Public safety contract: Attorney suggests ‘possibility of litigation’
BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR
The city of White Bear Lake and White Bear Township are in the middle of a contract dispute dealing with what the township is expected to pay for the new public safety building.
“Pursuant to the city’s longstanding service contract with White Bear Township, the city invoices the township annually for its proportionate share of costs associated with operating the city’s fire department, which includes emergency medical services (EMS). Those invoices include the township’s fair share of fire department building costs,”
said City Manager Lindy Crawford. “The city’s position, which is supported by the contract, is simply that all jurisdictions within the fire service area should pay an equitable share of the costs required to provide the high-quality, effective fire services that White Bear Lake offers.”
The city of White Bear Lake’s fire service area includes approximately 38,000 people from the city, township, Birchwood Village, Dellwood and Gem Lake. The city also provides police services to Gem Lake.
The total bond issue (principal and interest) for the new public safety building amounts to $25,864,966 to be paid over a 20-year period. Of that, the
five communities will be responsible for approximately $12.8 million.
Each year, the city of White Bear Lake is required to provide notice about what the following year’s cost of services will be to each community.
On Aug. 29, 2023, the city of White Bear Lake mailed a letter and breakdown of the 2024 budget to the township. Per the letter, the calculation of what the township owes takes half of the total bond principal and interest for the project attributed to the fire operations, reduces the total by $100,000 (already collected during the 2023 contract payments) and
SEE CONTRACT DISPUTE, PAGE 5
Local wildlife on the move
Minnesota Department of Public Safety offers some tips that include; drive at safe speeds and be especially cautious from 6 - 9 p.m., when deer are most active. Use high beams as much as possible at night, especially in deer-active areas and don’t swerve to avoid a deer.
Public safety building: What each community owes for 2024
• White Bear Lake: $416,508
• White Bear Township: $182,319
• Dellwood: $19,502
• Birchwood Village: $14,357
• Gem Lake: $8,941
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ comes to Mahtomedi
BY ERIK SUCHY STAFF WRITER
What do you get when you mix ancient Greece, an enchanted fairy-inhabited forest and big laughs from one of the most renowned playwrights of the 16th century? You get William Shakespeare’s classic comedic tale, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” which will be performed at Mahtomedi High School later this month.
The play, set in Athens, focuses on different subplots surrounding the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict among four Athenian lovers.
Another follows a group of six actors rehearsing a play to be performed before the wedding, only to find themselves in the company of magical fairies who manipulate them for their own desires.
“Shakespeare wrote for all of us,” said Dennis Joslyn, who has been the
High School
school’s play director for the past four years. “He did a great job of making sure the common person can see themselves in his productions. I’m a believer that he should be seen and heard, not just read.”
According to Joslyn, the play will be performed in a condensed 90-version for the sake of timing but will otherwise remain faithful to the original text. “We’ve done a really good job of Vkeeping all of the humor and the original plot,” added Joslyn. “There are a couple of characters that we’ve maybe reassigned, too. There isn’t anything major that we’re cutting.”
“He (Shakespeare) was ahead of his time with the kind of humor that he has,” said freshman Henry Aflakpi, who portrays Basil, a fairy follower of Titania, Queen of the Fairies. “I feel like it’s played a big part in the kind of humor we have
SEE MAHTOMEDI HIGH SCHOOL, PAGE 21
Sarah Boo, DDS PA
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CONSTRUCTION BRIEF
Martin Way/Rice Street roundabout nears completion
A new roundabout is being constructed at Martin Way and Rice Street in Vadnais Heights. Currently, Martin Way will now be a dead end to ensure traffic safety near the
roundabout. At the same time, two additional areas resembling parking spaces have been created at the end of Martin Way to provide a place for garbage and delivery trucks to turn
around. Jim Hauth, director of public works, said this will prevent large vehicles from needing to reverse down Martin Way. A trail is planned for the east side of Rice Street, and
a surmountable curb will also be installed to allow emergency vehicles access to the dead end if necessary. The area is scheduled for completion and will open to traffic on Nov. 27.
OPINION
Tx 3
My husband and I recently welcomed another four-legged member into our family. Meet Tinsel, a 4-year-old shepherd mix, from FaerieLand Rescue. Although I haven’t adopted a dog from the organization before, the rescue has always had a special place in my heart because it focuses on German shepherds and corgis, two of my favorite breeds. My mother’s dog Princess, who just celebrated her 7th birthday, is from FaerieLand.
Shannon’s
Shenanigans
Shannon Granholm
I’ve been following Tinsel’s rescue story since she arrived at the rescue last January, a month after we had to say goodbye to our beloved Frosty who had degenerative myelopathy. Tinsel was rescued from a reservation. Shortly after her arrival, it was discovered that she was pregnant. She had her puppies, and her puppies were all adopted, but she was still waiting patiently for a home she could call her own.
In mid-October the rescue posted on its social media that Tinsel was still available and looking for her “furever” home. She stole my heart from the minute I saw her. But my husband Patrick and I already have our hands full with a toddler and two other pups. I kept trying to find reasons why it wouldn’t work: What if she doesn’t’ get along with our dogs? What if she doesn’t like an unpredictable one-and-a-half year old following her around everywhere? What if she doesn’t like going to car shows?
But then I started thinking… What if she does? What if the mama in her loves looking out for my little boy? What if she does get along with Twinkie and Tundra and they become best pals? What if she does like riding around in a VW bus and going to car shows and dog-friendly events?
I asked my husband if we could have her and he said, “I’m not saying no, but there is a lot we would have to figure out.”
Unbeknownst to my husband, I decided to meet up with her with my son Royce to see how she would do and she did great. Then I met up with her again at a local park to see how she did with the pups and that went well too. I told him about it right after. He eventually warmed up to the idea of trying it out to see how it goes. Then he met her and fell in love too like I knew he would.
We agreed to foster Tinsel with the intent of adopting her. It took less than a week to know she was going to fit into our family just fine.
I can’t help but feel like she was meant for us. Something about her just drew me to her and I knew we had to have her. That happened with Tundra too. Too perfect to pass up.
I can’t explain it because there have been several other dogs who have crossed my social media feed that I thought were adorable, but I never had the urge to figure out how to make them a part of our family. Perhaps our sweet angel Frosty sent her to us.
One day while I was working, Tinsel sat down beside me and placed her paw right over my hand on top of the paw print ring I have made of Frosty’s ashes. If that’s not a sign I don’t know what is. I never thought we would have three dogs again, but it sure is nice to see a shepherd in our home again. Twinkie, Tundra and Tinsel sure is a tonguetwister though.
Shannon is the managing editor at Press Publications.
Talking deer collisions with U of M
On the first Sunday of November each year in the United States, clocks “fall back” one hour with the end of daylight saving time and usher in the shorter, darker days of the winter months. This adjustment has serious implications beyond the loss of sunlight: research shows that the end of daylight saving time brings a 16% rise in vehicle and deer collisions in the week following.
Movers & Shakers
Ron Moen, a wildlife biologist at the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI), associate professor in UMD’s Swenson College of Science and Engineering and scholar in the Center for Transportation Studies, discusses how deer collisions affect Minnesota drivers and how we can all stay safer as the seasons change.
Q: How do deer collisions affect Minnesota drivers?
A: The effect of a deer-vehicle collision (DVC) on drivers varies. While most DVCs only cause property damage, collisions can cause an injury or, even worse, a fatality. About 1,300 DVCs have been reported to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety in recent years, but our data, and data from insurance claims, suggests
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the true number of DVCs in Minnesota is at least 10 times higher, and maybe up to 20 times higher. The cost of time and money for repairs to the vehicle after a collision is high, but — particularly when injuries or fatalities happen — there is a significant emotional cost on top of the financial costs of a DVC.
Q: What contributes to the rise in deer collisions with the end of daylight saving time?
A: The rise in DVCs observed at the end of daylight saving time is likely a combination of three main factors. On the deer behavior side, deer are typically more active around dusk and dawn, and deer also move more in the fall than at other times of the year. On the human side, when we end daylight savings time, the peak commute hour coincides with dusk, which means there are a lot of people driving right at the time that there are a lot of active deer.
Q: What steps can drivers take to avoid deer collisions?
A: Driver speed and driver awareness are key. If you drive at the speed limit, particularly in areas where you commonly see deer, you’ll have more time to react if you see a deer and therefore more time to avoid hitting the deer. It is also important for drivers to maintain awareness of your surroundings. You should consciously watch for deer as you’re driv-
ing, and if you see a deer, anticipate that it could move into the roadway. Especially if one deer crosses the road, a second or third deer may follow.
Q: How is the U of M improving knowledge on deer collisions?
A: Deer-vehicle collisions have a tremendous financial and emotional cost for the citizens of Minnesota. My team at the U of M has been working with the Minnesota Department of Transportation to gather data on all the DVCs reported in the past 20 years to predict roadway corridors and specific sections of those corridors that are particularly risky for DVCs. This provides insight into what factors — such as adjacent land use and speed limit — along with other roadway characteristics are particularly risky for DVCs. This project was a first step to evaluate the overall effect of DVCs on Minnesota drivers — the last study created from Minnesota data was published in 2003. Since then we’ve had over 40,000 DVCs reported to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, which, given our estimates of the reporting rate, add up to several hundred thousand DVCs in actuality. If our project helps reduce DVCs by even one half of a percent, it would more than pay for itself.
Ron Moen is a wildlife biologist at the Natural Resources Research Institute.
BEAR/VADNAIS HEIGHTS PRESS | LETTER GUIDELINES
at least four weeks must lapse between publication. Exceptions may be made for rebuttal letters.
• Due to space limitations, letters that don’t address local issues are not guaranteed publication.
• Repeat letters by the same writer about the same subject matter will not be published.
• Submissions containing libelous or derogatory statements will not be published.
• Submissions containing facts not previously published in the Press must be accompanied by factual verification.
• All letters are subject to editing.
• Deadline is 5 p. m. , Thursday of the week prior to publication.
• To submit a letter, e-mail it to whitebearnews@ presspubs.com, fax it to 651429-1242 or mail or deliver it to Press Publications, 4779 Bloom Ave., White Bear Lake, MN 55110.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Managing our food waste
A big shout-out to the Vadnais Heights Lions, who conducted their fall waffle breakfast as a “wastefree” event. In partnership with the Vadnais Heights Green Team, Scout Troops 7212 and 9212 and the city of Vadnais Heights, the event was able to divert over 200 lbs of organic waste from going into a landfill. By using compostable plates and utensils, all the food and waste could be composted! The city provided the composting and recycling stations; the Scouts cleared the tables, ensuring the waste items were disposed of properly; and the Green Team provided the guidance and education to attendees on what was compostable, recyclable versus trash. We heard many positive comments from attendees who were appreciative of the efforts of the Lions to be sustainable at the event. The event served 775 people, showing all of us that we too can hold waste-free events. And with the holidays coming up, we should all be thinking about how we will manage our food waste.
Judy Lissick Vadnais Heights
A big thank you to election volunteer, first responders
My wife and I arrived at the White Bear Lake City Hall to vote on Election Day morning. After waiting in the line outside, we were inside, at the head of the line and about to start voting when my wife became faint and collapsed.
A volunteer election worker named Carol immediately intervened and gave great assistance until the White Bear Lake first responders arrived. A young man of the first responders team immediately began taking vital signs in the City Hall and more in the emergency vehicle.
When it was determined that my wife’s condition was not serious, Carol took me back to the head of the line and personally escorted me through the voting process and then took me out to the emergency vehicle where my wife was waiting. We should all be thankful and proud of the volunteers we have like Carol, and of the first responders we have in White Bear Lake.
