St, Croix Valley Lowdown

Press Publications 4779 Bloom Avenue White Bear Lake, MN 55110 HOME TOWN F R IE NDLY, WOR L D - C L A S S C A R E

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 640 STILLWATER, MN

• Chiropractic • Physical Therapy • Medicine • Wellness

651.464.1113 967 S Lake St. | Forest Lake www.OttomeyerClinic.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

VOL. 04 NO. 23 www.presspubs.com $1.00

REFLECTIONS: Painter shows artwork in New York PAGE 10

Public hearing explores school consolidation BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER STAFF WRITER

STILLWATER — Minnesota Commissioner of Education Brenda Cassellius hosted a public hearing last week in response to a citizen petition to consolidate the Stillwater and Mahtomedi school districts. The hearing was a statutory requirement in order for the commissioner to gather information needed to approve or reject the consolidation plat and supporting statement. It was held March 16 at Stillwater Jr. High, where Assistant Commissioner Daron Korte and Program Finance Division Director Tom Melcher were also in attendance to hear public comment. The proposal is meant to benefit taxpayers in both districts, while sharing resources and funding and possibly allowing Marine, Withrow and Oak Park elementary school to stay open, despite the passing of Stillwater’s BOLD proposal. Melcher explained the necessary steps for the commissioner and the districts in the consolidation process. Cassellius will review the information, and then has the option to reject it (which would terminate the process), alter it or accept it. From that point, it moves into the hands of both school districts, whose respective boards will vote on the proposal and possibly put the matter to a public vote. In the event that a school board rejects the proposal, residents still have the option of forwarding the proposal to a public vote if they are able to collect a petition signed by at least 5 percent of residents in that district. Mahtomedi resident Shannon Bryant, who organized the petition, presented the details of the proposal during the meeting. She pointed out that Stillwater and Mahtomedi are already sharing several services, and that Stillwater schools are currently losing $2.3 million in funding to Mahtomedi schools in open enrollment. She also mentioned that the plan could save transportation costs, since Mahtomedi’s bus hub is in the north and could easily transport children in the northern part of the district, rather than requiring Stillwater’s southern-located bus facility to make continual trips north to bring the BOLD-displaced students to southern schools. These are only a few of the possible benefits Bryant presented. “Under this plan, the staff and teachers stay, and they stay with their benefits,” Bryant said. “It’s providing taxpayers the highest return for the lowest investment.” Afterward, the floor was opened for public comment. Many of the individuals who spoke referred back to what they perceived as weaknesses in the BOLD process, which the Stillwater school board SEE SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION, PAGE 12

SUBMITTED

Members of the Stillwater Mountain Bike Team line up for a race.

Stillwater mountain bikers gear up for 2016 BY JULIE KINK CONTRIBUTING WRITER

STILLWATER — Three short years since its inception, the Stillwater Area High School Mountain Bike Team has become the largest team in the state, with 55 student racers in 2015. There’s a reason for that popularity, according to Hank Gray, one of three coaches who’ve been with the team since it began in 2013. “The immediate gratification single-track racing or even just riding provides is just the formula for today’s youth, giving students an opportunity to train and race on a bike as an individual and as part of a team all at the same time,” Gray explained. In mountain biking, specially designed bikes are ridden off-road on natural surface trails over rough terrain. The sport builds endurance, core strength and bike handling skills: riders must learn to maintain and repair their bikes on the trail, usually without assistance. That builds self-reliance, Gray said. “Riding on single track is a constant barrage of problems and

immediate solutions needed by the rider. Racers have a course, with lots of obstacles and plenty of competitors and a clock timing them against the other racers and themselves. A mistake takes you off the course into some brush, left with a flat tire. They have to figure it out for themselves. Problem-solution-problem-solution,” Gray explained. Comprised of junior and senior high school students (both girls and boys) in District 834, the Stillwater Mountain Bike Team follows the guidelines of NICA, the National Interscholastic Cycling Association. Kids start training in July for the September-October racing season. There’s a bike tune-up day and three two-hour workouts each week, plus weekend competitions. The team competes within the Minnesota High School Cycling League, which was organized in 2012. The team practices after school like any other sport, noted coach Joel Nichols. “We meet at our shed on school grounds and ride to wherever we’re going to be practicing. The focus and intensity of the workouts are based primarily on

“0% ng ci Finanable” Avail

the race schedule.” During workouts, riders practice technical, distance or hill climbing and descending skills. In addition to practicing at the SAHS technical park — a 3-acre parcel with a twisty trail — the group bikes to parks like Lake Elmo Park Reserve to ride distances of up to 25-30 miles over a two-hour stretch. Hill climbing practice takes place at Valley View Park or Barkers Alps. The group hopes to build a beginners’ mountain bike trail in the Brown’s Creek Nature Preserve. Safety is emphasized; kids proceed down a course one after another when on single-track trails; on public roads, it’s strictly single file with ride leaders in front and behind. (Volunteer adult ride leaders are needed.) SAHS 10th-grader Siri Bohacek said her technical riding skills have improved a lot since joining the team two years ago to cross train for cross-country skiing. “I love being on such a close team; it’s made me a better teammate,” Bohacek said. “I often ride with one of my best friends, who’s also on SEE MOUNTAIN BIKING, PAGE 12

In your neighborhood for 70 years

PRE-SPRING Discounts on Furnaces & A/C EXP. 3-31-16

NEWS 651-407-1229 lowdownnews@presspubs.com

ADVERTISING 651-407-1200 marketing@presspubs.com

CIRCULATION 651-407-1234 ppcirc@presspubs.com

CLASSIFIED 651-407-1250 classified@presspubs.com

PRODUCTION 651-407-1239 ppcomp@presspubs.com

2

THE LOWDOWN www.presspubs.com

MARCH 25, 2016

Highway 95 switches to single-lane traffic STILLWATER — Highway 95 switched to single-lane traffic in each direction at the Highway 36/95 intersection on Monday, March 21. The lane closures are necessary for crews to resume transporting segments across the road for bridge deck construction over the Minnesota approach. The lane closures will be in place through the construction season. The project’s on-site casting yard, located near the Highway 36/95 interchange, is fabricating more than 330 precast concrete segments that will make up the driving surface of the approach ramps in Minnesota. Completed segments will be transported by truck to the construction site. Motorists may experience brief periodic delays during this time. Flaggers will be present to manage traffic. The project resumed installing segments on land the week of March 21. Segment placement will start at Pier 3 for the eastbound Highway 36 approach bridge and at Pier 2 for the off-ramp to Highway 95. In addition, the contractor continues to construct cast-in-place, or built

on site, sections of the ramp system. St. Croix Crossing bridge construction updates include: River bridge pier tower construction is now complete. Construction crews completed the final concrete pour for the westbound Pier 11 tower in early March. Crews will begin driving sheeting at the base of the Wisconsin bluff near Pier 13 next week. They are constructing a temporary pad for a crane that will assist with bridge deck construction from Pier 13 to the east abutment in Wisconsin. Stay connected, ask questions or provide comments to the St. Croix Crossing project team: - Visit the project website - Sign up for weekly email updates - Call the hotline at 1-855-GOCROIX (1-855-462-7649) - Like us on Facebook - Follow us on Twitter @stcroixcrossing - Stop by the office at 1862 Greeley St. S. in Stillwater. Hours are 8 a.m.4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. From press release

SUBMITTED

This aerial photo shows the planned stages of placing the St. Croix Crossing bridge ramp.

AUTO SHOW BONUS IS HERE! New 2015 Buick Verano

#B15224

Affordable Luxury

• LANE DEPT WARNING • REMOTE START • PWR FRONT HEATED SEATS • SUNROOF • FORWARD COLLISION ALERT • NAVIGATION

WAS $27,450

20,450 OR $ 312MO. NOW $

OAC 72@299.00 with $2500 total cash down, see dealer for details

$7,000 OFF!

WITH CONQUEST

New 2015 Buick Encores

IN STOCK ONLY! WHILE SUPPLIES LAST

• FWD OR AWD • CONV. OR PREMIUM PKG

WAS

$

$27,800

20,080

NOW $

7,000 OFF!

299MO.

OR $

OAC 72@299.00 with $2500 total cash down, see dealer for details

New 2015 Buick Regal

AVAILABLE IN FWD AND AWD BUICKS FUN TO DRIVE SPORT HANDLING VEHICLE! AVAILABLE GS AND PREMIUM II MODELS

UP TO

$8,000 OFF!

All programs to dealer, must have conquest ‘99 or newer non-GM vehicle to qualify, see dealer for details

Celebrating 94 Years! Family Owned Since 1922! St. Croix Valley’s Only Full Service Dealer!

WWW.STILLWATERMOTORS.COM

651-439-4333 • 800-544-3592

COLLISION CENTER WE REPAIR ALL MAKES & MODELS

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Twin Cities comic Tommy Thompson was the headliner for the Hugo Good Neighbors Food Shelf Comedy Night, held at Running Aces on Friday, March 11.

Comedy show raises funds for Hugo food shelf BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER STAFF WRITER

COLUMBUS — The Good Neighbors Hugo Food Shelf hosted a comedy fundraiser at Running Aces Casino on March 11. This is the second year that the food shelf has put on this event, which raised around $6,000 for the food shelf’s building fund. The food shelf is completely run by volunteers. It serves the Hugo and Centerville communities, as well as portions of White Bear Lake and Lino Lakes. In 2015, Good Neighbors was able to construct a new building to make the experience of coming to the food shelf more like that of shopping at a grocery store. “Our mission is to ‘provide food to families or individuals in need while maintaining their dignity,’” said Good Neighbors President Chris DuFresne. “Our community continues to support us in amazing ways. We are thankful for all of our supporters. We continue to see high demand for our services and are always in need of financial support.” The comedy night was one of many events that Good Neighbors hosts to connect with the community. Food shelf volunteer Darin Carlson said that so far, raising funds to offset the cost of the new building has been a success. “We started with a $250,000 mortgage for our much-needed new building that we built in 2015, and after some hard work from our board members and volunteers over the past year or so, our new mortgage balance will be under $55,000,” Carlson said. “We are so grateful for all of the local businesses, community members and organizations that have been so generous in supporting the Hugo Good Neighbors Food Shelf.” DuFresne and Carlson addressed the crowd before the show, thanking those in attendance for their generosity. Host Jeff Pfoser opened with a few jokes before handing the stage over to Sherlonda Sharp, followed by headliner

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Comedian Sherlonda Sharp was featured in the show.

