Country Messenger 01.08.20

COUNTRY

Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2020 VOL. 36 NO. 37 www.countrymessenger.com $.75

ST. CROIX VALLEY: Citizen scientists invited to count bald eagles. PAGE 6

Hunters choose copper ammo to prevent wildlife death

BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

For many Minnesota families, the holidays and hunting season go hand in hand. Since venison was the main course at that historic Thanksgiving centuries ago, it seems appropriate that Americans still celebrate and give thanks by harvesting wild game to feed their friends and families.

However, the choices that hunters make can have a big impact on the natural settings in which they spend their time during the hunting season.

Lately, there has been a lot of conversation about the harmful effects of lead ammunition.

Hunters recover the meat they intend to eat from their game, and the inedible parts--the entrails--are usually left behind and consumed by scavengers

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER

Lead ammunition used in hunting ammunition can have adverse impacts on wildlife such as bald eagles. Some hunters are switching to lead-free ammunition to prevent negative effects on the places where they hunt.

such as coyotes, ravens and eagles. However, if the hunter is using ammunition that contains lead, this toxic metal can slowly poison the animals that feed on the leftover organs.

Minnesotans saw it happen recently with a golden eagle rescued by the University of Minnesota Raptor Center. This type of eagle is uncommon in Minnesota, and those who manage to see one are lucky. However, when this eagle was tested, it was shown to be suffering from lead toxicity. An X-ray showed the animal had ingested eight lead pellets. Raptor Center Director Julia Ponder told KARE 11 News that the neurological damage caused by lead was so severe "that the brain is basically Swiss cheese" at those levels of toxicity.

COURTESY OF KAROL KOHORST SULLIVAN

Wintery Local Landmark Karol Kohorst Sullivan captured this picture of the wellknown red bridge in Marine on St. Croix on a snowy Saturday.

Vinterfest 2020

SEE COPPER, PAGE 2

Ice makes for challenging Bird Count CONTRIBUTED

Saturday, December 28 was a challenging day for the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count in the Marine and May Township area. Before dawn, the roads were clear enough for three birders to drive around listening for owls, but about 7 a.m. the ice began to fall.

By 8 a.m., when counting was set to begin, the roads and streets were completely ice-covered and treacherous. Needless to say, the birders could only count birds from their home windows. Later in the morning, seven

FILE PHOTO

41 blue jays were counted during the Audubon Bird Count

birders did manage to drive and walk around parts of the territory.

And in the afternoon, two birders drove the township roads on a continuing search.

NEWS 651-433-3845 editor@countrymessenger.com

The total number of individual birds counted was 544, much lower than the average of 988.

And the total number of species counted – 24 – was also lower than

ADVERTISING 651-433-3845 ads@osceolasun.com

the average of 31. While the overall results were disappointing, a highlight was a flock of four snow buntings, which were flying over a field near 185th Street.

Other birds seen (or heard) in the open areas were 7 Ring-necked Pheasants, 17 Wild Turkeys, 3 Bald Eagles, 6 Great Horned Owls, 17 American Crows, 1 Common Raven, 1 European Starling, and 102 American Robins.

Waterbirds were few, perhaps because of the large amounts of open water that the birders were unable to see: 17 Canada Geese, SEE BIRD COUNT, PAGE 2

PUBLIC NOTICES 651-433-3845 editor@countrymessenger.com

SUBMITTED

The Wojtowicz ice rink is now open for the community to enjoy. Schedules can be found on www.ci.scandia.mn.us

Festive activities for the whole family all day long at Vinterfest on Saturday, January 25, 2020. Play in the snow while sledding or creating sculptures after a pancake breakfast. Cheer local teams competing in the Minnesotan Cup Hockey Tournament. Test your skills in the Kubb Tournament or Chili Contest. Enjoy performances by the Pleasant Valley Cloggers, Smashin’ Toe Competition Team and Asylum Theatre’s Beaivi and the Reindeer. Meet and greet photo opts with Enchanted Princesses. Crafts for all ages, books, face painting, fireworks and a free family movie.

This community event is located at the City of Scandia Community Center, Wojtowicz Ice Rink and T-Ball fields.

For more information go to the City of Scandia website (www.ci.scandia.mn.us), or call the office at 651.433.2274.

SUBSCRIPTIONS 651-433-3845 office@osceolasun.com

BREAKING NEWS, UPDATES Whenever, wherever you are!

Scan me with your smartphone

2

COUNTRY MESSENGER

JANUARY 8, 2020 www.countrymessenger.com

Get ready to vote Opioid prescribing safer for people served by Minnesota voters will have the opportunity to participate in a Presidential Nomination Primary March 3.

This is Minnesota’s part in the national political party process of major political parties selecting their nominees for president. While Minnesota currently has four major parties, only the Democratic-Farmer-Labor and Republican parties have elected to participate in this year’s nomination primary.

Those who wish to vote absentee may apply online to have a ballot sent to them after Jan. 17. The application is found on the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website at www.mnvotes.org. This site serves as a voter information portal and provides information on how and where to vote in any upcoming election. It is also where to update voter registration information, such as address or name changes. These changes must be made before Feb. 11 to be pre-registered, or can be made on the day voters go to the polls.

Washington County will offer five locations for absentee voting for the Presidential Nomination Primary, beginning Jan. 17. The locations will be open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday, Feb. 29,, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.: SEE VOTE, PAGE 5

BIRD COUNT: Totals in this citizen-science activity. The Audubon Society and other organizations use the data collected to assess the health of bird populations and guide conservation efforts. The 2019 count was the 120th year of the national Audubon Society count.

It was the 62nd year for the St. Paul Northeast Suburban count, which takes place in a 15-mile-diameter circle centered on Withrow.

The Marine and May Township group counts birds in just a portion of this circle (from Square Lake Trail on the south to O'Brien Park on the north, and from the river on the east to Olinda Trail and Norell Avenue on the west). The 2020 Christmas Bird Count is on December 26.

FROM PAGE 1

2 Trumpeter Swans, 18 Mallards, and 3 American Black Ducks.

As usual, bird feeders in yards provided the largest numbers of birds: 9 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, 25 Downy Woodpeckers, 4 Hairy Woodpeckers, 7 Pileated Woodpeckers, 41 Blue Jays, 114 Blackcapped Chickadees, 17 White-breasted Nuthatches, 42 American Goldfinches, 23 American Tree Sparrows, 57 Dark-eyed Juncos, and 17 Northern Cardinals.

The Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count takes place throughout the Americas between December 14 and January 5 each year. Tens of thousands of volunteers participate

Minnesota public health care programs

16,000 health care providers to receive updated prescribing reports As Minnesota health care providers begin to receive updated opioid prescribing reports in the coming days, data from the Department of Human Services shows that prescribing practices are becoming safer, with providers writing fewer prescriptions for opioids and for lower doses when they do prescribe the drugs for pain management.

Almost 16,000 providers serving patients in the Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare programs will receive individualized reports that compare their opioid prescribing practices to those of anonymous peers and recommended thresholds. Trends tracked by DHS are encouraging, with the number of prescriptions over recommended doses falling in the past several years.

The most dramatic decrease occurred in the number of patients simultaneously prescribed chronic opioid therapy and benzodiazepines, a potentially lethal combination. In 2016, 2,541 public health care program enrollees had prescriptions for both drugs at the same time. That number dropped 57% to 1,091 enrollees in a one-year period ending in September.

Significant improvement was also seen in these measures: • 56% fewer prescriptions written over recommended doses during the acute and post-acute pain periods • 51% fewer index opioid prescriptions written over recommended doses (an index opioid

FROM PAGE 1

The eagle was humanely euthanized, but

!ND NEVER FRET ABOUT YOUR PET

/N #ALL (OURS ! $AY

3CANDIA 6ETERINARY #LINIC 0 !

--F A M P M Saturday A M TO 12 P M s

receiving hospice care. However, opioids can be addictive after just a few days of use, and growing evidence shows they are unsafe and generally ineffective in managing chronic, non-cancer-related pain.

With health care providers and patients concerned about finding the right balance of opioid use, pain management and patient safety, the state has emphasized the need to work together. DHS held a listening session with chronic pain patients in December to learn more about their experiences with opioid therapy and pain management. In November, health system leaders, the Minnesota Hospital Association, the Minnesota Medical Association, the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement and DHS met to explore ways to improve patient safety and support providers as they improve their prescribing practices.

The Opioid Prescribing Work Group provides guidance and direction on the Opioid Prescribing Improvement Program. Meetings are public and offer opportunities for comment.

The “Flip the Script� campaign, launched earlier this year, gives providers resources to reframe the conversation about pain management with patients and follow safe prescribing practices. “Flip the Script� resources can be found at https://mn.gov/dhs/ opip. Health care professionals can also visit the website for other educational resources, continuing education credits, and email updates on the prescribing reports and quality improvement program.

COPPER: Higher cost for copper ammunition; harder to ďŹ nd '/ 0,!#%3 $/ 4().'3

#ARING s #OURTESY 3ERVICE #OMPASSION

prescription is one written for someone hasn’t had an opioid prescription in 90 days) • 33% fewer index opioid prescriptions written • 54% fewer patients receiving doses of chronic opioid therapy that exceed recommendations “The Minnesota health care community is stepping up to the challenge of managing pain appropriately while keeping patients safe,â€? Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead said. “Opioids remain an important tool to treat pain, but only when the benefits outweigh the risks.â€?

DHS aims to build awareness among providers by giving them the information to identify and prevent unsafe prescribing behavior. State law requires DHS to provide the private reports each year and manage a quality improvement program for providers whose reports show they continue to prescribe outside of community standards. The current reports, the second round since the program began in 2019, will give providers updated data before they may be required to participate in a quality improvement program when the next round of reports is released, around the end of 2020.

