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HOLIDAY LIGHTS CONTEST: Find out who is in the lead PAGES 8-9
Greetings from
YEAR IN REVIEW As each year comes to an end, it is a tradition of The Citizen to look back at some of the most memorable stories from the year. Although 2020 brought its fair
share of challenges, it wasn’t all bad. Some of the 2020’s highlights included: Zoey the toy poodle being found after 18 months away from home; plans moving along
for the new elementary school in Hugo; new ways to celebrate holidays and special occasions; evolving plans for Lions Park; new businesses moving into town; the
creation of Hugo Diversity Strong, and much more. SEE YEAR IN REVIEW, PAGES 10-13
Best of Hugo police reports As we are about to see from these reports from this past Thanksgiving, citizens have good reason to report anything at all suspicious. Sometimes the report is well-founded. Sometimes, it is not, as we’ll see in our flashbacks from 2020. • A resident in the 5000 block of 138th Street N. at 5:17 a.m. Nov. 25 reported finding an
OOF NEW R S! NT DISCOU
unknown male standing over him as he lay in his bed. The male stole the complainant’s cell phone before fleeing. Deputies connected this incident to other burglaries and “vehicle tamperings in the night” in that area. While responding to burglary reports in the wee hours, deputies received a veritable blizzard of additional vehicle tampering reports occurring overnight Nov. 24-25.
• In fact, deputies throughout Washington County responded to a flurry of crime reports on Nov. 25 — the last chance to commit and report crimes before Thanksgiving Day, apparently. • Then, an unnamed female was arrested on a felony warrant at 5:58 a.m. Nov. 26 in the 5000 block of 138th Street N. after deputies received a call for suspicious parties walking from a vehicle in the area. During the arrest, deputies
located property on the female that did not belong to her. Investigation is ongoing to determine whether the property was stolen. • A suspicious male was reported at 1:01 a.m. Nov. 27 walking around the 4000 block of Empress Way N. and possibly tampering with vehicles. Deputies were unable to locate the suspect. • As seen above, citizens have good reason to report any-
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thing at all suspicious. Sometimes the report is well-founded. Sometimes, it is not, as we see below. • A suspicious vehicle with its driver’s side door open at 2:47 a.m. Dec. 26 while parked at a residence in a construction site turned out to belong to the registered owner, who had forgotten to close his door when he arrived home earlier that evening.
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The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reported the following SUSPICIOUS incidents in 2020:
2
THE CITIZEN
DECEMBER 31, 2020 www.readthecitizen.com
HONORING OUR HEROES Roy D. Christensen Sr. U.S. Army SPC5
Irvin J. Christensen U.S. Navy E2 Deceased
Rory D. Christensen U.S. Army Sergeant 4 years Home presently
Norman I. Christensen U.S. Army SPC E-4-1.
Roy D. Christensen Jr. U.S. Army Sergeant, now working for US Govt. active for 10 years
Alex Park U.S. Marines USS Iwo Jima
Joe Hibberd U.S. Army Specialist 4/E-4 Vietnam
Donald F. Nelson U.S. Army CPL Korea
Donald F. Nelson U.S. Army CPL
Elmer Pedersen U.S. Army
Francis J. Wald U.S. Army WWII
Kenneth Joachim U.S. Army 34th Red Bulls WWII
Daniel Ivan Nelson U.S. Army Private 1st Class
David Conde U.S. Marine CPL E-4
Lester Nelson U.S. Army Private 1st Class
Chalie Lundgren U.S. Army Staff Sergeant E6 Fort Jackson
Clement Stine U.S. Army Rand TEC 4 WWII
Abby White U.S. Navy Commander
Ray Bean U.S. Navy Quartermaster 7th fleet WWII
Terry DuRei U.S. Air Force Security Squad
Wayne Dirksen U.S. Army Air Corp Flight Officer WWII
William Burrows U.S Navy Chief Petty Officer Midway Island
William Hart U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Korea-Vietnam
Carisa Anderson National Guard
David Juutilainen U.S. Marines
Ron Radermacher U.S. Army
Muriel Stine U.S. Navy Machinist Mate WWII
Paul V. Jacobson U.S. Marines Master Sergeant WWII and Korean War
Myron Lee Nelson U.S. Army Radio Teletype Operator
Peter Laramy U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Retired
Walter G.Mueller U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Stationed in Florida
Leonard H. Atzmiller
Michael J. Hilsgen U.S. Army Specialist 5 1967 to 1969 Germany and Vietnam/ Vietnam War
U.S. Army Sargent Stationed-Camp Atterbury,Indiana
THANK YOU FOR Jerry Briggs
Jason Arcand
U.S. Army Private First Class Osan, Korea 1960
U.S. Coast Guard E-5, Petty Officer Second Class Duluth MN
Ervin D. Leroux U.S. Army Air Corps SGT WWII - Guam
Harry A. Strus U.S. Army 90th Division PFC 358th INF WWII - Normandy KIA 7-7-1944
John F. Reilly U.S. Marines Lcpl KIA 1966 Quang ngai, Vietnam
Robert Paoli U.S. Army Major Vietnam war, 1968
Clarence E. Bornus U.S. Air Force Lt. Col WWII, Korea, Vietnam
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Milton Anderson U.S. Army SP4 E4 France and Germany
Noel S. Nelson U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman E-3 Vietnam
Grant Moerke U.S. Army Specialist Fort Riley, Kansas
Stephen J. Schwartz U.S. Army Major Fort Campbell, KY
Scott Arcand U.S. Marines 1975 Sergeant
Daniel Arcand U.S. Marines 2003 – Present Gunnery Sergeant
Gale Arcand U.S. Army Spec 4 1971
Harold Alwan U.S. Marines Feb. 27, 1967 Lt. Col Pilot in Vietnam. Missing In Action.
Eric Neutkens U.S. Army Major Ft. Drum, NY
Harold “Duke” Wingfield U.S. Army Sergeant WW II Mop-up operations-Italy
James Rupert U.S. Army Specialist Third Class, Fort Stewart, Georgia 1955-57
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THE CITIZEN www.readthecitizen.com
3
White Bear district levy sees slight decrease for 2021 White Bear Lake Public Schools, ISD 624
Estimated Changes in School Property Taxes, 2018 to 2021 Based on 14.1% Cumulative Changes in Property Value from 2018 to 2021 Taxes EXAMPLE 1: $250,000* Residential Homestead Prpoerty
EXAMPLE 2: $400,000* Residential Homestead Prpoerty
$2,500
$2,500
$2,000
$2,000
$1,500 $1,000 $500 $0
$965
2018
$1,358
$1,320
2020
2021 est.
$1,080
2019
Year Taxes are Payable
School Property Taxes
Most property owners in the White Bear Lake Area Schools district can expect to see a slight decrease in district taxes for 2021. One factor contributing to the decrease is decreased enrollment in the district due to the COVID pandemic, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Tim Wald reported during a livestreamed school board meeting on Dec. 14. The district’s voter-approved operating levy portion of the overall levy is based on the number of students enrolled in the district, according to state regulations. Due to the district being down about 250 projected students, that part of the levy decreased by about $700,000, Wald explained. Most homeowners will see just a slight decrease in the district’s portion of property taxes, from about $20 to $80 per month, according to estimates. “In every home value of $600,000 or less, you actually see a
decrease for 2021,” Wald said. Several factors influence property taxes, including home value estimates, he noted. Homeowners should have received information on their personal property taxes in November. Many commercial properties can also expect a decrease. The decrease in the levy could cause budget issues for the district next year when enrollment may again increase. The levy does not necessarily align with the budget for the next school year, Wald said. Overall, the levy will increase about $1.1 million from about $55.9 million in 2020 to $56.9 million in 2021. The district decreased debt service by about $9.6 million but increased by about $13 million. The district had a $200,000 bond refunding savings in October, Wald added. There was a nearly $2 million decrease due to adjustments from last year’s levy. Levies can be retroactively adjusted based on adjusted estimates. School districts can levy up to 40 different categories of taxes, Wald
School Property Taxes
BY SARA MARIE MOORE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
$1,500 $1,000 $1,598
$2,254
$2,195
2020
2021 est.
$1,786
$500 $0
2018
2019
Year Taxes are Payable
* Estimated market value for taxes payable in 2021. Taxes are calculated based on changes in market value of 4.0% from 2018 to 2019 taxes, 5.0% from 2019 to 2020, and 4.5% from 2020 to 2021
WHITE BEAR LAKE AREA SCHOOLS | SUBMITTED
These graphs show examples of changes in the school district portion of property taxes from 2018 to 2021.
said. Most districts, including White Bear Schools, don't levy the maximum amount. The board certified the levy after a virtual public hearing where
no comments were submitted. Superintendent Wayne Kazmierczak was alone at the district center while other staff and board members tuned in virtually.
WHITE BEAR SCHOOL BOARD NOTES
Schools plan for in-person elementary learning
White Bear Lake Area Schools announced that it will plan to reopen in-person learning for elementary students on Jan. 19. Elementary students have been doing full-distance learning since the end of November. A hybrid model including in-person and at-home learning was used through the early fall. The announcement was made after Gov. Tim Walz issued guidance allowing districts to phase in elementary in-person learning in mid-January. Youth sports practice can also resume in early January, per Walz and the district. Middle and high school students will stay in distance learning for now, according to the announcement on the district's website. The district will reevaluate the secondary learning models in January, according to Superintendent Wayne Kazmierczak, considering local data and guidance from the Minnesota Department of Education and Minnesota Department of Health. “Thank you for your flexibility and patience as we work with this new guidance to build a safe learning plan that begins to bring students back to in-person experiences,” Walz noted. Middle school students went full distance learning at the end of November and high school students in mid-November. Sara Marie Moore
The White Bear Lake Area School Board took the following action at its Dec. 14 meeting: • Heard a report on the 2019-20 World’s Best Workforce Summary and Achievement from Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Alison Gillespie. A goal the district reached was to increase the four-year graduation rate from 88.1% to 89.4% by June 2020. “We surpassed that goal,” Gillespie said. However, the district did not meet several other goals notable pertaining to equity. “We do have racial gaps,” she said. Several goals were unable to be reported this year due to the pandemic. • Held a first reading of the following school board policies: Policy 419, Tobacco-Free Environment: Possession and Use of Tobacco, Tobacco-related Devices, and Electronic Delivery Devices: Vaping Awareness and Prevention Instruction; Policy 430, Employee/Visitor ID Badge; Policy 517, Student Recruiting; Policy 518, DNR-DNI Orders; and Policy 607, Organization of Grade Levels. • Accepted six Brosious Teaching Grants totaling about $8,500 from the White Bear Lake Area Educational Foundation. • Approved 2021 polling locations. • Accepted a $20,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Education for expanded meal access and a grant of about $380,000 from Ramsey
County Emergency Food Services for pandemic food funding. • Held a second reading of the following school board policies: Policy 421, Gifts to Employees and School Board Members; Policy 422, Incorporated by Reference; Policy 510, School Activities; Policy 513, Student Promotion, Retention and Program Design; Policy 515, Protection and Privacy of Student Records; Policy 516, Student Medication; Policy 601, School District Curriculum; Policy 602, Organization of School Calendar; Policy 603, Curriculum Development; Policy 615, Testing Accommodation, Modification, and Exemptions for IEPS, Section 504 Plans and LEP Students; Policy 620, Credit for Learning; Policy 703, Annual Audit; and Policy 904, Distribution of Materials. • Approved reduction of staff in fee-based programs. The district was overstaffed in nutrition services due to distance learning, said Director of Human Resources Matt Mons. Fourteen employees were laid off, hopefully for the shortterm, he said. Two staff were also removed from the early childhood program due to an apparent reduction in interest based on learning models, he said. He said he also hopes that change is temporary. Sara Marie Moore
COUNTY BRIEFS The Washington County Board of Commissioners has adopted assignments for 2021 for the committees, commissions and joint powers boards on which commissioners will serve for the coming year. Commissioners serve on groups that oversee governance and functions throughout the metropolitan area, and throughout the state. District 1 Commissioner Fran Miron, which includes Hugo, will serve on the Community Development Agency, Groundwater Advisory Committee, Personnel Committee, Planning Advisory Commission (Alternate), Plat Commission (Alternate), Regional Railroad Authority, University of Minnesota Extension Advisory Committee, Association of Minnesota Counties, Environment and Natural Resources
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COVID-19 vaccines, and vaccination of staff will begin according to priorities set by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Washington County is scheduled to receive 600 doses of the Moderna vaccine. The county will coordinate and support vaccination of groups according to priorities set by the MDH and the CDC. More information is on the Minnesota Department of Health website, by searching “vaccine phases and planning.” This first vaccine shipment to Washington County is intended for individuals listed in what is being called Phase 1a, as set by the CDC, which includes local public health vaccinators, community vaccinators, and emergency response and fire personnel who have not already been covered by a health care system.
