Franconia to host summer solstice festival

Franconia Sculpture Park will host the Midsummer: A Summer Solstice Festival from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 17, followed by a night sky viewing of the new moon with the Minnesota Astronomical Society at 10 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Drawing on the popularity of Franconia’s 2021 Summer Solstice Performance Festival which was positively reviewed in MIT’s Performance Art Journal, Midsummer: a Summer Solstice Festival continues the Swedish tradition of celebrating the longest day of the year. Curated by Franconia’s outgoing Executive Director Ginger Shulick Porcella, Midsummer is a celebration of light and love, the festival will include performances throughout the late afternoon and evening by ten local performance artists, followed by a sunset observation and an intention-setting bonfire. Franconia is thrilled to capstone the event with a special late-night viewing of the new moon on the darkest night of the summer, courtesy of the Minnesota Astronomical Society who will be providing telescopes for visitors. Other traditional Midsummer activities for visitors include creating flower crowns with Franconia’s native flowers, creating solstice suncatchers, and creating a collaborative solstice altar. Center City Swine Circus food truck will be on site during the festival. A full program and event schedule is available at www.franconia.org.

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County Briefs

cation of efficient engineering management principles and standards for the economic design, construction, maintenance, and operation of public works facilities.

In addition, Sandberg was re-elected as the North-Central Region Vice President of NACE at its recent annual meeting held via videoconference. Sandberg’s term will run through April 2024.

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Sandberg honored by national county engineers’ association

Wayne Sandberg, Washington County Public Works director, was recognized by the National Association of County Engineers (NACE) as NACE’s Urban County Engineer of the Year.

This award recognizes Sandberg’s exceptional appli-

“I am honored and humbled by this opportunity to serve the nation’s county road professionals,” said Sandberg. “County infrastructure is the basis for a successful American economy. From getting goods to market to ensuring a safe and efficient ride to and from work for our residents, county-owned transportation infrastructure will lead the way towards economic prosperity for decades to come.”

Sandberg began his tenure with Washington County in 1999, and has been county engineer since 2011. Additionally, he has served on the board of directors of the Minnesota County Engineers Association from 2017-2018 and as its president in 2019. He also serves as treasurer of the Minnesota Transportation Alliance.

NACE is a nonprofit, nonpartisan professional association in its 67th year, representing more than 3,000 county road officials and related professionals in the United States and Canada. In the United states, local roads account for about 75% of highways and roads, or 2.93 million miles. Counties manage 1.74 million miles of those roads. Counties also own 231,000 bridges and operate one-third of the nation’s transit systems.

County will put ‘mumble strips’ in Manning Avenue to increase safety

Washington County will install “mumble strips” along Manning Avenue from County State Aid Highway 12 to 240th Street in the cities of Stillwater, Grant, and Scandia, and Stillwater and May townships after the County Board approved a $137,498 contract with Century Fence to install them.

There is a history of serious and fatal crashes along this stretch of Manning Avenue, or County Highway 15, with several involving head-on collisions. To combat these safety concerns, the county developed a plan to install rumble strips at the center line along this corridor. In 2020, Washington County applied for a Highway Safety Improvement Program grant administered by the Minnesota Department of Transportation and was awarded funds to complete the project.

The project will put a wave pattern that is milled into the centerline of the roadway that, when crossed, notifies drivers that they are crossing the centerline. There is a break in the strips at side streets.

The majority of the cost of the project will be paid for with the safety improvement grant; the remainder will be paid for with County Program Aid.

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June

June 28-July 3 vs. Gwinnett Stripers here are 150 different types of headaches, with the most common being tension, migraine, and cluster headaches. More than 36 million people experience migraine headaches in America, which is 12 percent of the entire population. According to the World Health Organization, one in seven people suffer from migraines worldwide. Migraines affect men, women, as well as children, and an estimated 10 percent of American children suffer from them.

Healthy habits and simple remedies sometimes stop migraines before they start. Medicine is a proven way to both treat and prevent migraines. But medicine is only part of the story. It’s also important to take good care of yourself and understand how to cope with migraine pain when it strikes. The same lifestyle choices that promote overall good health can reduce the number of migraines you have and lessen the migraine pain. Here are just a few tips that may help lessen headaches / migraines:

• Find a calm environment.

• Turn off the lights. Light and sound can make migraine pain worse. Relax in a dark, quiet room. Sleep if you can.

