. Giving back half of the $1.2-billion surplus as tax relief. That surplus also made possible undoing previous legislation that required increases in sales taxes paid by businesses for certain items and services – a tax that was lopsided, arbitrary and just plain unfair. Legalizing medical marijuana for medical use. The time was right. It has been proven by now that marijuana can help some people with acute medical conditions. The new law is very strict on how marijuana can be used – through liquid, pill form or vapor. Any further legalization of the drug must be based on ironclad research, including the effects of legalization in states like Colorado. Strengthening the state’s requirements regarding school bullying. New legislation requires schools to train teachers and staff and to investigate and then do follow-through on all cases of reported bullying. This is a mandate many oppose for fear of timeconsuming bureaucratic tasks. However, we have all seen the devastatingly emotional and physical effects of bullying physically and emotionally on vulnerable students. Thus, this is a most important step in making all students feel safe and comfortable in and out of schools. Parents will be able to take up to 12 weeks off work after a birth or adoption. That is six weeks more than now. This is good news because studies have shown how important parental-child bonding is in the first few months of a baby’s life. Providing nearly a billion dollars for projects throughout the state, including many in the greater St. Cloud area, such as a parking ramp at the River’s Edge Convention Center and $500,000 for development of Sauk River Regional Park in south Sartell. The legislature has tasks remaining in its work hopper, tasks that can be revisited in the next session. But what the legislature accomplished is most impressive, and we can be proud of our lawmakers. Now if only national lawmakers would pay attention and quit their obstructionist tactics. Well, we can dream, can’t we?
Fairness and ethics
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.
Friday, May 23, 2014
Opinion Brain damage? Look who’s talking Mud-flinging Meister Karl Rove is stooping to new lows, demonstrating once again the insecurities that shiver through the Republican Party as the 2016 presidential election draws closer. Rove, long-time Republican political strategist and fundraiser, was a senior advisor to President George W. Bush. He is now a contributor to Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek magazine. Rove’s despicable dirty tricks are in direct proportion to his party’s insecurities, especially after losing in the last two presidential elections, despite Rove’s often sly, nasty campaign trickery. If the divided Republican Party lacks coherent, unified policies, one good way to distract from that dilemma is to pump out distortions, outright lies and then drop innuendoes to discredit the opposition: Was former Texas Gov. Ann Richards a lesbian? Is Obama a Muslim and a communist? Where was he really born, by the way? Does Hillary Clinton suffer from brain damage? Not? Well, then why has she been wearing those “brain-damage” glasses? And brain-deficient or not, wasn’t she the one involved in financial corruption years ago in Arkansas? And didn’t she and husband Bill have something to do with the death of Vince Foster shortly after Clinton was elected president? Oh, sure, they claim it was a suicide, but some still think it was a murder. Fling the mud and hope it sticks. That’s the modus operandi of Rove and his minions. Despicable innuendoes, but sadly they “work” all too well because there are too many gullible voters willing to be swayed by that kind of crap. Political campaigning has always
Dennis Dalman Editor been a dirty business, on both sides, with an anything-goes attitude. Like his partner in sleaze, the late Republican strategist Lee Atwater, Rove has perfected all the smear strategies, turning dirt even dirtier – to vile filth. It works like this: Choose a little bit of reality (Hillary falling down, hitting her head and requiring a three-day hospitalization), then use that as a basis for innuendoes (Is she suffering from brain damage?) It doesn’t matter how far-fetched, cruel or ridiculous the innuendo is; it doesn’t matter if people slam Rove for playing dirty; he doesn’t care. What he cares about, above all, is that enough voters, the ones who now view Hillary favorably, will start thinking, “Well, Hillary is getting older. Who knows, could her brain be fading or damaged? After, all Reagan was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease toward the end of his last term. Should we really take a chance on voting for Hillary? Someone with brain damage?” In Rove’s playbook, the end (winning) justifies the means (lies and filthy tricks). Gov. Chris Christie, once considered the shoo-in for the next presidential candidate, has been tarnished by Bridgegate and/or by his blithe unawareness of what happens under his own nose in his office. The rational, reasonable, likable Jeb Bush is wavering
about entering the race. Potential nominees like Rand Paul, Paul Ryan, Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz consistently trail Hillary in polls. And beyond all those considerations, it’s almost certain the Republican Party will continue to be divided by a tug of war between the forces of traditional moderate conservatism that could appeal to mainstream voters and the radical ultra-right-wing extremists typified by Tea Party fantacists like Michele Bachmann and Ted Cruz. When mainstream Republicans started courting those radicals some years ago, it was bound to bring problems of electability. Yes, it is quite probable Republicans will take back the Senate this November, thus controlling both houses of Congress. But their chances in 2016 are anything but certain, especially if Hillary joins the race. A massive election turnout for her is likely to propel many other Democrats to victory, too. With that gloomy prospect looming, enter Karl Rove and the other filthy tricksters. Attack Hillary like a pack of wild dogs; nip at her heels; hamstring her until she is so exhausted and disgusted, she’ll have to decide not to enter the race. Even if she does run, keep up the attack with lies and innuendoes so she has to spend most of her time denying the relentless accusations. In reply to Rove’s brain-damage innuendo, former President Clinton said there will be more lunatic accusations aimed at his wife in the coming months. No doubt. But it sounds like the Clintons are ready for it. The pack of roving wild dogs will keep attacking, but they will not succeed in bringing Hillary down.
