Country Messenger 08.19.2020

COUNTRY

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2020

Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township

VOL. 37 NO. 16 www.countrymessenger.com $.75

NEWS : Lions Club August Winners named. PAGE 11

Four more join city ballots

BY KYLE WEAVER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Two candidates for city council in Scandia, and two more in Marine on St. Croix, will be on the ballot Nov. 3.

Larry Martin and Wendy Ward, in Marine, and Heather Benson and Chris Johnson, in Scandia.

Benson and Johnson will face incumbent Steve Kronmiller, and newcomers James Gribble and Greg Amundson for two council seats in Scandia.

Ward and Martin will face incumbents Bill Miller and Lon Pardun for two council seats.

All four candidacy filings appeared on the Minnesota Secretary of State website at the state deadline, Aug. 11, a day after last week’s edition of The Country Messenger went to press.

SUBMITTED

The famliy of Barb Swanson were on hand Aug. 7 at Gammelgarden Museum to christen the newest Dala horse in Scandia.

Named "Barb", it is located in front of the museum. Swanson passed away last September at the age of 80.

A fitting tribute Swanson honored outside Gammelgården

BY JASON SCHULTE EDITOR

Barb Swanson was extremely proud of her

Swedish lineage.

“Continuing our Swedish heritage and teaching the next generation about our Swedish culture was very important to Barb,” explained niece Cynthia Epland.

One of those examples was the Gammelgarden

Museum in Scandia.

“Barb was very creative and had fun thinking of activities to bring people together at Gammelgarden,” Epland continued.

And when Swanson passed away last September at the age of 80, Epland said it was

fitting to send memorial gifts to Gammelgarden.

Gammelgarden returned the favor as on Aug. 7, the newest Dala horse; named “Barb” appropriately, was christened in front of the museum as SEE TRIBUTE, PAGE 2

Incumbent school board candidates will run unopposed CONTRIBUTED

Four seats on the Forest Lake Area School Board are up for election on Nov. 3 and four

incumbent board members have filed to run for reelection. Current Board President Jeff Peterson is running along with board members Gail Theisen, Julie

Corcoran and Robert Rapheal.

No other candidates filed to run for a board seat. The filing period closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11.

Council approves STR Ordinance at August meeting

BY LESLIE MACKENZIE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Council members voted at the Aug. 13 City Council meeting to approve the long-in-themaking city ordinance on short-term rentals.

Despite continued public concern over the ordinance, the Council requested only modest changes before unanimous approval.

The STR ordinance applies to single family residential, not multifamily housing or business buildings.

The most common concern expressed by citizens was how to deal with problem

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properties and owners.

Marine on St. Croix has no police department and relies on the Washington County sheriff’s department for immediate problems.

Nor is there capacity within the City staff to investigate or enforce the ordinance.

Resident Larry Whitaker said: “We talk about neighbors being the police – the monitors. That has no teeth in it. What they observe will take at least a year before they can have input to go after a problem.”

The Council said SEE COUNCIL, PAGE 6

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AUGUST 19, 2020 www.countrymessenger.com

Best Of voting underway It’s decision time.

Readers of the Country Messenger and the community will decide the best in six categories: eating and dining; arts and entertainment; health and fitness; local; services; shopping and sports and recreation.

Voting takes place online August 19 – September 10 at www.countrymessenger.com/bestof Winners will be announced October 22.

of the Valley The Sun Country Messenger

Incumbents rule in Minnesota primary elections

BY JASON SCHULTE EDITOR@COUNTRYMESSENGER.COM

Incumbents ruled the day locally in the Minnesota partisan primary elections Tuesday, Aug. 11.

U.S. Senate As expected, Jason Lewis won the Republican primary and Democratic incumbent Tina Smith carried the Democratic primary setting the stage for the two to face-off on the Nov. 3 general election.

Statewide, Lewis finished with over 78% of the vote, while Smith had over 87% of the vote. The figures were even higher in Washington County with Lewis at 85.2 and Smith slightly over 89.

U.S. House

Incumbent Betty McCollum carried the District 4 Democratic primary, earning over 84% of the vote in her district. She will face Republican Gene Rechtzigel who edged Sia Lo by less than 350 votes.

Washignton County voters favored Rechtzigel as well by around 375 votes.

Incumbent Tom Emmer won the District 6 Republican primary, talling over 30,650 votes to challenger Patrick Munro’s 4,518. Emmer will face Tawnja Zahradka, who earned 29,445 votes throughout the District.

State Races In Senate District 39, Republican incumbent Karin Housley will face Democrat Josiah Hill. Hill defeated Brian D. Hile by over a

7-to-1 margin.

In Senate District 43, Democratic incumbent Charles Wiger withstood the challenge from Natasha Lapcinski by a 3-to-1 vote total and will face Republican Bob Zick in November.

Incumbent Susan Kent doubled up challenger Marquita Stephens in the Senate District 53 Democratic primary. She will face Republican Mary Stephens in November.

On the Representative level, Donald Raleigh outlasted two Republican challengers in the District 38A primary. He will face Democratic Kris Frederick in November.

Ann Mozey earned over 90% of the votes in the Democratic District 39A race. She will try to unseat Republican incumbent Bob Dettmer in November.

TRIBUTE: Appreciating where one came from FROM PAGE 1

Swanson’s family was in attendance.

Barb becomes the 13th Dala horse in Scandia.

“It’s very fitting for Barb’s memory,” Epland said. “She would have loved it.”

Among the Gammelgarden programs Swanson was heavily involved in was “Comin’ to Amerika”, children’s summer camp, in which it gave children of today an example of what it was like to be an immigrant family in the mid 1800’s. Children were given Swedish names and identities as they prepared to make their

SUBMITTED

Barb Swanson was a contributor to Gammelgarden Museum in Scandia.

passage to America.

Passports were made

as they make their way through Ellis Island and

upon arrival were given chores and activities typical of that era.

“She made learning about Swedish history fun,” said great-niece Krystal Tonseth. “You actually looked forward to learning.”

Swanson also loved taking part in the painting of the Dala horses through Scandia and participating in Taco Days, held the Saturday after Labor Day. Swanson was also a member of the YWCA, Campfire Girls and the Forest Lake Youth Service Bureau, where she served as the Executive Director. She was also heavily involved with Rotary, the Minnesota Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee, and, the Social Services Advisory.

Her husband Bruce, one brother Bob, two sisters-in-laws and six nieces and one nephew, survived her.

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PUBLIC NOTICES

SECTION 00100 ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Village Center Revitalization SAP 082-592-001 City of Marine on St. Croix Marine on St. Croix, MN RECEIPT AND OPENING OF PROPOSALS: Sealed proposals for the work described below will be received at the Office of the Clerk/ Treasurer, City of Marine on St. Croix, 121 Judd Street, Marine on St. Croix, MN 55047-0250 until 9:30 am on Thursday September 3, 2020 at which time the bids will be opened and publicly read.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK: The work includes the construction of approximately: 10,400 SY Bituminous Pavement Removal 5,000 CY Common Excavation (General and Stormwater BMPs) 160 CY Rock Excavation 6,900 TN Aggregate Base, Class 5 2,400 TN Bituminous Wearing Course Pavement 1,100 LF 8”-30” RCP and HDPE Storm Sewer Pipe (incl. 85’ 10” HDPE directional drilled) 20 EA Storm Sewer Structures 1 LS Arch Culvert Structural Rehabilitation 13,300 SF 6-8” Concrete Walk and Driveway Pavement 3,400 LF Concrete Curb and Gutter (Surmountable, B418, B618, B624) 6,300 LF Latex Paint Pavement Markings together with removals, erosion control, signage, lift station modifications, restoration, and numerous related items of work, all in accordance with Plans and Specifications. This project is subject to Prevailing Wage Rates, Truck Rentals, Equal Employment Opportunity Provisions, and Responsible Contractor Certification.

COMPLETION OF WORK: All work under the Contract must be complete

by September 3, 2021.

PLAN HOLDERS LIST, ADDENDUMS AND BID TABULATION: The plan holders list, addendums and bid tabulations will be available for download on-line at www.boltonmenk.com or www.questcdn.com.

Any addendums may also be distributed by mail, fax or email.

TO OBTAIN BID DOCUMENTS: Complete digital project bidding documents are available at www.boltonmenk.com or www.questcdn.com.

You may view the digital plan documents for free by entering Quest project #7202060 on the website’s Project Search page. Documents may be downloaded for $30.00.

Please contact QuestCDN.com at 952-233-1632 or info@questcdn. com for assistance in free membership registration, viewing, downloading, and working with this digital project information. An optional paper set of project documents is also available for a nonrefundable price of $120.00 per set, which includes applicable sales tax and shipping.

Please make your check payable to Bolton & Menk, Inc. and send it to 2035 County Road D East, Maplewood, MN 55109-5314, (651) 7049970, fax (651) 704-9971.

Direct inquiries to Engineer’s Project Manager, Jeremy Hauser at 651775-7682.

BID SECURITY: A certified check or proposal bond in the amount of not less than 5 percent of the total amount bid, drawn in favor of City of Marine on St. Croix shall accompany each bid.

OWNER’S RIGHTS RESERVED: The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any irregularities and informalities therein and to award the Contract to other than the lowest bidder if, in their discretion, the interest of the Owner would be best served thereby.

Dated: August 7, 2020 Lynette Peterson Clerk/Treasurer Published in The Country Messenger August 12 and August 19, 2020

CITY OF SCANDIA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE is hereby given that the Planning Commission of the City of Scandia will conduct a public hearing on Tuesday, September 1, 2020 beginning at 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as possible, to consider the following: Request by John Walsh on behalf of property owner Tom Tomaro for Variances to reconstruct a residential structure at 18570 Norell Avenue North, Scandia, Minnesota.

The property is more specifically described as follows: Anderson’s Big Lake Addition Lot 5, Block 2, Washington County, MN Anyone wishing to express their opinion on this proposal will be heard at the public hearing. Given the current protocols for social distancing during the Covid 19 situation, the meeting will be held via online video and phone conferencing. Submit written comments concering this application to mail@ ci.scandia.mn.us. To participate in the online meeting, call City Hall at 651433-2274 by 4:00 pm on Monday, August 31, 2020 to register for the video conferencing. This notice is given pursuant to the Development Code of the City of Scandia. Contact City Hall for information about this request during office hours, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except holidays.

Brenda Eklund City Clerk Dated: August 11, 2020 Published in The Country Messenger August 19, 2020 CITY OF SCANDIA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE is hereby given that the Planning Commission of the City of Scandia will conduct a public hearing on Tuesday, September 1, 2020 beginning at 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as possible, to consider the following: Request by the Disabled Veterans Rest Camp Association, 11300 180th Street North, for a Conditional Use Permit to expand the Disabled Veterans Rest Camp by acquiring 2.42 acres of property from Washington County which lies within the Big Marine Park Reserve along the west portion of Big Marine Lake.

The property proposed to be conveyed from Washington County to the Disabled Veterans Rest Camp Association is more specifically described as follows: Part of Government Lot 1, Section 31, Township 32, Range 20 West, Washington County, MN Anyone wishing to express their opinion on this proposal will be heard at the public hearing. Given the current protocols for social distancing during the Covid 19 situation, the meeting will be held via online video and phone conferencing. Submit written comments concering this application to mail@ci.scandia.mn.us.

To participate in the online meeting, call City Hall at 651-433-2274 by 4:00 pm on Monday, August 31, 2020 to register for the video conferencing. This notice is given pursuant to the Development Code of the City of Scandia. Contact City Hall for information about this request during office hours, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except holidays.

Brenda Eklund City Clerk Dated: August 11, 2020 Published in The Country Messenger August 19, 2020 CITY OF MARINE ON ST. CROIX WASHINGTON COUNTY, MINNESOTA ORDINANCE NO. 2020-155 AN INTERIM ORDINANCE PROTECTING THE PLANNING PROCESS AND THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF CITY RESIDENTS,

AND ESTABLISHING A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON SPECIFIED ACTIVITIES RELATING TO THE SEXUAL OFFENDER RESIDENCE LOCATION RESTRICTION (AS DEFINED HEREIN).

THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MARINE ON ST. CROIX DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Purpose. Recently, there has been an emphasis on increasing community housing for persons who have been convicted of designated sexual offenses. Consideration must be given to the planning and public health, safety and welfare implications of housing for such persons. Specifically, it is necessary that the City of Marine on St. Croix give due consideration to all of the rights and interests which are involved in consideration of whether and how the City should pursue adopting regulations which may affect housing for such persons. At the same time, it is deemed necessary and advisable that the City receive input and conduct studies to evaluate what regulatory tools, if any, are necessary, advisable and lawful to balance the concerns of public health, welfare and safety against other concerns that relate to housing and lawful interests and to gain an understanding as to all of those interests and whether and how they might be balanced. These matters have been the subject of litigation and advocacy on both sides. It is necessary that the City evaluate the relative interests and rights at stake and make an informed policy choice concerning these matters. In the meantime, a moratorium will permit the City to move forward to evaluate whether and how regulatory tools may be crafted and adopted to balance competing concerns and lawful interests Section 2. Definitions. For purposes of this Section, the following terms shall be defined as stated: DESIGNATED OFFENDER. Any person who has been convicted, adjudicated, or committed for a designated sexual offense, as defined herein, or who is required to register as a predatory offender pursuant to Minn. Stat.

243.166 (2019 or as amended) in which the victim of the offense was less than sixteen (16) years of age at the time of the offense or for which the offender has been categorized as a “Level III sex offender” under Minnesota Statutes.

DESIGNATED SEXUAL OFFENSE. A conviction, adjudication of delinquency, or commitment under Minnesota statutes chapter 253B involving any of the following offenses: Minnesota statutes sections: 609.342; 609.343; 609.344; 609.345; 609.352; 609.365; 617.23; 617.246; 617.247; 617.293; successor statutes; or a similar offense from another state.

RESIDENCE (OR RESIDE). A place where a person abides, dwells, inhabits or stays for more than fourteen (14) days in the aggregate during 12-month period or a place where the person routinely abides, dwells, inhabits or stays for four (4) or more consecutive or nonconsecutive days in any month.

Residence does not require the person to have an ownership interest in or a formal rental or lease agreement for the residence. A hotel, motel, or other commercial lodging establishment, boarding house or shelter, and group home may be deemed a person’s residence under this Section.

Section 3. Authority. Minnesota Statutes § 462.355, Subd. 4 permits the adoption of interim zoning ordinances for the purpose of protecting the planning process and the health, safety and welfare of its citizens.

Section 4. Conclusions. The City Council finds that it is necessary in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizens, to protect the planning process, to conduct the studies described above, and to place a moratorium as described below relating to sexual offender residence location restrictions during the term of the studies.

Section 5. Moratorium.

A. A study is hereby authorized and directed to be conducted by the City Council and staff to study and decide whether and how the City should amend its official controls with respect to the items addressed here-

in, together with such other areas of inquiry which are reasonably related thereto. Upon finishing the studies, the City Council shall review the matter and make such decisions as are in the best interests of the City of Marine on St. Croix and its citizens.

B. A moratorium is hereby placed on relating to the sexual offender residence location restriction, pending completion of the studies and adoption of any amendments to the City’s official controls, it shall be unlawful for any person to do the following within the City: Pending outcome of the moratorium set forth herein, it is unlawful for any Designated Offender to establish residence or otherwise reside within one thousand five hundred feet (1,500’) of any of the following uses (hereinafter referred as “protected zones”): (1) School for pre-K through Grade 12 or any portion thereof, public or private; (2) Public park or playground; (3) A public place of worship that is maintained and controlled by a religious organization/body and at which regular educational programs are provided (e.g. Sunday school); and (4) Licensed child care center (excluding in-home daycare providers). For purposes of determining the minimum distance separation, the requirement shall be measured by following a horizontal line from any property line of the lot or parcel on which the subject residence is located to the nearest property line of subject use of a prohibited zone identified above.

The City Clerk or her designate shall maintain an official map showing approximate locations in which a designated offender is prohibited to reside, as defined by this Section. The City Clerk or her designate shall update the map at least annually to reflect any changes in the location of prohibited zones. The actual measurement of minimum distance separation between the residence and the use within the prohibited zone shall, however, govern.

Section 6. Penalties. Any person violating any provision of this Section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to the penalties thereof as provided in this Code. Each day a person maintains a residence in violation of this Section constitutes a separate violation.

Section 7. Exceptions. A designated offender residing within a prohibited zone as described in Section is not in violation of this Section if any of the following applies: (1) The designated offender established the residence and reported and registered the residence pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Sections 243.166, 243.167, or successor statute, prior to the effective date of this Ordinance.

(2) The designated offender is under the age of 18 and resides with a parent or legal guardian.

(3) The school, park, playground, place of worship, or licensed child care facility within one thousand five hundred feet (1,500’) of the designated offender’s proposed residence commenced operation after the designated offender established residence and reported/ registered the residence pursuant to Minnesota Statutes governing sex offender registration requirements.

(4) The designated offender owned and resided at the residence at the time of committing the designated sexual offense and retained ownership of the residence thereafter and at all times relevant to application of this Section.

Section 8. Renting or permitting habitation of Real Property in Violation of this Section.

(1) It is unlawful to let or rent any place, building, trailer or other structure, or part thereof, with the knowledge that it will be used as lodging or residence by any person prohibited from establishing such residence pursuant to this Section, if such place, structure, or part thereof, trailer or other conveyance, is located within a prohibited zone described in this Section.

(2) A property owner’s failure to comply with provisions of this Section shall constitute a misdemeanor and shall be subject to the penalties thereof as provided in this Code.

Section 9. Enforcement. The City may enforce any provisions of this Ordinance by mandamus, injunction or any other appropriate remedy in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Section 10. Term. Unless earlier terminated or extended by action of the City Council, this Ordinance shall be effective for a period of twelve (12) months from its effective date and may be further extended for such additional periods as the City Council may deem appropriate subject to Minn. Stat. § 462.355, subd. 4.

Section 11. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be effective immediately upon its passage and publication according to law.

WHEREUPON, said Ordinance was declared passed and adopted this 14th day of May, 2020.

Attest: Lynette Peterson, City Clerk Glen Mills, Mayor Published in The Country Messenger August 19, 2020 WASHINGTON COUNTY NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Washington County Board of Commissioners will meet Tuesday, September 15 at 9:00 a.m. in the Washington County Board Room (5th Floor) at 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082 to develop and implement a fee for a Washington County Cross Country Ski Pass.

The Washington County Cross Country Ski Pass will replace the Greater Minnesota Ski Pass. The new fees will be as follows: Daily - $6; Annual - $30. The pass will provide access to designated ski trails in all Washington County Parks. The Greater Minnesota 3-year ski pass will be honored for the 2020-2021 season.

The review process has included a presentation to the Washington County Parks and Open Space Commission and the Washington County Board of Commissioners.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the public who wish to share their comments and concerns are encouraged to submit them in writing prior to the hearing via email at Publicworks@co.washington.mn.us, via phone by calling 651-430-4300, or by U.S. Mail to Washington County Public Works Department, Parks Division, 11660 Myeron Road North, Stillwater, MN 55082. Comments and concerns received before 2 p.m. on September 14, 2020 will be provided to each commissioner. Additionally, members of the public may attend and testify at the hearing; however, the number of members of the public allowed in the Board Meeting Room may be limited due to COVID-19. If you have further questions, or need assistance with instructions, please call (651) 430-4300.

Washington County does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or the provision of services.

Dated: August 19, 2020 /s/ WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Sandy Breuer, Parks Director Washington County Public Works Department Parks Division 11660 Myeron Road North Stillwater, MN 55082 Ph: 651-430-4300

Published in The Country Messenger August 19, August 26, September 2 and September 9, 2020

WASHINGTON COUNTY NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Washington County Board of Commissioners will meet Tuesday, September 15 at 9:00 a.m. in the Washington County Board Room (5th Floor) at 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082 to consider updates and additional language to Washington County Ordinance No. 199, Parks Ordinance for Washington County. The “Parks Ordinance” is enacted for the purpose of establishing rules and regulations in order to provide for the safe and peaceful use of parklands; for the education and recreation of the public; for the protection and preservation of the property, facilities and natural resources; and for the safety and general welfare of the public.

The proposed changes include adding conservation areas to the Parks Ordinance as a designated unit within the County Park System, and articulating public uses and enforcement mechanism in conservation areas. The proposed changes will also modernize the ordinance and provide clarity on several existing rules. The proposed changes to the “Parks Ordinance” are available for review during regular business hours at the Department of Public Works, 11660 Myeron Road North, Stillwater, MN 55082, or online on the Washington County Parks website.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the public who wish to share their comments and concerns are encouraged to submit them in writing prior to the hearing via email at Publicworks@co.washington. mn.us, via phone by calling 651-4304300, or by U.S. Mail to: Washington County Public Works Department, Parks Division, 11660 Myeron Road North, Stillwater, MN 55082.

Comments and concerns received before 2 p.m. on September 14, 2020 will be provided to each commissioner. Additionally, members of the public may attend and testify at the hearing; however, the number of members of the public allowed in the Board Meeting Room at any one time may be limited due to COVID-19. If you have further questions, or need assistance with instructions, please call (651) 4304300.

Washington County does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or the provision of services.

Dated: August 19, 2020 /s/ WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Sandy Breuer, Parks Director Washington County Public Works Department Parks Division 11660 Myeron Road North Stillwater, MN 55082 Ph: 651-430-4300 Published in The Country Messenger August 19, August 26, September 2 and September 9, 2020

SEE PUBLIC NOTICES, PAGE 13

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AUGUST 19, 2020 www.countrymessenger.com

Not the boss of me

W

elcome to the dog days of summer. Hot and humid days melting into shorter daylight. It always makes me sad when sunset time gets closer to 8 p.m. — then 7 p.m.

So, are you taking advantage of the final days of freedom from the regular routines of school?

I saw some kids out playing and pondered how strange this summer has been for them all. With the lock down this spring effectively ending school a month early (two if you count the lockdown itself), it should have been a real barn burner of a summer.

But, like many other things this year, the coronavirus spoiled summer vacation.

The coronavirus has provided Publisher additional time with our families, a mixed blessing or curse, Tom Stangl depending on how you get along with your family members. Some h l have grown closer, some have torn into renovation projects, others have rediscovered cooking and many have watched about anything and everything they can on television. (Binge tip: check out “Patriot” on Amazon Prime. 18 hours of wonderful dark humor.)

Some are gaining weight, others are trying to lose weight. After receiving a cardiac diagnosis in 2018, I was told to walk more and lose some weight as well as monitor my heart. There are many devices on the market now that can help you do these tasks and store the information on your smartphone.

I chose to get an Apple Watch. I’m a self-confessed snob when it comes to products made by Apple, I’ve loved them since 1984 when I first used a Macintosh computer. I believe they are designed to be easy to use and understand — or as easy to use and understand as any of these things can be.

The watch is “wearable” technology, meaning it’s a little computer and smartphone that you wear as a watch. It communicates with my iPhone, storing all sorts of health information about me, ranging from my sleeping habits, to the number of steps I take and how many times I get up and move during the day. I can even go “Dick Tracy” and take a call on my watch.

It’s the type of thing many of us dreamed about when we were kids. But, like many things we thought would be cool when we were children, as adults it isn’t nearly as cool as we imagined.

Sure, I can take and record an electrocardiogram (EKG) on my watch. I can set a timer so I know when to flip the burgers on the grill at home.

I can even read emails and text messages on the tiny 44mm screen.

But there’s a darker side to “smart” wearables — the judgement.

In order to keep you on track to your goal of standing or moving, the watch will periodically tap you on the wrist to alert you to get up and stand or tell you if you are doing well or slacking.

When it gets to be after supper, I get some “encouragement” to “go for a brisk walk” to meet my exercise and move goals.

“Totally worth it,” my watch tells me.

Some days, I beg to differ.

I understand and appreciate what the technology is trying to nudge me to do, but a nag is a nag, even if it is a bright and shiny one.

Gotta go, time to stand up again…

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.

COUNTRY

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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

Good luck to all

I

’ve been floating this column topic in my head for over a month now, and with the deadline for it coming sooner rather than later, this is the week it needs to get to paper.

I’ve seen or read four western Wisconsin school reopening plans in that time frame and unsurprisingly, a lot of them share similar ideas.

Cohorts, bus reduction, assigned seating, mandatoEditor ry masks, taking Jason Schulte part in outdoor settings, are all hi hli h off note I’ve seen in highlights the Osceola, Baldwin-Woodville, River Falls and St. Croix Central school districts.

Parents want their kids to go back to school for obvious reasons; teachers want to teach in front of students instead of Zoom or Google Meet; and maybe not every student, but a majority want to go back because they miss

seeing their friends (or God forbid, they actually miss learning something).

But, what’s going to be interesting to watch as schools start back (heck, Osceola’s first day, is a week away, Aug. 26), isn’t the 3 R’s or other core subjects taught every day, it’s patience and understanding.

