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New Look. Same Local Coverage since 1854. Vol. 163, No. 43
11 2nd Ave. N., Unit 103, Sauk Rapids, Benton County, MN 56379 Saturday, February 3, 2018
Caucuses take place Feb. 6 ST. PAUL – Residents will gather across the state Tuesday, Feb. 6 as they take part in precinct caucuses. Registration begins at 6:30 p.m., caucusing starts at 7 p.m. Precinct caucuses mark the beginning of the 2018 election in Minnesota. They are meetings run by the state’s political parties where the candidate endorsement process begins, delegates are selected, and goals and values, known as party platforms, may be set. Precinct caucuses are entirely run by the state’s political parties, including the selection of caucus locations and meeting procedures. This year, one part of precinct caucuses will be a preference ballot where Minnesotans will be able to vote for the person they want their political party to support for Minnesota Governor. “I encourage all Minnesotans to go out and caucus on Feb. 6 and make their voices heard,” said Secretary of State Steve Simon. “Minnesota has a proud tradition of civic engagement and going to a caucus is a great way for Minnesotans to show support for their preferred candidates, raise an important issue, and meet people in their community. This is an important and historic election year in Minnesota and every voice matters.” In order to participate in a caucus, Minnesotans must be eligible to vote in the November general election, live in the precinct and generally agree with the principles of the political party hosting the caucus. Minnesotans have the
Caucuses page 3
PHOTO BY VICKI IKEOGU
Rev. Tom Lundeen (left) and Rev. Skipp Machmer talk about the new Riverside ChurchSauk Rapids campus scheduled to open in early March.
Big Lake church to expand mission in Sauk Rapids BY VICKI IKEOGU CONTRIBUTING WRITER
tinkering with the idea of opening a second campus along the Interstate 94 corridor, southeast of their current location, 20314 Sherburne County Road 14 NW. They had never thought their prayers for a second location would be answered this quickly. Nor did they anticipate the answer being in Sauk Rapids. Early last summer, Lundeen said Riverside Church was approached by the district superintendent for the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church about the state of Bridge Community Church, 1702 W
Highview Drive. “The Sauk Rapids Church was a sister church of ours,” Lundeen said. “But they were small and they were struggling. The congregation had been working with the district superintendent for about a year to Àgure out their next step.” Lundeen said the district superintendent knew of Riverside Church’s desire to grow and had asked him if they would be interested in setting their sights on Sauk Rapids. “I told them that we were open to the idea and we started a series of
conversations,” he said. In October, Riverside Church’s Board of Elders voted to purchase the Bridge Community Church location and develop a second Riverside Church campus. A few weeks later, members of Bridge Community Church agreed to proceed with the transition. “We stressed that this was not going to be a hostile takeover,” Lundeen said. “It was a huge sacriÀce for those members to close their church and transfer their
BIG LAKE – Sunday mornings can be characterized by a Áurry of activity inside the walls of Riverside Church in Big Lake. At times, Rev. Skipp Machmer said the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination has had people directing trafÀc across the vast parking lot as on average 1,600 people make the trek from around the area for service. The 52,000 square-foot, twoRiverside page 2 story building is bustling with activity. Three one-hour long services, a coffee shop, childcare and kid-centric services cater to all ages. Music and faith dominate the service as large television screens broadcast the message from Rev. Tom Lundeen throughout the worship center, the smaller video café, and lately, the last resort spillover area in the gym. Both Machmer and Lundeen agree having a full and engaged faith community is a positive sign. However, Ànding space in their existing facility for their growing congregation was getting difÀcult. “In many ways we are maxed out as to what we can do in this space,” Lundeen said. “The church has tripled in size over the last 14 years. It was like, ‘OK God, what PHOTO SUBMITTED are we going to do about this?’” The congregation Àlls the main worship center during Sunday service inside Riverside Church in Big Lake. For the last several years Because the church has tripled in size, Riverside Church ofÀcials have been looking to open a second location. Lundeen and Machmer had been The Big Lake-based Christian and Missionary Church is slated to open its Sauk Rapids campus in early March.
