The Citizen

Council sides with neighbors, says no to solar farm

BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR

HUGO — An application for a solar farm that seems to meet all the requirements per city code will not move forward. However, the council may be open to a similar proposal on a different site in the future.

Enterprise Energy LLC applied for a site plan and interim use permit (IUP) to operate a solar farm on a vacant 12-acre parcel of land located east of Everton Avenue North and

north of 149th Street North.

The solar farm would sit on approximately 5 acres in the center of the parcel.

“The applicant has provided plans and information that meet all of the performance standards,” Associate Planner Max Gort said. “Constructing a solar farm on this property isn’t going to affect the way that development can occur in this area long-range.”

The City Council adopted an ordinance in 2016 that regulates solar energy systems. The

city’s only solar farm is located on 165th Street near Henna Avenue North and was constructed in 2018. In February 2023, the council enacted a moratorium on new solar farms and directed the ordinance review committee to study the ordinance and consider possible revisions. Those revisions were made and approved by the council in July 2023.

SEE SOLAR FARM, PAGE 5

Well’ expo

BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR

Jeff McLean hung on for dear life on the edge of a large industrial shredder for 52 seconds before help arrived. If it weren’t for that help, Jeff likely wouldn’t be alive.

The 54-year-old from Hugo is trying to find what his new normal will look like for himself, his wife Jamie, and their sons Kyle and Brady now that he is a double amputee.

Jeff has worked at Rohn Industries in Bloomington for 23 years. Last month, he was operating an industrial shredder, which can be plagued by paper jams, often referred to as paper bridges. He was attempting to relieve a paper bridge when he fell in. “The bridge broke after that and then that’s when I was hanging out for dear life,” Jeff recalled. “I was hanging onto the edges of shredder, yelling and screaming for people to come and shut it off …” Jamie added, “He was hanging on for 52 seconds while the machine was eating his legs … It was horrific and I just can’t imagine what Jeff went through.”

That’s when Jeff’s coworker Matt Marsyla jumped into action. He climbed up the machine, pulled Jeff out of the machine and placed him on the platform of the shredder. He then placed tourniquets on both of his legs.

SEE RECOVERY, PAGE 10

CONTRIBUTED

A proposal for a new solar farm located east of Everton Avenue North and north of 149th Street North will not move forward.

WHITE BEAR SCHOOL BOARD NOTES

• The board heard an update from Brian Peloquin, director of student activities, and Adrian Turner, assistant activities director, at North Campus. Turner discussed Leadership Academy, a program for captains of school sports, no matter the season. During its biweekly meetings the group, led by Turner, used “The Team Captain’s Leadership Manual” by Jeff Janssen as a guideline for discussion. “Most of the things we covered were how to be a good leader, showing poise, building character, and how to deal with conflict on your team…” Because it was the first year of the program, Turner reported that “it was decently successful. We learned a lot… had a lot of good feedback from the students…” Board member Dr. Scott Arcand applauded the use of Janssen’s book, describing that it’s “about transformative leadership, not transactional. ‘I may not be the best, but I know I’m valued as a person.’” Board member Kathleen Daniels wondered, “Is there an opportunity for people in activities but who aren’t captains?” Peloquin said, “We are working to build this for not only all of our student leaders, but also our advisers.”

• Peloquin reported that 10 White Bear

students signed letters of intent with NCAA Division I and II schools for sports-based scholarships. “We will also have several more signing this spring.” Going forward, Peloquin wishes to expand professional development for coaches to include assistant coaches, hold more regular booster club board meetings to deal with their heavy turnover, and emphasize the “student” half of student-athlete. “What does that student accountability look like? My goal is to come back this summer with a proposal on how to get that in place for the future,” Peloquin noted.

• Sal Bugely of Wold Architects and Engineers presented the status of various construction projects from the 2019 referendum. Some projects have a ways to go, she said. For example, the auditorium will be slabbing concrete in May. Mechanical, electric, and plumbing (MEP) startup is mid-May. “All these parts and pieces we’ve been putting in the building have just been sitting idle until they’re ready,” Bugely said. “It’s exciting and nail-biting at the same time.”

Logan Gion

CHURCH BRIEF

New Life hosts outdoor service

To celebrate Hugo Good Neighbor Days and kick off summer, New Life Church – Lutheran will host an outdoor worship service. At 9 a.m. on Sunday, June 9. Worship will be on the lawn next to the parking lot at New Life. Chairs will be available to sit on, but attendees are welcome to bring their own chair or blanket. In the event of rain, worship will be moved inside that day. New Life is located at 6000 148thSt. N, next to Hugo Elementary.

CONTRIBUTED

New Life Church - Lutheran invites community members to an outdoor service during Good Neighbor Days.

Nominate a Good Neighbor

The Hugo Lions are once again searching for the Good Neighbor of the Year. Nominate a person who has been a good neighbor to you, others or to the Hugo community.  Send a letter, stating the name, phone number of the person you are nominating, and why they should be considered. Be sure to include your name and contact number. Nominations are due by May 30. Send nominations by email to heyktk9@q.com or mail them to Katie Riopel, 8089 165th St. Hugo, MN 55038.

Hamburger Night changes dates

May’s Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Network Hamburger Night will change from the fourth Monday to the third Monday due to Memorial Day. Community members are invited to the Hugo American Legion for a burger from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, May 20. Proceeds support military families. Cash or check only, no credit cards are accepted. The Legion is located at 5383 140th Street N.

Century College receives funding for workforce development partnerships

Century College received two grants from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) for job skills training partnerships. Funding includes $298,804 toward a partnership with Russ Davis Wholesale, a fresh produce processor and distributor, to provide training for 735 employees in various manufacturing processes and translate training materials into Spanish; the company’s leadership, administrative and support staff will also receive training in computer skills, lean manufacturing and leadership; and maintenance employees will receive training leading to Manufacturing Skills Standards Council Certified Production Technician certification; and $279,443 to fund a program with J&B Group, a meat products producer and distributor, to develop a training program to meet new regulatory safety requirements and improve workforce skills, engagement and efficiency for 398 employees.

Music in the Park returns to area this summer

BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR

Get your lawn chairs, blankets and bug spray ready — Music in the Park season is just around the corner. The popular Centerville Music in the Park and Music on the Lake — It’s Golden are set to return to Hidden Spring Park in Centerville and Golden Lake Park in Circle Pines, respectively, this June. Centerville’s Music in the Park series will include eight performances on Tuesday evenings from June through July. The first performance will feature B+ Brass at 6:30 p.m. June 11. Other performers include: On Tap, Mean Gene and the Woodticks, Pop Standards, Dirty Shorts Brass Band, Lowdown Dirty Fools, Bleeding Heart and Grunge Unplugged.

This year’s Music on the Lake — It’s Golden will feature a record eight events on Thursday evenings from June through August. The event is sponsored by

the city of Circle Pines and Centennial Community Education.

The first performance will be by Centennial Community Band from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 8. Other performances include Brady Perl, Family DJ Dance Party, The Floras, The Salsa del Soul Sextet, The Holy Rocka Rollaz, The Revolution 5 and Stir Krazy Band. Aug. 1’s performance by Salsa del Soul Sextet will also offer a salsa dance lesson beforehand. Centennial Community Education dance instructor Carol BrechtWiles will teach attendees how to salsa. Registration is required.