Tommy Thompson, who was a finalist in the 2010 World Series of Comedy. Each of the comics poked fun at family life and Minnesota culture. After the three comedians performed, guests were entered in a raffle. Prizes included a package from the Minnesota Wild with an autographed hockey stick, $100 gift cards and complimentary car washes from Holiday, Dr. Dre headphones, a Keurig coffee machine and more. Most of the items were donated by local businesses. “Running Aces is proud to sponsor and host the Hugo Food Shelf event for a second year and is excited to see how the organization and the event have grown over the past year,” said David Harris, who helps produce the monthly comedy shows at Running Aces. “Giving back to a charity that directly impacts the community around Running Aces is really important to us. Although this is a private show, Running Aces is always thrilled to feature some of the nation’s best comedian headliners as part of our monthly comedy show series for the general public.” Hugo Good Neighbors Food Shelf is located at 15106 Francesca Ave. N., Hugo. Information about food shelf events and how to donate can be found at www. hugofoodshelf.com, or by calling the food shelf at 651-528-6224. Family-owned, locally grown, ultra fresh food

JOIN OUR CSA

(Community Supported Agriculture)

Enjoy 16 to 18 Weeks of Certified Organic Vegetables!

EGGS. FRESH CUT SPINACH, RADISH, ROMAINE & MORE!

Want to share church events, news, opportunities and announcements with

Store hours 8:00am - 8:00pm

Located on the corner of Centerville Road and Birch Street

6657 Centerville Road | Lino Lakes, MN 55038 612-325-2749 www.facebook.com/AllGoodOrganicsInc

www.allgoodorganics.net

lowdownnews@presspubs.com

Email with details.

MARCH 25, 2016

THE LOWDOWN www.presspubs.com

3

Stillwater artist to show work in New York gallery BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER STAFF WRITER

STILLWATER — Stillwater resident and artist Marilene Phipps-Kettlewell will soon be showing her vivid, oil-onlinen paintings at a gallery show in New York City. The show, titled Forms and Formalities, runs April 1-21 at the Agora Gallery in New York City. The gallery website describes the collection as “geometry meets emotion ... as images are constructed and deconstructed in a variety of mediums to tell a unique story.” Phipps-Kettlewell grew up in Haiti, where she started painting pictures of brightly colored Haitian cemeteries, where locals often grazed their goats. “Haitians paint graves in bright colors, and decorate them with mosaics or whatever they can afford. Some people spend more on their graves than on their houses. They have a love for the dead but also a fear of the dead, because the dead have power.” She said that some of these early paintings did not adhere strictly to the colors of reality. Part of this is borne from Phipps-Kettlewell’s concept of abstraction. “All painting is abstraction,” she said. “It’s not a reproduction of reality. For the image to be successful, it needs to answer to composition, contrast, light, texture, movement.” She referenced her painting “The Tree on Laurel Street,” modeled on a house in Stillwater, as an example. “The tree of life is such a big symbol,” she said. “And people’s homes can represent their inner state. So how do you convey an idea of home? Or Eve, as the beginning of humanity? How do you convey that with pure abstraction? I like to convey an idea in visual terms, and I need recognizable elements. It gives me a richer vocabulary. Symbols are an international language.” Many of Phipps-Kettlewell’s paintings feature her cats, Leo and Lucy. The two are siblings and were adopted together from a shelter. Leo and Lucy have always been her good companions, but she never thought of painting them until a friend pointed out that people might be interested in buying paintings of cats. “There’s gold in not just your fingers, about around you,’” a friend told her. “Think of all the people who love cats, and some of them have money!” Now Leo and Lucy, as well as the pets of several friends, appear regularly in Phipps-Kettlewell’s artwork. Three of these paintings will appear in the Agora Gallery.

In addition to her paintings, Phipps-Kettlewell creates a number of intricately designed religious icons, commemorating stories and symbols from Scripture. She expressed disappointment that icons such as these no longer have the same universal meaning they did in the past. “Essentially, what interests me in life is God, and a relationship with God,” she said. “Our way of understanding the divine is through metaphor and concepts.” One of her paintings, “Heavenly Mother,” incorporates a great deal of blue and yellow coloring, which she considers to be most closely associated with the divine. She is fascinated with the perception of these colors, especially in regard to those who are colorblind. A few of her colorblind friends are not able to distinguish green from red, but yellow and blue, which she incorporates as symbols of light and heaven, are perfectly visible to them. “The two colors essential in the evocation of the divine world are the two colors they can see,” she said. Phipps-Kettlewell, who had been living in Boston, moved to Stillwater when she got married. Among her early interests were the concept of water and its levels of reflection, surface and submersion. She said that her proximity to the St. Croix River and the many bodies of water in the Minnesota landscape (a large change from the mountains of Haiti) may inspire her to return to this exploration of reflection. “I’m getting used to the flatness,” she said. “Me, as a painter of mountains. Perhaps for lack of mountains or hills, I might get back to water more.” Phipps-Kettlewell, also a poet and short story writer, has held fellowships at the Guggenheim Foundation, at Harvard’s W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for Afro-American Research and Center for the Study of World Religions, as well as at Radcliffe’s Bunting Institute. Her collection, “The Company of Heaven: Stories from Haiti,” published by the University of Iowa Press, won the 2010 Iowa Short Fiction Award. Her poetry won the Grolier Poetry Prize, while her collection “Crossroads and Unholy Water” won the Crab Orchard Poetry Prize and is published by Southern Illinois University Press. Her poems are also published in England by Carcanet Press Inc. She is the editor of The Library of America’s Jack Kerouac Collected Poems. Her website is at www. marilenephipps.com

SUBMITTED

Top: Phipps-Kettlewell stands before a recent painting, “Le Regard des Chats,” which shows her two cats Lucy and Leo. Right: “The Tree on Laurel Street” depicts an ancient oak, reminiscent of the tree of life, in front of a Stillwater residence. Left: Several of Phipps-Kettlewell’s paintings show scenes from the Mall of America, including this one of a carousel horse. This painting will be on display at the Agora Gallery in New York beginning April 1.

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

SUBMITTED

6

THE LOWDOWN

www.presspubs.com

UP NORTH When: 1-2:30 p.m. Saturdays, Mar. 26 Where: Hardwood Creek Library, 19955 Forest Rd. N., Forest Lake Details: Drop in or sign up for a 1530 minute session to get help with small electronics and gadgets. Call to register. Contact: 651-275-7300

Wednesdays, through April 15 Where: Forest Hills Methodist Church, 1790 11th St. SE, Forest Lake Details: Free tax preparation for seniors and lowincome residents, by appointment only. Bring a photo ID, Social Security card and income, expense and health insurance documents (if obtained through MNsure). Contact: 651-675-7126

2016 DOG AND CAT CLINIC

DEMENTIA SUPPORT GROUP

GADGET GURU

When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 2 Where: Wildlife Science Center, 5463 W. Broadway Ave., Columbus Details: Get pets a check-up at a full-service mobile vet clinic while enjoying the resident animals. Contact: wildlife sciencecenter.org

When: 10 a.m. the third Saturday of every month Where: Cherrywood Pointe, 231 W. Broadway, Forest Lake Details: Receive information, ask questions, and receive support from others facing the same issues. Caregivers welcome. Contact: 651-464-2709

TRAUMATIC LOSS PRESCHOOL GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP STORYTIME

When: 6-7:30 p.m. Thursdays, April 7May 26 Where: Forest Lake Library, 19955 Forest Rd. N Details: Specialized grief support groups for individuals who have survived a homicide, suicide, accidental death or overdose, to move through grief process with others who have experienced the same type of loss. Free, but registration required. Contact: 651-266-5674 or survivorresources.org

WINE FOR THE WOLVES

When: 6:30-9 pm Fri., April 15 Where: Vannelli’s by the Lake, Forest Lake Details: Fundraiser for Wildlife Science Center includes dinner, wine-tasting, silent auction, raffle. Contact: 651-464-3993 or www.wildlife sciencecenter.org

AARP TAXAIDE

When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and

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 finger plays to encourage early literacy skills. Contact: 651-275-7300

FAMILY STORYTIME

When: 10:30-11 a.m. Saturdays Where: Hardwood Creek Library, 19955 Forest Rd. N., Forest Lake Details: For children ages 2 and up and their families. Stories, songs and fingerplays. Contact: 651-275-7300

OUT EAST PIGGY PALOOZA

When: 10:30 a.m. Friday, Mar. 25 Where: Stillwater Library, 224 Third St. N.

Top 5 at PressPubs.com: Week of March 13-19

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

1. New record for ice out on White Bear Lake. White Bear Press> News 2. Fire ravages Shoreview home. Shoreview Press > News 3. Mahtomedi rejects consolidation petition. White Bear Press > News 4. Google visits Rice Lake Elementary. Quad Community Press > News 5. A White Bear Lake Caribou/Einstein combo brewing on County Road E. White Bear Press> News > Sports

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.

MARCH 25, 2016

Details: Join author and illustrator Derek Anderson as he reads his book ‘Ten Pigs: An Epic Bath Adventure’ to children up to age 6 and their families. Contact: 651-275-4338 or stillwaterlibrary.org

GUIDED BIRD HIKES

When: 8:30-9:30 a.m. Saturday, Mar. 26 Where: Big Marine Park Reserve, 17495 Manning Tr. N., Marine on St. Croix Details: Learn to identify birds on a one hour hike and contribute to citizen science data collection by completing bird count surveys with a guide. Free with vehicle permit. Contact: 651-430-8370 or co.washington.mn.us/ parks FILE PHOTO

BUNNY BUDDIES

When: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month, including Saturday, Mar. 26 Where: Stillwater Library, storytime room, 224 Third St. N. Details: Young readers can read aloud to a therapy bunny. Sign up at registration desk. Contact: 651-275-4338 or stillwaterlibrary.org

BEER FOR BOOKS

When: 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, Mar. 29 Where: Lift Bridge Brewery, 1900 Tower Dr. W., Stillwater Details: Enjoy a local beer and support the Stillwater Public Library Foundation. $1 donated to SPLF for each drink purchased. Live music by Lars Carlson’s Tin Bins Band. Contact: stillwater publiclibrary foundation.org

WCHS ANNUAL MEETING

When: 5:30-9 p.m. Thursday, Mar. 31 Where: Water Street Inn, 101 Water St. S., Stillwater Details: Featured speaker is pro wrestler “Jumpin” Jim Brunzell, who will sign copies of his new book. Social hour at 5:30; dinner at 6:30, followed by Washington County Historical Society membership meeting. Reservations required; $20/members, $25/nonmembers. Contact: 651-439-5956 or wchsmn.org

WOMEN’S BUSINESS BRIDGE

When: 7:45-10 a.m. Friday, Apr. 8 (and the 2nd Friday of every month) Where: Mallards on the St. Croix, 101 5th Ave. S., Bayport Details: Networking opportunity for women in the Stillwater area. $10 Chamber members; $20 non-members includes light breakfast,

Spring Gardening Program WHEN: 1 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 26

WHERE: Stillwater Area High

event includes presentations and educational materials and resources. Free; no registration required.

