KANABEC COUNTY
THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016 VOL. 133 NO. 26 www.moraminn.com $1.00
BEWARE THE BRUIN: DNR reports numerous bear sightings. P14 B
Deputies prep for overdoses BY KIRSTEN FAURIE EDITOR@MORAMINN.COM
Kanabec County Sheriff’s Office deputies are now armed, trained and ready — but not with more firearms, Tasers or pepper spray. Each squad car is now stocked with a dose of naloxone, a drug often referred to by the brand name Narcan, used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Officers received training on how to use the drug in May. The training and the doses of naloxone were provided by a grant through the Central MN Emergency Medical Services. “If it can save one life it was well worth the time spent doing extra training,” said Kanabec County Sheriff Brian Smith. Naloxone is used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose long enough for the victim to receive full medical treatment. Naloxone takes effect in just a few minutes, but typically wears
off after 30-90 minutes. While ambulances are stocked with naloxone, more and more peace officers are being trained and carrying naloxone as well. Smith said this is because police officers are often first to arrive at the scene of a call, particularly calls to rural parts of the county. Kanabec County has not yet seen the same level of heroin or prescription drug overdoses that seems to have been spreading throughout Minnesota. Agent Alex Gerhardson of the Drug Task Force has been an agent of the task force for one and a half years and has spent six years as a Kanabec County Sheriff’s Office deputy. He said heroin has shown up and is growing in popularity along the I-35 corridor in Pine County and in higher population areas like Cambridge. While he has heard whispers of it,
KIRSTEN FAURIE | TIMES
Baby Faurie has arrived Times Editor Kirsten Faurie and husband Mike welcomed their first child early Sunday morning. Alexandria Louise Faurie was born at 1:30 a.m., weighing 7 pounds 11 ounces.
SEE OPIOID, PAGE 12
Mora AD Gauffin set to retire BY SCOTT MCKINNEY NEWS@MORAMINN.COM
tral Minnesota and employ over 140 employees. “The two organizations have collaborated closely across the years”, according to Tim Schmutzer, executive director for PHASE. “Because of our existing relationship, the complementary strengths of each organization and the shrinking pool of statewide resources directed toward nonprofit disability services, the boards for each organization believed the time was right to
When a person’s job involves a wide range of responsibilities, he or she may observe that they “wear many hats.” And this past week, a man who successfully wore many hats over 38 years with the Mora School District announced his retirement. At their meeting on Thursday, J June 23, the Mora School Board n noted the retirement of Gary Gauffin. Gauffin taught and coached in M Mora schools for 22 years, then in 22000 took on the challenging, comb bined role of Athletics/Activities D Director, Buildings and Grounds D Gauffi G ffin Director and Transportation Director. “I started teaching in North Dakota in 1971, then moved to Mora in 1978,” Gauffin said. “I was a math and science teacher. Over the years I taught astronomy, sports medicine, consumer math, just about every math and science class there was. I coached football for 22 years. In basketball I was the junior high boys coach, and then the varsity girls coach, for a total of 19 years.” Two Mora School District staff members retired in the spring of 2000: Karl Deis, the athletic director and Dick Smith, buildings and buses director. “The school board combined their positions,” Gauffin said. “I’d been in the classroom 29 years, I’d been an AD in North Dakota, and I knew that if I didn’t take this opportunity, no one knew if it would come up again. So in July 2000 I moved from the classroom to this new position. I hit the ground running. And 16 years later I’ve slowed down, but I’m still running.” “I had driven bus routes back in North Dakota, so had some background in that. I made decisions on creating bus routes, in conjunction with Dean and Gayle Stassen and the drivers. I drew all the maps, and made sure everything was up and running. Building and grounds issues got busier after the referendum passed last year, and the planning process became more involved. So the transportation responsibilities
SEE PHASE, PAGE 12
SEE GAUFFIN, PAGE 12
KIRSTEN FAURIE | TIMES
Dueling pianos draw crowd at Mora Music in the Park The Crazy Keys dueling pianos, sponsored by Neighborhood National Bank, performed in the Mora Library Park June 23, as part of the 2016 Music in the Park summer concert series. Performances are every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and free to the public. Music in the Park is sponsored by the city of Mora and its park board. It is also supported by a grant from the East Central Regional Arts Council. For a full schedule visit www.ci.mora.mn.us.
Industries Inc. and PHASE merge BY JAKE MATHISON NEWS@MORAMINN.COM
For nearly 50 years, Industries Incorporated has been an integral part of the Isanti and Kanabec counties community providing employment, therapeutic and transportation services to adults diagnosed with an intellectual disability, traumatic brain injury or mental illness. As a local nonprofit provider of services, all Industries Incorporated services and enterprises are aimed at providing individuals with disabili-
ties with more employment options and enhanced therapeutic services. Every Industries Incorporated business enterprise employs, and is designed for and with, individuals with disabilities. Last month, Industries Incorporated finalized its largest project to date. After months of collaborative work, Industries Incorporated and like service provider, PHASE, merged together under the PHASE umbrella of companies. As one, the organization will serve nearly 500 service recipients across East Cen-
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