The Citizen

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Get to know the Good Neighbor

Liberty Classical Academy expansion moves forward in Hugo, stalls in May Township

BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR

Liberty Classical Academy has unveiled its immediate plans for the first phase of its expansion in Hugo and its hopes for the second phase in the future.

Neighbors continue to share their concerns and opinions on the proposal to both the city of Hugo and May Township.

Liberty Classical Academy is seeking approval of a site plan and conditional use permit (CUP) for an approximately 33,500-square-foot building addition to the existing school and associated parking on the property located at 10158 122nd St. N. There are stormwater management facilities and septic systems that are proposed to be located in May Township. (Liberty is requesting a CUP in May Township for these associated services.) The school owns

approximately 37 acres in Hugo and 45 acres in May Township.

Liberty Classical Academy currently houses pre-K through second grade at its Hugo campus, and leases space at the Church of St. Pius X in White Bear Lake for grades 2-12. City Planner Rachel Juba explained that the expansion will accommodate high school students. Currently, the school currently accommodates approximately 120 students. The expansion would make space for the addition of 100 to 150 more students. Grades 3-8 would remain at the White Bear Lake location.

The addition, which is approximately the size of the existing school, would house additional classrooms, learning spaces and a gymnasium. The expansion would also include additional parking and the relocation of

SEE LIBERTY CLASSICAL PAGE 18

BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR

On any given day in Minnesota, over 6,000 children and youth experience out-of-home (foster) care, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Children’s Home Society (CHLSS) and Lutheran Social Service (LSS) of Minnesota are affiliated organizations that are always seeking foster parents

to care for children and youth in need.

“We are not finding kids for families, we are finding families for kids,” said Heidi Wiste, CHLSS president and LSS associate vice president. “All of our work is child-centered and through the lens of a child.”

The goal of foster care is to reunite children with their birth parents whenever possible.

This year’s Good Neighbor is Tim Tanberg. See story on page 2.

CONTRIBUTED

BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR

HUGO —  And the 2024 Good Neighbor of the Year goes to ….

Tim Tanberg. Tanberg has lived in Hugo since 1995.

Since 1995, when the Good Neighbor Days tradition began, at least one person — not necessarily a Hugo resident — has been recognized for their importance to the Hugo community … occasionally, it has been a couple, an entire family or siblings. Tanberg is the 29th recipient.

When Lion Katie Riopel called up Tanberg to share the news, Tanberg said he couldn’t believe it. “I was blown away. I didn’t know how to react. I kind of got emotional,” he recalled.

“I was just taught to do the right thing no matter what,” he said. “If something happens to one of my neighbors, if I have to step up and do what I can do, that’s the kind of person I am. I don’t hesitate.”

One way Tanberg helps out his neighbors is by mowing lawns. He currently

cuts four lawns.

“I’m kind of a freak … it keeps the neighborhood looking good,” he said.

Tanberg’s neighbor Becky Boyce is the person who nominated Tanberg for the honor. In April 2022, Becky’s husband Tony was killed in a boating accident at the age of 55.

“I felt bad,” Tanberg said. “I told Becky not to worry about a thing. I would take care of anything she needed.”

Becky said, “From day one, he said, ‘Anything you need, I have you covered.’

“I wanted to nominate him because I wanted to do something extra special to show him how much his help is appreciated. To me, he is the Good Neighbor every year.”

In September 2023, Tanberg experienced his own medical crisis. “I was in my garage and I tripped over an office chair that was on wheels. It fell over, and the handlebars were sticking up. When I went to fall, I couldn’t break my fall and the brake lever went in my eye.”

Tanberg lost his eyesight in the one

eye. “It took a while to adapt, but I’m fortunate to be alive. It could have been way worse.”

Despite his injury, Tanberg said he didn’t give up on living or stop helping other people. “Helping out is what I like (to do),” Tanberg said.

Tanberg has been married to his wife, Lisa, for 30 years. They have two children, Tyler and Ashley, and he is a grandpa of two, Aspen and Remi. He worked at Ford Motor Company in St. Paul for 20 years until the plant closed. He then joined the labor union and has worked at Garner Builders based out of Minneapolis for 13 years.

When Tanberg is not helping out his neighbors, you can likely find him out-

Tim’s favorites

Ice cream: Vanilla Sports team: Vikings and New York Giants

Animal: Dog Trip on bucket list: Alaska

doors golfing, fishing, hunting or walking his 5-year-old chocolate Lab, Deuce. He also is known to bartend at the Hugo American Legion on Sundays.

Drink: Chocolate milk and a “special export”

Movie: “Caddyshack”

Music: Motown and country

First concert: REO Speedwagon Liquor store: Mottaz’s Bottle Shop

The Simanek family of Hugo are the winners of

Tim Tanberg bartends at the Hugo Legion on Sundays.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

CENTERVILLE MUSIC IN THE PARK

When: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 18

Where: Hidden Spring Park, Centerville, 1601 LaMotte Dr, Centerville

Details: Centerville Music in the Park series is in full swing. On Tap will perform.

Contact: www.facebook.com/ CentervilleMusicInThePark

ONGOING EVENTS

HUGO SENIOR CLUB

When: 1 p.m. Monday, June 17; the 3rd Monday of every month

Where: Rice Lake Centre, 6900 137th Street N.

Details: Monthly meeting includes planning for future activities, followed by afternoon of games. Coffee and refreshments served.

Contact: 651-592-0369 or barbconnolly1958@yahoo.com

HUGO SENIOR CITIZENS PLAY ‘500’

When: 12:45 p.m. Thursday, June 20; and the 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursday of every month

Where: Rice Lake Centre, 6900 137th Street N.

Details: Games begin at 12:45 p.m. Refreshments and coffee served. All senior citizens from the area invited. Contact: 651-592-0369 or barbconnolly1958@yahoo.com

CRIBBAGE

When: 12:45 p.m. Monday, June 24; the 4th Monday of every month

Where: Rice Lake Centre, 6900 137th Street N., Hugo

Details: Senior citizens from Hugo and surrounding area are invited to an afternoon of cribbage. Coffee and refreshments served.

Contact: 651-429-4413

MARKETFEST

When: 6-9 p.m. Thursdays, June 13 through July 25

Where: Downtown White Bear Lake Details: Community summer festival

with 200+ food and vendor booths, live music, car show, kids activities, specials at local merchants. Theme weeks include: Avenue of the Arts on June 13; History Night June 20, and White Bear Lake Area Schools June 27. Contact: marketfestwbl.com

BALD EAGLE WATERSKI SHOWS

When: 7 p.m. Thursdays, June 13 through end of August

Where: Trailside Park, Centerville Details: Volunteer team of waterskiers performs weekly throughout the summer, and travels throughout Minnesota to perform weekend shows. Contact: baldeaglewaterskishows.net

WHITE BEAR FARMERS MARKET

When: 8 a.m.-noon Friday, June 28 through Oct.

Where: Clark Street between Second and Third Streets

Details: More than 50 vendors and growers each week.

Contact: whitebearlake.org

CURRENT EVENTS

WOMEN’S VETERAN’S DAY

When: 10-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 12

Where: White Bear Lake Senior Center, 2484 E. County Rd. F

Details: Join the VFW 1782 Auxiliary for a short program honoring female veterans followed by refreshments. Free program.

MANITOU DAYS GRANDE PARADE

When: 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 14

Where: Begins at Fourth Street and Washington Square; ends at Memorial Beach

Details: Floats, marching bands, local organizations, and more travel through downtown and along Lake Avenue toward the beach.

Contact: manitoudays.com

MINNESOTA STATE HIGH SCHOOL RODEO CHAMPIONSHIP

When: 7 p.m. Friday, June 14 and Saturday, June 15; noon Sunday, June 16

Where: Dead Broke Arena, Hwy 61 and 170th St., Hugo

Details: Top high school contenders compete to win a trip to nationals. Free pony rides, cowboy hats for kids, vendors, and food trucks one hour before each rodeo. See ticket information online.

Contact: deadbrokesaddleclub.org/mnhigh-school-rodeo-state-finals

Branching out in writing

My name is Amy Holmberg and I am a summer intern at Press Publications. I graduated from St. Croix Preparatory Academy in 2020 and just completed my first semester at Bethel University as a junior transfer student. In my short time at Bethel as a journalism major, I have had the opportunity to get involved in the student newspaper “The Clarion,” and I am excited to step into my role as a multimedia reporter beginning this fall. In my classes, I have developed a love for the photo and video side of journalism as well as expanding my experience in writing news stories and personal columns. Before Bethel I spent five semesters at Wheaton College studying studio art where I spent much of my time leading in campus ministry as well as playing on their men’s club hockey team. I took a gap year working at a school photography studio nearby, before deciding what I really wanted to do with my career is tell stories.

