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HOLIDAY LIGHTS CONTEST: Find out who is in the lead PAGES 10-11

Greetings from

YEAR IN REVIEW

BY SHANNON GRANHOLM LEAD EDITOR

As each year comes to an end, it is a tradition of the Quad Community Press to

look back at some of the most memorable stories of the year. Although 2020 brought its fair share of challenges, it wasn’t all bad. Some of the 2020’s highlights included:

Creamery Crossing (Rusty Cow) opening its doors in Circle Pines; new city and police leadership; a Lino Lakes teen speed skater making Team USA; new ways

to celebrate birthdays, prom, graduation and the holidays; Centennial youth organizing a peaceful protest; Surfside Seaplane Base celebrating 50 years; Centennial

Elementary becoming a Blue Ribbon school and much more.

SEE YEAR IN REVIEW, PAGES 12-17

New program helps officers manage stress When the Centennial Lakes Police Department (CLPD) moved into its current building in Circle Pines in 2006, there was a big focus on physical fitness. Now, 14 years later, law enforcement agencies are realizing mental health is just as important as physical health.

“You see the news and you see the stress the officers are going through, and you wonder what

can you do for the people you work with. We are concerned for their well-being, both on duty and off duty,” CLPD Chief Jim Mork said.

Mork and Lt. Pat Aldrich began looking into therapists, researching programs and asking their colleagues for recommendations. They were impressed with what the learned about Marie Ridgeway & Associates.

“We saw they had a program that's been successful, and a lot of officers gave really good reviews. We thought this is the time to make a little

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bit of an investment that should really pay off with big dividends in the long term,” Mork said.

Marie Ridgeway opened her practice in 2017.

Her fi rst client was the Blaine Police Department.

Ridgeway worked alongside law enforcement for several years in child protection and on a county psychiatric crisis response team.

“There was a lot of mutual respect about what the other does, which made our common goal SEE MENTAL HEALTH, PAGE 3

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Community create special surprises for seniors

BY SHANNON GRANHOLM LEAD EDITOR

Community members have stepped up to ensure that seniors (and their families) at Good Life Senior Living in Hugo do not feel alone this holiday season.

“It’s COVID season, and my heart breaks for those who sit day in and day out without any visitors,” said Hugo resident Amy Kriegshauser. “I have worked in EMS for a long time, and I know that the seniors struggle the most, especially around the holidays.”

Kriegshauser is a member of the Hugo Fire Department and a former firefighter/ paramedic with the White Bear Lake Fire Department. She has been out of work for a year and a half, as she is recovering from breaking her leg on a fire scene.

Kriegshauser has a heart for giving.

This is the fourth year she has chosen a cause and collected donations as a way to contribute to her community. “There are so many people willing to give, they just need someone to coordinate and put it together. I have really come to enjoy these endeavors, even when I bite off more than I can chew,” she explained.

The first year, she collected board games for the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital. The second year, she collected fleece blankets and sent them around the world to children who have LCHAD (Long-chain L-3 hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency). The third year, she collected items for nurses at Lakeview Hospital, and this year she chose to collect items for seniors.

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Seniors at Good Life Senior Living were in for some big surprises last week. Community members stepped up to not only surprise the residents with gifts, but also their families.

Adopt a senior Kriegshauser lives blocks away from Good Life Senior Living and has participated in some of the drive-by parades on Highway 61. “I realized how something so simple could make the day of these residents,” she said.

She reached out to Community Life Coordinator Sarah Cairns to see if they would be open to the adopta-senior concept, and they were on board. Kriegshauser reached out to fellow Hugonians on social media to see if there was enough interest in adopting all 32 residents for Christmas. “It didn’t take long to see that not only would we be able to pull this off, it was going to be magical,” she said.

Cairns said, “I’m amazed at the support we continuously get from the city of Hugo. It makes my heart so full to know the residents are so supported and loved.”

Good Life staff got to work creating

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Terri LaValle donated her time and materials to create 29 small pieces of wood and decals. Good Life Community Life Coordinator Sarah Cairns recorded a message from each of the residents. LaValle then attached each of the recordings to a QR code, which she placed on the creations from the residents. The gifts were given to the residents’ families.

a list for what each senior might enjoy receiving. More than 60 families shopped for their assigned senior and bought items such as slippers, fuzzy socks, pajamas, clothing, sweets, word finds, puzzles and crafts. Lakeview Family Dentistry also donated gift bags for each senior. Multiple truckloads of gifts were dropped off on Dec. 23 and seniors opened them on Christmas Eve. “The willingness of people to help someone they’ve never even met is the epitome of public service,” Kriegshauser said. “I love that we live in a community of people who are happy to step up and help out.”

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QR messages Cairns reached out to Hugonians on social media too, to see if anyone was willing to help her make gifts for residents to give to their families. Terri LaValle was one of the many who responded. “I was so happy to do it for them because it is something that I would treasure if I were one of their family members,” she said.

LaValle donated materials and her time to create 29 small pieces of wood and decals, which were then given to the residents to paint. Cairns recorded a message from each of the residents.

LaValle then attached each of the recordings to a QR code, which she placed

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Amy Kriegshauser drops off the first of many car loads of gifts for the seniors. Thankfully, all of the gifts were dropped off before the blizzard.

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on the creations from the residents.

“My husband died 17 years ago, and my son died 16 years ago. I never want to forget the sound of their voices. Every day in my head I kind of recreate their voices or try to listen to their voices in my head so never forget sound of their voice,” she said. “To me, the sound of somebody’s voice, especially after they are gone, is such a treasure.”

Cairns added, “It brings tears to my eyes. I know it will be special for the residents.”

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

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MENTAL HEALTH: Program strengthens officers’ ability to overcome adversity FROM PAGE 1

really possible when we worked together,” Ridgeway explained. “Being a trauma therapist was my specialty, so it ended up being a good fit and I could tell that there were very few therapists doing this work, and there was clearly a need.”

Ridgeway now has six other associates who help her with the practice, which serves around 30 agencies, police and fi re, as well as some emergency room workers and ICU doctors. The business has two locations, in Shoreview and Bloomington.

In addition to Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) (continuing education) on officer wellness, Marie Ridgeway also offers a customized wellness program called POWER, which stands for Police Officer Wellness by Enhancing Resiliency.

In the case of CLPD, officers will be required to attend a yearly check-in with a therapist, beginning in 2021.

“It gives everybody the option and the ability to get that help, but then it also removes the stigma,” Mork said.

Ridgeway added, “If everyone is checking in, then no one feels singled out. It just kind of normalizes the stress

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response that anybody would have to these levels of stress exposures. The idea is that once you know someone who can help, it is easier to reach out for help if you ever need it.”

Ridgeway explained that the check-in appointments are not therapy or an evaluation, but rather a consultation and conversation about wellness.

A main focus is stress accumulation.

Ridgeway said this year, she has seen an increased need for support. “I think the lack of community support has really been a drain on public safety. Finding ways to up the support from where they can get it is critical,” she said. “Feeling supported is really a protective factor for stress, and so it is a really sad situation that has occurred this year. It has certainly taken a toll.” She added that

COVID-19, distance learning and civil unrest have all lead to increased stress.

Mork said his overall hope for the new program is “to see an entire department of healthy officers. We have got a really good group of people that are dealing well with things now, but you just never know if someone has something going on. It could be in their personal life, financial, marital or a

relationship that they are bottling up and trying to keep a lid on.

“This gives them an opportunity to work through that and manage that stress better and perform better at work and at home. That’s a big win.”

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

CIRCLE PINES CITY COUNCIL NOTES The Circle Pines City Council took the following action at its Dec. 22 meeting, held remotely via videoconference: • Heard from Mayor Dave Bartholomay, who mentioned he “attended” the virtual celebration for retiring Blaine Mayor Tom Ryan.

• Reminded residents the city survey is available online at ci.circle-pines. mn.us. Bartholomay said that as of Dec. 22, around 300 people had already participated.

• Approved Metro-INET joint powers agreement (JPA). Metro-INET is not only the city’s IT service provider, but also the police department and fire district. The agreement establishes the organization as a JP entity, rather than an entity of the city of Roseville.

“The city has been great to work with, but formalizing this as a JP entity will really allow each member organization to have a say in the direction of Metro INET, the budget and security initiatives,” said City Administrator Patrick Antonen.

Council Member Dean Goldberg

said he initially had some concerns with the agreement.

“Anytime you get 35 people around a table — it is hard enough when you have 12 … While this is a great example of how local government works together, it is because there is only one boss, the city of Roseville, and this does change that,” Goldberg explained. “My expectation is that the city managers are able to sit around a table, 35 of them and probably more as more cities come on board, that they still focus on things like great service at low cost without goofing up what has been in place.” Council Member Jennifer Rauner said she was also a bit concerned about having that many directors in the organization.

Antonen said he didn’t foresee any issues, and that all of the involved city managers and administrators have a “best possible service at the lowest possible cost” mindset.

Council Member Matt Percy said, “I like this option, because I think this gives us a little bit more control that

we didn’t have before. We have more of a voice at the table.”

Council Member Steve McChesney wanted to know about how each city’s portion of the budget was determined.

Antonen explained it is very much based on the services provided. Even though the city of Centerville has a similar population to the city of Circle Pines, the city of Circle Pines has more staff and utilizes more services due to the operation of its own utility.

• Approved pay voucher No. 8 in the amount of $13,850 to Kuechle Underground for the 2020 street and utility project.

• Approved an electronic funds transfer policy. Due to increased reliance on technology for sending and receiving payments, the staff and auditors are recommending adoption of an electronic funds transfer policy. The purpose of the policy is to set forth the circumstances under which the city may make electronic funds transfers according to Minnesota Statute 471.38.

In addition, the city will provide PMA Financial Network LLC with a form designating employees who are authorized to make electronic payments, bank wires, etc. This form will be updated annually and issued to the city’s financial institutes.

• Approved a resolution that establishes the nonunion salary schedule for 2021.

The schedule mirrors the 2021 union contract with a 2.75% salary increase effective Jan. 1 and an increase of $50 in health benefits a month.

• Adopted a resolution approving two special assessments for the 2020 full reconstruction project. The city’s assessment policy allows for a hardship deferral for individuals if the assessment amount is greater than 1.5% of their income.

• Adjourned to a work session to discuss an upcoming ditch project in 2022.

The next City Council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12.

Shannon Granholm

4

QUAD COMMUNITY PRESS

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DECEMBER 29, 2020

What a year it has been

I

n this edition of the paper you are going to see our annual “Year in Review.” Our staff at Press Publications dedicated many hours to highlighting the top stories of the year in all of our papers. While the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to overshadow most of the headlines, our papers also brought readers numerous stories of perseverance and kindness in a year marked by tragedy and uncertainty. I hope you enjoy reflecting back on the happenings of 2020, even if it is a year that many of us would like to put behind us.

Publisher’s View Carter Johnson

Thank you We are so thankful for our subscribers, advertisers and customers.

In hard times, you let us know we mattered to you. We couldn’t have survived this year without you, and we pledge to do our best to report the local news and information that is important to you – both good and bad. Keep reading and share the good news with your neighbors and friends.

Outpouring of support Throughout our communities are numerous nonprofit organizations — food shelves, service organizations, churches, homeless shelters, counseling centers, school programs and many others — who are providing help to those in need. We strive to share their stories. As a newspaper, we can’t be all things to all people, but we are in a unique position to help people be informed and connect with the community they live in. Readers and residents in the communities we serve often look to us for a variety of information that extends beyond the pages of our paper, and we are happy to help connect them with businesses, organizations and other resources when we can. Reach out to us by phone or email if you ever have questions.

We might not know the answer, but there is a pretty good chance we have written a story or have contacts to help you connect.

Relaxed one-pot weeknight meals

Going green I’ve definitely become a more aware of being “green” in recent years. I have a few friends and neighbors who are carbon-neutral and I have gotten to a point that I’m somewhat embarrassed when I fire up my lawnmower to mow the lawn. This year at Press, we participated in a program to convert to electric lawnmowers and equipment. This summer the Press Publications lawn was mowed using a 100% electric lawnmower purchased at Hugo Equipment. A Ramsey County grant allowed us to purchase an electric leaf blower, line trimmer, hedge trimmer lawnmower and edger. We have three batteries, one with a larger amperage so we’re able to do the mowing without waiting for a charge. Electric equipment has come a long way with brushless motor technology, lithium ion batteries, and lighter and stronger materials. Thank you to Ramsey County for the opportunity—they challenged us with this grant. If your residence or business has a smaller lawn footprint, I encourage you to check out electric equipment at our local lawn and garden centers.

To think in 2010 we set a goal to reduce energy usage by 20%, and achieved it in a few years with the help of Hallberg Engineering, who provided an energy reduction program, and the city of White Bear Lake with a grant that allowed us to convert 3 of our 4 toilets.

With the savings, we reinvested in a drinking fountain with a fi lter and bottle fi ller. Our Press fleet also includes a fully electric cargo van (EV) and a hybrid truck, and we plan to continue to move toward fully autonomous electric vehicles in the future.

