Country Messenger 04.15.2020

COUNTRY

Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2020 VOL. 36 NO. 51 www.countrymessenger.com $.75

COLUMN: 'Around the bend' — a trip to the Brule River. PAGE 4

Marine City Council zooms through first online council meeting

The last pandemic The Spanish influenza outbreak of 1918 and how it parallels COVID-19

BY LESLIE MACKENZIE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

BY C.L. SILL EDITOR@COUNTRYMESSENGER.COM

On Nov. 19, 1918, Joe Nagler left his home in East Farmington and headed northeast, traveled through Hayward and on to Cable.

An easy two-hour drive today, the trip likely seemed a much bigger adventure in 1918. When Nagler reached Cable he turned straight east, and just outside of town reached the deer hunting camp that was his destination. Two days later he celebrated his 21st birthday.

Nagler had lived in Farmington all his life.

He was the eldest son of Adolph Nagler and had spent his time helping his father on their farm outside town.

Adolph had lost his wife to illness in 1917 and Joe’s little brother Frank was killed in the spring of 1918 after the car he was riding in was hit by a train. Tragedy seemed to follow the family, and would call again before it was satisfied.

Sometime shortly after his birthday, Joe came down with in-

The City Council of Marine on St. Croix held its first online public meeting on April 8. Despite minor sound difficulties, the meeting was a model of efficiency, taking only 45 minutes. Part of its brevity may be due to the large number of cancelled or postponed events as a result of the ongoing stay-at-home order issued by Gov. Walz and general uncertainty about when the COVID-19 situation will be resolved.

Marine Library

A public service announcement in the October 24, 1918 edition of the Osceola Sun, warning residents about the spread of Spanish influenza.

fluenza. The Spanish Influenza outbreak was raging across the world in the fall of 1918 and had already killed millions by the time Joe was infected. His flu quickly evolved into pneumonia and less than a week later on Thursday Nov. 26, 1918, Joe Nagler died at deer camp east of Cable.

“The boy was well known and well liked by all,” read the Osceola Sun on Dec. 5, 1918.

“The bereaved father

has had more than his fair share of trouble the past year and a half. He has the sympathy of the entire community.”

Small obituaries like this dotted the Sun’s front page regularly in the fall of 1918, as did public safety precautions and notices of canceled events. Together they warned the nation of an invisible enemy — and told the story of an epidemic not dissimilar from that the world faces today.

“Although the present epidemic is called ‘Spanish influenza,’ there is no reason to believe it originated in Spain,” read an article in the Sun in October 1918. “Some writers who have studied that question believe the epidemic came from the Orient.”

Scientists now know an H1N1 virus caused Spanish influenza, although the exact

While the library is officially closed, it continues to host events. The March wildflower webinar drew 120 viewers on the night it was first broadcast, and another 50 viewers watched it on the library’s website. Upcoming library events include: • April 18 online “Poetry Crawl” featuring the work of 8 local poets, 7 p.m.

• April 30 online talk about local author, Rudi Hargesheimer about his new book, “The Superior Hiking Trail Story,” 7 p.m.

• Every Saturday at 11 a.m., River Radio broadcasts interviews from local business and civic leaders, hosted by Gayle Knutson and Jim Maher Previous broadcasts can be found on the home page of the library website, as well as a link to the live broadcast.

Planning Commission The Commission met on April 7 and decided to postpone a public hearing on the proposed ShortTerm Rental ordinance until the end of June or early July. It will then come before the council at its August meeting. The Council voted to extend the moratorium on new STRs until the end of August.

Public Safety The fire chief has been meeting weekly with

SEE PANDEMIC, PAGE 2

SEE MEETING, PAGE 2

Gas prices drop to near 20 year low

ELISE BOURNE | COUNTRY MESSENGER

Easter chocolates Deidre Pope stopped in at St. Croix Chocolate shop, where they offer curbside pick-up for amazing chocolate treats.

NEWS 651-433-3845 editor@countrymessenger.com

Gas prices across the nation have plummeted in the last month due to a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia, as well as the lack of demand resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic that has left residents stuck at home and unable to travel.

The national average price for a gallon of gas on April 10 was $1.89, according to AAA. One year ago at this time the national average was $2.76 per gallon.

The last time the national average dropped that low was 2004 when the average price of gas was $1.84 per gallon.

Minnesota is currently coming in under the national average, with the average price of gas at $1.69 per gallon, according to AAA.

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C.L. SILL | COUNTRY MESSENGER

Sign at Federated Co-op in Scandia showing the average price of fuel at $1.69 per gallon.

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PANDEMIC: The Spanish Influenza outbreak of 1918 mirrored current coronavirus pandemic FROM PAGE 1

location of its origin is still debated.

It was first identified by troops fighting overseas in World War One in the spring of 1918, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), although the same Sun article from October of that year states “the Germans mention the disease as occurring along the eastern front in the summer and fall of 1917.”