• Try temperature therapy. Apply hot or cold compresses to your head or neck. Ice packs have a numbing effect, which may dull the pain. Hot packs and heating pads can relax tense muscles. Warm showers or baths may have a similar effect.

• Unwind at the end of the day to sleep well. Lessen distractions; use a fan to muffle distracting noises. Establish regular sleep hours, but don’t try so hard to sleep as it can make you more awake. Read or do another quiet activity until you become drowsy.

• Sip a caffeinated drink. In small amounts, caffeine alone can relieve migraine pain in the early stages. Caffeine also may enhance the pain-reducing effects of acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) and aspirin. Be careful, however. Drinking too much caffeine too often can lead to withdrawal headaches later. And having caffeine too late in the day may interfere with sleep, which can affect migraines.

Eat wisely, and don’t skip meals. Be consistent; eat at about the same time every day. Fasting can increase the risk of migraines. Keep a food journal and avoid foods that trigger migraines. Keeping track of the foods you eat and when you have migraines can help you find potential food triggers. These foods may include aged cheese, chocolate, caffeine and alcohol.

• Exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy weight. During physical activity, your body releases certain chemicals that block pain signals to your brain. These chemicals also help reduce anxiety and depression — two conditions that can make migraines worse.

• Simplify your life, and manage your time wisely.

• Manage stress, and enjoy yourself. Find time to do something you enjoy for at least 15 minutes every day, i.e. playing a game, having coffee with a friend or pursuing a hobby.

• Relax. Deep breathing from your diaphragm can help you relax. Focus on inhaling and exhaling slowly and deeply for at least 10 minutes every day. It may help to relax your muscles, one group at a time. When you’re done, sit quietly for a minute or two. your needs. We specialize in yearround Grounds Maintenance,

Living with migraines is a daily challenge. But making healthy lifestyle choices can help. Ask your friends and loved ones for support. If you’re feeling anxious or depressed, consider joining a support group or seeking counseling. Believe in your ability to take control of the pain.

This information was found on www.nationaltoday. com and www.mayoclinic.org.

Warneke receives the Meritorious Service Award

Washington County Sheriff’s Office Lt. John Warneke was presented with the Meritorious Service Award by Sheriff Dan Starry. Warneke has served in the sheriff’s office for more than 30 years working as a correctional officer, correctional sergeant and assistant jail administrator. According to Starry, Warneke has had a long and distinguished career, and has been an example of true professionalism. As a recipient of the Meritorious Service Award, Warneke distinguished himself through extraordinary service to the community and the Sheriff’s Office.

County Board approves CDA’s annual plan

The Community Development Agency (CDA) administers the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) programs. Each year, the county prepares an annual action plan detailing its intended use of the CDBG and HOME funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The funded activities must address the priorities identified in the 2020-2024 plan. The highest priorities are:

• Affordable housing, both rental and homeownership, either new construction or rehabilitation.

• Emergency and transitional shelters.

• Homelessness assistance.

• Housing and services for special needs populations. The CDBG/HOME 2023 program year runs from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024. The CDA solicited HOME applications for the 2023 Program Year in January. CDA staff and the CDBG Citizen Advisory Committee reviewed the six applications received and the funding allocations. The 2023 Annual Action Plan contains those programs and projects that are eligible for funding and meet the funding priorities of the Consolidated Plan.

The projects funded by CDGB funding are:

• Habitat for Humanity scattered site programs, for $95,000, to provide one affordable unit.

• Two Rivers Land Trust scattered site programs, for $183,457 for the acquisition and rehabilitation of three affordable units.

• Accessible space at Hillcrest in Stillwater, using $29,671 for parking lot replacement to serve 24 units.

• Home Improvement Loan Program, to provide $245,000 to rehabilitate 10 units.

• –Washington County housing crisis funding for $127,061 for homelessness prevention that reached 540 persons.

Projects funded by the HOME program was used for MWF Developers of Red Rock II for $253,939 for the creation of 51 affordable rental units. Additional funds were set aside for Community Housing Development Organizations, and for administration of the programs.

McNamara Contracting will do signal, ADA improvements on county roadways

McNamara Contracting will do upgrades to county roadways in Oakdale and Lake Elmo. The intersection improvements will be done on County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 13 and Fourth Street North/Hudson Boulevard within the city of Lake Elmo and the city of Oakdale. Improvements include flashing yellow arrow installation, pedestrian/ADA upgrades, and storm water improvements. The work will be at the intersection that is approximately a quarter-mile north of Interstate 94 on the border of Lake Elmo and Oakdale. The city of Oakdale recently completed improvements on Fourth Street North. Funding for the project will come from state aid and proceeds from the wheelage tax.

