South St. Paul Voice November 2022

South St. Paul

Hall of Fame inductees

Midwest Fence celebrates 75 years, reflects upon humble beginnings

Jake Spitzack Staff Writer

Following World War II, the city of South St. Paul had a reputa tion for having some of the coun try’s best stockyards, meat packing plants and farmers markets. Tom Corrigan Sr. moved to the growing city in 1947, bought a small plot of land, and began selling farming supplies from the back of his truck. Little did he know that 75 years later that humble operation would become one of the largest fencing companies in Minnesota, Midwest Fence.

Corrigan was raised on a farm in Rosemount, the only boy in a family of six kids. From a young age it was his responsibility to help his father run the family farm. He enjoyed it, but there was just one problem: he was allergic to cows. This condition dashed his plans to be a farmer so he did the next best thing: he developed a business to sell products to farmers.

Corrigan set up shop in South St. Paul to take advantage of the many farmers visiting the stockyards to sell their livestock. There was a great need for steel farming products after the war, such as cattle pen panels, culverts and watering tanks, and Corrigan found it easy to sell to the farmers who were returning home

General election is November 8

Jake Spitzack Staff Writer

The time to exercise our right to vote is upon us. Our voter’s guide covers the state, county and municipal candidates that represent voters in the South St. Paul Voice distribution area. Also included on the Nov. 8 ballot are candidates for U.S. Rep resentative District 4, governor, secretary of state, attorney general and other county of fices. Candidates without information were offered multiple opportunities to respond.

Due to redistricting, some polling loca tions may be different than last year. To find your polling location, visit pollfinder.sos. state.mn.us. To vote in Minnesota, one must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old on Election Day, and a resident of Minnesota for 20 days. Register to vote in advance of the election to save time at your polling location. To register online, visit mnvotes.sos.state. mn.us. For more information on elections and voter registration, call the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office at 651-215-1440 or visit www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting.

Candidates / Page 2

Big laughs at ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

Jake Spitzack Staff Writer

Amidst a thick cloud of hair spray and piles of props, stu dent actors and drama teachers in South St. Paul Secondary’s theater department are putting the final touches on this year’s all-school fall musical, “Little Shop of Horrors,” presented Nov. 11-13 at the sec ondary school.

The show debuted in the early 1980s and had a 5-year run OffBroadway. It is based on the lowbudget cult 1960 horror-comedy film of the same name, and has be come a staple of community and school theater.

“It’s been a show that’s been on my bucket list for years and years,” said theater director Eric Holsen. “I just love the show. It’s got a great story, great quirky humor, and su per great music.”

Audience members can expect 1950s-style pop music, comedic twists and a 6-foot-tall prop of a man-eating plant named Audrey II. The prop was created in the 1990s by a previous theater director and had been sitting in storage – and in the back of Holsen’s mind – until this fall.

Notably, the play will have two actors for each of the two lead roles. Senior Tyler Modrow will be Seymour for two performances

Social worker helps ease the load at SSP police department

Jake Spitzack Staff Writer

The South St. Paul po lice department now has a full-time social worker in its ranks. The position is funded through Dakota County, which in 2018 began a pilot program to place a social worker in the South St. Paul and West St. Paul police departments, with the goal of increasing

support for people experi encing a mental health or chemical dependency crisis, and decreasing their reli ance on the 911 emergency system. It proved so effec tive that today nearly every city in Dakota County has a social worker on staff.

Dakota County social worker Rachel Dean start ed with the South St. Paul police department in Sep tember. She is partnered

with police officer Randy Boyden and visits individu als in the hours and days following a crisis event to provide resources that help with recovery. She is trained in mental health services and can offer short-term therapy to individuals when needed. Boyden has training in deescalation techniques and wears a uniform that’s less formal than a typical police uniform.

“We’re really trying to provide the right service at the right time to the right people,” said Dean. “Mental health facilities and provid ers are overwhelmed right now and sometimes people call 911 because it’s the only service that can respond to them. I [help] fill that gap with a no-barrier service, and can help people so there’s a warm hand-off when they’re able to get help from a lo

cal provider. To me, it seems like the program has been well received and people are thankful.”

According to South St. Paul Police Chief Brian Wicke, in recent years the police and fire departments have seen an increase in 911 calls related to mental health, and things were getting more dangerous for officers who have little training in dealing with mental health issues.

“Everything culminated in 2018 when an individual in crisis shot at four of our of ficers, hitting one,” he said. He noted that most 911 calls are related to homelessness, mental health, chemical dependency or self-harm. Occasionally, community members call with a con cern about somebody they

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South St. Paul City Council (elect 3)

Joe Gullerud

Occupation: Direct sup port professional/handyman

Political experience: None

Top priorities: Increasing fees on rental housing prop erties, decreasing the cost of government in our city and adding police officers to im prove public safety.

Candidate statement: “I believe that my views and skill set will benefit the community and help our citizens. Bottom line, we are spending too much money. It is unsustain able for a city of our size and wealth. We need pragmatic leaders who can make tough decisions about where and how our money is spent. I am that guy. I owned and operat ed a business for 15 years and am currently starting a new one. I will run our city like a company and protect your tax dollars as if they are my own.”

Contact: gullerudjoe@ gmail.com

Joe Kaliszewski

Occupation: Retired Political experience: South St. Paul City Council (1989-1997 and 2018-pres ent); South St. Paul Parks and Rec Board (2018-pres ent).

Top priorities: Keeping tax levy low and supporting public services.

Candidate statement: “Our city needs experienced people more than ever to help guide us through these challenging economic times. I will continue to strive to keep taxes as low as possible while maintaining the great services of our city.”

Contact: 651-451-3218

Tom Seaberg

Occupation: Hotel and Convention Sales Manager at Treasure Island Resort & Casino

Political experience: South St. Paul City Coun cil (1987-present); South St. Paul HRA (1997-pres

ent); South St. Paul (EDA 2019-present); South Metro Fire Department Board of Directors (2020-present).

Top priorities: Continue to support the Police and South Metro Fire Depart ment; continued develop ment and redevelopment throughout South St. Paul, including support for ex isting businesses; investing in the city’s infrastructure; working together to provide opportunities for children; providing quality housing opportunities for all of resi dents.

