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LOCAL LOVE: Shops offer sweet Valentine’s specials PAGE 2

Honey Bee Club gets buzzed for bees at annual fundraiser BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER STAFF WRITER

STILLWATER — The Honey Bee Club of Stillwater partnered with Lift Bridge Brewing for a second year to present its “Beer for Bees” fundraiser on Feb. 9. Among Lift Bridge’s original brews, there was a specially made honey-infused beer to sample, specifically to support research at the University of Minnesota’s Bee and Pollinator Research Lab. The Honey Bee Club is completely run by volunteers and relies on donations. “It works out pretty well if we get one food fundraiser a year to cover some of the expenses,” said Honey Bee Club Executive Director Elizabeth Welty. Lift Bridge has incorporated the event into their regular, once-aweek “Townie Tuesday” event, which supports other local businesses. The event encourages attendees to purchase Lift Bridge brews—for every bottle, $1 of the purchase goes toward the Honey Bee Club. However, “Beer for Bees” is also family-friendly, providing root beer for the younger crowd and presenting different educational and interpretive activities for children and adults alike. “They brew a root beer, they have a popcorn machine, you can order pizza, and with the taproom you can bring your children if they’re supervised, and having the root beer and popcorn makes that a little bit easier. We’ll have a hive set up displayed, several master gardeners, several master beekeepers,” Welty said. “It was pretty lively last year.” This marks the second year the club has hosted its fundraiser in conjunction with Lift Bridge. The Honey Bee Club has been around since Jan. 2013, and there are now 372 members. The Honey Bee Club plans to SEE HONEY BEE CLUB, PAGE 12

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

The Whistler Soda factory was packed with people eager to sample old-fashioned sodas and view the bottling line, with more than 3,000 visitors in six hours.

Whistler Soda tasting draws record crowd BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER STAFF WRITER

FOREST LAKE – On Saturday, Feb. 6, more than 3,000 people from the Forest Lake, the Twin Cities and beyond waited up to an hour in line for an open house and free soda tasting at Whistler Classic Soda, located just off Ninth Avenue SW. Owner Jesse Hopkins said that on a regular Saturday, the factory receives just around 100 guests. Saturday’s turnout was hugely unexpected, but a pleasant surprise. “It feels like a dream, it was just overwhelming,” Hopkins said. “I cannot believe the turnout.” The company’s unique, old-fashioned method of soda making means that batches are smaller, but there is more room for variety among flavors. Hopkins said the day started out with 38 flavors of soda available for purchase, with 30 flavors of samples. By the end of the day, Whistler had sold out of its new butterscotch root beer and caramelized pineapple flavors, as well as some of the classics: black cherry, cream soda and root beer.

“We did a thousand transactions, so that was a combination of cases and 8-packs, and with that most people had 2-4 other people with them,” Hopkins said. “So just by doing our counts, we’re estimating 3,000-3,500 people who came in a six-hour period. It’s just absolutely mind blowing.” The homemade Whistler sodas have gained popularity since the company started up in 2014, but renown for the soda has really been built in the St. Paul and Minneapolis area. Hopkins said that he is surprised how few people in Forest Lake know that there is a homemade soda factory practically in their backyard. “We’re pretty popular in Minneapolis, but it’s been difficult to get places in the Forest Lake area to carry the soda,” Hopkins said. “I’m hoping with added exposure we can get some hometown stores to cover it.” In addition to the free soda tasting, a raffle was held raise money for the Brad Engen Scholarship Fund, through the White Bear Lake Education Fund. The fund provides $1,000 to a graduating senior who attended Sunrise Middle

er t n i W “ als Specible!” Availa

School. The recipient must have a strong interest in history, in memory of Sunrise Middle School history and geography teacher Brad Engen, who died of brain cancer in 2014. Saturday’s event raffled off Whistler Soda T-shirts, North Star T-shirts, packs of soda, movie night baskets and some hand-crafted soda carriers to raise money for the scholarship. Hopkins had been a good friend of Engen, and said that one of his motivations in starting Whistler was in order to assist with the scholarship. However, since Whistler only started up in the last couple of years, Hopkins said that all of the business’s time and resources were absorbed by just starting up and keeping running. This year, Whistler’s success allowed it to finally contribute to the scholarship fund in the way Hopkins wanted. “One of the goals was to be able to find a way to help fund that scholarship in a huge way,” Hopkins said. “This is the first time we’ve actually been able to, and it will be a huge part of what we do in the future.” SEE WHISTLER SODA, PAGE 12

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Local businesses offer sweet specialties for Valentine’s Day

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BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER STAFF WRITER

In preparation for Valentine’s Day, the Lowdown visited local businesses to find employee’s picks for the best Valentine’s gifts. Here are their recommendations:

Daniela’s Chocolates, Forest Lake

St. Croix Chocolate Co., Marine on St. Croix

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The edible chocolate heart box can be filled with truffles of your choice as a two-in-one Valentine’s Day gift.

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JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Daniela’s special Valentine’s truffle packages include a mouthwatering variety.

Daniela’s Chocolates has been receiving a lot of attention lately for its delicious cup of hot chocolate, which owner Daniela Meneghetti calls the “love potion.” She said that one weekend, a busload of admirers pulled up on the curbside outside the tiny cottage-like business on Highway 61. Meneghetti reported that she filled approximately 375 cups of the extra-thick chocolate, complete with a tower of whipped cream. In addition to this romantic elixir, Daniela’s is also serving up special Valentine’s Day variety truffle packages, complete with a chocolate rose. Daniela’s Chocolates 145 Lake St. S., Forest Lake 651-464-4696

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

The edible chocolate heart box can be filled with truffles of your choice as a twoin-one Valentine’s Day gift.

The Marine store offers unique, edible heart-shaped boxes made completely out of shimmery, colorful chocolate. All of the chocolate is produced at a nearby site in Marine on St. Croix, and exhibits specialty flavors such as the spicy Mamacita, creamy honey whisky, chocolate infused with Earl Grey tea and a uniquely Italian lemon espresso flavor. St. Croix Chocolate Co. also offers wine tasting and a menu of woodfired pizzas for sale at the store. St. Croix Chocolate Co. 11 Judd St., Marine on St Croix 651-433-1400

Candyland, Stillwater

Forest Lake Floral Gift & Garden

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Candyland, located on Main Street in Stillwater, is decorated for the season.

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Empty LAFCO candleholders can be returned to Forest Lake Floral in exchange for a free floral arrangement valued at $20, such as the one pictured on the left.

In addition to offering its regular specialty arrangements, this year Forest Lake Floral is offering a special deal. The business is selling LAFCO candles, which are contained in hand-blown glass cases and burn for 100 hours. Once the candle is burned, you can freeze the hand-blown glass container to easily clean it out and return it to Forest Lake Floral for a refill and complimentary flower arrangement valued at $20. Forest Lake Floral Gift & Garden 508 Lake St. S., Forest Lake 651-464-2134

This old-fashioned candy shop offers sweets of every variety, including a deal that lets you fill your own custom box with as many different goodies as your sweetheart could possibly enjoy. Candyland also offers customizable, personalized boxes of candy or popcorn with the option to include a name, date or clip art photo or design of your choosing. Candyland 212 Main St. N., Stillwater 651-430-8004

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

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STICKS IN STILLWATER Former North Stars player Jim Boo signs a jersey for a major hockey fan at a Friday night meet and greet at the Water Street Inn. The event was part of the Sticks in Stillwater Festival, hosted by the Herb Brooks Foundation Feb. 5-7.

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Top 5 at PressPubs.com: Week of Jan. 31 – Feb. 6

Editor’s note: Visit www.presspubs.com to read the full versions of these most-visited stories

1. Blaine tattoo shop does ink differently. Quad Community Press > News 2. Former NHL players flock to Stillwater festival. Lowdown (SCV) > News 3. A different kind of fitness. White Bear Press > News 4. North to Alaska: Teacher using salvaged driftwood to build wilderness lodge. White Bear Press > News 5. Kowalski’s opening in Shoreview – hopefully before Thanksgiving (UPDATE). Shoreview Press > News

See Press Publications’ website www.presspubs.com for stories from the White Bear Press, The Citizen, Vadnais Heights Press, Shoreview Press, Quad Community Press, The Lowdown-Forest Lake Area and The Lowdown- St. Croix Valley Area.

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

District to start on-site health clinic for employees Tax time A cost-saving measure for Forest Lake Schools provides opportunity to help wildlife BY LORETTA HARDING CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Feb. 1 deadline for employers to send statements of last year’s earnings to employees means many people are starting their income tax returns now. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources would like to remind them of an opportunity to invest in the future of nongame wildlife. Line 21 of the Minnesota income tax form – marked by a loon – provides people with an opportunity to help more than 800 species of nongame wildlife, including threatened and endangered species. When taxpayers designate an amount they would like to donate to the Nongame Wildlife Program, their tax-deductible donations are matched 1:1 by state conservation license plate funds. The Nongame Wildlife Program receives no money from the state’s general fund for its efforts to support a wide range of animals that aren’t hunted – from eagles and loons to turtles and butterflies. It receives no funding from hunting and fishing license fees or sales taxes. It relies almost entirely on voluntary donations to support efforts. That work includes research to understand how creatures fit within functioning ecosystems, managing habitat, and assisting with recovery efforts for rare species. Over the program’s 39-year history, it has played an important role in the recovery of the bald eagle, trumpeter swan, eastern bluebird, peregrine falcon, and many more species. It also provides nature education, including such highly popular features as the DNR EagleCam, now in its fourth year of streaming live video from a Twin Cities bald eagle nest. “The Nongame Wildlife checkoff offers a rare opportunity to direct funding to something we all care about,” said DNR Nongame Wildlife Program Supervisor Carrol Henderson. “It’s an investment in a future where kids can still chase a frog or a snake through the grass, hear a loon at night or see a bald eagle – in person or on a webcam. ” For more information on the DNR Nongame Wildlife Program, its success stories and ways to volunteer and donate, visit the nongame page. From press release