It’s estimated the epidemic killed over 50 million people worldwide and 675,000 in the United States. The virus peaked in October 1918 and killed an estimated 195,000 Americans that month alone, according to the CDC. Coverage of the pandemic in the Sun was sporadic at best, sometimes completely nonexistent. A far cry from the media overload the country is experiencing today, most of the newspaper was still filled with the regular goings-on in the county — which ranged from news that “Mrs. Lewis Wurst of Farmington was a shopper in the village on Saturday” to advertisements by Mazer’s Tooth Specialty Department, offering $35 cash for old false teeth.

Obituaries were the most common reminder of the epidemic in the Sun. Between October and early Decem-

ber of 1918, the paper noted at least 11 deaths from influenza, including Joe Nagler. It’s interesting to note most of these deaths came in November and December, as the Midwest felt the full force of the outbreak after it’d had already peaked in October, something middle America is bracing for right now.

“Osceola Girl died Monday at Prentice,” read a headline in the November 21 edition of the Sun, noting the death of Mrs. Vern Gilland.

Gilland was 22 years old when she died on the morning of November 18.

Just like COVID-19, certain age groups were more vulnerable to the outbreak, only in the case of the Spanish Flu, 20-40 year olds were most likely to be killed, especially expectant mothers or those who’d just had a child.

Of the 11 deaths noted in the Sun, 10 were confirmed to be under the age of 30. Four of those were under the age of ten, including the newborn baby Gilland had just given birth to.

“She was ill from the time the child was born,” read the obituary. “And grew worse in a short time. The two bodies were brought to Osceola yesterday by the parents and will be laid to rest in the Lutheran Cemetery at Oak Grove.”

The parallels in how the disease was

prevented are eerily similar to today.

In a lengthy article titled “Uncle Sam’s advice on flu,” residents are urged to “keep out of crowds and stuffy places as much as possible” and to “spend some time outdoors each day.”

Spread of the flu within the home seemed a much bigger concern than it is today, as “overcrowded homes” are regularly referenced as being a major problem. The average size of a family was much larger than it is today — Mrs. Gilland’s obituary lists four brothers and seven sisters as surviving her.

Social distancing practices were put into place in 1918, but with much less regularity than today. Cities like New York and Philadelphia shut down completely, but many residents of Wisconsin seemed unwilling to stay home, or more likely unaware just how dangerous social interaction could be.

The Sun mentioned the meeting of the Odd Fellows, whatever that was, had been postponed “on account of all public gathering being suspended with the order to check the epidemic of Spanish Influenza,” but the paper continued to be filled with tidbits of news about visitors to town and folks traveling to Minneapolis and as far as Chicago.

The most egregious offender was Mr.

Fred O. Barrett, who was of all things the editor of the newspaper. He set off in the middle of October 1918 on a week long vacation via train to see the sights of Eastern Wisconsin.

“It was the longest vacation I’ve had in seven years,” Barrett bragged in typical newsman fashion.

The final destination of his journey was Marinette, Wisc. and the article is filled with stories of sharing dining cars along the way, plush hotel rooms and some rather strange kind of military ball complete with two hours worth of dancing.

There’s a very distinct smell given off by old newspaper clippings. It’s the same smell old books in dusty antique stores have, except much, much stronger. The pages are coarse but incredibly fragile and sometimes feel almost like ash, ready to turn to dust in-between fingertips.

Yet the words remain the same, as poignant now as they were 102 years ago. In 1918 the country dealt with a pandemic and a world war at the same time. The suffering dealt by both is still on those pages and in those words today — a stark reminder to a country that had all but forgotten how quickly life can change.

MEETING: Marine City Council online Washington County emergency management.

The fire and rescue workers have enough personal protective equipment to last 2 months. Public safety guidelines have been published and can be found on the Marine city website and in the city newsletter. Council member Bill Miller reported that it looks like Marine will not have to deal with flooding this year, and that the noon siren is now working properly.

European mountain ash -- will be grown out over the summer and then planted in the fall.

Tuesday through Thursday, and from the office on Friday.

Judd Street Road Reconstruction

Council member Lon Pardun reported as soon as it’s feasible and advisable for people to meet there will be a public meeting to discuss adding residences to the municipal septic system after the pump upgrade.

There will be room for 45 additional residential units. Twenty four nearby units have been identified as the most cost-effective to add to the system. Letters inviting the 24 homeowners to the public meeting will go out in May or June.

Inflow and infiltration (I&I) has been a significant problem for the sewer system. I&I home inspections would normally occur at this time of year but now will be moved back until January 2021. Homeowners will receive a letter in November.

Septic System Update The Judd Street project is at a standstill while Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Minnesota Historical Society conduct their historical and archeological reviews of the site in April and May. The city’s plans and the watershed district’s plans are complete unless changes are required.