I grew up in Woodbury, catching frogs and playing a lot of hockey and soccer. In elementary school, I was a curious, introverted kid with a lot of energy, so if my parents were looking for me, they knew to check outside first. I even caused a few scares by leaving my bed in the middle of the night to build a tarp fort on our deck where I camped out until the morning. In my tween and early teen years, after getting off the school bus, if I wasn’t at sports practice, you would find me sitting in my favorite tree with my backpack hooked on to a branch, doing my math and reading until it was too dark to see my homework. I did my best to keep quiet to avoid startling my unsuspecting neighbors as they walked under me down the street.

This summer, I will be learning and gaining writing experience through my two internships with Press Publications and ECHO Global Farm. My internship with Press Publications will last five weeks and I will be working approximately 20 hours per week. I am thrilled with the opportunities that I have been given to gain hands-on journalism experience and continue to develop my voice as a writer.

I realized my love for writing when I was very young, which was most evident through school projects and sending letters to my long-distance friend, who I met through a pen pal program advertised in “Clubhouse Magazine.” Clubhouse was the first print publication I fell in love with. I anxiously waited for the mail to come each month and deliver me a new copy filled with action-packed Bible fiction and kid-submitted jokes. After I outgrew Clubhouse, I found a passion for writing poetry, which is the type of writing that seems to resonate deepest with the people who read it. I have a new understanding of the healing and connecting power that writing can have, which is a large part of why I chose to become a journalist. Stories are what bring people together and I am hopeful and excited to be impacted by the lives which I do not yet know about.

Amy Holmberg is an intern for Press Publications

POLITICAL BRIEF

Election guidelines for letters to the editor implemented

Guidelines for election-related letters to the editor will take effect the week of June 19 in all Press Publications’ newspapers. Any letter to the editor that endorses or opposes a candidate running in a city, county, state, federal, or school board race on Nov. 5, or which otherwise attempts to influence readers how to vote, will require a $50 payment to be published. Such letters will be identified as a “paid letter.” The 350 word-count limit continues to apply to all letters to the editor. Please refer to “Letter Guidelines” for the current guidelines pertaining to all letters to the editor.

COn the world stage in 1983

ontext for my military service is best explained with a visual: fully extend your arms horizontally, “This is the history of our country. We’ve been in some kind of military conflict the entire time except for here.” Now hold two fingers 3 inches apart. My Army enlistment happened entirely in that 3 inches.

Movers & Shakers

Despite the lack of a hot war, my place on the world’s stage came into focus in the countryside of Holland during one conversation with one man in 1983. This is the story of that moment.

At that time, the Soviet Union was alive and well and the European Union was 10 years away. The perceived threat was that the Soviets would make an aggressive push south through eastern Europe to take the oil fields in the Middle East. To counter that threat, the US military deployed one Army division to conduct war games with the Europeans in a mock exercise called REFORGER

• Election season is considered to be when filing first begins until the day of the election.

• Limited to 350 words. Paid letters running longer will be charged $10 per 30 words after that.

• Letters are free unless endorsing a candidate, party or question on the ballot. Endorsement letters will have a $45 fee. Please call 651407-1200 to arrange payment by credit card or mail a check payable to Press Publications to 4779 Bloom Ave, White Bear Lake, MN, 55110. Endorsement letters are labeled, “paid letter.”

• Letters for or against a

or Return of Forces to Germany. It was my division, the First Cavalry that had been selected to deploy.

Finally, the day of deployment arrived. We’d known it was coming for months, but the sergeant couldn’t resist the theater of banging a metal trash can lid with a hammer at 2:30 a.m. to simulate a real deployment. We grabbed our rucksacks and boarded a plane at Ft. Hood’s airfield and flew to our deployment. Fifty hours and no sleep later we were in Budel Holland to set up for our exercise.

This was the first time that the US military had been deployed in that part of the The Netherlands since WWII and for public relations reasons we were ordered to let the civilians tour our camp, answer their questions, and to allow them to handle our rifles (otherwise something that’s strictly forbidden in the military).

Two things happened that stand out in my memory.

The first was about a teenage girl who visited our camp with her parents. She asked to look at my M16 rifle with a full clip of blank ammunition. She took the rifle, chambered a round, flipped the selector to automatic, shouldered the weapon, pulled the trigger once and fired all 30 blanks in 3 seconds. The rifle was handed back and she said thanks. I’m sure

I had a stunned look on my face.

The second was the conversation that brought it all into focus. I got to chatting with a man that lived in the area who wanted to give me several cases of Bitburger beer. This would otherwise count as a rebel 19-year old’s best day ever, but I had to tell him no since we were on duty. When I asked why he wanted us to have the beer, he explained, “I’d rather have an American soldier in my backyard than a Soviet soldier in my kitchen”.

I’ll never forget that. With that single sentiment, my place in the world came into sharp focus. We were deployed to prevent an aggressor country from overrunning a peaceful Europe along with this man’s home and I was part of that effort. It was a formative experience and is still part of the person I am 41 years on.

On a closing note: REFORGER was a fun trip for me, but many since have deployed for real and for them it was far from fun. To those who have deployed, I offer my deepest gratitude for their service and sacrifice.

Paul Lundh is a longtime resident of Centerville and a periodic columnist for the Quad Community Press.

THE CITIZEN | ELECTION LETTER GUIDELINES

candidate will qualify as paid letters.

• Submissions must include a full name, address and phone number for verification.

• Letter-writers must live, work or have another connection to Press Publications coverage area.

• Letters are meant to express opinions. If letter-writers include facts, they must attribute those facts to a reputable source.

• Due to space limitations, letters that don’t address local issues are not guaranteed publication.

• Repeat unpaid letters by the same writer about the same subject matter will not

be published. Repeat paid endorsement letters will be published as space permits.

• Four weeks (or issues) must pass between publication of unpaid letters from the same writer. Exceptions may be made for rebuttal letters at the editor’s discretion.

• Submissions containing libelous or derogatory statements will not be published.

• Letters by campaign managers or candidates designed to champion the candidate’s position on a specific issue will be accepted as paid letters.

• Letters reprinted as part of letter-writing campaigns are paid letters.

• All letters are subject to editing.

• We reserve the right to not publish any letter.

• The deadline to submit a letter is 5 p.m. Wednesday the week prior to publication.

• The last batch of letters to be printed before the Nov.5 election will be printed in the Oct. 17 issue and must be received by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct.9 .

• To submit a letter, email news@presspubs.com or mail/ deliver it to Press Publications.

Paul Lundh

Amy’s Archives

Amy Holmberg

• The city of Centerville is going to match up Fairview Street and Center Street sometime within the next 10 years, so be warned — especially if you’re the Amazon facility. The Centerville City Council voted unanimously to let Amazon know of the city’s plans by June 1, as required in the conditional use permit (CUP) and developer’s agreement. In the agreement with Amazon, the city agreed to give the easement back to Amazon if a traffic study were to conclude that alignment of the streets wasn’t needed.

• Within that space, Amazon would have been able to construct more parking. However, a corridor study conducted by TC2 and consultants concluded that Fairview Street on the east side of CSAH 54 (20th Avenue) and Center Street on the west side are misaligned by 250 feet and need to be aligned. The distance of 250 feet is too far apart to be comfortable and too close to install a standard turn lane, said Matt Pacyna of TC2. The city has enough funding to realign the streets and install a left turn lane on 20th Avenue. After City Engineer Mark Statz noted that construction costs tend to outpace inflation, council decided the work should be done within 10 years, rather than wait the entire 15 years allowed.

• The owners of two unplatted parcels on Mound Trail can now divide their land into four parts, after council unanimously approved a preliminary plat and final plat for the two existing parcels on 7185 and 7193 Mound Trail. The couple owning the two plots wanted to plat their property to revise the common lot line between them to more evenly distribute shoreline footage and improve the ability of both parcels to be sold. The two adjacent properties both straddle Centerville and Lino Lakes, but the existing structures are all in Lino Lakes, which made for a straightforward decision for Centerville. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval.

• Prior to the regularly scheduled meeting, council conducted a work session to discuss three items that could appear on the council meeting agenda very soon. The first item for future action is cannabis zoning. Staff recently received its first inquiry about zoning for a retail cannabis shop. The sale of cannabis will be legal as soon as the state has a functioning office of cannabis management. The city is required to allow a minimum of one cannabis shop in the city, based on its population. Cities may regulate cannabis sales in the same manner as any other product, such as tobacco or alcohol. For example, it may prohibit cannabis sales within 300 feet from a school or day care facility. Council will give city staff direction on how intensive the regulations of these potential shops should be.