School, 5701 Stillwater Blvd. N.

DETAILS: Sponsored by the Master

CONTACT: mastergardeners inwashingtonco.org

Gardeners of Washington County,

coffee and program. Contact: wbbconnect. com

COMMUNITY SHOWCASE

When: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun., April 10 Where: Stillwater Area High School, 5701 Stillwater Blvd. N., Oak Park Heights Details: Local exhibitors, including home and garden vendors, connect with the community at this event sponsored by the Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce. Contact: greater stillwaterchamber.com/ community-showcase

VALLEY CHAMBER CHORALE: HOPE LIVED

When: 7:30 pm Sat., April 16; 3 p.m. Sun., April 17 Where: Trinity Lutheran Church, 114 Fourth St. N., Stillwater Details: Concert is a journey through folk music from around the world, with guitars, penny whistles and other ethnic instruments joining the choir. Contact: 651-430-0124 or www.valleychamber chorale.org

AARP TAXAIDE

When: By appointment, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays and 9:30 a.m. to noon Wednesdays, through April 13 Where: Community Thread, 2300 Orleans St. W., Stillwater Details: Free tax preparation for seniors and low-income

residents. Bring a photo ID, Social Security card and income, expense and health insurance documents (if obtained through MNsure). Contact: 651-439-7434

planning to run a marathon to join them on long runs. Contact: scvalley runners@gmail.com

STILLWATER ART GUILD GALLERY EXHIBIT

When: 10:30-11 a.m. Wednesdays Where: Stillwater Library, storytime room, 224 Third St. N. Details: Children through kindergarten age and caregivers hear stories, sing songs, and watch finger plays to encourage early literacy skills. Contact: 651-275-7300

When: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday; and noon-5 p.m. Sundays, through Mar. 31 Where: Stillwater Art Guild Gallery River Room, 402 N. Main St., Stillwater Details: Features acrylic and oil painters Margaret McBride and Barry Smith; Gary Thomas, cabin art; and Dan MacKenzie, photography. Contact: 651-689-0149 or artguildgallery.com

ACORN ADVENTURES

When: 9:30-11 a.m. Tuesdays Where: Warner Nature Center, 15375 Norell Ave. N., Marine on St. Croix Details: Class for children ages 1-5 incorporates outdoor and indoor activities around a monthly theme. $15 per session. Contact: 651-433-2427, warnernaturecenter.org

ST. CROIX VALLEY RUNNERSTRAINING RUNS

When: 8 a.m. Saturday mornings Where: Meet at Brown’s Creek Park, Neal Ave. and McKusick Rd. Details: Group is looking for runners

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME

NEIGHBORHOODS NEARBY 18TH ANNUAL LIVING STATIONS OF THE CROSS

When and Where: Friday, Mar. 25 at noon at the Church of St. Peter, 2600 N. Margaret St., North St. Paul; 3 p.m. at St. Jude of the Lake, 700 Mahtomedi Ave., Mahtomedi; and 7 p.m. at Church of the Blessed Sacrament, 2119 Stillwater Ave. E., St. Paul Details: the ‘Servants of the Cross’ will reenact the Passion of Jesus Christ at three locations on Good Friday. Contact: servantsof thecrossmn.com

SPRING FLING

When: 6:30-8 p.m. Friday, Mar. 25 Where: Lino Lakes

MARCH 25, 2016

www.presspubs.com

Details: Explore what it means to be spirited, effective parenting tools, and how parenting styles can influence spirited children. Sliding fee; registration required. Contact: communityed. mahtomedi.k12.mn.us

TWO BEST GENEALOGY RESOURCES ON THE INTERNET

SUBMITTED

Bear Boating Dance WHEN: 7-11 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 26 WHERE: White Bear Lake Armory,

Bear Boating, a local non-profit that provides boating opportunities for seniors.

2228 4th St.

DETAILS: Dance to music by the

CONTACT: www.bearboating.org

Free and Easy Band and support

Senior Center/City Hall Park Details: Children 10 and under can kick off spring with an egg hunt. Candy-fi lled eggs, goodie bags, refreshments and crafts. Registration required; $8. Contact: 651-982-2400 or ci.lino-lakes.mn.us

RESEARCH IN LAND RECORDS

When: 6-7 p.m. Monday, Mar. 28 Where: White Bear Lake Library, 2150 2nd St. Details: Genealogist Tom Rice looks at genealogical value of land records, where to find them, their history and how to get full value. Free. Contact: 651-407-5327 or whitebearhistory.org

KNOWING YOUR VA BENEFITS WITH SENIOR HOUSING

When: 1 p.m. Tuesday, Mar. 29 Where: Fairfield Inn, Vadnais Heights Details: Program for seniors; call to RSVP. Contact: 651-829-3171

HOW TO PUBLISH YOUR OWN BOOK WITHOUT GOING BROKE

When: 6:30-9 p.m. Thursday, Mar. 31 Where: Centennial High School East, room 102, 4881 101st Ln., Circle Pines Details: Learn the pros, cons and pitfalls of publishing, and walk through the steps of becoming an independent publisher.

Registration $29, includes manual. Contact: 763-792-6100 isd12.org/communityeducation

SPRING IS IN THE AIR ART

When: 6-6:45 p.m. Thursday, Mar. 31 Where: Centennial Elementary, room 5, 4657 North Rd., Circle Pines Details: Grandparents, aunts and uncles can enjoy creative time with a loved one ages 3-5 and make an art project. $13; registration required. Contact: 763-792-6100 isd12.org/communityeducation

ROTARY STRIVE SCHOLARSHIP RACE

When: 9 a.m. Saturday, April 2 Where: Boatworks Commons, 4495 Lake Ave. S. White Bear Lake Details: 5K Run/ walk and 5 mile run along White Bear Lake. Registration is $25 before March 28; includes an event t-shirt. Proceeds benefit the Strive Scholarship Inc. Fund. Contact: 651-653-1230 or whitebearrotary.org

NORTH ARTISTS STUDIO CRAWL

When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Apr. 2 & Sunday, Apr. 3 Where: 13 studios throughout Anoka County; see website for locations Details: Explore the works of nationally and internationally recognized local artists

on a self-guided tour of 13 open studios. Demonstrations and art for sale. Affi liated with Artists del Norte and the Anoka County Arts Alliance. Contact: nascrawl.org

ACTORS IN THE WHITE HOUSE: THE REAGANS When: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Monday, April 4 or 1-3 p.m. Thursday, April 7 Where: Gladstone Community Center, room 105, 1945 Manton St., Maplewood Details: Learn about the Reagan’s unusual journey from movies and commercials to the White House, their successes and failures and his battle with Alzheimers. Registration required. Contact: whitebear. ce.feepay.com

WOMEN AND MONEY: TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR FINANCES When: 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, Apr. 5 Where: District Center, room 201, 4855 Bloom Ave. Details: Women can learn six steps to take control of their money and achieve financial security. Registration required. Contact: whitebear. ce.feepay.com

RAISING SPIRITED CHILDREN

When: 6:15-7:45 p.m. Tuesdays, Apr. 5, 12, 19, 26 Where: Mahtomedi District Education Center, room 109, 1520 Mahtomedi Ave

When: 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Apr. 5 Where: Shoreview Community Center, 4580 Victoria St. N. Details: Learn how to get the most out of two of the best resources on the internet, as well as look at the new records that have recently become available. $30/ resident; $35 nonresident. Registration required. Contact: shoreview communitycenter.org

YOUNG EXPLORERS CLUB-SUPER SPRING

When: 1-2:30 p.m. Thursday, Apr. 7 Where: Wargo Nature Center, 7701 Main St., Lino Lakes Details: Children ages 4-5 can go for a hike, play a game and make a springtime craft. $4/ child. Registration required. Contact: 651-429-8007 or anokacountyparks. com

NATURE PLAY— SPRING ARRIVALS

When: 10-11:15 a.m. Thursday, April 7 Where: Wargo Nature Center, 7701 Main St., Lino Lakes Details: Children ages 2-5 and an adult can make a craft, read a story, and explore outside to learn about the action happening in nature. $3/person. Registration required. Contact: 651-429-8007 or anokacountyparks. com

THE LOWDOWN

or www.wildwoodartist series.com

AMERICAN RED CROSS BABYSITTERS TRAINING

When: 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Apr. 9 Where: Mahtomedi Middle School, room 275 Details: Kids 11+ can learn how to supervise children and infants and perform basic childcare skills. $97; registration required. Contact: community ed.mahtomedi.k12.mn

HOME LANDSCAPING AND GARDEN FAIR

When: 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Apr. 9 Where: Bunker Hills Activity Center, 550 Bunker Lake Blvd., Andover Details: Event includes speakers on a variety of topics and is sponsored by the Anoka County Master Gardener Program. Registration required. $25 by Apr. 1; $30 late registration/walk-in. Bag lunches available. Contact: 763-755-1280 or anokamaster gardeners.org

‘ABOUT BOATING SAFETY’ COURSE

When: 6-9 p.m. Fridays & 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays, Apr. 15/16, May 20/21 & June 24/25 Where: St. Croix Marine, 16 First St., Hudson, Wis. Details: The Hudson Flotilla of the United Stated Coast Guard Auxillary offers this 8-hour course on the fundamentals of boating and safety. Completion satisfies the Wis. and Minn. operatior requirements for both boats and personal watercraft. Contact: 612-418-0929 or trevorcroteau@aol. com

MINNEAPOLIS COMMODORES BARBERSHOP HARMONY CHORUS

When: 3 p.m. Sunday, April 16 Where: Bethel University, Benson Great Hall Details: 75-man a cappella chorus and quartets perform 69th annual show “Way Out West”. Also features North Star Choir. Tickets $15-$25. Contact: 612-927-9363 or minneapolis commodores.org

MUNCHKIN MARKET

When: 9 am-4 pm Sat., April 16; 9 am-2 pm Sun., April 17 Where: Blaine Sports Center Details: Consignment sale featuring everything related to babies and children. Contact: www.munch kinmarkets.com/blainesports-center

EMPOWER ME!

When: 6:30-7:17 p.m. Tuesday, Apr. 19 Where: St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 900 Stillwater Rd., Mahtomedi Details: Free interactive session on personal safety for children ages 6-12 and their parents. Presented by Alison Feigh of the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center.

