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VOL. 17 NO. 25 www.readthecitizen.com $1.00

HOLIDAY LIGHTS CONTEST: See information inside on how to enter. PAGE 5

This Old Horse takes over Mel-O-Dee Stables

Council supports restaurants/bars, food shelf

BY SHANNON GRANHOLM LEAD EDITOR

HUGO — In addition to offering up to $200,000 in grants to local businesses impacted by the pandemic, the City Council has taken it a step further to aid not only restaurants and bars, but the Hugo Good Neighbors Food Shelf as well.

The council agreed to waive on-sale liquor license fees for restaurants and bars for 2021. Council members also agreed to waive application and building permit fees for the proposed expansion of the food shelf, which is located at 15106 Francesca Avenue N.

On-sale liquor fees

SUBMITTED

Owen, a rescued wild mustang, welcomes a guest to one of This Old Horse’s locations.

BY SHANNON GRANHOLM LEAD EDITOR

Mel-O-Dee Stables is now home to This Old Horse.

Mel-O-Dee Stables, located at 13151 Elmcrest Ave. N. in Hugo, has operated as a full-service equine facility since 1971.

The 40-acre farm has indoor/

outdoor boarding options as well as indoor and outdoor riding arenas. The past 13 months has seen a number of changes at the facility.

Last December, Reins of Love founder Cynthia Marx moved her operation from Isanti to Mel-O-Dee Stables.

Reins of Love provides refuge and rehabilitation for abused equine, as well as riding lessons and therapy services.

In March, Mel-O-Dee Stables owner Donna Meline passed away at the age of 90. The

On-sale liquor licenses are given to establishments that serve alcohol to customers on the premises, whereas off-sale liquor licenses are given to establishments that sell alcohol to be consumed off the premises, such as liquor stores.

City Administrator Bryan Bear said the city has received some requests to reduce liquor license fees for on-sale establishments. He explained that in an effort to aid restaurants and bars that have been greatly impacted by the pandemic, some cities are choosing to reduce the required fees for licenses by 50%.

There are several kind of liquor licenses granted to on-sale establishments, including 3.2%, wine, club and Sunday licenses. The most expensive license, however, is the intoxicating license, which costs $2,300 a year.

“If we reduce all of those (license fees) by 50%, that would mean a revenue loss to the city of $7,000,” Bear said. He explained that many

SEE PHOENIX FARMS, PAGE 14

SEE LIQUOR FEES, PAGE 11

Hugo crafter busy this holiday season HUGO — Every waking moment that Chris Grygar is not busy watching children, she spends crafting.

The Hugo resident has been a home day care provider for about 19 years. Last spring when the coronavirus started ramping up, she decided to close down her day care to protect some vulnerable children.

OOF NEW R S! NT DISCOU

In August, she decided to reopen with a much smaller group (four children).

She is now trying to navigate distance learning for three children in three different grades.

Grygar has always been a crafter.

While she was scrolling through social media one day, she stumbled across a photo of a project made by another day care provider using a laser cutter. “It was really cute. I asked her how she made it, and she said with a laser. I said,

‘What the heck is that?’”

She looked into it and was a bit apprehensive to purchase a laser cutter since they are so expensive. In an effort to supplement some of the income she lost by reducing her enrollment by 80%, Grygar took a leap of faith and purchased one.

“I was hopeful I could sell enough to pay it off in six months and I paid it off in SEE HUGO CRAFTER, PAGE 2

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THE CITIZEN

DECEMBER 3, 2020 www.readthecitizen.com

HUGO CRAFTER: Child care by day, crafting by night FROM PAGE 1

three weeks.” Her Glowforge laser cutter cost her about $6,000, with a discount.

Back in October, Grygar started a Facebook group called Do #Allthehobbies. The group currently has around 160 members.

Grygar is spending most of her time leading up to the holidays making ornaments. Her 2020-themed ornaments, as well as Hugo ornaments, seem to be very popular. Some of Grygar’s ornaments are for sale at The Argyle Moose, located at 14755 Victor Hugo Blvd.

The shop’s co-owner, Celeste Knipping, used to craft with Grygar many years ago and knew Grygar’s creative pieces would be a great addition to the store’s inventory, which features local vendors. “We’ve been trying to do more what I would call hyperlocal, being local to Hugo, and she does a variety of different things that meet that need. She’s very flexible and able to create unique things for us,” Celeste said.

Celeste’s husband, Patrick Knipping, thought it would be cool to have Grygar create a Hugo ornament. Grygar decided it had to be the water tower, located at 159th Street N and Fenway Boulevard.

“We were here when the tornado came through … The water tower just seemed to be the image that pops into my head now since then. Another memory comes to mind when Grygar thinks of the water tower, too. Back when the water tower was being rebuilt, her teenage son and his friends got in trouble for cutting the lock and climbing the tower.

In an effort to make the Hugo water tower ornaments even more personal, Grygar reached out on social media asking Hugonians what comes to mind when they think of Hugo. Answers included: Good Neighbor Days, “boom,” Bob Miller, Help Us Get Out, the Hugo Feed Mill and more. Some of those suggestions found their way onto the ornament.

After Christmas, Grygar says she will have more time to experiment and create other items. For now, she spends “every waking moment” outside of day care making ornaments. She even squeezes in time while the children are napping. “As soon as day care closes, I work from 5 to 11 p.m. during the week and 14 hours on Saturday and Sunday.”

In addition to The Argyle Moose, customers can also order through the Facebook group Do # Allthehobbies. They can pay electronically through Venmo/Paypal or with cash and schedule a contactless porch pickup.

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

Hugo resident Chris Grygar crafts “every waking moment” to keep up with demand from her supportive customers.

Chris Grygar spends most of her crafting time these days making ornaments, but she has made some signs. She is eager to begin experimenting with other crafts once the holiday season wraps up.

Chris Grygar has created a variety of ornaments to commemorate 2020 and all it has brought with it like social distancing, face masks, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, quarantining and more.

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Chris Grygar’s Glowforge laser cutter cost her about $6,000, with a discount. Due to the high demand for unique gifts this year, she paid it off in just three weeks.

Letters to Santa

Hey kids! Don’t forget to write your letter to Santa!

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DECEMBER 3, 2020

THE CITIZEN www.readthecitizen.com

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Warm, windy temps make slow start for Minnesota deer season

BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This year’s hunting season had more than a few unexpected variables, but among the most unusual was the weather conditions of the rifle season opener.

Temperatures hovered in the 60s and 70s during the weekend of Nov. 7-9.

Combined with high winds, hunters did not see many deer during opening weekend.

According to Minnesota DNR Big Game Program Leader Barbara Keller, the first two days of opening weekend usually have the highest harvest numbers of the season.

“Those two days were 14 percent less harvestwise compared to last year, but during that latter half of firearms deer season, we were able to make up the difference,” Keller said.

The latest data from the DNR website reports 157,126 total deer harvested this year, with a little more than half of that number being mature male deer.

Special seasons are ongoing in other parts of the state, and so far are on par with last year’s harvest numbers.

Hunting during COVID-19 Although it was unclear whether safety precautions related to COVID-19 would affect the 2020 hunting

season, Keller said she was unaware of any significant effects on this year’s harvest.

The number of licenses purchased was about the same as last year, but Keller did notice that many hunters purchased their licenses a little earlier in advance this year. By its nature, hunting takes place in wide-open outdoor spaces, which makes social distancing a little easier to manage.

“I think it’s well suited for social distancing,” Keller said. “Some folks will travel long distances to deer camp and meet with other friends and family there. I heard a couple people wondering if that was maybe not a good idea this year.

We did some messaging to encourage people to social distance.”

shut down, it actually made everybody scared to lose meat, so they came and bought a lot more,” Hosek said. “People were at home, they were eating more, they were buying more for the freezer so they didn’t have to leave home.”

The warm temps on opening weekend made it a little easier for the business to manage the influx of wild deer, since harvest numbers were lower on average.

The risk of meat spoilage spurred hunters to do much of their own butchering during that weekend.

Flicker Meats is taking care to be as safe and sanitary as possible in its interactions with customers, offering curbside pickup for its orders.

Keeping CWD in check Local butcher shops Some small butcher shops found themselves coping with the overflow from the closures of pork- and beef-producing facilities due to outbreaks of COVID-19 earlier this year. While this changed the way some Minnesota businesses were able to accept wild game, Flicker Meats in White Bear Lake did not notice a large difference.

Manager Jeremy Hosek mentioned that meat sales increased after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

“With the places being

The spread of chronic wasting disease among white-tailed deer is a top-priority problem for the DNR, which operates statewide check stations to monitor the spread of this debilitating virus.

In an ordinary year, these check stations are mandatory in CWDaffected areas, but COVID-19 necessitated voluntary drop-offs for the health and safety of hunters and DNR staff.

“The sampling stations can get quite crowded during opening weekend,” Keller said.

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Opening weekend deer harvests were lower than average due to warm temperatures.

This year, stations are unstaffed. Hunters in CWD management zones, control zones or surveillance areas are urged to drop off the head of deer 1 year of age or older at these stations. Hunters who have heads from deer harvested on opening weekend can still drop those heads off at sampling stations.

Sampling numbers were low after opening weekend, but Keller said the numbers began to pick up during the latter half of the firearm season.

“They’re still not as high as we would’ve liked,” she said.

Hunters can prepare for sample drop-off by watching a CWD sampling demonstration video and consulting other resources online

at dnr.state.mn.us/cwd.

“Every test result, whether CWD is detected or not, is important because it shows us where the disease is,” Keller said. “We use this information to help us determine where we should target our management, keeping our efforts focused where the disease is most prevalent. It’s important for hunters to remember that even deer that look healthy can be positive for the disease.”

The DNR website also includes options for sampling deer that

allow hunters to keep the antlers or have the deer mounted.

The self-service sampling site closest to the Northeast Metro is the Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area Headquarters in Columbus. Selfservice sampling is also available at Afton State Park. Several taxidermy businesses in the area, including White Bear Taxidermy, can arrange sampling by appointment if you call ahead. Visit the DNR website to see an interactive map of resources in the area where you hunt.

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THE CITIZEN

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DECEMBER 3, 2020

President-elect challenges

W

E NOW HAVE a president-elect who has the great challenge of uniting the country. It may not be possible.

