PRSRT STD ECR U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #861
11 2nd Ave. N., Unit 103, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379
“Minnesota’s Oldest Weekly Newspaper” Vol. 162, No. 10
Sauk Rapids, Benton County, Minnesota 56379
(USPS 482-240)
June 16, 2016
A continuation of the F Frontiersman, The Free Press, Sauk Rapids Sentinel and St. Cloud Sentinel.
An emotional farewell
M Magnuson leaves Sauk Rapids-Rice for Pequot Lakes Ra Special Second Section!
by ANNA SALDANA STAFF WRITER
Fun for the entire i family!
Gluten-free storefront to open by NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS—A new business is staged to mix things up in the downtown Sauk Rapids area. John and Jessi Brinkman, owners of Sweet Nature Gluten Free Baked Goods, have plans to open a gluten-free commercial rental kitchen in the former Flying Pig Pizza location along Second Avenue North. The business will go by the name Mixin’ It Up: Gluten Free Bakery and Commercial Kitchen Rental. According to Jessi Brinkman, the business model
will be the first of its kind in Minnesota. Along with the gluten-free rental kitchen it will feature a cooperative storefront where retail food items will be sold directly to patrons. “We wanted to be the catalyst for providing safe foods to people with Celiac Disease or food intolerances. This is an opportunity for people to serve gluten-free foods in a much safer way,” Brinkman said. In the coming weeks, the space will be converted into the gluten-free kitchen and
Sweet Nature continued on pg. 2
SCSU President Potter dies in Brooklyn Center crash ST. CLOUD – Saint Cloud State University President Earl H. Potter III died Monday evening in a rollover crash. “Earl’s passing is a huge loss to SCSU, to the state of Minnesota and to higher education. His leadership, on so many fronts, will be missed,” said Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Chancellor Steven J. Rosenstone via a statement released by SCSU. “Earl was a colleague and a friend—a thoughtful, insightful leader—who cared Saint Cloud State University deeply about the university, President Earl H. Potter III its students and the St. Cloud community. I know he was deeply respected on your campus, as well, and my condolences go out to you all.” According to the Minnesota State Patrol, Potter, 69, was traveling east on Interstate 694 near Brooklyn Center when he lost control, hit the guard rail and over-corrected into the center lane almost striking another vehicle. Then an overcorrection to the left caused Potter to flip multiple times until hitting cable barriers and coming to a stop. The incident happened just after 5:30 p.m. Potter was on his way to the Twin Cities for a meeting with the Foundation Board Chair according to the university. Rosenstone appointed Provost Ashish Vaidya as Interim President. Potter had served as SCSU’s president since 2007 and had accepted a three-year appointment to serve at least through June 2019.
SAUK RAPIDS – Being in one place for 16 years amounts to countless memories and connections. It also brings up tender emotions when the time comes to say goodbye. Bill Magnuson has had an emotional week following his June 8 resignation as a Sauk Rapids-Rice High School ninth grade physical science teacher and varsity head football coach. He has taken a teaching and coaching position at the Pequot Lakes School District. “It was an incredibly difficult decision. You don’t live in a community for 16 years and not make incredible connections and friends – from colleagues to football families. They gave their unwavering support,” Magnuson said. The decision was not easy on Magnuson’s sons – Bode, 13, Riggs, 11, and Tade, 7 – who have all been
heavily involved with Storm football, attending every camp their dad ran, gathering in the locker rooms and connecting with varsity players. “They’ve dreamed about running out here with the Storm on a Friday night, which is something I understand and respect,” Magnuson said, “but I’m appreciative they understand we are a family and had to make this decision together.” Magnuson and his wife, Loni, have always thought about moving closer to family and living farther north. During his tenure, Magnuson has enjoyed making connections with his students and football players. “Working with Storm football has been my life,” Magnuson said, who has been the school’s head coach for 15 years. One of Magnuson’s priorities as the head coach was making sure he was in the weight room with his players. “Making those connec-
PHOTOS BY ANNA SALDANA
Bill Magnuson sits in the stands overlooking the football field, where he spent the past 16 years as a coach for Storm football.
tions, sweating together and dreaming together was important to me,” Magnuson said. “There are so many young men that have positively impacted my life and made this job extremely rewarding.” Magnuson has also en-
Bill Magnuson stands on the sidelines of the football field. He resigned as head football coach and ninth grade science teacher June 8.
joyed his time in the classroom, making connections with countless students that he would not see on the football field. “I take great pride in being a teacher because that is a chance to make a difference,” Magnuson said. As time has passed, Magnuson has witnessed an increase in Storm pride amongst the Sauk RapidsRice students and the communities. “It’s not a matter of what the scoreboard says at the end, but it’s how you approach the game you participate in. Are you competitive, do you work hard to be the best you can be, do you have integrity for the game, are you respectful of your opponents, your coaches, all of that?” Magnuson said. “The people that embrace that are the people who seem to be successful, not always on the scoreboard, but in life.” For Magnuson, having to say goodbye to the life he’s known is tough. The list of people he
Magnuson continued on pg. 5
Being a dad without mom Butkowski learns lessons, rewards of being a single parent by ANNA SALDANA STAFF WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS – When Ryan Butkowski’s son, Gavin, was born nine years ago, he was happily married to his wife, Shawna. The family lived in Las Vegas while Butkowski ran his own litigation consulting business, which he still owns today. After being married for 10 years, Butkowski and Shawna moved to Sauk Rapids so they could be closer to his family. The family had been living in the area for a year when their lives suddenly changed forever. Butkowski PHOTO SUBMITTED
Butkowski and his son, Gavin, travel together frequently. This month, they will spend two weeks in Las Vegas and one week in Myrtle Beach.
and Gavin were on a Lake Superior fishing trip for a long weekend with friends. When Butkowski returned home on Monday evening, he found Shawna had passed away from acute kidney failure. “It was a shock, very sudden,” Butkowski said. “Thankfully, I had dropped Gavin off at my parents’ house before going home, so he didn’t have to see that.” Suddenly, Butkowski was a single dad. “It’s tough, but because I have my own business,
I get to spend more time with Gavin. I work when he’s sleeping or busy. When I need more help, I have great neighbors, family and friends to turn to,” Butkowski said. “Having family is huge because I have to travel for work occasionally and my parents take him. A lot of friends help out with that too.” Butkowski and Gavin enjoy doing many things together, particularly traveling. “Just in the next month, we will be in Las Vegas for a week – spending time with Shawna’s family – then we will fly to Myrtle Beach for a week followed by Vegas
“I do tell him I love him, but I think actually showing it is more important because it has a larger impact.” - Ryan Butkowski
for another week, with only a few days between trips,” Butkowski said. “Later this summer, we are going to Glacier National Park.” Gavin has participated in youth lacrosse and basketball during the winter. The two can be found bouncing on the trampoline, biking or swimming in their free time. These are just some ways that Butkowski shows his love for Gavin. “I do tell him I love him, but I think actually showing it is more important because it has a larger impact,” Butkowski said. “I help him side-by-side with homework and try to have that togetherness and being a real parent. He needs to know that I’m not his buddy, I’m not his friend, I’m not his best friend, I’m his dad. He needs structure, so I’m pretty firm on that. However, being a dad is different than being a mom so I often stop myself
Butkowski continued on pg. 2