What are you thankful for?
BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR
HUGO — City staff continue to work through what an ordinance might look like when it comes to cannabis.
The Ordinance Review Committee is set to review the draft ordinance Dec. 2, followed by a public hearing at the Planning Commission meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12.
The ordinance was initiated by staff in response to the legalization of cannabis and hemp-related activities by the state, which authorized local governments to register these businesses.
The city’s moratorium for cannabis businesses is set to expire Jan. 1.
Associate Planner Max Gort said the city has a bit more guidance now from the state’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) as to what the ordinance should look like.
“There is a lot more guidance, but there is still a lot that is unknown,” he said. “As the industry starts rolling within the next calendar year, there could be some changes
‘There is a lot more guidance, but there is still a lot that is unknown.’
Max Gort
Associate Planner
that cities will need to address as they come.” Gort recently spoke with the City Council to gather “nonbinding” comments on the direction of items within the ordinance including registration procedure, zoning/ land use and buffers.
Per state statute, the city of Hugo would be required to allow a minimum of two cannabis businesses due to its population of 17,000. (One retail license is required per 12,500 residents.)
Mayor Tom Weidt said that was a “big roundup,” but Gort explained that is the way the law is written.
The draft ordinance would allow cannabis businesses in I-3 (general industrial) and BP (business park) zones.
State statute allows local governments to impose buffers of up to 1,000 feet from schools and up to 500 feet from day cares and residential treatment facilities. While looking into buffers, Gort said city staff found that certain situations arise where neighboring
If you got to know Hugo resident Kyle Manley, he would tell you all about his history of having a green thumb. Whether introducing children to the beauty of wildlife as a wilderness guide or providing exceptional garden services through his company, Manley Gardening LLC, Manley has always had the great outdoors on his side. In addition to these credentials, Manley is also the author of a new children’s book, “Skipper Finds Home: A Caterpillar's Quest through Native Plants.” It’s about a Dakota Skipper butterfly who goes on a quest to find the perfect home. Press Publications recently interviewed Manley to learn more about the inspiration behind the book and the importance of teaching environmental awareness to children.
Q: Where did you grow up, and how did you get into writing?
A: I grew up in Rosemount. I wasn’t really a writer, but after having my son, we spent a lot of time at the library and at home reading books. As we read dozens (and probably at this point hundreds) of books, I found myself thinking that I could write one. My first career was in teaching music,
Finds Home’:
so education has always been in my bones.
Q: What was the main inspiration behind “Skipper Finds Home”?
A: Through reading books at the library with my son and owning my own gardening business, the two seemed to organically meld together. The idea seemed pretty clear to me, melding a love for nature with the simplicity of a children’s book while giving a platform to expose awareness to the plight of the Dakota Skipper and other insects. By learning about native plants early on, the readers (including the adults) can hopefully plant more of them in their gardens and help support struggling populations.
Q: How important is teaching children about environmental awareness from a young age?
A: I’ve always had a passion for the environment, even from my early years, when I would chase bugs around for my collection and just be outside. Getting my Eagle Scout helped me learn about environmental stewardship and the value of being in nature. In college, I worked as a wilderness guide, taking campers through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Quetico and other wilderness areas in the upper Midwest, which was very rewarding to give kids that experience. I believe it’s critical to educate children as young as possible about the benefits of the environment
and how to be good stewards. The more ways we can get them hooked into positive and meaningful environmental experiences, the better chance we have of them becoming good stewards in their own communities.
Q: Did you find it easy or difficult to find the right way to convey your message?
A: With my background in teaching, I knew the more simple and clear I could make the text and story, the better. In many ways, figuring out what not to include was where most of the important decisions were. I found many children’s books based on stewardship too wordy, complex and preachy for early readers. I think having forward momentum in a story is important without adding complexity. The added benefit of “Skipper Finds Home” is the addition of contrast, which helps little ones achieve their learning goals.
Q: You’ve spoken highly of White Bear Lake resident Mia Binsfield, who is responsible for illustrating your book. How important are her illustrations in driving your story’s message of environmental awareness?
A: Without Mia’s captivating and adorable illustrations, there would be no “Skipper Finds Home”. The way she adds texture, color, and emotion to Skipper is critical. The perspectives and depth in her illustrations
really bring out the contrast and story. She took the reins of the character after we talked about who Skipper was and the important elements of the story.
Q: What are you hoping readers will take away from your book?
A: I hope readers — young and old readers — will come away with a desire to help Skipper and be good environmental stewards. I also hope they can learn about new plants they can grow in their gardens to help insects like the Dakota Skipper and support their local wildlife.
Q: Do you have any other books in the works?
A: I do not have any new books in the works, but I don’t think we have seen the last of Skipper yet!
Those interested in buying a copy of “Skipper Finds Home” can do so online at www.itascabooks.com or contact Manley directly at manleykt@gmail.com to make a purchase.
Compiled by Erik Suchy
KYLE MANLEY | CONTRIBUTED
Skipper Finds Home: Kyle Manley is the author of a new book, “Skipper Finds Home,” about a Dakota Skipper butterfly on a quest to find its perfect home.
Kyle Manley
CENTERVILLE TIDBITS COMMUNITY BRIEF
• Centerville resident Sophie Wynn, Centennial High School junior, will be the Junior Council Member for the 2025 calendar year.
• Matthew McCabe has resigned from his position as a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission. The council has officially declared the position vacant.
• The Centerville Lions Club will use Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park to host its annual Christmas at the Park event, after the City Council approved the request. The Centennial Fire District will also be present at the event. Christmas in the Park will take place from 3-6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7.
• The council accepted the 2024 election canvass and race winners.
Centerville Mayor D. Love
congratulated the winners of the election and said he is looking forward to seeing a new council do great things for the city of Centerville.
• The city will assess for delinquent municipal utilities and garbage services, or a combination of both, to be included on property taxes after council approval.
• The 2025 annual SCORE contract with Anoka County has been approved by the council. This is a contract drafted by city staff within the requirements of Anoka County. Staff is requesting an estimated total funding of $43,301 for 2025. The total funding is broken down by base funding, drop-off funding, general enhancement funding, labor and staffing funding and supplement funding.
• The council has authorized City Administrator Mark Statz to apply for funding through the private property inflow and infiltration grant program through the Metropolitan Council. The grant funding will assist private property owners with the costs of inspecting lateral sewer lines and making necessary repairs to reduce inflow and infiltration into the sanitary sewer system. Residents could apply for reimbursement of a portion of the costs through the city.
The council next meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, at City Hall, 1880 Main St.
Time to RSVP for senior dinner
The Hugo Lions Club will host its 49th senior Christmas dinner at 5 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 12, at Hugo American Legion Post 620. The dinner is for seniors (ages 65 and older). RSVP to Barb by calling 651-592-0369 by Dec. 3.
STUFF THE TRUCK
HUGO FIRE DEPARTMENT FOOD & TOY DRIVE
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 | 10 A.M.
City of Hugo Fire Station
Festival Foods Parking Lot
Toy and food bins will be located at other area businesses until Friday, Dec. 6. Check additional Stuff the Truck Collection sites.
Santa’s Fire Engine Parade
CENTENNIAL FIRE DISTRICT
CENTERVILLE | MONDAY, DEC. 2 | 6
Santa will have treats for kids along the route!
Santa leaves the station at 6 p.m. and will make his way through your Centerville neighborhood. To participate, place any non-perishable food and new, unwrapped toys in the truck as it goes by. You can also leave donations by your mailbox that evening with a label that reads “Santa Parade Donation.” EVENTS
Follow Centennial Fire District on Facebook for details.