Dinner drive If you’re looking for something to do this week, grab some cash, order take-out dinner and take a drive through the holiday lights tour that has been featured in the pages of the Press. I suggest paying in cash because if you’re trying to support our local businesses and use a credit card they take a hit of 2-5%. If you order by way of a food delivery service, they take another hit of 20% or more. Our local restaurants need 100% of your support.

Have a Happy New Year – and cheers to 2021!

Carter Johnson is publisher of Press Publications.

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During the week I don’t want to spend my time sweating over a fancy multi pot dinner when I could be doing a million other things.

December is a busy time of year.

Let’s get this out of the way.

Food is my thing—it’s what I do. I enjoy every aspect of baking, cooking, creating, curating, and tasting.

Wild But there is a threshold and Chow it involves dishes, time, Lisa Erickson and stress.

My family loves a good meal, but we all hate doing the dishes and spending a bunch of time in the kitchen on a weeknight. Everyone is busy with work, college homework, working out, or spending time doing some of our favorite hobbies. Long drawn-out meals usually don’t work.

Recently, I’ve been thinking about meals and food differently. I am reading a book called The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker.

In her book, Parker suggests thinking about the reasons

“why” we gather. It got me thinking about “why” we eat and share meals.

The number one reason is to fi ll our bellies, but there’s a lot more happening at “dinner” than just eating. It’s a time to check-in with your family and hear about their day, share stories, and support one another.

It also got me thinking about what it’s not. It’s not a time to add stress, recipe test, or experiment. During the week, it’s a time to eat a tasty and healthy meal while spending some “relaxed” time together—that’s it.

This recipe is very good and easy to make. It’s hearty and uncomplicated. It’s the perfect meal to set the stage for good family conversation.

Lentil Soup Adapted from Ina Garten Serves 4 8 oz. lentils, brown or green 3 tbsp. olive oil, 3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 to 3 onions) 1 garlic clove, minced ½ tsp. dried thyme ¼ teaspoon cumin ½ tsp. salt and freshly ground Black pepper 2 cups celery, chopped 2 cups carrots, chopped

8 cups chicken stock 3 tbsp. tomato paste ½ pound good quality sausage, like kielbasa or polish sausage, cut into small pieces Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving In a large bowl, pour 4 cups of boiling water over the lentils. Let the lentils rest for 15 minutes. Strain and set aside.

In a large pot, over medium heat, cook the onion in the olive oil until soft and tender; about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, cumin, salt, and pepper, celery, and carrots; cook for another 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and lentils; bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

In a small fry pan, over medium-high heat, cook the sausage pieces until lightly browned on each side. Add to the soup and cook for 30 more minutes. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

Lisa Erickson, is food columnist. You can reach Lisa at thatsmywildchow@gmail. com or check out her blog at wild-chow.com.

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Shifting gears: School bus drivers miss their kids

BY KATIE LEIBEL CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A few weeks ago, Press Publications received a letter from a bus driver in School District 624. The letter, from Daniel Giossi, was about his experience as a bus driver for White Bear Lake Area Schools.

The letter read, “Over the years I’ve had many kids on the bus. Some, of course, more introverted than others.

With the very limited time I have, I try to be friendly, learn names and work to get them out of their shell.”

Giossi’s letter went on to describe a kindergartner this year who was fi lled with confidence, smiled and called him by name. Giossi loved seeing his kids on the bus, but with so many who are now studying from home, it’s been harder for him to check in with them, provide support or interact with both the kids and parents in the community.

He hopes the kindergartner he knows won’t crawl back into her shell.

Among many of the worries that parents are facing amid the pandemic are concerns that their children will regress in their education and social skills. There’s also the worry of how different

industries and employees, including school bus drivers, are handling the sudden shift to at-home learning. The bus drivers who transport Centennial and White Bear Lake Area school students are doing their best to stay positive.

“Last spring COVID-19 hit, and our spring break went on all summer. Aside from delivering meals, I had extra time to work in my garden,” Giossi said.

Giossi noted that he is still working, delivering meals and driving kids who are having trouble with distance learning, but much has changed.

“School started in September with a hybrid model. This left us with far fewer passengers but more training, mostly with (personal protective equipment) and cleaning the bus after each group,” Giossi said.

And, like employees in other industries, they have faced new challenges.

“The obvious ones are extra training, dealing with PPEs and all the extra cleaning. Not so obvious is the unknown. Things change so fast no one knows.

Management does the best they can, but even they can’t tell you what they don’t know,” Giossi said.

Giossi’s school district is not the only one experiencing these new challenges. A driver and an aide from Rehbein Transit Company Inc., which serves Centennial Schools, described this year as less structured as before.

“With school on and off, we are a bit discombobulated,” Betty Baily and Cheryl Edberg told Press in an interview.

Edberg has been a driver with the company for six years, Baily has been an aide for four. They said they are taking whatever routes they are assigned to and are grateful for them.

“We love our kids, and we are never sure how long or which ones will be there tomorrow. Everything seems so up in the air,” Baily said.

One of their biggest challenges is ensuring the young kids wear their masks properly, but they’ve found creative ways to encourage this.

“With the variety of masks, it's a way to engage them. We get them singing songs, we have some toys for some that need to feel comfortable,” Baily said.

Despite the pandemic, drivers in both the WBLAS and Centennial school districts are doing their best to continue to engage with the kids on their routes.

Pandemic threatens to close Fogerty Arena The community that built Fogerty Arena, located at 9250 Lincoln St. NE, Blaine, was unlikely to have ever imagined it would be threatened by a virus. A rally of community support is needed again to keep the doors open and the ice frozen, say staff and board members.

Almost 40 years ago, a large group of parents and grandparents from Blaine and Spring Lake Park came together to realize a dream of building an indoor hockey rink.

They set out with a grassroots fundraiser selling small blue bricks for the “I Bought A Brick” campaign. With the help of that initial fundraiser, the arena dream came true. In the fall of 1982, after a ton of sweat and hard work by many volunteer laborers, the doors opened.

Today, in 2020, arena Director Rob Hall is concerned the doors may need to close because of the pandemic.

Since its inception, the nonprofit facility has been home to Blaine and Spring Lake Park youth hockey associations and high school hockey programs. In 2013, the facility expanded to include the fastest-growing Olympic sport, curling, as well as a fullservice restaurant.

In seven years, the Four Seasons Curling Club grew to roughly 600 members, served as the Olympic training site for the sport, and hosted numerous national and international championship events, including several nationally televised events.

In an average year, about 3 million visitors come to Fogerty Arena, creating a significant tourism and economic impact in the north metro area, Hall said.

“Fogerty has been a source of pride and a local asset since inception, thanks to the community that supports it,” Hall said.

Today, things look bleak because of COVID19’s devastation on businesses. But the community spirit is alive.

"This place has been such a big part of hockey, and now curling, in the north metro,” Hall said.

“We're just hopeful that we can get to the other side of this whole thing for the community and our members."

Donations can be made online through the Fogerty Arena Facebook page and a GoFundMe page. Both can be accessed from FogertyArena.com.

“Most interactions happen when kids enter and leave the bus, so I still talk with the kids that ride but just as they pass. Kids are no longer allowed in the front seats, so talking while waiting to leave school is difficult,” Giossi said.

And although this year has been hard, Giossi has seen his efforts impact the lives of children over the years, so he continues to engage as best he can.

“One young lady had some emotional issues. She would sit quietly in front with her brother. This gave me the opportunity to talk with them before we left school in the afternoon. Over the course of driving them three years, she learned to trust me,” Giossi said.

They had some nice talks, and he will always remember them. Outside of encouraging his students and bringing them out of their shells, Giossi also has experience helping them cope during stressful situations with his other positions.

“Everything breaks down, even buses. A middle school bus broke down while a hurricane was slamming Florida. While waiting for another bus, I explained how storms like that happen. Kids told me I should have been a teacher,” Giossi said.

Another example of his success at encouraging his young charges was when shortly after leaving the elementary school with a nearly full bus — including 11 kindergartners — the bus broke down after just two stops.

“I was very worried that these kids would get scared and start crying, etc.

Instead, they had a ball. The next day one young man asked if we could do it again.

Can’t say, but I like to think I had something to do with them staying comfortable,” Giossi said.

“There are always some challenges in dealing with kids. None (of the children) are perfect, but we treat them as if they are as much as we can. We are a team on our bus,” Edberg said.

As with everything during this pandemic, the return to school, bus rides and normalcy are unpredictable.

“Until there’s a vaccine, COVID-19 will continue to change everyone’s lives. I don’t know if we’ll be going back to school this school year or not,” Giossi said.

Until then, the drivers will continue to do what they love in the best way they can, while keeping the kids on their routes safe.

BUSINESS BRIEF Owner Jeremy Kostrzewski said, “We wanted to take over the Centerville location because we saw that people in that area deserved a better selection and a much better customer experience. It did not have many popular products that are a musthave in my other location.”

He added that the store was also lacking beer, wine and bourbon selections, and noted that customers should feel free to make product suggestions, too.

The business also carries non-alcoholic choices.

The Centerville location will have the same store hours as the Lino Lakes location (Monday and Tuesday from 2-9 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and closed on Sundays). For more information, visit jps-liquorwine-and-beer.business.site.

From press release

SUBMITTED

JP’s Liquor Wine and Beer, located at 6501 Ware Road in Lino Lakes, recently opened another location at 7093 20th Ave. S. in Centerville. The building was formerly occupied by Platinum Liquor.

Church Directory Find the church that fits your needs St. Mark Lutheran Church

1 North Road, Circle Pines 763-784-2558

1st Worship 8:45

“Growing Together in God’s Love to Serve Others”

We have re-opened our Church

Mass Times: Saturday at 5:00 pm Sunday at 8:30 am and 10:00 am Reserve your spot at www.mystjoes.me 171 Elm Street • Lino Lakes, MN • 651-784-3015

St. Mark will be closing the building until further notice. In the meantime, please join us for worship and devotion on our website or Facebook page.

Church is not a place; it is who we are. Once we realize this, we can be the church anywhere.

Pastor Mollie Dvorak • stmarkcp.org – ELCA

Service times are subject to change during the coronavirus crisis. Contact your local church or check church web sites for service time and online service information.

677388

To make changes or to advertise here, call at 651-407-1200.

AND OUTDOORS

6 QUAD COMMUNITY PRESS

www.presspubs.com

DECEMBER 29, 2020

Wild Mountain Ski Patrol welcoming infusion of youth

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

During a meeting of the Wild Mountain Ski Patrol in October of 2017, assistant director Mike Haberman noticed a preponderance of silver and white hair among the patrollers.

All that “snow on the roof” got Haberman thinking.

A year earlier, 15-year-old Izzy Vazquez had asked to join the group, due to her strong interest in health care and love of skiing. The aging patrollers were delighted with the skills and zest she brought to their operations.

So, why not try find a few more Izzy’s?

“It was then that I began a dialog with Jeff Olsen, our patrol director, about bringing in young people to our patrol,” Haberman said.

After a few texts and dialogues on the project, the duo decided to go ahead. They started to brainstorm it in January of 2018 and got moving with two Open Houses for young adults that fall for the purpose of recruiting teenagers.

Young Adult Patrol currently has 10 members, supervised by Brad Peterson of the Wild Mountain group.

“Young Adult Patrollers develop not only emergency skills,” said Haberman, who supports the group along with Jeff Olsen and Craig Johnson. “They also develop greater confidence, leadership, quick problem solving, seamless teamwork skills and a deeper understanding of collaboration.”

Along with helping people, YAP members get credit for volunteer hours for their National Honor Society requirements, college credits, college admission, and a season pass.

Wild Mountain Ski Patrol has over 100 experienced skiers and snowboarders who receive training in advanced first aid and rescue skills.

The YAP takes the same training as the adult members — an 80-hour Outdoor Emergency Care course (fi rst aid) and a 70-hour Outdoor

Emergency Transportation course (ski and snowboard skills, evacuation via toboggans and chairlifts).

YAP members, said Peterson, “inject the Wild Mountain Patrol team with renewed excitement and energy.” Wild Mountain still holds two Open Houses each fall to fi nd more of them.

Peterson, who has served on “high-calibre” teams at 3M and the University of Minnesota Medical Center, said the kids get to learn from an extraordinary team of talented, experienced people, such as Cheryl Runde, teaching outdoor medical skills.

About Vazquez, Haberman said, “Her brilliance, skill and maturity made her a template and role model for those to follow. She brought validity to the fact that young adults are quite effective on our patrol.”

The St. Paul resident is now 18 and remains with National Ski Patrol.

Following in Izzy’s ski tracks are current members (listed with their high schools) Taylen Peterson of Forest Lake, Claire Landberg and Samuel Ward of Mounds View, Ilsa Bastiaens and Alex James of Mahtomedi, Tyler McDrew of Centennial, Jackson Runde of Princeton, Miles Hanson of Andover, and two who preferred not to be named.

