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WHEELS OF HONOR: Visits Lino Lakes. PAGE 7
Residents, nonresidents weigh in on concept plan BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR
LINO LAKES — While a concept plan for Madinah Lakes makes its way through the various city boards, those in support of and those opposed to the project continue to share their thoughts with the city. At the same time, the city is also considering a moratorium on new residential development within the
northwest quadrant of the city. The Environmental Board, Park Board and Planning and Zoning Board have all had an opportunity to view the Madinah Lakes concept plan and offer input. Next up will be the City Council July 1. The Planning and Zoning Board was set to hold a public hearing regarding a possible moratorium June 17, after press deadline.
Madinah Lakes is proposed by Zikar Holdings on land located on the south side of Main Street (County Road 14) near the city’s border with Blaine. The 156-acre development would include a $15 million 40,000-squarefoot masjid, or mosque. Lino Lakes resident Luke Walter said he attended the various board meetings where the concept plan was discussed, where he spoke about the
credibility of the developer and the “potential for the project to fail.” Walter told the council the “warning signs” were right in front of them. “Inexperience, lack of credibility, no clear funding for the project … Is this what Lino Lakes deserves?” SEE MADINAH LAKES, PAGE 6
From struggles to success: Journey to becoming a nurse BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR
This fall, Makenna Thalhuber is headed to Brainerd to pursue a degree in nursing from Central Lakes College. The 18-year-old from Blaine wasn’t sure she would graduate from high school, let alone be accepted to attend college. “I made up a lot of credits … but I was stressed out that I wasn’t going to graduate. I did it with the help of everyone there,” Makenna said about the Centennial Alternative Learning Center. It all started the summer after her freshman year of high school at Centennial High School (CHS), right in the middle of the pandemic.
CONTRIBUTED
Daniel Kuchenbecker, of Lino Lakes, is an artist and art teacher. Pictured at right is a stoneware vase, depicting a fish and plant fossil.
Lino Lakes artist explores variety of mediums Daniel Kuchenbecker is a local artist and art teacher. He recently moved from Hugo to Lino Lakes. Recently, Press Publications sat down with him to learn more about his artistic career and passions. Q. Tell us about yourself. A. Hello! My name is Daniel Kuchenbecker, and I am an artist/art teacher in Lino Lakes. I am married, with a son and another on the way! When I am not painting landscapes and making pottery, I enjoy playing guitar. Q. What initially drew you to pursue art, and how has your journey evolved since graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Stout? What is your day job? A. By day, I teach art at a local high school. This is what I went to school for while also taking many
SEE CENTENNIAL GRAD, PAGE 2
other art and design classes. I don’t think at that point I had ambitions about being a practicing artist — I loved teaching and I had some art skill, so it made sense to get a teaching degree and teach high school art. While teaching, I decided that I needed to have better mastery of my subjects in order to teach at a higher level. This led to large strides in pottery (which I had no real experience with) and painting. During all of this, I decided to start selling pottery at art fairs and it just expanded from there, becoming a small business. Over the pandemic I got really into watercolors, and that has taken off in a different way, leading to exhibitions, art fairs and being the latest vice president of the Minnesota Watercolor Society. So far, everything has developed pretty organically, just a natural progression as skills and interests developed.
CONTRIBUTED
Centennial graduate Makenna Thalhuber will attend Central Lakes College in Brainerd this fall for nursing.
SEE Q & A, PAGE 12
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