Country Messenger 09.16.2020

COUNTRY

Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 VOL. 37 NO. 20 www.countrymessenger.com $.75

NEWS : Children's artwork sought for outdoor gallery. PAGE 11

Fall projects, public safety top agenda at Marine Council Meeting

BY LESLIE MACKENZIE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The September 10 Marine City Council meeting kicked off with a report from the Marine Library Association on its slate of fall activities. In addition to a redesign of its website and interior space, River Radio and event programming begins this month.

River Radio will broadcast via ZOOM every other Saturday from 9-10 a.m., beginning Sept. 12. The library speaker series kicks off with Chief US District Judge John Tunheim on 7 p.m., Sept. 17. He will talk about the role of the U.S. Supreme Court and upcoming headline cases. See the library website for details on speakers and a link to ZOOM programs.

The library will also be hosting online political candidate forums: • Wed, Sept. 30 – Scandia candidates • Tues, Oct. 6 – Marine council candidates • Tues, Oct. 13 – Marine mayoral candidates The council approved the library’s request for its annual $6,000 allocation from the Jordan Bequest fund, as well as an additional $15,000 for the website and interior redesign project. Remaining costs will be secured through fundraising.

SUBMITTED

Public Safety

Remembering 9/11 Randall Simonson is pictured Sept. 11 standing in front of Elim Lutheran Church at the corner of Oakhill Road North and Olinda Trail in Scandia. It is Simonson’s way of honoring those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. Sarah Coyle, who took the picture, said it was Simonson’s 13th year of this. She added as people passed, they were numerous honking of cars, people waving or saying thanks.

Online candidate forum in Scandia Sept. 30 CONTRIBUTED

The Take Action Conserve Our Scandia is partnering with the Marine Community Library and River Radio to present an online Candidate Forum for Scandia mayoral and city council candidates on Wednesday, September 30th.

The webinar will take place from 7 pm. to 8:30 pm. Questions from the public are invited. Make sure you have downloaded the free Zoom platform in advance to participate.

The link to the webinar is: https:// us02web.zoom. us/j/88340066140 or it can be found on the

Scandia City website (https://www.ci.scandia.mn.us) and Marine Community Library website (www.marinecommunitylibrary.org).

You can also call in by phone at 312-6266799 The city council candidates are incumbent Steve Kronmiller along with challengers

Heather Benson, Chris Johnson, James Gribble and Greg Amundson. They are vying for two seats.

The mayoral race will pit incumbent Christine Maefsky against former Mayor Randall Simonson.

As part of the city’s COVID response, additional porta-potties and hand sanitizer have been placed in the Village Center, Burris Park, and the school playground property. The city has been looking for portable hand sanitizing stations but these are hard to obtain.

The city continues to hold in-person public meetings, with remote access via Zoom. It has rewired the town hall for improved internet and is experimenting with different amplification systems.

Council member Bill Miller reported that 22 warning citations had been issued to people violating boating rules, but no tickets had been issued. He questioned why there was not stronger enforcement.

Miller reported a series of problems with off-road vehicles and pickup trucks with high-intensity lights driving on the trails in and around Jackson Meadow at night. For the safety of hikers and bikers, no motorized vehicle traffic is allowed on these trails.

All city trails are public and under city jurisdiction.

Any problems on the trails should be reported to the Washington County Sheriff’s department.

Miller noted that there has been a significant increase in dog feces being left on school property and in city center parks, some in baggies. Dog owners are advised that it is their responsibility to clean up SEE MEETING, PAGE 2

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Donate with Red Cross to help ensure diverse blood supply CONTRIBUTED

The American Red Cross needs people of all races and ethnicities to give blood to help ensure a blood supply as diverse as the patients who depend on it.

For a small percentage of the population, finding someone else with the same blood type can be difficult. While the vast majority of people have types A, B, O or AB blood, some blood types are unique to certain racial and ethnic groups, so a diverse blood supply is important to meeting the medical needs of a diverse patient population.

Patients who require frequent blood transfusions as part of their treatment, like those with sickle cell disease or other lifelong blood disorders,

often need close blood type matches to prevent complications from their transfusion therapy.

All blood types are needed to ensure that the right blood product is available at the right time for all patients.

Make an appointment to donate by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood. org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. Blood drives are also essential in helping ensure blood is available for patients this winter. To learn more and sign up to host a blood drive this fall or winter, visit RedCrossBlood.org/HostADrive.

Important COVID-19 information for donors

The Red Cross is testing blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies. The test may indicate if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to this coronavirus, regardless of whether they developed symptoms. Red Cross antibody tests will be helpful to identify individuals who have COVID-19 antibodies and may qualify to be convalescent plasma donors. Convalescent plasma is a type of blood donation collected from COVID-19 survivors that have antibodies that may help patients who are actively fighting the virus. Donors can expect to receive the results of their antibody test within 7 to 10 days through the Red Cross Blood Donor App or the donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org.

The Red Cross is not testing donors to diagnose illness, referred to as a diagnostic test. To protect the health and safety of Red Cross staff and donors, it is important that individuals who do not feel well or believe they may be ill with COVID-19 postpone donation.

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including temperature checks, social distancing and face coverings for donors and staff – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive and are required to SEE RED CROSS, PAGE 9

MEETING: Weekly holiday concerts approved at town hall from Nov. 29-Dec. 23 FROM PAGE 1

after their pets and to dispose of feces at home, not in public spaces.

School Considered for Remote Student Use In response to COVID, some Marine parents have organized “learning pods” – small groups of families whose children socialize and learn together. A few parents approached the council to ask about using the Marine school for small group distance learning.

Council member Lon Pardun explained that in the elementary school, each classroom has its own HVAC system and an ionization unit can be added to each one, which can deactivate 99.4% of viral pathogens in the air. The school building is wired for high-speed internet connection.

There may be additional cost for cleaning.

The school could accommodate up to 87

people, according to MN Health Department guidelines. If learning pods are allowed, rooms would be in use only part of the school day.

Each classroom would have a small number of students, with parents sharing supervisory duties. Families would bring their own equipment and beverages.

Pardun will continue to research the viability of learning pods, with the goal that local Marine families could use the school classrooms as early as October.

Road Projects Move Ahead Dressel Contracting was the winning bidder for the city center road project, coming in $10,000 under budget with a bid of $1,213,161. A preconstruction meeting will take place this week to finalize workplans for fall 2020. Local businesses were assured they would receive a schedule for work, invited to

weekly meetings with the contractor, and provided with a project manager contact.

Work begins Sept. 19 on the Marine ravine stabilization project.

Cones will be placed on Highway 95 signaling a lane shift from north of Oak Street to north of the Stugas. Depending on the weather, the highway may be partially blocked for up to three weeks.

2021 Maximum Tax Levy Determined The council voted to set a maximum 2021 tax levy at $1,188,462, which is a 25% increase over 2020. The actual levy will be discussed at the Truth in Taxation meeting in December. The final tax levy amount may be lower, but cannot be higher than the approved maximum.

Resident Wendy Ward requested budget consideration for four

proposals: access to an on-call town planner, a public bathroom, a master plan for trails and green spaces, and a conservation plan for cultural resources. Pardun said that her request was received after the August budget meeting.

He did not want to set a precedent by accepting a late request, but said that Ward’s proposals should be discussed at a later time.

CARES Act Funding Marine on St. Croix received approximately $53,000 in CARES Act funding, of which $2,800 has been spent, and more is earmarked.

The council approved a bid from Mantyla Well Drilling, not to exceed $24,000, for a well to bring water to the public works building to allow employees to wash hands and do cleaning.

Tree Planting Trees and shrubs

for Olivia Nienaber’s bird-friendly tree project were planted at Christ Lutheran Church and in the Marine Mill Park.

Gravel-bed trees will be planted 9-11 a.m., Sept.

26 (rain date Oct. 3) in the cemetery, in Burris Park, and by the Settlers cabin. Remaining trees will be planted in the public right-of-way in front of private residences in Marine. The Council ask if citizens will be required to sign a liability waiver and an acknowledgement that they will be responsible for maintaining the trees planted on the right of way in front of their homes.