Advisory Committee, Extension Committee, Local Government Water Roundtable Advisory Committee, Agricultural & Rural Development Advisory Committee, East Central Regional Juvenile Center (Alternate), Lower St. Croix Watershed Policy Committee, Metropolitan Emergency Services Board, Metropolitan Emergency Services Board Executive Committee, Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (Alternate), Minnesota Inter-County Association (MICA) (Alternate), Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy Board and Rush Line Corridor Task Force.
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4
THE CITIZEN
www.presspubs.com
DECEMBER 31, 2020
What a year it has been
I
n this edition of the paper you are going to see our annual “Year in Review.” Our staff at Press Publications dedicated many hours to highlighting the top stories of the year in all of our papers. While the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to overshadow most of the headlines, our papers also brought readers numerous stories of perseverance and kindness in a year marked by tragedy and uncertainty. I hope you enjoy reflecting back on the happenings of 2020, even if it is a year that many of us would like to put behind us.
Publisher’s View Carter Johnson
Thank you We are so thankful for our subscribers, advertisers and customers. In hard times, you let us know we mattered to you. We couldn’t have survived this year without you, and we pledge to do our best to report the local news and information that is important to you – both good and bad. Keep reading and share the good news with your neighbors and friends.
Outpouring of support Throughout our communities are numerous nonprofit organizations — food shelves, service organizations, churches, homeless shelters, counseling centers, school programs and many others — who are providing help to those in need. We strive to share their stories. As a newspaper, we can’t be all things to all people, but we are in a unique position to help people be informed and connect with the community they live in. Readers and residents in the communities we serve often look to us for a variety of information that extends beyond the pages of our paper, and we are happy to help connect them with businesses, organizations and other resources when we can. Reach out to us by phone or email if you ever have questions. We might not know the answer, but there is a pretty good chance we have written a story or have contacts to help you connect. Going green I’ve definitely become a more aware of being “green” in recent years. I have a few friends and neighbors who are carbon-neutral and I have gotten to a point that I’m somewhat embarrassed when I fire up my lawnmower to mow the lawn. This year at Press, we participated in a program to convert to electric lawnmowers and equipment. This summer the Press Publications lawn was mowed using a 100% electric lawnmower purchased at Hugo Equipment. A Ramsey County grant allowed us to purchase an electric leaf blower, line trimmer, hedge trimmer lawnmower and edger. We have three batteries, one with a larger amperage so we’re able to do the mowing without waiting for a charge. Electric equipment has come a long way with brushless motor technology, lithium ion batteries, and lighter and stronger materials. Thank you to Ramsey County for the opportunity—they challenged us with this grant. If your residence or business has a smaller lawn footprint, I encourage you to check out electric equipment at our local lawn and garden centers. To think in 2010 we set a goal to reduce energy usage by 20%, and achieved it in a few years with the help of Hallberg Engineering, who provided an energy reduction program, and the city of White Bear Lake with a grant that allowed us to convert 3 of our 4 toilets. With the savings, we reinvested in a drinking fountain with a fi lter and bottle fi ller. Our Press fleet also includes a fully electric cargo van (EV) and a hybrid truck, and we plan to continue to move toward fully autonomous electric vehicles in the future. Dinner drive If you’re looking for something to do this week, grab some cash, order take-out dinner and take a drive through the holiday lights tour that has been featured in the pages of the Press. I suggest paying in cash because if you’re trying to support our local businesses and use a credit card they take a hit of 2-5%. If you order by way of a food delivery service, they take another hit of 20% or more. Our local restaurants need 100% of your support. Have a Happy New Year – and cheers to 2021! Carter Johnson is publisher 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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M
‘Tis the Christmas Season
ORE OUTDOOR DECORATIONS are noticeable this season. People are eager to find ways to celebrate the holidays. There have been so many restrictions-and many are necessary-that people found with the warm fall weather, they could get outdoors and enjoy decorating. It’s also a good time take the About the to family to enjoy the Town lighting Gene Johnson displays, even the week between Christmas and New Years. When our children were young we did that every year. Many times it was done following the early Christmas Eve service or after a Christmas concert at church. FAMILIES HAVE MANY traditions that build holiday memories which are lasting. Ours have ranged from ethnic foods, singing Christmas carols around the piano, putting on skits, and reading the Christmas story in Luke 2.
This year COVID -19 has had a major affect on those traditions. Finding a way to stay in touch with extended family may require some extra creativity. Zoom calls are easy and can be very meaningful. Other forms of messaging, including the old fashioned letter writing, allow for rereading messages of love, respect and encouragement. I PICKED UP several thoughts from two South Dakota publisher friends via a Zoom call recently. One point was that for every person who has COVID-19 it will be spread to five others. It is estimated that in South Dakota, 40% of the population will deny the vaccination. It is hard to know what to believe because it appears there is so much misinformation and the information out there keeps changing. WHEN YOU HEAR a Norwegian using the word “Uff da” they are expressing a frustration. Let me share a couple of incidences which prompt the use of “Uff da”... waking yourself up in church with your own snoring... noticing nonNorwegians at a church dinner using lefse for a napkin...getting swished in the face with a cow’s wet tail.
As I discovered that I was adopted and learned that my ancestry was Norwegian and Danish, I quickly switched from white sauce to drawn butter on my Lutefisk. MARRYING A GERMAN has introduced me to new foods such as spare ribs, sauerkraut and potato pancakes. A couple of our German foreign exchange guests through Rotary introduced us to pretzels, white sausage and beer for breakfast. There are fewer mailed Christmas cards this year, perhaps due to the convenience of the internet and savings on postage. Keeping up the mailing list is difficult. CHRISTMAS IS WHEN we celebrate the birth of Jesus and recognize that he is God’s son who came into the world to sacrifice his life for our sins so that all who believe may have eternal life. We trust that you will have joy and peace in your hearts and that the New Year will continue to bring you God’s favors. I ALWAYS ENJOY letters and emails with your comments about this column. Keep them coming. Gene Johnson is publisher emeritus of Press Publications.
THE CITIZEN | LETTER GUIDELINES editing. • Limited to 350 words. letters per year and at least writer about the same subject • Submissions must Include four weeks must lapse bematter will not be published. • Deadline is 5 p. m. , a full name, address and tween publication. Exceptions • Submissions containing libelWednesday of the week prior to publication. daytime phone number for may be made for rebuttal ous or derogatory statements • To submit a letter, e-mail it to verification. letters. will not be published. citizen@presspubs.com, fax it • Letter writers must live, work • Due to space limitations, let- • Submissions containing facts or have another connection to ters that don’t address local not previously published in to 651-429-1242 or mail or dePress Publications coverage issues are not guaranteed The Citizen must be accompa- liver it to Press Publications, area. publication. nied by factual verification. 4779 Bloom Ave., White Bear • All letters are subject to Lake, MN 55110. • Letter writers are limited to six • Repeat letters by the same
Carter C. Johnson ............ Publisher cjohnson@presspubs.com Gene Johnson .... Publisher Emeritus ppinfo@presspubs.com Shannon Granholm ........Lead Editor citizennews@presspubs.com Patty Steele ....Director of Sales & Marketing marketing@presspubs.com
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DECEMBER 31, 2020
THE CITIZEN www.readthecitizen.com
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
NAMES IN THE NEWS
OBITUARY
Maryann (Swoboda) Goulet
Where do we go from here?
With a contentious election finally behind us, I was disappointed reading the Dec.17 letter to the editor, "Wake up Americans," an unfounded Islamophobic rant accusing Minnesota's attorney general of wanting to defund police departments and impose Sharia law, along with referring to Democrats as thugs and unAmerican. Is this who we have become? I am struggling to recognize the country I loved and fought for? I believe in free speech and, a person's right to express themselves. I also believe in a free press with the right to publish, or not. Michael John Pepek, Vietnam veteran Hugo
Age 81, of Woodbury, Minnesota and formerly from Hugo, Minnesota and The Villages, Florida passed away peacefully on Dec. 16, 2020. She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Eleanor Swoboda; motherin-law, Geneva Doran; brother, Robert L. Swoboda; and father of her children, James D. Compton. She is survived by her husband, James E. “Jim” Goulet of 36 1/2 years; children, James R. Compton, Jill (Rick) Smith; grandchildren, James (Jennifer) Compton Jr, Michael (Pooja) Compton, Nicole (Bryan) Kazmierczak, Kayla A. Smith, Clayton R. Smith; great grandchildren, Ellar, Liev and Ari; her sisters and brothers, Bonnie (Gary) Gliniany, Jim (Kris) Swoboda, Margie (Doug) Kuehlman, Kim (Brian) Hanson; sister-Inlaw, Darlene Swoboda; and many friends. Service information to be announced. Mueller MemorialWhite Bear Lake.
Adelaide Landing generates Christmas spirit
I read your article on Adelaide Landing and the Christmas displays. Piled into the car and headed over there. Daughter picked up QR codes from the car after we all took a guess at the theme. Too much fun. Congrats to the neighbors who participated. A lot of Christmas spirit generated during such a precarious time. Food shelf donation being put together. Mike Delmont Hugo
CITY BRIEF
Americans voted to save country
BUSINESS BRIEF JP’s Liquor Wine and Beer opens second location
JP’s Liquor Wine and Beer, located at 6501 Ware Road in Lino Lakes, recently opened another location at 7093 20th Ave. S. in Centerville. The building was formerly occupied by Platinum Liquor. Owner Jeremy Kostrzewski said, “We wanted to take over the Centerville location because we saw that people in that area deserved a better selection and a much better customer experience. It did not have many popular products that are a must-have in my other location.” He added that the store was also lacking beer, wine and bourbon selections, and noted that customers should feel free to make product suggestions, too. The business also carries non-alcoholic choices. The Centerville location will have the same store hours as the Lino Lakes location (Monday and Tuesday from 2-9 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and closed on Sundays). For more information, visit jps-liquor-wine-and-beer.business.site.
BE
1
AWARE
2
20 70
COMMUNITY
3
20 50
N E W S P A P E R S
4 5 6
20 100
20 30 20 20
A R E
F A D I N G
Q U I C K L Y
Hugo seeks members for vacancies on commissions
Want to learn more about your community and make a difference? Consider becoming a member of a city commission. The city of Hugo is currently seeking members for the following vacancies: • EDA: one vacant seat; one alternate position • Park, Recreation, and Open Space Commission: one vacant seat; one alternate position • Board of Zoning: one vacant seat • Planning Commission: One alternate position Alternate positions attend all meetings and vote in the absence of a regular member. If interested, apply online at ci.hugo.mn.us.
SUBMITTED
Kelly Wilkinson, Airmen Family Readiness program manager, presents Barb Connolly with an award from the 133rd Air Wing.
Hugo resident Barb Connolly has been selected by the 133rd Air Wing of the Minnesota National Guard as the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Network Supporter of the Year. Connolly is a longtime volunteer of the Hugo Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Network. Submitted
HUGO TREE CARE
SEEKING FIRST BABY OF 2021 Press Publications would like to feature the fi rst baby born in 2021. Please email quadnews@ presspubs.com and be sure to include information such as the baby's name, weight, parents' names and where they were born. Don't forget to send us a photo or two as well as contact information for the family.
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CHURCH DIRECTORY Find the church that fits your needs
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I am disappointed that the Citizen chose to publish the letter "Wake up Americans" in the Dec. 17 issue. It seems to violate their stated guidelines that submissions containing libelous or derogatory statements will not be published? However, since it was, I'll add my thoughts. First, it is well known that the public is split on how to improve policing. Some want fewer police, some want more, and some, including many Democrats, just want more effective policing. I agree with the writer that our choices in voting could destroy the country. However, I believe that approximately 80 million Americans just voted to save the country, not destroy it. Neil Fagerhaugh Hugo
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THE CITIZEN
www.readthecitizen.com
DECEMBER 31, 2020
BEST OF HUGO POLICE REPORTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
A suspicious vehicle reported at 2:30 p.m. Jan. 2 in the 8000 block of 136th Street N. turned out to be a postal employee using his personal vehicle for delivery. • A suspicious vehicle reported at 9:01 p.m. Jan. 3 in the 10000 block of 122nd Street N. turned out to be vehicles practicing parking with a new driver. • Two suspicious males observed by patrolling deputies at 4:17 a.m. Jan. 4 entering a home under construction in the Adelaide Landing development on 130th Street N. and Flay Road N. by using cell phone lights as flashlights, turned out to be contractors returning early (or late) to finish sanding the woodwork. Deputies verified they really did belong there and weren’t just pretending. • A suspicious dark sedan with no license plate light and with at least two occupants reported at 8:29 p.m. Jan. 13 parking in front of three different residences in the 4000 block of Victor Path for several minutes turned out to be Pokémon Go players. Three other suspicious vehicle reports during the year turned out to be Pokémon Go players. • A suspicious vehicle reported at 3:01 a.m. Feb. 18 in the 6000 block of 147th Street and in the 14000 block of Geneva Avenue N. turned out to belong to the newspaper carrier. He was also reported as a suspicious vehicle prowling around the area of Farnham Avenue N. and Farnham Drive N. at 4:41 a.m. July 14. • Mysterious noises in the night heard at 12:21 a.m. Feb. 21 by a resident in the 13000 block of Europa Court N. turned out to be his rabbit, having escaped its cage. • A suspicious metallic SUV driving on the wrong side of the road in the 13000 block of Fiona Avenue N. at 9:59 p.m. April 12 before stopping at the complainant’s mailbox turned out to have been the newspaper carrier delivering the local weekly newspaper. The conclusion was drawn after the complainant found no damage or theft, and deputies observed all the sub-mailboxes along the road containing freshly delivered editions of the community’s favorite weekly. • Two suspicious males reported for sitting in their vehicle for three hours in front of a closed business at 5:41 a. m. April 13 turned out to be two men who said they were up late moving one of them out of his residence and didn’t realize how long they’d been asleep. • Loud music was reported at 2 p.m. April 13 in the 13000 block of Europa Way N. after a neighbor attempted to contact the noisy neighbor without result. When things quieted down and deputies finally made contact with the source of all the racket, the subject said no one had tried to contact him, but then he reconsidered that maybe he’d heard distant banging on the walls adjoining the complainant’s domicile.
