South St. Paul Voice May 2024

HISTORY

How HookEm-Cow Field became a fullfledged airport

Tim Spitzack Editor

On any given day before the outset of World War II one could see small aircraft buzzing over the city of South St. Paul enroute to the drolly named Hook-Em-Cow Field: a mowed-over farm field at the southern border of the city that had a level surface suitable for landings. The runway was the brainchild of Paul A. Wilson and Paul Forsythe, two members of the Hook-EmCow Flying Club who had jointly purchased a Piper Cub airplane in 1939 and needed a place to use and store the aircraft.

They created the landing strip and built a garage on site as a makeshift hangar, but their ownership of the field was short-lived. Their fledgling operation soon grew into a fullfledged airport that would support the war effort. The name of their club was a nod to the city’s former booster club that was organized in 1916 to help reinvigorate the St. Paul Winter Carnival. The raucous group was known for its Wild West costumes and rodeo stunts. They held an annual celebration with a parade in South St. Paul, marched in other parades across the region, and hosted rodeos and booyas.

According to the city’s

Arts & Entertainment Page 8 BUSINESS

COMMUNITY

Fate of Northview Pool under review

Pool

needs extensive repairs; city exploring options

Submitted photo

The city has a May 15 deadline to complete repairs at Northview Pool. It has also requested $500,000 in state funding for the design of a new outdoor pool and aquatics center to replace Northview Pool.

Jake Spitzack Staff Writer

As summer draws near, the City of South St. Paul is facing a conundrum regarding its oldest outdoor aquatic center, Northview Pool at 635 18th Ave. N. The pool is experiencing major mechanical problems that are costing the city thousands annually.

The 68-year-old pool was closed during the “COVID” summers of 2020 and 2021, and upon reopening in 2022 staff noticed that the water level was decreasing faster

than usual. Last year the situation was worse so they installed a meter to monitor water levels. It was found that the 250,000-gallon pool was losing an astonishing 12,000 gallons a day due to extensive leaks and broken pipes – costing the city what would equate to about $150 per day in water usage fees, or $20,000 for a pool season.

Has the pool seen its last days? According to the City’s recently completed Parks System Plan and Buildings & Facilities Master Plan, the answer is yes. Both plans

Kaposia Disc Golf Course under new management

Jake Spitzack Staff Writer

Come May 1, colorful plastic discs will once again be whizzing through Kaposia Park and the intermittent ching of disc golf hole basket chains will echo through the trees. Kaposia Disc Golf Course is opening for its 34th season under new management and several changes are in store.

The new owners and operators are Jason Wilder and Greg Barber, who founded their company, Flight Deck Disc Golf, last year. In addition to operating the pro shop and course, they will handle daily and season passes, and organize tournaments.

The first order of business after signing an operation agreement with South St. Paul Parks and Recreation in February was hauling from the parking lot the 40-foot storage unit that housed the pro shop. It has been replaced with two smaller units on the grass near the first tee, one for the pro shop and the other for equipment storage.

“We want to create a patio area up off the curb [between the containers] behind the first and third tees –which are right up against the parking lot – to try and make the course a little bit more inviting,” said Wilder. “Maybe we could have some tables and chairs, and a firepit in the fall.”

He said the course is one of the state’s most iconic so its layout won’t be

Cord-cutting threatens cable access programming

Jake

Access to televised city council meetings, candidate forums, school performances and community news is being threatened by the cord-cutting trend – people cancelling their cable television service in favor of purchasing video streaming subscriptions.

Town Square Television, a nonprofit of the Northern Dakota County Communications Cable Commission, which serves West St. Paul, South St. Paul, Lilydale, Mendota Heights, Inver Grove Heights, Sunfish Lake and Eagan, is projecting a 7% decrease in revenue this year alone due to the trend.

Like other cable access stations, it has been funded by mandatory fees paid by cable providers since the 1970s.

Cord cutting has caused some major cable companies to stop cable TV operations in the state and focus more on providing broadband internet and telephone services. The problem is that broadband companies are not required to pay fees to city and county cable commissions. To restabilize budgets for public education government programming and allow networks like Town Square TV to spend less time fundraising and more time covering local news, a bill – the Equal Access to Broadband Act – is currently making its way through the state legislature. If approved, it will allow cities to collect fees from broadband providers for using public streets and rights-of-way to sell their services to homeowners. The bill would also ensure that broadband internet service is made available to every home in every city in the state no matter how difficult it is to install. In Minnesota, more than $650 million in federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Act funds is available to help broadband companies build out broadband in towns across the state.

now will be winding down in the next few years, and everybody will be a broadband company,” said Town Square Television executive director Jodie Miller. “You can see that Comcast and all the other big cable providers are offering streaming products in tandem with their cable service, and they’re putting devices in

“It’s very possible that cable TV as we know it

Fleming Field / Page 3

Northview Pool / Page 5

Kaposia disc golf / Page 2

Town Square TV/ Page 4

Spitzack Staff Writer

from page 1

tweaked much. Some brush will be removed from fairways, and new pin locations will be dug to create a “gold” layout that will be used for specialty events to challenge the most skilled players. The course features 27 holes compared to most courses’ nine or 18, and a balanced mixture of wooded and open terrain. The pro shop will offer much the same as before: disc golf discs and bags, apparel, snacks and beverages.

A season pass is $30 for South St. Paul residents and $40 for nonresidents. Daily passes are $5, and youth ages 18 and under living in South St. Paul can play for free. The first tournament at Kaposia this season is Babby’s First Tournament, held May 11. Wilder is a two-time divisional Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) state champion and has been Minnesota’s PDGA coordinator for the last 10 years, in

which time he has organized hundreds of disc golf events, including some at Kaposia. He has connections with local and touring pros and plans to occasionally bring them in for workshops and other events. Last year, Scott Stokely, a touring pro, hosted a workshop there.

A former IT employee at US Bank, Wilder founded Twin Town Events in 2018 to organize disc golf tournaments, leagues, workshops and other disc golf related events. Since then, he’s organized one of the state’s largest annual event, the

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‘We’re in this for the long haul,’ said Wilder.... ‘We’re really excited to not only have the pro shop, but also be a part of the South St. Paul community. ‘

3-day Twin Town Throw Down. It’s held the third weekend in July and regularly draws more than 300 players across 11 divisions, who compete at Kaposia, Bethel University in Arden Hills, and Brookview Golf Course in Golden Valley. Wilder continues to manage that company in addition to Flight Deck, which focuses more on the retail side of the sport. His partner in Flight Deck, Greg Barber, is a casual player and co-owner of several coffee shops in Minneapolis. The two heard about the opportunity to operate the Kaposia course in November and quickly threw their company name in the hat for consideration.