For all the work school districts have done this summer in preparing to resume opening up, do they have all the answers for every scenario that could come this fall or winter? No one does, because no one knows when COVID-19 is going to end. And will school districts get blamed for not having all those answers in advance?

Every school in part of their reopening plan has sent out guidelines on not sending your child to school if they’re experiencing a, b, c or d. Will all parents follow that advice? Will they be unable to due to reasons beyond their control?

I’m only using the following based off what I experienced with my daughters in elementary school, but after Christmas time,

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 be printed.)

Letter writers must live, work or have another connection to Country Messenger’s coverage area. One letter per author may be

submitted every 30 days.

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

it was virtually guaranteed, the flu spread around their school faster than Mary Poppins could say Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Are we as parents going to have the patience or understanding if schools are dealing with COVID-19 during that time frame as well?

Is patience and understanding going to be shown if schools announce limited attendance for their children’s sporting events?

Or even worse, band and choir concerts when Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa want to see Johnny or Janey Doe play their instrument.

How patient or understanding will parents is if a confirmed COVID-19 case lands within their school district this year? Will the entire school district have to shut down or can it be limited to the building? And most importantly, will the identity be withheld from the public because if there’s a case, that’s going to be question number one?

SEE SCHULTE, PAGE 15

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COUNTRY MESSENGER

Perfectly peachy summer dessert

P

eaches are my favorite fruit to cook with.

They don’t lose their flavor like some fruit when cooked. The flavor is more pronounced when peaches are cooked.

Peaches are lovely to eat fresh. My dad loved peaches and would bring home a case each year from someone at work when I was young. Each peach was as big as my head. I remember wiping peach juice off my chin, cheeks, and elbows. We’d eat peaches for breakfast lunch and dinner. When they were gone, I’d beg him to buy more the next year.

Grilling peaches is a quick dessert that can be pulled together in minutes. I usually plan on grilled peaches for dessert when I’m already grilling dinner. It’s easy to grill the peaches after I’ve finished grilling dinner, or better Wild Chow yet, grill them first so you don’t end up with charred bits of meat Lisa Erickson or marinade on your peaches.

Which peaches are best for grilling? Some peaches grill better than others. Super ripe peaches are likely to fall apart or drip all the juice out down into your grill. The best peaches to grill are the ones that are still somewhat firm.

When shopping, look for firm peaches that will be ripe in a day or two. When lightly pressed they are firm. Save the ripest peaches for eating fresh.

How to cut a peach: Use a sharp paring knife to follow the natural line that sometimes forms on peaches that run from stem to core. Cut the peach all the way around. Then, with gentle pressure, twist both halves in opposite directions. Carefully, with the knife, remove the pit.

What if I don’t have a grill? No, problem. Preheat your oven broiler to high. Place peaches

I

5

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THE POSTSCRIPT

“More Dog Stories”

I

t seems I have acquired a reputation.

I have been handing out dog treats for three months. Every day, I take the same trail, and every day, I meet many of the same customers. Dogs have an amazing memory when it comes to getting a treat—particularly from a stranger.

One dog is not allowed treats.

“No treats!” his owner says.

Before I knew Columnist her better, I suggested, “Maybe Carrie Classon he’d like a treat?”

“Wouldn’t we all?” she said. (That lady sounded like she could really use a treat.)

But she is the only one. There is a Bernese Mountain dog, appropriately named Bernie, who always gets a treat. He does not even stop to greet me. He does a drive-by, taking the treat from my hand, and then hurrying on to his important dog appointments.

There are two runner dogs, Fergus and Luna, who I see twice a day because their owner runs roughly the same route I walk in the opposite direction. I decided two treats every day was a bit much, so I only give them a treat on the second leg. Then one day, they took a different route home.

BY DAN JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

have vivid memories of playing on the Microsoft Word processor on our big, family computer with the cathode-ray tube monitor and feeling quite at home.

After dragging Word’s virtual assistant Clippy, the inexplicable 3D paperclip, all-around the screen, I would start in on my “writing.”

Content with the several pages of keyboard-smash gibberish (and long strings of squiggly red underlines), I insisted my mom print it off and read it back to me. She gently explained that what I wrote was unintelligible, and from then on, I was intent on learning how to type.

In my three-year-old mind, those unintelligible words formed a bestselling, masterpiece story. And that’s all I wanted – to tell stories.

As I got older, the world of journalism started appealing to me. Depictions on TV of investigative writers racing against deadlines to get the scoop,

exploring every part of the world, and always learning; it sounded more like an exciting game than a job. I wanted to wear a cool fedora and a trench coat and stay up at an all-night café, chugging coffee to finish my next groundbreaking article.

While it hasn’t been quite as glamorous as I imagined, my first professional journalism job at the Osceola Sun has been eye-opening and exciting. And now that college is starting up again, it will be over soon.

To me, journalism is the most desirable job because it involves itself in everything.

There are always new things to investigate and research.

This summer, I got a glimpse into people’s lives and livelihoods that I would never have had access to if I wasn’t a reporter. I was able to ask people questions freely about what they do and how they think.

I had the power to let my curiosity run free.

I took full advantage of my reporter title and dug deep into hearing people’s stories. Then, in a wonderfully artistic shift in the process,

SEE JOHNSON, PAGE 10

looked surprised.

“Now, that was worth it, wasn’t it, Scout?”

I don’t see the border collies every day so I thought it would be a lot to hope for to see them again today. But when I came through the woods, there were Ray and Cruiser. They ran up to me and sat looking at me, with that intensity peculiar to border collies.

Then Scout saw me. She came running, on her little fluffy legs.

She scrambled through the woods until she got to the two dogs, sitting at attention. She stood on her tiny back legs and squeezed herself between the two big dogs, which did not budge until she was wedged in the middle. I’m not sure when I have seen anything so adorable.

“Scout! You have to sit!” Ruthanne told her.

I gave a treat to Ray, I gave a treat to Scout, and I gave a treat to Cruiser.

“Well, she’s only nine weeks old,” I reminded Ruthanne. “The rules don’t kick in until she’s ten weeks old.”

Somehow, I’m pretty sure Scout will have it down before then.

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

Wait until dark

SEE ERICKSON, PAGE 10

A love letter to local journalism

When I saw Fergus the next day he looked at me like I’d cheated him out of a treat.

Usually, the last dogs I see are two border collies, Ray and Cruiser. But yesterday, there was a big change. There were no longer two-border collies—there were three. And the third was a puppy.

“A puppy!” I more or less squealed.

The border collies’ owner, Ruthanne, was out with them.

“She’s not ours!” Ruthanne told me. The puppy, another border collie, was their daughter’s. The daughter was training to be a physical therapist and had a sixweek rotation where her accommodations would not permit dogs.

So, the puppy, whose name was Scout, was staying with Ruthanne. Scout was only nine weeks old, which means she was nothing more than a black and white puffball of cuteness. Scout had been through a lot in the last twenty-four hours. She was scared of the new surroundings, scared of the new dogs, scared of the new people. At the moment, she was scared of me, offering her a treat.

I waited.

“Come on, Scout,” Ruthanne coaxed. Scout got close to my hand and then scampered away. We spent five minutes this way: Ruthanne holding Ray and Cruiser while I sat on my haunches with the treat extended.

Finally, Scout took the treat. She

I

was half asleep listening to the Brewers catch up and pull ahead of the Twins on the radio as the game approached the last inning. It had been a long day with lots of projects for an old retired guy but I wanted to stay awake for a while before going outside to watch the meteor shower at midnight. Eye lids weregetting heavy; I didn’t think I would make it. It was time set the alarm on my phone. Drifting in and out of consciousness my attention shifted from Bob Uecker to a little more alert when I heard an odd noise. Grogginess was in charge so it took me while to focus and when I did I Wild River arealized the odd noise was coming from outside our rural home. We had Trails a night visitor that waited until dark Jim Bennett to arrive.

Now fully awake I tried to focus but the sound seemed muffled. Another sound, a bit higher pitch tickled my tympanic nervefrom a different direction. A minute later the first caller sounded off again with the deeper call, now much closer. It was immediately answered by the higher pitched intruder with the same exact call from the previous sounder. I had a pair of owls outside my bedroom window. One in the big ash tree and I’m guessing the other one was in a line of tall Norwegian Spruce. I listened until Josh Hader took the mound striking out the side to give the Brewers the win in this crazy Covid baseball season.I’m glad to have baseball back in our troubled time. That’s when I realized my night visitors had flown the coop.

As cool as their calls it’s their silent flight that amazes me the most. I had one fly right over my head some time ago and although I expected sound I heard barely anything as the huge Great Horned Owl nearly took off my cap. Owls fly in almost absolute silence due to their wide wings that allow them to soar without flapping as much. According to howstuffworks. com , researcher/author Sarah Winkler, the main reason they fly silently is the uniquely designed leading edge of their primary feathers that eliminate turbulence in flight. The flight feathers are serrated like a comb that breaks down turbulence into microturbulances that allow the wind to travel between the feathers silently.

I thought about calling back to my night visitors but decided not to and awaken my wife and have her think I had completely lost my nature focused mind. I thought being quiet as an owl’s flight would me a much wiser choice. I have talked to owls once before with great success answering a couple of Barred Owls. They’re “who cooks for you, who

cooks for you ... alllllll,” call brought one from a couple hundred yards in seconds to just above the tent my son and I were sleeping in on a past turkey hunt. Whatever I said made the owl now perched above our tent mad as Helsinki as evident in his now hostile hoots. Again silence was the key to keeping this creature from crashing through nylon tent walls.

Every once in a while Arctic food shortages, lack of Lemmings,for Arctic owls sends the big birds down to the lower 48 to find food and ensure survival. Snowy owls stand out flying over melting plowed crop fields or setting on telephone poles as they search for voles and mice to replace lemmings. But the owls that bring the most attention are the Great Grey Owls when they too venture south in hard times when food is scarce in the far north.

The Great Grey Owl is a stylish bird dressed up in neat grey suitwith a feathered bow tie across its neck. Living so far north they seldom, if ever come in contact with humans and have no fear of people. That means you can walk right up to them and practically touch them, although I strongly suggest not doing soto keep fingers and hands intact.

I remember a time when I was able to get within 6 feet of perching great grey owls as a result of lack of lemmings. Being that close to such a giant bird was amazing. But most of this huge bird is made of feathers making the Great Horned Owl and Snowy Owl weigh more than the Great Grey.

So which owl waited until dark to visit that night?

It was pretty easy to figure out that it was a Great Horned Owl pair. Their unique hoot pattern makes them very easy to identify. There are many owl sites online that anyone can access to figure out the night visitors calls, the only sound you here as they fly silently through the darkness.

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

COUNTRY

6

COUNTRY MESSENGER

AUGUST 19, 2020 www.countrymessenger.com

Welcome home

COUNCIL: Marine Mills Day to take place this Saturday FROM PAGE 1

T

his week marks one year since Erin and I bought our first home.

We live on Old Cemetery Road, spitting distance from the Kinnickinnic River and about equidistance between Baldwin and River Falls.

The house was built in 1902, and our three acres is sandwiched in the middle of a small neighborhood of much newer and more impressive homes. It’s not a true fixer upper, as I’m not a true do-it-your-selfer, but we’ve managed to spruce the place up as much as possible in the last 12 months. The windows are in bad need of replacing, the roof’s been around since the Gettysburg Address and I find the basement to Columnist be generally creepy and unwelcoming.

C.L. Sill Even so, it makes me proud to sit in the living room and feel the th off a h warmth home where only a foreign, slightly bad smelling, hundred year old house stood a year ago.

I cried the day we closed on the house. It wasn’t at the signing, or the first time we pulled into the driveway, but that night before we went to bed. We sat silently on a bare mattress, saddled with a pile of new debt and a mountain of cardboard boxes containing what used to be our well-organized lives.

We both felt like we’d made a terrible mistake.

Buying a home changed my outlook on life more than anything I’ve ever done. I suddenly realized what my parents were yelling at me about all those years when I walked through the kitchen with my boots on or dumped toys all over the floor of my room.

I remember watching my mom spray an ant pile on the sidewalk in a fit of Irish rage when I was in my late teens. She seemed quite glad to kill the poor bastards and it struck me as unnecessarily cold-blooded. I sat squarely in my hippy, ‘don’t harm the animals’ phase at the time and said something like “they’re not bothering you out here, why do you need to kill them.”

The second I bought my own home and started noticing bugs in my kitchen, I thought of that moment. Now if an ant gets within a quarter mile of my house, it dies. Mom and Dad preached pride of ownership from the time they gave me my first pacifier, but almost none of it sunk in until we signed the papers on this house.