• Since the completion of the major renovation of City Hall that began in 2020, staff has been working on a list of items to be touched up. These small projects in and around City Hall have included repaving the parking lot, installing security cameras, adding parking lot lighting, repainting restrooms, adding concrete pads for trash containers and the picnic bench, landscaping around the generator and replacing the heater, bulletin board and brochure rack in the vestibule. Staff would like to explore adding a few more items, including a handrail up the front walk and an irrigation system to maintain a grass boulevard. Council will provide guidance on these improvements and on any others of council’s choosing.

• Staff sought council input on whether a bus tour of city projects would be of use. Many council members from other cities take an annual or biannual tour of recently completed or upcoming project sites to gain a better understanding of the issues surrounding each development or public works item. Some cities plan the tour as a joint event with city council members and planning commissioners. If council were to think this is a good idea, staff would arrange for transportation and schedule stops and other activities. Staff is interested in looking at the July 24 council work session as an opportunity to hold a tour.

• The community’s 16th annual Music in the Park kicked off June 11 at Hidden Spring Park. This free event is held on Tuesday nights from June through July. The city will host a total of eight local musicians and bands playing a wide variety of music.

Loretta Harding

Meaning in life

Pastor’s Ponderings

Tim Heinecke

Think of how you would finish this sentence: “I am                       .” We introduce ourselves and identify as a lot of things. We may finish this sentence by describing our job, school, family, favorite sports team, favorite hobby, or many other things. This is normal and shows how we have things which are important to us. As we all look for meaning and purpose in life, this shapes how we fill in this blank. Whatever we put in this blank is a part of what gives us meaning. It describes who we are and what we value. As we identify ourselves and look for meaning in life, so many things will change and let us down.

Thankfully, there is one thing which will never change or disappoint: Jesus! God’s Word tells us “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12) No matter what changes in life, Jesus is always there to save us, forgive us, be there for us, and give our lives meaning!

Tim Heinecke is the pastor of New Life Lutheran Church in Hugo.

WEEKLY WAG

Beaureguarde, or Beau, loves his people and wants nothing more than to be part of a loving family. He is perfectly content chilling in the house or playing in the yard. Beau is an Irish terrier/Vizsla mix. He is 3 1/2 years old and weighs 55 pounds. Beau is house-trained and knows his basic commands. He is also leashtrained and would make a great walking, running

Frances “Franie” Marie Christianson

cost effective manner to meet customer needs and to be effective stewards of the public infrastructure. Our product consistently meets higher standards than those set by local, state and federal regulatory agencies. Please visit our website to view the latest consumer confidence report on file. This report can be viewed at www.ci.hugo.mn.us/ccr2023. Please contact 651-762-6301 for a paper copy. Published one time in The Citizen on June 13, 2024.

CITY OF HUGO

SUMMARY ORDINANCE 2024-530

NOTICE: THIS PUBLISHED MATERIAL IS ONLY A SUMMARY OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES FOR THE CITY OF HUGO. THE FULL TEXT OF THE ORDINANCE IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION AT THE HUGO CITY HALL DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS.

Age 78 of Hugo. Loving Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother & Sister. Franie was called to her heavenly home on June 4, 2024. Preceded in death by husband, Carl; brothers, R. John Moore, Thomas Moore; God-daughter, Shannon Mattson; sistersin-law, Cindy Moore, Evie Moore. Survived by children, Jill (Scott) Schwarz, Paul (Stacy), Doug (Beth); grandchildren, Hannah, Nick (Faith), Nathan, Carly, Kelsey, Kyle, Brianna, Noah; great-grandsons, Corbin, Franklin; siblings, Joe (Margaret) Moore, Carol (Paul) Oberholtzer, Nancy (Dieter) Patraw, Jim (Dee) Moore, Bill Moore (Barb), John Moore, Bob Moore, Judy (Dave) Darling, Steve (Maureen) Moore; sisters-in-law, Nancy Moore, Jody Moore; many nieces, nephews, other relatives & friends.

A celebration of Franie’s life was held on Tuesday, June 11 at Roberts Family Funeral Home. Private interment at St. Mary of the Lake Cemetery, White Bear Lake. RobertsFamilyFH.com, 651-464-4422

and hiking partner. Beau likes to play fetch and he loves the water. He would be a great boat buddy and/or lake cabin companion. Beau is social and enjoys playing with other dogs. In fact, he would go great in a home with another dog. Although he can be a little cautious at first, Beau is friendly to all the people he gets to know. Beau is a surrender

from Texas and arrived at Ruff Start Rescue as part of the Lone Star to North Star program. If you are interested in learning more about Beaureguarde or adopting him, please fill out an application at www. ruffstartrescue.org. Once your application is received, Ruff Start Rescue will contact you as soon as possible.

SUMMARY OF AN INTERIM ORDINANCE PLACING A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON NEW DEVELOPMENT OF SOLAR FARM SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS AND DIRECTING A STUDY TO BE CONDUCTED

The City Council has passed an interim ordinance for a moratorium on solar farms that shall remain in effect until six (6) months from May 20, 2024. The City Council directs City staff to study the Solar Farm section of the ordinance to determine whether to revise or add any regulations, restrictions, or prohibitions including siting and location of use, performance standards, and screening of Solar Farms. Upon completion of the study, the City Council, together with such commission as the City Council deems appropriate, or as may be required by law, will consider the advisability of adopting new ordinances or amending its current ordinances.

Please note this title and summary of this Ordinance clearly informs the public of the intent and affect of the Ordinance and conforms to Minn. Stat. § 412.191. This Ordinance shall be effective the date that it is published. The amended ordinance is available at City Hall for review. Passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Hugo this 3rd day of June 2024.

Tom Weidt, Mayor

Attest: Michele Lindau, City Clerk

Published one time in The Citizen on June 13, 2024.

CHURCH DIRECTORY

CHURCH DIRECTORY

CHURCH DIRECTORY

Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan recently announced appointments to the Minnesota Forest Resources Council. Hugo resident Kim Berns Melhus will serve as an environmental organization representative on that council until Jan. 3, 2028.

NAMES IN THE NEWS

COPS&COURTS

HUGO POLICE REPORTS

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reported the following incidents:

• The driver of a white Mercury sedan was cited at 5:27 p.m. April 27 on southbound I-35E at Frenchman Road for driving after revocation.

• A driver on Frenchman Road and Elmcrest Avenue N. was arrested at 8:40 p.m. April 27, after Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle suspected of being involved in the violation of a domestic abuse no-contact order (DANCO). After deputies identified the occupants and confirmed that a DANCO violation was in progress, they arrested the driver.

• Deputies conducted a traffic stop at 8:13 p.m. April 28 in the 13000 block of Goodview Avenue N. and issued a citation for speeding.

• A Wisconsin motorist was cited at 8:05 a.m. April 29 on westbound 170th Street N. and Ingersoll Avenue N. for speeding 64 mph in a 55 mph zone by east-facing deputies on stationary patrol in their marked squad, who clocked the vehicle on radar.

• Deputies met law enforcement personnel from another agency at the Hugo Kwik Trip in the 14000 block of Victor Hugo Blvd. N. to take custody of a male arrested on a warrant at 7:00 p.m. April 29.

• A citizen reported dogs and their owner for using a field owned by a business in the 4000 block of Frenchman Road without authorization at 5:07 p.m. April 30. The complainants noted the subjects were in violation of clearly posted “no trespassing” signs.

• Residents in the 17000 block of Henna Avenue N. at 7:04 p.m. May 1 reported the neighbors for dumping on their land. Deputies presided over the two parties exchanging information and settling the matter themselves.

• After a citizen turned over a cell phone found in the 13000 block of Forest Blvd. N. at 8:44 p.m. May 1, the owners of the phone called their cell phone and it was then returned.

• A vehicle was reported stolen from the 4000 block of Victor Path N. at 12:45 a.m. May 2. After deputies made contact with the owner, they gathered information about the vehicle and entered it into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database as stolen.

• An abandoned stolen boat and trailer reported at 10:41 a.m. May 2 in the 7000 block of 177th Street N. turned out to have been left there due to a flat tire. After deputies ran the boat information into the NCIC database, they discovered it was not stolen. Deputies judged the flat tire to have been recent, due to the nature of the ground around the trailer, and elected to leave the boat parked to allow the owner time to fix it.

• Juvenile males were reported for climbing a fence at a business in the 4000 block of Frenchman Road at 4:56 p.m. May 2. After deputies contacted the business staff about the trespassing, the males left on foot, after entering the business from the proper customer entrance.