Candidate statement: “I am a lifelong resident of South St. Paul, graduate of South St. Paul High School, a proud husband, father and grandfather. I have over 35 years of experience with both public and private sector budgeting and planning. I have been a youth hockey coach in South St. Paul and I am currently a youth base ball and football coach. I believe in this community and will tirelessly work to gether with you to promote our community. I believe by working together we can make a difference, and con tinue to make South St. Paul a great place to live, work,

learn and play.”

Contact: 651-703-3885 tseaberg@sspmn.org

Raymond G. Aaron Jr. Did not respond

Ugbad Abdilahi Did not respond

Matthew Thompson Did not respond

School Board

Below is a list of the school board candidates (elect 4). A profile on each candidate can be found at www.sspps.org/ about/school-board

Bill Arend

B.E.”Bernie” Beermann Colinda Blackbird

Anne Claflin

Brian Counihan

Fred Everson

Tim Felton

Wendy Woods Felton

Deborah Franzen

Kim Humann

Gage E. Kemp

Hugh Kenety Jean Lubke Michael Mathews

Jeff McClellan

Erica F.J. Petersen

Ted Pieper Thomas Rongitsch Nicole Scheiber

Peter Skwira Ashley WickenhauserGreif John Wilcox

Minnesota House District 53B

Rick Hansen

Occupation: Small busi ness owner

Political party:  Demo cratic Farmer Labor

Political experi ence: Minnesota House of Representatives member since 2005; Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District Board member from 1997 to 2005.

Top priorities: Climate change, education, democ racy, reproductive choice and universal health care.

Candidate statement: “I am asking for your vote during these unprecedented times. We need a problemsolving approach in the Legislature to tackle the challenging issues to move Minnesota forward. There is much work to be done. I am asking to work with and for you in the Minnesota House of Representatives.” Website: www.votehan sen.com

Steven Swoboda

Occupation: Sr. Manu facturing Engineer

Political party: Republi can

Political experience: Board of Trustees at Gate way Christian Church, and Den Leader of Cub Scouts Pack 9095

Top priorities: Safer streets for children and families; better performing schools that are safe to at tend; and elimination of the MN income tax to provide relief for all hard working Minnesotans.

Candidate statement: “I’m running for office be cause when I looked around at the politicians at our State capitol I saw few leaders that were providing solutions to the problems our commu nities face, such as public safety, education, and the economy. Instead, I heard excuses. After two years of businesses and churches be ing shut down or restricted due to COVID mandates, schools sent home to learn online, and continued dis course from St. Paul, I knew I had to take a stand and run for public office.”

Website: www.swoboda 4house.com

Pet Friendly!

Laura Pride, Legal Marijuana Now Did not respond Minnesota Senate District 53

Matt Klein

Occupation: Physi cian at the Mayo Clinic

Political party: Demo cratic Farmer Labor

Political experience: ISD 197 school board mem ber from 2013 to 2016; Minnesota state sen ate member since 2017.

Top priorities: Affordable health care; lower drug pric es; property tax relief; pub lic safety; and green energy.

Candidate statement: “Minnesota is a great place to live and now we need to build on that. We have the capacity to ensure that people can access health care and pay for their medi cines; that they can afford to remain in their homes; and they are safe in their communities. We must preserve our treasured lakes and forests, and transition to a no-carbon state.” Website: www.mattklein.org

Chris Rausch

Occupation: Vendor rela tions lead

Political party: Republi can

Political experience: None

Top priorities: To tackle economic, educational and public safety challenges.

Candidate state ment:  “Are we better off now than we were a few years ago? The answer is no. We’re heading in the wrong direction and we know it.

The problems are clear. We don’t need politics, we need leadership. I believe our best days are ahead of us. We just won’t get there by this current direction or policies that are hurting us. I’m run ning for office because we deserve better.”

Website: RauschForMN. com

Dakota County Commissioner District 2

Joe Atkins

Occupation: Small busi ness owner and attorney Political experience: Current Dakota County Commissioner; Metro

politan Emergency Services chair and executive board member; Minnesota Ama teur Sports Commission board member; former state legislator and former mayor of Inver Grove Heights.

Top priorities: Public safety and health, parks, providing outstanding con stituent service and keeping Dakota County debt-free.

Candidate statement: “Since I was first elected county commissioner in 2016, Dakota County has paid off all county debt, making us one of the only debt-free counties in the nation. During this period, we have also been named the best county in the country for public safety and public health, beating out 3,000 counties nationwide, while also safely maintaining 424 miles of roads, 83 bridges, nine award-winning libraries and 5,000 acres of popular parks and natural areas. Re maining debt free, providing outstanding service, and as sisting constituents remain my top priorities.”

Website: JoeAtkins.net

Jimmy Francis

Occupation: Employee benefits advisor with Assured

Partners

Political experience:

Current mayor of South St. Paul; South Metro Fire Board President; member of South St. Paul Futures and member of the Dakota County Broadband Board.

Top priorities: Listening to residents of the district, mental health and public safety.

Candidate statement: “What I will bring to the county is energy with a focus on action. Energy behind mental wellness, currently our county provides funds enough for a safety net or crisis intervention. We need to invest in people and pro vide robust and impactful tailored services for people experiencing mental health emergencies and provide for mental health wellness. Action behind this would look out 25 years and bring in experts to help draft the plan that would include reaching out to hospital sys tems around the world and use the [county’s] debt-free status to leverage investment from private systems into Dakota County. The work I will do for District 2 will be leveraged for the entire county and would make it

an even better place to live.”

Website: Forwardwith Francis.com

School levy

Special School District 6 is placing a levy request on the ballot for the Nov. 8 gen eral election. If approved, the levy would replace the 2017 voter-approved levy that an nually provides $792 per stu dent through property taxes. The request will have two questions. First, the district is asking taxpayers to bump the levy up to $900 per student. The extra funding would al low the district to avoid bud get cuts that could affect class sizes, staffing, programming and extracurricular activities.

