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music
New Look. Same Local Coverage since 1854. Vol. 163, No. 9
11 2nd Ave. N., Unit 103, Sauk Rapids, Benton County, MN 56379
Road project moving forward BY NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
RICE — A road construction project in Rice is progressing after an update from the city’s engineer. Jonathon Fleck, of Bollig, Inc, said his Àrm completed plans for the Second and Third Avenues Northeast roads and the city secured an easement from the Church of the Immaculate Conception. Both have expedited the process for seeking bids in a timely manner. Bids open July 6. The council will then have the option to award a bid July 17 or postpone the construction until spring if needed. At an earlier June meeting the council was notiÀed that because the school requires the project to be completed before Sept. 1, bids may come back higher than if contractors had more time. In other council news: • Approved the 2017 Watab Township Fire Contract. • Approved a large gathering permit for Rice Family Fun Day contingent on payment and proof of liability insurance. The event will be hosted Aug. 19 with a parade at 3 p.m. and two bands. The Gregory James Band will open at 6 p.m. followed by Pop Rocks at 9:30 p.m. • Set a public hearing date of July 17 for the easement vacation at 204 Ninth Ave. • Keith O’Brien commented that the Heritage Day Parade has continued to grow in both spectators and participating Áoats. He also thanked the city’s police ofÀcers for their work during community events. He wanted the city to know they have a good staff and the ofÀcers are appreciated.
Colored concrete crossings to be striped BY NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS — As the Sauk Rapids city council awarded the bid for the 2017 Second Avenue South Improvement Project Monday night, they had more than road construction on their mind. Council members asked a number of questions regarding the “Alternate A” option of the bid — zebra-striped crosswalks to be added to the intersections of Second Street North, Second Avenue North and Benton Drive. “At Àrst I was not pleased with the stripes downtown because when we did the bridge project we intentionally put the colored concrete in there for a purpose,” said Mayor Kurt Hunstiger. “But when our professionals come back to us and tell us from a safety standpoint, it’s our charge as a council and the city to provide safe travel to both cars and pedestrians. I don’t want to see someone get hurt there.” The cross walks will have slanted stripes rather than the traditional vertical stripes found throughout the city. The colored concrete will be ground before the stripes are painted and epoxied with hopes to maintain the life of the striping longer. Council person Steve Heinen asked about additional signage. City engineer Terry Wotzka, of Short Elliot Hendrickson, Inc., said although signage is not included in the project, they could look at signage enhancements additionally. The bid for the project was awarded to Kuechle Underground Inc., of Kimball. Total project costs are estimated to be $2.48 million. The project will be constructed with a combination of state aid, sales tax, utility funds and assessments. The city has plans to host a meeting for community members and business owners to answer questions and provide details for the project next week. Affected parties will be notiÀed by mail. In other council news: • Awarded the bid for the Old Municipal Park Building improvements. Project One
Sauk Rapids: page 3
DeÀned by BY ANNA SALDANA STAFF WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS – When it comes to music, Charlie Roth feels it bonds him with people. “It really connects with people and their emotions,” Roth said. “For me, music has been my constant. I’ve been playing music consistently for 25 years with no other job.” Roth has been an artist in the regional music scene for just as long. “I’ve been in a number of bands over the years – Cats Deluxe, Ring of Kerry, Taxman and some others every once in a while,” Roth said. “I created my Àrst solo album in 1999, and I’ve been doing it ever since.” Since then, Roth’s music career has exploded, taking him on tours all over the United States and beyond. “My Àfth album is what started me on my European tours,” Roth said. “It’s so fun to be able to play all over. My Àrst concert offer in Europe was in 2010 and it only escalates from there. I will be playing a festival in Scotland this year and that will be my third time there. I went to Ireland for the Àrst time in 2013. I’ve also played in England.” While he plays in larger venues, his favorite gigs are much more simple. “My favorite job is when I get to play house shows in people’s living rooms,” Roth said. “It’s a much more intimate setting and people tend to connect with the music that much
Thursday, June 22, 2017
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Charlie Roth has been playing music in Sauk Rapids venues for the past 25 years. Roth is hoping to play a show at Living Waters Lutheran Church in mid-July, but no date is conÀrmed yet.