“Kaposia is one of our best courses in the Twin Cities and there aren’t too many opportunities to have a disc golf pro shop on a course,” said Wilder. “To be able to come in and essentially have a turnkey retail operation in an already successful course was very appealing.”

Memorial Day is May 27

The city and Flight Deck will split revenue from season and daily passes, and Flight Deck will retain all revenue from the pro shop. The agreement between the city and the company will renew automatically each year for five years unless one party terminates it early.

“We’re in this for the long haul,” said Wilder. “We’re planning on buying the shipping containers that we’re bringing in instead of leasing them. We will own the assets on the property with the intention of having them there long term…. We’re really excited to not only have the pro shop, but also be a part of the South St. Paul community. We’ve got some plans and ideas to reach out to local businesses for partnerships and just find ways to support other businesses in South St. Paul and be a part of the South St. Paul family.”

Wilder was introduced to the increasingly popular sport

by a friend in 1998 and was immediately hooked. By 2000, he got his PDGA membership to compete in PDGA-sanctioned events and competed until 2015. After that, he began organizing tournaments and has planned as many as 30 in one season.

He is quick to tout the appeal of the sport.

“Certainly it’s great, lowintensity exercise, but when I take a stack of discs out to an open field just to have practice time, my brain closes everything out in the rest of the world,” said Wilder. “Stress, problems, anything else that’s going on in the world – there could be civil unrest 10 miles away and I wouldn’t know it because I’m just so lost in the moment of throwing discs. That, I think, is a shared experience by a lot of people that play the sport. It allows you to break away from the rest of life and just enjoy a round of disc golf.”

Fleming Field

from page 1

centennial history book, Richard McGinnis, a pilot with Northwest Airlines, formed McGinnis Aviation and took over operation of Hook-Em-Cow Field in 1940. A grand opening ceremony was held on September 29 of that year and the first true hangar was built in 1941. A flight school formed under the federally funded Civilian Pilot Training Program also opened during that time at the newly renamed McGinnis Field.

In 1942, the U.S. Navy purchased the airfield and invested more than $1 million to create an auxiliary primary flight school for its Minneapolis Training Squadron 1B, based at Wold-Chamberlain Field, now MSP International Airport. They added eight hangars, two large barracks, a control tower, boiler room, powerhouse, apron and runway, and a “landing circle” that served as a target for simulated aircraft carrier landings. For four years, Navy air cadets – including future president George H. W. Bush – could be seen flying training missions in a yellow Stearman or an N3N, both single engine biplanes with open cockpits.

The airport was renamed Fleming Field in 1943 in memory of Captain Richard Eugene Fleming, a U.S. Marine Corps aviator from St. Paul who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the Battle of Midway a year earlier. Also serving overseas during the war were Capt. John Ollom and Crew Chief James McGinn, men from South St. Paul who were assigned to the 755th Bomber Squadron in Norwich, England. They

named their B-24 bomber the Hookem Cow Liberator after their hometown club and had the club’s logo painted on the nose of the aircraft. The plane was used on several missions before meeting a perilous demise near the end of the war. On that dark and foggy morning, its crew took off from Horsham St. Faith airfield in Norfolk and headed for France. Shortly after takeoff, one of its engines caught fire. Unable to maintain altitude, the plane hit a power line near the village of Hainford and crashed, killing five of the 7-member crew. It was a limited crew that day and neither of the men from South St. Paul was on the plane. After the war, Ollom became a private pilot and McGinn resumed working at the stockyards.

Following the war, the Navy sold the airport to the City of South St. Paul for $1 on a 99-year deed. After the acquisition, the city formed a 3-member Board of Aeronautics to guide the airport’s growth and development. Today the airport is managed by the city’s Airport Advisory Commission, a 9-member board appointed by the mayor and city council to 3-year terms. The airport manager is Andrew Wall.

Fleming Field is home to

four flight schools, several aircraft maintenance and repair firms, the Civil Air Patrol, Experimental Aircraft Association, Minnesota Military Figure Society (a model building group) and the Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing. The Wing was formed in 1971 as the first charter unit of the national Commemorative Air Force, which restores combat aircraft flown by branches of the U.S. military, and selected aircraft of other nations. The Wing operates a museum at Fleming Field that houses six aircraft, a large motor pool fleet, a collection of World War II artifacts and the fully restored B-25 Miss Mitchell, which it takes to airshows throughout the country. It also hosts two popular hangar dances each year featuring Big Band music and participants dressed in World War II attire. The next dance is held Saturday, June 8.

Strange occurrences

Fleming Field has not been without its share of controversies. In the mid-1950s, several people reported seeing UFOs nearby. Most likely they saw a stratospheric helium-filled balloon. Between 1955 and 1958 Minneapolis-based Winzen Research Inc., which built the balloons, used Fleming Field as the main launch center for a military project called Project Manhigh. The endeavor took men in

capsules attached to balloons to the middle layers of the stratosphere to investigate how humans reacted physically and psychologically to time in space, and to study design principles for space capsules.

Another curious event happened in December

1952, when two 16-yearold boys sneaked into the airport, climbed into a Beechcraft Bonanza single engine plane and somehow took flight. While few details are known of their joyride, the escapade included nearly hitting a train at the railyard in Inver Grove Heights and

landing about 200 yards short of the runway at Fleming Field. The owner of the $17,000 aircraft was gracious in his retelling of the event, saying “An experienced pilot might not have managed a better landing, as the conditions were icy and dark.”

Hook-Em-Cow Liberator pilot Jack Ollom and crew chief Jim McGinn

Town Square TV

from page 1

people’s homes so they can watch video without a cable box. So that’s the trend and this [proposed bill] is really just continuing or restoring the funding that we’ve always had.”

Even if the bill passes, it likely would take at least a year before Town Square TV and others would see cash inflow from broadband providers. That’s why they’re continuing to seek other sources of revenue, which hasn’t been as successful as hoped.

“In 2023, we had a very ambitious goal to get 28% of our revenues through earned revenue sources [fundraising], and we achieved about 15%,” said Miller. “This year, our goal is 41% of our budget to be coming from those earned revenues.”

Miller and South St. Paul Mayor Jimmy Francis testified in support of the bill before the House Commerce Committee in mid-March, and in early April spokespeople from the Minnesota Association of Community Telecommunications

Administrators (MACTA) presented information to the House State and Local Government Committee.

“It has shaken down to be a partisan bill,” said Miller, a MACTA committee member. “In the two votes that have happened so far, all the Democrats have voted yes, and all the Republicans have voted no. The Democrats have the majority in the House and the Senate, but the Senate majority is only one senator, so we need to have every Democrat senator supporting the bill across the entire state when it goes to the Senate floor. It’s not going to be an easy task. The major opponents are the cable industry and the broadband industry, and they have the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce supporting them…. “It’s unfortunate,” she said, “that the state chamber signed on in opposition, but they don’t like regulation and they don’t like fees so that’s why they’re opposed.”