For more information on these events, visit the city of Circle Pines website at www.ci.circle-pines.mn.us or find Centerville Music in the Park on Facebook. Managing Editor Shannon Granholm can be reached at 651-407-1227 or citizennews@presspubs.com.

ED AND MARY HEMAUER

JOHN AND LINDA STRICKLAND

WENDY JENZ

MARLENE HOULE

MAXINE PROKOP

PAUL WIKSTROM

MARLENE AND ROBERT HARMS

JOYCE THOMPSON

DEBORAH MILLER

DARLENE NADEAU

KATHY DUDDING

SHERI PETERSON

TOM AND LINDA BEATSON

MARY RYAN

NANCY AND LARRY ROGERS

NANCY KATZENBERGER

SALLY BROWN

KATHLEEN RUSSELL

PAM BLANDING

MARLYS NELSON

TAMMY LARSON

TONYA LELEUX

JANET AND STEVEN SOMMER

ROSLYN YEAGER

ALEX ECKERT

In addition to our award-winning newspaper, your subscription will get you full access to our extensive online content and e-Edition and our VIP coupon sheet. Subscribe today at presspubs.com

FILE PHOTOS

Music on the Lake — It’s Golden will return June 8 in Circle Pines.

Music in the Park will return June 11 in Centerville.

Best of the Press

It is amazing to have our community nominate and vote on outstanding businesses in our Best of the Press contest. Local residents can use the results to explore and enjoy all that our community has to offer. Local businesses will gain the recognition they deserve and the foot traffic they need to keep their operation thriving.

Publisher’s View

Carter Johnson

It’s time to nominate your favorite restaurant, hair stylist, or auto repair shop, among dozens of other categories. Your nominations get local businesses on the leader board so they have a chance to compete in the Best of the Press 2024. New categories this year have been recommended, including best cosmetic dentistry and best Airbnb. The past few years the best fried rice was a hot topic and now it’s up to you to nominate your favorites in every category you can imagine. Go to presspubs.com, choose the community you live, and start nominating the local businesses you love. It will give these businesses an opportunity to become a finalist in the Best of the Press. New businesses, small businesses and even nonprofits should encourage customers and clients to help them get nominated. This is going to be a great one as we narrow down the best burger, best chicken wings, and best beer selection.

Summer internships

College kids are arriving back home for the summer, and many are still looking for summer jobs and internships. As they head into their upperclassmen years of college, they are taking the classes in their major and career area of interest and want summer work to build relevant experience for their resumes. It has been great experience for our college-age daughter to work with a local, family-run business in her field of interest. Over the years at the Press we have had interns working with our reporters, graphic designers and marketing experts. We celebrate the successes of our interns when they move on to their dream jobs. We recently learned one is working for a national media service and another as a sports editor at the Brainard Dispatch. Several interns have come to us through Bethel University’s journalism program. We have had a number of inquiries about news internships this year. It is an encouraging sign for the future job pool of journalists.

I remember my internship and it was clearly a time of growth. I also remember an intern who worked at the Press and later went on to lead a publicly-traded company’s design department. If you are a business owner, manager, or other decision-maker at your company, please consider taking on an intern. While I know having an intern can sometimes be a little daunting for existing staff to take on, it’s worth the effort to pass on valuable experience to future business leaders.

Subscriber campaign

Thank you to all our loyal subscribers and new subscribers in our latest subscription campaign. As new people move into your neighborhood, please let them know about the Press. Your contribution, along with encouraging notes and extra tips, is meaningful to our staff and carriers. We look forward to continue being your best source of local news and information. Congratulations to our 25 finalists, some of whom you might know.

Carter Johnson is publisher of Press Publications.

Building a wellness program at WCSO

TThe Washington County Sheriff’s Office has launched two in-house programs, one building on another, to support wellness and encourage mental health awareness amongst employees across the organization. The initiative began with Check-Up from the Neck-Up, which launched in fall 2023 to provide employees annual oneon-one sessions with licensed clinicians from Ridgeway and Associates. These clinicians work exclusively with law enforcement and first responders, acknowledging the unique stressors members of the public safety profession face.

While not all employees’ mental health needs are the same, ensuring all employees have an annual session means those who could benefit aren’t deterred by the stigma of asking for help. The sessions are completely anonymous, and employees may request up to six additional sessions in addition to their annual check-up.

Growing out of the yearly sessions, the new In-House Clinician Program launched just a

Limited to 350 words. Submissions must Include a full name, address and daytime phone number for verification.

• Letter writers must live, work or have another connection to Press Publications coverage area. Letter writers are limited to six letters per year and at least four weeks must

few weeks ago in early May. This program is designed to provide easily accessible, continuous and personalized support for all law enforcement, correctional officers, telecommunicators and professional staff.

Combined with yearly CheckUp from the Neck-Up sessions, the clinician program is aimed at helping employees navigate the adverse effects of working in public safety, offering an educational discussion on ways to mitigate some of the stress and trauma and to help build resilience, acknowledging the challenges faced daily.

“It’s important to take care of those who take care of us,” said Sheriff Dan Starry. “These programs aren’t just about providing support during times of crisis – they’re about ensuring strong, resilient team members.”

The dedicated in-house clinicians are on-site at the Washington County Government on a rotating basis, ensuring that support is readily available when it’s needed most. There is built-in flexibility in their schedules to allow for walk-ins, consultations, ride-alongs, and informative presentations. Like the CheckUp from the Neck-Up annual sessions, all meetings with the in-house clinicians are completely anonymous.

“We signed up for a purpose

| LETTER GUIDELINES

lapse between publication. Exceptions may be made for rebuttal letters. Due to space limitations, letters that don’t address local issues are not guaranteed publication. Repeat letters by the same writer about the same subject matter will not be published.

• Submissions containing

— to make a difference and to serve,” said Commander Tim Harris of the Operations Support Division in the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. “Law enforcement is a high-stress job that is very emotionally demanding.”

These wellness programs are just part of the Sheriff’s Office continuing commitment to employee wellness. Other efforts include a peer support program, a wellness steering committee, a wellness app, and an in-house therapy dog.

Sheriff Dan Starry acknowledged the work and dedication of Sheriff’s Office CORE (County Occupational Resources for Employees) Team and the Sheriff’s Office Peer Support Team in making the new clinician program a reality, as well as the support of Washington County Board of commissioners and county residents.

“Our journey towards better mental health support for our team has been a collective effort, fueled by the dedication of our CORE and Peer Support teams with the invaluable support of our county commissioners and residents. Together, we’re building a culture of care and resilience withing the Sheriff’s Office to ensure our personnel have the resources and support they need to thrive.”

Washington County Sheriff’s Office

libelous or derogatory statements will not be published. Submissions containing facts not previously published in The Citizen must be accompanied by factual verification.

• All letters are subject to editing. Deadline is 5 p. m., Wednesday of the week prior to publication. To submit a letter, e-mail it to citizennews@presspubs. com, fax it to 651-429-1242 or mail or deliver it to Press Publications, 4779 Bloom Ave., White Bear Lake, MN 55110.

SOLAR FARM: Area neighbors speak up to protect ‘Jewel’ of community

FROM PAGE 1

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on the topic last month for Enterprise Energy’s proposal, where neighbors expressed a number of concerns, including the character of the area, vegetative screening, aesthetics of the fence, glare, health and safety, drainage, wind factor, property values, capacity of the road and zoning.