From the Bench
What does a judge actually do? “What do you do as a judge?” I’ve been asked that question many times. The answer is “many different things.” I serve as a district-court judge. My position is also commonly referred to as a “trial-court judge.” My fellow Minnesota district judges and I are based in the various county courthouses. District judges preside over cases and trials of many types: criminal, family, civil, probate, juvenile. I often refer to the wide variety of criminal cases we hear as “misdemeanors to murders.” For example, in recent weeks, I heard criminal cases involving domestic violence, murder, leaving the scene of an accident, terroristic threats, assault, theft, robbery, drunk driving and other traffic offenses, criminal sexual offenses, violation of protective orders, felony possession of firearms and many other crimes and misdemeanors. In the family-law area, trial judges hear and decide cases involving divorce, child custody, parenting time, property division, child support, spousal maintenance (alimony) and other disputes and issues involving family relations. We also hear civil claims and trials involving medical malpractice, auto accident and other injury claims, fights over boundary lines and real property ownership, small claims, employment termination, contract dis-
From the Bench
Frank Kundrat District Court Judge agreements and many other disputes. District-court judges also handle juvenile-delinquency cases; child-protection cases, often involving the removal of children from an unsafe or abusive home; and school truancies, runaway children, terminating parental rights to children, and other court hearings to protect and advance the best interests of children. Probate law involves overseeing the administration of estates, family trusts, guardianships and conservatorships for those needing help and protection in their daily affairs, adoptions and name changes, commitment of people to institutions for their protection and that of the public, disputes over wills and trusts and the proper division of a deceased person’s assets. As you can imagine, these matters can get quite contentious, and the intervention of a court is often necessary to keep peace among the parties. The district judges also oversee what are called master calendars, where people make their initial appearances before the court. In the
criminal context it usually takes place soon after a person is charged with an offense. It could be a relatively simple matter like a traffic ticket to a very serious felony crime involving the setting of bail to help ensure a person released from custody will return back to court for further proceedings. There are also family master calendars, which involve petitions for orders to stop harassment or for protection against threats or violence from a domestic partner or family member. Commitments, adoptions, name changes, an occasional wedding, and other matters not heard on the other calendars are also usually scheduled to be heard on the family master calendar. In addition to hearing the cases described above, district judges also have other duties. We rotate being on call and available in the evenings, at night and on weekends for issuing search warrants, reviewing the possible release of those in law-enforcement custody on weekends and other emergency situations needing a judge’s immediate attention. Being a district court judge is a 24/7 job. We judges wouldn’t have it any other way. Judge Frank Kundrat serves in the 7th Judicial District of Minnesota, chambered in St. Cloud.