Emerald Ash Borer has now been identified at Square Lake Park.

The Forest Advisory Committee presented the council with a plan for ash tree treatment and removal. Pardun said that the council had spoken with John Goodman several years

ago about tree removal and questioned whether any trees, besides the Monfort ash, should be treated. The committee’s proposal will be reviewed and discussed at the October meeting.

GreenStep Explores Dark Sky and EV Charging Members of the GreenStep natural resource team are beginning an educational campaign about light pollution and the benefits of protecting a dark night sky. They will be engaging the community, particularly families, in learning activities. Committee members are working on an informational brochure for new homeowners about septic systems, and another team is exploring location, technology and funding availability for installation of a level 2 EV charging station. The committee is also working to enroll the municipality in a statewide energy benchmarking program with the MN Dept of Commerce.

Holiday Plans An “Enchanted Forest” of decorated trees will grace the Gazebo park in December. Billy McLaughlin will once again host concerts at the town hall, beginning with a show on Oct. 3, and then a series of Sunday concerts from Nov. 29 through Dec. 23. Because of COVID restrictions on occupancy, he requested a reduced fee for use of the space, which the council approved.

Spanish Club Will Meet at Town Hall Every Wednesday morning a group of Marine residents meet to practice conversational Spanish. The group requested that they be allowed to meet upstairs in the town hall during the winter months, without paying a fee. The Council approved the request, noting that the group does not charge a fee to participate.

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Governor Walz announces free COVID-19 saliva tests for teachers, school staff, child care As school resumes across state, more than 250,000 saliva tests provided to school and child care employees in effort to limit exposures and disease spread Earlier this month, Governor Tim Walz announced that teachers, school staff, and childcare providers across the state have received access to their free COVID-19 saliva test, totaling more than 250,000 tests.

The saliva tests are part of the Safe Learning Plan for the 2020-21 School Year and consistent with Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan’s commitment to providing access to COVID-19 testing for Minnesotans working in child care and prekindergarten to grade 12 schools.

“As a classroom teacher for more than 20 years and a parent of a child in public schools, I know that a safe classroom is the foundation for learning,” said Governor Walz. “Those educating and caring for Minnesota’s next generation deserve the peace of mind that these COVID-19 tests will provide.”

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) has emailed thousands of unique codes that can be used to request a saliva test, which schools will distribute to all staff currently employed by Minnesota’s school districts, charter schools, tribal schools, and nonpublic schools.

Additionally, the Department of Human Services (DHS) has provided codes to all staff currently working in licensed childcare settings and certified centers.

“All families in our state, including our littlest Minnesotans, want to know their teachers, school nutrition workers, and child care staff are supported. This means if they are exposed to COVID-19 as a frontline worker, we work to make sure they have access to testing,” said Lt Governor Flanagan. “Our goal is to create safe

in-person learning for as many children as possible, and saliva tests are one piece of the puzzle to support that plan.”

The tests are provided through a partnership with Vault Health and Infinity Biologix (formerly RUCDR Infinite Biologics, a unit of Rutgers University Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey), the nation’s leading providers of saliva testing. Governor Walz recently announced that the state would be partnering further with the company, to make saliva testing available to all Minnesotans.

Providing testing to roughly 250,000 education and child care professionals is estimated to cost the state $6 million.

Insurers will first be billed for medically necessary tests and uninsured individuals will be covered via federal Health Resources and Services Administration funding. The state will act, as a payer of last resort, backstopping the cost of tests not covered by other payers so that education and child care professionals will not be responsible for payment.

“A central part of our state’s COVID strategy is testing,” said Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. “Adding saliva testing to our testing ecosystem both grows and diversifies our testing capacity. Teachers, school staff, child care center employees have a responsibility to get tested if they believe they’ve been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or are feeling symptoms themselves. We hope this test will provide a convenient, reliable, and quick option for them.”

Teachers and staff are not required to take the tests before coming back to the classroom or to continue working in a child care setting. State officials urge them to get tested when they need it, such

as when they’re feeling symptomatic or when they believe they may have been exposed to someone who is COVID positive. The tests must be used by the end of 2020, though the state is exploring options to extend access for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year.

“Every single educator and school staff member across our state has worked tirelessly to prepare for the upcoming school year and we need to make sure we have their back,” said Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker. “I’m pleased we are able to offer this resource to every school district, charter school, tribal school, and nonpublic school employee providing in-person instruction or support to our students, so they can have access to a COVID-19 test."

“Child care has remained open throughout this public health crisis ensuring that children have the nurturing and safe care they need while families need to be working,” said Minnesota Department of Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead. “They are heroes during these unprecedented times putting in the extra time to implement the public health guidance. We must ensure that each provider has access to a test whenever it is needed.”

School and child care staff are currently limited to one test per person under this program. They will use the same process for anyone taking a Vault Health COVID-19 saliva test, which includes spitting into a funnel while connected with a Vault test supervisor over a Zoom video call. Education professionals and child care staff will still be able to seek testing at their regular medical provider, local testing location, or when the state offers community collection events. Home schools are not covered by this program.

County Board names residents to advisory boards The Washington County Board of Commissioners made several appointments to citizen advisory boards Sept. 1.

The appointments are: • Gail Theisen, Forest Lake, appointed as an atlarge representative to the Child Protection Citizen Review Panel to a term ending June 30, 2023.

• Shannon Stotenbur, Woodbury, appointed as an at-large representative to the Child Protection Citizen Review Panel to a term ending June 30, 2023.

• Julie Stromen, from Renewal by Andersen, appointed as a business representative to the Workforce Development Board to a term ending June 30, 2022.

• Gregory Renne, IUPAT District Council 82/Finishing Trades Institute Upper Midwest, appointed as a business representative to the Workforce Development Board to a term ending Dec. 31, 2021.

PUBLIC NOTICES SUMMONS AND NOTICE STATE OF MINNESOTA TENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COUNTY OF WASHINGTON FAMILY COURT DIVISION In Re: the Matter of the Child/ren of: Ellen Grace Hancks and William James McNamara Petition Number: 82-JV-20-417 NOTICE TO: William James McNamara, legal custodian or parent of the child/ren.

ATTENTION 1. A Transfer of Permanent Legal and Physical Custody Petition has been filed on July 22, 2020, in the State of Minnesota, County of Washington, District Court, Juvenile Court Division, 14949 62nd St N, Stillwater, MN 55082, alleging among other things that the custodial rights of William James McNamara as to the child/ren with the date of birth of May 22, 2018, should be transferred to Rick and Nancy Hancks upon grounds as stated in the petition,

and asking for an order of this Court transferring such custodial rights.

2. THEREFORE, notice is hereby given that the matter of said Transfer of Permanent Legal and Physical Custody Petition will be called for hearing before the Washington County District Court via virtual hearing on October 22, 2020 at 9:10 am or as soon after as the matter can be heard.

3. YOU ARE THEREFORE ORDERED to appear before said Court at said time and date.

4. You have a right to be represented by counsel.

5. IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR AT THE HEARING, the Court may still conduct the hearing in your absence and grant appropriate relief, including transferring permanent legal and physical custody of the abovenamed child/ren with the date of birth of May 22, 2018.

WITNESS, the Honorable Mary E. Hannon Judge, Tenth Judicial District Annette Fritz, Court Administrator

Published in The Country Messenger September 2, September 9, and September 16, 2020

STATE OF MINNESOTA DISTRICT COURT COUNTY OF WASHINGTON TENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT ORDER FOR HEARING AND NOTICE OF PUBLICATION IN THE MATTER OF THE CHILD OF: Ellen Grace Hancks and William James McNamara Parent(s) ORDER FOR HEARING AND NOTICE OF PUBLICATION Court File No. 82-JV-20-417 County Attorney File No. JV-2020711 That Betsey A Urbas, Assistant Washington County Attorney, representing Petitioner, Washington County Community Services, Stillwater, Minnesota, has filed in this Court a Petition to Transfer Permanent

Legal and Physical Custody of parents Ellen Grace Hancks and William James McNamara seeking to permanently transfer the custodial rights of Ellen Grace Hancks as to child G.H., dob 05/22/2018.

THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that said Petition to Transfer Permanent Legal and Physical Custody be heard by the Court at the Washington County Government Center, 15015 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN, on October 22, 2020, at 9:00 a.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter can be heard, and on any subsequent hearing dates set on this matter.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that notice hereof be given to the father of said child, by publication in the Country Messenger, a legal newspaper, for three weeks as provided by law and by mailing a copy of such notice by certified mail to the natural father’s last known address of 7750 Lamar Avenue South Cottage Grove, MN 55016.

Dated: August 27, 2020 Mary E. Hannon Judge of District Court Published in The Country Messenger September 2, September 9, and September 16, 2020

STATE OF MINNESOTA DISTRICT COURT WASHINGTON COUNTY TENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court File Number: 82-FA-19-4222 Christopher Meier Notice of Issuance of Emergency (Ex Parte) Order for Protection by Publication (Minn. Stat. § 518B.01, subd. 8) In the Matter of Kara Thill vs Christopher Meier

sued in this case. You may request a hearing if you contact the court administrator’s office within 12 days of the date of publication of this notice.

You may obtain a copy of the Ex Parte Order for Protection and the form to request a hearing from the court administrator’s office at the following address: Washington County District Court 14949 - 62nd St. N; PO Box 3802 Stillwater MN 55082 Failure to request a hearing or to obtain a copy of the Ex Parte Order will not be a defense to prosecution for violation of the Court’s order.

Dated: September 14, 2020 Annette Fritz Court Administrator Published in The Country Messenger September 16, 2020

To Respondent: YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an Ex Parte Order for Protection has been is-

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Time for the next step

W

OW. When we decided to do a Reader’s Choice contest, we truly didn’t know what to expect.

To us, it was a new and exciting opportunity to interact with our readers. It was also a great opportunity in the socially distant days we are living in for all of us to thank the small businesses and professionals that make our communities the vibrant places we all love.

There was a learning curve for us as we navigated the online nominating and voting tools and got everything situated on our website.

In July, we opened the contest for nominations and received 1,093 nominations. The ballot was formed with the businesses or individuals who received the highest number of nominations with a limit of five people for each category.

After the nominations were set, we opened up the ballot for voting Publisher August 19. Voting ended September 10 at noon. People could vote once a Tom Stangl day during the contest. We received a total of 17,966 votes!

We are tabulating the results and will announce the winners and finalists in a special section October 21. We ask for your indulgence as we work to make a section worthy of the Reader’s Choice contest.

In many ways, the contest reaffirmed several things we have long known to be true.

Our community has a rich and vibrant small business and professional base. It is apparent by the nominations and votes that we have businesses that have gained and kept a loyal following of customers and clients.

Our readers are connected to their community. We know this by their interest and support of our newspaper, website and social media page. Each week, in print and online, we have the largest single audience of any media. Over 13,800 connect with us each and every week.

But the contest revealed a new layer of interest to us, but I think it speaks to the larger sense of community and extended family in our community.

This bond of family love has been tested in the past six months. The coronavirus and subsequent economic and social fallout from the lockdown have been challenging, to say the least, to the vast majority of businesses, including ours.

The last estimate I saw was a prediction that one on five businesses – 20 % – will not survive. That’s a truly staggering number in our community.

Some will say the virus has simply hastened long term trends that were visible before March. While I can understand that argument on an intellectual level, I think that thinking smells more than a little.

Simply put, no one can predict the future. Small businesses have continually found ways to overcome, innovate and evolve. A business may be fundamentally changed in the way it delivers goods and services, the actual products may remain unchanged.

In my thinking, this means we simply must all exercise our personal responsibility and put our money where our mouths are in the coming months. It is no longer enough to share something on social media and bask in the glow of our superiority. Actions, not words, are needed to keep our businesses, and by extension our communities, open and thriving.

Followers and likes may be important to many, but they won’t pay the bills.

Thanks to all who helped make the Best Of a success. Let’s take the next step and make these businesses the most successful.

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

Elections and football

W

hen talking to Bradley Lutz last week about him being the new Osceola Village Trustee in replacing Tim Anderson,, there was one thing which surprised him.

“There weren’t more candidates interested in wanting to be a member of the Village Board,” he said. “I just thought there would be more.”

Lutz was the only candidate who applied.

Was it due to lack of timing? The application period was nearly 15 days long so plenty of Editor time for people Jason Schulte to make up their minds.

Okay, how about lack of knowledge? It was made known in the Sun and their social media outlets along with the Village trying to spread the word the best way they could as well. If one is reading this space, I would put a lot of money they’ve come across the vacancy notice the last month or so.

What about the time needed if you become a Board member? That

could’ve been an issue for some people. But, Lutz counters with a great point: “I saw the opportunity to give back to my community. To help make it my own.” He has a family, a full-time job and still thought he had the time to help improve the Osceola community.

Could apathy have been a factor? I’m not a stranger in covering school board or village board meetings. Are most of them anticlimactic and predictable? Yes. Do they often stray from the agenda published days in advance? The answer between that is zero to none.

The excitement and passion shown in Village and town of Farmington meetings about the mine expansion or when Osceola teachers voiced their questions about the school reopening is the exception rather than the norm, when it comes to these types of meetings.

Everyone might have an ulterior motive in wanting to join their local school or town board, but then it revolves down to one factor: Wanting to make their school or town better than when they first started.

For that, Lutz should be credited.

It’s almost like voting. If you don’t vote in November or any election,

don’t criticize the people in office as a result. If you do criticize the town or school you’re in , do something about it, and not launch social media grenades.

Football, football, football I’d like to think, I’m a rational, clear-headed person when it comes to most things. Yet, when it comes to the Minnesota Vikings football team, rationality sometimes goes out the window.

After witnessing what happened Sunday, however, I’m rational in saying this: The Green Bay Packers are a better football team right now then the Minnesota Vikings.

They just are. This isn’t a week one overreaction. The last two times these teams have played, the Packers have been the better team in both of them.

They’ve won the battles along the lines and gotten better play from their quarterback.

It’s just good to know, Jordan Love will be the Packer quarterback for the 2022 season.

One last football thought and I think it’s something everyone on both sides of the political spectrum can agree on: Bring Big Ten football back.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Letters may be emailed to: editor@countrymessenger.com no later than noon Friday the week preceding publication.

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

for or against a ballot measure, party or candidate as paid advertising announcements. The fee is $25 minimum for up to 250 words and 10¢ each additional word.

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

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COPYRIGHT ©2020 BY SENTINEL PUBLICATIONS

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I’m a lumpy, bumpy, dumpy kinda gal

I

have enjoyed watching videos on Instagram and YouTube of people decorating cakes. It’s so satisfying watching someone else decorate a gourmet cake in seconds.

There’s a lady I have been following for a couple of years who goes under the name Neurotic Mom Bakes. She makes cake decorating look like it’s fast and easy and mess less. If you’ve ever decorated a cake, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

It’s amazing what people can do. The creativity is astounding and there seems to be no limit. seen 6-layer decorated cakes Wild Chow I’ve that don’t even look real. They look like they are straight out of a Lisa Erickson storybook.

As much as I love watching people make these cakes, I’m not going to make them myself. The mess alone is enough to send me running.

The time and investment of money aren’t worth it to me. I’d rather pay someone to make a cake like that or just keep watching them on Instagram. There are enough cakes in my recipe repertoire that taste just as good without the work, time, and investment. Albeit they do not look as pretty.

I’ll take “easy” any day over “high maintenance” pretty.

This cake is easy and delicious. Mix and dump—that’s it. The original cake is called a Knobby Cake because of the lumpy appearance.

The recipe was originally published in a Farm Journal long ago. Thank you, Barb DeRosier for sharing it with me.

THE POSTSCRIPT

Being Blue

B

lue had been through a rough patch.