Because abrupt changes in opioid therapy for patients with chronic pain can be harmful, DHS warns providers to avoid rapid tapering or sudden discontinuation of opioids due to the significant risks of withdrawal, unless a life-threatening issue exists. Prescription opioid therapy remains an important option for patients with severe acute pain or cancer-related pain, and for those

7E BRING YOU BOARDING AT ITS REASSURING BEST

lead poisoning continues to be a problem for Minnesota ecosystems.

Lead has been a big conversation in Minnesota recently, since the DNR denied a petition from environmental groups to ban lead in early November.

As the debate goes on about whether lead should be legally banned, many hunters recognize the impacts lead can have on the environment, and are choosing to make the switch to non-toxic ammunition anyway.

For them, the removal of damage to the environment is worth the slightly higher cost of lead ammunition.

Some hunters balk at the higher expense of copper ammunition. It also might not be commonly available from local outdoor sports stores, and sometimes has to be specially ordered online.

Other hunters say that copper ammunition performs differently than lead. It's true that copper is lighter than lead and might not have exactly

"ECAUSE YOUR PET WILL BE CARED FOR UNDER THE WATCHFUL AND CARING EYES OF OUR TRAINED VETERINARY STAFF &

#LIMATE CONTROLLED FOR YEAR ROUND COMFORT &

3PACIOUS INDIVIDUAL INDOOR KENNELS

“Minnesota’s Most-Awarded Family Restaurant�

Since 1973

&

3HADED OUTDOOR DAYTIME RUNS FOR DAILY EXERCISE &

0LEASE STOP BY FOR A NO OBLIGATION TOUR

/SCEOLA 6ETERINARY 3ERVICE 3 # (WY #O 2D 3 s

the same velocity of a lead round. However, in some ways, copper can perform better--it is harder than lead and less likely to fragment and travel into the muscle and organs. In comparison, lead fragments could travel into the meat, affecting not only the organs eaten by wildlife but also the venison enjoyed by people.

Recently, some sporting good companies and natural resource organizations have started hosting copper ammunition demonstration days at the gun range to let people try it out for themselves.

During this holiday season, one way for local hunters to express their appreciation of nature's wild bounty might be making the change to non-toxic ammunition this year.

FIND US ONLINE! 1672 S. Greeley Street 2223 4th St. White Bear Lake Stillwater • 651-439-9695

651-426-2885

651-429-3316

2208 - 4th Street White Bear Lake, MN

COUNTRY

&

JANUARY 8, 2020

COUNTRY MESSENGER

3

www.countrymessenger.com

JANUARY 8 Library Talk There will be a free talk open to the general public at Giese Library in Wyoming on Wednesday at 5:50 p.m. The topic is Lies We Tell Ourselves. The speaker is Mary Jo Meadow, Ph.D., professor emerita from Minnesota State University at Mankato. Registration at resecum@ msn.com is appreciated but not necessary.

JANUARY 10 Family Game Night From 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Marine Village Hall .

Bring your favorite games or play the library’s. Pizza! Suggested $5 donation.

JANUARY 11 Knit Your Own Socks Marine Mills Folk School 10am-3pm: Join us for a ‘gateway class’ to the simple luxury of hand-knit wool socks.

1pm-4pm: Learn how to knit a basic garter stitch using giant nee-

dles and soft cotton rope.

Assemble the knitted swatch into a sturdy basket that is perfect for storing books, craft supplies, toys, or other household items.

Register online: MarineMillsFolkSchool.org

JANUARY 16 Swedish Dinner Christ Lutheran Church, located at 150 Fifth Street Marine on St. Croix, MN will hold their annual Swedish dinner. There will be hand rolled Swedish meatballs and lutefisk, and much more.

All proceeds directly support local, national and international mission projects.

ONGOING Fika med Pratstund (Swedish Snacks and Chat) Every Sunday afternoon, July 21 to September 29, from 1 to 3 p.m., Sven SjĂśstedt and the Lindstrom Historical Society will host

“Fika med Pratstund�

(Snacks and Chat) at the Karl Oskar House in Ki Chi Saga Park located (29061 Glader Blvd, Lindstrom). Open house format with coffee, donuts and talk of Swedish things.

Stillwater support group for families NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) sponsors free support groups for families who have a relative with a mental illness. Group meets on the first and third Mondays of each month, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at the Stillwater Library, 224 Third St. N., in Margaret Rivers Room A. Use Third Street entrance and free parking ramp. FFI: Call Marie or Bob at 651-770-1436.

Alcoholics Anonymous AA Big Book Study: Mondays, 7 p.m., at Elim Lutheran Church, Scandia, in Room LL2 (lower level 2). Enter through the preschool door.

Tri-County Seniors (50+) DFL Luncheon Meeting

Lakeview Hospital welcomes ďŹ rst baby of the New Year The first baby of 2020 born in Stillwater arrived at 8:03 a.m. on January 3, 2020. Mia Christine Golden made her New Year debut in the Lakeview Hospital Birth Center, weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces and measuring 19 inches.

Nurses presented parents Shelly and Sam Golden and big sister, Nora (20 months), of Hudson, Wisconsin, with a gift basket.

The Golden family said: “With both Mia and Nora, everyone at Lakeview has been incredible.�

Congratulations to the Golden family from everyone at Lakeview!

SUBMITTED

Mia Christine Golden, ďŹ rst baby of 2020 to be born at Lakeview Hospital.

(Eastern Anoka, Southern Chisago, & Northern Washington County’s) 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. (First Tuesday of each month) Vannelli’s

By The Lake Restaurant - Broadway & 55 - So. Lake Street. Forest Lake.

FFI: ckgenz@msn.com or call 763-227-7536.

Camera Club meets the third Monday of each month, 7 p.m. at the Chisago County Government Center in Center City. Meetings include a presentation followed by casual discussion.

Photographers of all interests and abilities are welcome.

Mental Health Support Group

BooksMoveMe Yoga Storytime at Hardwood Creek

A NAMI Connection peer support group for adults recovering from mental illness meets bi-weekly in Stillwater. Free, sponsored

by NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Led by trained facilitators who are in recovery. Meets: first and third Mondays of each month, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Episcopal Church of the Ascension Office (215 North 4th St., Stillwater). FFI: Call Diane at 651-7240977 or NAMI at 651-6452948.

Camera Club The St. Croix Valley

The first Monday of each month from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m, Learning Tree Yoga will present a free 30 minute BooksMoveMe yoga session for children and their caregivers. Event is free and open to children 6 and under and their caregivers. No registration required. Hardwood Creek Library, 19955 Forest Rd N, Forest Lake.

Family Storytime at Hardwood Creek Thursdays, from 10:3011:00 a.m. Children of all ages and their caregivers. Hardwood Creek Library, 19955 Forest Rd N, Forest Lake. 651

275-7300.

Super Storytime Tuesdays from 10:30 11:15 a.m. A craft or other activity with storytime. Hardwood Creek Library, 19955 Forest Rd N, Forest Lake. 651 275-7300.

Baby Storytime Wednesdays, 9:45-10:15 a.m. Hardwood Creek Library invites parents and caregivers with babies 0-24 months. Siblings are welcome! Hardwood Creek Library, 19955 Forest Rd N, Forest Lake. 651 275-7300.

Toddler Storytime Wednesdays, 10:30-11 a.m. Children of all ages and their caregivers.

Hardwood Creek Library, 19955 Forest Rd N, Forest Lake.

FFI: 651 275-7300.

Used Book Sale The Friends of the Osceola Library will hold a used book sale the first Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Discovery Center, 3rd Ave. entrance, lower level.

Think Spring: Beekeeping and Gardening CONTRIBUTED

While we are still enjoying the coziness of winter, it's time to start looking forward to the warmer days ahead. Marine Mills Folk School in Marine on St. Croix is offering two classes on Saturday, January 25, 2020, to inspire people for spring.

Beekeeping Made Easy will be presented by Tom Minser, owner of Nature's Nectar in Stillwater. No prior experience with bees necessary. Tom has kept bees for many years and is a mentor to many beekeepers in Minnesota.

Garden All Year Long! This class will allow you to enjoy the satisfaction of growing your own fresh food through the dark days of winter. Get excited about the possibilities for your outdoor garden this spring. Instructor Lee Olson is an experienced "homesteader," raising chickens, gardening, canning, and home-brewing.

Lee says "All you need is a cupboard and a windowsill, and you can grow fresh salad greens year-round. " Marine Mills Folk School, in addition to their commitment to traditional arts & crafts classes, believes in the restorative value of our natural environment and

our responsibility to protect it. "Beekeeping is a great way to take care of our earth and all living things. Growing your own food allows you to appreciate a slower pace of life, observing the gradual maturity of your plants. Meeting other students that share these values is one of the big benefits of taking a class at the folk school." says board member Nanc MacLeslie.

Other upcoming classes include: • Nülbinding (Viking knitting style) January 11 and February 1 • Needle Felting a Bluebird, January 11 • Knit Your Own Socks, January 11 • Knit a Rope Basket, January 11 • Photography for Kids, 2 days: January 25 & Feb 1 • Leatherworking: Market Tote Bag, February 1 • Scandinavian Spoon Carving, February 1 Please visit https://marinemillsfolkschool.org/ to register, for additional information or to see a complete listing of classes.

3UBSCRIBE TODAY YEAR 7ASHINGTON #O YEAR %LSEWHERE

"1

/,9ĂŠ --

,ĂŠ

-1 - , */ " .AME ???????????????????????????????? !DDRESS ?????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????

-AIL CHECK TO #OUNTRY -ESSENGER 0 / "OX s 3CANDIA -.

4 COUNTRY MESSENGER

www.countrymessenger.com t g

JANUARY 8, 2020

Maybe we will fly this decade

H

appy 2020 to you all! Have you stopped writing 2019 on checks (if you still write those) and other documents? It always takes me a while to catch up with the new year.

As we start 2020, it’s been interesting to me to read and listen to stories about the past decade as well as predictions about the future.

Over the New Year’s holiday, I watched a couple of science fiction movies from the 1950s about astronauts being thrust into the “distant future” of the 2020s. More often than not, some apocalypse had occurred, altering the development of society. Usually a nuclear war, which was on the top of many minds in the 1950s.