Secondly, the district is asking for another $250 per student on top of that. Those funds would go towards academic and mental health support, expanded programming, and increased career and college readiness opportunities for students. Based on a medianvalued home of $275,000, a homeowner would pay an additional $348 annually if the first question passes, or $444 if both pass. The first question must pass for the second to pass.

The district’s current levy is the 35th lowest in the metro area’s 43 districts. It sits $608 below the metro average of $1,400. Since 2020, the district has been awarded approximately $8 million dollars in CARES (Corona virus Aid, Relief, and Eco nomic Security Act), CRRSA (Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appro priations Act) and ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds to support operations through the 2024-25 school year. When that money is gone, the district will need to make cuts if it doesn’t close the gap through the proposed levy increase. To calculate your individual tax increase or for more informa tion on the levy, visit sspps. org/levy2022.

and character growth.

Theater

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and senior Alyse Boudreau will be in that role for two.

Junior Lilly Rosengren and senior Abby Powers will split performances for the part of Audrey. Neither is a stranger to the stage. Modrow had a lead role in the spring 2019 production of “Little Prince,” and Boudreau played Matilda in the play of the same name this sum mer. Rosengren and Powers have been in dozens of plays, and this will be the biggest role for each.

“We have two people each playing those roles because

we had so many good people audition,” said Holsen. “It’s also a good way to do un derstudies in high school.

Understudying in high school is sometimes not so great because understudies have to learn everything but then maybe don’t get to do the play.”

More than 50 students across grades 6-12 are in volved in the production.

Junior Will Murray plays Mushnik, the shop owner, and sophomore Tre Allen will be the voice of Audrey II. Senior Waya Roth plays

Orin, the sadistic dentist, senior Malia Meyer plays Ronette, senior Annie Voss plays Crystal, and junior Grace Kliniski plays Chif fon. Behind the scenes, 15 student technicians will be handling costumes, sets and more.

Performances are held 7-9 p.m., Friday, Nov. 11; 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m., Satur day, Nov. 12; and 2-4 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 13. Cost is $8 for students, $10 for adults and free for seniors age 65 and older. Tickets may be bought online or at the door. For more information, call 651-457-9408 or visit high school.sspps.org.

Social worker

from page 1

see that may be in crisis.

Providing more social workers is but one of Da kota County’s recent com mitments to supporting people with mental health issues. The County recently approved the position of a crisis response social worker, and Wicke is optimistic that the South St. Paul police department will be assigned one from the County in the

future. The crisis response social worker will be quali fied to join police officers on response calls and will assist people during their crisis event rather than afterward. The South St. Paul police department is currently undergoing remodeling to make room for full-time social workers. The work is expected to be completed by early next year.

Your community news and information source

Tyler Modrow, Alyse Boudreau, Lilly Rosengren and Abby Powers will each play a lead role in “Little Shop of Horrors.”

Rachel Dean and Randy Boyden

usiness

Midwest Fence

from page 1

from the stockyards with empty trailers. He worked until the day before he passed away, in 1992.

“We started out selling farm fence to the farmers,” said son Tom Corrigan Jr., who now owns the business. “For a while, pole buildings where really hot, but after a while they [the city] started to zone out the use of pole buildings for businesses and it just changed the de mand. As farmers started to move away, it changed the demand for farm products. One of the new and upand-coming products in the ’50s was chain link fence. We got into that, and one thing led to another and now we don’t do any farm fence…. We started in South St. Paul and we’ve been here the whole time. Our roots are here, and we’ve evolved with the times.”

Today, the company is lo cated on a 15-acre site at 525 E. Villaume Ave. and has about 100 employees. It pro vides fencing materials and installation for 3,000-4,000 customers annually. Most of

the work is done in Minne sota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and North and South Dakota, but the company has also installed fencing in faraway places, including Florida and Hawaii. About 70% of its work is for residential properties and the rest is for commercial enterprises.

The company offers differ ent styles of fencing in mate rials ranging from cedar, to metal to plastic, and main tains a full warehouse of sup plies that it sells to those who want to do installation work themselves. Having materi als on site also allows them to distribute products and begin projects quicker than some other distributors.

HANDYMAN

“Midwest has always been one of the innovators in bringing new products into the market,” said Cor rigan. “For instance, we were the first ones to bring cedar fencing, PVC fencing, and ornamental fencing into the market…. The difference

HANDYMAN

between a fence contractor and [fence] company is that a contractor finds a custom er, sees what they want, gives them a quote, makes the sale and then acquires the mate rial after its sold, whereas a fence company will find a product line, take it to mar ket, and go sell that product. We started as a material sales company and we got into doing installation as a way to sell more fence.”

The COVID-19 pandem ic sparked one of the biggest challenges in the company’s history. Corrigan said his company was designated an essential business and was required to stay open during the governmentmandated shutdown. This resulted in a significant spike in business from residential customers. Many, he said,

were working from home and wanted to add fencing so their kids would be safer outside. While the compa ny’s warehouse helped miti gate problems related to the global supply chain crisis, it has nevertheless been a hec tic time.

In support of its com munity, Midwest Fence has financially supported sev eral South St. Paul events, including Kaposia Days and the On the Road Again festival. Corrigan said there are no big events planned for the company’s 75th anniver sary but that it will continue

innovating as it always has.

“We always joke about how once you get in [to the fencing business] you can’t get out,” said Corrigan. “One of the reasons that attracts a lot of people [to the industry] is that you can work hard to install a fence for somebody and you can drive by that fence for 10 years and say, ‘hey, see that over there? I did that.’ You can see the results of your labor for years.”

For more information, call 651-451-2222 or visit mid westfence.com.

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Tom Corrigan Jr.

History Center

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

Our Home: Native Min nesota is the featured ex hibit. It includes historic and contemporary photo graphs, maps and artifacts. Learn how Minnesota’s na tive communities have main tained cultural practices, teachings and values.

Sherlock Holmes: The Exhibition is featured through April 2, 2023. Learn about areas of forensic science and engage in inter active crime-solving exer cises. Original manuscripts, period artifacts, and investi gative tools influenced and used by Sherlock Holmes will be on view.

