Press Publications 4779 Bloom Avenue White Bear Lake, MN 55110 FOR POSTAL CUSTOMER
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Dr. Meredith Kurysh
Specializing In Dentistry For Kids 14722 Victor Hugo Blvd, Hugo, MN 55038 651-429-1205 www.sproutspediatricdentistry.com
THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018 VOL. 15 NO. 5 www.readthecitizen.com $1.00
LAKE LAWSUIT: Let the ordinance writing begin PAGE 13
Politicians address issues of mutual discomfort JOE MOLOHON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Proud catch Chase Bertrand and Katelynn Palmpren display a northern pike at the weigh station at the Centerville Lions Ice Fishing Contest Feb. 17. The 3.39 pound fish landed at tenth place on the top 10 list of fish (all northerns) caught for the day. See more photos and results on page 10.
LINO LAKES—A large group of residents gathered Feb. 24 in the community room of the Lino Lakes City Hall. Though a Saturday morning, the room was full, and attendees lined the walls and doors. A snowstorm was to approach that evening, but there were more immediate concerns on the minds of those present. “I just have had an ever-growing feeling of discomfort about the legislative process…,” a local man began, leading the discussion. “As a constituent, it seems like there is an awful lot of incompetence in government and there just doesn’t seem to be any accountability for it.” These comments marked the opening statements of that morning’s town hall meeting. Hosted by District 38A state legislators Sen. Roger Chamberlain (R-Lino Lakes) and Rep. Linda Runbeck (R-Circle Pines), attendees were encouraged to speak on the issues most important to them, however broad. The theme of accountability would persist throughout, as Chamberlain and Runbeck steered the discourse towards the specific issues and symptoms of a mutual discomfort. SEE TOWN HALL, PAGE 9
Sprouts instills lifetime of healthy smiles and knew she wanted to pursue a career in health care. In the beginning, she wasn’t sure if that meant medicine or dentistry, but she soon realized it was the latter. “I wanted a job where I could help people,” she said. She completed her undergraduate studies at the College of St. Benedict and attended dental school at the University of Minnesota. Kurysh knew she wanted to make an impact when it counts. “I had great dental experiences as a kid, and my parents always helped us take great care of our teeth. I loved going to the dentist; they were always happy when I went,” she said. “In pediatrics, it’s a chance to make
BY SHANNON GRANHOLM EDITOR
HUGO — For many people, going to the dentist can be an unpleasant, dreaded experience. Sprouts Pediatric Dentistry in Hugo aims to change that at a young age while equipping children with the knowledge they need to have a life full of healthy smiles. Dr. Meredith Kurysh began her practice in 2013 when it was located in a leased space near Festival Foods. In December 2017 Kurysh’s dream to open her practice in her very own building became a reality when Sprouts moved into a brand new space located at 14722 Victor Hugo Blvd. Kurysh, a Mahtomedi grad, grew up in Hugo
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SEE SPROUTS, PAGE 2
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SHANNON GRANHOLM | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Dr. Meredith Kurysh, Office Manager Jill Ricci, Dental Assistant Stacey Carlson and Dental Hygienist Tammy Johnson make up the Sprouts Pediatric Dentistry team.
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THE CITIZEN
MARCH 1, 2018 www.readthecitizen.com
SPROUTS: creates a fun atmosphere for families FROM PAGE 1
a difference right from the start by providing information and education to both parents and their children to help them take care of their smiles.” She returned to the University of Minnesota to complete her specialty residency in pediatric dentistry and was a gen-
eral dentist in various locations throughout the U.S. for six years while her husband served in the Navy, before opening her practice in Hugo. Because of the variety of practices Kurysh saw while moving around the country, she knew what type of clinic would work for her and her team of three. The new space is around 4,520
50 Stories for 50 Years
Century College 50th Anniversary Spotlight Century’s own Olympian: Alumni Association board member, Jason Hedstrand With the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang underway, Century is excited to highlight an Olympian of our own – Jason Hedstrand, Century College ‘02 graduate and Alumni Association board member. This speed-skater-turned-businessman elaborates on how Century was the right fit for his intense Olympic training regimen. Read the full story at www.century.edu/50stories
square feet, 2,820 square feet bigger than its previous location. It is clear when one pulls up to the building that it is designed for kids; the “Dr. Seussical” entrance is not perfectly aligned. “We wanted to blend in well with our surroundings, match the aesthetics and high caliber of the other buildings, but we also wanted it to have just a touch of whimsy to set it apart as a kids’ dentist without being too over-the-top.” As families walk in the door, they are greeted by bright colors and ocean décor throughout the building; the lobby even has a children’s area with fun activities and sea creatures hanging off of the ceiling. Another feature is the family room, where siblings can undergo treatment at the same time, right next to one another. Sprouts sees families from as far away as Duluth, western Wisconsin and Cambridge, but also from cities close by such as White Bear Lake, Mahtomedi, Lino Lakes, Shoreview, Blaine and Forest Lake. The practice performs primary care such as routine cleanings, checkups, exams and preventative care such as sealants and fluoride treatments. It also provides full-
scope restorative care such as fi llings, crowns or teeth removal. “It is so great to be able to give parents and children the information and skills they need to take care of their teeth for a lifelong healthy smile,” Kurysh said. “We enjoy seeing our families and kids year after year as well as seeing the kids grow and hear their stories.” Office Assistant Jill Ricci said, “My favorite part is seeing them (the kids) come in nervous and when they leave they are high-fiving me. You can just see that fear go away. They come in clinging to their parents, nervous, and by the end they are proud of themselves that they did it.” Sprouts tries to make the experience as comfortable as possible and has even been known to use stuffed animals as “teaching buddies” to demonstrate what is going to happen with each tool. Kurysh is also a parttime faculty member at the University of Minnesota, where she teaches students in clinics. A couple of times a month, she and her team visit Children’s Hospital in St. Paul, Minneapolis or Minnetonka to see children who have special health care concerns. Sprouts has also been known to make visits to local day care facilities and preschools for edu-
SHANNON GRANHOLM | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Sprouts Pediatric Dentistry’s lobby has a fun “Kidz Zone” for children to play in before they get dental work done.
cational presentations. “We take our responsibility very seriously. As a pediatric clinic providing a dental home and fi rst dental experience, this sets the tone for their lifetime of dental care and, hopefully, healthy smiles,” Kurysh said. “We strive to provide a positive experience so kids will continue their preventive dental care appointments and dental health care into adulthood.” SHANNON GRANHOLM | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Editor Shannon Granholm can be reached at 651-407-1227 or citizen@presspubs.com.
Sprouts' new building features a family room, where siblings can undergo treatment at the same time, right next to one another.
The Farmer’s Daughter A gathering of ne handcrafted goods
10 Years Proudly Serving and Supporting the Cities and Schools of Hugo, Centerville, Lino Lakes, White Bear Lake and Forest Lake Office Hours Monday - Thursday: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Hugo Office (651) 429-0094 14755 Victor Hugo Blvd., Suite 103 Hugo, MN 55038
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MARCH 1, 2018
THE CITIZEN www.readthecitizen.com
3
Centerville updates 2040 Comprehensive Plan BY LORETTA HARDING CONTRIBUTING WRITER
CENTERVILLE — Cities with any land at all for development or redevelopment don’t just sit around and wait for the land to develop itself. Or not develop itself, as the case may be. Municipal governments, under the supervision of the Metropolitan Council (Met Council), plan how the land will be used, and they plan it through a meticulous process. In addition, municipalities don’t just plan once: they must have a plan in the works to be completed for each upcoming census year. For example, in 2008, the city of Centerville was working on the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. Now, in 2018, the city is working on the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. It is quite likely that 10 years from now in 2028, Centerville will be planning the 2050 Comprehensive Plan. At its Feb. 14 meeting, Eric Moss, a planner from WSB & Associates, walked the City Council through the updates to its 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The main categories to be considered in drafting a comprehensive plan to are: types of housing, commercial development, transportation and infrastructure, parks and recreation, natural resource usage and community facilities and services. Drafting a comprehensive plan isn’t just countless hours of needless
paperwork, however. Because engineers and planners must take into account factors such as economic, demographic and population trends, local governments can look into the future and be prepared for changes that impact land use brought about by the dynamics of economics, demographics, climate or population. It can be enlightening for citizens to look into that crystal ball along with their city leaders. For example, to touch on the category of housing, the population in the city was estimated in 2016 at 3,958 with 1,351 households. Centerville has historically had a smaller population than communities that surround it. Although Centerville’s population doubled between 1980 and 1990 and, again, between 1990 and 2000, its population has otherwise remained stable. By 2030, the population is projected to dip slightly to 3,930 with 1,450 households; and by 2040, the population is expected to rise to 4,060 with 1,500 households. The average of number of people per household is expected to hold steady at around 2.71 persons. The Met Council has defi ned Centerville as an “emerging suburban edge” community, which offers connections to both urban amenities and proximity to the open spaces of a rural lifestyle. New developments in emerging suburban edge communities are typically built
in a traditional suburban pattern, Moss said. Centerville has identified its developable areas and currently has slightly more than 100 acres available for development. The Met Council has projected Centerville to build out to 150 new homes at the most. Less than 1 percent of Centerville’s population falls below the poverty line, a percentage which is lower than that of even North Oaks, according to the community profi le portion of the Comprehensive Plan update. Much of Centerville’s housing is also quite new, and 92.5 percent of the housing is owner- occupied. As only 7.5 percent of housing is occupied by renters, the city enjoys a stable housing base. Housing is the dominant land use in Centerville, making up 42 percent of the area of the city. “With housing comes infrastructure,” City Engineer/ Administrator Mark Statz said. “From 1985 to 2005, we built a lot of our infrastructure. That means that homes and infrastructure are aging at the same time.” The Met Council identified affordable housing for every jurisdiction at 14 units, due to a need to spread affordable housing around the metropolitan area. At the same time, the Met Council doesn’t want to shoehorn people into a place that doesn’t meet their needs, Moss said. People who use affordable housing are police officers, teachers, nurses
and people straight out of school not yet ready to buy a home. Centerville shows 138 residential units that are considered to be affordable housing. The city is right on schedule to complete its updated 2040 Comprehensive Plan. On April 11, the City Council will review the utilities and water portion of the plan and on April 25, the housing and transportation portion. On May 1, the Planning Commission will review the draft plan at an open house. On May 9, the council will review implementation of the plan and on June 5, the Planning Commission will hold an official public hearing on the full draft plan. Finally, on June 13, the council will adopt the full plan and approve its submission for review by the adjacent communities of Lino Lakes and Hugo. When the 2040 Comprehensive Plan is approved once and for all, will the city take a quick breather before looking forward to work on the 2050 Comprehensive Plan? “After we get totally built out, all we have to do is change the dates and keep the same thing,” Councilman Steve King said. Statz told the City Council the Met Council predicts Centerville won’t fi ll up until after 2040. On the other hand, the city could start the whole cycle anew and redevelop previously developed areas.