Richard Dostal White Bear Lake
Thank you, Mayor Krachmer
Craig Johnson wrote that those who serve in public office should not be worried about how much they earn. I disagree. Money does help attract those who we want to serve on City Council and as Mayor. Craig wrote that the mayor spends 3.5 hours for Council meetings and that same amount to prepare, twice a month. Also noted: Mayor Mike is available on the 4th Monday at Perkins to have breakfast with any constituents who want to discuss an issue. Mayor Mike has office hours on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month to hear people’s concerns. I would like to add that Mayor Mike came
COMMUNITY BRIEF
to the Halloween Party for the kids on Friday, in costume and thanked all of the volunteers. He attended the Scarecrow Walk and chose the Mayor’s Award. He attended the Green Team’s Adopt-A-Drain event on Saturday, Oct. 26 and spent over 1.5 hours cleaning drains. He has adopted a drain in his neighborhood and checks on it consistently. Mike was seen walking on Koehler Road to check out the construction project and chat with homeowners. Mayor Mike shared this much time just in October and is given only $625 per month. Yes, he deserves a raise.
Kathy Pittelko Vadnais Heights
This is public service
I don’t know how past Council Members and Mayors have done the job, but I do know how the current Mayor (Mike Krachmer) serves Vadnais Heights. For twice-monthly Council meetings, he reads 300+ pages of material and researches all the topics well enough to ask pertinent questions and lead and make decisions. He meets 2-3 times per month with the City Administrator and other staff. Monthly, he attends the Planning Commission and Regional Council of Mayors meetings. Bimonthly, he meets with 7 local Mayors. He also meets about development projects and the hiring and managing of consultants.
During his first two years, he attended 30 hours of emergency preparedness training, 120 hours of training and two 3-day League of Minnesota Cities conferences to understand the role of local government. He creates access to local government for all residents through a monthly Breakfast with the Mayor event, twice-monthly office hours, conversation time before each Music in the Park event, and attendance at quarterly Senior Lunches, Vadnais Heights Days, and Scarecrow Trail events. In addition to scheduled meetings and education, the Mayor receives notification about fires, crimes, and other emergencies and he researches and responds to all calls and letters from residents.
The current Mayor and City Council members are trying to recover from past inadequate funding for infrastructure. They are focused on the needs of Vadnais Heights and its residents (housing, homelessness, safe and professional public safety services, environmental safety, property and business development) over the next 50 years, not their next paycheck or next election.
The description I’ve provided here is how I personally define public service, rather than by the salary paid for this part-time role. By the way, even with the upcoming raise, the time the Mayor invests in this role will still pay less than the hourly wage of a newly hired staffer at McDonalds!
Task force invites public to weigh in Birchwood Village’s Lake Links Park Trail Task Force invites residents to a public forum to provide input and gather input on future trail options at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov.
14 at Village Hall. The meeting will include a short presentation on the task force’s purpose and goals, as well as an open forum for the public to ask questions and provide input.
CONTRACT DISPUTE:
City hopes to resolve promptly, continue
services
divides the remaining amount by 20 years.
For 2024, the township is expected to pay $516,670 — $182,316 of that for the building and $334,354 for fire and EMS services.
Per the city’s contract with the township, the fire services formula considers nine items, including “the cost of fire department buildings depreciated over the asset’s useful life.”
The township does not agree that it has to pay the interest portion on the debt service.
Township Attorney Chad Lemmons said, “Considering the distinct possibility of litigation— actually, more than distinct—there’s no comment we can make at this time.” Lemmons added that Gem Lake, Birchwood and Dellwood “are talking.”
Back in August, Lemmons told the town board that interest is calculated “in a straight-line depreciation of equipment and buildings over their useful life.”
The dispute largely centers around whether the new public safety building is included in that depreciation. If it is not, he says township residents will have to pay roughly $4 million extra over the next 20 years.
Town Supervisor Steve Ruzek noted the township was not “dissatisfied with the service” but rather just wanted to discuss the contract.
The city and township currently have a five-year contract that runs through Jan. 1, 2028. Per
the contract, if the contracting jurisdiction “fails to timely pay” for fire services, the city can terminate the contract as long as it provides 120-days notice.
Crawford said the city has not served a notice of termination, but it has “reminded the township” of its contract obligations. “We have no desire to stop serving them,” she said. “We have always enjoyed a good relationship with them. We want to continue to do that. We want to keep serving them.”
As of last week, Crawford confirmed that the township has agreed to pay the principal portion of what it owes for 2024, which equates to $118,506, leaving $63,810 of interest outstanding. Gem Lake has paid only the principal portion, $5,812, while Dellwood and Birchwood have each paid their total bill for 2024.
“The city takes its responsibility to provide fire and EMS services very seriously, and has traditionally enjoyed a positive relationship with each community it serves,” Crawford said. “We hope to resolve this dispute promptly and continue providing the highest quality service to our neighbors in White Bear Township because when it comes to a fire or medical emergency, every second counts, and there is no fire department in the area better prepared than White Bear Lake Fire to respond.”
Managing Editor Shannon Granholm can be reached at 651-407-1227 or whitebearnews@presspubs.com.
LettersSantato
MAHTOMEDI CITY COUNCIL NOTES
• The city is in year two of three on its audit contract with CliftonLarsonAllen LLP. City Administrator Scott Neilson explained that next year’s contract represents a roughly 5% increase from this year.
• The City Council will recognize the high school girls soccer team for winning the state championship at its next meeting on Nov. 19.
• A capital improvement plan (CIP) is now in place for the next five years for parks and streets. The parks CIP totals $665,000: $135,00 in improvements in 2025, $220,000 in 2026, $20,000 in 2027, $20,000 in 2029 and $270,000 in 2029. Projects slated for 2025 include the Katherine Abbott Park trail extension and Streetcar Trail improvement as well as other miscellaneous improvements.
The streets CIP totals $34,250,500: $1.43 million in 2025, $8.12 million in 2026, $21.1 million in 2027, $2.96 million in 2028 and $650,000 in 2029. Finance Director Scott Schaefer explained that the “huge number” in 2027 reflects the city’s plans for a project at City Hall and the fire station as well as the second phase of the turnback of Highway 244 from the state to the county.
Next year’s project includes the planning and design for the Highway 244 turnback, the sanitary sewer lining program, and street improvements to the Birchwood culvert and the water main loop on Briarwood.
Although no one spoke during the
WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP NOTES
• Indigital Inc. will provide document scanning services to the township for $56,558.50.
• The township is listing its surplus property at 2569 Stacker Blvd. for sale through Coldwell Banker Realty.
• Based upon a review from engineering firm TKDA, the board gave consent for Verizon Wireless, through Crown Castle, to add at least 17 additional antennas to the township’s cell tower on 4151 Hoffman Road.
• Steve Backus of 1104 Pine Hill is concerned about the Park 35E project, an industrial real estate development from North Oaks Company along Centerville Road. Land for the site has already been graded and leveled. “My concern is, and I think I speak for a lot of my neighbors, we want to know who’s going to fight for us to get what little bit we might be asking for,” Backus said, listing a
recent public hearings for the CIPs, Mayor Richard Brainerd said, “We had a lot of good discussion … We had great input from the citizen’s commission. People are consciously involved and paying attention to what we are doing and giving us some good feedback.” By now, 79 property owners should have received a letter from the city informing them that they may have water services that contain galvanized pipe. Public Works Director Bob Goebel explained that a mandated program is now in place from the federal government that will require the replacement of lead or galvanized pipes by 2033.
“We will put a CIP together when money is available, and it will be fully funded through the federal government,” he said.
For now, he directs residents who may be impacted to the city’s website (https://www.ci.mahtomedi.mn.us/ civicalerts.aspx?aid=388) to get their questions answered. If homeowners want to replace their pipes before federal funding is available, it would be their financial responsibility.
Goebel said he wasn’t sure when the funding would become available and that only a few cities in the state have received funds for projects so far. The cost for replacement for each property will likely be approximately $10,000, but that price tag could go up to closer to $15,000 depending on whether the contractor needs to go into the street or not.
• At the council’s next meeting, it
walking path and “plenty of trees— several rows of trees” as his requests. “They have not come to us with a plan,” Town Supervisor Chair Ed Prudhon responded. “All they did was the grading and retaining walls to make it all level so they can work out a plan. … All that stuff will be discussed when they come to us with what they think they want to do.”
Prudhon said that residents “will always be in the loop.”
• For the second consecutive meeting, the final portion was held in closed session to discuss the White Bear Lake fire contract.
The White Bear Township Board next meets at 4200 Otter Lake Road at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18. To view a livestream of the meeting, visit youtube.com/@ WhiteBearTownshipMNOfficial/ streams
L ogan Gion
should be able to close out three contracts for completed projects.
• Fire Chief Tim Albrecht says call volume is up. He said the department is about 100 calls ahead of where it was this time last year.
• Street sweeping continues. Goebel said the city has received some concerns regarding all of the leaves in the roadway. “Timing is the hardest part with the contractor,” he said.
• Council Member Luke Schlegel encouraged residents to take advantage of the new food scraps program. Residents can collect food scraps in food scrap bags that are provided for that purpose and place them into their trash cart or dumpster. After collection, the food scrap bags are separated from the trash bags and brought to an industrial compost facility, where the food scraps are composted.
• Schlegel explained that he reached out to the director of the program because he was concerned the bags would rip and intermingle with his other trash. He learned that the bags for the program are thicker and less likely to rip. Visit FoodScrapsPickup.com or call 651-661-9393 to learn more and order your free annual supply of food scrap bags.
The next City Council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, at City Hall.
Shannon Granholm
WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP BRIEFS
Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office contract will change
Beginning next year, RCSO’s contract terms with the townships it serves, including White Bear Township, will renew every five years as opposed to three. While the White Bear Township Board is concerned about language that could allow the county to slip in surprise budgetary expenses, Town Clerk Patrick Christophers noted that there are times the opposite happens, where surplus budget is put in escrow.
North Oaks’ water usage JPA will be restructured
On Jan. 2, 2025, White Bear Township and North Oaks’ terms regarding shared water usage and maintenance will be restructured. The new memorandum of understanding will outline the responsibilities of each community as it pertains to water usage as well as the maintenance of pipes under Centerville Road. The township has signed the terms, and North Oaks is actively reviewing them. The deadline for agreement on the terms is early December.
Logan Gion
PUBLIC NOTICES • PUBLIC NOTICES • PUBLIC NOTICES
2. The street address of the principal place of business is or will be:
2350 PALMER DR NEW BRIGHTON MN 55112
3. The name and street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name, including any corporation that may be conducting this business. NB Garage Inc. 2350 PALMER DR NEW BRIGHTON MN 55112
I certify that I am authorized to sign this certificate and I further certify that I understand that by signing this certificate, I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in section 609.48 as if I had signed this certificate under oath.
Dated: October 29, 2024
Signed: Erin Carlson
Published two times in the White Bear Press on November 6 and 13, 2024.
BUDGET TOWING PUBLIC NOTICE
The following vehicle must be claimed by 11/21/2024 or it will be disposed of or sold:
Blue Toyota RAV4, Plate AAY1842, VIN JTMRJREV0HD074889
Budget Towing Inc, St.Paul, MN 55102, 651-771-8817
Published one time in the White Bear Press on November 13, 2024.
CITY OF MAHTOMEDI
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING AMENDING OF FEE SCHEDULE
Notice is hereby given that the City Council of Mahtomedi will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, 7:00 p.m. at Mahtomedi City Hall, 600 Stillwater Road, Mahtomedi, MN 55115, to consider amending the Fee Schedule for the City of Mahtomedi. Anyone having an interest in this matter is invited to attend this meeting.
