PRSRT STD ECR U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #861
Athletes of the year page 6
New Look. Same Local Coverage since 1854. Saturday, May 12, 2018
A career sprouted fromfamily 11 2nd Ave. N., Unit 103, Sauk Rapids, Benton County, MN 56379
Vol. 164, No. 5
School district referendum Sauk Rapids fails daycare provider BY ANNA SALDANA STAFF WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS – Voters in the Sauk Rapids-Rice School District rejected the $93,185,000 bond referendum Tuesday. With six of the six precincts reporting as well as absentee ballots, 5,789 votes were tallied. Of those, 39 percent [2,255] voted with a ‘yes’ vote and 61 percent voted ‘no.’ “The Board of Education and the community will come together once again to determine how best to serve students and the community,” said board chair Mark Hauck. “Strong schools are the cornerstone of a strong community, and we are committed to keeping Sauk RapidsRice Schools strong.” The May 8 ballot was similar to the May 23, 2017 referendum vote and included increasing security across all the district buildings, constructing athletic elds at the high school, expanding early childhood at both Rice Elementary and Hillside, building a new elementary school and demolishing and rebuilding Pleasantview Elementary. The difference between this year’s referendum and the previous one was the accommodation of more students at the new, proposed elementary school and greater space added to the early childhood facilities. Dan Johnson, chair of the vote no committee, feels relief after seeing the results. “It’s complicated to say how I’m really feeling,” Dan said. “I’m glad people got the message and
Referendum page 3
opens home, heart to area kids BY VICKI IKEOGU CONTRIBUTING WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS — As a young mom, Amanda DeMars and her soon-to-be husband were hardpressed to nd childcare for their infant son. “I wasn’t having much luck nding a job, and then to nd daycare for him, I just decided to start a daycare on my own,” she said. Based out of a small home in Sartell, DeMars became licensed in September 1999 and started taking on a few kids in January 2000. “When I rst started, I actually started (doing daycare) in the evenings for parents working second shift,” she said. “Then, it went to providing daycare for rst and second shift. And then, eventually, we went from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. because our family was growing. We had also started doing foster care at the time.” The DeMars family was licensed to do foster care in 2000, and followed through with the responsibility for about 15 years. Daycare, however, was an avenue DeMars continued down. Although admittedly, it was a path the accounting major from St. Cloud Technical and Community College never saw herself pursuing. But nearly 20 years later, there is not anything else DeMars could see
DeMars page 3
PHOTO BY NATASHA BARBER
Amanda DeMars (center) is with her daycare children – (front, from left) Hazel, Logan and Liam; (middle, right) Finleigh; (back, from left) Victoria, Lydia, Braxton, Tatum and Peyton – April 20 in Sauk Rapids. DeMars has been a second mother to children for 19 years.
Sauk Rapids native lands dream job fishing Klug owner, operator of MK Fishing Guide Service BY VICKI IKEOGU CONTRIBUTING WRITER
ST. CLOUD – At the age of 3, Sauk Rapids resident Matt Klug was handed something that would change his life forever: a shing rod. Growing up in St. Joseph, the now 29-year-old said he would pass the hours and the days alongside his grandfather, shing the lakes around Upsala. “My grandpa was the one who got me into shing,” Klug said. “If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t sh near as much as I do. He lit the re for sure. I would spend every free day or minute I had during the summer out there from as long as I could remember, until I got my driver’s license. Then I had to work.” But those days of dropping in a line and catching a few pan sh are long gone for Klug. For him, shing is less about a recreational way to pass the time and more about the thrill of the sport. “I will sh blue gills. I will sh walleyes. I will sh cat sh. I like it all,” he said. “But if I could only sh for one thing, it would be small mouth bass. There is just nothing that ghts like a small mouth in Minnesota, pound for pound.” Whether it’s busting up ice on Lake Superior or anchoring in Lake Mille Lacs, Klug has done it all. And that is part of the reason why he has decided to set his sights on another, part-time career as a shing guide.
