THE
967 S Lake St. | Forest Lake www.OttomeyerClinic.com
The pulse of Washington County
VOL. 03, NO. 44
Press Publications 4779 Bloom Avenue White Bear Lake, MN 55110
651.464.1113
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. #40 FOREST LAKE, MN
• Chiropractic • Physical Therapy • Medicine • Wellness
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
FOR POSTAL CUSTOMER
FOREST LAKE AREA HOME TOWN F R IE NDLY, WOR L D - C L A S S C A R E
Friday, August 14, 2015
WWW.READTHELOWDOWN.COM
TURN THE PAGE
Sidewalk sale? Right developer could buy Forest Lake land for $1. P4
Family bluegrass band leads to pro gigs for Wyoming siblings
Fond of the bond Survey: 59 percent support tax increase e for schools. P8
Photos by Paul Dols BY MICHELLE MIRON Editor
Cue the “Jaws” soundtrack Emerald ash borer raises its ugly, local head. P5
e rib c s sub
07.1 651.4
200
WYOMING — Teenagers Jake, Ben and Dulcie Ashworth come from a strong picker tradition. The Wyoming natives started their musical journeys as kids, getting pointers from their musician dad Paul as they took up their instruments of choice. Lessons at Forest Lake’s Music Connection followed, then they jammed as part of a family bluegrass and gospel band with their dad and some of their other five siblings. These days they’re part of an all-teen professional bluegrass band called Porcupine Creek along with three musicians they met on the Minnesota bluegrass circuit —
Duluth-based siblings Derek and Sarah Birkeland and Holger Olesen of Birchdale. Despite their geographic challenge, the members have played multiple gigs in northern Minnesota since forming three years ago, gaining a huge vote of confidence by winning the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association’s Race For A Place band competition in November. Last month Porcupine Creek released its first CD “Monster Trucks,” recorded during its live performance at a Duluth MBOTMA festival in March. Band members say the synthesis between the families has been fun and is worth preserving, even though the young mu-
sicians have a lot of other commitments during the school year. The younger Ashworth kids all attend Forest Lake Schools, while Jake graduated last spring and will now attend Bethel University. “The Ashworths and my family have gotten pretty close through the band,” noted 16-year-old Sarah Birkeland, who plays bass. “If this takes us to Nashville and a record label that would be awesome, but we’re not expecting that to happen. We’ll see where the road takes us.” Jake Ashworth, the band’s banjo player, was taught picking basics from his dad at around age 10 before moving on to study with local teach-
“Ask me about our Free $100.00 gas card!”
www.KathHVAC.com
SEE ASHWORTH | 10
A/C TUNE UP ONLY $89.99
651 484-3326 •
ers including Forest Lake’s Randy Gildersleeve. Soon after, he “picked up bass” and later achieved All State status via the FLAHS orchestra. “I started on banjo, then everything after just came a little bit easier,” he explained. of his musical progression. “I was able to figure out other instruments. We used to (jam as a family) quite a bit, then we kind of branched out into our own styles of music.” The Ranger baseball standout now plays guitar as well, and has earned a scholarship to the Bethel University Orchestra when he starts there this fall.
DOES NOT INCLUDE REFRIGERANT. PRESENT COUPON TO SERVICE TECH. EXP.8-31-15
•
www.KathElectric.com