James and Bastiaens, who are cousins, were invited to join by an uncle who’s a patroller at Afton Alps.

“I loved the idea and agreed without a second thought,” said James. “I have been ski racing for many years and have seen the patrollers around, and I was very excited to join them.”

Helping people, learning new skills, making new friends, and getting discounts on passes and gear make it worthwhile, James said. The testing was “nerve-wracking” but made him ready to patrol. “I will continue to learn as I go, knowing no one else is better prepared (than patrollers) to save the day.”

Landberg joined because she’s fascinated by medicine and loves to ski. She was recruited by Cheryl Runde after the medical instructor

BRIAN MADISON | SUBMITTED

Young Adult Patrol members Sam Ward (left) of Mounds View and Taylen Peterson (right) of Forest Lake practiced their toboggan handling skills this past February with Ilsa Bastiaens of Mahtomedi on the sled as the “patient.” treated her for a knee injury in December of 2018, and eagerly accepted.

“As I went through rigorous training to become a certified patroller,” Landberg said, “I found that I have a strong passion for it and I really hope I can patrol out West in the future. I’ve also met some of my best friends through the program.”

Her highlight was the day she passed her outdoor emergency transport test, earning eligibility to take toboggans down the hill. While celebrating with the customary snacks and a mini-party, a serious injury occurred to a skier.

“Me and the other YAPs, who were all present, got to throw on our jackets and work together on treating the patient. It was really cool working side-by-side for the first time after training together for almost a year.

It was a very rewarding end to the patrol season.”

Her main hope for the program is getting more teens to patrol and more ski areas to start or expand YAP programs.

McGrew, 15, an Alpine skier who loves being “on the hill” in any case, said he joined YAP to absorb experience in the medical field. “I

have not decided a career path but I see the benefits that you gain from things such as basic life support or CPR and fi rst aid skills.” His favorite experience so far was the skills testout day which he found “helpful and fun.”

Taylen Peterson, Brad’s daughter, had an emergency rescue situation at Northstar Stables in Stacy this summer where she was able to help a woman she saw suffering from a seizure on a picnic table, surrounded by panicked adults.

As reported in The Lowdown, Peterson moved the woman from the table to the ground (so she wouldn’t fall), checked for neck injuries (none), and lifted her head to open her airway, while speaking with a 911 operator after the Northstar owner handed her the phone. A helicopter arrived but was not needed by that point, and the woman was driven to the hospital by EMT’s.

“The owner kept thanking me and asking me how I knew so much,” she said. “I told her I’m a ski patroller.”

For more information about the Wild Mountain Ski Patrol and the Young Adult Patrol (YAP) program, visit wildpatrol.org.

Steffen is new Centennial mat coach, aided by former Cougar luminaries

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

Taylor McAulay is seeing action off the bench every game for the Drake University basketball team after missing most of her freshman year with an injury. The 5-11 guard from Centennial had four points in a 99-66 win over the Minnesota Gophers, eight points in an 85-67 loss to Iowa State, and five points in an 87-73 loss to South Dakota State.

She is still a freshman in eligibility at the Division I school.

651-482-1322 maplewoodtoyota.com

Taylor McAulay

12.28.2020

of the

Athlete

CENTENNIAL BASKETBALL

s chosen by press staf *Athlete f

Week*

Centennial wrestling has a new fi rst-year head coach, Chase Steffen, who will be assisted by former

Cougars, for the 2020-21 season due to start in mid-January.

Steffen, an elementary physical education teacher at Forest Lake, wrestled for his father, Link Steffen, in a strong program at Zumbrota-

Mazeppa, and was an assistant for him for two seasons, ending in 2016.

About the program he’s joining, Steffen said, “I know Centennial has a rich history with great wrestlers.”

One of them, former all-stater Jack Bergeland, is the head assistant, Steffen said. And Jack’s dad, Dr. Jack Bergeland, former head coach, has joined the staff. “We are lucky to have his experience to establish a culture of respect and building young men,” Steffen said. Also, Luke Breuning, another “excellent Centennial alumni,” has joined the staff to work with upper weights.

“These guys truly love the sport and Centennial wrestling,” the new coach noted.

John Bergeland was head coach until 2015, compiling a 278-130 record and seven state tournament trips.

Steffen will be the fourth Cougar head coach since Bergeland stepped down.

The Cougars have been 21-48 the last three seasons.

Steffen, who attended Minnesota State-Mankato, had a 46-26 record at Z-M in a career cut short by concussions plus a neck injury. As a senior, due to issues from previous concussions, he and his family decided that he should step away,

except for one final match.

“I was able to wrestle one more match at team sections,” he said, “where we lost to Chatfield (the eventual state champion) by one point. That one still keeps me up at night! My dream was to wrestle in college, but I was unable to, due to injury.”

His dad was a state champion for Granite Falls and two-time college All-American at Southwest Minnesota State University. His brother Caden wrestled for the Gophers and SMSU. “He has been my number one mentor and role model throughout my career,” Steffen said. “My brother Caden is a close second. I can only hope to have the same impact on kids and my dad had on my teammates and I.” Looking ahead to his fi rst season at Centennial, due to start practices on Jan. 4, he said, “We have a full squad of kids that want to win and have been putting in time in the wrestling room and weight room.

Some challenges this year have been obvious, with COVID. I haven’t been able to see the wrestlers and get to building those relationships as we would in a normal year. Hopefully we can all stay healthy.”

PHONE: 651-407-1250 | EMAIL: classified@presspubs.com

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DECEMBER 29, 2020

QUAD COMMUNITY PRESS

7

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362

Notices

Notices

Miscellaneous

Christmas & New Year’s

Early Deadlines Press Publications will have early ad deadlines in observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays starting the week before Christmas.

ClassiďŹ ed ad deadlines:

Thursday, December 17; 11 AM for ads to run the week of 12/27-30, 2020 Thursday, December 31; 11 AM for ads to run week of January 3-6, 2021

651.407.1250 Happy Holidays!

Press Publications suggests that you be aware of advertisers requesting payment for shipping merchandise. Confirm and verify all contact resources prior to sending any money.

Take caution when responding to text messages that are not local numbers. ________________________________________________

PRESS PUBLICATIONS

23 Free Items CONSOLE PIANO Story&Clark Excellent cond.! 651-428-8448

160 Hire Me Ann's AwesomeHousecleaning - 20 Yrs experience. Dependable, Trustworthy References Avail. Call or text 651-776-7834

300 For Sale WOOD STOVE w/2 flue pipes, roof hardware & chimney cap 763-786-4031

SNOWBLOWER elec Free pick up for start 8hp 26" $145 or donated small furn/HH b/o. (651) 429-1264 items to Church Store 651-430-0011 Free wood chips, Hugo area. 651-4268660

355

TIMESHARE CANCELLATION EXPERTS Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations.

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Call 833/619-1117 DONATE YOUR CAR TRUCK or BOAT to Heritage For The Blind. Free 3-day vacation, tax deductible, free towing, all paperwork taken care of 844/220-9501

369 Want to Buy ALL 1970's MOTORCYCLES Running or not. Titled or not.

Cash in exchange.

Sell now while prices are high! Call Dan at 612/720-2142 We Buy Vinyl Records Lps, 45s, Stereo Equip We make house calls by appointment.

White Bear Lake Records 4775 Banning Ave,WBL wblrecords.com 651-224-4947

451 Rentals/ Commercial

™ :beadnbZci ™ :beadnbZci ™ :beadnbZci ™ :beadnbZci ™ :beadnbZci ™

CNC Machinist

*Bonus program for season long commitment!

Webster, WI WORK FOR THE BEST! Nexen is located in the lake country of Northwest Wisconsin.

QualiďŹ ed candidates will have a 1 or 2 year Technical College Diploma in Machine Tool, and be skilled with the latest CNC equipment. Nexen has 80 CNC machines, small lot sizes, and state of the art processes and scheduling. Strong interpersonal, problem solving and teamwork skills are needed. We offer a great salary and beneďŹ t package. If you are interested in joining a dynamic and forward looking company, and have a positive and enthusiastic approach to work, e-mail, fax or send a resume to: Human Resources Nexen Group, Inc. 26837 Industrial Avenue Webster, WI 54893 Fax (715) 866-6350 machinist@nexengroup.com Equal Opportunity Employer

This individual will seek out and understand the customer’s needs and propose and explain how Nexen products can resolve their needs, and provide them with good value, performance and quality.

Responsibilities include responding to questions and providing product information to customers, making decisions regarding application and service recommendations, and generating sales resulting from customer contact over the telephone, and customer visits (20%-50%). Will lead the conversation with customer support teams and engineering in response to customer requests for special or modiďŹ ed products.

Requires a four year degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Technology, Manufacturing Engineering or other related Technical Degree, with related work experience preferred. Strong depth of knowledge of physics, power transmission and motion control is desired. Must have proďŹ cient computer skills, strong analytical skills, and effective interpersonal and communication skills. Strong background with Solidworks is desired. This is a quick commute to the northern suburbs. We offer an excellent salary and beneďŹ ts package. If you are interested in joining a dynamic and forward looking company, and have a positive and enthusiastic approach to work e-mail a resume to:

Scrap metal appliance pick up 651-329-0815

452

applicationengineer@nexengroup.com Equal Opportunity Employer

106

Rentals/ Residential

Furniture

Full/Queen Bed with PIANO Garland Up- Mattress & Box right – Must Move!

Spring, Dresser & (651) 426-6668.

Cedar Chest, Like New $300 Cash. Jim (651) 766-5843

52

Cars

362

2010 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT. Exc- Miscellaneous Cond.6-cylinder, 4 liter eng All maint. Up to AT&T WIRELESS stds- $6300. (651) Two great new offers!

434-7884 Ask how to get the iPhone 11 or Next Generation Samsung Galaxy S10e on us with AT&T¥Çs Buy Vehicles Wanted one, Give One offer.

While supplies last!

CARS/JUNKERS Call 855/332-0464 Cash Paid Fr Towing DIRECTV Every live Ca Swede's football game, every Towing, LLC Sunday-anywhere - on (651)462-5513 your favorite device.

Restrictions apply.

Call IVS 877/350-0094

53

58

DISH NETWORK $59.99 for 190 Channels! Blazing fast internet $19.99/mo. (where available.)

05 Mercury Monterey Switch & get a free MiniVan $999. (612)- $100 Visa gift card.

816-8544.

Free voice remote.

Free HD DVR. Free streaming on all devices. Call today!

Hauling/Moving 855/562-4309

Trucks/Vans/ SUVs

104

ENJOY 100% GUARANTEED delivered to-the-door Omaha Steaks! Get 4 free Pork Chops and 4 free chicken breasts. Order the Omaha Steaks Home Classic- only $129.99.

Improvement Call 844/331-1614 & use code 66762CCP or visit A HANDYMAN Lrg & www.omahasteaks.sm jobs 612-751-8336 com/dinner96

2 Bed WBL Apart.

New Bldg.1300 sq ft, 1-bath, off-str. Park, Heat/elec. incl. $1600.

Near Boatworks Keith@hisdahl.com

PT Flex Positions for men & women No. Sub. Locations $19-$30 per hour Paid within 3 days

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY, all real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.� Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians; pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law.

Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll free: 1-800-669-9777.

The toll-free number for hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

Free wood chips, WBL area. 651-426-8660

SNOW REMOVAL

Application Engineer Vadnais Heights, MN

Call Bill! “ A cut above the rest�

ASSOCIATION MAINTENANCE LLC

Shoreview, MN

LONG TERM SUBS New London-Spicer Schools. MN licensure required. See www.nls.k12.mn.us/ employment for more information.

(651) 490-9755

amilawn@aol.com

Minnesota

Mental Health Specialist Direct Support Staff Full-Time/Part-time U Flexible Schedules Come be part of a team that can make a difference in someone's life! Use your leadership abilities while helping others achieve their goals.

As part of our team you will work in a residential setting providing support to 1-4 individuals with a wide variety of physical and mental disabilities.

Requirements: ‡ High School Diploma ‡ Valid Driving License & current auto insurance ‡ Clearance of a MN DHS background study Dungarvin Offers: ‡ Competitive pay ‡ BeneÀts at 30hrs/wk ‡ Career Advancement ‡ PTO $1,000 Signing Bonus until 1/31/21 Please send resume to

MN-Recruiter@dungarvin.com

Paraprofessionals Needed in Circle Pines 3-6.5hrs/day performing supervision inside or out-of-doors, assisting classroom teachers or working with students with special needs. $15.82 per hr. Applicants must apply online at www.isd12.org. Click on “Employment� at the upper right of the page. EOE

RECYCLE RECYCLE RECYCLE RECYCLE RECYCLE

Senior Procurement Coordinator Webster, WI Nexen is a leading manufacturer of precision motion control components, power transmission and web tension control products. Responsibilities will include strategic planning, logistics and management of assigned supply chain activities. Purchases materials and services including but not limited to castings, steel, bearings, machined components, springs, friction facings, electronic components to support production, while ensuring that cost, delivery, inventory and quality targets are met. Negotiates agreements that secure key business points. Audits and monitors supplier performance. Participates in development of strategic supplier partnerships, and generates and leads key supplier initiatives. Provides expertise and support to Design Engineering and Plant Personnel. Sources and processes prototype materials and MRO requisitions.