I read an interesting story in USA Today that examined 20 predictions about the future made as long ago as 1968. As you can imagine, some are outrageous, come close to the mark.

Publisher other Futurist Ray Kurzweil predicted in 1999 that life expectancy Tom Stangl would rise to over 100 by 2019.

“Computerized health monitors built into watches, jewelry, and clothing which diagnose both acute and chronic health conditions are widely used. In addition to diagnosis, these monitors provide a range of remedial recommendations and interventions,” he wrote in “The Age of Spiritual Machines.”

Close, but no cigar. In 2019, the average life expectancy of the global population was 72.6 years, according to the United Nations. That average is slightly higher in the USA, at 78.6 years in 2017, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Kurzweil also predicted “invisible” computers.

“Computers are now largely invisible. They are embedded everywhere – in walls, tables, chairs, desks, clothing, jewelry and bodies. People routinely use three-dimensional displays built into their glasses or contact lenses. ... This display technology projects images directly into the human retina,” he wrote.

Very close. We have “smart” homes, smart tables, smart chairs and speakers.

Kurzweil predicted that privacy would be a huge political and social issue and that “each individual’s practically every move (will be) stored in a database somewhere.”

Depending on whom you believe, he was right.

Those same smart appliances are listening to you all the time. The article’s author says “your web browser traces your digital trail. In an era when some populations worldwide live under 24/7 hightech surveillance, most U.S. adults say they do not think it is possible to go through daily life without having data collected about them by companies or the government, according to a survey of U.S. adults by Pew Research Center.”

Kurzweil predicted self driving cars, predicting they would be implemented on major highways “during the first decade of the twenty-first century.”

While they remain a hot topic and are being experimented with now, experts say we may be decades away from a car that can drive anywhere it pleases.

And finally, a personal favorite of mine: flying.

In 1968, mathematician and scientist D.G. Brennan predicted that antigravity belts would “revolutionize the tactics of land warfare,” writing that “even if the antigravity mechanism did not itself provide horizontal propulsion, relatively modest sources of thrust could easily be provided.” He suspected that by 2018, humans would have antigravity cars and jetpacks capable of operating for SEE STANGL, PAGE 5

COUNTRY

Active member of

HOW TO REACH US: Our offices are located at 108 Cascade Street, Osceola, WI 54020.

We are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday. Call: (651) 433-3845 or fax at (651) 433-3158.

TO SUBSCRIBE: office@osceolasun.com The Country Messenger is mailed to the homes of subscribers for delivery every Wednesday. One year

Don’t kill your own resolution

I

f you’re anything like me, you may have dropped a New Year’s resolution or two in your lifetime. You might say you plan to lose 50 pounds, or you might claim that this is the year you’re going to get that promotion; unfortunately, things don’t often pan out that way for most.

It’s estimated that roughly 60 percent of New Year’s resolutions are dropped withEditor in six months.

Matt Anderson Sadder still, 25 percent are left in the dust only seven days after January 1. So, why does this happen?

Are we all so unmotivated that we believe our plans to improve ourselves are too burdensome?

You didn’t ask, but I’ll give you my opinion anyway.

I remember when I was a little younger making resolutions that, looking back, were extremely challenging. Being that fishing is my passion, I don’t start the New Year without stating an “angler’s resolution.” One year, my resolution was to catch a 50-pound flathead catfish.

You read that right – 50 pounds.

What’s the problem there? It’s not as if 50+ pound flathead aren’t caught regularly. That should mean that my 16-year-old self should be able to pull it off, right?

The issue is that a fish like that (symbolic of a highly ambitious resolution) is an achievement of a lifetime, not a single year.

To this day, I have yet to catch my 50 pounder. I do have a 40 pounder under my belt, and even that took years of learning and many hours on the water. Now that I’m a bit older, I would go back and change my 16-year-old New Year’s resolution to, “Learn how to catch a 50 pound flathead.”

In that resolution, my high ambitions are still there, but in a much more manageable bite that I can take in one year’s time.

I think that is a big part of managing a new resolution – to make it something manageable. Let’s say your resolution was to lose 50 pounds. That may be a tall order for some, so why tag the number on it? Instead, maybe your resolution could be, “I am going to eat healthier, exercise, and record how much weight I’ve lost by next year.” That way the 50-pound cloud isn’t looming overhead, but

your bigger goal to be a healthier person is right on track.

Now, let’s say that you’re the kind of person who wants to swing for the fences and you want to keep that highly ambitious resolution. Fair enough, but herein lies the problem: you have to keep it!

A study conducted at the Dominican University in California revealed a very simple way to keep to your intended goals. In that study, it was found that you are 42 percent more likely to keep your resolution if you simply write it down. Yes, it’s really that simple.

By writing it down, you get it out of your own head and have recorded it. Now you have something tangible, something real that you can look at, analyze and plan around. It becomes more than just a thought in your head that could easily be dropped amid the craziness of every day life.

Of course, I’m no expert, but I really do think these two things have made New Year’s resolutions a bit more manageable to me. Be ambitious, but set reasonable goals. And, when you have them, write them down. Of course, if SEE ANDERSON, PAGE 5

LETTER GUIDELINES Letters to the Editor are published with priority given to letters that are concise (400 words or less) and exclusive to our newspaper, from readers in our general distribution area.

All letters are subject to editing for grammar and clarity and must contain the undersigned’s full name and their address and daytime telephone number for verification. (Addresses and phone numbers will not

subscription in Washington County is available for $26, two years is $45.

A subscription outside Washington County is $31 for one year, $55 for 2 years.

NEWS ITEMS: editor@countrymessenger.com News releases of general interest must be at our office by Friday noon to be considered for publication.

be printed.) Letter writers must live, work or have another connection to the Country Messenger’s coverage area.

Due to space limitations, letters that don’t address local issues are not guaranteed publication.

Staff reserves the right to refrain from printing a letter.

Anonymous letters will not be printed.

Letters may be emailed to:

PLACING AN AD: sales@osceolasun.com Display advertising must be in the Country Messenger office by noon Friday. An advertising representative will gladly assist you in preparing your message. Classified ads must be in the office by noon Friday also.

EVENTS/PUBLIC NOTICES: office@osceolasun.com Deadline is noon Friday. Submissions

editor@countrymessenger.com no later than noon Friday the week before publication.

The Country Messenger welcomes readers’ suggestions for news stories as well as their comments on stories that have been printed.

News releases should be typed and include appropriate contact information.

They will be printed as space permits in the first issue possible. There are no guarantees that news releases will run.

subject to editing and are not guaranteed publication.

The Country Messenger (USPS 005-172) is published weekly by Sentinel Publications, 108 Cascade Street, P.O. Box 248, Osceola, WI 54020. Periodicals postage paid at Osceola, WI 54020. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Country Messenger, P.O. Box 96, Scandia, MN 55073.

Tom Stangl, Publisher Matt Anderson, Editor Eric Buelow, Graphic Design Roberta Hein, Advertising Elise Bourne, Advertising Barb Wetzel, Office Assistant Carrie Larson, Circulation Manager Rick Brandt, Delivery

JANUARY 8, 2020

COUNTRY MESSENGER

5

www.countrymessenger.com

Hygge soup

I

love the feeling of being all cozy during winter. It’s called Hygge.

The word Hygge originated in the early 1800s in Norway and Denmark, according to several sources. The definition is a little vague and hard to explain, but it means the way you feel when you are cozy and happy or a feeling of general well-being, typically during the cold winter months. It means the feeling of contentment or the mood you feel when you enjoy simple things, like sitting in front of a fire on a snowy day.

I am always telling people how much I love winter. It’s not about the snow or sub-zero temps. It’s the way I feel when I’m cooking or baking on a cold winter day—it’s even better when it’s snowing outside. The feelings of contentment and thankfulness are powerful.

I like things that are simple and Wild Chow uncomplicated, most of the time.

Dinners of warm cheesy potato soup Lisa Erickson and freshly baked wheat bread are about as basic as it can get. Baking and cooking simple things are the perfect way to add to your Hygge.

Pull a comfy chair up to a window, grab a warm blanket, your bowl of warm soup, and think about all the things you’re thankful for. Then, look outside— that’s Hygge.

The cheddar cheese is the superstar of this soup.

Buy the best quality you can or are willing to afford.

Hygge Potato and Cheese Soup 8 strips bacon, chopped 1 onion, minced 6-7 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into bitesize pieces 5 cups low sodium chicken broth 2 cup cheddar cheese, grated ½ cup sour cream In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crispy. Drain bacon on a paper towel. Set aside. Add the onion to the bacon drippings and cook until onion is tender; about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and chicken broth. Simmer until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes.

Carefully pour half the hot soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Return to saucepan. Add cheese and stir to combine. Top with bacon and sour cream.

Serve immediately with bread and butter for a perfect winter meal.

Lisa Erickson is a food columnist who loves adventure and food. You can find more recipes at www.wildchow.com or email her at wildchowrecipes@gmail. com.

STANGL: Predictions FROM PAGE 4

30 minutes.

Alas, this has not come to pass, unless you are the title character in the Disney+ show “The Mandalorian.”

I’m still hoping I will get to ride in a flying car

before I die…

As always, I welcome your comments. You can reach me by email at tstangl@theamery4, Amery, WI, 54001.

Thanks for reading I’ll keep in touch. Feel free to do the same.

THE POSTSCRIPT A night at the funeral home “What do you think?” my husband, Peter, asked about the link he’d sent me as we prepared to head home from the holidays.

“The funeral home?” I asked.

“Yeah, that one.”

“I thought it was a joke.”

“No, it’s right on our way.”

“We’re going to Columnist spend the night Carrie Classon in a funeral home?”

“It’s very inexpensive!”

I suddenly felt like I was in the opening scene of every horror film I’d ever watched.

Peter wanted us to spend the night in a historic funeral home on our way home. The funeral home had been converted into an Airbnb. It was both right on our way and suspiciously cheap.