• A motorist driving along Frenchman Road at Oneka Parkway N. was cited at 6:05 p.m. May 2 for

displaying expired registration plates. Deputies said they issued the citation due to how expired the tabs were.

• Three juvenile males were reported for walking into a dance studio in the 14000 block of Mercantile Drive N. at 6:35 p.m. May 2 for no apparent reason while dance class was in session. Deputies did not make it to the scene in time to find out whether the males just wanted to dance, nor would they find out any other reason for the behavior, as the juveniles and their vehicle were gone.

• Deputies conducted a traffic stop at 12:53 a.m. May 3 in the 5000 block of 145th Street N. for speeding, object hanging from the rearview mirror and for driving after suspension, following a quick mobile computer check. When deputies asked for the driver’s identification, the driver said his license had been suspended. As deputies were noticing the smell of burnt marijuana in the vehicle and the driver was calling his mother for insurance information, they observed a firearm located underneath the passenger seat. Deputies searched the vehicle and found pot, THC cartridges and a white crystal substance. Although no arrests were made and there was no mention of any citation in deputies’ report, usually such findings do result in multiple citations.

• A tailgating vehicle was reported at 9:36 a.m. May 4 on Frenchman Road and Oneka Parkway N. The complainant was adamant that the driver was meaning to harass her and stalk her. The complainant also wanted deputies to contact the owners of the vehicle and ask why they were tailgating her. When deputies advised the complainant that they would not be doing that, the complainant stated that she thought her daughter was the stalking tailgater. When deputies suggested the complainant contact her daughter to find out whether she was the tailgating stalker, the complainant refused. After deputies gave a response the complainant didn’t like, she hung up on them.

• A resident in the 6000 block of 138th Street N. called 911 at 9:45 p.m. May 4 to say that he was going to shoot the children in his backyard.

• A dog owner in the 14000 block of Fountain Avenue N. at 9:03 a.m. May 5 was verbally warned about the city’s loose dog violation, after a neighbor reported two dogs running loose near his home.

• Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies issued a traffic citation at 8:28 p.m. May 6 on Forest Blvd. N.

• A resident in the 4000 block of Empress Drive N. at 9:52 a.m. May 7 reported a letter received from an unwanted person. Deputies scanned the letter into their records for documentation.

• A vehicle was reported stolen at 8:22 a.m. May 7 from the 16000 block of Harrow Avenue N., after the keys were left inside.

• Deputies recovered a stolen vehicle at 3:50 a.m. May 8 in the vicinity of 157th Street N. and Homestead Avenue N. and arranged for Dan’s Towing to come and retrieve it.

• Check fraud was reported at multiple locations in the 14000 block of Victor Hugo Blvd. at 9:37 a.m. May 8. A scam was also reported at 1:26 p.m. that same day from the 13000 block of Europa Trail Way N. A third fraud complainant reported from the 16000 block of Empress Avenue N. at 12:30 p.m. May 9 about a scammer who tried to use law enforcement as bait.

• People driving go-carts around the neighborhood of 145th Street N. and Goodview Avenue N. were reported 8:29 p.m. May 8. Deputies later located a go-cart that matched the description of one of the go-carts in a nearby garage.

• A Farnham Drive resident at 8:23 p.m. May 9 reported juveniles for stalking and harassing her daughter at school and during her evening walks. Deputies advised the complainant to contact the school board about the harassment and not to let her daughter walk near the juveniles’ residences. The complainant requested extra patrol, as the youths were known to come around to the complainant’s residence.

• Deputies conducted a traffic stop at midnight May 10 in the 9000 block of 170th Street N. and cited the driver for speeding. At 6:21 p.m. that same day, deputies conducted another traffic stop on Forest Blvd. N. and 165th Street N. and cited the driver for failing to display current registration.

• A stop sign was reported for falling off its pole at the intersection of Heritage Parkway N. and Oneka Parkway N. at 4:26 p.m. May 10. The public works department was summoned to fix the stop sign or put up another one.

• A driver using her cell phone while driving at 3:28 a.m. May 11 in the 5000 block of Frenchman Road was arrested for DWI, after she swerved all over the place when deputies activated their emergency lights and tried to initiate a traffic stop. When deputies came face to face with the motorist, she showed clear signs of impairment as confirmation. The subject submitted to standardized field sobriety tests and produced a portable breath test reading of 0.13 before being transported to the law enforcement center.

• Deputies arrested a motorist for DWI at 12:02 a.m. May 12 on Frenchman Road and Forest Blvd. N. following a traffic stop for speeding 49 mph in a 35 mph zone.

• Deputies responding to a noise complaint in the 4000 block of Rosemary Way at 6:28 a.m. May 12 could hear an amplifier making noise, but could not get anyone to come to the door when they knocked.

Loretta Harding

Lino Lakes man recovered after canoe goes over waterfall

After two weeks of searching, search crews have located the body of 40-year-old Reis Melvin Grams of Lino Lakes in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

The body of the man he was with, Cambridge resident Jesse Melvin Haugen, 40, was previously located.

The incident occurred on the evening of Saturday, May 18, at Curtain Falls, which is located on Iron Lake in St. Louis County.

According to a press release from the local sheriff, two canoes went over the falls shortly before 7:21 p.m. In

addition to the missing canoeists, one person was badly injured.

The wounded person and another individual who was uninjured were airlifted from the scene by a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources helicopter around 12:30 a.m. The sheriff’s office said the injured party was flown to a hospital in Duluth with serious but not lifethreatening injuries.

A variety of equipment and crews were utilized in the search so far, including the Minnesota National Guard. A memorial service for Reis was held Tuesday, June 11, at Renovation Church, 12390 Frazier Street NE, Blaine. To honor Reis as a coach, all youth were encouraged to wear

jerseys or Centennial gear to his celebration of life.

Hugo man sentenced for drug conviction

Timothy James Hunt, 38, of Hugo, has been convicted of a felony-level drug charge and has been sentenced.

According to the criminal complaint, on Nov. 7, 2023, at approximately 2:11 a.m., a Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy was on patrol near the roundabout at Manning Trail N and Highway 96. The vehicle was eventually stopped for speeding, failure to make a complete stop and suspicious driving conduct.

While speaking with Hunt, the deputy observed a cut red plastic

straw with a dark substance inside the cup holder and glass smoking device. Hunt subsequently admitted to using methamphetamine earlier that day.

During a subsequent search of the vehicle, deputies located a lunch cooler containing a white crystalline substance. The substance later weighed unpackaged at 3.9 grams and tested positive for methamphetamine. Hunt received a stay of adjudication, two years supervised probation and must pay a $50 fine. He also must comply with a lengthy list of conditions, some of which including not using alcohol or drugs, submitting to random testing and completing a repeat offender program.

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS

• The city plans to hire Terry Hagstrom as a temporary building inspector. Hagstrom was hired on July 12, 2021, as a full-time building inspector for the city of Hugo; he retired in March. Due to the workload of the building department, city staff recommended rehiring Hagstrom on a temporary part-time basis.

• Firefighter Brian Kindelberger has been promoted to lieutenant. He has been with the fire department since December 2013. He previously served as lieutenant from March 2019 to August 2022.

• The Hugo American Legion continues to donate to the fire department. Most recently, the Legion donated $1,000 to be used for training and equipment.

• The fire department is expecting to spend between $30,536 to $33,536 for a kitchen remodel to the fire station, which was built in 1999. As part of the project, members of the department will do the general contracting, demolition work, painting and other miscellaneous work to save money on the project.

Quotes have been solicited for different trades to do work on the cabinetry, finish carpentry work, flooring and ventilation. The project will be paid for with funds out of building maintenance fund. Kramer Mechanical Plumbing and Heating, Preferred Kitchens, and Albertson Construction Inc. are some of the contractors that have been lined up for the project so far.

• A six-month moratorium is now in effect for solar farms in the city of Hugo as of last month.

• The Ragnar Relay will come through town Friday, Aug. 9. The 200-mile overnight relay race begins in Minneapolis on Aug. 9 and ends on Aug. 10. Event organizers plan to use the public works building parking lot as an exchange point for runners during the relay Aug. 9. At peak times, it is expected there will be about 32 cars in the lot. For most of the day, there will be approximately 15-20 at any given time. There will be approximately 2,500 total participants, but only approximately 230 runners spread out over the course.

• The Tough Mudder will once again return to town June 29-30 at Wild Wings of Oneka. This will mark the eighth year the event has happened in Hugo. An estimated 5,900 people are expected to attend Saturday and 1,500 on Sunday. The Lions have been granted a temporary liquor license to serve beer and seltzers at the event.