Requires a bachelor’s degree in business, management or engineering and 5-8 years of purchasing experience in a manufacturing environment or equivalent. Requires excellent strategy, interpersonal and communication skills. Must be able to read technical drawings, have effective computer skills, excellent analytic and organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects and demands.

ISM and APICS CertiďŹ cations preferred. We offer an excellent salary and beneďŹ t package. If you are interested in joining a dynamic and forward looking company, and have a positive and enthusiastic approach to work e-mail a resume to:

procurement@nexengroup.com Nexen Group, Inc. 26837 Industrial Avenue Webster, WI 54893 Equal Opportunity Employer

8

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DECEMBER 29, 2020 www.presspubs.com

EMAIL: callaspecialist@ presspubs.com

PHONE: 651-407-1250 APPLIANCE REPAIR

HANDYMAN

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MEET YOUR SPECIALIST

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35 years experience

Clint Hallmark Enterprises is your small job specialist. Clint specializes in small jobs that the others don’t do. Clint Hallmark is a lifelong area resident who has been meeting the community’s carpentry needs for over 45 years.

Hallmark Enterprises also does windows, doors, locks, siding, small roofs, odd jobs and decks as well as ceiling texturizing winter damage repair, tree and hedge trimming and roof snow removing.

Free estimates are cheerfully given. The small job specialist with the small price and high quality that counts. Call 651-653-9920.

See Clint’s ad weekly under “Carpentry.�

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9

CORRECTION In the Honoring Our Heroes section that ran in the Dec. 23 issue, the photographs and descriptions were transposed for George D. Campbell and George V. Campbell. Press Publications apologizes for the error.

PARTLY CLOUDY Wed Dec. 30 24°/ 8°

PARTLY CLOUDY Thu Dec. 31 21°/ 6°

7:52 / 4:41

7:52 / 4:41

George V. Campbell U.S. Army Sargent WWII

Did you know?

George D. Campbell U.S. Army Spec. 4 Vietnam

PARTLY CLOUDY Fri Jan. 1 21°/ 8°

PARTLY CLOUDY Sat Jan. 2 19°/ 11°

7:51 / 4:42

Hawaii was originally called the Sandwich Islands

PARTLY CLOUDY Sun Jan. 3 30°/ 22°

7:51 / 4:43

PARTLY CLOUDY Mon Jan. 4 34°/ 25°

7:51 / 4:44

PARTLY CLOUDY Tue Jan. 5 31°/ 23°

7:51 / 4:45

7:51 / 4:46

SUNRISE/SUNSET

Weather tidbits

WEEKLY AVERAGES DEC. 30 - JAN. 5, 2020 High: 24° | Low: 9° | %Sun: 44% | PCP: 0.23”

I recently wrote, despite our dry spell from early November to late December, I was still confident about my 70" snow prediction for the season. As you know we received between 5-6" of snow just before Christmas and the weather pattern has become very active. With any luck temperatures will still stay on the cold side for those who enjoy an array of outdoor activities.

January is usually our best snow cover month for skiing, snowmobiling, snow shoeing...With winter being 1/3 over we have fared pretty well. The days are getting longer. Happy New Year.

Frank Watson is a local Meteorologist who operates a weather station in White Bear Lake. Weather data and observation are from his weather station and trips around the area. Frank can be found on the internet at WeathermanWatson.com.

Crossword

CLUES ACROSS

CLUES DOWN

1. Central processing unit 4. Military action 10. How electricity gets to train carriages (abbr.)

11. Unsafe 12. Of (French) 14. Autonomic nervous system 15. Type of bean 16. Accuse formally of a crime 18. Promote 22. Type of lava 23. Meat from a deer 24. Herbaceous plants 26. Potato state 27. Helsinki neighborhood 28. Sports officials 30. Shout wildly 31. Reptile genus 34. Frocks 36. Born of 37. N. Scandinavian indigenous people 39. Poultry cage 40. Aquatic insect genus 41. Of I 42. Ad __: tirelessly repetitive 48. Item 50. Produce 51. Seedless raisin 52. Bond in a third party’s control 53. Legendary character __ Finn 54. Space station 55. Note at the end of a letter 56. In a way, contradicted 58. Midway between northeast and east 59. Bears important traffic 60. Brooklyn hoopster

1. Presides 2. Artist’s tool 3. On a higher floor 4. Commercial 5. Something to watch 6. Chased 7. Commercial producers 8. Keyboard instrument 9. Blue grass state 12. Phonograph recording 13. Unusual 17. Popular average 19. A native or inhabitant of Asia 20. N. Sweden river 21. Related on the mother’s side 25. Mediator 29. Partner of to 31. Arm bones 32. Korean seafood dish 33. Tap of the foot 35. Astronauts 38. Carolina footballer 41. Indiana city 43. Of or relating to bears 44. Not widely known 45. Body part 46. At the peak 47. High-pitched cries of a cat 49. A way to intimidate 56. Prosecutor 57. Atomic #66

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Sudokus

682071

Brought to you by WeathermanWatson.com

Crossword

CLUES ACROSS

CLUES DOWN

1. One-time world power 5. Central Florida city 10. Winged nut 12. Elevate spiritually 14. Creative 16. It cools your home 18. Woman (French) 19. “60 Minutes” network 20. Old World lizard 22. Swiss river 23. Ethnic group of Cambodians 25. Abba __, Israeli politician 26. Tire measurement 27. Affi rmative 28. Thrust horse power (abbr.)

30. One point north of due east 31. A type of “pet” 33. Tech giant 35. European nation 37. Fencing swords 38. Acquired 40. Origin 41. Cashless payment interface (abbr.)

42. Pouch 44. Peter’s last name 45. Inclined 48. Palestinian territory __ Strip 50. A type of syrup 52. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!

53.

Weather Underground activist 55. Run batted in 56. Frozen water 57. Sodium 58. Philly specialty 63. Cuts the wool off 65. Rules 66. Icelandic literary works 67. Tattled

1. “Pulp Fiction” actress Thurman 2. Actors’ organization 3. Conscientious investment approach (abbr.)

4. Ranch (Spanish) 5. Beginning 6. Index 7. Portuguese wine 8. A feudal superior 9. Military brach (abbr.)

10. Lithuanian given name 11. A way to become different 13. Able to be domesticated 15. Defensive nuclear weapon 17. Hosts fi lm festival 18. Shows you how to get there 21. Arranged alphabetically 23. S. Thai isthmus 24. The 17th letter of the Greek alphabet 27. Woods 29. Make yourself attractive 32. Concealed 34. Large primate 35. A favorite saying of a sect or political group 36. Tropical fruits 39. Obstruct 40. Car mechanics group 43. Stroke gently 44. They’re in your toolbox 46. Throngs 47. One and only 49. In a way, bent 51. “Downton Abbey” broadcaster 54. Herring-like fish 59. A major division of geological time 60. Vast body of water 61. Cannister 62. Encourage 64. The man

QUAD COMMUNITY PRESS

DECEMBER 29, 2020 www.presspubs.com

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LINO LAKES CIRCLE PINES

LINO LAKES HUGO CIRCLE PINES

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CIRCLE PINES

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MAHTOMEDI

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MAHTOMEDI 150 Ivy St., Mahtomedi

SHOREVIEW 492 County Road J W., Shoreview

CIRCLE PINES 4102 88th Lane NE., Circle Pines 3871 FlowerямБeld Road, Circle Pines

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DECEMBER 29, 2020

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Don’t like what you see?

The Press Publications Holiday Lights Contest has received hundreds of votes. Pictured below are the top three entrants with the most votes as of press time. Don’t see your favorite? Don’t fret, it’s not too late to change the leaders. Visit presspubs.com/holidaylights to cast your vote. All you need to do to vote is click on the photo of the home you would like to vote for and enter your email address. You may vote for one entry once a day through Dec. 31. Be sure to check out the first issue in January to find out who the top three winners are.

1.

LEADING ENTRANTS (AS OF PRESS TIME 12/28)

A little cheer to end the year

M

asked carolers singing six feet apart,

Sports seasons over before they could start.

No teasing the mall Santa about his beard, No office holiday parties, it’s weird.

But home we can safely spread holiday cheer

150 Ivy Street, Mahtomedi

2.

With fewer guests gathered ‘round tables this year.

Video chatting with family and friends And wondering when 2020 will end.

Though miles away, and in spite of the weather, The holiday season still brings us together.

With merrier memories to lighten our mood, 2515 Martin Way, White Bear Township

3.

We’ll sit back and savor the JOY of good food.

Happy Holidays from our family to yours.

1332 Hallam Ave. N., White Bear Lake

NOT FOUND ON MAP These homes are not shown on the map because an address was not provided.

4391 S. Lake Ave. & 441 County Rd 96 4th Street, Stillwater

Lino Lakes neighborhood

Shoreview neighborhood

&

How to vote:

Now we need our readers to vote for their favorite! Head to presspubs.com/holidaylights to cast your vote. The voting period will run through Dec. 31. The top three holiday light displays will be announced in our first January issue.

1059 Meadowlands Dr. 687025

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11

12

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DECEMBER 29, 2020 www.presspubs.com

YEAR IN REVIEW

to add another location when the opportunity presented itself, he couldn’t resist. Carlberg bought Creamery Crossing in Isanti in 1996. In 1999, Carlberg had to sell the business after an unexpected death but reopened it in 2004.

New year new mayor

JANUARY

Super Solomon explores police station

FILE PHOTO

City Clerk Julie Bartell administers the oath of office to Mayor Rob Rafferty at the Jan. 13 meeting.

Concerned citizens flood City Hall for answers Concerned citizens poured into City Hall and were ready to ask questions regarding the recent discovery that some of the city’s wells have high levels of manganese.

The city hosted a public water advisory informational meeting Jan. 22 to inform residents about the manganese test results, possible health effects and possible solutions. In addition to city and county representatives, engineers from WSB and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) were in attendance.

in a new way. He began skijoring more than 25 years ago, when the Twin Cities had few opportunities for people interested in the sport.

Murphy and a few others banded together as The Midwest Skijorers Club in order to create partnerships with local parks and winter sports events.

Skijoring fights the winter blues Cabin fever strikes humans and canines alike in the dog days of winter, but the classic sport of skijoring is one way for Minnesotans and their furry friends to fight the winter blues together.

Like a fusion between dogsledding and crosscountry skiing, skijoring involves a partnership of dog and human, attached to each other by a tow line. Skijoring is an ancient activity, named from the Norwegian word for “ski driving.” This old-fashioned sport has been among the rise in Minnesota parks in the last few years.

For Lino Lakes resident Kevin Murphy, it provides both a way to bond with his dog partner and to appreciate the Minnesota winter landscape

One of Super Solomon’s dreams came true Wednesday, Jan. 22, when he was able to tour a police station. The Centennial Lakes Police Department let Solomon join in on roll call, tour the facility, sit in jail and check out the squad cars.

Officers even sent him home with a swag bag full of goodies.

The Quad Community Press first met Solomon back in December 2018 when a Circle Pines business, USA Sports Cards, organized a huge surprise for his family for Christmas. In addition to a bunch of gifts for Solomon and his siblings, parents Travis and Jen Wunderlich of Lexington were given an assortment of gift cards and concert tickets.

Four-year-old Solomon was diagnosed with highrisk B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia right before he turned 3. The family recently received the good news that his initial 3 1/2-year treatment plan has now been cut down by a year. He will be done with treatment this August.

Solomon is now 5 years old and cancer-free.

Creamery Crossing: Shooting for February opening It’s official. Now that the lease is signed, Creamery Crossing has confi rmed it will open a second location in the former Matthew’s Family Restaurant location.

Owner Darrell Carlberg, of Blaine, said that although he wasn’t necessarily actively looking

as fast as she could was even more exciting than putting pucks in nets — that that she’s really good at it.

Despite a relatively late start in the sport, the 15-year-old Lino Lakes resident has earned a spot on Team USA and will compete in the Junior World Finals in Belarus, Feb. 15-16, and the Junior World Championships in Poland, Feb. 21-23.

Her goal is to “represent our country” in the next three Olympic teams, starting in Beijing in 2022.

Just caught, now time for a weigh-in

FEBRUARY

County shares 3 options for Birch Street

FILE PHOTO

Ed Chance hustles across the ice toward the weigh station with a 7.6-pound northern he caught during the 38th annual Centerville Lions Ice Fishing Contest Saturday, Feb. 15. The catch put him on the top of the list of fish caught.

95 Years

Pine Tree Apple Orchard

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58 Years

47 Years

2015 5th St. White Bear Lake

Matschke Insurance Agency John and Bill Matschke

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Paul Sisterman, Owner 686327

687374

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687447

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Three bus drivers at Rehbein Transit Company have been transporting kids back and forth to school for well over three decades, with a cumulative total of 117 years behind the steering wheel of a yellow school bus.

