PRSRT STD ECR U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #861
Daylight Saving Time Sun., March 11 Make sure to move your clocks ahead one full hour.
New Look. Same Local Coverage since 1854. Vol. 163, No. 48
11 2nd Ave. N., Unit 103, Sauk Rapids, Benton County, MN 56379
Saturday, March 10, 2018
SWEETS GALORE Cookie sales build business skills, confidence in area scouts BY VICKI IKEOGU CONTRIBUTING WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS — If you have been in any area grocery store or shopping center, chances are you have either seen or been approached by girls of all ages, donning their sashes and vests, peddling those addictive packages known as Girl Scout cookies. Since Feb. 3, and through March 11, hundreds of area Girl Scouts are hitting the pavement and running booths in an effort to reach out to both loyal fans and a new customer base. “For 101 years, the Girl Scout Cookie Program has been an integral part of developing girls of courage, conÀdence and character,” said Leigh Ann Davis, chief
executive ofÀcer of Girl Scouts Lakes and Pines, in a statement. For many local troop leaders, those characterbuilding traits are developed at a very young age. “There are a ton of things my girls learn (through selling cookies),” Kelly Travis said. Travis is the leader of Sauk Rapids Girl Scout Troop 245, a multi-level troop made up of girls from kindergarten through third grade. Her daughters, Karina, 9, and Linnela, 7, are both actively involved in the troop made up of 15 girls. “One of the beneÀts I’ve seen is with my one daughter. She was very quiet and reserved,” Travis said. “But through selling cookies, she learned how to talk to and approach people. It has given her so much conÀdence.” It is one skill that Girl Scouts Lakes and Pines Director of Marketing and Customer Care Tauna Quimby said troop leaders and parents alike have noticed in their girls. “The Girl Scout Cookie Program rewards girls in four ways,” she said. “The Àrst is the skills they learn from
running their own business. The second, a percentage of the proceeds from cookie sales goes back to the troop. Third, the girls can earn cookie dough, a rewards-style gift card that can be used to cover the costs of camping trips or other Girl Scout related items. And Ànally, girls can earn different awards for selling certain amounts of cookies.” The Girl Scouts Lakes and Pines Council serves about three-Àfths of the state of Minnesota and a portion of northern Wisconsin. Quimby said approximately 4,350 girls in this region are selling cookies. In 2017, the council sold 1,008,579 packages. That averaged out to around 232 boxes per girl. “It’s a wildly successful program,” she said. Planning for the annual cookie fundraiser starts early. Pam Maurus, Sauk Rapids Troop 728 leader, said girls have to put in a lot of time planning, projecting and budgeting for PHOTO SUBMITTED cookies sales well in advance. Sauk Rapids Girl Scouts sisters Katelyn and Megan Anderson pose with their mom and troop leader Lisa Anderson. The Anderson girls are two of the thousands of Girl Scouts in the Girl Scouts Lakes and Pines council participating in the 101st annual Girl Scout Cookie Program. Girl Scouts page 2
Making dreams a reality CMBA, local industry partner to ramp up workspace BY NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS — The industrial technology shop at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School is undergoing a renovation. Woods instructor Jake Masters’s plan: to make it the best high school shop in central Minnesota. The update comes thanks to the Central Minnesota Builders Association’s Tools for Schools program and its Presidents Foundation. Through industry support, the SRR district has received thousands of dollars in donations for its industrial tech department. “Every year Tools for Schools has been an amazing addition to our programs,” said Masters, a former Apollo teacher who is in his Àrst year at SRR. “A ton of shop teachers rely
on it to get basic hand tools, even some materials. It is an amazing opportunity.” For the last 15 years, CMBA has been partnering with businesses and contractors to fund area schools’ programs, donating money to help buy saw blades, sand paper, small hand tools and consumables. But this year was different. The association granted a 100 percent match to all donations through its Presidents Foundation. Industry locals such as Dale Gruber Construction, K Johnson Construction, Rice Companies Inc. and Wilkie Sanderson, as well as others took advantage knowing their contributions would be doubled. Even businesses not afÀliated with the trade chipped in. Bubba’s Bar and Grill gifted $4,000 [matched to equal $8,000] in support. The addition was so successful, CMBA is continuing the match through 2018. “CMBA wanted to create more of a student interest in the building trades as an option for a career choice,” said Bonnie
PHOTO BY NATASHA BARBER
Sauk Rapids-Rice industrial technology teacher Jake Masters explains a JET planer Jan. 31 at the high school in Sauk Rapids. The machine was purchased with donated funds.