STUDIO COFFEE & OPEN STUDIO: ARTIST TO ARTIST

When: 9:30-10:30 a.m. Fridays Where: White Bear Center for the Arts, 4971 Long Ave. Details: Come for coffee and discuss art, artists, techniques and trends; stay for open studio and make art. For adults, experienced beginner to advanced. Free with registration. Bring snacks. Contact: 651-407-0597 or whitebeararts.org

2016 NORTHSTAR WATERMEDIA MEMBER EXHIBITION OPENING RECEPTION When: 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Apr. 7 Where: Gallery One TractorWorks, 800 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis Details: ‘Radiance’ exhibition features nationally and internationally known watermedia artists and rund through April 30. Gallery is open M-F, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Contact: northstar watermedia.com

THE NEW STANDARDS When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 8 Where: Chautauqua Fine Arts Center, 8000 75th St. North, Mahtomedi Details: Jazz trio reinterprets songs from a wide variety of genres. Contact: 651-269-9888

7

APR 12-17 6 5 1 . 2 2 4 . 4 2 2 2

ORDWAY.ORG O RDW Photo: Matthew Murphy

8

&

THE LOWDOWN

The Stillwater Police Department reported the following incidents:

Arrest/Citation • On March 7, 4:15 p.m. on Orleans Street E., a 25-year-old Stillwater woman was cited for failure to yield the right of way. Officers located her address, where they determined that the vehicle had been stopped at a stop sign and the party was attempting to make a left hand turn to go eastbound on Orleans. She did not see a vehicle coming, pulled out in front of it, then became frightened and swerved into oncoming traffic. • A 60-year-old Dellwood man was issued a citation for driving after revocation on March 8 at 11:30 a.m. An officer on patrol observed a vehicle traveling near Broadway and Highway 96 at what he believed to be high rate of speed. The officer ran the license plate and determined that the registered owner had had his license revoked. The officer pulled the man over to confirm it. • A hit-and-run accident resulting in damage to stop sign was reported around the 1400 block of Benson Boulevard at 2:45 p.m., March 8. An officer determined that the sign was knocked down at Benson Boulevard E. at Driving Park Road. There were a few other callers who said it was a female driver and provided a license plate number. Officers went to the location to which the vehicle was registered and found it parked in the driveway. The homeowner reported that a juvenile daughter had been driving the car. The juvenile was

www.reathelowdown.com

issued a citation for hit-and-run.

Theft • A woman reported around 1 p.m. March 8 that she believed a check had been removed from her checkbook and cashed at a Lake Area Bank location. She filled out the necessary information with her bank. The bank is in the process of putting video surveillance and the original check together for police. The case remains under investigation. • An Elbow Lake woman reported that her phone had been stolen from a bar on Myrtle Street E. at 4:46 p.m. March 9. The phone came back online and she was able to track it through an app, which showed the phone had been taken to an address in the 5800 block of Oxboro Avenue in Oak Park Heights. The woman sent a text message to the phone informing whoever had taken it that the phone was being tracked and that they should return it to the bar. Shortly after making the report, she received a call from the bar stating that a customer had returned her phone. • Staff at the River Market Co-Op on Main Street reported at 10:23 a.m. March 11 that they believed there had been shoplifting occurring on two different occasions. A man with the same black shopping bag came into the store and never purchased anything. Security video showed that the man was shoplifting. Pictures were provided to the police department, and a possible suspect has been identified. The case is under investigation.

•

•

•

Other • An officer was called to the 100 block of Martha Street S. at 9 a.m. on March 7. A Stillwater man who lives in the area called police because he believed his 16-year-old

•

MARCH 25, 2016

neighbor wasn’t going to school. The man had no relation or interest in this child other than that he believed that he should be going to school. Police took no action. A 27-year-old Stillwater woman on Myrtle Street W. called police on March 7 around 9 p.m. indicating that her mother wasn’t paying her portion of the rent. She wanted police to remove her mother from the residence. Prior to police arrival, the woman called again and said the issue had been resolved. On March 8 around 8:30 p.m. at an address on Interlachen Drive, a 50-yearold Stillwater woman came home and found her back door unlocked. She also noticed that the dresser doors were open in an upstairs bedroom. She called the police, who went through the residence to check it. They found nothing out of place. The complainant confirmed that nothing was missing, and that it was possible that the dresser doors had been left open and her son may have forgotten to lock the back door. There was no concrete evidence to believe a burglary had occurred. An assault occurred at Stillwater Jr. High School at 1:12 p.m. March 11 involving two juvenile males in eighth grade. The alleged victim called the suspect a sexually explicit and disparaging remark. The suspect reacted by grabbing hold of the victim and slamming his head into a locker. Neither party denies what happened. The victim received a broken nose, which will require surgery. The injury makes the incident a felony level fifth-degree assault. At 10 a.m. March 12 on the 400 block of Laurel Street W., a complainant advised that his vehicle and several other vehicles were egged overnight. There was no permanent damage. The incident was possibly related to the fact that a neighbor had had a

traffic dispute with a passing car. The complainant reported tires squealing in neighborhood overnight. An officer instructed the complainant to call police when the activity was occurring. Police should be called with any information about this incident. • A party in the 1200 block of Sterling Way called at 4:45 p.m. March 12 to report illegal dumping on a neighbor’s property. An officer arrived and found no illegal dumping; reports indicate the homeowner of that property had moved items on his property closer to the road. The complainant still had issues, stating that the items being left there (a mattress and office chair) were unsightly. Police instructed him on proper abatement procedures, and advised him to contact the code enforcement officer. • On March 12 around 10 p.m. a complainant called to report that approximately 10 juveniles were smoking near the city bathroom pavilion on Main Street N. An officer arrived and located the juveniles, none of whom were smoking at the time. Since it was the city pavilion area and it was after 10 p.m., they were advised to move along. The juveniles complied. • A 25-year-old Somerset man was arrested for disorderly conduct at an address on Main Street S. at 3 a.m. March 13. He was taken to Washington County Jail, where he was booked and released to a responsible party. An officer with his squad windows open had heard an altercation, and observed the man having a confrontation with security personnel from a bar located in the building. The officer observed him shove a security staff member, causing him to fall backwards. The officer approached the man and informed him he was under arrest. Initially the man resisted, but the officer repeated this multiple times and the man acquiesced.

WASHINGTON COUNTY BRIEFS The following actions were taken at the March 15 Washington County Board of Commissioners meeting at the Government Center in Stillwater, Minnesota:

Job Searching? Check the employment section in the Classifieds to see who’s hiring!

Board honors Commissioner Bearth The Washington County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution of appreciation for the life and service of Commissioner Ted Bearth. Bearth died March 10. The resolution noted Bearth’s lifelong contributions to the community in government and civic posts, as well as his devotion to family and friends.

Board makes appointment to Historic Courthouse Advisory Council Mark Schroeder, Dellwood, was appointed to the Washington County Historic Courthouse Advisory Council by the County Board. Schroeder will serve a first term expiring Dec. 31, 2018. The purpose of the council is to review current operation and long-range plans of the Historic Courthouse building use and restoration within the context of the mission statement adopted by the Washington County Board of Commissioners for the courthouse.

County will receive state grant to combat sex trafficking Washington County will receive a $125,000 grant from the state to combat sex trafficking, after the County Board approved the grant March 15. The money is from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Justice Program, as a 2016-2017 sex trafficking investigations and training grant. The money will be used for personnel costs for a crime analyst, as well as to supplement costs of training local law enforcement partners.

Mahtomedi assists in design, construction of CSAH 12 Washington County and the city of Mahtomedi will cooperate on the cost of the design and construction of County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 12 in that city. The roadway will serve the redevelopment of Piccadilly Square, a senior housing community being constructed at the intersection of Highway 244 and CSAH 12. It will also serve as the west entrance into the downtown Mahtomedi and Willernie area. A trailhead and plaza area for public use will be developed at

the northwest corner of the site. The area, along with additional sidewalks, will provide connections between local and regional pedestrian and bicycling trails. CSAH 12 between Highway 244 and Mahtomedi Avenue will be reconstructed. The project will reduce the width of the existing roadway to allow expansion of the sidewalk along the south side of CSAH 12, while still maintaining parking on both sides. The project will provide a pedestrian-friendly downtown and opportunities for trails and sidewalks through downtown, connecting with existing and future trails.

Board expresses support for pollinators The Washington County Board of Commissioners expressed its support for creating habitats that will support pollinators. In a resolution, the board: declared the county as pollinator-friendly; and directed the county natural resource coordinator to plant 150 acres of diverse prairie and oak savanna, including native milkweed in seed mixes, for the monarch butterfly by 2020; apply for grants to improve pollinator habitat in parks; and evaluate and implement pollinator-friendly best management practices on county-owned property. The county is especially concerned about restoring and enhancing pollinator habitat in county parks, and the board reviewed how to enhance habitat for monarch butterflies. County employees are working to restore prairie and oak savanna landscapes that support pollinators. The parks staff is also working to recognize pollinator decline, encourage the use of native plants and support the use of integrated pest management practices.

Board approves plat in Denmark Township The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a plat in Denmark Township. It is a one-lot plat of 6.23 acres owned by Patricia Ann Cooper. The property is west of Highway 10 (Point Douglas Drive South) and north of the BNSF Railroad and east of Highway 61 (Hastings Road) in Denmark Township.

& MARCH 25, 2016

www.readthelowdown.com

THE LOWDOWN

9

SCHOOL BRIEFS Festival of Cultures set for April 8 The Forest Lake Area School District will host the 11th annual Festival of Cultures on Friday, April 8 from 5:30-8 p.m. The event will take place at Forest Lake Area High School, 6101 Scandia Trail in Forest Lake. The Festival of Cultures is free and open to the public.

Recycling needed for fundraiser Southwest Junior High School is conducting a recycling fundraiser. They are asking people to protect the environment by donating used cellular phones, ink jet cartridges or any small electronic device. All of the proceeds will help fund additional educational resources for students.

Students perform at orchestra festival

SUBMITTED

CIS students collect credit at Cable Commission meeting Forest Lake Cable Commission Chair Randall Simonson signs students’ attendance forms at a recent Cable Commission meeting. Students from left to right are: Kelli Fredrickson (senior), Leah Heilig (senior), Zoey Sonke (junior), Caleb Riemann (senior) and Amanda Stafford (senior). Seated is Forest Lake Cable Commission Chair Randall Simonson.

oversee and set policy for Lakes Area Community Television, the local public access TV station in Forest Lake. The students needed to observe 10 hours of government meetings as part of their assignment and chose to attend a Cable Commission meeting at the Lakes Area Community TV station on Greenway Avenue in Forest Lake. Many also attended a recent Scandia City Council meeting.