Peter and I drive home on twolane roads. The roads are slower, but the route is more direct. The problem is that the few motels on the way are very much the worse for wear. We’ve tried virtually every one and I can no longer keep them straight.

“We stayed there,” Peter will say as we drive by.

“Was that the one with the really loud heater?” I ask.

“No, that was the one with the toilet that rocked—and not in a

good way.”

If a person stayed in a bad funeral home, I figured, at least the experience would be memorable.

We pulled in about sunset.

There was a bare weeping willow out front. The proprietor, a woman about my age named Cheryl, met us at the door. We’d been having trouble with our car battery, so we asked if we could plug a trickle charger into the unusually large garage.

“Boy!” Peter said, “This is a big garage.”

“They stored the coffins here until the hearse picked them up.”

“Huh,” Peter said.

We entered the house and noticed the front hallway was at an odd angle. I asked Cheryl why this was.

“There are three parlors, all with pocket doors to close them off and separate entrances,” Cheryl explained. “So they could have three funerals at once!”

“Did they really have three funerals at the same time?” I asked. That seemed like a lot of simultaneous casualties in a town this size.

“I don’t know if they did, but they could!”

Cheryl had four cats. One was black and named “Old Scratch.”

“You know, that’s a nickname for the devil,” I told her—certain she already knew.

“No! I didn’t know. He used to have a sibling named ‘Sniff,’ who died years ago and now I just call him ‘Old Scratch.’”

There was a life-sized skeleton

FROM PAGE 4

you end up among the 60 percent that abandon your resolutions, don’t kick yourself. We’re only human, and there’s always next year.

I always welcome your comments, questions and concerns. Feel free to reach out at any time.

Matt Anderson editor@countrymessenger.com.com 651-433-3845

Till next time, Carrie Carrie Classon’s memoir is called, “Blue Yarn.” Learn more at CarrieClasson.com.

Birds of prey

I

didn’t expect to see this small hawk fly across a double highway in small town but my eyes were immediately drawn toward it. Its wings were alternatively flapping and gliding like so many others of the same genus, but what was it doing in town? I figured that out when it approached the Quick Trip store, maneuvered, increasing speed while rising above the target. That was followed by a quick dive, some amazing turns before moving on. Lunch for this predator was yet to be found.

I’m not sure if it was a Cooper’s hawk or a Sharp-shinned hawk.

Similar in size and colors, the only real difference being that the Wild River Cooper’s is slightly larger and has a rounded tail while the SharpTrails shinned has a square tail. Even top ornithologists have difficulty Jim Bennett telling these two Accipiters apart.

All I know is the large flock of city pigeons, sparrows or starlings this bird was trying to raise up in flight for food never happened so the hawk kept flying.

I remember another day out pheasant hunting when I spotted a group of mourning doves fluttering around nervously in a thick bush for some

VOTE: Nomination FROM PAGE 1

ANDERSON: Resolution

at the pump organ in one of the parlors and a figure in Victorian dress looking out the window.

Our room upstairs was filled with antiques. There was also a skeleton in our closet, I discovered, when I put our luggage away.

Cheryl told us about the purported paranormal activities that had occurred in the house and the people who had stayed there, looking for them. There was, she told me, a persistent report of a woman on the back stairway.

“I don’t know if it’s haunted or not,” Cheryl concluded cheerfully. “If I hear something funny, I just say, ‘Oh! It’s the cats again!’”

This seemed to me like a practical response.

I slept very well in the funeral home.

The house was quiet and bed was comfortable and I cannot tell you anything unusual that occurred during the night. Except this: I had a particularly vivid dream. I was flying and felt fearless and full of joy and humor.

I was learning new things and surrounded by friends.

If that’s what haunting feels like, I’ll take it.

• Cottage Grove Service Center, 13000 Ravine Parkway in Cottage Grove; • Headwaters Service Center, 19955 Forest Road N., Forest Lake; • Oakdale City Hall, 1584 Hadley Ave. N., Oakdale; • Washington County Government Center, 14949 62nd St. N., Stillwater; and • a new location, the R.H. Stafford Library,

Lower Level, 8595 Central Park Place, Woodbury.

Direct absentee voting, in which voters may vote absentee and place their ballots directly into the tabulator, begins Feb. 25 at the remote locations listed above.

Sample ballots will be posted soon on the county’s website at www.co.washington. mn.us

reason that was not at first evident. Suddenly I spotted the reason for their apprehension when a small hawk, again not sure of species, dove from a tree limb right into the bush. The covey of doves took off as if shot from cannon as the hawk exploded in pursuit quickly gaining speed, but before I could further ascertain action the entire assemble disappeared over a hill.

Often times I’ve sat watching birds at my feeders when a larger bird, blue jay, woodpecker or collared dove moves in to feed. Those maneuvers send every other bird in a frightful frenzy as the little birds are thinking that they might have turned this bird feeder into a hawk feeder! I’ve seen hawks buzz through my feeders occasionally but never noticed a songbird snatched from suet or seed.

Other predators hunt in dim light or night, a favorite time for owls to seek out prey. But owls have another skill that allows them to be more stealthy. I found this out on a deer hunt when I spotted an owl sitting on a low oak limb on a woodsy road far away from people. For no apparent reason, the large SEE BENNETT, PAGE 8

Traditional

SWEDISH DINNER Thursday, January 16, 2020 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH 150 Fifth Street, Marine on St. Croix, MN

Hand rolled Swedish Meatballs.

Lute¿sk cooked to perfection.

Traditional White Sauce, Melted Butter & Gravy, Boiled Potatoes, Coleslaw, Pickled Beets, Cranberries, Brown Beans, Lefse, Rice Pudding, Swedish Rye Bread, & Scandinavian Cookies

Adults $20 • 16 Years and under EAT FREE Tickets at the door - continuous seating

All proceeds directly support local, national and international mission projects. clcmarine.org • 651-433-3222

6 COUNTRY MESSENGER

JANUARY 8, 2020 www.countrymessenger.com

SH OT The

COUNTRY

Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township

Dec. 19, 2019, Dawn and Weston McGinley visited Trinity University in Dublin, Ireland.

They saw the Book of Kells, the medieval book of scriptures of 800 AD. Weston was completing his fall semester abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland and Mark, Dawn, and Weston took a side trip to Dublin, Ireland, before returning to Marine just in time for Christmas.

Citizen scientists invited to help count bald eagles this January

BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The recovery of the bald eagle has been one of the greatest conservation success stories in American history, but these majestic raptors aren't quite out of the woods for good. Recent declines in eagle populations have some scientists asking where the biggest threats to these birds lie, and they've turned to the public for help.

For the second year, the St. Croix River Association has organized a winter bald eagle count. On Jan. 25, St. Croix Valley residents are invited to explore a route of their choosing within the St. Croix Valley watershed, keeping track of the number of eagles they see.

"We encourage people to plan a route where you can drive a little bit more slowly, maybe out in the country, but to keep moving so you don't recount the same birds," said Jaime Souza, SCRA education and outreach coordinator.

You wouldn't necessarily even have to be in a car, if you want to go out for your winter run or ski, you can do that too."

All eagles observed between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. can be reported to the SCRA via their website. Participants will be entered into a drawing to receive an SCRA swag bag as a prize.

The St. Croix Valley is an ideal home for bald eagles: with plenty of waterways containing a bounty of fish, eagles can keep well-fed through the winter. However, the population of young eagles in the Midwest has declined since 2013. This eagle count is one of many that will take

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER

The 2020 Eagle Count will take stock of the St. Croix Valley bald eagle population on Jan. 25.

stock of current population trends, and give scientists, conservationists and policymakers a better idea of pressures affecting local eagles. Lead and toxins in the watershed are just a few of the pressures that threaten the health of these birds, Souza explained.

"There's still some uncertainty about the validity of the decline, so this can help make more sense of the numbers," Souza said.

The eagle count not only assists SEE EAGLES, PAGE 7

Customer Appreciation

ONE DAY SALE Despite our best efforts to sell them all, we find ourselves with some left over half and full page ads. These ads are perfectly fine, unused and ready to get your message out, but need to be sold. To do so, we are offering a one day sale.

Friday, Jan. 10, 2020 • 9-3 Contact Elise for more information 715-294-2314

Thank you for your past and future business!

Publication Baldwin Bulletin ($6.50 col. inch Full Rate)

Bargain Bulletin ($9.00 col. inch Full Rate)

Amery Free Press ($8.00 col. inch Full Rate)

Burnett County Sentinel ($8.00 col. inch Full Rate)

The Sun ($7.25 col. inch Full Rate)

Country Messenger ($7.25 col. inch Full Rate)

1/2 Page BW $175

1/2 Page Color $245

Full Page BW $340

Full Page Color $400

(Incl. digital boost)

(Incl. digital boost)

(Incl. digital boost)

(Incl. digital boost)

$165

$230

$335

$400

(boost not avail.)

(boost not avail.)

(boost not avail.)

(boost not avail.)

$215

$280

$405

$470

(Incl. digital boost)

(Incl. digital boost)

(Incl. digital boost)

(Incl. digital boost)

$215

$280

$405

$470

(Incl. digital boost)

(Incl. digital boost)

(Incl. digital boost)

(Incl. digital boost)

$195

$260

$370

$435

(Incl. digital boost)

(Incl. digital boost)

(Incl. digital boost)

(Incl. digital boost)

$195

$260

$370

$435

(Incl. digital boost)

(Incl. digital boost)

(Incl. digital boost)

(Incl. digital boost)

To qualify for this extraordinary offer, all full and half page ads must run between January 15, 2020 and February 28, 2020. Not valid with contracts or any other offers. Ads do not qualify for repeat discounts.

Digital boost is $25 per week per ad and included in the pricing.