Horse-drawn Carriage Rides
11 AM - 3 PM
• Board carriage at 4th & Cook
• FREE with food/cash donation to Food Shelf, collected by the WBL Lions Club
• Warm up at the WBLAHS Festival of Trees in the Armory
• Eat! @ Banning and Fifth Soup Kitchen Saturday Benefit Dec 7th 11 AM - 4 PM
Madeline Dolby
Birthdays, Turkey Trot and Thanksgiving
Happy Fall everyone! This time of year is my absolute favorite. The leaves are beginning to change color, it is just cold enough where you need a light jacket to go outside and everyone is getting ready for Thanksgiving. This is a busy month for my family. On top of making Thanksgiving plans, it is me and my dad’s birthday month. We were born one day a part, which means we usually have a combined birthday celebration with family.
A few years ago, we went to Nashville to celebrate my 21st. My sister and I both brought our best friends with. We rented a house 10 minutes away from downtown and spent the weekend taking in the live music. Last year, my dad and I went back to catch a Wild versus Predators hockey game for our birthdays.
I have always made a large deal about birthday celebrations. In college, my roommates and I would throw one another a birthday party the weekend after each other’s birthday. On the actual day, we would surprise each other with a birthday cake and celebrate just the four of us in some sort of fashion, typically watching the birthday girl’s favorite movie.
I am the same way with my family. I love celebrating my friends and family whenever I can.
This year, I am sadly not going back to Nashville. Some of you may know from my previous columns, but Nashville is one of my favorite places ever. Everything about it just oddly feels like home. At the end of the month, we will get together with family and celebrate Thanksgiving.
We did not have a traditional Thanksgiving last year. On Thursday morning we woke up around 6 a.m., drove down to St. Paul and did the Turkey Trot. It was a lot colder than I was expecting it to be, which made it even harder to participate in the race. For the whole race I could see my breath and my hands were permanently frozen into fists. My mom wore a winter parka to the race it was so cold. But I am glad we did it because it meant I got to eat an extra slice of pie or two at dinner.
This year, we are not doing the Turkey Trot again. I cannot tell whether I should be jumping up and down with joy or disappointed. It was nice to challenge myself after being out of a competitive sport for so long, but my body will also be silently thanking me for not waking up so early and facing the cold.
Around this time of year, I always begin to reflect on the past year. I try to pinpoint the “best moments” and remember who was there with me. Thanksgiving is not only about waking up early and doing your local Turkey Trot, but it is about being grateful for the people in your life. Within the last year, I have strengthened relationships with old college friends and met new people that I cannot imagine not having in my life. They all have played a large role in who I am today.
Thank you to all of those who continue to support me, and thank you to readers for allowing Press Publications to continue to share bits and pieces of our communities with you.
Madeline Dolby is editor of the Quad Community Press. She can be reached at 651-407-1226 or quadnews@presspubs.com.
Yellow Ribbon Network volunteers meet needs
In 2009, the city of Hugo was proclaimed a Yellow Ribbon City by the Minnesota National Guard as part of the “Beyond the Yellow Ribbon” program. The purpose of the program was to have cities provide support to our soldiers, airmen and their families, especially during the difficult challenges faced by families when a parent is deployed overseas-usually for a year.
Movers & Shakers
When our soldiers and airmen are asked how the community can best support them during their deployment, the most often heard response is “take care of my family.”
Imagine the challenges of a spouse at home with young children: home maintenance, home repairs, school events, missed birthdays, missed holidays, car maintenance, moving and medical emergencies. Over the last 15 years, volunteers in the Hugo Yellow Ribbon Network have met many of those needs and earned a reputation of providing enduring, dependable and meaningful support for our military members and their families. Nearly every week, the volunteers respond to one of those needs mentioned above.
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Family support includes serving up meals at military unit family day and holiday celebrations. This year, Hugo volunteers served over 3,000 meals at unit family day events.
Family holiday support included a Secret Santa program where volunteers “adopt” a military family for Christmas; hundreds of families have benefited from this program. There is our partnership with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office “Shop with a Cop” program, which takes youngsters from families of deployed service members on a Christmas shopping trip.
Hugo Yellow Ribbon Network volunteers, while sending deployed service members care packages with special snacks and treats, are also sending a message of recognition and appreciation for the service member’s service and sacrifice. Over the last 15 years, we have sent over 95,000 pounds of care package support. Recreation events for families and for returning deployers are held regularly. The network has hosted nine annual youth hunts for over 400 youngsters, six military appreciation hunts for over 500 active duty or retired military, and 32 Welcome Home the Troops pheasant hunts for over 3,000 soldiers and airmen returning from overseas deployments.
The 4th Monday of every month (except December), the network hosts Burger Night at the Hugo American Legion. On average, 200 community members and
THE CITIZEN | LETTER GUIDELINES
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military families gather to enjoy fellowship, support and a great burger meal. Originally intended as a fundraiser, the popularity, publicity and reach of the event promotes the message to the broader community that there are STILL military members being deployed and they and their families need our continued support.
The Hugo Yellow Ribbon Network is an IRS Public Charity and all the support it provides comes from donations. Over the last 15 years, annual donations have been about $125,000, which means nearly $2 million has been donated to provide support to our military members and their families. Anyone can donate by sending their tax-deductible check to the Hugo Yellow Ribbon Network at Hugo City Hall or clicking on www.pledge.to and searching for the Hugo Yellow Ribbon Network.
Anyone can follow the us on Facebook: Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Network, Hugo, MN. There you can scroll through current events as well as years of stories and photos of support provided.
Anyone wishing to become a volunteer with the network can send an email to Charles.haas27@ gmail.com. All volunteers receive a Red Friday Report, a weekly summary of events, programs and volunteer opportunities.
Chuck Haas is the chair of the Hugo Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Network.
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Madeline’s Mail
Madeline Dolby
Chuck Haas
Public hearing on proposed county cannabis ordinance set
A public hearing to review Washington County’s proposed cannabis ordinance (Ordinance 219) is set for Dec. 3. State statute sets the local retail cannabis and hemp regulations across Minnesota. This law was adopted in 2023 and updated in 2024. The proposed ordinance will:
• Establish authorities and procedures for the county to issue retail registrations to cannabis and hemp businesses in areas of the county where cities and towns have delegated registration authority to the county.
• Set a baseline for retail practices which apply across the entire county.
• Define compliance check frequencies and penalties for violating the ordinance.
County accepts grant funding for tree planting in parks
The Washington County Board of Commissioners has accepted a regional park grant for tree planting in county parks. The grant will provide reimbursement for costs associated with the planting of trees with more diverse, climate-adapted species in the regional park and trail systems within Washington County in the amount of $106,937.
Eligible property owners must file homestead applications by Dec. 31
Property owners who have had a change in ownership and/or occupancy and whose property is eligible for homestead classification should contact the county to file a homestead application on or before Dec. 31. Homestead classification will affect the amount of property tax paid in 2025, and it may affect eligibility for a property tax refund.
Contact Washington County on or before Dec. 31 to file a homestead application if one of the following applies:
• You purchased a property in the past year and you, or a qualifying relative, occupy the property for homestead purposes on Dec. 31, 2024; or
• You, or a qualifying relative, occupy a property for homestead purposes on Dec. 31, 2024, and the property was previously classified as non-homestead.
Once property owners have been granted the homestead classification, no further applications are necessary unless they are specifically requested by the county. Property owners must also contact the county by Dec. 31, 2024, if they are the property owner, or a qualifying relative of the property owner, and the use of the property has changed during the past year.
If property owners should sell, move, or for any reason no longer qualify for the homestead classification, they are required to notify the county within 30 days of the change in homestead status.
Washington County’s electronic homestead application can be found at WashingtonCountyMN. gov by searching “Homestead Information.” For additional information, call Washington County at 651-430-6175 and ask for the Assessment Support Division.
County approves actions to transfer tax-forfeited
land
Commissioners have approved the transfer of tax-forfeited land from the county to other owners. According to the county, the parcels cannot be developed.