Ultimately, the commission unanimously recommended the council approve both the site plan and IUP. The commission did recommend a couple of new conditions, such as a requirement for the planting of 10-foot-tall trees along the southern side of the solar array, and the installation of a black vinyl-coated chain link fence around the solar farm.

“At this point, I have a lot into it, and it is a really important project for me,” said Evan Carlson, owner of Enterprise Energy. “I know that it is not popular with some of the surrounding landowners, and I take that seriously. I want it to be a good-looking project that is well-screened and done well. I think that is reflected in my application. We pulled out all the stops in the application.”

He added, “The fact of the matter is this isn’t going to change the character of the neighborhood. There are solar panels in the neighborhood, the only difference is these are on the ground … The city has done an excellent job of protecting the aesthetics of surrounding neighbors by requiring these setbacks.”

He explained that the property owner tried to build a home on the property but ran into issues when it came to constructing a well. “They are stuck with this piece of land that they aren’t sure what to do with, and here is a way to utilize that land in a way that is productive and we have tried to do it in a way that is as visually pleasing as possible.”

Resident John Udstuen spoke on behalf of himself and his neighbors. “We are 100% opposed to this solar farm,” he said. “It truly is a very special place. The city played a big part in protecting this land … Protect the character of this neighborhood, keep it undisturbed open space. This is truly a jewel for this entire community.”

Resident Laura Syring also spoke on behalf of herself and her neighbors. “This project is clearly not at all compatible with the present character of our neighborhood and the surrounding area,” she said. “Our agricultural ‘hole in the donut’ neighborhood has withstood the test of time by keeping its residential, rural and agricultural integrity as high-density development has taken place around us over the last 25 years … In addition to raising our families and tending to our gardens and farm animals, our little country in the city’s rural neighborhood serves as a haven for an abundant amount of wildlife.”

Carlson said he would do everything he could to make it work for not only himself and his company but the neighbors. “We are preserving this habitat

for the future. This is not going to be developed into something else. The vegetation is still there.”

Mayor Tom Weidt explained that the unique neighborhood was set aside through multiple discussions back in 1998 and again in 2006. “I can certainly see many examples of how the character is changed by a project like this,” he said. “I think the original intent of it being allowed in agricultural zoning was to have it on larger open pieces of land that made it easier to hide a solar farm away from neighboring residences.”

Council Member Phil Klein said, “This is a unique area. It has got residential buildings all the way around it … This is not rural Hugo, this is downtown Hugo. For that reason, I think this would be better located somewhere else in the community.”

Council Member Becky Petryk said, “This area has such a history. It functions as parkland for a lot of people … We have seen what has happened in Hugo and what this island is like and how precious it is, and once it is gone it is gone. I have to say I am emotional about this because I have seen this, and it has done exactly what I hoped it would do, and I want to see it remain that way.”

She added, “This area is very special. You can’t find another area like this in Hugo … There are many good things about (this project), but it just doesn’t fit.”

Council Member Mike Miron said, “I do want to commend the applicant. You have put together a really good site plan here. I do think you have put your best foot forward and you have made a good effort … What is unfortunate is you can’t change the parcel that it is on or the historical character that has been established on those parcels over time. It makes it a project that isn’t a good fit despite a really good attempt.”

Council Member Dave Strub said he was concerned about the landowner’s rights. “I’m concerned about that landowner. If this doesn’t go through, he doesn’t have a purchase agreement and that person is stuck with some land,” he explained. “All the neighbors love it, everyone loves the view, but you don’t own the view. This poor person owns this piece of land that we have just made worth much less.”

He added, “For technical reasons, I think this is a great fit. For the character of Hugo and our little unique donut of green space except for this one brown piece of land, I think it doesn’t fit the character of the neighborhood. We are doing good for all the people that showed up (to the meetings), but we are not doing good for the person who owns the land.”

Ultimately, the council unanimously approved a resolution denying the site plan and IUP due to its impact on the character of the area.

Managing Editor Shannon Granholm can be reached at 651-407-1227 or citizennews@presspubs.com.

newspaper has agreed to participate in the Minnesota Display Ad Network program by running ads in the main news section of your newspaper (not the classified section of your newspatimes, advertisers may request a specific section. However, the decision is ultimately up to newspaper. Ads may need to be decreased/increased slightly in size to fit your column sizes.

do not bill for these ads. If you have questions, please call MNA at 800/279-2979. Thank you.

Saturday at 4:30 pm Parish Community Center  6995 Centerville Rd, Centerville  Sunday at 8:30 am St. John’s Site  14383 Forest Blvd N, Hugo  Sunday at 10:30 am Parish Community Center  6995 Centerville Rd, Centerville  www.stgens.org 651‐429‐7937

COPS&COURTS

HUGO POLICE REPORTS

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reported the following incidents:

• A resident in the 4000 block of Victor Path N. at 9:51 a.m. March 31 reported receiving phone threats from her ex-husband while she and her family were attending an Easter party in Ramsey County. After Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies thought they had sorted out what county all the participating parties were from, they directed the complainant to contact the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, because that’s where the threats were directed.

Residents in the 4000 block of Fable Way at 2:53 p.m. March 31 reported the neighbor for having a BB gun. Deputies met with the neighbor and advised him about the Hugo ordinance regarding BB guns.

•A motorist was cited at 10:36 p.m. March 31 on Frenchman Road and Victor Hugo Blvd. N. for disobeying a traffic control device, after deputies observed the vehicle disregard the red light at that intersection.

Residents in the 13000 block of Europa Court N. at 10:26 a.m. April 3 reported receiving a fake check, which they deposited in their account before sending $3,000 in real money to an unknown checking account.

• A front license plate was reported stolen from a motor vehicle in the 4000 block of Victor Path N. at 1:53 p.m. April 3.

• A business in the 14000 block of Victor Hugo Blvd. N. at 8:36 p.m. April 3 reported an incident of shoplifting.

• A resident in the 12000 block of Ferrara Drive N. at 7:30 a.m. April 4 reported receiving a grandparent scam phone call from an unknown male, who was clearly not her grandson. The complainant quickly recognized the hoax and sent no bail money, nor did she contact the recommended “lawyer”. The complainant reported the incident for documentation only, to remind us that the scammers are still active out there.

• School staff in the 13000 block of Fenway Blvd. Circle N. at 8:29 a.m. April 4 turned in multiple items in a plastic bag of paraphernalia collected at the school since 2021. The bag of items was entered into evidence to be destroyed.

• A townhome resident in the 4000 block of Emmit Drive N. at 10:30 a.m. April 4 reported receiving

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS

Champlin man found guilty of assaulting Washington County deputies

A Washington County jury has convicted a Champlin man of multiple felony charges for assaulting law enforcement officers during a traffic stop in 2021.

Anyeth Abdalla Deng, 27, was found guilty of three counts of felony fourth-degree assault against a peace officer and one count of threats of violence after he assaulted two Washington County sheriff’s deputies during a traffic stop in September 2021. According to the criminal complaint, Deng was stopped for a covered license plate and other equipment violations on Frenchman Road in the city of Hugo. When deputies approached the vehicle, Deng was verbally confrontational, and deputies detected the odor of marijuana.

After stepping out of the vehicle, Deng refused to remove his hands from his pockets along with other orders. He became physically aggressive when the deputies attempted to place him in handcuffs

license plates meant for the previous owner of the property.