Event Cancellations

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The June Fire and Rescue appreciation dinner has been cancelled, as well as fundraising events for the fire department. The Forest Advisory Committee reported that its Arbor Day activities will be moved to the end of June, if people are then able to gather. And the Holiday committee reported that it’s unsure what events to plan for, given the potential need for continued physical distancing. The Council and committees will continue to discuss opportunities for celebration and fundraising.

Gravel Bed Tree Planting Sixteen tree saplings have arrived for planting in the gravel bed, now located on the northwest side of the Marine School building.

The saplings – Autumn Blaze maple, thornless hawthorn, showy and

Jackson Meadow Kristina Smitten reported Jackson Meadow has received a prairie restoration grant in the amount of $56,000 for work that will begin next fall and last for approximately 2.5 years.

The property covered by the grant-funded work is half Marine city property and half Jackson Meadow property, but no matching funds were required on the part of the city.

Town Hall Closure For the safety of the staff, Monday, April 13, the Town Hall building closed to the public. The door will still be unlocked for deliveries but residents are asked to do business by phone or email. The city clerk will maintain her regular schedule in the office.

The assistant clerk will be working from home

Cell Tower Representatives from the Scandia City Council and Midco met with the infrastructure committee to talk about the potential for future wireless solutions to be co-located on the Marine cell tower. This would improve internet connectivity for the area.

The committee also spoke with an RF radio frequency expert.

COUNTRY .com

APRIL 15, 2020

COUNTRY MESSENGER

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PUBLIC NOTICES Summary of Proceedings Washington County Board of Commissioners March 17, 2020 Present were Commissioners Fran Miron, District 1; Stan Karwoski, District 2; Gary Kriesel, District 3; Wayne Johnson, District 4; Lisa Weik, District 5. Board Chair Miron presided.

Commissioner Reports – Comments – Questions Commissioners reported on meetings and other events that they attended. Please see archived web streaming of the board meeting for full commissioner reports at www. co.washington.us, under “County Board”.

Community Services - Approval of Master Grant Agreement No. 13329 with the Department of Employment and Economic Development.

General Administration Approval of the following actions: - County comment letter of the draft City of Afton Comprehensive Plan.

- County Administrator Kevin Corbid reported on county efforts and response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

- Resolution No. 2020-023, declaring Washington County to be in a Local State of Emergency.

- All county public-facing services will be closed through March 24, 2020. This will be reevaluated at the March 24 County Board meeting.

- County parks will remain available for use of their trails and open spaces. There will be no charge to enter county parks through March 24, 2020. This will be reevaluated at the March 24 County Board meeting.

- Board correspondence was received and placed on file.

- Board workshop to discuss 2021 budget development, guidelines and principles.

Human Resources Approval of the following actions: - Revisions to Personnel Rules & Regulations, Section #1.

- Revisions to Policy 5015A Federal Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act. - Emergency paid leave program for employees of 80 hours specifically for COVID-19.

- Temporarily waive vacation accrual limits for employees in mission critical functions.

Property Records and Taxpayers Services - Approval of Resolution No. 2020022, application to conduct off-site gambling for the Greeder Hinds Comfort Post 323 Auxiliary.

Public Health and Environment Approval of the following actions: - Director Lowell Johnson reported on community response for the COVID-19 pandemic.

- Board workshop to discuss the Lower St. Croix One Watershed One Plan.

Public Works Approval of the following actions: - Amendment No. 2 to Contract 11249 with Kraus-Anderson in the amount of $278,191 to complete the Wildwood Library project.

- Permanent use of fund balance in an amount not to exceed $70,000 from the Capital Repair fund to complete the Sheriff’s Department Gun Range renovation project.

- Contract No. 13273 with Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. in the amount of $555,128 for Phase 3 of County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 5 (Stonebridge Trail) – Sycamore Street to Trunk Highway (TH) 96 project.

- Public Hearing on consideration of updating Washington County Trans-

portation Sales, Use and Excise Tax. This public hearing process was terminated and the County Board will take no further action on this matter at this time.

A complete text of the Official Proceedings of the Washington County Board of Commissioners is available on the county’s website: www. co.washington.mn.us, under County Board, or for public inspection at the Office of Administration, Washington County Government Center, 14949 62nd St. N., Stillwater, MN. Published in the Country Messenger April 15, 2020 STATE OF MINNESOTA WASHINGTON COUNTY DISTRICT COURT TENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court File Number: 82-PR-20-1464 Case Type: Informal Probate NOTICE OF INFORMAL APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS (WITHOUT A WILL) In re the Estate of DARRIN DION GOULD, Deceased TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND CREDITORS:

Learn secrets of foraging for spring edibles

Notice is hereby given that an application for informal appointment of personal representative has been filed with the Probate Registrar. No will has been presented for probate.