JERENE ROGERS, CITY CLERK Published one time in the White Bear Press on November 13, 2024. CITY OF WHITE BEAR LAKE
NOTICE OF A PUBLIC HEARING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of White Bear Lake will hold a
609.48 as if I had signed this certificate under oath.
Dated: October 24, 2024
Signed: Lori Needels Purdy, Owner
Published two times in the White Bear Press on November 6 and 13, 2024.
OFFICE OF THE MINNESOTA SECRETARY OF STATE CERTIFICATE OF ASSUMED NAME
Pursuant to Chapter 333, Minnesota Statutes; the undersigned, who is or will be conducting or transacting a commercial business in the State of Minnesota under an assumed name,
be conducted is:
The Garage of New Brighton
CITY OF MAHTOMEDI
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
REGARDING FINAL BUDGET AND LEVY FOR 2025
Notice is hereby given that the City Council of Mahtomedi will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, 7:00 p.m. at Mahtomedi City Hall, 600 Stillwater Road, Mahtomedi, MN 55115 to consider the final budget and levy for 2025. Anyone having an interest in this matter is invited to attend this meeting.
JERENE ROGERS, CITY CLERK
Published one time in the White Bear Press on November 13, 2024.
OF, BY AND FOR THE PEOPLE, RESTORING GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY
WHAT’S HAPPENING
When: 6:15 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14
Where: Maplewood Library board room, or Zoom
Details: Don Arnosti, longtime environmental consultant and leader, will report on a new coalition of over 16 communities and other groups from different parts of Minnesota called “People Not Polluters”. Event hosted by the League of Women Voters- White Bear Area. Register online. Contact: lwv-wbla.org
WILDWOOD LIONS BLOOD DRIVE
When: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15
Where: St. Jude of the Lake Catholic Church, 700 Mahtomedi Ave., Mahtomedi
Details: Sign up online at redcrossblood.org or call 1-800 RED CROSS
VADNAIS HEIGHTS FOOD PROGRAM
When: 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 16
Where: Vadnais Heights Commons, 655 E. County Road F
Details: Distribution of food to any family in need and considered low income. May register day of event. Contact: 612-245-9259 or cityvadnaisheights.com/foodshelf
HARD WATER ICE FISHING EXPO
When: Nov. 16-17
Where: National Sports Center, 1750 105th Ave. NE, Blaine
Details: Latest gear, seminars, demos,
Clam Ice Fishing Pros and kids trout fishing pond. Contact: nscsports.org/ hardwaterexpo
HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE
When: 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21
Where: Downtown White Bear Lake Details: Kick off the holidays by shopping locally at downtown retailers and restaurants. Contact: downtownwhitebearlake.com
PAWS TO READ WITH BAXTER
When: 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13
Where: Ramsey County Library –White Bear Lake, 2150 2nd St. Details: Come work on your reading
skills in a low-stress environment. Our licensed therapy dogs welcome all school-age readers to participate in this special program. This program is appropriate for readers ages 5-9 years.
Contact: Call the White Bear Lake Library at 651-724-6007 to register for a 20-minute slot.
101 COMPUTER TECH HELP
When: 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, Nov. 14
Where: Ramsey County Library –White Bear Lake, 2150 2nd St. Details: Individual basic computer and technology help is now available by appointment at the White Bear Lake Library! Staff will help with your basic technology questions
ONE FAMILY’S JOURNEY ON MINNESOTA’S TRAIL OF TEARS
When: 6-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18
Where: White Bear Lake Library, 2150 2nd St., White Bear Lake
Details: Dakota Theatre artist and WBLAHS board president Rob Thomas tells the story of his family’s journey since 1862, and discusses the tools and resources used to find information. Contact: whitebearhistory. org
including email, working on resumes or documents, mobile devices, e-books and social media.
Contact: Call 651-724-6007 to schedule your 30-minute help session
FAMILY STORYTIME
When: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 15
Where: Ramsey County Library –White Bear Lake, 2150 2nd St.
Details: Join us in-person for stories, songs, and rhymes designed to enhance your child’s early literacy skills. Appropriate for ages 2-5. No registration is required.
Contact: (651) 724-6007
White Bear Lake Area Church Directory
COPS&COURTS
WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORTS
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reported the following selected incidents in Dellwood, Grant and Mahtomedi:
Dellwood
• Deputies cited a motorist Oct. 9 in the 80000 block of Dellwood Avenue for hands-free cell phone violation. The motorist admitted to being on the phone with her husband asking what he wanted from Dairy Queen.
• Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies at 1:25 a.m. Oct. 19 fell victim to a common occurrence this time of year after the squad hit a deer on Dellwood Avenue. The squad sustained minor damage and was still operable, with only a small dent behind the front passenger side wheel well.
Grant
Deputies on speed patrol in the 9000 block of 65th Street N. on Oct. 7 cited a motorist for speeding and for displaying expired registration.
• On Oct 19, deputies assisted the Stillwater Police Department with a theft that occurred in the 6000 block of Manning Avenue N.
Mahtomedi
• A motorist on Wildwood Road at 12:57 a.m. Oct. 7 was arrested for undisclosed offenses following a traffic stop for expired registration. A noisy motorist on Hilton Trail N. and 72nd Street N. on Oct. 9 was cited for “unreasonably loud exhaust.”
A Minnesota motorist was cited Oct. 9 on Warner Avenue N. for hands-free violation after deputies observed her underway with a phone in her right hand. A fourth motorist was cited for speeding Oct. 9 on Lincolntown Avenue and Dunbar Way.
Mail theft was reported Oct. 9 on Wildwood Road.
• Threats from one juvenile to another were reported Oct. 10 in Woodland Court.
• Echo Lake Court residents on Oct. 9 reported a theft, which came to a satisfactory conclusion after the item was returned.
• A westbound motorist on
The White Bear Lake Police Department reported on the following incidents:
• Damage to property was reported in the 3400 block of Rolling View Court Oct. 22.
• Tools were stolen from a vehicle in an underground garage in the 3600 block of Hoffman Road Oct. 23.
• A Karth Road resident who reported his vehicle stolen Oct. 23 was able to make arrangements for its return and did not want further police involvement.
• Theft from a vehicle was reported in the 3700 block of Highland Avenue Oct. 23.
• A Minneapolis man was cited for theft of groceries in the 1900 block of Buerkle Road Oct. 23.
• Officers led a roaming fox out of the White Bear Lake Area High School football stadium Oct. 23.
• Officers responded to a road rage incident in the 1900 block of Buerkle Road Oct. 23.
• A White Bear Lake man was arrested on outstanding warrants following a verbal dispute in the 4000 block of
Stillwater Road at northbound Warner Avenue N. was cited Oct. 12 for failure to provide proof of insurance, following a traffic stop for failure to signal a right hand turn. She was verbally warned for the illegal turn and for driving after suspension, after she said she didn’t know her learner’s permit was suspended. The valid male passenger took over the driving duties after the traffic stop.
• Deputies cited a motor vehicle Oct. 13 that was parked in a handicapped parking space on Wildwood Road without a disability certificate. On Oct. 14, deputies cited another vehicle for expired tabs on Century Avenue and Woodland Drive.
• A business in the 3000 block of Century Avenue N. reported receiving counterfeit money Oct. 14.
• Deputies located a person with a warrant at a residence on Warner Avenue N. Oct. 14 after a Keep Our Kops Safe (KOPS) alert was sent out for him, but did not attempt an arrest.
Deputies were on the search again at 7:37 p.m. Oct. 14 in the 3000 block of Century Avenue N. to arrest a male involved in drugs. At 2:13 a.m. Oct. 15, deputies conducting a warrant traffic stop in the 3000 block of Century Avenue arrested the individual.
• Deputies were among three law enforcement agencies that ultimately arrested the driver of a stolen vehicle that passed through their jurisdiction on Century Avenue and Long Lake Road at 11:09 p.m. Oct. 15. Deputies who were assisting the White Bear Police Department in rounding up a fleeing vehicle spotted the vehicle turning southbound on Century Avenue from County Road D without stopping at the red light. When deputies attempted the traffic stop, the vehicle fled into Oakdale using evasive maneuvers. After the vehicle pursuit ended, the occupants fled on foot, but were eventually found and arrested.
Loretta Harding
White Bear Avenue Oct. 23.
• A landlord/tenant dispute was reported in the 2000 block of County Road F Oct. 24.
• A chainsaw was shoplifted from a store in the 1900 block of Buerkle Road Oct. 24.
• A shoplifter was cited in the 4700 block of Highway 61 Oct. 24.
• A Minneapolis man was arrested for DWI following a traffic stop at White Bear Avenue and Interstate 694 Oct. 24.
• A woman attempted to pass a fake $50 bill in the 4700 block of Highway 61 Oct. 25.
• A White Bear Lake man was arrested for DWI after officers found him blaring music behind the wheel of a vehicle parked in the 5000 block of Campanaro Lane Oct. 25.
• A St. Paul man was arrested for DWI after being pulled over for driving the wrong way near White Bear Avenue and Beam Avenue Oct. 26.
• A Brooklyn Park man was arrested for DWI following a traffic stop at Interstate 694
RAMSEY COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORTS
The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office reported the following selected incidents in Vadnais Heights: Vadnais Heights
• A representative from the U.S. Postal Service on Oct. 14 reported that someone had tried to pry open two mailboxes in the 4300 block of McMenemy Street, resulting in criminal damage to property.
• A Vadnais Heights man, 20, was cited Oct. 16 for a traffic violation in the 4500 block of Bramblewood Avenue.
• A Minneapolis woman, 52, was cited for speeding Oct. 17 at the intersection of I-35E and I-694.
• A St. Paul man reported his rented storage unit in the 3200 block of Highway 61 broken into Oct. 16. Several tools and a drone were stolen.
• An Inver Grove Heights woman reported hit-and-run to her vehicle Oct. 16 at the intersection of Willow Lake Blvd. and City Center Drive.
• A Vadnais Heights man, 29, was arrested Oct. 17 in the 3300 block of Berwood Court W. after he allegedly strangled his girlfriend during an argument.
• A resident in the 800 block of Heritage Court reported her boyfriend for taking some of her property without permission on Oct. 18.
• Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office deputies on Oct. 20 issued trespass notices to a woman, 33, and a man, 34, after they burst into Papa Murphy’s pizza shop in the 900 block of County Road E and threw a pizza at employees while profanely demanding a new pie with either fewer or more mushrooms on it than the one they rejected. It was hard to tell which, due to all the screaming and yelling, as well as unclear vocabulary.
A mom in the 3500 block of Vadnais Center Drive on Oct. 22 reported being punched in the side of the head by her son, 22.
• A St. Paul woman, 44, and a Brooklyn Park man, 43, were arrested on multiple warrants and for disorderly conduct Oct. 24 after they were found fighting in the parking lot of a business in the 800
and Labore Road Oct. 27.
• Officers responded to a noise disturbance in the 1900 block of Eugene Street Oct. 27.
• Officers mediated a neighbor dispute in the 1300 block of Hedman Way Oct. 27.
• Disorderly conduct was reported in the 3200 block of White Bear Avenue Oct. 27.
• Officers mediated a dispute in the 3100 block of McKnight Road Oct. 28.
• Check fraud was reported in the 4400 block of Centerville Road Oct. 28. Officers responded to a noise complaint in the 1400 block of Park Street Oct. 28.
• A White Bear Lake woman was arrested on 15 active warrants following a traffic stop of a vehicle in which she was a passenger in the area of Highway 61 and Cedar Avenue Oct. 28.
• Officers responded to a domestic incident in the 2200 block of Gardenette Drive Oct. 29.
• Harassment was reported in the 1800 block of Cedar
block of County Road E.