The county board has approved the sale of a tax-forfeited parcel 08.031.21.41.0013 in Hugo at a public auction on Jan. 24, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. in Conference Room LL14 in lower level of the Washington County Government Center, Stillwater. The board set the terms and conditions of the sale and the minimum sale price. Information about the sale will be published, mailed to nearby property owners, and posted on the county’s website.
Explore the outdoors on Black Friday
For those who prefer to spend time outdoors on the busiest shopping day of the year, Washington County is offering free entry to all parks on Friday, Nov. 29.
Free entry is available at all 10 county parks and regional trails, including Big Marine Park Reserve in Marine on St. Croix; Hardwood Creek Regional Trail in Forest Lake; and the Historic Courthouse, Pine Point Regional Park, and Square Lake Park in Stillwater. Additionally, visitors to Lake Elmo Park Reserve can embark on a Spot the Gnome scavenger hunt.
For more information about county parks, visit WashingtonCountyMN.gov/Parks.
HUGO BITS & PIECES
• A capital improvement plan (CIP) is now in place for the next five years for streets and trails. From 2025 to 2029, the city plans to spend $19,052,800 on improvements. Here is the breakdown:
– 2025: Mill and overlay Beaver Ponds area (129th Street, 128th Street, Ferrera Avenue, Fiona Avenue, Flay Avenue and Fondant Avenue; reclamation of Ingersoll Avenue, Janero Avenue and 126th Street; and trail replacement on Farnham Avenue.
– 2026: Reconstruction of Fenway Boulevard, 130th Street, Farnham Avenue and 140th Street; trail replacement along Europa Court N.; and paving of gravel roads Elmcrest (from 158th Street to 170th Street) and 165th Street (from Elmcrest Avenue to Highway 61).
– 2027: Reclamation and reconstruction of the Fable Hill neighborhood as well as the reconstruction of two bridges (Fable Hills and Forest Road); The reclamation of Jardin Avenue, Garden Way, Arbre Lane and Poets Green.
– 2028: Reclamation of Hyde Avenue N., Ingersoll Avenue, Irish Avenue and 121st Street; a second trail overlay along CSAH 8.
– 2029: Reconstruction of Heritage Parkway.
• The council has approved a resolution that amends provisions of a deferral of special assessment for Dee Davis of Be There Inc. In October 2011, the council approved a resolution to defer the special assessment on property owned by Dee Davis, which located in the southwest corner of Hugo, west of Everton Avenue. It is a vacant lot and eligible for deferment.
Davis had requested the city remove the accrued interest to date on the assessment and that the property not be subject to further interest.
FINANCIAL BRIEF
401(k) limit increases, IRA limit remains the same
The Internal Revenue Service (IRA) announced that the amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans in 2025 has increased.
The annual contribution limit for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457 plans and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan will increase to $23,500, up from
WEEKLY WAG
Mackenzie is almost 2 years old and is as sweet, loyal and lovable as any dog could possibly be. She is a pit bull terrier/ Staffordshire bull terrier mix and she is anxiously waiting for her forever family and home. Her foster describes Mackenzie as a “cuddle queen” and “nap enthusiast”. She stays close to her people and she gives plenty of snuggles and kisses as
• Jim and Laurie Stodola, owners of 12757 Homestead Drive N., have been granted a variance to allow for construction of a deck located 56 feet from the ordinary high-water level of Sunset Lake, where a structural setback of 100 feet is required by ordinance. The deck is proposed to be constructed in line with the existing house.
• An encroachment agreement is now in place with Capstone Homes to construct a retaining wall within a drainage and utility easement on property located at 4803 163rd St. N. The senior engineering technician reviewed the location of the retaining wall and is comfortable with the request.
• The city continues to work on its cannabis ordinance. Although it is not yet ready to be reviewed by the council, the Ordinance Review Committee will review the draft ordinance Dec. 2. The Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the proposed ordinance Thursday, Dec. 12.
• Washington County will hold a ribbon-cutting for the new North Environmental Center located at 6065 Headwaters Parkway in Forest Lake from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2. After that facility opens, the site on 170th Street N. in Hugo will close.
City Administrator Bryan Bear explained that the city has not yet decided on what it wants to do with the parcel. He added that the lease agreement between the county, city and a property owner will likely be terminated, and the property will be restored back to its original state.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2, at City Hall.
Shannon Granholm
$23,000. Annual contributions to an IRA will remain $7,000. The IRA catch-up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over was amended under the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 to include an annual cost-of-living adjustment but will remain at $1,000 for 2025. Participants in most 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457 plans and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan who are 50 and older generally can contribute up to $31,000 each year, starting in 2025. Under a change made in SECURE 2.0, a
she soaks up the love. Mackenzie weighs about 48 pounds. Mackenzie is social
higher catch-up contribution limit applies for employees aged 60, 61, 62 and 63 who participate in these plans. For 2025, this higher catchup contribution limit is $11,250 instead of $7,500.
The income ranges for determining eligibility to make deductible contributions to traditional individual retirement arrangements (IRAs), to contribute to Roth IRAs and to claim the Saver’s Credit all increased for 2025.
For more information, go to IRS. gov.
with other dogs and, once comfortable, enjoys being with all the people she meets, and she is good with respectful children. She is very friendly. Mackenzie is also leashtrained and enjoys going for walks. Her favorite adventures include walking through wooded park trails. When not going on walks, Mackenzie enjoys car rides; when she is at home, she likes to play with her toys. She also knows her basic commands and is eager to please. Mackenzie arrived at Ruff Start Rescue from a local impound. If you are interested in learning more about Mackenzie or adopting her, please fill out an application at www. ruffstartrescue.org. Once your application is received, Ruff Start Rescue will contact you as soon as possible.
CHURCH DIRECTORY Find
CHURCH DIRECTORY
CHURCH DIRECTORY
Saturday at 4:30 pm Parish Community Center 6995 Centerville Rd, Centerville
Sunday at 10:30 am Parish Community Center 6995 Centerville Rd, Centerville www.stgens.org 651‐429‐7937
Saturday at 4:30 pm Parish Community Center 6995 Centerville Rd, Centerville Sunday at 8:30 am St. John’s Site 14383 Forest Blvd N, Hugo Sunday at 10:30 am Parish Community Center 6995 Centerville Rd, Centerville www.stgens.org 651‐429‐7937
To advertise here, call Randy at 651-407-1212 or email lowdown@presspubs.com
WHAT’S HAPPENING • WHAT’S HAPPENING • WHAT’S HAPPENING
CONTRIBUTED
SANTA PARTY AND TREE LIGHTING
When: 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4
Where: Peder Pedersen Pavilion, 5524 Upper 146th St., Hugo
Details: Meet and greet with Santa, followed by Mayor’s tree lighting at 6:30 p.m. Activity bags given to first 50 kids. Bring a donation for the Hugo Fire Department’s Toy Drive. Contact: ci.hugo.mn.u
ONGOING EVENTS
HUGO SENIOR CITIZENS PLAY ‘500’
When: 12:45 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, and every 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
LIVE TRIVIA
When: 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays
Where: Lino Lakes American Legion Post 566, 7731 Lake Drive
Details: General knowledge trivia. No limit on team sizes. Every player will receive a raffle ticket for a drawing to
HUGO POLICE REPORTS
win a free drink. The top three teams will earn a gift card, and the last place team wins a “mini trophy.”
Contact: (651) 783-0055
‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’
When: Nov. 22-Dec. 15
Where: Hanifl Performing Arts Center, 4941 Long Ave.
Details: Classic holiday story performed by Lakeshore Players. Contact: lakeshoreplayers.org
CURRENT EVENTS
FAST BEFORE THE FEAST
When: 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 28
Where: White Bear Lake County Park, 5050 Lake Ave.
Details: Thanksgiving Day 5K,10K and Turkey Dash with courses along White Bear Lake and through downtown. Registration information online. Contact: mmraces.com
PHOTOS WITH SANTA
When: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1
Where: Mahtomedi District Education Center, 1520 Mahtomedi Ave.