The application has been granted.

Notice is also given that the Probate Registrar has informally appointed the following: Tamara Gould, 14045 237th St. N., Scandia, MN 55073, as Personal Representative of the Estate of the Decedent. Any heir, devisee or other interested person may be entitled to appointment as Personal Representative, or may object to the appointment of the Personal Representative. Unless objections are filed pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 524.3-801, all creditors having claims against the Estate are required to present the claims to the Personal Representative or to the Court Administrator within four (4) months after the date of this Notice, or the claims will be barred.

Pamela Kreier Probate Registrar April 7, 2020 Annette Fritz Court Administrator April 7, 2020

& Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, all gatherings of 10 or more are being curtailed.

If there is an event you were attending, please call to see if it is occurring. The Out & About page will return when this restriction is lifted, hopefully soon.

Published in the Country Messenger April 15 and April 22, 2020

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AREA CHURCHES Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, all gatherings of 10 or more are being curtailed. Please call to see if church services are being held in some capacity.

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

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

Elim Lutheran Church Scandia (651) 433-2723 www.elimscandia.org Senior Pastor Scott Westphal Associate Pastor Meredith McGrath

Faith Lutheran Church (ELCA) Faith Lutheran Church (ELCA) Forest Lake (651) 464-3323 886 North Shore Drive Pastor John Klawiter

Forest Hills United Methodist Church Hwy. 97 at County Road 34 S.E. Forest Lake (651) 464-5249 Pastor: Rev. David Werner www.foresthillsumc.net

Grace Church 722 Seminole Ave. Osceola Pastor Mark Barlow “The Cure for the Common Church” e-mail: info@gracechurchosceola.com www.gracechurchosceola.com or call (715) 294-4222 or (715) 755-3454

www.lakesfree.org Lindstrom (651) 257-2677 29620 Olinda Trail N. Senior Pastor Jason Carlson, Associate Pastor Stephen Moore

Lord of the Lakes Lutheran Church (LCMS) 25402 Itasca Avenue Forest Lake, MN 55025 651-462-3535 / lordofthelakes.org Pastor Craig Bertram

Maranatha Church Chisago Lakes Campus 10963 Lake Blvd. (Hwy 8) Chisago City (651) 257-8605 Pastor Bill Headley

Osceola Community Church

Hosanna Lutheran Church (ELCA)

2492 Education Dr., Osceola, WI Larry Mederich, Pastor (715) 417-0608 • www.occconnect.org

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

Osceola Medical Center Spiritual Care

Lakes Free Church

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

River Valley Christian Church 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

St. Croix Falls Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 201 North Adams 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

St. Croix Valley Friends

Meeting Stillwater (651) 439-7981 Seventh Day Adventist Church, Fifth & Laurel Streets

St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church 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

St. Joseph Catholic Cluster Osceola (715) 294-2243 Rev. Andy Anderson

Trinity Lutheran Church (WELS) Osceola (715) 294-2828 300 Seminole Avenue

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

4 COUNTRY MESSENGER

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APRIL 15, 2020

Pandemic picks

B

y several indications, it appears social distancing is helping to flatten the curve with the coronavirus. We should all be happy about this, but being socially distant to many may seem like the cure is worse than the disease, which is, of course, totally wrong.

But as we near the first month of many staying at home, it is time to have some talks about how we will be spending the duration.

I imagine during the first 30 days cleaning and organization, two necessary but unpopular tasks, were accomplished. Folks with children at home adjusted to new careers as teachers. Couch potatoes spent a lot of time binging shows and playing video games.

With libraries closed, finding books to read is a bit more of Publisher new a challenge, but not impossible.

I was thinking about several Tom Stangl pandemic themed novels and movies I have enjoyed over the years and thought it might make an enjoyable column.

I’m a science fiction fan, have been one for many, many years, so a pandemic is a popular topic. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, here are some recommendations for pandemic entertainment.

Author Richard Matheson wrote a novel about the last man on earth in 1954. “I Am Legend” follows Robert Neville, the last human on earth. A pandemic causes the rest of the planet to die and return as vampires. The novel has been adapted to movies three times with Vincent Price, Charlton Heston and Will Smith playing Neville. Two of the adaptations had the same name as the novel, Heston’s was called “The Omega Man.” I’m partial to Chuck Heston as the guy to get us through the vampire apocalypse. As a teenager, the scenes of Heston tearing around a deserted downtown Los Angeles at 60 miles per hour spoke to me, even though I was years away from driving.

Heston was the guy who bested the apes in “Planet of the Apes” so it made sense to me that he was the person to emulate during the vampire apocalypse.

I believe all three versions are available to stream online.