Friday, May 23, 2014
Sartell Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com LEgal notICEs
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REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT 748 APRIL 21, 2014 DISTRICT CENTER BOARD ROOM The regular school board meeting of Independent School District 748 was called to order at 7 p.m. by Chair Michelle Meyer. Members present: Meyer; Krista Durrwachter, vice chair; Jason Nies, clerk; Mary McCabe, director; Pam Raden, director; Dan Riordan, director; and Michael M. Spanier, interim superintendent. A motion was made by Raden and seconded by Riordan to amend the following items on the agenda: C. Personnel Items; New Employees or Changes: Stacy Mancini, Oak Ridge Elementary, elementary classroom music teacher, effective August 2014; Caitlyn Heinen, Sartell High School, science teacher, effective August 2014; Traci Schellinger, Sartell Middle School, eighthgrade language arts teacher, effective August 2014. Leave of absence: Jason Spohn, Sartell Middle School teacher, expected duration: April 15-May 5, 2014. All in favor. Motion carried. A motion was made by Nies and seconded by Raden to approve consent items a-d as presented below: a. Minutes of the regular school board meeting held on March 17, 2014. b. Checks in the amount of $2,129,436.03 as presented: General Fund 1,678,203.37 Food Service Fund 116,974.16 Transportation Fund 108,129.92 Community Service Fund 54,834.34 Capital Expenditure Fund 170,361.27 Summer Rec Agency Fund 932.97 Check numbers 155642 to 155986 Receipts in the amount of $4,040,441.90 as presented: General Fund 3,677,071.13 Food Service Fund 226,350.67 Transportation Fund 28,510.70 Community Service Fund 74,850.87 Building Fund .54 Debt Service Fund 33,638.21 Summer Rec Agency fund 19.78 Receipts 39648 to 39761 Wire transfers in the amount of $3,755.92 as presented: General Fund 642.93 Food Service Fund 2,915.19 Community Service Fund 197.80 Wire transfers 201300060-201300064 c. Accept the following donations: ORE PTC to Oak Ridge Elementary, $3079.30 for cork bulletin bar; PME PTO to Pine Meadow Elementary, $398.75 for Student Council prize incentives; PME PTO to Pine Meadow Elementary, $500 for art-enrichment art show. d. Accept the resignation of Greg Johnson, Pine Meadow Elementary principal, effective June 30, 2014; Matthew Myers, Sartell High School teacher, effective June 9, 2014; Sherry Ritter-Ramer, Pine Meadow Elementary cashier, effective April 10, 2014; and Heather Shogren, Sartell Middle School teacher, effective June 9, 2014. Accept the retirements of Jane Monarski Scepaniak, Pine Meadow Elementary teacher, effective June 9, 2014; and Duane Sprague, Sartell Middle School teacher, effective June 9, 2014. Student Representative Report: Shawn Sullivan, senior at Sartell High School The National Honor Society Induction Banquet was held on Monday, April 14, with 42 students being inducted. Student Council elections have occurred at Sartell High School. Students who have taken Advanced Placement classes will be taking the exams at the beginning of May. Prom will be held on Saturday, May 10, at the River’s Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud. Athletic activities are finally starting to practice outside, and first meets and games are underway. SMS activities and spring sports are in full swing, with fifth- and sixth-grade students having an opportunity to participate in swim camps and soccer. Battle of the Books will take place on April 30 at the Middle School. Spring music concerts have been happening across the district with many still to come. The Community Education Dance Show and the Student Council-led Fun Fest, both held on April 12, went well. Throughout the district, MCA testing is happening and will conclude in early May. Superintendent Report: Michael M. Spanier, interim superintendent Thank you to all our staff members for the flexibility and resolve over the tumultuous winter. A special thanks to Joe Reber and Lori Tchida for overseeing the snow removal around all of our buildings, and to Bob Gross, for transportation and busing coordination. Thanks to Claude Dingmann for his leadership in the installation of the security systems, with the most recent installation at Sartell High School, of a camera/ buzzer system. Other school buildings will have systems installed by fall of 2014. Dingmann has also been instrumental in providing direction for our HVAC systems. The Education Done Differently event held at Sartell Middle School led by Brad Scherer, instructional technology specialist at the Middle School, and several Middle School