Opponents to the bill argue that the proposed fees will be passed along to

streaming service consumers, which would ultimately raise internet costs. Currently, cable companies are required to pay a 5% franchise fee and a 2.25% public education government fee on their video production revenue to cable commissions. The latter is paid to networks like Town Square to support local programming. Commissions typically use the franchise fee to cover costs of staffing, equipment, programming, and the repair and maintenance of public rights-of-ways.

MACTA is heading up the bill in partnership with The League of Minnesota Cities, which represents morethan 800 member cities. Miller said the bill has support from 135 public, education and government stations across the state, many local chambers of commerce, the League of Women Voters, school districts, nonprofits and a handful of other organizations. Sen. Matt Klein (District 53, DFL) and Rep. Rick Hansen (District 53B, DFL) are co-sponsoring the bill and other local legislators have pledged their support, including Sen. Sandra Pappas (District 65, DFL) and Rep. Mary Frances Clardy (District 53A, DFL).

“Currently in northern Dakota County, both CenturyLink and Comcast are using the streets and rightsof-way to sell their private

services, but CenturyLink is not paying any franchise fees or public, education and government fees to the cities, and Comcast is only paying on the rapidly declining portion of their cable TV portion of their bill,” said Miller. “Meanwhile, Town Square Television is distributing our video with no paywalls for everyone to watch online, on their phones, on their iPads, and we know that we have many, many viewers who are not cable TV subscribers any longer…. It [the bill’s approval] would be a true lifeline for us to go forward. It would basically allow the tradition that we’ve had for 44 years to continue on into the future.”

Miller has worked at Town Square TV since graduating from college and has been executive director for 30 years. The Northern Dakota County Communications Cable Commission was formed in 1982. Five years later it established the Northern Dakota County Community Television Corporation to manage the public access station. In the early

2000s, that was renamed Town Square Television.

The Town Square team has 12 fulltime employees and its programs air on channels 14, 15, 16, 18 and 19. It covers a wide array of local programming including Game of the Week [sports], government meetings, election candidate coverage, community events, concerts and its Insight 7 news show. As a public access network, anybody can visit its studio at 5845 Blaine Ave. E. in Inver Grove Heights to check out video production equipment and create their own show to be aired. Likewise, people can edit prerecorded content at the studio or submit a completed program. Programs are accepted firstcome, first-served and aren’t discriminated against based on content. For more information, call 651-352-6100 or visit townsquare.tv.

The studio features conference and office space, a recording area with new cameras, five editing suites with the latest software, portable camera equipment, newly updated control room equip-

ment and more. Courses and workshops are held to teach people how to create shows. One popular public access show that airs weekly is “Scenes from a Hat,” a comedy improv show.

Town Square also has a production truck for covering news in the community and works with clubs such as Two Rivers Tech Warriors to help cover school programming and organizations like The Uptake, a nonprofit news organization, to cover meetings at the State Capitol.

Next year, the Town Square staff hopes to upgrade its master control center so it can offer closed captioning, stream its five cable channels on demand as well as on the current channels, and integrate with other streaming platforms like Apple TV and Roku.

For more information on the Equal Access to Broadband Act, which is included in the House Commerce Committee Omnibus Bill (HF4077), visit mactamn. org/policy-advocacy/ legislative-advocacy.

The Town Square team has 12 fulltime employees who produce a wide variety of programs that air on channels 14, 15, 16, 18 and 19.

Garden club plant sale

The South St. Paul Garden Club is having its annual plant sale 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, May 18 at 1900

Burma Ln., South St. Paul. The sale includes seedlings, perennials, shrubs, raspberry and strawberry plants, rhubarb, hostas, lily bulbs and garden art. Proceeds will be used to fund a field trip to Dodge Nature Center for South St. Paul kindergarten students. The club annually donates $2,000 to the South St. Paul Educational Foundation for this purpose. Another $200 is set aside for a scholarship for a South St. Paul high school senior pursuing a career in horticulture or landscape design. To donate plants or for more information, contact Carol Mladek at 651-457-2564.

Golf for peace

PeaceMakerMN, which supports a Peace Guide at Kaposia Education Cen -

ter, is hosting a fundraising golf tournament at 10 a.m., Monday, June 17 at River Oaks Golf Course in Cottage Grove. Cost is $115, includes golf, cart and meal. Proceeds will support services in South St. Paul. To register, email John at johnlaliberte29@gmail.com. The mission of PeaceMakerMN is to help schools to be safer places, free from bullying and harassment, and to help youth learn positive relational skills like empathy, respect, cooperation and how to resolve conflicts peacefully.

Memorial Day parade

A Memorial Day Parade and program will take place Monday, May 27. The parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. at 6th and Marie, travel south to Southview Boulevard, up Southview to 15th Avenue and end at Oak Hill Cemetery. The program will begin around 10 a.m. at the cemetery. Immediately

Northview Pool

from page 1

were completed by independent contractors and each recommended that aquatics facilities in South St. Paul be consolidated and the Northview Pool be retired. Much of the pool infrastructure dates to the original build, including the pool shell, piping, filtration system, concession stand and locker rooms, and all are beyond their usable life. Last year Kraus-Anderson Construc-

following the program, the public is invited to the Gallagher Hansen VFW Post, 1401 Thompson Ave., for hot dogs with all the fixings. For more information, contact Deb Griffith at 651554-3230 or deb.griffith@ southstpaul.org.

TownSquare TV

“Cheers to Volunteers” celebration and fundraiser will be held 4:30-7 p.m., Tuesday, April 30, at the Town Square TV studio, 5845 Blaine Ave., Inver Grove Heights. The event features food and beverages, the chance to socialize with Town Square TV staff, tours of the studio and production truck, education about training and public access video opportunities and more. There will also be drawings for Matein Travel Laptop Backpacks filled with gift cards to local businesses.

Meeting dates

The South St. Paul City Council meets at 7 p.m.

tion found the following to be in poor or critical condition: the concrete pool deck, water heaters, boiler, pool basin, ADA access and bathroom skylights. The firm recommended their replacement by 2025, at a projected cost of $1.36 million. Staff estimate that the cost to address all maintenance items would be just under

the first and third Monday of each month in the council chambers at City Hall, 125 3rd Ave. N. For agendas and city council member contact information, visit southstpaul.org or call 651554-3284.

The Special School District 6 School Board meets at 6 p.m. the second and fourth Monday of each month. For agendas and school board member contact information, visit sspps. org or call 651-457-9400.

The South St. Paul Lions Club meets at 7:15 p.m. the first and third Thursday of the month (September - May). For more information, visit ssplions.org.