Details: Families can have their picture taken with Santa. Event hosted by Kramer-Berg Legion Post 507.
CENTERVILLE SANTA PARADE
When and where: 5:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2 in Centerville neighborhoods
Details: Have non-perishable food and new, unwrapped toys ready to donate and put in Santa’s fire truck as he makes his way through neighborhoods. Santa will have treats for the kids along the route. Labeled donations may also be left by mailboxes. All donations go to the Hugo Good Neighbors Food Shelf. Parade maps in this week’s paper and online.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reported the following calls for service:
• Residents in the 4000 block of Rosemary Way N. reported someone for trying to open and kick in their front door overnight Oct. 16-17.
• Residents in the 5000 block of 159th Street N. at 1:54 a.m. Oct. 17 reported forced entry that resulted in a damaged door frame, but nothing taken.
• Political signs were reported stolen at 8:43 a.m. Oct. 17 in the 4000 block of 158th Street N.
• A person looking suspiciously like a Domestic Abuse No-Contact Order violator from the previous week seen in a vehicle with the victim from the previous week at 10:13 a.m. Oct. 17 in the 14000 block of Victor Hugo Blvd. turned out to be a dead ringer for the offender, but not the actual offender.
• A suspicious vehicle with its doors open at 1:29 p.m. Oct. 17 in the 14000 block of Fitzgerald Avenue N. that Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies spotted while on patrol turned out to be kept open by the wind.
• Two suspicious people, along with their suspicious truck and trailer reported at 1:53 p.m. Oct. 17 on a property in the 16000 block of Forest Blvd. N. turned out to be a realtor and client looking at the property. Deputies advised the group that the owners wanted them off their property and to contact the seller’s agent if they wanted to look at the property.
• An ex-husband was reported at 11:39 a.m. Oct. 18 for twice entering his ex-wife’s house in the 15000 block
Minnesota Department of Public Safety launches new website
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) has launched a new version of its website. The site has been redesigned and rebuilt to better serve Minnesotans.
Improvements include:
• Easer access to the most popular DPS tasks and services.
• Clearer paths to find information.
• Improved search capabilities.
• Easter-to-understand content.
• A clean, modern design that is mobile friendly.
Users will be able to find information on Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls Office, learn how to connect with the Community Affairs team, find information on the Office of
Contact: centennialfire.org
CHRISTMAS CONCERT
When: 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8
Where: St. Joseph Church, 171 Elm St., Lino Lakes
Details: Christmas sing-a-long plus a church choir concert. Light refreshments will be served. Free, but please bring a donation for the local food shelf.
Contact: Andrea Grasse: 651-784-3015
SANTA PARTY AND TREE LIGHTING
When: 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4
Where: Peder Pedersen Pavilion, 5524
Upper 146th St., Hugo
Details: Meet and greet with Santa, followed by Mayor’s tree lighting at 6:30 p.m. Activity bags given to first 50 kids. Bring a donation for the Hugo Fire Department’s Toy Drive.
Contact: ci.hugo.mn.us
TREE OF LIGHT AND REMEMBRANCE
When: 6:30-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6
Where: Veteran’s Memorial Park, Mahtomedi
Details: 24th annual tree lighting ceremony. Purchase a light for the tree to remember or honor a loved one. Proceeds benefit the Mahtomedi Area Food Shelf.
Contact: 651-395-5352 or stjudeofthelake. org/mahtomedi-area-food-shelf
JINGLE BEAR 5K AND KIDS FUN RUN
When: 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7
Where: White Bear Lake County Park, 5050 Lake Ave.
Details: Run for all ages and abilities. Registration includes jingle bells for shoes. Holiday costumes, dogs on leashes and strollers welcome. Contact: mmraces.com
of Farnham Avenue N., after being told he was not welcome. The complainant said he still has access through a garage door opener, and that she would be changing the code.
• Deputies making two trips to check on a noise complaint in the 15000 block of Forest Blvd. N., at 2:06 a.m. and 2:43 a.m. Oct. 18, eventually arrested an intoxicated male for being in the driver’s seat of his vehicle. Neighbors in the Hugo Estates had reported someone for honking their horn and revving their engine. On the second trip, deputies found the source of aggravation -- a male in a vehicle with an open container sitting on the floor of its passenger side. He submitted to standardized field sobriety tests and registered a .164 blood alcohol content.
• A litterbug was arrested for DWI at 11:00 p.m. Oct. 18 in the 14000 block of Forest Blvd. N., following a traffic stop for lane violations and the driver throwing a cigarette out the window. The suspect submitted to the portable breath test with a reading of .113 blood alcohol content.
• Loud banging on a front door in the 5000 block of French Avenue was reported at 1:29 a.m. Oct. 19.
• A motorist along Egg Lake Road N. and Foxhill Avenue N. at 6:31 a.m. Oct. 19 was cited for driving after revocation.
• Doorbell-ditching juveniles were reported at 11:17 p.m. Oct. 19 in the 15000 block of Farnham Avenue N.
• A motor vehicle in the 16000 block of Fairoaks Avenue N. received a parking citation underneath
State Safety Oversight and more. The public will still be able to renew their driver’s license and buy tabs, request information on background checks, view crime states and get a crash report.
The website can be found at dps. mn.gov.
Inmate receives 15 years in meth distribution conspiracy
An inmate has been sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for conspiring with a corrections officer to distribute methamphetamine inside the Stillwater prison.
According to court documents, Axel Rene Kramer, 37, an inmate who is currently serving a 288-month sentence for second-degree murder, conspired with Faith Rose Gratz, 26, a former
WINTERFEST
When: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 & 14
Where: Downtown White Bear Lake Details: Community festival has included horse-drawn carriage rides, visit with Santa, strolling carolers, specials at local shops and restaurants. Contact: downtownwhitebearlake.com
MAHTOMEDI COMMUNITY LUNCH
When: noon-1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 9
Where: Mahtomedi District Education Center, Room 103
Details: Food, conversation, and live entertainment by MMS Glee Club for residents of all ages. Register by noon Dec. 5.
Contact: mahtomedi.ce.eleyo.com
THE ELVES WORKSHOP
When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7
Where: White Bear Area Senior Center, 2484 E County Rd F
Details: Local Girl Scout Troops and the Senior Center Craft Corner are teaming up to create a holiday shopping experience featuring a variety of handmade crafts, gifts, and baked goods. This festive event will also include a special visit from Santa. LUNCH WITH A NATURALIST: OTTERS
When: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11
Where: Wargo Nature Center, 7701 Main St., Lino Lakes
Details: Free naturalist-led program for those 50+. May include trail hike. Registration not required; equipment provided. Contact: 763-324-3350 or anokacountyparks.com
its windshield wiper blades at 12:51 a.m. Oct. 20 for displaying tabs that expired in September.
• Deputies conducted two traffic stops for speeding 70 mph in a 55 mph zone in the 7000 block of 170th Street N., one at 8:39 a.m. Oct. 20, and the other at 9:04 a.m. Oct. 21.
• Deputies at 2:21 p.m. Oct. 20 received a call regarding a snapping turtle on the Hardwood Creek bike path in the 15000 block of Forest Blvd. N., next to the elementary school. As the turtle had sped away before deputies could get there, it remains unknown whether the “turtle was a martial arts expert, a mutant or of teenaged years,” deputies said. It is also unclear whether this particular turtle was responsible for all the ding-dong-ditch reports.
• Suspicious late night activity reported at a park in the 14000 block of Valjean Blvd. N. at 10:13 p.m. Oct. 20 turned out to be two people exchanging packages. The individual still at the scene when deputies arrived was confirmed to have been doing nothing illegal. The driver was let go to continue delivering packages.
• Deputies responded to the report of a house fire being rekindled in the 5000 block of 126th Street N. at 9:34 a.m. Oct. 21. At 11:31 a.m. that day, deputies received an anonymous tip that the house fire was arson and that a White Bear Lake male was responsible.