The close election tells me that the battle isn’t over. The letters to the editor will diminish, the yard signs are put away and television commercials will go back to medical remedies and Christmas gifts and things you can’t live without.

For Minnesota and Wisconsin, there were very minor balloting issues. The bar code system prevented voting twice, and the counting began in advance of Election Day, which provided early results without delays.

Providing ballots by request another safeguard.

About the was President-Elect Biden’s second challenge, if not Town the first, will be to get Gene Johnson COVID-19 under control. The development of vaccines with 95% effectiveness is very encouraging. Administering and distributing the vaccines could take six months or more.

Flu vaccines are generally 40-60% effective.

Johns Hopkins University reported more than 12 million cases of COVID-19 in the United States a the end of November.

As a result parts of the economy are suffering, such as small businesses, especially the hospitality industry. The construction industry is slowed due a shortage of qualified workers.

Our medical providers are stretched for workers and adequate space for treatment.

ANOTHER STIMULUS PROGRAM is needed to ensure our economic recovery. Our Congressional leaders do not understand Main Street America. The Payroll Protection Program earlier this year saved many small businesses and jobs. It saved several of our small newspapers from closing. We worked hard to keep everyone employed and our staff worked hard to shift gears as needed and fill in for each other. Technology also as many could work from home.

IT WILL TAKE time before we know the results the Senate races in Georgia. It seems to me we have a healthier government when it is divided by political parties. History has proven the stock market and the economy does better when no one party controls the presidency, Senate and House of Representatives.

ARE WE AT a point in politics where we need term limits? It appears to me that people are running for office on the national level to grow their wealth rather than serve the best interest of the American people. I also think our government has become so large that it is impossible to maintain accountability.

THIS SUMMER MY wife, Kathy, purchased a Mother of Thousands plant from Deb Urban at Urban Nursery in Vadnais Heights. The succulent produces babies on each leaf. Not being able to throw the babies away, Kathy carefully planted them in small pots and brought them to Florida to distribute to friends. It has become an interesting and fun conversation subject among many who are not familiar with the plant.

HERE IS AN observation for small and start-up businesses: if you can’t make a profit after 36 months of operation, close it or consider it a hobby.

MAY GOD FAVOR you, your family and friends as you celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Social media gift exchange actually illegal pyramid scheme

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Gene Johnson is publisher emeritus of Press Publications.

Distributed and mailed bi-weekly in: • Hugo • Centerville • Lino Lakes P.O. Box 393 Hugo, MN 55038 www.ReadTheCitizen.com

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“Secret Santa” among colleagues, friends and family can be fun. A gift exchange among online friends you haven’t met, though, could carry a hefty consequence.

These gift exchanges, while they look like innocent fun, are really pyramid schemes – and are considered illegal.

The “Secret Sister” gift exchange campaign quickly became popular a few years ago through Facebook posts promising participants would up to 36 Movers and receive gifts, in exchange sending one gift.

Shakers for Each holiday season Better Business the scheme pops back up. A newer Bureau version of this scam revolves around exchanging bottles of wine; another suggests purchasing $10 gifts online.

How the scam works The scheme starts with a convincing invitation, either by email or social media, to sign up for what seems like a fun gift exchange.

All you must do is provide your name and address and personal information of a few additional friends, and tack this information

on to a running list of people you’ve never met on the internet. Next, it’s your turn to invite people to send a modest gift or bottle of wine to a stranger along with their friends, family and contacts.

The cycle continues, and you can be left with buying and shipping gifts for unknown individuals, in hopes that the favor is reciprocated by receiving the promised number of gifts in return. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen. Just like any other pyramid scheme, it relies on the recruitment of individuals and their participation to keep the scam afloat.

Once people stop participating in the gift exchange, the gift supply stops as well, and leaves hundreds of disappointed people without their promised gifts.

It should be noted that pyramid schemes are illegal in the US and Canada. The U.S. Postal Inspection Services explains that these gift exchanges are considered a form of gambling and that participants could be subject to penalties such as jail time, fines or a lawsuit for mail fraud.

The next time someone promises a bounty of gifts or cash by mail, email, or social media, BBB recommends the following: • Ignore it! Keep in mind that pyramid schemes are international.

Chain letters involving money or valuable items are illegal. Stop and ask, is it worth breaking the law or risking the exposure of your

personal information?

• Report social media posts. If you receive an invitation to join a pyramid scheme disguised as a gift exchange on social media, report it.

You can report these Facebook posts by clicking in the upper righthand corner and selecting “report post” or “report photo.”

• Never give your personal information to strangers. This will open you up to identity theft and other scams.

• Be wary of false claims. Some pyramid schemes try to win your confidence by claiming they’re legal and endorsed by the government.

These imposter schemes are false as the government will never endorse illegal activity. No matter what they claim, pyramid schemes will not make you rich. You will receive little to no money back on your “investment” or gift exchange.

More information on scams is available by visiting BBB Scam Tips and become an advocate by reporting scams to BBB Scam Tracker.

For more holiday tips, visit the BBB Holiday Tips page.

The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact BBB at bbb.org or 651-699-1111, toll-free at 1-800-646-6222.

THE CITIZEN | LETTER GUIDELINES • 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 matter will not be published.

• Deadline is 5 p. m. , Wednesday four weeks must lapse between • Submissions containing libelous of the week prior to publication. publication. Exceptions may be or derogatory statements will • To submit a letter, e-mail it to made for rebuttal letters. not be published. citizen@presspubs.com, fax it to • Due to space limitations, letters • Submissions containing facts 651-429-1242 or mail or deliver that don’t address local issues not previously published in The it to Press Publications, 4779 are not guaranteed publication.

Citizen must be accompanied by Bloom Ave., White Bear Lake, • Repeat letters by the same factual verification.

MN 55110. writer about the same subject • All letters are subject to editing.

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DECEMBER 3, 2020

THE CITIZEN www.readthecitizen.com

Enter our holiday lights contest

OBITUARY MIKE DAWSON | SUBMITTED

Area resident Mike Dawson captured this aerial view of Cinnamon Teal Court’s light display in Lino Lakes.

together to support one of our community’s valuable resources, the health care workers serving our community.

While we work toward having a vaccine and more effective treatments, research and data help us to make informed decisions about the best tools to prevent new infections. The recommended and proven public health prevention strategies include: • Stay home when you’re sick and waiting for COVID-19 test results • Avoid gathering with people you don't live with • Wear a mask in public and around people you don't live with • Stay at least 6 feet away from others • Wash your hands often When you take these steps, you’re supporting health care workers and protecting your loved ones, your friends, your neighbors and yourself.

As a community, we can #FaceThisTogether.

Sincerely, Fran Miron, Washington County Board of Commissioners chair Ted Wegleitner, Lakeview Hospital president Lowell Johnson, county Public Health & Environment director Michele Brin, operations executive, Woodwinds Hospital Will Nicholson, MD, vice president of medical affairs, M Health Fairview

Zeb C. Olsen

July 1984 - November 2020 Survived by his sons Keegan and his Mom Amanda; Zeb Jr and Grayson and their Mom Bionca and step-Dad Chris; sisters Angela (Joe) and her children, Rhiley and Charlotte; Amber (Dustin) and her children, Aryanna and Taylor; his brother Harry(Daniela); his Dad and step-Mom. He is also survived by many other family and friends that loved him.

His tragic death is a result of 20 years battling addiction and depression, ending in suicide.

No services are planned. Memorials should be directed to any children's fishing camp, one of Zeb's life long passions; or to suicide prevention programs.

CHURCH DIRECTORY Find the church that fits your needs Service times are subject to change during the coronavirus crisis. Contact your local church or check church web sites for service time and online service information.

Please check out our website for ways to stay connected, including on-line Worship, Bible Study, and Sunday School.

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Residents encouraged to view suicide intervention course Lutheran Church

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To protect the community, staff at the Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment encourages members of the community who are interested to take a free lifesaving suicide intervention course. The QPR Gatekeeper online course teaches participants how to question, persuade and refer a person who may be considering suicide through a one-hour session that may be accessed at any time.

Living through a public health emergency such as COVID-19 can be extremely stressful. Individuals may feel anxiety, frustration, anger and fear for themselves and their loved ones. At the same time, people may feel overwhelmed by the constant, rapidly changing and often conflicting information provided by health professionals through the media regarding the danger of COVID-19. Physical distancing and other measures aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 are necessary, but may leave many feeling isolated, lonely and anxious.

These mental health stressors and social isolation are correlated with suicidal ideation and suicide.

To access free training: • Go to the QPR Gatekeeper training portal qprtraining.com/setup; • enter WCDPH as the organization code; • select ‘create account’; • complete and submit the registration form with your email.

• QPR will display and email the newly created username and password.

• Log in to begin training at qprtraining.com.

Contact Natalie Vasilj at Natalie.vasilj@ co.washington.mn.us with any questions.

M

Washington County Library has added 400 Wi-Fi hotspots and 100 Chromebooks to its collection to help residents access the internet outside of the library.

The devices are available to check out for up to a month with a library card registered in Washington County.

The hotspots and Chromebooks will help meet a critical need for internet access across the county.

According to the 2018 American Community Survey, more than 9,000 households in Washington County do not have a computer with a broadband internet subscription. This need is exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as services and programs shift to virtual settings.

The devices were purchased with funding from the federal CARES Act. Washington County received $31.7 million for use in aiding residents affected by COVID-19 and distributed some of these funds to the library to help patrons access internet service. Additional hotspots were also purchased with

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Washington County Library expands internet access

The LORD is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

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Property owners who have had a change in ownership and/or occupancy and whose property is eligible for homestead classification should contact the county assessor to file a homestead application on or before Dec. 15. Homestead classification will affect the amount of property tax paid in 2021, and it may affect eligibility for a property tax refund.

Contact the county assessor to file a homestead application on or before Dec. 15 if one of the following applies: • You purchased a property in the past year and you, or a qualifying relative, occupy the property for homestead purposes on Dec. 1, 2020; or • You, or a qualifying relative, occupy a property for homestead purposes on Dec. 1, 2020, and the property was previously classified as nonhomestead.

Washington County’s electronic homestead application can be found at www.co.washington.mn.us by searching “homestead application.” For additional information or questions, call the Washington County Assessment Support Division at 651-430-6175.

a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education using federal funding.