When I was considering this column, I thought I would keep with a vampire apocalypse. Vampires are terrifying, but not real. So, I would recommend the excellent trilogy by author Justin Cronin on the topic. “The Passage”, “The Twelve” and “The City of Mirrors” are long and character driven, taking place in multiple timelines. A virus being tested to enhance healing on the military goes terribly wrong, unleashing a strain of vampires on the nation. Amy, a young girl, survives the virus, frozen in time at 15 years old. Immortality was one of the desired effects of the virus.

She appears nearly a century later at one of the outposts of humanity. Amy works with the survivors to destroy the original 12 vampires after they discover the vampires created by the 12 die when the vampire who created them is destroyed.

The novels are well written and compelling.

There was a television series developed a year or so ago, but it couldn’t capture the magic of the books. In my opinion, there are few adaptations of books that can recreate novels better than my imagination.

There are other movies and novels dealing with pandemics. I find the more outrageous ones entertaining, because the others are just plain scary.

Here’s to passing some time safely defeating a pandemic from the comfort of your home.

As always, I welcome your comments. You can reach me by email at tstangl@theameryfreepress. com, telephone 715-268-8101 or write me at P.O. Box 424, Amery, WI, 54001.

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

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Around the bend

I

f your idea of trout fishing is striking off to some beautiful backcountry stream, complete with flowers and butterflies, to forget all about life’s difficulties and cast dry flies to over-eager rainbows, steer clear of the Brule River.

I’ve romanticize the Brule since I was a young boy and carried a copy of Gordon MacQuarrie’s ‘Stories of the Old Duck Hunters’ everywhere I went. He made it seem so easy and wrote wonderful tales of landing massive lake run browns and rainbows on the shores of the lower Brule. I’ve found it slightly more difficult.

Every time I’m there part of me wonders why I keep coming back.

But every spring I find myself on the Editor banks of the Brule with the same kind of sheepish optimism the river C.L. Sill beat out of me a year before. It’s an unforgiving place filled with icy cold water and steelhead that are more indecisive than my fiancé dress shopping at Target.

Dan and I had been planning our yearly self-masochistic pilgrimage to the Brule since January, but had considered canceling the trip for fear of breaking the shelter-in-place rules currently in effect. We discussed it at length and decided to sneak up to the river for two days, taking care to keep our distance from other fisherman and not stop at any gas stations or stores along the way.

We put in at county road FF on Saturday morning.

I had flashbacks to a grueling, weeklong trip we took last year as I noticed the river was still running a chocolaty brown color that made it impossible to see the top of your wading boots in six inches of water.

In for a penny, in for a pound though, and we fished until dark on Saturday with not so much as a bump.

As we drove from put-in to put-in, I remembered why I keep coming back. The history of this river and those who have come before me sets the Brule on hallowed ground. There’s a grand mystery in the sea of birch trees that shield the river on either side and you can’t help but wonder if a small shiver went up MacQuarrie’s spine every time he laid eyes on them.

As we drove, I felt my mind wander away from fishing entirely. All I could think about was coming back in the fall to stomp the aspen thickets in search of grouse, or maybe even a deer. Later on, a pair of wood ducks buzzed me as I changed flies and I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I mused about sitting in a stand of musty cattails listening to wing-beats on a duck opener that was still an excruciating four months away.

I felt guilty for not focusing more on the river and the task at hand. I’ve gone through a lot of phases in my life and fly-fishing has remained a constant passion for almost as long as I can remember, but I suddenly realized I’d fallen slightly out of love with it. Trout fishing has become a placeholder, someSEE SILL, PAGE 5

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Paid letters will be identified with a label and may or may not appear on the opinion/ letters page.

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 C.L. Sill, Editor Eric Buelow, Graphic Design Elise Bourne, Advertising Barb Wetzel, Office Assistant Carrie Larson, Circulation Manager Rick Brandt, Delivery

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COUNTRY MESSENGER

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Simple home cooked meals

I

t’s been wonderful having my two youngest children home for the last few weeks. It’s like a gift of an extended childhood for the boys. We have been playing games, doing projects, and cooking together.

When they first moved back home, we were cooking family favorites and some fancier foods that I normally don’t make, but they were so happy to not eat college dorm food. Then, just like that, we transitioned to more basic “get food on the table quick” meals.

Tacos, sandwiches, and hot dishes have been our mainstay for the last week. Something I have not made in years is sloppy joes. It was a famiWild Chow ly favorite, but for some reason, it slipped my mind. My mother used to Lisa Erickson make them all the time using beef.

I prefer them with turkey meat. I believe the flavor of the sauce really shines through when you use a milder meat. You can use chicken, pheasant or turkey. I made these last week and am making them again next week. They are that good!

THE POSTSCRIPT Peppermint ice cream “I love seeing all the people in the park,” my sister told me on the phone the other night. “I can tell who is together because they are walking in little clumps!”

I

love that idea: little satellites orbiting the park—usually with a dog—keeping a safe distance from the other orbiting clumps nearby.