Loretta Harding
Minnesota Correctional Facility (MCF)
– Stillwater corrections officer, to distribute methamphetamine within MCF – Stillwater, which is Minnesota’s largest high-security prison facility. As part of the conspiracy, Kramer obtained wholesale quantities of prepackaged methamphetamine from sources of supply outside the prison. Kramer and another co-conspirator inmate worked with drug sources of supply to arrange meet-up times and locations where Gratz would pick up the drug packages. Gratz used her position as a guard to smuggle the drugs into the prison and to provide the drugs to Kramer. She then transferred the drugs to Gratz in the course of performing her prison guard duties. She participated in the illegal scheme approximately six times. Gratz also smuggled into the prison multiple cell phones that she provided to Kramer. Kramer used the
cell phones to communicate with people inside and outside the prison and to facilitate his drug distribution network from within the prison.
According to court documents, Kramer and Gratz exchanged hundreds of text messages with each other. The messages included communications about the drug distribution conspiracy as well as discussions about their romantic relationship. Gratz also warned Kramer about upcoming searches of inmates’ cells.
On Jan. 5, 2024, Kramer pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced earlier this month to 27 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bayport Police Department, Minnesota Department of Corrections and the FBI.
PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS
• ISD 624 did not meet their goal of having 75% of Kindergarten students earning a FastBridge early reading composite score of at least 32. Such a score means that the child is at low risk for developing literacy issues going forward. This fall, 56.2% of kindergarteners scored a 32 or higher. That number is up, however, from 43.5% two years ago. Additionally, 76.7% of the test takers this year scored a 30 or higher, up from 52.9% two years ago.
• White Bear Lake Area High School—South Campus is not on track to meet its goal of having 98% of the class of 2025 students graduate in four years. This does not include students
attending ALC or the Transition Education Center. South Campus reported a graduation rate of 93.5% in 2023. (Graduation rates are calculated statewide a year behind all other data.)
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AAA Ms. Soccer recipient Jenna Maloy), bass fishing, and boys’ and girls’ cross country. To view a video listing each student’s accomplishment, visit youtube.com/@ ISD624.
will now include closely supervised cultural exceptions for traditional or spiritual observances.
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• The high school has made progress, meanwhile, in American Indian graduation rates, increasing from 50% in 2019 to 80% in 2023. The school district is on track to meet its goal of having 97% of all secondaryeducation students graduate in seven years, posting a 95.2% graduation rate for 2023.
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• The school board brought forward four policies for a first reading. The policy committee brings these items to the board twice to ensure proper language and approval. The second reading will happen next month. Among these policies are “TobaccoFree Environment and Vaping Awareness,” “Public Data Requests,” and “Waste Reduction and Recycling.” The changes are largely punctuation based, though the tobacco policy
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• Similarly, four policies had a second reading, receiving final approval from the board. These policies include “Employment Background Checks,” “Academic Recognition” and “Tutoring of Students.” Many of the policies only needed minor language or punctuation changes. The “Academic Recognition” policy, however, now allows certain PSEO classes to receive weighted GPA by semester or, starting next year, trimester.
THOMAS ALBRECHT
STEVEN & SHIRLEY TIGGES
KELLY & LINDA SOMMERVILLE
Your newspaper has agreed to participate in the Minnesota Display Ad Network program by running these ads in the main news section of your newspaper (not the classified section of your newspaper). At times, advertisers may request a specific section. However, the decision is ultimately up to each newspaper. Ads may need to be decreased/increased slightly in size to fit your column sizes.
JIM TRAVERS
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BOB & MICHELLE HANSON
ERNEST & LISA OLSON
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CHARLOTTE GUTHMILLER
NANCY EATON
LUTHER DALE
CAROL HACKETT
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LANNY & KAREN DAHLMAN
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JOHN BICHNER
DAWN VAN ALSTINE
DANIEL CROTHERS
DAVID SCHOLZ
MARCELLA KWAPICK
JANIS HEBAUS
Your newspaper has agreed to participate in the Minnesota Display Ad Network program by running these ads in the main news section of your newspaper (not the classified section of your newspaper). At times, advertisers may request a specific section. However, the decision is ultimately up to each newspaper. Ads may need to be decreased/increased slightly in size to fit your column sizes. Please do not bill for these ads. If you have questions, please call MNA at 612/332-8844. Thank you.
RICK KRENGEL
SHERYLL NORBACK
MIRIAM PETERSON
Logan Gion
WHITE BEAR LAKE
THANKSGIVING WORKSHEETS:
We asked, your kids answered
H onoring
Santa’s Fi re En gine Pa rade 2024
Centennial Fire District’s Cent ervi lle Sant a Rout e
TheCentennialFireDistrictFirefighterswillbehostingtheSantaParade on Monday,December 2nd thisyear.Santaleaves the Stationat6:00pm. Toparticipate, have any non-perishablefood andnew,unwrappedtoysyou would liketodonatereadyand,as Santamakeshiswaythrough your neighborhood,comeoutto visitusandput yourfoodandtoysin the truck! Santa will have treats for the kids along the route. If you won’t be available duringthe time Santa visits yourneighborhood,simply leave your food donation by your mailbox with a label that reads “Santa Parade Donation” and Santa will pick it up on his way Alldonations willgo to the HugoCommunityFood Shelfthatservesresidentsof HugoandCenterville. We lookforwardtoseeingyouallalongtheparade route.Seemapfor approximatetimes Santa will be on yourstreet.
1. Lyle Swanson of Hugo and his son Shane Swanson recently went on hunting trips to South Dakota and Montana — Contributed 2. Spouses and family members of soldiers currently deployed in Kuwait and Jordan recently met in the Oneka Room at Hugo City Hall for a wine and paint night
of deployment. The soldiers are expected to be home by Christmas.— Contributed
3. Twin Cities Live visits Blue Heron Grill in Hugo. – Contributed.
4. WWII veteran Maurice Johnson was joined by Donna, his wife of 64 years, and his children Mark Johnson, Karen Barnass and Scott Johnson
— Paul Dols | Press Publications
Local artist Brianna Harrington spends a lot of time outdoors as an avid hiker, wellness coach, and master gardener, connecting to the earth and listening to the ground beneath her feet.
Brianna’s new series, “Soil Song: Exploring the Decaying Vibrancy of the World’s Soil,” now on display at White Bear Center for the Arts, uses paintings that incorporate soil and natural elements from places in Minnesota and beyond to explore the impact our environment has on our health and well-being.
When the Earth Sings
The works, hung in White Bear Center for the Arts’ Community Hallway, are watercolor paintings with pigments of pink and green shining through. As a watercolor artist and teacher at WBCA, much of Brianna’s work focuses on the landscape and the natural world. “I’ve always been interested in
trying to take better care of people and the planet,” she says. So as she continued on her artistic journey, she found herself naturally drawn to gathering pebbles to use in her paintings, and, after testing the soil of her garden, she read studies that said soil makes sounds when it’s healthy.
So what is this connection between soil and sound?
Ecoacoustics, which studies an ecosystem’s soundscape, offers insight into soil health. Think of it as a garden party: healthy soil features rich soundscapes made by insects and microbes moving through the soil.
The soil is much quieter in degraded soils which lack life forms essential for soil productivity and ecosystem balance.
In her artist statement,
Brianna argues that this balance contributes to the human health cycle by impacting the nutrients in our food supply and influencing our immunity and gut health. Unfortunately, soil health is declining due in part to human impact.
Her goal is getting people to care. “The beautiful thing is recognizing that our environments really impact us,” she says. When people realize how their environment affects them, they’re more willing to interact with their environment with intention.
You can see “Soil Song” in WBCA’s Community Hallway on view until January 6, 2025 as part of a series highlighting the artistry of WBCA’s teaching artists.