White Bear Lake resident JoAnne Urban, Lino Lakes resident Jean Jensen and Coon Rapids resident Bill Blaylock are just three of the thousands of hardworking school bus drivers who will be honored Feb. 26, School Bus Driver Appreciation Day.

Knutsen Auto Service

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69 Years

In business for 73 years

3 area bus drivers have over a century of experience

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116 Years

If newlyweds are in need of some advice, they can surely find it at Good Life Senior Living in Hugo. Three couples are represented there by a cumulative total of 178 years of marriage experience.

Their love stories are inspiring not only to their families, but also to Good Life Activities Director Sarah Cairns, who gets emotional when she talks about these successful couples.

“They have inspired me to fi nd the perfect relationship. I have never been married, but they have taught me to never settle,” she said.

Press Publications told the stories of Bob and Marilyn Rosenquist, William and Maggie Snyder, and Stan and Marietta Wilson.

686425

Greta Myers’ fi rst love was hockey.

Then she took up speed skating as a training tool for hockey.

Soon, Myers found that skating

686850

Lino Lakes teen speed skater is Team USA member with Olympic goals

Nearly 100 residents packed City Hall Jan. 28 to learn more about the proposed Birch Street improvements slated for construction in 2021.

Anoka County hosted its second open house for the project on Jan. 28. Around 130 people attended the county’s fi rst open house for the project back in October. At the time, the county proposed to build two roundabouts along the corridor, one at West Shadow Lake Drive and the other at Tomahawk Trail. A raised median throughout the project was also proposed.

In December, the county revealed it was considering adding a third roundabout to the design at the intersection of Old Birch Street and Birch Street. At the most recent open house, the county shared three options it is considering with residents.

Love that lasts: Longtime couples share stories, advice

DECEMBER 29, 2020

QUAD COMMUNITY PRESS www.presspubs.com

YEAR IN REVIEW

of $200 million, a significant leap upward.

Forest Lake developer Norhart is proposing to build a 355-unit luxury apartment complex that will consist of one four-story building and one five-story building located at the intersection of Restwood Road and Griggs Avenue, behind Northway Shopping Center. For a number of council members, knowing that they were getting a quality development was better than the specter of getting a development that might not be as good.

Spotting various shades of green

MARC CH

Assistant ďŹ re chief retires after 29 years Centennial Fire District (CFD) Assistant Chief David Bruder was compelled to become a fi refighter after his parents’ home on Lake Drive in Lino Lakes caught fi re. The Lino Lakes resident retired from CFD after 29 years of service earlier this month.

Centerville mayor suddenly resigns

FILE PHOTO

Participants in the Shake Your Shamrock run take off from the starting line near Kelly’s Korner Bar in Centerville Saturday, March 14. The annual event, featuring 5K and 7K routes, is typically scheduled near St. Patrick’s Day and participants usually ďŹ nd some creative ways to dress for the occasion.

Lexington Lofts is coming to town Lexington Lofts is officially coming to town, after the City Council voted 4-1 in favor of the apartment complex at its Feb. 20 meeting. The current valuation of the city of Lexington is around $130 million; with the addition of the Lexington Lofts, which is valued at around $70 million, the city’s valuation will rise by more than 50% to a valuation

City Hall was packed March 11 with residents who wanted to share their thoughts at a public hearing when Mayor Jeff Paar announced that he would resign as of March 25. Paar was elected mayor in November 2016 after serving for 14 years on the City Council.

The council was prepared to take public comment and possibly act on a $350,000 purchase agreement with Trident Development LLC, which plans to build a 53-unit apartment building downtown. Paar explained to fellow council members and the public that personal reasons, not this specific project, led to his resignation.

What spring thaw exposes, Turdy jobs disposes The glorious spring season will soon be here. For many people, that means more sunshine, warmer temperatures and budding flowers. For dog owners, however, springtime is a season to dread: white rugs are ruined, dogs need countless baths and

backyards are desperately in need of a cleanup.

That’s where Turdy Jobs, a pet waste removal service, comes in handy. “People think I’m nuts, but it is not as bad as people think, it really isn’t,� said Turdy Jobs founder Lindsay Johnson, a Lino Lakes resident. Johnson has owned the business for five years.

COVID-19 brings mental health to forefront In a time where there are a lot of unknowns, levels of stress, anxiety and depression can flare up.

Area mental health professionals want people to know that we are all in this together and that it is normal to have these feelings.

Bridging Hope Counseling has locations in Lino Lakes, Rogers and Buffalo. A lot of clients have canceled their appointments for a multitude of reasons, including the loss of a job, the inability to pay for health insurance or fear to leave one’s home. In addition to incorporating social distancing and a stricter cleaning regimen, the clinics remain open for clients who feel comfortable in making visits. For those who do not, or need to stay at home, Bridging Hope Counseling is offering Tele-Health services, which allows clients to see their therapist in an online video format.

On a positive note, the pandemic is bringing mental health to the forefront. Now is the time that people need to be vulnerable and talk about the way they are feeling instead of internalizing it.

Food shelves kick it into high gear As more and more people find themselves out of a job amid the COVID-19 pandemic, area food shelves are doing all they can to ensure that they can meet the increased demand. The Hugo Good Neighbors Food Shelf, Centennial Community Food Shelf and the White Bear Lake Area Food Shelf have all adapted their operations to minimize health risks to staff members, volunteers and clients.

Promdemic 2020

APRIL

FILE PHOTO

In an effort to make sure Centennial High School senior Alexis Mohlin still got to celebrate her senior prom, Ware Circle went all out with chalk, decorations and technology to put on a “culde-sac� prom. Mohlin invited a few of her close friends and they danced the night away while maintaining their social distance.

It only took outgoing Centerville mayor Jeff Paar an hour to resign and his successor, D. Love, all of five minutes to take over the mayoral duties at the March 25 City Council meeting. Following his announcement March 11 that he

41 Years 36

Lexington Liquors 9271 Lake Dr. N. Lexington, MN

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38 Years

3959 Linden Street White Bear Lake 651-426-4565

June 20, 2020 is the date that Lino Lakes couple Andrew Zimmerman and Shannon Lessard are supposed to say “I do� in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Even though that date is fast approaching, the couple is still not sure if everything will go on as planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have been coping by planning as if it’s still on and trying to get as much done as we can while we are home; DIY projects, working on our playlist, picking out our ceremony and vows and so on,� Lessard explained. Zimmerman added, “The most stressful part is the inability to know if it’s still going to happen.�

The couple ended up getting married on their special date and hopes to hold a reception with family in 2021.

38 Years

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The City Council unanimously decided to lay off two of its employees indefinitely at the council’s April 13 meeting, held via videoconference.

Effective April 24, the council approved the layoffs of Recreation Supervisor Brian Hronski and Public Services Office Specialist Kristine Kroll. Hronski was with the city for nearly 16 years and Kroll for almost five years.

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Love is new mayor of Centerville

planned to resign, Paar submitted his letter of resignation March 25.

Rarely at a loss for words, Paar quipped that his original letter was 30 pages long, but he was able to trim it down to two pages.

686628

McLaren, DeLorean, Lamborghini, Vanderhall, Lotus Elise, Corvette, Ferrari — you name it, it was there.

It all started when Blaine resident Amy DeMent put a call out on social media. “My son Gavin’s 11th birthday is on April 7 and, sadly, there will be no party. He has autism and loves cars. So, I would like to see you drive by and honk for him ... It’s the little things that count.�

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, DeMent still wanted to do something

687506

FILE PHOTO

Gavin Pritzl had the birthday of a lifetime April 7, when thousands of cars drove by his home in Blaine on his 11th birthday.

special for Gavin, who is a fi fth grader at Golden Lake Elementary.

She thought maybe 30 cars would show up, but she had no idea that car and bike lovers from all over the state would roll by their home on 93rd Avenue in Blaine. DeMent’s post went viral; share after share, more and more car groups and car lovers agreed to group together at the Cub Foods off of Highway 65 in Blaine and head over to Gavin’s for a parade.

At its April 6 work session, the council decided to cancel Blue Heron Days along with all summer programs and events. As part of that conversation, City Administrator Jeff Karlson explained that the cancellation would mean a reduction in hours and staff. The city would not hire additional summer employees and some existing employees, such as the recreation supervisor, would be placed on furlough. Karlson noted that there have been a lot of changes to the city’s parks and recreation department over the last few years.

He said the city has seen a decline in enrollment in its athletic programs and decided to switch its efforts to planning events like the Family Corn Roast and Rockin’ in the Park.

687545

11-year-old receives ‘birthday of a lifetime’

45 Years

13

14

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DECEMBER 29, 2020 www.presspubs.com

Celebrating mothers from afar

YEAR IN REVIEW

3 moms, 3 journeys

As if motherhood was not a hard job already, throw in a pandemic. Press Publications set out to fi nd three mothers from different communities and share what they are facing in these strange times. Although the three moms are around the same age, they all have very different stories to tell.

One (Lauren Shegstad) is a stay-at-home mother of three, with a husband in the military; another (Christy Fletcher) is a kindergarten teacher and mother of two 4-year-old twins and a 6-year-old; and then there is an expectant mother (Nicole Bruley) who had to take a leave of absence from her job in the health care industry.

MAY

Pet groomers working at a clip to catch up

FILE PHOTO

Ella Paro, 6, of Lino Lakes, along with her mother Kelley, father Jesse and brother Mason, visits her grandmother, Amron Schumacher, a resident at Lino Lakes Assisted Living, for Mother’s Day.

Many dogs are long overdue for their spring grooming appointment before the summer heat hits. However, it may take a while to secure an appointment. Minnesota groomers were able to get back to work last week after being closed down amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that they are open, groomers have had make some changes to how their business operates. Press Publications interviewed Christa Weber, owner of Christa’s Paw Spa in Centerville, and Erin Hilton, one of three owners of Goldwood Kennels in White Bear Lake.

Nadeau Acres proposal moves forward

on the Nadeau Acres proposal. The applicant, BL Holdings LLC, submitted a rezoning and preliminary plat land use application for the proposed single-family residential development.

The development would be located north of Birch Street (CSAH 34) and west of 20th Avenue (CSAH 54) across from the NorthPointe development. It contains two parcels totaling approximately 33 gross acres.

The council voted 4-1 (Council Member Christopher Lyden voted no) to rezone the property from R (rural) to R-1 (single-family residential) at its May 11 meeting. The council also voted 3-2 (Lyden and Council Member Tony Cavegn both voted against) to approve the preliminary plat and to open Sub-District 3C and 3D of Utility Staging Area 2A (2020-2025) to development.

Coping with assault: Virtual help offered Editor’s note: The Quad Community Press does not name victims of sexual assaults. The survivor will be referred to as “Jane.”

May 8, 2015 will forever be the worst day of Jane’s life. That’s the day everything changed.

The Quad Community Press interviewed “Jane,” a survivor of sexual assault who bravely shared her experience, the aftermath and offered advice to others who may fi nd themselves in a similar situation.

For the past four months, city commissions, city staff and the City Council have spent a lot of time

planning to retire Aug. 31 but decided to retire July 31. His last day at City Hall was June 12, but he will be paid through the end of July.

At the June 22 meeting, the City Council officially appointed Cotton to the position with a standing ovation.

Mayor Rob Rafferty said, “This is really exciting for me. I have worked alongside Sarah for many years now.

I know she is going to be an excellent individual in this position.”

Cotton, a resident of East Bethel, has been the city’s finance director for almost five years. Before working for cities, she worked in public accounting for KPMG, a multinational professional services network, for three years and as a financial analyst for Cummins Power Generation for four years.

Caps off to Class of 2020

Crusin’ Cars bring cheer

JUNE

CLPD will welcome new chief

FILE PHOTO

FILE PHOTO

Residents at White Pine Senior Living in Blaine enjoyed the sunshine while watching cars drive by in a car parade June 19.

Fire razes Lino Lakes home, day care

26 Years

J.W. Wood Floors Installation–Sanding–Repairs Maintenance Coats–Custom Floors

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Former Finance Director Sarah Cotton has officially stepped into the role of city administrator, even if it was a bit earlier than planned.

Last August, the council passed a resolution making Cotton a conditional offer to succeed City Administrator Jeff Karlson upon his retirement. Karlson was originally

6 Years Proudly serving Hugo Community for 15 years!

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distracted them with some handmade bracelets.

Christi Bewell, who is married to Marshall’s son Cassidy, is one of four people who sprang into action to get a recovery fund set up for Becky on GoFundMe. In less than 24 hours, the page had surpassed its goal of $10,000.

Nearly 200 donors raised over $23,000.

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Although there will not be a State Fair this year, local vendors are trying to stay positive and come back bigger and better for 2021.

This year would have marked the eighth year Lino Lakes residents Brendan and Melissa Szala have brought Pitchfork Sausage to the fair.

When they first heard the news that the big get-together would not happen this year, they were relieved.