• A Vadnais Heights man, 76, was issued a trespass notice Oct. 25 after he was verbally rude to a Target employee in the 900 block of County Road E.
• A St. Paul man, 20, was arrested for DWI in the 3400 block of Rice Street after deputies were dispatched out to the scene of a drunk driver at 8:58 p.m. Oct. 25. A St. Paul man, 22, was also arrested for DWI at the same location at 9:18 p.m. Oct. 25, after deputies were dispatched out to the scene of a property damage auto accident.
White Bear Township
• A Brooklyn Park man, 37, was mailed a citation for misdemeanor theft Oct. 16 after he was found to have stolen items from Cub Foods in the 1000 block of Meadowlands Drive. Thanks to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, deputies had an address for the suspect on file.
• RCSO deputies assisted the Maplewood Police Department Oct. 15 in locating a stolen vehicle in the 1000 block of Meadowlands Drive.
• A Minneapolis woman, 57, was arrested Oct. 18 in the 1000 block of Meadowlands Drive for shoplifting from the Cub Foods store.
• A White Bear Township man, 73, reported for leaving the Cub Foods store without paying for merchandise Oct. 18, returned to pay after deputies contacted him at home about his forgetting to pay for the items at the automated check-out. A resident in the 2700 block of Selena Circle on Oct. 21 reported receiving bizarre emails from someone she didn’t know that included altered photos of her that were taken off the internet.
• A St. Paul man, 27, was arrested on an outstanding and active misdemeanor warrant Oct. 25 in the 4600 block of Greenhaven Drive.
• A Wisconsin man reported his work truck broken into Oct. 28 while it was parked at a construction site in the 3900 block of White Bear Parkway. Construction tools were stolen. Loretta Harding
Avenue Oct. 30.
• Officers responded to an order for protection violation in the 3900 block of Hoffman Road Oct. 30.
• Theft from a vehicle was reported in the 3700 block of Midland Avenue Oct. 30.
• Officers responded to the 2000 block of Woodlyn Avenue to assist Maplewood officers in locating a drunk driver who was reportedly hitting cones and curbs, and was subsequently arrested
PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEF
Bicyclist critically injured after being hit by motorist
A 72-year-old man remains in critical condition at Regions Hospital after being hit by a motorist while riding his bicycle in Ramsey County.
According to the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, the crash happened Nov. 7 at the intersection of Deer Hills Drive and Centerville Road in North Oaks. Upon arrival, deputies located the bicyclist lying in the road and someone performing CPR on him.
for DWI.
• A White Bear Lake man was arrested for DWI Oct. 31 after barely being able to perform field sobriety tests following a traffic stop near Cedar Avenue and Van Dyke Street.
• Officers responded to disorderly conduct in the 3200 block of White Bear Avenue Oct. 31.
• An animal complaint was reported Oct. 31 in the 2000 block of Dotte Drive.
Deputies took over caring for the man before he was transported to the hospital. Authorities have identified the bicyclist as Vincent Grundman, of Maplewood. Grundman is the owner of Flex-Fletch Products.
According to the sheriff’s office, the driver who struck the bicyclist, an 83-year-old North Oaks man, remained at the scene and cooperated. Investigators say alcohol and drugs are not believed to be factors in the crash. The crash remains under investigation.
MAHTOMEDI HONOR ROLL
HIGH HONORS
GPA 3.7+
Grade 12
Jack Allaben, Rebecca Anderson, Fatimah Bah, Natalie Beaulieu, Thomas Becker, Isabelle Befidi, Justin Beiersdorf, Rylan Berry, Lauren Bierman, Katelyn Birkeland, Adele Bodensteiner, Charles Brandt, William Brummel, Alexander Buckingham, Caroline Burge, Isabella Cardenas, Matthew Carlson, Samuel Carson, Aradhna Chandra, Spencer Christensen, Zoe Coler, Ella Corey, Amanda Craig, Ella Dahlberg, Ella Daniels, Maisie DeGrote, Stella DeMars, Ishana Didwania, Amal Dubad, Sophia Duwenhoegger, Richard Egan, Cicely Evans, Claire Faulkner, Megan Feustel, Kathryne Foley, Julia Fussy, Nina Gillet, Stella Grabow, Christina Graebner, James Gravley, Mary Kate Grilz, Elsie Hammer, Jacob Hauer, Kennedy Hayne, Ella Heath, Evan Heinsch, Jake Hodd Chlebeck, Mason Hughes, Luke Jacobson, Annalise Johnson, Hannah Johnson, Maxwell Johnson, Frances Kastler, Ella Kletti, Patrick Kosel, Robert Kronschnabel, Calista Kurr, Ethan Laynor, Katherine Lengyel, Esther Lim, Fiona Magers, Alec Mahoney, Morgan Marx, Alexa McKusick, Hanna Meslow, Annika Meyer, Griffin Mitchell, Lauren Mitchell, Anna Moseley, Annika Munson, Greta Nelson, Victoria Nelson, Grace Newman, Elizabeth Novack, Dyllan Onduko, Natalie Patsy, Madelyn Peterson, Rylee Poulin, Ella Prose, Samuel Rathmanner, Joseph Riley, Emily Rippentrop, Teri Schifsky, Kaya Schlaeger, Micah Schmidt, Carter Schmidtz, Raegan Schrankler, Will Schwieters, Jacob Schwietz, Olivia See, Sophie Shores, Eliah Showers, Benjamin Smith, Max Strecker, Lindsie Sullivan, Tyler Swanson, Wyatt Tarnowski, Taylor Towberman, Tea Tuttle, Gabriel Vik, Aidan Wald, Ava Welshinger, Solana Winter, Anna Wisniewski, Nicole Wuori, Brooke Zemke
Grade 11
Audrey Aflakpi, Presley Albers, Lydia Armstrong, Julia Atkins, John Aufderhar, Alayna Bartylla, Betsy Boland, Collin Bromeland, Evan Carion, Elizabeth Carlon, Audrey Carlson, Sean Chevalier, Nhat Chu, Samuel Churchill, Lauren Clark, Addison Crep, Addisyn DeMars, Eily DeMars, Ana Detert, Alexis Efiong, Max Egan, Breanna Elbers, Kylee Farmer, Dorian Fedie, Ethan Felling, Rowan Flanary, Gabriela Fox, Daniel Gibbens, Connor Gray, Ruby Grinstead, Benjamin Hammond, Samuel Harris, Karl Hochradel, Vincent Humpal, Charlotte Husten, Jacqueline Igel, Oliver Jaroslawski, Soleil Johnson, Hayden King, Mason Kipp, Camron Knapstein, Xavier Knauss, Oliver Ko, Gabriella Kraai, Cendall Kurr, Sidney Leciejewski, Florence Lorinser, Clara Loss, Gavin Maas, Matthew Macdonald, Kaili Malvey, Annika Martin, Madison McCoy, Riley McGrane, Joel Melby, Maxwell Milbrandt, Ashley Moeller, Molly Moffitt, Emily Muetzel, Greta Munson, Helayna Nelson, Maxwell Newcome, Elesia Newfield, Nellie Odushkin, Faith Peper, Brandon Pham, Indra Ramaley, Keira Redpath, Alexander Reister, Henry Roelofs, Luke Roettger, Audrey Roling, Olivia Ross, Esme Roux, Julia Ruzynski, Kimberly Ryan, Addison Saterbak, Zhenghong Schlechte, Madison Schmidtz, Stella Schroeder, Timothy Schussler, Gunnar Sellman, Joy Shadrack, Adona Shekur, Shey Sorenson, Wesley Strub, Evalyn Suchy, Sriram Sureshkumar, Anne Tanner, Mykenna Theuninck, Aida Thiam, Olivia Thiele, Cecelia Thielen, Emma Thron, Luke Vipond, Olivia Wendorff, Nicholas Whitney IV, Abigail Wiebe, Winston Wright
Grade 10
Yusra Abdi, Jocelyn Aguilera, Bjorn Anderson, Zoe Anderson, Elena Atkinson, Connor Barry, Amber Becker, Layla Befidi, Thomas Bengtson, Chase Benning Swanson, Samuel Beulke, Julia Boogren, Cael Brummel, Emerson Buckley, Aidan Carlson, Collin Carlson, Lily Carlson, Noah Carlson, Bao-Hien Chu, Julian Cisek, Julia Clayton, Alexis Collins, Anna Cosby, Claire Crothers, Casey DeFor, Aliya Determan, Ethan Dvorak, Abigael Edwards, James Egan, Owen Eigen, Myles Flaherty, Sarah Frazer, Oliver Gadbois, Julia Gill, Mark Graff, Eleanor Halsten, Sanyi Hamine, Austin Hanft, Lily Harnisch, Charles Hauer, Eli Hendrickson, Katie Hergenrader, Wyatt Herschbach, Brianna Hilton, Haley Hohenstein, Lauren Jacobson, Henry Johnson, Paige Johnson, Noah Kamrath, Kendall Kapfer, Ian Kiely, Jacob Kletti, Sydney Kuschke, Mallory Langer, Teagan Larson, Sylvie Lavigne, Neven Leopold, Alexis Lum, Alasdair MacChesney, William MacChesney, Evan Marty, Riley McAuley, Teagan McCloy,
Nolan McCutcheon, Sophia Metcalf, Evan Miller, Ashley Motz, Sophia Paraschou, Kayla Poirier, Eve Porter, Caroline Potjer, Sahar Ramaley, Taelin Richmond, Allison Rippentrop, Andrew Russell, Josephine Schifsky, Kai Schwartz, Hannah Smith, Ruby Stembridge, Matthew Studenski, Jack Tarnowski, Louisa Tarnowski, Levi Ternberg, Lauren Thalacker, Ada Thompson, Aspen Tillges, Claire Tofte, Olivia Tofte, Grace Van Hout, Gavin Vennemann, Isabel Vipond, Joud Wadi, Nicholas Wisniewski, Taylor Wojtowicz, Jacquelyn Worden, Sasha Wuori
Grade 9
Lyric Aceves, Gavin Adams, Elise Aflakpi, Emily Alexander, Mejken Amiot, Jessica Aufderhar, Lydia Bartness, Rena Becker, George Beckman, Cameron Behnke, Marija Berkner, Isabella Bixby, Temperance Bracken, Rachel Brings, Cole Burkel, Lorraine Campbell, Madison Campbell, Shawn Carlon, Halyn Chaffee, Coen Chavarria, Sienna Clark, Matissa Conrad, Mabel Curtis, Maya Dahl, Lola Dambowy, Reginald DeBruin, Charles DeHaan, Shea Deneen, Paige Detert, Cerwyn Dobbelmann, Grace Doebler, Annika Drimel, Jackson Drimel, Delaney Dumermuth, Erica Ekpruke, Amelia Englund, Katherine Fanta, Cullen Faulkner, Kylie Flannigan, Grace Gilbert, Caitlin Glaser, Alexander Goldfine, Ellen Gruba, Natalie Haase, Gannon Hamen, Ava Hanson, Mahdi Hanson, Cameron Harris, Capri Hartmann, Aidan Hastings, Edwin Henderson, April Hoffoss, Sadie Hughes, Isaac Iten, Abraham Jansen, Emilia Jensen, Kristen Johnson, Kaylen Jones, Reagan Juhl, Anton Kastler, Dylan Kelly, Broderick Kraai, Elsie Krull, Jessica Kuchar, Timothy Landes, Claire Langhoff, Lyla Lear, Yeupheng Lee, Jocelyn Lidle, Ava Lockbaum, Mia Loosbrock, Amelia Lucke, Addison Mack, Emmett Melchert-Zimmerman, Isabella Micetic, Reese Nelson, Brynna Newfield, Devin O’Donnell, Isaac Opitz, Lucille Petersen, Lola Peterson Choi, Molly Peterson, Danielle Pineda, Henry Pompilio, Molly Roettger, Trevor Rogosheske, Yuktika Samtani, Fiona Sawyer, Garrett Schlagel, Maria Schlegel, Frank Schwieters, Emmett See, Will Seevers, Kai Seidl, Senna Semaan, Cody Siewert, Adam Sixt, Ethan Stout, Eliana Suchy, Katherine Taylor, Maria Tkachuck, Luke Torgrude, Anneliese Ulschmid, Kieran Vik, Jozie Wetzel, Alayna Whitson, Tirzah Whitson, Eve Wiebe, Maximus Winegar, Matthew Wolfsberger, Melanie Zhang
