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VOLUME 33 NUMBER 28
TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2015
Press Publications 4779 Bloom Avenue White Bear Lake, MN 55110
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Lino officer Ground is broken on Lino Lakes’ Glance dragged, state-of-the-art fire station shoots man
At a
Garden Grant
A Circle Pines school was awarded a grant to plant a garden. Read more on page 5.
by Louise Ernewein Contributing Writer
Lexington City Council
LINO LAKES — Construction traffic had moved a fair amount of dirt at the city’s new fire station site before the ground was even broken officially. As police and fire personnel gathered with the mayor and city council members for the ceremonial groundbreaking on May 4, work on building footings could already be seen and dump trucks moved in and out of the site entrance, pausing briefly to allow an official photo to be taken to mark the occasion. It wasn’t simply a case of being eager to get started; it’s a tight timeline to get the future Lino Lakes South Fire Station built, equipped and ready for firefighters to move in
The council recently approved a salary increase for future council members and the mayor. Read about the council’s other actions on page 5.
Community Calendar Kayaking, BBQ, plant sales and more. Find more fun events happening in your neighborhood! See page 6.
Centennial Lacrosse The Centennial girls lacrosse team will wrap up their season on May 20. Read more sports on page 7.
– Photo by Jeff Ernewein
Leaders who participated in the groundbreaking ceremony were, from left, Station 2 District Chief Paul Peltier, architect Quinn Hutson, Councilman Rob Rafferty, Deputy Public Safety Director-Fire Division Dan L’Allier, Public Safety Director John Swenson, Mayor Jeff Reinert, Councilman Dale Stoesz, Councilman Dave Roeser and Councilman Bill Kusterman. by Dec. 4, the projected completion date. “It was a long road to get here, but this is a big
event,” said John Swenson, public safety director. “It’s one of those points where you give a
sigh and know you have a lot more ahead, but it’s good to get this far.”
Fire Dept./see page 2
“Garden Ideas From Dad” A local retired lawyer and horticulturist selfpublished his own gardening book. Read his story on page 8.
Jumping Jim remembers celebrity mentor by Debra Neutkens
Police Reports Several accidents were reported in Lino Lakes and thefts were reported in Lino and Centerville. Read more police reports on page 14.
Weather Tidbits Week of May 13 - 19, 2015 Weather tidbit: I spotted a few rsts this past week on Peppertree Pond: rst sighting of goslings and baby mallards. Year Ago this week: A cool period with highs ten degrees colder than normal. Big rain May 19, 2.12 inches. Weekly Averages High Low %Sun PCP 70° 48° 59% 0.69”
When Jim Brunzell graduated from White Bear Lake High School in 1967, he never dreamed his career would take him into the pro wrestling ring. That journey into the pseudo-reality wrestling world began with a phone call in 1972 from his friend Greg Gagne, son of the legendary heavyweight wrestler Verne Gagne. His dad was holding a wrestling camp, Greg said, and Brunzell was invited. The two had met as freshmen football walk-ons at the University of Minnesota, Gagne as a quarterback, Brunzell as a split end. Gagne ended up transferring to Wyoming but Brunzell stayed with the Gophers until his junior year when he left for the semi-pros.
He tried out with the Washington Redskins in 1971 but failed to make the team. He was going to return to school when he got the call from his friend Gagne. The camp was a wrestling who’s who, Brunzell recalled, and included Kenny Patera, a weightlifter who had just competed in the Munich Olympics; Khosrow Vaziri, who went on to become the “Iron Sheik”; and Ric “The Nature Boy” Flair. “That group spawned a lot of talent,” Brunzell said. “We went on for 25 years at wrestling events around the world.” Most of those years were with the American Wrestling Association, based in Minneapolis and owned by Verne Gagne. The showman, businessman and men-
tor to Brunzell died April 27 at the age of 89. “He had a big influence on my career,” said Brunzell, who was known as “Jumping Jim” for his lofty drop kick. The first time Brunzell met the senior Gagne was at a barbecue at his Lake Minnetonka home in Navarre. “Galloping Gourmet” chef Hank Meadows was there grilling steaks for guests that included Vikings coaches. “I was watching him cook when Vern came up to me and said, ‘Jim, you have as many of those filets as you want.’ I was 18 and it was my first sampling of someone who was successful and wealthy. I remember he had a waterfall in his home office.”
Brunzell/see page 3
‘Being kind to people really sets the stage’
(More weather on sports page)
Local Great Clips CEO to review success story at Stillwater biz event
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by Michelle Miron HAM LAKE — Rhoda Olsen isn’t able to relax at her Ham Lake home as often as she’d like, but that’s only because there aren’t enough hours in a day. The 62-year-old CEO of low-cost haircut chain Great Clips Inc. said she still finds her job fun even when it’s grueling. She spends 100 nights a year at after-hours functions, traveling 200 days a year to brainstorm with executives and oversee the firm’s 3,800 branches. One of her priorities: personally meeting with franchisees to reinforce the company’s official value statement “We are kind.” Clearly that company
culture is paying off. Now the largest hair salon brand in the world, the privately held Great Clips just completed 10.5 consecutive years of same-salon sales growth, with 2014 revenues of $1.03 billion. It’s already 86th largest among franchises worldwide, and it plans to add an average of 200 new salons nationwide in each of the next five years. It employs 200 in its corporate office while its 1,000-some franchisees employ about 35,000 stylists. The Type A Olsen, 62, will touch on the company philosophy and success story as one of three speakers at the first business conference sponsored by the Stillwater Women’s Bridge networking group May 20.
651-493-8589 4115 Woodland Rd. • Lexington, MN Mon-Sat 11am-8pm • Sun 11am-6pm
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– Submitted photo
Great Clips CEO Rhoda Olsen, far right, hands out awards at a recent company event. Amazingly, Olsen estimated she knows the names of some 600 franchisees and the names and ages of many of
their children, though she’s not as current on newer additions.
Olsen/see page 3
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A New Brighton man is dead after reportedly fleeing arrest during a traffic stop and dragging a police officer down I-694. Sam Matthew Holmes, 31, of New Brighton, was pulled over for speeding at approximately 11 p.m. May 8 on westbound I-694 and University Avenue in Fridley by Lino Lakes police officer Sgt. William Owens. Owens, who has been with the Lino Lakes Police Department for 13 years, was reportedly working as part of a DWI saturation detail, according to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) press release. The preliminary investigation reported that Sgt. Owens attempted to place Holmes under arrest for outstanding warrants and a suspected DUI. Holmes reportedly resisted arrest, at which point Owens used his Taser. Holmes reportedly reentered the vehicle and started to drive away, dragging Owens on the interstate. At this point, according to the BCA statement, Owens fired his firearm, striking Holmes. Owens reportedly fell onto the interstate and the vehicle occupied by Holmes reportedly went off the road, through a fence,
Officer/see page 14
Calling all turkey hunters by Kristine Goodrich Shane Simpson likens turkey hunting to a game of chess. The White Bear Lake man says bagging a gobbler requires a lot of strategy. It’s his favorite animal to hunt because there is a lot of interaction between hunter and bird, he said. He sometimes spends hours luring the same turkey with calls and a decoy, while deciding whether to chance moving closer or to a better vantage point. The chase of the very vocal birds is as rewarding as the kill, he said. Simpson travels the Midwest every spring and fall in search of turkeys. He’s also a champion turkey caller and organizes an annual calling contest. And he hosts a website and social media pages where he shares blogs and videos about hunting and calling. His young daughter is also is a medal-winning caller and is aiming to snare her first turkey this spring.
Hunters/see page 5
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