I ‘ve been proud of where I lived before, but in a different way. In college I rented a house owned by my aunt. I kept it clean, but only compared to the other degenerates I lived with. I shared the place with a childhood friend who was unbearably annoying and an exchange student from Siberia, to whom personal hygiene was a completely foreign concept. If the dishes got done once a week I considered myself a great success.

I often think of that house now, as well as the places Erin and I lived in before buying our home.

We shared a house with roommates in Woodbury before moving into our first place together, a frighteningly run down apartment in East St. Paul. Then there was a yearlong stint at my parent’s house in Nebraska and another year in a townhome in Hudson.

We moved every year for four years, and to hit that mark now and not have to think about packing up again makes all the headache of owning a home worth it. So I’ll take the busted windows and the creepy basement. I still don’t shed tears of joy at the sight of our starter home, but when I pull in the driveway at night and see a light on in the living room, I know I’ve found the place I want to stay.

C.L. Sill can be reached at sales@baldwin-bulletin. com

PICKER’S PARADISE!

Saturday, September 12 • 9 am - 6 pm The St. Croix ArtBarn Basement 1040 OakRidge Drive • Osceola

COUNTRY .com

enforcement measures provided in the ordinance are “meaty, and it does provide recourse for bad actors.” Council members reiterated that every STR owner must be licensed and there is a comment period before a license is approved and when renewed. Impacted neighbors can send a letter/ email of complaint at any time, which will be filed at the town hall.

Resident John Goodfellow asked the Council to actively promote notice of license renewal hearings. Council member Gwen Roden said that all licenses expire at the end of the year. The City can include a notice in its 4th quarter newsletter to remind residents of the renewal period (two months) and hearing.

Another concern rose, but not addressed in the ordinance, was that of STR density. There is no regulation that would prevent two or three STRs from being located in one small area and thus having an outsized impact on a neighbor. Council member Lon Pardun said that seemed unlikely to happen.

Council member Bill Miller warned: “You can’t be totally restrictive. You can’t spot zone or you will lose. You won’t prevail (in court, if challenged). I believe our ordinance is pretty restrictive but allows citizens to try it out, to see if it works.”

Mayor Glen Miller reminded citizens that the ordinance is, “a living, breathing animal and it’s going to change.

We can go right now with what we’ve got and change it at any time.”

Ordinance 2020-156 can be found on the city website.

Poor cell reception impacts William O’Brien water rescue efforts The problem of poor or non-existent cell reception in the Marine area came to the forefront with a recent unsuccessful water rescue effort to save a child at William O’Brien.

Nate Timm, director of the Washington County Emergency Communications Center emailed a comment to the committee working on the Marine cell tower project, which was shared

by Council member Charlie Anderson. “… I did receive several complaints about cellular coverage impacting the response.

I think this reply from Sergeant Ty Jacobson, who was coordinating the response, sums it up best: ‘The cell coverage down there was pret-

ty much nonexistent.

The radios worked OK but having a working cellphone is imperative to running an operation like this. I virtually had no cell signal. I was unable to call out or text, which made coordinating rescue efforts difficult. Many of our volunteer divers, reserves, and mounted patrol don’t have radios so cell phones are the only way to communicate with them. When you don’t have cell signal it makes coordination and communication that much more difficult.’”

Internet/phone upgrades The City has hired Midco to improve internet and phone service at the town hall in order to improve phone service and the capacity to hold town council meetings online.

COVID concerns Anderson had spoken to the Minnesota Department of Health about masks and distancing concerns, particularly on weekends with many visitors at the Brookside. Anderson had spoken with the owner. They are following all the rules and are working to stay at the right capacity but he said it’s hard to know who are a family unit and a challenge to deal with people who bring their own chairs. Anderson said, “There is only so much we can do with having visitors be respectful of the atmosphere we are trying to create here.” He said the Department of Health said actions taken so far have been good.

Road work likely to begin in September The City Engineer reported that an RFP was now posted and he expected to get a good selection of contractors.

The bid opening will be Thursday, Sept. 3, at City Hall. Phase 1 construction could begin in September. The Marine Ravine project also begins construction in September. Traffic on highway 95 will be impacted for a month.

Marine Charter school delayed Winn Miller, an organizer of the proposed new Marine charter school, reported that their school authorizer had withdrawn their application from consideration for the 2021 school opening due to concerns about the pandemic.

They will reapply next year for a 2022 opening.

Library gears up for Fall Jim Maher, library board president, reported that the library is moving forward on its interior redesign

project. Traffic has been good for the Saturday morning curbside pickup. The library would like to offer a candidate forum for council and mayoral candidates in early October, perhaps in conjunction with River Radio.

Natural resources attract attention The Mill Site recorded more than 11,000 visitors this year, up 35% from last year. Anne Reich, committee chair, reported that the lower ravine has had issues with people climbing the bluff and they are working to establish barriers.

The Forest Advisory committee reported there had been a leak in the gravel bed irrigation system, which had restricted water to the saplings. A hose was replaced, and a sprinkler and timer added.

Peter Foster, committee chair, said 11 of 16 trees look very good; one is struggling. Leslie MacKenzie reported that the committee had worked with a Washington County GreenCorp intern to complete its communitywide tree inventory. The committee received updated pricing on EAB treatment and tree removal and will be preparing estimates for the budget meeting Aug. 20.

Tree and shrub planting for a migratory bird project approved in the spring had been scheduled by the project organizer for Aug. 23. The committee’s forestry expert had advised that this was not a good time to plant and suggested that the trees be kept in their containers until later in September.

Anderson asked the committee to contact the project organizer.

Resident Wendy Ward came to the council seeking support for a conservation easement for 12 acres of mostly black ash swamp she wished to purchase adjacent to her property.

She would like to create a conservation easement held by Washington County or the MN Land Trust in order to improve stewardship of the currently buckthorn-infested area. She was not seeking funds, just support, which the Council gave.

been paid, any remaining amount would be due before sale.

The city engineer and public works staff explained options to improve pumping capacity for the lift station at Broadway and 6th street. Two generator options were explored, with the more expensive option being recommended because it could handle changes now taking place in power and technology.

The Council approved $137,989 for the lift station generator. It was noted that the electronics required cell service. Pardun said testing at the location showed cell reception was “enough to get by, but more would be better.”

Marine Mills Day The Marine Mills Day community picnic will take place at Burris Park, Saturday, Aug. 23, 4-6 p.m., with the Riverside Hitmen performing music.

GreenStep committee moving ahead Committee chair Leslie MacKenzie reported that teams are moving forward with projects in the areas of septic education, light pollution and EV charging.

They hope to be able to apply for the next round of EV charger grant funding from the state.

The committee met with GreenStep staff at the MPCA to discuss B3 benchmarking and energy audits for additional municipal properties.

CARES Act Funds Wendy Ward asked the Council about its plans for CARES Act funding, particularly if it had considered improvements to the ventilation/HVAC systems at the village hall or school. The city administrator said this would be discussed at the budget meeting Aug. 20.

Less than $1,000 of the $53,000 has been spent.

Washington County provided funds to assist cities with elections, of which Marine had received $658. The Council voted to accept the funds from Washington County and return any unused funds so Washington County can use them for absentee ballots.

Porta Potties Sewer improvements Lon Pardun continues to meet with residents interested in connecting to the city septic system. The connection fee is $9,500. The Council approved a motion to allow the fee to be assessed on a homeowners utility bill on a quarterly basis over five years. If the homeowner moves before the fee has

Roden asked if the Council would move the port-a-potty located by the dumpster behind the Brookside to a more favorable location for town visitors, which the Council approved.

It was also decided to add a port-a-potty by the school playground.

AUGUST 19, 2020

COUNTRY MESSENGER

4 REASON NO.

WEEK 4 OF 4 LOCAL SHOPPING

STATS

$137 million

IN ECONOMIC IMPACT CREATED

BY MORE LOCAL SHOPPING A 2008 study in Grand Rapids, Mich., concluded that just a 10 percent shift in spending toward local businesses would add $137 million and 1,600 jobs to the local economy.

Spending more money at small, locally owned businesses is a great way to help grow your city’s economy and help it thrive financially.

www.countrymessenger.com

You Matter More Shop where you’re truly valued T

here’s one final reason to spend your money locally: you matter more — a lot more — to local businesses than you do to those out-of-town stores.

When you do your shopping closer to home, you’re not just buying stuff.

You’re interacting with your friends, your neighbors and your co-workers — the very people who make up the fabric of your community.

You’re also something special.

By supporting local businesses, you’re not just a tiny number on a profit-and-loss sheet, but someone who plays an integral role in the success of your city and your local economy.

Whatever you purchase locally, no matter how small, can make a big difference to mom-and-pop merchants who are trying to succeed in business, pay their employees and improve their community.

DEALING WITH ‘THE BOSS’

Instead of being ambushed by a pushy salesperson, the shopper at a small, local store is instead greeted by the jovial owner and sometimes by their friendly dog or cat, as well.

The shopping experience itself can be a lot of fun. You get to interact more with the “boss” at small mom-and-pop shops, so you’re treated like a real per-

gossip. The store owners get to know their customers, as well. It is a family atmosphere.

In other words, you’re not just a nameless customer. You matter.

You’re someone from church, someone from the school PTA, or someone who works in the office down the street.

To encourage shoppers to patronize the local stores, many towns will make street parking free and put on events that are sure to draw a crowd.

It’s part of this unique feeling that makes shopping so enjoyable when you spend your time and money close to home.

son, rather than cattle herded through a chute. They encourage the shopper to take their time and meander through the store. While they are in business to earn money, they generally will not pressure the shopper to buy a lot of extra stuff or try to force them to sign up for a store credit card.

Local shops also frequently go that extra mile for their customers by doing things like gift wrapping and providing coffee or donuts at no additional charge.

HOMETOWN FEELING

Shopping in the local stores often provides an opportunity for people to run into old friends or neighbors that they have not seen in a while. They can mingle on the streets and catch up on the local

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township

BUSINESS EXPANSIONS : Council approves. PAGE 2

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ELIN BOURNE

Party on the patio

Coronavirus wreaks havoc on dairy farms

The Founders Day Soirée will still take place this year on August 20 in Marine On St. Croix.

But, like everything else these days, it will bend its knee to COVID-19 COVID 19 regulations regulations.

The second annual event will look different than the inaugural celebration last summer, but will still feature many of the same activities.

The event was inspired inspired by a popula popularr French celebration called Soirée en Blanc, or party in white.

“It’s basically kind of a pop up dinner party,” said Charlie Anderson, who helps organize the Founders Day event. “There’s a secret invite and everybody wears white and shows up at a predetermined time. There’s usually live music and dancing and then at a certain time, everybody packs up and poof, they’re gone, just like they’d y never been there. So that’s kind of the concept that it’s based on.”

BY DAN JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

In Wisconsin, dairy’s kind of a big deal. Whether it’s the creamer for your morning coffee or the shredded parmesan on a spaghetti dinner, dairy seems to work itself into every part of the day. That’s why we celebrate June Dairy Month every year to show our local farmers some love.

Dairy Month started in 1937 as an incentive for people to drink more milk during the warmer months in summer, as dairy farmers a e s had ad a su surp plus us o of milk tthat at might have gone to waste. Now,

SUBMITTED

The Marine on St. Croix Founders Day event will return in 2020, but will follow pandemic guidelines.

DAN JOHNSON

Dairy month began in 1937 and is celebrated nationwide every June.

VOL. 37 NO. 05 www.countrymessenger.com $.75

Anderson and the other organizers mixed that idea with the founding of Marine on St. Croix, and came up with the Founder’s Day Soirée. Marine was discovered as a suitable PAGE 2

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Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township

STANGL: Masking our feelings. PAGE 4

Socially distance dist anced d Founders Day Founders Soirée coming i August in A

Patrons of the Brookeside Bar and Grill enjoy an evening of dancing to the music of Christopher Snyder and friends last Wednesday.

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Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township

VOL. 37 NO. 08 www.countrymessenger.com $.75

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NEWS : Marine sex offender ordinance. PAGE 2

Scandia offers bars fee relilieff

Workingg man’s architecture Marine resident offers grants to help rebuild aging outbuildings

BY C.L. SILL EDITOR@COUNTRYMESSENGER.COM

1931 was a diffi ficult year.

The Great Depress p ion was nearing g its peak, prohibition was still in full swing and in the Great Plains the dust bowl was just beginning. All across the country there was suffering, as unemployment rose and families went

hungry. It seems odd to think during all that chaos, Lewis Shawe came to the cliffs of the St. Croix Valley and built a truly mag magnifi nificent ficent home.