South St. Paul Southwest Lioness-Lions Club meets the second Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. at Angelo’s Italian Restaurant, 1203 Southview Blvd., South St. Paul. This group of women serves the community through fundraising and volunteering.

$2 million. Demolishing the pool and pool house would be around $150,000.

The Dakota County Department of Health last year ordered the City to refinish the visibly distressed pool shell by May 15. As of presstime, the city hadn’t determined a timeline for completing the work.

In early April, the City

Letter

Tackling adult obesity

I am writing as a concerned healthcare professional regarding the issue of adult obesity in our community. Obesity is a complex health concern with far-reaching consequences for individuals and society. We must address this issue comprehensively. According to County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, data from 2020 shows that 32% of adults age 18 and older in Dakota County have a reported Body Mass Index greater than 30. One noteworthy initiative is a free wellness program, which includes cardio & strength training, nutrition classes modified for different cultures, free Zumba or yoga classes and teaching about nutritious meal planning in different cultures. This is where community education is pivotal in empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health. I would love to see healthcare wellness and promotion for Spanish-speaking community members in South St. Paul. This could include free exercise groups for Spanish-speaking members, like Zumba, tai chi or yoga, nutrition and cooking classes, or taste-testing of nutritious ethnic foods.

Pam Cornelio South St. Paul

requested $500,000 in state funding for the design of a new outdoor swimming pool and aquatics center to replace the Northview Pool. Last year, the City requested similar state funding to assist with the design and construction of a new public works facility. That request is being considered this legislative session.

Northview pool has playful amenities such as a diving board and climbing wall and has long been an oasis for open swim, swim lessons and pool parties. The other city-owned aquatic facility is the 15,000-gallon Splash Pool at Lorraine Park, 756 3rd Ave. S., which dates to 1993.

Seven of the eight city wells in South St. Paul do not meet new drinking water standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in midApril for PFAS chemical levels. These so-called “forever chemicals” are prevalent in the environment and have been used since the 1940s in products such as nonstick cookware, stain resis-

tant clothing and firefighting foam. Exposure to certain PFAS chemicals over a long period of time can cause cancer and other illnesses, and exposure to them during pregnancy or early childhood can result in adverse health impacts. All municipalities in the nation have three years to complete their initial monitoring for these chemicals, and five years to

implement solutions to reduce PFAS that exceed the federal level standard – no more than 4 parts per trillion – in their drinking water.

The EPA is also making $1 billion in funding available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help states implement PFAS testing and treatment at public water systems and private wells.

“The City is taking the issue of addressing PFAS seriously and is actively working towards solutions in accordance with the recently released guidance and rules from the EPA,” reads a statement on the city’s website. “However, this is not an emergency, so there is no need to seek an alternative source of water

or boil water. If you have specific health concerns, it is recommended that you consult with your doctor or healthcare provider. For those who have questions about the effectiveness of their home water treatment systems in filtering PFAS, it is advisable to contact the system manufacturer or installation company.”

City Engineer Nick Guilliams will make a presentation to the city council at its May 6 meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. at City Council Chambers, 125 3rd Ave. N. The meeting will also be aired on Town Square Television. For more information on PFAS and the new drinking water standard, visit epa. gov and search “PFAS.”

Cinco de Mayo fiesta returns May 4 with signature parade

Jake Spitzack Staff Writer

The rich heritage of Mexican culture will be on full display during this year’s Cinco de Mayo fiesta on the West Side, held 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, May 4, on Cesar Chavez Street between Robert and Ada. This is the second year the West Side Boosters, a nonprofit youth sports organization, has organized the regionally renowned and community favorite event, which dates to 1985. Formerly, it was organized by the St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation, which cancelled the event in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic and chose not to revive it. Some 4,000-5,000 people are expected to join in on the fun.

The colorful, lively parade is making a comeback this year, and Sunny Sauceda is traveling from San Antonio, Tex., to headline on the main stage. New this year is a dog show. A commemo-

rative button designed by Bob Nash can be purchased by contacting the planning committee at info@westsidecincodemayo.com. A button is not required for admission to the fiesta. Pro-

ceeds support the West Side Boosters youth sports league. The following events were accurate as of press time but are subject to change. For updates, visit westsidecincodemayo.com.

Parade

The parade kicks off at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Wabasha and Cesar Chavez and travels down Cesar Chavez to Ada. About 70 groups will participate, including local schools, organizations and businesses. Artist Jesse Ramirez was named grand marshal and will be marching behind the AM Vets Post #5, Korean War Vets and Latino Peace Officers. He is an avid volunteer for West Side organizations and has created several murals in the neigh

nizing this two years ago the parade was a big thing people asked about,” said committee chair Santino Franco. “It’s something special the community has been asking for and we’re going to be able to provide it.” It’s being coordinated by Tiffany Rivera-Prescott, who oversaw the parade when it was organized by the St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation.

Entertainment

Four stages will be set up on the fiesta grounds. The

Cesar Chavez features Ray Covington, noon-12:45 p.m.; Jordan Johnston, 1-2 p.m.; Fresh and Fonky, 2:153:15 p.m. and 4-5 p.m.; and DJ Saint, 3:30-4 p.m. The West Side Stage near Cesar Chavez and Ada will feature Cuautli, 12:30-12:45 p.m.; Sheila Carbajol, 1-1:45 p.m.; Goro, 2-2:45 p.m.; Zen Rosalia, 3-3:30 p.m.; Lena Sol, 3:30-4 p.m.; and Ty Prophecy, 4-5 p.m. The Cultural Performances Stage at Parque Castillo features a jalepeno contest, 12:301 p.m.; Riverview School mariachi, 1-1:30 p.m.; Los Alegres Bailadores children show, 1:30-2 p.m.; elote eating contest, 2-2:30 p.m.; grito contest, 2:30-3 p.m.; and Los Alegres Bailadores pre-professional and professional group, 3-3:45 p.m. A Family Zone will be set up in Parque Castillo featuring two bounce houses, activities with staff from the Science Museum, Ordway Theatre and St. Paul Fire Department, face painting, caricatures and more. An artisan market with 80 vendors and 25 food vendors will also be onsite.

Car show

Dozens of fine-tuned and freshly polished lowriders, hot rods, motorcycles and other custom cars will line the festival streets all day. The car show returns to 179 E. Robie St., with more categories to win trophies, including best muscle car, truck and SUV. Last year’s show had about 50 vehicles and this year’s is expected to have more due to the expanded categories. Sign up starts at 9 a.m. and winners

NowApplicationsAccepting Positions

- Work with students in a classroom assisting teachers, before/after-school child care OR supervise groups of students. Full-time or part-time.