more. Usually when I play shows like that, there’s anywhere from one to 30 people.” Over the course of the next couple months, Roth will be playing in North Carolina, Illinois and across Europe before returning home. Roth
is hoping to play a show at Living Waters Lutheran Church in mid-July, but no date is set. Roth has played various shows of multiple genres in venues around Sauk Rapids, “When I play cover gigs, I can
tap into so many genres and songs, which makes it really interesting for the audience,” Roth said. “With my own music though, it’s hard to name just one genre because I like to play everything besides heavy metal and rap. Over time, I’ve settled more on Americana blended with other genres.” Roth’s favorite album is the one that sent him to Europe for the Àrst time. “I had really good success with that album, which was the Àfth one I recorded. I recorded 10 of the songs in one sitting,” Roth said. “I typically like to make a new album every other year or so and then I play a show at Pioneer Place to go along with that.” Roth has yet to stop writing songs, just as he has from the start of his career over 25 years ago, but his inspiration just happens. “Sometimes it just comes to me,” Roth said. “Often, it’ll happen in my sleep so then I have to get up and start jotting down notes or strumming chords on the guitar. Other times, I just get the idea from keeping my ears open for a good song or melody that I like. But the inspiration never happens the same way twice in a row.” The longer Roth plays music, the more it consumes who he is. “I’m just so into what I do that I don’t have many other hobbies,” Roth said. “Making and playing music is a hobby and a living. It’s just how I’m wired up and I wouldn’t change that for anything.”
Food comes full-circle
Tri-County Organics composts mealtime discards BY NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
ST. CLOUD — Food waste is discarded daily — a banana peel, half-eaten peanut butter cookie, onions from a salad. When people Ànish a meal, they often dismiss their table scraps into the disposal or wastebasket with no more than a bat of an eye. But the leftovers that are useless to some are a hot commodity at Tri-County Organics. “You’re diverting material from PHOTO BY NATASHA BARBER the landÀll for generations, in my Jamie Phenow, general manager at Tri-County Organics, spends his day opinion,” said Jamie Phenow, general composting yard and food waste at the business located at 40 35th Ave manager at the business. “You’re NE, St. Cloud. The company collects 18 tons of food waste each week. turning it back into a resource or viable soil.” Tri-County Organics is a compost lengthy state permitting process, the waste one year later. They do not establishment gathers an estimated facility which began as a yard-waste privately-owned company began collect plastic, glass, metal and other 18 tons of food waste each week from only collection site in 2012. After a collecting source-separated food recyclable materials. Today, the Tri-County: page 3
MollY is home Skille family reunited with dog BY ANNA SALDANA STAFF WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS – Aaron and Krista Skille were devastated when their Shih Tzu, Molly, ran away June 2. Aaron was in the yard when she disappeared. “I was grinding a couple of stumps down and a couple of the neighbor dogs came over, which is normal,” Aaron said. “But all the sudden, she was gone. It was just the most sickening feeling. It was the one time I decided we would be OK not putting the dogs in the fenced-in backyard.” When Bailey Jacquemart came across Molly while driving on 30th Street NE in Sauk Rapids, she could tell Molly was lost. “She was just this little white fur ball walking along and on a day where it was 95 degrees outside, she looked hot,” Jacquemart said. “I picked her up and drove door-todoor for 45 minutes, trying to Ànd her owners. When that didn’t work, I took her to the vet to look for a chip.” At the Mille Lacs Vet Clinic in Foley, Molly was found to not have a chip, but she did have tags from a previous vet clinic. Through
PHOTO BY ANNA SALDANA
Krista and Aaron Skille hold on to their dog, Molly. After disappearing June 2, Molly was found by a passerby and reunited in coincidental circumstances the same day.
a phone call, Molly’s owners were identiÀed. “I talked to Aaron at 3:30 and I became worried about Molly, to the point where I was going to leave work early to come home and search for her,” Krista said. “Then
as I’m ready to leave, I get a call from the vet clinic, which seemed weird since Aaron was on his way there with one of our other dogs, Louie. I answered and they told me they had Molly. That was the longest 20 minutes of my life.”
Meanwhile, Aaron was on his way with Louie. He found out the surprise before Krista had a chance to tell him. “I walked in and stood at the door. I was stunned,” Aaron said. “Everyone in the whole room looked at me and stopped talking as I comprehended that my dog was in front of me and it only took me an instant of a second to realize it was Molly. I really think higher powers intervened in this situation.” But Molly and Aaron weren’t the only ones united. Aaron met Jacquemart as well. “I waited at the clinic to see if they were able to Ànd Molly’s owners and then Aaron walked in,” Jacquemart said. “I honestly didn’t believe it. I almost started crying because I was so happy that crazy situation presented itself.” The Skilles have had Molly back home since that day and wouldn’t trade it for the world. “We have been keeping a closer eye on our dogs since Molly ran away, because they are family and we now know what it’s like to have one of them go missing,” Krista said. “To have to call our daughter, Breeya, and tell her Molly was missing would have been the worst. We are just so grateful that Molly is back home and lucky that this all happened the way it did. We felt like we won the lottery when we got her back.”