• A third-party caller to dispatch at 3:54 p.m. April 4 reported a fight between an Amazon delivery driver and another person at the side of the road near 170th Street N. and Ingersoll Avenue N. Deputies interviewed the Amazon driver, who was ready to move on, saying there was no fight, just vulgar language, and that was the end of the matter.

• Deputies conducted a traffic stop at 6:26 p.m. April 4 in the 9000 block of 170th Street N. and issued a citation for undisclosed offenses. Deputies conducted another traffic stop the following morning, at 10:53 a.m. April 6 and also cited that motorist for unmentioned violations.

• A resident in the 5000 block of 147th Street N. at 4:11 p.m. April 5 reported receiving harassing messages over a parking complaint. After deputies took care of the parking complaint, they advised the caller about how to take out a harassment restraining order.

• A neighbor in the 15000 block of Glenbrook Avenue N. was reported for using a really loud pressure washer at 9:04 p.m. April 5. When deputies made contact with the neighbor, he said he had just finished using the washer. However, deputies advised the washer user about the noise ordinance anyway.

• An unidentified male was arrested on a warrant at 4:56 p.m. April 6 on Generation Avenue N. and 150th Street N.

• Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies at 5:23 p.m. April 7 conducted a traffic stop in the 4000 block of Rosemary Way N. and issued a citation for undisclosed offenses. At 6:41 p.m., they issued a parking ticket on Frenchman Road.

• At 9:04 p.m. April 8 deputies conducted a traffic stop in the 5000 block of Frenchman Road and cited the motorist for driving after revocation and for failure to provide current proof of insurance. At 10:23 p.m. that same day, deputies conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Forest Blvd. N. and 147th Street N. and cited the driver for multiple violations.

• A resident in the 14000 block of Fountain Avenue N. at 10:20 p.m. April 8 reported her ex-boyfriend for threatening to send explicit images to the complainant’s family members. Deputies advised the complainant to block him to prevent any contact.

•A male sitting in a vehicle parked in a business lot in the 4000 block of Victor Path N. at 7:59 a.m. April 9 and smoking a substance that smelled suspiciously like marijuana turned out to be smoking a cigar instead.

and punched a deputy four times with a closed fist in the face and head. While the deputies were taking Deng to the ground to control him, a deputy received an injury to his head that resulted in bleeding. Deng continued to be combative after other officers arrived to assist in putting him in the squad car. He mule-kicked, tried to bite a deputy, spat on both deputies and damaged the vehicle. During the transport to jail, Deng made repeated graphic and violent threats against the second deputy and his family to be carried out once he was released the next day.

“Deng’s unprovoked, abhorrent assaults on the sheriff’s deputies is far beyond anything law enforcement should have to endure while serving our community. The Washington County Sheriff deputies are to be commended for their professionalism in bringing this incident to a safe and successful close. This office will do all in its power to hold Deng accountable for his conduct,” Washington County Attorney Kevin Magnuson said. Deng’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. July 19.

• A motorist along Oneka Lake Blvd. N. and Freeland Avenue N. was cited at 12:04 a.m. April 10 for driving after revocation and failure to provide any auto insurance information, following a traffic stop for a taillight out. During the stop, deputies ran the driver’s information and discovered the revoked status.

• Deputies conducted a traffic stop at 1:02 a.m. April 10 on Frenchman Road and Victor Hugo Blvd. N. for multiple violations and cited the motorist for possession of a false identification.

It all began when deputies spotted the driver using his cell phone while driving, followed quickly by his failing to completely stop at a stop sign, not to mention his following failure to obey a traffic control signal. Matters got worse when he presented a fake ID. In the end, the motorist was verbally warned for the driving violations and cited for the fake ID.

• A Minnesota motorist was cited at 1:48 a.m. April 10 on Forest Blvd. N. and 140th Street N. for speeding 55 mph in a 35 mph zone. Residents in the 15000 block of Forest Blvd. N. at 6:18 p.m. April 10 reported the neighbors for harassing them. Deputies advised the complainants to research the possibility of obtaining a harassment order with the courts.

• A report of a vehicle stolen from the 14000 block of Victor Hugo Blvd. N. at 5:40 p.m. April 11 turned out to have been only towed by their homeowners’ association.

• A Minnesota motorist was cited at 10:17 a.m. April 12 in the 6000 block of westbound Oneka Lake Blvd. N. for speeding 41 mph in a 30 mph zone by eastbound deputies in their marked squad, who clocked the vehicle on radar. The motorist would admit to going only 40 mph.

• An eastbound motorist was cited for speeding 64 mph in a posted 50 mph zone at 8:11 a.m. April 13 in the 10000 block of 122nd Street N. West-facing deputies in their marked squad on stationary patrol on 122nd Street and July Avenue N. clocked the vehicle on radar.

• Residents in the 6000 block of 146th Street N. at 7:55 p.m. April 13 reported juveniles for lighting off fireworks and revving their engine in their driveway. Deputies arrived on scene and had a chat with the youths, who agreed to curtail their activity.

Loretta Harding

Forest Lake track athletes airlifted due to injuries

Two Forest Lake track athletes, Jase Blanchard and Sam Farinella, both 15, were airlifted to a hospital after being struck by a vehicle when crossing Highway 61 in Forest Lake with a group of runners on April 30.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the two athletes were with a group of their teammates when they were struck by a vehicle traveling southbound. The athletes were at the crosswalk when the vehicle struck the two teens. The driver was identified as an 84-yearold man from Lindstrom. Both remain hospitalized. A GoFundMe has been set up to support the families. Donate at www. gofundme.com/f/support-for-jaseand-sams-road-to-recovery.

Trixie is a super sweet pup who loves everyone she meets. She is just over a year old, and she is very playful. Trixie, a schnauzer/border terrier mix, weighs about 13 pounds. She is good with adults, children and anyone new that she meets. She is intelligent, even-tempered and she loves to play, play, play!

Trixie is house-trained, crate-trained and leashtrained. Although she does like a walk now and again, what Trixie really likes is car rides. In fact, she would be a great little companion for a person, couple or family who likes to take road trips and travel. Trixie would be very comfortable as an apartment home dog, too.

Trixie is a happy little girl and her tail is always wagging. She adores affection and being with her people. Trixie arrived at Ruff Start Rescue from Texas as part of the Lone Star to North Star Rescue initiative.

If you are interested in learning more about Trixie or adopting her, please fill out an application at www.ruffstartrescue.org. Once your application is received, Ruff Start Rescue will contact you as soon as possible.

WEEKLY WAG

ERIK SUCHY STAFF WRITER

Chris Rico’s introduction to archaeology was a transformative journey, one he admits was initially a regular learning opportunity.

“I had no experience with it prior,” said Rico. “I just wanted to see if I could gain interest in it through volunteering.”

Rico was still a student at the University of Minnesota when he began volunteering for Nienow Cultural Consultants. The company specializes in archaeological services exclusively within the Upper Midwest, focusing on historical and industrial settings. In 2018, he tagged along to a company research project at Fort Snelling State Park. From there, Rico’s interest in archaeology took off.

“It was a very rewarding experience,” Rico recalled. “It wasn’t just because of how fascinating the history was. Seeing how the construction process went and working with people I could build good relationships with was fulfilling.”

Rico started working under the company’s founder, Jeremy Nienow, in 2019 before joining as a full-time employee in 2021. Rico has since participated in various archaeological expeditions, including work at St. Mary’s City in Maryland and further work at Fort Snelling State Park.