BURNETT COUNTY

COUNTRY

BALDWIN

BARGAIN

JANUARY 8, 2020

COUNTRY MESSENGER

7

www.countrymessenger.com

EAGLES: St. Croix Valley residents invited to participate in second annual raptor count FROM PAGE 6

scientists in gathering information that can help better understand the decline but also invites locals to engage with science themselves.

"A lot of people want to be involved in science and they want to help and they want to do something that's easy, that isn't going to take a lot of time or money, so this is really simple," Souza said.

Bald eagles are one of Minnesota's largest raptors, but there are a few tricks to identification. Juvenile eagles don't show the same clean white head

and tail feathers as a breeding adult.

Instead, these birds look mostly brown, with streaks of patchy white feathers.

Eagles have a very large bill, which is often a good way to tell them apart from red-tailed hawks at a distance.

While flying, eagles might resemble a turkey vulture, but if you can't tell from the turkey vulture's featherless head, their wobbly flight pattern may give them away. Bald eagles usually appear controlled and steady while in flight.

At 77 square miles, the St. Croix Valley watershed includes tributaries like the Namekagon on down to

Prescott, Wisconsin. Everything in between is fair game for those taking part in the eagle count. About 20 people took part in the count last year, and Souza hopes to see it grow even more.

"Citizen science is a real thing and it's really important," she said. "We're hoping to become more involved in citizen science in the future, making a difference in protecting habitat and protecting wildlife populations. It's one of the things people can do to get to know us and our mission better as well. Our mission is to protect our riverway and its watershed. People are very aware; they definitely want to

Hot drinks and staying active...

support efforts like this."

Those who'd like to participate in this year's count can register for the survey and submit their results at www. stcroixriverassociation.org/event/ bald-eagle-count-2020.

...will keep you warmed up all winter.

Newspaper Fun! www.readingclubfun.com

Kids: color stuff in!

Annimills LLC © 2020 V16-1

Winter Warm-Up!

What’s better than a hot drink to warm up everyone during the colder winter months? Coffee, tea and rich, Read the clues to fill in the sweet hot chocolate are favorites. crossword puzzles: What does your family like?

8. teapot + sugar bowl + cream pitcher 1. sweetener + teacups + saucers = a tea _______ 2. people do this with tea to check its quality 9. cover to keep teapot warm 3. hot ________ is needed 10. to make a drink by putting tea 4. late afternoon leaves in hot water for a while 5. some people "read" tea ________ 2 11. tea grows on a _______ 6. used for boiling water 12. lightens the tea 7. largest grower 1 of tea 4 8 1

Tea!

Cocoa!

Coffee!

1. ______ - world’s largest coffee producer pounds Brazil 2. the coffee bean is beanlike, but it is trees really a ______ 7 dried 3. planted seeds seed roasted 6 grow into coffee ______ 2 4. takes about 5 3-4 years for fruits a coffee tree to grow red _____, machines called “cherries” – each 3 holding 2 coffee beans 5. 100 ______ of coffee cherries only supplies 20 ______ of coffee beans 6. beans must be ______ (usually in the sun) before they can be stored 7. after drying, ______ remove any layers of skin from the beans 8. beans are green, but they are ______ brown and ground

Warm-Up Activities and Sports V X A T C T R D B U O O

U J X S S Z X T S V J

Y L X E E N A F L U H A H

C O Y G X P A O R C W J P S S

V N F E X F P B W T O S K K N S

Wow, it’s cold out there!

Warm up inside or outside by moving around.

B W B Q G F H R Q B N B J I O L

M E K B L F R W Q Q O A Z C I W E

S F V W P U T I B W B Y L L N S D

K O B D F W I C M H Z O X L G H D

M S N O W B O A R D I N G P I O I

A O F U Q Y N J V Q I A F L S E N

O E J V S H O V E L I N G A I G

P O B J B F R W M G Q J G Q N S

U V X P H S F O R T A N G

R I C E S K A T I N G H

T U B I N G N D G W

C V V N P D

teatime

8

water

4 3

cosy 6

service India

11

bush

10

sugar 9

cream

taste

kettle

brew

12

1

Indoor Action

1. motion detection sports games 2. build a blanket fort 3. balloon volleyball I J 4. basketball Z H T 5. indoor soccer B M H T 6. table tennis 7. exercise video C Z O U A Y M Z J B Outdoor 8. baking F I R H E L 9. bowling N I V U X E Fun 10. dancing I R Y H E T 1. skiing I’m E T Z S R E 2. snowboarding getting V J R X C N 3. ice skating good!

V A B K I N 4. snowball fighting T K X S I 5. sledding N D M E S 6. snow tubing K H O K 7. snowman building I N D 8. snowshoeing S B 9. snow fort building 10. snow shoveling

leaves

5

1. cocoa trees were originally grown in South and Central ______ 2. fruits, called ______ , grow on the 8 branches and trunks of cocoa trees 3. inside them are the ______, called cocoa beans, which are white 4. the beans turn brown while ______ (sun) 5. a little inside piece of the bean (nib) is taken from the bean and 2 crushed into a ______ form 6. the liquid is then mixed with ______, cocoa butter and vanilla 7. the new mixture is ______ finely – 4 the finer, the richer it becomes 8. the whole _____ enjoys chocolate and cocoa

Strike!

7

C

I I Z W X K Q P B D B O A I

drying

seeds

America 5 7

sugar 3 6

liquid world

ground

pods

Read our lists of outside and inside activities and sports that will keep you moving and warming up!

Then, find and circle N E the words P V D V in bold V U K O Z print.

C X X C A L L Q N O Y F W Z L D H U I I E G D T M P P B Y J D R Y R Z N O E B F A P N I V I G F W A W N V C T I P O C F L I C S I Z B H G A G L I I O N P X X G A M E S N R E B L A N K E T G G Q B V Q A N T E K U A S K E T B A L L O R S O C C E R K I N G C V K D G T Y I

SEE ANSWERS, PAGE 11

8 COUNTRY MESSENGER

JANUARY 8, 2020 www.countrymessenger.com

Appointees named to Game and Fish Fund oversight committees CONTRIBUTED

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Sarah Strommen has appointed 18 Minnesotans to two-year terms on citizen oversight committees that monitor the agency’s fish and wildlife spending. The new appointees join other members with continuing terms.

The appointees are responsible for reviewing the DNR’s annual Game and Fish Fund report in detail and, following discussions with agency leaders and others, prepare reports on their findings.

Appointed to the Wildlife Oversight Committee are: Karli Cich (White Bear Lake), Phoebe Cole (Warroad), Burl

Haar (Afton), Peter Hunt (Excelsior), Naomi Walker (Saint Louis Park), Brent Walz (Rochester), Matt Weegman (Houston), R John Wells (Saint Paul), Karen Wortman (Bigfork) and Andre Xiong (Oak Grove).

Appointed to the Fisheries Oversight Committee are: Faith Connors (Princeton), Kirk Duholm (Eagan), David Engels (Menahga), Lindsay Hewitt (Minnetrista), Samantha Lee (Coon Rapids), Cathy Piepho (New Richland), Courtney Schurhammer (Rochester), and Thomas Wood (Rochester).

In addition, Steven Okins (Willmar) has been appointed to chair the Budgetary Over-

BENNETT: Birds of prey FROM PAGE 5

great horned owl pitched down off the limb and soared down the woodsy road where I stood still. Camouflaged from head to toe the owl didn’t spot me. In a second it was a foot over my head and gone with the wind. That is when I realized that this huge bird made no discernible sound even as close to my head as it had been. The design of their feathers makes them a silent predator.

Living as close to water as I do there are always swans and geese on the pond nearby. With water come eagles. One summer I noticed a large bald eagle perched over the pond where a nesting pair of huge swans had four cygnets. It seemed that big bald eagle was there every day and after a time I noticed one of the cygnets was not. A few days later I noticed another cygnet missing and then another. Every day the eagle was perched in that same huge dead elm overlooking the pond. The last cygnet survived and the eagle moved on.

Jim Bennett is an outdoorsman who lives and worked in the St. Croix River Valley and can be reached at jamesbennett24@gmail.com

Answers

sight Committee during 2020.

The committees will resume work after the mid-December publication of the DNR’s Game and Fish Fund report for fiscal year 2019.

“We look forward to working with these Minnesotans and bringing diverse voices to the table,” said Bob Meier, DNR assistant commissioner. “The appointments continue our commitment to share detailed budget information, bring new participants into the oversight process and ensure revenue generated by hunting and fishing license sales is used appropriately.”

A total of 161 Minnesotans applied for oversight committee positions. Factors in

choosing the new appointees included experience and personal commitment, as well as diversity in geography, demographics, and outdoor interests.

In the weeks ahead, each committee will select a committee chair and four members to serve on an umbrella Budgetary Oversight Committee (BOC). The BOC will produce an overall report on expenditures for game and fish activities. The report, which includes recommendations, is delivered to the DNR commissioner and legislative committees with jurisdiction over natural resources financing for further consideration.

These oversight committees

continue a citizen oversight function first established by statute in 1994. Minnesota’s Game and Fish Fund is the fiscal foundation for much of the state’s core natural resource management functions. About $110 million a year is deposited into this fund from hunting and fishing license sales, a sales tax on lottery tickets, and other sources of revenue including a reimbursement based on a federal excise tax on certain hunting, fishing and boating equipment.

Past DNR Game and Fish Fund expenditure reports and citizen oversight committee reports are available at mndnr. gov/gamefishoversight.

Great Idea Competition could win $10,000 for your community What would you do if you were given $10,000 to make your community better? Do you think you have a great idea and need funding to make it happen?

Stillwater Area Community Foundation is now accepting applications for its eighth annual Great Idea Competition. Local individuals, groups, nonprofits, businesses and area organizations are encouraged

to apply.

The winning Great Idea could be just about any civic-minded project that benefits one or more of our area communities by enhancing quality of life, making connections, or building civic pride.