• Mary Ward can construct a fence within a drainage and utility easement on her property located at 15873 Ethan Trail N., now that an encroachment agreement is in place.

• Michael and Lindsay Osterman, property owners of 12494 Goodview Ave. N., can move forward with constructing a 3,000-square-foot accessory building in front of their house, whereas normally accessory buildings are required to be placed behind the house per ordinance.

• In 2010, the council approved amendments to shooting regulations in the City Code. The amendments included adoption of a controlled shooting area map that identified an area that is subject to certain restrictions. The council amended the map in November 2021 to include land that had since been developed with neighborhood homes and parks. These restrictions prohibit discharging a firearm or controlled weapon within 500 feet of a building occupied by human or livestock or a stockade or corral containing livestock. It also prohibits discharge of a firearm or controlled weapon within 500 feet of any public road. City staff will draft an amendment to the controlled shooting area map for council approval. The area will be expanded to include land that has developed into neighborhood homes and parks since 2021. In areas of the city not located within the controlled shooting area, persons may discharge a firearm on their own property or on private property with the consent of the owner or legal occupant, as regulated by the DNR.

The next City Council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, June 17, at City Hall.

Shannon Granholm

Storybook Destinations

Travel Agent – Jenn Schultz

Phone and Internet Discounts Available to CenturyLink Customers

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission designated CenturyLink as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within its service area for universal service purposes. CenturyLink’s basic local service rates for residential voice lines are $16.32-$31.50 per month and business services are $36.37$62.57 per month. Specific rates will be provided upon request.

CenturyLink participates in the Lifeline program, which makes residential telephone or qualifying broadband service more affordable to eligible low-income individuals and families. Eligible customers may qualify for Lifeline discounts of $5.25/month for voice or bundled voice service or $9.25/ month for qualifying broadband or broadband bundles. Residents who live on federally recognized Tribal Lands may qualify for additional Tribal benefits if they participate in certain additional federal eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone or qualifying broadband service per household, which can be either a wireline or wireless service. Broadband speeds must be at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload to qualify.

A household is defined as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Services are not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in these programs. Consumers who willfully make false statements to obtain these discounts can be punished by fine or imprisonment and can be barred from these programs.

If you live in a CenturyLink service area, visit https://www.centurylink.com/aboutus/ community/community-development/lifeline. html for additional information about applying for these programs or call 1-800-201-4099 with questions.

County seeks input for new Glacial Hills Regional Trail

BY MATT ANDERSON COUNTRY MESSENGER EDITOR

The public is invited to provide input on new trail proposed to connect Hugo, Big Marine Park Reserve and William O’Brien State Park. An open house will be held June 17 at the Marine on St. Croix Village Hall to offer residents the opportunity to give their input on the proposed Glacial Hills Regional Trail. Attendees will also be able to view route alignment options and visuals provided by Washington County.

The Glacial Hills Regional Trail is expected to be an east-west trail running through northern Washington County. The plan is to create multiuse trail that will allow pedestrians, cyclists and other trail users to collectively use the trail using Hardwood Creek, Central Greenway, Regional Trails, Big Marine Park Reserve and William O’Brien State Park as destination points.

“The idea is pretty long established,” said Washington County Public Works Senior Planner Connor Schaefer. “In our comprehensive plan, we have designated corridors that we would like to plan a regional trail for. So, for decades I think this has been on the list as a corridor to explore what a route might look like. We have them across the county and other areas. too. We selected this one about 12 or 13 months ago to begin this project.”

Being that this is just the beginning of the project, there is a lot of planning, input,and feedback to be figured out long before a trail will be built. This

will give the county ample time to design, plan, seek funding and take public feedback into consideration before the trail is built.

“I like to say it’s step zero in a long process for a trail to actually get built,” said Schaefer. “The beginning of the project is set out to identify a future route alignment for this paid multiuse trail to connect those three destinations. That planning process really entails public engagement and a lot of site analysis to help determine an alignment. So that is what our goal is. Now, this isn’t a predesign process, and it’s definitely not a final design or construction process.

“And the other piece that’s key here is that this plan allows us to pursue additional funding sources. We’ll spend the next amount of years trying to put the funding together for a project like this, too. That’s what we’ll be working on in the short term and working with the local partners too.”

The next step is to collect feedback from the public. The first stop of several is Marine on St. Croix which would be directly adjacent to the proposed trail. For that reason, Washington County is encouraging everyone to come out and provide whatever feedback they might have.

“The next milestone here is this open house,” said Schaefer. “And this is to really get public input on our recommended route. We want to hear from the public if this reflects what they’re looking to get out of this trail. Maybe we make some tweaks to it based on the

input we get. And then from there we’re going to put some kind of actual document together.”

As the county collects feedback from residents of Washington County, plans in the design process will continue as well. As for those who would like to see a trail up and running in the next few years, they’ll need to set their sights farther into the future.

“The five-year horizon is really what we work within from a design and construction standpoint,” said Schaefer. “Now, past those five years, it’s really unknown. It’s really left to our policymakers and how we try to look at opportunities to coincide or design construction with other projects.”

The open house is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. June 17 at Marine on St. Croix Village Hall, 121 Judd Street. Washington County will share proposed route alignment options and visuals. Also in attendance will be representatives of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, who will be sharing the progress of the Gateway State Trail Extension and listen to feedback about alignments and future local community connections.

After the open house, the materials will be available to view on the project website. The public can visit the website to view an online engagement opportunity and leave comments from June 17 to June 30.

“I’ve really enjoyed talking to the public in northern Washington County about where they bike and walk in their neighborhoods and communities,”

IF YOU GO

What: Glacial Hills Regional Trail open house

When: 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, June 17

Where: Marine on St. Croix Village Hall

Details: Residents can provide their input on the proposed trail.

Contact: Senior Planner Connor Schaefer 651-430-4303 or connor. schaefer@co.washington.mn.us

Schaefer said. “I think there’s a really robust bike and pedestrian community in northern Washington County that go on their morning walks or morning rides. But then you also have a lot of young families that would like to see more opportunities to be able to go from their house in Hugo to Lions Park, or be able to get to the ice cream shop in Marine on St. Croix. So, I just really encourage folks to come meet us at the village hall,” Schaefer said. Project updates will be posted on the county’s website at co.washington. mn.us/GlacialHills. For more information, contact Senior Planner Connor Schaefer by calling 651-430-4303 or emailing connor.schaefer@co.washington.mn.us. Gateway Extension questions can be forwarded to Nathan Moe at 651-259-5601 or nathan.moe@state. mn.us.

Matt Anderson is the editor of the Country Messenger, a sister paper to The Citizen.

21-22

Yogadevotion on the Beach

Check in 8:00 a.m. Practice 8:30 a.m.

Memorial Beach, WBL

Tennis Day

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Central Middle School Tennis Courts

Best way to start the day! All are welcome from new to seasoned practitioners. $10 donation goes to White Bear Lake Area Food Shelf. yogadevotion.com • Sponsored by Yogadevotion.

Pull-Out Section

A fun day of tennis in White Bear Lake. Games & activities for all ages and abilities. Learn to play and meet the pros from the area. Free. wbltennis.org • Sponsored by USTA Northern Rotary Club of WBL Blood Drive

1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

White Bear Lake Armory

Progressive Community Garage Sale

8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Locations to be determined

Pickleball Mixer

8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Sunrise Park Middle School

For an appointment, please visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code WBL Community Drive or call 1-800-RED CROSS Free. whitebearrotary.org • Sponsored by Rotary Club of WBL

White Bear Lake 17th Annual Classic & Vintage Boat Show

Bear Boating Blood Drive

1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

White Bear Lake Armory - 2228 4th Street, WBL

White Bear’s Notorious Gangsters

Look for information on Facebook, ads in local newspapers and flyers. https://www.facebook.com/events/606040326898105/ Free. • Sponsored by Community of Grace Lutheran Church

Play for intermediate to advance recreational play. Register www. grambush.com or 651-357-6109. Free. • Sponsored by Farmers Insurance - Grambush Agency.

Due to COVID-19, there is a higher demand for blood donations. For more information, visit www.redcross.org/giveblood.html Sponsored by Bear Boating of WBL & The American Red Cross

Saturday, June 22, 2024 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Virtual program • Register at whitebearhistory.org

Farmers Market

Join us to learn some gangster lingo while you hear the tales of Ma Barker, Alvin “Creepy” Karpis & Baby Face Nelson. Sponsored by White Bear Lake Area Historical Society

Boat show, displays and nautical market will be on Lake Avenue in front of the White Bear Shopping Center. See map on page 4.