He was adopted from the shelter and then returned for unspecified reasons. That’s when Bill met him.

Blue is an Italian mastiff— which means he is massive, just not quite as massive as an ordinary mastiff. I don’t know exactly what attracted Columnist Bill to Blue, but it’s not hard to unCarrie Classon derstand. Blue is a very sweet boy.

But he’d been through a lot.

Bill is still working from home most days, but he’s been going in on Wednesdays and that’s what Bill did the Wednesday before last, the first Wednesday after he adopted Blue.

That’s when Blue ate the door frame.

“Well, it stands to reason,” I told my husband, Peter. “A small dog chews up your socks when he’s anxious. A big dog eats the door frame.”

Bill asked if we could babysit Blue the next Wednesday and I was delighted. He brought Blue over and Blue watched Bill’s car drive off. That’s when Blue got a little anxious.

“It’s okay, Blue,” I said. “Bill is

coming back.”

Peter distracted Blue by tossing goldfish crackers to him. Blue was a terrible catch. Every goldfish hit the ground, but Blue was happy to eat them once they did. He kept looking for Bill’s car.

“Let’s go inside, Blue!” I said, and Blue came upstairs to my writing room while Peter got ready for his hike. Blue nervously watched me and then Peter and then me again.

When Peter went on his walk, Blue began to cry. Peter was back a few minutes later because he forgot his phone. Blue greeted him like he’d been gone a month.

After Peter left the second time, Blue relaxed a little. It appeared that people left this place and then they came back. It was worrisome, but maybe it would be okay.

Blue lay down on his bed, and he spent most of the morning watching me, making sure I didn’t go anywhere.

Every so often, I’d reach down and pet his worried forehead. “It’s okay, Blue,” I said. “Peter is coming back and then Bill is coming back and everything is going to be okay.”

But I wasn’t sure if I was the best person to be reassuring him—because I’ve been Blue.

I’ve been anxious and worried and told myself that everything is going to be okay. Then I’ve replied, “That’s what you say. But how do I know for sure?”

When I think back on times I’ve

been anxious, it’s hard to remember exactly what I was worried about because that is never the point. I’m just worried. Things don’t seem right. Things might not work out. I might have done something wrong. Maybe people will be unhappy with me. I know exactly what it feels like to be Blue.

But the next time I feel anxious, I have a new trick I’m going to try. I’m going to picture that big worried dog—who has reason to worry, who has been through some worrisome things—and say, “It’s okay this time. This time you are going to be fine.”

When Bill returned, Blue ran over to him and leaned his big head against him and wagged his tail.

“You see, Blue?” I said, “I told you everything was going to be fine.”

Then Blue did something I didn’t expect. He came over to me and leaned his head against me for a long moment. He wagged his tail. Then he returned to Bill.

You can think whatever you like. I’m going to believe that’s how Blue says, “Thank you.”

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

Lumpy Bumpy Cinnamon Apple Dump Cake Adapted from the Beskar Family Cookbook, Deb Westfield and Norma Beskar 4 tbsp. butter 1 cup sugar 1 egg, beaten 1 cup flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 3 large apples, chopped to measure 3 cups 1/3 cup walnuts 2 tsp vanilla Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8 x 8 baking pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper cut to fit. Spray the sides with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the butter and sugar with a spoon. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.

In a bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda; add to the flour mixture.

Stir to combine. Add the apples and nuts; lightly fold in. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool until warm and serve with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.

Lisa Erickson is a food columnist who loves adventure and food. You can find more recipes by emailing her at wildchowrecipes@gmail.com.

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

Winners for August 2020 are: $50 Lion Kathy West from Osceola, WI $50 Megan Rudie from Shoreview $50 Barbara Christopherson from Mt. Iron $50 Barbara Christopherson from Mt. Iron $50 Pam Sherwood-Gabrielson from Scandia $50 Shirley Whitcher from New Brighton $100 Russel Johnson from Cottage Grove

TO THE EDITOR CARES Act assistance available to county residents The impact of the coronavirus pandemic and measures taken to control its spread have had a huge impact on the workers, homeowners, renters, and business owners in Washington County. Today, more than 5,000 county residents are unemployed than were unemployed in March. That is why the Washington County Board allocated nearly $15 million, or roughly half of the assistance the county received from the federal government, for direct assistance to the county residents and businesses.

I am pleased to report that assistance is already getting into the hands of people who have lost their jobs or been affected by reduced hours, and whose businesses are struggling to stay afloat. Renters or homeowners who have fallen behind because of a COVID-related loss of income may apply for assistance to make rent, mortgage, and utility payments. In addition, the first round of business assistance grants are currently being processed and some applicants have already received grants.

I am pleased to announce the success of the first round of the small-business assis-

tance program, and the expansion of the program. We recently closed the first round of applications, and I am happy to report that we received 375 applications, and will be able to fund all the eligible applicants in this first round.

In the first round, 65 businesses in Commissioner District 1 applied, including 20 businesses in Forest Lake, along with 15 businesses in Hugo, 11 in Mahtomedi, seven in Scandia, and four each in White Bear Lake, Marine on St. Croix, and Willernie.

Nearly $5 million in business assistance grant dollars remain, and I would encourage all eligible businesses to apply.

We will continue funding business assistance, during a second application period from Sept. 10 to Sept 24. Also, at our board meeting Sept. 1, we expanded the number of potentially eligible businesses to receive assistance. While all the details of the program can be found on the county’s Community Development Agency website, the basic criteria, expanded from the first round of applications, is: • must be a locally owned and operated for-profit business in the county. Multiple individual businesses in the county that are owned by one owner are eligible to apply.

• to receive up to the maximum $15,000 fund-

ing limit, businesses must have at least one full-time equivalent employee, in addition to the owner as of March 1, and not more than 75, and generate less than $5 million in annual revenues.

• have been operating since Jan. 1, 2020, or earlier; and • demonstrate a significant loss in revenue since March 15.

Home-based businesses and self-employed entrepreneurs are eligible for grants of up to $7,500; however, priority will be given to employer businesses with separate non-residential property addresses.

We look forward to assisting more county business owners who have been affected by the ongoing pandemic.

Renters who are in need of assistance may contact the county at 651430-6570. Homeowners in need of assistance with their mortgages may contact the Community Development Agency at washingtoncountycda. org.

Sincerely, Commissioner Fran Miron Washington County Commissioner, District 1

Law enforcement urges your vote for Housley and Dettmer on Nov. 3 The Minnesota Po-

lice and Peace Officers Association represents Minnesota’s public safety officers, including police, corrections officials, dispatchers, and firefighters.

We’re writing to urge your support and vote for Senator Karin Housley and Representative Robert Dettmer in the General Election on November 3. The MPPOA wholeheartedly endorses them because they are exceptional advocates for the area.

Both are strong supporters of our first responders and public safety officials. They stand against attempts to defund and dismantle the police, and they promote public safety legislation that keeps communities safe.

Please join us in supporting Sen. Housley and Rep. Dettmer in the General Election on November 3.

Brian Peters Executive Director Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association St. Paul

Color COPIES available at

The Sun 108 Cascade

Osceola

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COUNTRY MESSENGER

SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 www.countrymessenger.com

MOVIE REVIEW

T

his week was the first time I had been back in theaters to see a movie. I went to the Woodbury 10 theaters which is my favorite movie theater because of the low everyday cost of the movies (6 dollars every day until 6 pm). I had to pre purchase my ticket online and as I looked at the theater seating it looked like they were only allowing about Contributing 25% capacity. In the theater, there Writer was a very small crowd of about Paul Backstrom 10 people who were all wearing masks and sitting more than 6 feet apart. It is still a very surreal moment when I think about it. The movie that drew me to the theaters was Tenet by Christopher Nolan. I have always been a fan of his film making because he uses time in very creative and thought-provoking ways.

Tenet is about a protagonist, seriously they never give the main character a name, who is trying to stop a future event which leads to the end of the world by looking at the clues that are left to him from the future.