Both hotspots and Chromebook kits may be checked out for one month at a time, and may be renewed three times if there are no other holds. Devices may be picked up at a local library branch or placed on hold in the Library’s online catalog. For more information on hotspots and Chromebooks, visit WashCoLib.org/ Devices.

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Eligible property owners must file homestead applications by Dec. 15

www.churchofstpiusx.org

Washington County cases of COVID-19 continue to increase, with our highest daily case count in the pandemic thus far occurring on Nov. 14 with 420 new cases identified. Our county’s 14-day case rate continues to rise at an alarming pace, with our last reported count at 118.9 cases per 10,000 people.

The rapid increase in COVID-19 cases is affecting hospitals across the region, including Lakeview and Woodwinds hospitals in Washington County. While health care systems are in a better position than they were in the spring to deal with high COVID and non-COVID caseloads, they are facing significant stress.

Hospital beds and intensive care units are reaching capacity. Most importantly, hospitals are experiencing staffing shortages as health care workers need to quarantine or care for their family members.

Data shows that most virus exposures are happening outside of the health care setting.

Together with our partners at HealthPartners and M Health Fairview, we are calling on all residents to do their part to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Washington County. Health care workers have been working tirelessly for more than eight months to care for those most in need.

During this challenging time, we must come

League of Women Voters will host December meeting online The League of Women Voters White Bear Lake Area will hold its next meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 10. The topic of the meeting will be 2020 election results. Interested persons are urged to contact unit leaders to find out how to join a unit meeting. For more information, or contact information, visit the website at www.lwv-wbla.org.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Face this together

POLITICAL BRIEF

674484

‘Tis the season to spread joy. Press Publications is hosting its first-ever holiday lights contest!

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THE CITIZEN

www.readthecitizen.com

DECEMBER 3, 2020

HUGO POLICE REPORTS

One of the motorists made it up to 80 mph before being pulled over.

A fi fth motorist was cited for the same offense two mornings later at the same intersection, and a sixth motorist was cited for speeding three mornings later at the same intersection. • Deputies reported spotting a vehicle at the Kwik Trip gas station in the 14000 block of Victor Hugo Blvd. N. at 10:02 p.m. Oct. 26 displaying registration that did not belong on the vehicle. • A resident on 138th Street N. at 12:30 a.m. Oct. 27 reported having received ongoing threats from a juvenile beginning in September. • Electronic threats sent by an intoxicated male walking home from a bar were reported at 12:50 a.m. Oct. 28 in the 15000 block of Fanning Drive N. Deputies took the male to a hotel that evening to separate him from the complainant. • A male reported for loitering outside his car in the Festival Foods parking lot in the 14000 block of Victor Hugo Blvd. at 3:09 a.m. Oct. 28 turned out to be an employee.

CITY OF HUGO PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING The Hugo Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday, December 17, 2020, at 7:00 pm to consider the request from Victor Land Holdings, LLC, 13925 Fenway Boulevard North, Hugo, MN 55038, for a SUHOLPLQDU\ SODW ÀQDO SODW &83 YDULDQFH HDVHPHQW YDFDWLRQ DQG VLWH SODQ approval. The site plan is for the construction of three, one-story buildings WRWDOLQJ VTXDUH IHHW DQG LQFOXGHV VWRUDJH UHQWDO XQLWV 7KH &83 LV to allow more than one building on a lot for a campus development. The applicant is requesting a variance from the materials outlined in the construction standards of the City Code. The applicant is also requesting an easement vacation to vacate an existing easement that is not applicable to the development. The properties are located north of 130th Street North and east of Fenway Boulevard North, legally described as Lot 3, Block 2 Bald Eagle Industrial Park. Full legal descriptions available at Hugo City Hall.

Anyone wishing to be heard is encouraged to comment on these applications prior to the meeting. Meetings will be held remotely pursuant to MN Statute Sec. 13D.021. Please call Emily Weber, Community Development Assistant at 651-762-6311 by 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Thursday, December 17th if you will be commenting on this. Please visit www.ci.hugo.mn.us/participate for information on how remote meetings will be held.

Emily Weber, Community Development Assistant.

Published one time in The Citizen on December 3, 2020.

WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS )25 7+( %52:1¡6 &5((. :$7(56+(' DISTRICT BOARD OF MANAGERS Applicants must reside in the Watershed District. Cities included in the %URZQ¡V &UHHN :DWHUVKHG DUH Stillwater Grant May Township Hugo Lake Elmo Stillwater Township Oak Park Heights Baytownship TO RECEIVE AN APPLICATION, 3OHDVH &DOO WKH :DVKLQJWRQ &RXQW\ 2IÀFH RI $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ DW

430-6015, or go online at: http://www.co.washington.mn.us/index.aspx?nid+300 $33/,&$7,216 0867 %( 5(7851(' %< )(%58$5< If you need assistance due to disability or language barrier, please call (651) 430-6001 (TDD) (651) 430-6000 $Q (TXDO (PSOR\PHQW 2SSRUWXQLW\ $IĂ&#x20AC;UPDWLYH $FWLRQ (PSOR\HU Published two times in The Citizen on December 3 and 17, 2020.

A Fanning Drive N. resident at 5:53 p.m. Oct. 28 reported a spouse for opening his or her mail. Deputies advised the complainant to seek civil redress. â&#x20AC;˘ A suspicious male banging on doors and windows was reported at 5:37 a.m. Oct. 29 in the 15000 block of French Drive N. â&#x20AC;˘ At the request of the Blue Heron restaurant in the 14000 block of Victor Hugo Blvd. N., deputies personally served a trespass letter to a resident in the 5000 block of French Drive at 11:34 a.m. Oct. 29.

An Iowa driver was cited at 9:19 p.m. Oct. 29 on southbound Elmcrest Avenue N. and Frenchman Road N. for driving after revocation after being pulled over for displaying tabs that expired in July 2017. The driver told deputies he was homeless and living out of the vehicle he purchased one week earlier. He said the vehicle was not insured, and the title had not been transferred. He was allowed to legally park the vehicle and call for a ride. â&#x20AC;˘ A motorist was cited at 9:53 p.m. Oct. 29 on eastbound 170th Street N. and Ingersoll Avenue N. for failure to provide proof of insurance following a traffic stop for no taillights. The driver said she was unaware that the lights were not working.

Her tabs had expired in June, but the driver stated she had turned in paperwork for the renewal. â&#x20AC;˘ A $70 gas drive-off was reported at 11:06 a.m. Oct. 30 at the Speedway station in the 14000 block of Forest Blvd. N. When deputies spoke to the registered owner of the vehicle, he stated heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d paid with his credit card at the pumps.

Deputies then spoke to the gas station employee, who said the credit card machine was old and that sometimes payments donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go through.

Deputies then went back to the motorist and advised him to come back and pay. â&#x20AC;˘ A Minnesota motorist was cited at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 30 on 140th Street N. and Egg Lake Road N. for driving after revocation after deputies pulled over a driver matching the description of a registered owner who had a revoked license. Her vehicle was then towed. â&#x20AC;˘ An unknown driver was cited at 6:07 p.m. Oct. 30 on Education Drive N. and Heritage Parkway N. for stop sign violation and possessing marijuana in a motor vehicle. â&#x20AC;˘ An intoxicated male asleep in the passenger seat of his vehicle was reported at 10:52 p.m. Oct. 31 in the middle of Forest Blvd. N. at 125th Street N. and taken to detox. â&#x20AC;˘ A suspicious vehicle reported at a storage facility in the 5000 block of 152nd Street N. after hours at 12:47 a.m. Nov. 1 turned out to be an owner of a storage shed moving items from one shed to his other shed. â&#x20AC;˘ An unknown motorist was cited at 11:42 p.m. Nov. 1 on Oneka Parkway N. and Frenchman Road for driving after revocation and failure to provide proof of insurance after being pulled over for multiple moving violations. â&#x20AC;˘ A Minnesota motorist was cited at 7:12 a.m. Nov. 2 on eastbound 122nd Street N. and July Avenue N.

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The Washington County Sheriffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office reported the following incidents: â&#x20AC;˘ A driver received a citation at 12:33 a.m. Oct. 25 under the windshield wipers of his or her vehicle as it was parked in the 4000 block of 158th Street N. for displaying tabs that expired in August. â&#x20AC;˘ A motorist was cited at 1:31 a.m. Oct. 25 on Frenchman Road and Elmcrest for multiple moving violations, including driving after revocation and driving an uninsured vehicle. The vehicle was towed. â&#x20AC;˘A belated assault was reported at 6:46 a.m. Oct. 25 in the 4000 block of Victor Path. â&#x20AC;˘ The driver of a westbound vehicle was cited at 7:45 a.m. Oct. 25 on 170th Street N. and Ingersoll Avenue N. for speeding 73 mph in a 55 mph zone by east-facing Washington County Sheriffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office deputies on stationary patrol, who clocked her on radar. The driver admitted to running late and speeding. The next morning, three additional motorists were cited at that same westbound intersection for speeding.

for speeding 73 mph in a 50 mph zone by west-facing deputies in their marked squad on stationary patrol, who clocked him on radar. The driver was also verbally warned for presenting an expired Minnesota driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license. â&#x20AC;˘ A business in the 14000 block of Victor Hugo Blvd. N. at 8:37 a.m. Nov. 2 reported three 30-pound propane tanks stolen from a cage in the back of the store after the lock was cut off the cage and left on the ground. â&#x20AC;˘ An intoxicated male was arrested at 9:09 p.m.

Nov. 3 in the 14000 block of Fondant Avenue after he walked uninvited into a garage and refused to leave after repeatedly being told to do so. The suspect was taken into custody after resisting and failing to comply with deputiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; commands. â&#x20AC;˘ An unwanted male and female were reportedly removed at 2:51 a.m. Nov. 4 from the 15000 block of Ingersoll Avenue N. and transported to a nearby gas station, as part of an ongoing civil issue.