Behrenbrinker to serve county BY NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
Moeller, CMBA’s executive director. “The number one issue for many industries, not only ours, is the workforce.” Moeller said it has been difÀcult for employers to Ànd skilled workers or those wanting to pursue education in the Àelds following high school, so they are setting their sights at creating interest before students’
make other career plans. “We want students and parents to know there are other options than four-year colleges and the construction industry can be a viable lifestyle,” Moeller said. Masters said the partnerships are working. “We are growing tremendously,” he said. “It’s incredible the amount of
students and what is going on as far as the industry. We’re seeing growth. That’s why I came to Sauk Rapids. It is declining in the St. Cloud Area and Sauk Rapids is growing. The number of teachers we have here – four full-time tech education teachers – is
Partnership page 2
Who will survive?
SRRHS hosts week-long competition BY ANNA SALDANA STAFF WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS – Sauk Rapids-Rice High School is taking their own spin on a popular television show. “Survivor” is a battle between contestants to survive the competition to the end, overcoming various challenges and trying to defeat their opponents. SRRHS will be turning their school into a survivor zone March 19-23 as a group of students and staff members vie for the championship. The school announced the contestants – Grace Burski, Cecilia Skog, Hillarie Markfort, Kaeleigh Rainer, Abby Trelfa, Maureen Schimnich, Jack Grabinski, Shawn Schoen, Summer Schmidt, Gage Donovan, Dylan Roering, Ashley Tapio, staff member Seth Neidhardt and staff member Jennie Weber – the morning of March 1. “The student council has seen other schools talk about having a survivor week while they attend state and national conferences,” said Trisha Bemboom, SRRHS student council advisor. “They decided it was something they wanted to do, and it’s been full steam ahead. They are really excited to do this.”
Survivor page 3
Interim assessor appointed
FOLEY — Following the unexpected death of Benton County Assessor Brian Koester, Stephen Behrenbrinker was appointed by the county board March 6 to Àll the statutory obligation of the role. Behrenbrinker will serve as interim assessor until a new county assessor can be recruited. Behrenbrinker has an extensive resume of assessor and appraisal work, formerly working for the city of St. Cloud and most recently being contracted by the cities of Foley, Sauk Rapids and Watab Township. Koester, a resident of Little Falls, was assessor at the county for more than 20 years. Behrenbrinker will assume the position of interim assessor, working on a part-time as-needed employee. County assessor staff appraiser Tim Jacobs will take on the daily management and supervisory responsibilities of the land services department. The board approved paying Jacobs, who is traditionally an exempt employee, overtime pay in lieu of a wage increase until a new land services director is hired. County administrator Monty Headley requested that the board Àll the position of human resources director before proceeding with recruitment of an assessor. Headley said interviews for the human resources position are March 23.
Accessor page 2
PUBLIC NOTICES
PHOTO BY NATASHA BARBER
Sauk Rapids-Rice High School Survivor cast – (front, from left) junior Kaeleigh Rainer, junior Maureen Schimnich, freshman Grace Burski, freshman Cecelia Skog and sophomore Hillarie Markfort; (middle, from left) staff member Seth Neidhardt, staff member Jennie Weber and senior Shawn Shoen; (back, from left) junior Abby Trefla, senior Ashley Tapio, senior Gage Donovan, senior Summer Schmidt, senior Dylan Roering and junior Jack Grabinski – gear up March 7 in Sauk Rapids for the week-long stay in school that will take place as part of a Make-a-Wish fundraiser. The event is being organized by the SRR student council.
• Benton Co. Board of Adjustment • Hearing Notice - pg. 3 • Minden Township Annual Meeting - pg. 3 • Watab Township Meeting Notice - pg. 5 • Mortgage Foreclosure - Ziwicki - pg. 5 • Benton Co. Highway Dept. Request for Proposal - pg. 5 • City of Sauk Rapids Hearing Notice Nimit Mehta - pg. 7 • City of Sauk Rapids Hearing Notice Village Equities LLC - pg. 7 • Mortgage Foreclosure - Kolbo - pg. 6 • Mortgage Foreclosure - Baron - pg. 6 • Benton County Regular Minutes • Feb. 20 - pg. 6