teachers, was outstanding. It was inspiring to see the student and staff engagement, and see how we are educating our learners in and for the 21st century with amazing projects and application of the SAMR Model. A Safe Routes to School grant initiative was passed in collaboration with the city to put a sidewalk along Second Street to provide safer student access to our schools. The district has received a grant from the Stearns County Collaborative of $20,000 to be used to fund additional family therapy services and chemical awareness programming in the district. School Board Committees Benton-Stearns Report: Five of the six member districts of BSED have settled contracts with their teaching staff. BSED will continue to contract special-education services to STRIDE Academy. Facilities Committee: Additional spacing is needed to provide quality learning for students. The group will continue to study and evaluate long-range needs. The most immediate need is at Sartell Middle School where the district is considering adding three additional permanent
classrooms to the fifth-grade wing. This option is the best in the short and long term as it will provide additional space, be economical and provide long-term infrastructural space. The goal is to approve a plan and have space ready for Fall. Finance and Operations The committee reviewed the 2014-15 budget requests and staffing for the buildings with the plan to approve a budget at the May Board meeting. Policy Committee The committee continues to review policies and extract information that is procedural in nature. These items will be separate documents from the policies. Negotiations Committee A tentative agreement has been reached with the 284 Multi-Unit group. Schools for Equity in Education: Brad Lundell, executive director for Schools for Equity in Education, reported on SEE and providing value-added services in providing district’s equitable, adequate and sustainable funding. He also reported on happenings at the legislature and current legislative initiatives. District Health Services: Asha Poepping, ISD 748 district nurse, reported on the current state of nursing services. Sartell Middle and High School Activities: John Ross, ISD 748 activities director, reported on the 13-14 athletics and activities programming. A motion was made by Durrwachter and seconded by Riordan to APPROVE THE PERSONNEL OMNIBUS RESOLUTION AS AMENDED. New Employees or Changes: Shane Broermann, SMS junior high track, $1,503,BS1/4.5 percent replacing Greg Jamison; Margaret Burk, SMS, vocal music – choir director, $35,036, BA, S1, replacing Kay Nelson; Katlyn Kiehn, SMS JH girls golf, $1,503.00, BS1/4.5 percent, replacing Courtney Suemnick; Kristopher Lynk, ORE principal, $103,185, S8, replacing Randy Husmann; Cathy Maland, SHS, LTS Spanish, $23.10/per hour, BA, S1, replacing Emily Meyer; Carmen Mead, SMS, SPED, $48,839, MA, S6, replacing Michael Chamberlain; Jorden Nelson, SMS, LTS for seventh-grade language arts, $184.81/per day, BA, S1, Michelle Raml – leave; Sara Nelson, PME, principal, $103,185, S8, replacing Greg Johnson; Rob Notsch, SMS, seventh-grade baseball, $1,542, BS2/4.5 percent, new position; Beau Penk, SMS, JH boys tennis, $1,503, BS1/4.5 percent, new position; Montana Peters, SMS, SPED, $35,036, BA, S1, replacing Mary Jo Vigoren; Heidi Schmidt, SMS, special ed: speech/language, $48,839, MA, S6, replacing Cathy Ballard; Roy Snyder, SHS, social studies, $47,946, MA,S5, new position; Janet Summerall, SHS, LTS Spanish, $23.10/per hour, BA, S1, replacing Emily Meyer; Elizabeth Swenson, ORE, student supervisor, $12.65/per hour, RI, S1, replacing Guadalupe Schmidt; MaryAnn Terwey, ORE, LTS-cook, $17.33/per hour, RIV, S2, 5.25 hours per day, replacing Lois Villcheck; Robin Zormeier, SMS, LTS-cook, $18.18/per hour, RIV, S3, 8 hours per day, replacing Judy Schwankl (LOA); Stacy Mancini, ORE, elementary classroom music, $46,157, MA, S3, replacing Kathy Wood; Caitlyn Heinen, SHS, science, $37,721, BA, S4, new position; Traci Schellinger, SMS, eighth-grade language arts, $47,051, MA, S4, replacing Bridget Hooley Leave of Absence: Therese Nierengarten, SMS teacher, part time, Nov. 23, 2013-June 9, 2014; Lisa Schoon, SHS receptionist, full time, March 27, 2014-March 27, 2015; Jason Spohn, SMS teacher, full time, April 15, 2014-May 5, 2014. All in favor. Motion carried. A motion was made by Nies and seconded by McCabe to HAVE SECOND READINGS AND APPROVE REVISIONS TO POLICIES 104, 106, 202, 503, 515, 532, 602, 603, 604, 619, AND 710. All in favor. Motion carried. A motion was made by Durrwachter and seconded by Raden to REMOVE