HONORS
GPA 3.0-3.69
Grade 12
Sartu Ahmed, Rachel Aleckson, Jackson Anderson, Michael Barry, Brooke Bauer, McKenna Bauer, Olivia Bengtson, Katherine Bennett, William Bruentrup, Emmerson Buckley, Olivia Carle, Benett Carlson, Evelyn Cegielski, Derek Chuhel, Mavrick Cook, Lauren Coy, Sean Crothers, Matthew Dauffenbach, Joshua Donna, Cairo Douville, Elizabeth Dupey, Jack Erickson, Maxwell Faust, Austin Felling, Alexis Friedges, Emma Gahm, Lauren Gomez, Caden Hallin, Zoey Hauer, Maxwell Hendrickson, Lily Herlick, Alexander Huberty, Ella Jacobus, Astoria Jespersen, Adam Johnson, Evan Johnson, Michael Kasel, Tristan Keuning, John Knapstein, Alexander Kolosov, Dean Kulifaj, Nathan Kulifaj, Nils Landes, Arik Larson, Benjamin Larson, Mikhail Leopold, William Lieberman, Angel Little, Margaret Major, Aiden Mamer, Andrew Marchant, Isabelle Markoe, Mark Martin, Jonah McCormick, Benjamin Mitchell, Kaitlyn Moltzan, Chase Moynagh, Laena Mueller, Maria Neely, Kaila Och, Grace Olson, Bryan Passofaro, Dylan Patsy, Abigail Peterson, Noah Peterson, Ayla Pilrain, Landon Pogreba, Audrey Redin, Cameron Redpath, Genevieve Reyes, Gunnar Sather, Mason Schneider, Seaton Seidl, Summer Seidl, Karagan Sheeser, Korinne Smith, Sadie Stembridge, Savanna Stockness, Sophia Strand, Cole Swanson, Alyssa Terry, Mia Terry, Charles Thein, Samuel Thein, Isabella Thompson, David Tjornhom, Lily Turner, Claire Velky, Meagan Wakefield, Emma Walek, Eugene Wegleitner, Callen Whitehead, Carsyn Winter, Charles Wirka, Mary Wynia, Vincent Xiong
Grade 11
Mekaeel Adams-Hladio, Zakariyya Adams-Hladio, Georgia Alfonse, MacKlin Appert, Dylan Bauman, Nicol Bondeson, Caleb Borgmeier, Audriana Bostic, Nathan Brinker, Natalya Brown, Zachary Burge,
Riley Burke, India Bush, Janeea Chlebeck, Dehvin Chu, Cathryn Curran, Laken Decker, Grace Dehaan, Katherine Do, Ava Donna, Joshua Drivdahl, Cecilia Emery, Reagan Flaherty, Brycen Ganz, Logan Garcia, Silvia Graetzer, Leland Hanley, Sarah Haveman, Anna Holley, Maria Horsager, Kellen Johnson, Matthew Johnson, Taylor Johnson, Jordan Jonas, Evelyn Karle, Joshua Kirkwood, Dylan Klingbeil, Samuel Knapp, Kajia Krull, Yulian Lazutin, Frank Lombardi, Samuel Macdonald, Jillian Mack, Ella Madson, Oskar Magnusson, Lauren Marinac, Emma Marty, Shelby McFetridge, Evan McGuire, Owen Mead, Thomas Meader, Andrew Micetic, Reese Mitchell, Miranda Monteiro, Haley Moosbrugger, Julia Morreim, Wyatt Mullaney, Rhiana Murray, Ayla Nasvik, Brynn Nephew, Abriella Niehaus, Pierce Paddock, Sophia Peer, Mason Peterson, Khang Pham, Joseph Pipes, Miles Poppelman, Maia Pratt, Jacob Rank, Tanner Reagan, Colton Robbins, Reese Saenger, Amber Schaefer, Madeline Schoenecker, Mason Schultz, Karin Sheeser, Daniel Short, Isabella Smieja, Ethan Sockalosky, Andrew Sokoll, Carmen Sorenson, Jack Stepan, Nathan Stooksbury, Douglas Strand, Aynslea Ulschmid, John Vander Louw, Karen Wiesen, Liam Wilcox, Ronan Wise, Winston Wisely, Sophie Wynne, Connor Xiong, Yiyan Yang, Mistere Yigermal, Jude Zeck, Bodhi Ziemann
Grade 10
Ethan Albrecht, Mason Amberg, Sally Amundson, Ava Arcand, Joseph Bance, Rowan Berger, Ethan Berglund, Lillyan Birkeland, Keely Bohm, Joseph Borovsky, Robert Burkel, Harrison Carroll, Arjun Chandra, Jackson Chesak, Brennan Dambowy, Alyssa Damlo, Maia Daniels, Bethel Darik, Riley DeFor, Lawson DeGezelle, Haley DesJardins, Easton DeZelar, June Duclos-Beecher, Addison Eitel, Ila Erenz, Samuel Erickson, Drew Feustel, Nicholas Fiola, Teyla Gordon, Natalie Gruba, Alex Haase, Noah Hahn, Chace Hallin, Finn Hemenway, Cameron Hentsch, Gabriella Hernandez, Audrey Hilton, Aoife Hiniker, Nolan Hochban, Olivia Houle, Nicholas Huberty, Hawii Hussein, Rahama Hussein, Noelle Jackson, Valeria Jerney, Elianah Jespersen, Jaylen Jones, Kento Kedrowski, Kallie Kolbet, Ellis Krause, Emma Landrain-Mckusick, Tyler Leciejewski, Hannah Lindstrom, Alexander Livingston, Blake Loida, Cody Loida, Nicholas Manz, Madeline Matuzak, Grace McCarthy, Eliah McCormick, Lexie McGrane, Grady McKusick, Nakari Meyer, Payton Mielke, Adam Nelson, Lucille Otto, Alyson Padelford, Tyler Parizek, Greta Plugge, Layla Ragan, Audrey Reid, Danielle Ricci, Madison Roy, Madeline Ruppel, Blair Smith, Katherine Smith, Ava Sorum, Annika Sowder, Jackson Stout, Cullen Taylor, Simon Taylor, Alexia Tempelis, James Unger, Valentina VanDenBoom, SuabCua Vang, Peyton Whitbeck, Samuel White, Colton Whiterabbit, Carter Whitman
Grade 9
Evyn Alexander, Ellie Anderson, Matthew Arumba, Brooks Ashfield, Amelia Barron, Azariah Barta, Amatulillah Bato, Blake Bentz, Gavin Bifulk, Nora Bonifas-Johnson, Finbarr Borowska, Margaret Bowen, Lorelai Bracken, Jasper Buerger, Ella Buivid, Eli Buttke, Isabelle Carle, Noah Carlson, Sailor Carlson, William Carter, Alexander Cepress, Charlotte Colestock, Ericdarren Daafour, Ana Dahl, Harper Decorsey, Kendall DeMars, Nolan Dock, Morgan Dupey, Adam Elbaz, Hailey Ellingson, Charles Fernandez, Anthony Foster, Maxwell Foster, Charlie Gillet, John Goebel, Katie Gogberashvili, Samuel Gravley, Ruby Greer, Anya Hague, Ella Haraldson, Logan Hargrove, Jerimiah Hass, Emmett Henderson, Micah Horsager, Hailey Hunter, Van Karle, Serina Khounpanya, Adelric Koenig-Kali, Lucas Kraft, Greta Lahr, Kenji Lee, Lily Lockbaum, Cally Loida, Anthony Longen, Ahnasophia Lorinser, Henrik Madson, Logan Malone, Reagan Mamer, Alayna McCarthy, Sarah Mekuria, Emerson Meyers, Brody Moen, Owen Moffitt, Charlotte Monette, Taylor Moosbrugger, Liesel Mueller, Callie Mullaney, Lola Neely, Sophia Nelsen, Paige Olsen, Addison Otto, Logen Pendleton, Graydon Poppelman, Grace Prose, Allissa Robinson, Josiah Robinson, William Roelofs, Brooklyn Rondeau, Madeline Samarani, Aubrey Saterbak, McCauley Schulz, Mila Semerad, Grady Severson, Bemnet Shekur, Amber Shell, Lucas Smieja, Isabel Steffen, Asher Stooksbury, Sophia Syring, James Theuninck, Blake Udelhofen, Lucas Vander Louw, Gabrielle Vang, Finn Wiesen, Alexander Wooi, Abigail Wright, Caroline Wright, Nolan Wyse
2024 LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS
STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT 33A
Patti Anderson (R)
58.01% (15,260 votes)
Jake Ross (DFL) 41.89% (11,020 votes)
STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT 36A
Elliott Engen (R)
54.07% (14,999 votes)
Janelle Calhoun (DFL) 45.83% (12,714 votes)
STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT 36B
Patty Bradway (R)
48.32% (12,061 votes)
Brion Curran (DFL)
51.53% (12,861 votes)
STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT 41A
Wayne Johnson (R)
50.49% (15,167 votes)
DELLWOOD MAYOR (UNOPPOSED)
Mike McGill
(575 votes)
DELLWOOD CITY COUNCIL Catherine Nicholson
(243 votes) Melissa Peltier
(339 votes)
Lucia Wroblewski (DFL)
49.40% (14,840 votes)
WHITE BEAR LAKE AREA SCHOOL BOARD
Angela Thompson 22.59% (16,476 votes)
Scott Arcand 18.74% (13,664 votes)
Dan Skaar 16.06% (11,711 votes)
Tim Klecker 15.42% (11,249 votes)
Brian Cern 14.99% (10,933 votes)
R. Scott Smith 11.73% (8,556 votes)
MAHTOMEDI SCHOOL BOARD
Stacey Stout 33.82% (5,211 votes)
Kelly Reagan: 33.11% (5,101 votes)
Drew Whitson: 31.84% (4,906 votes)
RAMSEY COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 7
Kelly Miller
(15,437 votes)
Sarah Yang 49.49% (15,409 votes)
BIRCHWOOD VILLAGE MAYOR Mary Wingfield
(288 votes) Jennifer Arsenault
(354 votes) BIRCHWOOD VILLAGE CITY COUNCIL
Ryan Eisele
(372 votes)
Note:
Bridget Sperl
(352 votes)
Peter Holstad
(261 votes)
Rylan Juran
(190 votes) Karen Quaday
(274 votes)
GEM LAKE MAYOR (UNOPPOSED) Gretchen Artig-Swomley
(260 votes) GEM LAKE CITY COUNCIL Joshua Patrick
(230 votes)
(217 votes)
Geifer
OF GRANT MAYOR Tom Carr
(1,941 votes)
GRANT CITY COUNCIL
Cremona
(1,911 votes)
(786 votes)
Benjamin Cornett
(1,363 votes)
Tina Lobin
(1,043 votes)
PINE SPRINGS MAYOR (UNOPPOSED)
Randilynn Christensen
(206 votes)
PINE SPRINGS CITY COUNCIL
Julie Lapos-Kuchar
(181 votes)
Conrad Adams
(187 votes)
VADNAIS HEIGHTS MAYOR (UNOPPOSED)
Mike Krachmer
(4,676 votes)
VADNAIS HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL
Erik Goebel
(3,912 votes)
Jerry Moynagh
(3,464 votes)
2024 LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS
WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP SEAT A (UNOPPOSED)
Ed Prudhon
97.72% (4,336 votes)
WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP SEAT B
Beth Artner
43.50% (2,207 votes)
Tom Riedesel
38.79% (1,968 votes)
Ronald Denn 16.72% (848 votes)
KEY:
WILLERNIE MAYOR (UNOPPOSED)
Diane Baglio 78.26% (198 votes)
WILLERNIE CITY COUNCIL
Andrew DeJong 33.11% (147 votes)
Kristine Cook 29.28% (130 votes)
Dean Flaherty 14.64% (65 votes)
Patrick Miller
12.39% (55 votes)
Donald Regan 8.56% (38 votes)
Note: Bar length is a visual representation only, and not meant to depict the percentages listed with 100% accuracy. The percentages and total votes next to the name of the candidate are correct based on vote count.
