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FACES OF FENTANYL: Parents speak out PAGE 19
Township bows out of appeals process, settles DNR case BY DEBRA NEUTKENS STAFF WRITER
Meeting behind closed doors for months, White Bear Township is one of several municipalities that has settled its water appropriations permit argument with the DNR. Ten municipalities within 5 miles of White Bear Lake filed appeals five years ago challenging amended appropriation permits. The changes were the result of the 2017 court decision ordering the DNR to amend groundwater permits. The township settled its case with the DNR last week just as the hearings finally got underway. The appeals are being heard by an administrative law judge through Oct. 31. According to Township Attorney Chad Lemmons, the timing component of the settlement was set by the DNR. “The legislation adopted during the last legislative session has also been incorporated,” he noted. Lemmons provided the following summary of the settlement’s terms: • By Sept. 30, 2027, the town will submit to the DNR a revised water supply plan based upon the comprehensive plan developed by the Met
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Connexus leads the way in energy solutions Connexus Energy celebrated a groundbreaking for the battery storage to be located at the Vadnais Heights Substation, located at 4037 Centerville Road. This is an important project to Connexus Energy because it demonstrates the focus on leading the way in finding economic energy solutions as well as continuing to build relationships.
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New Future City Church plans grand opening BY NOELLE OLSON EDITOR
Future City Church will hold a grand opening celebration at 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, at 2150 Third St. at the Getty Co-Work building in White Bear Lake. “We are a converged church plant,” said Pastor Gabe Brennan. “The bottom line is, we’re a Christcentered Christian church.” Brennan, of White Bear Lake, said he loves to see people experience Jesus in fresh ways. He and his wife Melonie have been married for 15 years and have four sons. According to Brennan, after graduating from Moody Bible Institute and Bethel Seminary he pastored a church in western
Wisconsin for eight years. After a fruitful ministry, he and Melonie felt the call to return to their home state and explore options to start a new church somewhere in the Twin Cities. They began to lay the groundwork for a church in the fall of 2021. A launch team of people from different walks of life was created: some are mechanics, nurses, full-time moms, truck drivers and teachers. “I think the thing that makes us different from other churches is that you can be yourself with us,” Brennan said. “I think everyone should have the option or the opportunity to be a part of a community where they can kind of let their hair down and they can be
themselves.” Brennan said they came up with the name Future City Church because “the story isn’t over and God has a great future for his people.” “One Bible passage that inspired us for the name is Hebrews 11,” he said. “It gives all these stories of people going through hard times and they were looking for a city with a foundation. The gist of it is trying to give people hope.” “We’re on a journey and we’re not there yet,” Brennan said. “The point of Future City in part is (that) the story’s not over. It’s a really bright and beautiful future for God’s people, but it’s not right now. It’s coming, and we need to keep going.”
NOELLE OLSON | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Pastor Gabe Brennan in the kitchen at the Future City Church in White Bear Lake.
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