The Forest Lake School District unanimously (by a vote of 6-0, with Board Member Jill Olson absent) awarded a Request For Proposal (RFP) contract to Fairview Clinics of Wyoming to provide a nurse practitioner for a half week at the high school. In October, the district advertised for proposals and in November received bids from six agencies to provide a medical professional for part of a week. The district seriously studied four of the bids because two prospects were based out of state, Board Member Dan Kieger said. The district conducted more extensive reviews in December and January with the four in-state providers, and all the committees involved in the search (Employee Benefits, Finance and Buildings & Grounds) wanted to proceed with Fairview, Kieger said. As low bidder, Fairview will provide a nurse practitioner for two days per week at an annual cost of $170,800 or three days per week at an annual cost of $201,100. Over the past several years, the district’s Employee Benefits Committee researched methods of reducing the district’s group medical insurance claims. One option was to offer employees an on-site health clinic. This service can potentially reduce the district’s group health insurance costs to avoid paying possible Cadillac Tax penalties expected in 2020. “Fairview will reduce group health premiums for the district and thereby reduce costs,” Kieger said. Kieger said that the clinic would likely be at the high school and could be up and running by next October or November. In other action, the board: Learned from Business Services Director Larry Martini that the district will be holding an open house on Thursday, March 31 from 6-7:30 p.m., at the Forest Lake High School Media Center for the community to see what’s shaping up with the facilities project that resulted from the successful bond passage. “It’s real exciting to show you what’s is upcoming,” he said. Planning is already under way, and the project is expected to last until 2020. Accepted 24 donations over the past month totaling $18,235.06 in cash and $3,430 in gifts. The Hallberg Family Foundation donated $5,000 to the hockey program; Linwood Elementary PTA donated $3,000 for Chromebook purchasing and Peter Bailey donated $1,000 to the Nordic Ski Team. Mary and Shann Benhardus donated violins to the high school Music Department and an anonymous donor gave $780 in holiday gifts for families in need of help during the holidays.

“There’s been a lot of support and a lot of parents and kids working pretty hard to raise that money, and we really appreciate it,” Board Chair Rob Raphael said. Approved School Board Member Reimbursement Guidelines Policy #103A with no changes recommended. The policy sets travel expense reimbursement guidelines for school board members. Approved Out-of-State Travel by School Board Members Policy #103B with no recommended changes. The policy controls out-of-state travel by school board members as required by law. Approved Drug-Free Workplace/Drug-Free School Policy #435, with changes. Approved New Policy #503: Enrollment of Nonresident Students. The purpose of this policy is to set application and exclusion procedures to be used by the district in determining non-resident status in the Enrollment Options Program. Discontinued Student Chemical Dependency Policy #526. The Policy Committee reviewed this policy, and recommended it be discontinued because its terms were already covered in the Drug-Free Workplace/Drug-Free School Policy #435, as well as Chemical Use and Abuse Policy #443. Approved Student Medication Policy #528 with an additional sentence: “All prescriptions must comply with both state and federal law.” The policy sets forth provisions to be followed when staff administers non-emergency and emergency prescription medication to students at school. Approved Computer Software Copyright Policy #611, with changes. This policy adheres to the provisions of copyright laws in the area of microcomputer programs. Approved Budget Reductions of $1 million for the 2016-17 school year. As in the past several years, when budget reductions were necessary, district administration reviewed enrollment, staffing and programs to make recommendations to the school board. The Administrative Council, which consists of all building principals and leadership administrators, will work through the 2016-17 program budget reduction process and present a recommendation to the board at the April 7 meeting. Conducted the first reading of Bullying Prohibition Policy #541, with no recommended changes. The policy must be reviewed annually. Conducted the first reading to consider discontinuing Summer School Attendance—Non-Resident Students Policy #521. Gave permission to request proposals (RFP) for Employee Group LTD and Life Insurance. The district is required to go out for proposals on group insurance every five years. The RFP’s will be advertised in the official newspaper and open for bidding on March 16. The board next meets at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 3 at the District Center, 6100-210th St. N.

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FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Icy antics

f I try to look at it from a more objective or outsider’s point of view, some of the wintertime activities of local residents, like voluntarily jumping into a hole in the ice or golfing with tennis balls, seem pretty unusual or even outrageous. It might be the natural human response to being cooped up indoors for long periods of time, or some inherited characteristics from the hearty people who first populated this northern climate, but in my opinion, these activities certainly help to add some memorable, entertaining highlights to what could otherwise be a long, cold slog through winter. Angle of In addition to the events that have been traditionally held on View White Bear Lake during the winter months — like the Polar Plunge benPaul Dols efit for the Special Olympics and the Bear’ly Open golf tournament on ice — The Art Shanty Projects have returned this year. To the uninitiated, The Art Shanty Projects could appear to be no more than a collection of ice fishing shacks sitting on a frozen lake. But for those who choose to visit them, they’ll find unique structures created by a variety of participants, including visual artists, musicians, composers, puppeteers, architects, poets, scientists, dancers/choreographers, writers, anglers, naturalists, vocalists, spoken word artists, craftspeople, storytellers, actors and playwrights, each with a specific theme. Because events ranging from sled dog demonstrations, snowshoe races and hot air balloon launches have been successfully held locally over the years, White Bear Lake is prepared to handle visitors and appears to be an ideal location for an additional event like the art shanties. Contrary to being at odds with each other, I even witnessed some crossover traffic between the Bear’ly Open and the Art Shanty Projects this past Saturday afternoon. Costumed golfers easily blended into the scene as they walked across the snow-covered ice to inspect the shanties while participants in the WBCA Sparkle Parade followed members of the Brass Messengers band along a path circling the temporary village on the ice. After spending some time on the ice, I visited a couple of my favorite spots in downtown White Bear Lake for coffee and a snack. The steady stream of traffic into local businesses I observed appears to suggest a direct link to the activities out on the lake. I spoke with a woman from Lakeville at the local Caribou Coffee shop who had just visited the Art Shanty Projects with her family. She said that she now intended to also explore other areas in and around White Bear Lake. A local restaurant manager observed an uptick in business in February, typically one of their slower months, when the Art Shanty Projects were on the lake back in 2014. We commonly hear about the impact of professional sports on the local economy, but now — in addition to the anecdotal evidence — there is a growing amount of statistical data showing how the arts also have a positive economic impact in the community. The Arts & Economic Prosperity IV study conducted by the nonprofit organization Americans for the Arts in 2015 provides compelling information about how a local organization, and specifically the White Bear Center for the Arts, not only enhances the quality of life but also acts as a significant economic engine. I’m glad that the Art Shanty Projects are back on White Bear Lake. I think the shanties provide local residents with the opportunity to check out a regional, and perhaps nationally recognized attraction in our own backyard while also providing the opportunity for visitors to the northeast metro to discover some of the additional attractions, character and charm that make this area such a desirable place to call home. Paul Dols is photojournalist/website editor for Press Publications. He can be reached at 651-407-1238 or photos@presspubs.com.

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Up to $271 million wasted on ineligible MNsure public enrollment

T

his week, the Minnesota House Health and Human Services Finance Committee held a hearing to discuss the latest problems surrounding our state’s version of Obamacare – MNsure. Recently, the nonpartisan Office of the Legislative Auditor conducted an audit on the eligibility determinations for public programs conductthrough the Legislator ed Department of Human Services Lingo and MNsure. Kathy Lohmer According to its report, between January and May of 2015 Minnesota spent between $115 million and $271 million on people who were either enrolled in the wrong public program or who shouldn’t have been on public programs in the fi rst place. The OLA report also noted

that in its sample cases, a 38 percent error rate was found for those enrolled in either Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare programs through MNsure, and of that 38 percent, three quarters were ineligible for any public program. It estimated that there are 80,902 to 132,140 people who were improperly enrolled in public programs through MNsure, and that proper eligibility determination could have saved as much as $271 million in just one quarter. Last session, I joined my colleagues in supporting an effort that would have done just that. The House approved an omnibus health and human services spending proposal that included public program eligibility verification legislation that was estimated to save our taxpayers $300 million. But the Dayton administration and Senate Democratic leadership did not share our enthusiasm for fi scal responsibility and the provision was ultimately dropped in conference committee

and did not become law. It’s clear this topic, and this legislation, needs to be revisited. If Minnesota is wasting up to $271 million in just a few months because state agencies cannot comprehend if an individual qualifies for a public program, then the legislature needs to take action. Improving government efficiency and protecting taxpayer dollars should never be a partisan issue, and I’m hopeful we can end this wasteful spending in 2016. As always, I am interested in your feedback. Please feel free to contact me by e-mail at Rep. Kathy.Lohmer@House.MN or contact my office at 651-296-4244. You can also send mail to my office address: 501 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155. Kathy Lohmer is District 39B Representative in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