If the premise sounds a little complex, it is only a foretaste of the movie to come. Nolan has made a career of making movies (Memento, Inception, and Interstellar) that really make audience think as well as upending traditional story telling meth-

odology. There is nobody else making these types of movies in Hollywood or anywhere, which makes them such a joy to watch and experience. The first part of the movie is a little slow from a story telling perspective but there are enough action scenes and noteworthy characters that sucks in the audience into this world. Nolan knew that this concept of time would be hard to swallow so he made sure to include some wonderful actors so that we as the audience wouldn’t be distracted from bad performances. John David Washington, Denzel Washington’s son, does a wonderful job in this movie. He makes the high concept of time relatable and helps us in our understanding of the world that he inhabits. Robert Pattinson, from Twilight fame, gives Washington a needed foil to bounce off exposition and to get him in and out of trouble. The second half of the movie is complete gold with the story hitting on all cylinders, wonderful acted characters, intense action, and an exciting climax. Tenet runs circles around all of the movies I have seen over the summer.

So why not an “A”? My biggest nitpick is the film is way too loud. The ambient noise levels are so high at times you can’t hear the character’s dialogue which I found very annoying.

Also, at times, I wanted ear plugs because the overall movie was just too loud. As I have alluded to before this movie was complex and maybe a little too much for its own good which I also reflect-

ed in its final score.

Overall, I would give this movie a B+ (A Good Movie). Christopher Nolan ‘s films tend to be about time. He does a wonderful job of rearranging elements and making his stories nonlinear, which make them a joy to watch.

In Tenet, he does a wonderful job again of using time in a unique and unexpected way which still has me thinking about the film even after watching it three days ago. John David Washington and Robert Pattinson do a brilliant job of breathing life into characters that have very complex back stories that we as an audience don’t get to experience. As much as I loved this movie and the characters, I think this movie is overtly complex. To be honest, I will probably need to see it two or three more times to fully understand all the plot points and characters. The only part of the movie experience which was annoying for me was how loud the movie was, I felt I needed ear plugs because of how loud Nolan makes the ambient noise in the movie. As good as this movie is, I would recommend buying it so you can put on the close captioning rather than seeing it in the theaters, where it can be hard to hear the dialogue.

Tenet is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some suggestive references, and brief strong language. The film was directed and written by Christopher Nolan. Tenet stars John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, and Elizabeth Debicki.

Community Thread offers yard raking assistance to older adults, seeks volunteers Community Thread will host its annual Rake a Difference Day on Saturday, October 24 from 9 a.m-12 p.m.

Through this service initiative, volunteers are matched to adults age 55+ and adults with disabilities who need yard raking assistance in Washington County.

Last year, Community Thread organized more than 275 volunteers to rake yards for over 40 older adults and adults with disabilities throughout Washington County. Volunteer

i ll include i l d groups typically families, scout troops, service clubs, school groups and businesses.

“I am so grateful for

h ki d and d thoughth h the kind ful group who raked my yard,” shared one homeowner. “They did a beautiful job in a short

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T

he population of Western Wisconsin has been exploding for some time now. St. Croix County is the fastest growing county in Wisconsin with a population growth rate of 36%. Other counties growing fast are 4th place Chippewa at 14%, 11th Pierce 12%, while Polk County is growing at 6% rate.

Good farm land that once held family farms are quickly becoming housing developments as the Twin Cities Metropolitan area grows and spreads because that is where the jobs and money is today.

There will be problems as the population grows and one revolving around water has raised its ugly head in St. Croix County around a couple of lakes. Twin Lakes is located between the fast growing, once sleepy little town called Roberts and I-94 just a couple miles south. My parents Wild River retired to Roberts in 1967 when it had a population of around 500, a small grocery store and a single bar. In Trails the last few years its population has Jim Bennett exploded, closing in on 2000. It’s a fast 10 minute drive to get into Minnesota.

Twin Lakes, like so many watersheds were incorporated in the city’s sewage system and can’t keep up with demands of the growing community today.

Like the population has exploded so has the size of Twin Lakes. The road that used to separate the two lakes in under 5 to 10 feet of water. Roads going to homes around the lake have been raised 5 feet to meet the rising water levels. One home has been lost to high water and several others are experiencing damage from rising waters and no one has an answer to stop the problem. Rising water that has been attributed to the wastewater effluent from the growing village is creating the high water according to published information from the Friends of Twin Lakes.

I know the lake well and have spent a lot of time on the lake back in the 1960’s and ‘70s East Twin was a cattail marsh that was a popular duck hunting location that got a lot of hunting pressure. Today Twin Lakes and some surrounding land have been turned into a refuge. There was at one time a resort with a few cabin on West Twin and was known as an excellent fishing lake. Today the lakes are listed as impaired by the Wisconsin DNR and are generally listed a hostile environment for fish other to carp, bullheads and goldfish which are prolific in the lakes. The DNR also qualifies the lakes as among the most polluted lakes in the DNR inventory. But not long ago someone illegally released crappies into the west lake and the population exploded with some crappies growing up to 17” long. I heard about as the lake was just about fished out but we did catch crappies well over a foot long.

The DNR was to have implemented a new sewage plan called CLEARAS to reduce the phosphorus problem that is expected to solve phosphorous problems in 600 other water treatment plants around the state. The Roberts sewage plant was to be the first in the state.

I took a drive around the lake to see the situation first hand and found ponds northwest of Twin Lakes that used to hold migrating waterfowl now connected to the lake that was once nearly a half mile away. I saw the threatened homes and I saw lots of ducks happily feeding in flooded barnyards and the water is still rising fast!

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

County residents may apply for assistance

INAUGURAL

• Plenty of Food Options

amount of time. I appreciate it so much!”

If you would like volunteer assistance to rake your yard, please call Community Thread at 651-439-7434. Applications will be accepted until Friday, October 2.

If you are interested in volunteering for Rake a Difference Day, visit our website at www.

CommunityThreadMN. org or call 651-439-7434 to learn more. Volunteer applications are due by October 9.

Troubled waters in Western Wisconsin

Win prizes including various hemp & CBD products

Nominate someone who would greatly benefit from CBD products through our sponsorship program In order to ensure comfortable spacing for your motor group, if you plan to have more than 3 trucks or 6 motorcycles in your group, please prearrange this with Jared at jlerche@unitedscience.com

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);

SEPTEMBER 16, 2020

COUNTRY MESSENGER

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Beware of jumping worms in soil, gardening mulch Invasive worms also not appropriate for bait

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is cautioning gardeners and anglers to be on the lookout for invasive jumping worms. These destructive worms can quickly degrade soils and damage garden plants and lawns.

“Jumping worms are a relatively new invasive species in Minnesota and they are a threat to gardens and forests,” said Laura Van Riper, DNR terrestrial invasive species coordinator. “They make rich soil more like coffee grounds.

They eat plant roots, damaging garden plants and sod.”

Jumping worms are a type of earthworm that looks similar to other common earthworms such as nightcrawlers. They are called “jumping worms” because they wiggle intensely when disturbed and sometimes appear to be jumping. Native to Asia, jumping worms have been confirmed in limited areas of Minnesota since 2006, mainly in the Twin

Cities and western suburbs and in Rochester. It’s believe that they were spread throughout North America by people moving potted plants, soil, compost, mulch and fishing bait.

Jumping worms cannot be legally introduced into the environment in Minnesota and are also a poor choice for bait because they break into segments when handled.

“The good news is, jumping worms are not well established in Minnesota and there are actions people can take to prevent their spread. We need gardeners and anglers to be vigilant and to contact the DNR when they think they’ve found jumping worms,” Van Riper said.

Other steps that help: • Don’t buy worms advertised as jumping worms, “snake worms,” “Alabama jumpers” or “crazy worms” for any purpose.

• Anglers should dispose of any unwanted bait worms in the trash.

• Gardeners should inspect

incoming mulch or plants for jumping worms and if swapping plants with friends, wash off the soil and share the plants as bare root plants.

• Recreationists should brush the mud off their boots and equipment.