- Safely transport students to and from school. Paid training & CDL certification. Starting wage

- Prepare and serve breakfast and lunch for students. Starting base wage $16.50/hr.

- Perform cleaning, event set-up/cleanup, and ensure safety of buildings. Full-time starting base wage $21.76/hr. Part-time and seasonal starting

- Lead a school-age child care program in one of our elementary buildings and supervise paraprofessional staff. Full-time, 12-month.

Photo by Pat Watson, Cinco de Mayo 2023

are announced at 2:30 p.m. Cost to register is $10 in advance or $20 on event day. There is no hydraulic bounce competition this year. For more information, call Brad at 651-248-9811.

Softball tournament

An adult softball tournament will take place at Gilbert de la O Field behind the Wellstone Center throughout the day. Those interested in competing must register their team by April 26. Preliminary games are held on Friday, May 3 and teams will compete for the winner’s trophy on Saturday. The tournament has been organized by the Boosters since 1988. Cost to register is $175 per team.

Dog show

The inaugural “Fun Dog Show” will be held 1-5 p.m., in the El Burrito parking lot near the intersection of Robie and State streets. Watch different types of bulldogs proudly strut their stuff for trophies in 25 different classes and the chance to win a $500 prize. Admission is free. Cost to register a bulldog is $25 and can be done in advance or at the event. For more information, call Santo at 651-404-9740.

Security

St. Paul Police will provide onsite security during

the event.

“Our number one priority is to have a great Cinco de Mayo where everybody is safe and enjoying themselves,” said Franco. “To grow the event in the future, it starts with safety in 2024.”

Three shootings at the event over two years – in 2017 and 2018 – took some of the shine out of the fiesta, which in recent years regularly drew more than 60,000 people from the community and region.

Franco said the Boosters plan to organize the event for the foreseeable future and would like to see it return to a similar scale as it once was. The nonprofit was able to undertake this hefty event because of a $1.4 million grant they received from the state’s Explore Minnesota tourism department in summer 2023 to fund cultural events. In addition to making sure Cinco keeps thriving, they will use some of the funds for their annual Football Fiesta in September in conjunction with Mexican Independence Day.

“We have some grand ideas and being able to have this grant money helps with whatever we want to do,” said Franco. “Maybe we’d love to see it [Cinco de Mayo fiesta] be a two-day event. We plan on growing it and eventually having some great musical acts and

being a draw for other communities to come see…. The [West Side Cinco de Mayo] team is special. It’s pretty much all West Siders and everybody is committed to bringing Cinco de Mayo to the West Side for the West Side.”

The celebration, always held the weekend around May 5, once attracted more than 100,000 attendees over a full weekend of events and had been called one of the top 10 largest Cinco de Mayo fiestas in the nation. It was first organized by the former Concord Street Business Association (later

renamed the Riverview Economic Development Association) and grew from a small community festival to a regional attraction. However, it became too much for the small nonprofit to manage and in 2009 the event was transferred to the St. Paul Festival & Heritage Foundation, which also organizes the St. Paul Winter Carnival. The foundation eventually reduced the festival to one day then stopped organizing it after cancelling for two years because of the pandemic. In 2022, a small Cinco de Mayo event was organized on the West Side

by Reis Romero, a former volunteer with the traditional Cinco de Mayo West Side St. Paul.

Cinco de Mayo (May 5) commemorates the unlikely victory at the Battle of Puebla, in Mexico’s state of Puebla, of a struggling Mexican army over Napoleon III’s massive French army in 1862. This was the first time the French Army had been defeated in decades. Although the French regrouped and overtook Mexico City, the Puebla battle is remembered for the euphoria it created, as

well as the hope and patriotism, not just in Mexico but among Mexicans living in California at the time. The Union Army was keeping a close eye on the Mexican wars during this time for fear that the French would assist the Confederacy during the Civil War.

The West Side Booster Club was established in 1970 and provides athletic opportunities for youth of all abilities and financial statuses. To volunteer at the fiesta, call Ana at 612-219-5203. For more information, visit westsidecincodemayo.com.

MN Children’s Museum

10 7th St. W. St. Paul

651-225-6000

mcm.org

“Wild Kratts: Creature Power” is the featured exhibit through May 12. Explore the secret lives of animals in habitats around the planet and go on a mission to foil a villain’s nefarious plans.

Other exhibits and activities include “The Scramble,” “The Studio,” “Creativity Jam,” “Sprouts,” “Our World,” “Forces at Play,” “Shipwreck Adventures” and “Imaginopolis.”

Tickets are $14.95. Admission is free the first Sunday of each month; reservations are required, and tickets are limited. The next free date is May 5.

MN History Center

345 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651-259-3000

mnhs.org

“Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow” is a new exhibit featured through June 9. It features art, artifacts and photographs highlighting Black resilience and resistance from the end of the Civil War through World War I.

“The Life & Art of Charles M. Schulz” is featured through June 9. Explore Schulz’s roots in Minnesota and his role as the creator of the “Peanuts” comic strip and its beloved cast of characters.

“Our Home: Native Minnesota” features historic and contemporary photographs, maps, and artifacts that show how Minnesota’s

native communities have retained cultural practices, teachings and values.

Other exhibits include “Minnesota’s Greatest Generation,” “Then Now Wow,” “Grainland” and “Weather Permitting.” Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and college students, and $8 for children ages five to 17.

History Theatre

30 E. 10th St. St. Paul 651-292-4323

Historytheatre.com

“Blended Harmony: the Kim Loo Sisters” is showing May 4-26. Starting at a young age, this quartet from Minneapolis gained popularity during the swing era and performed across the country, on the silver screen of Hollywood, and overseas at USO shows. This new musical is an homage to family,

love, their Chinese Polish American heritage, and the bond these talented sisters shared through their lives on and off the stage. Tickets start at $30, with discounts for students.

Landmark Center

75 5th St. W. St. Paul 651-292-3225

landmarkcenter.org

BandWidth Community Band Festival, noon-6 p.m., Sunday, April 28. Volunteerbased ensembles in Minnesota perform marches, concert band classics, pop, Broadway and jazz. Free. St. Paul Civic Symphony’s Annual Mother’s Day Concert, 1 p.m., Sunday, May 12. Free.

MN Museum of American Art

350 Robert St. N. St. Paul 651-797-2571 mmaa.org

“Hazel Belvo: For Love,” an exhibit in the Nancy and John Lindahl Gallery, features more than 60 pieces from Belvo’s 70-year career as an artist. It is on display 10 a.m.-4 p.m., ThursdaySunday, through May 26.

“Together,” is a new exhibit on view through October 13. It consists of mixed media artwork created by 10 Minnesota artists with the

help of their children.