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UP NORTH

Starving Children event. SENIOR DANCE Contact: 651-464-5502 When: 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21 Where: Forest Lake FAMILY VALENTINE’S THIRD TUESDAY NIGHT American Legion, 355 W. DAY CARD PARTY ADULT BOOK CLUB Broadway When: 12:30-2 p.m. When: 6:30-8 p.m. Details: Enjoy mature Saturday, Feb. 13 Tuesday, Feb. 16 music and comaraderie Where: Wyoming Area Where: Hardwood at the dance, held the 3rd Geise Memorial Library, Creek Library, 19955 Friday of every month. 26855 Forest Blvd., Forest Road N., Forest $6/person includes Wyoming Lake Details: Free event for Details: Title selected lunch. Cash bar. Public kids of all ages to make is ‘The Rosie Project’, by welcome. Contact: 651-464-2600 fun Valentine’s Day Graeme Simsion. Read cards. No registration the book and join the required. discussion. No advance MN FIREARM SAFETY Contact: 651-462-9001 sign-up necessary. COURSE FOR YOUTH Contact: 651-275-7300 When: 6-8:30 p.m. Feb. 22, 23, 25 & 26 & 9-11 a.m. GADGET GURU Saturday, Feb. 27 When: 1- 2:30 p.m. MAN UP AND READ Where: Forest Lake BOOK CLUB every other Saturday Sportsman’s Club, 4648 through March, When: 6:30-8 p.m. 240th St. including Feb. 13 & 27 Wednesday, Feb. 17 Details: Youth ages 11 Where: Hardwood Where: Hardwood & up can learn fi rearm Creek Library, 19955 Creek Library, 19955 safety and receive Forest Road N., Forest Forest Road N., Forest certification from Lake Lake Details: Do you have Details: Title selected the Minnesota DNR. Students must attend a gizmo or gadget that is the fi rst half of all sessions; parents you just can’t grasp? ‘Truman’, by David required to attend the Hardwood Creek G. McCullough. Read sessions on Monday and Library’s Gadget the book and join the Saturday. Registration Guru can help with a discussion. No advance $7.50, plus $7.50 to challenging gizmo or sign-up necessary. receive certification. gadget. Drop in or sign up Contact: 651-275-7300 Contact: forestlake. for a 15 to 30 minute help ce.feepay.com session. Opening Reception: Contact: 651-275-7300 ‘Impressions in Nature’s Elements’ ‘MUSIC MASHUP’ When: 5:30-8:30 p.m. WYOMING ELEMENTARY WILDLIFE SCIENCE Thursday, Feb. 18 SCHOOL CARNIVAL CENTER WINTER Where: Hallberg FESTIVAL When: 5-8 p.m. Friday, Center for the Arts, 5521 Feb. 26 When: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. E. Viking Blvd., Wyoming Where: Wyoming Saturday, Feb. 13 Details: Collaborative Elementary School, 25701 Where: Wildlife exhibit expressing Forest Blvd. N. Science Center, 5463 creativity in stone, glass, Details: Silent auction, W. Broadway Ave., wood, metal, clay and raffle, carnival games, Columbus other earthly materials. prizes, crazy hair, Details: Dog sledding Contact: inflatables, junk food demonstrations, games wyomingcreativearts.org walk, food and more. for kids, campfi res, and Contact: wyomingpta. WSC’s animals. Dogs on leashes welcome.$10/ THIRD THURSDAY NIGHT org adults; $7/kids. ADULT BOOK CLUB Contact: 651-464-3993 When: 6:30-8 p.m. LEGO MANIA or wildlifesciencecenter. Thursday, Feb. 18 When: 1:30-3 p.m. org Where: Hardwood Saturday, Feb. 27 Creek Library, 19955 Where: Hardwood Forest Road N., Forest Creek Library, 19955 FAMILY VALENTINE’S Lake Forest Blvd., Forest Lake DAY CARD PARTY Details: Title selected Details: Lego build-aWhen: 12:30-2 p.m. is ‘The Cuckoo’s Calling’, thon for kids ages 6 and Saturday, Feb. 13 up. Free. Where: Wyoming Area by Robert Galbraith. Contact: 651-731-1320 Geise Memorial Library, Read the book and join the discussion. or co.washington.mn.us/ 26855 Forest Blvd., No advance sign-up library Wyoming Details: Free event for necessary. Contact: 651-275-7300 kids of all ages to make AARP TAXAIDE fun Valentine’s Day When: 9 a.m. to 2 cards. No registration p.m. Tuesdays and WYOMING LIBRARY required. THURSDAY EVENING Wednesdays, Feb. 1 to Contact: 651-462-9001 BOOK CLUB April 15 When: 7 p.m. Thursday, Where: Forest Hills Methodist Church, 1790 VALENTINE’S WEEKEND Feb. 18 COMEDY SHOW Where: Wyoming Area 11th St. SE, Forest Lake Details: Free tax Geise Memorial Library, When: 7:30 p.m. preparation for seniors 26855 Forest Blvd., Saturday, Feb. 13 and low-income residents Where: Running Aces Wyoming on a fi rst-come, fi rstDetails: Read ‘The Harness Park “Laugh served basis. Bring a Spirit Catches You Your Ace Off Comedy photo ID, Social Security and You Fall Down’ Club”, 15201 Zurich St., card and income, expense by Anne Fadiman and Forest Lake and health insurance join the discussion. No Details: Mark Poolos documents (if obtained registration required. headlines the show, through Mnsure). Contact: 651-462-9001 featuring Mario Hillman Contact: aarp.org/ and hosted by Jodie money/taxes/aarp_ Maruska. Tickets $15 in HARDWOOD CREEK advance, $18 day of show. COMMUNITY ART SHOW taxaide Contact: 651-925-4600 ARTIST RECEPTION or runaces.com When: 2-4 p.m. DEMENTIA SUPPORT GROUP Saturday, Feb. 20 Where: Hardwood FINE ART SALE When: 10 a.m. Creek Library, 19955 Saturday, Feb. 16 and the When: 8 a.m.-noon Forest Blvd., Forest Lake third Saturday of every Sunday, Feb. 14 & 21 Details: Meet the month Where: Hosanna artists who have artwork Where: Cherrywood Lutheran Church, 9300 Pointe, 231 W. Broadway, Scandia Trail N., Forest on display during the month of February. Forest Lake Lake Contact: 651-731-1320 Details: Receive Details: Proceeds or co.washington.mn.us/ information, ask benefit an upcoming library questions, and receive multi-faith Feed My

SUBMITTEDD

Forest Lake Rotary Club Winter Plunge WHEN:

DETAILS:

CONTACT:

Noon Saturday, Feb. 20

Plungers jump into Forest Lake and raise money for local organizations. Participants must be 10 years or older and raise $75 in pledges.

winterplunge. kintera.org

WHERE: Lakeside Park, Forest Lake

support from others facing the same issues. Caregivers welcome. Contact: 651-464-2709

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME

When: 10:30-11 a.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays Where: Hardwood Creek Library, 19955 Forest Rd. N., Forest Lake Details: Children preschool through kindergarten age and caregivers hear stories, sing songs, and watch fi nger plays to encourage early literacy skills. Contact: 651-275-7300\

OUT EAST AUTHORS AFTER HOURS

When: 6:45 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12 Where: Daily Grind, 217 N. Main St., Stillwater Details: Beth Dooley, author of ‘The Minnesota Table: Recipes for Savoring Local Food Throughout the Year’ will discuss her work and take questions. $5 fee includes free beverage. Reservation required. Contact: 651-430-3385

SWEETHEART XC NIGHT SKI AND CANDLELIGHT HIKE

When: 6-9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12 Where: Lake Elmo Park Reserve Nordic Center, 1515 Keats Ave. N., Lake Elmo Details: 5.5 miles of LED lit ski trails, 2.5 mile candlelight snowshoeing and hiking on the Big Bluestem Trail. Free cocoa, coffee and cookies, bonfi re, live music by Chris and Jack duo 6:30-8:30. Ski pass ($6/ day) and vehicle permit ($5/day) required. Ski equipment not provided.

Contact: 651-430-8370 or snowshoe hike, kicksled co.washington.mn.us on Terrapin Lake, play games on ice and enjoy Lenten Fish Fry hot cocoa and s’mores When: 5-7 p.m. Fridays, around a fi re. $5/adults; Feb. 12 through March 27 $3/children 3-12; 2 and Where: Stillwater VFW under free. Pay at the Post 323, 5880 Omaha door. Ave. N., Stillwater Contact: 651-433-2427 Details: $10/adults; $6/ x 10 children 6-12; 5 and under free. VALENTINE’S DAY Contact: 651-430-1166 BRUNCH When: 9 a.m.-noon, Sunday, Feb. 14 BUNNY BUDDIES Where: Stillwater Elks When: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 Lodge #179, 5880 Omaha p.m. The 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month, Ave. N., Oak Park Heights Details: Breakfast including Saturday, Feb. casseroles, pancakes and 13 more. $10/adults; $5/ Where: Stillwater Library, storytime room, children. Contact: 651-439-5276 224 Third St. N. Details: Young readers can read aloud to a STILLWATER NAPAC therapy bunny. Sign up at FAMILY PRESENTATION registration desk. When: 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Contact: 651-275-4338 or Feb. 14 stillwaterlibrary.org Where: Stillwater Public Library, 224 3rd St. N. CONNECT THE DOTS Details: Families When: 10 a.m.-noon interested in learning Saturday, Feb. 13 more about Native Where: Community Thread, 2300 Orleans St. American culture can will hear from W., Stillwater Sharon Lennartson, Details: Communitywide event for volunteers Chairwoman of the Mendota Mdewakanton of all ages, especially Tribal Community. Free. families, to teach the Contact: 651-430-9071 value of volunteerism to children and assemble supplies for local nonSECOND SUNDAY profits. Stop by for a few SUPPER minutes of the whole When: 5 p.m. Sunday, time. No registration Feb. 14 necessary. Supervision Where: Bethlehem required for children 12 Lutheran Church, 490 4th and under. St., Bayport Contact: 651-439-7434 or Details: Free. communitythreadmn.org community meal includes Turkey chili, breadsticks and dessert. All are WINTER BLIZZARD welcome. BLAST Contact: When: 1-5 p.m. bethlehemstar.org Saturday, Feb. 13 Where: Warner Nature Center, 15375 Norell Ave. N., Marine on St. Croix Details: Families can explore forest and prairies on a guided

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x111 or stillwaterlibrary. org