Chaplains bring peace in the midst of tragedy When a horrific car accident, murder, suicide or another tragedy happens, two volunteers are on standby to provide comfort, a listening ear and prayers, and to provide resources to officers who witnessed the tragedy or its aftermath, in addition to the families affected by it. Chaplains Joel Heckman and Patricia Clearence are on call 24-7 for officers and their families, and also for the community. Heckman serves as the chaplain for the Centennial Lakes Police Department (CLPD) and Clearence is the chaplain for the Centennial Fire District (CFD). Clearence recently became the chaplain of the Lexington Fire Department (LFD). “When a chaplain is summoned to a scene, it is almost always the case that someone is in the middle of a terrible crisis. We often say that the chaplains step in during what is usually the worst moment of a person’s life,” said CLPD Lt. Russell Blanck. “Many chaplain callouts involve someone who has passed away. The chaplain offers a reassuring presence, comfort, calm, compassion and information. They help bring an element of calm in the midst of chaos.” Heckman, a Circle Pines resident who founded the chaplain program in 2011, is no stranger to the community. He joined the department in 1985 and fi lled various roles including patrol officer, investigator and deputy chief, and ultimately served as the chief for six years before he retired at the age of 51 in 2004 due to health problems. Even though Heckman turned in his police gear, he was not ready to give up making a difference in the community. “One of the neighboring departments had an officer who took their own life, which is unfortunately too typical for law enforcement. I mentioned to those who were working at the time that we really need to have a chaplain here, not only for the officers, but for the community,” he said. “Just like I felt called to be an officer, I felt called to serve as a chaplain.” Heckman trained to be a chaplain through the Minnesota Emergency Service Chaplain Association (MESCA) and obtained a bachelor’s degree from Bethel University in Christian ministries. “As an officer I saw the need for a quality chaplain to assist the officers. In my mind, I’ve always been one of the officers; I’ve spent my entire career at this organization,” he said. “If they get called to a death scene and they are spending half or more of their shift at that scene, there are other
SHANNON GRANHOLM | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Joel Heckman and Patricia Clearence volunteer their time to serve as chaplains for the Centennial Lakes Police Department, Centennial Fire District, Lexington Fire Department and the community.
calls that are being neglected or they are not doing everything that needs to be done.” Clearence, a resident of Columbus, became involved with the program after her garage burned down. The investigator for the fi re was CFD Assistant Chief David Bruder. “I was at a time in my life where I was at a crossroads. I was looking at going into hospice care and I was working at A Home Enhanced in downtown Centerville,” she explained. “One day, Dave walked in and I asked him on the spot if they needed a chaplain.” Although Heckman’s role wasn’t with the fi re department, he would fi ll in when he could. However, at one point he was busy volunteering
about 80 hours a week with various organizations such as the school district, churches and a heart transplant support group. After Clearence completed her MESCA training, the chaplains became a team of two in April 2017. The two are now able to respond to calls together if necessary or provide backup if one of them is unable to respond. As chaplains, they are there for people of all faiths in addition to those with no faith at all. When responding to a call, they can listen, pray, read Scripture or do whatever the family desires. In Heckman’s time as a chaplain, he has responded to over 60 death scenes, 16 of which happened in one year. He said he has responded to drownings, electrocutions, suicides, house fi res and more. So far, Clearence has responded to about six calls and, on a lighter note, gave a ceremonial blessing for LFD’s new apparatus. In addition to responding to tragedies, the two are on standby for any internal department needs, such as personnel conflicts at the station or officers dealing with family issues at home or coping with the aftermath of a bad call. The thanks they receive from the families and officers they work with is what keeps them going. “Even if they don’t say thank you, you know you have provided a little bit of solace to them in their great time of need,” Heckman explained. He recalled a comment made to him from a family who previously knew him when he was chief. They told him, “What you are doing now is so much more important than what you did as chief,” and he couldn’t agree more. Clearence said she enjoys being able to reduce a family’s stress level and “watching that stress level come down and allowing them to talk or giving them a hug,” she said. “It is amazing the strength that gets passed along through an embrace.” Editor Shannon Granholm can be reached at 651407-1227 or citizen@presspubs.com
Masses:
Mon. -Fri. 8:00 am, Wed. 6:30 pm, Fri. 6:45 am First Sat. 8:00 am, Sat. 5:00 pm Sun. 8:00 & 10:00 am & 7:30 pm
Reconciliation: Sat. 3:30 – 4:30 pm
CHURCH OF ST. PIUS X 3878 Highland Avenue, White Bear Lake, MN
651-429-5337
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BY SHANNON GRANHOLM EDITOR
4
THE CITIZEN
www.presspubs.com
MARCH 1, 2018
Unexcused absence
L
ast week students across the nation made plans to step out and speak up in response to the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida on Valentines Day. In White Bear Lake, high school and middle school students marched down to city hall last Friday. This was the first of a few national walkouts being planned in the wake of recent events. The next walkouts are scheduled in March. Students are concerned and want their voices heard, which is outstanding. What I loved about the demonstration that took place on Friday is that it was safe, peaceful and mostly respectful; I also heard well-spoken youth offer real ideas and possible Publisher’s solutions about how to make their schools safer. Students were able to put ideas and words together to share View with the mayor. They asked for better Carter Johnson lockdown procedures, more mental health counselors and a safer place to learn. Adults seem to be listening to them. As students walked past the Press office to the protest from North Campus and Central Middle School, I called out the door to some of them to ask a few questions. A majority of the students explained they were protesting at city hall to call attention to school safety. A few commented that it was an opportunity to skip school. For the most part, these kids have real concerns and weren’t in it for the fun and games. The district sent out a notification the day before the planned protest that students who left school without parent permission could receive an unexcused absence or be barred from after-school activities for the day. I believe in our right of free speech and to protest. I have read that in some areas, schools are handing out suspensions to those walking out. While I support students’ right to protest and admire them for standing up for something they believe in, I also think anyone who walked out of school last week deserves the consequence of an unexcused absence. Kids are required to be in school. Parents entrust their children to the care of teachers and staff, and expect them to be there when they are supposed to be there. Parents, if you did not know that your son or daughter was going to be part of this protest you should be concerned. We all know teachers cannot help or be part of a walkout — youth are on their own. I certainly don’t feel good about sixth graders walking out of any school, and I question if younger kids really understand and appreciate the point of it. The walkout is perhaps more appropriate for high school students who are doing it to participate in a national dialogue and, in part, as a show of camaraderie with the high schoolers in Florida and around the country who have experienced tragedies at school. My 8th grader has not yet been part of a walkout, and if the opportunity comes up, I hope she will let us know in advance that she would like to participate and make a good argument about why it is important to her. Standing up for something you believe in requires passion, bravery, and also the ability to accept the consequences. It’s a duty of every parent, teacher, principal and superintendent to do their best to be on top of the actions that are being planned, and to also make sure that students who walk out of school in protest understand what they are getting into and receive the proper penalty. Community loss This week the greater White Bear area experienced an immeasurable loss with the death of Deb Stender. At a critical time, Deb stepped in and successfully unified various groups throughout the community. Her work as the director of Marketfest and her involvement in White Bear Township Days, Manitou Days and numerous other community efforts, made an enormous impact on what our community is today. Deb was one of the most energetic, kind, and genuine people I have ever had the pleasure of working alongside. I will miss her enthusiasm and her ever-present smile. Our hearts are broken. Carter Johnson is publisher of Press Publications.
Drawing 2020 election maps for fair representation
I
f history is any guide, state elected officials can expect to face another contentious battle over drawing new congressional and legislative district maps once the 2020 census is completed. After the 2010 census, elected officials in both political parties worked to draw new election districts and maps deliberately designed to benefit one party or candidate. The process of manipulating district boundaries on election maps in order to gain political advantage is called gerrymandering. Technology available in 2010 allowed legislators to draw election districts that were politically “safe” for only one party, resulting in relatively few competitive elections. What happens in 2020 will greatly affect our representative democracy. Legislators who can choose voters can undermine representative democracy by engaging in gerrymandering. This is one of the underlying causes of extreme partisanship in Washington, D.C., and state legislatures. A legislator in a politically “safe” district has no incentive to work toward bipartisan solutions or listen to independent voters or voters from the other party, essentially disenfranchising them. Also, election challenges in “safe” districts tend to come from candidates who are politically more extreme than the incumbent, creating a disincentive to compromise for any incumbent who wants to be re-elected. Egregious examples of partisan or racial redistricting exist in several states including Wisconsin, North
THE CITIZEN | LETTER GUIDELINES • Limited to 350 words. to six letters per year and • Submissions must Include at least four weeks must a full name, address and lapse between publication. daytime phone number for Exceptions may be made for verification. rebuttal letters. • Letter writers must live, work • Due to space limitations, letor have another connection ters that don’t address local to Press Publications coverissues are not guaranteed age area. publication. • Letter writers are limited • Repeat letters by the same
The Citizen is distributed bi-weekly and is mailed to homes and businesses in the cities of Hugo, Centerville and the eastern third of Lino Lakes. The Citizen shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The Citizen’s P.O. Box 393 liability for other errors and omissions in connection with an advertisement Hugo, MN 55038 www.ReadTheCitizen.com is strictly limited to publication for the advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of any monies paid for the advertisement.
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recommends the Minnesota Legislature appoint a nonpartisan independent commission to advise the legislature on a fair redistricting plan. A fair redistricting plan Movers and Shakers is one that removes the inherent conflicts of interest that can arise Kathy Tomsich when legislators choose their voters (instead of voters choosing their Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Ohio, legislators). and Florida. All these states have Such a commission must comply been involved in extensive and exwith federal constitutional repensive court battles over political- quirements and the Voting Right ly unfair and uncompetitive district Act, promote competitiveness and boundaries. partisan fairness and meet other While Minnesota has not experirequirements. enced the extremes of gerrymanSeveral possible models exist for dering found in other states, the structuring this advisory commisstate legislature and the governor sion. For example, companion bills historically have had contentious introduced in the Minnesota house battles over redistricting. and senate (HF 246 and SF 370) In Minnesota, the state legislapropose creating a citizens’ comture is charged with redrawing mission of retired judges to advise district boundaries and the goverthe legislature on a redistricting nor may veto the legislature’s redis- plan that would ensure fair repretricting plan. This process is time sentation without having to rely on consuming and expensive. Minnethe courts. sota courts have had to set district Another possibility is to replicate boundaries in four of the last five Iowa’s redistricting process, which redistricting cycles because the Iowa has used successfully since legislature and the governor could 1980. In Iowa, nonpartisan state not agree. agency staff draws up the initial Interestingly, while Minnesota’s redistricting plan. Since the consequences of redismap-drawing process is contentricting are so far reaching, we urge tious, its legislative elections are citizens to become more informed not. Most legislative districts about the process and to ask legisare controlled by one of the two lators and candidates running in major political parties and only a 2018 if they support a nonpartisan, handful of districts are politically independent redistricting process. competitive. Unless Minnesota legislators agree to change it, Minnesotans Kathy Tomsich is a member and will repeat this failed redistricting former president of the process again after the 2020 census. League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters White Bear Lake Area.
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writer about the same subject editing. matter will not be published. • Deadline is 5 p. m. , Wednesday • Submissions containing libel- of the week prior to publication. ous or derogatory statements • To submit a letter, e-mail it to citizen@presspubs.com, will not be published. • Submissions containing facts fax it to 651-429-1242 or mail or deliver it to Press not previously published in Publications, 4779 Bloom The Citizen must be accompanied by factual verification. Ave., White Bear Lake, MN 55110. • All letters are subject to COPYRIGHT© 2018 BY PRESS PUBLICATIONS, INC. Material may not be reproduced in whole or part in any form whatsoever. News ...................... 651-407-1226 Advertising .............. 651-407-1214 Circulation .............. 651-407-1234 Classified ................ 651-407-1250 Production .............. 651-407-1239 FAX ........................ 651-429-1242
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MARCH 1, 2018
THE CITIZEN www.readthecitizen.com
5
BBB’s tax tips for 2018
T
his year, the IRS began accepting tax returns on Jan. 29, with nearly 155 million individual tax returns expected to be fi led in 2018. The tax deadline this year is April 17, giving taxpayers two extra days to fi le their returns. Better Business Bureau® of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) offers tips on fi nding reliable tax preparers and tax preparation services. Many tax preparation software companies and tax professionals have been handling returns leading up to the official opening of tax season, and will submit those on Jan. 29. Though the IRS is accepting both electronic and paper tax returns starting on that date, paper returns will only start being processed in mid-February as IRS system updates continue. The IRS encourages people to fi le their taxes electronically for faster refunds. “For many, tax refunds are eagerly anticipated and a cash influx people budget for early in the year,” said Susan Adams Loyd, president and CEO of Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota. “For this reason and many others, it’s extremely important to find a reliable tax preparer.”
Once again, the IRS will hold refunds for returns that contain an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or an Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) until February 15, to ensure the claims are accurate. The IRS expects the earliest EITC, ACTC-related refunds to be available starting on Feb. 27, if direct deposit was chosen and there are no other issues with the tax return. Movers and Taxpayers using a tax software product Shakers for the fi rst time will Better Business need their adjusted gross income from Bureau their 2017 tax return to fi le electronically. Taxpayers using the same software as last year will not need to enter that information to electronically sign their 2018 tax return. Using an electronic fi ling PIN is no longer an option. BBB offers the following tips on fi nding a trustworthy tax preparer: • File early. By fi ling your tax return early, you lower your risk of being a victim of tax refund fraud.