“El Vaiven,” is a skyway installation in windows above Robert Street in downtown St. Paul. Created by Zamara Cuyún, it’s a dreamscape based on a real Mayan landscape in Guatemala and features a series of characters including Gucumatz the feathered serpent and Ixchel the moon goddess.

Ordway Center

345 Washington St. St. Paul 651-224-4222 ordway.org

Minnesota Opera will present “La Bohème” May 4-19 (from $40) and “NOOMA,” an opera for babies, May 31-June 1 ($5).

The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra concerts: Coleman’s Afro-Cuban Concerto, Saturday, May 4; Schubert’s The Great C Major Symphony with Richard Egarr, May 10-11; Julie Albers plays Haydn’s Cello Concerto in D, May 17; Richard Goode plays Mozart’s Piano Concertos Nos. 18 and 23, May 24-25. All concerts start at $12.

TaikoArts Midwest , 7 p.m., Sunday, May 12. Energetic performances that combine music, dance, culture and pure athleticism. From $27.

Davina and the Vagabonds, 7 p.m., Friday, May 21. From $39.

Science Museum of Minnesota

120 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul

651-221-9444 smm.org

“Maya: Hidden Worlds

Revealed” is on display through September 4. Presented in English and Spanish, it features more than 200 authentic artifacts, hands-on activities, lifelike simulations and more.

Virtual Reality Transporter - Use the VRT to hurtle through the cosmos at fantastic speeds, scuba dive into prehistoric seas, and join the astronauts of Apollo 11 as they moonwalk for the first time. $9.95.

Omnitheater films: “Deep Sky,” through June 30. Embark on a journey to the beginning of time and space and view images captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Tickets are $9.95. Free for children ages 3 and under.

“Recombination,” 7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays. The film features the work of fractal artist Julius Horsthuis and seven of his favorite musicians.

Museum tickets are $29.95 for adults and $19.95 for ages 4-17.

“Accordo with Silent Film,” 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 14. A laid back evening of silent movies with original live music. From $32.

Photo by Rich Ryan

TaikoArts Midwest is coming to the Ordway Center for Performing Arts Sunday, May 12

Looking forward, looking back

May is a busy month for Dakota County. In particular, it’s a time when many road and pedestrian safety projects get rolling. Below are updates on projects that are already underway or scheduled in northern Dakota County. As busy as we are, though, we are not too busy to take an important look back at some local history that should never be forgotten.

Road and pedestrian safety projects taking place this year include:

• Placing the finishing touches on the roadwork on Oakdale in West St. Paul

• Pavement preservation on Butler Avenue in South St. Paul to extend the road’s useful life and save tax dollars in the long run

• Crafting the design, with neighborhood input, for upgrades on Butler Avenue in West St. Paul, set for construction in 2025

Joe Atkins Dakota County Commissioner

• School safety projects in South St. Paul and West St. Paul, the most significant being along Delaware near Two Rivers High School, but also near local elementary schools

• Installation of a median on Wentworth at Humboldt in West St. Paul to enhance pedestrian safety

• Presentation for public review of potential pedestrian safety projects on Southview Boulevard in South St. Paul

• Trail improvements to the River to River Greenway, the

P ostscript

Useful

I had a discouraging day yesterday. I don’t expect anyone to keep track – heck, I can’t keep track half the time – but I got another rejection of my book from another editor with another publishing house.

I’ve read stories of how long it has taken well-known authors to sell their first novels. A publisher must put a lot of money into a new book and the odds are slim that a writer’s first book will ever earn that money back. Publishers know this so they are understandably cautious.

Carrie Classon CarrieClasson.com

You’d think I would be used to rejection by now. Before I was even able to have my book read by publishers, I had to find an agent, and

largest of which is in Mendota Heights at Valley Park, to encourage bicyclists and pedestrians to use trails and avoid roads and traffic. Pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. have been increasing for the past 15 years, recently reaching their highest number since 1981, with more than 7,500 people killed. Dakota County is focused on reversing this tragic trend locally.

Thompson County Park

Dakota County’s Thompson Park at Highway 52 and Butler Avenue in West St. Paul celebrates its 50th year in June. The park is getting better with age. In addition to recent changes, including the addition of an accessible play structure and significant lake improvements, further enhancements are in the works. They include improvements to the Dakota Lodge building, a better connection to Kaposia Park across Highway 52, and nat-

they are swamped with letters from writers who want the same thing I do: to see their book out in the world.

Now that I have my wonderful agent, Annie, she’s putting a lot of time into editing and working to sell my book, and she makes no money at all until the book sells. It’s a long process. Everything takes months and months, and in the meantime, I keep writing, because that’s the only part of the process I have any control over at all.

So, when I got an “update” from Annie yesterday, I knew from the subject line of the email it would not be good news. The note read: “Hi Annie,

Thank you for the oppor-

It’s Lemonade Season

Summer is almost here and so is lemonade season. The South St. Paul Local Lemon community lemonade stand will be available to reserve starting May 1. Created last year by the South St. Paul Mayor’s Youth Task Force to highlight the theme of the State of the City Address, “We’re Making Lemonade out of Lemons,” the stand was created so anyone in the community can reserve it and have a pop-up lemonade stand. A naming contest was held, and the community’s top choice was The Local Lemon. Kar-

ural area restoration.

Natural area preservation

One of the last and most spectacular natural areas of large oaks in West St. Paul is about to be permanently preserved – and not developed – thanks to a grant from the State Lottery’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. Dakota County is creating a contiguous eight-acre preservation area along the borders of West St. Paul and South St. Paul. This is the first outdoor heritage grant ever received for a project in West St. Paul.

Happy birthday, West St. Paul

Founded in 1889, after splitting off from South St. Paul, the City of West St. Paul celebrates its 135th anniversary this year.

We won’t forget May 18 will mark three months since the tragedy in

tunity to read Carrie’s work. She is a talented writer, and I love the premise for this, but I didn’t connect with the characters quite as strongly as I’d hoped. It is with regret that I am a pass, but I hope you land the perfect home for this (or perhaps already have!).”

I added this rejection to a file I keep with the previous rejection letters. Sometimes I read the comments later and, generally, I don’t get too discouraged. But yesterday I did.

I was grumpy, and felt more than a little sorry for myself, so I took a day off. Instead of writing, I went for a long walk. As I was walking, I suddenly thought of my best friend, who died

en Hansen, owner of The Coop, came up with the name and received a commemorative Local Lemon lemonade glass and the first glass of lemonade from the stand. The stand premiered at Disco Bingo during the Kaposia Days and was well received. Throughout the summer and into the fall, families and groups reserved it and served lemonade to raise funds for special causes. It was also enjoyed at the ribbon cutting of Concord Street with state senators and representatives enjoying the greattasting fresh lemonade, at the South St. Paul Farmers

Burnsville that took the lives of officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge and firefighter/EMT Adam Finseth. Those impacted still deserve all the prayers, thoughts and support we can muster. I’m confident, though, that Paul, Matt and Adam would be the very first to remind us not to forget those in our Dakota County public safety family for whom 2024 is a milestone anniversary.