The Center is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Thurs.-Sun. Tickets are $12 for adults,

musician Buddy Holly rises to the top of the music in dustry in just four years. It’s part bio-musical, part rock ’n’ roll concert. Guests will learn about the late star and hear some of his biggest hits. Tickets start at $48, with discounts for seniors, those under age 30 and students.

“A Servants’ Christmas” is presented on select dates Nov. 19-Dec. 18. Set in 1899, a young immigrant woman is hired to serve as a “a second girl” following the death of Mr. Warner’s wife.

The young woman fears that she may be dismissed from the job if Mr. Warner – a strict Christian – learns about her Jewish heritage. The play is a humor- and joy-filled musical. Tickets start at $48, with discounts for seniors, those under age 30 and students.

5:30-9:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 4. Kick back with staff and community members at this 1990s-themed celebration. $150.

Ballet Tuesdays, noon-1 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 15, in the Musser Cortile. Dancers from Ballet Co.Laboratory will perform excerpts from the company repertoire. Free.

Landmark Live: Turn Turn Turn, 8-10 p.m., Fri day, Nov. 18, in the F.K. Weyerhaeuser Auditorium. Enjoy a concert from this Americana band, mainstays of the Minnesota music scene. Cocktail hour begins at 7 p.m. Admission is $20 in advance, or $25 at the door.

Walker | West student concert, 1-3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 20, in the Musser Cor tile. The students of Walker | West Music Academy will

in time to a magical place where medieval storybook characters come to life. Ex plore eight themed areas and get to know the characters that make the castle a com munity.

Imaginopolis: Nature Remix is a new exhibit. Visi tors are transported into a se cret forest where everything is recognizable, but with a whimsical twist. Pretend to

Sprouts, Backyard, Our World, Forces at Play, Su per Awesome Adventures, Imaginopolis and the Tip Top Terrace.

The museum is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Tues.-Sun. Tickets are $14.95. Admis sion is free the first Sunday of each month; reservations are required. The next free date is Nov. 6.

MN Museum of American Art 350 Robert St. N. St. Paul 651-797-2571 mmaa.org

In Our Minds, is on dis play in the museum’s win dow space through Jan. 8, 2023. Presented in partner ship with Interact Center for the Visual and Performing

Off the Deep End, a digi tal mural printed on vinyl, is on display in the Jackson Street skyway bridge be tween 4th and 5th Streets through March 15, 2023. The artwork was created by 19 students from the St. Paul Conservatory for Perform ing Artists and explores the theme of metaphorical rising sea level.

Ordway Center

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

“Six” is presented on se lect dates Oct. 25-Nov. 6. Tickets start at $55.50.

“Songs of the Universal” is presented 7:30 p.m., Fri day, Oct. 29. Tickets start at $25.

“He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Your

Original Broadway cast, photo by Andrew Eccles “Six” is presented through Nov. 6 at the Ordway Center.

ample St. Paul

Park Square Theatre

20 W. 7th Place St. Paul 651-291-7005

parksquaretheatre.org

“Fire in the New World” is presented through Nov. 6. Private eye Sam Shikaze fights crime and discrimina tion in Vancouver’s Japan town in the years following World War II. When the Japanese-American wife of an ambitious real estate de veloper goes missing, Sam is on the case in this savvy detective caper. Tickets start at $27.

RiverCentre

175 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651- 265-4800

rivercentre.org

Minnesota Roller Derby, 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 12. Tickets start at $12.50.

Schubert Club

302 Landmark Center

75 W. 5th St. St. Paul 651-292-3268

schubert.org

Courtroom concerts at the Landmark center take place noon-1 p.m. Perfor mances include pianist Lau

ra Caviani and saxophonist David Milne Thursday, Oct. 27 and Lumina Women’s Ensemble, Thursday, Nov. 10. Free.

Anne Sofie von Otter and Kristian Bezuiden hout will perform at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 1, and 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 3, at the Ordway Center. Tickets start at $28.

“Enigma: a 360 degree video experience” is pre sented by Spektral Quartet at 9 p.m., Nov. 4-5, at the Bell Museum.

Merz Trio performs at 4 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 13 at St. Anthony Park United Church of Christ. Tickets start at $23.

A performance from the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber En semble will be presented on the Schubert Club website at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 11. Tickets are $10.

“Our Song, Our Story —The New Generation of Black Voices” is presented at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 18, at the Ordway Center. Tickets start at $13.

KidsJam: Journey through Afro-Brazilian Music with Ticket to Bra zil is held at 10:30 a.m.,

Nov. 29-30, at the Schubert Club Music Museum in the Landmark Center. Tickets start at $5.

Science Museum of Minnesota

120 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651-221-9444 smm.org

Nature All Around Us is presented through Jan. 22, 2023. Discover the hidden worlds and rich ecosystems within familiar places and explore the natural world’s interconnected engineering solutions: how trees cool neighborhoods, how streams carry storm water away from homes and how spending time in nature keeps people healthy.

Cardboard City is a tem porary exhibit on display through Nov. 13. Visitors may build with cardboard.

Omnitheater films“Backyard Wilderness” is presented through Jan. 31, 2023. Peek inside dens, nests and ponds to meet the crea tures that live there.

“Dream Big” is presented through Dec. 31. Explore engineering marvels from around the world and learn how engineers push the

limits of innovation in un expected ways.

“Stellar Tours Digital Telescope Show” is pre sented at 2 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, through Nov. 20. Guests can choose their own space tour and glimpse the farthest reaches of the universe.

Omnitheater tickets are $9.95. Free for children age 3 and under.

Sensory Friendly Sunday is hosted the first Sunday of the month. Visitors can ex perience a lights-up, sound-

down Omnitheater show at 10 a.m. The program was created in consultation with the Autism Society of Min nesota. Admission is free for personal care attendants when visiting with a client.  Museum tickets range from $9.95-$34.90, with discounts available for those with limited incomes.

Union Depot 214 4th St. E. St. Paul 651-202-2700 uniondepot.org

“Boonion Depot” is held 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 30. Visitors can create pumpkin crafts, dance to a DJ’s tunes, trick-or-treat and more. The first 500 kids under age 12 will receive a tote for candy. Visitors are encouraged to dress in cos tumes.