POLICY 214 WHICH HAS RESULTED IN RECOMMENDATION FOR REMOVAL OF THIS POLICY. All in favor. Motion carried. A motion was made by McCabe and seconded by Durrwachter to APPROVE THE RESOLUTION FOR NON-RENEWAL OF THE PROBATIONARY CONTRACTS AS PRESENTED FOR Anna Burbridge, Hsing-I Chan, Barb Eckberg, Jill Haehn, Teresa Heck, Krista Heim, Aaron Johnson, Kaye Kalthoff, Kayla Lord, Doreen Schmidt, Kirsten Uran and Kirsten Welz. All in favor. Motion carried. A motion was made by Nies and seconded by McCabe to APPROVE THE SARTELL HIGH SCHOOL SPANISH CLUB FUNDRAISER FOR THE TRIP TO COSTA RICA. All in favor. Motion carried. The board had official review of the following policies: 207, 210 and 215. Policy 215 will be brought back to the policy committee for language review to revise specific number of student board representatives. The board had the first of two readings of revisions of the following policies: 201, 203.1, 204, 206, 208, 209, 211, 212, 213, 214.1, 404 and 613. Schedule Work Session and Committee Meetings May 6 at 7:30 a.m. - Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Committee, District Service Center May 12 at 4 p.m. - Policy Committee, District Service Center May 15 at 4:15 p.m. - Finance and Operations Committee, District Service Center May 15 at 5:15 p.m. - Facilities Committee, District Service Center May 19 at 7 p.m. - Regular School Board Meeting, District Service Center A motion to adjourn the meeting at 9 p.m. was made by Durrwachter and seconded by Riordan. All in favor. Motion carried. Jason Nies, clerk Publish: May 23, 2014 CITY OF SARTELL PUBLIC HEARING CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES TITLE 8, SEWER USE CODE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN: Code. A copy of the proposed That the city of Sartell will hold changes to the ordinance is availa public hearing at 7 p.m., or as able for review at the city clerk’s soon thereafter as the matter may office. be heard, Monday, June 9, 2014, at the Sartell City Hall, for the pur- All interested persons are invited pose of amending the city code to attend to voice their opinion. of ordinances, Title 8, Sewer Use Written comments will be accept-
ed until the date of the hearing. Mary Degiovanni City Administrator Publish: May 23, 2014
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Park from front page city. Degiovanni also credited Sartell resident Steve Feneis, who helped negotiate the land-purchase agreement. The deal was sealed just this past February, although the Sartell City Council has long hoped to have a regional park in that scenic area. “This new grant will help us get more adjoining (land) spaces,” Degiovanni said. “We used previous state funding to acquire other acreage there.” The other state money was a $1.5 million Minnesota Legacy grant to Sartell, which required the city spend $60,000 toward the park, which it did through its park-dedication fund. The next step, Degiovanni noted, is for the city to build an access road to the park and put in a parking area there, hopefully this summer. At that time, the park can be open to the public. Sauk River Regional Park, as it will be known, is a stretch of land next to the Sauk River in south Sartell, on the border with St. Cloud and that city’s north end of Whitney Park. It is a very pristine, undeveloped area, and Sartell park planners want to keep it as pristine as
Sartell Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com possible for hiking, biking and picnic areas. The Sauk River Regional Park funds are just some of the massive amount of money the legislature approved for statewide projects, a combination of using $200 million from the state income surplus and $846 million from a bonding bill. The surplus bill was approved late last week 44-19 in the Senate and 82-50 in the House. The bonding bill was approved 47-17 in the Senate and 92-40 in the House. All told, nearly $30 million in disbursements will go to the greater St. Cloud area. They include: • $500,00 to Sartell for Sauk River Regional Park, as detailed above. • $11.56 million for expansion and a parking ramp at River’s Edge Convention Center, St. Cloud. • $4.4 million for repairs at Ritchie Auditorium/Stewart Hall building at St. Cloud State University. • $865,000 to renovate Eastman Hall at SCSU. • $1.1 million for improvements at the Metro Bus Operations Center, St. Cloud. • $18 million for a new health-services unit at the St. Cloud State Technical College. There is also $50 million now available for roads and bridges throughout the state.
Friday, May 23, 2014
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