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LEXINGTON: Hopes for police budget formula change PAGE 11
Council looks at options for Tart Lake Road BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR
to showcase the (inclusive) playground … it is one of the best ones.” Goodchild, a Hugo resident, launched a nonprofit, the Kourageous Karter Foundation, back in 2020 right before the pandemic hit. The organization’s mission is to raise money for causes that directly affect families like hers as well as to
Adding center island medians, sidewalks, raised intersections and crosswalks are all options that the Lino Lakes City Council could consider to improve Tart Lake Road. City Engineer Diane Hankee explained that over the years, the city’s Traffic Safety Committee, which is comprised of engineering, public works, planning and public safety representatives, has received numerous complaints regarding traffic, speed and pedestrian safety. The residential street connects Otter Lake Road with 24th Avenue/ Elmcrest Avenue on the city’s border with Hugo. Public Safety Captain William Owens said every now and then the Public Safety Department receives complaints about cutthroughs, vehicle noise or commercial vehicles driving through the area. Residents who live in the area have requested sidewalks, road closures at 24th Avenue, intermittent trail crossings and additional stop signs. The city performed multiple speed studies in 2013, 2015 and, most recently, 2022. Along with that, the Public Safety Department has also provided extra enforcement in the area. The city has tried installing a driver (speed) feedback sign for eastbound traffic and added some crosswalks to help pedestrians access the neighborhood park. Tart Lake Road, a 32-foot-wide roadway, can accommodate up to 2,500 vehicles per day.
SEE ROBOT LEGS, PAGE 8
SEE TART LAKE ROAD, PAGE 9
CONTRIBUTED
The second annual Kourageous Karter Fun Run will be held Saturday, Sept. 16. Pictured (from left) are: Tiffany and Karter Goodchild, Megan and Cole Carlson and Jessie and Mitchell Starken.
4 Minnesotans benefit from ‘robot legs’ BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR
On Sept. 16, four Minnesota children will put on their “robot legs,” all in an effort to build awareness around accessibility and inclusion while raising money so that another child can have the experience of walking on their own. The Kourageous Karter Foundation will host the second
annual fun run/walk, but this year closer to home in Hugo rather than in St. Paul. “It just made sense to do it at Lions Park. It is the one playground that we go to frequently, we were involved in the design of the project, and it represents access and inclusion, which is the main point of the foundation that we created,” said Kourageous Karter founder Tiffany Goodchild. “We want
Centennial Theatre continues to expand programs BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR
Centennial Theatre’s participation numbers continue to rise at both the middle school and high school levels. In an effort to create as many opportunities for students of all abilities, the theater will launch some new programs this year. Theater Director Eric Webster explained that since he took over management of the high school theater program four year ago, the
program has averaged more than 100 students per show (not including COVID-19 years). At Centennial Middle School, that number is also up to around 80 students per show. “The goal is to create as many opportunities as possible … It’s always been the goal to expand these programs and do as much as we can,” Webster said. Webster says that with any other sport, such as football, athletes have the opportunity to play junior varsity and continue to improve their skills
and eventually play varsity. That is not the case for theater. “(Because that opportunity doesn’t exist), we are trying to create more opportunities for these students to perform, to work with teaching artists, to have the opportunity to not only perform but get better at it,” he said. Centennial Youth Theatre Historically, Centennial Community Education has brought in an outside SEE CENTENNIAL THEATRE, PAGE 9
MELISSA CARLSON | CONTRIBUTED
The Centennial Theatre program is adding new programs this year to offer students more opportunities to get up on stage.
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