COUNTRY
Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2016 VOL. 33 NO. 34 www.countrymessenger.com $.75
FRANCONIA SCULPTURE PARK: Art Works grant awarded. PAGE 2
‘The best use for the property remains a school’ Committee advises Marine to buy school from district BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
A committee tasked with researching potential uses of the Marine Elementary School property announced last Saturday that it has advised the city council to purchase the school property and building, which are currently owned by the
Stillwater school district, and continue to use them for an elementary school. “As a result of our review, the committee has recommended to the Marine City Council that the best use for the property remains a school,” said committee member Robin Brooksbank in a community-wide meeting. “[We believe] the vitality and long-term economic health of our community will be best served if this building remains a school building.” The recommendation SEE PROPERTY, PAGE 2
ANN RINKENBERGER
Tom Helke holds a 30-pound barn quilt, “True Lover’s Knot," while moving the bucket to install it.
Four designs added to Barn Quilt Trail BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
The light was waning December 9 as a volunteer crew added four barn quilts to the Washington County Barn Quilt Trail. Though the barn quilts had been finished for months, the timing of the installation was somewhat spur of the moment. “Tom Helke [of Helke’s Tree Service] had a break in his schedule and the truck was free,” said Ann Rinkenberger, whose daughter, Olivia Nienaber, has led the Barn Quilt Trail project from its inception. “We weren't sure if we would be able to get just one up or all four. We are so thankful that he was able to get all four up using one of his trucks.” Nienaber, Rinkenberger, Helke
and Lion Dan Lee installed two barn quilts, “Snail’s Tail” and "True Lovers Knot" on a former dairy farm on Olinda Trail. “On the installation day, it was only 18 degrees and there was a strong wind coming from the northwest,” said Nienaber. “We've seen an extreme in temperature while doing the barn quilts — from the coldest day (18 degrees) to the warmest days (in the 90s). We have seen and felt rain, snow flurries and high humidity.” They installed “At the End of the Day” on an Oxboro Avenue barn, the site of another former dairy farm. The 4-by-4-foot barn quilts each weigh about 30 pounds. “Spools" was the final barn quilt installed. “It is the 18th barn quilt that
was painted and installed during the spring-summer of 2015 and spring-winter of 2016,” noted Nienaber. “We are happy that all the barn quilts are in place now for the public to enjoy.” Nienaber spoke to the Marine Civic Club on Dec. 20, after which she planned to take a break from barn quilts and public speaking. But she’s not finished with designing barn quilts yet. Scandia Elementary School has asked her to work with students this spring to create a quilt for all the grades to paint. The design must incorporate seven colors, one for each grade, or seven different components. “It will be interesting to see what is created and installed next spring,” said Rinkenberger.
BOOMERANG PRODUCTIONS
High school student Christopher Calahan does an ambulance check out in the documentary “High School 9-1-1.” The film plays Jan. 5 at the Marine Village Hall, courtesy of the Marine Film Society.
Marine doc city Film Society secures funds for next season BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
Where are they? The four new quilts are all on Scandia properties, though two have Marine on St. Croix addresses.
ANN RINKENBERGER
“At the End of the Day” was installed Dec. 9 at a former dairy farm on the northeast shore of Sand Lake.
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• “True Lovers Knot” and “Snail’s Tail” — 23620 Olinda Trail, Scandia • "Spools" — 14858 197th Street North, Marine on St. Croix • "At the End of the Day" — 19540 Oxboro Avenue North, Marine on St. Croix
For three winters, cinephiles from Marine and beyond have filed into rows of folding chairs at Marine’s village hall once a month as the Marine Film Society screened documentaries. That tradition will continue for a fourth year — the winter of 2017-’18 — after the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council awarded the society with its Community Arts Grant. “Our funding will make the 2017-2018 Documentary Film Series possible,” said Gayle Knutson and Paul Creager of the Marine Film Society, noting that the grant is possible because of voters and legislators who supported the Minnesota Legacy Amendment in 2008. The film society did not receive the grant for this year’s series, but a Marine resident’s generous SEE FILM, PAGE 2
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