SNOWSHOE LESSONS

When: 1-2:15 p.m. and 2:30-3:45 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21 Where: Lake Elmo Park Reserve, 1515 Keats Ave. N., Lake Elmo Details: Experience snowshoeing, led by a naturalist from Warner Nature Center. $5/ person for each lesson. Must be 9 years or older. Registration required. Contact: 651-430-8370

POWER OF THE PURSE

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Paint the Town Red WHEN: When: Saturday, Feb. 13

WHERE: Downtown Stillwater

CONVERSATIONS OF THE VALLEY

When: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17 Where: The Grand Banquet Center, 301 S. 2nd St., Stillwater Details: Todd Streeter presents on the topic, ‘Change-Friend or Foe? That Depends on your Spectrum in Life’. $17 includes lunch and program, and must be paid in advance. Part of the public affairs luncheon series sponsored by the St. Croix Valley Foundation. Contact: scvfoundation.org/ conversations-of-thevalley

LUNCH ‘N LEARN WEBINAR

When: 12-12:40 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17 Details: McKenzie Maiers, Physical Therapist, discusses strategies to prevent running injuries including key exercises, training, footwear, and running mechanics. Register online. Contact: www. healthpartnerslocalcare. org

MOVING TARGET MYSTERY BOOK CLUB

When: 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17 Where: Stillwater Public Library, 224 Third St. N. Details: Group members read individual titles of their choice based on the theme, setting, or topic selected by the group at the end of each meeting. All mystery enthusiasts welcome. Contact: 651-275-4338 or stillwaterlibrary.org

ULTIMATE GIRL’S NIGHT OUT When: 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18 and every third Thursday of

DETAILS: Shops, restaurants and attractions offer specials all weekend. Free carriage rides

the month Where: Afton House Inn, 3291 St. Croix Trail S., Afton Details: Wine Tasting at Swirl Wine Bar, halfprice appetizers, unique jewelry and accessories from area artisans. Contact: 651-436-8883 or aftonhouseinn.com

MARDI GRAS PARTY

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19 Where: The Loft at Studio J, 214 Main St., Stillwater Details: Event includes bourbon tasting, food and drinks, silent auction, live music and dancing, and photo booth. Supports Youth Advantage, a non-profit organization helping local children who need financial help participate in sports, music, theater, fi ne arts, dance and other activities. $60/person by Feb. 14; $75 after and at the door. Contact: youthadvantage.org

along the river 4-8 p.m.; meet near the Dock Cafe on Nelson St.

CONTACT: 651-342-1386

members. Ages 3+. Contact: 651-433-2427 x 10

HOPE RESTORED

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20 Where: Trinity Lutheran Church, 114 Fourth St. N., Stillwater Details: Performance titled ‘The Agony and the Ecstasy-from Darkness into Light’ features the area’s finest instrumentalists along with the choir. Contact: 651430-0124 or www. valleychamberchorale. org

BAYPORT FIRE DANCE

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20 Where: Fraternal Order of Eagles 94, 13523 60th St. N., Stillwater Details: Party, cash bar, prizes, raffle and entertainment by Stellar Sounds DJ, to support the Bayport fi re department. All are welcome. Contact: bayportfd.org

BRINE’S FROZEN BOCCE KNIGHTS OF BALL TOURNAMENT COLUMBUS BENEFIT BREAKFAST When: 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 20 Where: Parking lot behind Brine’s, 219 Main St. S., Stillwater Details: 23rd Annual bocce tournament. Contact: brinesstillwater.com

OWL & SNOWSHOE

When: 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20 Where: Warner Nature Center, 15375 Norell Ave. N., Marine on St. Croix Details: Meet resident Barred and Eastern Screech owls before heading out on a snowshoe hike and calling to the owls. $8/ WNC friends and SMM members; $10 non-

When: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21 Where: KC Hall, 1910 S. Greeley St., Stillwater Details: Breakfast event benefits St. Mary’s and St. Michael’s Faith Formation Program. Adults $8; children 5-12 $4; 5 and under free. Public welcome. Bring item for food shelf. Contact: 651-430-3274

being in a state of active, open attention on the present can reduce anxiety, increase focus and improve relationships with yourself and people around you. $40 for the series. Contact: 651-429-8544 or nyfs.org

SOLAR POWER HOUR PRESENTATION

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16 Where: White Bear Lake City Hall, 4701 Highway 61 Details: Discover the benefits of solar energy for your business, home or farm. One-hour presentation discusses solar market trends, describes the basic components of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system, outlines the evaluation process for installing solar PV, and introduces incentive options and economic benefits. Contact: whitebearlake.org

When: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27 Where: Prom Center, 484 Inwood Ave., Oakdale Details: Family Means’ 8th Annual fundraiser features keynote speaker Laura Sobiech, author of ‘Fly a Little Higher’, a book about her son Zach’s ordeal with bone cancer. Event includes brunch and silent auction of purses, handbags, totes and wallets. Tickets $48. ‘WHAT NEXT Contact: familymeans. AFTER UN CLIMATE org NEGOTIATIONS IN

PARIS?’

NEIGHBORHOODS NEARBY PHEASANTS ON ICE

When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13; registration at 8:30 a.m. Where: Lake George, 3100 217th Ave. NW, Oak Grove Details: 1st Annual ice fishing derby hosted by Anoka County Pheasants Forever. Prizes guaranteed to 40th place. Tickets $25/ adults, $10 kids 12 and under. Contact: anokapf.org or jwnewps@gmail.com

NIGHT MOVES

When: 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 13 Where: Wild Mountain, 37200 Wild Mtn Rd., Taylors Falls Details: Late Night ski/ride sessions until 1 a.m. Lift tickets $16, all ages. Contact: 651-465-6365 or wildmountain.com

FRIENDS AND FAMILY FUN DAYS

When: 10:30 a.m.-close Monday, Feb. 15 Where: Wild Mountain, 37200 Wild Mtn Rd., Taylors Falls Details: Free ‘never-ending’ ski and snowboard lessons with a lift ticket. Join lesson any time between 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Contact: 651-465-6365 or wildmountain.com

TEXTILE CENTER CLASS

When: 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21 Where: Stillwater Library, Details: Adults can learn to knit a fashionable cuff. Registration required. Contact: 651-275-4338

THE LOWDOWN

MINDFULNESS CLASS

When: 6-7 p.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 16-Mar. 8 Where: Northeast Youth & Family Services, 1280 North Birch Lake Blvd., White Bear Lake Details: Learn how

When: 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17 Where: White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church, 328 Maple St., Mahtomedi Details: Speaker J. Drake Hamilton , a participant in the Paris climate negotiations, will discuss conference results and U.S. Strategies to meet goals for carbon reductions, including the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. Contact: whitebearunitarian.org

GLITZ & GLAM LADIES NIGHT OUT

When: 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18 Where: meet at ReUse ReStyle, 4748 Washington Ave., White Bear Lake Details: Night of shopping, samples, and drinks. After-party at 8 p.m. at Rudy’s Redeye Grill. Contact: downtown whitebearlake.com

MINNESOTA HOME & PATIO SHOW

When: 2-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18; noon8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20; and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21 Where: Saint Paul RiverCentre Details: Nearly 300 local and national exhibitors offer creative solutions for all home project needs, both inside and outside the home. Admission $9/ adults; $5/seniors and military; $2.50 children 6-12; 5 and under free. Contact” 763-755-8111 or homeandpatioshow. com

FINANCIAL LITERACY WORKSHOP

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When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18 Where: Washington County Workforce Center, 2150 Radio Dr., Woodbury Details: Learn about budgeting, credit management, and debt reduction. Registration required. Contact: 651-603-5881 or mn.gov/deed/jobseekers

TASTE OF SHOREVIEW

When: 5-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18 Where: Shoreview Community Center, 4580 Victoria St. N. Details: 6th Annual Fundraiser kicks off the 2016 Slice of Shoreview events. Evening includes sampling of food from Shoreview area restaurants, wine tasting, raffles, live auction and more. Advance tickets $20 or $35 for two; $25 each or $40 for two at the door. Contact: sliceofshoreview.com

3RD ANNUAL COMMUNITY SNOWSHOE, SIP AND SAMPLE

When: 7-10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19 Where: Oakdale Discovery Center, 4444 Hadley Ave. N., Oakdale Details: Luminarylit trail, bonfi re, food, beer and wine sampling, vintage board games. $34/person, snowshoes included. Contact: oakdalefun. com

ST. CROIX PIANO TRIO

When: 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21 Where: The Phipps Center for the Arts, 109 Locust St., Hudson Contact: 715-386-8409 or thephipps.org

WHAT’S HAPPENING GUIDELINES Anyone in the community may send us news of an upcoming local event. The calendar is reserved for secular community events in or adjacent to Press Publication’s coverage area. Priority is given to free or affordable events that are likely to appeal to a broad audience. Due to space limitations, there is no guarantee whether, when or for how long submissions will be published. Submissions are subject to editing. Please include date, time, location, cost, brief details, and contact information for each event submission. Submission deadline is Wednesday prior to the following weeks’ publication. Call 651-407-1226 with questions. Email: calendar@ presspubs.com Mail: Press Publications Attn: Calendar 4779 Bloom Ave. White Bear Lake, MN 55110

SPORTS AND OUTDOORS

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

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9

Forest Lake alpine advances to state

TLC DIGITAL | IMAGES SUBMITTED

Forest Lake seniors Patrick Kasl and Payton Zeidler signed letters of intent Wednesday morning to play with the University of Wisconsin and Winona State, respectively.