8:00 a.m. - Noon • Clark Ave. between 2

events at manitoudays.com

Every Friday through the end of October. Locally grown. We also offer Community Supported Agriculture. (CSA’s) 651-747-3650.

Meet the Boats

Born Again

Söt Båt

Chris Craft

Picnique Launch

Chris Craft

Owner: Rob Sotirin Collection of 7 restored 1949-1954 Christ Craft outboard motors on trailer. Models Challenger (55 Hp) and Commander (10 Hp)

Blue

Bootlegger

Owner: Denny Trooien & Sue Ahlcrona

Meet the Boats

Tally Ho

Tortuga Del Mar

Owner: Aaron Holmgren

Aluma Craft

Owner: Paul Chapin Boat Year: 1959 Make: Aluma Craft Model: Flying C Length: 15' Engine(s): 1960 Mercury Merc 400, 45 Hp

Sea Lancer

Chasing Sunsets

Owner: Corey Walberg Boat Year: 1953 Make: Chris Craft Model: Sportsman Utility Length: 17' Engine(s): Chrysler Ace Marine

Maid ‘N’ 47

Owner: Bob & Susan House Boat Year: 1947 Make: Century Model: Seamaid Length: 19' Width: 74" Engine(s): Fireball 140

Owner: Mike Selander Boat Year: 1963 Make: Glasspar Model: Seafair Length: 18' Engine(s): 90 Hp Yamaha

White Bear

Edgar A Boats Not Pictured

Owner: Denny Trooien & Sue Ahlcrona

CHILDREN’S FISHING CONTEST

Schedule of Events

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

• Free Boat Rides – Bear Boating

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

• WBL Classic & Vintage Boat Show & Nautical Market

• DJ Matt • Face Painting

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

• Voting for Awards

11:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Food & Drink Options:

• Admiral D’s Grill 11- 2pm

• Tally’s Dockside 11-9pm

• A variety of eating establishments

3:00 p.m.

• Boat Show Ends

• Awards presentation at Admiral D’s 3:00-4:00 p.m.

• TEAR DOWN

Visit our charming downtown at 4th St. and Highway 61 and support our local businesses.

Old Woodie going from gray to grand

DEBRA NEUTKENS STAFF WRITER

The late Pat Oven, who for years organized the annual White Bear Lake Classic & Vintage Boat Show, would pester Joel Lemanski to bring a “gray” boat for display. “A gray boat,” Lemanski explained, “is a boat in really bad shape. So last year I brought one that I’d recently acquired, a 1929 ChrisCraft Cadet.”

Lemanski, who restores boats out of a pole barn in Grant, got the old Woodie from a friend. He wasn’t really expecting someone to buy it, but sure enough, a guy inquired about the Cadet’s history and said he wanted the boat.

“I told him he could have it for nothing if I did the restoration,” Lemanski said.

The 22-foot Cadet is not really rare, just really old.

“They used them as tenders for yachts. I’m pretty sure that’s what this one did. They have triple cockpits so they’re a nice entertaining boat,” said Lemanski, who knows a whole lot about wooden boats. He’s been working on them most of his life, sharing a “love and passion” for the boats with his father growing up in St. Paul.

Lemanski owns Classic Boat Hardware, a one-stop shop for original hardware and coating supplies. He’s been a regular at the annual boat show for years. He also does complete restorations and engine repair, sells old boats and engine parts and provides appraisals.

The Cadet’s owner, Don Dinesen of Cannon Falls, will have $40,000 to $60,000 invested when the boat is finished. The entire bottom is being

replaced with new wood, for example, and the 6-cylinder flathead engine overhauled. The original Philippine mahogany is no longer available so Lemanski found an alternative hardwood called meranti. He drives to Michigan to purchase the imported wood.

The business has always been a side job for the craftsman, who owned a bakery in Highland Park with wife Michelle for 27 years. Now retired, he’s been “crazy busy” this winter working on boats. But Lemanski wouldn’t have it any other way. “Some people think I work my butt off, but I don’t think I work at all. I can’t believe they pay me to do this.”

Still, customers are aging out of classic boat ownership. “The guys who bought these boats new have passed them on to their kids who are now in their 60s and 70s,” he said. “Younger people are buying them, but it’s not like it used to be. People do appreciate them though. They’re a lot of fun.”

His own personal pride and joy is a 1957 ChrisCraft Capri. The 19-footer was a late buddy’s boat that his father bought new. “I’ve owned hundreds of boats but this one is sentimental,” Lemanski said. “I won’t trade it for anything.” Unfortunately, the wooden boat expert doesn’t think he’ll make this year’s Manitou Days Classic and Vintage Boat Show June 22. He is also a “delivery captain” and will be spending three weeks delivering a couple boats in Florida around that time. Visit www.classicboathardware.com for more information.

PAUL DOLS & CARTER JOHNSON | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Joel Lemanski gave this triple cockpit ChrisCraft Cadet to Don Dinesen at last year’s show.

Hugo Good Neighbor Days: Lions Roar in

Estimated Ripening Time Ripening Time mid-June. Call after June 15th for harvest update.

Estimated Ripening Time mid-June. Call after June after June 15th for harvest update.

Pick your own or picked for you. 651-429-7202

Pick your own or picked for you. 651-429-7202

Pick your own or picked for you. for 651-429-7202

Six Zephyrs nab 7 medals at state track

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

Mahtomedi hurdler Jonah McCormick capped a prodigious prep career with second- and third-place performances at the state track meet and had plenty of company as six Zephyrs collected a total of seven medals. Andrew Russell placed second in high jump, Harlow Berger third in girls discus, Michael Barry fifth in triple jump, Kaili Malvey sixth in long jump and Olivia Thiele sixth in the 400 dash, in Class 2A at St. MichaelAlbertville.

McCormick, who previously placed third in the 110 hurdles twice and fourth in the 300, almost picked up a gold medal this time as he cleared the last hurdle in the 110 even with St. Peter’s Corbin Herron. But Herron beat him to the tape in 14:10 to McCormick’s 14:21.

“I was thinking a lot in the race, and not being as aggressive as I should be,” assessed McCormick, whose personal best 13.97 was the best preliminary time. “He is faster than me and he got me at the end.”

McCormick then churned

to third place in the 300 intermediates with a career best 38.24. Fridley’s Lorenzo Hampton won in 37.66.

“My state meet went all right. I got two (personal records) and two more medals,” said McCormick, who will continue his career at Minnesota StateMankato. He’s the son of Tyler McCormick, a former Gophers high jumper from White Bear Lake.

Russell, a lanky 6-foot-3 sophomore in his first year out for track, cleared 5-10, 6-0, 6-2, 6-4 and 6-6, all on his first try, then missing three times at 6-7.  His previous best was 6-3. “I wasn’t expecting this at all,” said Russell, adding that he hoped to reach 6-4. Carter Anderson of Stewartville won with 6-7. Totino-Grace’s Josiah Young also went 6-6 but Russell beat him on fewer misses.

Zephyrs coach Jon Nelson was elated that he’d recruited a star jumper from the basketball team for the second straight year. “I picked up another one from basketball, after Owen (Carlson) last year,” beamed Nelson. Carlson won state with 6-6 last year and had a personal record of 6-10.

Berger, an agile 6-foot-3 sophomore, was also a first-year trackster who came out  because “I just wanted the extra work.” She was the backup placekicker

on the football team (5-for-6 on extra points) and one of two goalies on the soccer team. Berger heaved the iron ball 40 feet, 3.75 inches on her first throw. Her others ranged from 37-7 to 39-6. Her previous best was 39-3. Amelia Davis of Pequot Lakes won with 41-10. Asked if she was satisfied, Berger shrugged, “No, actually I thought I’d do a little better.” She’s got two more years to improve on that. She also threw the discus and plans to add hurdles and the 800 next year.

Thiele charged to sixth

place in the quarter-mile with 58.32, after a 58.80 prelim. Her personal best was 57.99 in the conference meet.

Barry, a senior star receiver on the football team, placed fifth in the triple jump with 44 feet, 7.25 inches, a personal best by 11.5 inches.

Malvey, a junior and the team’s top all-around performer, leapt 17-11.5 for sixth place,  the same distance as her section championship jump. She moved up from ninth last year.

Big finish for Cougars’ Ball: 2nd, 4th place throws at state

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

Timothy Ball started his senior year at Centennial as one of the leading tacklers on the state championship football team. He capped his senior year in another strongman capacity with two prodigious throws at the state track meet.

Centennial also brought home fifthplace medals in the girls 4x800 relay.

Ball placed second in the discus on Saturday with a throw of 177 feet, 8 inches, in the Class 3A meet at St. Michael-Albertville, after placing fourth in the shot put on Thursday with 56-8 1/4 — raising his school records in both.