A suspicious vehicle was reported for driving down the 6000 block of 145th Alcove N. at 1:30 p.m. April 14 and taking pictures of houses. The only vehicle deputies found turned out to be a vehicle frozen to the ground in ice.
• Juveniles reported at 7:28 p.m. April 21 for trespassing and violating social distancing protocol near the area of 140th Street N. and Fenway Avenue N. turned out to be youths just watching the sunset. They agreed to leave. • Suspicious males reported at 3:43 p.m. April 28 for hanging around behind Savoy Pizza in the 14000 block of Victor Hugo Blvd. N. for about one hour, possibly waiting for an opportunity to break into vehicles, turned out to be youths using the building’s outdoor outlets to recharge their phones. The youths said they were at that location because they weren’t allowed inside the building due to COVID-19 precautions. Deputies advised them not to engage in this behavior in the future. • Two suspicious vehicles reported at 10:17 p.m. April 29 for parking in front of a closed business in a strip mall lot in the 14000 block of Victor Hugo Blvd. N. turned out to be carpoolers, after a third vehicle arrived to pick them all up and drive them to their destination. Deputies advised the carpoolers about honoring business hours. Extra patrols were requested by the business owner who had reported the incident.
A suspicious vehicle carrying passengers using narcotics reported at 11:09 p.m. May 1 in the 15000 block of Forest Blvd. N. turned out to be two occupants playing scratch-offs. • A vehicle reported as stolen at 10:35 a.m. May 8 from the side of the road while its registered owner was spending a half hour appraising a house in the 4000 block of 149th Street N., turned out to have been towed for being illegally parked. The appraiser agreed to go pick up his vehicle from the impound lot. • A suspicious male reported outside a residence in the 13000 block of Fiona Circle N. at 12:09 p.m. May 12 turned out to be a male writing a letter to his exgirlfriend at the residence in the hopes of winning her back. The male was going to leave the letter at the residence. Deputies advised the male to finish the letter as soon as possible. • A suspicious male walking around the neighborhood of the 15000 block of Farnham Avenue N. at 10:37 a.m. May 16 pointing fingers at people as though he had a gun turned out to be a resident of the neighborhood practicing Taekwondo moves. Just to be sure, deputies conducted a pat search and found no weapons. • Two suspicious juveniles reported at 3:35 p.m. May 24 for taking money out of the Kwik Trip ATM in the 14000 block of Victor Hugo Blvd. N. turned out to be the actual debit card holder taking $600 out to buy a personal computer. • A suspicious vehicle reported at 1:55 a.m. June 24 at US Bank in the 14000 block of Forest Bld. N. turned out to belong to the cleaners. • A suspicious noise reported at 10:38 p.m. June 24 in the area of 121st Street N. and Falcon Avenue N. turned out to be an Xcel Energy crew working in the area. • A suspicious vehicle behind a closed business in the 13000 block of Forest Blvd. N. at 5:27 p.m. July 18 turned out to be a woman chilling out after an argument with her spouse. The woman told deputies she just went out to get some fresh air and smoke cigarettes.
A suspicious vehicle reported at 12:37 a.m. Aug. 22 in the 6000 block of 145th Bay N. turned out to be deputies’ squad car. • Suspicious trucks driving in the area of Oneka Parkway and Heritage Parkway N. at 4:20 a.m. Sept. 3 turned out to be just trucks driving in the area. Deputies advised the complainant that trucks just driving through the area is not a crime. • A suspicious break-in reported at 2:25 a.m. Sept. 6 in the 14000 block of Cosette Way N. after the alarm on a garage entry door went off turned out to be thunderstorms triggering the alarm. The complainant reported the suspicious activity after the alarm went off for a door being opened when no one else was supposed to be at home. Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies found the garage clear and the service door deadbolted from the inside. • A suspicious intoxicated male reported at 2:12 a.m. Oct. 3 for knocking at a door in the 15000 block of Fanning Drive N. turned out to be an intoxicated male just knocking at the incorrect townhome door, after deputies found him knocking at his own door. • A suspicious couple reported at 8:39 p.m. June 11 on Ingersoll Avenue N. and 165th Street N. in a lifted white pickup truck with out-of-state plates turned out to be a male and female playing hide-and-seek with several other individuals in other vehicles around town. When deputies advised the couple of how suspicious their behavior looked, they willingly left the area. • A suspicious female hiding behind an electrical box in the area of Falcon Circle N. and Oneka Parkway N. at 3:17 a.m. July 26 when deputies drove by turned out to be just a female hiding behind an electrical box who said she didn’t need any assistance. • A camper reported stolen at 8:59 p.m. Aug. 3 from the 16000 block of Elmcrest Avenue N. turned out to have been repossessed. Deputies stated that dispatch had not informed them of the repossession until after they had spent time looking for the vehicle. The owner did not know the vehicle had been repossessed until after deputies advised him. • Suspicious males reported at 12:26 a.m. Aug. 4 in the 6000 block of 145th Circle N. turned out to be juveniles having just returned from hockey practice and checking out the burned-out home of one of their friends. Deputies advised the juveniles that curfew was almost upon them and that they should head home. • A suspicious darked-out vehicle reported at 12:47 a.m. Sept. 10 in the 5000 block of 137th Street N. and a suspicious male who exited the vehicle to tamper with heavy equipment turned out to be a repair specialist from the skid steer company out to repair the skid steer and other heavy equipment. • 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 who was moving items from one shed to his other shed. Loretta Harding
CENTENNIAL LAKES POLICE REPORTS The Centennial Lakes Police Department reported the following incidents: • Officers received a noise complaint in the 7300 block of 20th Avenue in Centerville Dec. 9. • Officers received a suspicious activity report in the 100 block of Keith Road in Circle Pines Dec. 9. Officers were also flagged down for a suspicious activity report in the area of Main Street and 20th Avenue in Centerville earlier that day. • Officers responded to a traffic complaint in the area of Pine Drive and Lake Drive in Circle Pines Dec. 10. A male was subsequently arrested on an outstanding warrant. • Officers were dispatched to a delayed damage to property report in the 40 block of Golden Lake Road in Circle Pines Dec. 11. Another damage to property report was received from the 20 block of West Golden Lake Road in Circle Pines Dec. 12. • Officers received a suspicious activity report from the 3900 block of Woodland Road in Lexington Dec. 12. The caller advised that two parties were
arguing in the parking lot and left two duffel bags behind when they left the scene. The bags were entered into the property room at the police station. • One driver was cited for failing to stop at a stop sign in the area of North Highway Drive and Albert Avenue in Lexington Dec. 12. • Suspicious activity was reported in the 300 block of Heritage Trail in Circle Pines Dec. 14. The caller advised that an unknown suspect rummaged through his vehicle while it was parked in his driveway. No items were reported missing. • Police responded to the 500 block of Village Parkway in Circle Pines Dec. 14 on a theft from motor vehicle report. The caller advised that an unknown suspect entered her car and removed a bag and some coins. The estimated loss is $600. • A license plate was reported stolen in the 3800 block of Liberty Lane in Lexington Dec. 14. • Officers were dispatched to the 7200 block of Centerville Road in Centerville Dec. 15 on a suspicious activity report. A suspicious vehicle was located and
found to be stolen out of Forest Lake. • Police were dispatched to the 4100 block of Lovell Road in Lexington Dec. 16 on a harassment report. Police gathered information and called a female for more information. • Officers were dispatched to a dog bite report in the 7000 block of Dupre Road in Centerville Dec. 16. • Officers were dispatched to the 1 block of Circle Drive in Circle Pines Dec. 16 on a theft report. • Officers recovered a stolen license plate belong to a resident in the 1900 block of Center Street in Centerville Dec. 16. • An officer spotted a theft in progress in the 6800 block of 20th Avenue in Centerville Dec. 16. The suspect was arrested, and the area was searched for more suspects. • Officers received a theft report from the 10 block of South Pine Drive in Circle Pines Dec. 17. The report was found to be related to several other threat reports. • Police observed a traffic violation near the intersection of Lexington Avenue NE and Lake Drive in Circle Pines Dec. 18. A driver was subsequently arrested.
• Officers responded to a phone report regarding motor vehicle tampering in the 2000 block of Willow Circle in Centerville Dec. 18. The caller advised that an unknown suspect entered her vehicle in the driveway and ransacked it. No items were reported missing. • An officer responded to the 9100 block of South Highway Drive in Lexington Dec. 18 on report of a disorderly male. • Damage to property was reported in the 9300 block of Lexington Avenue in Lexington Dec. 19. There are no suspects, and the investigation is ongoing. • Officers witnessed a driver make an illegal U-turn in the area of Lexington Avenue NE and West Road in Circle Pines Dec. 19. Upon pulling the vehicle over, officers could smell the odor of marijuana and subsequently searched the vehicle. Drug paraphernalia was located, but no drugs. The driver was warned for the violations. • Officers were dispatched to a delayed burglary report in the 6800 block of 20th Avenue in Centerville Dec. 21. The case is under investigation. SEE LINO LAKES POLICE REPORTS ON PAGE 7
DECEMBER 31, 2020
www.readthecitizen.com
CENTERVILLE CITY CALENDAR Jan. 5: Jan. 6: Jan. 13:
Planning & Zoning Commission meeting at 6:30 p.m. held via Zoom Fete des Lacs Planning Committee meeting at 5 p.m. Parks & Recreation Committee meeting at 6:30 p.m. held via Zoom City Council meeting at 6:30 p.m. held via Zoom
HUGO CITY CALENDAR Jan. 4: Jan. 14:
Hugo City Council meeting at 7 p.m. Board of Zoning meeting at 6:30 p.m. Planning Commission meeting at 7 p.m.
LINO LAKES CITY CALENDAR Jan. 4: Jan. 6: Jan. 7: Jan. 11: Jan. 13:
City Council work session at 6 p.m. Park Board meeting at 6:30 p.m. EDAC meeting at 8 a.m. City Council meeting at 6:30 p.m. Planning & Zoning Board meeting at 6:30 p.m.