• Ask around. Get referrals from friends and family, and research free BBB Business Profi les at bbb.org. • Consider accessibility. Some tax preparers wind down operations shortly after the April 17 tax deadline. In case of an audit or if issues arise, be sure you know how to contact your tax preparer throughout the year. • Bigger isn’t always better. Be wary of tax preparation services that promise larger refunds than the competition, and avoid tax preparers who base their fee on a percentage of your refund. • Look for credentials. Ideally, your tax preparer should either be a certified public accountant, a tax attorney, an enrolled agent or a certified E-fi le provider. • Make sure they have a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). Anyone who prepares or assists in preparing federal tax returns for compensation must have a valid 2018 PTIN before preparing returns. All enrolled agents must also have a valid PTIN. • Investigate your tax preparer’s history with your state’s Board of Accountancy (for CPAs), the State Bar Association (for attorneys) or the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility
(OPR) for enrolled agents. • Remember that a paid preparer is required by law to sign your return and fi ll in the preparer areas of the form. In addition, the preparer must give you a copy of your tax return. Never sign a blank return. • Read the contract carefully. Be sure you understand how much it will cost for the service, how that cost will be affected if your tax return is more involved and time-consuming than expected, and whether the preparer will represent you in case of an audit. • Don’t forget about Free File. If your adjusted gross income is $66,000 or less, Free File offers free Federal tax preparation and e-fi ling. Free state returns options are also available. Visit irs.gov/freefi le to learn more. Contact the US Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration(TIGTA) if you have concerns about your tax service, believe you’re a victim of tax refund fraud or if your tax preparer is uncommunicative and your tax return is stuck in limbo. Contact Better Business Bureau at bbb.org or 651-699-1111, toll-free at 1-800-646-6222.
POLITICAL BRIEF Drawing 2020 election maps: fair representation
CITY OF HUGO ASSESSMENT NOTICE IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS THIS MAY AFFECT YOUR 2019 PROPERTY TAXES. Notice is hereby given that the Local Board of Appeal and Equalization for the City of Hugo shall meet on Thursday, April 12, 2018 from 5:30 – 7 p.m.at Hugo City Hall, 14669 Fitzgerald Ave. N. The purpose of this meeting is to determine whether property in the jurisdiction has been properly valued and classified by the assessor. If you believe the value or classification of your property is incorrect, please contact your assessor’s office to discuss your concerns. If you disagree with the valuation or classification after discussing it with your assessor, you may appear before the Local Board of Appeal and Equalization. The board will review your assessments and may make corrections as needed. Generally, you must appeal to the Local Board before appealing to the County Board of Appeal and Equalization. Given under my hand this 21st day of February, 2018 Michele Lindau, City Clerk Published one time in The Citizen on March 1, 2018.
CITY OF HUGO WASHINGTON COUNTY, MINNESOTA ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS HUGO FIRE STATION ROOFING AND MECHANICAL REPLACEMENT PROJECT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that sealed bids will be received until 10:00 a.m. local time, Thursday, March 23, 2018, at the office of the City Clerk, City Hall, 14669 Fitzgerald Avenue North, Hugo, MN 55038, and will be publicly opened and read at said time and place by representatives of the City of Hugo. A Pre-Bid Conference will be conducted on March 15, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. at the City of Hugo fire station, 5323 140th Street N, Hugo MN 55038. The provisions of Minn. Stat. 16C.285 Responsible Contractor are imposed as a requirement of this contract. All bidders and persons or companies providing a response/submission to the Advertisement for Bids/RFP of the City shall comply with the provisions of the statute. The bids must be submitted on the Proposal Forms provided in accordance with the Contract Documents, Plans, and Specifications as prepared by
HUGO TREE CARE Specializing in Dif cult Removal
651-429-4705 www.hugotree.com Certi ed Arborist
Roof Spec, Inc., 2400 Prior Ave N, St. Paul, MN 55113, which are on file with the City of Hugo and may be seen at the office of the Consulting Engineers. Complete digital Proposal Forms, Plans, and Specifications for use by Contractors submitting a bid are available at www.questcdn.com. You may download the digital plans and specifications for a nonrefundable fee of $25.00 by inputting Quest project # 5584767 on the website’s Project Search page. Please contact QuestCDN.com at (952) 233-1632 or info@questcdn. com for assistance in free membership registration, downloading, and working with this digital project information. An optional set of Proposal Forms, Plans, and Specifications may be obtained from the Consulting Engineers, Roof Spec, Inc., 2400 Prior Ave N, St. Paul, MN 55416, for a nonrefundable fee of $100.00 per set, check payable to Roof Spec, Inc. Bids will only be accepted from Contractors who purchase digital or paper Bidding Documents as specified above. No bids will be considered unless sealed and filed with the City of Hugo and accompanied by a cash deposit, cashier’s check, or certified check, or bid bond made payable to the City of Hugo in the amount of five percent (5%) of the amount bid to be forfeited as liquidated damages in the event that the bid be accepted and the bidder fail to enter promptly into a written contract and furnish the required bond. No bids may be withdrawn for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of opening of bids. The City of Hugo reserves the right to reject any or all bids. DATED: February 5, 2018 Michele Lindau, City Clerk, City of Hugo, MN Published one time in The Citizen on March 1, 2018.
CITY OF HUGO HUGO HISTORICAL COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETINGS NOTICES NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Hugo Historical Commission has rescheduled their March 20, 2018, meeting to March 19, 2018, at 1 p.m. at Hugo City Hall. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Hugo Historical Commission has scheduled a workshop for Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. at Hugo City Hall to discuss Hopkins Schoolhouse. Michele Lindau, City Clerk Published one time in The Citizen on March 1, 2018.
The League of Women Voters (LWV) White Bear Lake Area is sponsoring a forum on Minnesota’s redistricting process and proposed reforms for ensuring fair representation at 7 p.m. March 19 in the White Bear Lake High School South Campus Auditorium (east end of building, 3551 McKnight Road at County Road E). Speakers will include: Susan Brower, Minnesota state demographer; Nick Harper, civic engagement manager of LWV Minnesota; Tom Horner, Independent Party candidate for governor in 2010 and board member for Common Cause Minnesota; Steve Kelley, senior fellow at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs; and Hamline University Professor David Schultz. For more information, contact 651-493-0686 or wwww.lwvwbl@lwvmn.org.
Part Time/Full Time
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THE CITIZEN
www.presspubs.com
MARCH 1, 2018
HUGO, CENTERVILLE & LINO LAKES Where: Wargo Nature HUGO SENIOR CITIZENS Center, 7701 Main St., PLAY “500”
When: 12: 45 p.m., March 1 and 15, and the 1st & 3rd Thursday of every month Where: Rice Lake Centre – Located 1½ miles east of Hwy. 61 on Cty. Rd. 8 at the east end of the Hugo Public Works Bldg. Details: Hugo Seniors meet to play “500.” Games begin promptly at 12:45 p.m. Refreshments and coffee will be served. All senior citizens from the area are invited. Join us and bring a friend. Contact: Barb at 651429-0883 or email barbconnolly1958@ yahoo.com
Lino Lakes Details: Learn how to roast coffee beans, including what equipment is needed, where to buy beans and how different roasts are achieved. Registration required; $15/person. Contact: 763-324-3350; anokacountyparks.com
LUNCH WITH A NATURALIST: MAPLE SYRUP
When: 11:30-1 p.m. Tuesday, March 13 Where: Wargo Nature Center, 7701 Main St., Lino Lakes Details: Monthly presentation will include local natural history information and possibly HOCKEY APPAREL SALE a relaxing stroll on the When: 1-7 p.m. Friday, trails at Wargo. Ages 50+. No registration March 2; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. necessary. Saturday, March 3; and Contact: 763-324-3350 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, or anokacountyparks. March 4 com Where: Hugo City Hall Oneka Room, 14669 Fitzgerald Ave. N. MAPLE SYRUP Details: Fundraiser FESTIVAL for White Bear When: 2-4 p.m. LakeSquirt A and Sunday, March 18 Squirt B Black hockey Where: Wargo Nature teams. Items include Center, 7701 Main St., new merchandise for Lino Lakes youth and adults for the Details: Learn Wild, Twins, Gophers about the tradition of and White Bear Lake. gathering maple sap and Nothing over $25. cooking it down to make Contact: https:// maple syrup and sugar. sites.google.com/view/ Maple crafts, scavenger wblhockeyfundraiser hunt and tasting. All ages. $5/person; registration required. HOME COFFEE Contact: 763-324-3350 ROASTING or anokacountyparks. When: 10-11:30 a.m. com Saturday, March 10
Top 5 at PressPubs.com: Week of February 18 – 24, 2018 Editor’s note: Visit www.presspubs.com to read the full versions of these most-visited stories
1. White Bear students join nationwide walkouts protesting school violence. White Bear Press > News 2. Greyhound finds friendship after lonely night at library. White Bear Press > News 3. New Main Street restaurant highlights thoughtful menu, craft cocktails. The Lowdown (SCV) > News 4. Mahtomedi man charged with criminal sexual conduct. White Bear Press > News 5. White Bear district plans new school up north. White Bear Press > News
See Press Publications’ website www.presspubs.com for stories from the White Bear Press, The Citizen, Vadnais Heights Press, Shoreview Press, Quad Community Press, The Lowdown-Forest Lake Area and The Lowdown- St. Croix Valley Area.
HUGO SENIOR CLUB
When: 1 p.m. Monday March 19 and the 3rd Monday of every month Where: Rice Lake Centre, 1½ miles east of Hwy. 61 on Cty. Road 8 at the east end of the Hugo Public Works Bldg. Details: Monthly meeting of the Senior Club to plan activities for the coming year. Bring ideas. Following meeting, play games and enjoy refreshments. Contact: Barb at 651429-0883 or email barbconnolly1958@ yahoo.com
SPRING COLLEGE FAIR
When: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 22 Where: Centennial High School Gym, 4757 North Rd., Circle Pines Details: Collegebound students can visit with representatives from over 110 regional colleges, universities, community colleges, technical colleges and specialty schools. Open to the community and parents and students in any grade level. See list of colleges attending online. Contact: isd12.org
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16th Annual Fish Fry WHEN: 5-8 p.m. Fridays, March 2,
DETAILS: Hosted by the St. John’s
9, 16 & 23
Men’s Club of St. Genevieve’s Church. $11/adults; $9/seniors; $7/ children 6-12; children 5 and under free.
WHERE: St. John the Baptist Church Fortin Hall, Highway 61 and County Rd. 14, Hugo
CONTACT: stgens.org
NEIGHBORHOODS NEARBY
CRIBBAGE
When: 12:45 p.m. Monday, March 26 and the 4th Monday of every month Where: Rice Lake Centre, 1½ miles east of Hwy. 61 on Cty. Road 8 at the east end of the Hugo Public Works Bldg. Details: All senior citizens from Hugo and surrounding communities are invited to join us for an afternoon of Cribbage, coffee and refreshments. Residents from Centerville needing a ride contact Pete Nadeau at 651-429-1514. Contact: 651-429-4413
YELLOW RIBBON NETWORK HAMBURGER NIGHT
When: 5-8 p.m., Wednesday, March 28 and every fourth Wednesday of each month Where: Hugo American Legion, 5383 140th Street N. Details: Proceeds from hamburger sales benefit military families. All are welcome. Contact: 651-247-0354 or www.ci.hugo.mn.us
‘RABBIT HOLE’ POST SHOW DISCUSSION/PANEL
When: 4 p.m. Sundays, March 4, 11 and 18 Where: Lakeshore Players Theater, 4820 Stewart Ave., White Bear Lake Details: Grief and loss counselors, therapists and the actors will provide their thoughts and reflections of the play. Interactive. Complimentary for any ticket holders from the run of the show. Contact: lakeshore players.org
KIDS DREAM WINTER FILM SERIES
When: 10 a.m. Friday, March 2, Saturday, March 3 and Sunday, March 4 Where: Marcus Oakdale Theatre, 5677 Hadley Ave. N. Details: $3 admission to see “The Boss Baby,” and concession specials. Contact: marcus theatres.com/kidsdream
OWL AND SNOWSHOE HIKE
When: 6-9 p.m. Friday,
March 2 Where: Warner Nature Center, 15375 Norell Ave. N., Marine on St. Croix Details: Meet resident barred and Eastern screech owls before a night hike. $7/members; $10/ non-members. Ages 3+. Contact: 651-433-2427 or wnc@smm.org
‘EXPERIENCE THE EXTRAORDINARY’ 26TH ANNUAL ICE SHOW
When: 7 p.m. Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3; 1 p.m. Sunday, March 4 Where: White Bear Lake Sports Center, 1328 Hwy 96 Details: Performances by skate school students. Tickets on sale. Contact: 651-429-8571
DIVE-IN MOVIE
When: 7 p.m. Friday, March 2 Where: Shoreview Community Center, 4580 N. Victoria St. Details: Guests can float with the aid of water noodles (not provided), relax on the giant sea creature floatables, or lounge on the poolside chairs while you enjoy a popular family friendly movie.