This year brought the 50th anniversary of the Bellows Court Apartment Fire that involved every fire department in Dakota County and took the lives of West St. Paul firefighters Erling Armstrong, Richard Neikirk and John Heuer in January 1974. It also brings the 10th anniversary of the loss of Mendota Heights Police Officer Scott Patrick in 2014; the first anniversary of the loss of Inver Grove officer Ben Bidon last May; the 130th anniversary of the loss of Hastings Police Officer Al-

seven years ago. She was only 50, and I never met a person who was more alive.

I thought of how she would chew me out for wasting even part of one day feeling sorry for myself.

“Take a teaspoon of cement, Princess, and harden up!” she would have said.

She was very good about saying things like that whenever I complained that what I was doing was too difficult. I miss her no-nonsense advice and her never-ending encouragement.

“I sure could use you now,” I thought.

At that moment I realized I had lost sight of a really important thing. I write because it makes me happy, but

Market, and at The Coop’s 60th anniversary event.

Starting May 1, the Local Lemon can be reserved by any South St. Paul Community group, business, organization, family or individual. It’s portable and can easily fit into the back seat or trunk of a vehicle.

Included with the stand are 100 cups, a container for making and serving the lemonade, 100 napkins and a sign for the lemonade’s price. If the group reserving the stand wishes it to be advertised, the City of South St. Paul will share the stand’s location on the city’s Parks, Recreation and Activities Facebook page.

bert Jacobson in 1894; and the year we honored Dakota County Sheriff’s Deputy Luther Klug with a memorial highway named for him. The last few months of 2023 rang in the 100th anniversary of the loss of Rosemount Officer John McDermott, the 90th anniversary of the loss of South St. Paul Officer Leo Pavlak, and the 30th anniversary of the loss of Eagan Investigator Louis Jeska. Please take a moment with me to keep in your kindest thoughts our fallen first responders, their families and their colleagues. Their service and sacrifice will not be forgotten.

Joe Atkins represents District 2 on the Dakota County Board, which includes South St. Paul, West St. Paul and Inver Grove Heights. Elected chair of the board in 2024, he welcomes feedback. To share comments, concerns or questions, contact him at Joe. Atkins@co.dakota.mn.us or 651-438-4430.

the reason writing makes me happy is because I think the stuff I write might be useful.

Maybe my writing will make somebody smile. Maybe someone will feel less alone. Maybe it will be used to line the bottom of a birdcage. But whatever happens, I’m hoping it will be useful in some small way.

It’s not really about me. Or, as my beloved friend would say when I got too full of myself, “Buy some lumber, build a bridge and get over yourself!”

She was good at that, as I mentioned. She was good at reminding me of what matters and, seven years later, she is still so very useful. Till next time.

All you need to supply is the lemonade – pink or yellow – to serve to the community. Some groups have added cookies and bars or sweet tea.

A donation is asked to use the stand to help cover the supplies needed for the next user. The lemonade stand can be reserved for the weekend or during the week for one or two days. To reserve the Local Lemon or for more information, contact Deb Griffith at 651-554-3230 or Deb. griffith@southstpaul.org.

The South St. Paul Mayor’s Youth Task Force looks forward to a full season for the Local Lemon.

Neighbors, Inc.

Dawn Wambeke President & CEO

The impact our community has on Neighbors, Inc. is simply inspiring. Although our donors, volunteers and local businesses and organizations make a difference to our clients daily, they went above and beyond to support Neighbors, Inc. during one of our largest annual campaigns: the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign.

We challenged our community to help raise $350,000 in financial support or through food donations, with each pound of food contributed equaling $1 toward the campaign. Through a partnership with the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches, your support was able to go even further. The more we raised, the more the council distributes to our food shelf. To

VIEWPOINT

date, the Minnesota FoodShare has distributed more than $18.5 million to participating organizations.

We are proud to announce that Neighbors Inc. raised a total of $221,910.89 in financial contributions and 82,071 pounds of food that will directly go toward making an impact through our hunger relief programs and food shelf operations. This direct support is seen by our staff and volunteers every day, but I’d love to share a story from one of our clients to showcase just how vital this support is for our community:

“I have had a great experience with Neighbors. They have been there for me during tough times, providing me with food when I needed it most. As a Type 1 diabetic, access to food is crucial for

Former South St. Paul police chief saved one life, changed many others

David McGrath Contributer

Our bond was alphabetical: Miller, Messerich, McGrath.

High school sophomores, we lined up together in class, in the same church pew, the same cafeteria table, and the same row of dormitory bunks at St. Joseph’s Franciscan Seminary.

The exception was Frank Oberle, who in spite of being further down the alphabet and from Cleveland, shared our love of hockey, Simon and Garfunkel, and Lucky Strikes.

Fred Miller came from Neopit, Wis., where he had been persuaded by his pastor to pursue the priesthood. Hulking but athletic, Fred was a full-blooded Menominee with a lively wit.

Mike Messerich, from West St. Paul, was thoughtful but not outspoken, offering his judgment only when asked. His family were hunters and anglers, and he had a crew cut and freckles.

I was flattered they thought of me as a “greaser” and gangster because I was born in Chicago, and my Sunday shoes were pointy black leather with Cuban heels. I did nothing to persuade them otherwise, since it seemed preferable to my real identity as the quasinerdy middle child in a family of 10.

The week before Easter in our Tuesday night study

Messerich charged back into the water. He dove and came up swimming swift smooth strokes. He was instantly there, their faces inches apart. He grasped and wrangled Fred into a headlock and commenced a kind of sidestroke with his free arm to tow him to shore.

hall, Oberle crossed the aisle holding a book open, so as not to arouse the attention of the friar on duty.

“It’s supposed to be near eighty degrees tomorrow,” said Frank.

We had conspired to swim in one of the campus lakes in violation of school rules. I asked Fred if he was up for it.

“Maybe,” said Fred.  “Lessin’ there’s a trap, like a Franciscan hiding underwater, breathing through a cattail reed.”

“Ain’t that an Indian thing?” said Frank.

“Nah.  You watch too many John Wayne movies.”

We asked Messerich, who didn’t immediately answer. He had a whetstone with which he had been sharpening a knife pilfered from the refectory. He raised it above his forehead before letting it fall, where it stuck in his desktop.

“When do we swim?” he asked.