However, Rico’s historical findings

in White Bear Lake have led to some of the most significant discoveries of his career. Rico will present these findings to the White Bear Lake Historical Society on May 29 in a highly anticipated Zoom presentation. Rico’s presentation will unveil the town’s history across 14,000 years from 41 different local expeditions.

“There are generally four phases of an archaeological expedition,” Rico explained. “The first phase is a survey of an area. This presentation will fall under 1a, which is a literature review instead of a survey. For the review, I went to different state agencies that keep records of White Bear Lake’s history. Specifically, I looked for what work has been done in White Bear Lake by other archeologists since the mid1960s.”

Rico said that what drew him to White Bear Lake’s history was its blend of different Indigenous cultures. “This whole place is like a melting pot,” said Rico. “I find different histories from

various Indigenous cultures — like Dakota, Ojibwe and Ho-Chunk — fascinating. What’s more, all these identities within those groups have roots that can be traced.”

Rico emphasized how even the history of just one town speaks to his love for archaeology. “My job is to tell stories or piece together ones based on my findings,” said Rico. “Locations with histories of interaction between diverse groups of people are ones I like. They’re essential conversation starters that speak to our interactions with others today. Above all, it makes for such a rich historical narrative.”

Rico’s presentation is titled “An Archaeological Understanding of the White Bear Lake Area.” It will be held over Zoom at the White Bear Lake Historical Society from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 29. Those who wish to attend can sign up and learn more at www. whitebearlakehistoricalsociety.org.

CONTRIBUTED

Chris Rico

Brandyn Christman DC, CCSP

During the past 45 years, it has been my honor and pleasure to provide care for patients.

As of June 1st, Dr. Brandyn Christman will be integrating into caring for patients at Hugo Chiropractic Clinic, and I will be staying on for a while to aid in the transition so together we continue providing all of you the same quality care you have come to know.

Dr. Brandyn Christman is originally from Rice Lake, WI. He attended the University of Wisconsin – Stout as well as the University of Minnesota – Duluth.

Upon graduating, he attended Northwestern Health Sciences University for his doctorate in chiropractic and graduated early in 2021.

Dr. Christman kept expanding on his education with additional certifications in Webster Technique for pregnancy, SMFA movement assessments, TPI Golf, DOT physicals, soft tissue therapies and he went

After considerable thought and extensive searching, I believe Dr. Christman is the right person to continue our award-winning legacy of empathetic, excellent and caring chiropractic care.

In addition to conditions that normally present in our office, Dr. Christman has extensive experience treating sportsrelated injuries, auto injuries and pregnant patients.

Dr. Christman will continue to provide for all the major health insurance plans.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey of serving you through chiropractic and thank you for your friendship and loyalty. You are like family to me. The memories of providing you care will always remain in my heart.

William Barrett, D.C.

on to receive his CCSP (Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician.)

His experience also includes more than 200 hours of continuing education, treating over 1,000 patient cases, and running a new clinic from the ground up.

The opportunity to purchase Hugo Chiropractic from Dr. Barrett was like a dream come true because he always knew the northeast suburbs were the area he wanted to build a life and raise a family.

Dr. Brandyn resides in Blaine with his wife, Carly, and their 1 year old daughter, Lennon.

Yellow Ribbon Network at Hamburger Night.

RECOVERY: Hugo family remains positive after workplace accident

FROM PAGE 1

“If it hadn’t been for the actions of Matt, Jeff would not be here,” Jamie explained. “He would have bled out right at the scene.” It was then that Jamie got a phone call from Jeff’s work. She was told Jeff was alive, but it was bad.

“I started hyperventilating. I was not sure what I was going to walk into when I got to Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC),” she recalled. “I had to have a friend from work drop everything and she flew me to the hospital as fast as she could. I got 10 to 15 seconds to talk to Jeff as they were just wheeling him into emergency surgery. I got to tell him I love him and give him a quick kiss.”

Jeff spent a total of three weeks in the hospital. He has now undergone four surgeries, all related to the amputation of both his legs below the knee.

“The second surgery I had was extremely painful. They had to go back in

and kind of clean up a little bit ... I came out of that, and I could not stand the pain. I couldn’t bear it,” Jeff recalled. “Hanging there for 52 seconds feeling this machine chewing up my legs, that that surgery was worse, I couldn’t believe the pain.”

After a week in the hospital, Jeff transferred to the Knapp Rehabilitation Center (attached to HCMC). Jeff had to do three hours of occupational and physical therapy every day.

Currently, Jeff has about 40 external stitches on each leg. Although his left leg is healing well, his right leg doesn’t seem to be healing the way it should be. Depending on what is going on, Jeff may need another surgery.

He is attending therapy at Summit Orthopedics once a week for at least 12 weeks. He is working with Tillges in Maplewood for prosthetics once he is fully healed from surgeries.

Now that Jeff is back home, the McLeans have discovered that they are likely going to need to move out of their townhome. Jeff has been sleeping in a hospital bed in their living room, as he can’t make it up the stairs to their bedroom or full bathroom. The bathroom that is downstairs is not handicapped accessible.

“I have to go up to my mom’s house in Forest Lake to take a shower,” Jeff explained.

“The reality is we are just not going to be able to live here forever. We are going to have to find something that’s going to be more accessible,” Jamie explained. “He’s still going to be relying on a wheelchair. Of course, it’s full time right now, but even after getting prosthetics, you still rely on your wheelchair even when you don’t want to as a double amputee … that’s just going to be part of our life now.”

The couple hopes to remain in Hugo, but they are worried they won’t be able

to afford an accessible home. “We’re looking around at prices of single-story homes and they are more than double what we paid for our townhome, so we are really worried. I don’t know how we are going to figure this out,” Jamie said. Jamie has had to leave her parttime job, hopefully temporarily, to be a caregiver to Jeff.

Since the accident, friends and family have stepped up to support the family. In addition to monetary donations through GoFundMe, several people have dropped off gift cards, meals and other necessities.

Ultimately, the goal is to get back to work and shredding confidential

TO DONATE:

documents. “I still want to operate that machine,” he said. “I love the job.”

“It is a miracle that he is alive. It could have been so much worse. That phone call to me from his work, they could have just told me that my husband was gone,” Jamie said. “I still have my husband. He’s the same guy. We are just dealing with some stuff in our lives right now that we never thought we would be dealing with, but he is still here.”

Managing Editor Shannon Granholm can be reached at 651-407-1227 or citizennews@presspubs.com.

Visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/sva4s4-jeffs-long-road-to-recovery

Jeff McLean has now undergone four surgeries, all related to the amputation of both his legs below the knee. He is now back home, but may need a fifth surgery. He has a long road to recovery ahead of him.

Hugo resident Jeff McLean spent three weeks in the hospital after a workplace accident.

Washington County Sheriff reveals stats, trends

Arrests, motor vehicle accidents and mental health calls were all down in 2023 compared to 2022 in Washington County.

BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR

HUGO — On average, Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) deputies are responding to approximately 25 calls per day.

In a recent visit to the Hugo City Council, Sheriff Dan Starry introduced the city’s deputies, explained statistics for the past couple of years and shared current trends and how the sheriff’s office is addressing them.

“These deputies are out there 24/7 … they are working hard to make sure the city of Hugo is safe,” Starry said.