No need to register. Contact:651-490-4750 or shoreviewcommunity center.com
CENTENNIAL COMMUNITY BAND ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 2 Where: Centennial Performing Arts Center Details: Special performance celebrating 15 years features past conductors and songs from throughout the years. Contact: 651-583-1760
LAKE WOBEGON BRASS BAND
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 2 Where: The Salvation Army Lakewood Worship Center, 2080 Woodlyn Ave., Maplewood Details: Winter into Spring Concert Series. Free-will offering. Contact: lwbb.org
UPPER MIDWEST SCUBA & ADVENTURE TRAVEL SHOW
When: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, March 3 Where: Doubletree Hotel, 7800 Normandale Blvd., Minneapolis Details: Scuba exhibits, speakers and
MARCH 1, 2018
www.presspubs.com
7 p.m. Monday, March 12 at WBL Unitarian Universalist Church, 328 Maple St., Mahtomedi Details: Topic is civics education. Public welcome. Contact: 651-493-0686
GUIDED MORNING BIRD HIKE
SUBMITTED
‘Rabbit Hole’ WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 1 (preview); 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 2, 9, 16 & 23; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 3, 10, 17 & 24; 2 p.m. Sunday, March 4, 11, 18 & 25
WHERE: Lakeshore Players Theatre, 4820 Stewart Ave., White Bear Lake
Tony Award winner deals with how family members survive a major loss. The different ways of dealing with grief lead to dramatic (and sometimes humorous) confrontations. Recommended ages 13+. Tickets $25/$22 adult; $22/$19 seniors and students.
CONTACT: 651-429-5674 or DETAILS: This Pulitzer Prize and
lakeshoreplayers.org
When: 9-10 a.m. Saturday, March 10 Where: Big Marine Park Reserve, 17495 Manning Trail N., Marine on St. Croix Details: Learn to identify birds that call the area home and contribute to citizen science data collection by completing bird count surveys with a guide. Free with parks permit. Open to all ages; minor must be with an adult. Meet at playground area. Contact: 651-430-8370 or co.washington.mn.us/ parks
WHITE BEAR LAKE ANNUAL CLEAN-UP
topics on diving, historic shipwrecks, travel and more. Fundraiser for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society. Contact: 612-567-3305 or umsatshow.org
DROP-IN DISCOVERY: REPS AND PHIBS
When: 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, March 3 Where: Tamarack Nature Center, 5287 Otter Lake Road, White Bear Township Details: Free drop-in program with nature discussions, touchable artifacts and interactions with animals. All ages. Contact: 651-407-5350 or www.parks.co.ramsey. mn.us/tamarack
MAPLE SYRUPING DAY
When: Noon-4 p.m. Saturday, March 3 Where: Warner Nature Center, 15375 Norell Ave. N., Marine on St. Croix Details: Learn the history of maple syruping and see the process fi rsthand from sap to syrup. On-going family-friendly activities such as demo tree tapping, sap boiling, syrup sampling, crafts and more. $5/person, pay cash at the gate. Contact: 651-433-2427 or wnc@smm.org
‘SAVING SNOW’ VIEWING
When: 6:30 p.m. Sunday, March 4 Where: St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church Great Hall, 900 Stillwater Rd.,
Mahtomedi Details: Screening of “Saving Snow,” a 53-minute documentary on the economic impacts of warmer and shorter winters, featuring last year’s canceled Birkebeiner. Olympian Jessie Diggins and other Olympic team members are making a video from South Korea that will also be shown. Contact: 651-303-2324 or mwindito@aol.com
TRI-COUNTY SENIOR DFL LUNCHEON MEETING
When: 12:30-2:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 6 and the 1st Tuesday of the month Where: Vannelli’s By the Lake, Broadway and Forest Lake Blvd., Forest Lake Details: Seniors 50+ from east Anoka, south Chisago and north Washington Counties discuss topics concerning seniors with a guest speaker. Contact: 763-227-7536 or ckgenz@msn.com
MINDFULNESS FOR PEACE AND PRESENCE
When: 6-7 p.m. Tuesdays, March 6-April 3 Where: Northeast Youth and Family Services, 1280 N. Birch Lake Blvd., White Bear Lake Details: Class to help reduce anxiety, increase focus and improve relationships. Registration required. Contact: 651-429-8544
COMMUNITY LUNCH
When: Noon-1 p.m. Wednesday, March 7 Where: Mahtomedi District Education Center, 1520 Mahtomedi Ave. Details: Local residents of all ages welcome for lunch and live music. Call for reservations by Monday prior to the luncheon. Contact: 651-407-2018
WHITE BEAR MYSTERY BOOK CLUB
When: 6:30-7:45 p.m. Wednesday, March 7 Where: White Bear Lake Library, 2150 Second St. Details: Theme is “Author new to me.” Read a book on the theme and introduce it to the group. Contact: 651-724-6007 or rclreads.org
TEDTALKS DISCUSSION GROUP
When: 11:30-1 p.m. Thursday, March 8 Where: White Bear Lake Library, 2150 Second St. Details: Bring a bag lunch and watch a video on “ideas worth spreading.” This month’s program is “Why You Think You Are Right Even When You Are Wrong.” Free; registration recommended. Contact: 651-724-6007 or rclreads.org
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTER’S MEETING
When and Where: 7 p.m. Thursday, March 8 at White Bear Lake City Hall, 4701 Hwy 61; and
When: 10 a.m. Saturday, March 10 Where: Bellaire Beach, 2499 South Shore Blvd. Details: Help clean up the lakeshore for 90 minutes, followed by free lunch provided by the VFW around 11:30 a.m. Volunteers should dress for conditions and bring tools to chop garbage out of the ice. Contact: 651-269-0976
PARENT’S NIGHT OUT
When: 4-8 p.m. Saturday, March 10 Where: Forest Lake YMCA, 19845 Forest Rd. N. Details: Childcare and activities provided so parents can enjoy an afternoon/evening out. Ages 2-10. $20/Y members; $25/non-members. See early bird pricing specials. Registration required. Contact: 651-2592133 or ymcamn.org/ locations/forest-lake
52ND ANNUAL WOODCARVING ARTISTRY SHOW
When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, March 10 and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, March 11 Where: Northtown Mall, University Ave. NE and County Rd. 10, Blaine Details: Exhibitors of all levels from the metro area and greater Minnesota. Non-judging and non-selling show. Information about classes, shows and carving clubs. Contact: 763-427-8822
THE CITIZEN
MARCH COMEDY SHOW
7
Contact: 651-407-5350 or www.parks.co.ramsey. mn.us/tamarack
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 10 Where: Running Aces Laugh Your Ace Off Comedy Club, 15201 Zurich St., Forest Lake Details: Co-headliners Wendy Maybury and Bryan Miller, hosted by Willie Sawyer. Tickets $15 in advance; $20 day of show. Contact: 651-925-4600 or runaces.com
When: 5-6:30 p.m. Monday, March 19 Where: White Bear Lake Library, 2150 Second St. Details: Local 4-H club meets monthly. Kids in K-12 are welcome to join. Contact: matoska mariners4H@gmail.com
MAHTOMEDI GARDEN CLUB
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTER’S FORUM
When: 9:30-10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 13 Where: Mahtomedi District Education Center, 1520 Mahtomedi Ave. Details: Join fellow gardening enthusiasts for a monthly meeting and education speakers. Social and education sessions open to the pubic. Speaker Nona Cummings on “Covering Ground.” Contact: mahtomedi gardenclub.org
HISTORY LIVE: AMERICAN INDIAN CULTURE PRESERVED IN STONE
When: 2-3 p.m. Friday, March 16 Where:White Bear Lake Library, 2150 Second St. Details: Educators from the Minnesota History Center will explore early American Indian culture recorded 7,000 years ago through rock carvings, called petroglyphs. Ages 8-12. Contact: 651-724-6007 or rclreads.org
SHAKE YOUR SHAMROCK
When: 11 a.m. Saturday, March 17 Where: Kelly’s Korner Bar, 7098 Centerville Road. Details: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a 7K run and 5K run/walk. T-shirt, commemorative pint glass and complimentary green beer. Post-race celebration and awards at noon. Registration required. Contact: midwest events.com
MATOSKA MARINERS 4-H CLUB
When: 7 p.m. Monday, March 19 Where: WBLAHS South Campus Auditorium, 3551 McKnight Rd., White Bear Lake Details: Discussion of Minnesota’s redistricting process and proposed reforms for ensuring fair representation. Speakers include Susan Brower, Nick Harper, Tom Horner, Steve Kelley and Professor David Schultz. Open to the public. Contact: 651-493-0686 or lwvwbl@lwvmn.org
FLASHLIGHT EGG HUNT
When: 7 p.m. Friday, March 23 Where: Lino Lakes Senior Center, 1189 Main St., Lino Lakes Details: Do a craft then look for eggs by flashlight. Hunt begins at 8:15 p.m. Ages K-5th grade. All participants receive age-appropriate prize bag. $8/child. Register by March 11. Contact: 651-982-2440 or ci.lino-lakes.mn.us
EGG HUNT
When: 8:15 a.m. Saturday, March 24 Where: Lino Lakes Senior Center, 1189 Main St., Lino Lakes Details: Special hunt for pre-schoolers. Hunt begins at 9:30 a.m. following craft and visit with the Easter Bunny. All participants receive age-appropriate prize bag. $8/child. Register by March 11. Contact: 651-982-2440 or ci.lino-lakes.mn.us
SUBMIT YOUR EVENT SAP TO SYRUP
When: 1-3:30 p.m. Saturdays, March 17 & 31 Where: Tamarack Nature Center, 5287 Otter Lake Rd., White Bear Township Details: Tap a tree, collect sap, visit the evaporator and see how syrup is made. For youth and adulys. $7/person; registration required.