To help Minnesotans identify and report jumping worms, the DNR has produced two short videos. One video features Dr. Lee Frelich, director of the University of Minnesota Center for Forest Ecology, talking about how jumping worms are sometimes found in garden soils and packaged garden mulch products. Another video focuses on why jumping worms should not be purchased or used for fishing bait.

If people think they’ve found jumping worms, they should take high resolution photos showing the ring around the worm’s body in relation to its head and report jumping earthworms using www. eddmaps.org, or contact the DNR Information Center at 888-6466367 or info.dnr@state.mn.us.

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SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 www.countrymessenger.com

THE WING BEAT

How trout streams bounce back from major floods

T

he overnight storm on June 28-29 dumped 8.22 inches of rain on Baldwin.

The historic flooding that followed washed out bridges, caused the closure of over 50 roads and pushed St. Croix County to declare a state of emergency. To the northeast, Emerald, Wisc. recorded over 9 inches of rain in less than 24 hours.

“I’ve talked to people who’ve Columnist lived here their whole life and they C.L. Sill haven’t seen water that high,” said Kasey Yallaly, a fisheries biologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. “I’m not sure of the actual magnitude, but I’ve heard some say it was a 500 to 1000 year flood.”

Yallaly works regularly on the Rush and Kinnickinnic Rivers, St. Croix County’s most well-known trout streams. She said the Rush was hit the hardest by the storm, in particular a stretch on the lower Rush south of Highway 10.

“It looked like someone set dynamite off on the stream banks,” she said. “It was just ripped to shreds.”

Major rain events like the June 28 storm can have lasting effects on trout streams. Adult trout populations rebound fairly quickly after flooding, but juvenile fish can sometimes experience high mortality rates.

“They just can’t handle the flows like the adult fish can,” Yallaly said.

The Kinnickinnic River peaked at 3 p.m. on June 29 at 6,030 cubic feet per second (cfs). It generally

runs between 140-150 cfs. With water levels that high, many young-of-the-year trout get washed out or stranded in pockets of water that eventually recede and die. In a normal year, Yallaly and her colleagues would sample the Rush following a storm like that to record fish numbers, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve been unable to take on the projects.

“Because of COVID, we’ve been restricted to working in two person crews,” Yallaly said. “The Rush is one of our larger streams that normally takes up to ten people to sample. So we haven’t been able to get into these larger rivers to sample after the flood.”

Yallaly is confident however that the adult populations have rebounded well and said she’s been talking to anglers almost every day that are catching fish.

“The adult fish fair fairly well,” she said. “They should go back to their normal habitats within a week or two of the water receding.”

Erosion is also a major concern following floods, with certain areas being more susceptible than others.

“It kind of depends on what the land use is (on that part of the river) and what kind of shape it was in before the flood,” she said. “Some of those areas probably already had erosion going on and then the flood came and there was nothing to hold the banks.”

With erosion comes sedimentation, which can cover up critical trout habitat. However, floods can also remove existing sedimentation, revitalizing holes that have silted in.

“Pools that used to be really deep but had been filled in over the years, this flood scoured and washed them out,” Yallaly said.

“And now they’re really deep, nice habitat again.”

Stream restoration efforts are a major focus of the DNR. Rebuilding

Answers

banks and streambeds can help prevent erosion when floods come through, but Yallaly and her crew aren’t always able to access the land that needs restored.

“We can only work on land that we either own or have an easement on,” she said. Restoration efforts on the remaining areas are up to private landowners, and oftentimes these portions of the rivers go overlooked. Stream restoration is very expensive, and the hefty price tags mean privately funded projects are often unsustainable. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offers a cost share program to private landowners who’re interested in lightening their financial load on a restoration project, but that only goes so far.

The Fisheries Management Section of the DNR does have an excellent easement program that can be a perfect fit for landowners looking for assistance with a restoration project. Through the program, the DNR pays a landowner a one time, per acre fee for the easement, based on current land prices. In return the easement is open to public access for fishing, and it gives the DNR the right to do a trout habitat project on that land, with no cost to the owner.

“Depending on the stream, what kind of shape it’s in and the length of the easement, it could be well over a $100,000 project that comes at no cost to the land owner,” Yallaly said. “Plus they get paid for the easement.”

These easements benefit land owners, provide public land access, and can help prevent major erosion and sedimentation issues when floods occur.

“It’s a win-win for us and the land owner,” Yallaly said.

C.L. Sill can be reached at thewingbeat@gmail.com or on Instagram @thewingbeat

CLUES ACROSS 1. Greasy powder (abbr.)

5. Rural Free Delivery (abbr.)

8. Amount of time 11. Greeting 13. Form of “to be” 14. Israeli diplomat 15. Outfit 16. The 13th letter of the Hebrew alphabet 17. Deceptive movement 18. Anxious 20. Popular Letterman guest 21. Saints’ signal caller 22. Intoxicate 25. Relationship 30. Ask for one’s hand in marriage 31. Popular Will Ferrell film 32. Gargle 33. Warning sensation before migraine 38. Returned material authorization (abbr.)

41. Erases 43. At ease 45. Small branch of an artery 48. Mother of Hermes 49. Body part 50. Cavalry sword 55. Wellness chants 56. Helps little firms 57. Afflicted 59. Peep 60. Nellie __, journalist 61. Spiritual leader 62. Doctor of Education 63. Affirmative 64. Cheek CLUES DOWN 1. Popular kids’ game 2. Away from wind 3. Round water pot 4. Drink quickly 5. A simple type of jet engine 6. Something for nothing

MDH lab finds vitamin E acetate in vaping products linked to recent lung injury outbreak The Minnesota Department of Health’s Public Health Laboratory has found vitamin E acetate in illicit vaping products associated with a recent outbreak of severe lung injury cases in the state.

Vitamin E acetate, an additive in some THC-containing e-cigarette, or vaping, products, has been strongly linked to e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) outbreaks, according to the CDC. Since June 1, Minnesota has had 12 lung-injury cases in patients’ ages’ 14- to 46. These cases occurred in June and July, with a median age of 18.5 years. All 12 cases resulted in hospitalizations, with five requiring intensive care, including being placed on ventilators. All patients have recovered or are recovering.

Two Minnesota patients submitted a total of 11 products that included some labeled Dank, Lion’s Breath and KRT. Vitamin E acetate was found in all 11 products tested. Initial diagnosis was made more difficult because the symptoms of the disease can be similar to those of COVID-19.

“Using THC-containing e-cigarette, or vaping, products, from informal sources like friends, family, or dealers is not only illegal but also a serious health risk Minnesotans should avoid,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm. “It’s clear there are unscrupulous people, who, even after all we’ve learned, are willing to put potentially deadly vitamin E acetate in these products.”

In late July, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) sent an alert to health care providers in response to reports of suspected cases in Minnesota of severe lung injuries associated with vaping. Vaping-associated lung injury patients typically seek care for symptoms similar to severe COVID-19 infection, including

7. Painkiller 8. Siskel’s pal 9. Strong spirit distilled in Turkey 10. Again 12. Imitate 14. Icelandic poems 19. Jacob __, American journalist 23. No (Scottish) 24. Newborn 25. Credit term 26. Nonprofit research group in CA 27. Male offspring 28. Important baseball stat 29. A way to compel 34. Fiddler crab 35. Jewish equivalent of “Sir”

SEE VAPING, PAGE 11

36. Every 37. Midway between east and southeast 39. Anti-slavery treaty 40. A friendly manner 41. Military figure (abbr.)

42. Area units 44. Sudden incursions 45. Expressed pleasure 46. Covered with hoarfrost 47. Job 48. Donkey 51. Swiss river 52. Prejudice 53. Actor Idris 54. Light dry-gap bridge (abbr.)