Y

aff

Stillwater boys hockey

*A

of the

Josh helped guide the Ponies to their recent state tournament appearance. The senior netminder sparkled in goal for Stillwater, finishing his season with a 22 win3 loss-1 tie record.

Minnesota’s #1 Volume Toyota Dealer! Per Toyota Motor Sale USA 2015

651-482-1322 maplewoodtoyota.com • maplewoodscion.com

MAPLEWOOD

T TOYOTA

With construction expected to begin soon on a new school in Woodbury, the school board voted unanimously on March 10 to give it the name Brookview Elementary. Brookview Elementary School was the most commonly submitted name by members of the community. The name reflects the geographic location of the school, which is on Brookview Road. Brookview is a historic road that used to wind through the rural community of Woodbury prior to the housing boom. Brookview was also the favorite of 51 percent of respondents on a recent online poll. The school district will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for Brookview Elementary School on March 30 at 3:30 p.m. Construction will begin in April. The school will open at the start of the 2017-2018 school year. Stillwater senior recognized in national program Stillwater Area High School senior Aceif Oubaha has been named a finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program. He’s among 15,000 high school students from across the country recognized for their academic accomplishments. Each year 1.5 million students apply, but only 1 percent of them are accepted as National Merit finalists. Oubaha will now compete for 7,400 scholarships worth more than $35 million. Students qualify for the National Merit program by earning top scores on the preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship qualifying test, which they take during their junior year of high school. The highest scoring entrants from each

Eline Rodsjo

state are named semifinalists. To be considered for a National Merit Scholarship, semifinalists must advance to finalist standing in the competition by writing an essay, obtaining letters of recommendation, and demonstrating high academic performance.

Alumnus contributes to space exploration Forest Lake alumnus Dominic Daninger (class of 1972) is helping make waves in the high-tech world. Dominic is vice president of engineering for Nor-Tech, a technology company based in Burnsville. About 10 years ago, Nor-Tech created a supercomputer that, last September, allowed scientists to detect the gravitational waves of two black holes colliding a billion light years away and actually record the sound of the collision.

Youth represents county at 4-H conference Megan Slater of Washington County is one of several Minnesota 4-H members selected to represent the state at the 2016 National 4-H Conference in Washington, D.C. April 9-14. Youth delegates from 4-H have an opportunity to explore complex public issues and possible solutions through research and dialogue. The delegates choose an important societal topic and prepare a briefing working in round-table groups. During the conference, the groups present their briefing to federal officials around the Washington, D.C. area. Delegates also participate in a “Taking it Home” Community Action Plan process that helps them take what they learn at the conference and use it to address an issue back in their home communities.

FOR

EST

LAK

E

Forest Lake Alpine Ski s chosen by press staf *Athlete f

OIX V ALLE

Week

ST. CR

Athlete

Josh Benson nson os thletes ch en by press st

Athlete

of the

Week

Students from a Forest Lake High School Advanced CIS (College in the Schools) Political Science class recently attended a Forest Lake Cable Commission meeting to learn about the Cable Commission and about local government meeting procedure. The Cable Commission is made up of six government and public representatives from Columbus, Forest Lake and Scandia. They meet monthly to

Orchestras from OakLand Junior High and Stillwater Junior High received “Superior with Distinction” ratings during the Minnesota String and Orchestra Teachers Association Middle Level Orchestra Festival, and were invited to perform at Orchestra Hall in early March. Eight middle school and junior high orchestras from around the state received “Superior with Distinction” ratings and the invitation to advance to Tier 2 competition. Of those orchestras, four were from Stillwater Area Public Schools. Representing the district were the Scherzando Strings (eighth grade) and Spiritoso Strings (eighth and ninth grades) from Oak-Land Junior High under the direction of Julie Vanderstappen, and the Novella Orchestra (eighth grade) and Camerata Orchestra (eighth and ninth grades) from Stillwater Junior High, under the direction of Kent Musser.

Name selected for Woodbury elementary school

E Eline enjoyed a sensational season on the slopes, capping it with a o state tournament appearance. st SShe was the lone Ranger girl alpine skier to qualify for state a and finished 40th overall at the a even at Giants Ridge. e

Minnesota’s #1 Volume Toyota Dealer! Per Toyota Motor Sale USA 2015

651-482-1322 maplewoodtoyota.com • maplewoodscion.com

MAPLEWOOD

T TOYOTA

10

THE LOWDOWN

MARCH 25, 2016 www.presspubs.com

Podiatrist– Foot Specialist Dr. Christopher Phillips Medical and Surgical Management of the Foot and Ankle Sports Medicine Treatment of Adults and Children with Foot Conditions

• Ingrown Toenails • Arch & Heel Pain • Bunions • Hammer Toes • Senior & Diabetic Foot Care • Arthritic Feet 4653 White Bear Pwky White Bear Lake, MN 55110

651-426-3995

The Lowdown is directmailed 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

www.WhiteBearFootAndAnkleClinic.com

SUBMITTED

651-429-5420 AUTO & TRUCK PARTS & CYLINDER HEAD SERVICE

16615 N. Forest Blvd. (3 Miles North on Hwy 61)

Hugo, MN

CARS, PICKUPS & JUNKERS

** WANTED ** WE ARE A STATE LICENSED & BONDED AUTO DISMANTLING, RECYCLING FACILITY. YOUR TITLES & VEHICLES PROPERLY HANDLED TOP DOLLAR FOR COMPLETE CARS BROUGHT IN TOWING AVAILABLE

Complete accounting services for individuals and businesses

• Tax Returns • Tax Planning • Financial Reports • Retirement Planning • Estate Planning • Business Consulting We accept VISA and Mastercard Serving the Valley since 1984

James M. Honsvall, LTD. Certified Public Accountant 1815 Northwestern Avenue Stillwater, MN 55082 651-439-4424

www.HonsvallCPA.com

: Our Mission rry-free

ng safe, fun, wo devoted to providi like Appple Academy is porate the nurturing of a homeor care center. ild ch l cia child care. We inc er m m the quality of a co environment with d care

il a great ch ommend You have c e r ld u o and w m a r g o r p it to all. — Jenell L.

“

”

26427 Forest Blvd.• Wyoming

651-462-8772 wyoming@applecw.com wyoming@applecw .com

1845 Main St. • Centerville

651-762-8911 centerville@applecw.com Visit applecw.com or call for tuition specials.

FREE Registration

Up to an $80 Value

New full-time enrollment only. Not valid with other offers. One time use only. Expires 4-30-2016 • Apple Academy

LIKE THE LOWDOWN ON FACEBOOK! WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/FORESTLAKELOWDOWN WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STCROIXVALLEYLOWDOWN

Ersland’s painting “Along the Trail” won a first place blue ribbon in acrylic painting at the Annual Western Spirit Art Show and Sale.

Minnesota artist awarded for western-themed artwork STILLWATER — Stillwater artist William Ersland recently won first and second place ribbons in two prestigious nationally juried shows in Wyoming and Colorado. At the March 7 opening of the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum’s 35th annual Western Spirit Art Show and Sale, Ersland’s long horizontal painting “Along the Trail” took a blue ribbon in the Acrylic Painting Division. The painting portrays members of a wagon train, including of a family with a team of oxen, a single black man and a veteran Confederate soldier on horseback followed by a burro and a dog. This is the 12th year Ersland has been accepted into this nationally juried show competition and the third year that he’s won for his western paintings featuring cowboys, cowgirls and their horses. The show runs through April 17. Ersland also exhibited three western paintings at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center in Pueblo, Colorado and won a second place ribbon for one of the paintings, “Harvest Moon.” This painting features a couple on horseback with a huge harvest moon dominating the background. The show runs through mid-May. Both shows awarded cash prizes of $500. Ersland lives in and has painted in Stillwater for 32 years. He is well known for his paintings of equestrian sporting art, from images of riders, hounds and foxes to cowboys and cowgirls and Native Americans — all on horseback. Wild horses also are a recurrent theme. In 2015, his paintings were part of the Cloud Foundation’s first show to support

SUBMITTED

The painting “Harvest Moon” won a second place ribbon at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center in Pueblo, Colorado.

the work of Ginger Kathrens and her efforts to save the American wild horse. The Long Lake Hounds, a fox hunting group in the rural Twin Cities western suburbs, has been a source of inspiration, and he has both ridden to and followed their hunts. Ersland is also inspired by local county rodeos throughout the summer months. Ersland’s art has been featured in nationally juried shows throughout the western United

States. His paintings are represented in two galleries: the Chisholm Gallery in Wellington, Florida, which exhibits his fox hunting, polo and classical sporting art; and the Tracy Miller Gallery in Manitou Springs, Colorado, which exhibits his cowboy art, including wild horses and rodeo paintings. More of his work can be seen at www.williamersland.com. From press release

BUSINESS BRIEFS United Way announces new interim executive director

United Way of Washington County – East (UWWCE), a nonprofit with over 60 years of experience supporting the community, recently announced the appointment of Jeff Brown to the position of interim executive director. Prior to joining UWWCE, Brown was the executive director of Practice Greenhealth, a national nonprofit organization that helps hospital systems and major health care product and service suppliers reduce their environmental impacts. Brown and his wife Katherine live in Minneapolis.

LAYSB welcomes new board members

Lakes Area Youth Service Bureau (LAYSB) recently welcomed three new board members to its organi-

zation. Glen Stevens, assistant principal at North Branch High School, Carrie Hoffman, associate principal at Chisago Lakes High School and Dale Hager, resident of Forest Lake and captain at the White Bear Lake Police Department, have joined the board that oversees the LAYSB.