Local students sign to college teams on National Letter of Intent day

Last week, high school seniors across the nation signed letters of intent to participate in Division I and Division II athletic teams at their chosen universities. Locally, these students included Stillwater senior Zach Kelly-Delhorme and Forest Lake seniors Patrick Kasl and Payton Zeidler. Kelly-Delhorme, who plays as a defensive lineman, has signed on to the Division II team at Southwest Minnesota State University. Kasl, an offensive linebacker, signed with the University

SUBMITTED

(From left to right) Top row: Marty Longsdorf, Coach Sarah Ellefson, Elli Rodsjo; Middle row: Nate Patterson, Joe Alberg, Max Stangler, Coach Grant Lindemer; Bottom row: Mitchell Longsdorf, Zach Ochsenbauer, Michael Ochsenbauer

of Wisconsin (Division I), and Zeidler, a quarterback, signed with Winona State University (Division II). The NLI is a voluntary agreement between a student athlete and a National Letter of Intent member institution that ensures that the student will play for the team for one academic year and in return receive athletic financial aid during that time. Feb. 3 was just the first day to sign; the signing period for football lasts until April 1.

Rangers break three varsity records at state swim meet second place finish at the True Team State Meet. Other top finishers in each event included:

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a time of 1:58.72 with a 6th place finish at the True Team State Meet, and Ben Chatwin set the new varsity record in the 50 Freestyle with a time of :21.46 with a

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Ben Chatwin on the blocks before his 50 freestyle record-breaking race.

Wyatt Thompson - 10th place in the 200 Freestyle Christian Rictchot - 16th Place in1 meter diving Ben Chatwin - 6th Place in the 100 Butterfly Brad Youngquist - 18th Place in the 100 Freestyle Wyatt Thompson - 7th Place in the 500 Freestyle Connor Klein, Journey Roberge, Grant Maxfield, and Brad Youngquist- 9th place in the 200 Freestyle Relay Duncan Johnson - 9th place in the100 Backstroke Matt Clayton - 11th place in the 100 Breast Stroke Duncan Johnson, Brad Youngquist, Wyatt Thompson, and Ben Chatwin - 5th Place in the 400 Freestyle Relay

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The Forest Lake Rangers finished 7th out of 12 at the True Team State Meet on Jan. 23. According to Head Coach Joe Mau, almost every swimmer showed individual time drops, and three varsity records were broken. “The boys really swam and dove well on the biggest of stages, and Dick, Bob, and I can’t be more proud of their hard work and accomplishments they continue to post this season,” Mau said. He extended special congratulations to the new Forest Lake Ranger Varsity Record Holders. New records include the 200 Medley Relay Team of Duncan Johnson, Matt Clayton, Ben Chatwin and Wyatt Thompson for their 1:38.77 performance and third place at the True Team State Meet. Duncan Johnson set the new varsity record in the 200 I.M. with

FOREST LAKE – The Forest Lake Boys Alpine team will be going to state after the earned second place at the Section 7 Championship on Feb. 2. The meet took place at Giants Ridge in Biwabik, Minnesota. This is the third year in a row that the boys team has qualified for state. In addition to the team victory, junior Elli Rodsjo finished in the top ten and advanced to state as an individual. The weather and hill conditions were ideal for the meet. There were 22 teams competing, with 122 boys team skiiers, and 118 girls. Forest Lake Boys took second with 412 points—edging out Stillwater by only three points. Hermantown placed first with 440 points total. Senior Captain Marty Longsdorf lead the Rangers with an 8th place finish with a combined time of 1:13.46. First place was taken by Ryan Nordin from Duluth East with a combined time of 1:11.45 Scoring the much needed additional points were Nate Patterson (20th place with time of 1:18.06), Mitchell Longsdorf (24th place with time of 1:18.58), and Joe Alberg (28th place with time of 1:19.95). Max Stangler finished in 47th place and Zach Ochsenbauer finished in 57th due to missing a gate in his second run The Forest Lake Girls team also competed at the meet, where they earned 7th place. Junior Elli Rodsjo led the Rangers with a 10th place finish with a combined time of 1:20.50. First place was earned by McKenzie Bremel from Hermantown with a combined time of 1:15.38. Morgan Tomas made a strong showing placing 26th, followed by Sydney Norcross in 36th, Maggie Longsdorf in 45th, Kelli Bush in 57th, and Avery Jorgenson in 88th (due to a mishap with a gate in her second run). Coach Grant Lindemer expressed his pride in the team, especially following their performance in Suburban East Conference in January, in which both teams placed second.

Luke was one of the ringleaders leaders of the offense for the Stillwater boys’ hockey team in victories at the expense of Mounds View and non-conference foe Mahtomedi. The junior forward had two goals and an assist in a 4-0 triumph over Mahtomedi, and a pair of goals in an 8-1 thrashing of the Mustangs. Luke was drafted by the Madison Capitols of the USHL last spring where his team got runner up in the State Tournament and was a finalist for Bantam player of the year. Luke maintains a 3.6 GPA and volunteers for Stillwater youth hockey. Minnesota’s #1 Volume Toyota Dealer! Per Toyota Motor Sale USA 2015

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SCHOOL BRIEFS DECA students compete at district event

Former teacher honored for contribution to athletics Former teacher Joan Paulson was recently honored with the Special Merit Award from the Minnesota Coalition of Women in S Athletic Leadership. Paulson was honored on Feb. 3, which was A also the 30th annual Girls and Women in Sports Day. a Paulson spent the majority of her 30-plus-year professional career in Forest Lake Area Schools where she taught, coached, c officiated and announced events. She coached volleyball, baso ketball, softball and track and field during her tenure, achieved k over 1,000 coaching victories and coached numerous student o athletes to all-conference, all-region and all-state honors. a As an athlete, Paulson was an outstanding softball player, starring on various teams throughout the state. She participated Joan Paulson in 10 national tournaments, earned All-American honors and was inducted into the American Softball Association (ASA) Minnesota Softball Hall of Fame. Paulson is also a member of the Forest Lake Area Schools District Hall of Fame, the Forest Lake Area High School Arts & Athletics Hall of Fame, the Mankato State Hall of Distinction, the Steele County Hall of Fame and the Minnesota State High School League Hall of Fame. SUMITTED

Forest Lake Area High School DECA students took time for a group photo at their recent District Career Development Conference.

Class promotes creativity with cardboard

Forest Lake Area High School’s DECA club recently attended the District Career Development Conference, where 47 Forest Lake students competed in a wide variety of events. DECA is a national student organization that prepares students for future careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. At the recent district event, 27 DECA students won awards and qualified to move on to the state competition. The award-winning students are: Brenden Ferraro, Justin Grant, Carlie Lund, Madison Warner, Savannah Buck, Justin Grant, Camry Jackson, Hanna Jacobson, Leah Jaqua, Isabel Leininger, Mackenzie Puleo, Brooke Vandermyde and Laura Fagin. Laura Fagin received first-place honors in two categories: Individual Role Play in Restaurant and Food Service Management and Startup Business Plan.

Forest Lake student receives All State Debate award Sara de Sobrino, a junior at Forest Lake Area High School, rreceived the All State Debate award for her success in the Lincoln-Douglas style of debate. She was also this year’s Section c 5 champion, and debate coach Robyn Madson said that is the first time during her 13-year tenure as coach that a Forest Lake debater has been section champ. At the state tournament L tthis year, de Sobrino was 3-3 and was selected to the All-State tteam because of her performance in Minnesota debate tournaments throughout the season. m In addition to de Sobrino’s All-State honor, she also received All-Conference recognition along with her teammate Kelli A Sara de Sobrino Frederickson. Forest Lake debaters Alex Biedny, Lily Pope, Summer Schwintek, Sara Burger and Victoria Cebulla all received All-Conference Honorable Mention awards. Forest Lake Lincoln Douglas debaters tied for top in the conference and Public Forum debaters came in second by one point. With results of both debate categories added together, the Forest Lake team was conference champion. SUBMITED

Local teachers nominated for Teacher of the Year

This local dad recently created a cardboard house with his daughter at a recent Box City class.

Teachers from North Branch, Forest Lake and Mahtomedi were named among 114 candidates statewide for the 2016 Teacher of the Year Award. These candidates have accepted their nominations and completed the required materials to become eligible for the honor. Local candidates include Andrew Spofford of North Branch, Brittany Cahoy of Forest Lake and John Taylor of Mahtomedi. This year’s program will name the 52nd Minnesota Teacher of the Year, celebrating the tradition of excellence in teaching in Minnesota. Candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th grade and Adult Basic Education teachers, from public or private schools. The 2016 Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be announced Sunday, May 15, at the Radisson Blu Mall of America in Bloomington. Over the coming weeks, a 25-member panel of community leaders will name a group of semifinalists and finalists.

Forest Lake area preschoolers, with the help of a dad or other father figure, are building the city of their dreams. A new Community Education class called “Build a Box City” allows its participants to plan, create and design a city made from cardboard boxes and other recyclable materials. The class is meant for children ages 2-5. Registration is already full for the winter class, but Community Education plans to host another class in the spring. For more information, check out the Community Education link on the Forest Lake Area Schools website (www.flaschools.org).

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to The Lowdown at readthelowdown.com or call 651.407.1241 The Lowdown is direct-mailed to homes in Washington County and zip code 55092. It can also be found at more than 100 rack locations! If you know someone who would like to receive it, they can ‘Say Yes!’ online at www.readthelowdown.com or by calling 651.407.1247.

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FROM PAGE 1

Gracie’s Pantry from Mound and Haas Brothers Foods from St. Paul were also present to help with the cause, as well as Bubble Boy Soda Fountain, which operated a hotdog stand inside the bottling factory. Guests were invited to tour the bottling line, taste new flavors of soda and take a peek into the Whistler cooler, with informational signs to guide visitors through the factory and the history of the company. “The thing that’s amazing to me is that people were so patient and positive,” Hopkins said. “It really was just a total positive event. We got a lot of feedback about things to do to make it a little easier for people in the future. So many people were like, ‘we had no idea this existed in our town! We’re so close.’ Hopefully now a great number of people do.” Hopkins said that thanks to the popularity of the event, plans for additional tours and tastings are already in the works—now with a bit more warning about just how big of a crowd he can expect. “Some people waited an hour just to get in,” Hopkins said. “We just did not anticipate 3,000 people coming. It’s kind of a good learning experience, and we’ll do another one in the summertime, but it’ll be outdoors, and now we know how to make it more efficient for so many people.” Whistler Classic Soda is open every Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and is located at 1520 9th Ave. SW, Forest Lake. To find out more, visit the Whistler Classic Soda website at www.whistlersoda.com.