A tough little boy Muenchows overcome Kawasaki disease
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of struggles, Julie and her husband, started at the St. Cloud Hospital. Stephen, learned he had Kawasaki It took 12 days in the hospital and countless tests to determine a disease. Kawasaki disease is a condition diagnosis. “The whole journey was rough,” that causes inÁammation in the walls of some blood vessels in the body Julie said. “As a parent, it’s never something you plan for and is most common BY ANNA SALDANA and it’s not something I in infants and young STAFF WRITER would wish on anyone.” children. If the disease On the second SARTELL – Gavin Muenchow, goes untreated, it can day in the hospital, originally from Sauk Rapids, is 20 result in heart attacks health was months old and is described as very and even death. “He is such Gavin’s rapidly declining. He had “We noticed he happy, loving and cuddly. a ball of breathing issues and was “He is such a ball of energy, and was tired, beyond what ventilator. it’s been incredible to watch him seems normal for a child energy, and put on a“That was a hard grow,” said Julie Muenchow, Gavin’s that young,” Julie said. day,” Julie said. “He was it’s been mom. “He loves his whole family and “One night, he slept wants to be just like his older brother. through dinner, all night incredible to dehydrated from having a hard night the night before He loves to cuddle with our dog, too. and through the next He’s just got such a warm, loving morning’s park time. watch him and the lack of food in his system. I couldn’t get personality. We are so blessed with The next night, he was grow” anything into him, so the inconsolable. Nothing him.” doctors ended up putting in Their gratitude and blessings of we did seemed to help, - Julie a feeding tube. It seemed a happy, healthy Gavin goes beyond so we brought him to the Muenchow we were just holding off the normal situations of raising a emergency room. It took the inevitable. The doctors several days before they child. sedated and intubated When Gavin was six weeks old, found out the diagnosis.” him for three days. When Gavin’s journey he became very sick. After a series his fever dropped and he was taking • Mortgage Foreclosure - Sulier - pg. 4B breaths in between the ventilator, • Summons - Brown - pg. 4B things started looking up and they • Sauk Rapids Rice School Meeting Minutes - pg. 5 pulled off some of the support. But • Assumed Name - Nature Soils - pg. 4B his fever came back and we were left • Assumed Name - Southview Heights - pg. 4B in uncertainty again.” • Assumed Name - ANS Fence - pg. 4B As the doctors were trying to • Benton County SCORE Grants Available -pg. 4B determine Gavin’s diagnosis, one • Summons - Miller pg. 5B of the scariest terms for Julie and • Summons - Lahr - pg. 3 Stephen was oncology. • Sauk Rapids City Council Public Hearing - pg. 6 “Right away, we were just • City of Sauk Rapids Work Study Session Minutes - pg. 5 terriÀed,” Julie said.
PHOTO BY ANNA SALDANA
Gavin Muenchow is a happy and healthy toddler now, but when he was six weeks old, he fought a battle against Kawasaki disease.
After a week, Gavin was transferred to Children’s Hospital in the Twin Cities. “He was sick, didn’t feel well, and we didn’t know what was going on,” Julie said. “St. Cloud felt it was something they could detect and determine, so they wanted to send him to Children’s. When we got there, it was like starting all over, but leukemia was ruled out right away, which was a relief.” Early on in Gavin’s stay at Children’s, Kawasaki disease was ruled out but it was later determined
that was the cause of his ailment. “When they determined that’s what Gavin had, it was a bit of disbelief,” Julie said. “Just because it seemed it had been ruled out. But we were glad when we had answers.” Gavin’s treatment began immediately, and doctors were able to prevent any major damage. For the Àrst year following, Gavin took an aspirin prescription, which helped Gavin grow into his arteries.
Muenchow page 3