PUBLIC NOTICES
PHOTO BY VICKI IKEOGU
Sauk Rapids resident Matt Klug poses for a photo inside Stop Light Bait in St. Cloud. Klug, owner of MK Fishing Guide Service, provides fishing trips for people from across Minnesota.
“Up until a couple of years ago I never thought I would consider really becoming part of the shing industry,” Klug said. “It kind of just happened. I never really tried to do it. I just kind of fell into it I guess.” Klug got his start into the shing industry by volunteering as a guide
and teacher with both the Women Anglers of Minnesota and Fishing with Vets organizations. In addition, Klug has spent countless hours shing with friends, coworkers and family members, teaching people a variety of different shing techniques he has picked up over the years.
But last year, Klug decided he was ready to dive into this new adventure – hook, line and sinker. As owner and operator of MK Fishing Guide Service, Klug spends a good portion of his weekends teaching anglers of all ages the art – and sport – of shing. “I do a lot of my guide trips up on Mille Lacs,” he said. “I do some out in the Alexandria area. I kind of go all over, but I would say Mille Lacs is where I get the most requests.” Klug said a lot of people tend to want to sh for walleyes. But he is getting more requests for small mouth bass, especially on his trips to Mille Lacs. “I do a lot of educational trips,” he said. “I would consider myself as more of a shing educator. That’s more of my passion.” A majority of his clients come from the Twin Cities area seeking either a half-day or full-day on the water. But he has even attracted the attention of anglers from as far away as Ohio. “If they want to learn something, I will teach them something,” Klug said. “But some people just want to go out and sh. They don’t want to bait their hook, they don’t want to do anything. They just want everything done for them, and we do that, too. But some people actually want to learn how you are doing things.” For many Minnesotans, Mother’s Day weekend will be the of cial kick-off to the 2018 season with the 71st annual Governor’s Fishing Opener. But for those like Klug, the shing season never truly ends. “If you’ve never been shing, nd someone and go,” Klug said. “It will change your life.”
• Assumed Name - Envision Photography and Design - pg. 5 • City of Sauk Rapids Public Hearing - Sacred Heart - pg. 5 • Assumed Name - Sauk Rapids Hardware Hank - pg. 5 • Notice of Mortgage Foreclosure - Johnson - pg. 5 • Benton County First Half Real Estate Taxes Due - pg. 5 • Benton County Hwy. Dept. 2018 Gravel Crushing Project • Benton County Cemetary Association - pg. 5 pg. 5 • City of Sauk Rapids Public Hearing - Jesse Hinkemeyer - pg. 5 • City of Sauk Rapids Public Hearing - US Solar - pg. 5
Public should expect summer detour
FOLEY — County Road 29 in Sartell will be reduced to one lane of traf c beginning May 14. According to Benton County Highway Department, traf c will only be allowed to travel one direction, eastbound. A signed detour will be in place to direct westbound traf c to Minnesota Highway 15 to Benton Drive, then north to County Road 29. The one lane closure will remain in place for most of the summer. Drivers should expect the work zone to be separated from traf c by the use of a concrete safety barrier and a narrow driving lane. Access to homes and local businesses will be open during the road closure. For additional information visit the project web page at http:// www.co.benton.mn.us/306/CSAH29-Reconstruction or follow on Facebook at http://www.facebook. com/bchwy.projects.
Gear up for Clean Sweep Week
SAUK RAPIDS – The city of Sauk Rapids will be featuring Clean Sweep Week 2018 beginning May 16. The compost site will be open May 16-18 from noon to 7 p.m.; and on May 19 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Residents are encouraged to visit the city’s website http://www. ci.sauk-rapids.mn.us for information regarding the city’s fees schedule and acceptable Clean Sweep items. The Sauk Rapids compost site is open for the season. The site accepts leaves, wood chips, brush and grass clippings with a valid compost sticker. Stickers can be purchased with cash or check at Sauk Rapids City Hall or at the compost site. Compost stickers are available for city of Sauk Rapids residents, Sauk Rapids Township residents and the orderly annexation area of Minden Township residents. Compost site hours are Mondays from 3-7 p.m., Wednesdays from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.