St. Joe’s sat on several hundred acres of what used to be the Peabody Coal Estate west of Chicago. The “closed campus” rule kept us isolated from the secular world. Still, we had room to roam through multiple

my wellbeing, and Neighbors has been a lifeline in ensuring that I am taken care of. I’ve had really good experiences with the people at Neighbors, and they have definitely been willing to help me out. Especially the intake. Every time I call, they are always able to get me in, and never give me any issues, and I can always get food. I appreciate everything they do to support individuals like me during challenging times.”

Support for our food shelf and hunger relief programs does not stop at food donations and financial support. One of Neighbors Inc.’s greatest strengths comes from our grassroot volunteer support, which dates to 1972 when this beautiful organization was established. It started with five

local area churches providing assistance to the families of those affected by job loss when the stockyards closed.

Today, our 250-plus volunteers continue to clock in to make a difference in our clients’ lives. No greater example of this dedication to serving our community can be found than through Virginia Milbert, one of the founding community members of Neighbors Inc.

Virginia loved to tell the story of how her husband, Howard, convinced her to volunteer for one year at Neighbors, Inc. More than 50 years later she was still volunteering weekly in the Clothes Closet Thrift Store. Over the years Virginia received numerous awards and recognition for her service to our community including Legacy Volunteer and

Longest Serving Volunteer awards from Neighbors, Inc. and the Service to Others Humanitarian Recognition award by the Rotary Club of South St. Paul and Inver Grove Heights. Sadly, Virginia passed away on March 11 at the age of 106. She lived a transformative life of service that contributed to the success of Neighbors Inc.

I want to send a heartfelt thank you to all of you who support the critical work we strive together to achieve. You are invaluable and truly make a difference in the lives of hundreds of families.

As always, I’d love to connect. You may reach me at dawn@neighborsmn.org, 651-272-1135 or by stopping by our facility at 222 Grand Ave. W., South St. Paul.

sports fields and wander the trail around two lakes. But a third lake, Mayslake, was out of bounds. We had glimpsed it from afar, sparklingly inviting compared to the muddy ponds where we were allowed.

On Wednesday, we managed to hike to Mayslake unnoticed but the water was freezing. Frank and I plopped on its grassy bank and lit up a contraband Lucky.

We watched Fred strip and wade in. He was up to his chest by the time Mike caught up, the two of them splashing each other until Fred grabbed and muscled him into the water.

Mike surfaced and swam out, smooth strokes. He went 20 yards, before turning, swimming back in a wide arc around Fred.

Fred shot us a glance before plunging under. He bobbed up and spun around like a trick bear, and the back of his head – inky black hair – was all we could see.

On land, Mike was dabbing himself dry with his shirt when he abruptly looked up. Fred was saying something, but not very loudly. We hushed to

hear “Help,” barely audible. “He’s screwing with us,” I said and took a drag off my Lucky.

But Mike Messerich charged back into the water and dove in. He came up swimming swift smooth strokes and instantly reached Fred, their faces inches apart. He grasped and wrangled him into a headlock and commenced a kind of sidestroke with his free arm to tow him to shore. We watched, mesmerized, until they touched bottom, disentangled, and got to their feet. We were standing, too, and Frank asked Fred if he was okay.

He said he was now, that he’d had a cramp all up his left side, and Mike saved his life.

Mike protested that he did what anybody would, and that it was lucky he had

taken Red Cross training.

As they dressed, no one said a word.

Finally, Frank broke the ice. He offered that there’d be less chance of being caught on the way back if we cut across Pine Hill.

“Nah, nah,” said Fred. “Don’t be expecting the Indian scout to guide you through the woods.”

Frank leapt behind him to steal his cap. Fred stuck out a leg and sent him sprawling.

By the end of senior year, we had all left the seminary. Mike, fittingly, became a first responder and the police chief of South St. Paul. Fred was eventually elected tribal sheriff. Sadly, Frank’s life was cut short in a single vehicle motorcycle accident on a Nebraska highway.

This year, I got in touch with Mike Messerich on Eas-

ter Sunday. We reminisced over email, and I told him how his friendship 60 years earlier helped me learn about life, fraternity and responsibility.

We talked about Mayslake but didn’t go into detail about the nightmare our lives might have been without his moment of unhesitating selflessness. We didn’t list all of the what-ifs for us, for the rest of the students, or for the priests in charge had he not acted heroically.

But when I told him I loved him, I think he understood.

McGrath is author of “Far Enough Away,” a collection of stories about growing up, coming of age and navigating life in Chicago and the Midwest, and a Chicago Tribune freelance columnist.

Messerich revisits Mayslake, where he saved a friend from drowning.

Luther Memorial Church

315 15th Ave N 651 - 451-2400 luther-memorial.com

• St . Augustine ’s Catholic Church

408 3rd St N 651 - 45 5 - 1302 holytrinitysspmn.org

• First Presbyterian

535 20th Ave N 651 - 451-6223 fpcssp.org

• Woodbury Lutheran Wakota Ridge Campus

255 W. Douglas St. 651-739-5144 woodburylutheran.org

• South St. Paul Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist

140 6th Ave N 651 - 455-0777

• Grace Lutheran Church

1 49 8th Ave . S . 651 - 451-1035 grace-ssp.org

Worship Guide

Holy Trinity Catholic Church Catholic church

749 6th Ave . S . 651 - 455-1302 holytrinitysspmn.org

• Clark Memorial United Church

779 15th Ave N 651 - 451-7278 clarkgraceucc.org

• St . Sava Serbian Orthodox church

357 2nd Ave S 651 - 451-0775 www.stsavamn.org

• Saint John Vianney Catholic Church

789 17th Ave. N. 651-451-1863 info@sjvssp.org

• Sf. Stefan Romanian Orthodox Church

350 5th Ave N 651 - 451-3462 sfantulstefan.org

• St Mary ’s Coptic Orthodox Church

501 6th Ave S

651 - 455-8947 stmarymn.org

To submit news or advertising to reach 37,500 homes in the greater St. Paul area and the Latino market of the Twin Cities, call 651-457-1177.

www.stpaulpublishing.com

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the 75-acre park offers a pristine beauty and strategic location that was recognized by our state’s earliest settlers. Pilot Knob, the plateau on which Acacia Park is situated, was an early ke and Josiah Snelling. Our beautiful cemetery is conveniently situated on the Pilot Knob plateau above the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers in Mendota Heights. We are proud of our majestic scenery and natural environment that is uninhibited by upright monuments, which creates a stunning park-like setting. We have provided quality, personal service to families since 1925. We offer the following options to our families:

• Sections specifically designed for casket or cremation burial

• Convenient no-interest pre-payment plans for three years

• No-obligation information and tour of the cemetery grounds

• Markers, vaults, vases and urns for purchase

• Newly developed cremation gardens

• Serving all faiths