2020 would have marked the 35th year that White Bear Township resident Brad Ribar has owned and operated the Corn Roast stand at the State Fair.

When Ribar heard the news of the cancellation, he was not surprised.

A longtime daycare provider is thankful all seven children she was caring for are safe after a fi re broke out in her home. Becky Marshall has lived in Lino Lakes for 42 years and has been operating a home day care for 38 of them. At 11:04 a.m.

Friday, June 12, the Lino Lakes Fire Department was dispatched to Marshall’s home on Sandpiper Drive near Chomonix Golf Course. Mutual aid was provided by the Centennial Fire District as well as Spring Lake Park, Blaine, Mounds View and White Bear Lake fi re departments.

Within minutes, Marshall said the “outpouring of love” began. Children in the neighborhood who used to attend day care there brought over snacks for the seven children and

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State Fair vendors ‘weather pandemic storm’

Centennial High School Seniors walked across a red carpet in the Cougars stadium to pick up their diplomas. All of it was captured on video, which will be used to celebrate the Class of 2020 at the district’s virtual graduation Saturday, June 13.

After a decade of serving the community, Centennial Lakes Police Department’s (CLPD) Chief James Coan will hand over the reins to a new chief. Twenty-seven people applied for the position. The slate of candidates was narrowed down to 18, then six, then one. In a special meeting on Thursday, June 25, the police governing board approved a contract with James Mork to take over when Chief Coan retires next month.

“Ultimately, all six (finalists) were excellent. We had six quality candidates. Quite honestly, any of the six would be fine in leading our department, but I think Jim will be a very good fit for our department,” said City Administrator Patrick Antonen at the June 23 council meeting. “We like going with the name Jim,” he joked. “We have a great department and I think Jim Mork is going to keep Jim Coan’s legacy going.” Coan said he is happy for Mork, as it was a competitive selection process with well-qualified candidates.

DECEMBER 29, 2020

QUAD COMMUNITY PRESS www.presspubs.com

A parade unlike any other

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YEAR IN REVIEW

Just last December he received a plaque from the mayor of Lino Lakes, then Jeff Reinert, for staying in business for so long. Years before that he received an award for 41 years of dedicated service to seaplanes from the Minnesota Seaplane Pilots Association. Hanson believes his customers are one of the best features of his business, and they may very well be the reason he has been able to stick around in Lino Lakes through the years.

Surfside is the second-largest seaplane base in the U.S.

Lakeside jazz

JULY

City works to curb parking problems near Lovell Road Now that construction is complete and residents have moved into the 180-unit Landings of Lexington apartment complex, some concerns are continuing to require City Council attention.

The Landings of Lexington, at the corner of Lovell Road and Lexington Avenue, gained council support in August 2018. Dominium broke ground on the facility in February 2019 and residents began moving in this spring.

After residents started to move in, city staff and the Centennial Lakes Police Department (CLPD) began to get complaints about cars parked along surrounding streets. From mid-June to midJuly, Aldrich said that CLPD received 27 parking complaints pertaining to Lovell Road and Dunlap Avenue.

FILE PHOTO

Instead of canceling the annual tradition of the 4th of July Extended School Year (ESY) Independence Day parade, students and staff decided the event must go on, just in a different way. This year, all of the students and their families drove by in cars, many with signs, while staff members cheered them on and presented them with a bag of goodies.

Centennial youth lead peaceful protest against racism Hot, humid weather didn’t stop hundreds of residents from heading out to Circle Pines City Hall on Saturday, July 11, to protest racism and inequality. The event, called “Awaken the Suburbs,” was organized by Centennial High School juniors Amara Patel, Idil Guled, Britt Kjorlien and freshman Siri Kjorlien to raise awareness about racism within the community and make room for Black youth to be heard.

From Circle Pines City Hall, marchers headed toward Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, a little less than a mile away. Organizers had communicated with the school district and the police department beforehand, alerting them that they would be peacefully marching. Police handled traffic

Learning some sweet skills

FILE PHOTO

Circle Pines residents and other Golden Lake users enjoyed an impromptu lakeside concert by the LaValle Jazz Cats Monday, July 20.

control and blocked off roads as volunteers passed out T-shirts, signs and pamphlets, and shared QR codes, directing users to a “Centennial Students for Change” website, which included lists of anti-racist resources and ways to support the community.

Surfside Seaplane Base: 50 years of thanks The seaplane business, known for its maintenance, classes and air rides, has been an attraction in the Lino Lakes community for decades. Surfside fi rst opened in the ’40s, but changed ownership years later. Over the years different people came and left, but Bruce Hanson always stayed.

YMCA announces it will not reopen fitness center Members of the Lino Lakes YMCA received an email July 23 announcing that the Lino Lakes YMCA will not reopen its fitness and well-being center. The spread of COVID-19 has forced many YMCA locations to make adjustments. Other YMCA locations in the Twin Cities area have been slowly reopening with social distance and extra sanitation measures in place, but it appears Lino Lakes will be going in a different direction.

“Within our community board and partners, we are determining what programs and partnerships in a YMCA community response hub designed to provide critical, life-saving necessities and services could benefit the local community,” read the email signed by Glen Gunderson, president and CEO of YMCA Greater Twin Cities.

Sweet Infusion Bakery: Love put into every creation

Field of sunshine

From the age of 3, Lino Lakes resident Chelle Schmidt could often be found in front of a television watching cooking shows.

At the age of 10, she knew she wanted to own a bakery one day.

Schmidt attended pastry school outside of Washington, D.C., and graduated in 2007 at the age of 19. For many years she worked for other companies, big and small, to learn everything she could before she decided to go out on her own. A little over a year ago, she launched her in-home business, Sweet Infusion Bakery. Schmidt specializes in wedding cakes and French pastries, but she also makes specialty cupcakes, cookies, cake pops and more.

AUGUST

Applecrest Orchards under new ownership

FILE PHOTO

FILE PHOTO

Although Waldoch Farm’s annual Sunflower Festival looks a bit different this year, there is still plenty of fun to be had in addition to many photo opportunities along the way.

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Isabelle Valewski and Catherine Sine-Mackintosh begin cutting into the chocolate chip cream cheese bars they made during a summer cooking camp session at The Kids Cooking School in Circle Pines.

While searching for property for his newly established business, Chris Ellis stumbled upon Applecrest Orchards and decided it would be perfect. Stillwater residents Chris Ellis and his wife Shelli purchased the property and business, located at 7306 24th Ave. N. on the border of Hugo and Lino Lakes, in November 2019.

In January, Chris launched AI Grow LLC, which develops control systems for greenhouse automation. Both businesses are full-time endeavors for Chris. He described Applecrest Orchards as the “family business” and AI Grow as the “office” or “day job.” Applecrest Orchards has one full-time employee, a few volunteers and, currently, an intern. AI Grow has six employees. Shelli is the creative director for the orchard, as her graphic design and photography skills have been put to good use.

Applecrest Orchards has been around since 1985 and had a few different owners. The 10 1/2-acre property boasts about 1,400 trees surrounding an 1884 farmhouse. Chris and Shelli purchased the orchard from Dave Graetzer, who bought the property back in 2003.

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YEAR IN REVIEW

and Learning Scott Johnson had to say about the upcoming 2020-21 school year. Centennial Schools will keep the same start date of Tuesday, Sept. 8, despite some neighboring districts pushing their school start back a week. The district has selected the hybrid model for grades K-12, meaning students will spend two days a week doing in-person learning, and the other days at home distance learning. Group 1 will be in school on Mondays and Tuesdays and group 2 on Thursdays and Fridays.

District staff will spend Wednesday deep cleaning, planning and connecting with students who may need some extra help.

Autumn elegance

SEP PTEMBER

Mayor, council recognize former police chief

LEANN MICHAEL | SUBMITTED

Area photographer LeAnn Michael captured this shot, and many others, of a great blue heron in Lino Lakes, which is home to one of Minnesota’s largest great blue heron rookeries.

Back to school “School is going to be different; it is not going to be the norm.”

That’s what Executive Director of Teaching

Now that the Centennial Lakes Police Department (CLPD) has a new chief leading the department, the mayor and City Council wanted to pay tribute to the former chief, who left the department in “great shape.”

Mayor Dave Bartholomay and the council presented former CLPD Chief James Coan with a Mayor’s Award for “leadership and commitment” to the department for his nearly 10 years of service at the Aug. 24 City Council meeting. If we were not currently in the middle of a pandemic, the council chambers likely would have been packed full of people wishing to honor Coan. Instead, it was only the council, Coan’s wife Kris and his son Michael. The Mayor’s Award has been given out six times since 2009.

Pumpkins: 3 decades in the making

selling deer/moose/ elk/caribou) against Matthew were dismissed.

The DNR fi rst confi rmed that the Sausage Haus, located at 9075 South Highway Drive in Lexington, was under investigation in December 2019. Lt. Col. Greg Salo of DNR Enforcement confi rmed that the investigation began in the fall of 2018. Mark and Matthew both received a stay of imposition.

(If probation is successfully completed, the convictions will be certified as a petty misdemeanors). In addition to two years of supervised probation, both father and son will

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have to pay restitution of $847.50 as well as other fees totaling $588.

Recognition ‘shines light’ on Centennial Elementary Centennial Elementary School is one of eight schools in the state and 367 schools in the nation to be honored as a Blue Ribbon School this year. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is part of the U.S Department of Education and recognizes outstanding public and nonpublic schools. In identifying several hundred outstanding schools annually, the program celebrates school excellence, turn-

Lino Lakes resident Scott Wahoski has been growing pumpkins for three decades and counting. What originally started out as a traditional-size pumpkin has now grown into 140 pounds.

Wahoski says he fi rst got the “garden bug” growing up, when his father had a garden in Roseville.

Shortly after his oldest daughter, Heather, was born, he decided to start growing pumpkins.

“I thought it would be fun to have her watch a pumpkin grow that she could then use at Halloween,” he recalled. Not only did their second daughter, Holly, get to enjoy the pumpkins over the years, but so did their neighbors and friends and — now — their grandchildren. “We are carrying on a family tradition,” Wahoski said.

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From best hamburger to best teacher, there are hundreds of winners and finalists named by readers as tops in their field in the 2020 Best of the Press Readers’ Choice special section.

An article ran earlier this month stating 84% of newspaper readers vote in elections. Local voters also embraced the Best of the Press contest. More than 25,000 votes were cast by readers in five Best of the Press contests including White Bear Press, Vadnais Press, Quad Community Press, Shoreview Press and The Citizen, which may make these contests the largest in the region.

Waldoch Farm in Lino Lakes won in three categories.

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and relationship abuse, do not discriminate. They can impact people of any race, gender, sexual preference, religion, education level or economic status. Moreover, relationship violence often looks different from relationship to relationship.

First observed in October 1981 as a national “Day of Unity,” Domestic Violence Awareness Month is held each October to unite advocates across the nation in their efforts to end domestic violence.

Communities and advocacy organizations across the country connect with the public and one another throughout the month to raise awareness about the signs of abuse and ways to stop it, and to uplift survivors by sharing their stories and providing additional resources to leaders and policymakers.

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Scott and his wife, Lynn Wahoski, stand next to large pumpkins displayed outside of their home in Lino Lakes.

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Restaurants are among the businesses that have been most impacted during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and its upheaval of our economic, social and recreational lives. The Quad Community Press reached out to several independent local restaurants to ask how they are dealing with this unprecedented situation. The two businesses that responded are located in Circle Pines and Lexington, respectively: Rusty Cow Cafe and Blue Collar Barbeque.

Following a lengthy discussion about possible solutions for ongoing traffic concerns in the Hailey around stories and the closing of subgroup achievement gaps. Now in its 38th year, the program has bestowed almost 10,000 awards to more than 9,000 schools.

Some schools have won multiple awards.

Two employees of Sausage Haus in Lexington have plead guilty to a gross misdemeanor for a game law violation that stems back to 2017. Mark James Sand, 62, of Hackensack, Minnesota, and Matthew Harris Sand, 34, of Carver, Minnesota, have both been convicted of buying/selling deer/ moose/elk/caribou. Two charges (untagged big game animal) against Mark were dismissed, and three charges (two counts of buying/ selling wild animals $300 or more and one count of buying/

2 local eateries describe daunting pandemic challenges

City steps in to help Lois Lane residents

OCTOBER

Sausage Haus employees convicted of game law violations

Manor and Highland Meadows neighborhoods, residents and the City Council are hopeful they have come up with a solution for now. Several residents attended the council’s Sept. 8 work session to share what has happened since the concern was fi rst shared with the council July 27 and to weigh in on city staff’s recommendation.

City Engineer Diane Hankee explained that the traffic safety committee was recommending a number of remedies. These include installing a painted center skip stripe on Lois Lane between Lake Drive and Sherwood Lane, 30 mph speed limit signs along the straight section of Lois Lane and four “curve ahead” warning signs with cautionary speed signs. The estimated cost would be $3,288.