THE CITIZEN
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Changes in tax aid services For the last 15 years, volunteer tax experts have helped seniors and those with low to moderate income prepare their tax returns at no cost. The group, part of AARP's TaxAide services, has worked out of South Shore Trinity Lutheran Church in White Bear for the last five years. Coordinator Dave Black wants the community to know the fi rst-come, fi rst-served process will change this tax season due to COVID-19. Starting in January, the service will be appointment-based to eliminate crowding. "It will be necessary to call for an appointment," Black said. "Tell us how many returns you need prepared. You will be assigned a time to arrive for your appointment, and do not come more than five minutes before
that time. Wear a mask and if you are sick, call for a later appointment." Due to a smaller number of counselors and a cumbersome process, volunteers will not be able to prepare as many returns as in the past. The number to call and other details will be published in midJanuary in both the White Bear Press and The Citizen in Hugo. Volunteers are also needed to handle phone calls from taxpayers and schedule appointments. No tax knowledge is required, but computer knowledge is needed. Black said they hope to open the scheduling line around Jan. 20 and begin tax preparation Feb. 1. Submitted
HUGO BITS & PIECES The Hugo City Council took the following action at its Dec. 21 meeting, held remotely via videoconference: • Heard a COVID-19 update from City Administrator Bryan Bear, who mentioned 75% of the permits issued last month were applied for online versus in person at City Hall. Bear also requested some guidance from the council regarding what it would like to see meetings look like going forward. Council Member Phil Klein said he would like to see the council continue to meet remotely until at least the end of January or mid-February, if restrictions start to loosen. Council Member Mike Miron said he thinks the remote meetings have gone relatively well, and going forward, he would like to see virtual meeting protocols mirror in-person meetings as much as possible. For
example, members of the public who wish to address the council would still need to identify themselves and share their address for the record if they are attending virtually. • Approved a donation of $1,400 from the Hugo Lions Club to the Hugo Fire Department. The donation will be used for the automated external defibrillator (AED) program. • Approved a resolution certifying delinquent utility accounts in the amount of $99,037 (or 3.5% of total billed in the last four quarters). Property owners who have not paid their utility bills will see the amounts due certified to the property tax rolls. • Approved an ordinance establishing the 2021 fee schedule. • Approved the resignation of Roland Guareschi from the Hugo Fire Department effective Jan. 4. Guareschi
has served on the department since 2009. The council also approved the resignation of Baily Lund, who has served on the department since 2017, effective Dec. 31. • Approved the renewal of Planning Commissioner Matthew Derr’s term. His term will now expire Dec. 31, 2024. The council also approved new terms for Parks Commissioner Matthew Rauschendorfer (Dec. 31, 2023) and Historical Commissioners Kathy Brevig (Dec. 31, 2023) and Craig Moen (Dec. 31, 2023). • Appointed Maria Mulvihill as a Planning Commission member (Dec. 31, 2024) and an interim member of the Board of Zoning (until position is fi lled). The council also appointed Brad LeTourneau to the Historical Commission (Dec. 31, 2022). • Approved pay request No. 4 for $246,272 to Ebert Construction for
the public works facility. The council also approved change order No. 1 for additional work and an extension of the completion date. • Approved the purchase of a Skyjack 3226 scissor lift for $12,500. • Approved the retirement of a 1967 Chevrolet water truck (former fire department tanker). The truck has not been operated in over eight years and has various mechanical issues. • Scheduled the council’s annual goal setting session on Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. The council’s next City Council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 4, via videoconference. Shannon Granholm
LINO LAKES POLICE REPORTS The Lino Lakes Police Department reported the following incidents: • Officers were dispatched to a business in the 700 block of Apollo Drive Dec. 8 to check the welfare of a driver sleeping in his vehicle. The driver was subsequently transported to the hospital after telling officers he swallowed C60 (fullerenes) drugs when police arrived. Criminal charges are pending. • Officers responded to a one-vehicle personal injury accident in the 300 block of I-35W Dec. 8. The lone driver was given medical care and sent to the hospital via ambulance. The vehicle was totaled and needed to be towed from the scene. • An officer stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation in the 500 block of Main Street Dec. 8. The officer found tobacco in the vehicle and cited the juvenile driver. • An officer conducted a traffic stop for speeding in the 6300 block of Centerville Road Dec. 10. The officer observed drug residue in the vehicle and a search produced drug paraphernalia. The driver was cited for speed and possession of drug paraphernalia. • An officer conducted a traffic stop for speeding in the 6300 block of Centerville Road Dec. 10. The officer observed drug residue in the vehicle and a subsequent search produced drug paraphernalia. The driver was cited for speeding and possession of drug paraphernalia. • An officer took a phone call theft report Dec. 10 regarding a theft from motor vehicle in the 300 block of Elm Street. The incident is under investigation. • A caller reported a possible road rage incident in the 2100 block of Main Street Dec. 10. The involved vehicle was subsequently located and the male driver was arrested for third-degree DWI. The male was booked into jail for the offense. • An officer responded to a call of a package theft in the 1400 block of Sherman Lake Road Dec. 10. There is no suspect information at this time. • Officers responded to a suspicious vehicle report at a business in the 8000 block of Lake Drive Dec. 10. While searching a vehicle, officers located drugs. The parties were released at the scene and will be charged out of custody.
• An officer attempted to stop a vehicle for multiple traffic violations in the 8300 block of I-35E Dec. 11. The vehicle fled the scene but was later stopped and the driver arrested by another agency. The male driver was arrested and booked into the Ramsey County Jail. • An officer was requested to respond to the scene of an officer-involved shooting in Brooklyn Park Dec. 11 and assisted by deploying a K-9 unit for an article search. • An officer responded to a call of a suspicious vehicle driving through a residential area in the 700 block of Vicky Lane Dec. 12. The driver was found to be looking at Christmas lights. • An officer was dispatched on a call Dec. 13 to check on a person riding a dirt bike on a frozen lake near the 6900 block of West Shadow Lake Drive. The officer checked the area but did not locate the person. • An officer was dispatched to a business in the 700 block of Apollo Drive Dec. 15 for a report of a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot. The officer investigated and located an individual sleeping. The driver was provided information about alternative locations to sleep. • Officers were dispatched to check a neighborhood in the 6300 block of White Owl Drive Dec. 15 for a suspicious vehicle. While investigating, officers located property discarded on the roadway and a vehicle parked in a yard. When officers attempted to speak with the driver, they fled the scene and were not identified. • While on patrol, an officer stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation in the 700 block of Town Center Parkway Dec. 15. After an investigation officers seized several drug-related items. Formal charges are pending lab results of the seized drugs. • A community service officer (CSO) responded to a complaint of illegal farm animals in the 100 block of Woodridge Lane Dec. 15. The CSO made contact with the owners and advised them of city ordinances. The farm animals were to be removed by the owner.
• An officer responded to a property damage accident in the 1500 block of Birch Street Dec. 17. The accident involved a single vehicle and damage on two neighboring properties. The officer documented the incident and insurance information was provided to both property owners. • Officers responded to a domestic assault at a residence in the city Dec. 17. Officers investigated the incident and a female was subsequently taken to the hospital. The children were placed into foster care, and charges are pending for the suspect, who was not on scene. • While on patrol in the 7700 block of 20th Avenue Dec. 17, an officer attempted to stop a vehicle where the driver was suspected of having a medical complication. The vehicle was being driven very dangerously and did not stop for the officer’s emergency lights. Officers followed the vehicle for safety reasons and the vehicle was later stopped with the help of multiple agencies. The adult male driver was subsequently arrested for DWI and transported to a hospital due to his high level of intoxication. • Officers received information of a possible sexual assault in the city Dec. 18. The case is under investigation. • Officers assisted State Patrol in the 6800 block of I-35E Dec. 18 on a medical situation, which led to a property damage accident. The patient was transported to the hospital by ambulance. • Officers responded to a report of juveniles playing ding dong ditch in the 6500 block of Lacasse Drive Dec. 19. Officers were unable to identify the juveniles involved. • An officer took a damage to property report in the 800 block of Lois Lane Dec. 19. There are no suspect(s) at this time. The case is under investigation. • An officer responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident in the 7500 block of Lake Drive Dec. 21. Both drivers were uninjured, but both of their vehicles had to be towed from the scene. One drive was cited with a traffic violation.
THE CITIZEN
DECEMBER 31, 2020 www.readthecitizen.com
Provided by Google Maps
Holiday lights contest HUGO
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HUGO
LINO LAKES CIRCLE PINES
LINO LAKES HUGO CIRCLE PINES
SHOREVIEW
WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP WHITE BEAR LAKE
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VADNAIS HEIGHTS
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LINO LAKES
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HUGO
SHOREVIEW
WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP
MAHTOMEDI
VADNAIS HEIGHTS
VADNAIS HEIGHTS
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BLAINE
HUGO
LINO LAKES
WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP
1750 130th Ave. NE., Blaine
13083 Fondant Trail N., Hugo 5731 130th Lane N., Hugo 5273 Fenson Court N., Hugo
6659 Clearwater Creek Drive, Lino Lakes 7188 Cinnamon Teal Court, Lino Lakes 7286 Meadow Court, Lino Lakes 576 Arlo Lane, Lino Lakes
2515 Martin Way, White Bear Township 5242 Lakeview Ave., White Bear Township
WHITE BEAR LAKE
4174 Centerville Road, Vadnais Heights 4312 Heritage Drive, Vadnais Heights
MAHTOMEDI 150 Ivy St., Mahtomedi
SHOREVIEW 492 County Road J W., Shoreview
CIRCLE PINES 4102 88th Lane NE., Circle Pines 3871 FlowerямБeld Road, Circle Pines
1332 Hallam Ave. N., White Bear Lake
Hope Your Holidays are Merry and Bright!
VADNAIS HEIGHTS
Experience the Difference! BEST OF THE PRESS
www.lakeareabank.com | Forest Lake | Hugo | Lindstrom | Stillwater | White Bear Lake
BEST OF THE PRESS
Voted BEST BANK in White Bear Lake & Hugo!
688155
KEY:
(NOTE: ENTRANTS NOT LISTED HAD NO PROVIDED ADRESS)
688157
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DECEMBER 31, 2020
THE CITIZEN www.readthecitizen.com
Don’t like what you see? The Press Publications Holiday Lights Contest has received hundreds of votes. Pictured below are the top three entrants with the most votes as of press time. Don’t see your favorite? Don’t fret, it’s not too late to change the leaders. Visit presspubs.com/holidaylights to cast your vote. All you need to do to vote is click on the photo of the home you would like to vote for and enter your email address. You may vote for one entry once a day through Dec. 31. Be sure to check out the first issue in January to find out who the top three winners are.
1.
LEADING ENTRANTS (AS OF PRESS TIME 12/28)
A little cheer to end the year
M
asked carolers singing six feet apart,
Sports seasons over before they could start. No teasing the mall Santa about his beard, No office holiday parties, it’s weird.
But home we can safely spread holiday cheer
150 Ivy Street, Mahtomedi
2.
With fewer guests gathered ‘round tables this year. Video chatting with family and friends And wondering when 2020 will end.
Though miles away, and in spite of the weather, The holiday season still brings us together. With merrier memories to lighten our mood, 2515 Martin Way, White Bear Township
3.
We’ll sit back and savor the JOY of good food.
Happy Holidays from our family to yours.
1332 Hallam Ave. N., White Bear Lake
NOT FOUND ON MAP These homes are not shown on the map because an address was not provided.
4391 S. Lake Ave. & 441 County Rd 96 4th Street, Stillwater
Lino Lakes neighborhood
Shoreview neighborhood
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How to vote:
Now we need our readers to vote for their favorite! Head to presspubs.com/holidaylights to cast your vote. The voting period will run through Dec. 31. The top three holiday light displays will be announced in our first January issue.
1059 Meadowlands Dr. 687025
BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
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THE CITIZEN
DECEMBER 31, 2020 www.readthecitizen.com
YEAR IN REVIEW
Kicking up a snow flurry
Downtown memory care proposed
JANUARY
The Centerville City Council at its Jan. 22 meeting unanimously (3-0, as Mayor Jeff Paar and Council Member Michelle Lakso were absent) approved an interim use permit (IUP) and site plan for a 16-unit senior living and memory care facility on the vacant site located at 1825 Main St. The site is zoned B-2 Main Street Commercial District. The Gonion Group LLC will receive an IUP for its proposed facility instead of the conditional use permit (CUP) it originally applied for.
Zoey the toy poodle returns home after 18 months
FILE PHOTO
Jingbo and Li Li An Deng kick up a dusting of snow as they pick up speed near the bottom of a hill at Oak Shore Park in Hugo during the annual Sledding Party.
After 18 heart-wrenching months during which she never gave up hope, a Hugo resident was reunited with Zoey, her 10-year-old toy poodle. Owner Karen Kissner says Zoey went missing Aug. 8, 2018. Her husband let Zoey and their other dogs out into the yard to go to the bathroom while she was at work and when she got home, Zoey was nowhere to be found. Kissner immediately began spreading the news that Zoey was missing. She put up posters at gas stations, handed out more than 3,000 flyers, placed
advertisements in various publications and talked to people on the street from Hugo all the way north to Pine City. On Jan. 22, Walton received a phone call from the Animal Humane Society (AHS) in Woodbury. They had a dog that matched Zoey’s description. The dog had been found strolling the streets of downtown Hinkley, Minnesota, with a pit bull.
Firefighter retires after 40 years of service
Ron Gray, 60, originally joined the local fi re department back in the late ’70s because that is just what people did back then. Next month, Gray will retire from the Hugo Fire Department (HFD) after 40 years of service to the community. “Ron has achieved a very rare milestone in the fi re service. Most fi refighters retire with 20 years of service or less with an organization. This will be something that Ron can always hang his hat on,� said HFD Chief Kevin Colvard. Gray, originally from White Bear Lake, moved to Hugo in 1978. In August 1979, he joined the department.
The older the better Love that lasts: Longtime couples share stories, advice
FEBRUARY
FILE PHOTO
Dozens of local snowmobile collectors and enthusiasts gathered for “The Older the Better� - Vintage Sled Event, sponsored by the Stillwater Snowmobile Club, Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Blacksmith Lounge on Highway 61 in Hugo. Trophies were awarded for Best Restored and Best Original snowmobiles in the following classes: 1969 and Older, 19701972, 1973 - 1975 and 1976-1988. Additional trophies were awarded for Cutter Class, Mini Class, Oldest Runner, Ugliest Runner, People’s Choice and Best Vintage Outfit.