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Above: Owner Jesse Hopkins made his way around the factory, talking with guests and making sure everything went smoothly. Far left: Guests were allowed to look into (but not enter) the Whistler Soda cooler for a sneak peek at the way Whistler Soda is made. Left: Guests were free to tour the factory and taste samples.

FROM PAGE 1

use the first $250 it raises to go toward a paver to support pollinator research at the University of Minnesota. The club name will be etched on the paver. The remainder of the funds will go toward operating expenses for different projects throughout the year. The club is not alone in its effort to educated people about pollinators—Stillwater’s Pollinator Friendly Alliance also has a voice in the matter. The two clubs initially started off as one, but the Pollinator Friendly alliance broke off to pursue a different angle. “Their focus is increasing forage,” Welty said. “Our focus is more on helping beekeepers. Because a lot of beekeepers are working independently, getting info off the Internet might help, but really you want mentorship with someone who’s in your own local weather zone. It’s become a really neat community. We have people who live in Hudson, St. Croix Falls, Eau Claire, and a lot of them live on rural properties and haven’t connected with another beekeeper since they went to school for it.” Welty described members of the club as “anyone who wants to get our newsletter.” She said that joining the online forum is optional, but it tends to be a big help for beekeepers with questions for other experts. Occasionally the forum circulates political action information when the topic is related to pollinators, a function that

Welty believes is crucial to the beekeeping community. “If we can get a range of people from different locales, we’d get better legislation,” she said. “Our meeting topics vary— sometimes it’s about forage, sometimes it’s about beekeeping techniques, raising queens,” Welty said. “Right now we’ve got two beekeepers offering woodenware classes. We’re a little bit involved with discussions of planting forage under solar arrays in Cambridge.” Future meetings will focus on answering legislative questions related to pollinators, a possible beekeeping ordinance in Oak Park Heights, a learning opportunity that involves removing a hive from a neighbor’s yard and a PhD student from the University of Minnesota who will speak about the way bees use resin and tree sap, a behavior that has possible medical implications for humans. “If [bees] have a certain virus or certain bacteria in the hive, they’ll go to a certain tree and take the resin from that tree to heal the hive,” Welty said. “This is really important for humans to learn—what all these things are in nature that the bees are using to make a healthier environment. All our meetings are open to the public and free.” The Honey Bee Club was responsible for instituting the

current bee ordinance in Stillwater, which allows any residential property to have two hives, as long as they are located 10 feet away from the property line and not in the front yard. The city of Stillwater also instituted the Pollinator Friendly Resolution, which ensures that it will promote pollinator forage and will avoid chemicals detrimental to pollinator populations. “The city of St. Paul just did an even more comprehensive pollinator plan,” Welty said. “Minnesota has more pollinator-friendly ordinances than any state in the nation. Oregon’s done a little bit. It turns out that the Midwest winters most of the bees. But they tend to come back here for the summer, so it’s really important that we take care of them and have healthy environments for them.” Welty said she considers the Beer for Bees event a success “if everyone who comes leaves knowing the difference between a wasp and a bee,” she said. “I think bees get blamed for a lot of things. Winnie the Pooh, although a great story, did a disservice by depicting the bees as wasps.” And, as always, guests were educated on the critical importance of bees to sustainable food sources. “I think it’s one in three bites of food is typically pollinated by some pollinator, and without them we’d be eating things like porridge all the time,” Welty said. “We’d lose most of our fruits and nuts and vegetables. Once the bottom of the food chain is knocked out, everything above that suffers. So that’s my main objective, to educate. If I can teach people about the bees and get them to not use harmful chemicals, that’s a success.” To learn more about the Honey Bee Club of Stillwater, visit honeybeeclubofstillwater@blogspot.com to find meeting times, bee news and more. The club meets on the third Monday of every month.

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Stillwater businesses unite to recycle BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER STAFF WRITER

STILLWATER — Businesses in Stillwater are cutting costs and saving the planet all at once. They are participating in the Stillwater Eco-Empowerment Directive, or SEED, which provides resources for businesses to learn about and implement cost-saving methods of recycling. The SEED BizRecycling meetings first began in October. The program, hosted through Stillwater’s Independent Business Alliance (IBA), is made possible through funding from Ramsey and Washington counties to promote job growth while protecting the environment. So far, there have been two BizRecycling sessions for Stillwater businesses, and there are three more to come in 2016. SEED Project Lead Kristin Klemetsrud said she had no idea what kind of response to expect from local businesses, but the result has been overwhelmingly positive. There are currently more than 30 businesses enrolled in the program, far surpassing Klemetsrud’s initial estimation of 18, and interest is still growing. Klemetsrud first began pursuing the idea last year when she and her friend Meg Brownson of Alfresco Casual Living heard about the possibility of receiving a grant from the Ramsey Washington Recycling & Energy Board. “We actually met with a guy from Ramsey County,” Klemetsrud said. We met with the Ramsey County representative because this program was so new that [Washington County] didn’t know what the response would be and they weren’t really ready to launch it, but we jumped on it. They said, ‘This is kind of our first foray into this program, so let’s do this as a group effort.’ It actually took us six months for us to put together the grant application.” Klemetsrud had been a business owner on Main Street for around 20 years, and had been very involved with the downtown business association and Chamber of Commerce, but she ended up closing Savories Bistro more than three years ago. Pursuing the application for this program was one way for Klemetsrud to get back to her Main Street roots and help her friends and colleagues in the independent business community. “We’re kind of trying to urge people to get involved now, rather than later,” Klemetsrud said. “It’s starting to get business involved with having a dialogue. Our customers are well aware of the need for doing more and more of this, so it’s something we can also put out there for our customers. The other part of what I’m doing is to make it evident, look how many businesses are banding together for long-term sustainability of our town.” The program assists businesses by providing whatever necessary resources they need to reuse materials before recycling, and recycle before resorting to using the trash. “There’s very little effort on the part of businesses,” Klemetsrud said. “We have resources that are taking them through this program step by step. You don’t have to do anything: we’re going to send somebody to your business. They’re going to look at what you’re doing, and calculate what the savings there will be for you. So there’s a significant potential for saving. If they say you’re not currently doing as much as you could in recycling your cardboard, we’ll buy you a new cardboard container, and we will pay employees for their training.” Klemetsrud said that one of the most surprising things about the program is the ease of implementing the new methods of recycling. “Upfront, [there is] no cost to them,

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

The Wedge and Wheel in downtown Stillwater underwent a recycling assessment and began reducing waste when SEED was formed. Now the business has vowed to go above and beyond assessment recommendations to become totally waste-free.

Businesses that are currently participating in SEED include: River Market Community Co-op, The Loft at Studio J, Forget Me Not, Alfresco Casual Living, The Wedge & Wheel, Stillwater Marina, Stillwater Montessori School, Healing Within Acupuncture, The Heartwood Place, Water Street Inn, Rivertown Inn, Purefex Salon, Under the Umbrella, Super 8 Motel, Dock Cafe, Midtown Antiques, Rafters Bar and Grill, Lake Elmo Inn, Leo’s Grill & Malt Shop, Victoriana’s Pizza, Our Community Kitchen, Acapulco, Party on Stillwater, Marx Wine Bar & Grill, Enchante, Betty June’s and Candyland. and then there are big-time savings as they move forward,” Klemetsrud said. “We’ve already had some really good testimonials. One is Corey Butner from Leo’s, and they went through this program before we ever had the SEED initiative. They were approached by the same company a few years ago, and they went from pretty basic recycling to include composting. Overall, now, they have seen a significant savings: $17,000 annually. The tax on garbage is 52 percent, so every bit you can move into the zero tax rate helps.” Minnesota Waste Wise, an initiative funded by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, is the name of the organization that assesses current recycling practices at these businesses, and helps create plans to implement waste reduction strategies. Meredith Moore, a sustainability specialist with Waste Wise, has worked with many of the businesses in Stillwater. “The county wants businesses to recycle, and that’s what we’re here for,” Moore said. “It’s a very simple process and I think that’s not what most businesses are expecting. It’s free money to essentially help businesses save money.” Through this program, Washington County has provided up to $10,000 in available grant money to businesses who want to participate. Waste Wise and other resources provided by SEED can assist in applying for these grants, and provide businesses with tools they may need, such as separate bins and employee training. A business assessment takes 30 minutes to an hour, where a representative from Waste Wise will visit the site, observe current practices and provide recommen-

dations and more information about the available grant. Full implementation of a new recycling strategy takes approximately a month. Moore said that the Minnesota state goal is to achieve a 75 percent recycling rate by 2030. However, one of the participants in the BizRecycling Program, downtown cheese shop The Wedge & Wheel, has set an even more ambitious goal. After going through the implementation of a recycling strategy through SEED, owner Chris Kohtz is now aiming toward a zero waste standard for the business. Kohtz reached out to Moore to find out what it would take to achieve this. “For Wedge & Wheel it’s very feasible,” Moore said. “They were already reusing what they could and recycling. The biggest thing was food waste—the cheese rinds, the meat, even the Saran wrap. The hardest part about that was that he didn’t know about the wood that sometimes surrounds the cheese. It’s little things like that that it’s a matter of finding outlets for. Hopefully once organics gets started, they will be zero waste.” Moore said that the advantages of participating in the program include reduced waste in landfills. “[The landfills] are filling extremely quickly,” she said. “So every little bit we can put into reuse helps. Reuse everything you can before you even think about recycling.” In addition, the changes can significantly decrease the monthly waste bill by reducing the size of trash dumpsters, the frequency of pickup and amount of trash generated overall. Added to this is the educational component, for employees, business

owners and customers, about the options for a sustainable future. Klemetsrud hopes to see even more interest in the upcoming informational sessions, as well as some recognition for the businesses that are making an effort to reduce their environmental impact. “First of all, the IBA is the first in the county to agree to do this, so my hope as the program lead is really to say kudos to these businesses who are responding to it,” Klemetsrud said. “I want for their customers to see what they are doing down there, because a lot of times those small businesses do not have the ability to toot their own horns.” The next informative session will be hosted from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19 at Tin Bins (413 Nelson St. E., Stillwater), where a complimentary continental breakfast and coffee will be provided. Meetings also will take place on March 24 and April 8—visit the BizRecycling blog at www. lesstrash.com to learn more.