When that is complete, Hankee said another radar study would be performed. If speed is determined to still be an issue, the council could consider a temporary or permanent driver feedback sign; however, funding would need to be identified.

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DECEMBER 29, 2020

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YEAR IN REVIEW

rain damage damage caused by b oxygen deprivation and is brain lim ted blood fl flow. limited ow.

G odchild dchild a an nd her hu Goodchild and husband were told that Karter wo u be e depe ndent o would dependent on machines and that he would never be able to open his eyes, cry, swallow, eat, breathe, see, hear or walk. They were told their only option was to remove life support. Goodchild became determined to be a resource to other mothers who found themselves in a similar situation.

NOVEMBER

Residential picketing ordinance: ‘This is about balancing people’s rights’

GRANT WHITAKER | SUBMITTED

Hugo resident Grant Whitaker captured this view of the Aug. 15 protest with a drone.

‘Focusing on his life’

Tiffany Goodchild had the perfect pregnancy, but after she arrived at the hospital things quickly spun out of control. When Karter was born June 26, 2016, he was not breathing. Karter had lost 80% of his blood in utero, which was later determined to be caused by a spontaneous fetal maternal hemorrhage. Because he lost so much blood and was oxygen-deprived, he developed a brain injury called hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). HIE

This Old Horse takes over Mel-O-Dee Stables

Targeted residential picketing may soon be considered a misdemeanor within the city of Lino Lakes. The Lino Lakes City Council held the fi rst reading of an ordinance regulating targeted picketing in residential neighborhoods at its Nov. 9 meeting. The council will hold the second reading at its Nov. 23 meeting.

The city of Hugo passed a residential picketing ordinance back in September in response to the Black Lives Matter protest that came to town Aug. 15 outside of the home of Minneapolis Police Federation President Bob Kroll. Director of Public Safety John Swenson said the department was prompted to look into a possible ordinance this summer after it not only responded to the Aug. 15 incident to provide assistance, but also received feedback from residents, council members and city staff.

National Guard broadened vet’s experience

Not every 22-year-old envisions celebrating their birthday in Afghanistan.

Dean Ravenscroft, 29, of Blaine, enlisted in the National Guard in October 2011 at the age of 21.

At the time, he was attending Minnesota State University, Mankato, to pursue a bachelor’s degree in construction management.

When Ravenscroft returned from basic training at Camp Ripley, he was told not return to school

because he was going to be deployed to Afghanistan in 2013. While in Afghanistan, Ravenscroft served as a heavy equipment operator. His job was to demine the country.

This Thanksgiving: ‘Focus on the positive and be thankful’

It is no surprise that the holiday season is going to look very different this year. The restrictions are ever-changing, so families need to remain flexible and try to fi nd ways to celebrate while keeping the ones they love safe. When a north metro family heard temperatures were going to be in the 70s earlier this month, they sprang into action to coordinate an early, safe Thanksgiving celebration outside with family members.

Corinna Morse wanted to fi nd a way to celebrate to cheer up her parents, Peggy Hayden, 78, and Dave Hayden, 81. On Tuesday, Nov. 3, when much of the world was focused on the presidential election, Morse’s family gathered to enjoy the beautiful warm day. The family gathered outdoors at Morse’s home and enjoyed brined turkey prepared on a Kamando grill along with stuffing, squash, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry relish and — of course — pumpkin pie.

Pandemic experience is transforming teaching

The announcement that Centennial students in grades K-12 will shift from the hybrid learning model to distance learning resulted, unsurprisingly, in conflicting emotions within the community. The change is hard for Centennial parents and students, as well as the teachers.

Jessica Robinson, a Centennial English teacher since 1998, and Shane Rasmussen, a Centennial math teacher since 1993, do not think education will return to where it was before the pandemic.

The constant challenges of the pandemic and the fluctuating hybrid and distance learning models have pushed teachers to become stronger educators.

Collecting toys for children in need

DECEMBER

FILE PHOTO

SUBMITTED

Owen, a rescued wild mustang, welcomes a guest to one of This Old Horse’s locations.

Mel-O-Dee Stables is now home to This Old Horse. Mel-O-Dee Stables, located at 13151 Elmcrest Ave. N. in Hugo, has operated as a full-service equine facility since 1971. The organization’s lease began Dec. 1. This Old Horse plans ultimately to purchase the property. The Hugo site, called Phoenix Farms, is the organization’s 11th barn.

Council orders feasibility study for YMCA

By March 21, 2021, city staff and the City Council should have a better idea of what the options are for the YMCA facility. ISG will complete the feasibility study for $24,000 (plus expenses) by the target date of March 21, 2021. The study will include three phases — discovery, analysis and report phases.

The discovery phase will include engagement with

Lino Lakes American Legion Commander Paul Lesch and Junior Auxiliary President Morgan Lesch display some of the toys they collected during the first of two drives for local children in need Dec. 5.

key stakeholders as well as interested community members and the general public. The Y is also undergoing its own efforts to evaluate options for the facility.

Minnesota: ‘It’s not just a place, it’s a way of life’

Is it possible for a business owner and a banker to launch an apparel line in the middle of a pandemic and make it look seamless? Apparently. Rick Wagner and Jason Anderson, both Lino Lakes residents, acquired Minn Life Clothing and subsequently launched the Wake Life apparel line in July and the Star of the North apparel line in October.

SUBMITTED

Lino Lakes residents Rick Wagner and Jason Anderson acquired Minn Life Clothing and have launched two unique apparel lines, Wake Life and Star of the North.

Submitted

Lino Lakes looking into dog park options

The City Council is investigating options for a dog park within the city’s borders. One proposed site discussed by the council back in 2014 is the city-owned property at the corner of Centerville Road and Birch Street near the fire station. The site would require extensive site preparation, including grading, stripping existing vegetation, killing noxious weeds and seeding. Fencing, signage and benches would also need to be considered. A couple of council members suggested a more industrial location may be ideal. The city plans to reach out to the county on the topic and continue the conversation.

Top 10 website stories 2020 - Quad Community Press

1. quad/news - Death in Lino Lakes under investigation 2. quad/news - Lino Lakes extends its watering ban 3. quad/news – Lino Lakes receives informal offer for land near Legion 4. quad/news – Centennial youth organize peaceful protest 5. quad/news - Centerville’s ‘Chef Hot Hands’ has plans 6. quad/news - Black Lives Matter protests head for suburbs 7. quad/news - Creamery Crossing shooting for February opening 8. quad/news - 11-year-old receives ‘birthday of a lifetime’ 9. quad/news - Lino Lakes Council plans to review roofing ordinance 10. quad/news - Centennial Lakes Police Department will welcome new chief next month

18

QUAD COMMUNITY PRESS

DECEMBER 29, 2020 www.presspubs.com

Top 10 Baby names RANK GIRLS BOYS

1 Sophia Liam

2 Olivia Noah

3 Riley Jackson

4 Emma Aiden

5 Ava Elijah

6 Isabella Grayson

7 Aria Lucas

8 Aaliyah Oliver

9 Amelia Caden

SEEKING FIRST BABY OF 2021

10 Mia Mateo

Press Publications would like to feature the fi rst baby born in 2021.

Please email quadnews@ presspubs.com and be sure to include information such as the baby's name, weight, parents' names and where they were born.

Don't forget to send us a photo or two as well as contact information for the family.

Top 10 Most popular dogs names of 2020 1) Bella

2) Charlie

3) Luna

4) Lucy

5) Max

6) Bailey

7) Daisy

8) Cooper

9) Molly

10) Lola

Top 10 Most popular cat names of 2020 1) Luna

2) Bella

3) Oliver

4) Charlie

5) Lucy

6) Leo

7) Max

8) Milo

9) Lily

10) Simba

Local Christmas tree disposal sites

BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Holiday greenery adds joy in the darkest, coldest season. When the holidays are over, there are several local options to properly dispose of Christmas trees.

The Minnesota DNR warns households to dispose of their tree properly to prevent the spread of invasive species from outside the state. Pests of concern include elongate hemlock scale, a small insect established in the eastern U.S. where many decorative Fraser fi rs are grown. Feeding damage from this invasive insect can cause the needles of hemlocks, fi rs, and spruces to yellow and prematurely drop. Also, boxwood blight and Oriental bittersweet, sometimes found on wreaths and centerpieces, can endanger native trees and other landscaping. More information on these threats can be found at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) website at www. mda.state.mn.us/holidaygreenery.

To protect the local environment, the State of Minnesota is asking residents to properly dispose of greenery and trees after the holiday season. The DNR has recommended the following guidelines:

• The best option is to use a curbside tree collection or bring to a designated drop-off site. Check with your waste hauler, city, or county to see what services are offered in your area.

• Do not toss trees and greenery into backyard woods or your residential compost pile which could allow hitchhiking pests to escape.

• Wreaths and other decorative greens can be disposed in trash cans.

• If your city or county does not have an organized pick-up or drop-off, the last resort would be to burn the greens. Always check with local ordinances fi rst and follow them.

If you suspect your greenery or tree may be infested with an invasive insect or disease, contact the MDA’s Arrest the Pest line at 1-888-545-6684 or arrest.the.pest@state.mn.us.

See below for a list of tree drop-off sites in your area. These sites have varied hours of operation. Many are free to residents, but some charge a fee. Check ahead of time by visiting your county website or calling the collection site.

Anoka County

Both the Bunker Hills and Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Compost Sites accept Christmas trees and boughs, as well as other types of yard and tree waste and organics. No charge.

METRO CREATIVE | SUBMITTED

Trees must be free of tinsel, garland, ornaments and stands. Collection sites are open Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Proof of residency required.

• Coon Rapids: Bunker Hills Compost Site: 13285 Hanson Blvd NW, Coon

Rapids, MN 55448. Phone: 763-767-7964 • Lino Lakes—Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Compost Site: 7701 Main St., Lino Lakes, MN 55038. Phone: 651-429-3723

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POLICE REPORTS The Lino Lakes Police Department reported the following incidents: • An officer was dispatched to a business in the 700 block of Apollo Drive Dec. 15 for a report of a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot.

The officer investigated and located an individual sleeping. The driver was provided information about alternative locations to sleep. • Officers were dispatched to check a neighborhood in the 6300 block of White Owl Drive Dec. 15 for a suspicious vehicle. While investigating, officers located property discarded on the roadway and a vehicle parked in a yard. When officers attempted to speak with the driver, they fled the scene and were not identified. • While on patrol, an officer stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation in the 700 block of Town Center Parkway Dec. 15. After an investigation officers seized several drug-related items. Formal charges are pending lab results of the seized drugs. • A community service officer (CSO) responded to a complaint of illegal farm animals in the 100 block of Woodridge Lane Dec. 15. The CSO made contact with the owners and advised them of city ordinances. The farm animals were to be removed by the owner. • An officer responded to a property damage accident in the 1500 block of Birch Street Dec. 17. The accident involved a single vehicle and damage on two neighboring properties. The

officer documented the incident and insurance information was provided to both property owners. • Officers responded to a domestic assault at a residence in the city Dec. 17. Officers investigated the incident and a female was subsequently taken to the hospital. The children were placed into foster care, and charges are pending for the suspect, who was not on scene. • While on patrol in the 7700 block of 20th Avenue Dec. 17, an officer attempted to stop a vehicle where the driver was suspected of having a medical complication. The vehicle was being driven very dangerously and did not stop for the officer's emergency lights. Officers followed the vehicle for safety reasons and the vehicle was later stopped with the help of multiple agencies. The adult male driver was subsequently arrested for DWI and transported to a hospital due to his high level of intoxication. • Officers received information of a possible sexual assault in the city Dec. 18. The case is under investigation. • Officers assisted State Patrol in the 6800 block of I-35E Dec. 18 on a medical situation, which led to a property damage accident. The patient was transported to the hospital by ambulance. • Officers responded to a report of juveniles playing ding dong ditch in the 6500 block of Lacasse Drive Dec. 19. Officers were unable to identify

