WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2018
Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897
VOL. 120 NO. 38 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
ST. CROIX VALLEY giveBIG: Non-profits seek your support. PAGES 13-16
Polk County sheriff will not seek a third term Deputy announces run for seat BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
COURTESY CRAIG BLACKLOCK
Photographer Craig Blacklock lives in the St. Croix Watershed but is known for his photos of Lake Superior. He has a new book about the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers and will be at the Watershed Cafe the first two weekends in May to sign copies.
Photographer turns lens to St. Croix, Namekagon BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
The water that falls on Craig Blacklock’s house flows, eventually, to the St. Croix River. The Moose Lake, Minn., photographer is best known for his images of another water: Lake Superior. But a recent endeavor found him exploring and documenting, from source to mouth, the river for which his home watershed is named. The results have been published in “St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers: The Enduring Gift,” the release of which coincides with the
50th anniversary of the two rivers’ designation as protected wild and scenic waterways. The book’s 277 photographs are punctuated by thoughts from the rivers’ devotees, including an essay by former U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale. This week, Blacklock plans to hang a selection of the book’s photos at the Watershed Cafe in Osceola. They’ll be on display as he signs and sells the books the first two weekends in May. SEE PHOTOGRAPHER, PAGE 28
Polk County Sheriff Peter Johnson announced last week that he would not seek a third term in the November election, saying he had submitted a notice of non-candidacy March 27. “It has truly been my honor to serve as the Polk County sheriff for the past almost eight years,” he wrote in a press release. Johnson’s term expires in January 2019. August will mark the start of his 29th year in law enforcement, nearly 20 of those in Polk County. “Law enforcement is a profession that I care deeply about and I do not leave it easily,” he wrote. “However, the time is right for me to retire at the end of my term and move on to other opportunities.” Johnson said he would consider serving Polk County in a different capacity, although he had not settled on what form that might take. “I love Polk County and can’t imagine being anywhere else,” he wrote. Johnson noted that he took pride in the accomplishments of the department under his leadership.
“I wish the best to whoever next has the honor of being elected sheriff of Polk County,” he wrote. “I am leaving them with a great staff and a strong foundation from which they can continue to build and move forward. “In closing,” he continued, “I would like to thank the citizens of Polk County for placing your trust in me for the time you have.” Deputy Brent Waak announces run Deputy Brent Waak, a 20-year veteran and current patrol sergeant with the Polk County Sheriff’s Department, announced his candidacy for the sheriff’s seat on April 6. Waak has held a supervisory position for more than 13 of his 20 years of service. “In my 20 years working for the Sheriff’s Department, I have forged a reputation for being honest and ethical,” Waak said. “These are just some of the core values I intend to continue to build into the Polk County Sheriff’s Department once elected.” Waak said, if elected, he would focus on substance abuse and mental health. “Substance abuse and the lack of mental health services are two key issues that I plan to work towards creating soluSEE SHERIFF, PAGE 22
Man sentenced to 13 years for dealing meth in Polk County BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
A man who pleaded guilty to dealing methamphetamine in Polk County was sentenced last week to 13 years in prison, part of a statewide effort to clamp down on distribution
Ronningen
o the addictive of s stimulant. While many i Wisconsin in h have turned t their attention to r rampant opioid a addiction, in the northwestern part
of the state methamphetamine remains an underlying cause of theft, burglaries and other crime. Late last year, the Wisconsin Department of Justice acknowledged the region’s problem, launching an initiative to find and punish high-level
meth dealers. Attorney General Brad Schimel appointed a new assistant, Chad Verbeten, to help train law enforcement and prosecute cases via the Division of Criminal Investigation in Eau Claire. In the first Polk County case pursued by Assistant AG
Verbeten, a Frederic man, Cole Ronningen, was sentenced April 9 to 13 years initial confinement and another 13 years extended supervision. Ronningen pleaded guilty Feb. 1 to two felony counts SEE SENTENCE, PAGE 19
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