A suspicious darkened out vehicle occupied by a lone male at 2:54 a.m. Nov. 4 in the 14000 block of Fitzgerald Avenue N. turned out to be a driver playing Pokemon. â&#x20AC;˘ A business in the 13000 block of Fenway Blvd. N. at 11:25 a.m. Nov. 4 reported $6,548 stolen from its business account and transferred to the suspectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unemployment account. â&#x20AC;˘ A resident in the 15000 block of Elmcrest Avenue N. at 8:06 p.m. Nov. 4 reported political signs stolen and requested extra patrols. â&#x20AC;˘ A Minnesota male was cited at 4:09 p.m. Nov. 5 on 170th Street N. and Forest Blvd. N. for driving after suspension after deputies received an automated license plate reader hit for the northbound vehicle and confi rmed the driver as matching the description of the subject.

An â&#x20AC;&#x153;out-of-townâ&#x20AC;? woman was cited at 4:48 p.m. Nov. 5 on westbound 170th Street N. and Henna Avenue N. for speeding 71 mph in a 55 mph zone by eastbound deputies in their â&#x20AC;&#x153;fully markedâ&#x20AC;? squad, who clocked her on radar.

Deputies described the driver as uncooperative and stating that she wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t from the area and didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what the speed limit was. She also stated deputies should have given her a break for that reason. Deputies quickly assured the motorist there were several speed limit signs along 170th Street N. â&#x20AC;˘ An unidentified motorist was arrested at 2:42 a.m. Nov. 6 for DWI after deputies on patrol observed the vehicle turn into a Do Not Enter roadway. Deputies conducted a traffic stop as the vehicle turned into a driveway in the 12000 block of Fenway Avenue N. and smelled alcohol coming from the person and the vehicle. The driver performed poorly on the field sobriety tests, registered a 0.284 on the portable breath test and was taken into custody. â&#x20AC;˘ Two reports of theft from motor vehicle were reported at 2:28 p.m. Nov. 6 at the elementary school in the 14000 block of Francesca Avenue N.

A backpack was taken from an unlocked vehicle, and medications were taken from the second vehicle.

There are no suspects in either case. â&#x20AC;˘ The driver of a silver sedan was cited at 4:16 p.m. Nov. 6 in the 15000 block of Falk Drive N. for driving after revocation after being pulled over for displaying tabs that expired in February 2018. The driver was able to provide updated new license plates with current registration. â&#x20AC;˘ A pair of license plates was reported stolen at 7:33 a.m. Nov. 7 from a motor vehicle in the 14000 block of Victor Hugo Blvd. N. â&#x20AC;˘ The driver of an older model red sedan was arrested at 7:49 p.m. Nov. 7 in the 5000 block of 149th Street N. on a felony warrant out of Ramsey County after being pulled over for â&#x20AC;&#x153;significantly expiredâ&#x20AC;? registration. She was also cited for several traffic, registration and drug possession violations.

Loretta Harding

DECEMBER 3, 2020

THE CITIZEN www.readthecitizen.com

7

LINO LAKES POLICE REPORTS The Lino Lakes Police Department reported the following incidents: • While on patrol in the 1600 block of Birch Street Nov. 10, an officer observed a vehicle strike a cat that ran into traffic. The owner of the cat was notified.

• An officer was dispatched on a stolen vehicle report in the 8000 block of I-35E Nov. 10. The investigation is ongoing.

• While on patrol in the area of 20th Avenue and Birch Street Nov. 11, an officer located a vehicle in the ditch. After an investigation, the driver was arrested for DWI and later charged with DWI-related charges.

• An officer was dispatched on a call regarding a vehicle that was damaged while a resident was snowblowing a driveway in the 7000 block of Sunset Avenue Nov. 11. The involved parties exchanged information.

• Officers were dispatched on a call regarding someone hunting too close to a home in the 7500 block of Jeanne Drive Nov. 11. The investigation is ongoing.

• Officers responded to a call of a singlevehicle personal injury accident in the 1900 block of Birch Street Nov. 11. The driver was subsequently arrested on DWI-related charges.

• An employee of a business in the 6000 block of Hodgson Road reported that a vehicle taken for a test drive had not been returned Nov. 11. The vehicle was entered as stolen; the investigation is ongoing.

• An officer was dispatched on a call of a possibly impaired driver at a business in the 700 block of Apollo Drive Nov. 12. The officer located the driver, who was arrested for DWI and booked into the Anoka County Jail.

• Officers were called to a business in the 7100 block of Otter Lake Road for a reported fight in the parking lot Nov. 13. The male and female had left and were later located by a neighboring law enforcement agency. Both individuals were cited for disorderly conduct

due to their actions at the business.

• Officers responded to a 911 open line regarding a domestic situation within the city Nov. 13. The officer investigated and later arrested an adult female for assault and interfering with a 911 call.

• Officers responded to a delayed residential burglary report in the 700 block of Eagle Court Nov. 15. The investigation is ongoing.

• Officers responded to a trailer theft in the 8000 block of 20th Avenue Nov. 16. The incident was documented and is under investigation.

• An officer responded to a damage to property report in the 900 block of Aspen Lane Nov. 17.

A mailbox had been hit by a vehicle and the vehicle left the scene. The officer documented the incident, and the investigation is ongoing.

• Officers responded to a report of a possible intoxicated driver in the 500 block of South Glen Trail Nov. 17. An officer located the suspect and arrested the male driver for multiple violations.

• An officer responded to a report of a neighbor hunting and trespassing on property in the 1000 block of Evergreen Trail Nov. 17. The officer investigated and subsequently cited a male for trespassing on posted property.

• An officer responded to a gas line that had been struck in the 7300 block of Crane Drive Nov. 18. The gas line was not leaking, but the gas company was called to inspect the line.

• An officer was dispatched to the 900 block of Saddle Club Court Nov. 19 to a call regarding questions about the governor’s COVID-19 mandate. The caller was provided information about the mandate.

• An officer responded to a hunting a complaint in the 6800 block of Lake Drive Nov. 19.

The officer made contact with the hunters and advised the hunters that they were in violation of the city ordinance. The hunters were given a verbal warning.

• An officer was dispatched on a suspicious

activity report in the 6300 block of White Owl Drive Nov. 19. The caller’s dog had found a suspicious item. The officer documented the incident and advised the complainant to call the police if there were additional problems.

• An officer responded to the 6400 block of Lakota Trail Nov. 20 on a suspicious activity report. The caller advised that eggs were thrown at their vehicle and they were going to try to wash their vehicle and notify police if there was damage. Officers received another report that several eggs were thrown at a home in the 6600 block of Blue Heron Drive that same day. There was no damage; currently, there is no suspect information.

• Officers were dispatched to a residence in the 8200 block of Wood Duck Trail Nov. 21 on a noise complaint. Officers investigated and subsequently cited multiple people for underage consumption of alcohol.

• Officers were dispatched to a water rescue near the 100 block of Pony Court Nov. 21.

Upon arrival, the victim and two dogs had been removed safely from the water.

• While on patrol in the 8000 block of I-35E Nov. 22, an officer stopped a vehicle for speeding. After an investigation, a juvenile was arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

• An officer responded to a gas station in the 8000 block of Lake Drive Nov. 22 on a report of a customer passing counterfeit money.

The suspect had previously been arrested by a neighboring agency for several similar incidents. The investigation is ongoing and charges are pending.

• An officer conducted a traffic stop for speeding in the area of I-35W and Lake Drive Nov. 23. The officer detected the odor of marijuana and searched the vehicle.

The officer located marijuana along with THC candies in the vehicle. The driver was subsequently arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

CENTENNIAL LAKES POLICE REPORTS The Centennial Lakes Police reported the following incidents: • Officers were dispatched to the 200 block of Galaxy Drive in Circle Pines Nov. 12 on a suspicious activity report.

Information was collected.

• Officers were dispatched to the 1 block of South Pine Drive in Circle Pines on a theft report Nov.13.

• A theft was reported in the 7200 block of LaValle Drive in Centerville Nov. 13.

• Officers arrested a male in the 1 block of Pleasant View Lane in Circle Pines Nov. 14 on an outstanding warrant. The male was taken to the Anoka County Jail.

• Officers were dispatched to a welfare check in the 1 block of Shepherd Court in Circle Pines Nov. 15. The subject of the welfare check advised that she had taken a package from a doorstep. The victim of the theft was notified.

• Police were dispatched to the intersection of Lake Drive and Pointcross Drive in Circle Pines Nov. 16 for a personal injury accident.

• An officer located a suspicious

vehicle in the 1900 block of Main Street in Centerville Nov. 17.

The officer transported the adult male to another location and gave him a verbal warning for suspicious activity.

• A theft was reported in the 8900 block of Arona Avenue in Lexington Nov. 17. The caller advised that an unknown suspect damaged the holiday decorations in his yard overnight. The estimated loss is $ 50.

• Officers were dispatched to the 30 block of Village Parkway in Circle Pines Nov. 18 on a theft report. The case is under investigation.

• Police received a theft from motor vehicle report in the 9100 block of Dunlap Avenue in Lexington Nov. 19.

• Suspicious activity was reported in the 1800 block of Main Street in Centerville Nov. 19.

• Officers were dispatched to the 1 block of South Pine Drive in Circle Pines Nov. 19 for a mask mandate concern.

• A found wallet was turned in at the police station Nov. 19. The wallet was returned to its owner, a Lexington resident.

• Officers were dispatched to a trespassing report in the 1 block of Central Street in Circle Pines Nov. 19.

• Police were dispatched to the 9100 block of South Highway Drive in Lexington Nov. 19 on a report of a disorderly male at a business.

The male was subsequently arrested.

• Officers handled a damage to property report from the 3500 block of Flowerfield Road in Lexington Nov. 19. Extra patrol was requested.

• Police responded to a personal injury accident in the area of Dunlap Avenue and Lovell Road in Lexington Nov. 19. Lexington Fire and Allina EMS assisted on the scene and one driver was cited.

• Police received a complaint in the 9000 block of South Highway Drive in Lexington Nov. 20.

Multiple vehicles were reported leaving a local bar despite the governor’s executive order. Police investigated the incident and forwarded it on to the city of Lexington for review.

• Police responded to Golden Lake Elementary in Circle Pines Nov. 22 on a possible hunting

violation. After investigating, police determined someone was duck hunting within Rice Creek.

Police consulted with the DNR and advised the party that no hunting was allowed in that location.