PRESIDENTIAL RACE RESULTS
STATE
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
50.88% (1,653,744 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
46.66% (1,516,346 votes)
BIRCHWOOD VILLAGE
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
64.36% (428 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
32.48% (216 votes)
DELLWOOD
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
43.53% (353 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
54.50% (442 votes)
GEM LAKE
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
49.19% (183 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
49.19% (183 votes)
GRANT PRECINCT 1
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
45.37% (878 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
51.83% (1,003 votes)
GRANT PRECINCT 2
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
44.67% (461 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
52.33% (540 votes)
MAHTOMEDI PRECINCT 1
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
55.60% (1,365 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
42.04% (1,031 votes)
MAHTOMEDI PRECINCT 2
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
58.07% (1,688 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
39.04% (1,135 votes)
PINE SPRINGS
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
47.12% (131 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
48.92% (136 votes)
VADNAIS HEGHTS
PRECINCT 1
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
56.42% (931 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
41.03% (677 votes)
VADNAIS HEGHTS
PRECINCT 2
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
59.57% (1,441 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
38.65% (935 votes)
VADNAIS HEGHTS PRECINCT 3
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
55.29% (1,092 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
41.97% (829 votes)
VADNAIS HEGHTS
PRECINCT 4
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
56.50% (1,139 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
41.17% (830 votes)
WHITE BEAR LAKE WARD 1
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
55.94% (1,497 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
42.45% (1,136 votes)
WHITE BEAR LAKE WARD 2
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
58.39% (1,859 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
39.60% (1,261 votes)
WHITE BEAR LAKE WARD 3
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
56.16% (1,563 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
41.25%(1,148 votes)
WHITE BEAR LAKE WARD 4
PRECINCT 1
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
57.19% (1,479 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
40.06% (1,036 votes)
WHITE BEAR LAKE WARD 4
PRECINCT 2
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
59.63% (130 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
36.24% (79 votes)
WHITE BEAR LAKE WARD 5
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
56.62% (1,778 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
41.24% (1,295 votes)
WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP
PRECINCT 1
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
53.95% (1,497 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
44.25% (1,228 votes)
WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP PRECINCT 2
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
53.11% (1,245 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
45.14% (1,058 votes)
WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP PRECINCT 3
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
54.08% (431 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
44.29% (353 votes)
WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP PRECINCT 4
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
58.79% (712 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
39.80%(482 votes)
WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP PRECINCT 5
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
62.19% (324 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
36.28% ( 189 votes)
WILLERNIE
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
49.06% (156 votes)
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance
48.43 (154 votes)
Veterans Day Observances
Sweet Martha’s Cookies shipped overseas
Martha Rossini Olson, aka Sweet Martha (right), and Dave Olson (left) were onsite at Rudy’s Redeye Grill baking cookies with help from Rudy’s owner, Bill Foussard.
The aroma of fresh-baked chocolate chunk cookies wafted through Rudy’s Redeye Grill last week when the Rotary Club of White Bear Lake and Rudy’s Redeye Grill teamed up with Sweet Martha’s cookies to ship 60 buckets of cookies to Major Justin Bradshaw and his National Guard unit who are stationed in Kuwait. This is Major Bradshaw’s third deployment abroad.
Rotary volunteers met at Rudy’s to bake and package approximately 800 donated chocolate chip cookies.
“Sweet Martha”, along with her son, Dave, supervised the baking,
Family members helping at the event included Brea
cooling and packing of the cookies. Major Bradshaw’s wife Elizabeth, his brother, Jason Bradshaw, and Jason’s wife Brea also participated.
Fourth grade classmates in Major Bradshaw’s daughter’s class at Otter Lake Elementary School wrote and colored letters thanking the soldiers in the unit. A letter was placed inside each bucket of cookies.
NAMES IN THE NEWS
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Minnesota presented Linda Vukelich of White Bear Lake with the prestigious Special Board Award at its annual conference Nov. 9.
The Special Board Award recognizes an individual who works tirelessly to help build the mental health system that ensures access to care. Vukelich has supported the MN Psychiatric Society since 1997, the Minnesota Mental Health Community Foundation since 2006 and The Minnesota Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry since 2010. She is also responsible for creating FastTrackerMN, an opensource searchable database that connects individuals, families, mental health & substance use disorder treatment providers, assessors, health care providers, and others with a real-time, searchable directory of mental health and substance use disorder resources and their availability within Minnesota.
Mahtomedi High School’s Ada Thompson (Class of 2026) has been selected for the American Choral Directors’ Association (ACDA) Mixed Honor Choir. Out of more than 5,000 students who auditioned, Thompson is one of only 300 students chosen for the prestigious ensemble. Thompson has an impressive track record in choral music,
Deadline
having been selected for the ninth and 10th Grade Honor Choirs in previous years. In addition to her achievements as a vocalist, she serves as the student assistant director for Zephyr Express, Mahtomedi High School’s a cappella ensemble. Her commitment to music education is also evident in her attendance at a recent conference aimed at inspiring future music educators.
“Ada’s selection for the National Honor Choir is a remarkable achievement that highlights her dedication and talent,” said Chad Garrels, director of choral activities at Mahtomedi High School. “We are incredibly proud of her, and look forward to seeing her shine on this national stage.”
The Honor Choir will rehearse in Dallas, Texas, during the National ACDA Conference on March 20 and 21, for a performance on Saturday, March 22, under the direction of renowned conductor Chris Maunu.
The Bald Eagle Yacht Club recently held its annual awards banquet at the Hugo American Legion. Many awards were presented, including to the following overall champions: Hobies - Ted Jagger; Lasers - Brett Smith; Hobie Waves - Bill Reed; and E-ScowChris Wiberg.
Special awards included: Golden Crew Award, 50 years of crewing - Jan Hohn; Eaglet Award - Kajsa Johnson; Dedicated Crew - Steve Wiberg; and Service to the Club - Evelyn Duvall.
MAHTOMEDI HIGH SCHOOL: Presents Shakespeare’s comedic masterwork
today, and I hope we can portray it well.”
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is the third play that Aflakpi has participated in since he began acting.
On identifying with his role personally, Aflakpi said the process came relatively easily. “The role was chosen for me during the audition process,” said Aflakpi. “To portray it, I would do it just as any other fairy in the play, which would be flowy, light and otherworldly.”
Senior Joy Shadrack, who portrays Helena, one of the four lovers, said she felt best suited to play her role because high schoolers can easily relate to the character’s personality. “I feel like I
“Shakespeare wrote for all of us … he should be seen and heard, not just read,” said Director Dan Joslyn.
Freshman Henry Aflakpi will portray Basil, fairy follower of
identify with her because she’s real,” said Shadrack. “She comes across as really delusional and has a very teenage mentality. You can relate to her just because of
Senior Joy Shadrack, who plays Helena, says that high schoolers can relate to her character because of Helena’s teenage-like mentality.
the season of life she seems to be in.”
Although Shadrack has been acting since childhood, she admitted to not having mastered the “art of acting” until seventh grade, when she acted in a production of the Junie B. Jones book series. Shadrack has performed in multiple different plays since then, such as “12 Angry Jurors,” “The Little Mermaid” and “Mean Girls”.
“I hope people can have a really good laugh when they see this,” said Shadrack. “Even if they don’t understand all the words being said, I hope they can get the gist of it through everyone’s body language, and I hope they laugh a lot.”
But the director and actors aren’t the only ones who regard the play highly. Junior Eve Porter, the assistant stage manager, marveled at
PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED Junior Eve Porter is the play’s assistant manager and props director.
how hard the actors have practiced the material. “The actors are doing amazing jobs,” said Porter. “It’s Shakespeare, and it’s hard, but they’ve done so well with it. I think it’s a really awesome show altogether.”
Although Porter has been acting since first grade, she chose to take on her current role because of difficulty finding a balance between acting and production work.
“It’s hard for me to balance sometimes between acting and crew,” said Porter. “But I kind of just go with the flow on that one.”
As assistant stage manager, Porter focuses on helping actors with lines in case they are said incorrectly or forgotten. Additionally, Porter is the props coordinator, where she will work backstage during performances to ensure that
props and other technical aspects of the show run smoothly.
Porter will also be featured in the school’s upcoming one-act play, “Soundscapes,” which will debut next February. The play will focus on a girl with synesthesia, a perceptual phenomenon where the brain causes a person to experience more than one sense simultaneously. The play will also feature Shadrack, although Porter admits she does not yet know if she will be acting in it or reprising her position of assistant stage manager.
Joslyn said he hopes attendees will have a great time watching the play. “I hope the audience comes in a great mood and is ready to see the students and that they’re supportive,” said Joslyn. “Once they sit down, they’re going to laugh and love the show. It’s going to be a fun night!”
The school’s performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 15 and 16 and at 2 p.m. Nov. 17. Tickets can be purchased at www. zephyrfinearts.ludus.com.
Erik Suchy is a staff writer for Press Publications. To reach him, please contact him by email at lowdownnews@ presspubs.com or by phone at 651-407-1229.
Local White Bear Lake skater performs in ‘Disney on Ice’
Izzi Gorowsky has been skating since she was 4 years old. While she was growing up, she used to practice skating at the Sports Center in White Bear Lake and at the Parade Ice Garden in Minneapolis. Now, Gorowsky will perform in the upcoming production of “Disney on Ice,” which takes place from Nov. 21 through Nov. 24 at the Xcel Energy Center. Recently, Press Publications sat down with Gorowsky to learn more about her skating career and her involvement in this year’s production of “Disney on Ice.”
Q: Tell us about yourself
A: My name is Izzi Gorowsky, I’m 23 years old and I grew up on Coon Lake in Minnesota. I graduated from Mounds View High School in 2019. I skated at the White Bear Lake Sports Center and Parade Ice Garden in Minneapolis. Some of my other interests include traveling and exploring new cities, and painting and dancing!
Q: How long have you been skating?
A: I started skating when I was 4 years old and took my first glide on the lake I grew up on. My parents keep an outdoor rink every winter. I can’t believe it’s been almost 20 years now!
Q: What made you want to try figure skating?
A: A family tradition during Christmas was to have all my cousins over to skate and play hockey. I joined in and loved it! After that, I went out on the lake to skate as much as I could! One of my very first competitions was the White Bear Lake Holiday Open in 2009.
Q: How long have you been a part of the “Disney on Ice” show?
A: I’ve been with “Disney on Ice” since 2019. Over the past 5 years I’ve had the amazing opportunity to see the world and perform in Australia, Canada, France, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and Switzerland.
Q: What originally made you want to try out?