Other events include Yoga Sculpt, Virtual Noon Yoga, Free Wednesday Night Yoga, Saturday Morning Yoga, Games Galore, Trivia Night at Station 81 and Riffs, Rails and Cocktails.

Dakota County Commissioner

Joe Atkins

With Joe Atkins as our County Commissioner, Dakota County has paid off all county debt, making us one of the only debt-free counties in the nation. Dakota County has also been named the best county in the nation for public safety and public health, beating out 3,000 counties nationwide.

Trabajando

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and

Prepared and paid for by Atkins Volunteer Committee, 105 Hardman Court, South St. Paul, MN 55075, www.JoeAtkins.net

Hall of Fame inducts four and honors the 1979 softball team

John E. Ahlstrom Staff Writer

The South St. Paul High School Athletic Hall of Fame inducted four new members at its annual in duction ceremony, held September 30. With their enshrinement, the number of inductees in that hal lowed assembly has swelled to 67.

The 2022 Class – the 15th in school history – includes Paul Kenady (Class of 1966), Kory Nadeau (1989), Brian

Horst (1995) and Joe Munos (2012). In addition to the four inductees, the Hall of Fame Committee recognized the 1979 softball team that advanced to the state tourna ment and brought home the third-place trophy.

Paul Kenady

Under the direction of leg endary coach Steve Silianoff, the football program flour ished after he was hired in 1952. The undefeated 1958 team may have been his best, but there are detractors who

insist that the 1965 team was even better. The 1965 squad featured future Green Bay Packer linebacker Jim Carter and his buddy and co-cap tain Paul Kenady. Kenady played at tackle on defense and fullback in Silianoff’s single-wing offense. In the single-wing formation, the fullback more resembles a pulling guard than a run ning back and Carter was the beneficiary of Kenady’s prowess as a blocker.

“It was a privilege for me to be on the same field with

All-State players like Jim and Terry Abram,” recalled Kenady, who was no slouch with the ball in his hands. He was second to Carter in points scored and earned AllState Honorable Mention as a fullback in 1965. He was also named to the All-Sub urban Conference team in both 1964 and 1965.

Kenady wrestled at heavy weight for the Packers as a junior and most of his senior year. In preparation for the district tournament in 1966, he lost enough weight to

wrestle at 175 and his work paid off with a trip to the state tournament.

After graduation, he enrolled at the Air Force Academy Prep School in Colorado Springs and played on its undefeated football team. He came home in 1967 and played one season as a walk-on at the Univer sity of Minnesota. By 1975, his high school coaches, Silianoff and Julie Arnquist, were assistants at St. Thomas College and they convinced Kenady, at age 27, to play two seasons with the Tom mies, and so he did.

Paul Kenady now lives in Richfield with his wife Judy. He has three children – Jay, Mitchell and Andrew.

Kory Nadeau

a junior and senior. He also played in the 1987 and 1989 State Tournaments and was team captain as a senior.

As winter’s chill gave way to spring flowers, Nadeau set his sights on the baseball dia mond, maybe his best sport. He was a three-year varsity letter winner and a threetime All-Conference selec tion. He was twice named to the All-Metro team and as a senior earned All-State laurels and was chosen to play in the Minnesota State High School League All-Star game.

With a personal or commercial checking account

.35 % APY

Balances $1,000.00 to $9,999.99

% APY

Balances $10,000.00 and

Without a personal or commercial checking account

.10 % APY

Balances $1,000.00 to $9,999.99

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Nadeau was a three-sport star. In the fall he played soccer and earned varsity let ters as a sophomore, junior and senior. He earned AllConference laurels twice and served as the team captain as a senior.

In the winter Nadeau switched his focus to hock ey. He was on the varsity for three seasons and was an All-Conference selection as

Nadeau was anointed 1989 Honor Athlete and ac cepted a baseball scholarship to the University of Minne sota. A natural right-handed hitter, he hit two homeruns in a game at the Metrodome batting left-handed because of a shoulder injury. Accord ing to Pete Schultz of the Hall of Game committee, Nadeau was certainly one of the best hitters in school history.

Brian Horst

Horst was also a threesport athlete. He played quarterback on the football team and was the captain

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and an All-Conference se lection as a senior. In the spring, he played third base on the baseball team. He earned All-Conference hon ors twice and as a senior was the team captain and earned a spot on the Honorable Mention All-State team.

Horst’s favorite sport was hockey and he centered the Packers’ first line. He was a two-time All-Conference selection, twice earned Hon orable Mention All-State laurels, and was the team captain as a senior.

“I really enjoyed getting on the ice and playing for Coach Russ Welch,” Horst recalled. “He was a true leader and got us to work harder than we could have imagined. I also had many great teachers, including Dave Nesburg and Robert Peterfeso. I truly believe my experience as a student ath lete prepared me for college and beyond.”

Horst maintained a cumu lative 4.0 GPA throughout his high school career, and for his academic prowess and his athletic endeavors, he was selected as the 1995 Honor Athlete.

Upon graduation, Horst accepted a scholarship offer to play hockey at Princeton

University. He was a fouryear letter winner and a member of the 1999 team that broke the school record for most wins in a season.

“My favorite memory of my time at Princeton was winning the ECAC title game at Lake Placid, N.Y.,” said Horst. “It was, of course, the same venue that hosted the Miracle on Ice in 1980.”

He maintains that his most memorable sports moments were the countless hours he spent playing wiffle ball and football and skat ing on the family’s backyard rink with his brother Tim.

Brian Horst is a cardiologist at Allina Health Minneapo lis Heart Institute and lives in North Oaks with his wife Kelli and children Ali and Emma.

Joe Munos

The Joe Munos athletic file has Hall of Fame written all over it. He is the all-time winningest wrestler in school history with a record of 20927. He represented the Pack ers at five state tournaments and is the only three-time state champion (2010-12) in school history.

The list goes on: record for pins in a season (28); four-time All-Conference

selection; 5-time All-State selection; three-time team captain; two-time team MVP. And for good mea sure, he earned two letters in track, and as a senior was a starter in the secondary for the Packer football team that won the Section Champion ship in 2011.