• Counterfeit money was reported in the 30 block of Central Street in Circle Pines Nov. 22. Counterfeit money was also reported in the 1800 and 1900 block of Main Street in Centerville, 9200 block of Lexington Avenue NE in Circle Pines, and the 7100 block of 21st Avenue North in Centerville. A suspect has been identified and arrested.

• A theft from motor vehicle was reported in the 1900 block of 73rd Street in Centerville Nov. 24.

Information was collected.

• A resident in the 300 block of Sherwood Court in Circle Pines reported an unknown suspect looking around in his open garage Nov. 24. The suspect immediately left upon being spotted and officers were unable to locate the suspect.

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THE CITIZEN

DECEMBER 3, 2020 www.readthecitizen.com

State considers Lino Y for temporary testing site

BY SHANNON GRANHOLM LEAD EDITOR

LINO LAKES — Quad area residents who find themselves in need of a COVID-19 test may soon have another option nearby.

Community Development Director Michael Grochala explained that the city has been approached by both the Y as well as the state on a proposal to utilize the vacant YMCA building as a COVID-19 testing site. He said the state would like to lease the property through February 2021, with a possible extension into early summer. The state anticipates the facility would administer about 500-800 tests a day.

The Lino Y announced it would not reopen its fitness and well-being center in July and has been going through the “reimagine” process with LES Architects and a steering committee

to ultimately recommend programming and operating models. The current executive order in place by Gov. Tim Walz also limits what activities can go on at that facility currently.

Grochala explained that if the City Council was in agreement, it would offer consent to the project as long as certain conditions were met including: 1) agreement that the existing deed restrictions continue to be in effect and 2) during the term of the lease the city is allowed access to the building for purposes of completing the consultant analysis.

The city is in the process of hiring a consultant to do its own “reimagine” process. “We are closing in,” Grochala said. “We have selected our preferred consultant and are working through a proposal now.

“We will bring an agreement back for council consideration soon. We would like to have them on board before Christmas,” he said.

Council Member Tony Cavegn asked if the lease

revenue would go to the city or the Y. Grochala said the lease revenue would go to the Y because it is still responsible for paying utilities and other bills for the site.

Council Member Dale Stoesz said he would support the idea as long as the council has an opportunity to review the proposal further once more details are solidified. “As a concept, I think it is a good idea.

That building is unused and that would be a good utilization of it,” he said.

Mayor Rob Rafferty agreed. “That building has been sitting vacant for the better part of almost a year now … That’s a long time,” he said. "Getting those systems up and running and getting them going is a positive thing for the city as well as the YMCA.” Lead Editor Shannon Granholm can be reached at 651-407-1227 or citizennews@presspubs.com.

Chef Hot Hands still maintaining the dream

BY LORETTA HARDING CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Locals in Hugo and Centerville may have seen disappointing news on social media that the dream of Chef Larry Jiles Jr. is fi nished.

Jiles is staying put at 7087 Centerville Road in Centerville for the time being. And he still hopes to open up a family-owned cafe and bakery that will offer a unique gourmet dinner service specializing in delivery and curbside pickup.

Shop, Dine, Relax & Stay in beautiful Downtown White Bear Lake

Catch the Spirit

Due to business logistics, however, Jiles feels it's time to update everyone who has been following his progress.

The owners of the property at 7087 Centerville Road that Jiles is leasing are putting that space on the market.

After all the hard work and money that Jiles and his investors have put into the property, the launch of his business might have to be put on hold until ownership of the property is sorted out and the mechanical structure of the building can be brought up to code.

“I’m now looking for seriously interested investors to keep my childhood dream alive here in our backyard of downtown Centerville,” Jiles said.

If you haven't heard by now, Jiles is also known as Chef Hot Hands. He moved to Hugo when he was 13 and graduated from White Bear Lake High School in 2006 with a dream of opening his own restaurant. His

style of cooking uses homemade and authentic recipes. And his menus showcase entrees that are low-sodium, gluten-free and created with fresh organic seasonings, herbs and products. He enjoys creating entrees with extraordinary balance between flavors.

Jiles and his staff have a unique version of curbside pickup and delivery, as well as dinner service.

Therefore, get ready to add pop to your dinner plans for date night, family dinner or a dinner sent to a family member or friend. You will be able to preorder or order last-minute on his website at ChefHotHands.com.

For more information about how Jiles' dream of launching his gourmet dining enterprise is going, please feel free to reach out via email at chefhothands1@gmail.com or give him a call at 651-528-9394.

HONORING OUR HEROES

In Downtown White Bear Lake

Submit a picture of your military hero to be honored and remembered ARMY • NAVY • AIR FORCE • MARINES • COAST GUARD

Saturdays Dec. 5th & 12th Catch the spirit this season and enjoy everything Downtown White Bear Lake has to offer. Enjoy store holiday promotions, great places to dine and don’t forget to relax and stay for the holidays.

Surprise visits from Santa to greet shoppers. Donations to the White Bear Area Food Shelf are welcomed.

Paul V. Jacobson Marines Master Sgt WWII and Korean War

It’s easy and FREE! Respond electronically by e-mailing art@presspubs.com

DowntownWhiteBearLake.com

685352

Attach a .jpg of your hero, also include their name, branch of service, rank and where they were stationed.

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR HERO BY WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020

AND OUTDOORS DECEMBER 3, 2020

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THE CITIZEN

9

Gridiron grit: Cougars top Stillwater 27-13 in finale on two day’s rest

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

Football on two days rest? Well, nothing about 2020 was normal.

The Centennial Cougars capped the pandemic-wracked season looking fresh enough to pummel Stillwater 27-13 in the second round of playoffs Friday, Nov. 20.

They had barely enough time to limber up after a 36-14 conquest of Lakeville North on Tuesday, while Stillwater had nine days between games.

The win over Lakeville came in a short week after beating Osseo 35-22 on Nov. 11, meaning they played three times in 10 days.

“It was rough. The kids were banged up, but they fought through it. I think adrenaline took over,” said coach Mike Diggins.

Centennial, finishing 4-4 with the late burst of three straight wins, pummeled a good Stillwater team (4-3) that had a first-round bye.

The players paced themselves and gritted it out.

“Honestly, it wasn’t as bad as people think,” said quarterback Elijah Ward, who scored his 14th touchdown in the game. “We had very light practices in those two days before games, and we just focused on taking good care of our bodies so we could be full-go by game time.”

The hardest part was learning the game plan so quickly, he said, “especially for the two-way guys,”which included his brother Isaiah, a lineman.

Zach Frank, offensive and defensive tackle, said he was still “pretty sore” from the Tuesday game but once the Friday game started the soreness seemed to go away. The next day, though, was another story. “I could barely walk,” he chuckled. “My knees hurt. My shoulders were pretty beat up.” He said it took “about a week” to get over it.

The game was supposed to be Saturday but everything across the state was moved to Friday night when Gov. Walz ordered a four-week shutdown effective Saturday.

The Cougars rumbled for 352 yards on the ground with Lance Liu the prime ball-carrier on this night. The junior fullback got the ball 33 times, racking up 214 yards and touchdowns of 10 and 24 yards.

Ward, the season rushing leader, kept the ball 20 times for 115 yards. He passed to Chase Granzow for a 14-yard touchdown to open the scoring and ran 10 yards for their last TD. Granzow carried five times for 23 yards.

Stillwater keyed on Ward. “They were not going to let us run wide,” Diggins said. OK, that’s fine with us, the Cougars answered, giving the ball to Liu for repeated blasts off tackle.

“Lance had a big night then. Elijah made the right reads.”

With just two days between games, the Cougars mainly watched film Wednesday, then just ran through the game plans on Thursday without hitting, Diggins said. The offense practiced separately from the defense, he added,

BRUCE STRAND | SUBMITTED

Centennial’s Lance Liu shakes off Stillwater’s Nick Simcik to complete a 24-yard touchdown run.

so the players didn’t have to be out there for 2 1/2 hours.

Diggins praised his coordinators, Mike Diggins (his son) on defense and Travis Littlefield on offense, for quickly installing game plans.

About the season ending at that point, Liu told the Star-Tribune, “It is kind of a bummer that we didn’t get our full season, but ending it with a win was really good.”

Stillwater scored fi rst, as Joe Krenz broke away for a 52-yard run, but the Ponies trailed 27-7 before they scored again, with 2:43 left on Casey Venske’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Erik Roettger.

Defensively, the Cougars held Stillwater to 16-for-35 passing for just 122 yards. The coaches cited excellent coverage by defensive backs Dan O’Neill, Avery Schendzielos and Reece Neudahl. O’Neill and linebacker Ike Ankrum intercepted passes.

The Cougars shut down the Pony ground game except for Krenz’s early breakaway. Middle linebacker Mason Mix made nine tackles, Neudahl eight and O’Neill six.

With just four starters back among 22 starters from an 8-3 team, the season unfolded about as well as Diggins hoped.

“At the beginning, I thought we were going to be a ‘tough out’ at the end. With a very young team, the kids had to get used to playing, to get better, and watch a lot or film. We kept it simple; we had to keep it simple. It ended up working out.”

The Cougars were 1-4 after back-toback humbling losses, 42-13 against No. 7 Blaine (6-1) and 49-21 to No. 3 St. Michael-Albertville (6-2). Another loss was against No. 9 Totino-Grace (4-2) by 21-7.

After the Cougars won three straight, they would have faced Blaine again if the playoffs had continued.

“We sure would have liked to play Blaine again,” Diggins said.

In a season that started six weeks late, with each game susceptible to cancelation due to the pandemic, the Cougars were able play the max of eight games while many teams around the state missed one to three games. Diggins credited his team’s self-discipline. “Our kids did everything the right way. They kept away from the parties and the crazy kids that kids will do.”

Zephyrs starters miss football finale but subs come through

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

Nothing about the 2020 football season was normal.

That was especially the case when the Mahtomedi Zephyrs fielded mostly backups for a playoff game that would end the season whether they won or not.

With 15 starters in quarantine, the secondstringers came through to beat North St. Paul 20-14 at home Friday, Nov. 20, giving the Zephyrs a final 5-1 record In a season of dodging the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was definitely a tough way for them to finish,” said coach Dave Muetzel, referring to the starters who stayed home. “They were bummed out, but there was nothing anyone could do about it. Nothing season has been normal.”