Chicago Dogs opens for 12th season

Chicago Dogs, located at 402 North Main St., Stillwater, is opening for the 2016 season. The hot dog stand serves Vienna all-beef Chicago-style hot dogs, chili and Coney dogs, bison hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, bratwurst, gyros and veggie pitas. All hot dogs are gluten-free and can be offered on a gluten-free hot dog bun. Chicago Dogs also serves extra-thick malts and shakes, ice cream cones and sundaes. The business will celebrate its opening day April 1 by providing a complimentary soda with the purchase of any sandwich. Every customer will receive a Sandwich Club Card, which rewards them with a complimentary “Meal Deal” (sandwich, bag of chips and a drink) after the purchase of 9 sandwiches. The opening celebration will take place during regular business hours, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

MARCH 25, 2016

THE LOWDOWN www.presspubs.com

Real Fitness for Real People

Big enough to have everything, small enough to know your name! Indoor & Outdoor Pools Free Childcare with Family Membership 60 Group Fitness Classes Red Cross Swim Lessons Large Cardio & Weights Areas

Spotlight on Business Start your Refit LIFE 12 Week Program! New Session starts April 4th

1826 Northwestern Ave. Stillwater • 651-439-7611 rivervalleyathleticclub.com

All First Time Guests Try personal training And fitness class for free! Ends March 31st See our website for more details

Just For ...theMeSpa 110 S. Greeley St., Stillwater

651.439.4662 See our website at

SM

Jeanne M. Anderson – Experienced Experience & Listener, Results Experienced Attorney & Minnesota Minnesota Wisconsin& Wisconsin Lawyer Wills, & Estates, FREE Trusts Seminars, Wills TrustsEstate, & Estates, Real Estate Real Personal Injury Personal Injury, Law Business Law, Business Contracts, Bankruptcy Succession Planning Jeannemanderson@ stillwater-attorney.com

651-439-1389 226 Myrtle Street East Stillwater, MN 55082 www.stillwater-attorney.com

MARY’S WIGS

Located on Beautiful Bald Eagle Lake • GREAT SELECTIONS OF WIGS AND WRAPS

“I have improved body awareness, better balance, and I believe better small muscle (those joint stabilizers) and strength.” -Dr. Dominic Frecentese “I have been taking Refit LIFE program for two series. I have lost over 35 lbs. I’ve gained so much knoledge regarding nutrition, weight lost and maintaining my goals. I plan on continuing the Refit LIFE education.” - Bard Rosell “Totally thought I needed Knee surgery, wore a knee brace for 2 years still in pain. 5 weeks after the Refit program... no brace & no pain! Money well spent to improve my health, versus paying the health insurance deductible for surgery.” - Lynn Waldorf

Beforee

After

• FREE TRIMMING

Call for Private Appointment 651.429.0296 OR 651.731.6894

FRESHEN UP YOUR DIET IN 2016

CSA Sign Up Limited Space Available Sign up soon! Community Supported Agriculture Members will receive a box of our super fresh, locally grown veggies every week for 16 weeks! Get more info or Sign up at:

www.costafarm.com

Refit LIFE 12 Week Program • Personalized Assessments • 2 Strength and 2 Cardio classes weekly • 1 free nutrituion consultation, including a meal plan, weekly guidance and support • Benefits of working with a personal trainer & nutrition coach in a small group enviroment. • The combination of exercise, nutrition, and community wrapped into one program will help you Refit your life for the long term.

651-439-7611 1826 Northwestern Ave., Stillwater www.rivervalleyathleticclub.com

11

12

THE LOWDOWN

MARCH 25, 2016 www.presspubs.com

SUBMITTED

MOUNTAIN BIKES: Sport has ‘same rush as a video game’ FROM PAGE 1

the team, and we can always push much harder riding together, trading off leads for our respective strengths and weaknesses, than when we’re riding alone.” “Kids are hungry for an alternative sport,” said Annie Perkins, another of the team’s coaches. “Mountain biking offers a totally different experience. Kids feel empowered when they learn how to navigate within and around a natural environment. It could be the very first time that a lot of these kids have an opportunity to figure things out on their own. It builds confidence.” With so many kids being “over-coached” in youth sports, Gray said, mountain biking provides racing opportunities where they’re alone on the course and the coach sees them for just a passing second. “There are no referees to yell at, no calling out instructions by parents and little or no coaching.” Kids have told Gray that riding provides the same rush as a video game. “The main difference is that it’s real, out in nature, and the challenge is exhilarating due to the real obstacles waiting around the next turn. It’s the birth of a love of sport they can have for a lifetime, not just when they graduate high school.” “Bikes are just plain fun,” Nichols agreed. “They can take you places, get you physically fit and do virtually no long-term damage to your body. It’s a competitive sport but the competition aspect of it is presented in a low-pressure way. Do your best and have fun.” In addition to the coaches, Team Director Calvin Jones, one of the pre-eminent bicycle mechanics in the U.S., teaches maintenance and repair techniques. The team’s fundraising and organizational arm is SASCA, Stillwater Area Scholastic Cycling Associates.

Top: The team celebrates success Above: Stillwater Mountain Bikers gear up or the course.

SUBMITTED

SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION: Commissioner hears Mahtomedi/ Stillwater case FROM PAGE 1

voted into effect in early March. Stillwater school board members Shelley Pearson and Mike Ptacek, who both voted against BOLD, were present at the consolidation hearing. Some commenters criticized the school districts, which have already released statements outlining their disinterest in moving the proposal forward. Speakers considered this a disrespectful action on the part of each school district. “They should have at least have come together and had this conversation,” said Withrow parent Bill Wright. Parent Krista Thomas pointed out that during the BOLD proposal, the school board had asked for alternative solutions from parents. Thomas did not perceive this process to be over. She said that even in the event that the districts refuse consol-

idation, the idea should not be totally pushed off the table. Even without the merger, annexation may be a possibility for one or two of the schools that are to be closed by BOLD. “If [consolidation] does not come to fruition, there is community interest in exploring annexation,” she said. Another parent pointed out that while the proposal has many benefits for the Stillwater district, she was unable to see the appeal for Mahtomedi, although Bryant mentioned that the special education services at Mahtomedi could expand as a result of consolidation. The commissioner’s decision to reject, amend or pass the proposal must be returned by March 29. After that, each school district will have 45 days to respond to the proposal.

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Above: Minnesota Commissioner of Education Brenda Cassellius hears the details of a proposed merger between the Mahtomedi and Stillwater school districts at Stillwater Jr. High, March 15.

Right: Mahtomedi parent Shannon Bryant, the petitioner of the consolidation proposal, presents the benefits of district consolidation to Minnesota Board of Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius. JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

MARCH 25, 2016

THE LOWDOWN www.presspubs.com

13

Forest Lake couple celebrates 70th anniversary BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER STAFF WRITER

FOREST LAKE — The secret to 70 years of marriage, say Jerry and Marilyn Saunders, is not only give and take, but a good outlook on life. Married in St. Paul in 1946, the Forest Lake couple celebrated their 70th anniversary surrounded by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren on March 22. The couple’s story is extraordinary: the two grew up in the same neighborhood of St. Paul, and they were married only 12 days after Jerry got out of the Navy. He had been in the service for a little over three-and-a-half years, one of which he spent in France. He was present at Normandy during the D-Day invasion. “He got out of the Navy, and we had no house, no money, no car, no nothing,” Marilyn said. The two started out by renting a one-room apartment from a relative in the Summit Hill neighborhood of St. Paul. “We didn’t like it, but it was what we had,” Marilyn said. Jerry started working as a wholesale milkman, and the two were eventually able to purchase their own home in St. Paul, where they raised their three children. “Every night we had something to do,” Marilyn said. “Football, baseball, hockey, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts.” Their daughter, Debbie Bushman, also remembers a very active childhood. “I had a wonderful childhood,” she said. “I loved the outdoors; doing old-fashioned skating and sledding. It’s not like that today with the kids. You could let the kids go outside and play hopscotch.” The Saunders lived in St. Paul up until 15 years ago, when they moved to a townhome in Forest Lake. Little did they guess they were very closely connected to one of their neighbors, Delbert Nelson. Through talking with Nelson, Marilyn found out that she had been confirmed at the same church as he had been, and Jerry found that Nelson had been at Normandy only days after he was there. The two flew together to Washington D.C. in 2007 on a veterans’ Honor Flight in order to visit the World War II Memorial. Jerry said the veterans were serenaded when they got off the plane. “I was crying when I got off the plane with Delbert,” he said. “They have a full plane full of veterans, and it’s like a lottery to get in. They had quite a few wheelchairs, and it’s all volunteer.” Jerry still loves to be active; he has a

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Left: Jerry and Marilyn on their wedding day in 1946. Right: Jerry, 91, and Marilyn, 88, now live in a townhome in Forest Lake, where they love to watch Twins games and sit outside together.

treadmill and a stationary bike he uses for exercise most every day. Debbie said that a number of years ago, the family attended an event for veterans where most everyone else had canes or walkers to support them. “We were amazed at the guys with walkers and canes, but my dad doesn’t have any of that,” Bushman said. “He’s kind of [my mom’s] caretaker. They help each other, they complement each other. I think that’s the best recipe when you’re older: you laugh, and they do laugh a lot.” Marilyn and Jerry spend time outdoors as often as they can, and they love to watch Twins games and reality TV shows together. Up until several years ago, they owned a hobby farm in Pine City, where they spent time gardening. “They had no animals, but they always loved the wide open spaces,” Bushman said. “When they were younger they had a big garden.” The whole family had fond memories of the time spent in the Minnesota countryside.

“We used to dig up potatoes and fry them in the morning; it was so good,” said Marilyn. “We grew everything.” More than anything, Jerry and Marilyn value their independent lifestyle. They first moved to Forest Lake 15 years ago, and felt that they have adjusted well to the community. “Between the two of us, we cook and we eat out,” Jerry said. “At our age we can stay here and we keep the place up.

Every day we do something, and we got good kids.” The family celebrated the anniversary with a big dinner at Sal’s in Where Withrow. “My mom said [they’re] just glad to be alive and together at this age,” Bushman said. “We’ll have cake and flowers and presents. At this age they just love to be with family. I feel so fortunate to Where have them. I just feel so lucky.”

Volunteers Wanted! Where

Want to beWhere a part of the NORTHEAST METRO EXPO? We areWherelooking for people who would like to volunteer on May 1st, 2016 11am-4pm Please call Patty Steele at 651-407-1213 for more details.

JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Jerry holds a photo of a relative who visited the beach in Normandy where he fought in World War II. The message in the sand reads, “Jerry Saunders was here on Omaha Beach, 6/4/1944.” He holds a jar of sand brought back from Omaha Beach.