No one beyond Joe’s fam ily knew more about Joe than his high school coach and mentor, Don Nihart. In his first season as head coach Joey was in fourth grade and his father Mike invited Don to a youth scrimmage event.

“I perused the gym and there was one wrestler who caught my attention. He was moving smoothly from one position to the next,” said Nihart. “He was gliding through a variety of highlevel techniques that only a few of my varsity wrestlers could duplicate. It was Joey Munos.”

According to Nihart, Minnesota has been crown ing state champions since 1937, and during those in tervening 85 years only Joey and 99 other wrestlers have earned three or more titles. In over a century of South St. Paul athletics, Joey is the only athlete with three individual state titles in any

sport. In 2012, I interviewed Joey a few weeks before he captured his third state title. I asked him what memories he will take with him follow ing his athletic career in high school.

“The support of my fam ily always comes first and I want to thank Coach Nihart, too. He always keeps me fo cused,” said Munoz. “But you know what, nothing can top our win in the sectional championship football game at St. Thomas Academy!” The late Joe Munos was a true Packer.

1979 softball team

In 1978, the MSHSL sanctioned softball as an in terscholastic sport, and Den ny Tetu agreed to serve as the South St. Paul High School team’s first head coach. He enjoyed immediate success.

“There were several quality summer softball leagues in South St. Paul and we defi nitely benefited from that,” said Tetu. “We came out of the chute on fire and won conference championships in 1979, 1981 and 1983.”

The 1979 squad won the Region 4 championship and advanced to the state tour nament. Two members of

that team, Barb Covey and Julie Loomis, are already en shrined in the school’s Ath letic Hall of Fame.

“Barb Covey showed up to practice as a ninth grader and from the moment I saw her field a couple grounders and take a few swings in the batting cage, I knew she was ready to be our varsity short stop,” said Tetu.

She didn’t disappoint. In the 1979 season, she hit .378, stole 17 bases and knocked in 26 runs.

Loomis played third base and Tetu said he never coached a better player at

that position.

“Julie was equally adept at snagging a liner or charging the plate to field a bunt,” said Tetu. “She was a nightmare at the plate as well, hitting .387 and leading the team in hits and RBIs.”

The 1979 team acquit ted itself in a positive way by capturing the third-place trophy at State.

“That was a dream team,” said Tetu. “We were particu larly strong on defense and our pitching carried us all season. Those kids were spe cial, and I still stay in touch with them.”

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Neighbors, Inc.

Charlie Thompson President & CEO

In September, Neighbors hosted a 50th anniversary community celebration. One of the highlights was the unveiling of our time line mural designed by local artist Jaclee Slaba. The mu ral captures the history of Neighbors like never before, beginning with our found ing in 1972 and continuing all the way to the pandemic years of 2020-22. There is even room to highlight fu ture years. As we near the end of our 50th anniver sary year and celebrate the timeline mural, I thought I would provide some high lights from our 50 years of service.

On January 13, 1972, volunteers from six local churches came together to

our first executive director, and by the end of the first decade we had offices in Nan McKay. Our programs con tinued to evolve as the needs of the community changed.

Education That Suits Your Student

SCHOOL CHOICE DIRECTORY

In the 1980s, all of Neigh bors’ activities were located under one roof for the first time. Globe Publishing first hosted Neighbors, then we relocated to 13th Avenue in South St. Paul. Minnesota Foodshare and a Walk for the Hungry took place in the early ’80s. These events are still happening today.

As our 40th anniversary approached, Neighbors mounted a capital campaign to purchase its current build ing at 222 Grand Ave. The purchase and relocation allowed Neighbors to con tinue to grow and meet the needs of the community.

1200 North Concord St. • www.minikahda.com

For any unit 10'x10' or smaller FREE DISC LOCK WITH ANY RENTAL! New rentals only. Not valid with other offers. Expires 12/31/22. Call 651-450-1202

Education That Suits Your Student

form what would become Neighbors, Inc. They did so in response to the closing of the meat packing plants in South St. Paul and the economic crisis it created. The first year was a busy one. Volunteers installed phone lines in their homes. St. John Vianney hosted our first food shelf. The Clothes Closet opened on Marie Av enue. Neighbors also provid ed transportation to those in need and started the Holiday Gift program.

Visit www.stpaulpublishing.com/schoolchoice to explore these schools and for tips on how to choose a school that best fits your student's and family's needs.

CHARTER

In the following years, Neighbors expanded and developed its brand. The Neighbors “N” was created and is still used today. Two more food shelves opened and the Clothes Closet ex panded. Bob Adams became

With the ’90s came much change. New generations of leaders and staff served Neighbors. Community gar dens provided fresh produce for our food shelf. Thanks to a generous gift from one of our founders, we created an endowment fund.

Academia Cesar Chavez 1801 Lacrosse Ave., St. Paul 651-778-2940 www.cesarchavezschool.com

Great River School 1326 Energy Park Drive St Paul MN 55108 651-305-2780 enroll@greatriverschool.org www.greatriverschool.org

In the 2000s, we entered the digital age with our first website and social media. Duck Races were held for the first time in 2008. In the same year, the Great Reces sion began and Neighbors experienced increased need for its services. Our com munity responded by giv ing generously of its time and treasure.

St. Paul City School PreK-12 260 Edmund Ave., St. Paul 651-225-9177 www.stpaulcityschool.org

In 2020, we all faced a new challenge with the pan demic. In the face of chal lenge, Neighbors stepped up and improved its programs and services to meet new expectations brought on by a fast-changing world. Legacy programs changed overnight. The food shelf added curbside pickup and delivery options. The Clothes Closet focused on essential needs. We added a financial empowerment program. We also refreshed our building by redesigning our food shelf, converting our lobby into the Financial Empowerment Center, and investing in a new roof and other capital improvements.

COLLEGES / UNIVERSITIES

St. Paul College 235 Marshall Ave., St. Paul 651-846-1600 https://saintpaul.edu

If you are interested in see ing a visual representation of our history, visit us 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday. We will be happy to show you our timeline mural and pro vide a tour of our building.