If newlyweds are in need of some advice, they can surely find it at Good Life Senior Living in Hugo. Three couples are represented there by a cumulative total of 178 years of marriage experience. Their love stories are inspiring not only to their families, but also to Good Life Activities Director Sarah Cairns, who gets emotional when she talks about these successful couples. “They have inspired me to find the perfect relationship. I have never been married, but they have taught me to never settle,� she said. Press Publications told the stories of Bob and Marilyn Rosenquist, William and Maggie Snyder, and Stan and Marietta Wilson.
Oneka Shores Farm launches supper club, CSA to come
Picture a group of strangers all gathered around a large farm table, talking about food and farm life all while enjoying a five-course meal by candlelight. That’s exactly what happens every six weeks or so at Oneka Shores Farm, located at 7039 165th St. N in Hugo. Steve and Elizabeth Bauer moved to the Hugo property in 2016. On the 11-acre hobby farm, the
Bauers raise American guinea hogs and ducks, and chickens (for eggs). The farm is also home to “guard� geese, rabbits, vegetables and a myriad of cats, dogs and children.
Planning for new schools underway
Several groups are being formed to plan the design of the construction projects at every school across the White Bear Lake Area Schools district, funded by the more than $300 million bond referendum approved by voters last fall. Two districtwide committees have been meeting over the last few months to plan the overall vision for the construction projects. Wold Architects and Engineering has been contracted to assist the district with design planning. Planning groups for the new elementary school in Hugo and renovated, combined high school at White Bear Lake Area High School – North Campus have begun recently, reported Sal Bagley of the design fi rm. The design process for the elementary school is expected to last until the end of 2020 and, for the high school, through early 2021. Construction of both would begin in 2021. The new elementary school is expected to open in 2022.
Hugo Elementary visits Keystone Area food shelf ‘will have to expand’
MARCH
As the Hugo Good Neighbors Food Shelf prepares to mark its 11th anniversary, board members are looking ahead to a building expansion, one that will likely be necessary within a handful of years or so. On average, the organization serves around 175 families per week within the 55038 zip code area. Although the details are still being worked out, the idea would be to construct another building next to its existing building and utilize both buildings in some capacity to accommodate a significant increase in population within the area the food shelf serves. Additional pressures are mounting, too, because of recent job losses in the community.
COVID-19 brings mental health to the forefront FILE PHOTO
Hugo Elementary kindergartner Liam Morris colors with Keystone resident Georgia Burg. Kindergartners from Hugo Elementary visited Keystone Place at LaValle Fields to color and play games with the seniors.
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In a time where there are a lot of unknowns, stress, anxiety and depression can fl are up. Area mental health professionals want people to know that we are all in this
together and that it is normal to have these feelings. Bridging Hope Counseling has locations in Lino Lakes, Rogers and Buffalo. A lot of clients have canceled their appointments for a multitude of reasons, including the loss of a job, the inability to pay for health insurance or fear to leave one’s home. In addition to incorporating social distancing and a stricter cleaning regimen, the clinics remain open for clients who feel comfortable in making visits. For those who do not, or need to stay at home, Bridging Hope Counseling is offering Tele-Health services, in which clients can see their therapist in an online video format. On a positive note, the pandemic is bringing mental health to the forefront. Now is the time that people need to be vulnerable and talk about the way they are feeling instead of internalizing it.
DECEMBER 31, 2020
THE CITIZEN www.readthecitizen.com
11
YEAR IN REVIEW
Teachers parade past students
Empty at Easter: Faithful celebrate online
APRIL
This year’s Easter will look very different. Even though people may not be able to attend worship services in person, host a big meal or attend brunch, area churches want people to know that they are still there for them, just in a different way. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, churches have had to adapt their programming to still serve their members during these unprecedented times.
Food shelves kick it into high gear
As more and more people find themselves out of a job amid the COVID-19 pandemic, area food shelves are doing all they can to ensure that they can meet the increased demand. The Hugo Good Neighbors Food Shelf, Centennial Community Food Shelf and the White Bear Lake Area Food Shelf have all adapted their operations to minimize health risks to staff members, volunteers and clients.
Love is the new mayor of Centerville FILE PHOTO
Teachers from Hugo Elementary and Oneka Elementary drove around neighborhoods in Hugo so they could see their students. Former Oneka Elementary Principal Teresa Dahlem even made an appearance.
It only took outgoing Centerville mayor Jeff Paar an hour to resign and his successor, D. Love, all of five minutes to take over the mayoral duties at the March 25 City Council meeting. Following his announcement March 11 that he planned to resign, Paar submitted his letter of resignation March 25. Rare-
ly at a loss for words, Paar quipped that his original letter was 30 pages long, but he was able to trim it down to two pages.
Funeral homes continue to support families through pandemic
Funeral services may look very different these days, but area funeral homes want the community to know that they are still there to help with the grief journey in any way they can. Press Publications talked to Muller-Bies Funeral Home and Bradshaw Funeral Home to see what it has been like to operate during the pandemic and how they are serving families.
In limbo in Lino: Couple plans wedding amid pandemic
June 20, 2020 is the date that Lino Lakes couple Andrew Zimmerman and Shannon Lessard are supposed to say “I do” in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Even though that date is fast approaching, the couple is still not sure if everything will go on as planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have been coping by planning as if it’s still on and trying to get as much done as we can while we are home; DIY projects, working on our playlist, picking out our ceremony and vows and so on,” Lessard explained. Zimmerman added, “The most stressful part is the inability to know if it’s still going to happen.”
Pet groomers working at a clip to catch up Interest in gardening flourishes
MAY
FILE PHOTO
Many dogs are long overdue for their spring grooming appointment before the summer heat hits. However, it may take a while to secure an appointment. Minnesota groomers were able to get back to work last week after being closed down amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that they are open, groomers have had make some changes to how their business operates. Press Publications interviewed Christa Weber (pictured), owner of Christa’s Paw Spa in Centerville, and Erin Hilton, one of three owners of Goldwood Kennels in White Bear Lake.
Due to the shelter-in-place lifestyle brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, both produce and interest are growing abundantly in Hugo area greenhouses. The uptick in interest has likely resulted from the unpredictable supply of basic commodities and food these days that has encouraged many to think about being more independent. At the same time, many people have found themselves with extra time on their hands to practice their gardening skills. And what could provide a cheerier antidote to the malaise of the past two months than being surrounded by flowers and fresh produce? Hugo greenhouse owners Jody and Frank Puleo of Lebens Flowers and Greenhouses and Steve Marier of the Hugo Feed Mill are ready with their produce to fulfill the newfound interest in gardening.
Cattle House plans move along
The Cattle House Grill is one step closer to becoming a reality after the April 23 Planning Commission meeting, held via videoconference. The commission unanimously agreed to recommend approval of the planned unit development (PUD), preliminary plat and site plan to the City Council for phase one of the development, which is located along Egg Lake across from Hugo City Hall.
The EDA was first presented with the concept for the family steakhouse in October 2019. The City Council approved a $1 purchase agreement in November 2019 with Hugo residents Tony and Michele Harmening for the city-owned property. The 5,700-square-foot steakhouse would be called the Cattle House Grill. The first phase of the project would be the restaurant; the second phase would include a 4,000-square-foot event center along with three retail/office spaces totaling 10,100 square feet.
3 moms, 3 journeys
As if motherhood was not a hard job already, throw in a pandemic. Press Publications set out to find three mothers from different communities and share what they are facing in these strange times. Although the three moms are around the same age, they all have very different stories to tell. One (Lauren Shegstad) is a stay-at-home mother of three, with a husband in the military; another (Christy Fletcher) is a kindergarten teacher and mother of two 4-year-old twins and a 6-year-old; and then there is an expectant mother (Nicole Bruley) who had to take a leave of absence from her job in the health care industry.
Car parade rolls by Good Life Hugo arsonist sentenced
Over a year ago, the Hugo Fire Department (HFD) responded to a structure fi re at a home on 141st Street N. in Hugo. Two fi refighters were injured, and the house was declared a total loss. Daniel Joe Lewandowski, 40, of New Richmond, Wisconsin, was convicted of felony fi rst-degree arson of a dwelling and sentenced to 95 months in prison. His court appearance fell during National Arson Week last month. He is required to pay a $50 fine and $1,000 in restitution.
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Editor’s note: The Citizen does not name victims of sexual assaults. The survivor will be referred to as “Jane.” May 8, 2015 will forever be the worst day of Jane’s life. That’s the day everything changed. The Citizen interviewed “Jane,” a survivor of sexual assault who bravely shared her experience and its aftermath and offered advice to others who may find themselves in a similar situation.
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Residents at Good Life Senior Living sat outside and watched the cars go by in a parade just for them. In addition to law enforcement vehicles, many unique cars drove by. Family members also made sure to drive by with signs for their loved one.
Although there will not be a State Fair this year, local vendors are trying to stay positive and come back bigger and better for 2021. This year would have marked the eighth year Lino Lakes residents Brendan and Melissa Szala have brought Pitchfork Sausage to the fair. When they fi rst heard the news that the big get-together would not happen this year, they were relieved.
2020 would have marked the 35th year that White Bear Township resident Brad Ribar has owned and operated the Corn Roast stand at the State Fair.
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12
THE CITIZEN
DECEMBER 31, 2020 www.readthecitizen.com
YEAR IN REVIEW
Watching the wheels
Sisters’ flower business budding
JULY
Two sisters have launched a new business to spur creativity and continue the legacy of their family farm. Taryn Menne, 33, and Renee Neeser, 30, grew up in Wyoming and remember spending a lot of time on their grandparents’ (Jerry and Dorothy Neeser) farm in Hugo, located at 15815 Elmcrest Ave. N. “We grew up working on the farm baling hay, gardening and enjoying the outdoors. Growing up, I had three horses that I kept on my grandparents’ farm, so I was there almost daily,” Neeser recalled, adding that she moved to the farm a few years ago. Last year, after Menne got married on the farm, the idea for the business was born.
Lions Park plans move ahead
FILE PHOTO
Mary Ecker waves to passing vehicles as a parade in honor of her 80th birthday rolls past her home in Withrow. The parade featured dozens of decorated vehicles.
AUGUST
Whether Lions Park should be a regional destination park and include a water feature were both discussed at length during the joint Parks, Recreation and Open Space Commission and City Council workshop last month. Landscape architect Candace Amberg, of WSB, has been updating the master plan that was designed for the park back in 2015 to make sure it aligns with the current commission’s vision and more accurately reflects what is going on around Lions Park. The
Beekeeping is the mother of invention for Hugo entrepreneur The lives of honeybees are miniscule and complex, but under Steve Woolstencroft’s magnifying lens, it’s easy to appreciate the elegant design of their mysterious lives. The lens is a product of Woolstencroft’s own design. It’s made of ABS plastic, the same material as LEGO building blocks, and was printed at home on Woolstencroft’s 3D printer. This lens (humorously titled ICBz) is just one of a range of products Woolstencroft has invented and created in his Hugo home workshop as part of his beekeeping business, Miss Bee Haven. Following his retirement from 38 years in manufacturing, Woolstencroft took up beekeeping as a hobby. After taking introductory classes through the University of Minnesota, Woolstencroft had a few ideas for improvements.
Sweet Infusion Bakery: Love put into every creation
Applecrest Orchards under new ownership
From the age of 3, Lino Lakes resident Chelle Schmidt could often be found in front of a television watching cooking shows. At the age of 10, she knew she wanted to own a bakery one day. Schmidt attended pastry school outside of Washington, D.C., and graduated in 2007 at the age of 19. For many years she worked for other companies, big and small, to learn everything she could before she decided to go out on her own. A little over a year ago, she launched her in-home business, Sweet Infusion Bakery. Schmidt specializes in wedding cakes and French pastries, but she also makes specialty cupcakes, cookies, cake pops and more.
While searching for property for his newly established business, Chris Ellis stumbled upon Applecrest Orchards and decided it would be perfect. Stillwater residents Chris Ellis and his wife, Shelli, purchased the property and business, located at 7306 24th Ave. N. in Hugo, in November 2019. In January, Chris launched AI Grow LLC, which develops control systems for greenhouse automation. Both businesses are full-time endeavors for Chris. He described Applecrest Orchards as the “family business” and AI Grow as the “office” or “day job.” Applecrest Orchards has one full-time employee, a few volunteers and, currently, an intern. AI Grow has six employees. Shelli is the creative director for the orchard, as her graphic design and photography skills have been put to good use. Applecrest Orchards has been around since 1985 and had a few different owners. The 10 1/2-acre property boasts about 1,400 trees surrounding an 1884 farmhouse. Chris and Shelli purchased the orchard from Dave Graetzer, who bought the property back in 2003.
BLM comes to Hugo
SUBMITTED
project estimate, including contingency and design fees, is $5 to $9 million. Some of the necessary road improvements and trail improvements would be included with the future Hugo Gardens development. Some of the big variables will include the park shelter size, playground, water feature and parking arrangement near City Hall.