For all that, he couldn’t say yes if asked if he was pretty satisfied.

“Not really! I scratched on two really good throws,” said Ball, adding that he’s usually very disciplined and not someone who scratches.

“I had a 185 on discus but went outside the lines. Which I never do. By a couple inches,” Ball said. “ And I had a 62 foot shot. My toe just grazed the board.”

Still, he was smiling broadly as he left the field with friends and stopped for an interview.

“I still PR’d in both, and got two medals, so I’m happy about that,” said the 6-foot-2, 235-pound athlete who plans to continue in both sports at Bethel.

The Cougar girls 4x800 relay placed fifth in a time of 9:22.25, about two seconds off their school record of 9:20.15 in the section meet. Members were Julia Zalewski, Kylie Nelson, Lauren Klein, and Miranda Sawvel.

Klein also reached the finals in the 800 and placed ninth (medals go to the top nine) in 2:18.10. She had a 2:16.9 prelim for eighth place. Nelson placed 11th in the 1600 with 5:01.36, which was four seconds faster than her section time.

Gavin Cunningham will play in the second state tournament of his sophomore year after helping the Cougars lacrosse team win the Section 7 crown last week. From the attack position, Cunningham notched 14 goals and 11 assists in four playoff games, including a game-high five goals in the finals against Champlin Park. In hockey, Cunningham helped the Cougars win the section and place fifth in the state tournament. For the season, he logged six goals and 18 assists.

BRUCE STRAND | CONTRIBUTED

Timothy Ball placed fourth in shot put (above) and second in the discus at state.

BRUCE STRAND | CONTRIBUTED

Lauren Klein helped the Cougars place fifth in the 4x800 relay and reached finals in the 800, placing ninth.

BRUCE STRAND | PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

Jonah McCormick (second from left) was a close second behind a St. Peter hurdler in the 110.

Andrew Russell placed second in high jump.

Harlow Berger was third in shot put.

The Forest Lake High School varsity softball team earned the title of 7AAAA champions. The Rangers ended up losing in the semifinal to No. 3-seeded Rogers in the semifinal at the Minnesota State High School League’s Class AAAA Softball Championships.

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FOSTER PARENT JOURNEY:

“What these kids really need is somebody who can help them in their time of transition. There is so much newness, there is so much adjustment, whether it is school, the smell of a home, the feel of the sheets, the food in a home,” Wiste explained. “We have some incredibly skilled foster parents who have that flexibility and that patience and a willingness to learn and be a strong support for kids.”

Hugo resident Zoua Vue has been a foster parent for a little over three years. During that time, she has fostered five children ages 5 to 14. She is currently fostering to adopt three siblings, ages 7, 9 and 10. They are from Ramsey County and currently attend White Bear Lake Area Schools.

She says her 16 years of teaching for St. Paul Public Schools inspired her to become a foster parent. “I’ve had quite a few students that were in foster care. That really inspired me to take some action and be a part of it,” she said.

Vue explained that she was a single woman but always knew she wanted children. She started exploring various adoption options and decided on foster care due to the huge need within the Twin Cities. “It just felt like the right thing to do,” she said. The timeline to become a foster parent can vary greatly. In addition to required education courses, several steps must be completed like a physical, a background check, visits with a case worker, etc. “The whole process from start to finish for

Lino Lakes Clearwater Creek Neighborhood Sales June13-14 - 8am-4pm & June 15 - 8am-3pm Entrance for sales at Ott er Lk Rd & Tart Lk Rd

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY all real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Ho using Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preferen ce, limitation or discriminat ion based on race, co lo r, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or nationa l origin, or an intention, to make any such preferen ce limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 livin g with parents or legal custod ians; pregnant women and peop le securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not kn owingly accept any ad vertising for real estate which is in violation of the

Accounting Clerk/Administrative Assistant Summary: Basic bookkeeping, administrative duties, and light reception are the cornerstones of the position. Process routine accounts payable and accounts receivable, cash receipts, utility billing, and assist with greeting customers, answer phones, filing, copying, word processing, assist general public and contractors with applications, permits, and inspections. Must have good analytical skills, ability to operate office equipment, and have knowledge of computer operations and programs including Word, Outlook and Excel. Must have commitment to serve public, positive attitude, demonstrate initiative and have the ability to collaborate with others, work independently and take on new tasks, efficient, attention to details, and have strong communication skills.

Work Schedule: Mon. – Fri. 8:00 a.m. –

Opportunities section of the Town’s website: www.whitebeartownship.org. Send Resume and Town application by end of day June 24, 2024.

1-800-669-9777. The toll-free number for hearing impaired is 1-800-927-92 75

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‘Changes you in ways you can’t imagine’

me was less than a year,” she said.

“We don’t want children to be in foster care longer than they need to,” Wiste said, adding that some children may be in foster care for a short time, less than a year, while other children may stay in the system for five to 10 years. Most of the youth who are ready to be adopted are ages 12 and up.

As a foster mom, Vue has been able to experience several firsts with the children, like a first birthday, a first Christmas and even a first trip to a restaurant and pool.

“When I first got them, I told them I was taking them to the pool to swim and they just could not comprehend what a pool was … I took them to Shoreview Community Center, and their mind was just blown. They had never seen anything like that.”

As a single person who had never had any kids of her own, Vue said she was surprised by how much time was needed to navigate all the medical, dental and therapy appointments. “I have become extra organized,” she said.

She said it was also a challenge in the beginning to try to get the children used to a new routine and new schedule while not knowing what that looked like for them before.

Despite the challenges, it has been a rewarding “job.”

“You see the kids transform and change into a different person,” she said. “They adapt so quickly … I can’t even imagine being 6 years old and my whole life is different with a total stranger.”

She added, “I think it changes you in a way that you can’t even imagine.” In addition to developing a higher level of empathy for other people, especially children, Vue said it gives you perspective.

“I would say if you have the place in your heart to love children, then you should try it. It’s definitely not going to be a walk in the park, but just take small steps. In my experience, it does get better. There are going to be hard times, but it gets better,” she said.

Because she likes consistency and has developed a strong bond with the children, she is going through the process of adopting them. She expects the adoption process, which has been in the works for about two years, to be finalized sometime this year.

Although she has her hands full with three children on her own, she said fostering another child or another adoption is not out of the question. “I always tell myself that the door is never closed to foster care or adoption,” she said.

For more information about CHLSS, visit chlss.org or contact 651646-7771. For more information about LSS, visit lssmn.org.

Managing Editor Shannon Granholm can be reached at 651-407-1227 or citizennews@ presspubs.com.

BY THE NUMBERS

On any given day, 6,150 children experienced out-of-home care in 2023

11,235 children in Minnesota experienced foster care in 2022.

65% of children in foster care in 2023 were living in Greater Minnesota (outside seven-county metro area)

22% of children in foster care in 2023 were under 3 years old

The majority of youth in foster care who are ready to be adopted are 12 (and up)

Steps to become a foster parent:

Step 1: Contact Foster Adopt Minnesota

Step 2: Select an agency

Step 3: Complete the application and fact sheet

Step 4: Initiate a background study

Step 5: Open home for visit and study

Step 6: Receive foster care license

Step 7: Participate in training

im Copeland has lived in the local area for 47 years. He has focused exclusively on deck construction for the past 25 years, building nearly 500 of them alone. This last year, things changed a bit. Tim added his 2 sons, Joe & Noah, making the company a family operation. “We do every aspect of the job from conception to completion,” Tim says, “so you’re always talking to the people doing the actual work.” In addition to building new decks, they also rehabilitate old decks with staining, painting, cleaning, repairs & alterations. Look for Tim

under “Decks”

LIBERTY CLASSICAL ACADEMY: Neighbors love school use, but voice concerns

FROM PAGE 1

the main entrance from 122nd Street/County Road 7 to Keller Avenue/County Road 57.

“The project meets the spirit and intent of the (zoning) ordinance,” Juba said. “The school is compatible with the comprehensive plan and character of the surrounding areas.”

Headmaster and founder Rebekah Hagstrom said one of the reasons the academy purchased the property was because of its beauty. “We weren’t interested in being part of any urban setting. We really wanted the opportunity to have the space for our students to be able to go out into nature, explore nature, appreciate nature,” Hagstrom said. “It is a calm, peaceful setting in which students can learn and staff can teach our students.”

Melanie  Zahler’s grandfather owned the land before it was acquired by the school. She said when Liberty Classical Academy purchased the former school, she and her family were excited.