Please include date, time, location, cost, brief details and contact information. Online: www.press pubs.com/calendar Email: calendar@ presspubs.com Mail: Press Publications, Attn: Calendar 4779 Bloom Ave. White Bear Lake, MN 55110
8
&
THE CITIZEN
www.readthecitizen.com
MARCH 1, 2018
HUGO POLICE REPORTS The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reported the following incidents: • A Hugo man, 54, was arrested for fi rst-degree assault following a shooting at 3:44 a.m. Feb. 3 in the 12000 block of Everton Avenue N. A St. Paul woman, 37, was arrested at the same time and location for fi fth-degree controlled substance possession after one of the four deputies called to the scene found drugs in her purse. The fi rst deputy answered the call on a report of a man shot in the leg upstairs and all other occupants in the basement; the deputy then observed movement in the kitchen and ordered everyone outside with their hands up. After the building was cleared, deputies noticed a loaded pistol in the entryway, another fi rearm on a counter in the living room, another in a bedroom and another gun near a computer. They also came upon a man lying in blood with a gunshot wound to the calf and another man with facial injuries. Deputies brought the man with facial injuries to the ground, to Regions Hospital for treatment and then to jail, in that order. • A resident in the 14000 block of Evergreen Avenue N. at 8:16 p.m. Feb. 3 reported a money scam in which his mother was a potential victim. The complainant’s mother became involved in an internet game, “Words With Friends,” with a man in California calling himself “Lloyd.” Once the complainant’s mom started a relationship with Lloyd, he asked her to come out to see him and started to ask her for money. The woman had not yet given Lloyd any money but is blind to the scam, the complainant said. • Two vehicles were reported for backing into each other in the Festival Foods parking lot on Victor Hugo Blvd. N. at 1:19 p.m. Feb. 4. • Snowmobilers riding off trail were reported at 3:41 p.m. Feb. 4 near the Hardwood Creek Trail, west of Highway 61 and north of 170th Street N. One of the operators was observed having fallen off his machine. • A resident in the 4000 block of Garden Way N. at 7:17 p.m. Feb. 4 reported fraudulent transactions on his TCF bank card. • Employees of the SuperAmerica station on Forest Blvd. N. at 10:10 a.m. Feb 6 reported a case of
Mountain Dew was stolen from the Pepsi truck as it was delivering at the store. The thieves left in a four-door sedan, the license plate of which was accurately retrieved. A video of the activity also led deputies to a suspect, with whom they quickly scheduled an interview at his school. • Employees of Ideal Credit Union in the 14000 block of Victor Hugo Blvd. N. at 11:31 a.m. Feb 6 reported that a male had passed them $480 in counterfeit $20 bills. The bills have been confiscated and turned over to authorities. • A woman lying passed out in her vehicle was reported at 5:16 p.m. Feb. 6 outside Dunn Bros. in the 14000 block of Victor Hugo Blvd. N. As she had remained in her vehicle for more than one hour with the engine running, the reporter thought she had been drinking. However, she tested .000 on the field sobriety test and told deputies she had recently been diagnosed with a neurocondition and needed medical attention. • A resident in the 4000 block of Emmit Drive N. reported the rear tabs of his vehicle stolen overnight Feb. 8-9. There are no suspects. • A resident in the 4000 block of Flora Way N. reported at 8:42 a.m. Feb. 9 that someone had accessed her Kohl’s account through the internet, had purchased a Nest security system and had it shipped to a different address. The complainant caught the fraud in time to avert any fi nancial loss. • A resident in the 13000 block of Geneva Avenue N. at 6:27 p.m. Feb. 9 reported a Dodge truck driving by loudly and then again earlier in the day. The complainant reported that particular behavior as an ongoing issue with a variety of other vehicles driving by and burning out in front of his house. Deputies were unable to locate any of the offenders. • A North St. Paul man, 40, was arrested at 2:35 a.m. Feb. 10 on Elmcrest Avenue N. and Heritage Parkway N. for third-degree DWI after deputies observed him cross over the centerline several times and pulled him over. Deputies also noticed the motorist’s slurred speech, accompanied by an odor of alcohol in the vehicle. The subject admitted to having one drink three hours prior to the traffic stop. However, he tested a robust .17 in the field
sobriety test and was transported to jail. A formal complaint is pending. • Suspicious activity near a house was reported at 6:52 a.m. Feb. 10 in the 5000 block of 141st Street N. after neighbors noticed that all the lights had been left on in the home night and day and a garbage can had been left out. Deputies on stakeout nabbed two painters arriving for work, who advised them that they were painting the property owner’s home while he was on vacation. The painters then produced a garage door opener to let themselves in before going about their work. • A resident in the 16000 block of Jeffrey Avenue N. at 10:21 a.m. Feb. 10 reported receiving two voice messages saying that he owned money and to contact the caller or be arrested. The complainant knew it was all a scam and reported it instead. • A White Bear Lake man, 50, was cited at 11:04 a.m. Feb. 10 on Jardin Avenue N. and Garden Way N. for stop sign violation after deputies on directed patrol for that exact violation observed him turn onto Garden Way N. from Jardin Avenue N. without stopping. The motorist told deputies he was late for an open house. • Parked vehicle hit-and-run was reported at 3:45 p.m. Feb. 10 in the parking lot of the Blue Heron Grill on Victor Hugo Blvd. N. It apparently took place as the complainant ate inside the establishment. • A resident in the 15000 block of Goodview Trail N. at 5:05 p.m. Feb. 10 reported a possible intruder after he heard the hangers rattling in a nearby closet and other noises coming from the front door. When deputies advised the subject that they saw no traces of any footprints in the snow surrounding the house, the complainant suggested that he had been on prescription narcotics and may have been having hallucinations. • A Mahtomedi man, 22, was cited at 1:21 a.m. Feb. 11 on southbound Highway 61 and 120th Street N. for speeding 68 mph in a 55 mph zone by following deputies who ran a radar check of his vehicle. The motorist carried no proof of insurance and was allowed to phone his mother to obtain the proof. Deputies advised the man to always carry proof of insurance.
CENTENNIAL LAKES POLICE REPORTS
LINO LAKES POLICE REPORTS advised the male had fallen in the street. The male was transported by ambulance to the hospital and cited for possession of drug paraphernalia.
The Centennial Lakes Police reported the following incidents:
• An officer responded to a report of a suspicious person in the 6500 block of Ware Road Feb. 13. A homeless adult male was identified and transported to a nearby rest area at his request.
• Officers responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident in the area of Otter Lake Road and Main Street Feb. 14. Both vehicles were totaled and towed from the scene. Both drivers were not injured.
• Officers were dispatched to the 30 block of Central Street in Circle Pines Feb. 15 for a possible drunk driver. An adult male was arrested for third-degree DWI.
• Officers responded on a report of a burglary in the 1200 block of Main Street Feb. 13. Officers determined it was a civil dispute over property, and the caller was advised on steps to take for the civil process.
• Officers attempted to stop a vehicle for speeding in Lino Lakes; however, the driver failed to stop and increased speed. The driver was arrested a short time later by the Ramsey Police Department for fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle.
• Police mediated a civil dispute in the 4000 block of Lovell Road in Lexington Feb. 15.
• Officers responded to a possible shoplifting in progress in the 700 block of Apollo Drive Feb. 13. Officers arrived and detained the suspects, who were later released and trespassed from the location.
• An officer received information about an IRS scam from a complainant in the 1200 block of Birch Street Feb. 16. The complainant did not suffer a financial loss and wanted the police to be aware.
The Lino Lakes Police Department reported the following incidents:
• Officers were dispatched to a welfare check of a male walking down the road in the 600 block of Main Street Feb. 13. While en route, officers were
651-429-5420 16615 N. Forest Blvd. (3 Miles North on Hwy 61)
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• An officer took a phone call from a complainant in the 300 block of Sioux Lookout Feb. 16 regarding an ongoing situation where the caller and his neighbors have observed a suspicious vehicle in their neighborhood. Officers told the caller to call when the vehicle is seen so officers can speak with the driver. • Officers stopped a vehicle for improper lane use in Lino Lakes Feb. 17. An adult female was arrested for driving while impaired. • Officers responded to a call reporting a fight at a local establishment in the 7700 block of Lake Drive Feb. 17. One male was arrested on outstanding warrants. • An officer was requested to a residence in the 6600 block of Black Duck Drive Feb. 18 for a strong gas odor in a home. The officer determined a gas burner on the stove had been turned on and suggested the homeowner open windows to vent the home. • Officers stopped a vehicle for driving recklessly in a parking lot in the 6200 block of Hodgson Road Feb. 19. An adult female was arrested for driving while impaired.
• Officers responded to a property damage accident in the 9200 block of Griggs Avenue in Lexington Feb. 16. There were no injuries and the damage was under $1,000. • Officers were dispatched to Circle Pines Feb. 18 on report of a suicidal female. Officers assisted ambulance and rescue in treating the victim. An ambulance transported the victim to the hospital for further evaluation. • An officer saw a male in the 100 block of Civic Heights Circle in Circle Pines Feb. 19. The male was arrested and brought to jail. • A criminal sexual conduct incident was reported in Circle Pines Feb. 19. The victim was referred to the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division. • Officers responded to the 1700 block of Main Street in Centerville Feb. 17 on report of a male loitering in a back yard. Officers located the male and transported him to the bus stop in Blaine. • Officers were dispatched to the 7000 block of Centerville Road Feb. 17 on report of a large group fighting. Officers arrived and the fighting stopped.
MARCH 1, 2018
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TOWN HALL: Legislators prioritize MNLARS, public safety and opioids taking care of a parent may find the county prosecutor standing in their door saying, ‘I see neglect.’ People may have to be worried, and rightly so, but it’s another level of thinking that goes on.” Chamberlain noted that homes for the elderly were another strain on increasing state budgets. He cited statistics including a 90-percent increase of the budget since 2000. “If we don’t change something at the state level, and we have all these baby boomers retiring, what happens to that number?” Chamberlain said. “Demographics is the biggest problem facing this state [and] this country.” He added, “People aren’t having babies is the starting point. The United States wasn’t bad for a while, but we’re falling off… A growing labor force helps to drive economic growth.”
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MNLARS Despite years of work and $93 million spent on the project already, the effort to fix the old Minnesota Licensing and Registration System (MNLARS) has been beset by failures. Though undertaken with improvements in mind, the new system has been plagued by huge backlogs, crashes and errors. “First it was MNsure and now it’s this,” one woman said, sharing sentiments of the first speakers. “All they do is suck money out of the taxes and throw it all away.” The woman and her husband mentioned the story of a neighbor in the business of selling cars. Due to MNLARS errors, he was experiencing difficulties in transferring titles between vehicles. When asked for input, the legislators presented their own perspectives. “It would appear that the overall management and oversight of it was completely flawed.” Runbeck said. “It’s a management fiasco—total fiasco. And now when they’ve spent $93 million in that department and they want another $43 [million] to get it finished… I sit on the committee overseeing that and you wonder, what will $43 million do if $93 million wasn’t enough?” Runbeck added, “There are some real, serious issues and it needs to be done… I think we will wait and see—will we, say, go out and get a big company to do this or spend $43 million internally to fi x this?” Runbeck noted that she was presently fielding solutions. Chamberlain described the root of the problem as “attitude and vision.” He described two paths in government, one focused on trust in the citizen and the other on trust of the government. He presented his perspective on MNLARS as the government taking a project too far into territory it was not equipped to understand. “We can believe that it’s you that changes things; that you should be in charge of things, that you should control those levers… That you know best.” Chamberlain said. “The alternative is a bleak landscape where somebody makes those decisions and shuts you out… The other path is where we run into all these problems.” Public safety In the wake of the recent Florida school shooting, gun violence returned as an issue of contention. The second question asked in the meeting was from a woman who wanted the legislators’ opinion on issues of “oppression”—including gun violence, abuse of elders and sex trafficking. “How might you stop these forms of oppression and set the oppressed free?” The woman asked. In addressing the question, Chamberlain initially limited his answer to the topic of gun violence, from a standpoint of personal accountability.
JOE MOLOHON |SUBMITTED
Rep. Linda Runbeck (R-Circle Pines) speaks with constituents after the Lino Lakes town hall meeting.