Residents out and about the afternoon of Saturday, Aug. 15, likely noticed a heavy law enforcement presence around town. The presence of sheriff deputies and police officers was an effort to be prepared in case things got out of hand at the Black Lives Matter rally, scheduled for noon to 4 p.m. outside of the home of Minneapolis Police Federation President Bob Kroll. The group gathered in the Sears parking lot on Rice Street in St. Paul and traveled to Hugo.
Chelle Schmidt has started her own inhome bakery business in Lino Lakes.
Autumn elegance about their decision to keep their children home for distance learning or to send them to school for the hybrid model.
SEPTEMBER
1 week down
Hugo residents work toward hate-free community
Whether parents have elected to send their kids back to school for the hybrid model or keep them at home doing full-time distance learning, parents are seeking some additional resources to ensure that their children have a successful school year. Press Publications interviewed Centerville resident Sarah Olson, Circle Pines resident Erin Lange and White Bear Lake resident Mary Davis
Protest in Hugo: ‘Learning as we go’ After receiving hundreds of phone calls and many emails from all over the country, the City Council has taken a step “to be proactive” should another protest come to a Hugo neighborhood. The City Council unanimously voted to adopt a residential picketing ordinance at its Sept. 8 meeting. The new ordinance regulates targeted picketing in residential neighborhoods within the city. CenterLife Counseling offers a safe, confidential setting for individual, family, adolescent, child, and couples counseling. Our experienced, licensed professionals will serve you with compassion and understanding, using a strength-based focus. CenterLife Therapists understand the stress and anxiety created by COVID-19
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A family drops off their children at Hugo Elementary for in-person instruction. White Bear Lake Area Schools started the 2020-21 school year with families choosing between hybrid and distance learning models.
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Area photographer LeAnn Michael captured this shot, and many others, of a great blue heron in Lino Lakes, which is home to one of Minnesota’s largest great blue heron rookeries.
After the social media posts and comments started to spin out of control following the Aug. 15 Black Lives Matter protest in town, many Hugonians found themselves “disappointed” and “disheartened” and wanted their community to do better. Hugo resident Becky Magnuson recently established a Facebook group called, “Hugo Friendly Hangout: A Hate-Free Community Forum.” That’s when Hugo resident Amanda Carter decided to see if anyone else in the new group would want to meet up in person to share their experiences in a respectful dialogue. Carter posted in the group and received overwhelming support from people who wanted to attend. Hugo Diversity Strong has since had several meetings, both in person and in online. Group members also dedicated a Saturday to cleaning up one of the city’s well houses that has frequently been a target of graffiti.
DECEMBER 31, 2020
THE CITIZEN www.readthecitizen.com
13
YEAR IN REVIEW
Pumpkins: 3 decades in the making
OCTOBER
Lino Lakes resident Scott Wahoski has been growing pumpkins for three decades and counting. What originally started out as a traditional-size pumpkin has now grown into 140 pounds. Wahoski says he fi rst got the “garden bug” growing up, when his father had a garden in Roseville. Shortly after his oldest daughter, Heather, was born, he decided to start growing pumpkins. “I thought it would be fun to have her watch a pumpkin grow that she could then use at Halloween,” he recalled. Not only did their second daughter, Holly, get to enjoy the pumpkins over the years, but so did their neighbors and friends and — now — their grandchildren. “We are carrying on a family tradition,” Wahoski said.
Adelaide Landing park named
SUBMITTED
Scott and his wife, Lynn Wahoski, stand next to large pumpkins displayed outside of their home in Lino Lakes.
Following discussion at two Parks Commission meetings and two City Council meetings, the new park in the Adelaide Landing development officially has a name. The City Council unanimously voted Sept. 21 to name the new park Arcand Park in tribute to
Superintendent of the Year. Kazmierczak was selected for the honor by a panel of representatives from a variety of Minnesota education organizations. Nominees are evaluated on how each candidate demonstrates leadership for learning, communication skills, professionalism and community involvement. “It is quite an honor to have been nominated for this award by several of my White Bear Lake colleagues. It was a nice surprise when I was told about the nomination,” Kazmierczak said. He is in his fourth year as superintendent of the White Bear Lake Area School District.
NOVEMBER
Arthur Arcand, who once owned and farmed the land where Adelaide Landing is located. The item was originally on the council’s consent agenda for the Sept. 8 meeting, but action was delayed pending further discussion. Mayor Tom Weidt and Council Member Chuck Haas said they would both like to see the item go back to the Parks Commission for further discussion. The Parks Commission had recommended the new park be called Adelaide Landing Park.
Who is the best?
From best hamburger to best teacher, there are hundreds of winners and finalists named by readers as tops in their field in the 2020 Best of the Press Readers’ Choice special section. An article ran earlier this month stating 84% of newspaper readers vote in elections. Local voters also embraced the Best of the Press contest. More than 25,000 votes were cast by readers in five Best of the Press contests including White Bear Press, Vadnais Press, Quad Community Press, Shoreview Press and The Citizen, which may make these contests the largest in the region.
Marshall Hood, the father and the main prank instigator, said he took the video footage back in April and found out that both of his submissions will be aired Nov. 22. The show’s Executive Producer, Michele Nasraway, said that it doesn’t happen often that the show takes two videos from one family. “We rarely see the sink-sprayer prank work on two members of the same family. They must have had precision timing,” she said.
The ties that bind: Vets form strong bonds as firefighters
FILE PHOTO
Around 30 cars gathered at the St. Genevieve Parish Community Center for a drive-by parade to wish former Centerville Mayor Tom Wilharber a happy 80th birthday. Wilharber has given more than 40 years of service to the city. He has served as the city’s mayor as well as on the City Council, Planning and Zoning Commission and various committees. Wilharber is retired from the Minnesota Army National Guard.
Kazmierczak named Superintendent of the Year
The Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) has named Superintendent Wayne Kazmierczak, PhD, 2021 Minnesota
Three fi refighters on the Hugo Fire Department have a strong bond that goes beyond responding to medical emergencies and fi res. David Jensen, Jason Palmquist and Brian Kindelberger are all military veterans. Jensen served in the army and Palmquist and Kindelberger served in the Marines. Jensen said that camaraderie that grows between fi refighters grows even faster when those fi refighters are also veterans.
Hugo family to appear on America’s Funniest Home Videos
Laughter is the best medicine, perhaps now more than ever. Just ask the Hood family. The Hugo family recently received word that two of their submitted home videos will be showcased on “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” or AFV, on ABC.
SUBMITTED
The Hood family appeared on America’s Funniest Videos Nov. 22.
This Old Horse takes over Mel-O-Dee stables close down her day care to protect some vulnerable children. In August, she decided to reopen with a much smaller group (four children). 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.
DECEMBER
All 27 homes that are participating have decorations that revolve around a Christmas movie or song. Each home has a sign out front with a QR code that visitors can scan with their phones. That QR code will not only bring up a trivia question and a video clue as to what the theme is, but also a link to donate to the food shelf (hugofoodshelf.org/give).
Hugo Lions spread drive-thru holiday cheer
New concept proposed for downtown
SUBMITTED
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 organization’s lease began Dec. 1. This Old Horse plans ultimately to purchase the property. The Hugo site, called Phoenix Farms, is the organization’s 11th barn.
Hugo crafter busy this holiday season
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
The Cattle House Grill proposal for Egg Lake’s western shore is no more, but a new concept has been proposed. The City Council has approved a purchase agreement, subject to review by the city attorney and fi nancial adviser, for the city-owned property across Highway 61 from City Hall. Denny Trooien, of Dennis Properties LLC, would like to develop the property along the lake with uses such as a restaurant, retail and office. The Economic Development Authority (EDA) has agreed that the concept generally meets the development criteria the city has for the property and directed city staff to negotiate a purchase agreement for $1 with Mr. Trooien, which the council approved Dec. 7.
Adelaide Landing making memories this holiday season
One residential development in Hugo has really spruced up its holiday decorations — not only to spread the joy of the season, but to assist the local food shelf. Chris DuFresne, president of the Hugo Good Neighbors Food Shelf, is one of the masterminds behind the effort within Adelaide Landing, located north of 130th Street and immediately east of Hwy. 61 in Hugo.
FILE PHOTO
The Hugo Lions served up 133 dinners to seniors in two hours Dec. 8 at the Blacksmith Lounge, located at 17205 Forest Blvd. N., Hugo. Seniors, ages 65 and older, received chicken, potatoes, coleslaw and dessert. Seniors were not only greeted by Lions, but many Santas as well as a reindeer.
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DECEMBER 31, 2020
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Ann's AwesomeHousecleaning - 20 Yrs experience. Dependable, Trustworthy References Avail. Call or text 651-776-7834
Rentals/ Commercial EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY, all real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians; pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll free: 1-800-669-9777. The toll-free number for hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.
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THE CITIZEN www.readthecitizen.com
PARTLY CLOUDY Wed Dec. 30 24°/ 8°
PARTLY CLOUDY Thu Dec. 31 21°/ 6°
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PARTLY CLOUDY Sat Jan. 2 19°/ 11°
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PARTLY CLOUDY Sun Jan. 3 30°/ 22°
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PARTLY CLOUDY Mon Jan. 4 34°/ 25°
15
PARTLY CLOUDY Tue Jan. 5 31°/ 23°
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High: 24° | Low: 9° | %Sun: 44% | PCP: 0.23�
I recently wrote, despite our dry spell from early November to late December, I was still confident about my 70" snow prediction for the season. As you know we received between 5-6" of snow just before Christmas and the weather pattern has become very active. With any luck temperatures will still stay on the cold side for those who enjoy an array of outdoor activities. January is usually our best snow cover month for skiing, snowmobiling, snow shoeing...With winter being 1/3 over we have fared pretty well. The days are getting longer. Happy New Year.
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16
THE CITIZEN
DECEMBER 31, 2020 www.readthecitizen.com
Top 10 Baby names RANK GIRLS BOYS
1 Sophia Liam
2 Olivia Noah
3 Riley Jackson
4 Emma Aiden
5 Ava Elijah
6 Isabella Grayson
7 Aria Lucas
8 Aaliyah Oliver
9 Amelia Caden
10 Mia Mateo
Top 10 Most popular dogs names of 2020 1) Bella
2) Charlie
3) Luna
4) Lucy
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6) Bailey
7) Daisy
8) Cooper
9) Molly
10) Lola
Top 10 Most popular cat names of 2020 1) Luna
2) Bella
3) Oliver
4) Charlie
5) Lucy
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Keeping soldiers warm
Top 10 website stories 2020 - The Citizen 1. Local couple makes sustainable lifestyle easier 2. Another residential development coming to Hugo 3. Hugo store to showcase local, Minnesota vendors 4. Wild Wings of Oneka is dealing with pandemic, and is for sale 5. Centerville enacts emergency ordinances 6. Man sentenced in Hugo house fire 7. Zoey the toy poodle returns home after 18 months 8. Cattle House plans move along SUBMITTED
Oneka Elementary School fourth grade teacher Janet Dickinson helps pack up 98 fleece blankets students made for deployed soldiers. The blankets will be sent to Charlie Battery, 1-194 Field Artillery, deployed to Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan.
