Pioneer PINE CITY
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2017
VOL. 132 NO. 51 www.pinecitymn.com $1.00
CHRISTMAS MEMORIES: Residents look back on family, fun and favorite toys. P9
A Place For You offers hope to the homeless BY MIKE GAINOR EDITOR@PINECITYMN.COM
“If you’re ever feeling like the world is a bad place, come sit at our front desk for a day,” said Linda Cassman. “Because it will lift your heart.” A Place For You in Pine City celebrated its five-year anniversary in November, and in that time has served more than 300 men and women from Pine, Kanabec, Carlton, Chisago, Isanti and Mille Lacs counties, giving them a shelter and a chance to get out of homelessness. A PATH TOWARD HOME While life at A Place For You beats homelessness for residents, it isn’t easy. Men and women who want to enter the shelter must first be clean and sober, and A Place For You carries out breathalyzer and urine tests. At the same time,
staff members do background checks on prospective residents. “What we’re looking for are ... crimes of violence.” Thomson said. “So if someone has assault or domestic abuse we’re ... not going to let them into the shelter. If they’ve gone through treatment or taken anger management courses we may take that into consideration.” Once a person is admitted, they can stay at the shelter for up to three months. During that time they will be busy with chores and projects – most of which are geared to help them have a better life once their 90 days are up – and they must abide by a 10 p.m. curfew. “While they are in A Place For You they have to work with the case manager and they have to be looking for housing and jobs,” Thomson said. “Sometimes we make a referral to a mental
TREVOR COKLEY
Staff and volunteers at A Place For You help connect residents with resources that offer a way out of homelessness.
SEE PLACE, PAGE 15
AILENE CROUP | THE PIONEER
The tree’s ornaments were provided by students across Pine County.
Pine County comes together to decorate tree BY AILENE CROUP EDITOR@PINECITYMN.COM LANCE FURBER | THE PIONEER
Dragons blazing hot on home ice The Dragon varsity hockey squad beat the Cambridge-Isanti Bluejackets 7-1 at home for their sixth win in a row on Dec. 16. The team also took down Mora/Milaca and Chisago Lakes. More on Page 10.
Courthouse personnel, county commissioners and visitors listened as Commissioner Josh Mohr dedicated the courthouse Christmas tree following the December county board meeting. Mohr said the tree had been
donated by Fairfield Tree Farm in Rock Creek. The tree was decorated in the old fashioned way with homemade ornaments created by students around the county. Ornaments were created by: • Mrs. Cabak and Ms. SEE TREE, PAGE 15
RESULTS REALTY 885 7th St SW, Pine City, MN 55063 INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED MEMBER OF COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL AFFILIATES, INC.
CLASSIFIED ADS 320-629-6771 mel@countystar.com
NEWS 320-629-6771 editor@pinecitymn.com
ADVERTISING 320-629-6771 kent@pinecitymn.com
PUBLIC NOTICES 320-629-6771 publicnotices@pinecitymn.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS 320-629-6771 ads@pinecitymn.com
320-629-7541 BREAKING NEWS, UPDATES Whenever, wherever you are! Scan me with your smartphone