The winning idea might make life more enjoyable for residents, address an environmental concern, help under-served citizens or attract visitors. Eli-

CLUES ACROSS 1. Beer ingredient 5. Popular FOX TV show 11. Recurring from time to time 14. Criticized severely 15. Musician 18. German urban center 19. Quenched 21. Human gene 23. Indian music 24. Accumulate 28. One who graduated 29. Atomic #109 30. Semitic fertility god 32. Sportscaster Patrick 33. Child’s dining accessory 35. Payment (abbr.)

36. Guitarist’s tool 39. Dabbling ducks 41. Commercial 42. Style someone’s hair 44. Biu-Mandara language 46. Actress Spelling 47. Large hole in the ground 49. One-masted sailboats 52. Tropical Asian plant 56. Concurs 58. Latin term for charity 60. The number below the line in a fraction 62. Reddish browns 63. This (Spanish) CLUES DOWN 1. Belong to he 2. One time only 3. Parent-teacher groups 4. Puts in place 5. Editing 6. In the course of 7. Helps injured people (abbr.)

8. OJ trial judge 9. Resist authority (slang) 10. Formerly alkenols

gible ideas must benefit communities within the Stillwater Area Community Foundation’s service area: Stillwater, Bayport, Baytown Township, Grant, Lake Elmo, Marine on St. Croix, May Township, Oak Park Heights and West Lakeland Township.

Past winners have undertaken a wide range of projects including the Fairy Falls Restoration

12. “Cheers” actress Perlman 13. Jewelled headdress 16. Viking Age poet 17. Vanuatu island 20. Wish harm upon 22. Unit of length 25. Blood type 26. Drain 27. Do-gooders 29. Advanced degree 31. Business designation 34. Chinese-American actress Ling 36. Performs on stage 37. Slang for money 38. Large Russian pie 40. The Mount Rushmore State

project launched in 2019. Previous year’s winners include Power of the St. Croix Utility Box Mural Project, Beautification of the Stillwater Stairs, River City Sculpture Tour, Stillwater Dog Park, and Pollinator Friendly Alliance.

The Stillwater Area Community Foundation strives to diversify the kinds of projects SEE COMPETITION, PAGE 9

43. Narrow inlet 45. News organization (abbr.)

48. Scarlett’s home 50. Micturates 51. Monetary unit 53. Any customary observance or practice 54. Sons of Poseidon 55. Facilitates grocery shopping 57. Standard operating procedure 58. Former OSS 59. Midway between south and southeast 61. The Wolverine State

JANUARY 8, 2020

COUNTRY MESSENGER

9

www.countrymessenger.com

How Presidents get their facts

BY LEE H. HAMILTON COLUMNIST

Here’s a basic truth about people who make decisions on public policy: they rarely have all the facts theywant. Over the years, I’ve sat in countless meetings in which, after we’d reached a sticking point, someone said in exasperation, “Well, what are the facts?” We’d all look around the room because, no matter how much information was already on the table, a key fact that would help us move forward wasmissing. Yet policy has to get made anyway.

No one is confronted more often with this conundrum than the President of the United States, though members of Congress can come close. The challenge is that purported facts are dynamic — they keep changing. Additional facts come to light. Others are found to be wrong. Some are clearly reliable, others dubious. Some plain facts are highly controversial, while other “settled” facts are overturned by time. And regardless, they come at high-level policy makers quickly, relentlessly, from all directions, and from all kinds of sources.

So how do presidents and others sort through all this? They get a lot of information, of course, by consulting with experts. Every president forms a cadre of men and women he relies on — sometimes limited in number, sometimes quite extensive. In the chances I’ve had to observe these people at work, I’ve been impressed by how thoughtful, well-articulated, and solid the advice presidents receive usually is. Then, of course, there are the more formal sources of information, such as the Joint Chiefs, members of the Cabinet, and the President’s Daily Brief, which reviews the information, data, and intelligence

rounded up by the CIA from all of the American security and surveillance agencies.

Presidents have a lot of memos prepared for them, though not all read them. To be sure, they need the information to be condensed. They don’t have the time, patience, or inclination to delve deeply into a topic. Most policy makers are good listeners, able to absorb information quickly. We’ve had some remarkable intellects among our presidents, people like Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, who were able to take in vast amounts of information and advice, understand it quickly, and sort through it effectively.

Presidents and other policy makers pay attention to the news, of course.

Many of them have several television sets in their offices, so that they can keep track both of the news of the day and how it’s covered. They follow the media pundits, who articulate the facts and present them from their own slant, because many of these men and women have vast audiences and it’s important to know what they’re telling their followers. Social media and online commentary are at a more bewildering and less developed stage, but there’s no question they can affect the thinking of millions of Americans. Not surprisingly, Presidents differ on how systematically and thoroughly they do this fact-gathering, but generally theyseek out sources of information with different perspectives and biases.

Presidents and members of Congress also rely on academics and think tanks: places like the Brookings Institution, the Rand Corporation, the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage Foundation — though which they listen to depends on their ideology. All, however, are in the

game and strive hard to be presidential advisers. Most presidents, at least since the economist Walter Heller became a confidant of John F. Kennedy, have paid especially close attention to economists they trust.

Faith leaders are also an important source of information and advice. Like well-known pundits, many of them have significant influence among Americans on questions of values, and presidents will often call several together, often privately, to gather their insights.

This whole process, of course, has immense value — you don’t want a president to make decisions based on false information. It goes on constantly behind the scenes, often for weeks before we ordinary citizens hear the first presidential peep on a given subject. But I’d argue it’s also getting more difficult as sources of reliable and unreliable information multiply. That’s why, in the end, it is so vital for a president to be able to rely on advisers and professionals who can help the president sort out what’s true and what’s not.

Lee Hamilton is a Senior Advisor for the Indiana University Center on Representative Government; a Distinguished Scholar at the IU Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies; and a Professor of Practice at the IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.

COMPETITION: WIN $10,000 FROM PAGE 8

they fund, and the places and people who benefit from it. Applications will be accepted beginning in January with the final deadline for submission of April 1, 2020. For more information and the application, visit stillwaterareafoundation.org.

About the Stillwater Area Community Foundation Stillwater Area Community Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 2010 by a group of community leaders to enable people who love where they live to keep philanthropic giving local. The Foundation serves multiple communities on the Minnesota side of the St. Croix River. While each community has its distinct identity, they share similar goals and challenges. By combining gifts, great and small, the Foundation gives everyone the opportunity to become a local hero.

The Stillwater Area Community Foundation is an affiliate of the St. Croix Valley Foundation, a 501c3 organization. Donations are tax deductible.

For information about our educational resources and programs, visit our website at https://corg.indiana. edu. “Like” us on Facebook at “Indiana University Center on Representative Government,” and share our postings with your friends.

FIND US ONLINE! COUNTRY

AREA CHURCHES Ascension Episcopal Church 214 North Third Street N, Stillwater (651) 439-2609 • www.aechurch.org Rev. Marilyn Baldwin Rev. Daniel V. Pearson, Interim Rector Mindy Boynton, Christian Ed/Youth Nancy Whipkey, Director of Music Sunday: 8 a.m. Holy Eucharist, no music 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist, with music

The Baha’i Faith For information about Baha’i Faith or times and places of meetings call (651) 433-3686.

Christ Lutheran Church 150 Fifth Street, Marine (651) 433-3222, office ext. 10 Pastors Joel Martin and Hannah Bartos Sunday Worship 8:15 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.

Kid’s Church during 9:45 service.

Wednesday Life Night schedule: Community Supper at 5:30 p.m.

Faith formation classes for all ages at 6:30 p.m.

Elim Lutheran Church Scandia (651) 433-2723 www.elimscandia.org Senior Pastor Scott Westphal Associate Pastor Meredith McGrath 8 and 9:30 am in the Sanctuary 8:45 am Adult Christian Education in the Library 10:35 Kid City Sunday School

Faith Lutheran Church (ELCA) Faith Lutheran Church (ELCA) Forest Lake (651) 464-3323 886 North Shore Drive Pastor John Klawiter Sunday Worship: Traditional, 9 a.m.

Contemporary Praise, 10:30 a.m.

Forest Hills United Methodist Church

Lord of the Lakes Lutheran Church (LCMS)

River Valley Christian Church

Hwy. 97 at County Road 34 S.E. Forest Lake (651) 464-5249 Pastor: Rev. David Werner www.foresthillsumc.net 10:00 a.m. Sunday worship

25402 Itasca Avenue Forest Lake, MN 55025 651-462-3535 / lordofthelakes.org Pastor Craig Bertram Regular Worship 8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.

Communion First and Third Sundays 9:00 a.m. Coffee Fellowship 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Adult Bible Class

Lake Elmo (651) 430-9950 5900 Lake Elmo Avenue N. (Hwy 36 & County Road 17) Pastor Jon Neitzel, Teen Pastor Greg Hamm Children’s Pastor Karen Hynes Sunday Worship and Childrens’ Church 9:30 a.m. Nursery available.

Saturday Worship and Children’s Church, 6:00 p.m.

Sunday Teen Service 7:00 p.m.

Grace Church 722 Seminole Ave. Osceola Pastor Mark Barlow Amy Germain, Day Care Bety Greydanus, Office Manager “The Cure for the Common Church” e-mail: info@gracechurchosceola.com www.gracechurchosceola.com or call (715) 294-4222 or (715) 755-3454 Sunday: Praise and Worship Service 9 a.m. with Children’s Church Adult Bible Study 10:45 a.m.

Children’s Sunday School 10:45 a.m.

Christian Child Day Care Monday-Friday 5:30 am – 6 p.m.

Hosanna Lutheran Church (ELCA) Living, loving and serving as Jesus did... so that all may know him.

9300 Scandia Tr. N. Forest Lake (651) 464-5502 www.hosannaforestlake.net Linda Friesen, Lead Pastor Jen Collins, Associate Pastor Sept-May Worship Schedule Sunday 9:00 & 10:30 a.m.