9. In limbo in Lino: Couple plans wedding amid pandemic 10. New mayor has ‘calming’ presence
Sudokus
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3 Fun Facts
1. The first letters of the months July through to November spell JASON. 2. The oldest word in the English language is ‘town.’ 3. ‘Bookkeeper’ and ‘bookkeeping’ are the only 2 words in the English language with three consecutive double letters.
and east 59. Bears important traffic 1. Central processing unit 60. Brooklyn hoopster 4. Military action 10. How electricity gets to train carriages (abbr.) CLUES DOWN 11. Unsafe 1. Presides 12. Of (French) 2. Artist’s tool 14. Autonomic nervous system 3. On a higher floor 15. Type of bean 4. Commercial 16. Accuse formally of a crime 5. Something to watch 18. Promote 6. Chased 22. Type of lava 7. Commercial producers 23. Meat from a deer 8. Keyboard instrument 24. Herbaceous plants 9. Blue grass state 26. Potato state 12. Phonograph recording 27. Helsinki neighborhood 13. Unusual 28. Sports officials 17. Popular average 30. Shout wildly 19. A native or inhabitant of 31. Reptile genus Asia 34. Frocks 20. N. Sweden river 36. Born of 21. Related on the mother’s side 37. N. Scandinavian indigenous 25. Mediator people 29. Partner of to 39. Poultry cage 31. Arm bones 40. Aquatic insect genus 32. Korean seafood dish 41. Of I 33. Tap of the foot 42. Ad __: tirelessly repetitive 35. Astronauts 48. Item 38. Carolina footballer 50. Produce 41. Indiana city 51. Seedless raisin 52. Bond in a third party’s 43. Of or relating to bears 44. Not widely known control 53. Legendary character __ Finn 45. Body part 46. At the peak 54. Space station 47. High-pitched cries of a cat 55. Note at the end of a letter 49. A way to intimidate 56. In a way, contradicted 58. Midway between northeast 56. Prosecutor 57. Atomic #66
DECEMBER 31, 2020
THE CITIZEN www.readthecitizen.com
17
Centerville property tax increase barely noticeable BY LORETTA HARDING CONTRIBUTING WRITER
CENTERVILLE — The increase in 2021 city property taxes won't force most Centerville residents to downsize their latte on even one visit to Bigbuck's Coffee next year. Because the city of Centerville in 2020 was determined to pay down its existing debt and at the same time avoid taking on any more debt, it has left the 2021 tax bill for its citizens virtually unchanged from last year. Additionally, the city has seen an increase of $2.9 million in new property value from Ruffridge Johnson and other new construction, resulting in a city tax increase of less than 1% for a majority of residential properties in the city. Although there have been some expenditure increases, taxpayers won't see much of an increase at all, Finance Director Bruce DeJong said during his presentation of the 2021 budget at the Dec. 9 regular Centerville City Council meeting. The bottom-line figures in the final 2021 budget of $2.7 million went unchanged from the preliminary budget proposed in September. Although expenditures of about $2.80 million are going up by almost $86,000, or 3.17% from 2020, the total tax levy is increasing by only 0.87% because of a decrease of $79,000 in the debt service levy, DeJong said. DeJong's comments came as council conducted its annual truth in taxation presentation and public hearing, as required by law for all cities with a population greater than 500. Afterward, council unanimously passed a resolution adopting the final budget and tax levies for 2021 with an approximate $23,700 increase (0.87%) in the total tax levy. Also included in the resolution is a cancellation of certain debt levies. The city has sufficient funds on hand to make payments.
What the new levy means for the average taxpayer is a $2 increase in the city's portion of the payable 2021 property tax. The median home value in 2020 of $263,250 is now $273,000 in 2021 — an increase of 3.70%. The estimated city taxes for that home in payable 2020 were $1,344, and in payable 2021 will be $1,345 and some change. This is an increase of about $2. Partly responsible for the slight increase in the levy is revenue the city usually counts on that wasn't available in 2020. The city lost some $6,000 in police aid, $2,000 in fines and forfeits, $20,000 in residential building permit revenue and $3,500 in pull tab revenues because bars were closed for much of the year. On the plus side, the city will receive $7,200 in rental revenues from M Health Fairview to keep its ambulances at the fire station. On the expenditure side, salaries will go up by $20,000, and fi re protection costs by $5,000. The city has reserved some $7,000 for insurance premiums with the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust and $50,000 for capital project contingencies. On the other hand, the city won't be spending $9,130 to hold three elections next year and will save $11,400 in police protection due to formula changes in the joint powers agreement (JPA). The city has built in a contingency of more than $50,000 for its capital projects, DeJong said. If not needed for capital projects, these funds can cover short-term drops in property tax payments if residents are unable to make their payments on time. The $50,000 would cover a delinquency rate of greater than 2%. Staff has not seen property tax collections drop below 97% in the city for more than 30 years of boom and bust cycles, DeJong said. DeJong also pointed out that the city is not highly dependent on Local Government Aid
JETS hockey training opens in Centerville
833-314-1217
CITY OF HUGO SUMMARY ORDINANCE 2020-502 ADOPTING THE 2021 CITY HUGO FEE SCHEDULE NOTICE: THIS PUBLISHED MATERIAL IS ONLY A SUMMARY OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES FOR THE CITY OF HUGO. THE FULL TEXT OF THE ORDINANCE IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION AT THE HUGO CITY HALL DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS. The City of Hugo City Council does ordain the following: Section 1. Findings. Pursuant to Minnesota Law, the City of Hugo City Code, and upon a review of a study conducted by City staff, a fee schedule for City services and licensing is hereby adopted for the following: 2021 FEE SCHEDULE Businesses Licenses Planning and Zoning Related Non-Business Licenses & Permits Publications Building Permits Public Works Related Building Related Roadway Reconstruction/Rehab Demolition Related Utility Related Development Fees Rentals Local Government Unit (LGU) Fees Miscellaneous Charges
NOTICE OF AERATION SYSTEM NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an aeration system is installed and running year-round in the following lake within the city of Hugo, Minnesota: $SSUR[LPDWH /RFDWLRQ GHJUHHV ¡ ¾ 1 GHJUHHV ¡ : The following land parcels border the lake and may be affected by this notice: 14.031.21.120.003 (aeration system located within this parcel) 11.031.21.330.001 11.031.21.340.001 11.031.21.310.001 14.031.21.220.001 11.031.21.430.001 14.031.21.210.002 Aeration may create open water and thin ice conditions along the eastern shore. Weather conditions may cause the open water and thin ice WR à XFWXDWH JUHDWO\ 8VH H[WUHPH FDXWLRQ WUDYHOLQJ DQ\ZKHUH RQ WKH ODNH
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Jimmy Jensen, shown here as a Knoxville, Tennesse player during his minor-league pro career.
Louisiana, Tennessee and New Jersey. He was assistant coach at Concordia University in Wisconsin and head coach in Junior A with Rum River (Wisconsin). Jensen stated that he enjoys staying in “game-ready hockey condition� by training players, and looks forward to having his four children there along with teammates in the Centennial program. Published two times in The Citizen on December 17 and 31, 2020.
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688935
Maplewood native Jimmy Jensen, who played college and professional hockey, has opened a hockey training center on Main Street in Centerville called JETS Machine Shop. His company, JETS LLC, Jensen explained, was named after his men’s hockey league nickname “Jimmy the Jet,� and is an acronym for Jensen’s Elite Training Services. His slogan is, “We build hockey machines.� “I bring a long and entertaining lifetime of experiences in the game,� Jensen said, “that I plan on spending the rest of my life sharing with the players who love the game as much as I do.� The former Hill-Murray player offers private sessions with a one-hour practice plan based on each player’s skill level and goals. The fi rst session is free. Sessions can last up to three hours, Jensen said. Players are
encouraged to stay and shoot 100 pucks, then move to workout rooms for strength and power building plyometrics; quick feet drills; hand-eye coordination exercises; and work on body weight, core and balance. Local teams may train in small, socially distant groups. Off-season muscle-building and in-season injury prevention workout plans are offered. Games such as air hockey and bubble hockey are available. There’s a players’ lounge with NHL Network and NHL video games. Jensen is available as a “guest coach� to attend teams’ practices and to develop a “custom practice plan� to address a team’s potential breakdowns. At Hill-Murray, Jensen played in the 1990 state tournament as a sophomore. He left to play juniors his senior year. In college, he played for Ferris State, Minnesota-Duluth and Wisconsin-River Falls. He played minor league pro hockey for five years in Texas, Minnesota, Utah,
CITY OF HUGO HUGO CITY COUNCIL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Hugo City Council has scheduled the Annual Goal Setting Session for Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. Pursuant to MN Statute 13D.021, the workshop will be held remotely via ZOOM. Please contact City Clerk Michele Lindau at 651-762-6315 if you are interested in attending. Michele Lindau, City Clerk Published one time in The Citizen on December 31, 2020.
Section 2. Effective Date of Ordinance. This ordinance shall be effective on January 1, 2021. This is a summary of the adopted ordinance. A full printed copy of the RUGLQDQFH LV DYDLODEOH DW &LW\ +DOO D IXOO OLVWLQJ RI WKH FLW\¡V IHHV LV DYDLODEOH RQ the City Web site. Passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Hugo this 21st day of December, 2020 Tom Weidt, Mayor Attest: Michele Lindau, City Clerk Published one time in The Citizen on December 31, 2020.
688937
BY BRUCE STRAND CONTRIBUTING WRITER
(LGA) from the state. LGA makes up only 2.7% of the city's total revenues. “Even a 20% decrease in this $75,626 aid represents only about a $15,000 revenue loss,� DeJong said. When the city pays its bills out of cash on hand, rather than through the bonding process, it saves money in the long run and can even stockpile cash for contingencies, DeJong noted. “This budget is responsible in both the long and short term,� he said.
18
THE CITIZEN
DECEMBER 31, 2020 www.readthecitizen.com
Hugo residents create special surprises for seniors BY SHANNON GRANHOLM LEAD EDITOR
for seniors.
Adopt a senior HUGO — Community members have stepped up to ensure that seniors (and their families) at Good Life Senior Living do not feel alone this holiday season. “It's COVID season, and my heart breaks for those who sit day in and day out without any visitors,” said Hugo resident Amy Kriegshauser. “I have worked in EMS for a long time, and I know that the seniors struggle the most, especially around the holidays.” Kriegshauser is a member of the Hugo Fire Department and a former firefighter/paramedic with the White Bear Lake Fire Department. She has been out of work for a year and a half, as she is recovering from breaking her leg on a fi re scene. Kriegshauser has a heart for giving. This is the fourth year she has chosen a cause and collected donations as a way to contribute to her community. “There are so many people willing to give, they just need someone to coordinate and put it together. I have really come to enjoy these endeavors, even when I bite off more than I can chew,” she explained. The first year, she collected board games for the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital. The second year, she collected fleece blankets and sent them around the world to children who have LCHAD (Longchain L-3 hydroxyacylCoA dehydrogenase deficiency). The third year, she collected items for nurses at Lakeview Hospital, and this year she chose to collect items
Kriegshauser lives blocks away from Good Life Senior Living and has participated in some of the drive-by parades on Highway 61. “I realized how something so simple could make the day of these residents,” she said. She reached out to Community Life Coordinator Sarah Cairns to see if they would be open to the adopt-a-senior concept, and they were on board. Kriegshauser reached out to fellow Hugonians on social media to see if there was enough interest in adopting all 32 residents for Christmas. “It didn't take long to see that not only would we be able to pull this off, it was going to be magical,” she said. Cairns said, “I’m amazed at the support we continuously get from the city of Hugo. It makes my heart so full to know the residents are so supported and loved.” Good Life staff got to work creating a list for what each senior might enjoy receiving. More than 60 families shopped for their assigned senior and bought items such as slippers, fuzzy socks, pajamas, clothing, sweets, word finds, puzzles and crafts. Lakeview Family Dentistry also donated gift bags for each senior. Multiple truckloads of gifts were dropped off on Dec. 23 and seniors opened them on Christmas Eve. “The willingness of people to help someone they've never even met is the epitome of public service,”
SHANNON GRANHOLM | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Above: Seniors at Good Life Senior LIving were in for some big surprises last week. Community members stepped up to not only surprise the residents with gifts, but also their families. Middle left: Amy Kriegshauser drops off the first of many car loads of gifts for the seniors. Thankfully, all of the gifts were dropped off before the blizzard. Middle right: Terri LaValle donated her time and materials to create 29 small pieces of wood and decals. Good Life Community Life Coordinator Sarah Cairns recorded a message from each of the recordings to a QR code, which she placed on the creations from the residents. The gifts were given to the residents’ families. Bottom: Marietta opens up presents on Christmas Eve.
Kriegshauser said. “I love that we live in a community of people who are happy to step up and help out.”
QR messages Cairns reached out to Hugonians on social media too, to see if anyone was willing to help her make gifts for residents to give to their families. Terri LaValle was one of the many who responded. “I was so happy to do it for them because it is something that I would treasure if I were one of their family members,” she said.
LaValle donated materials and her time to create 29 small pieces of wood and decals, which were then given to the residents to paint. Cairns recorded a message from each of the residents. LaValle then attached each of the recordings to a QR code, which she placed on the creations from the residents. “My husband died 17 years ago, and my son died 16 years ago. I never want to forget the sound of their voices. Every day in my head I kind of recreate their voices or try to listen
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to their voices in my head so never forget sound of their voice,” she said. “To me, the sound of somebody’s voice, especially after they are gone, is such a treasure.” Cairns added, “It brings tears to my eyes.
I know it will be special for the residents.” Lead Editor Shannon Granholm can be reached at 651-407-1227 or citizennews@presspubs.com.
Local Christmas tree disposal sites Holiday greenery adds joy in the darkest, coldest season. When the holidays are over, there are several local options to properly dispose of Christmas trees. The Minnesota DNR warns households to dispose of their tree properly to prevent the spread of invasive species from outside the state. Pests of concern include elongate hemlock scale, a small insect established in the eastern U.S. where many decorative Fraser fi rs are grown. Feeding damage from this invasive insect can cause the needles of hemlocks, fi rs, and spruces to yellow and prematurely drop. Also, boxwood blight and Oriental bittersweet, sometimes found on wreaths and centerpieces, can endanger native trees and other landscaping. More information on these threats can be
found at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) website at www. mda.state.mn.us/holidaygreenery. To protect the local environment, the State of Minnesota is asking residents to properly dispose of greenery and trees after the holiday season. The DNR has recommended the following guidelines: The best option is to use a curbside tree collection or bring to a designated drop-off site. Check with your waste hauler, city, or county to see what services are offered in your area. Do not toss trees and greenery into backyard woods or your residential compost pile which could allow hitchhiking pests to escape. Wreaths and other decorative greens can be disposed in trash cans. If your city or county does not have an organized pick-up or dropoff, the last resort would be to burn
the greens. Always check with local ordinances fi rst and follow them. If you suspect your greenery or tree may be infested with an invasive insect or disease, contact the MDA’s Arrest the Pest line at 1-888-545-6684 or arrest.the.pest@state.mn.us. See below for a list of tree drop-off sites in your area. These sites have varied hours of operation. Many are free to residents, but some charge a fee. Check ahead of time by visiting your county website or calling the collection site.