Shawe was a recently widowed opera singer (a character description that should be reserved for dime store romance novels, but is nonetheless true) and built much of the home himself. It stands two stories with a foundation of stone quarried on the property and a very rare, unobstructed view of the river below. The idea of a lonely opera singer laying the foundation or fram-

ing walls by himself brings a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘whistle while you work.’

The home is brill brilliant, iant, and overtly historic. There’s a soul to the property that doesn’t exist in the suburbs. You just know things have happened here, and it stirs the longing for a time machine to appear pp out of thin air with the date set to 1931.

One of the property’s most unique features is a cabin that sits just to the north of the main house, where Shawe lived while he built the house. It’s no

BY KYLE WEAVER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

SEE BUILDINGS, PAGE 2

Meet Scandia Scandia Elementary's new principal

‘Ra Ralph lph’ss pre pretty tty go good od gro grocer cery’ y Owner remembers h history off Generall Store, beginnings of Country Messenger

BY DAN JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

BY ELISE BOURNE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

If downtown Marine on St. Croix were a dinner table, the Marine General Store would be the centerpiece.

The oldest general store in Minnesota has hung on through boom and bust, somehow able to maintain its historic integrity as other small town groceries cl closed osed up shop, eaten alive by chains and corporate megastores.

The General Store’s quaintness isn’t forced q upon residents and visitors. It doesn’t try too hard to be ‘vintage’ or ‘retro’ — it just is. That’s what at makes a es tthe e store sto e and the town so special, and is in large part why Marine has remained such an attractive location for artists, writers and d all ll other th manner

bigger than a one-car garage, with a small basement below for storage.

The cabin has a stone fireplace, a porch overlooking the river and smells smells the way only a building of its age can smell — of dark, damp wood and creosote. The air hangs heavy inside the shed, making the smell that much stronger. g It’s not necessarily y a good g or bad smell, but alerts the nostrils to the presence of time gone by.

Marine on St. Croix is filled fi with

SUBMITTED

The Marine General store when owned byy Ralph p Malmberg. g

of dreamers looking for a unique place to call home. o e.

The General Store has

living in North Minneapolis in the neighborhood ood he e grew g e up in with t his wife Marion and

used as loyalty reward programs for businesses. “$10 $ 0 worth o t o of g gro oceries was worth $10

Julie Hull is a very busy woman. Between accepting the role as Scandia Elementary School Principal, moving to a new house, and caring for two kids and a husband, she was generous to take some time and tell me a little bit of her story.

A long-time Minnesota resident, Hull grew g up p in New Prague, where most of her family still lives. She represents the state well, as her favorite hobbies include outdoor activities like camping, fishing, snowmobiling, and skiing. In fact, her whole family gets involved. involved Hull and her husband Jason have two Julie Hull children; a daughter, Quinn, and a son, Grayson. Right now, they’re in the process p of moving g to a new home. Their old house in New Ulm is a lengthy two-hour drive from the new house in the Forest Lake area, but the family is still dedicated to Minnesota living.

Once settled into her new home, Hull is eager to beg begin work o as Sca Scandia d a Elementar e e ta y Sc School’s oo s newest principal.

“I spent ten years teaching in New Prague at Falcon Ridge Elementary,” Hull said. “I was a kindergarten teacher and I was a reading

SUBMITTED

Marine Memorial Memorial Day Day parade parade

The taverns of Scandia are getting some local relief.

In response to business impacts caused by y the COVID-19 p pandemic, the Scandia City Council last week refunded $465 worth of liquor license fees to the city’s three on-sale bars: Meisters Bar & Grill, The Brookside Pub, and The Scandia Creamery.

The amount returned equals an 11week proration of the businesses’ $2,200 annual license fees.

“We don’t have many ways to support our businesses,” said Mayor Christine Maefsky who proposed Maefsky, proposed the idea. idea “B But ut this is one thing we can do.”

City Attorney Eric Sherburne advised the council that the action was legal.

“The city doesn’t have unfettered discretion when it c comes omes to liquor li license cense fees,” Sherburne said. “But this is OK.” Minnesota’s bars have been closed since March 17 as part of Governor Tim Walz’s Safer At Home executive order.

Bars may begin utilizing their outdoor seating beginning June 1, but remain closed to indoor service.

Marine on St. Croix hosted a parade on Memorial day to honor American veterans that began at Oakland cemetery and ended downtown in front of the Marine General Store. Leading the parade are (L to R) Andy Creager, Charles Anderson and Scott Kromer.

Library Libr ary gets cre creativ ativee with with summe summerr event event plan planning ning

BY DAN JOHNSON MESSENGER INTERN

The local library in Marine on St Croix, Minn., is an exemplary model for creating community. Despite it’s small size, the volunteer-run library sponsors numerous events throughout the year y for all ages. g It’s not just j a place to read books — it’s a place to share stories.

With the ever-developing Coronavirus situation, Ruth Willius, Marine a e Library b a y board boa d member e be and a d chair of the children’s program committee, is fi library to continue supporting the community.

The library is well-suited for

intimate groups, clubs and wedding receptions — not for social distancing. With the popular Science/Art Camp cancelled cancelled, a along long with weekly Story Time and other events, Willius has her children’s program team brainstorming fresh ideas.

Thankfully, the library’s fourth annual Summer Reading g Incentive Program isn’t going to be cancelled so easily.

“We can do this,” Willius said.

“Because kids should read, and read, ead, and a d read, ead, a and d so we’re e e doing do g itt online.”

website. Instead of dropping off their reading ballots in a jar at the library, participants will submit their reading lists onl online ine.

Every week, four names will be drawn as winners, two for younger children and two for older children, with gift cards to local businesses as prizes. p Usually, Marine Library y accepts donated gift cards, but this year they’re buying their own to support local businesses amidst lockdown-induced financial strains.

Another ot e innovatio o at on in the t e prop o gram is the updated prizes. In pre-

Other business: • The city’s y auditing g firm,, Schlenner Wenner & Co, gave a presentation and issued a “clean” opinion of the city’s finances.

• The council approved a staffi fing policy revision that will allow city workers who are injured on the job to use their paid sick or vacation leave in lieu of accepting worker’s compensation, which pays a reduced wage.

• The council selected Swanson Haskamp Consultin Consulting g, LLC to conduct a review and rewrite of the city’s development and zoning codes for a fee of $27,750. The review is required by law as part of the city’s comprehensive plan update. p • The council approved an agreement with Washington County that provides the city up to $8,000 to be used for municipal recycling program expenses in 2020.

0 0. A co contra t act ct with t tthe e Was Washingg ton Conservation District for technical The next Scandia City Council meeting

SEE PRINCIPAL, PAGE 8

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COUNTRY

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2020 Minnesota Governor's Pheasant Hunting Opener Postponed Fairmont to host event Oct. 8-9, 2021

Governor Tim Walz has announced that this fall’s 10th annual Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener, set to be held in Fairmont, has been postponed to 2021.

The annual event’s postponement is a precaution to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Despite the event’s postponement, the governor still plans to participate in his favorite pastime of pheasant hunting, and he urges other Minnesotans who enjoy the sport to do the same when the season opens on Oct. 10.

“Thank you to the Fairmont community, along with our partners Explore

Minnesota and the Department of Natural Resources, for their work planning this annual rite of fall in Minnesota,” said Governor Walz. “While our event together must be postponed, I still plan to enjoy the 2020 pheasant hunting season. I’ll be practicing safe social distancing, staying in small groups, and not traveling too far from home while doing so, and I encourage all hunters to do the same to slow the spread of COVID-19.”

Fairmont is the county seat of Martin County and has a population of 10,666.

The Fairmont area is a pheasant hunting destination because of 4,700 acres of public hunting land and the abundance of dog-friendly motels available in Mar-

tin County.

“Pheasant hunting is a great way to spend time outdoors and make new memories with friends and family,” said DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen. “We encourage pheasant hunters to continue to make hunting memories this year. Even though it may look a little different this year, we can still enjoy Minnesota's outdoors.”

Since 2011, communities hosting the Governor’s Pheasant Opener have highlighted the hunting opportunities and local attractions available to visitors and hunters. The annual event is organized by Explore Minnesota and the Department of Natural Resources.

“Explore Minnesota has enjoyed

OSCEOLA AUTO SALES AND SERVICE Thanks for the Nominations - Please VOTE FOR US!

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of the Valley The Sun Country Messenger

of the Valley Country Messenger The Sun

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Our Very Own Samantha Olson was also nominated for Best Vocalist & Best Musician!

e

working with the Fairmont community to highlight hunting and travel opportunities in the region and we are eager to continue planning efforts for a great event in 2021,” said Explore Minnesota director John Edman. “Meanwhile, we encourage hunters and travelers to continue to support the state’s tourism industry. Minnesota's open spaces and outdoor experiences provide welcoming options, and along with increased safety and cleaning measures, can offer a sense of comfort and normalcy when it comes to exploring the state.”

Minnesota’s pheasant hunting season opens this year at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10 and will run until Jan. 3, 2021.

We Would LOVE to have your votes!

Thank you for nominating us!

Vote Aug. 19-Sept. 10 for your favorites!

Best Wine Selection Best Appetizer Best Outdoor Dining Best Bloody Mary Best Cup of Coffee Best Soup

e nd Loung a t n a r u a Rest NOMINATED FOR of the Country Valle y Me ss The Su enger n

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VOTE NOW! Vote for your favorites Aug. 19 through Sept. 10 at:

of the Valley The Sun Country Messenger

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Daily Specials • Friday Night Fish Fry • Special Events

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ERICKSON: Dessert

MOVIE REVIEW

2 firm peaches 4 scoops of premium vanilla ice cream 2 tablespoons of wildflower honey ½ tsp. apple pie spice 2 cups heavy whipped cream ¼ cup powdered sugar

oil. Place cut side down on the hot grill with tongs. Cook for 3 minutes and rotate 90 degrees to continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Grill marks should be crisscross.

Remove from the grill; cool. Peaches can be grilled ahead of time.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar on high until stiff peaks form. Plate peach halves for serving and place a scoop of the ice cream in the center of each half. Drizzle with honey and a sprinkle of apple pie spice. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Serve immediately.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Carefully scrape grill clean and free of all charred food bits.

Brush the peach halves with avocado

Lisa Erickson is a food columnist who loves adventure and food. You can find more recipes by emailing her at wildch owre cip e s @ g m ail . com.

FROM PAGE 5

cut side up on an oven safe baking-sheet. Broil about 2 inches from the heating element or flame. Cook until dark brown spots appear on peaches; about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Proceed with the recipe.

Spiced Grilled Peaches with Ice Cream and Honey Serves 4

JOHNSON: Love letter FROM PAGE 5

I told their stories to others.

I witnessed the worries of local business owners, the hard work of school staff members, and the passion of community residents. I wish that my readers could experience those stories themselves, rather than reading my condensed version.

Of course, my first official journalism job could have come at a better time (I think I wrote three stories that didn’t mention Coronavirus). But the peculiar happenings of this year have helped solidify my understanding of the journalistic role.

Often when I tell people I’m a reporter, they say something like, “it must be strange working in the media these days.” And that’s true.

But what I’ve discovered about journalism in the age of COVID-19 and the worldwide cry for racial justice (during an election year) is that these are the times we need journalists more than ever, especially on the local level.

It’s not my job to stir up dissension and cause mass panic, which seems to be the commonly perceived agenda of newsrooms. Rather, my job is to tell people’s stories, even (and especially) if they’re frustrating or inconvenient to hear. Writing is a powerful force that brings people together, and it’s where we can begin to understand each other’s perspectives.

Writing is not an easy thing. It’s an unnaturally painful process to learn how to put words onto blank pages. And it’s just as challenging a process to read them. When we read, we offer someone else the human dignity of having a voice, and ourselves become silent.

Community newspapers truly are the best way to get connected with what’s happening in your area and to take action on issues that are important to you and your neighbors. It’s where people can look at all sides of the story and respect each other.

Before I started this internship, I didn’t realize how important small, quiet newspapers were.

Now I know that they are the through line of their community’s story.

So, years later, here I am, soon graduating college with a degree in Communication, taking my first steps toward a career in writing. I wish my childhood self could see me know, clacking away on a Word document and forming coherent sentences all on my own. And best of all, telling meaningful stories.

Visit us online: COUNTRY

.com

Go pay taxes than see The Tax Collector

O

ne of my favorite activities every week is to watch the new movie trailers coming out because it has taken the place of getting to the theater early to watch the coming attractions prior to the movie. It is always interesting to see what are the new movie trends. I will admit, I was sucked into the trailer for The Tax Collector, because of the snappy dialogue and the cool action scenes. It looked like it could be another movie Goodfellas, or Contributing like the Godfather.

David, played by Writer Bobby Soto, is a Paul Backstrom tax collector for a local crime lord.