Visit www.stpaulpublishing.com/schoolchoice to explore these schools and for tips on how to choose a school that best fits your student's and family's needs.

CHARTER

Academia Cesar Chavez 1801 Lacrosse Ave., St. Paul 651-778-2940 | www.cesarchavezschool.com

Great River School 1326 Energy Park Drive St Paul MN 55108 651-305-2780

enroll@greatriverschool.org www.greatriverschool.org

St. Paul City School PreK-12 260 Edmund Ave., St. Paul 651-225-9177 | www.stpaulcityschool.org

COLLEGES / UNIVERSITIES

St. Paul College 235 Marshall Ave., St. Paul 651-846-1600 | https://saintpaul.edu

ews Briefs

Student notes

Tina Erickson was named to the dean’s list at The Col lege of St. Scholastica in Duluth. She is majoring in nursing.

Parks and Rec field trips

South St. Paul Parks and Recreation is accepting res ervations for the following field trips. To reserve space or for more information, call 651-366-6200 or visit southstpaul.org.

FUN Lab, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 27. This event includes a laser tag maze, mini-bowling, bumper cars and swimming. Grades 1-6. Cost is $42.

Snow Tubing & Skate , 9:00-4:30pm, Wednesday, Dec. 28. This event features tubing at Green Acres, a late lunch and an afternoon skate. Ages 8-12. Cost is $47.

Library events

To register, call 651-5543240 or visit www.southst paul.org/library

Book Club discussion, 7-8 p.m., Thursday, Nov.

10. The title is “Infidel” by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. For more information, visit tinyurl. com/SSPbookclub.

Say It! Sing It! Play It!

In Cherokee , 11-11:45 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 8. Sing along to catchy songs and experience fun storytell ing presented by Z Pup pets artists Cherokee tribal member Chris Griffith and Shari Aronson. Registration required. Geared toward youth ages 5 and older.

“Cooking” with Kids , 5-6:30 p.m., Mondays, Nov. 14, 21 and 28. This class covers how to prepare healthy foods and snacks, how to save money when purchasing healthy foods, and the benefits of eating together at mealtime. Reg istration required. Geared toward youth ages 8-17.

Craft and bake sale Luther Memorial Church, 315 15th Ave. N., South St. Paul, is hosting

a craft and bake sale 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 5. Chicken wild rice soup and pie will be served begin ning at 11 a.m.

Meeting dates

The South St. Paul City Council meets at 7 p.m. 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 con tact information, visit www. southstpaul.org or call 651554-3284.

The Special School Dis trict 6 School Board meets at 6 p.m. the second and fourth Monday of each month. For agendas and school board member con tact information, visit www. sspps.org or call 651-4579400.

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

New South St. Paul library project begins

At the Oct. 4 ground breaking ceremony, City of South St. Paul and Dakota County leaders marked the start of a 15-month con struction project of the new South St. Paul Library, the 10th branch in the Dakota County Library system. Construction is expected to last until December 2023, with the library opening in early spring 2024. The

16,000-square-foot singlelevel building at Seventh and Marie will feature study rooms and meeting spaces, a designated quiet room, a “Heritage Room” celebrat ing South St. Paul history, an outdoor reading space, chil dren’s area and teen space, and more than 100 parking spaces.

As the project commenc es, South St. Paul Library

officials are busy planning for the 100th Birthday Re ception of the city-owned library at 106 3rd Ave. N. The event, held 2-4 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 1, will have birthday cake, live music, recognition of former staff, board members and volun teers, and more. The city has yet to announce what it will do with the current building once the new library opens.

for service hours, something to do, or simply because it is fun. Members say they like the feeling of connectedness and the satisfaction of making the community a better place.

The South St. Paul Mayor’s Youth Task Force is invest ing in our community in a variety of ways, whether it is

Last month, youth at tended the South St. Paul Youth Fair. Over the next few months, there will be a variety of opportunities to give back to the community, some new and some tradi tional. Here are just a few. We invite you to join us.

Recycle the Pumpkin the Task Force Way - As part of the South St. Paul Thinking Green campaign, the task force will collect pumpkins 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Nov. 5 at the Wakota Fed eral Credit Union’s parking lot at 12th and Southview.

Pumpkins will be com posted, so remove candles. Painted pumpkins cannot be accepted. The dumpster will be there all weekend if you cannot make it during the

time task force members are there. The event is free.

South St. Paul Senior Citizen Thanksgiving Dinner is back and is one of our favorite events. South St. Paul senior citizens are invited to a Thanksgiving Dinner with all of the trim mings, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10 at the high school. This event is a partnership between the task force, South St. Paul Lions Club, the South St.

Paul School District Senior Program and generous do nors. Task force members and friends will serve the meal and clean the tables after the meal.

Light up the Square will begin at 5:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 27 at Central Square Community Center. Task force members will assist Mayor James Francis, Santa, Mrs. Claus, Frosty, Santa’s elves and friends in shar ing cocoa and candy canes,

and leading carols around the community tree. The countdown to lighting the tree begins at 6 p.m., kick ing off the holiday season in South St. Paul.

The task force will also offer Elf Grams in Novem ber, as a way to spread good cheer. For more information on these and future projects, or to join the task force, contact Deb Griffith at deb. griffith@southstpaul.org or 651-554-3230.

The SSP trap team looks forward to reloading

John E. Ahlstrom Staff Writer

Led by Stan Koich, the inaugural season for the South St. Paul High School trap team came to fruition in the spring of 2014 and the team enjoyed great suc cess during its first six sea sons. Then the pandemic surfaced and with it – not surprisingly – donations dried up, supplies became limited and the number of kids taking up the sport waned. That said, the trap team’s Board of Directors believes the time is ripe for an all-out rejuvenation.

A brief history is in or der. It was during a visit by Koich to the South St. Paul Rod and Gun Club in the fall of 2011 to hone his skills in advance of the fall hunt

ing season that he learned of the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League. That got him energized and he sought out John Nelson, a Packer alumnus who served as the VP of the local Clay Target League, to join him in convincing the South St. Paul School Board to add the sport to the school’s athletic curriculum.