“What has changed in the last 50, 60 years? We’ve always had those [kinds of] weapons.” Chamberlain said, referring to assault rifles. “We’ve had more gun laws. And we’ve had more training on abuse and how important it is to be nice. Do I have the answer to that? There could be a lot of reasons for it. [A lack of] consequences, family breakdown; a lot of it. My concern is, is there another law we can pass to manage the human heart and soul? I don’t know that there is.” Runbeck chose to expand upon the issue of sex trafficking. “I think that the government is in some ways a little conflicted when it comes to some of these issues you mentioned, like sex trafficking.” Runbeck said. “The state does feel that it has become a state issue and so there has been new money and new programs for law enforcement to investigate and intervene. Those are positive things.” She added, “But where does sex trafficking come from? Is it too much porn in our culture? Well, nobody is really eager to tackle porn. Government has not wanted to crack down where there is excessive, addictive involvement in porn. Maybe it’s the next thing that should get some attention in the breakdown of the family.” This idea of the breakdown of the family unit pursued discussion into the topic of elder abuse and what to do about America’s aging baby boomer population. In response to one man’s suggestion of incentivizing children to take care of their aging parents, Runbeck noted the present difficulties, as seen in punitive laws regarding elder abuse. “Elder abuse laws are making it a risk if you are in that “sandwich generation” and you want your parent to live with you. Now there is going to be people observing how you care and the level of care. And some people who have taken extraordinary work
Opioid abuse As the final issue addressed, one man presented his claim that the upcoming legislation for the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) would not solve the issue of doctor shopping in opioid distribution. “It’s the pharmacies that are dispensing the opioids, not the doctors,” said the resident. In addressing the issue, Runbeck noted the general difficulties of distribution and assessing patient need. “Medicine has changed in saying that people should not have to suffer pain. Well, how do you measure pain? We’ve kind of allowed ourselves to slip into this idea that I can get something, for any pain I have. And Medicaid, of course, has been expanded. So Medicaid is really part of the problem too. So we’re paying for those drugs… Whether, what kind of pain, we don’t know. Runbeck added, “Whether the new laws coming this summer are going to make pharmacies more accountable, I’m not sure.” Chamberlain said, “It’s a difficult thing to manage. We have a system that is supposed to prevent doctor-shopping. I would say sanctioning doctors are already being squeezed for a lot of other things… I don’t have the single answer; it’s not my wheelhouse. It’s a problem, we have to address it, but I’m not for throwing the net out [to sanction doctors further].” In closing, those in attendance returned to what might have brought them to the meeting in the first place—a general sense of discontent with the current state of things. As one local man phrased it: “It goes back to what we started with, with this gentleman over here—the frustration over accountability. What’s a relatively simple issue, titling vehicles, [results in] $90 million down the hole. And the way people hear it and it’s reported, it sounds like, ‘$43 million? Aw, that’s just a drop in the bucket.’ That’s a lot of money to regular folks!” Joe Molohon can be reached at 612-594-0054 or at joe.molohon@gmail.com.
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Sunshine and northerns dominate Centerville Lions Club Ice Fishing Contest
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From local rinks to OIympic gold BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR
GREG BRANDT | SUBMITTED
Team USA hockey player Hannah Brandt and her mother Robin draped themselves in Old Glory after the American skaters beat arch rival Canada 3-2 for the Olympic gold medal. Hannah’s dad, Greg, sent the photo at the Press request.
Hannah Brandt, Vadnais Heights native, was part of one of the sweetest American victories in winter Olympics history last week. Brandt helped Team USA defeat arch-rival Canada 3-2 in an epic gold medal duel in Gangneung, South Korea. Team USA tied the game 2-2 with 6:21 left in regulation. After a tense, 20-minute, four-on-four overtime went scoreless, Team USA won the shootout 3-2, capped by Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson of Fargo delivering the clincher. The Americans had lost to the Canadians in four consecutive Olympics since winning gold in 1998.
Team USA lost to Canada 2-1 in the preliminary rounds but won their other four games to earn a shot at the gold medal and this time finally prevailed over the Canadians. Brandt, 24, participating in her first Olympics, was the second of seven shooters for Team USA in the shootout; her shot was stopped by the Canadian goalie. Brandt scored one goal in the Olympics, during a 5-0 win over OAR (a team of Russian athletes). Brandt, who played youth hockey in White Bear Lake before starring for Hill-Murray and the Minnesota Gophers, had plenty of company in South Korea. Her parents Greg and Robin were there, along with her sister, Marissa
— who, having been born in South Korea, was playing for the host team — and Marissa’s husband Brett Ylonen. The sisters playing on different teams at the Olympics was a unique story that’s gotten considerable media coverage. South Korea, a first-time entrant, lost all four of their games, and Marissa (who played for Gustavus Adolphus) was among the joyous Team USA rooters at the gold medal game. The city of Vadnais Heights is planning a celebration homecoming party for Hannah and Marissa Brandt when they return to the area later this spring. White Bear Lake youth and high school hockey players will be invited to the party as well as community members, said Mayor Bob Fletcher.
Centennial Community Band commemorates 15 years BY SHANNON GRANHOLM EDITOR
Fifteen years ago, a resident of Grantsburg, Wisconsin was fed up with driving to the Twin Cities multiple times a week so she and her children could play instruments. An idea was born. That idea was the Centennial Community Band, which is now in its 15th year of existence. The band will commemorate the milestone with a free performance at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 2, in the Centennial High School (CHS) Performing Arts Center. In the 1990s Janet Hyatt had two daughters who bought a home in Circle Pines near CHS and she was impressed with the auditorium space. After she retired from teaching in Grantsburg in 2002, she inquired of Centennial whether there was a community band or if the district would be willing to start one. “Those of us who live in the surrounding communities on the border of Wisconsin and up north on the Minnesota side, we have to go so far for cultural and educational input into our lives,” she explained. “There are a lot of gifted and talented people living in smaller communities around the metro area who have no place to perform or play at their own level without driving for miles and miles.” After inquiring with Centennial, Hyatt was told someone had tried to start a community band previously, but it never worked out because they couldn’t find someone to direct the group. Hyatt promised she would find a director and the district agreed they would do all they could to help, such as publishing items in its newsletters. Hyatt now says she can’t praise the
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The Centennial Community Band currently has around 50-60 members that range in age from around 17 well into the 80s.
district enough for all it has done for the band. In January 2003, the band took off; 26 members showed up to the fi rst rehearsal. The group has now had five directors, including Karen Eitland, Michael Moeller, Jim Baxter, Charles Weise and, for the past five years, Barry Zumwalde, who teaches instrumental music at Forest Lake High School and Southwest Junior High School. The band now has around 50 to 60 members that range in age from around 17 well into the 80s. “What is great about our group is
we get people from all walks of life who still love making music and come every week and give it their all,” Zumwalde said. “This group is very welcoming. We don’t do auditions. The atmosphere and personality of the group is very positive.” Hyatt said the two goals she had for the group was fi rst, “to keep music alive out in the community,” and second, “to be family-oriented.” “Some families go out and play bingo, soccer or they will do things as a family; yet you have whole families of musicians and they all play in different bands,” she said. “If
they live close by, why can’t they all go to the same place and be family musicians?” At one time all of Hyatt’s four children played in the band, even her grandchildren. “For a while, we called ourselves the third-generation band,” Hyatt said laughing. Her sister Marian Milbridge, 81, of North St. Paul still plays clarinet in the band along with Milbridge’s daughter (Hyatt’s niece), Kay Larson, a resident of White Bear Lake. “Growing up, I was in sports and band. When I was in high school my mom said she wanted me to keep up with my instrument, so she bought me one. I said I wanted to do sports and she said, ‘When you get to be older, you can always do your instrument, you can’t always do sports,’” Larson said. “Well, I am still doing the sports and I am still in the band.” Larson has been in the band since its inception and plays euphonium, a large baritone-voiced brass instrument. She also plays volleyball, softball, broomball and golf. “Each director has brought something different, which is nice. The band has really grown musically and in numbers,” she explained. “I like playing in it because it is a good group of people. There is not a lot of drama. When we get there, we are all business.” Friday’s concert will feature 15 songs, one from each year of the band’s existence. Former directors will also be present to conduct the group for old times’ sake. Editor Shannon Granholm can be reached at 651-407-1227 or citizen@presspubs.com.
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Scouts chip in to clean up trash
Where Friends Become Family
Scouts from Pack 432 and Troop 136 participated in the Centerville Lions Ice fishing contest Feb. 17. After the event the boys helped clean up trash and collect recyclables. Troop 136 recently relocated to Centerville, after The Church of St. Genevieve welcomed the troop to use its facilities for meetings. Troop 136 serves scouts in Centerville, Lino Lakes and Forest Lake.
Open House Dates: March 8th and 9th
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CENTERVILLE CITY CALENDAR Planning and Zoning Commission meeting at 6:30 p.m. March 7: Parks and Recreation Committee meeting at 6:30 p.m. March 14: City Council meeting at 6:30 p.m. March 6:
Special meetings are posted in the City Hall lobby. Public notices are now published in The Citizen; read them at www.presspubs.com (click on Public Notices).
HUGO CITY CALENDAR March 5: City Council meeting at 7 p.m. March 8: Planning Commission meeting at 7 p.m. March 19: City City Council meeting at 7 p.m.
LINO LAKES CITY CALENDAR March 5: March 5: March 12: March 14: March 17:
City Council work session at 6 p.m. Park Board meeting at 6:30 p.m. City Council meeting at 6:30 p.m. Planning and Zoning Commission meeting at 6 p.m. Recycling Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
CENTERVILLE TIDBITS The Centerville City Council took the following action at its Feb. 14 meeting: • By a vote of 4-0 (Councilman D. Love absent) approved Ordinance 88a, Second Series, addressing the 2018 fee schedule, water rate tier structure and water meter fees. Due to increases in water meter materials, water meter fees for residential properties increased 6 percent, from $411 to $436. Commercial, industrial and irrigation fees increased 7.25 percent from $527 to $565. Under the new tiered system, residents using up to 15,000 gallons during a bi-monthly billing period will pay $2.08 per 1,000 gallons. • Residents using 15,000 to 30,000 gallons during that same period will pay $2.38 for every thousand gallons they use. Residents using more than 30,000 gallons during the same rate period will pay $2.71 for every thousand gallons of water they use. Commercial users during that same billing period will pay $2.08 for every thousand gallons up to 500,000 gallons and $2.71 for every thousand gallons for usage amounts greater than 500,000 gallons. • Approved the Parks and Recreation Committee recommendation to donate $200 to Centennial Community Education to subsidize the fee for children who want to attend a threeday, two-hour skateboard camp in LaMotte Park. • Unanimously directed city staff to begin soliciting bids for residential garbage collection services. The requests for proposal (RFP) will encompass garbage, refuse, recycling and yard waste services. • The current garbage service contract is coming up for renewal, and has been extended through June, City Attorney Kurt Glaser said. The new contract is expected to be awarded in April. The city is currently under contract with Waste Management, but owns all the waste containers. The upcoming contract will not pertain to businesses, commercial buildings or residences of more than three units. • Approved the 2.75 percent cost-of-living adjustment in the nonunion pay plan and pay matrix for five of the eight available positions. Three positions were not included in the raise, as those positions were negotiated earlier in the year. • According to its personnel policy, the city reviews the pay plan every year and makes changes it determines are necessary. Salary adjustments for union members are negotiated separately. • Adjourned to a closed session to discuss negotiation strategies for the purchase agreement with Ruffridge-Johnson and negotiation strategy for the upcoming union labor agreement. The council next meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28, at City Hall, 1880 Main St. Loretta Harding
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Oneka Ridge Golf Course in Hugo collects and uses stormwater to irrigate its course. Golf courses are not part of the judge’s irrigation ban.
Let the ordinance writing begin; irrigation ban takes effect BY DEBRA NEUTKENS MANAGING EDITOR
WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP — After 18 years in the irrigation business, Gus Gustafson is ready to sell. Unfortunately, his timing is bad. Eighty-five percent of his business is within a 5-mile radius of White Bear Lake, the area under a court-ordered irrigation ban. If the lake reaches 924 feet, owners of lawn care businesses will be singing in the rain, but that hasn’t happened in 13 years. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had a Feb. 28 deadline to issue a court-ordered directive to 10 communities within the circle. The agency amended appropriation permits for the municipalities, imposing restrictions on residential irrigation and per capita water use. Gustafson owns Aquatec Irrigation Service Inc. on Leibel Street in White Bear Township. Health issues are forcing him to retire. “It’s hard to sell a business to begin with,” he said, “but the value of my company went down the drain with this deal.” An irrigation ban is one of several requirements mandated by District Court Judge Margaret Marrinan in her Aug. 30 ruling in the lake level lawsuit. She sided with the plaintiff, the White Bear Lake Restoration Association, which blamed excessive groundwater pumping, permitted by the DNR, for low lake levels. Implementing the new permit language is now up to the 10 municipalities. They will be writing ordinances to enforce the changes to water appropriation permits. “We have to comply with the new language,” said Bill Short, White Bear Township clerk/treasurer. The township will draft a plan and share it with residents as to how an amendment will be enacted and enforced, he noted. “The only reasonable way to enact anything like this is through an ordinance.” Key issues, added Short, is whether a residential ban applies to those on private wells. And should it be expanded to businesses and public spaces such as parks? “We don’t know the answers,” Short maintained. “And here’s a good one: Would someone using a hose to hand water a brown spot on their lawn be in violation? That is how absurd this whole thing is. There is a whole vocabulary of details that we have to figure out. It still gives me indigestion.” Under the court order, a residential irrigation ban must be enforced when the level of White Bear Lake is below 923.5 feet and continue until it has reached an elevation of 924 feet. The ban is one of several provisions in the order that took effect the last day in February. The DNR also modified permits to require communities have an enforceable plan to phase down per capita residential water use to 75 gallons per day and total daily water use (including commercial) to 90 gallons. Enactment of this requirement must be completed no later than one year from the date of the order. All the impacted cities met with the DNR earlier this month to get an update on the permit language.