He must figure out how to keep his family safe when a rival crime boss invades his territory and changes the power dynamic.

In order for a gangster movie to work, it needs strong and compelling characters. I don’t think the characters in this movie are bad; they just aren’t as fleshed out and complex as I would like to see them. This shouldn’t have surprised me coming from the pen of David Ayer. If that name sounds familiar, he has written several critically acclaimed movies but also some notorious ones as well, such as the Fast and the Furious,

Suicide Watch, and Training Days. Ayer has the capacity to write really neat characters but over the last couple of years he seems to be phoning it in. I was pretty disappointed in how swallow the characters were. The best parts of the characters were on display in the movie trailer. I think the cast did a great job of taking what little they had and tried to make their characters more than the words on the page.

Soto and Shia LaBeouf, who plays Creeper, do everything they can to make us try to want to follow their characters but the writing really impairs them.

Speaking of writing Ayer, put these bland characters through a pretty boring plot. It is your stereotypical gangster movie so, if you have ever watched one, you will know all the story beats and Ayer hits them on point without any flair.

Finally, my other biggest complaint about the film is the direction, which again Ayer is responsible for since he is the Director.

The film can’t decide if it wants to be a gritty gangster film or whether it wants to be more artsy, sort of in the style of Goodfellas.

To me, this shift between the two really throws me out of the movie and shows me that Ayer didn’t really have a cohesion vision for what kind of movie he wanted to make.

Overall, I would give this movie a C- (An Average Movie). From the trailers I have been watching online, I was expecting a little

more of the action scenes. They are okay, but they seem a little too far between and pretty pedestrian. I could forgive that if the characters really stood out to me and got me lost in how they were living their lives. Unfortunately, David Ayer, the writer and director, really seems to falter in this department. In some sense I am not totally surprised at this because he was the writer for one of the most panned super hero movies of all time Suicide Squad.

In Suicide Squad as well as The Tax Collector, on the surface there are a lot of interesting characters, they just don’t do anything and we don’t get to delve into more of what makes them tick. The other thing that I found confusing about this movie was that direction of the movie. At one point in the movie it was really trying to be a gritty gangster movie and in the next it was trying to be a highbrow art house movie. Ayer is not a beginning filmmaker so this shouldn’t be something he is having problems this late in his career. I would rather pay taxes than to recommend you go see the Tax Collector.

The Tax Collector is unrated. I would definitely rate it R for language, violence, nudity, substance use, gore, and intense images. The film was directed and written by David Ayer. The Tax Collector stars Bobby Soto, Cinthya Carmona, and Shia LaBeouf.

A community with no local newspaper? That’s bad news

BY DEAN RIDINGS CEO, AMERICA'S NEWSPAPERS

What would my town be without a newspaper?

If you haven’t asked yourself that question, perhaps it is time to consider just what the newspaper means to this community.

Because the doleful fact is, too many small towns and midsized cities are losing their newspapers right now.

An extensive study from the University of North Carolina released in January found that by last year, 2,100 newspapers had disappeared, or almost 25% of the 9,000 newspapers published in 2004. That translates to 1,800 communities that 15 years ago had their own newspapers that now have no original local reporting, either in print or digital.

Note that this report was released just weeks before the coronavirus pandemic swept up newspapers in the same financial catastrophe that’s devastated businesses of all types and sizes and thrown millions out of their jobs and households into terrifying economic uncertainty.

What does a community lose when it loses its

newspapers?

The most obvious is the community’s access to news about itself: The workings of its town hall; information about taxes and property values; the operation of schools for its children; the achievements, or the criminal activities, of local residents; the scores of local ball teams; schedules and reviews of movies, concerts, restaurants and books; and the offerings of local small businesses.

During this pandemic and in spite of their deep financial troubles, newspapers continue to provide the unique local news and information about COVID-19 — from testing spots to restrictions and openings to dining options — unavailable from any other source.

But the less obvious losses when a newspaper disappears may be the most devastating to a community.

Researchers in 2018 found that when a local newspaper closes, municipal borrowing costs — and therefore residents’ taxes — go up. Why? Losing a paper, the study said, creates a “local information vacuum.” It turns out that lenders depend on

local reporting to judge the value of government projects — and the officials in charge of them.

Without that information, lenders tend to charge higher rates.

Communities without newspapers are also more likely to be victims of corruption petty and grand, local incidents the national media will never uncover. The most glaring example comes from the small California city of Bell, where — without the eyes of a local newspaper on them — the city council engineered passage of a virtually unnoticed referendum to get around a new state law capping council member salaries. Within five years, council members were taking home a cool $100,000, the police chief was being paid $450,000 — and the city manager of this municipality of just 37,000 souls was making nearly $800,000.

Losing a local newspaper, another study found, can also lead to more political polarization — something no community, nor our nation, needs now.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to avoid becoming another “news desert.” For one thing — subscribe.

But there is also pending bipartisan legislation that deserves your support. The Local Journalism Sustainability Act (H.R. 7640) provides for tax credits that support the three pillars of trusted, fair and accurate journalism: people who subscribe to newspapers or other local media; businesses that advertise in local newspapers; and newspapers that staff their newsrooms with journalists who cover the community. The tax credits aren’t permanent and sunset after five years.

In a nutshell, this bill would provide every taxpayer tax credits up to $250 a year to spend on subscriptions to qualified local newspapers.

It would give businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees tax credits of up to $5,000 the first year and up to $2,500 for the next four years for advertising in local newspapers or local media.

And it would give local newspapers a tax credit of 80% of its compensation to journalists in the first year and 50% for the next four years.

These are tax credits — not a handout, not a bailout. And the tax SEE RIDINGS, PAGE 12

AUGUST 19, 2020

COUNTRY MESSENGER www.countrymessenger.com

Lions Club August winners announced

OBITUARIES

Connie Mae Buelow Constance “Connie” Buelow of Taylors Falls, Minn., died Aug. 13, 2020. She was 80 years old. A full obituary in next week’s issue.

The Scandia Marine Lions Club had their monthly drawing for Community Raffle winners.

Winners for August 2020 are: $100 – Don Peterson from Scan-

dia.

Fifty -dollar winners were Mya Gesgie from Dellwod, Minn.; Brece Day from Scandia; Adam Cuff from Elko New Market; Dick

Diethert from Stillwater; Arnie Wright from Marine and Mari Reed from Rogers.

...back to their colonies with crumbs.

We like to watch busy ants scurry...

Kids: color stuff in!

Newspaper Fun! www.readingclubfun.com

Annimills LLC © 2020 V16-32

Ants, Ants, Ants

tter u c f Lea Silver r e t 4 n rpe a C 6

I’m a sucker for ants!

Ants are world-famous insects. There are over 8,000 kinds of ants. They seem to be everywhere except in very cold areas of the world. They have been found in Bulldo g the ground, in rotting wood, under sidewalks, in buildings and even on ships at sea!

Ants can be helpful to us because they control pests. However, sometimes ants 8 sting or bite us, or get into our food supplies. Then we think they are the pests!

1

Army

2

Kinds of Ants 3

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Red ester v Har

5 7

Fire

Read the How much do you know about ants? Read o H h clues 9 1 Heig h- Ho the clues to fill in the crossword: g Hei to fill in the 1. called this because they live and aker m e v Sla crossword : work together and help each other 2. will share food stored in this part 10 2 of his body with other ants Honeyp ot 1. found in the hot Saharan Desert (Africa) 3. these sense flavors, sounds, odors; G R R R...

4 2. main food is seeds, which they gather and store also used to “talk” to other ants 3 3. build nests in dead wood; often leave a trail of sawdust 4. these ants “march,” keeping on ls eyes 5 queen e n 4. have large jaws; can sting prey; (mostly in Australia) the move, carrying everything tun nests 5. march to raid others’ nests and take what they can 5. ants that build and defend the social 6. raid other ant colonies; steal the pupae (ants in the stage nest, care for the young, gather 6 before they become adults) and raise them to work food and do all of the other work 7 p e e s a ts n 7. will sting, leaving you with a red bump; burning feeling in skin 6. a group of ants nten 8 a 10 wings 8. use silk to hold their nests together 7. ants help us by getting rid of these 9. don’t eat the leaves they cut up, use them as 9 8. young queens and males have these to fly compost to feed fungus which they do eat 9. largest ant, lays all the eggs 12 11 10. they overeat, bloat, then feed other ants 10. often built in the earth or in wood Visit readingclubfun.com for a FREE “Let’s Camp” 11. most ants have 2 compound y rm a workers puzzle set and a FREE copy of the “Chip n’ Fish” ree f _____, each made up of tinier ones F p ro c f colony comic book by award-winning artist Matt Ryan 12. used to travel from room to room in nest Stu NEY

There are more clichés on this page than you can shake a stick at.

Weigh In!

! ! h? u

!

HO

H

Marching to a Picnic!

Can you help the ant find his way to the food in the picnic basket?

1. if a man who weighs 220 pounds could lift 10 times his own weight, he could lift: 2. if a 140 pound woman could lift 50 times her weight, she could pick up:

Start

3. if a 12-year-old girl weighs 93 pounds and she can lift 30 times her weight, then she can lift:

Scientists have learned that ants lift 10-50 times their own weight.

If a 56 pound 8-year-old girl could do this, she could easily lift a oneyear-old elephant that weighs about 660 pounds, or even 2 polar bears that weigh a ton (2,000 pounds)!

Read each math problem and match it to the answer: A. a 7,000 pound white rhinoceros B. a 2,790 pound American bison – the largest land animal in the Americas

C. a 2,200 pound crocodile SEE ANSWERS, PAGE 15

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COUNTRY MESSENGER

AUGUST 19, 2020 www.countrymessenger.com

Washington County residents may apply for rent, utility assistance CONTRIBUTED

1945 - World War II Ends - 2020 To mark the 75th Anniversary of the end of World War II, we are putting together a special section about the men and women from our area who served.

We need the community’s help in finding and giving credit to these veterans, living and dead. We have a page on our website, https://www.countrymessenger.com/site/forms/ online_services/wwii_submissions/, where you can share details and a photo of your veteran.

We plan to release the section in August coinciding with the 75th Anniversary of the end of the war on September 9.

Thanks for your help!

COUNTRY

Answers

Help is available for qualified Washington County residents who are unable to pay rent and utility costs due to COVID-19 related income loss.

Washington County has received $3 million from the federal CARES Act funding to pay current and past due rent and utilities including gas, electric and water.

Although there has been a temporary hold on evictions, full payment of rent is required and landlords may evict tenants with past due rent after state and federal restrictions on evictions are lifted.

Residents may qualify for CARES assistance if they: • currently earn less than 80% of the area median income, determined by household size;

• are a Washington County resident; • have past due rent, utility costs or are experiencing homelessness; • lost income due to COVID-19 that has not been replaced by unemployment or other assistance.

Residents who wish to apply for the assistance may call the Washington County Community Services Department at 651-430-6570 or email CSRA@ co.washington.mn.us, or use the fax number of 651-430-6515. Find applications on the Washington County website at www.co.washington.mn.us by searching “rental assistance.”

Assistance can be provided regardless of immigration status.

The following documents may be used in preparing an application: • verification of current income (paystubs, benefit letter, proof of unemployment);

RIDINGS: No local newspaper is bad FROM PAGE 10

credits go away after five years. But this legislation provides a lifeline for everyone affected by the pandemic: local readers, local businesses, and local news providers.

Asking your legislators in Washington to support the Local Journalism Sustainability Act is a simple step you can take to help your

CLUES ACROSS 1. Popular musical awards show 5. Speech in one’s honor 11. A state of poor nutrition 14. Not ingested 15. More lacking in taste 18. “Popeye” cartoonist 19. Helps to reduce speed 21. January 1 greeting (abbr.)

23. Georgian currency 24. Proverb expressing a truth 28. Jewish calendar month 29. Volume measurement 30. Fair-skinned 32. Patti Hearst’s captors 33. Have already done 35. Touch lightly 36. Autonomic nervous system 39. Plant part 41. College degree 42. Military alliance 44. Tokyo’s former name 46. Carpenter’s tool 47. Before 49. Consent to receive 52. Passages 56. The Duke of Edinburgh 58. Utter repeatedly 60. Linked together in a chain 62. Quality that evokes pity 63. Maintained possession of CLUES DOWN 1. U.S. military school 2. Controls 3. Away from wind 4. Grab quickly 5. Being everlasting 6. Vase 7. Atomic #3

community from becoming yet another news desert. There’s a simple way to take that step, too: Just go to https:// www.usa.gov/elected-officials for contact information for your legislators. Your right to fair and trusted local news and information is worth the effort.