Thirteen players learned Nov. 10 that they had to be quarantined because Buffalo, whom they played three days earlier, had a player who tested positive. Two other Zephyr players had tested positive prior to that.

“They would have loved to at least be on the sidelines, cheering the team on. But they had to stay home,” said Muetzel. “They would have come back Monday.”

On the other hand, it was an opportunity for the backups to carry the load in a playoff game in a year there was no JV season. A few sophomores were called up.

“They were excited to play, and hoping they could keep the season going,” Muetzel said. “Then we found out that this would be our last game.”

This was a second-round Section 4AAAAA game, played a day earlier than originally scheduled, after Gov. Tim Walz shut down high school sports for four weeks starting Saturday. In the finals, the Zephyrs would have faced Minneapolis Washburn.

“Absolutely devastated,” was quarterback Johnny

DeVore’s reaction. “Knowing that we could be, and should be, out there helping the team and not being able to was pretty horrible.”

DeVore, having an outstanding season in his second year, watched the game on the school’s streaming service, as did his teammates. There was one positive in the situation.

“I was happy for the guys who got to play. A lot of them were seniors who had not played much,” said DeVore. “There were backups and some sophomores.

Most of them had not played in a varsity game before.

I was proud of them. It wasn’t pretty but they went out and got the win.”

Tony Neubeck, senior fullback and defensive end, said the players were contacted by e-mail on that Tuesday. “We were pretty bummed. We were supposed to have practice in the dome that day but it was canceled.”

Most were tested within a day or two. “I was negative and I didn’t hear of anyone who was positive,” said Neubeck. But, they were stuck at home, watched the action remotely and sent congratulations. ”We texted messages that they could see after the game.”

Six starters and semi-regulars were able to play, including sophomore cornerback Will Underwood, who doubled as starting quarterback because he was DeVore’s backup. The others were linebackers Ian Wilsey and Bill Arlandson, and linemen JP Johnson, Travis Thill, and Will Mears.

Mahtomedi trailed 7-0 at halftime, giving up a 98-yard drive by North (1-4) in their first defensive series, capped by Amier Day’s 14-yard run. The Zephyrs scored on their first drive of the second half with Underwood darting over from the four. Early in the fourth quarter, junior Nicholas Beiersdorf scored on a five-yard run.

The Zephyrs broke a 14-14 tie on junior Jonathan Harvey’s 32-yard run with just under five minutes

BRUCE STRAND | SUBMITTED

William Arlandson (54) and Ian Wilson (7) stop a North ball carrier.

left. Sophomore Corey Bohmert was 2-for-3 on conversions. An interception by Underwood near midfield sealed the win.

Biersdorf carried 27 times for 136 yards as the Zephyrs totaled 213 yards from scrimmage, all on the ground. Harvey carried four times for 40 yards and Underwood seven for 30 yards. They committed no turnovers and had just two penalties for eight yards.

Defensively, Wilsey made 11 tackles, two of them for losses. Arlandson made seven tackles, and Underwood and Thill five each. Gunnar Woods had a 36-yard kick return.

Mahtomedi played six games in a season where the maximum possible was eight. Two conference games were called off, although they got a replacement game for one of them. They had a first-round bye in the playoffs as top seed.

Very satisfying was fi nishing far above .500, a year after the 2019 team went 5-7, the program’s fi rst losing season since 1981 although they did win the section.

10

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DECEMBER 3, 2020

Zephyrs volleyballers ‘resilient’ in pandemic-wracked season

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

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Lance Liu capped his junior season with a huge game at fullback for the Centennial football team. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound junior got the ball 33 times and piled up 214 yards and two touchdowns to lead a 27-13 win over topseeded Stillwater in the second round of playoffs.

Liu suffered torn ligaments in his left wrist in midseason and played the last four games in a full cast but never fumbled, coach Mike Diggins noted. His season totals were 772 yards, four touchdowns and a 5.4-yard average. “He’s a sprinter in track, and a big weight-lifter,” Diggins said. “We look forward to having g him back next yyear.”

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Jenna Elbers tosses up the ball to make a serve against Tartan.

The Mahtomedi volleyball team fi nished a challenging 2020 season with a 2-9 record, dealing with constantly lineup changes and doing their best to keep everyone safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With all the varsity players missing matches, the Zephyrs posted their wins over South St. Paul and Hastings early the season, and finished with losses to Tartan 3-1 and Henry Sibley 3-0 on Nov. 19 and 20, both on the road.

“We celebrate progress in the midst of the pandemic. We had different lineups and unexpected changes almost every day,” coach Angela Helle said.

“Each day, we never knew what to expect. In spite of everything changing daily, the girls were resilient. One word that comes to mind from this season is resilience.”

Helle said the seniors “showed great leadership in the midst of it all.”

The Zephyr seniors were Elizabeth Mosley, who had an excellent five matches while missing six; Jenna Elbers, who led the team in kills; Greta Schiminoski, who hit in all three positions (“Each night, she had to ask us where to warm up,” the coach said); Ellie Hansen, their top middle blocker; Isabelle McGraw, the setter and offensive leader; and Irene Azcona, defensive specialist and a strong server.

Two matches were canceled and junior varsity players frequently fi lled in for varsity players during quarantines.

“This season was very interesting for the team, but I'd say even more so in my personal experience,” said Mosley. “I missed six of the eleven matches the team played. For the games that I did play in and the

practices I attended, I'd say that I played well.”

That she did. Mosley appeared on the MN Volleyball Hub leaderboard for digs, aces, and kills, before her second quarantine and was second with 26 aces.

Her last game turned out to be Senior Night on November 6 against North St. Paul. “I was in quarantine for the last two weeks of the season and missed playing in our last game by just two days.”

Still, she reflected: “I’d say that everyone was very thankful to be playing this fall, and that stayed in our minds for the entirety of the season. I definitely went into each practice and game with the mentality that this might be one of the last days I get to play volleyball in high school. Things were so uncertain, so I gave my all each day.”

The pandemic loomed over the team through the summer and fall. The season was initially moved to spring; then, plans changed and it started six weeks late in the fall.

“Over the last few months, the situation with COVID has continued to change every day,” said Elbers. “Because of this, I was extremely grateful to get a season at all. For me, volleyball has always been an escape from all the stressors in my life — where I could just play my best and have fun — so I’m so glad I still had the opportunity to play this year.”

Over the season, everybody on the varsity had to quarantine for at least two weeks, Elbers said “This made it pretty hard for our team to find consistency, for people were playing different positions every match. It was definitely frustrating at times, when connections weren’t there on plays.”

On the upside, the inconsistent lineups “actually broadened our skill ranges,” she said, and made them more flexible players.

DECEMBER 3, 2020

www.readthecitizen.com

CENTERVILLE CITY CALENDAR Dec. 8: Dec. 10:

Planning & Zoning Commission meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Centennial Fire District Santa’s Fire Engine Parade at 5:30 p.m.

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 Dec. 5: Dec. 7: Dec. 10: Dec. 15: Dec. 16:

Hugo Fire food & toy drive 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at fire station City Council meeting at 7 p.m.

Planning Commission meeting at 7 p.m.

EDA meeting at 5:30 p.m.

Parks Commission meeting at 7 p.m.

LINO LAKES CITY CALENDAR Dec. 3: Dec. 5: Dec. 7: Dec. 9: Dec. 12: Dec. 14:

EDAC meeting at 8 a.m.

Toys for Tots drive-thru 11 a.m.-3p.m. at American Legion Post 566.

City Council work session at 6 p.m.

Planning & Zoning Board meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Toys for Tots drive-thru 11 a.m.-3p.m. at American Legion Post 566.

City Council meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Nobody socially distances like Bigfoot This Bigfoot, sporting a face mask, scarf and hat, is boosting motorists spirits on Goodview Avenue North in Hugo, not far from Egg Lake Road N.

11

LIQUOR FEES: City Council gives reprieve to Hugo businesses and Good Neighbors Food Shelf FROM PAGE 1

establishments have already paid the fees for 2021, so it would a refund would need to be issued.

Mayor Tom Weidt asked whether reducing the fees by 50% was enough aid, or if the council should consider doing more. “They have a lot of hardship going on. If there is some way that we can help more, I’d be interested,” he said.

Council Member Phil Klein agreed the council could do more. “This pandemic is going to be lingering not only for months, but maybe until the end of next year or longer. The restaurant and bar industry has been hit significantly,” he said. “With the establishments that we have currently, I defi nitely want to make sure that they are able to stay afloat. It would be a tragedy to lose any of our eating establishments and it’s very likely that could happen.”

Klein suggested waiving the fees altogether for on-sale businesses in 2021 and reevaluating the situation for 2022.

“Let’s give them a reprieve for this next year and hopefully give them a leg up on getting ahead in their business. We don’t need to be a drag on their ability to make money. We need to show that we are proactive and supporting our local restaurant and bar owners,” he explained.

The council ultimately agreed to do just that, despite the fact it means a $14,000 loss in revenue for the city.

Food shelf expansion

SHANNON GRANHOLM | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

THE CITIZEN

Chris DuFresne, president of the Hugo Good Neighbors Food Shelf, addressed the council Nov. 16 with an update on how the nonprofit organization is doing amid the pandemic.

DuFresne requested the council consider waiving the application and building permit fees for a planned expansion of the food shelf building.

The food shelf serves anyone in the 55038 zip code, which includes part of Hugo, Centerville and some parts of Lino Lakes and White Bear Lake. “(In 2020) we have distributed over 91,000 pounds of food, which is an 18% increase from last year,” DuFresne said. “… we expect that to continue to grow with the ending of some unemployment benefits and loss of CARES Act funds.”

Year to date, DuFresne said the food shelf has served 880 households, which equates to 2,465 individuals, noting that some individuals seek assistance from the food shelf more than once.

Back in March when the pandemic began to ramp up, the food shelf saw its numbers taper

off a bit, as there were many other options for food available, such as school districts and other organizations. Now that many of those programs have ended, the food shelf has seen its number of clients continue to trend upward.

“We expect that trend to continue, and we are prepared,” DuFresne said.

Even before the pandemic, the food shelf was planning an expansion of its current facility, located at 15106 Francesca Ave. N. The addition will include a walk-in refrigerator and freezer.