Washington County
Cottage Grove: Rumpca Companies, Inc., 9600 Glendenning Road - open to all residents, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 2 and Jan. 9. Cost is $3 per tree, which will be waived if a canned good is brought in for donation to the local food shelf. For more
information, call Rumpca Companies at 651-459-1556. Forest Lake: City of Forest Lake Public Works, 843 Fourth St. S.W. – open to Forest Lake residents only, 24-hour drop-off through Jan. 31. No charge. For more information, call Forest Lake Public Works at 651-464-3220. Oakdale: City of Oakdale Public Works, 1900 Hadley Ave. N. – open to Oakdale residents only, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, Dec. 26 through Jan. 31. Cost is $3 per tree. For more information, call Oakdale Public Works at 651-730-2740. Washington County: Northern Yard Waste Site, 5527 170th St. N. in Hugo – open to all residents, Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. No charge. For more information, call Washington County at 651-430-6655 or see co.washington.mn.us/yardwaste.
AND OUTDOORS DECEMBER 31, 2020
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19
Steffen is new Centennial mat coach, aided by former Cougar luminaries BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR
Centennial wrestling has a new fi rst-year head coach, Chase Steffen, who will be assisted by former Cougars, for the 2020-21 season due to start in mid-January. Steffen, an elementary physical education teacher at Forest Lake, wrestled for his father, Link Steffen, in a strong program at Zumbrota-Mazeppa, and was an assistant for him for two seasons, ending in 2016. About the program he’s joining, Steffen said, “I know Centennial has a rich history with great wrestlers.” One of them, former allstater Jack Bergeland, is
the Head Assistant, Steffen said. And Jack’s dad, Dr. Jack Bergeland, former head coach, has joined the staff. “We are lucky to have his experience to establish a culture of respect and building young men,” Steffen said. Also, Luke Breuning, another “excellent Centennial alumni,” has joined the staff to work with upper weights. “These guys truly love the sport and Centennial wrestling,” the new coach noted. John Bergeland was head coach until 2015, compiling a 278-130 record and seven state tournament trips. Steffen will be the fourth Cougar head coach since Bergeland stepped down.
The Cougars have been 21-48 the last three seasons. Steffen, who attended Minnesota State-Mankato, had a 46-26 record at Z-M in a career cut short by concussions plus a neck injury. As a senior, due to issues from previous concussions, he and his family decided that he should step away, except for one fi nal match. “I was able to wrestle one more match at team sections,” he said, “where we lost to Chatfield (the eventual state champion) by one point. That one still keeps me up at night! My dream was to wrestle in college, but I was unable to, due to injury.”
His dad was a state champion for Granite Falls and two-time college AllAmerican at Southwest Minnesota State University. His brother Caden wrestled for the Gophers and SMSU. “He has been my number one mentor and role model throughout my career,” Steffen said. “My brother Caden is a close second. I can only hope to have the same impact on kids and my dad had on my teammates and I.” Looking ahead to his fi rst season at Centennial, due to start practices on Jan. 4, he said, “We have a full squad of kids that want to win and have been putting in time in the wrestling room and weight room. Some
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Chase Steffen
challenges this year have been obvious, with COVID. I haven’t been able to see the wrestlers and get to building those relationships as we would in a normal year. Hopefully we can all stay healthy.”
Gallatin, Roed sign with colleges; families have long Bear hockey history BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR
Owen Gallatin and Lleyton Roed, members of two Hugo families who’ve been long intertwined in White Bear Lake hockey, recently signed with Division I teams. Roed, a forward, committed to Bemidji State. Gallatin, a defenseman, committed to Minnesota-Duluth. Both are seniors playing juniors hockey this year, Roed with Minnesota Magicians and Gallatin with Fargo Force. “They've been friends since they were about four years old. They won the Bantam AA state tournament together as Bears, played summer hockey together, and are best friends,” said Dan
Gallatin, Owen’s father. The boys started playing together in kindergarten. They last skated together in the winter in eighth grade when they led the Bantam AA team to the state title. Gallatin moved to the Bears varsity in ninth grade, then left home to play in the USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in Michigan as a sophomore and junior. Roed joined the Bear varsity as a sophomore and led the team in goals the past two seasons, totaling 38 in 55 games. “This is their time,” said Dan Gallatin. But he also made a chronology of the two families and all the members who played for the Bears.
“It is an interesting reflection on the deep history of WBL hockey and the family bonds created by it,” he said. The first two were Tony Roed (Lleyton's uncle), a goalie, who graduated in 1992, and Dan Gallatin, who graduated in 1993. Peter Roed (Lleyton's dad) and Randy Gallatin (Owen's uncle) graduated in 1995. Both played minor league pro hockey after high school. Peter, drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the second round, played a long stretch in Germany. Shawn Roed (Lleyton’s uncle), a 1997 WBL graduate, played for the Gophers for a semester and played minor league pro hockey. He also played on the first ever USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.
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Lleyton Roed
Owen Gallatin
Currently, Randy Gallatin’s son Grady is a Bear sophomore. Two sons of Peter Roed and one son of Shawn Roed play in the youth program. Randy Gallatin and Peter Roed each played in two state tournaments.
Randy Gallatin still plays in the annual U.S. Pond Hockey tournament on Lake Nokomis and his team has won it four times. Dan Gallatin, an attorney, plays in the Barristers Cup, a tournament for lawyers with four teams each year, and has won it the last two years.
Bears, Zephyrs teams slated to start practice Jan. 4 after governor’s decision
of school. Everyone must actively share the responsibility of reducing the spread of COVID-19 and keeping themselves and others safe and healthy.”
CENTENNIAL BASKETBALL Taylor McAulay is seeing action off the bench every game for the Drake University basketball team after missing most of her freshman year with an injury. The 5-11 guard from Centennial had four points in a 99-66 win over the Minnesota Gophers, eight points in an 85-67 loss to Iowa State, and five points in an 87-73 loss to South Dakota State. She is still a freshman in eligibility at the Division I school.
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Taylor McAulay
12.28.2020
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with great responsibility. It is critical that all students, coaches, directors and officials maintain the highest standard of health and safety, both in and outside
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White Bear Lake and Mahtomedi intend to start winter sports practices on Monday, Jan. 4, the date designated by Gov. Tim Walz last week in his Executive Order regarding the state’s response to COVID-19. Winter sports include basketball, hockey, wrestling, alpine skiing, nordic skiing, gymnastics, dance team and boys swimming and diving. “Currently we are scheduled to start with practices on January 4th. At this point there is no guidance on when we will be able to start competitions,” said Brian Peloquin, White Bear Lake activities director. “We are hopeful we will be able to begin on January 14th, which allows for the standard 10 days between the first practice and first competition per MSHSL bylaws. My biggest concern right now is that pools are closed. With Boys Swim and Dive scheduled to begin on January 4th, all high schools are currently without the ability to use their pool for practice.” Aaron Forsythe, Mahtomedi activities director, also confirmed: “We're starting
practices on January 4th, and will play games as soon as we're allowed to.” Gov. Walz’s original four-week shutdown of school sports, restaurants, fitness clubs, and other aspects of life, issued in November, was due to expire on Dec. 18. The governor updated his orders on Wednesday, Dec. 16. "This is a killer virus that we've learned much about and have a lot of tools to fight," Walz said, "but we've got a little left to fight." Among those eagerly awaiting his decree were high school athletes and coaches, whose seasons were already delayed by several weeks, and the Minnesota State High School League. The league announced later that day that winter sports may start practice Jan. 4 while the first date for competitions was not yet determined. Erich Martens, MSHSL executive director, stated: “While we recognize that our students, coaches and families are anxious to return to activities and athletics, the Jan. 4, 2021, date aligns well with many member schools’ calendars as they return from extended breaks. This opportunity to participate in athletics and activities also comes
Athlete
BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR
20
THE CITIZEN
DECEMBER 31, 2020 www.readthecitizen.com
Broadway dancer opens fitness studio in hometown Hugo
BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR
The bright lights of Broadway beckoned Samantha Zack of Hugo as soon as she graduated from high school, and the talented dancer spent 13 years in show business in New York City. Zack, 33, has been back home for a year now, and opened Full Circle Fitness this past July. She feels her life in dancing serves her well to help clients. “I’ve been dancing since I was 2, and dancers have the best body awareness in general,” she said. “I’ve been teaching kids to work on themselves since I was 13. Dancers are training in front of a mirror and look at each other all day long. I feel like we can look at someone and see if they have any injury or something is wrong. Any client that comes into my gym, we can do a fitness assessment.” Zack’s multiroom studios are located in her father Larry’s Fresh Paint Inc. building at 13497 Fenway Blvd. North. This new fitness center focuses on functional movement,
mobility, strength and flexibility training. Dance classes will soon be added. She started doing personal training in July. A ribbon-cutting scheduled for November was delayed by the state shut-down, but she remains open. Larkin Dance Studio, headed by Michelle Larkin, was the center of Zack’s world from preschool through high school at Hill-Murray, from which she left early each day to spend up to nine hours at the studio. Her school years consisted of year-round dance competitions. The Hill-Murray theater department asked her to join them, but she was too involved with Larkin. Zack earned an academic scholarship to Arizona State, but Michelle Larkin said, “Nope, you’re going to New York.” Zack happily complied. Michelle was “like a second mom” and her actual parents, Larry and Maggie, were on board as well. “My parents were fully supportive,” she said. “They treated it just like my older sister Alaina
going to her four years of college. It was as if I was at a college.” Within two weeks of arriving in the Big Apple, she was dancing behind Durand Durand at Radio City Music Hall. At age 19 she joined the cast of “Wicked” — succeeding on her sixth audition — and spent three-plus years with the production, alternating between Broadway and Los Angeles and touring other cities, performing 17 different roles. She toured with 30-some performers, including 18 dancers (nine male, nine female) in casts headed by first Megan Hilty and then Nicole Parker. Her resume includes two appearances on “Saturday Night Live” and one on Jimmy Fallon’s “The Tonight Show.” She also did a Snoop Dogg concert and appeared on NBC on “Spartan Ultimate Team Challenge” in 2017 with a team of five dancers. On “Saturday Night Live,” she danced in opening numbers behind hosts Jane Lynch and Kanye West. Asked if the dancers mixed with
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Samantha Zack dances with Tony Dovalani in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” in a role for which she was nominated for an Astaire award.
the famous SNL talent, she said that was the case, being in the studio for long days. “I got to know Jason Sudakis really well,” she said. “It’s a small world (show business), and we had mutual friends.” On Jimmy Fallon’s show, she danced in a group with Kevin Bacon for a revival of his hit movie, “Footloose,” and a Fallon skit called, “What Does the Fox Say?” Another highlight was spending a year and half in a revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” which starred Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame. “It was athletic, stylish dancing,” said Zack. She created the role of a character called Lily, working with a choreographer. For Lily, she was nominated for an Astaire Award for best female Broadway dancer in 2011. “I loved New York so much,” she reflects. She especially enjoyed dance and singing lessons, running along the Hudson River, and cast fellowships. She did some clubbing at first but “got that out of my system before I was 21.” More fun were the cast parties they referred to as the SNOBS Club (“Saturday Night On Broadway”) organized after the second show each Saturday night. Another fun activity was participating in Fantasy Football during
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Samantha Zack poses in the equipment room at Full Circle Fitness in Hugo.
the “How to Succeed” run. “We’d get there early before Sunday shows to watch football,” said Zack, adding that star Radcliffe, a native of England, was an avid participant. She left New York when the jobs for ensemble casts became harder to find; she got an opportunity to work for Equinox Sports Club in San Francisco. “They scouted me and offered a good job,” she said, so she switched coasts and careers, working as a fitness and dance instructor. She had been training young dancers since her teens, so that was no stretch.
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Zack spent a year and a half in San Francisco and loved the job but “never felt at home there,” and was robbed four times. Once she was riding a scooter and was sideswiped by a car, which knocked her off the scooter, and “then they drove my scooter away, too.” After all that, and breaking up with a boyfriend, she decided to head home in November 2019. She has been living with her parents while starting the new business, choosing the name “Full Circle Fitness” as a nod to her own return to her hometown and studio roots.
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