Stretching the Imagination: A New Experience in the Ford Family Gallery
Galleries have historically been thought of as neutral spaces to observe art, designed to present works in a controlled environment that invites intellectual reflection.
Now, White Bear Center for the Arts is bringing back a different way to engage with art: through mind and body. This December, the art center invites you to elevate your midday break with Yoga in the Gallery, a five-week yoga series taught by Shaila Cunningham against the backdrop of the Members’ Exhibition in the Ford Family Gallery.
Shaila’s origins as a yoga teacher began in the 90s when she lived in Singapore. Taking classes in a traditional yoga class with a teacher who was a Zen Buddhist in Singapore was a very different experience from the yoga culture in the United States, so when she made the move back to Massachusetts, she wanted
to bridge the two. Shaila began studying under a Swami or Yoga Master at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health and finished her teacher training before she moved back to teach in Minnesota in 2001.
About a decade ago, WBCA approached Shaila about teaching in their space. “What a great and unusual opportunity,” she thought of teaching in an art center. “I wanted to be around these creative people open to that mindset.”
Shaila insists that her teaching style was influenced by being surrounded by art classes at WBCA. “It’s like if you were in a still life class, the teacher would be walking around working with students individually. If you were to look over the shoulder of those students, you would see all different interpretations of the same thing – that’s how a real yoga class should run.”
Being in the gallery surrounded by art enhances the practice, making it the ideal setting to boost your energy and mood. “There’s a reason why Zen temples have rock gardens and are built around serene nature,” Shaila says. “Meditation works from the outside in.” So in a space where artwork has historically been experienced on a very cerebral level, inviting in yoga and
at this open house reception. Pop in to view the Members’ Exhibition on display in the Ford Family Gallery, visit with artists, listen to live music, and have fun—welcome remarks at 4:30 and 7:00 PM.
Writer’s Speak: An Open Mic Night for the Community
White Bear Center for the Arts
December 12, 4:30-6:30 PM
All are welcome to join your fellow writers and the White Bear Lake community for an open mic night.
meditation helps blur the lines so you can experience the creativity of fellow community members more somatically.
You can join WBCA for Yoga in the Gallery on Tuesdays from 12:00-1:15 PM starting December 3, 2024-January 14, 2025. Register at WhiteBearArts.org
Share your latest work, test new ideas, or simply soak in the words around you. Bring an original piece to read that is under 5 minutes. Please register online at WhiteBearArts.org.
A Christmas Carol
The Hanifl Performing Arts Center
November 22-December 17
The holiday classic returns to Lakeshore for the first time in 60 years with our own charming adaptation. Holiday fun for the whole family!
Artist Brianna Harrington hangs a piece of artwork in her exhibition “Soil Song.”
Shaila performs a handstand in front of White Bear Center for the Arts about 10 years ago when she first taught yoga at WBCA.
Shaila Cunningham
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CITY OF HUGO PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
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PUBLIC NOTICES
Notice is hereby given that the City Council of Hugo will hold a public hearing at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, December 2, 2024 to consider the 2025 Street Improvement Project (Duck Pass, Palmes Long Lake Estates, and Ingersoll Ave). The Project consists of roadway reclamation and overlay and minor storm sewer improvements along 136th Street from Isleton Avenue N to the west cul-de-sac, 136th Street Circle North from 136th Street N to the south cul-desac, and 136th Street Court N from 136th Street N to the south cul-de-sac in Duck Pass; along Janero Avenue N from 122nd Street N to 125th Street Court N, 125th Street Court N from Janero Avenue to the west cul-de-sac, 125th Street N from 125th Street Court N to 125th Street Circle N, and 125th Street Circle N from 125th Street N to the north cul-de-sac in Palmes Long Lake Estates; and Ingersoll Avenue N from 122nd Street N to north cul-de-sac. Improvements made would assess benefited properties for all or a portion of the improvement, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 429 and pursuant to Minn. Stat. §§ 429.011 to 429.111. The estimated cost of the improvement is $1.8 million. A reasonable estimate of the impact of the assessment will be available at the hearing. The meeting will be held at the City of Hugo City Hall,14669 Fitzgerald Avenue North, Hugo, MN 55038. Such persons wishing to comment on the proposed improvement will be heard at this meeting. Comments can also be submitted in writing to City Clerk Michele Lindau prior to the meeting. Bryan Bear, City Administrator Published in The Citizen on November 14, 2024 and November 28, 2024.
CITY OF HUGO
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that the City Council of Hugo will hold a public hearing at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, December 2, 2024 to consider the
The Project consists of mill and overlay improvements,
N from Fondant Trail N to Foxhill Circle N, Foxhill Circle N from 127th Street N to northeast cul-de-sac, Foxhill Avenue N from Foxhill Circle N to the south Beaver Ponds plat boundary and 126th Street the the west terminus to Foxhill Avenue N.
Improvements made would assess benefited properties for all or a portion of the improvement, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 429 and pursuant to Minn. Stat. §§ 429.011 to 429.111. The estimated cost of the improvement is $1.5 million. A reasonable estimate of the impact of the assessment will be available at the hearing. The meeting will be held at the City of Hugo City Hall,14669 Fitzgerald Avenue North, Hugo, MN 55038. Such persons wishing to comment on the proposed improvement will be heard at this meeting. Comments can also be submitted in writing to City Clerk Michele Lindau prior to the meeting. Bryan Bear, City Administrator
Published in The Citizen on November 14, 2024 and November 28, 2024.
CITY OF HUGO
PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING
The Hugo Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday, December 12, 2024 at 7:00 pm at Hugo City Hall to consider additions and amendments to Chapter 90 ZONING AND LAND USE, Article I IN GENERAL, Article II ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT, Article IV ZONING DISTRICT REGULATIONS, and Article VI REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC USES AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS in order to regulate cannabis businesses. The ordinance would establish zoning districts and performance standards for cannabis businesses within the city.
Anyone wishing to comment can be heard at this time. Please call Max Gort, Associate Planner at 651-762-6311 if you have any questions or comments on the application and would like to participate in the meeting.
Max Gort, Associate Planner
Published one time in The Citizen on November 28, 2024.
STATE OF WISCONSIN, BURNETT COUNTY
CIRCUIT COURT
SUMMONS
CASE NO. 2024CV000105
JUDGE MELISSIA R. MOGEN
FORECLOSURE OF MORTGAGE: 30404
US Bank Trust National Association,
Not In Its Individual Capacity But Solely As Owner Trustee
For VRMTG Asset Trust PO Box 814609 Dallas, TX 75381-4609 Plaintiff, v. Troy A. Gunderman 1539 Meadowview Ct. Hugo, MN 55038 Defendant. THE STATE OF WISCONSIN, To each person named above as a defendant: You are hereby notified that the Plaintiff named above has filed a lawsuit or other legal action against you. The complaint, which is also served upon you, states the nature and basis of the legal action.
Within 40 days after October 31, 2024 you must respond with a written answer, as that term is used in chapter 802 of the Wisconsin Statutes, to the complaint. The court may reject or disregard an answer that does not follow the requirements of the statutes. The answer must be sent or delivered to the court, whose address is Burnett County Courthouse 7410 Co. Rd. K #115, Siren, WI 54872, and to Codilis, Moody & Circelli, P.C., plaintiff’s attorneys, whose address is 15W030 North Frontage Road, Suite 200, Burr Ridge, IL 60527. You may have an attorney help or represent you.
If you do not provide a proper answer within 40 days, the court may grant judgment against you for the award of money or other legal action requested in the complaint, and you may lose your right to object to anything that is or may be incorrect in the complaint. A judgment may be enforced as provided by law. A judgment awarding money may become a lien against any real estate you own now or in the future, and may also be enforced by garnishment or seizure of property. Dated: October 21, 2024.
Codilis, Moody & Circelli, P.C. 15W030 N Frontage Road, Suite 200 Burr Ridge, IL 60527 (414) 775-7700 pleadings@il.cslegal.com 50-24-00870
NOTE: This law firm is a debt collector.