A: When I was 6 years old, I went to see my first “Disney on Ice” show. I was so inspired that I would go every year when they came through town. I’ve always enjoyed the artistic side of skating, competing in events called Character
Spotlight, Dramatic and Interpretive. At age 12, I started choreographing all my own programs and the annual spring ice show was the highlight of every year. I’ve always been passionate about performing for an audience!
Q: Who will you play in the show?
A: I’m an ensemble skater, aerialist and understudy for the roles of Belle and Elsa. I’m in the highenergy opening number of our show. I fly up to 30 feet in the air on aerial silks in the “Beauty and the Beast” segment. I’m also featured in the ensemble of “Aladdin” and as a Sea Anemone in “The Little Mermaid.” Our costumes are so unique and vibrant that you won’t be able to miss me out there!
Q: What has been your toughest challenge while performing for Disney?
A: Being away from home for months at a time can be hard, but this makes coming to St. Paul so special! I’m so excited to perform for my family and friends in my hometown!
Q: What part of the show are you most looking forward to?
A: During the “Beauty and the Beast” segment, I fly on the silk carousel. This apparatus is made up of seven aerial silks that we use to perform a team acrobatic routine. Mixing skating with
flying every day is the best part of my show! I love to hear the audience cheer when we are lifted into the air to put on a fabulous dinner party for Belle!
Tickets for “Disney on Ice” can be found online at www. xcelenergycenter.com/events.
Compiled by Madeline Dolby
Vadnais Heights Elementary recognizes Lyla Brush for the
Achievement Award. Lyla is a well rounded student both academically and socially. She is well liked by her peers and she goes above and beyond to include everyone. Lyla is one of the captains of our school patrol and strives to make our school a safe place. She is a self-directed learner who collaborates well with others to learn new things and problem solve. Lyla is a positive role model and her peers know they can count on her in good times and in challenging times. She is a leader who pushes herself and those around her to work to their true potential. Vadnais Heights Elementary celebrates Lyla Brush and her academic success as a White Bear Lake Student.
Rotary Matters wblrotary1@comcast.net Sponsored
Patricia (Gamble) Wilharber
age 86, of White Bear Lake, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on October 28, 2024. She will be greatly missed by her spouse, Gerald Wilharber, children, Lisa (Roger) Pfiffner, Patrick (Cindy) Gamble, Kathy (Ty) Walchak, Jennifer (Jeremy) Lloyd and Gerard (LeAnn) Wilharber, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, sister, Mary Jane (Tom) Knutson and brother, Tony (Jean) Verby as well as many other loving family and friends. Pat was the first Senior Citizen Coordinator and developed the Senior Citizen Program in White Bear Lake as well as starting the Meals on Wheels Program. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, November 18th, 11am, with visitation one hour before, lunch to follow at Church of St Pius X, 3878 Highland Ave, White Bear Lake, MN 55110. Memorials preferred to The Listening House and Sharing and Caring Hands.
Gwen Drummond Floerke
Born 3/10/30 and went to be with the Lord on 10/30/24 peacefully in her sleep. Preceded in death by husband Cal Floerke, her parents, Stanley and Evelyn Reynolds, brothers, Richard & Stanley John Reynolds, sister Kathryn Nelson and her son, John/ Jay Drummond. Survived by her sister, Rita Gehrenbeck, daughters, Jody Emslie Drummond (Dennis), Jenifer Drummond. The Floerke family, Sue and Brian Carlson, Bob and Janna Floerke, Deb and Ray Drew and their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and her loving nieces and nephews.
Donald Earl Hamilton
Cremation Society of Minnesota
Gwen was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, an accomplished businesswoman serving as the executive chamber of commerce director in White Bear Lake for 20 years. Gwen was one of the founders of Eaglebrook church and the oldest member. She loved Jesus with her heart mind and soul. Gwen was the first female Rotarian in the WBL club and a sharp avid cribbage player at The Center and Breath of Life in Brainerd. She loved the Vikings and was a fabulous cook. Gwen was a faithful friend to all and will be truly missed. There will be a celebration of her life, Sunday November 17th from noon to 2pm at Dennis Drummond Wine Co. 11919 Thiesse Rd. Brainerd, Mn. 56401. Arrangements have been entrusted with Brenny Family Funeral Chapel, Baxter.
Age 78, of Hugo, MN passed away on 11/1/24. Don was born on 5/1/46 in Iowa to parents Earl and Esther Hamilton and raised on a farm in South Dakota. He met his wife of 56 years, Constance Waugh, in middle school in White Bear Lake, MN. Don enjoyed woodworking and cars, but his biggest joy was his family. He is survived by wife Connie, children Curtis (Tanya) Hamilton and Sharie (Mike) Howard, grandchildren Braden, Nathan, Ainsley and Madilyn, sister Darlene and brother Allen. A Memorial Service will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 4821 Bloom Ave., White Bear Lake on Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to a charity of your choice.
At Good Samaritan Society – Heritage Place of Roseville, you can relax and enjoy life and we’ll take care of the rest.
Join our friendly independent living community and enjoy new reduced rates, plus your third month free. You’ll also receive $1,500 toward moving expenses.
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Obituaries celebrate and honor unique lives.
To Submit an obit Email obits@presspubs.com Call 651-407-1250 Visit us at 4779 Bloom Ave, White Bear Lake, MN
Zephyrs bring trophy home, placing 5th at state
BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR
The Mahtomedi Zephyrs absorbed a first-round drubbing from Alexandria in the state volleyball tournament but felt a lot better three days later.
The Zephyrs took home the Class 3A fifth-place trophy with victories over Hermantown and Monticello — and the team that beat them went on to capture the state championship.
“There were some nerves that got the best of us Wednesday night, but the girls refused to let that game define their season,” coach Tia Schlundt reflected. “When it came to our last two matches, they showed up, just like they had all year. As a coach, I couldn’t be more proud of what this team accomplished.”
The Zephyrs finished 27-5 after the best of their three consecutive state trips. In the first two, they had one consolation win and four losses. Third-year starters Kaili Malvey and Silvie Graetzer finished their careers on a high note. Malvey rattled off 44 kills and made the alltournament team. Graetzer had 33 kills and 12 blocks.
No. 5 seeded Alexandria (24-10) beat the No. 4 Zephyrs 25-20, 25-16, 25-20 before handing No. 1 Delano its first
loss in the semifinals, then scuttling nine-time state champion Marshall, the No. 2 seed, in the finals.
“I do think we could’ve put up a better fight against Alex, but no doubt they’re an incredible team,” Malvey said. “I think we just came out nervous and timid the first day and that’s really what cost us. We made too many errors and just handed them too many points.”
Alexandria’s 6-foot-2 star Hadley Thull fired off 15 kills against the
Zephyr swimmers advance to state in 8 events
Mahtomedi qualified in eight events for the state Class A meet after placing second behind Visitation in Section 4A meet, hosted by the Zephyrs at John Glenn Junior High on Friday.
Coach Mike Goldman said he was “very pleased” with the runner-up finish, 10 performances that made the school’s all-time top ten, and 45 season-best times.
Two Zephyrs are section champions — sophomore Abigail Wright in the 100 freestyle in 52.86, and freshman Shaela Murphy in diving with 254.20 points. Also qualifying were Wright in the 200 freestyle (second in 1:54.35), Audrey Carlson in breaststroke (third in 1:08.73) and Delaney Dumermuth In the 50 freestyle (fourth in 24.50).
All three relays advanced: the 200 freestyle, second in 1:42.66 with Maddie Ruppel, Delaney Dumermuth, Adalyn Miller and Wright; the 400 freestyle, second in 3:38.76 with Sidney Leciejewski, Miller, Aria Armstrong and Wright; and the medley, third in 1:51.83 (school record) with Leciejewski, Carlson, Ruppel and Dumermuth.
The Class A meet will
be held Thursday (diving preliminaries), Friday (swimming preliminaries) and Saturday (all finals) at the University of Minnesota, starting at noon each day.
The 100 freestyle was their best event with four girls in the finals: Wright, Dumermuth (fourth, 55.37), Miller (fifth, 55.78) and Leciejewski (seventh, 55.89). Also reaching finals were Carlson, third in breaststroke (1:08.73); Armstrong, fourth in the 500 (5:39.14) with Riley Parizek seventh (5:48.43); Miller, seventh in the 50 (25.40); Leciejewski, eighth in the 200 free (2:05.34); and Armstrong, eighth in the medley (2:23.45).
Also earning points were Eve Wiebe, ninth in the 500 and 13th in the 200; Parizek, 10th in backstroke; Ruppel, 10th in the 50 with Janeea Chlebeck 11th; Ruby Roitsch, 10th in the medley with Tory Juhl 15th; and Greta Siess, 13th in breaststroke with Claire Lane 14th.
Visitation had 525 points, Mahtomedi 374, Mounds Park Academy 297 and CretinDerham Hall 296 for the top four slots among 10 schools.
Bruce Strand
Zephyrs. Addison Rossum added eight. Evelyn Eisel notched five kills and aced five serves.
Graetzer and Malvey put down 10 kills each and Louisa Tarnowski seven. The Zephyrs suffered 20 hitting errors against 30 kills. Katie Hergenrader put up 26 assists. Tarnowski made 16 digs.
The Zephyrs stayed alive clipping Hermantown 25-22, 25-14, 25-23 Friday morning. Malvey had the hot hand, knocking down 19 kills in 39 attempts
with just four errors. “I knew if we lost, that would be my last match ever with these girls, and I wasn’t ready for that to happen,” Malvey said.
Tarnowski added 12 kills and Graetzer eight, with Hergenrader lofting 36 assists. Claire Crothers came up with 17 digs and Tarnowski 15. For Hermantown (23-7), Gabrielle Arntson led with eight kills.
Mahtomedi won the last two sets of the memorable season to defeat Monticello 25-19, 23-25, 22-25, 25-17, 1511 in the consolation finals. Graetzer and Tarnowski delivered 16 kills each and Malvey 15 as the Zephyrs totaled 57 against 17 errors. Hergenrader made 50 assists. Crothers sparkled in the back row with 25 digs. The Zephyrs made 20 blocks. Graetzer had eight (two solo), Tarnowski and Nora Bonifas-Johnson four each and Olivia Ross three. Alayna Opatz kept Monticello (19-15) in the match with 24 kills.
“We definitely came back and fought for that fifth place title, which I’m very proud of our team for getting,” Malvey said. “I couldn’t imagine a better way to end the season with these incredible girls. Our coach truly prepared us for that moment and it helped us keep our foot on the gas and not get burnt out.”
Better light than never: New gazebo lighting comes to Railroad Park
BY ERIK SUCHY STAFF WRITER
Talk to almost any White Bear Lake resident, and they will say the same thing: Railroad Park is not just a great location to hold local and family-friendly events, but it is also a staple of the town’s history, dating back to its construction in 1868.
That is why Rotary Club member Ken Galloway thinks it is the perfect spot to hold a new lighting ceremony at the park’s gazebo. “It’s certainly an iconic gathering spot for a small town,” said Galloway. “Most of us on this project believe that. It’s idyllic, and a real gathering place.”
The lighting is a collaborative effort between the White Bear Lake Rotary and Lions clubs, Main Street and the city of White Bear Lake. It will be held in conjunction with the city’s Holiday Open House, set to take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21. During this time, stores within the city’s downtown area will offer special holiday discounts and prices for shoppers. These stores include By The Lake Boutique on Third Street, Oldies & Goodies on Clark Street, and Graham Jewelers on Fourth Street, among others.
According to Galloway, the lighting setup will be simple. Much like how one would dress up a standard Christmas tree, the gazebo will have strings of white lights wrapped around it, extending to nearby trees around the park. “It’s been something we’ve been noodling around with for a few years,” said Galloway. “It’s not so much the design of
the gazebo as it is the ceremony overall that will give it that extra special touch.”