“When Liberty came to us and requested to purchase the nearly 80 acres connected to the existing school, my mother and four siblings all agreed to sell the land to Liberty for the school,” she said. “Liberty has taken great care with the design to incorporate the rural setting into their plans … It is so fun to once again hear kids playing outside and having so much fun on the playground. It brings back great memories for us that lived next to the school, graduated from the school or that had kids graduate from the school.”

Elise Kelly, of Pope Design Group, explained that out of the public feedback provided at two neighborhood meetings, modifications had been made to the proposal, including the incorporation of more green space and nature fields to help buffer the property. Effort was also made to make sure the design complements the existing building materials and fit into the rural area.

Planning Commission hosts public hearing

Neighboring residents have concerns about the relocation of the main entrance, lighting, parking, student population, septic systems, wells and more.

Resident Bill Wright described Liberty Classical Academy as “an overall good neighbor” but said he had some

concerns about the proposal, mainly the relocation of the main entrance and lighting.

“I ask the commission to work with the county and school. Why does the entrance have to be at that location? I can think of nothing more disruptive to the local community (than) to have all that traffic come up that way,” he said. He added that the building is usually “lit up like a gas station.”

Resident David Truax said he and his neighbors put together a petition that had over 400 signatures against Liberty’s proposal, both the immediate proposal as well as the school’s future plans for a five-campus building that would accommodate approximately 850 students. He said the residents would like the building to remain an elementary school.

Resident Court Jerome said he had concerns regarding the safety of the pond and its size. He said he was glad the property was being used for a school, but he wanted it to remain a small school. “We didn’t know that it was going to be 850 students. We assumed it was going to be a smaller school similar to what it was when all of our kids grew up and went to that school,” he said. “We welcome them to the community, but we don’t want a small college campus looking across the street where we used to watch (corn being cut down). That’s why we moved out there.”

Resident Vickie Fuhr brought up concerns regarding the size of the septic system and its location and didn’t like the idea of the main entrance being located on Keller Avenue.

Resident David Latham shared his concerns with traffic as well as the potential impact on nearby Goggins Lake. “Our kids swim and fish in that lake,” he said. “The changes to water quality and the life of animals in our area … the impacts it will have over a long period of time are unknown.”

Resident Greg Kramer said all three of his children attended Withrow, and he now has grandchildren attending Liberty. “I’m confident that the people the school has been dealing with know what they are doing, and they are not going to allow us to damage the environment,” he said. “We want the community to be happy that we are there …

opposing to this school because we love that it is going to be a school. It is just far more than anyone had bargained for.”

Resident Chris O’Connell said he was supportive of the school use, but he questioned how the project would impact his taxes. He said he was all too familiar with what it was like to live close to a school with a football field. “I came out here to get away from that setting,” he said.

did add a couple of conditions to the approval, including that the school install motionactivated lights, similar to Lions Volunteer Park, move the parking lot north and install adequate landscaping buffers along the edge of the parking lot.

I strongly feel that Liberty’s current plan to eventually move toward a one-campus location for all the grades is doable.”

Resident Sheryl Ferguson said she “embraces” the school being located there, but she was concerned about the location of the parking lot and the addition of impervious surface. “That is two acres of parking lot/asphalt being added to my backyard,” she said.

History of school site

• The building previously served as Withrow Elementary School, which was a part of the Stillwater School District. The district’s decision to close the school was made in 2016.

• Elementary School closed in 2018 and the school sat vacant.

• Liberty Classical Academy purchased the Withrow Elementary building in 2021 and built an approximately 2,000-squarefoot addition.

• Liberty purchased over 80 acres of land in 2022.

Resident Steve Corteau questioned how the project would impact area wells. “How much water are they going to use in the school, and what effect will that have on our existing wells? How do we protect our wells from going dry?” he questioned.

Resident Taryn Sirianni said she has three children who attend Liberty. She spoke in favor of the expansion and said the campus will bring “nothing but beautiful and positive changes” to the area.

Resident Beth Jerome said she knew the first phase was the only part of the proposal up for approval, but she was worried about what approval of Phase I could mean for approval of another phase down the road.

“We are very happy it is going to be Liberty Elementary. It is just that it sounds like the big plan is far more than those of us who live out there in a rural environment had ever thought we would be discussing … It is not rural to throw that size of a structure and all the things that go along with it into the middle. It doesn’t even begin to fit into the area,” she said. “We don’t want to be crabby neighbors

Resident Karen Ukura urged the Planning Commission to consider the whole proposal, both the plans in front of it and plans down the road. “I don’t like making a decision on Phase I without taking into consideration what is ultimately going to occur,” she explained. “I think you have to look at the whole picture in order to make a decision.”

Grant resident Matt Fritze said he has three children who currently attend Liberty; he spoke in favor of the approval. “I would have a lot of the same concerns that almost every resident here has brought up if Liberty Classical was to build right across the street,” he said. “You have a willing applicant in Liberty. They want to be good neighbors and do anything they can to welcome the community and be good neighbors.”

Ultimately, the Planning Commission unanimously recommended the Hugo City Council approve the site plan and CUP, if city staff work with the applicant on possibly shifting the parking lot to the north and continue discussion on lighting and access points.

Council weighs in

Before the council weighed in, Juba provided some updates. She said the city had another meeting with Washington County and although an access on 122nd Street/County Road 7 might “be reasonable,” so is the proposed access on Keller Avenue.

“They have reviewed the plans from the applicant, and they do not foresee a traffic issue on county roads. They do have the capacity for additional traffic,” Juba said. “They do review the area as a whole when reviewing project and don’t foresee a problem happening somewhere else.”

Juba also explained that since the last Hugo Planning Commission meeting, the applicant had submitted plans that shifts the parking lot 30 feet north of the property line (further away from the neighboring properties) as well as a new lighting plan with timers and dimmers.

Two members of the May Township Planning Commission were in favor of Liberty’s proposal and three were against, so the commission did not forward a recommendation on to the Town Board for its June 6 meeting. The Town Board decided to table the item for further discussion until its next meeting, Thursday, July 11.

Members of the Hugo City Council were supportive of the plans before them and unanimously approved the site plan and CUP. The council

Mayor Tom Weidt said the only other location he thought an entrance might be possible was right between the city of Hugo and May Township, but there are currently houses there. Council Member Becky Petryk wondered if Washington County would be willing to let Liberty’s entrance on 122nd Street to remain grandfathered in. (Liberty’s current access was allowed to be grandfathered in because there was no substantial addition to the building, but with the proposed addition, it would need to be relocated to meet requirements.)

Juba added that Washington County is only going to allow one access off of 122nd Street, for emergency vehicles only. “I really thought that there would be a way to do access off 122nd. I’m very disappointed,” Petryk said. “I thought that was something we could do to accommodate the neighborhood.”

Council Member David Strub wondered whether the city could do its own traffic study that would then allow for the installation of school zone signs or adjusting the speed limit. City Engineer Mark Erichson explained that since it is a county road, the city does not have jurisdiction. “We can certainly have that conversation with them (Washington County) and see if we can accommodate that request,” he said.

Strub said he was happy to hear that there was support for the school use. “I think long-term, this is going to be a good addition out there for this community, for this neighborhood,” he said.

Council Member Mike Miron said, “While I find generally there is support for this project, I do sense that there is an amount of anxiety and reservation as what could continue to exist there. I really would encourage the school and the neighbors to find a way to continue to engage.”

Weidt explained that the council’s approval of the first phase didn’t necessarily mean the second phase would take place.

“We heard from some really interesting people that were looking into that building before, and I think ending up with Liberty was a good win,” he said. “If they do want to do another phase down the road, I think it is their best interest to make sure this phase goes extremely well and to be good neighbors to all of you and make this addition goes as painless and smooth as possible to your everyday lives.”

Managing Editor Shannon Granholm can be reached at 651-407-1227 or citizennews@ presspubs.com.

CONTRIBUTED

Although the project received approval from the Hugo City Council, it has yet to receive approval from the May Township Board.

Senate District 33 DFL endorses Jake Ross

Central Committee members of Senate District 33 DFL have endorsed Jake Ross for House in District 33A. Ross lives in Forest Lake where he grew

up, and works as an accountant. He has an economics degree from Gustavus Adolphus College.

“DFLers in our community are excited to support Jake Ross in his campaign for District 33A. Jake is ready to get to work to build on

the historic progress made at the Legislature in the past two years, and fight for issues that Minnesotans care about to make our state a great place to live for everyone,” said Senate District 33A Chair Patrick Redig. House District 33A includes

Dellwood, Hugo, Mahtomedi, Willernie and precincts in Forest Lake and Grant. Learn more about the SD33 DFL at www.dfl33.com.

KATHLEEN RUSSELL

Kathleen has asked that the prize is donated to the Vadnais Heights Lions Club