58. Criticize

SEPTEMBER 16, 2020

COUNTRY MESSENGER

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Drier spring, summer leads to pheasant rebound

OBITUARIES

James L Moody James L Moody, age 85 of Scandia, passed away May 4, 2020 surrounded by his family. Preceded in death by father, Roy C Moody and mother, Marion A (Thompson) Moody. Survived by Carol his loving wife of 62 years; children, Cindy Harper, Craig (Barb) Moody, Kim (Rick) Foss; grandchildren, James, Stephanie, Eric, Sarah, Lilly, Grace, Gabe, Faith; 4 great grandchildren; siblings, Joan Johnson, Janet Zahler, Cheryl (Steve) Fish, Naomi Widell, Norman (Sue) Moody; and extended family. He loved farming, spending time with family and friends. Jim will be remembered as a kind and gentle man and a friend to all he met. He retired from the phone company and was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Osman Temple Shrine.

The family will greet friends from 11:00-1:00 p.m., Sunday, September 27, 2020 with a memorial service to follow at 1:00 p.m., at The Scandia Creamery, 1279 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, Minnesota. Interment at Elim Lutheran Cemetery. Masks are required to be worn by all guests.

RED CROSS: Donate FROM PAGE 2

wear a face covering or mask while at the drive, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance.

Please check redcrossblood.org or call 1-800RED CROSS for current blood donation centers days and hours.

How to donate blood Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood. org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-7332767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-

in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/ RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

Pheasant index exceeds 10-year average in many parts of the state MN DNR

Pheasant numbers are booming compared to last year and hunters can expect to see more birds when the season opens on Saturday, Oct. 10.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ annual roadside pheasant survey showed a 42 percent increase in the state pheasant index from 2019 and a 37 percent increase over the 10-year average, including an eyebrow-raising 146 percent increase over last year in southwestern Minnesota.

“The weather this spring and summer was favorable for pheasants and enabled more hens to raise chicks, which drove the increase,” said Tim Lyons, DNR upland game research scientist.

“We didn’t get hit by spring snow storms or heavy rainfalls like in 2019 and that really is what let hens nest earlier and be successful.”

Though the spring was cooler than average, rainfall was at or below average across much of the state.

“Successful nests earlier in the breeding season also means that chicks will be in better shape going into the fall and winter, which can improve their odds of survival,” Lyons said.

The peak pheasant hatch was approximately four days earlier than average this year.

Weather and habitat are the main influences on Minnesota’s pheas-

COURESEY MN DNR

ant population trends.

Weather causes annual fluctuations in pheasant numbers, while habitat drives long-term population trends.

This year’s statewide pheasant index was 53.5 birds per 100 miles of roads driven. All regions of the pheasant range reported an increase in pheasant counts, with the southwest reporting the greatest increase— there, observers counted 90.5 birds per 100 miles, a 146 percent increase compared to 2019.

Hunters can expect great opportunities to see birds in the southwest and very good hunting prospects in the west-central, central, and south-central regions, which all reported more than 50 birds per 100 miles.

Habitat factors Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres in particular play a large role in providing habitat for pheasants in Minnesota. The program, authorized under the federal Farm Bill, pays farmers to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and restore

vegetation that will reduce soil erosion, improve water quality, and provide habitat for wildlife and pollinators.

The offering of a general sign-up in 2019 resulted in a net increase of approximately 10,000 acres in the CRP program. Additional habitat acres were temporarily protected through other federal and state setaside programs. Other habitat was permanently protected through state easements, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acquisitions, and by the DNR as wildlife management areas. Many publicly owned lands are open to hunting, as well as private lands enrolled in the state’s Walk-in-Access program.

Hunters can use the DNR’s online mapping tools to find wildlife management areas at mndnr.gov/wmas, and the DNR Recreation Compass to help locate state hunting grounds and private lands enrolled in the Walk-In Access program.

How DNR conducts the survey Monitoring pheasant population trends is

part of the DNR’s annual August roadside wildlife survey, which began in 1955. Wildlife managers and conservation officers in the farmland regions conduct the survey during the first half of August. This year’s survey consisted of 169 25-mile-long routes, with 153 routes located in the pheasant range.

Observers drive each route in early morning and record the number of farmland wildlife game species they see.

The data provide an index of species abundance and are used to monitor annual fluctuations and long-term population trends of pheasants, gray (Hungarian) partridge, eastern cottontail rabbits, white-tailed jackrabbits, mourning doves, Sandhill cranes, and white-tailed deer.

Additional resources The 2020 August Roadside Survey report, a map of pheasant hunting prospects, data for other surveyed species, and information on hunting regulations and bag limits are available on the DNR pheasant hunting page.

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 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,

10

COUNTRY MESSENGER

SEPTEMBER 16, 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

SEPTEMBER 16, 2020

COUNTRY MESSENGER

11

www.countrymessenger.com

VAPING: Lung injury

Children’s artwork sought for outdoor gallery

FROM PAGE 8

cough and shortness of breath. However, testing of these patients found the patients were not infected with COVID-19. They also responded to systemic steroid therapy, the treatment for e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI).

The patients said they had a history of vaping. Most reported vaping THC or tetrahydrocannabinol, the principal psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Some reported using nicotine-based products.

Clinical presentation for EVALI includes shortness of breath, cough, fever, malaise and gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or diarrhea).

Other symptoms reported by some patients included headache, dizziness and chest pain.

More information on vaping-related lung injuries can be found on the MDH website.

Quit Partner is Minnesota’s new family of programs from the Minnesota Department of Health and offers free support – like coaching and quit medications – for quitting commercial tobacco. The program can help people kick the vaping habit and reduce the risk of health complications. Although EVALI has been associated with vitamin E acetate in THC-containing products, many people vape nicotine in addition to THC. Minnesota was one of the first states to join with federal and state partners to investigate the vaping-associated lung injury outbreak of 2019. MDH first alerted health care providers to the condition in August 2019. Minnesota’s outbreak mirrored the national outbreak. Minnesota’s cases peaked in September through October of 2019. Cases fell off until MDH wound down its emergency response in January 2020.

At the end of the emergency response, Minnesota had 148 confirmed or probable cases and three confirmed deaths.

Join Washington County Parks in celebrating art and nature with a special children’s outdoor art gallery.

Children ages 10 and younger are encouraged to draw, color, or paint an 8-inch by 10-inch picture to display in the park. The theme of the gallery is “What Does Nature Mean to You?” Parks staff will be collecting pictures from

Sept. 14 to Sept. 28 and the artwork will be installed at Lake Elmo Park Reserve on the yellow trail Wednesday, Sept. 30.

The gallery ends Wednesday, Oct. 14.

Parks staff will laminate the artwork to protect it from the elements and frame it for installation.

For this reason, pictures cannot be three-dimensional or made of material

other than paper. Deliver pictures or send via postal mail to the Washington County Historic Courthouse, 101 Pine St. W., Stillwater, MN 55082.

On a separate piece of paper, include the child’s first name and last initial, e.g., Sara A., age, title of the picture, and a short two- to three-sentence description of the picture (optional), along with a

parent’s name, telephone number, and e-mail address.

Parents will be notified if their child’s artwork is chosen to be displayed.

Given the nature of the gallery, the artwork is not able to be returned after the gallery ends. Up to 20 pictures will be selected for display based on color, theme, and creativity.

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

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Free Items

Boats & Accessories

Services

Services

Services

Home/Office

Storage Rent

For Sale

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

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

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

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.

Real Estate Wanted

FREE firewood, all kinds. 651-433-5018.

'94 Johnson E scow for sale, Symmetric spinnaker (not converted), (2) full sets of sails/spinnakers , travel ready trailer, raced at Bald Eagle in 2019, $1800 or BO, 651-895-0570

Do you have a home, lot, cabin or commercial building to sell? We'll buy when you want, as-is, no fees. Call Micah at 651.400.0530

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

715-755-3377

COLOR COPIES

STUMP GRINDING AND REMOVING 800-282-8103 • 715-417-0303

EMPLOYMENT

MISCELLANEOUS

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

Email drb@friendlysmilesfargo.com

DIRECTV SWITCH & SAVE! $39.99/month.

Select all-included package. 155 channels. 1000s of shows/ movies on demand. Free Genie HD DVR upgrade. Premium movie channels, FREE for 3 months! Call 877/350-0094

AT&T WIRELESS Two great new offers! Ask how to get the new iPhone 11 or Next Generation Samsung Galaxy S10e on us with AT&T’s Buy one, Give One offer.

