Messenger COUNTRY
WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022
Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township
VOL. 39 NO. 11 www.countrymessenger.com $.75
NEWS: City of Scandia recruiting members for Planning Commission. PAGE 7
Scandia tree farmers offer up a different path Substitute easement would connect Goose Lake neighborhood with public docks BY KYLE WEAVER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
SUBMITTED
Honeybutter to co-headline Lumberjack Days Local band Honeybutter co-headlines Lumberjack Days (pictured Clara Wicklund, Zak Kahn and Andreas Fenner). See page 8 for details.
Marine Village School welcomes new staff; accepting applications for enrollment BY WIN MILLER
Marine Village School (MVS) is opening soon! MVS has many exciting things happening over the next few weeks. Technology is being installed, desks are being ordered, and the dream is coming alive! MVS will be different in so many ways and we are looking forward to an amazing year. The most exciting news is that MVS has hired new Principal, Dr. Kim Kokx and an incredibly talented staff of teachers to lead students through their educational journey. “I am thrilled to be a part of the Marine Village School Staff! MVS offers so many experiences that truly benefit the individual learner,” said new teacher Annette Smith, MVS has also hired Carla Hinz to be the operations manager. Carla brings a wealth of school operations experience, and is a native Spanish Speaker. Spanish will be taught to every student every day. The school is also excited to have the opportunity to teach outdoors. One of the cornerstones of MVS is
a deep connection to our environment. The school grounds and surrounding woods are an ideal hands-on lab from which students can establish a deep connection Kokx and learn to be stewards to our natural world as a whole. Some of us know this also as place-based education, an extremely anchoring approach to the study of ecology. There will also be a maker space - an offering that still remains uncommon during the elementary years, and in particular, in public schools. The founders of MVS recognize that time for creativity is paramount in growing humans that are deep thinkers and problem solvers. Students will have the time, tools, and space to explore their big ideas and bring them into physical form. Maker spaces also provide an additional opportunity for learners to communicate their
NEWS 651-433-3845 editor@countrymessenger.com
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SEE COUNCIL, PAGE 16
understanding of concepts introduced during instructional time. The Maker Space labs will inspire young minds to greatness. The intentional small class Smith size will allow our faculty to focus on every student. The emphasis on high academics partnered with a love of the outdoors will allow students to learn from the amazing world around us. The inclusive Hinz curriculum will infuse every subject with arts and culture. Marine Village School honors SEE SCHOOL, PAGE 16
PUBLIC NOTICES 651-433-3845 editor@countrymessenger.com
The Scandia tree farmers who recently asked the city to give up a pedestrian easement across their land are now offering up a different path as a compromise. Jim and Peggy Simpson—who had twice asked the city to abandon the 20-foot-wide path that connects the Goose Lake Farms Estates subdivision on Ogilve Avenue North with the north shore of the lake—suggested at the Scandia City Council meeting last week that an easement along the north and west edges of their property could instead connect the neighborhood with the Goose Lake public boat landing on Oldfield Avenue North, where there is a public dock. The Simpsons said the alternate easement would alleviate some of their concerns about safety and trespassing, and them possibly having to erect fencing on both sides of the existing easement. The council expressed interest in exploring the idea further and directed city staff to further develop the proposal and possibly schedule a public hearing. “It looks like it’d be a lot easier to maintain, and you’d be above the wetland,” Councilman Jerry Cusick said. The Simpsons also asked the council to consider temporarily closing the easement until “proper improvements are made for safe and legal passage.”
Best of voting now underway The polls are open. The second annual Best of the Valley contest is now accepting votes at http://www.countrymessenger.com/ bestof. Readers of the Country Messenger have nominated business and individuals in seven categories: eating and drinking, sports and recreation, health and fitness, shopping, arts and entertainment, local and services. The ballot contains the top 5 entries that received the most
SUBSCRIPTIONS 651-433-3845 office@osceolasun.com
nominations. Nearly all categories have five nominees. Voting begins at 7 a.m. July 13 and runs through 5 p.m. Sunday, August 7. Voters can cast ballots once every 24 hours. Users who register for the contest receive a link to log in on successive days to vote. Winners will be published online and printed in a special section of the Country Messenger the week of September 26.
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