ANOKA COUNTY, MINNESOTA BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RESOLUTION #2020-138 RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING COMPENSATION AND EXPENSE AMOUNTS FOR ANOKA COUNTY EMPLOYEES, UNCLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES, APPOINTED DIVISION MANAGERS, DEPARTMENT HEADS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR 2021 ADOPTED: DECEMBER 4, 2020 WHEREAS, adjustments to compensation levels of governmental units are considered on an annual basis; and, WHEREAS, the total compensation package must be affordable for Anoka County; and, :+(5($6 WKH FRPSHQVDWLRQ OHYHOV RI QRQ EDUJDLQLQJ XQLW HPSOR\HHV XQFODVVLÀHG HPSOR\HHV GLYLVLRQ PDQDJHUV GHSDUWPHQW KHDGV DQG HOHFWHG RIÀFLDOV IRU QHHG WR EH HVWDEOLVKHG EHIRUH WKH HQG RI WKLV \HDU DQG WHEREAS, the Personnel Rules and Regulations of Anoka County, Minnesota, adopted by the county board, provide that the Director of Employee Relations shall annually review the salary levels and make recommended changes; and, :+(5($6 WKH 'LUHFWRU RI (PSOR\HH 5HODWLRQV KDV FRPSOHWHG VDLG UHYLHZ IRU SURJUDP \HDU DQG KDV UHFommended to the Anoka County Board of Commissioners that the potential salary rate of all county employees be LQFUHDVHG DV GHVFULEHG EHORZ H[FHSW IRU VSHFLÀF H[FOXVLRQV DV DUH RQ ÀOH LQ (PSOR\HH 5HODWLRQV 12: 7+(5()25( %( ,7 5(62/9(' WKDW WKH JHQHUDO DGMXVWPHQW IRU LV SHUFHQW RQ -DQXDU\ LQGLYLGXDO HVWDEOLVKHG VDODULHV RI QRQ EDUJDLQLQJ XQLW FRXQW\ HPSOR\HHV XQFODVVLÀHG HPSOR\HHV WKH FRXQW\ DGPLQLVtrator, division managers, and department heads may increase by a performance-based range movement of up to 2 SHUFHQW DQG GLVWULEXWHG RQ WKH EDVLV RI MRE SHUIRUPDQFH DV DUH RQ ÀOH LQ (PSOR\HH 5HODWLRQV VXEMHFW WR DYDLODELOLW\ RI funds. The approval authority for these job performance increases is hereby delegated to the Management Committee.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that regular county employees who are in collective bargaining agreements with the FRXQW\ RU WHPSRUDU\ HPSOR\HHV DUH VSHFLĂ€FDOO\ H[FOXGHG IURP WKH SD\ LQFUHDVH SRUWLRQ RI WKLV UHVROXWLRQ DQG DOO RWKHU matters covering terms and conditions of employment except as provided in this paragraph. Pay increased for union employees are governed by their collective bargaining agreements.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Anoka County non-union salary schedule be adjusted to include a 3% inFUHDVH WR ERWK WKH PLQLPXP DQG PD[LPXP VDODU\ UDQJH IRU HDFK JUDGH ZLWKLQ WKH VFKHGXOH HIIHFWLYH -DQXDU\ %( ,7 )857+(5 5(62/9(' WKDW WKH $QRND &RXQW\ FRPPLVVLRQHUV¡ DQQXDOL]HG VDODU\ IRU ZLOO EH SXUVXDQW WR WKH SURYLVLRQV RI 0LQQHVRWD 6WDWXWHV %( ,7 )857+(5 5(62/9(' WKDW IRU WKH FRXQW\ DWWRUQH\¡V DQQXDO VDODU\ VKDOO EH DQG WKH VKHULII¡V DQQXDO VDODU\ VKDOO EH IRU %( ,7 )857+(5 5(62/9(' WKDW WKH HOHFWHG RIĂ&#x20AC;FLDOV VKDOO EH HQWLWOHG WR WKH VDPH EHQHĂ&#x20AC;WV DV SURYLGHG RWKHU $QRND &RXQW\ HPSOR\HHV H[FHSW IRU Ă H[LEOH WLPH RII DQG H[WHQGHG PHGLFDO EHQHĂ&#x20AC;W %( ,7 ),1$//< 5(62/9(' WKDW WKLV UHVROXWLRQ LV SRVWHG RQ WKH RIĂ&#x20AC;FLDO FRXQW\ EXOOHWLQ ERDUG DQG FRSLHV EH IRUZDUGed immediately to each department of the county and the Association of Minnesota Counties.

Published one time in the Quad Community Press on December 29, 2020.

CITY OF LINO LAKES NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Lino Lakes, Minnesota will hold a public hearing on -DQXDU\ DW S P LQ WKH &RXQFLO &KDPEHUV DW /LQR /DNHV &LW\ +DOO 7RZQ &HQWHU 3DUNZD\ /LQR /DNHV Minnesota, to consider the following: Applicant: City of Lino Lakes PID #:

Legal Description: Park, Oaks of Lino Proposed Project: 7KH &LW\ LV FRQVLGHULQJ YDFDWLQJ D SDUN WUDLO FRUULGRU ORFDWHG EHWZHHQ $VSHQ /DQH DQG Aspen Lane. )RU IXUWKHU LQIRUPDWLRQ UHJDUGLQJ WKH DERYH LWHP FRQWDFW 5LFN 'H*DUGQHU 3XEOLF 6HUYLFHV 'LUHFWRU DW Anyone wishing to be heard regarding these items will be given the opportunity at the time of the hearing. If you KDYH DQ\ TXHVWLRQV RU QHHG VSHFLDO DFFRPPRGDWLRQV SOHDVH FDOO Published two times in the Quad Community Press on December 22 and 29, 2020.

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the juveniles involved. â&#x20AC;˘ An officer took a damage to property report in the 800 block of Lois Lane Dec. 19. There are no suspect(s) at this time. The case is under investigation. â&#x20AC;˘ An officer responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident in the 7500 block of Lake Drive Dec. 21. Both drivers were uninjured, but both of their vehicles had to be towed from the scene. One drive was cited with a traffic violation.

The Centennial Lakes Police Department reported the following incidents: â&#x20AC;˘ Police were dispatched to the 4100 block of Lovell Road in Lexington Dec. 16 on a harassment report.

Police gathered information and called a female for more information. â&#x20AC;˘ Officers were dispatched to a dog bite report in the 7000 block of Dupre Road in Centerville Dec. 16. â&#x20AC;˘ Officers were dispatched to the 1 block of Circle Drive in Circle Pines Dec. 16 on a theft report. â&#x20AC;˘ Officers recovered a stolen license plate belong to a resident in the 1900 block of Center Street in Centerville Dec. 16. â&#x20AC;˘ An officer spotted a theft in progress in the 6800 block of 20th Avenue in Centerville Dec. 16. The suspect was arrested, and the area was searched for more suspects. â&#x20AC;˘ Officers received a theft report from the 10 block of South Pine Drive in Circle Pines Dec. 17. The report was

found to be related to several other threat reports. â&#x20AC;˘ Police observed a traffic violation near the intersection of Lexington Avenue NE and Lake Drive in Circle Pines Dec. 18. A driver was subsequently arrested. â&#x20AC;˘ Officers responded to a phone report regarding motor vehicle tampering in the 2000 block of Willow Circle in Centerville Dec. 18. The caller advised that an unknown suspect entered her vehicle in the driveway and ransacked it. No items were reported missing. â&#x20AC;˘ An officer responded to the 9100 block of South Highway Drive in Lexington Dec. 18 on report of a disorderly male. â&#x20AC;˘ Damage to property was reported in the 9300 block of Lexington Avenue in Lexington Dec. 19. There are no suspects, and the investigation is ongoing. â&#x20AC;˘ Officers witnessed a driver make an illegal U-turn in the area of Lexington Avenue NE and West Road in Circle Pines Dec. 19. Upon pulling the vehicle over, officers could smell the odor of marijuana and subsequently searched the vehicle.

Drug paraphernalia was located, but no drugs. The driver was warned for the violations. â&#x20AC;˘ Officers were dispatched to a delayed burglary report in the 6800 block of 20th Avenue in Centerville Dec. 21.

The case is under investigation.

CITY OF LINO LAKES SUMMARY BUDGET STATEMENT 7KH SXUSRVH RI WKLV UHSRUW LV WR SURYLGH VXPPDU\ EXGJHW LQIRUPDWLRQ FRQFHULQJ WKH &LW\ RI /LQR /DNHV WR LQWHUHVWHG FLWL]HQV 7KH EXGJHW LV SXEOLVKHG LQ DFFRUGDQFH ZLWK 01 6WDWXWHV 6HFWLRQ 7KLV EXGJHW LV QRW FRPSOHWH WKH FRPSOHWH EXGJHW PD\ EH H[DPLQHG DW WKH &LW\ 2IĂ&#x20AC;FHV 7RZQ &HQWHU 3DUNZD\ /LQR /DNHV 01 GXULQJ UHJXODU EXVLQHVV KRXUV 7KH &LW\ &RXQFLO DGRSWHG WKLV EXGJHW RQ 'HFHPEHU 2019 2020 2021 General Fund Actual Budget Budget

Revenues Property Taxes Special Assessments Licenses and Permits Intergovernmental Revenue Federal State County Charges for Services Fines and Forfeits Interest on Investments Miscellaneous Other Financing Sources Transfers from Other Funds Total Revenues and Other Financing Sources Expenditures General Government Public Safety Streets and Highways Solid Waste Abatement Culture and Recreation Conservation of Natural Resources Community Development Other Financing Uses Transfers to Other Funds Total Expenditures and Other Financing Sources Increase (Decrease) in Fund Balance Property Tax Levy Requirement to Fund this Budget

$8,161,217 106 941,570

$8,407,756 0 932,346

$9,271,367 0 943,019

0 552,238 71,018 340,944 98,390 159,482 1,162,354

0 538,000 78,459 297,337 116,100 30,000 215,172

0 553,000 78,523 301,059 106,100 30,000 214,500

0

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2,957,550 4,731,147 1,376,583 76,493 910,458 131,426 453,055

2,165,170 5,135,173 1,438,590 78,459 822,475 124,391 502,912

2,166,489 5,443,612 1,567,911 78,523 690,294 134,746 511,712

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11,195,170

11,519,400

($92,947) $8,193,124

($200,000) $8,368,756

($21,832) $9,232,367

Published one time in the Quad Community Press on December 29, 2020.

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Social distancing is no obstacle for Christmas Bird Count

BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Bird nerds, rejoice: Not even COVID-19 can break a winter tradition 121 years in the making. The annual Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count will be Dec. 26–Jan. 5, with some alterations to reduce the risk of virus transmission.

“It’s really the perfect isolation activity because it’s just people and birds,” said Jim Howitz, Christmas Bird Count coordinator for the Northeast Suburban region. The Northeast Suburban region is centered on Withrow and includes areas of Hugo, Marine on St. Croix, Stillwater and White Bear Lake.

A few bird counts won’t be happening this winter on account of pandemic precautions, but many counts plan to go forward. In past years, the bird count has included some in-person volunteer meetings to strategize routes or join up for lunch or potluck afterward. This year, in-person gatherings are canceled, and carpooling is only allowed among existing social pod groups, such as family members who share a household.

Volunteers who come from separate households may participate in a caravan of vehicles as long as they maintain social distancing outside and wear masks. This separation is a challenge to newer counters, who are supposed to go into the field under the guidance of more experienced birders.

For anyone wanting to participate for the first time, Howitz recommends staying home to conduct a feeder watch instead. This is also one of the cozier options, as the bird count has been beset by cold drops in the weather and freezing rain in the past few years.

Feeder counts are great for beginners because it’s often easier to identify feeder birds up close. Howitz encourages anyone who isn’t sure about a bird to take a picture and ask someone with more experience.

“We used to want very detailed descriptions, but a picture is worth a thousand words,” he said.

Those interested in counting birds at their feeder this year can go to

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | SUBMITTED

Owl species such as this barred owl are found in Minnesota year-round, and are often located by pre-dawn owling counters during the Christmas Bird Count.

audubon.org to find their local count area. After totaling their numbers, they can send them to their local count compiler to be added to the final tally.

“The only rule is, you pick the highest number, so say you see five chickadees at once, you send in five as your total. It might be many times that, but you report the maximum number you see any one given time. I would encourage people to do that. A lot of the best birds are at somebody’s feeders, and they hardly ever get reported.”

Howitz does not know if the COVID-19 precautions will significantly alter the number of participants. Even if there are fewer counters, he expects that the data will not be affected. The CBC looks for trends among bird populations, which will be calculable based on the number of observer parties and their hours in the field.

Among the trends recent bird counts have noticed: pigeons and house sparrows are declining, while turkeys and red-bellied woodpeckers are showing up in increasing numbers.

These trends are consistent with the

impacts of human development and global climate change.

Howitz is particularly interested in trends among red-headed woodpeckers, a declining species with a small population stronghold at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in East Bethel. Citizen science such as the Christmas Bird Count and Breeding Bird Survey, combined

with professional research, can give insights into where these populations go for the winter and how they survive. The Christmas Bird Count allows average citizens to be a part of long-term data that can help scientists understand the lives of birds and their wider ecosystems.

This winter may be a particularly interesting one for bird counters, as many have noticed large numbers of birds from the far north in the Twin Cities area this fall. These include pine siskins, redpolls and evening grosbeaks.

“I’ve noticed that a lot of good birds are turning up, which means there are people there to find them,” Howitz said. “It’s a really good isolation activity. You can go out with one or two people or by yourself, and a lot of people really need to just get out. Birding is a very rewarding yet solitary activity.”

It’s also a good way to look closer and get to know the ecology of your local neighborhood.

The trends are a lot more accurate as the counters get better at finding birds,” Howitz said. “Once you’ve found a good bird in a spot, you always go back. It works. I got bluebirds at Cedar Creek maybe 20 years ago, and then a few years ago, there they were again. The habitat was good. It makes sense. If you’ve got bushes or something with a lot of berries, or food for cattle or chickens, it makes sense you’ll find birds.”

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