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PUBLIC SAFETY: Vadnais Heights business leader fatally shot PAGE 6
Purple Line: Council hits pause on resolution opposed it. Member Steve Engstran remained to state his inclination toward the controversial bus line. Aware that he was the “swing vote,” Engstran said he could not support the resolution as written. “I am against the bus line, but there is something about the resolution that doesn’t sit well with me. The resolution says it will impact walkability of our area. There is no way we can tell that.” Engstran added the only part of the resolution he could support was paragraph (j), which acknowledged the “great deal of work” that goes into planning a BRT project and selecting a route. “Nothing in this resolution is intended to criticize
BY DEBRA NEUTKENS STAFF WRITER
PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Front row seat at the Northern Lights exhibit Gallery Director Danielle Cezanne and volunteer Laurel O’Gorman work on the placement of carved wood chair sculpture by Seth Peter during the Ford Family Gallery installation of the Northern Lights 48th Annual Juried Art Exhibition that is opening this week at the White Bear Center for the Arts. Find more photos and information about the upcoming exhibit on page 14.
WHITE BEAR LAKE — A strongly worded message informing the Metropolitan Council the city does not want its rapid transit buses was tabled rather than risk a no vote that would have killed a resolution opposing the project. One by one, City Council members gave reasons why they did or did not support the Purple Line, formerly the Rush Line bus rapid transit (BRT) project. The 15-mile line will bring 89 buses a day to White Bear Lake from St. Paul with 21 stops in between. A split vote was apparent when members Bill Walsh and Heidi Hughes stated they supported the resolution and Dan Jones and Kevin Edberg
SEE PURPLE LINE, PAGE 11
Familiar voice welcomes McDonald’s patrons BY DEBRA NEUTKENS STAFF WRITER
There’s a reason daytime regulars recognize the voice at the Highway 61 McDonald’s drive-thru. Kevyn Cardinal has been working the window for 35 years. An unabashed “people person,” Cardinal started at the location in ‘87, four years after the restaurant opened in ‘83, which is also the year he graduated from White Bear Lake High School. The teamwork involved in keeping customers happy appeals to Cardinal, who said he “likes doing my part” in the fastpaced restaurant environment. He knows many of the customers, who in turn know him and order “the usual” when they realize it’s Cardinal on the intercom. Restaurant owners Christina and Terry McBride say they
work hard to retain good employees like Cardinal by offering benefits like 401Ks, health insurance and flexible hours. Despite the pandemic and familiar hiring struggles voiced by other businesses, they are fully staffed at 45, including son Seamus, a junior at South Campus. “We try to take care of our employees,” Terry said. The Lino Lakes couple purchased the franchise in October after waiting 15 years for the chance. They consider the location “phenomenal.” They also own a McDonald’s on Rice Street in Little Canada and a third store on Apollo Drive in Lino. After a two-year shutdown and complete remodel, the White Bear lobby reopened in November. McDonald’s headquarters requires franchise owners to update their lobbies about every 10 years. They are
given a choice of five designs from which to choose. The exterior was updated too; the famous golden arches are now illuminated with LED lights, among other façade improvements. There is much autonomy too, in ownership. “We’re in charge of wages, personnel and menu board prices,” Terry said. They also focus on marketing by offering “beach bundles” to hungry boaters heading out on the lake or event specials for Polar Plungers and Bear’ly Open participants. A former convention manager for the Hilton Hotel chain, Terry decided about 21 years ago he wanted to own a business and started a long, seven-year process to buy a franchise. “I took about a $60,000 pay cut and went from being big-time at the Hilton to working a (french) frier,” he laughed.
PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Restaurant owners Christina and Terry McBride say they work hard to retain good employees like Kevyn Cardinal. The Lino Lakes couple purchased the franchise in October after waiting 15 years for the opportunity.
Cardinal and his employers are particularly excited for the new high school at North Campus, but they worry about the traffic. The McBrides say a pedestrian bridge would be a welcome addition to make the highway crossing safer. “It will be interesting to see what they do about the traffic,” Terry said,
something that is much heavier now than when he started, added Cardinal. Cardinal affirmed he’s quite content with his career choice. “I’m comfortable working here,” he said. “I’ve done it for awhile and I’m good at it. I like the people and I like getting up and going to work every day.”
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