14

THE LOWDOWN

MARCH 25, 2016 www.presspubs.com

SUBMITTED

A crowd gathers in front of the Washington County Historic Courthouse for the Lumberjack Days kickoff. SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM | SUBMITTED

Ice cream social seeks vendors STILLWATER — Washington County is now accepting applications from nonprofit and service organizations to provide food sales and children’s games and activities at the 2016 “Community Ice Cream Social and Amateur Talent Show” July 14. Those interested in raising money for an organization may complete the application found at www.co.washington.mn.us/ics and return it by May 30. A variety of organizations will be selected to provide a balanced array of products and activities. The event is part of Stillwater’s Lumberjack Days, and will be from 5-9 p.m. This free, family-oriented event draws more than 1,000 visitors each year and takes place on the grounds of the Washington County Historic Courthouse, 101 Pine St. W., Stillwater. Event Timeline is 5 p.m. for Ice Cream Social and activities, and 6 p.m. for the Amateur Talent Show. Suggested vendor ideas are to grill

and serve beef franks, bratwursts and all the fixings; popcorn; face painting; children’s games, such as fishpond, ring toss, three-legged races; nature- and/or history-based activities or lawn games, etc. Note that all food sales (except individually wrapped products, such as chips and canned/bottled beverages) require a valid food-handling license issued by Washington County Public Health and Environment or the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. The Historic Courthouse will sell old-fashioned penny candy and 25¢ root beer floats. For questions about this event, call Washington County at 651-275-7075. Connect with Washington County Parks at Washington County Parks Official; Washington County Historic Courthouse and @WashCtyParks From press release

STILL LW ST LWAT ATER ER M ED E ICALL G RO O UP O PE PEN N HO HOUS USE E

MARCH 31 5 to 7 p.m. • Pamper yourself: bra fitting, chair massage, make-up

Stillwater Medical Group Specialty Clinic

• Talk to breast health specialists: breast or plastic surgeons, nurse navigators & mammographers • Mammograms offered this evening • Schedule your mammogram • Light refreshments • Enter to win prizes!

Register: lakeviewhealth.org/mammo or 651-430-4655 1500 Curve Crest Blvd Stillwater, MN 55082 lakeviewhealth.org

Pasqueflower in bloom.

The pasqueflower can bloom in snow A war story “Je suis Americain,” the farmer said with a big smile. Translating for me, he added, “I am an American.” I had come to his farm to do an interview on Woods his use of conservation practices; many and Water were contrary to the Notebook recommendations coming from extenJim sion agents of the day. It was 1980 and I was Mortwedt a young reporter. Easter Monday was the exact day. We were walking to a south-facing slope in a clean-plowed field where the farmer, long dead by now, was about to show me something. Soil was the topic of the moment. His was in beautiful shape. A stiff wind had dried the field, though we could still see worm castings all over. Those worms, their abundant presence, indicated the health of the field, he said. I knew he was right. The rich black dirt—a Fayette silt loam, if I recall— was blocky, given to forming chunks, often said to be an indicator of good soil tilth. Under a clod the size of a fist was a pretty little purple and white flower coming up. It’s what he wanted me to see! “It is a pasqueflower,” he said, clearly pleased. He had no accent and also spoke some German, in addition to the French and English he had already demonstrated. Prairie Smoke was another name for the flower, he told me. The plains Indians used it medicinally. I’d heard of it but hadn’t seen it before. South Dakota thought enough of the flower to make it their state flower. That much I knew. I learned from this man that the pasqueflower would sometimes even poke up through the snow at Easter. He said the word pasque means “Easter” in French. “Joyeuses Pâques!” is Happy Easter. In the next moment this farmer seemed to temporarily lose interest in agriculture and told me a curious story. Starting in the 1930s, a relative or neighbor of his in Alsace-Lorraine had grown suspicious of Adolf Hitler, and when he was recruited by the French Resistance, moved the family to Normandy for safety, away from the German-Franco border. In 1940, the father joined the Resistance full time and was believed shot and killed by the S.S. during the war. He was never seen again. Remy, the older brother in this fam-

ily, took a lot of abuse from the Nazis during those years in Normandy. Another brother was younger and was all but enslaved in the task of supplying provisions to the German Army. The rest of the family was watched carefully but allowed to farm. In the village on a Sunday morning at Mass at the Catholic Church, the younger brother—then hardly more than a boy—remembered praying that the Germans would soon be vanquished by an American invasion. He felt little guilt at first in asking God for a slaughter. He said the Germans, for their part, were not so much afraid of the American GIs as they were of American industrial might and its ability to land tanks and artillery and mount an air attack that would starve the German positions above the beaches of Normandy. Striding home across a field that day, the fellow in this story was thinking about his hatred and amended his prayer to simply ask for German defeat, when he nearly stepped on a pasqueflower! That Easter Sunday moment changed the boy’s life. He took it as a sign from God that the war would end in American victory! Enter—a few weeks later—Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower. The general directed Operation Overlord and the D-Day invasion. The slaughter was awful on the beach, but also in the hedgerows further up as American boys spilled their blood to free France. This farmer said he got to know some of those Americans and their sacrifice and heart amazed him. (So I thought maybe this farmer was the boy in the story but he didn’t want to say that). Anyway, after the war, much of Europe in tatters, this farmer decided to move to Iowa. He’d met soldiers who had come from Iowa and decided he would move there and farm! Never did he reconsider. So the pasqueflower was heavy with meaning for him. Whether it was his own story or a neighbor’s, I’ll never know. He soon caught himself and realized he was talking to someone who knew little about Normandy or even World War II. So I recorded his interview on what amounted to using fewer chemicals but more cultivation and it aired one noon hour on KOEL radio in Oelwein. I moved on from that job within the year. I didn’t think of the farmer again until the other day, when in anticipation of Easter, I thought I’d buy a lily, but instead was charmed by a pretty little pasqueflower at the nursery and now intend to go back and buy it instead.

16

THE LOWDOWN

MARCH 25, 2016 www.presspubs.com

MnDOT holds roundabout open house BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER STAFF WRITER

FOREST LAKE — The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) recently held an open house for Forest Lake residents to learn about the highway reconstruction that has already begun on Highway 61 (Forest Boulevard) and Highway 97. The event was held March 15 at the Forest Lake City Center, where residents were invited to talk to representatives from MnDOT and view displays and videos about the stages of construction. The project will install a roundabout at the intersection to make traffic flow more efficient, and add a pedestrian bridge over the road in order to make the area safer for walkers and cyclists. It will maintain access to the nearby Hardwood Creek Trail and construct a new road behind Forest Lake High School to facilitate bus traffic. MnDOT Project Manager Dmitry Tomasevich said that the reconstruction has been planned for years. The first steps toward reconstruction were taken in fall 2015, which included aligning and grading the northbound portion of Highway 61, building portions of the

south and north roundabout, setting piers and land supports for the pedestrian bridge, constructing a temporary business access road and resurfacing Forest Boulevard and Highway 97. The project will conclude in fall 2016—just in time for the beginning of the school year. During the next phase of construction, travelers can expect to see traffic shifts while construction continues on the school access road, the pedestrian bridge and the highways. The project will ultimately include an upgrade to storm drains as well as better lighting around the intersection. While this work is in progress, MnDOT said that traffic will likely be congested, and there will be temporary lane closures and detours. Tomasevich believes the end result is definitely worth the trouble for the Forest Lake community. “I think folks are excited about the improvement in the area,” he said. He said he had heard good feedback about similar roundabouts installed in Hugo and downtown Forest Lake. To learn more about the project, visit www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/ hwy61and97.

SUBMITTED | MNDOT

A projected image of what the roundabout and pedestrian bridge will look like upon completion.

Miss your Envelope? SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Subscribe today and receive

$

130 in Customer Loyalty Coupons $ All for ONLY 18

13th Annual

Amery Spring Show Sponsored by Amery Free Press

Friday, April 1, 5-8 p.m. Saturday, April 2, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. AMERY ICE ARENA

ices

or online at www.presspubs.com/site/serv $18/6 mo. Subscription

$_______

$30/1 year Subscription $_______ $49/2 year Subscription $_______ Total amount enclosed $_______ Today’s date: ___________________ ___________ Name: ________________________ _________ Address: ________________________ ____________ City/State/Zip: ________________ ___________ Phone: ________________________ ____________ Email: ________________________ over -AMEX Credit Card: -Visa -Mastercard -Disc ____________ #: ____________________________

_________ Expires:__________Comments: ____ __________ ________________________________

__________ ________________________________ __________ ________________________________

200 651-407-1bs.co m ppcirc@presspu

Please mail with your payment to:

e, MN 55110 4779 Bloom Ave., White Bear Lak

Subscribe Today for a chance to WIN an iPad Air! Subscribe by April 1, 2016 to be entered to win.

1065 River Place Drive, Amery Friday 5:30 p.m. Demo on Amery Community Garden

Saturday 11 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. AHS Band performs

Saturday 1:30 p.m. Demo on Maple Syrup with Larry Loverude

Exhibitors registered so far are . . . All Exteriors Amery Area EMS Amery Band Boosters Amery Chevrolet Amery Community/ City of Amery Amery Free Press Amery Hockey Association Bremer Bank Cedar Crest Construction Comfort By Design Inc. Culligan Dean’s Satellite and Security

GiveBIG Link Ford and RV Luxury Bath Solutions LLC NW WI Radon Information Center Polk Burnett Electric Cooperative Riverbend Senior Living/ Willow Ridge Healthcare Royal Credit Union St. Croix Casino Slumberland Something Different Printing Window Concepts of Minnesota

Admission - Non-perishable food items or $2 donation to local food pantry

Concessions available by Amery Hockey Association

Think Spring! Proceeds will benefit the Amery Hockey Association, Amery Area Food Pantry, plus a scholarship presented to an area student.

MARCH 25, 2016

www.presspubs.com

Reel talk Don’t Miss!

Good

Worth a Look

Brought to you by WeathermanWatson.com 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.

“10 CLOVERFIELD LANE”

— A surprising ending highlights this suspenseful, enthralling, creative, well-paced, 115-minute thriller based on Josh Campbell’s story in which a wannabe fashion designer (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wakes up in an underground bunker after she is accidentally run off the road in Louisiana and finds herself seemingly held captive with a stranger (John Gallagher Jr.) by an intense, hotheaded retired Naval man (John Goodman) who claims the United States has been attacked by an unknown force and that the air outside is not fit to breathe.

SUNRISE / SUNSET

Fri

March 25

7:05

7:32

Sat

March 26

7:04

7:33

Sun

March 27

7:02

7:35

Mon

March 28 7:00 7:36

Tue

March

29 6:58 7:37

Wed

March

30 6:56 7:39

Thur

March

31

6:54 7:40

WEATHER TIDBIT I heard a few groans from folks who got a little spoiled with Spring Fever from a few weeks back, only to have temperatures cool near normal. I guess that seemed pretty chilly. Area lakes went out last week. A few like White Bear, Bald Eagle, and Forest Lake went out on Wednesday, March 16, the earliest on record.

WEEKLY AVERAGES MAR. 25 TO 31, 2016 High 49° Low 29° %Sun 57% PCP 0.62”

YEAR AGO THIS WEEK March 27, small ponds ice free. March 29, pelting rain with gusts to 30 mph with tree limbs down. Highs only in 30’s from March 25-27.

“CITY OF GOLD” (R) (3) [SOME LANGUAGE.]