My sister is in a clump consisting of herself, her husband, their two children, a dog and a cat.

(I’m not sure if the cat considers himself part of the clump or not.

Possibly not.)

The kids are doing their homeColumnist work in record time, sports are Carrie Classon discontinued but music lessons continue. They are playing a lot of ping-pong and canasta.

My cousin, Dane, is in a clump of one so I was kind of worried about him and called him up.

He seemed to be doing okay, all things considered. He’s laid off but getting a lot of house projects done. I caught him when he was out walking.

“I’m on my annual walk,” he told me.

“Annual?”

“No, I meant daily. I’ve been

walking every day.”

I was prepared to believe it was annual as I don’t generally think of Dane as being big on exercise.

But I’m glad to hear he’s taking care of himself. I think that’s what we all need to do, as best as we can.

I’m in a clump of three these days—it’s just me, my husband Peter, and my anxiety. It wouldn’t be crowded with just Peter and me but it’s true what they say— three’s a crowd. I get free-floating anxiety and these times seem to promote it. Peter is amazingly patient with me, although he gets anxious when I get anxious and the atmosphere starts to get a little electric in the house. That’s usually when I go for a walk.

A walk helps. But peppermint ice cream is what really works wonders.

My consumption of peppermint ice cream has shot through the roof.

In the past, Peter has accused me of being an ice cream snob. I scrutinize the ingredient list. I try to buy ice cream with fewer thickeners and additives and more natural ingredients. But none of this matters if it’s peppermint ice cream. There are no rules for peppermint ice cream.

Everyone knows that.

I don’t even read the ingredient list because, what do I care? It’s peppermint ice cream! It’s bright pink and has little pieces of peppermint candy right in it! No

matter how bad the news of the day might be, a little peppermint ice cream is certain to make things better. No matter how anxious I might get, I can always eat peppermint ice cream.

Two days ago, we went to the grocery store. We are trying to minimize our trips and hoped to buy enough to get us through three weeks. We donned our masks, packed our hand sanitizer, and went together—I bought all the produce and Peter bought dairy and dry goods and we reconvened in the parking lot, feeling like we had just completed a major expedition.

Back at home, I was rinsing off the huge supply of fruit and vegetables while Peter unloaded his bags. That’s when I noticed.

“You only bought one carton of peppermint ice cream?”

“Well, yeah, but we have one in the freezer.”

“That one is almost gone.”

“Oh. How much peppermint ice cream to do you think you’ll need?” Peter asked me. This was a difficult question to answer.

How much peppermint ice cream will I need?

I’m hoping not too much more.

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

On X Maps and Hunt app Turkey Sloppy Joes Serves 6 1 Tbsp. oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 lbs. of ground turkey with 10% fat 1 clove garlic, minced 1 small can tomato paste ½ cup water ½ cup ketchup ¼ cup mustard 1 ½ Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar Salt and pepper to taste 8 hamburger buns In a large frypan cook onion in oil over medium heat for five minutes. Add turkey and cook until all liquid has evaporated—about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Then add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes over low heat until meat is tender and sauce is very thick.

Spoon onto buns and serve immediately.

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.

SILL: Around the bend FROM PAGE 4

thing to do when I can’t do the things I truly love.

The idea that anything could be more important to me than fly-fishing stuck in my throat and I stood in the river wondering how that was possible. Then I realized of all the phases and changes in my life, they have one thing in common. They’ve all been punctuated by the sound of water running over my feet in the middle of a trout stream.

I know now the Brule

is just as important to me as it has always been, but in a different way. I’m not there to catch fish any more, I’m there to pass the time and think about what mystery lies around the bend — and that makes it a hell of a lot more relaxing.

I welcome any comments from readers. You can reach me via email at editor@osceolasun. com, by telephone at 651433-3845 or in the mail at P.O. Box 248, Osceola WI, 54020

I

was up at 6 a.m. this morning to go scout turkeys and get permission to hunt on private lands where I had spotted some turkeys the day before.

I was driving around when I saw a half dozen big black blobs in the distance next to some brown blobs. Once I got my binoculars on them, I confirmed what I already knew. The black blobs were Tom Turkeys strutting around all fanned out and hen turkeys (brown blobs) feeding on last fall’s waste corn in a field. My 11-year old son Brady was suppose to go with me but getting out of bed proved too much for him, but I want him to have a fun and successful hunt so I was scouting without him.

Back in the day, I would have Wild River simply driven to the closest farm and asked permission to hunt from Trails the landowner but those days are long gone. Most small farms have Jim Bennett been bought up by corporate farms.

Land developers and rural housing developments have taken up the land that once was the small farms. It seemed impossible to figure out who owned the land and finding them to get permission to hunt was nearly impossible. Technology has changed that and an App that can be downloaded on your phone.