Codilis, Moody & Circelli, P.C. Attorneys for Plaintiff Electronically
Published three times in The Citizen on October 31, November 14 and 28, 2024.
Zephyrs mat star headed for Gophers
BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR
Mahtomedi wrestler Evan McGuire committed last week to the Minnesota Gophers.
"We're thrilled to have Evan join our program," Gophers coach Brandon Eggum stated. "As a local talent with an impressive arc of development, he represents the grit and tradition that Minnesota wrestling is built on. We're excited to see him continue to grow and make his mark on Minnesota wrestling tradition."
McGuire, a senior, was state Class 2A runner-up at 189 pounds last year and placed fourth at 182 as a sophomore. MatScouts rates McGuire as the No. 99 overall recruit in the class and No. 12 at 197 pounds.
The 6-foot-1 athlete was a USA Wrestling Junior Freestyle All-American this summer, placing fifth in nationals at Fargo. He placed eighth in the U.S. Championships.
McGuire was a member of the gold-medal-winning Team USA at the Pan Am Games in June,
where he was 4-0 with three pins in Greco-Roman and 2-1 in Freestyle. He qualified for the national team while wrestling for Pinnacle Wrestling Club of Roseville. Wrestling is one of the U of M’s strongest programs. Since 2000 the Gophers have won three NCAA titles and eight Big Ten titles.
Marauders top Park 3-1
Roseville/Mahtomedi girls hockey won a conference game over Park 3-1 in Cottage Grove. Scoring for the Marauders (3-1) were Rylee Bogren on a power play (assisted by Evelyn McMahon and Olivia Martin),
Olivia Hartman (assisted by Adele Steele) and Sophie Martin with an empty net (assisted by Bogren and Martin). The Marauders outshot the Wolfpack 38-18.
PAUL DOWNEY | CONTRIBUTED
White Bear Lake goalie Marcie Marsden faced 38 shots from Stillwater and stopped this one by Audrey Hackler (27) but the Ponies beat the Bears 6-1. Grace Bailey (16) was back on defense. Amanda Smythe scored for the Bears (1-3) in the third period with assists by Kendall Rosier and Talia Domschot. Sienna Barthelemy had two goals for the Ponies.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Levi Arvig
White Bear Lake Football
Levi Arvig was the leading tackler for the White Bear Lake football team, making 67 stops at middle linebacker, 14 of them solo, with 12 tackles for loss. He also forced three fumbles. The Bears used Arvig offensively in short-yardage plays and he scored three touchdowns. “We loved Levi’s leadership and fearlessness,” said Dustin Holman, defensive coach, adding that the 5-foot-11, 200-pound athlete “improved a ton” from his junior to senior year in his football IQ and consistency as a playmaker. “He was definitely our rock in the front seven; we could always count on him to communicate through adjustments and get his teammates in the right spots.”
Cougar football honors, leaders listed
The Centennial football team had four players named to the All-North District team after a 4-5 season, including Marshawn Carlvin, who was selected for the coaches’ state all-star game.
The all-district picks are seniors Carlvin (offensive/defensive back), Ben Clauson (linebacker) and Alex Johnson (offensive line) and junior Josh O’Shea (defensive line).
Getting honorable mentions were seniors Caden Coppersmith (linebacker) and Evan Just (linebacker) and juniors Caleb Melser (fullback) and Tyler Cook (offensive/defensive line).
Melser was the leading rusher with 173 carries for 646 yards and nine touchdowns. Junior quarterback Isaac Belinski-Strauss carried 102 times for 479 yards and four touchdowns,
while completing 28 of 68 passes for 488 yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions. Brady Haffeman had 59 carries for 344 yards and two touchdowns. Kellen Binder caught 14 passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns, and Max Johnson five for 156 yards and two touchdowns Justin Driver, junior placekicker, was 4-for-4 on field goals and 21-for-23 on extra points for 33 points.
Leading in tackles were Clauson with 83 (26 solo), Caden Coppersmith with 71 (18 solo), Just with 50 (22 solo), Calvin Coppersmith with 47 (23 solo) and Riley Johnson with 45 (18 solo). Carlvin had four of the team’s 10 interceptions and Johnson had two.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26—vs. Spring Lake Park
8:15 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29—vs. Chaska at Hamline University
7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3—at Shakopee High School
GIRLS HOCKEY
7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3—vs. Rogers-MN
BOYS BASKETBALL
9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 30—vs. multiple schools at Forest Lake Area High School
BOYS HOCKEY
7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26—vs. Prior Lake 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29—vs. Blaine 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30—vs. Eastview
7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3—vs. New Prague
6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4—at Champlin Park
TEAM 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4—vs. multiple schools at Maple Grove High School
Bruce Strand
PHOTOS BY JON NAMYST | CONTRIBUTED
Marshawn Carlvin (3) and Ben Clauson (41) were two of the four all-district picks. Clauson led the team in tackles. Carlvin played in the state all-star game.
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CONTRIBUTED Evan McGuire sported Minnesota Gopher colors during signing.
Levi Arvig
CANNABIS: Council continues discussion
FROM PAGE 1 properties in the same zoning district would have different permissions based on proximity.
“Our existing zoning already separates noncompatible uses,” Gort explained. “Performance standards could be put in place to reduce impact on neighboring properties.”
For that reason, city staff recommends the ordinance not include any buffers. (The city does not have any buffers in place for tobacco shops or liquor stores.)
Council Member Becky Petryk wanted to know if the Washington County Sheriff’s Office had been brought into the conversation. Gort said the department was having similar conversations.
Council Member Phil Klein said he didn’t see a big difference between a cannabis operation and a dairy facility in a rural area. He suggested the council follow city staff’s recommendation. “We can always modify that in the future if we need to,” he noted.
Council Member Dave Strub said he agreed buffers weren’t necessary, and that often, Highway 61 would create a buffer. “I think we should be consistent with the rest of our code,” he said.
(Above) WWII veteran Maurice Johnson is helped to his feet during a recent celebration in recognition of his 100th birthday at the Hugo American Legion, featuring friends, family, cake and an honor guard. He survived after being seriously wounded in battle and was awarded a Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, and the Presidential Unit Citation Medal for being the first unit to crack Hitler’s Seigfreid Line.
PHOTOS BY PAUL DOLS
andArts Culture
EMERGING ARTIST: EVELYN RIVARD
WBY LOGAN GION CONTRIBUTING WRITER
hite Bear Lake Freshman Evelyn Rivard defines the “emerging” part of “Emerging Artist.” Case in point, Rivard was attracted to the role of Imogen Herdman in Children’s Performing Arts’ production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” because she “hadn’t done a play yet and thought that was really fun.”
Far from cavalier, Rivard gives this response with an undertone of excitement.
Rather than planning out her Tony Award acceptance speech 20 years from now as theater kids tend to do, Rivard is rapidly absorbing a new interest, remaining open to all possibilities.
Though Rivard has been singing and dancing in musical theater since third grade, this is her first role in a play. To her surprise, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” has made her like acting more than singing and dancing. This is partially because Rivard has been used to ensemble or chorus parts, which tend to be monotonously rousing. “When you’re singing, you’re just in your own kind of mood. You’re happy, you’re dancing, you’re having fun,” Rivard explains. “But when you’re acting, it gives you more possibilities to open up and be like somebody else.” As a fledgling actor, Rivard believes that her strength is that she has range. “I could go from being
CBY LOGAN GION CONTRIBUTING WRITER
a very rude person to a very sweet person,” she explains.
Rivard admits, though, that she’s currently working to “pronunciate,” a theater term that combines “pronounce” and “enunciate.”
Rivard is also learning how her character is both similar and different from herself.
“I’m very in the lead,” Rivard compares. “I like to be the first in everything. I’m very loud. I’m not exactly a rude person, though, and I feel like Imogene’s got some brattiness to her.”