White Bear Lake City Manager Ellen Richter said their interpretation is that a ban applies only to residential. “We’ll have to make determinations on how best to enforce that,” she said. “Certainly, the City Council has concerns about equity issues and we’ll explore that with them. There is cross-jurisdictional equity, too. Wording will be a challenge. We have to comply with the spirit of the ruling but there are a lot of factors coming out.” One of those factors could be new wells. What’s to stop property owners from pounding down a sand point into the water table? “As we draft the irrigation ban, we anticipate banning residential irrigation from all sources, including municipal supply, pumping from the lake or ponds, as well as private wells and sand point wells,” replied Mark Burch, city engineer. Gustafson is not surprised by the judge’s crackdown on irrigation. “I saw it coming 10 years ago,” he said. “I’ve been trying to tell people to conserve water, but property owners don’t care. We are in the land of 10,000 lakes. I tell customers they need a rain or soil sensor by law for an irrigation system, but they disconnect them. Commercial properties are the biggest culprit. It can be pouring rain and their sprinkler systems are on. That makes me crazy. Water is pretty important, but there are ways to conserve without people telling us we can’t do something.” According to a groundwater modeling tool developed for the DNR, the court’s residential irrigation ban will only increase water levels by 1 inch per year. These calculations were based on the Met Council’s estimates of the volume of water used for irrigation. Other cities are being forced to follow suit with ordinances of their own. The township’s Short pointed out that Stillwater has five wells, but only one is within the 5-mile radius. “If push came to shove, could they stop using that well and somehow disconnect it from the rest of their system? Would that protect them from this order? The DNR has to figure out all that stuff, too,” he said. In an email to local legislators, Hugo City Administrator Bryan Bear called the court-ordered regulations “confusing and unjust.” “Unfortunately, the rules make absolutely no sense. If we were to try to conserve water (something we are very good at in Hugo), we would definitely not do these things,” Bear wrote. “Additionally, the best and latest science is concluding that most of our communities have insignificant impacts to the lake level and, further, most of us are nonparticipants in the lawsuit.” Both the DNR and the city intend to appeal the ruling as soon as the judge issues her decision on motions to stay the court order. The DNR and city attorneys requested a stay until the Minnesota Court of Appeals decides the case. In the meantime, the DNR is prohibited by the order from issuing new or expanded water appropriations. This includes the dewatering technique used in construction projects, which has stymied development. An attorney for the plaintiff said an agreement has been submitted to modify the court’s order “to allow certain temporary, dewatering permits.” A revision to the order is expected soon.
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Centennial dancers wrap up successful season The Centennial High School varsity jazz and kick teams competed in the 3AAA sectional tournament on Feb. 10 at Bloomington Kennedy High School. Twelve teams competed in the tournament, and the top three teams advanced to the state tournament. CHS placed second in both Jazz and Kick at sectionals and advanced to the state tournament Feb. 16-17 at The Target Center, where they did not make the finals. This year was the fourth consecutive year the team has qualified for state. Since 2000, the team has made it to state 13 times. Coach Sarah Austin couldn’t be more proud of the team, as this year was a rebuilding year with 12 new members. The young team was made up of two seniors, four juniors, 12 sophomores, six freshman and five middle school dancers. “We made very big improvements and growth as a team from start to finish this season. We really pushed hard at the end and got our scores much high-
er than what we started the season with so that we could place in the top three at sections,” Austin said. “We had great leadership in our veteran dancers to help encourage, motivate and train all of our rookie dancers.” This season marked the third year middle school students were eligible to join the team, which Austin said has really grown the team. “We hope to continue growing the participation in our program. We are excited to see what this team can do next year as we are only losing two seniors therefore we will have the majority of our team that will have had trained together for two seasons.” The CHS dance team will hold try outs in the spring for the winter competitive season of 2018-19. Information on try outs will be advertised at the high school and middle school. Contact the coach for additional information at coachsarahcdt@gmail.com. Shannon Granholm
SUBMITTED
The Centennial High School varsity jazz and kick teams competed in the 3AAA sectional tournament Feb. 10 and advanced to the state tournament Feb. 16-17.
Centennial stopped by Edina 2-1 in hockey finals at Minnesota-Duluth. Edina, meanwhile, has eight players committed to Division I teams, and two of them beat Centennial’s outstanding goalie Mackenna Stoterau in the championship game. Stoterau stopped 76 of 79 shots in the three games. A future Gopher, Emily Oden, broke the scoreless tie at 8:38 of the second period. She wheeled off the boards and fi red a rocket that glanced off Stoterau’s glove and over her shoulder. TT.E. E MORRIS AT TEMOPHOTO.COM TEMOPHOTO COM | SUBMITTED Hughes pulled the Gabbie Hughes raised her arms after scoring her third goal Cougars even, but Aliyah of the first period during a 6-1 semifinals win over Lakeville Lance, signed by RPI, reSouth. gained the lead for Edina with a well-placed dart Sami Reber told Channel shot by Hughes that tied on a power play at 2:39 of 45 Sports. the score 1-1 late at 14:35 the third period. Hughes had 46 goals of the second period, off Another Cougar makthis year, four in the a nice feed from Hannah ing her mark at state semifinals, and Linser Backman. was sophomore Allison had 29. Hughes and Linser plan Pitlick, who scored goals But Edina held the to score many more goals in each of the fi rst two tandem to one goal. That together as teammates games. was an on-the-run rifle
Pitlick got the team’s fi rst goal of the tournament, pouncing on the rebound of a shot by Linser in the fi rst period against Lakeville South. The score remained 1-0 until Linser delivered a power-play goal at 13:46 of the third period, Hughes and Maija Almich assisting. Stoterau made 27 saves in the shutout. “I’m very sad it’s over,” Hughes said. “We knew this was the last time we would lace up our skates together and we all laid everything we had on the line.” “It was a blast, for sure,” Linser said about the long-coveted state experience. At the end, she said, “We were all crying and sad, but our coaches told us how proud they were of us. We were mostly sad that we were all done.”
Four Cougars on all-tourney team; special award for Linser were named to the all-state tournament team. The award ceremony started with Linser’s name called out as recipient of the Herb Brooks Award, which takes into account traits such as passion for hockey, com-
mitment to team and school, work ethic, mental toughness and hockey skills. Brooks’ son presented the award. “I’m so honored to have my name associated with Herb Brooks,” Linser said.
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Centennial reaped some honors at the conclusion of the state hockey tournament. Senior scoring leaders Anneke Linser and Gabbie Hughes, senior defender Hannah Backman, and junior goalie Mackenna Stoterau
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buzz, reaching their fi rst state title game by powering past Lakeville South The Centennial Cou2-0 and Eagan 6-1. gars and their fearsome ‘We made a lot of hisfi rst line were on the tory this year,” reflected verge of a state hockey King. “We went 15-0-1 in championship, needing the conference, we won only to get past a team the section for the fi rst they had beaten once time in 10 years, we won before. the fi rst quarterfinal But that team was Edi- game in Centennial hisna, a school with over 160 tory — and, to be playing state titles in all sports in the very last game and just now adding of the season, that was girls hockey to its list of exactly where we hoped dynasties. we would be.” The Hornets threw all The fans, press and kinds of wrenches into coaches were gushing the Cougars’ scoring about the Cougars twin machinery and fought off howitzers Gabbie Hughes the Cougars 2-1 at Xcel and Anneke Linser, Miss Energy Center on Satur- Hockey fi nalists who day evening. finished with 290 career “We can’t be upset goals between them. about it. We gave it “Fifteen and seven, everything we had,” said they are two of the best Centennial coach Kirsti- in the state — in the na King. country, actually — so The Cougars finished that’s what we have to 25-4-1 and created a lot of deal with,” Edina coach BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR
Centennial freshman swimmer Brian Tran qualified for state in three events at Section 7AA on Saturday at Coon Rapids. Tran won the individual medley in 1:59.07, took second in the breaststroke with 1:00.02, and swam the backstroke leg of the medley relay team that won in 1:39.01, all season-bests.
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Bears will have five wrestlers at state meet BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR
White Bear Lake will have five wrestlers in the state tournament after T.J. Turinske captured a Section 4AAA championship Saturday and four teammates placed second in their divisions. JJ Andress, Isaiah Baker, Josh Suedbeck and Luke Parzyck are the other Bear qualifiers for the state competition coming up Friday and Saturday at Xcel Energy Center. Turinske (33-5), a junior, was 145-pound champion, beating Tartan’s Silvio Whidby 7-1 in the fi nals, after advancing with a 49-second pin and a 15-1 decision. He is ranked No. 6 by The Guillotine. Andress (37-8), a senior, was runner-up at 113 pounds. Andress pinned his fi rst two opponents in eight and 21 seconds, and lost in the championship match to Stillwater’s Javon Taschuk 3-2. Baker (31-11), a senior, was
132-pound runner-up. He had a 34-second pin, edged Mounds View’s Garrett Wilson 5-3, lost by pin to Stillwater’s Trey Kruse in 4:27 in the title match, and defeated Tartan’s Zach Dox 14-7 in the truesecond. Suedbeck (25-17), a senior, was 182-pound runner-up after going 3-1 in matches all ending via pin. He won in 1:06 and 5:45, lost in just 37 seconds to Mounds View’s Rowan Morgan in the fi nals, and bounced back to stick Stillwater’s Thomas Reisselman in 2:53 in the truesecond. Parzyck (37-7), a junior, was 225-pound runner-up. He had a bye, then lost to eventual champion Max Janes, a Gopher football recruit, 2-1 in the semifi nals. After winning by decision (8-1) and by pin for third place, he beat Centennial’s Luke Breuning 5-1 in the true-second match. Parzyck is ranked No. 10 by The Guillotine. Eighth-grader Matt Sloan (27-14)
WHITE BEAR SPORTS BRIEFS White Bear Lake boys clinched winning season White Bear Lake clinched its fi rst above.-500 season in five years by defeating Park of Cottage Grove 72-55 on Friday evening. Jeremy Beckler tallied 25 points for the Bears, now 14-10 with two regular-season games left. Sam Schwartz contributed 15 points with 11 rebounds and Blake Charles 14 points. The Bears lost to Roseville Area 52-40 Tuesday. LISA SIDDONS | SUBMITTED Beckler scored 26 but Blake Charles of the Bears the Raiders held the gets inside for a shot rest of the lineup to 14. against Roseville.
Bear icemen, top-seeded, won section opener Top-seeded White Bear Lake had a struggle against eighth-seeded Roseville but recovered to win the Section 4AA boys hockey opener 4-2 on Saturday. The Bears, who trailed 2-0 after seven minutes agains the Raiders (4-21), pulled even on goals by Billy Rose and Cooper Anderson later in the period. Spencer Millard gave them the lead in the second period. It stayed 3-2 until Max Jennrich got an empty-netter with 24 seconds left. The Bears (20-3-2) dueled No. 4 Tartan in the semifi nals on Tuesday while No. 3 Stillwater took on No. 2 Hill-Murray. The winners will clash Friday evening for a state berth at Aldrich Arena, face-off 7 p.m.