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FEBRUARY 12, 2016

St. Croix Preparatory Academy hosts Service Day

THE

STILLWATER — St. Croix Prep Academy National Honor Society will once again host its annual Service Day event. On Feb. 11, all SCPA students will take part in service projects that support local and global nonprofit organizations. Each grade level will work together to participate in an array of service activities throughout the day. Juniors will work with fourth-graders to create tie blankets to be donated to Sharing and Caring Hands. The “Food for Thought Food Fair” for middle school students will help them learn about food growth, working conditions, free trade organizations, healthy eating and more. Musicians in Upper School will host a coffeehouse-style concert for students. Students are asked to bring change to donate to the Playing for Change Foundation, which helps build programs around the world that allow children access to resources to further their musical talents and use music to unite people and promote peace.

Students with at least 8 inches of healthy, nondyed hair can participate in Pantene Beautiful Lengths, the annual hair donation drive. Pantene partners with the American Cancer Society to make and distribute wigs to women battling cancer. Students who participate will receive a stylish new haircut after their donation. A new service project called Healing Classrooms, sponsored by Students Rebuild, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Global Nomads Group, will help Syrian youth from conflict areas recover from crisis and grow into happy, healthy adults. During art classes, students will decorate pinwheels with positive messages about learning, peace and global community. For each pinwheel donation, the Bezos Family Foundation will donate $2 (up to $400,000) to IRC’s Healing Classrooms program and the IRC will distribute a selection of the pinwheels to students in Lebanon and Iraq. Funding generated will train teachers in special techniques to engage conflict-af-

fected children with social-emotional learning opportunities and to create secure, nurturing learning environments. Students will work across divisions to make Danish Hearts during their art or music classes for senior residents in the community. Upper School seniors will visit Croixdale, Oak Ridge and Boutwells to distribute the handmade Valentine’s Day cards, talk to residents about their life memories and swing dance. During middle school gym class, students will take part in a service station obstacle course. Its goal is to show the middle school students that service can be fun, but also beneficial. Each grade level has been asked to donate various items like shampoo, clothing, soap, feminine products and lotion. High school seniors will then sort the items into boxes to be distributed to Avenues, a teen homeless shelter located in North Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park. From press release

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15

Tropical Zika virus hits Anoka County

JIM MORTWEDT | SUBMITTED

Paul Smithson, Warner Nature Center naturalist, shows the underside or plastron of the threatened Blanding's Turtle.

Blanding's turtle threatened, more being learned and confirmed On a sunny day in June a turtle's heart rate might clock 40 beats in a minute. Right now in Minnesota in February, cold snap or no, any turtle 's pulse is considerably less than 40 beats per hour, mayWoods be 6-10 an hour! This is a world-leading chill and Water out, and fascinating. Unperturbed and Notebook dug into muck for the Jim cold months, the reptile rests in a radically difMortwedt ferent state. Mammals hibernate. Technically, turtles brumate. In January, Paul Smithson, Warner Nature Center biologist, naturalist and elite birder, showed me the hinge on the plastron or underside of a Blanding's turtle (BT). And we talked about the remarkable turtle, named after an 18th century naturalist from Pennsylvania, where the animal can no longer be found. The hinge adaptation allows the Blanding's turtle to shut up tight and discourage predators. But "they're not as boxy as a box turtle," Smithson added. The Center has been monitoring Blanding's turtles since the 1970s and its research continues. Blanding's turtle was designated "threatened" in Minnesota in 1984. In 1999-2000, Mark Hamernick's excellent and far-reaching research on the animal at Weaver's Mounds near Wabasha identified a missing piece of the puzzle that is Blanding's decline. It's roaming habits weren't known. The creature just doesn't readily disclose its travel plans. There are three reasons, and they combine to complicate matters. First, the creature has potential for long life should it distance itself in time from the perils of the nest. Some live to 70! Who can track such a longlived animal? Also, the Blanding's turtle does not sexually mature until its late teens. So there's a lot of predation before an individual can reproduce, another complication. Who is supposed to watch these turtles in the meantime? Of course, no one needed to pay attention to the animal until the 6-to-9-inch turtle started to come up missing.

There's yet another aspect of Blanding's turtle that can bedevil researchers: the turtle's gender is determined by how cold the eggs get in the nest. So some years, there tends to be a spate of one or the other sex born. The BT is a tough study indeed, requiring long stretches of fieldwork. But the fieldwork continues. Paul Smithson and the Warner Nature Center are helping to map BT's travels over decades with the aid of student day campers and telemetry. More is being learned. "Since listing, we have caught and monitored over 30 individuals, some several times over (not all get transmitters)," Smithson wrote me after we spoke. "Our goal is to learn more about where they spend their time so we can make informed decisions when managing our site," he wrote. Smithson can't say where it will lead. His main charge is to help educate schoolchildren. Will the cause of decline of the turtle be known definitively anytime soon? Maybe, but certainty is difficult and laborious. Smithson points to a behavior that has caught his attention. The females instinctively travel from pond over upland to lay their clutch of eggs in sandy, well-drained soil. That can often take them over Minnesota's increasingly asphalt country roads. Ouch. It might some day become clear that Blanding's turtle's demise happens to be growing rural traffic volumes. If that's the case, the solution might be as simple as more turtle tunnels. The way science works the race is not often to the swift; gains are made by the persistent. At this point the question will be asked, "what's the value of the BT?" One partial answer is that the cardiac medicine digitalis is extracted from foxglove, a plant. That wasn't always known or useful. There are hundreds of such examples in the plant and animal kingdoms. Creation seems a storehouse of life forms that, once refined, have elements that serve humankind. Preserving a species is, by definition, of value: because we don't know what we don't know. So what the Warner Nature Center, Paul Smithson, and the schoolchildren are working on is science and more; it's great, and deserving of a shoutout from the rest of us!

An Anoka County woman in her 60s was infected with Zika virus after traveling to Honduras this winter. She began showing symptoms of the virus Jan. 1. The diagnosis was confirmed by the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Jan. 27. The infected woman was expected to make a full recovery and was not hospitalized. There is no risk for the disease to spread in Anoka County. “This is an international concern, so as a local health department we are referring people to the Minnesota Department of Public Health,” said Martha Weaver, Anoka County public information manager. “The illness was mild,” said Doug Schultz, Minnesota Department of Health information officer. “My understanding is that she is recovered.” The last case of the virus confirmed in Minnesota was in 2014, in a male traveler who had visited French Polynesia. The infection is caused by bites from a mosquito species which is not currently found in Minnesota. The infection has not been transmitted through mosquitoes in the continental U.S. “Zika virus is not a health threat for people in Minnesota, but it is a reminder that anyone traveling to a different part of the world should be mindful of the health issues present in that region,” said MDH Commissioner Ed Ehlinger. “Since some regions where Zika is circulating are popular destinations for Minnesota travelers in the winter, we expected we might see cases of Zika in the state.” Nearly 80 percent of people infected with Zika virus have no symptoms. One in five people will get sick and most will have mild symptoms, such as fever, joint pain, rash or red eyes. Symptoms typically begin two to seven days after being

bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms usually last for several days to a week. Hospitalization is uncommon. In less than 1 percent of cases, birth defects, miscarriage and Guillain-Barre syndrome have occurred. The virus can also be transmitted from a pregnant mother to her baby during pregnancy or around the time of birth. Asia and Africa have had cases of Zika virus for years. In May 2015, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert regarding the first confirmed Zika virus infection in Brazil. The outbreak in Brazil led to reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome and pregnant women giving birth to babies with birth defects and poor pregnancy outcomes. There have been reports of a serious birth defect of the brain called microcephaly, a condition in which a baby’s head is smaller than expected when compared to babies of the same sex and age. In response, CDC has issued travel notices for people traveling to regions and certain countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing. The virus is spread when certain species of mosquito bite

RECENTLY IN THE

an infected person, and then go on to bite another person. Minnesotans are advised to talk with health care providers before traveling to tropics. There are no vaccines or treatment for Zika virus. The best prevention measure is to avoid mosquito bites in areas known to harbor the disease. The same mosquito species also spreads dengue fever. Those traveling to affected areas should use mosquito repellents and stay in places with screened windows and doors. Pregnant women or women planning pregnancy should consider postponing travel to affected areas. As of Jan. 27, CDC is recommending pregnant women avoid traveling to Zika-affected areas in the Western Hemisphere: Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Samoa, Suriname, U.S. Virgin Islands and Venezuela. For more information visit www.cdc.gov/zika and www.health.state. mn.us.

AMERICAN TROPICS?

MOSQUITOES spread DENGUE, CHIKUNGUNYA, ZIKA, and other diseases 2 WEEKS

Watch for fever with joint, muscle, or eye pain, or a rash in the next 2 weeks.