“We know that one of the highest demanded items from our clients is fresh produce, dairy and meat, and that helps us maintain a healthier community by providing heathier food items than your traditional macaroni and cheese and soup,” DuFresne said. “Of course we will still provide those items, but we want to continue to offer more and more of those products.”

DuFresne explained that the expansion would also allow the food shelf to take advantage of buying items in bulk and therefore save some dollars.

Half of the expansion will be funded by a Community Development Block Grant from Washington County. The other half will be funded by dollars the food shelf has raised/will continue to raise through fundraising efforts.

It is important to note that the food shelf will likely not be able to hold its large fundraisers in 2021, including the pasta dinner and comedy night. DuFresne said board members are working on coming up with other fundraising options, which will likely be online.

The food shelf is not currently accepting food donations due to the risk of exposure to COVID-19. If community members want to give, they can donate online at hugofoodshelf.org; donate items to the Hugo Fire Department’s toy drive (see page 15 for more information); mail a donation to P.O Box 373, Hugo, MN 55038; or purchase a donation of food at Festival Foods in Hugo or Cub Foods in White Bear Lake.

The council chose to waive the fees for the expansion, which will now go through the approval process, fi rst before the Planning and Zoning Commission and then the City Council.

Some fees cannot be waived for the project, however. These include SAC/WAC (sewer and water availability charges), Metropolitan Council fees, and electrical permit and engineering review fees.

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

HUGO BITS & PIECES The Hugo City Council took the following action at its Nov. 16 meeting, held remotely via videoconference: • Heard from City Administrator Bryan Bear, who provided a COVID-19 update. He explained that City Hall is in the middle of technology upgrades, which was causing some technical difficulties at the meeting. Once the upgrades are complete, the council will be able to hold hybrid meetings, so some members can meet in person at City Hall and others can attend online.

He added that the 19 small business grants were given out by the city (utilizing CARES Act funds) totaling $171,635. The council also chose to waive on-sale liquor license fees. See page X for full story.

• Approved the retirement (effective Nov. 30) of building official Chuck Preisler, who was hired as a building inspector in 2004 and promoted to building official in 2010. “Normally, we would have a nice send-off for Chuck and with the restrictions we may or may not be able to do that.

I wanted to take a moment to say I really appreciate all of the work he

has done for the city. He has been a great asset for the city as our building official, and we are going to miss him,” Mayor Tom Weidt said. “I have a great debt of gratitude to him for all the work that the has done and the service he has provided our citizens.”

• Accepted the resignation of Planning Commissioner Andrew Tjernlund, who has served on the commission since February 2017. In his notice, Tjernlund said the resignation was due to scheduling.

• Approved a $600 donation from the Hugo American Legion to the Hugo Fire Department.

• Approved the renewal of a biannual auto dismantling license for Mike Brandt, doing business as Auto and Truck Parts. As a requirement of the license, city staff conducts an annual inspection of the company for compliance with city, county and state code. City staff completed the inspection Oct. 19 and found it to be in compliance with city code as well as county regulations.

• Approved a resolution approving salary and reimbursement levels for 2021. The City Council has previously

indicated its willingness to adjust the city’s salary matrix by 3% and to grant step increases to those employees who have not yet reached their pay grade maximums. Nine of the city’s 26 full-time employees will receive step increases. Two of the nine employees will receive a two-step increase for “superior job performance” and one employee will be repositioned to a higher pay grade.

The net increase is $94,286 and the overall budget for employee wages will increase by 4.7%. The finance department verified that the city will remain in compliance with pay equity statutes.

• Approved snowmobile trail applications for the Hugo Snowmobile Club and the Rice Creek Trail Association for the 2020-21 season.

• Approved pay voucher No. 2 in the amount of $235,302 to Ebert Construction for the new public works facility on the city’s Irish Avenue Park property for work certified through Oct. 13.

• Approved pay voucher No. 3 in the amount of $48,230 to T.A Schifsky & Sons Inc. for the Goodview Avenue

improvement project for work certified through Nov. 9.

• Held a public hearing for the vacation of a road easement for Rice Lake Reserve, a single-family residential development planned north of Egg Lake Road (CSAH 8) and east of Goodview Avenue. Fenway Land Company Inc. requested a vacation of the existing public road easement located over a portion of the property, which will be used for the development and other future phases. New road easements will be placed on the property at time the final plat is recorded. There was no public comment, and the vacation was approved.

The council also approved the final plat and development agreement (for the first phase) in order to plat 42 lots (out of a total of 93) and six outlots on the parcel.

The next (hybrid) City Council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7. That meeting will include the city’s Truth in Taxation hearing.

Shannon Granholm

PHONE: 651-407-1250 | EMAIL: classified@presspubs.com

12

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PARTLY CLOUDY Wed Dec. 2 43°/ 30° 7:32 / 4:32

PARTLY CLOUDY Thu Dec. 3 41°/ 25°

PARTLY CLOUDY Fri Dec. 4 35°/ 22°

7:33 / 4:32

7:34 / 4:32

PARTLY CLOUDY Sat Dec. 5 36°/ 27°

PARTLY CLOUDY Sun Dec. 6 41°/ 24°

7:35 / 4:32

7:36 / 4:32

PARTLY CLOUDY Mon Dec. 7 37°/ 31°

PARTLY CLOUDY Tue Dec. 8 39°/ 27°

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REMODELING â&#x20AC;˘ Small Jobs Welcome â&#x20AC;˘ Carpentry â&#x20AC;˘ All Handyman Services

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BATHROOMS

Painting â&#x20AC;˘ Concrete â&#x20AC;˘ Tree Trimming â&#x20AC;˘ Home Repair & Improvement Projects

t Design t Bath Repair t 3FNodeling t Tub Surrounds t FreF &TUJNates

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BUTCHERY

Lutz Cuts Meats in Hugo

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Bonded & Insured / Lic# BC580973 Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;`i`Ă&#x160;EĂ&#x160; Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x20AC;i` NĂ&#x160;Ă&#x160; Â&#x2C6;VÂ&#x203A;Ă&#x160; xnäÂ&#x2122;Ă&#x2021;Ă&#x17D; Accentwoodsolutions.com Accentwoodsolutions.com Call Call 651-426-8697 651-426-8697

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TREE SERVICE

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s Residential & Commercial s New Construction or Remodeling

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LANDSCAPING

ELECTRIC

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If you know of a trusted contractor to help out other great people, please send your recommendation to callaspecialist@ presspubs.com or call 651-407-1221

14

THE CITIZEN

DECEMBER 3, 2020 www.readthecitizen.com

PHOENIX FARMS: New home base for retired racehorses in Hugo FROM PAGE 1

property was given to Jeff Carpenter, a Forest Lake Building contractor who had worked for Meline and her husband Howard as a youth and, as comanager, had helped her keep the stables afloat during the recent recession.

After Melineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death, Carpenter listed the property for sale. Marx and fellow supporters of Reins of Love had hoped to raise enough money through crowdfunding to purchase the property but were unsuccessful; the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lease ended Nov. 30. Reins of Love will continue its mission in Isanti.

Carpenter explained, â&#x20AC;&#x153;My intent was and is to continue on the Melinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wish for the property to remain an equine facility. I had several interested buyers and met with them all.â&#x20AC;? He added, â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the end, I felt This Old Horse was a quality nonprofit organization and the best fit for the Mel-O-Dee Stables property. There is no doubt in my mind Nancy (Turner) and her staff will be excellent curators of the property.

Their passion for horses and people is genuine, and I am proud to be a part of the change.â&#x20AC;?

Honey is a rescued Norwegian Fjord.

Phoenix Farms Barn Manager Johanne Gentlebread and her daughter Etly are greeted by their 3-year-old adopted off-track racehorse Albie.

This Old Horse Founded in 2012 by Turner, This Old Horse is a volunteer-based, nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide support and sanctuary to retired, rescued and recovering horses while they continue to serve as ambassadors to the positive effect of "horse power" in the lives of people. The mission of the retirement refuge is to create a sanctuary for aged or unwanted horses who have worked hard for a living.

This Old Horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lease began Dec. 1.

The organization plans ultimately to

Mathilde and her mom volunteer for This Old Horse. Mathildeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite horse is a 6-year-old Quarter Horse named Ricky.

Retired racehorses doing what they do even when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re retiredâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; running.

purchase the property.

The Hugo site, called Phoenix Farms, is the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 11th barn. Turner explained that This Old Horse has been interested in the property for quite some time and had actually tried to purchase it back in 2016, but Meline did not want to sell.

Turner said the property was a natural fit for another location because This Old Horse already operates a few

of its programs in the St. Croix Valley area, and many volunteers have expressed interest in volunteering closer to home rather than driving to the south metro. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It's already kind of a little jewel in Hugo that people love, and they want to see it there.

People have a real love for (horses) there,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It feels like such a good fit for us to have that sense of

Waiting Child

Samuel (Sam),16, is a teen who loves everything associated with video games - Xbox, PlayStation and handheld games. He loves them all! Sam also loves to watch YouTube videos about gaming. He enjoys reading, does well academically and can be creative and artistic. Sam presents as somewhat quiet, but he wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hesitate to belt out a country song that he loves. Sam would like to live on a farm where he could do chores and help take care of animals. He is caring and would beneďŹ t from being around pets. Sam needs a family with a strong positive male role model. An ideal family would be patient, nurturing, calm and low key. A family who can provide structure, clear expectations and are open to using outside services would be beneďŹ cial for Sam.

684692

Submitted by MN Adopt, a state organization whose vision is to have zero kids waiting IRU SHUPDQHQW ORYLQJ IDPLOLHV DQG PLVVLRQ WR Ć&#x201A;QG DQG VWUHQJWKHQ 0LQQHVRWD DGRSWLYH foster care and kinship families. To learn more, go to www.mnadopt.org.

being welcomed and that our farm will be welcoming.â&#x20AC;?

The main program at Phoenix Farms will be Racehorse Reimagined, which is a new collaboration with the Minnesota racehorse industry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Retiring horses that have served are discarded and that makes them vulnerable.

It doesn't matter what discipline, it's not just racehorses, it's show horses, therapy horses â&#x20AC;Ś Horses that have served are vulnerable at the point when they probably needed the most support and the most reverence, frankly, for the life of service.