While supplies last! Call 855/332-0464

WANTED TO BUY OR TRADE WANTED 1970S MOTORCYCLES Running or not, no title okay! Get cash and make some room! Always paying more! Call Mike at 320/420-7675

FARM EQUIPMENT FARMING IN MINNESOTA? Our hunters will pay top $$$ to hunt your land. Call 866/309-1507 Promo code: 350 w w w. B a s e C a m p L e a s i n g . c o m Your ad here!

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ENJOY 100% GUARANTEED delivered-to-the-door Omaha Steaks!

Get 4 free burgers and 4 free chicken breasts. Order the Omaha Steaks Classic @ only $129. Call 844/331-1614 mention code 64185ZBT or visit w w w. o m a h a s t e a k s . c o m / m e a l s 3 0 1 DONATE YOUR CAR truck or boat to Heritage For The Blind. Free 3-day vacation, tax deductible, free towing, all paperwork taken care of 844/220-9501

DISH NETWORK $59.99 for 190 Channels! Blazing fast internet $19.99/mo. (where available.) Switch & get a free $100 Visa gift card. Free voice remote. Free HD DVR. Free streaming on all devices. Call today! 855/562-4309 TIMESHARE CANCELLATION EXPERTS Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 833/619-1117

“SERVING YOUR AREA”

• Reliable • Professional • Insured • Free Estimates

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HELP WANTED Busy tax office looking to fill tax preperation positions.

• Experience a plus • Good work ethic • Training provided Classes start Soon.

Contact Kris at 715-483-9711

12

COUNTRY MESSENGER

SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 www.countrymessenger.com

SHERIFF’S REPORT Marine on St. Croix

AUG. 25 At 1:23 p.m., trespassing was reported on Broadway Street/Ostrum Trail N. At 7:51 p.m., a watercraft accident was reported on the St. Croix River.

AUG. 26 At 2:27 a.m., a expired registration was reported on Judd Street.

AUG. 27 At 2:58 p.m., a watercraft complaint was reported on the St. Croix River.

At 6:14 p.m., a lockout was reported on Judd Street.

Croix River.

At 4:12 p.m., a boat stop was made on the St. Croix River.

At 4:15 p.m., a boat stop was made on the St. Croix River.

At 4:40 p.m., a boat stop was made on the St. Croix River.

At 5:31 p.m., a boat stop was made at the William O’Brien boat landing.

AUG. 30 At 3:25 p.m., a boat stop was made at the 60000 block of Pine Cone Trail.

At 3:26 p.m., a boat stop was made at the 60000 block of Pine Cone Trail.

May Township

AUG. 28 At 2:48 p.m., an abandoned 911 call was reported on Judd Street.

AUG. 29 At 4:02 p.m., a boat stop was made on the St.

AUG. 23 At 11:13 a.m., a disturbance was reported at the Big Marine Lake County Park Boat Landing.

At 11:49 a.m., a parking violation was reported

at the Big Marine Park Entrance Road.

on the 12000 block of 177th Street N.

AUG. 24 At 5:27 a.m., an alarm sounded on the 16000 block of 152nd Street N. At 6:17 p.m., a boat stop was made on the St. Croix River.

AUG. 25 At 6:34 p.m., a suspicious person/activity was reported on the 14000 block of Morgan Avenue N.

AUG. 26 At 12:37 p.m., theft was reported on the 16000 block of Morgan Avenue N. At 1:33 p.m., theft was reported on the 12000 block of Manning Trail N. At 3:47 p.m., a parking violation was reported on the 15000 block of Square Lake Trail N. At 5:09 p.m., a dumping complaint was reported

AUG. 27 12:57 p.m., a parking complaint was reported on the 14000 block of Oldfield Road N. At 4:01 p.m., theft was reported on the 12000 block of 120th Street N.

AUG. 28 At 7:39 a.m., an animal complaint was reported on the 124th Street N./St. Croix Trail N.

AUG. 29 At 4:44 a.m., a driving complaint was reported on the 12000 block of Quail Avenue N. At 2:39 p.m., trespassing was reported on the 12000 block of Otchipwe Avenue N. At 2:51 p.m., an abandoned 911 call was reported on the 17000 block of Manning Trail N.

Spotlight on Area Businesses

Young & Sons Heating and Air Conditioning

Inc.

12450 Morris Trail N Marine-On-St. Croix

651-433-4500 ASK ABOUT INSURANCE NEEDS ANALYSIS Heidi Gemuenden, AAMS® Financial Advisor

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

Scandia Office • 651-433-5753

Call us for a quote!

Jane Dreyer & Katie Giefer COUNTRY

Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township

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

Member SIPC

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

21260 Olinda Trail N.

651-433-5167

www.scandiaheating.com

Certified by M.P.C.A.

www.olsonsinthepink.com

Advertise your business in

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

AUG. 28

At 10:08 a.m., property damage was reported on the 18000 block of Layton Avenue N. At 10:45 a.m., an alarm sounded on the 13000 block of 202nd Street N.

AUG. 25

AUG. 29

At 1:32 p.m., a suspicious person/activity was reported on the 21000 block of Manning Trail N. At 7:37 p.m., property damage was reported on the 23000 block of Meadowbrook Avenue N. At 9:27 p.m., an abandoned 911 call was reported on the 12000 block of 205th Street N.

At 8:17 a.m., harassment was reported on the 18000 block of Layton Avenue N. At 9:03 a.m., a civil matter/dispute was reported in Scandia.

At 3:56 p.m., an abandoned 911 call was reported on the 12000 block of 238th Street N. At 6:11 p.m., a noise complaint/disturbance was reported on Layton Avenue N./187th Street N. At 6:45 p.m., an ordinance violation was reported on the 18000 block of Layton Avenue N. At 8:31 p.m., a welfare check was made on the 16000 block of O’Brien Trail N. At 10:03 p.m., an ordinance violation was reported on the 18000 block of Layton Avenue N.

Scandia

AUG. 23 At 2:17 p.m, an alarm sounded on the 20000 block of Olinda Trail N. At 2:47 p.m., an abandoned 911 call was reported on the 12000 block of Scandia Trail N. At 4:23 p.m., a disturbance was reported on the 23000 block of Manning Trail. N.

AUG. 24

AUG. 26 At 7:43 p.m., vehicle tampering was reported on the 19000 block of Larkspur Avenue N. At 1:03 a.m., a traffic stop was made on Manning Trail N./192nd Street N. At 8:52 a.m., an animal bite was reported on the 10000 block of Mayberry Trail N. At 2:15 pm., a civil matter/dispute was reported on the 22000 block of Perkins Avenue N. At 4:12 p.m., a parking complaint was reported on the 22000 block of Nolan Avenue N. At 9:19 p.m., a parking complaint was reported on Nolan Avenue N./230th Street N. At 10:02 p.m., an ordinance violation was reported on the 18000 block

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

of Layton Avenue N. At 12:20 a.m., an accident occurred on Manning Trail N./180th Street N. At 1:53 a.m., an alarm sounded on the 23000 block of Quentin Avenue N. At 5:12 a.m., a disturbance was reported on the 18000 block of Layton Avenue N. At 3:20 p.m., an abandoned 911 call was reported on the 23000 block of Ogilvie Avenue N. At 3:53 p.m., a suspicious person/activity was reported on the 14000 block of Scandia Trail N. At 7:23 p.m., an ordinance violation was reported on the 23000 block of Melanie Trail N. At 7:41 p.m., an ordinance violation was reported on the 18000 block of Layton Avenue N.

AUG. 27

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

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

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

Heating and Air Conditioning

At 7:59 p.m., an abandoned 911 call was reported at Big Marine Lake County Park Boat Landing.

AUG. 30 At 8:02 a.m., an alarm sounded on the 23000 block of Quentin Avenue N. At 9:40 a.m., a vehicle unlock was made on the 14000 block of Oakhill Road N. At 3:26 p.m., a traffic complaint was reported on the 15000 block of Oakhill Road N.