“We were very pleased with the receptive response we received from the mem bers of the board and were given the green light to form a team,” Koich recalled. “It took a year for us to get orga nized and do the fundraising necessary to become viable.”

Koich learned early on that there was indeed noth ing more vital to the success of this new venture than raising money. The trap

team is considered a “com munity sponsored activity” and does not receive finan cial support from the school. Team members are awarded varsity letters, however, and are featured in the school yearbook.

The long-term survival of the team depends solely on fundraising events, the generosity of local busi nesses and the community at large, and family members and friends.

It is not an inexpensive venture. Team members must provide their own fire arm and the cost of a good secondhand one is around $250. In addition, the stu dent athletes are required to pay a $150 registration fee. That stipend covers a minor portion of the overall costs, which include league fees,

tournament entry fees and the cost of the clay pigeon targets and ammunition. In 2017, the targets (or “clays” as they are called) and a box of shells were each sold in quantities of 25. The clays ran about $7 and the shells about $6. Today, because of the worldwide interruption of commerce, those numbers have more than doubled.

Despite all of that, when one is accorded the opportu nity to visit with the sevenmember trap team board, as I was recently, one immedi ately learns that their goal of fielding a team in March will be realized. Board members include Charr Arme (head coach), Paul Wiik (assistant coach), Justin Martinez (as sistant coach), Patrick Ham marsten (assistant coach), Jennifer Wiik (secretary-

treasurer), Malinda Martinez (cheerleader) and Stan Koich (Senior advisor and mascot).

There are already folks who have stepped up to aid in this adventure. Steve Koi ch, Stan’s nephew, who oper ates Men’s League Sweaters in Michigan, is donating 50 jerseys for all shooters and coaches. Ryan Meyer, who owns the business Greater Than… in Wisconsin is cre ating hoodies and pullovers for families and friends to purchase and give the team much needed visibility. The cause’s greatest ally is the enthusiasm and full support demonstrated by the trap team board of directors.

“I love being a volunteer for an organization whose sport provides a positive in fluence on the lives of these

athletes,” said Jennifer Wiik. “It provides a safe and posi tive environment that en hances the athlete’s character and personal growth. It feels great to assist an organiza tion that directly impacts our youth in such a positive way.”

The beginning of the sea son is five months away and there is a great deal of work yet to do to make the 2023 team’s season a successful one. The fundraising com ponent is crucial, but the good folks in South St. Paul are generous and the team looks forward to working with new and continuing sponsors.

Leave it to Koich to guar antee the new season: “We’re going to shoot, shoot and shoot!”

Your community news and information source

Photo by Dakota County

Lois Glewwe

Imade

sauerkraut and spareribs last Friday. Not because I particularly like sauerkraut and spare ribs but because there was something about the au tumn chill that made me pine for days long gone. What I really wanted, of course, was to have it be an autumn afternoon of more than 60 years ago. I wanted to walk home from school in knee socks and saddle shoes, kicking the rustling, crackling leaves and send ing them swirling into the cool breeze and bright sun shine. I wanted to come home, rush in the back door and smell sauerkraut and spareribs and find my mother peeling potatoes, as the steam from our supper condensed on the windows.

Oh, those were days when harvesttime was really cele brated. Church sanctuaries became a visual celebration of the abundance of the har vest. Altars were heaped with big orange pumpkins and squash of every shape and color. Gourds and vegetables poured from a cornucopia on the communion table and every window ledge held In dian corn and colored leaves. I can still recall the sense of festivity when the owners of some of the area’s biggest farms – the Glewwes and the Hildebrandts, all relatives –would bring the abundance of their fall harvest to church in celebration of the season.

The young people would do the decorating on Saturday, and on Sunday morning the entire sanctuary was filled with the scent of the rich ness of the earth. Writing in his diary in 1944, my father reported that, “Our whole family had a part in the program for Rally Day. Best program and display we’ve ever had.”

At home, the rich har vest was transformed each week by my mother and grandmother, who stood over huge steaming kettles to sterilize and seal jars for canning. Vats of brine were boiled and tested to create pickles of every kind and col or. Boxes of apples stood to one side, waiting to be cored and peeled with the handcrank apple peeler. Raisins were soaking and would be added to the mincemeat, and hard sour plums would be turned into jams and jel lies. Green tomatoes, water melon rinds, cucumbers and currants turned the kitchen into an exciting haven of harvest.

Over the winter, that bounty – now displayed in row upon row of color in the fruit cellar – would grace our table daily as my father bowed his head to thank God for our food.

Those were the days when the first sign of winter was the arrival of a coal truck to fill a bin from which to feed the old furnace. Daddy would put frost shields on the car windows (oval sheets

of transparent plastic that provided some assistance with winter vision in the days before defrosters). Our little garden, which provided us with tomatoes, corn, cu cumbers, beans, rhubarb, potatoes, onions, carrots and peas, all nestled next to the

peonies, would be cleared and raked in preparation for the first snow. The nights would suddenly fall quickly and the smell of burning leaves never left the air.

Harvesttime was much more than a gathering of food. It was a gathering in

of our families, as hot dogs and deviled eggs gave way to pea soup and sauerkraut. It was our way of preparing ourselves for the frigid weeks of winter. As the squir rels stored their acorns, so we stocked our cellars. We knew that the gathering of the harvest meant one thing: change.

Poet Thomas Hood (1789-1847) put it this way:

“No warmth, no cheerful ness, no healthful ease, No comfortable feel in any member –

No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, No fruits no flowers, no leaves, no birds –November!”

I might put it this way: Today I have no cellar, no wild plum jam in jars, No green tomato pickles, no fresh made applesauce, No knee highs and no saddle shoes, no cornucopia, But I have harvest memo ries, so all its not a loss.

And Friday in my kitchen, for just a few brief hours, The scenes and sounds that simmered left me with out a doubt

That each of us knows harvesttimes whatever time of year,

And mine came rushing back to me over ribs and sauerkraut.

is a Service of Sincerity”

Johnson-Peterson

Your

The author with her grandfather, Joe Rands, in 1954 in her grandparents’ vegetable garden.