They are not like cars; you can't just park them, you still have to feed them and take care of them,â&#x20AC;? Turner explained.

This Old Horse has seven programs, some of which will also operate at the new location. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the things that we think we can offer is that people can experience horses in a certain way. Most of our horses are unridable because of the fact that they are older or (have)

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Audrey is a blind mare that was rescued when her foal Owen was just weeks old.

special needs. But there's so many ways that we find that we can engage with a horse and love a horse from the ground,â&#x20AC;?

Turner said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, most of our programs are having the horse and the humans interact in ways that the humans can learn and the horses can be the teacher.â&#x20AC;?

Johanne Gentlebread, of Minneapolis, has been involved with the organization for a little over a year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was a social worker for 14 years and I decided that I wanted to find my soul again after a soul-sucking job,â&#x20AC;? she explained. She started looking for volunteer opportunities involving animals and stumbled across This Old Horse.

Gentlebread has helped with barn chores as well as This Little Horse and a new pilot program called This Teaching Horse. This Little Horse is where miniature horses are used therapeutically to visit health care facilities, schools and libraries. This Teaching Horse is all about equine-facilitated learning for grades K-5.

Gentlebread now

not only owns eight horses herself, but she is the barn manager for Phoenix Farms.

The entire operation, excepting barn managers and stable hands, is completely volunteer-based.

Volunteers are primarily needed to help with barn chores, but also needed for things like adoptions and fundraising. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If someone has an interest in helping, we can find something for them to do,â&#x20AC;? Turner explained. Since 2012, the organization has had 3,000 volunteers.

It is almost exclusively funded by private donations, but does receive some grants. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We love that for decades this has been open to the community up there as a place to come and love horses. That's really an important thing for us, and the fact that we can take that on and continue it,â&#x20AC;? Turner said.

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

DECEMBER 3, 2020

THE CITIZEN www.readthecitizen.com www.readtheciti

15

AROUND TOWN

5.

1-2. TGK Automotive and the Water’s Edge Community Center are just two of the many drop off bins scattered around town for the Hugo Fire Department’s annual Stuff the Truck food and toy drive. On Saturday, Dec. 5, families are invited to attend a drive-thru collection event from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the fire station, located at 5323 140th St. N. The fire department will collect new, unwrapped toys as well as food items for the Hugo Good Neighbors Food Shelf. Gift cards are strongly encouraged this year for food items. Motorists should enter the station off of Fenway Avenue North, drop off their items at the west end of the parking lot and exit onto 140th Street N. Before exiting the parking lot, be sure to grab a socially distanced photo with Santa and the Hugo aerial engine. — Submitted

1.

4.

2.

3. The Hugo Good Neighbors Food Shelf distributed 3,585 pounds of food to its clients for Thanksgiving. With help of 19 volunteers, meals were handed out to 10 families during every 15-minute interval through a drive-up-style pickup protocol. Food was purchased with monetary donations from the community and food donations from Cub and Festival Foods. The Hugo Lions Club and Grundhofer’s Old Fashion Meats donated the turkeys.

The food shelf will once again offer meals to families in need for Christmas. Clients and families who live within the 55038 zip code can go to www.hugofoodshelf.org/holiday-meal-sign-up to sign up by Dec. 7. Meal pickup will be from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 20, at Rice Lake Center, located at 6900 137th Street N., Hugo, in the public works building. — Submitted

3.

4-5. Guests from the Wargo Nature Center in Lino Lakes recently visited with students at Hugo Elementary and enjoyed the fresh snow and tree stump stools in the school’s outdoor learning classroom. Through interactive activities, kindergarten students learned about birds and first graders had a lesson focused on rocks. — Submitted

Send us your photos for possible inclusion in Spotted Around Town.

Please email your best shot to citizennews@presspubs.com.

Please include information about when and where it was taken and who is in the photo.

White Bear Lake

AVENUE OF THE ARTS Coming soon to the Ford Family Gallery:

WINTER CATALOG NOW AVAILABLE

Legacy Program Registering Now!

Disquietude

To learn more and register, visit:

Visit WhiteBearArts.org to view the catalog online

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4971 Long Avenue whitebeararts.org 651.407.0597

4941 Long Avenue lakeshoreplayers.org 651.478.7427

4941 Long Avenue childrensperformingartsmn.org 651.336.8613

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Hanifl Performing Arts Center

16

THE CITIZEN

DECEMBER 3, 2020 www.readthecitizen.com

Written by Ken Galloway Ken has been a hospitality executive and professional chef in the Twin Cities for many years and has been a long-time supporter of the local hospitality scene.

Thank you to EDC for forming the ReGrow committee

ReGrow-WBL.com

An asset to the Community; a Hub where people gather; Listening to the guests; Constant Improvement; Restaurants working in unity. These are some of the values that guide Bill Foussard, owner of Rudy’s within the White Bear Country Inn. You can now add “safety” to that list.

Making safety of his staff and guests a top priority, Bill has recently invested heavily in modern, and proven, LED-UV Blue Light technology in both his air and pool filtration systems. “We’re working really hard to keep team members and guests safe”, says Bill.

Foussard purchased the Country Inn by Carlson in 2000 and soon after switched affiliation to Best Western. Rudy’s opened in 2003, with those aforementioned values being a top priority for him. The Event Space was overhauled in 2002, making the space much more attractive, functional and welcoming. Early on Bill saw the need for more outdoor dining in the area and Rudy’s rooftop opened in 2010. It has been a popular outdoor gathering spot for Twin Cities’ diners from day one. GM Paula Colucci and Executive Chef/GM Brian Schaeffer are proud of the expansive menu – on the rooftop as well in the main restaurant. “Our

kitchen is 95% scratch food, and we offer decent portions at reasonable prices” says Brian with pride. And of course, what visit is complete without at least one “Rudytini”!

Bill lives by his value of “asset to the community” every day of the year. Senior Picnic, Thanksgiving Meals on Wheels, Dinner with Santa for area Seniors are just some of the events Bill and his team generously contribute to throughout the year. “Customers are a Blessing”, says Bill.

The restaurant has been seeing an uptick in business lately with the ReGrow WBL Dining efforts. Like many, they are also upgrading their online Take-Out ordering capabilities and hope to have their new platform ready to go this fall.

Rudy’s Redeye Grill rudysredeye.com | (651) 653-6718 4940 Hwy 61 N, White Bear Lake

Elizabeth Lawin immediately fell in love with the 19th century building on Washington Avenue. She loved the look and history of the brick building. She had a vision: she wanted to recreate the original look and old-time White Bear community feel. Her vision for a modern, yet traditional feeling; comfortable, yet beautiful space was a labor of love she feels she has accomplished.

“We wanted an atmosphere where guests want to come here on special occasions yet feel casual and comfortable, a place that feels welcoming and special”, says Lawin. Mission accomplished, as many of their patrons frequent the restaurant several times a week and give the food and atmosphere high marks. General manager Dan Brown makes sure all guests feel special.

The food and drink menus are created with that feel in mind as well. Elizabeth describes the food as “Midwestern Modern”. Chef Peter Christenson has created Traditional Minnesota style dishes that Midwesterners like, elevated with quality ingredients and unique preparations. The team is proud of their commitment to partnering with local farmers and growers whenever possible.

The top seller is Cracker-Crusted Walleye

with Wild Rice and Mushrooms. Another signature dish is Korean Sticky Ribs. Bar Manager Clay LeMere developed a Craft Cocktail and Beer program that focuses heavily on local and regional breweries and suppliers. Cocktails are made from scratch and the menu changes with the seasons.

Brickhouse pivoted to Social Media and Online programs early in the COVID crisis and have developed a successful Take Out program via their web site: www. brickhousemn.com. Their daily Social Media specials have been a hit, especially their “Meatless Mondays”! Seeing the enormous appetite for outdoor dining Elizabeth has already started plans to expand their beautiful and homey rooftop deck. The new space will be ready next spring. The restaurant is open seven days a week.

Brickhouse Food and Drink brickhousemn.com | (651) 528-6958 4746 Washington Square, White Bear Lake

684196

ReGrow White Bear

We want to stay open for you. Have you supported your favorite restaurant this week? As many businesses re-open following efforts to slow COVID-19, they need the community’s support now more than ever to survive. Join the effort to ReGrow White Bear as we cultivate growth, community and awareness to create a vibrant, bright and thriving White Bear Lake area.

Christmas Trees,

Holiday Decorations & Gifts Christmas is coming! plan to buy your trees from us!

Beginning Friday, November 27th Rum River Tree Farm & Nursery will be selling fresh cut Christmas trees at Cub Foods, White Bear Township location, at the south end of the parking lot: 1059 Meadowlands Drive White Bear Township, 55127

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It’s just a matter of perspective.

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For more information, call Cub Foods: 651-426-6534

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Open Thursday–Saturday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Sundays by Appointment Only 1 mile East of I-35 on Hwy 95 6943 St. Croix Trail, North Branch, MN Credit Cards Accepted

651-277-0159

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 2020

Seasonal Décor, Hand-made Crafts, Antiques & More!

Fun Gifts for Friends, Family & You!

Tree sale hours: Monday – Friday, 12 – 8pm Saturday, 9am – 9pm Sunday, 9am – 7pm

Choosing a Christmas Tree …

Locally made greeting cards • Gorgeous fresh floral arrangements Tasteful jewelry and clothes • Exceptional seasonal decor Distinctive wrapping paper and package decor The latest in home trends and decor

If you opt for a real tree this year, buy as fresh as possible, make a straight cut in the bottom of the trunk before placing in its stand, and keep it hydrated and away from a heat source.

• White Pine: Beautifully shaped; keeps needles well. www.kowalskis.com

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• Balsam Fir: Distinctive ½ - 1 ½-inch long dark green, soft needles.

11 Twin Cities locations

• Norway Pine: Minnesota’s State Tree!

• White Spruce: Sometimes called the “old fashioned” Christmas tree.

Thru Dec. 10 Call 651-407-1250

• Fraser Fir: Soft, flat, short needles; rounded tips, silvery underside.

• Scotch Pine: Lovely, bushy, full tree; 1 – 3-inch stiff needles.

• Colorado Spruce: Foliage ranges from lovely powdery blue to a rich dark green.

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Advertise for the Holidays here!!