It’s called onX Map App or onX Hunt App. It’s a way to get an edge with what users feel is the most intelligent and accurate GPS mapping tool for anyone, especially hunters in the field or in your car. It’s like the GPS system in your car or on your phone we use to find our way on streets and highways. Instead of finding a store to shop or the home of a friend in the country, it’s a tool to find your way around in the woods, on water or wilderness trails.

Take for instance the day I spotted those turkeys in the field. All I had to do was open the App on my phone and it showed me right where I was sitting in my car. It also showed me the world around me. In this case I had the App set to satellite imagery so I not only had the location, I had trees, ponds, fields and property lines. The amazing part I love is by simply touching the land where the turkeys were, as if by magic up popped the landowner’s name and address from public tax records. Some lived near,

others far and a few out of state. Now finding the landowner was in reach and permission to hunt that land is doable.

The App also has the ability to show you things in what they call “layers” that you can use to create the type of App that would serve your needs to fullest advantage. These layers would start out with which states you wanted, private lands listings with or without names, public lands and more.

On my App public lands come up in a green shade which is easy to spot. You can also use tools to add waypoints, measure lines, and mark your location so you can go out all day and wander around and find your way back. It also allows you to download maps onto your device to use in areas where you get no phone service and we all know how frustrating that can be. The App has 121 million private properties, 985 million acres of public land, 421 map overlays and 400,000 miles of trails. You can sync all your data to any of your devices such as computers and laptops. Even old guys like me can figure it out.

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

#StayHomeMN Extended until May 4

Stay home except for essential needs

STAY HOME

STOP THE SPREAD

#StayHomeMN

SAVE LIVES

mn.gov/covid19

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Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day

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trowbridge_plumbing@hotmail.com Mike Trowbridge

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REAL ESTATE

Ross and Adam Brunfelt Your Local Real Estate Agents!

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LAWN & SPORT Servicing all major brands Lawn & garden, mower service.

A K-6, tuition-free public charter school in beautiful Wilder Forest. We get kids outside, taking learning beyond the classroom!

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APRIL 15, 2020

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CLUES ACROSS 1. Germanic mythological god 4. Cash machine 7. Improvement 12. What voters want 15. Sheepish 16. Placed at powerful level 18. Measure of illumination 19. Trent Reznor’s band 20. Commercial 21. Amounts of time 24. English broadcaster 27. Rolls of tobacco 30. Position 31. Expresses pleasure 33. Corporate exec (abbr.)

34. Body part 35. Bleated 37. Businessman 39. Beats per minute 41. Defunct Italian monetary unit 42. Broken branch 44. Put in advance 47. Arrest 48. Prefix indicating adjacent to 49. Artificial intelligence 50. Disfigure 52. The Fighting Irish (abbr.)

53. Not in any place 56. Predict 61. A system of getting stuff from one place to another 63. Philosophy of the principles of things 64. US gov’t office (abbr.)

65. Seaborgium’s former name (abbr.)

Answers

CLUES DOWN 1. Network connector 2. Primordial matter 3. Get up 4. Uncoordinated 5. Ill-fated cruise ship

6. Work hard 7. Drivers’ speed 8. Largest English dictionary (abbr.)

9. Healthcare pro 10. Egyptian Sun god 11. Expresses the negative 12. Some are three-legged 13. Clothing manufacturer 14. Close by 17. Tooth caregiver 22. Housing material 23. Flows through 24. Founder of Babism 25. Honorific title 26. A type of letter 28. Seize and hold firmly 29. Artery 32. Body fluids

36. Press against lightly 38. An island in the Pacific 40. A reminder of past events 43. Austrian spa town 44. Peter’s last name 45. Something a mob might do 46. Of the bones of the feet 51. “Amazing Stories” writer 54. Nazi-resistant youth group (abbr.)

55. Used to have (Scottish) 56. A way to cook 57. Japanese port city 58. Type of precipitation 59. Engrave 60. Female sibling 62. Expresses emotion

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

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SHERIFF’S REPORT City of Marine on St. Croix

MARCH 29 At 6:42 p.m. a medical need on Judd Street was reported.

block of Layton were received.

At 11:32 p.m. a complaint about a driver in the 21000 block of Olinda was received.

MARCH 30

MARCH 31

At 2:15 p.m. public assistance was needed on Oak Knoll.

At 10:16 p.m. a complaint about traffic on Blue Heron Lane was received.

At 3:27 p.m. a follow-up was needed in the 14000 block of Oakhill.

At 7:32 p.m. a neighbor dispute in the 18000 block of Layton was reported.

At 8:03 p.m. suspicious activity in the 14000 block of Scandia Trail was reported.

At 8:36 p.m. a disturbance in the 15000 block of Scandia Trail was reported.

City of Scandia

MARCH 29 At 11:34 a.m. suspicious activity in the 18000 block of Layton was reported.