If you get sick, see a doctor. Tell the doctor where you traveled.

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/travel. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CS258504

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St. Croix River Association invites adventurers on annual river paddle ST. CROIX FALLS, WISCONSIN — The St. Croix River Association is now accepting registrations for its annual river paddle, June 11-17. The six-day adventure will cover 92 miles of the Namekagon River, from Cable to Danbury, Wisconsin. The Namekagon, which feeds into the St. Croix River, is part of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, a national park. The registration fee is $375, which covers shuttles, transportation of gear along the route, six nights of camping, evening educational programs and five meals. The deadline to register is May 1. The trip is limited to 80 paddlers and usually fills months in advance. In the past three years, about 300 people have participated. The youngest was 18 months old, and the oldest, 87. “Expect to unplug and reconnect with the natural world,” said Deb Ryun, executive director of the St. Croix River Association. “We do the organizing—all you have to do is show up with your gear and some food and have fun. You’ll challenge yourself, build lasting relationships, see an abundance of wildlife and stunning scenery, and learn more about this wild and scenic river.” The paddle is a tradition started in 2011, when paddlers traveled 17 days down the length of the St. Croix to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the St. Croix River Association, a nonprofit whose mission is to protect, restore and celebrate the St. Croix River and its watershed. More information and registration is available on the SCRA Paddles website at www.scrapaddle. org, including a daily itinerary, a map of the route, and lodging options. From press release

FILE PHOTO | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Valentines are one of the Chordsmen’s biggest events of the year.

Croix Chordsmen deliver valley Valentines STILLWATER — If you notice any well-attired gentlemen roaming the St. Croix Valley in quartets this weekend, remember that the Croix Chordsmen are out and about presenting Singing Valentines. From Friday, Feb. 12 to Sunday, Feb. 14, the Chordsmen will be traveling around the St. Croix River Valley singing at homes, offices, schools, churches and more for a memorable Valentine’s Day. It costs $40 to order a singing Valentine, and each quartet performs two classic love songs: “Heart of My Heart” and “Let Me Call You Sweetheart.” Each group will bring a rose, a box of candy, a personalized card and will provide the option of photographing the event. The Chordsmen recommend that orders be placed as early as possible to give them time to

arrive in a location—throughout the weekend they will be spread across the valley from Stillwater to Red Wing to New Richmond, Wisconsin and everywhere in between. Some quartets even visit locations in Woodbury, St. Paul and North St. Paul. “It’s a little bit of everything,” said chorus member Dick Kelm. “We sing for spouses, grandkids, we’ve got a couple nursing homes, some of the credit unions and other places.” Kelm, based in River Falls, Wisconsin, said that the members of the chorus themselves are from all over the valley. “Here in River Falls we’ve got two quartets—one goes to Hudson, one to New Richmond, then to Prescott,” Kelm said. “Our chorus members cover a pretty wide area, I think one of our chorus members is just on the outskirts

of Red Wing, and we’ve got others from River Falls, Hudson, Blaine and Stillwater.” In the meantime, the Chordsmen are preparing for their spring concert, which will celebrate the 65th anniversary of the chorus. Kelm said that rehearsals for this concert, which will take place on April 2 at Stillwater Area High School, have already begun. The song selections will include old classics that hearken back to the chorus’s beginning in 1951 as well as more contemporary favorites. The Croix Chordsmen rehearse every Wednesday at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Stillwater. To find more information about the choir, visit www.stcroixvalleychapter.com. To order a singing Valentine, call Michael Franssen at 651-334-8006 or Dick Kelm at 715-425-2793.

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Weather tidbits

Brought to you by WeathermanWatson.com

Forget it

Frank Watson is a local Meteorologist who operates a weather station in White Bear Lake. Weather data and observation are from his weather station and trips around the area. Frank can be found on the internet at WeathermanWatson.com.

“THE BOY” (PG-13) [VIOLENCE AND TERROR, AND SOME THEMATIC MATERIAL.]

— When an American nanny (Lauren Cohan) from Montana is hired by an elderly British couple (Jim Norton and Diana Hardcastle) to care for their 8-year-old son who turns out to be a doll in this creepy, unpredictable, unevenly paced, 97-minute thriller, she turns to a kind grocery store deliveryman (Rupert Evans) after she begins questioning her sanity as odd things begin happening at the stately English mansion.

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“THE CHOICE” (PG1-13) [SEXUAL CONTENT AND SOME THEMATIC ISSUES.]

— Many choices must be made in this touching, romantic, heartwarming, 111-minute, chick-flick film based on the Nicholas Sparks novels in which a vivacious doctoral student (Teresa Palmer) in the Outer Banks of North Carolina is torn between her love for a handsome doctor (Tom Welling) and a free-spirited veterinarian (Benjamin Walker), who is in practice with his widowed father (Tom Willkinson), and then her husband must make life and death decisions after a tragic accident.

WEATHER TIDBIT We packed a lot of winter in last week. The Groundhog Day snow totaled 11.2”, bringing my season snow total to 30”. Mild temperatures over the weekend included 43 on Sunday, Feb 7. Later that day, high winds and snow limited visibilities as Arctic air moved in. YEAR AGO THIS WEEK Arctic air moves in during the day of Feb. 11, sending temps to below 0. February 14, 20-day cold spell begins. Temperatures will stay below freezing until March 6. Not this year.

Crossword

Did you know? The only insect that can turn its head is a praying mantis.

(R) [STRONG CRUDE SEXUAL CONTENT, INCLUDING SOME GRAPHIC NUDITY, AND LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT.]

— Vulgar, stupid, unfunny, groan-inducing, 92-minute parody that spoofs “Fifty Shades of Grey” and is filled with F-bombs and crude language in which a wealthy businessman (Marlon Wayans) who is into S & M tries to get a beautiful student (Kali Hawk) to sign a document that lays out rules that she must follow if she agrees to be his submissive sexual partner.

(R) [VIOLENCE AND SOME LANGUAGE.]

— When her seriously injured husband (Noah Emmerich) is hunted down by a tenacious posse of outlaws (Ewan McGregor, Boyd Holbrook, et al.) after he shot four people at a Missouri whorehouse in 1871 in this engaging, bullet-riddled, predictable, 92-minute Western, his housewife (Natalie Portman) hires her ex-fiancé (Joel Edgerton) as a gunslinger to help protect them.

“WILD AFRICA” (NR)

— Helena Bonham Carter narrates this stunning, educational, 3-D, 45-minute IMAX documentary dominated by amazing cinematography that showcases the myriad landscapes, changing weather patterns and wonderful animals of Kenya and the Serengeti, including elephants, crocodiles, gorillas, wildebeests, pink flamingos, lions, chameleons, lizards, hippos, zebras, vultures and desert vipers.

WENDY SCHADEWALD The preceding films were reviewed by Wendy Schadewald, who has been a Twin Cities film critic since 1986. To see more of her film reviews, log on to www.shortredheadreelreviews.com.

©1986 through 2016 by Wendy Schadewald

Fun Fact On Valentine’s Day, there is no charge to get married in the Empire State Building’s chapel.

“FIFTY SHADES OF BLACK”

“JANE GOT A GUN”

WEEKLY AVERAGES FEB. 12 -FEB. 18, 2016 High 28° Low 11° %Sun 55% PCP 0.18”

Sudoku CLUES ACROSS

CLUES DOWN

1. Engine additive 4. Soluble ribonucleic acid 8. Subdue 10. One long, three short 11. Morally bad 12. With collapsible shelter 13. Central church parts 15. Summer shoes 16. Intestinal 17. Transgressors 18. Meeting expectations 21. Clutch 22. Autonomic nervous system 23. What you can repeat immediately after perceiving it 24. Favorite summer sandwich 25. An accountant certified by the state 26. Cologne 27. Norma Jean Baker 34. Galaxies 35. Bluish greens 36. Detected 37. Having 3 dimensions 38. Made level 39. The destroyer (Hindu) 40. Uncovered 41. Ooze slowly 42. Aerie 43. Point midway between S and SE

1. Having beautiful natural views 2. Fanafuti is the capital 3. Shrub used for hedges 4. Polishing tools 5. Slow down 6. Christmas carols 7. & & & 9. Sound of sheep or goat 10. A long flag, often tapering 12. Atomic #73 14. Schilling (abbr.) 15. Female sibling 17. Long sandwich 19. In a way, necessitated 20. Mayan people of SW Guatemala 23. Cleaned up 24. Prohibit 25. Upright cupboard 26. Cyclone center 27. Metric linear units 28. Young male 29. Securities market 30. City across from Dusseldorf 31. Animal disease 32. Mount of __ east of Jerusalem 33. Get free 34. Variable stars 36. One point N of NE

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FEBRUARY 12, 2016

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FEBRUARY 12, 2016

THE LOWDOWN

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AROUND TOWN

3. 2.

1. 1. Cub Scout Pack 487 visited Rep. Bob Dettmer (R- Forest Lake) at the State Capitol in St. Paul on Jan. 25. The group visited with the representative and talked about their scouting activities. “It was great chatting with these growing outdoorsmen,” Dettmer said. “I look forward to having the Capitol open back up after the restoration for groups like this visiting St. Paul.”— Submitted

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2. The Stillwater Snowmobile Club hosted their vintage snowmobile show on Saturday, Feb. 6 at Withrow Ballroom. Snowmobile lovers showed up in force, sporting vintage snowmobile suits with a variety of vintage sleds on display. —Jackie Bussjaeger, Press Publications 3. State Demographer Susan Brower visited the Forest Lake Rotary and presented on population growth and trends at a county and state level. —Jackie Bussjaeger, Press Publications 4.Locals take advantage of the nice weather for some outdoor activities on Forest Lake. —Jackie Bussjaeger, Press Publications

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