The ceremony will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. During this time, the Lions Club will be on site to collect donations for the White Bear Lake Area Food Shelf, while the Rotary Club will have a tent in which to give out free cocoa, cider and cookies to attendees. Half of the cookies will be from local favorite GoodThings Café; the club will offer the rest. There will also be a planned appearance by carolers from White Bear Lake Area High School. At 6 p.m., Mayor Dan Louismet will initiate a countdown to the gazebo lighting, during which he will give a short speech highlighting the significance of the White Bear Lake community.
Being that the ceremony is the first of its kind to be held downtown, Galloway said he hopes for more features to be included in
future ceremonies if the current one is a success. “My goal for now is to get this off the ground,” said Galloway. “People do sound really enthused by it. If this is a success, we can add more, like using the fire pits for people to make s’mores and other activities. I think we’re off to a good start.”
Galloway added that he hopes the event will unite the community for an exciting pre-Christmas occasion. “The key thing that I am looking for is bringing the community together for a fun, stressfree event,” said Galloway. “I’m a Christmas nut, so that’s where it comes from for me.”
Erik Suchy is a staff writer for Press Publications. To reach him, please contact him by email at lowdownnews@presspubs. com or by phone at 651-4071229.
SPORTS AND OUTDOORS
BEARS SPORTS BRIEFS
TENNIS
White Bear Lake had four allconference picks after placing second in the Suburban East with an 8-1 record and going 14-4 overall. They are seniors Ellia Groneberg, Tally Domschot and Elara Kruse and sophomore Martina Chocarro. Honorable mentions went to seniors Maddy Belisle and Isabel St. John and juniors Mallory Peltier, Sophie Menier, and Josie Guidinger. Chocarro, 14-4 at 3-singles, was named MVP. Groneberg was 10-5 at 1-singles and 8-2 in doubles. Domschot was 10-3 at 2-singles and 10-2 in doubles. St. John and Lisa Gritzmacher were 7-0 at 3-doubles.
FOOTBALL
White Bear Lake had five all-district picks after a 3-7 season: seniors Malik Doumbia (outside linebacker), Cam Oxton (center), Matt Hunter (guard), and Levi Arvig (linebacker), and junior Easton Miles (back/ receiver). Honorable mention went to seniors Donovan Morris, Charlie Woodcock, Matt Anderson, Connor Holte and Jerold Wright. Tomi Animasaun completed 112 of 207 passes for 1,488 yards and eight
touchdowns. Ben Lockwood caught 32 for 460 yards (three TD’s), Rithy Sain 21 for 393 (two TD’s), and Miles 32 for 373 (three TD’s), Brian White carried 67 times for 401 yards, Porter Cleary 99 for 321 (five TD’s) and Animasaun 83 for 226. Ernest Goodwin was 5-for-9 on field goals (two from 50 yards) and 15-for-17 on extra points. Top three in defensive points were Arvig (67 tackles, 12 for loss, three forced fumbles), Doumbia (54 tackles, 11 for loss, four QB sacks), and Woodcock (52 tackles, 11 for loss, eight QB hurries).
GIRLS HOCKEY
White Bear Lake opened with a 6-4 win over Mounds View/ Irondale at home with goals by Madelyn Lee (two), Talia Domschot, Paige Downey, Lily Howard and Grace Bailey, with assists by Domschot (two), Downey, Howard and Carlie Griffin. The Bears took a 6-3 lead with three goals in a span of 2:40 early in the third period by Bailey, Lee and Downey. Bear goalie Macy Marston stopped 27 of 31 shots.
State soccer honors for Bear trio; 6 make all-SEC
Three White Bear Lake girls soccer seniors were named to all-state teams and six were named all-conference after the Bears’ 14-1-2 season that ended with a crucial injury and one win short of the state tournament.
Jenna Maloy was named Class 3A Miss Soccer and Pioneer Press East Metro Player of the Year. Maloy, Becca Smith and Abby O’Brien repeated as coaches association all-state picks, each placed on the
first team for Class 3A. All three were among 25 named all-state for all classes by the Minnesota Star Tribune. Maloy is signed by South Dakota State, Smith by University of Kansas and O’Brien by Northern Iowa. Named to all-SEC were those three, sophomore mid Ellyse Oelker, junior defender Maddy Thompson and sophomore mid Kelsey Wolfe. Getting honorable mentions were seniors Navaya McCorkle and Alyssa Hamlin and junior goalie Chloe Tocko. The Bears were Suburban East champions and top-ranked in the state. After Maloy suffered a foot injury in the last game before playoffs, the Bears lost to No. 4 ranked East Ridge 3-2 in the section finals. Maloy tallied 28 goals this year and a school record 73 in her career along with 26 assists. Smith had 12 goals and 11 assists this year, and 37 and 43 in her career. O’Brien led a defensive unit that allowed only 14 goals in 17 games. Tocko posted an .870 save percentage and 0.76 goals-againstaverage.
Bruce Strand
Athletes take ‘championship walk’ at Wildwood Elementary
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Kaili Malvey
Mahtomedi Volleyball
Kaili Malvey, Mahtomedi’s soaring, 5-foot-11 outside hitter, was a big factor in the Zephyrs winning two of three state matches to place fifth in Class 3A. Malvey generated 44 kills in 95 attempts with just 13 errors and made the alltournament team. The third-year starter worked hard on attacking with Zephyr coaches for her senior season. “I hated getting blocked and dug, and I wanted to do everything I could to prevent that,” said Malvey. She added a volleyball state medal to those she’s earned in track for sixth place in long jump and seventh in high jump.
Kaili Malvey
HOLIDAY LIGHTS
Enter your holiday lights for a chance to win!
Deadline to enter is noon on Tuesday, Dec. 11.
Please email photos of your display, an address and any relevant information to marketing@presspubs.com or submit online at presspubs.com/holidaylights.
Readers will vote for the best light display Dec. 12 through Dec. 31. The winners will be announced in January. Winners will receive a local gift card.
Enter holiday lights at presspubs.com/holidaylights
Eat Local
Red Luna
Taco Factory
Authentic Mexican 5960 Hwy 61 North, White Bear Lake Carbones
Pizzeria & Pub
Pizza, Burgers, Pastas, Hot Hoagies, Wraps, Soup & Salads
Rudy’s Redeye Grill
Upscale Steakhouse, Pan Fried Walley, Drunk ‘N Dirty Pork Chops, Bull Bites and Martinis
Red Luna
Seasons
552 Lincoln Drive, East Bethel 651-464-6046
Authentic Mexican 114 Mahtomedi Ave Mahtomedi Smokeys
Craft smoked meats, classic Memphis style BBQ & comfort food since 2012
552 Lincoln Drive, East Bethel
Study abroad opportunities for high school students
Qualified high school students are offered a unique opportunity to explore the world by spending an academic year, semester or summer in Europe, Asia, North or South America, Australia or South Africa as part of the ASSE International Student Exchange Program.
Students 15 to 18 years old qualify based on academic performance, character references and a genuine desire to experience life abroad with a volunteer host family. Prior knowledge of the host country’s language is not a requirement. Scholarships are available and are based on academic performance, leadership skills and financial need. Families abroad are carefully screened, and students do not need to know the language of the host
country prior to departure but will acquire the language skills through experiencing the day-to-day local culture and attending regular high school classes along with their new teenage friends.
ASSE also provides the experience of a lifetime to American families who are interested in hosting an international student from Spain, Italy, Germany, Ukraine, Thailand, Japan and many other countries. These exceptional young students will attend the local American high school for an academic year or semester. Students or families interested in learning more about becoming an ASSE exchange student or host family should contact ASSE at 1-800-736-1760, visit www.asse.com or send an email to asseusamidwest@asse.com.
CHURCH BRIEFS
Church hosts ‘Let’s Give Party’ First Presbyterian Church in White Bear Lake is making a party of giving to those in need for the holidays. The “Lets’ Give Party” at 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, is an opportunity for anyone in the community who wants to make a difference to drop off donations and participate in family-friendly activities.
The church is requesting the following items to donate to local organizations:
• Gently used shoes to donate to Soles for Souls.
• New or gently used coats, hats and mittens to be donated to The Closet, a program operated by the White Bear Lake Educational Foundation.
• New household items for residents at Solid Ground including: laundry detergent, dish soap and shower cleaner (purchase together); toilet paper, paper towels and tissues (purchase together); food storage containers, mops, brooms, coffee pots, microwaves and pillows.
• Donations for families served by NAMI, including new or gently used: socks, gloves, fidgets, puzzles, card games, cards, journals, colored pencils, markers, pens, games for teen boys, wordfind and crossword books, origami paper and instruction kits, and adult coloring books.
• Monetary donations for the White Bear Area Food Shelf.
Participants can drop off donations and make a cleaning supply kit or
paper products kit, put together snack packs, make a take-home ornament, hang mittens and hats on the mitten tree, tie donated shoes together, and write notes of encouragement.
First Presbyterian Church is located at 4821 Bloom Avenue, White Bear Lake. The event will take place in Fellowship Hall, and treats will be served. For more information, contact the church office at 651-429-3381.
Redeemer Primetime hosts
Native American author
In honor of Native American Heritage Month, Redeemer Lutheran Church is bringing in a popular author for its Redeemer Primetime event on Thursday, Nov. 21.
Marcie Rendon, author of the Cash Blackbear series, has launched her new novel about missing Native women, “Where they Last Saw Her.” Rendon will talk about her relationship with crime fiction, her work with people in correctional facilities, and the intersection of corrections, trauma, art and healing. Copies of her books will be available for purchase.
The event begins with coffee served at 9:30 a.m. followed by devotions and the program at 10 a.m. Registration is requested by Nov. 17 at the Redeemer Welcome Center, or by calling the office at 651-429-5411. The church is located at 3770 Bellaire Ave., White Bear Lake.
Make blankets, quilts for families in need
Join volunteers at First Presbyterian Church of White Bear Lake for a day of making polar fleece blankets and tying quilts to donate to families living at Solid Ground in White Bear Lake and the Marie Sandvik Center in Minneapolis. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23. Materials are provided, but donations of fabric are appreciated. Each blanket requires 2 6-foot lengths
of polar fleece material; fabrics for quilts, waterproof fabrics, and old blankets to use as quilt liners are also needed. Donated items may be brought the day of the event or dropped off at the church prior to Nov. 23.
First Presbyterian Church is located at the corner of Fifth Street and Bloom Avenue. Call the office at 651-429-3381 with questions, or email office@fpcwbl.org.
BUSINESS BRIEF
Menards hosts toy drive, ‘Enchanted Forest’ Menards home improvement stores will serve as a toy drive site through the end of November. Participating stores will have a drop box near the exit door to collect new and unwrapped presents. Experience the magic of Christmas
by visiting the “Enchanted Forest,” a growing tradition in the Midwest for more than 50 years, at Menards. Children of all ages will be fascinated by the decorated trees, colorful lights, displays and Christmas décor that make up the forest.
Have confidence in your financial strategy
At the Wellspring Advisor Group of Thrivent, we see money as a tool, not a goal. Our approach is based on helping you prepare for the future, protect the people you love, and live a life rich in meaning and gratitude. Reach out to learn more about how we can help you create a strong financial future for your family.
Contact us for assistance with:
• Comprehensive dedicated planning based on your goals and values.
• Investment management strategies (Roth IRAs, 401(k) rollovers, IRAs).
• Retirement income planning.
• Tax and estate strategies.
• Insurance to help safeguard your loved ones.
• Charitable giving strategies and solutions.
• College planning.