In future roles, Rivard hopes to further explore more outsized roles. “I think fun, out-of-world kind of stuff gives me an opportunity to be somebody else,” she says, giving The White Rabbit in “Alice in Wonderland”
A DIFFERENT BEST “PAGEANT” EVERY TIME
hildren’s Performing Arts ran into unexpected competition with its production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”—the movie theater.
While a new cinematic version of Barbara Robinson’s 1972 children’s novel hit cineplexes last month, seventh grader and CPA cast member Harriet Erickson believes there’s room for both versions. “If you watch a theater production, it’s always gonna be different. Whereas if you watch a movie, it’s always gonna be the same thing no matter how many times you watch it.”
Every version of the story revolves around Beth Bradley’s experience of her mother, Grace, taking over the church Christmas pageant just as local hellions, the Herdman children, audition for the
show, attracted by free Sunday School refreshments. The resulting chaos that ensues tests the Bradley family and the entire community’s sanity. As the Bradleys learn more about the Herdmans, however, they discover, as Erickson puts it, “The magic of Christmas isn’t just putting on a nice show. It’s about getting together as a community and celebrating your differences.”
Director Evan Heil promises that CPA’s version of “Best Christmas Pageant” has “a lot of unique choices that, if you’ve seen the show before, this is gonna be a different take.” Heil tempers that statement, however, with nostalgia for the source material. “I read the story as a kid. My parents read the story…” Heil relates. Beyond the book, however, he’s purposefully avoided watching any staged or filmed version of the material. “I’m trying not to let
Was an example. She has also noticed how theater is helping her grow to be more communicative. “I feel like I’m more friendly after doing theater for so long. I’ve just kind of learned to bond with people,” Rivard states.
In a world where teenagers are pressured about their future, their dreams, and their life plan, Rivard’s personal goals and observations regarding theater are refreshingly concrete. She is letting curiosity drive a newfound passion without an end goal necessarily in mind. Ironically, though new to acting, Rivard clearly has one of the hardest fundamentals of the craft already mastered— being present in the moment.
that influence my opinions of things,” he explains, “I don’t imagine that it’ll be exactly like any other [version] because how can it be?”
Whatever the final version looks like, audiences will be sure to enjoy this version of the story because of the effort and work the cast is putting in on a much shorter timeline than the movie had. Comments Erickson, “In theater, it’s not always professional actors and there’s no like special effects. They can’t edit stuff out. So if something happens, it happens, and we just roll with it.”
That attitude sounds like the one Grace Bradley had to adopt.
CPA’s production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” runs Friday, Dec. 13 through Sunday, Dec. 15 at LILA Performing Arts Center in Forest Lake. For more details, visit childrensperformingartsmn.org
DIRECTOR CALLS UPON PAST GHOSTS TO PRESENT LAKESHORE’S
BY LOGAN GION CONTRIBUTING WRITER
hen approaching “A Christmas Carol,” Director Kivan Kirk of Lakeshore Players was struck by a scene in Charles Dickens’ book in which Ebenezer Scrooge revisits his exfiancee, Belle, and she brings up their shared impoverished past. Scrooge responds, “This is the even-handed dealing of the world!” [Scrooge] said. “There is nothing on which it is so hard as poverty…” To understand Scrooge, then, Kirk connected with his own painful past. “I grew up incredibly poor, and I moved all the
DECEMBER EVENTS
Explore upcoming Avenue of the Arts events with CPA, LPT and WBCA
“A CHRISTMAS CAROL”
time,” Kirk shares. “One of our actual sources of income was my stepfather and I going to the dumpster behind a Casey’s and pulling out all the cans and water bottles…” He explains that his upbringing left him with anger and arrogance to overcome: “If I can rise, if I can work 40 hours a week on top of high school, and I can manage to save enough money and I can do this, why can’t you? … And I think that’s a lot of what Scrooge feels.”
Kirk, however, had modern-day resources to combat “those pathways of fear running through my head on a daily basis.” Given the bleak reality of Victorian England, Kirk states, “It’s understandable to see where
MEMBERS’ EXHIBITION COMMUNITY RECEPTION
Location: White Bear Center for the Arts
Date: Thursday, December 5, 3:30-8:30 PM
Details: Celebrate WBCA members at the Members’ Exhibition Community Reception where you can view the artwork, visit with artists, listen to live music, and have fun. All are welcome to this free, open-house-style event.
Scrooge got where he got—not that it’s something we can condone—But also, people like Scrooge are the natural consequence of severe poverty.” This production of “A Christmas Carol,” then, is about “detangling these things that went into creating this traumatized human.”
Such a journey promises spectacle, as Kirk’s team plans to lean into the fantastical elements of shackled spirits and time travel. “We want to give the sense that we’re traveling over London at great heights, right?” Kirk states.
“It’s not just like, ‘Hey, let’s go deep into your past and talk about who you are.’ But he goes on this epic journey too.” The crew is especially excited to
WINTER OPEN HOUSE
Location: White Bear Center for the Arts
Date: Saturday, January 11, 1:00-3:00 PM
Details: WBCA’s Winter Open House is a free, family-oriented afternoon full of art activities, sled dogs, snow painting, ice carving, and more.
show off projection technology to evoke the eeriness of Scrooge’s experience. Kirk asserts that the spooky elements are traditional, but they won’t overshadow the enduring appeal of Charles Dickens’ story. “Knowing how so many people were hurting, [Dickens] took that, and he made something beautiful. …” Kirk remarks, “I think there’s something to be said for the kind of pathway to a better self and a better humanity.”
“A Christmas Carol” is running at Hanifl Performing Arts Center now through Dec. 17. For more details, visit lakeshoreplayers.org.
YOGA IN THE GALLERY
Location: White Bear Center for the Arts
Date: Tuesdays, December 3-January 14, 12:00-1:15 PM
Details: This unique class blends mindful, purposeful movement with deep meditative practices, offering a powerful reset for your body and mind during the lunch hour. Register at WhiteBearArts.org
FINANCIAL PLANNING
The basics of financial literacy
A financial safety net can help people navigate the ups and downs of life. Developing that safety net requires a measure of financial literacy that anyone can nurture.
What is financial literacy?
The United States Department of Education defines financial literacy as an understanding of how to earn, manage and invest money. That recognition can increase the chances that individuals make sound financial decisions, thus setting them up for long-term success and stability.
What makes financial literacy so important?
The benefits of financial literacy are not limited to theoretical notions such as the ability to understand money makes individuals more likely to make sound decisions regarding their finances. Indeed, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) notes that financial literacy has been proven to produce positive results. In its National Financial Capability Study released in 2022, the FINRA found that respondents who exhibited higher financial literacy were more likely to make ends meet than those without such knowledge. Sixty-five percent of respondents
with higher financial literacy were able to set aside three months’ of emergency funds at higher levels than respondents with lower literacy levels. The study also linked financial literacy to long-term stability, as more than half of respondents (52 percent) with higher financial literacy
calculated their retirement savings needs, an important step that fewer than one in three (29 percent) with lower literacy levels had taken.
What are some additional benefits of financial literacy?
Individuals are often confronted
with a host of options when making financial decisions. That includes choices regarding bank accounts and credit cards, which are two variables related to financial literacy that individuals encounter every day. Individuals with financial literacy can pick a bank account that most suits their needs, whether that’s standard accounts like checking and savings or something more unique like a high-yield savings account. Knowledge of financial basics also can prepare individuals to choose the right credit card, which can be a more difficult decision than choosing a bank account given the number of different cards available. Low-APR, no-APR, travel rewards, cash-back cards, and balance transfer cards are some of the options consumers can choose from when picking a credit card. Financial literacy increases the chances consumers pick the card that best suits their short- and long-term needs.
Financial literacy can help people navigate challenges that periodically arise during the course of everyone’s life. Taking time to learn some financial basics can set people up for long-term economic health.