The city of Hugo is served by eight deputies, one detective and one sergeant. The city of Hugo will pay just over $1.6 million to WCSO to provide services in 2024, which equates to $94.24 per capita.

“There are a lot of calls that are coming in during that time (8 a.m. until 10 p.m.); that’s one of the reasons we asked for another deputy up here, to make sure that the citizens receive the proper service from our deputies,” Starry explained.

In 2023, the WCSO responded to 9,098 calls for service in the city of Hugo, which represents an increase of 6.5% over 2022. The WCSO investigated 321 cases in 2023.

Although mental health/person-in-crisis calls remain high, they are down from the boom during the pandemic years. The WCSO responded to 197 of those calls in 2023, compared to 230 in 2022. “That’s a lot. These calls take time,” Starry said. “We want to make sure that (we) handle these calls correctly and make sure they get the proper help that they need and they don’t have to call us again.”

Starry noted that in addition to deputies who respond to those types of calls, the county also has a coordinated response team with an embedded social worker. “They can take that extra time to make sure (citizens) get the services they need without a time constraint,” Starry said.

Motor vehicle accidents remain high, but have decreased. The WCSO responded to 140 of those calls in 2023 compared to 191 in 2022.

The WCSO is one of nine agencies throughout the state that was successful in receiving a grant to fund a distracted driving vehicle. The vehicle will have cameras mounted to target distracted driving. The sheriff’s office received about $75,000 from the state for the purchase, and the WCSO will pay the remainder.

Arrests are also down; there were 168 arrests in 2023 compared to 233.

“That number is down, not because our deputies are not doing their jobs, but it is just something that happens,” Starry shared. “I think we are starting to average out again from what we saw pre-pandemic.”

Starry wants to alert residents to a couple of scams the WCSO has seen circulating in Washington County. The first is the grandparent scam, where a scammer will claim that their granddaughter/ grandson is in crisis, and they need to send help (money).

Crime Mapping is a user-friendly, web-based program designed to offer the public a visual representation of crime incidents in their area. Crime mapping is a useful tool for law enforcement and residents alike, as it helps to identify patterns and crime trends within a selected geographical area.

Crime Mapping allows for easy access to incident data, including incident type, date, time, location and associated case numbers, for a span of up to 180 days. For more information on Crime Mapping or to check out Washington County’s new public-access platform, visit www. crimemapping.com.

The law enforcement scam has also continued to be a problem. The scammer claims to be from the WCSO and uses real deputies’ names while spoofing legitimate sheriff’s office phone numbers to appear legitimate. The scammer says they have a warrant and must pay money (or send gift cards) to pay it off.

“Never, never, never if you owe money are they going to accept gift cards,” Starry said. “It is amazing how many still get scammed every year. We are not talking $100, $200; we are talking thousands of dollars that these vulnerable people get scammed out of.”

Although there are certain instances where law enforcement will reach out to you, no law enforcement agency will contact you for payment related to outstanding warrants, owed back taxes to the IRS, requests for personal financial information or payments via methods like gift cards or prepaid cards, or any attempt to gather sensitive information like your Social Security number.

Fentanyl continues to be an issue in Washington County. Starry recalled a scenario where a drug task force seized 66 pounds of fentanyl pills (280,000 pills) that had a $2.2 million street value.

The good news is that residents continue to properly dispose of their unwanted/unused medications. Since 2013, the county has collected over 53 tons of medications via drug takeback boxes located throughout the county.

Looking at 2024 and beyond, the WCSO will continue to focus on recruitment and retention. Starry said although the sheriff’s office is in a unique position in that all of the new positions in 2024 are filled, the WCSO will continue to focus on retention bonuses and retaining its employees. New this year, the sheriff’s office has also added four community service officer positions for individuals who are currently in school to become police officers.

As always, Starry urges residents if they see something, to say something.

“If you see something, please call it in. Our deputies are out here 24/7. Our dispatch is working 24/7. Pick up that phone,” Starry said. “If you see something suspicious, give us a call. If it is nothing, that’s OK.”

Managing Editor Shannon Granholm can be reached at 651-407-1227 or citizennews@presspubs.com.

CLASSIFIEDS

SAFE STEP North America's #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Topof-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower pa ckage and $1,60 0 off for a limited time! Call today! Finan cing available. Call Safe Step 833/966-3882

DONATE YOUR CAR, truck, or SUV to assist the blind an d visually impaired. Arrange a swift, no-cost vehicle pickup and secure a gener ous year-end ta x credit. Call Heritage for the Blin d Today at 844/220-9501

Wanted to Buy WANTED: ALL 19 70 S MOTORCYCLES Ru nn ing or not Titled or not Will pick up. Ca sh in e xchange. Sell now before prices fall. Call Da n at 612/720-2142

2 Garage sales TWO sales at Second St and Lake Ave. Fri-May 31/ 9-2p m Sat-J une 1/ 9-2pm Tools,HH good s, jewelry portable air conditioners,books,antiques and more! 4681 Lake Ave. WBL an d neighbor Garage Sale Thru May 16 / 8-7p m 1640 Lorane Ave WBT

Are you tired of working in the corporate en vironment, would you like to work where you know youre making a difference country view Marine in north branch is seeking help with inbound calls fo llow up calls schedu ling and ordering. No t re quired to ha ve driven or owned a boat experience boating re la

Equipment is looking for a driver to help with pick ups & drop off. We have the truck and trailer. Visit us at the shop or call 651.429.8163

GET BOOST INFINITE! Unlimited ta lk, text and data for ju st $25/mo! The power of 3 5G networks, one low price! Call today and ge t the latest iPhone every year on us! 855/849-6621

GET DISH SATELLITE TV + INTERNET! Free install, free HDDVR upgrade, 80,000 on-demand movies plus limited time up to $600 In gift cards. Call today! 8 55/562-4309

Looking for old, twodoor cheverolet cars 50-70's. Not requ ired to be running will pick up. Pre 1970 and earlier. CALL 320.26 7.4491

Hu ge Yard Sale 18 W Golden Lake Rd Fri-Sat; May 24 -25 9-4; Cash only

651.462.2400

2021 Coachman BHS Pull behind trailer $27,900 Sleeps 10 Queen be d,bunks, couch,dining area, outdoor cooking area w/fridge Ca ll 651.399.2374

Miscellaneous DONT LET THE STAIRS LIMIT YOUR MOBILITY! Disco ver the ideal solution for an yone who struggles on the stairs is concerned about a fall or wa nts to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 866/852-5506

Old W ood Boats Do you or someone you know have a classic or vintage boat? Re gister today for our free show in White Bear Lake on June 22 at https://www.pre sspubs.com/site/fo rms/contest/boat_sho w/ or call 651-4071200.

Board recognizest May as Mental Health Awareness Month

May is also recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month in the county. Mental health challenges affect all people regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion or economic status. This year, Washington County has adopted the theme “Where to Start.” During the month, the county aims to promote mental health awareness, offer resources, provide education, and advocate for the mental health and well-being of everyone who lives, works and plays in Washington County.  During May, the Community Services, Public Health and Environment, Library and Public Works departments will each host several events aimed at starting conversations in traditional human services areas as well as nontraditional mental health settings. There will be mental health resources and services available in Washington County libraries throughout May, as well as a Mental Health Awareness book list.

and helping businesses grow, this may be the perfect opportunity for you. Press Publications seeks an organized and creative professional multimedia rep to promote and market the business community through our products in print and digital. Sales experience is helpful but training is provided to the candidate who shows the willingness to learn and grow in a fast-paced marketplace.