— An informative, insightful, fascinating, 96-minute, Laura Gabbert documentary that focuses on the Los Angeles food scene primarily through the eyes and stomach of well-respected, Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic and writer Jonathan Gold and consists of interviews with his wife/Los Angeles Times Arts and Entertainment editor Laurie Ochoa, daughter Isabel Ochoa Gold, novelists Michelle Huneven and Jervey Tervalon, chefs/restaurant owners (such as Bricia Lopez, Duane Earle, Ludo Lefebvre, Nancy Silverton, Gener Agonafer, Jazz and Tui Singsanong, David Chang, Raul Ortega and Ray Choi), authors David Sax and Ruth Reichl, James Beard Foundation executive Mitchell Davis, food TV hosts Andrew Zimmern and Zach Brooks, University California at Berkeley professor Michael Dear, Los Angeles Times writer Carolina Miranda, Los Angeles Times Editor-in-Chief Davan Maharaj, senior food critic Robert Sietsema, architectural critic and educator Reyner Banham, radio host and culinary multitasker Evan Kleiman, editors Sue Horton and Peter Meehan and journalists Laurie Winer, Allan Salkin and Calvin Trillin.

Crossword

— A low-key, dark, somber, critically acclaimed, low-budget, realistic, 83-minute, 2015 film loosely based on Trey Edward Shults’ family in which chaos ensues when a mentally-unstable, 60-ish alcoholic (Krisha Fairchild), who has been estranged from her dysfunctional family (Bryan Casserly, Alex Dobrenko, Olivia Grace Applegate, Billie Fairchild et al.) for more than 10 years, returns to the Texas home of her sister (Robyn Fairchild) and brother-in-law (Chris Doubek) during the Thanksgiving holiday where the festivities quickly unravel.

“REMEMBER” (R) (4) [SEQUENCE OF VIOLENCE AND LANGUAGE.]

— A shocking ending and awesome acting punctuate this terrific, captivating, well-paced, unpredictable, star-dotted (Dean Norris, Jürgen Prochnow and Bruno Ganz), 94-minute Atom Egoyan film in which a 90-year-old widower (Christopher Plummer) with dementia leaves his retirement home where he has been befriended by a Holocaust survivor (Martin Landau) and worries his distraught son (Henry Czerny) when he goes on a road trip that takes him to Cleveland, Canada, and Nevada in the hopes of finding a Nazi SS guard who has been living in the United States for more than 70 years under an assumed identity and was allegedly responsible for killing his entire family at the Auschwitz concentration camp.

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

An egg that is fresh will sink in water, but a stale one won’t.

Did you know? A strawberry is not an actual berry, but a banana is.

Sudoku

“KRISHA”

(R) (3) [LANGUAGE, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND SOME SEXUAL CONTENT.]

17

Weather tidbits

Forget it

(PG-13) (3.5) [THEMATIC MATERIAL, INCLUDING FRIGHTENING SEQUENCES OF THREAT WITH SOME VIOLENCE AND BRIEF LANGUAGE.]

THE LOWDOWN

CLUES ACROSS 1. Matter 5. Puzzled 11. Well wish 14. Frightened 15. Home of the Cowboys 18. Between the jejunum and the cecum 19. Founded the Union Colony 21. Read-only memory 23. Sorcerers 24. Female parents 28. Unexpected obstacle 29. Of I 30. Used to have (Scottish) 32. Patti Hearst’s captors 33. Rock TV channel 35. Revolutions per minute 36. Exclamation: yuck! 39. Be afraid of 41. Arizona 42. Red liqueur __ gin 44. More discourteous 46. Type of chef 47. Mother (Brit.) 49. Untidy in character 52. Inhibitions 56. Pains 58. Politician 60. Unofficial fighter 62. Type of Mustang 63. Branch of Islam

CLUES DOWN 1. Satisfaction 2. Astragals 3. Egg-shaped 4. Nothing more than specified 5. Measures speed of wind 6. In the middle of

7. Actinium 8. The Master of Shadows 9. Dutch cheese 10. Valley 12. A river between China and Russia 13. Masses of matter 16. They live along Gulf of Guinea 17. George __, actor 20. Latvia’s largest city 22. One thousandth of an ampere 25. Millihenry 26. Swiss river 27. Individually 29. Magnetomotive force (abbr.) 31. Without armies (abbr.) 34. Portuguese municipality 36. Old Marxist-Leninist state 37. Malicious satisfaction 38. Actress Julianne 40. Rural delivery 43. Bar or preclude 45. Unit of measurement 48. Peninsula in Greece 50. Bird genus 51. Releases gonadotropin 53. Racquets 54. Southwestern state 55. Town in Benin 57. Car mechanics group 58. Brother or sister 59. Woollen rug 61. Milliliter

“I learned the value of hard work by working hard.” -Margaret Mead

THE LOWDOWN

MARCH 25, 2016 www.presspubs.com

Calendar of Events Mainstreet Stillwater Independent Business Alliance presents: YOGA + ACUPUNCTURE WORKSHOP: Thurs., April 7th 6:00 - 7:30pm Healing Within Acupuncture

activity, a short guided movement practice and a longer meditation. In honor of Earth Day, the theme will be about Trees as the Lungs of the Earth and the meditation will focus on breath work. At this time, drop-ins are welcome.

126 S 2nd St. Stillwater, 651.295.1950 healingwithinacupuncture.com/events/

FRIDAY APRIL 22- SUNDAY APRIL 24TH 20% off all Ecloth cleaning solutions, and free 200g Moso Natural Air Purifying Bamboo Bag with $50 purchases (sale items not included)

-Restorative yoga with acupuncture during an extended savasana.

mainstreetstillwaterIBA.com BIZRECYCLING 101 – TALKING TRASH TO SAVE YOU CASH! Your business is firing on all cylinders. It keeps you jumping 24/7. You recycle. Bottles, cans. Maybe you can do better, but how? The SEED program kicked off in October 2015 with grant funds given to our local chapter of AMIBA : Main Street Independent Business Alliance, in collaboration with the Ramsey Washington Recycle and Energy Board. The focus of this joint effort is to assist businesses in learning about and adapting better recycling practices.

DREAM, DISCOVER, DESIGN WORKSHOP APRIL 7 / 6-9:15PM: with Kali Higgins from Moon River Wellness. This Spring, reconnect to your dreams, re-discover your strengths and harness your inner resources as you design a plan that will carry your best self forward. Evening includes gentle yoga, meditation and group coaching. Each participant also receives a flower essence to support their intentional work.

RIVER MARKET has a Highway Cleanup for EARTH DAY ON SATURDAY APRIL 23! We’ll be cleaning up our adopted stretch of highway 95 north of town to the boomsite. WORLD TAI CHI DAY CELEBRATION Sat., April 30th 9:00 - 10:00am, Lowell Park

CANDYLAND IS DOING AN INSTAGRAM CONTEST Monday April 11th for the Twins Home opener. Participants snap a picture of them at Target Field with a bag of #ChicagoMix® and tag us (@Candyland1932) on Instagram for a chance to win a Minnesota Twins Popcorn Tin Filled with #ChicagoMix®! COMMUNITY MEDITATION CIRCLE APRIL 21 / 6:307:30PM: with Moon River Wellness. Every third Thursday, Kali offers a community meditation circle in her office. The hour includes a themed reflection/

Informational meeting April 8 Reve Bistro - 8:30 - 9:45am

Hosted by Healing Within Acupuncture 126 S 2nd St. Stillwater - 651.295.1950 healingwithinacupuncture.com/events/ -Tai chi in the park. SATURDAY APRIL 23RD AND SUNDAY APRIL 24TH - 10-1 Walk in the yarn scrap birds nesting kits make and take $6 each. Kids welcome at Darn Knit Anyway.

For more information, visit M Mainstreet ainstreetS Stillwater tillwaterIBA IBA.com, .com, F acebook.com acebook.com/M /Mainstreet ainstreetS Stillwater tillwaterMN, MN, OR Mainstreet M ainstreetS Stillwater tillwaterIBA IBA@gmail.com @gmail.com

Support our Local Independents. They’re here for you!

321 Main Street South 651-439-0814 www.alfrescocasualliving.com

131 Main Street South 651-351-3949 www.leosgrill.com

212 Main St N 651-430-8004 www.candylandstore.com

423 Main Street South 651-342-1386 www.darnknitanyway.com

102 Main Street North 651-430-8113 www.forgetmenotinstillwater.com

Nelson Street East 651-342-0799 www.facebook.com/TinBins

200 East Chestnut Street 651-430-1345 www.sashclothing.com

101 Water Street South 651-439-6000 www.waterstreetinn.us

425 East Nelson Street 651-430-3770 www.dockcafe.com

Stillwater, MN 55082 651-439-1783 Book online at: www.gondolaromantica.com

Now open in the Brick Alley building

Hours: Mon-Sat 10:30am-2am Sun 8am-2am 219 Main Street South 651-439-7556 www.brines-stillwater.com

Visit our Taproom in Stillwater @ 1900 Tower Drive www.liftbridgebrewery.com

IBA MEMBERS

24

213 Main Street South 651-342-1140 www.capturesalonstudio.com

217 Main Street North 651-430-3385 www.valleybookseller.com

45 Degrees • Alfresco • Art N Soul • A’salonna Salon & Spa • Betty Junes • Biercycle Adventures • Brine’s Bar & Restaurant • Camrose Hill • Candyland • Capture Salon • Carriage Realty • Charlie’s Restaurant & Irish Pub • Collaborations • Cooks of Crocus Hill • Cover Park Manor • Darn Knit Anyway • Dock Café • Enchante • Forget me Not • Gaalaas Jewelers • Gammy & Gumpy’s • Gondola Romantica • Healing Within Acupunture • Heartland Group • JJ’s Nails & Massage • Johnny’s TV • Kari’s Create and Paint Studio • Kathe Wohlfhart • KLBB • Leo’s Grill and Malt Shop • Liftbridge Brewing Co • Lion’s Main • Mama’s Happy • Maple Island Brewing • Matt & Nates • Maybe, Maybe Not • My Sister’s Cottage • Nellie Bellie • Northern Vineyards Winery • Party On Stillwater • The Pole Barn Studio • Rafters • Reclaiming Beautiful • Reve 324 • River Market Co-Op • Sash Clothing • Simply Chic • Smalleys •Spice & Tea Co • Strawberry Patch • St. Croix Valley Lowdown • Stillwater Art Guild Gallery • Stillwater Boat Club & Rental • Stillwater Montessori • Stillwater Trolley • Stokes Jewelry/Katydid’s • Studio One Yoga • Tamarack Gallery • Tin Bins • Tremblays • Valley Bookseller • Water Street Inn • Wedge & Wheel