County Board accepts donations to county for first quarter 2023

The Washington County Board of Commissioners accepted donations made to the county during the first quarter of 2023. Cash gifts to the library totaled $2,339.51. Many of the donations were made in honor of Judy Bull, a former member of the county’s library board. Other donations were made in honor of Mike Gallatin. In addition, the library receives donations through donation boxes at the library branches. The county’s parks received $226 for the Historic Courthouse restoration and park and trail enhancements. The sheriff’s office received a $250 donation for community engagement. The People’s Congregational Church in Bayport provided $550 in gift cards from local service stations to community services. Total first quarter donations were $3,365.51. County will contract for summer engineering services

The Washington County Board of Commissioners has approved contracts with two firms to assist with road construction projects that the county will undertake this summer. The county will oversee 13 projects valued at more than $20 million. Due to the construction workload, additional personnel, resources and expertise will be needed to administer the projects.

Two of the contracts are with WSB & Associates. The first contract, for $754,830, is for project administration and inspection services to support road and bridge construction, and the second contract is for $150,000 for project surveying and staking. The crews also stake right of way, easements and proposed utility alignments for the projects on specific road and trail projects. The third contract, for $150,000, is with Alliant Engineering Inc. for environmental inspection services for the projects.

The contracts will be paid from state aid funds, local contributions and levy proceeds.

In addition to the contract work, county employees will administer seven projects, inspect eight projects and survey six projects.

County approves trail easements for Hugo roadway project

The Washington County Board of Commissioners, sitting as the Regional Railroad Authority, has agreed to easements along the Hardwood Creek Regional Trail in Hugo to allow for improvements to 159th Street on the east side of Highway 61. The Hardwood Creek trail is built on former Burlington Northern Railroad Company railroad right of way in Hugo and Forest Lake. As former railroad right of way, the trail is overseen by the Regional Railroad Authority, and any needed crossings have to be managed within the regional rail management plan.

The city of Hugo, together with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, is in the process of making improvements to the intersection at 159th

Street and Highway 61 in Hugo. The improvements require the reconfiguration of the intersection to allow for the construction and operation of a roundabout to address the offset of the 159th Street extension on the east side of Highway 61. This will affect easements on the former railroad right of way, which is located on the west side.

The roundabout design will require the reconfiguration of the intersection and crossing over the regional rail property, requiring both permanent and temporary easements for the project. The proposed plans have been reviewed, taking into account the safety and mobility of the operation of the Hardwood Creek Regional Trail within the railway corridor. County receives additional funds to support those in need of homes

Washington County will receive an additional $1.165 million in one-time funding that will be used to help those who are homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless. These funds will primarily be used for direct assistance to prevent homelessness and include payments for past-due rent of up to three months, first months’ rent and damage deposit, utility assistance and some moving costs.

The county board accepted the funds from the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for the Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program; these additional funds are expected to be available June 1. Washington County has applied for and received the program funding since 2007 and has contracted with community providers to use the funds to stabilize families and individuals in their existing homes, shorten the amount of time that people spend in emergency shelter, and assist people with securing transitional or permanent affordable housing. Now, the additional funds will be added to the program for a total grant award of $1.689 million for the current biennium ending Sept. 30.

Washington County will provide the funds to two providers to be used to prevent homelessness. Solid Ground primarily serves youth and adult families and Community Action Plan of Ramsey and Washington serves youth and adults without children. The county will use funds to support the program administration and to hire a navigator. The goal of this position is to coordinate across the county’s economic support programs and community providers to create a continuum of assistance for households that have been denied one of the county’s emergency assistance programs.

The board also approved a contract with a hotel in the county for a do-not-exceed amount of $450,000 to secure rooms to provide emergency housing to individuals experiencing homelessness in the county. The contract will run through Dec. 31. In the past, the county contracted with two hotels to provide services. The transition to one hotel is expected to streamline the logistics and administration of the program, ensure adequate staffing and increase the efficiency of providing services. County will collect household hazardous waste, electronics in Forest Lake Washington County will conduct a one-day household hazardous waste and electronics collection from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 3, in Forest Lake. The collection will be at the Forest Lake Transit Center, 19987 Fitzgerald Trail N.. One-day collections bring the services offered at the Washington County Environmental Center closer to residents, making it more convenient and practical for them to recycle and dispose of their electronics and household hazardous waste. Confidential document shredding will be available at the event.