NOW

The City of Mahtomedi (pop. 8,100) is accepting applications for a full-time position of Mechanic in the Public Works Department. This position performs intermediate skilled trade work operating, repairing and maintaining vehicles, engines, light and heavy equipment, and related work as assigned. Performs basic preventative maintenance on City vehicles including tune-ups, lubrication, tire changes and simple parts replacement. Services, diagnoses and repairs small and large pieces of City equipment, performs minor repairs in the field on City equipment, secures parts from suppliers and performs related work as required, operates City vehicles and equipment to perform testing, servicing and deliveries as required. May assign and direct the work of seasonal/temporary workers. Performs Maintenance Operator duties as directed. High School diploma or GED; and moderate experience in auto/truck repair and heavy equipment mechanics, or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. Associate/Technical degree preferred. ASE Certified Master Medium/Heavy Technician Preferred. Must possess or be able to obtain a valid Commercial Driver’s License with Class B air brake and tanker endorsements within six months of hire. Must meet Department of Transportation drug and alcohol testing requirements. A Minnesota Class D Water License and Class S-D Wastewater License is preferred.

The starting salary is $32.09 - $38.43 per hour, depending on qualifications, plus benefits. Must complete city application. For a copy of the application packet and complete job description visit the city website at www.ci.mahtomedi.mn.us. Submit application material via email to: sneilson@ci.mahtomedi. mn.us or in person at 600 Stillwater Road, Mahtomedi, MN 55115. Deadline for submission is 4:00 p.m., June 7, 2024. Equal Opportunity Employer.

We are currently seeking fun-loving, caring, and compassionate educators for our full day Christian preschool program in Mahtomedi. We have FT and PT positions available. Must be Teacher or Assistant Teacher qualified under MN DHS Rule 3 guidelines. Visit www.saintandrews. org/careers or email ahuntley@saintandrews.org for more information.

More information can be found on the county’s website at https://www. co.washington.mn.us/590/MentalHealth-and-Well-being.

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

The Washington County Board of Commissioners has proclaimed May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the county. The monthlong commemoration honors the history and achievements of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. Originally recognized as Asian/ Pacific American Heritage Week in 1978, Congress designated the entire month of May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in 1992. May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. Most workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.

Spot mowing and spraying for noxious weeds begins in June

Washington County staff will spot mow and spray for noxious weeds along the more than 220 miles of rural roadsides from June 17 through July 29, and again in October. This helps comply with Minnesota State Noxious Weed law administered by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Mowing will be used to prevent seed set, and the following herbicides will be used to spray mowed areas: Escort XP, Milestone VM and Tordon.

Property owners who do not want their roadside sprayed or mowed and are willing to take responsibility for controlling and eradicating noxious weeds on the adjacent roadside may visit the Washington County North Shop at 11660 Myeron Road in Stillwater Township to obtain signage, or call 651-430-4300. Be prepared to provide an address, the nearest cross street, and a description of where Do Not Spray signs will be located.

New high school grading system does things by the numbers

BY LOGAN GION CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Three years ago, Sunrise Middle School transitioned from traditional letter grading to a modified version of Standards-Based Learning (SBL). According to the school’s principal Christina Pierre, now “students can be confident that grades reflect exactly what they know and can do.”

Director of Teaching and Learning Jen Babiash affirms that Sunrise’s version of SBL has provided clarity to teachers and students. “For parents, this helps us be clear about what kids need to know,” she says. So successful has this transition been that White Bear Lake Area High School will be using SBL for its incoming 2024 freshman. In fall 2025, the entire high school will switch over.

How is SBL different from traditional letter grades? The analogy given is to imagine a student is taking swim lessons at the YMCA—Polliwog level. After the two-week unit, the child is excited to move up to Guppy. They got everything right on the first try except the front crawl; the coordination on that stroke is tricky. The instructor passes them up to Guppy, however, because the kid tried hard and stayed after during open swim to practice more. Now in Guppy, the new instructor expects the kids to warm up with three full laps of the front crawl. After all, they passed Polliwog. Next summer, the student dreads going to lessons, mentally checks out during class, and begs their parents to quit.

Thankfully, that’s not how swim lessons work. One cannot advance unless they can successfully demonstrate all the necessary skills at each level. Moreover, the instructor knows if a child is repeating the unit and focuses only on the skills with which the student struggles. “Polliwog would be closer to a unit of a class, with all of swim lessons representing a course.” White Bear Lake Area High School Principal Russ Reetz said upon hearing this analogy. SBL assembles its metaphorical swim-lesson checklist by identifying

core-curriculum areas—determined by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)—in which a student should display proficiency before they move to the next grade or course level. “Within all standards, multiple benchmarks are underneath,” explains Reetz. “Within that are skills practiced by daily lessons.” Each skill is marked on a proficiency scale from one through four (See Proficiency Scale Table).

Every time a class touches upon one of these skills, the student gets a chance to improve their mean proficiency score in that skill. President of White Bear Lake Area Educators Tiffany Dietrich explains that the repeated attempts are by design. “Traditionally in education, one either knows it or they don’t—there’s a single opportunity to demonstrate one’s understanding within a limited period of time that doesn’t necessarily take into account that learning is a process,” she says. “Standards-based learning offers a paradigm shift that elevates learning. It clearly establishes a destination while acknowledging that every learner is on their own unique journey.”

The skills are aggregated into a benchmark proficiency score, benchmarks into standards scores, and standards into the course grade. “We’re looking at a mountain of evidence over time,” Reetz says. “A score on an assignment might be a screenshot. A series of screenshots become a timelapse.”

Additionally, each SBL course at the high-school level will be curved with a statistical decay model, meaning that as the school year continues, earlier assignments won’t weigh as much. “It isn’t high stakes,” Reetz emphasizes. “It’s ‘Look where you started!’ It instills efficacy skills. Days one through five don’t really matter if you understand a skill on day ten.” Babiash adds, “Wherever students enter, we get them to the next level.”

The course proficiency number is then converted into a grade letter, A through D (See Conversion Table). Keen readers will notice the grade letter “F” is missing from this scale. Meanwhile,

getting an “A” in a class will require a different approach. “Just knowing the standard is a B,” states Pierre, “Applying and transferring the knowledge gets an A. We’re proud you know the standard, but you’ve got to go further.”

Reetz adds that students will have to use critical skills shown through projects or enrichment activities. This will lead to different instruction based on a student’s place in learning. “They’ll dig deeper and further,” Reetz says. “Their knowledge won’t be a mile wide and an inch deep.”

This approach then solves two big classroom behavior problems: high achievers bored by the level of material, and students struggling with comprehension who have checked out because they are too far behind.

Finally, the modified version of SBL minimizes grade inflation. “If you’re late to class, you haven’t done your homework—we address that in other ways,” Pierre explains. “The grade only speaks to what the child knows. [SBL] protects the integrity of the grade, which is so important because we all

have a shared understanding of meaning with that.” Reetz adds, “No longer is the grade about jumping through hoops. It’s not about effort.”

Pierre reports that parents have been supportive and appreciative of this system because of precise feedback. “Just being able to pinpoint helps everybody,” she says. Babiash adds that the technological aspect of SBL reporting helps “kids and families see the grade in real time, anytime.” Put another way, the new system solves many of the communication issues students, teachers and parents had in the past. “The rigor is there within state standards,” Babiash states, “Kids can reach them, but also know what they still need to learn.”

