COUNTRY
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020
Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township
VOL. 36 NO. 39 www.countrymessenger.com $.75
OJIBWE GHOST DANCE: This month in history. PAGE 6
Marine inches closer to better cell reception BY MATT ANDERSON EDITOR@COUNTRYMESSENGER.COM
fest has to offer. However, those expecting a regular hockey game are in for a surprise if this is their first time at the Minnesotan Cup. “The tournament is unique for a few different reasons,” says Roberts. “Primarily most of these outdoor adult hockey tournaments are pond hockey. It’s four on four, with goalies. It may not sound too different from regular hockey, but it changes the dynamic of the game completely.” For this year’s tournament, nine returning teams will be competing in the Minnesotan Cup playing 17 games from 8
The city of Marine on St. Croix took the next step in considering a proposed cell tower after a motion was made to send a compilation of information to the planning commission for study, analysis and public comment later on in the process. A proposal for the project was prepared by the Communications Infrastructure Committee and presented to the council at the January 9 meeting. Paul Anderson presented the proposal to the board and highlighted a number of topics regarding the implementation of a cell tower in Marine. Among those that took precedence were public safety, commerce and overall quality of life for residents. Arguably the most important reason for adding the cell tower to Marine is the need for public safety and ability to call for help. This was the first point of the presentation that Anderson emphasized. “There is a significant public safety issue that has come forward,” he said. ”There are a lot of stories about this where people try to call 911 when there’s been an accident, or a medical emergency and not getting a cell signal, or if they are unable to say where they are, no one can find them... This is why Geo-Location and 911 service is a critical factor.” Anderson also stated that commerce and community connection would be positively impacted by the cell tower proposal from Marine businesses, telecommuters, government and residents alike, creating economic benefit and more opportunity for area citizens. Anderson also addressed the proposed location for the cell tower project indicating that a city owned parcel of land near the compost field would likely be the best option. “Multiple sites were evaluated,” he said. “Ultimately, the analysis and subsequent recommendation took into consideration the impact in the community including environmental and visual impact, as well as sites that were the most viable for the best coverage.” The proposed site, according to the presentation, would have very low visual impact, and would provide the greatest “propagation” or cell coverage. The presentation also highlighted what the tower would consist of. A 100’ X 100’ fenced in pad would hold a 180 foot monopole. The tower
SEE HOCKEY, PAGE 2
SEE COUNCIL, PAGE 2
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Scandia Student Designs Vinterfest Button Emma Blank, a sixth grade student at Scandia Elementary IB World School, had the winning design for the City of Scandia's Vinterfest on January 25. Vinterfest is Scandia's community festival celebrating winter.
Time to ‘gear up’ for the Minnesotan Cup BY MATT ANDERSON EDITOR@COUNTRYMESSENGER.COM
“When we came in and pitched the idea, we were warmly accepted and we felt it gave Vinterfest the shot in the arm it needed at the time,” says the mastermind behind the annual Minnesotan Cup, Corey Roberts. “It hasn’t changed a whole lot since year one… We just wanted something small and authentic – and something that was unique to the Northeast Metro.” As is custom with Scandia’s Vinterfest celebration, the seventh annual Minnesotan Cup is closing in on Saturday, January 25. With hockey being a staple sport in
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Nine returning teams play 17 games in this year's competition.
Minnesota, many travel to Scandia to enjoy the
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tournament along with everything else Vinter-
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