In Great Hall (lower level) Wednesday (thru Apr) 6:00 p.m. in Garden Chapel (upper level)

Lakes Free Church www.lakesfree.org Lindstrom (651) 257-2677 29620 Olinda Trail N. Senior Pastor Jason Carlson, Associate Pastor Stephen Moore Sunday Worship 9 & 10:30 a.m.

Sunday School 9 & 10:30 a.m.

Maranatha Church Chisago Lakes Campus 10963 Lake Blvd. (Hwy 8) Chisago City (651) 257-8605 Pastor Bill Headley Worship service Saturday, 4:30 p.m.

Sunday service 9:30 a.m.

Osceola Community Church 2492 Education Dr., Osceola, WI Larry Mederich, Pastor (715) 417-0608 • www.occconnect.org Sunday Worship 9 a.m. with provided Nursery Kids Church 9:30 a.m.

Meeting in home groups throughout the week. Call for details, 715-294-4332.

Osceola Medical Center Spiritual Care

2600 65th Avenue, Osceola, WI www.myomc.org/specialtyserv_1chapel.php 715-294-5645 fax: 715-294-5712 email: alan.hagstrom@myomc.org Chapel open daily for meditation.

Osceola United Methodist Church 306 River Street Osceola, WI (715) 755-2275 osceolaunitedmethodistchurch@gmail.com Sunday: Worship 10 a.m.

Fellowship at 11 a.m.

St. Croix Falls Unitarian Universalist Fellowship First 3 Sundays of each month @ 10 a.m.

201 NorthAdams St., St. Croix Falls, WI 54024 Rev. Kelli Clement - www.scuuf.org

St. Croix Falls United Methodist Church Upper St. Croix Parish 300 N. Adams St. • (715)-483-9494 Pastor Carolyn Saunders Pastor MIke Brewbaker Sunday Service 10 a.m.

St. Croix Valley Friends Meeting Stillwater (651) 439-7981 Seventh Day Adventist Church, Fifth & Laurel Streets Sunday Worship: 10:00 a.m. Childcare available.

St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church Franconia (651) 465-7345 Sunday Mass: 9:15 a.m.

Father John Drees Three miles north on Hwy. 95 from Hwy. 97.

West on Redwing 1/4 mile.

St. Joseph Catholic Church 490 Bench St., Taylors Falls, MN (651) 465-7345 Father John Drees Sat. Mass 5:30 p.m.

Sun. Mass 7:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.

St. Joseph Catholic Cluster Osceola (715) 294-2243 Rev. Andy Anderson Saturday Mass: St. Joseph’s, 4 p.m.

St. Anne’s, Somerset 5 p.m.

Sunday Mass: Assumption, East Farmingon 8:30 a.m.

St. Anne’s, Somerset 8 & 10 a.m.

St. Joseph’s, Osceola 10:30 a.m.

Call for weekday mass and reconciliation schedules.

Trinity Lutheran Church (WELS) Osceola (715) 294-2828 300 Seminole Avenue Sunday Worship: 9 a.m.

Sunday School/Bible Class: 10:15 a.m.

Wednesday worship: 7 p.m.

Trinity Lutheran Church Stillwater (651) 439-7400 www.trinitylc.org • 115 North Fourth Street Pastors: Dan Poffenberger & Stephanie Vos, Saturday Evening Worship: 5 p.m.

Sunday Worship: 9 a.m Traditional; 10:30 a.m. The WALK Contemporary Worship Children’s Learning, Sunday 9 a.m. and on Wednesday 6 p.m.

Wednesday 7:15 p.m. “The River” Youth Worship

10

COUNTRY MESSENGER

JANUARY 8, 2020 www.countrymessenger.com

AUTO BODY

715-294-2165 Osceola, Wisconsin - Hwy. 35 south of town

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING

Indoor air quality experts 24 Hour Service 21260 Olinda Trail N.

651-433-5167 www.scandiaheating.com

LOCAL SHOPS

Remedies for This and That: bulk herbs and spices, bath and body products, household products, baking products, handcrafted teas and jams, vintage gifts and products made by local and area artists.

21060 Olinda Trail, Scandia, MN

PLUMBING

AUTOMOTIVE COMPLETE AUTO SERVICE CENTER We will not be undersold

Alignment • Brakes • Exhaust • Shocks Plows • Tune-ups/engine diagnostics Keyless Entry and Autostarts • A/C Service 14520 60th Street North Stillwater, MN 55082 651-439-0403 • www.fredstireandservice.net

TROWBRIDGE PLUMBING 12450 Morris Trail N, Marine-On-St. Croix

Residential - Service - Remodel

651-433-4500

trowbridge_plumbing@hotmail.com Mike Trowbridge

651-707-2528 Fax: 651-213-0070

INSURANCE REAL ESTATE

CLEANING

Birdly Girl Domestic

Quality cleaning done by one person...

ME! Experienced, Loyal, Hardworking, Reliable, Honest, Excellent References.

NOAH INSURANCE GROUP Osceola • 715-294-2510 • 877-571-9315 Stillwater • 888-430-6624 www.noahinsurancegroup.com

Ross and Adam Brunfelt Your Local Real Estate Agents!

Call us today for a free market analysis of your home!

651.433.3333 • www.TheBrunfelts.com

“City Cleaner Gone Country”

612-703-6868

LAWN & SPORT

FOOD & BEVERAGE Servicing all major brands Lawn & garden, mower service.

Great Case Discounts Your Party Headquarters

CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS

651-433-4668

21240 Olinda Trail N., Scandia, MN Saturday 8 a.m. - noon Mon. - Thurs. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

651-433-5845 • 21190 Ozark Ave N • Scandia, MN STORE HOURS: Mon. - Thurs. 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. • Fri. - Sat. 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. • Sunday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day

LAW OFFICES

TRAILERS/REPAIR

Bill Schifsky Custom Trailer Mfg. SINCE 1972

Aluminum Utility Trailers Mobile Displays • We build Tiny House Trailers 651-257-5340 • www.customtrailers.biz • Scandia, MN

TRAILER REPAIR Axles • Couplers • Wiring • Brakes • Aluminum & Steel Welding

VETERINARIAN

SCANDIA VET CLINIC

UNIQUELY GENERAL Open Mon. - Sat. 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. • Sun. 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

WHERE LEGALITY MEETS PRACTICALITY Legal services in the areas of real estate, wills and trusts, probate, business transactions, petroleum.

Office 651-487-1208 (ext. 1) • Fax 651-487-0662 kirsten@libbylawoffice.com • 21060 Olinda Trail, Scandia, MN

HOURS: Monday - Friday • 8 to 5:30 Saturday • 8 to noon

651-433-3666

JANUARY 8, 2020

COUNTRY MESSENGER

11

www.countrymessenger.com

er p! t in - U W rm a W O

r o o utd

V X A T C T R D B U O O

Y L X E E N A F L U H A H

U J X S S Z X T S V J

C O Y G X P A O R C W J P S S

You are my...

V N F E X F P B W T O S K K N S

B W B Q G F H R Q B N B J I O L

M E K B L F R W Q Q O A Z C I W E

S F V W P U T I B W B Y L L N S D

K O B D F W I C M H Z O X L G H D

7

e!

Coffe

M P

5

4

A

O

F

C

U

8

H

B

U

A N

I T

D

S

E

A O F U Q Y N J V Q I A F L S E N

2

S

P O B J B F R W M G Q J G Q N S

T

3 U V X P H S F O R T A N G

R I C E S K A T I N G H

R

E

E

S

D T U B I N G N D G W

B C Z M R V I Y E Z V R V B T K N D K

C V N P D

Warm-Up Activities and Sports

Z

I

L

Z M O Z H U H S X K X M H I

I H H U J E X E R C I S E O N S

J T T A B L E T E N N I S K D B

4

E

E

D

Indoor

C N E P V C I N O I U I Z M P W Y R X I V K T I Q Z B P P X B E B D Q B B A S O O R A K I I D G

V U X X C Y F W I P B Z N O I G F P O C H G A X G A L A N V Q A K E T S O C N G C T Y I

D K A Z

E W F G M K N B C V

V O L L E Y B A L L E E T A E K

1 S

Z L D G J F W I I S T E L R

Q H D D A N C I N G K L

T R P V S O R G U

U

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

L

D

Y

Y

T

E

3

A

W

V

A

E

2

T E

A

R

G

A

A

7 I

T

S

I

M

S

T

K E

9

T

R

L E

A

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

V 10 I

B U

R

C E

S H

Y

O

M

E

W

1

8 W O

! coa

A

Q

U

I

7

C

U

G

A

Co

5

L

I

L

3

6

S

D

S

R

E

O

E

U

R

2

P

O

Y

D S

Y

11

T

4

Y

E R

6

N C I N

Y

8

A

12 C

What Did the Mother Teapot Say to Her Little Ones?

Y

Tea!

5

S

D

I O E J V S H O V E L I N G A I G

A

T

R M S N O W B O A R D I N G P I O I

R O

6 N

1

R

Strike!

R

Y

I

N

M E R D R

G

D

Y

PHONE: 651-433-3845 | FAX: 651-433-3158

23

102

369

Free Items

Services

Want to Buy

HAVE SOMETHING TO give away? Run three weeks, nonbusiness related for FREE. Must be from the area. To place an ad call 715-294-2314.

Custom Furniture refinishing, stripping and repair. Do it right, reasonably. The Cellar Door, Taylors Falls, 651-465-5551.

Erickson piano service. Bryan Erickson Tuning-RegulationRepair 715-463-5958 \ 507-475-2584

WANTED!!

I am looking for a pinball machine.

Call 612-599-1729

300 For Sale NEW BUILDING SITE For Sale - 1 and 105 acres. Country lots – Osceola Dresser area.

715-755-3377

102 Services Problems with your car insurance? Tickets? Accidents? Been canceled? Call Noah Insurance for help at 715-294-2017.

RESUMES copied for free if you have been laid off and looking for work. Stop in at The Sun, 108 Cascade, Osceola.