At 11:53 a.m. a 911 line was abandoned in the 13000 block of Scandia Trail.

MARCH 30 At 1:16 p.m. until 9:22 p.m. three reports of various behaviors in the 18000

APRIL 1 At 12:30 p.m. a neighbor dispute in the 18000 block of Layton was reported.

At 3:11 p.m. an alarm sounded in the 14000 block of 195th.

APRIL 3

At 3:27 p.m. a complaint about dumping on 205th and Quint was received.

At 4:19 p.m. a complaint about an animal in the 20000 block of Kirby was received.

APRIL 4

At 7:05 p.m. an officer assisted another agency in the 16000 block of Square Lake Trail.

At 10:16 p.m. a complaint about an animal in the 12000 block of Riverview was received.

APRIL 1

MN DNR

Town of May

At 1:27 p.m. a medical need in the 12000 block of Otchipwe was reported.

At 5:13 p.m. trespassing on the Arcola Bridge was reported.

At 6:03 p.m. a 911 line was abandoned in the 15000 block of 130th.

MARCH 29

APRIL 3

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has closed significant areas of Fort Snelling State Park due to flooding. The park—one of Minnesota’s busiest, and a popular local destination for hikers, bikers, and birders—is located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, which are both experiencing rising waters from the spring thaw.

Most facilities within the park are closed and key park locations, including Picnic Island and Pike Island, are not accessible. Various trails are underwater and the main park road is currently closed just past the beach, limiting parking options and access to the park. As with all state parks, accessible portions of Fort Snelling State Park remain open for day use during Gov. Tim Walz’s Stay at Home order.

“We know how eager folks are to get outside and do their social distancing in nature now that spring has finally arrived, so reducing access in response to seasonal flooding is particularly difficult this year,” said Fort Snelling State Park manager Nadine Meyer. “But our first priority is ensuring the safety of the public and our staff, so these are steps we have to take.”

Other recreational facilities around the state also have been impacted by melting snow, heavy rain and flooding. Some roads and trails in state forests, state parks, recreation areas, and wildlife management areas will be closed temporarily because they are not firm enough to support vehicle traffic without causing damage.

Some spring flooding and thaw-related closures could remain in effect until sometime in May, depending on weather conditions. People should check the DNR’s closure webpage for current conditions before visiting.

During the Stay at Home order, visitors to state parks and other public recreation lands are urged to: Stay as close to home as possible.

Practice social distancing (stay at least 6 feet from people from other households).

Explore the range of nearby public lands available to avoid over-loading busy areas.

Visit early or late in the day, when there are fewer people.

Adjust your plans if you arrive and your destination is crowded.

Obey all “no parking” signs and other directions.

Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Stay home if sick.

At 11:23 a.m. a complaint about dumping in the 20000 block of Ozark was received.

At 1:12 p.m. a complaint about parking in the 18000 block of Layton was received.

At 8:51 p.m. a complaint about an animal on Square Lake Trail and Manning was received.

MARCH 30 At 9:02 a.m. a 911 line was abandoned on Partridge Road/Court.

At 9:33 a.m. a directed patrol was in place in the 11000 block of 180th.

APRIL 4 At 8:27 p.m. follow-up was needed in the 14000 block of Ostrum.

Spotlight on Area Businesses Scandia Heating & Air Conditioning Scandia Heating & Air Conditioning has been providing quality service, repair and installation for over 45 years. Scandia Heating works on all makes and models. Whether it’s a furnace, boiler, in-floor heating, geo thermal, heat pump or garage heating, they have you covered.

At Scandia Heating they believe in customer service and practice it every day. From standing behind repairs, to installing brand new systems, Scandia Heating has the knowledge and experience you need to give you peace of mind year round.

“System tune-ups should be done on a yearly basis,” owner JR West said. “We want to catch the small problems before they become big ones.”

Don’t wait until the last minute to schedule a service call, he noted.

Scandia Heating tries to make each new “We provide 24 hour repairs, 7 days a week, installation as pleasant of an experience as possible. including after hours emergency service. We try our Contact Scandia Heating & Air Conditioning at best to provide same day service during busy times 651-433-5167, or stop by the office at 21260 Olinda of the year. During peak season we don’t go home Trail N., Scandia. until the work is done.”

YOUR RESOURCE FOR FINANCIAL EDUCATION Heidi Gemuenden, AAMS®

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

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Jane Dreyer & Katie Giefer

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Dr. Heather Marks

Inc.

12450 Morris Trail N Marine-On-St. Croix

Member SIPC

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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

Dr. Rollyn Lee

Become part of River Place Dental’s family, where we offer state of art dentistry in a rural setting.

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Changing Lives ...

One Smile At A Time

1030 River Place Drive • PO Box 106 • Amery, WI 54001

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Flooding from spring thaw closes parts of Fort Snelling State Park

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