Bear girls hoops heads into playoffs 13-13 White Bear Lake girls basketball fi nished the regular season at .500 with a 61-48 win over Park-Cottage Grove at home Friday evening. Anna Sanders tallied 18 points, Ella Janicki 11, Courtney Crouch eight and Victoria Abedisi seven. The Bears lost to Roseville 49-42 Tuesday with Jordan Ferrand and Sanders netting 13 points each. The Bears are 13-13 overall, and were 8-8 in the Suburban East Conference, good for seventh place among nine teams. CretinDerham Hall was champ with 12-4. Seeded fourth in Section 4AAAA, the Bears will host Tartan on Wednesday, 7 p.m.
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TERRY HANCOCK | SUBMITTED
A Bear gets a bear-hug. Josh Suedbeck embraced coach Craig Nasvik after winning a true-second match to reach state.
placed third at 152 pounds. He had an 18-second pin, lost 4-3 to Mounds View’s Brendan Dunagan, and came back with two more pins in :27 and 4:46. Placing fourth were sophomore Josh Powell (13-17) at 120 pounds and senior Jorrel Turner (24-20) at 126 pounds.
LISA SIDDONS | SUBMITTED
T.J. Turinske’s arm goes up as a section champion.
White Bear boxing club getting some live action again BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR
When we last visited the decades-old White Bear Lake Boxing Club 18 months ago, new volunteer head coach Dave Lusby was getting things re-organized. A handful of aspiring boxers were working out but nobody was competing. The club is starting to land some blows again. Lusby judged local resident Steve Lucas ready for action and took him to the Upper Midwest Golden Gloves event at Medina Ballroom on Jan. 27. Lucas won. “We’ve got 14 boxers registered right now,” said Lusby, who did a little boxing as a teenager and has stayed connected for love of the sport and to help give people the opportunity to box. His wife Tammy assists his efforts. Mohammad El-Bashir of St. Paul has had three fights, losing them all. “It’s time for redemption,” he said quietly while preparing to spar with Lucas at a recent practice. Solesio Miranda, a local nineyear-old, had one bout in Duluth and lost. Lusby has those three, plus Ryan Gibbons of St. Paul, who signed up for a card in Proctor on March 2. That’s what they’re preparing for now in evenings at the club alongside Highway 61 north of town. Lucas, in his debut, out-pointed Ramon Vang of the Anoka-
BRUCE STRAND | SUBMITTED
Ready for their next bouts are (from left) Steve Lucas, Solesio Miranda and Mohammad El-Bashir.
Coon Rapids club in a 165-pound bout, three two-minute rounds. “It was a war. Both of them landed a lot of punches,” Lusby said. Lucas, a lanky sixfooter with lots of tattoos, worked out with the club for a couple years about a decade ago, without actually competing. A tool and die maker, Lucas said he returned to the club last fall “just to stay out of trouble.” His high school sport was hockey for South St. Paul, he said. His was one of seven events on the card in Medina, a boxing
fundraiser hosted by tool and die companies. Young Solesio was accompanied by his dad, Steve, who, after taping up the boy’s hands and sending him to the punching bag, said his son had been taking tae kwon do lessons but “wanted more action” so he got into boxing. The White Bear Lake Boxing Club, established in 1978, has always been free of charge, with equipment provided. The club passed into Lusby’s hands two years ago after the previous owner died and his wife asked Lusby if he’d take it.
Boxers who can’t afford fees at other clubs often leave them to join White Bear Lake, including a 35-year-old woman Lusby knows only as Amanda. “She had one fight before, and she lost,” said Lusby. “She’s working out but not ready yet.” Amanda spars with Lusby’s daughter Gabby, who is happy to help out with all the footwork and air-jabbing but won’t box herself. “Gabby doesn’t like to hit. Or get hit,” Lusby laughs. It’s not for everyone.
18
THE CITIZEN
MARCH 1, 2018 www.readthecitizen.com
White Bear students join nationwide walkouts protesting school violence BY SARA MARIE MOORE VADNAIS HEIGHTS EDITOR
WHITE BEAR LAKE — Every hand was raised when Mayor Jo Emerson asked a group of high school students who had walked across town to meet with her whether they felt unsafe at school. “I am very upset with this. … That is not acceptable,” Emerson said, telling the students that she was not afraid to go to school when she was growing up. “I want you to have that.” About 250 North and South Campus students walked from their respective campuses to White Bear Lake City Hall near the end of the school day Feb. 23, joining a nationwide student movement petitioning for change in the wake of a school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Florida Feb. 14. North Campus and Central Middle School students carried signs and chanted outside City Hall for about half an hour while waiting for South Campus students to make the 3-mile journey. The long walk was led by junior Zack Weiman, playing guitar, and senior McKenzie Brown. Mayor Emerson and Councilman Dan Jones were ready to talk when they arrived. More police officers at school, better lockdown procedures, more school mental health counselors and stricter gun regulations were the requests from the group. Emerson outlined where students should go with their requests and provided a list of politicians to contact. She also asked students to put their requests in writing so she could take their concerns to politicians in Washington next month when she attends a National League of Cities meeting. “Stay with this,” Emerson told the students. “Don’t stop next week after it comes out in the paper, because I fi rmly believe you guys are going to make the change.” Students cheered and applauded. Emerson told students if they wanted to see a change they would need to prepare to work hard for a long time. “I hope you are prepared for the long run, because government does not move quickly,” she advised. “Slow and steady wins the race. It’s boring, but it is true.” The students’ next plan is to speak with the White Bear Lake Area School Board March 5 about school safety concerns, Weiman said. “We are just a pebble in an ocean making ripples, but we are part of a movement,” Weiman said. “If we all come together our generation can be the ones who make this change.”
Addressing school safety Students expressed many concerns about school safety at the demonstration. They said South Campus only has one police officer on site and the main doors are open with only a lone man at a desk protecting the entrance. Students also said lockdown procedures are not sufficient — students are directed to lock the doors, shut the blinds and all go into one corner, where a shooter could easily hit multiple people at once, they said. One student even said her teacher said she should just “hope for the best” since that classroom’s blinds are broken. Students have also experienced real threats in recent years. Last year, a Central Middle School eighth-grader created a “kill list,” said Central Middle School student Johnny Teigen. The student was expelled before he caused any physical harm but fear swept across the school. “A lot of people were terrified at school,” said classmate Jackie Hietpas. A boy at North Campus last year was posting threatening statements online and texting people telling them not to show up to school, said Kaleb Thompson. “It could happen to any school,” he noted. “It’s about time we make a change.”
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About 250 White Bear Lake Area Schools high school and middle school students demonstrated against gun violence in schools outside the White Bear Lake City Hall Feb. 23. Left: Mayor Jo Emerson and Councilman Dan Jones listened to student concerns, including a speech from demonstration organizer Zack Weiman inside White Bear Lake City Hall.
South Campus student Ethan Staruck said over his years as a high school student “There have been a few bomb threats — nothing too serious.”
Cries for mental health support Students also said there are not enough counselors in the schools and it is hard to get in to see them at South Campus since they are so busy. “We have so many people in our school that need help, but they can’t afford it and the school can’t help,” said South Campus student Sydney Hensley. She said she has even seen students make fun of another student for the scars she still has from when she tried to kill herself. Emerson directed students to contact Ramsey County commissioners about mental health concerns since about half of the county’s budget is used for health and human services. They also let students know that Northeast Youth and Family Services offers mental health resources for youth and offers fi nancial assistance.
this problem,” she said. Students had ideas about what changes could be made. “I feel very strongly we should be able to control the flow of guns to the mentally ill,” said North Campus student Devin Helmes. Universal background checks and extensive psychological tests would be a way to achieve that, he noted. Students also said people should be at least 21 in order to buy a gun. “You are more stable at that age,” Hietpas said. “Semi-automatics should not be in suburban areas,” noted Nina Bosompem.
Gun incident on outskirts of demonstration
Ironically, several students reported being threatened by a man with a gun near Leeann Chin, about a block away, during the demonstration. The students were being loud and were asked by the manager to quiet down, reported White Bear Lake Police Cpt. Phil Henry. A man at the restaurant was also upset they were being loud and the students and he got into a verbal dispute. When the students went outside, the man pulled out a handgun from his car, Seeking change in gun control held it in the air and said, “Do I need to use it?” Henry Emerson told the students to contact state and reported. The man then got into his car and drove federal politicians about their concerns with gun away. He was not identified. control laws. Emerson said the city already has a law There were a few students at the back of the group that fi rearms cannot be discharged within the city outside City Hall who said they were just there to skip but that such a law would not have stopped someone class. The district stated Feb. 22 that students who like Florida shooter Nikolas Cruz, who killed 17 staff and students. She urged students to contact politicians left school without parent permission could receive an unexcused absence or be barred from after-school higher up in government where important changes activities for the day. can be made. Students in St. Paul and Minneapolis public schools She said she personally would like to see assault have also walked out of school since the Florida school weapons and bump stocks outlawed, but there would shooting. About 250 students walked out of Mounds still be an issue with dealing with the ones that are View High School Feb. 20. already out there. “It’s not black and white … there is so much gray in
White Bear district plans new northern school “It is likely we do not have the capacity to handle the growth, so it means we will likely be building something,” he said. District administration has not yet identified WHITE BEAR LAKE — A new school what type of school building it would be, he building is planned in the northern part added. of the district but whether it will be an eleBut the district is now in the market for mentary, middle school or high school has land after the School Board approved a not yet been decided. The district is thinking about buying land reimbursement resolution at the meeting. School districts are required to establish in the northern part of the district for a procedures for the approval of expendinew school within the next year or so, said tures to be reimbursed from a future bond Superintendent Wayne Kazmierczak at the issuance. Feb. 12 School Board meeting. BY SARA MARIE MOORE VADNAIS HEIGHTS EDITOR
“If we purchased land now or in the next year or so, we would then be able to reimburse the general fund with future bond proceeds from a future bond issuance,” Kazmierczak said. At a Jan. 29 workshop meeting, Kazmierczak said he doesn’t have a figure on how much the land might cost. “When we get to the point, when we are ready to negotiate, we would go into closed session to do that and then we could talk figures,” he said.
MARCH 1, 2018
THE CITIZEN www.readthecitizen.com
19
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YOUR CAREER CONNECTION Production Technician - Level 1 All Safe Global, Inc. - Wyoming, MN Full Time All Safe Global, Inc. is seeking production workers for its long standing cylinder service business in the North Metro. No experience necessary. Primary responsibilities include handling cylinders, operating various electric powered hand tools and various production machinery. Machinery may include blasters, paint sprayers computerized test equipment and more. Candidates must be punctual, detail oriented, have reliable transportation and be able to follow instructions. Must be able to read, write and perform basic math. High school diploma or higher education required. Work outside at times may be required. Candidates must have boots with steel toes and wear cotton clothing. NORMAL WORK HOURS: 6:30am to 3:00pm. Overtime may also be available and/or required. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES GENERAL REQUIREMENTS The Production Worker - Level 1 is responsible for all of the • Ability to follow detailed instructions following duties which are performed personally: • Efficient time-management skills • Operating hand tools and machinery • Written and verbal communication skills • Reading serial numbers • Basic computer skills • Counting and sorting products • Ethical work history • Lifting and moving cylinders • Coachable and competitive spirit • Following detailed instructions • Desire and dedication to build skills • Cleaning of work area • Education and Experience • Other duties may be assigned PHYSICAL DEMANDS No experience necessary. Training will be provided. High school The physical demands described here are representative of those diploma or equivalent required. Language and Communication Skills. that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the Ability to listen, speak, read and write in English; Ability to respond to essential functions of this job: management inquiries; Reasoning Ability & Mathematical Skills. AbilWhile performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly ity to apply basic math skills including adding, subtracting, division required to stand, walk, talk and hear. EOE and counting. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of instructions.
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Interested applicants must fill out a city application that can be found on the city website at www.ci.circle-pines.mn.us. Applications must be received at City Hall located at 200 Civic Heights Circle, Circle Pines before 4:30 p.m. March 2, 2018. If you have questions, please call 763-784-5898 or email cpeterson@ci.circle-pines.mn.us.
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