454 Storage Rent Farmington Mini Storage: For all your storage needs. Now offering climate controlled units. 10x10, 10x15, 10x20, 10x25. Now accommodating 5th wheelers, boats and campers.

715-2943078 or 1-800-2828103.

REPORTER

COLOR COPIES

The Sun is seeking a freelance reporter to help report the news of our community.

If you have a knack for seeing beyond the obvious and a well-developed sense of curiosity and enjoy sharing stories, this might be a great fit for you.

Administrative Billing Specialist/CSR

Send resume and writing clips to Matt Anderson, Editor, The Sun P.O. Box 248, Osceola, WI 54020 Email: editor@osceolasun.com

EMPLOYMENT

ADOPTIONS

MISCELLANEOUS

WORK WITH US! Handyman work available through national property preservation company Singlesource Property Solutions including winterizations, exterior maintenance and junk removals. Call 866/620-7577 and ask for Recruitment or email: PropPresRecruitment@singlesourceproperty.com

CALIFORNIA COUPLE PROMISES loving home for baby. Secure future, best education, devoted grandparents, gentle pets. Living expenses paid. Ken/Christine 909/701-9662 or attorney 310/663-3467

VIASAT SATELLITE INTERNET Up to 12 Mbps plans starting at $30/ month. Our fastest speeds (up to 50 Mbps) & unlimited data plans start at $100/ month. Call Viasat today! 877/446-9168

MISCELLANEOUS DISH NETWORK $59.99 For 190 channels! Add high speed internet for only $19.95/month. Call today for $100 gift card! Best value & technology. Free installation. Call 855/562-4309 (some restrictions apply) DONATE YOUR CAR truck or boat to Heritage For The Blind. Free 3-day vacation, tax deductible, free towing, all paperwork taken care of 844/220-9501

A PLACE FOR MOM The nation’s largest senior living referral service. Contact our trusted, local experts today! Our service is free, no obligation. Call 844/347-2104

MISCELLANEOUS MOBILEHELP America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety and peace of mind. No long term contracts! Free brochure! Call today! 855/610-5151

available at The Sun 108 Cascade • Osceola

Join a 65 year old company with a proven reputation for quality service and outstanding customer care. We are hiring an Administrative Billing Specialist to prepare invoices for excavation related projects and support the staff in answering incoming calls for appointment scheduling, project updates, and more. This opportunity will be best met by a highly organized individual with the ability to focus on the minutiae of details and yet step back and look at the overall project including contracts, vendor invoices, time tracking reports, and weld notes.

The Administrative Billing Specialist will create invoices in a timely manner ensuring all job labor and materials have been veriwed. A positive, relationship-building attitude and communication style is necessary in working with customers and other team members.

Finding joy in a fast-paced, multi-tasking, but humorwlled environment should be on the candidate's checklist as they seek a long-term career move.

Strong skills with Microsoft Ofwce and QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions are required; experience with T-Sheets is a plus. A background in construction services helpful. College education preferred, but real life experience and contributions are most important.

Please submit a cover letter expressing why you like digging into the details and producing marketingbased, 100% correct billings. Resumes sent without a cover letter and compensation expectations will not be considered.

Benewt package includes vacation, paid holidays, 100% premium paid for employee health insurance, 401k, and a great team to work with and grow together.

Email responses to lee@olsonsinthepink.com.

Olson’s Sewer Service, Inc. & Olson’s Excavating Service 17638 Lyons Street NE | Forest Lake, MN 55025 651-464-2082

12 COUNTRY MESSENGER

JANUARY 8, 2020 www.countrymessenger.com

SHERIFF’S REPORT City of Marine on St. Croix

DECEMBER 26 At 9:42 a.m. an alarm sounded in the 2000 block of Jackson Trail.

City of Scandia

DECEMBER 22 At 10:14 a.m. a complaint about an animal on Scandia and Manning Trails was received.

At 12:42 p.m. a medical need in the 15000 block of Oakhill was reported.

At 4:13 p.m. an ATV violation on Big Marine Lake occurred.

At 6:21 p.m. a complaint about an animal in the 14000 block of Old Marine Trail was received.

DECEMBER 23 At 2:16 p.m. theft was reported in the 21000 block of Ozark.

At 7:25 p.m. a medical need in the 21000 block of

Olinda was reported.

At 10:55 p.m. a disturbance in the 13000 block of 236th was reported.

DECEMBER 24 At 12:26 a.m. a driver in the 13000 block of Scandia Trail was stopped for a violation.

At 12:18 p.m. suspicious activity in the 10000 block of 180th was reported.

At 2:27 p.m. a civil matter in the 12000 block of Mayberry was reported.

DECEMBER 25 At 1:48 p.m. a follow-up was done in the 13000 block of Scandia Trail.

DECEMBER 26 At 12:37 a.m. an accident on Scandia and St. Croix Trails was reported.

At 5:06 p.m. a complaint about traffic on Scandia Trail and Novak was received.

DECEMBER 27 At 3:28 a.m. suspicious activity in the 21000 block of Olinda was reported.

At 4:24 a.m. a complaint about a driver on Olinda and Parrish was received.

At 9:35 a.m. a civil matter in the 22000 block of Peabody was reported.

At 3:12 p.m. property damage in the 10000 block of Mayberry was reported.

At 8:08 p.m. a family matter in the 22000 block of Peabody was reported.

At 9:31 p.m. a driver on St. Croix and Scandia Trails was stopped for a traffic violation.

At 9:38 p.m. a follow-up on Peabody was done.

DECEMBER 28 At 2:05 a.m. a driver on Scandia Trail and Newberry was stopped for a traffic violation.

At 8:21 a.m. an abandoned vehicle on 202nd and Olinda was reported.

At 9:09 a.m. an accident on Meadowbrook and Scandia Trail was reported.

At 10:55 a.m. suspicious activity in the 23000 block of Olinda was reported.

At 1:44 p.m. a missing person from the 22000 block of Peabody was reported.

At 3:28 p.m. family assistance was needed in the 22000 block of Peabody.

Town of May

DECEMBER 22 At 10:48 a.m. a driver in the 12000 block of Manning was stopped for a traffic violation.

At 2:37 p.m. a complaint about hunting in the 12000 block of Arcola was received.

DECEMBER 23 At 6:55 a.m. an accident on 170th and Kirby was reported.

At 9:25 a.m. public assistance was needed in the 14000 block of 131st.

At 11:56 a.m. public assistance was needed in the 15000 block of 122nd.

At 10:51 p.m. a complaint about shooting in the 11000 block of 142nd was received.

Young & Sons Heating and Air Conditioning Young & Sons Heating and Air Conditioning has been helping people in the St. Croix Valley prepare for cold nights and days for 25+ years. Great advances have been made in fuel-efficient heating and air conditioning since then, and Young & Sons can help customers decide which new equipment is right for their home.

If you’ve been considering an upgrade to your heating system, let us show you how upgrading your equipment can lower your utility bills. Many of your neighbors have already upgraded their heating systems and are enjoying increased comfort, decreased utility bills, and the peace of mind that comes from a reliable heating system. Don’t wait until your system breaks down to do it!

To all of our customers who have already upgraded their system, we thank you very much for your business.

DECEMBER 26 At 9:36 a.m. a driver on Manning and 155th was stopped for a traffic violation.

At 7:07 p.m. a scam was reported in the 14000 block of Old Guslander Trail.

At 9:29 p.m. an accident on St. Croix and Square Lake Trails was reported.

DECEMBER 24

DECEMBER 27

At 12:41 a.m. an officer assisted another agency on St. Croix Trail and Arcola.

At 4:05 a.m. an alarm sounded in the 14000 block of Square Lake Trail.

At 4:21 a.m. an accident on Manning and 142nd was reported.

At 10:39 p.m. a complaint about an animal on Oldfield and Square Lake Trail was received.

At 5:12 p.m. public assistance was needed in the 13000 block of Panorama.

At 11:25 p.m. a complaint about shooting in the 12000 block of 120th was received.

DECEMBER 25

Spotlight on Area Businesses

area were received.

At 4:58 a.m. an alarm sounded in the 16000 block of 152nd.

At 3:57 p.m. and on, multiple complaints about animals in the Square Lake Trail and Manning

DECEMBER 28 At 8:08 a.m. an accident on Olinda and 170th was reported.

At 8:13 a.m. a train accident in the 17000 block of Manning was reported.

At 8:34 a.m. an accident in the 15000 block of Manning was reported.

At 8:44 a.m. a road hazard in the 17000 block of Manning was reported.

At 11:29 a.m. a road hazard on Manning and 155th was reported.

FIND US ONLINE! COUNTRY

SH OT The

Call Young & Sons at (651) 433-4500 to schedule an appointment.

COUNTRY

Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township

Heating and Air Conditioning Inc.

12450 Morris Trail N Marine-On-St. Croix

651-433-4500

Scandia Office • 651-433-5753

Call us for a quote!

Jane Dreyer & Katie Giefer Interested in the potential for tax-free retirement income? Let’s talk.

Heidi Gemuenden, AAMS® Financial Advisor

41 Judd Street Marine On St. Croix, MN 651-433-1776

140 Judd St. • Marine on St. Croix

651-433-1112

21260 Olinda Trail N.

651-433-5167

www.scandiaheating.com

Certified by M.P.C.A.

www.olsonsinthepink.com

Advertise your business in

THE LOCAL FOCUS! • Reach Customers on a weekly basis • Full color on the highly visible back page of the Country Messenger • Includes a one week feature, highlighting the special details of your business Call 651-433-3815 or email sales@osceolasun.com

HOURS

Sun - Thurs 11 am - 11 pm, Fri - Sat 11 am - 11 pm or later

• Furnaces - Boilers • Radiant In-Floor Heat • Air Conditioning • Gas/Oil/Electric • Specialist in Air Quality • Geothermal Systems • Residential/Commercial • 24 Hour Service

Member SIPC

Traveling Somewhere?

Snap a photo with an issue of the Country Messenger and send it in to editor@countrymessenger.com to be our next featured traveler!