On behalf of its approximately 1,500 newspaper and associate member companies,

8. Type of medication 9. Encircle with a belt 10. Belonging to you 12. American state 13. City in Zambia 16. Good Gosh!

17. Of the country 20. Helsinki district 22. 36 inches 25. Reporters’ group 26. The voice of Olaf 27. Explains in detail 29. Tooth caregiver 31. One point south of due east 34. Scottish river

America’s Newspapers is committed to explaining, defending and advancing the vital role of newspapers in democracy and civil life.

We put an emphasis on educating the public on all the ways newspapers contribute to building a community identity and the success of local businesses.

Learn more: www. newspapers.org

36. Elsa’s sister 37. Civil Rights group 38. Line of poetry 40. Doctor 43. Fatty acid 45. Avatar (abbr.)

48. Awe-inspiring garden 50. Fall down 51. Rock icon Turner 53. Asian country (alt. sp.)

54. UK museum network 55. Stairs have at least one 57. Part of (abbr.)

58. Simpson trial judge 59. Sun up in New York 61. Exclamation of surprise

AUGUST 19, 2020

COUNTRY MESSENGER

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PUBLIC NOTICES CITY OF MARINE ON ST. CROIX WASHINGTON COUNTY, MINNESOTA ORDINANCE NO. 2020-156 AN ORDINANCE REGULATING SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND PROHIBITING UNPERMITTED SHORT TERM RENTALS. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MARINE ON ST. CROIX DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Findings and Intent.

The City of Marine is a largely residential city which has several unique local amenities including the St. Croix River, the William O’Brien State Park and a historic Downtown. This makes it a natural and likely tourist destination.

Historically, transient overnight stays were largely limited to hotels and motels and the occasional owner bed and breakfast. However, the advent of certain internet-driven short term residential/housing rental forums such as VRBO have caused some homeowners to make their properties available for short term rentals. These so-called “short term rentals” often last a day or two, are often during the weekend and are recreationally focused occupancies, different in kind than a typical house rental which involve more connection with the neighborhood and property over time and because of the length of the occupancy. Accordingly, this has led many cities to consider and adopt regulations governing, and in some cases prohibiting, short term rentals. Though Marine is a tourist destination, the City and its residents value the need to preserve its essentially residential character while, at the same time, permitting short term rentals on terms which make them unintrusive, not disruptive, not excessive in number and which does not lead to the proliferation of absentee-held properties offered only for rent and not materially owner-occupied. Such things would not be conducive to the stability and building of neighborhoods and commercial uses in the Old Village area of the City, all of which are objectives of the City under its comprehensive plan.

In considering these matters, the City has concluded that short term rentals are in the nature of providing housing, principally recreational housing, for transient, often vacationing short term guests who do not maintain an ongoing relationship with the property or its neighbors or its neighborhoods. By its nature, it involves the introduction of a commercial use into existing residential areas this alone creates a potential for conflict between varying land uses. Furthermore, there are features which are unique to short term rentals-those typically involving stays of less than a 30 day period or 365 day period like those found in conventional leasing arrangements.

Specifically, in cases of short term rental, the turnover of occupants is more frequent, stays are, by definition short and recreation focused. Significant damage deposits are often not comparable to those secured by long term rental tenancies and tenant likely has no maintenance obligations such as lawn mowing, exterior tidiness, building maintenance or corresponding interest in maintaining ongoing relationships with long-term neighbors.

Accordingly, it is believed that there is

more potential for nuisances to arise from such uses including increased noise, inappropriate parking, parties, late hours, multiple invitees, intensive uses over short periods and other features of transient stays as the users come to the property for a short period, recreate and then leave. The City concludes that an ordinance is necessary to regulate, limit and control short term rentals to eliminate potential nuisances, to ensure that they are compatible with the neighborhoods in which they are located and to maintain their activities in a way that avoids the disruption that can occur because of transient stays among otherwise permanent residential and other occupancies.

Section 2. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to allow Short-Term Rentals, where appropriate, within dwellings that are a primary residence, while mitigating impacts upon surrounding properties by implementing balanced regulations to protect the integrity of the Community as well as protecting the public health, safety and general welfare of the long term residents by regulating the time period a transient guest is allowed.

Section 3. Definitions.

Bedroom. A habitable room which is used, or intended to be used, primarily for the purpose of sleeping.

Dwelling. A building or portion thereof, designated exclusively for residential occupancy. Refer to Section 202 of the Zoning Code definitions.

Owner. The person or people or entity which owns the dwelling offered for Short-Term Rental. Any person who, alone or with others, has title or interest in any building, property, dwelling, dwelling unit or portion thereof, with or without accompanying actual possession thereof, including any person who as tenant, agent, executor, administrator, trustee, or guardian of an estate has charge, care, control of any dwelling or dwelling unit.

Person. Any individual, firm, corporation, association, governmental entity, or partnership and its agents or assigns.

Primary Residence. A dwelling within which a person having a bona fide ownership interest demonstrably occupies and resides in for more days annually than it is rented for a minimum of six months during a calendar year. No dedicated vacations rentals are allowed in the City of Marine on St. Croix (see Section 4E(a)(vi)) herein. A dedicated vacation rental is one which does not actually demonstrate owner occupancy and residence in excess of rental days as required herein.

Transient Guest. A person or persons renting, using, or occupying a room or rooms for fewer than 30 consecutive days.

Day. A 24-hour period from midnight to the next.

Weekend. Any consecutive three (3) day period, two of which are Saturday and Sunday.

Short-Term Rental. A dwelling that is offered to transient guests for a period of less than 30 consecutive days at a time.

Short-Term Rental, Type A (hosted short-term rental). A dwelling, or portion thereof, unit that is offered to transient guests for a period of less than 30 consecutive days, where an owner of the property is primarily present (i.e., from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00

a.m. during overnight stays) during the period of occupancy by the transient guest.

Short-Term Rental, Type B (unhosted short-term rental). A dwelling, or portion thereof, that is offered to transient guests for a period of less than 30 consecutive days, where an owner of the property is not present while the transient guests are present.

Short-Term Rental, Type C (dedicated short-term rental). A dwelling, or portion thereof, that is offered to transient guests for a period of less than 30 consecutive days, where the primary property use (“use” is a typical term) is a short-term rental.

Section 4. General Requirements and License Issuance.

A. License required. No property, structure or dwelling may be used as a Short-Term Rental (Type A, B or C) unless an application is submitted and a license is first granted by the City provided, however, that ShortTerm Rentals located exclusively within the Central Business District shall not be subject to the restrictions of this Ordinance. The License shall be entered on a short-term rental registry. Type C Short Term Rentals are not permitted in the City.

A. Issuance. All Short-Term Rental Licenses shall be issued administratively by the City Clerk pursuant to the terms contained herein.

A. License application. Any property owner offering, using or desiring to offer or use a Dwelling as a Short-Term Rental within the City must apply for a Short-Term Rental License from the City. A license must be approved prior to operating within the City. The license application request must be submitted on the form prescribed by the City and must include all the information requested on the application form. Any use or offering for use of a Short-Term Rental which is not licensed is a violation of this Section.

A. License fee. The license application form must be accompanied by payment in full of the required license application fee. The license application fee amount will be as determined by the City Council and set forth in the City fee schedule. Fees for new licenses obtained for less than the annual license term will be determined on a monthly pro-rated basis until the next full term.

A. Criteria for Issuance. Prior to issuance of a Short-Term Rental License hereunder, the applicant shall ensure and the City Clerk, or if requested by the Clerk, City Council, that the following criteria are met: a. The licensee accurately certifies on the application form that all applicable items found in this Section are satisfied. In addition, the certification shall constitute an ongoing assurance of compliance herewith. Such items shall include, but not be limited to, the following: i. Short Term Rentals are a permitted use in the zoning district of the subject property; ii. The Proposed Short-Term Rental complies with all of the performance standards, purpose section and definitional requirements found in this Ordinance; iii. A policy number for a valid, inforce liability insurance policy is provided to the City; iv. Compliance with all applicable provisions of the City Code; v. Compliance with any special conditions established in the license.

vi. The Dwelling must be materially used for its owner’s enjoyment-which shall mean to state the owner shall accurately certify and document to the City annually that the Dwelling has been physically inhabited by the owner for more days and nights than it has been rented. This provision shall not apply to that portion of a lawfully preexisting multi-family residence offered for Short Term Rental (e.g., school house apartments).

Section 5.

General Performance Standards.

The following shall be the general standards for all Short-Term Rental licenses issued hereunder. Violations of them, together with violations of this Ordinance, shall alone be grounds for revocation of permits. All properties seeking or holding a Short Term Rental permit are subject to inspection and verification.

A. No Physical Alterations. No physical alterations of a dwelling shall be permitted in conjunction with the establishment or operation of a ShortTerm Rental, except that additional on-site parking may be provided, to the extent that such parking is otherwise permitted by the applicable provisions of the City’s Code.

A. Non-Transferable. Licenses issued under this Section are non-assignable, non-transferable.

Each license shall automatically terminate upon the sale or other conveyance of the property to an unlicensed person or entity.

A. No Vested Right. Licenses granted hereunder constitute a revocable, limited right. Nothing herein shall be construed as granting a vested property right. No party shall have any expectancy of reissuance of any license after its annual expiration.

A. Term. Licenses granted under this Section are valid for up to one year (365 days), expiring on December 31st of each year. Any renewal shall require City Council approval. A renewal application must be submitted annually, in advance, at least 60 days of the expiration on December 31st but not more than 120 days. If the license holder does not offer the property for short term rental at least twice in a calendar year, then they are not eligible for renewal.

A. Number of Bedrooms. Each license shall indicate the number of bedrooms which are contained in the dwelling. No license shall advertise the dwelling as containing any more than the identified number of bedrooms. The number of bedrooms, as indicated on the license, shall be used for all calculations required herein.

A. Use for Events Prohibited. The Short Term Rental shall not be used by the renter nor any rental occupant for nonresidential purposes such as commercial or social events. The Short-Term Rental host shall expressly prohibit and prevent the use of their property for events in any advertisement as well as on-site informational material. Examples of events include, but are not limited to: sponsored events, conference gatherings, retreats, concerts, banquets, receptions, weddings, reunions, dances, parties, or similar uses.

A. All residential properties offering Short Term Rentals must be owner-occupied (meaning the owner demonstrably occupies and resides in the property for more days annually than it is rented), except for

multi-dwelling properties.

Lawful multi-family properties existing at the date of adoption of this Ordinance cannot have any more than fifty percent (50%) of the total units in short term rental use.

A. A Short-Term Rental may only be operated in a principal structure (i.e., not in recreational vehicle, trailer, Accessory building or vehicle).

A.The applicant/owner shall supply to the City, upon request, true and accurate affidavit of use in form approved by the City. It shall, to the degree specified by the City, detail occupancy by its owner compared to use as Short Term Rental. Failure to submit the affidavit, or inaccuracies in it, shall be grounds for revocation or denial of the permit. The property shall be made available on request for a limited compliance inspection by the City.

B. Location / Allowances / Considerations.

Short-Term Rentals are allowed in all Residential and Village Center zoning districts.

A maximum of three (3) Short-Term Rental licenses shall be allowed in each of the zoning districts within the City. The creation of an additional zoning district shall not give rise to three (3) additional licenses unless this Ordinance is specifically amended to so state. Note: the Schoolhouse units are excluded from the count of three (3) per district.

A. Use. Short-Term Rental operations must conform to all existing City Ordinances.

Signage indicating the Short-Term Rental is not permitted on or off the premises.

The maximum number of guests allowed is two (2) persons per bedroom, plus an additional two (2) guests. For example, a three-bedroom home could have a maximum of eight (8) guests.

One (1) vehicle per bedroom shall be allowed, with a maximum of four (4) vehicles. The owner of the ShortTerm Rental must provide one (1) approved off-street parking spot per bedroom (that is not on a public or private road, right of way or easement), with a maximum of four (4).

Each Short-Term Rental may be rented a maximum of two weekends per calendar month, with additional maximums of 14 days per calendar month and 72 days per calendar year.

A. The Applicant must confirm upon their application form that there are functioning smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in each bedroom or sleeping area, and a functioning fire extinguisher in the living space.

A. At the time of permit application and prior to making their property available as a Short-Term Rental, property owner(s) must provide and maintain current, effective contact and emergency contact information for the owner and any designated management representative to all neighbors abutting the side, rear, and across the street from their property.

The Applicant shall also maintain accurate emergency contact information with the City sufficient to allow it to be in contact with the Owner immediately.

A. If the property owner is not on premises, owner or an owner-designee is required to respond to emergencies, and must stay within thirty (30) minutes traveling distance of the property and be available by cellphone during Short-Term Rental use.