For Reetz, SBL ultimately serves the philosophy he intends to bring to the high school. “There are three questions I want every student to say yes to,” Reetz says. “’Do I belong here? Is this meaningful? Can I do this?’ Standards-based learning will provide a meaningful learning experience and make us a strong learning partner for our students.”

WBLAHS will use a four-point scale to communicate levels of proficiency on each standard.

Bears nip CDH the U of M

CONTRIBUTED

Outfielders Emma Larson, Maddy Belisle and Lauren Elias chatted between innings on the U of M logo.

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

White Bear Lake played at the Minnesota Gophers’ ballpark and made the most of the opportunity by defeating Cretin-Derham Hall 2-1 in a key conference game.

The Bears (13-4) were 4-1 for the week with Heidi Barber belting homers in four of the five games. In the Suburban East, Forest Lake is 12-3, the Bears 12-4 and CDH 11-4.

Lily Martin threw a

one-hitter with 12 strikeouts and no walks against CDH. Lily Glendenning drove home both runs with a double up the right-center gap in the sixth inning, following singles by Emma Larson and Amanda Meyers.

CDH’s lone hit was an RBI double by Hannah Yeager after an error put a runner on second.

CDH’s Brooke Nesdahl blanked the Bears until the sixth. It was CDH’s home game and they arranged to play at Jane

Cage Cowles Stadium. In a 6-5 loss to Park, Barber and Martin each smacked a two-run homer. Martin homered in the ninth for a 4-2 lead, but Park came back with three runs off her on three two-out hits.

Meyers got the wins in both games at Irondale (0-18), pitching four innings in each (one run, 11 strikeouts). Martin threw four innings. In a 4-0 win, Barber was 3-for-3 with a solo homer. Meyers hit a two-run double. In the 17-1 win, Emma Larson was 2-for-2 (double, two RBI’s), Maddy Belisle 2-for-2 (RBI, two runs), Maddie Pearson 2-for-3 (double, two RBI’s, two runs) and Lauren Elias 2-for-4 (two RBI’s, two runs).

In a 10-0 win at Tartan (11-8), Martin threw the five-inning shutout with eight strikeouts. Larson was 3-for-4 (two RBI’s), Barber 2-for-2 (homer, two RBI’s, two runs), and Glendenning 2-for-3 (two runs).

Cougars 2-2 in week

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

Three home runs by Kendall Cochran and strong pitching by Riley O’Connell were highlights in a busy week for Centennial softball as the Cougars (8-8) had two wins while losing two close games to strong teams.

The Cougars lost to NWSC leader Andover (14-3) in eight innings 1-0 Tuesday. Kaelyn Polzin threw the shutout, striking out 14. O’Connell took the loss despite giving up just four hits and two walks, striking out eight. Gracie Nickel was 2-for-4. The Cougars’ lone error helped the Huskies get their run.

Cochran, freshman infielder, blasted two homers, driving home five runs, to lead an 11-3 win over Elk River (3-14) on Wednesday. Kendall Seidenkranz had a homer, double and three RBI’s. Maddy Abernathy was 3-for-4 with two runs. Abby Wallraff

pitched the distance (seven hits, one walk, five strikeouts).

Cochran belted a tworun homer in the first inning against Anoka (9-8) and O’Connell made the lead stand for a 2-0 win as she twirled a one-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts and three walks. Cochran has four homers and 15 RBI’s while hitting .273.

Hugo 8th grader is actress and ace archer

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

Brecken Lee, Hugo eighth grader, has grown up on the stage, performing in one production after another, but a new passion — archery — has emerged for her in the last couple of years.

Archery is Lee’s first sport, and she quickly became a standout. Last weekend, she was a champion at Western Nationals. It helps that she attends Lakes International Language Academy in Forest Lake, where archery is very popular.

“Archery is fun. I love spending time with my teammates, both on- and offline,” Lee said. “There are a lot of older students I have looked up

to who are incredible archers. They are really nice and great mentors.”

Lee placed first among 891 middle school girls in 3D (animal-shaped targets) at Western Nationals in Salt Lake City and fourth overall among 1,853 middle and high schoolers of both genders. She hit 292 and 287 targets out of 300 in the two rounds, her personal bests. And in Bullseye, Lee placed seventh among middle school girls and 37th among 2,208 archers overall.

The competition is hosted by the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP). Lee was one of 47 LILA students competing in Utah. Jamie Rydeen, a senior, won the boys high school 3D and placed second in Bullseye.

There’s also an Eastern Nationals. Top shooters from Western and Eastern advance to NASP overall nationals in Daytona Beach in early June.

Lee qualified last year in 3D and this year she advances in both.

For all of Brecken’s life, her mother, Sharon Hanifl-Lee, has been involved with Children’s Performing Arts, a year-round educational theater program for kids in kindergarten through college. The organization performs at the Hanifl Performing Arts Center in White Bear Lake, where Hanifl-Lee is the board chairman.

“Brecken is a theater kid,” Hanifl-Lee said. “She loves both singing and acting. She is most happy on the stage, or shooting her bow with her team. She also is a really good fisherman.”

The youngster took up archery in seventh grade, following her older brother and

Mya Tautges led Brainerd (13-3) to a 3-2 win at Centennial on Friday. Tautges, a sophomore, held the Cougars to four hits and one walk, striking out 10, and went 2-for-4 at the plate, scoring twice. O’Connell struck out 13, allowing six hits and one walk, and went 2-for-3.

some school friends.

Asked what it takes to achieve such scores, Lee said, “Practice, practice, practice.” She shoots almost every day at home and three times each week with her team at school.

It’s important, she said, to “concentrate on each arrow” and not keep score. “Sometimes it’s hard when you are shooting really well to stay calm and focused,” she explained. The first time she shot a perfect 50, she related, an older teammate reminded her to ‘breathe and stay calm — the next round is a new round.’” Whether it’s the next round of archery, or the next play or musical, Lee is ready for show time.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Brol Scherman

Timothy Ball

Centennial Track

Centennial Lacrosse

Timothy Ball, Centennial senior, is one of the top throwers in metro area track-and-field. At the Section 5AAA True Team Meet May 7, Ball won discus with a personal best 170-9 and took third in shot put with 55-1. In the Hamline Elite Meet on May 2, he was fifth in shot with a personal best 55-8 and fifth in discus with 161-9. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound athlete placed fifth in the state in discus (165-0) last year. He was an outside linebacker on the Cougars state champion football team and was one of three players with over 90 tackles.

Brol Scherman, Centennial junior lacrosse standout, has netted 22 goals and provided seven assists for the Cougars (4-2) while notching 17 ground balls (a change of possession statistic). Scherman was all-conference as a sophomore with 36 goals and 28 assists. The recruiting website ILMCA said of him: “Endto-end playmaking machine with striking confidence both on and off the field. Versatile offensive threat with strong outside shooting and crease finishing skills. Magnetic team leader and positive influencer.”

3555 Hoffman Rd White Bear Lake, MN 651-488-8400 | www.longsauto.com

JON NAMYST | CONTRIBUTED

Kendall Cochran, shown here earlier this season, hit three homers for seven RBI’s in two Cougar wins.

CONTRIBUTED

Brecken Lee was all smiles after her championship performance in Salt Lake City.