A. 24-hour “Who to contact ” information page shall be posted on the premises, and a “Who to contact” page shall be on the City website for residences concerned with the activity at any Short-Term Rental.

A. The property owner must pay any applicable Federal, State and local taxes.

A. Any complaints may be filed with the City via an approved complaint form.

A. The Licensee shall maintain true and correct records (for a period of 3 years) for annual reporting to the City.

The records shall be sufficient to permit the City to determine the number of guests, and the rental dates.

A. Noise. While occupying or visiting a Short Term Rental, no person shall make, cause, or permit unreasonable noise to be emitted from the Short Term Rental.

A. The property owner acknowledges that it assumes all responsibility for operation of the rental and that the City is not responsible for the condition of the rental.

Section 6. Enforcement and License Revocation.

A. Enforcement and License Revocation. Upon a finding that a licensee or other person or firm has violated the terms of this Ordinance, or any other applicable ordinance, law, or regulation, including being determined to have submitted false or misleading information to the City, on two occasions within the license period, the City may revoke the license. Prior to such revocation, the City Clerk shall mail written notice of the license violations to the licensee. The licensee shall have ten (10) days to request a hearing, in writing, upon such revocation before the City Council. Failure to request such a hearing, in writing, shall constitute waiver of the right to be heard on such revocation. However, upon Council discretion a license may be immediately revoked in the event of violation of the terms of this Section.

1.Effect of Revocation. Upon revocation of a license under this Section, such licensee shall be ineligible for applying for a new Short-Term Rental license for a period of 12 months from the date of revocation. Such prohibition shall apply not only to the property for which the license was revoked, but also any other property held or owned by the licensee.

1. Violation a Misdemeanor. Operating a Short-Term Rental without a license shall constitute a misdemeanor and shall constitute a fine of $1,000.

1. Remedies not Exclusive. In the event of a violation or threatened violation of this Ordinance, the City, in addition to other remedies, is entitled to seek injunctive relief or proceedings to prevent, restrain, correct, or abate such violations or threatened violations.

Section 7. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be effective immediately upon its passage and publication according to law.

WHEREUPON, said Ordinance was declared passed and adopted this 13th day of August, 2020.

Published in the Country Messenger August 19, 2020

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

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 9 a.m. Worship Outdoors at Gammelgarden

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

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

Lakes Free Church 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

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

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

201 North Adams St., St. Croix Falls, WI 54024 Rev. Kelli Clement www.scuuf.org

Osceola Medical Center Spiritual Care

St. Croix Falls United Methodist 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

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,

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COUNTRY MESSENGER

AUGUST 19, 2020 www.countrymessenger.com

AUTO BODY

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Certified Public Accountants Accounting • Taxes • Payroll • Business Consulting

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

AUTOMOTIVE

433 3rd Ave, Clear Lake, WI • (715) 263-4111 338 S Washington St, St. Croix Falls, WI • (715) 483-3782 OverbyFinancial.com

LAW OFFICES

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

LOCAL SHOPS

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING

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

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

651-433-5167

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

www.scandiaheating.com

PLUMBING

BEAUTY

TROWBRIDGE PLUMBING

BEAUTY COUNTER Game changing personal care products free from harmful ingredients

Residential - Service - Remodel

• Skincare • Cosmetics • Bath & Body • Sunscreen • Family

JACKIE WYLIE Consultant sunflower4@frontiernet.net order online: beautycounter.com/jackiewylie

FOOD & BEVERAGE

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

651-433-4500

INSURANCE

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

Mike Trowbridge

REAL ESTATE

NOAH INSURANCE GROUP

UNIQUELY GENERAL

trowbridge_plumbing@hotmail.com

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

TRAILERS/REPAIR

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

EDUCATION & SCHOOLS

Bill Schifsky Custom Trailer Mfg. SINCE 1972

HOME • AUTO • BUSINESS • LIFE • FARM • AND MORE

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

14189 Ostlund Trail N., Marine on St Croix MN 55047 info@marineareaschool.org • www.marineareaschool.org

Phone: 715-256-8286 • Text Line: 715-202-2873 Email: service@crexinsurance.com www.crexinsurance.com

LAWN & SPORT

To advertise in the Business Builder: 13 week minimum Call 651-433-3845 for more info.

Servicing all major brands Lawn & garden, mower service.

CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS 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.

651-433-4668

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

651-433-3666

AUGUST 19, 2020

COUNTRY MESSENGER

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T S T U N N E L S R S G T A. a 7,000 pound 1. if a man who weighs 220 white rhinoceros pounds could lift 10 times S S his own weight, he could lift: B. a 2,790 pound American Do you think many people use bison – the largest land 2. if a 140 pound woman could clichés that are as old as the animal in the Americas lift 50 times her weight, she hills because time flies by and Did you could pick up: they are as busy as bees? find the Now, I don’t mean to cry wolf 7 clichés? or make a mountain out of a 3. if a 12-year-old girl weighs molehill, but wouldn’t a new, 93 pounds and she can exciting expression be something lift 30 times her weight, to write home about? You said it!

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Marching to a Picnic!

FROM PAGE 4

Since the most recent school shootings within the last 8-10 years, additional safety and security measures have been increased throughout schools to make sure their names doesn’t join that elite list and understandably so. Now, making sure schools are clean is at or even higher of importance than safety and security. Will patience and understanding be shown for that?

Finally, how will kindergarten teachers show patient and understanding when they have to explain for the 80th time to little Stevie or Susie they have to their mask on at all times when inside the classroom or following the other proper guidelines. Being a kindergarten teacher will have to be one of the hardest jobs inside a school building this year.

In the next couple of weeks, this will all begin. Good luck to all involved.

Weigh In!

All Worn Out?

Jason Schulte can be reached at editor@countrymessenger.com.

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

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Free Items

Services

Home/Office

Storage Rent

Services

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.

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

THE SUN HAS YOUR office supplies – File folders, labels, register and other tapes, envelopes of many sizes, copy paper by ream or sheet and much more. Let us help you today, 108 Cascade, Osceola.

715-294-2314.

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.

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

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

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

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

715-755-3377

Classified Advertising Representative Sentinel Publications, publishers of the Amery Free Press, Baldwin Bulletin, Burnett County Sentinel, Country Messenger and Osceola Sun is seeking a Classified Advertising representative. The position will work cooperatively with other members of the sales team to serve existing customers, create new customers and meet monthly sales goals.

Duties include: • Working with customers and ad designers to develop and place ads in print and online • Actively seeking new print, digital and niche product advertising revenue The ideal candidate will have a passion for customer service, the ability to meet deadlines and a real attention to detail. Prior sales experience preferred.

Microsoft Office and basic math skills required. Position pays base plus commission.

SEND RESUME TO: Tom Stangl, Group Publisher Amery Free Press P.O. Box 424 • Amery, WI 54001 tstangl@theameryfreepress.com

EMPLOYMENT SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE SEEKS Associate Dentist because of increase in patient volume. Potential earnings $300K plus. Includes bene ts.

Email drb@friendlysmilesfargo.com

Color COPIES available at

The Sun

108 Cascade • Osceola

HAY FOR SALE Small square bales of grass hay. $4.00 per bale.

Marine on St. Croix area

612-860-3508

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16

COUNTRY MESSENGER

AUGUST 19, 2020 www.countrymessenger.com

SHERIFF’S REPORT May Township

AUG. 2 At 1:39 p.m. an accident was reported on Manning Trail N./107th St. N. At 3:13 p.m., an abandoned 911 call was reported on the 12000 block of Ozark Trail N. At 4:02 p.m., an abandoned 911 call was reported on the 14000 block of Ostrum Trail N. At 10:23 p.m., a traffic stop was reported on the 12000 block of Arcola Trail N.

AUG. 3 At 9:43 a.m., a park complaint was reported on the 15000 block of Square Lake Trail N. At 10:25 a.m., a park complaint was reported on the 15000 block of Square Lake Trail N. At 10:53 a.m., a park complaint was reported on the 17000 block of

Manning Trail N. At 11:03 a.m., a park complaint was reported on the 17000 block of Manning Trail N. At 12:04 p.m., property damage was reported on St. Croix Trail N./124th Street N. At 9:42 p.m., an accident was reported on Manning Trail N./ Square Lake Trail N.

AUG. 4 At 1:34 a.m., an animal complaint was reported on the 13000 block of 170th Street N. At 2:04 a.m., an alarm sounded on the 14000 block of Square Lake Trail N. At 6:22 a.m., an animal complaint was reported on Paul Avenue N./Nason Hill Road N. At 845 a.m., a civil matter/dispute was reported on the 11000 block of 180th Street N.

At 3:15 p.m., an abandoned 911 call was reported on the 14000 block of 130th Street N. At 5:14 p.m., an abandoned 911 call was reported on Manning Trail N./Big Marine Park Entrance Road.

AUG. 5 At 7:34 a.m., a traffic stop was reported on St. Croix Trail N./Square Lake Trail N. At 1:12 p.m., a civil matter/dispute was reported on the 11000 block of 180th Street N. At 2:28 pm., an alarm sounded on the 12000 block of Morris Trail N. At 3:05 p.m., an alarm sounded on the 17000 block of Manning Trail N. At 10:13 p.m., fireworks were reported on Partridge Road N./122nd Street N.

AUG. 6 At 9:30 p.m., an accident was reported on Ozark Avenue N./Square Lake Trail N.

on the 21000 block of Penfield Avenue N. At 7:14 p.m., a civil matter/dispute was reported in Scandia.

At 10:01 p.m., shots fired/shooting complaint was reported on the 21000 block of St. Croix Trail N.

AUG. 7

AUG. 3

AUG. 5

At 1:49 a.m., suspicious person/activity was reported at the Arcola Bridge.

At 4:11 p.m., a suspicious person/activity was reported on the 14000 block of St. Croix Trail N. At 4:49 p.m., a suspicious person/activity was reported on the 14000 block of St. Croix Trail N. At 12:46 p.m., a traffic stop was reported on the 170th Street N./Keystone Avenue N.

At 12:16 a.m., an accident was reported on Manning Trail N./185th Street N. At 3:09 p.m., shots fired/shooting complaint was reported on the 19000 block of Meadowridge Lane N. At 3:51 p.m., an animal complaint was reported on the 16000 block of 199th Street N. At 5:41 p.m., trespassing was reported on the 12000 block of Scandia Trail N.

At 2:38 p.m., an ordinance violation was reported on the 14000 block of Oakhill Road N. At 4:42 p.m., theft was reported on the 20000 block of Olinda Trail N.

Scandia

At 1:59 p.m., an abandoned 911 call was reported on the 21000 block of Meadowbrook Circle N. At 2:33 p.m., lost property/item was reported on St. Croix Trail N. At 3:01 p.m., an abandoned 911 call was reported on the 21000 block of Oldfield Avenue N. At 6:13 p.m., an alarm sounded on the 12000 block of Mayberry Trail N. At 9:36 p.m., a suspicious person/activity was reported on the 21000 block of Olinda Trail N.

AUG. 2 At 9:03 a.m., an animal complaint was reported

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-oor 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 ofďŹ ce at 21260 Olinda of the year. During peak season we don’t go home Trail N., Scandia. until the work is done.â€?

AUG. 4

AUG. 6 At 7:59 a.m., harassment was reported on the 16000 block of Oakhill Road N. At 5:02 p.m., an animal complaint was reported on the 14000 block of 185th Street N. At 5:27 p.m., a disturbance was reported on the 22000 block of Perkins Avenue N. At 5:27 p.m., a traffic complaint was reported on Scandia Trail N./ Manning Trail N. At :14 p.m., a disturbance was reported on the 19000 block of Manning Trail N.

AUG. 7 At 9 p.m., a theft was reported on the 20000 block of Olinda Trail N.

AUG. 8 At 11:56 a.m., harassment was reported on the 23000 block of Melanie Trail N.

SIMPLIFY YOUR FINANCES.

Financial Advisor

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

21260 Olinda Trail N.

651-433-5167

www.scandiaheating.com

Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township

Call us for a quote!

Jane Dreyer & Katie Giefer

P.O. Box 96 Scandia, MN 55073 Phone: (651) 433-3845 Fax: (651) 433-3158 www.countrymessenger.com

Heating and Air Conditioning Inc.

12450 Morris Trail N Marine-On-St. Croix

651-433-4500

CertiďŹ ed by M.P.C.A.

www.olsonsinthepink.com COUNTRY

Scandia OfďŹ ce • 651-433-5753

3UBSCRIBE TODAY

Heidi Gemuenden, AAMSÂŽ

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

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

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